4/25 Recap: Myers #1 star as Rockets take lead

At the Pacific Coliseum, Tyler Myers saw over 27:00 of work and was named the game's #1 star as Kelowna edged Vancouver 1-0 in the pivotal fifth game of their conference final. The back-to-back shutouts give the Rockets a 3-2 series lead with the clubs heading back to Kelowna for Monday's game six. Like he has through most of the series, Myers disrupted the Giants attack by breaking up plays with his reach and quickly moving the puck out of his end. His steady play has caught the eyes of scouts who have been keying in on '09 Evander Kane's aptitude against his larger foe. While Kane, 17, has put up a fight, he has just one goal and one assist in the series as the Sabres future anchor has been winning most of the rounds. Myers' over-the-glass clear early in the third period resulted in a 5-3 power play where Kane had more than one nice chance to tie the game. With their stud in the box, the Rockets dmen blocked shots and got a few keys saves to give the Giants consecutive losses for just the second time all season.

Myers casting shadow over Kane

As part of their WHL Western Conference Finals coverage, The Province ran a quickie in today's edition regarding the spotlight match-up of explosive Vancouver forward Evander Kane against Kelowna's workhorse, Tyler Myers.

"I'm sure I'll be seeing him every shift I'm out there," the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Kane said of Myers, who he played with at the world juniors with Team Canada but whom he maintains he doesn't know particularly well. "It's something you have to deal with. And I enjoy playing against other top players. "He's a big guy, obviously. He has a real long stick that makes it tough to get pucks behind him. You just have to play simple with him." You could argue that Kane couldn't answer anything else, that there's no way he could say publicly he didn't want to face Myers. You could try to argue that with Kane himself, too, and you'd risk getting a punch in the nose. Kane might be the most competitive player ever to wear Giants garb. He cheers goals in practice. When he came back from the world juniors, one of the first things he said to Giants coach Don Hay was: "See, I can penalty kill" -- a reference to receiving man-short minutes at the worlds when he wasn't then getting many with Vancouver. And, as much as he's too savvy already to say it, Kane, a 48-goal man in the regular season, is well aware that his stock for this coming NHL entry draft will be helped if he shows well against Myers, a Buffalo Sabres first-rounder from last summer who looks pro-ready already. Kane has been pegged as a possible top-five selection. "I think he knows he's going to face Tyler Myers a lot and he's going to have to find ways to work through that," said Hay, who did get Kane away from the big blueliner the first two games by double-shifting him. "That's a sign of a competitive hockey player -- Evander likes that challenge."

10/10 Recap: Brennan returns from illness; Myers goes again

T.J. Brennan was +1 with three shots on goal in Montreal's 4-1 win over Halifax. Brennan, 19, did not play in Wednesday's loss at Rimouski after falling ill with "concussion-like" symptoms and a very sore throat. He was taken to a hospital, where he was also tested for mononucleosis. Thankfully the results were negative, and the defender hopped on a plane for tonight's contest in Nova Scotia. Luke Adam did not play for the Juniors after getting dinged on Wednesday. In the WHL, Tyler Myers (-2) got into a fight for his third consecutive game in Kelowna's 7-1 loss to Vancouver. The defenseman handily defeated 5'10 Craig Cunningham after checking highly-touted forward Evander Kane from behind in the first period Apparently the Sabres gave the towering rearguard a big box of foil before sending him back to the Dub, telling him to simply "use it". Myers played 65 games last season with only a handful of tussles. Kane, a projected top-20 pick in 2009, had a hat trick and five points to lead Vancouver despite the hit, and is now the WHL's leading scorer with nine goals and 18 points. Minnesota State freshman Justin Jokinen scored his first collegiate goal - the game winner no less - in the Mavs 5-2 win over Bemidji State. The 6'3 forward buried an Adam Mueller pass from the slot midway through the second period to break a 2-2 tie. The game saw a total of 22 power plays between the two clubs. At the IceBreaker in Boston, freshman Brad Eidsness was a surprise starter, making 28 saves in his first collegiate start as North Dakota fell to Boston University, 5-1. Initial reports from Sioux camp suggested that Eidsness would give way to Aaron Walski before entering the crease for Saturday's game with Massachusetts, but ND coach Dave Hakstol had other designs. The Alberta native played decently after a bumpy start, making some nice saves during a busy second period when he was often left high and dry by a slow-reacting defense. I'd love to see Hak go back to the rookie again as a way to send a message to his skaters, but chances are Walski will get a chance against the Minutemen. Perhaps that message will come in the form of inserting defenseman Corey Fienhage into the NoDak lineup. The 2008 third rounder was a Friday scratch. Forward Colin Wilson (NSH) had a goal and an assist for the Terriers. Also from the IceBreaker, Corey Tropp (+1) picked up an assist as Michigan State defeated Massachusetts, 3-1. In the opening minutes, a Tropp wrister created a rebound that was stuffed home by Andrew Rowe to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead. With Nathan Gerbe returning to help raise the 2008 Championship banner, Boston College skated out to a 5-4 win over Wisconsin. Andrew Orpik assumed his right wing spot on the Eagles grind line, going -1 with two shots on goal. Defenseman Matt Generous was even as St. Lawrence dropped a tough 4-3 loss at Michigan, while goaltender Nick Eno (ankle injury) did not dress in Bowling Green's 4-2 win over RIT. In the OHL, Niagara's Drew Schiestel had an assist in the IceDogs' 4-3 shootout loss to Guelph. Niagara couldn't hold a 3-1 lead, firing a paltry two shots on goal the entire third period while the Storm stormed back. Saginaw's Nick Crawford (+3) notched an assist in their 7-3 win over Kingston. The Spirit out-shot the Fronts by a 41-20 margin. J.S. Allard (-1, 4 PIM) had an assist in Quebec's 5-4 shootout win over Chicoutimi. On the losing side, the Sags' Jacob Lagacé had an assist with a less than savory -3 while committing four minor penalties on the night. Jordon Southorn (+1, 2 PIM) went pointless in PEI's 3-1 win over Baie-Comeau. The Rocket scored three unanswered goals in the third to get the W. In Europe, Philip Gogulla was -1 with four shots on goal in Cologne's 4-3 loss to Straubing. The DEL's worst team, the Sharks have now lost ten of their twelve games after a 2007-08 campaign that saw them reach the league championship. Gogulla, 21, has two goals and five points on the young season.