12/4 Recap: Kassian re-Petes; McNabb pours pair as WJC camp looms

Zack Kassian continued his tear through the OHL Saturday, scoring two goals and two assists to lead Windsor to a 7-1 win over Peterborough. Kassian, who began last season as the Petes captain, posted his second four-point game in a week against his former club after a one goal, three assist effort in a 7-2 win last Sunday. He now has three goals and six helpers over his current three-game point streak.

In St. Catharines, Steven Shipley roofed the game winning goal as Niagara defeated Kitchener, 3-1. The power play marker, his ninth of the season, was his second goal in as many games and puts the fourth-rounder on a three-game point streak heading into Thursday's tilt with Canada's top junior club, Mississauga

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb doubled his season total with a pair of goals as Kootenay lost in overtime to Medicine Hat, 3-2. The 6'4 defender got the Ice on the board with a power play goal at 17:04 of the second period. Later in the third, McNabb would step out of the box after serving a delay of game penalty and immediately join the rush to bury a rebound with 7:51 left to force the OT. McNabb was mule as the game wore on, as the minor he served seemed as the only break he received in the final twenty minutes of play. The World Junior hopeful has points in three straight.

Kevin Sundher was in an ornery mood, picking up boarding, roughing, and high sticking minors as Chilliwack lost to Vancouver, 2-1. Sundher's quiet night snaps a six-game stretch over which he collected five goals and six assists to vault his way to a tie for #2 overall on the Sabres prospects scoring list with 1.12 points per game.

Riley Boychuk (-2) did not factor into the scoring as Portland was outgunned at Spokane, 4-3. The 6'5 grinder picked up a roughing minor in the loss to raise his prospect leading total to 61 PIM on the year.

Matt MacKenzie finished -3 as lowly Calgary lost to Kamloops in overtime, 3-2. Corey Fienhage (arm) suited up for the Blazers after being knocked him out of Friday night's game, finishing with a steady even rating.

In QMJHL action, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc notched another assist as Rimouski lost to the CHL's third-worst team Baie-Comeau, 3-2. The 6'2 defender has a line of 4-13-17 but has slid to a -10 rating through the first third of the season.

In NCAA play, Connor Knapp made 27 saves as #6 Miami rode an Alden Hirschfeld hat trick to take down #12 Notre Dame, 5-2. The 6'5 netminder, who made eight stops before the game was five minutes old, takes his record to 4-2-3 on the season, and currently leads the Sabres goaltending prospects with a 1.81 GAA and .918 save percentage.

Justin Jokinen contributed three shots on goal as Minnesota State defeated Minnesota, 2-1. The win, backboned by Phil Cook's 49 saves, gives the Mavericks their first ever sweep of the Gophers on home ice.

Nick Eno did not play as Bowling Green played to a 1-1 tie with Lake Superior. The 6'3 senior will take a 4-4-1 record, 2.66 GAA, and .902 save percentage into next weekend's set with Ohio State.

Brad Eidsness again served as backup as North Dakota rolled St. Cloud State, 6-2. Aaron Dell had to make 13 saves in the win, including just one in the third period, to get his sixth conference win of the season and 10th overall. Meanwhile Eidsness, who was an All-WCHA 2nd teamer last season after running up a streak of 38 consecutive starts, has played in just one of the last ten Sioux contests.

Mark Adams was scratched as Providence got shut down by Maine, 5-0. A freshman defenseman, Adams remains the only Sabres prospect yet to record a point this season.

12/3 Recap: Pysyk pumps home first; Ship rights ship

Destined to go to Team Canada's Selection Camp with a mark in the goal column, Mark Pysyk tallied his first of the year Friday and added three assists as Edmonton doubled Brandon, 8-4. Pysyk, who netted the first four-point night of his junior career, glided into the zone and filled the net with a wrister at 6:47 of the second period to tie the game 4-4 and essentially open the floodgates for the Oil Kings. Edmonton is now unbeaten in their last five.

Elsewhere, Steve Shipley scored a goal and two assists as Niagara lost a 6-5 road game in Sarnia. Shipley, who had gone six games without scoring a goal, will enter Saturday's meeting with Kitchener toting a two-game point streak. Ryan Strome ('11) produced his second consecutive two-goal game for the winners. The evening featured a total of 17 power plays, including a 7:00 advantage for the Dogs in which they could not score.

Gregg Sutch picked up an assist as Mississauga extended their unbeaten streak to 18 games with a 4-1 win over London. Sutch made a nice feed from behind the net to Rob Flick for his 16th point of the year and a 2-0 Majors lead with 1:40 to play in the opening period.

Marcus Foligno earned an assist as Sudbury was outshot 41-15 in a 3-2 loss to Brampton. The Wolves will take Saturday off before hosting Barrie on Sunday.

In the Q, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc finished the game -2 as Rimouski lost to Chicoutimi, 5-3. Charles Hudon ('12) had three assist for the Sags.

In Western League play, Riley Boychuk (+1) earned an assist as Portland defeated Tri-City, 5-1. Sven Bartschi ('11) added two assists for the Winterhawks.

Matt MacKenzie had a pair of assists as Calgary defeated Vancouver, 4-3.  The multi-point night gives the 6'2 rearguard 13 points (1+12) through 26 games.

Corey Fienhage left the game in the third period with an apparent arm injury as Kamloops fell in overtime to Saskatoon, 4-3. It's unclear if Fienhage will dress Saturday against Calgary, but my guess is that he wakes up sore after the game-ending collision with Darian Dziurzynski.

Kevin Sundher assisted on the game winning goal as Chilliwack carved a 3-2 win over Kelowna. The Bruins trailed 2-0 after two periods before uncorking a three-goal third to snatch the win.

In the NCAA, Nick Eno made 26 saves as Bowling Green skated to a 1-1 tie with Lake Superior. Eno had shut the Lakers down for over 46-minutes before allowing the game-tying goal.

Justin Jokinen skated -1 as Minnesota State defeated rival Minnesota, 3-2. The win came in the Mavericks' first home game since 10/23.

Mark Adams (-2) registered a shot on goal as Providence rallied to a 3-3 tie with Maine. The two clubs will play it back on Saturday.

Connor Knapp did not play as #6 Miami surrendered a 5-4 decision to #12 Notre Dame. It was the fourth time in 10 games that the RedHawks had a lead after 40 minutes only to tie or lose, and the fifth time in that span the RedHawks gave up third-period goals that have decided games.

Brad Eidsness served as backup as North Dakota defeated St. Cloud, 3-1. With Aaron Dell (5-1-1, 1.56 GAA, .931 sv%)  needing a rest and the Sabres likely making calls to Grand Forks wondering when Eidsness will next play, perhaps Sioux coach Dave Hakstol gives the junior the start when the teams reconvene on Saturday.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson finished -3 as Sioux Falls edged Omaha, 5-4.

11/27 Recap: Knapp shuts door; Foligno cooling?

Connor Knapp made a season-high 26 saves Saturday as #5 Miami avenged their previous night's loss with a 5-1 win over #19 Western Michigan. The Jr. netminder was beaten glove-side from the dot for a short-handed goal at the 9:00 mark of the opening period, then shut the door the rest of the way to elevate his season line to 3-2-3 with a 1.79 GAA and .915 save percentage. Knapp will take a two-game winning streak into next weekend's set with Notre Dame.

In other college action, Justin Jokinen contributed four shots on goal as Minnesota State earned the weekend sweep of Lowell with a 3-2 win. The hot-and-cold junior, who powered the Mavs with a Friday hat trick, has six goals and eight points through 14 season. The club will head home to Mankato next weekend  for the first time since October to host Minnesota.

Mark Adams punched four shots on goal as Providence edged Holy Cross, 2-1. The true freshman and only prospect yet to register a point this season was whistled for his fifth minor penalty of the season in the first period when he was called for boarding.

Brad Eidsness served as backup for the third straight game and sixth of the Sioux's last seven as #9 North Dakota played to a  2-2 tie with #11 Notre Dame. Sophomore Aaron Dell had another strong weekend in the Sioux crease, but there is a chance that Eidsness gets a look when they host unranked St. Cloud on Friday/Saturday.

Nick Eno served in his usual Saturday backup role as Bowling Green dropped a 3-2 decision to Rensselaer. Eno is the likely starter when the Falcons travel to Lake Superior on Friday.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian (-2) was held without a point as Windsor saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 5-2 loss to Saginaw. Despite the blanking, the 6'3 right wing remains the leading scorer for the Spits (14-10-0-1) while ranking 12th in the league with 35 points. Josh Shalla, who went undrafted last June after posting a 33-goal season, had four goals to pace the Spirit while Pittsburgh, PA native Vincent Trocheck ('11) collected four assists.

Marcus Foligno failed to hit the scoresheet as Sudbury got pounded by Owen Sound, 6-0. The Wolves (7-17-1-0) were outshot 48-25 in the loss. Going hard to the final horn, the 6'3 captain took a roughing penalty late in the third period to create a 5-3 disadvantage and the Attack's sixth goal. Quiet for the past two weeks, Foligno will carry a seven-game goalless streak into Sunday's match-up with London.

In the WHL, Mark Pysyk (+1) earned an assist as Edmonton handled Calgary, 3-1. Fellow 2011 draftee Matt MacKenzie (-1) picked up a power play assist for the Hitmen, who have now lost three straight. Oil Kings leading scorer Michael St. Croix ('11) tallied his 14th goal of the season unassisted in the opening frame to help the club to their third consecutive win. The WHL game drew 9.760 fans to the Saddledome. In Phoenix, the Yotes/Ducks contest was announced at 12,708...

Brayden McNabb notched an assist as Kootenay clobbered Seattle, 6-2. Despite only playing 16 games this season, the 6'4 Saskatchewan native still ranks 10th among league defenders with 15 assists.

Riley Boychuk picked up an assist as Portland stumbled to their second straight loss, 3-2 to Tri-City in a shootout. The Abbotsford, BC native has six goals and three assists this season while ranking third on the team in PIM with 53.

Corey Fienhage (-2) earned a power play assist as Kamloops was defeated by Prince George, 7-5. The game featured a wild middle period that saw five goals scored in the final seven minutes.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson (-1) recorded a hooking minor as Sioux Falls ended a three-games-in-three-nights run with a 3-2 shootout loss to Tri-City. Isackson, who was stopped in his shootout attempt, ends the weekend with one assist and seven shots on goal and has scored just one point in his last five games.

11/26 Recap: Jokinen first plays trick; Sundher torches 'Hawks

Welcome back.

Justin Jokinen scored his first career hat trick Friday as Minnesota State dumped Lowell, 8-3. Jokinen, who entered the game with three goals in 12 games, broke the seal with two goals in a span of 2:17 in the middle frame before later completing the trick before the period closed to give the Mavericks (3-6-4) a 6-2 lead heading into the final twenty. The junior raises his season goal total to six after posting three in each of his first two seasons in Mankato.

Drew MacKenzie scored his first goal of the season and added an assist as Vermont played to a 2-2 tie with Northeastern. The 6'2 defenseman scored the only goal of the first period when he snuck down for a back-door tip-in after the cycle Catamount forwards wore down the Huskies in their own end. An offensive minded rearguard, MacKenzie didn't score his first goal of last season until late January.

Nick Eno made 19 saves to earn his fourth win of the year as Bowling Green defeated Alabama-Huntsville, 5-1. The win was the 21st of Eno's four-year career and 800th in the history of the BGSU men's hockey program. The 6'3 netminder, who will likely sit take Saturday off when the Falcons play #17 RPI, will carry a 4-4 record and 2.90 GAA into next weekend's match-up with Lake Superior.

Brad Eidsness did not get the start as #9 North Dakota doubled up #11 Notre Dame, 6-3. Eidsness has started just one of the past six Sioux contests. That came last weekend when he was chased after allowing four goals through two periods in a 6-5 loss to UNO. There's no question the junior is mired in the deepest slump of his studded career with a 4.12 GAA and .805 save percentage while deferring to undrafted AJHL product Aaron Dell since Halloween.

Connor Knapp took his usual Friday backup spot as #5 Miami was defeated by #19 Western Michigan, 5-2. The 6'5 junior will step in fresh off last week's 35-save shutout of Bowling Green when the RedHawks look to earn the split on Saturday.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian (+2) scored a pair of second period goals helping Windsor to a 5-2 win over Oshawa. Kassian's markers, scored just 2:26 apart, give the signed prospect a season line of 11-24-35 in just 19 games thus far. Last season, Kassian scored 12-19-31 in 38 regular season games between Peterborough and Windsor. Niklas Jensen, a 6'3 wing eligible in 2011, picked up an assist for the Gens in the loss.

Gregg Sutch scored his fourth goal of the year as the CHL's #1 ranked Mississauga Majors defeated Barrie, 7-4. The goal gives the tough forward 15 points on the year, equal to his previous career best set in 2008-09.

Marcus Foligno assist on the lone Wolves goal as Sudbury came up short against Sault Ste. Marie, 3-1. Foligno nearly tied the game in final minute of play when he clanged a shot the pipe. After 22 games, the 6'3 captain has 12-14-26 to co-lead the Wolves (7-16-1-0) in scoring.

Steven Shipley did not factor as Niagara dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Ottawa. The 6'3 center has gone four consecutive games without a point to keep his season numbers at 7-11-18 through 22 games.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher had two goals including the game winner and two assists as Chilliwack defeated the CHL's #2 ranked Portland Winterhawks, 7-2. With five goals and five assists in his last five games, Sundher now has 26 points (9+17) in 22 season contests. Riley Boychuk finished -2 for Portland while continuing to stock pile rugged minors with the addition of a high sticking and roughing calls to his season resume. The 6'4 forward leads all Sabres prospects this season with 53 PIM.

Mark Pysyk (+2) hit for two assists as Edmonton downed Vancouver, 6-4. The smooth-skating defender has seven assists on the year but is still looking for his first goal. Last season, Pysyk amassed a line of 7-17-24 in 48 games before suffering a season ending foot injury.

Matt MacKenzie posted two assists as Calgary lost to Red Deer, 4-3. The lowly Hitmen sit with a 6-18-0-1 record after 25 games, worst in the WHL and fourth from the bottom of the entire CHL ahead of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL and the OHL's Barrie Colts.

Brayden McNabb finished -1 as #9 ranked Kootenay was shut out by Tri-City, 4-0. The 6'4 rearguard has two goals and 14 assists in 15 games this year despite missing eight games with a shoulder injury.

Corey Fienhage skated -1 as Kamloops earned a 4-3 shootout win over Spokane.The Blazers are currently tied with Sundher's Bruins for third place in the B.C. Division with 27 points.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson (-2) did not register a point as Sioux Falls was defeated by Green Bay, 4-3. On Thursday night, Isackson contributed an assist and six shots on goal as the Stampede rolled past Omaha, 3-1. Through 16 games, the budding Gopher commit and USHL rookie has four goals and 13 points for the second place Stampede (10-6).

Also from Thursday, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc rolled zeros as Rimouski was downed by Quebec, 5-2. The Oceanic mustered just 13 shots on goal in the game, with a whopping zero in the third period. Heading into to the game, JGL had one goal and two assists in his three games since returning from a three-game injury absence.

11/13 Recap: Sutch serves apples as Majors roll

Gregg Sutch (+3) dished three assists Saturday as first-place Mississauga bested last-place Barrie, 6-4. With helpers on all three goals by Rob Flick, Sutch now has five points in his last two games and a total of 14 points (3+11) on the season. The Majors (17-2-0-1) are unbeaten in their last eleven games.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher finished +2 as Chilliwack overcame a two-goal deficit but lost in overtime to Everett, 3-2. Sundher, who earlier took a high-sticking penalty resulting in a Tips power play goal, showed a good burst through the majority of the OT until Ryan Murray ('11) ended it when his shot changed direction with :23 to go. Sundher and the Bruins (10-8-2-0) will return to action on Friday against Tri-City.

Corey Fienhage put forth another steady effort as Kamloops rode a strong second period to a 4-0 shutout win over Kelowna. The Blazer victory halts the Rockets six-game winning streak. The physical Fienhage has clearly benefited from the increased ice-time that the WHL offers. A quarter of the way through his first junior season, the 20-year old rearguard. He's calmer than ever with the puck and looks in control in terms of the pace of the game. Fienhage and the Blazers will play again on Sunday versus Everett.

Brayden McNabb and the rest of his blueline mates were solid all night as Kootenay shut out Edmonton, 1-0. Mark Pysyk saw his minutes increase as the game wore on for the Oil Kings, who fired just twelve shots on goals as they wrapped up a six-game road trip. McNabb and the Ice (14-4-0-2) will continue their road trip Sunday in Calgary, while Pysyk's Oil Kings (7-13-0-1) are off until Saturday when they host Red Deer.

Riley Boychuk registered four penalty minutes as Portland drilled Prince Albert, 8-2. Sven Bartschi ('11) scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season to pace the surging Winterhawks (17-3-0-2). Portland wil continue their road swing Monday in Moose Jaw.

Elsewhere in the OHL, Steven Shipley was even with a hooking minor as Niagara shut out Sudbury, 2-0. Marcus Foligno had the rare quiet night for the Wolves with no points or PIM. The Ice Dogs (13-6-1-1), who were led by a goal and assist from rising talent Ryan Strome ('11), are off until next Friday when they take on the Majors. Foligno and the Wolves (5-13-1-0) will square off with Guelph on Sunday.

Zack Kassian finished -1 as Windsor lost to Owen Sound, 4-3. Kassian again logged big minutes but was unable to muster offense down the stretch for the Spits (11-9-0-1). Windsor returns to the ice on Friday in London.

In a QMJHL note, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc missed his third straight game due to injury as Rimouski lost to Cape Breton, 6-5.

In NCAA action, Drew MacKeznie (+3) was on the ice for four Catamount goals as Vermont upset #7 Boston College, 5-3. The Catamounts (1-4-3) will have extra time to savor their first win of the year, taking next weekend off before re-grouping for a mid-week meeting with Massachusetts the night before Thanksgiving.

Mark Adams skated even with a shot on goal and an interference minor as Providence earned the weekend sweep with a 4-2 win over Alabama-Huntsville. The Friars (5-4-2) will resume their Hockey East schedule with a home-and-home next weekend with Northeastern.

Justin Jokinen (-1) recorded a shot on goal as Minneosta State was blown out at Denver, 6-1. The Mavericks (2-6-4) may have the worst power play in the NCAA after going 0/14 in their two weekend losses. They'll have two weeks to correct it before traveling to Lowell on the 26th.

Connor Knapp made 24 saves as #4 Miami lost to #13 Alaska, 3-2. After stopping 12 of 13 shots through the opening forty minutes, Knapp faced 13 more in a busy third period. They game was tied until a puck tipped past the 6'5 netminder with :30 left in regulation to give the Nooks their fourth straight split in Oxford. The loss sets the RedHawks back to a 6-3-3 on the year.

Brad Eidsness rode the pine for a fourth straight game as North Dakota took the broom to Wisconsin, 4-2. This is new territory for the junior netminder after playing at least one game per weekend since arriving in Grand Forks three seasons ago. North Dakota (7-4-1) will travel to Nebraska-Omaha next weekend.

Nick Eno served as backup in Bowling Green's 5-1 loss Northern Michigan. The Falcons (5-7-0) will host a CCHA set with Miami next weekend.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson earned an even-strength assist as Sioux Falls dropped a 4-3 decision to Lincoln. The Herd held a 3-1 leading after two period before surrendering three goals in the first half of the third period. Sioux Falls (8-3) is off until Friday when they tangle with Fargo.

11/10-12 Recap: Eno re-emerging; Boychuk getting warm

Nick Eno continued his excellent play in the Bowling Green crease Friday, stopping 26 of 27 shots en route to a 2-1 road win win at Northern Michigan. The 6'3 junior has now won his last two starts to up his season mark to 3-3 with a 3.01 goals against average and .891 save percentage. Even with consecutive strong showings by Eno and Andrew Hammond's not-so-hot appearance last weekend, the Falcons goaltending rotation may continue on Saturday as Chris Bergeron prefers the continuity of the status quo.

Elsewhere in NCAA play, Drew MacKenzie posted a pair of assists as Vermont remained winless with a 3-2 loss to #7 Boston College. The multi-point outing was the fourth of MacKenzie's career and first since last February against BU. The two clubs will go at ti again on Saturday at Gutterson.

Justin Jokinen scored his third goal of the season as Minnesota State hung tough in a 3-2 loss at #15 Denver. The junior forward's 15-foot wrister evened the game at a goal apiece before the end of the opening twenty. The goal was Jokinen's first since October 9th, snapping an eight-game drought. The Mavs and Pios will play it back on Saturday.

Freshman Mark Adams was even as Providence's 3-1 handling of Alabama-Huntsville. The 6'3 defenseman is -2 with three minor penalties through his first ten NCAA contests, and will look for his first point when the teams rematch on Saturday.

"Mr. Saturday Night" Connor Knapp served as backup as Cody Reichard pitched a shutout in #4 Miami's 4-0 win over #14 Alaska. Knapp will ready to go on Saturday.

Brad Eidsness watched for the third straight game as Aaron Dell posted a 16-save shutout in #10 North Dakota's 1-0 win over #13 Wisconsin. There is still a chance that Sioux bench boss Dave Hakstol goes with Eidness on Saturday. Stay tuned.

In the WHL, Riley Boychuk scored his sixth goal of the year as Portland saw their ten-game winning streak come to an end in a 4-3 loss to Saskatoon. The hulking forward also received a ten-minute misconduct for his participation in a first-period line brawl sparked by a big Nino Niederreiter hit. Boychuk now has three goals in his last two contests and is playing his best hockey right now for a well-oiled Winterhawks club.

Kevin Sundher went without a point for the second straight game as Chilliwack lost to Red Deer, 4-3. Consensus top-3 pick for next June, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, finished -1 for the Rebels.

Mark Pysyk (+1) had a power play assist as Edmonton lost to Spokane, 4-3. Michael St. Croix ('11) also had an assist for the Oil Kings.

In the OHL, Gregg Sutch (+3) had a goal and an assist as Mississauga cruised past Sudbury, 8-4. Marcus Foligno matched Sutch with a goal and an assist of his own for the losing Wolves to up his season total to 22 points (12+10) through 16 games. Sudbury forward John McMarland went down with an ankle injury in the third period and looks to miss a fair amount of time as the OHL trade activity starts to heat up.

Zack Kassian had an assist as Windsor lost to defensive-minded Plymouth, 2-1. The Spits' co-leader with 26 points, Kassian found himself blanketed by the Whalers top pairing of Austin Levi and Beau Schmitz for most of the game.

Jerome Gauthier-Leduc remained out of the lineup with an unspecified injury as Rimouski edged Chicoutimi, 5-4. Gauthier-Leduc, who missed both games of this week's QMJHL's CAN/RUS Super Series leg, is getting closer to returning after skating in non-contact drills at the 'Nics Thursday practice.

The Sabres other QMJHL prospect, Cedrick Henley, has been out of the Val-d'Or lineup since October 23rd after having surgery to repair a genetic wrist issue. I've yet to hear of a timetable on his return, but expect him to remain out for some time. The surgery was the same one that he had on his opposite wrist as midget.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson had a secondary assist on the game-winner as Sioux Falls defeated Omaha, 2-1. The Stampede return to action Saturday night versus Lincoln.


###

In Thursday action, Boychuk had his best game of the year for Portland, scoring in the first period and then tying the game on a deflection with three minutes remaining to force overtime as Portland extended their winning streak to ten games with a 5-4 win over Regina.

Brayden McNabb had an assist and was +3 as Kootenay doubled Calgary, 4-2. McNabb now points in three straight games. Matt MacKenzie (-1) posted an assist for the Hitmen, who are winless in their last 11 games.

Sundher saw his six-game point streak snapped as Chilliwack was handed a 5-1 loss by Vancouver. The 6'0 center had 11 points over the productive span to get move him up the Bruins scoring list after a slow start through his first couple of weeks.

Steven Shipley had a goal and an assist as Niagara pulled out a 5-4 win over Saginaw. The multi-point effort elevates Ship to a point-per-game player with 18 points (7+11) in as many games for the second-place IceDogs.

On Wednesday, Shipley (-1) and Mississauga banger Sutch (even) failed to register points in the Majors 3-1 win over the IceDogs.

Also from Wednesday OHL action, Kassian had a big night with two goals and an assist as Windsor took a 5-4 OT decision over London. With London a possible suitor for his services, Kassian was engaged throughout with cuts through the D and good possession plays down low to help the Spits to a big victory over their rival.

My apologies for mid-week lag...

11/6 Recap: High five for Isackson in fight-filled Saturday

Christian Isackson poured five points Saturday with a goal and four assists to lead Sioux Falls to an 8-4 thrashing of Youngstown. After the Phantoms took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, Isackson popped the cork on the Herd's offense with an unassisted power play tally at 11:46 of the middle frame. It was all Sioux Falls from there, as the Stampede gathered a three-goal lead before riding out an eight-goal third period to the big victory. Buffalo native and Yale commit Anthony Day had a power play goal for the Stampede.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno was at it again physically as Sudbury lost to Oshawa, 2-1. The Wolves' leader didn't carve up the scoresheet like he has of late, but he instead made noise with a one-punch KO of Gennies 6'3 defenseman Anton Zupancic in the third period. The jab comes one night after delivering a healthy pounding of Plymouth forward R.J. Mahalak in a Sudbury win.




And....boom goes the dynamite.

Foligno and the Wolves are now off until Saturday when they meet up with Mississauga.

In other OHL action, Zack Kassian assisted on the game winning goal with just :12 to play in regulation as Windsor edged Saginaw, 3-2. Skating on the right wing with Stephen Johnston and Michael MacIntyre, the assist was Kassian's second spark offered in the contest after earlier watching his mates respond with a goal less than minute after his second period bout with Anthony Camara.




It looked like Kassian may have been bleeding in the box after eating one near the end of the fight. Either way, he returned to generate a play when his team needed it most, and that's what we're looking for right now. Windsor will host London on Thursday.

Steven Shipley scored his sixth goal of the year as Niagara dumped Peterborough, 4-2. The goal snaps a four-game goalless streak for the 6'3 forward. The IceDogs will next head to Mississauga on Wednesday for 11:00 AM meeting with the Majors.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher continued his productive ways with a goal and an assist as Chilliwack got wacked by Kelowna, 9-3. The 6'0 center now has a five consecutive multi-point games for the Bruins after a relatively slow start that saw him net a goal and three assists through his first eight games.

Elsewhere in the Dub, Brayden McNabb didn't factor into the scoring but did throw his first fists of the year as Kootenay bested Calgary, 5-2. Matt MacKenzie finished -2 for the Hitmen, who have now lost nine games in row.

The ICE got out to 3-0 lead after one before a McNabb turnover just inside his blueline led to a short breakaway goal against. Rather ornery while receiving several challenges throughout, the 6'4 rearguard engaged rugged 6'6 Cody Beach midway through the third period.





The two teams will reconvene Thursday in Calgary.

Riley Boychuk sprayed bagels across the board as Portland doubled up Everett, 4-2. The league-leading Winterhawks will travel to Swift Current on Tuesday.

Mark Pysyk missed his second straight game as Edmonton defeated Prince George, 7-3. The OK's victory, their first since October 11th, snaps a nine-game stretch over which they finished 0-8-0-1.

In the NCAA, "Mr. Saturday Night" Connor Knapp made 18 saves as #1 Miami played to a 1-1 tie with Ferris State. Knapp now has three ties in five starts this season for the RedHawks, who failed to nab the extra shootout point.

Brad Eidsness failed to get the nod from Sioux bench boss Dave Hakstol as #9 North Dakota lost to #2 Minnesota-Duluth, 3-2 in OT. The idle weekend was the first of Eidsness' three-year career after getting at least one start in every Sioux set since arriving in Grand Forks.

Drew MacKenzie recorded a shot on goal as Vermont played to a 3-3 tie with Providence. Friars freshman defenseman Roo Adams finished the game -1.

Justin Jokinen finished -2 as Minnesota State lost to #8 Nebraska-Omaha, 5-2. The junior now sinks to a -7 rating on the season which currently ranks at the bottom of the Sabres list of 2010-11 prospects.

Nick Eno served as back-up as Bowling Green got dumped by #11 Notre Dame, 6-3.

In the QMJHL, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc and Cedrick Henely both their their respective games due to injury. Time tables on each are not yet available, but it is believed that JGL could miss the Canada/Russia SuperSeries next week with an undisclosed ding while Henley's recent wrist surgery should see him miss at least one more week.

11/5 Recap: Foligno runs with "C"; Eno spectacular as Falcons soar

In his first game as captain of the Sudbury Wolves, Marcus Foligno had a short-handed goal, an assist, and a Friday night fight as Sudbury downed Plymouth, 6-4. Skating on a line with John McFarland and Mike Lomas, the aggressive forward set an example from start-to-finish despite spending a chunk of time in the box to help the Wolves to their fifth win of the year.

Foligno's hard work paid off when he was sprung by Lomas to bury a short-handed breakaway to give the Wolves a 5-2 lead in the third period. A crisp highlight came as the buzzer sounded to end the first period when the newly appointed leader finished a check and proceeded to deliver a highlight reel pounding to the Whalers' R.J. Mahalak. He received two, five, and ten on the play, but the message was sent and his teammates responded.




I played this video on my phone last night to a bunch of dejected Sabres fans ranting about the team's shortcomings. It drew quite a response, including a 'Mike Tyson's Punch Out' style "body blow!" comment from one riled up spectator.

Foligno, who now has 20 points (11+9) in 14 games this season, will again lead the pack when his Wolves (5-10-1-0) host Oshawa on Saturday.

Elsewhere in the OHL, Zack Kassian was -3 with an assist as Windsor lost to Guelph, 5-3. The Spits cut the Storm's lead to 4-3 when Kassian entered the zone down the wing and made a drop-pass to Tom Kuhnhackl, who fed Alex Khokhlachev for a power play tally. The Spits (9-2-0-1) will travel to division-leading Saginaw on Saturday.

Gregg Sutch was held off the scoresheet as Mississauga defeated Brampton, 3-1. The hard-driving forward continued his energy-laced effort with a checking from behind penalty in the third period. The first place Majors (14-2-0-0) will host Erie on Sunday.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher had two assists as Chilliwack lost to Everett, 4-3. Continuing to get it clicking after a slow start, the 6'0 center will head into next week with a streak of four consecutive multi-point efforts. Sundher will look to keep it going Tuesday when the Bruins (9-6-0-0) battle the Oil Kings.

Brayden McNabb posted a pair assists and a +3 rating as Kootenay lost in the shootout to Lethbridge, 4-3. Despite projecting to be a sturdy stay-at-homer as pro, McNabb now has eight points in seven games this season since being returned to juniors. The Ice (11-4-0-2) move on to face the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday.

Riley Boychuk picked up an assist as Portland needed overtime to defeat Red Deer, 4-3. The assist was Boychuk's first of the season to go along with three goals through the season's first 25-game block. The Winterhawks (13-2-0-1) will take a seven-game winning streak into Saturday night's match-up with Everett.

Corey Fienhage finished +2 with an assist as Kamloops downed Calgary, 5-4. The helper was Fienhage's third WHL point after spending two WCHA seasons in North Dakota. Fellow third-round pick Matt MacKenzie (-1) earned a power-play helper just 2:37 in for the Hitmen, who have now lost eight straight games. Fienhage and the Blazers square off with Lethbridge on Saturday.

Mark Pysyk was scratched as Edmonton got doubled-up by Prince George, 6-3. More to follow on Pysyk's absence. The OK's (5-10-0-1) and Cougars will play it back on Saturday.

In the Q, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc recorded a shot on goal as Rimouski ended a seven-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over his former club, Rouyn-Noranda. The Nics (10-12-0-0) will look to keep their momentum going when they play a rematch with the Huskies on Saturday. EDIT: Gauthier-Leduc was injured in the game, and will miss Saturday's rematch and likely the QMJHL leg of the CAN/RUS Challenge. (tap on the pads to Jerome from NHLDraftVideo.com for the heads up).

In NCAA action, Nick Eno made 30 saves, including a spectacular diving stop that drew a standing ovation, as Bowling Green defeated #11 Notre Dame, 3-2. After stopping all 18 shots faced through two periods, Eno made the save of the season when he sprawled right-to-left to block an Anders Lee shot after a rebound left the Irish forward with a wide open net. With a goaltending rotation in place for the Falcons (4-5-0), it's hard to say if Eno will return to the pipes for Saturday's rematch. You can watch his postgame interview here.

Justin Jokinen (-2) earned an assist as Minnesota State lost at #8 Nebraska-Omaha, 5-1. The helper ends a six-game point drought for the junior forward. The Mavericks (2-3-4) will look to get to .500 mark when the clubs close their weekend set on Saturday.

Drew MacKenzie skated even as Vermont lost to Lowell, 3-1. The Catamounts held a 1-0 lead before surrendering three unanswered goals in the third period to move to 0-3-2 on the year.

Also from Hockey East, Mark Adams was +1 was Providence shut out Merrimack, 2-0. The Friars (3-4-1) will look to keep MacKenzie and UVM among the winless when they host the Cats on Saturday.

Connor Knapp took his usual Friday post on the bench as #1 Miami suffered their first CCHA defeat of the season, 3-2 to Ferris State. The 6'5 netminder will be in net when the RedHawks (5-2-2) look to gain the split on Saturday.

Brad Eidsness did not play as Aaron Dell backstopped #9 North Dakota to a 4-2 win over #2 Minnesota-Duluth. The junior stopper is expected to get the nod when the Sioux (5-3-1) look for the sweep on Saturday.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson (-1) posted two shots on goal as Sioux Falls fell to Lincoln, 3-1. The Stampede (9-6-3-0) will host Youngstown on Saturday.

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On Thursday, Sutch did not record a point as the Majors blanked Niagara, 3-0. Steven Shipley failed to hit the scoresheet for the IceDogs, who will suit up on Saturday against Peterborough.

In the lone humpday affair on the Sabres prospect slate, Corey Fienhage was even with a holding minor as Kamloops lost to Kelowna, 5-3.

In other news, Val-d'Or forward Cedrick Henley has continued to miss time after having surgery to repair a genetic wrist defect. He's expected to make a 100% recovery, but could still miss a total of eight weeks of action while on the mend.

10/30 Recap: Sundher rising in the west

Kevin Sundher scored a late power play goal and added an assist Saturday as Chilliwack came up short against Medicine Hat, 5-4. The multi-point night, the second in as many nights for the six-footer, ups his season total to eight (3+5) through his first 11 games. Toting three goals in his last four games, Sundher will look to connect on his first three-game point streak of the season Tuesday when the Bruins (8-5-0-0) lace 'em up with Kootenay. Emerson Etem knocked in a hat trick to lead the Tigers.

Riley Boychuk did not factor into the scoring as Portland continued to roll with a 6-1 stomping of Kelowna. Talented 2011's Ty Rattie (2G, 1A) and Sven Bartschi (1G, 1A) paced the Winterhawks attack, while fellow '11 Shane McColgan scored a goal for the Rockets. Portland (12-2-0-1) is off until next Friday when they host Red Deer.

Mark Pysyk was -1 with a roughing minor as Edmonton stumbled against Vancouver, 4-2. The slumping Oil Kings (5-9-01), losers in their last seven tries, will look to right the ship next Friday at Prince George.

Corey Fienhage skated even as Kamloops earned a 3-2 overtime win from Seattle. The Blazers (8-7-0-1) will host Kelowna on Wednesday.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian extended his point streak to five games with an assist as Windsor needed a shootout to edge Niagara, 4-3. During a first period power play, Kassian deflected a point-shot that created a goal off the rebound. IceDog forward Steven Shipley saw his three-game point streak snapped in the loss. Windsor (9-6-0-1) will take a three-game winning streak in a Friday meeting at Guelph, while Niagara (10-4-1-1) will move on to Thursday's matchup with Mississauga.

Gregg Sutch (+1) extended his own point streak to three games with an assist as Mississauga defeated Barrie, 5-2. The win improves the Majors' season mark to 10-2-0-0.

Marcus Foligno saw his six-game point streak come to an end as Sudbury lost to Belleville, 5-1. The lowly Wolves (4-9-1-0) will travel to play Sutch's Majors on Sunday.

In the Q, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc finished the night -2 as Rimouski suffered their fifth straight loss at the hands of Shawinigan, 5-1. The Oceanic roster is loaded with talent, but they haven't been working hard and thus have become way too soft in their own end. A cumulative -10 throughout the team's slump, JGL continued his improved Friday effort with a team-best four hits in Saturday's loss. Rimouski (9-11-0-0) will look for an elusive victory Sunday when they lock horns with Sean Coutuier ('11) and the Voltigeurs.

In NCAA action, Drew MacKenzie had an assist as Vermont lost in overtime to #7 Maine, 3-2. Midway though the third, MacKenzie fired a shot during a five-on-three that was tipped in by Williamsville, NY native Jack Downing to eventually force the OT.

Connor Knapp made 21 saves as #1 Miami played to a 2-2 tie with Lake Superior. Knapp looked to have his second win of the year in the bag before allowing a goal with seven seconds remaining in regulation. The RedHawks, who earned the extra tiebreaker point in the shootout, will travel to Ferris State on Friday.

Brad Eidsness made 14 saves as #8 North Dakota was shutout by #12 Denver, 3-0. The junior allowed two goals on the evening (the third was an empty netter), one off a tic-tac-toe play in the first period and another on a shorthanded breakaway in the second. The contest was marred a ferocious hit by Sioux forward Brad Malone that rendered the recipient, Pioneer Jesse Martin, unconscious on the ice. The Thrashers prospect came-to after being taken off on a stretcher with his future assessment to be performed by the Pio medical team. North Dakota will likley continue their goalie rotation next weekend at Duluth.

Justin Jokinen did not record a point or a shot on net as Minnesota State skated to a 2-2 tie with #16 Alaska-Fairbanks. The junior forward has now game six games without a point after netting three in the Mavs' first two games of the year. Minnesota State moves on to a set with Nebraska-Omaha next weekend.

Mark Adams finished -1 as Providence defeated Massachusetts, 3-2. The Friars will host Merrimack on Friday.

Nick Eno served as back-up as Bowling Green continued their goalie rotation in a 4-1 loss at Alaska-Fairbanks. The Falcons will continue their CCHA slate next weekend versus Notre Dame.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson recorded two shots on goal as Sioux Falls squeaked past Fargo, 2-1. The Stampede (8-6-2-0) will travel to Lincoln on Friday.

10/29 Recap: Isackson rolls with Herd; Sutch gets first

Christian Isackson scored a goal and two assists Friday as Sioux Falls cruised to a 7-4 win over Lincoln. The nifty USHL rookie also poured a game-high eight shots on goal, one of which was a third period wrister that lit the lamp, to help the Stampede to their fourth straight win. Buffalo native Anthony Day had a goal and an assist for the Herd (5-2), who will square off with Fargo on Saturday.

In the OHL, Gregg Sutch scored his first goal of the season as Mississauga downed Kingston, 5-1. The 6'2 checker converged on the crease and finished off a short pass to end his nine-game drought. Sutch has seven points (1+6) through his first 10 games after totaling just eight in 2009-10 (43 games). The Majors (9-2-0-0) will travel to Barrie on Saturday before playing Sunday afternoon hosts to Sudbury.

Marcus Foligno extended his point streak to six games with an assist on the Wolves lone goal as Sudbury fell to Kitchener, 3-1. The 19-year old was tossed from the game after being whistled for a third period kneeing major and could face disciplinary action from the league as a result. Sudbury takes on Belleville on Saturday. Tobias Rieder ('11) had a goal and an assist for the Rangers.

Zack Kassian tapped in his seventh goal of the year as Windsor defeated Erie, 3-2. Kassian's rebound knock-in midway through the second period tied the game for the Spits before Eric Locke ('12) notched the game-winner to earn Windsor their first road win of the season.

Steven Shipley was credited with pair of assists for the second night in a row as Niagara used a shootout to squeak past Brampton, 5-4. Ryan Strome ('11) had a goal and an assist for the IceDogs.

Jerome Gauthier-Leduc posted a -2 as Rimouski continued to falter with a 5-3 loss to Victoriaville. The Oceanic have now lost their last four games, with JGL posting a -8 over the stretch. Rimouski has a lot of talent on its roster, but have yet to put the work in to consistently win games.

Cedrick Henley missed a third straight game as Val-d'Or was clobbered by Saint John, 7-3.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher collected a goal and an assist as Chilliwack took it to Calgary, 7-2. The multi-point effort was the first of the season for the 6'0 center. Thje Bruins (8-4-0-0) have now won four straight contests. Fellow 2010 third rounder Matt MacKenzie was -1 as the Hitmen suffered their fifth consecutive loss.

Brayden McNabb scored his first goal of the season as Kootenay got past Brandon, 5-4 in a shootout. Trailing 3-0, McNabb, who got off a low, hard slapshot through traffic to get the Ice on the board for the first of four straight goals, now has a point in all five games he's appeared in this season. Kootenay (11-3-0-1) will take a seven-game winning streak into Tuesday's meeting with Chilliwack.

Riley Boychuk potted his third goal of the season as Portland doubled Kelowna, 4-2. The rugged 6'5 forward, who buried a shot from right dot off a cross-ice feed, also added three minors to his bulging penalty minute total. The win improves the Winterhawks to an impressive 11-2-0-0 season mark.

In NCAA play, Nick Eno made 23 saves as Bowling Green lost 4-1 at Alaska-Fairbanks. Eno hung tough with some solid stops, with three of the Nanook tallies coming on the power play.

Justin Jokinen recorded a shot on goal as Minnesota State defeated #16 Alaska, 3-2. For those wishing to get a look at the 2008 fourth rounder, NHL Network will be replaying the game Saturday at 3:00.

Mark Adams finished +1 as Providence played to a 3-3 tie with Massachusetts. The Friars will re-engage with thier Hockey East foe on Saturday evening on home ice.

Connor Knapp took his usual Friday spot on the bench as Cody Reichard backstopped #1 Miami to a 6-2 win over Lake Superior. The 6'5 puckstopper will likely man the crease when the RedHawks look for the sweep on Saturday.

Brad Eidsness was sat in favor of Aaron Dell as #8 North Dakota defeated #12 Denver, 4-3. With the Sioux planning on using a goaltender rotation, expect to see Eidsness get the nod when the teams rematch on Saturday.

10/23 Recap: Foligno remains solid; Sundher finally scores

Marcus Foligno continued his early season roll Saturday, scoring a pair of goals including the game winner as Sudbury defeated Erie, 3-1. The Wolves 'unofficial' captain has three goals and three assists in his last four games, and will look to extend to a five-game streak Tuesday at home against Kingston.

Steven Shipley scored his fifth goal of the season as Niagara lost to Barrie, 5-2. The goal snaps Shipley's five-game drought, while the loss was the Dogs second on a row after seeing their six-game winning streak come to an end on Friday.

Gregg Sutch (+2) notched his sixth assist of the year as Mississauga blanked Plymouth, 5-0. The 6'2 checker has yet to score a goal through his first nine games of the season.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher finally scored his first goal of the season as Chilliwack dumped Brandon, 6-3. Snakebitten for seven games entering Saturday, the 6'0 center is hoping the goal gives him momentum heading into Wednesday's match-up in Edmonton.

Corey Fienhage finished +1 as Kamloops defeated Calgary, 3-2. Matt MacKenzie was +1 for the Hitmen in the loss.

In the QMJHL, Cedrick Henley did not play as Val-d'Or lumped Rouyn-Noranda, 9-4.

In the NCAA, Connor Knapp made 15 saves for his first win of the year as #3 Miami steamrolled Northern Michigan, 9-1. Knapp moves to 1-1-1 with a 2.61 goals against average and .885 save percentage heading into next weekend's set with Lake Superior State.

Justin Jokinen registered three shots on goals as Minnesota State was shut out by Colorado College, 1-0. Jokinen has gone four games without a point after scoring two goals and an assist on opening weekend.

In Hockey East, Mark Adams finished at -1 as Providence hung tough but fell to #8 Boston University, 2-1.

Drew MacKenzie skated -1 with a shot on goal as Vermont played to a 2-2 tie with Merrimack.

Brad Eidsness did not play as #2 (not for long) North Dakota dropped a 4-2 decision to Maine. After three starts, the junior currently is showing career lows in goals against (4.46) and save percentage (.762)

Nick Eno served as backup as Bowling Green earned the weekend sweep with a 4-2 win over Alabama-Huntsville.

In USHL action, Christian Isackson recorded two shots on goal as Sioux Falls took a 2-1 overtime decision over Fargo.

10/22: Eno gets W; Eidsness yanked

Brad Eidsness had a night he'd like to forget Friday, allowing three goals on five shots and getting the hook just 9:37 in as #2 North Dakota was blown-out at #12 Maine, 7-3. It's unclear if the junior, who was beaten by a rebound and a pair of one-timers, will get the nod when the teams play it back on Saturday.

Nick Eno made 19 saves a Bowling Green eeked out a 5-4 overtime win over Alabama-Huntsville. The victory was Eno's first of the season and 18th of his BGSU career. 

Mark Adams finished +1 as Providence was nipped in overtime by Lowell, 5-4. The Friars will move on to face #8 Boston University on Saturday.

Justin Jokinen was even with three shots on goal as Minnesota State edged #19 Colorado College, 5-4. The 6'3 junior drew a penalty when brought down on a 2-1 break, and the Mavs capitalized on the ensuing PP to tie the game 2-2 in the second period.

Connor Knapp looked on as creasemate Cody Reichard stopped 21 shots in #3 Miami's 4-0 shutout of Northern Michigan.

In OHL action, Marcus Foligno scored a power play goal as Sudbury hung on to beat Barrie, 4-3. The marker was Foligno's fourth of the season, and 35th of his OHL career. The Wolves will take a two-game winning streak into Saturday's home battle with Erie.

Zack Kassian (-1) posted an assist as Windsor lost to Guelph, 4-3. Midway through the second period, the 6'3 winger had a pass picked off that allowed Storm forward Peter Holland (ANA) to skate in alone and cash a shorthanded goal.

Gregg Sutch finished -2 as the CHL's #2 ranked Mississauga Majors were defeated by #4 Saginaw, 3-2. The Majors will continue their trek through Michigan on Saturday with a meeting in Plymouth.

Steven Shipley finished -1 as Niagara was defeated by Kitchener, 4-1. The loss ends the IceDogs six-game winning streak. Niagara (8-3-1-0) will look to begin a new streak when they skate into Barrie on Saturday.

In the QMJHL, Cedrick Henley scored a power play goal, his fourth of the year, as Val-d'Or doubled Rouyn-Noranda, 4-2. The 6'5 forward rounded out his effort with a game-best five hits.

Jerome Gauthier-Leduc posted a -4 as Rimouski was shot down by Drummondville, 5-1. Sean Couturier ('11) had a goal and an assist for the Volts, and still refuses to talk to reporters.

In the WHL, Corey Fienhage was +1 as Kamloops defeated Edmonton, 3-2. Mark Pysyk had an assist for the Oil Kings in the loss. 

Riley Boychuk continued his aggressive tendencies with minors for checking from behind and high-sticking  as Portland defeated Seattle, 2-1.

Brayden McNabb (shoulder) did not dress as Kootenay downed Red Deer, 4-1.

10/16 Recap: Isackson pots pair as Herd rolls

Christian Isackson scored the first two goals of his USHL career Saturday as Sioux Falls defeated Chicago, 4-1. The six-footer gave the Stampede the only lead they'd need when he hit through a screen at 7:14 of the second period. A little over a minute later, Isackson would strike again from the slot while on the power play to put the Stampede ahead 3-1. Sioux Falls will take a two-game winning streak into next Saturday's meeting at Fargo.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian finished -2 as Windsor was dumped by Plymouth, 4-1. Skating without crafty Alex Khokhlachev ('11), Kassian comes down to earth with zero points for the first time in six games since returning from Buffalo. After serving a two minute minor for drilling Alex Aleardi (did he or did he not leave his feet?), Kassian had a quasi spat with 6'5 Jamie Devane who had earlier made a throat-slash gesture to Kassian while the big Spit was in the penalty box.

Steven Shipley finished -1 as Niagara earned their fifth straight win with a 6-5 decision over Oshawa. Like Kassian, the quiet statistical night ends a five-game point streak for the big Ice Dog forward. Center Ryan Strome ('11), who is slowly becoming a SabresProspects target for the June draft, collected three assists and his first fighting major for the IceDogs.

Gregg Sutch picked up an assist as Mississauga opened up a can on Sudbury, 7-2. Wolves forward Marcus Foligno earned an assist in the losing effort. Sutch has been a key grind element for what has been the tightest Majors unit with Rob Flick and Joe Cramarossa ('11). The Majors are off until Friday when they meet Saginaw, while Foligno and the Pack will engage in a home-and-home with Barrie starting Thirsday.

In the QMJHL, Cedrick Henley skated even as Val-d'Or lost a tight one with top-ranked Quebec, 4-3. The Foreurs will take on Montreal on Sunday.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher earned an assist for the third straight game as Chilliwack doubled-up Vancouver, 6-3. Sundher also earned four penalty minutes on the night, two of which came for roughing in the chippy final minute. The Bruins are now off until Saturday when they host Brandon.

Matt MacKenzie picked up a power play assist as Calgary needed overtime to defeat Seattle, 3-2. The Hitmen will match up with Spokane on Wednesday.

Corey Fienhage finished even as Kamloops was trampled by Prince George, 8-1. The Blazers took a 1-0 lead at 3:10 of the opening period, only to surrender eight straight goals en route to losing. The Blazers will look to get back on track Tuesday versus Edmonton.

Edmonton's Mark Pysyk was held out of the lineup in the Oil Kings' 6-4 loss to Medicine Hat due to "undisclosed bumps and bruises".

Brayden McNabb was expected to return to the Kootenay lineup for their game with Regina, but instead missed a fourth straight with a sore shoulder. The big defender will now look to get back in on Tuesday when they host the Oil Kings.

Connor Knapp made 24 saves as #4 Miami clawed out a 1-1 tie with #10 St. Cloud State. Knapp had a shutout going through fifty-three minutes before poke-checking a centering pass to the stick Jared Festler, who tipped it beneath Knapp to tie it up. The RedHawks kick off the CCHA schedule next weekend when they host Northern Michigan.

Mark Adams went -2 with a shot on goal and a minor penalty as Providence got smoked by Minnesota-Duluth, 7-1. Adams and the Friars, who held a 1-0 lead just :58 in before getting the hammer dropped, will regroup for next weeks' set with Lowell.

Justin Jokinen finished -3 as Minnesota State played to a 5-5 tie with Michigan Tech. Jokinen, a junior, finishes the weekend -5 after a three-point set with St. Lawrence a week ago. The Mavs will face Colorado College next weekend.

Brad Eidsness was given the night off as #2 North Dakota defeated Bemidji State, 5-2. Eidsness and the Sioux will face a tougher test next weekend when they travel to Maine.

Nick Eno watched as Bowling Green earned their first win of the year with a 3-0 shutout at Clarkson. Eno and Andrew Hammond will likely split duties again next weekend when the Falcons host Alabama-Huntsville.

10/15 Recap: Shipley, Gauthier-Leduc keep streaks alive

We'll plow our way through a busy Friday recap as I continue to battle a nasty, nasty cold - my first of the season...

Jerome Gauthier-Leduc posted a pair of power play assists Friday as Rimouski came back to edge Cape Breton, 4-3. Gauthier-Leduc, currently ranked sixth among QMJHL dfensemen with 10 points, will take a six-game point streak into Sunday's meeting with Bathurst.

Cedrick Henley played even with a shot on goal and two hits as Val-d'Or stopped Drummondville, 5-3. Sean Couturier ('11) scored his ninth goal of the year and added two assists for the Voltigeurs. The Foreurs will take on the CHL's #1 ranked team Quebec on Saturday.

In OHL play, Steven Shipley assisted on the game winning goal as Niagara defeated Ottawa, 3-2. With 3:34 to play in regulation, a patient Shipley beamed a pass to a cutting Freddie Hamilton in the slot to extend his point streak to five games and help give the 6-2-1 IceDogs their fourth win in a row. Shipley and the Dogs will look to stay hot when they host Oshawa on Saturday.

Marcus Foligno was -1 as Sudbury lost to Brampton, 5-1. I heard a whisper this week that Foligno may be part of a deal that lands him in Saginaw. John McFarland (FLA), also rumored to be on the outs, did not play for the Wolves.

Gregg Sutch posted a plate of bagels as Mississauga needed overtime to edge Sault Ste. Marie, 4-3. The Majors, currently ranked #2 in the entire CHL, will travel to Sudbury on Saturday.

Riley Boychuk scored his second goal of the year into an empty net as Portland defeated Kamloops, 8-6. Corey Fienhage finished -1 for the Blazers. Ty Rattie ('11) tallied a hat trick to pace the 7-2-0-1 Winterhawks, while Sven Bartschi ('11) continued his freshman tear with a goal and two assists.

Kevin Sundher notched an assist as Chilliwack came up short against Kelowna, 4-3. The point was Sundher's second in as many games after opening the season with zeros in his first four games. The Bruins will host Vancouver on Saturday.

Matt MacKenzie finished +1 as Calgary lost to Everett, 4-2. The Hitmen will keep the bus moving for a Saturday night tilt in Seattle.

Mark Pysyk (-1) posted an assist as Edmonton was throttled by Medicine Hat, 7-1. The two clubs will play it back on Saturday.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson was +1 with five shots on goal as Sioux Falls upended the US NTDP, 5-3. The Stampede will host Chicago on Saturday.

Nick Eno made 27 saves as Bowling Green was blanked by Clarkson, 4-0. After allowing a point shot through his legs and giving up a second goal on a partial breakaway, Eno kept the Falcons in the game by stopping all 10 shots he faced in the second period. Eno may give way to Andrew Hammond when the two clubs drop the puck on Saturday.

Justin Jokinen finished -2 with three shots on goal as Minnesota State lost on the road at Michigan Tech, 5-2. Jokinen continued to make nifty plays with the puck despite the less-than-savory stat line. The Mavs will press for a split when the teams reconvene for Saturday's series closer.

Brad Eidsness was called upon to make just 12 saves as #2 North Dakota defeated Bemidji State, 5-2. It's unclear whether Eidsness, who allowed goals via a 3-1 rush and a partial break, will get the back-to-back nods or if Sioux boss Dave Hakstol will look to get Aaron Dell a second early season start.

Mark Adams was even with three shots on net as Providence lost at #7 Minnesota-Duluth, 5-3. The freshman rearguard was whistled for hooking late in the second period, resulting in a Travis Oleksuk game winning goal via the penalty shot.

Connor Knapp served as backup as #4 Miami doubled up #11 St. Cloud State, 6-3. Knapp will get the start on Saturday.

10/9 Recap: Jokinen gets it goin'; CHLers finding grooves

Justin Jokinen scored his second goal of the weekend Saturday as Minnesota State played to a second straight tie with St. Lawrence, 1-1. The 6'3 junior has appeared stronger and quicker after being scratched for the Mavericks final ten games last season. The marked improvement helped him draw an early penalty and later lay a solid open-ice pop before scrumming and jamming his way to the lone Mavs goal. All three things didn't happen nearly enough through his first two seasons in Mankato, but his game looks well enough thus far to make us wonder what it'd be like if Tyler Pitlick had remained in school. Jokinen and the Mavs will look for their first win next weekend when they travel to Michigan Tech.

In the OHL, Steven Shipley kept his early season momentum going by scoring his fourth goal of the year and third in as many games as Niagara dumped Barrie, 4-1. Shipley, who has six points in his first five games as an IceDog, will look to extend his goal-scoring streak Wednesday evening at Belleville. Niagara's Ryan Strome ('11) had a pair of assists in the win.

Zack Kassian scored his second goal of the year as Windsor came up short in the shootout against London, 5-4. After the Spits fell behind 4-0, Kassian capped the four-goal comeback with 1:24 to play in regulation to give him seven points (2+5) in his first three games of the season. The big wing regularly got to the net and imposed his strength on the boards while on a line with Alexander Khokhlachev and Zack MacQueen. His physical play saw him get whistled for a boarding penalty early in the third before forcing the OT session. Kassian and the Spits will battle Sarnia on Monday afternoon. Vladislav Namestnikov ('11) had a goal and an assist for the Knights.

Days removed from fellow 2010er Matt MacKenzie posting a sparkling +5, WHL counterpart Mark Pysyk earned an impressive +4 as Edmonton held off Swift Current on "Mullet Night", 4-3. The dependable defender now has two assists and a cumulative +8 through his four games back with the Oil Kings. Game #5 of his 2010-11 campaign comes Monday afternoon against Prince George.

Not to be outdone, Corey Fienhage skated to a +4 rating of his own while adding an assist on the game's first goal as Kamloops needed overtime to defeat Vancouver, 5-4. The assist was the first WHL point for the 20-year old defenseman. The two clubs will play it back on Monday.

Brayden McNabb notched an assist for the third straight game as Kootenay dominated Lethbridge, 6-3. The Ice, who outshot the Hurricanes 46-22 in the win, will visit the Broncos on Monday afternoon. Philip Tot ('12) had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes.

Riley Boychuk went without a point for the third straight game as Portland edged Spokane, 2-1. The 6'5 power forward was whistled for three minor penalties on the evening, one each for roughing (coindental), tripping, and high sticking. Sven Bartschi ('11) scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season to pace the Winterhawk attack.

Kevin Sundher finished even as Chilliwack lost to Seattle, 6-3. The 6'0 center has yet to record a point in three games since returning from Buffalo.

In the QMJHL, Cedrick Henley (-1) assisted on the first Foreurs goal as Val-d'Or lost to PEI, 5-2. The developing power forward now has six points through his first seven games. Felipe Corbo ('11) scored a goal and an assist for the Rocket.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson contributed four shots on goal as Sioux Falls was shut down by Indiana, 5-0. The Ice got out to 4-0 lead in the opening twent, and held off every Stampede opportunity the rest of the way. Sioux Falls returns to action next Friday against the USNTDP.

Elsewhere, Connor Knapp made 15 saves through two periods before getting pulled as #3 Miami lost to New Hampshire, 6-3. Knapp, who stopped all seven Wildcat shots through a scoreless opening period, allowed five goals on 13 shots in the second as UNH opened up a 5-1 lead. Knapp's goals against consisted of one power play, one shorthanded (turnover->breakaway->rebound), and three at even strength (sharp angle wraparound, re-direct between the legs, rebound).

Drew MacKenzie was even as Vermont skated to a 1-1 tie with #9 Denver. The Catamounts got their legs going as the game progressed, getting the tying goal before the second intermission and working their way to 13-5 shots on goal advantage in their third period. UVM will take next week off before opening the Hockey East schedule against Merrimack.

At the Kendall Classic, Brad Eidsness took a rare night off North Dakota defeated Alaska, 3-1. The talented junior will return to the crease next weekend when NoDak travels to the newest WCHA member, Bemidji State.

In the CCHA, Nick Eno served as back-up as Bowling Green hung tough in a 4-2 loss to #5 Michigan. Eno and Andrew Hammond will likely split the goaltending duties next weekend when the Falcons hit up the North Country for a set with Clarkson.

And finally...

The continued appeasement of the savage masses continues with footage of Marcus Foligno's scrap from Friday night's loss to Shipley's IceDogs.

10/8 Recap: Gauthier-Leduc pots winner; Ship stays hot

Steven Shipley continued his hot start Friday, scoring a goal and an assist to help lead Niagara to an overtime win over Sudbury, 4-3. The 6'3, 212-pound center now has three goals and five points through his first four games as a Dog. Marcus Foligno, who finished the night +1 for the Wolves, earned his first major of the season after a spirited tussle with Jason Wilson late in the first period.

Gregg Sutch (+1) recorded an assist as Mississauga shut out Peterborough, 3-0. Ahead 1-0 in the early third, Sutch sent a sharp pass to a driving Joe Cramarossa ('11) to thrust the Majors into a two-goal lead. Mississauga outshot the Petes 36-14 to get the W.

In the QMJHL, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc scored the game winning goal as Rimouski doubled Shawinigan, 6-3. The goal, JGL's first of the season, came on the power play midway through a busy, five-goal third period. The 6'2, 194-pounder added three hits for the Nics while keeping things simple in his own zone.

Cedrick Henley skated -1 as Val-d'Or defeated Cape Breton, 3-2.

In the WHL, Matt MacKenzie was -1 as Calgary was shut out on home ice by Swift Current, 3-0.

Riley Boychuk was even as Portland edged Spokane by a 3-2 count despite being outshot 48-19.

Corey Fienhage played even as Kamloops defeated Prince Albert, 4-3.

In NCAA play, Justin Jokinen scored a goal and an assist as Minnesota State played to a 5-5 tie with St. Lawrence. Just 38 seconds into the third period with the Mavs trailing 4-2, Jokinen cut into the Saints zone and rung his shot off the inside of the pipe for his first goal since January 8th. A minute later he helped create Eli Zuck's game-tying tally. The multi-point night was Jokinen's first of his NCAA career.

In Bowling Green, Nick Eno surrendered three goals on 32 shots as the Falcons dropped their season opener to #5 Michigan, 4-1. The 6'3 senior, who was spectacular in the first period with 14 saves to keep the game 2-1 into the intermission, gave up goals on a breakaway, a point shot deflection, and a shot from the slot high over his blocker. Eno will likely serve as back-up when the two clubs play it back on Saturday.

In Anchorage, Brad Eidsness made 18 saves as #2 North Dakota squandered a four-goal lead to walk away with a 5-5 tie with the Seawolves. After Eidsness backboned an excellent effort through thirty minutes, the wheels started to come off for the Sioux in the middle of the second period. Anchorage crept back with three goals in the final ten minutes of the frame, including a shorthander when Eidsness was caught out of the net trying to play the puck from the corner. The 6'0 netminder later made the save of the game in overtime when he snared a blast with his glove while moving right-to-left.

Mark Adams was even in his first NCAA contest as Providence held on to defeat Northeastern, 3-2. The Friars, who many picked to finish last in Hockey East, will take a 1-0 record into next Friday's game at Duluth.

Drew MacKenzie was -2 with a shot on net as Vermont was defeated by #9 Denver, 5-3. The Cats shot out to a 2-0 lead before allowing four straight goals to begin the year 0-1. MacKenzie wasn't credited with a point, but did start the play on Vermont's final goal late in the third when, with the extra attacker, he threw the puck down low where Wahsontiio Stacey finished off the hat trick.

Connor Knapp will get the Saturday start for #3 Miami after watching the RedHawks defeat #10 New Hampshire, 6-3.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson (+1) registered an assist and four shots on goal as Sioux Falls needed a shootout to defeat Muskegon, 5-4. Isackson was stopped by future Gopher mate Joel Vienneau in the deciding frame after Buffalo native and Yale-bound forward Anthony Day put the Herd on the board as the team's #1 shooter.

10/7 Recap: Kassian connects with comrade

Zack Kassian continued his productive start Thursday with a pair of assists as Windsor was on the wrong end of a 5-2 decision to Saginaw. The 6'3 wing has continued to build chemistry with rookie Alexander Khokhlachev ('11), finding the gifted Russian on both of the Spits tallies. Kassian has a goal and five assists through his first two OHL contests.

With Friday seeing the Sabres kick off their 2010-11 season slate, the evening will also bring a full load of prospect action.

The NCAA season opens this evening headlined by Connor Knapp and #2 Miami taking on the University of New Hampshire.

Brad Eidsness will split the weekend action with back-up Aaron Dell when North Dakota makes the trek for their set against Anchorage.

Mark Adams will make his Hockey East debut when the Providence Friars host Northeastern.

Drew MacKenzie and the Vermont Catamounts will face a stiff WCHA test when the Denver Pioneers travel east to the Gutt.

Nick Eno is the expected starting goaltender when Bowling green kicks off their 2010-11 year by hosting Michigan.

Justin Jokinen and the Minnesota State Mavericks will play a two-game set with St. Lawrence.

In the OHL, Gregg Sutch and the Missisauga Majors will host Peterborough, while Steve Shipley's Niagara Ice Dogs travel north to take on Marcus Foligno and the Sudbury Wolves.

In the QMJHL, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc and the Rimouski Oceanic will take on Shawinigan. Cedrick Henley and the Val-d'Or will face Cape Breton.

In the WHL, Riley Boychuk and the Portland Winterhawks square off with Spokane. Corey Fienhage and Kamloops will battle Prince Albert, while Matt MacKenzie and the Calgary Hitmen will play hosts to Swift Current.

10/3 Recap: Kassian spits out four in OHL return

Zack Kassian made a statement in his return to Windsor Sunday, scoring a goal and adding three assists to lead the Spitfires past Sudbury, 6-3. Kassian's four-point night nudged the Spits out of a two-game funk to even their record to 3-3. Marcus Foligno, again skating on a line with John McFarland and Kris Kontos, scored a power play goal and an assist for the Wolves (1-4).

Foligno and Kassian were roommates while with the Sabres, and per the Windsor Star's Bob Duff, the Sudbury checker was impressed with what Kassian brought to the table in their second go-round in Buffalo.

“It was a good time in Buffalo,” Foligno said. “We were actually roommates in Buffalo. He (Kassian) had a great camp.”

Lasting well into pre-season play, both players allowed their minds to drift to the possibility that they might break into the NHL as teenagers. “Once you made the first cuts and most of the junior guys had been sent home, Kassian and I were in the same boat,” said Foligno, who wears the same No. 71 made famous in the NHL by his father Mike. “You kind of start thinking, ‘Maybe I have a chance,’ and your confidence begins to build up. I was happy with what I did there. I thought I impressed them a little bit, got some NHL experience. Hopefully, we’ll both bring it back to this level.”

Lots of folks are excited about Kassian's big night, but in reality he's supposed to perform like this against a lower level of competition after getting a nice slate of NHL work during the Sabres exhibition schedule. The most refreshing development out of Sunday's performance is that his foot seems to be a non-issue after leaving Friday's game in Philadelphia.

Elsewhere in the OHL, Gregg Sutch finished -1 with six penalty minutes as Mississauga suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Ottawa, 6-2. Sutch was whistled for three stick infractions (two for slashing, one for high sticking) on a night when the Majors were playing their third game in three nights. Tyler Graovac ('11) recorded his first OHL hat trick to lead the 67's.

In the WHL, Riley Boychuk scored his first goal of the season as Portland downed Lethbridge, 6-2. On a second period power play, Ryan Johansen (CBJ) found Boychuk alone in front of the net to give the Hawks a 4-2 lead. Portland (3-1-0-1) has seen all but one of their draftees (Nino Niederreiter) return from NHL camps, setting the talented club on a path to gain a little separation in their division as the Dub season kicks into gear.

Mark Pysyk was even with two minor penalties as Edmonton skated to a 3-2 win over Moose Jaw. The Oil Kings, winners of three in a row, will take a five-day break before hosting Swift Current next Saturday.

In the QMJHL, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc (-2) had an assist as Rimouski was doubled on home-ice by Gatineau, 4-2. JGL and the Oceanic (5-4) will host Chicoutimi on Wednesday.

A night after leading his club with three points en route to a victory, Cedrick Henley registered two shots on goal and four hits as Val-d'Or lost in overtime to Lewiston, 5-4. Henley and the Foreurs (4-3-1-0) will host Drummondville on Wednesday.

In the opening weekend of NCAA exhibition play, Brad Eidsness stopped 15 of 16 shots in half a game's worth of work as #2 North Dakota defeated the University of Manitoba, 5-2. The only goal surrendered came when a puck deflected off the skate of dman Ben Blood (OTT) into the ND net.

Connor Knapp faced just four shots in 30:04 of play, stopping them all before giving way to Cody Reichard, as #3 Miami opened the exhibition schedule with a 6-0 shutout of Waterloo.

Nick Eno earned the start for Bowling Green in their exhibition opener with Wilfred Laurier, stopping 11 of 12 shots through a period and a half in the Falcons 4-3 win. The goal allowed by Eno came when former Dartmouth and OHL forward Ryan Bellows pounced on a turnover to quickly beat the 6'3 netminder. Bellows is the nephew of former NHL scorer Brian.

Drew MacKenzie was -2 as Vermont lost to New Brunswick, 3-2. The perennial CIS power Varsity Reds have historically played Hockey East clubs tight, and Sunday proved a good test to a Catamount defense that is expected to be relied on quite heavily this season in Burlington.

3/6 Recap: Adam sharp in Eagle win; Eno's season ends

Luke Adam collected the game winning goal and three assists Saturday to lead Cape Breton to an 8-3 thrashing of PEI. The four-point night, his third such output of the year, gives the 6'2 center a total of 87 (47-40) in 55 regular season games - good for 3rd overall in the QMJHL. Adam's mark leaves him three short of 50 with three games to play.

Jacob Lagacé added his 34th of the year for the Eagles, who earned the weekend split in Charlottetown. Jordon Southorn finished -2 for the Rocket, while Eagles forward Maxime Legault missed his third straight game due to illness.

Marcus Foligno was -1 as Sudbury lost an important battle with Niagara, 4-2. The road defeat drops the Wolves from sixth to final eighth spot in the OHL's Eastern Conference playoff standings with four games to play. Sudbury (54) holds a one point lead over ninth place Oshawa (53), with Peterborough (56) and Niagara (55) holding the sixth and seventh spots.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was -2 as Kootenay got spanked in their own barn by Calgary, 6-0. Wild prospect Kris Foucault had a hat trick and assist while goaltender Martin Jones recorded with his third consecutive shutout for the Hitmen. With the playoffs around the corner, the Ice have hit a cold patch of five straight losses. They will look to right the ship on Wednesday versus Red Deer.

In the NCAA, Bowling Green junior Nick Eno made 24 saves prior to exiting as Bowling Green saw their 2009-10 season conclude with a 6-1 loss to #20 Nebraska-Omaha. Eno, who had allowed four goals on 28 shots through 36:33 of time, ends his disappointing campaign at 5-13-4 with a 3.30 goals against average and .896 save percentage while fighting freshman Andrew Hammond for time.

Alex Biega was even as Harvard knocked Princeton out of the ECAC tournament with a 3-0 shutout win. Alex's freshman brother Danny paced the Crimson attack with a gorgeous goal, his fourth in five games, and an assist. Sunday action will determine Harvard's second round opponent.

Drew MacKenzie was -1 as #16 Vermont played to a 1-1 overtime tie with Lowell. The tie and a Northeastern loss to BU allowed the Catamounts to slip into the final spot in the Hockey East playoffs where they'll against the top seed, #10 New Hampshire.

In Grand Forks, Brad Eidsness made 28 saves as #7 North Dakota came back to sweep Michigan Tech, 3-2. A rebound down low and clean look off a rush put Tech ahead 2-0 through the early second period before the Sioux rallied to win their seventh straight. North Dakota's Corey Fienhage was +1 with two shots on goal and two aggressive, perhaps ill-timed minors for elbowing and boarding. The Sioux finish the WCHA regular season as the #4 seed, setting up a first round battle with Minnesota.

Justin Jokinen was scratched for the seventh consecutive game as Mankato tied #4 St. Cloud, 2-2. The Mavs will return to St. Cloud next weekend for the first round of the WCHA playoffs.

3/5 Recap: Tourney season underway

Alex Biega fired up the SabresProspects playoff season on Friday, registering an assist as Harvard scored four third period goals to win at Princeton, 4-2. The Senior Biega head-manned the puck up ice to Louis LeBlanc, who found Michael Biega for the final Crimson goal with 2:10 left on the clock. The Crimson will look to advance to the second round of the ECAC bracket when the two teams take the ice on Saturday. A Tiger win will force a deciding game on Sunday.

In the CCHA playoffs, Nick Eno made 21 saves in relief of starter Andrew Hammond as Bowling Green was blown-out at Nebraska-Omaha, 6-1. Eno, who entered the game at 2:29 of the second period with the Falcons down 4-1, allowed two power play goals before stopping the bleeding with 13 saves in the third. The Falcons will look to extend their CCHA season one more day with a win in Saturday's rematch.

In the final weekend of WCHA regular season play, Brad Eidsness made 13 saves to guide # North Dakota to a 5-1 win over Michigan Tech. The sophomore, who allowed one goal off a bad turnover (below), was rather sharp in limited duty to improve his goals against average to 1.50 over the Sioux's current six-game winning streak. Sophomore blueliner Corey Fienhage was a healthy scratch for the Sioux.



Justin Jokinen was a healthy scratch as Minnesota State dumped St. Cloud State, 4-2.

In Hockey East, Drew MacKenzie was -1 with three shots on goal as #16 Vermont lost to Lowell, 5-2. Orchard Park, NY native Nick Schaus finsihed +2 with an assist for Lowell.

In the USHL, Providence commit Mark Adams scored his fourth goal of the year on the power play as Chicago blanked Lincoln, 3-0.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was even with nine minutes in penalties as Kootenay lost to Medicine Hat, 2-1. The 6'4 defenseman picked up the bulk of his PIM after engaging in a short wrestling match with Tiger forward Bretton Cameron.



In the QMJHL, Luke Adam assisted on the lone Eagles goal as Cape Breton lost to PEI, 4-1. Jacob Lagacé had another quiet night for the losing side, while Maxime Legault missed his second straight game due to illness. Jordon Southorn gave a steady effort on the Rocket blueline, finishing the game +1 with a hit.

In OHL play, Nick Crawford skated to a -2 as Barrie was stopped by Ottawa, 6-3. The loss snaps the Colts eight-game winning streak, while Crawford's stretch of 21 games even or in the "plus" column comes to and end after being on the ice for a pair of third period goals against. Still, Crawford's +48 is tops in the OHL tied for 2nd overall in the entire CHL.

Marcus Foligno was even as Sudbury defeated Belleville, 4-3. The Wolves bell ringer flattened Bulls defenseman Julian Luciani with a huge hit in the first period that had the recipient down on the ice for minute or two before regaining his game wits.