Showing posts with label kennedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kennedy. Show all posts

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Ennis to make NHL debut

Per The Buffalo News Sabres Edge blog, the Sabres have called Tyler Ennis up from Portland of the AHL. Drew Stafford suffered a hip flexor in Saturday's shotout win over Calgary.
Buffalo Sabres prospect Tyler Ennis is expected to make his NHL debut tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers after winger Drew Stafford suffered a hip-flexor injury Friday night against the Calgary Flames. Ennis, selected 26th overall in 2008, was flying from Buffalo to Portland and was scheduled to land about two hours before the game. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was still figuring out how he would use the 20-year-old center but was considering playing him between veterans Thomas Vanek and Tim Connolly. Ennis also was expected to get some time on the power play. "He makes a lot of good plays," Ruff said. "With a skill guy out of the lineup, we look to put a little more skill against these guys."
After watching Ennis on Thursday, the idea of putting him between Vanek makes very good sense. Ennis is always advancing the puck, and his creative talents are bound to unlock Vanek and force Connolly to shoot the puck more often. We'll see what happens come game time. Tim Kennedy may not be pleased with a potential missed opportunity to move up in the shuffle, but his balanced, third-line aptitude has proven valuable to a club now missing productive forwards Stafford and Mike Grier.

Friday, October 2, 2009

10/1 Recap: Kassian nets another; Ennis impressing

Zack Kassian scored a goal on Thursday as Peterborough defeated Oshawa, 5-4. The 6'3 Petes captain one-timed a Brett Theberge cross-ice feed 20-seconds into the second period for his third goal goal of the season. He now has points in six games for the Petes, who were outshot 50-33 by the visiting Generals. Michael Quesnele ('10) scored the game winner and picked up a fighting major. Nick Crawford finished -2 as Saginaw lost at Brampton, 4-3. Former Buffalo Jr. Sabre and Rochester, NY native Phil Lane ('10) notched his first OHL points for the Troops, scoring a goal and an assist in the win. Last season, the 6'2, 194-pound power forward scored 18 goals and 24 assists in 45 OJHL games. On Wednesday, Jordon Southorn posted a -2 as PEI stumbled in a 6-3 road loss at Montreal. The Rocket held a 2-1 lead midway through the second period before falling victim to sloppy play. Guillaume Asselin ('10) had a goal and an assist for the winners. Also on Wednesday, Tyler Ennis had a goal and two assists as Portland closed their exhibition schedule with 4-2 win over the University of New Brunswick. Ennis' output gives him impressive totals of two goals and five assists in three preseason contests. Marc-Andre Gragnani scored the game winner in the early third period, while Paul Byron and Derek Whitmore added singles. The Pirates will open the regular season on Saturday at Springfield. ----------------------------- For those who may have missed the news, the Sabres on Wednesday announced that F Nathan Gerbe and D Mike Weber have been assigned to Portland of the AHL. The transactions leave D Tyler Myers and F Tim Kennedy with the big club for Saturday's opener with the Canadiens. How long Myers stays with the Sabres could be determined by how well he performs (if called upon). Per the Buffalo News, Myers was skating as the extra dman in Thursday morning practice, but I wouldn't rule out him being in the Saturday night lineup despite some expectations that the team will ease him in. The situation is a little more black and white with Kennedy, who earned the right to stay after being creative and responsible from the center position since the beginning of camp. With Drew Stafford dinged with a minor concussion, the former Michigan State Spartan could see scoring line minutes early on in an attempt to fortify his role on an NHL roster. Gerbe, while disapponted with the move after scoring a pair of goals in the final preseason games, will retreat to Portland where it's possible to keep pressure on the remaining Sabres forwards. Joining him on the farm will be Weber, who was somewhat inconsistent with his puck decisions in exhibition work.

Monday, September 28, 2009

9/27 Recap: Kennedy makes case

The Sabres ended their exhausting preseason Sunday night with a 7-6 win over Toronto. With some players having their spots locked up, Tim Kennedy, Nathan Gerbe, Tyler Myers, and Mike Weber made their final auditions before the team decides on the opening day battle roster. Kennedy (+2) showed the most value on the night, executing well defensively while doing good things with the puck in the Leafs end. Centering Clarke MacArthur and Jason Pominville, the Buffalo native snapped home a MacArthur back pass and added a nice assist in 16:44 of action for his best performance in a Sabres sweater. Gerbe (-1) rounded out his strong weekend by netting a goal for the second straight night and earning a helper on Matt Ellis' game winner. Gerbe played just under 14:00 in the win. As of now, it's hard to say what's going to happen with the two second-year guys. Kennedy's ability to make plays from the pivot make him a good flexible option, but he'll need to improve on faceoffs to solidify his NHL standing. Gerbe demonstrated the ability to zip in and out of space and finish plays while going hard every shift. On the blueline, Myers continued his ramp-up towards earning a spot this season with excellent skating and steady defensive posture. There was one particular play that I didn't like, where Matt Stajan escaped his cluthces behind the net and sent a pass to the front for a Nikolai Kulemin tally. Playing the man, Myers was unsuccessful in rubbing Stajan off the puck, but that's a play where his long stick (that I'm always talking about) could have been more effective in stopping the throw to the front. Weber, who has been plagued by turnovers for most of the preseason, made some nice defensive plays early before mixing in a few giveaways. His aggressive nature will be a welcome element to the blueline, but perhaps a start on the farm will reset his puck focus and propel him into better decisions. There will be more on this as the week progresses. In New Hampshire, Portland defeated Manchester 5-1 to move to 1-1 on the pre-season. Felix Schutz, Paul Byron, T. J. Brennan, and Derek Whitmore were among the Pirates scorers. Dennis Persson had three assists, while Tyler Ennis contributed a pair of helpers. Jhonas Enroth made 34 saves for the win. Also on Sunday, Marcus Foligno (+1) assisted on the game-tying goal midway through the third period as Sudbury went on to defeat Oshawa in overtime, 4-3. Foligno, who clicked on a line with overager Daniel Lombardi, continues to give teams trouble down low and has shown marked all-around improvement over last season. Jacob Lagacé finished a nasty -5 as Chicoutimi was steamrolled by Lewiston, 7-1. Jordon Southorn was even with two shots on goal as PEI edged Gatineau, 2-1.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Gerbe makes push; Pirates push off

The Sabres lost to Montreal on Saturday, 3-2, in their second-to-last pre-season contest. Clarke MacArthur and Nathan Gerbe scored the Buffalo goals. Gerbe looked hungry for a roster spot, impressing with his hustle and attitude in the paint. His unassisted shorthanded goal in the first period came when he sharply hit a seam into the slot and roofed a backhander over Carey Price's left shoulder. As time expired in the first, a determined Gerbe followed the play in tight and took a solid cross-check as fellow hopeful Tim Kennedy was getting bowled over at the side of the net. The 5'6 buzzer immediately got up and deposited Maxime Lapierre in the crease before a minor melee ensued. Gerbe finished the night with one shot on goal in 11:28 of action, while Kennedy was -1 with one shot on goal in 11:58 of work. Defenseman Tyler Myers continues to show the Sabres that he's worth a longer look, holding his own in all situations with fluid movement and increasing NHL fluency. He's making safe plays and contact in his own zone, easing his way into rushes out of it, and learning to find lanes for shots and passes in the offensive end. He was low man on the blueline with 17:50 of play, but he's gradually showing more poise and promise. I'm not sure there's much more the Sabres could expect from him at this point. Myers' ramp-up will no-doubt carry into the regular season, potentially making for some sticky decisions by the time Halloween rolls around. As of now, a ticket back to Kelowna should not on the radar. ----------------------- The Portland Pirates opened the exhibition season Saturday with a 6-3 loss to Lowell. Rookie Tyler Ennis had a goal and an assist for the Pirates, while Paul Byron also netted a goal in his first professional sniff. Free agent rookie Mark Voakes, 26, also had a goal and an assist for Portland. Voakes is signed with Cincinnati of the ECHL, but is looking to postion himself for an AHL gig after scoring 56 goals over a four-year CIS career with Wilfred Laurier. The Pirates will scoot to New Hampshire for a 2:00 Sunday faceoff with Manchester.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Next batch heads to Portland as final cuts near

The Sabres today announced that forwards Philip Gogulla and Felix Schutz, defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani, and goaltender Jhonas Enroth have been assigned to Portland of the AHL. Also sent to the Pirates were veterans Joe Dipenta (D) and Jeff Cowan (F). Remaining with the big club for the final round of cuts are Nathan Gerbe, Tim Kennedy, Mike Weber, and Tyler Myers, with all but Weber suiting up for Saturday night's game at Montreal. The moves come on the same day that Mark Mancari decided to re-enter the Sabres fold on a one-year deal. Portland's top point-getter last season, the fifth-year man will be subject to waivers before re-joining the Pirates.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

9/22 Recap: Pirates ship begins to fill; KHL heating up

The Sabres today announced their first batch of names leaving camp for farm assignments. Off to Portland of the AHL are the following 14 players: F: Tyler Ennis, Paul Byron, Maxime Legault, Travis Turnbull, Derek Whitmore, Kyle Rank, Brad Larsen, Mark McCutcheon D: T.J. Brennan, Drew Schiestel, Dennis Persson, Matt Generous, Mike Kostka D. J.P. Lamoureux No real surprising moves, as all were expected to start the year with the Pirates. Ennis had the potential to play one more game, but there are too many other battles to be won in other areas. Technically still the captain of the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, Legault, 20, will shoot for an AHL roster spot and first NHL contract when he reports. The cutdown leaves 33 players still in camp including defensive prospects Tyler Myers, Mike Weber, and Marc-Andre Gragnani; forwards Nathan Gerbe, Tim Kennedy, Philip Gogulla, and Felix Schutz; and goaltender Jhonas Enroth. For those who've not watched any of the pre-season games, Myers has gradually gotten better with each of his three appearances. He's shown an adjustment to speed, demonstrated good escapability to start breakouts, and used his stick well to break up plays for quick clears. At this point I score him ahead of Gragnani and Weber, who committed several turnovers in Monday's win over Washington, but need more views to project him out against the current top-6. ---------------------------- Overseas, a pair of 2005 draft picks are getting deeper into their KHL seasons. Vjacheslav Buravchikov was -2 on as Ak Bars lost to Avangard on Tuesday, 3-1. The 6'1 dman manned the bottom pair with Alexei Yemelin (MTL) for 15:03 if action, a few ticks above his season average of 13:45. Ak Bars next plays on Thursday at Barys. On Monday, Marek Zagrapan was -1 as Severstal dropped a 3-1 decision to Metallurg. The 23-year old is -3 with four shots on goal in three games since scoring the winner in the season opener. Severstal will take the ice on Wednesday against an Amur club carrying former Sabres defenseman, Nolan Pratt. -------- Also of note, PEI's Jordon Southorn stayed away from practice Tuesday with a bug, and may not be ready to go for their Wednesday tilt with 4-0 Saint John. Brayden McNabb and Kootenay will host the Edmonton Oil Kings in a mid-week WHL battle.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

9/17 Recap: Kassian captains streakbuster; "A" group battles Caps

The Sabres sent a half-dozen junior players back to their CHL clubs on Thursday just hours before starting their 2009 pre-season schedule. However, only five of the six were afforded down time as one prospect was able to drive 100 miles home to arrive in time for the start of his team's regular season. Peterborough Petes captain Zack Kassian left Buffalo in the 2:00 hour and joined his mates prior to the 7:11 puck drop with Brampton. Seeing loads of ice time from coach Ken McRae, the 6'3 banger assisted on the game-tying goal midway through the third period as the Petes came back to edge the Battalion, 2-1. The Petes victory was their first over the Troops since November 2006, a span covering nine regular season games and another four from last season's playoff sweep. Joining Kassian back in the OHL will be Marcus Foligno, who returned to Sudbury for Friday's contest with Erie, and Saginaw's Nick Crawford, who will get with the Spirit for their opener at Guelph. WHL defenseman Brayden McNabb is expected to play in Kootenay's season opener against Lethbridge after a late-Thursday arrival. Capping the list of departees, Cape Breton center Luke Adam and Chicoutimi's Jacob Lagacé are back in the QMJHL for weekend action. Adam will make his Screaming Eagles debut on Saturday against Saint John. Lagacé will be in uniform for weekend games against Victoriaville and Quebec. --------------------------- With six leaving town, the Sabres "A" list of remaining prospects got a solid look as the club opened the pre-season with a 4-3 OT loss to Washington. Bubble forwards Nathan Gerbe (16:25), Tyler Ennis (15:40), Philip Gogulla (13:54), and Tim Kennedy (13:36) all saw nice chunks of action, while Tyler Myers (21:01), Marc-Andre Gragnani (17:02), Mike Kostka (16:41), and Mike Weber (21:26) formed a youthful backline with Chris Butler and Andrej Sekera. Jhonas Enroth finished the game in Buffalo's net after Patrick Lalime's played his period-and-a-half. Myers (+1) made a positive impression by using his reach, executing sharp passes, and even making a nice hit on Caps defender John Carlson. As expected there's still a speed adjustment needed in terms of being an everyday NHL defenseman, but the foundation is clearly in place. In my opinion, the NHL-CHL rule with 19-year old players needs to be amended to at least allow first-round NHL picks to play in the AHL in their second post-draft season. Regardless of contract/budget issues, I'm seeing little developmental value in Myers going back to dominate the WHL. Ennis, who will make any line buzz when placed down the middle, put his speed and passing skills on display with Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville as wings. The creative element that Ennis brings to the top-six will not be ignored once the necessary strength is built on his smallish frame. His line saw top-unit power play time, yet connected for even strength damage on Buffalo's first goal of the night by Pominville. Also worth noting was the smart, effective blueline work by Kostka. The 23-year old hit for two shots on goal and picked up an assist on the Pominville tally. The goal tied the game at 1-1 after a Weber (-1) miscue earlier allowed the Caps a 1-0 lead. Late in the third period with the score tied 2-2, Gerbe's grunting forecheck behind the Caps' cage resulted in Gogulla finding Kennedy, who buried a backhand to put the Sabres ahead with 2:32 to play. With anything possible, the trio could be a potent combo if all three land on the farm to start the year. Just :23 later, a Gragnani turnover would allow Jay Beagle to beat Enroth and force overtime. A Brian Pothier slapper while on a 5-3 power play ended tings just :49 into the extra session. Enroth entered the game at 13:13 of the middle period, allowing three goals on 26 shots. (13:13. 26 shots. An interesting thought for superstitious stat junkies.) He got a taste of the NHL's down-low pressure on his first goal against scored by vet Mike Knuble, but played well overall. Remaining prospects in camp include T.J. Brennan, Drew Schiestel, Felix Schutz, Paul Byron, Matt Generous, Travis Turnbull, and Maxime Legault. All but Legault are under contract and slated for Portland. The Sabres will return to exhibition action on Saturday in Detroit. --------------------------- In Thursday KHL action, Marek Zagrapan was kept off the sheet as Severstal dropped a 2-0 decision to Mettalurg.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Ennis inked, set to pivot in Portland

As expected, the Sabres today announced that Tyler Ennis has been signed to a three-year entry-level contract.
"I think if you look at him, he’s got some characteristics that are along the Derek Roy line," Head Coach Lindy Ruff said. "He can open people up, he can make some special plays and he’s a good player in real tight spaces. Obviously size is a factor but I think he’s been able to push through at every level so you hope he can continue to push through." So far in training camp, Ruff has put the the forward at center - anchoring a line between Matt Ellis and Jason Pominville during scrimmages. Ruff said his thought is to keep Ennis in the middle in Portland.
Keeping Ennis at center is an interesting decision after the speedy Albertan hoarded WHL points predominantly from the left wing spot. The move adds a high level of skill to a position of need, and certainly puts a little heat on Tim Kennedy as the Buffalo native looks to crack the top club in a contract year. Like Kennedy, Ennis likes to carry the puck while creating and finishing plays with equal aptitude. If things don't pan out, he can always glide as a wing, but for now this shouldn't be viewed as an experiment as much as a step forward for the future top six. I'll have more on this as camp winds down.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Pirates eliminated

The 2008-09 season has come to end for Portland Pirates, as the farmhands were defeated 2-1 by Providence on Friday to lose their AHL first round series by a 4-1 margin. Mike Kostka scored the only goal for the Pirates on the power play while Jhonas Enroth, who was fantastic in the Pirates net, stopped 36 of 38 Bruins shots. The Rundown: Kostka: G, -1 Gragnani: A Mancari: 4 SOG Kennedy: 3 SOG Gerbe: 2 SOG Butler: 2 SOG Schutz: 2 SOG Generous: even Persson: even Zagrapan: even Whitmore: -1 Turnbull: -1 Enroth: 36 saves, L

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Pirates head home with a split

The Portland Pirates kicked off the first round of the AHL playoffs this week with a road split in Providence. On Wednesday, Marek Zagrapan had a pair of goals and Jhonas Enroth made 28 saves as the Pirates shut out the Bruins, 3-0. Felix Schutz scored his first playoff goal, while Mark Mancari picked up two assists. Recent addition Dennis Persson did not dress for Portland. The Rundown: Zagrapan: 2G, +2, 5 SOG Schutz: 1G, +1 Mancari: 2A, +2 Gragnani: A, +3 Gerbe: 4 SOG Kennedy: 1 SOG Butler: 2 SOG Whitmore: even Turnbull: 2 SOG Kostka: 1 SOG Generous: 1 SOG Enroth: 28 saves, SO On Friday, the Pirates could only muster a Tyler Bouck wrister in the third period as the Bruins evened things up with a 2-1 in. Derek Whitmore drew an assist on Bouck's short-handed goal. Enroth made 38 saves to earn the game's #3 star. Mike Kostka dinged a leg in the loss, potentially paving the way for Matt Generous or Persson to re-enter the lineup for Sunday's game three. The Rundown: Whitmore: 1A, +1 Gragnani: +1, 2 SOG Gerbe: -1, 4 SOG Mancari: -1, 5 SOG Kennedy: -1 Butler: 2 SOG Zagrapan: -1 Schutz: 2 SOG Turnbull: 1 SOG Kostka: -1 Enroth: 38 saves

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Playoff bound Pirates win final tune-up

AHL Rookie of the Year Nathan Gerbe scored a pair of goals, his 29th and 30th of the year, as Portland closed its regular season with a 5-4 win over Manchester. Pirates rookie Matt Generous scored his first career goal in the win. Playing his fourth game since ending his NCAA run with St. Lawrence, the Chesire, CT native also received his first fighting major at 1:51 of the first period to miss the Gordie Howe Hat Trick by an assist. Tim Kennedy added two assists, while Felix Schutz, Marek Zagrapan, Marc-Andre Gragnani, and Mark Mancari all were credited with single helpers. The win gives the Pirates the #3 seed in the AHL Atlantic Division playoffs. Portland travels to #2 Providence on Wednesday for Game 1 of the best-of-seven series. The Rundown: Gerbe: 2G Generous: 1G Kennedy: 2A Zagrapan: 1A, 4 SOG Schutz: 1A, +1 Gragnani: 1A Mancari: 1A Kostka: +1 Turnbull: -1 Whitmore: -1

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Pirates split weekend, remain in third

Tim Kennedy had a goal and two assists, and Nathan Gerbe and Mark Mancari each had a goal and an assist as Portland upended Springfield, 6-4. Jhonas Enroth made 33 saves to improve his record to 25-22-0-6 on the season. Going 5-1-0-1 in their last seven games, the victory moves the Pirates (37-30-3-7 - 84 points) one point ahead of Worcester for third place in the Atlantic Division. The two teams will square off on Wednesday. The Rundown: Kennedy: 1G, 2A, +2 Gerbe: 1G, 1A, +3 Mancari: 1G, 1A Zagrapan: 6 SOG Generous: 4 SOG, 6 PIM Schutz: 2 SOG Gragnani: -1 Turnbull: 1 SOG Persson: 2 SOG Kostka: +1 Enroth: 33 saves, W On Saturday, Enroth made 30 saves but the Pirates lost a 3-2 shootout to Providence. Gerbe and Marc-Andre Gragnani drew assists for the Pirates on goals by Mathieu Darche and Colton Fretter. Matt Generous finished +1 in his first appearance in a Portland sweater. Kennedy, Mancari, Zagrapan, and Gerbe could not beat Tuukka Rask in the shootout. The Rundown: Gerbe: 1A, +1, 6 SOG Gragnani: 1A, -1 Kennedy: -1 Mancari: -1 Zagrapan: -1 Generous: +1 Schutz: 1 SOG Kostka: -1 Persson: -1 Whitmore: 2 SOG Enroth: 30 saves, SOL

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Pirates dump Devils

On Friday, Portland got a pair of goals from Mathieu Darche and 35 saves from Jhonas Enroth to defeat Lowell, 3-1. Marek Zagrapan sealed the win with an empty net goal, his 21st of the season, while Mike Kostka had a power-play assist on the first Darche goal. Portland's leading scorer among defensemen, Marc-Andre Gragnani, skated as a left-wing on the Pirates fourth line with Derek Whitmore at center. The Rundown: Zagrapan: 1G Kostka: 1A, +2 Gerbe: +1 Mancari: +1 Kennedy: +1 Schutz: -1 Persson: 1 SOG Whitmore: 2 SOG Gragnani: even Enroth: 35 saves, W

Thursday, April 2, 2009

4/1 Recap: Gerbe, Kennedy named All-Rookie; Zagrapan hits 20

On Wednesday, Marek Zagrapan scored his 20th of the season and added an assist as Portland lost to Hartford, 5-3. Zagrapan hits the 20-goal barrier for the first time in his young career after years of 17 and 18 goals. Tim Kennedy notched his 17th goal, while defensemen Dennis Persson, Mike Kostka, and Marc-Andre Gragnani had assists in the loss. Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves to move his record to 23-22-0-5. The Rundown: Zagrapan: 1G, 1A, 5 SOG Kennedy: 1G Persson: 1A, -1 Kostka: 1A, -1 Gragnani: 1A, -3 Gerbe: 6 SOG Mancari: 8 SOG Whitmore: -2 Schutz: -1 Enroth: 26 saves Earlier in the day, Gerbe and Kennedy were both named to the AHL All-Rookie Team. 2008-09 AHL All-Rookie Team Tim Kennedy, Forward (Portland Pirates): A teammate of Justin Abdelkader's on Michigan State's 2007 national championship team, Tim Kennedy stormed out of the gate by registering a point in his first nine professional games for Portland this season. He leads all AHL rookies with 43 assists and 59 points in 66 games overall and has registered 14 multiple-point efforts. The 22-year-old made his NHL debut for the Sabres in his hometown of Buffalo on Dec. 27 and was named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week on Feb. 15 with five goals and 10 points in a four-game span. Nathan Gerbe, Forward (Portland Pirates): Nathan Gerbe has torn up the AHL for 26 goals and 50 points in just 50 games for Portland this season, including seven multiple-goal efforts and a hat trick. Drafted by Buffalo in 2005, Gerbe made his National Hockey League debut with the Sabres in December and has contributed one assist in 10 NHL games this year. A native of Oxford, Mich., the 21-year-old Gerbe reached the NCAA title game in each of his three seasons at Boston College and led the nation in scoring en route to winning the national championship in 2007-08. 2008-09 AHL All-Rookie Team Goaltender: Nathan Lawson, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (30gp, 18-9-2, 2.13gaa, .929sv%, 2so) Defenseman: Mattias Karlsson, Binghamton Senators (67gp, 8+41=49pts.) Defenseman: Yannick Weber, Hamilton Bulldogs (66gp, 14+27=41pts.) Forward: Justin Abdelkader, Grand Rapids Griffins (71gp, 22+27=49pts.) Forward: Nathan Gerbe, Portland Pirates (50gp, 26+24=50pts.) Forward: Tim Kennedy, Portland Pirates (66gp, 16+43=59pts.)

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Enroth guides Pirates to key victory

Resuming our AHL coverage, Jhonas Enroth made 39 saves on Friday in Portland's 3-2 win over Lowell. Tim Kennedy (15th), Marek Zagrapan (19th), and Marc-Andre Gragnani (8th) scored second period goals to end the Pirates' three-game losing streak and keep them in the thick of the playoff hunt with nine games to play. Dennis Persson joined the Pirates earlier in the week, and should see his first AHL action over the weekend. The Rundown: Kennedy: G, +1 Zagrapan: G, +1, 5 SOG Gragnani: G, 3 SOG Mancari: 2A, +1 Gerbe: -1, 6 SOG Schutz: -1 Kostka: 4 SOG Whitmore: 1 SOG Enroth: 39 saves

Monday, February 16, 2009

Kennedy earns AHL Player of the Week honors

From the AHL:
The American Hockey League announced today that Portland Pirates left wing Tim Kennedy has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Feb. 15, 2009. In four games, Kennedy scored five goals and added five assists for 10 points and recorded a plus-5 rating as the Pirates went 2-0-0-2. Kennedy began the week by tallying a goal and an assist in Portland's 4-3 shootout loss to Albany at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo on Tuesday night. He registered an assist in Friday's 2-1 win over Worcester, and then set a personal best with four points (one goal, three assists) in the Pirates' 6-5 come-from-behind shootout loss vs. Providence on Saturday. Kennedy capped the week with his first professional hat trick, scoring three times in a 7-6 shootout win at Lowell on Sunday. In recognition of his achievement, Kennedy will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Pirates home game. Kennedy has totaled 12 goals and 33 assists for 45 points in 49 games for Portland this season and is currently the top-scoring rookie in the AHL. The 22-year-old native of Buffalo, N.Y., has also appeared in one NHL game this season, making his big-league debut for his hometown Sabres on Dec. 27, 2008. Kennedy was originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2005 and spent three years at Michigan State, helping the Spartans to an NCAA championship in 2007.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Schutz penalty shot seals Pirates win

Felix Schutz connected on a second period penalty shot as Portland defeated Worcester, 2-1. The German rookie was hauled down on a short-handed breakaway after a nice steal to create the winning opportunity, and the goal held up through a scoreless third. Mark Mancari teed up a left-point blast for the Pirates first goal, with assists going to Tim Kennedy and Mathieu Darche. Jhonas Enroth was given the night off while John Decaro made 25 saves for his second win of the season. The Rundown Schutz: 1G, 5 SOG, +1 Mancari: 1G, +1 Kennedy: 1A, +1 Gragnani: +1 Zagrapan: +1 Weber: even Hunter: even Kostka: even Whitmore: even

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Gerbe active in HSBC, will stay in Buffalo

Nathan Gerbe had a busy first period, one-timing his 20th goal of the season and earning a game misconduct for his part in a brawl as Portland lost a 4-3 shootout to Albany in Buffalo. With just a period of action on Tuesday, Gerbe will stay in Buffalo on call-up as Thomas Vanek recovers from his broken jaw. Tim Kennedy and Marc-Andre Gragnani drew assists on the Gerbe tally, before Kennedy notched his eighth of the season in the second period. A Kyle Rank goal with :30 to play would force the scoreless OT and shootout. Jhonas Enroth made 24 saves in the loss. We'll turn to Maine Hockey Journal for more on the first period fists:
Things became real chippy late in the period as Nathan Gerbe and Tim Conboy exchanged words, before Gerbe was battered by several players on the Albany bench before being tackled to the ground by Conboy. Gerbe was tossed from the game after he was given a game misconduct by referee Jamie Koharski, as Conboy only received 10-minute misconduct as both were also given roughing minors. “It’s no fun. I came here to play and give the fans a show,” he said. “To go out like that frustrating, but I’m not going to let it bother me.” Pirates’ coach Kevin Dineen was just as amazed in the call and the lack of an explanation. “There wasn’t one,” he said. “I’m really proud to be apart of the American Hockey League, but I’m really embarrassed for the league tonight with how that whole game played out.” “We’re all in the learning stage from coaches, to players, officials and for the fans to see that it’s a shame and for us to lose a guy for us to lose (Gerbe) was a shame.” The extra curricular activities didn’t stop after Gerbe was thrown out of the game as more tussling took place. There was 164 minutes in penalties on the night.
The Rundown: Kennedy: 1G, 1A Gerbe: 1G Gragnani: 1A, -2 Mancari: -1, 5 SOG Kostka: +1 Schutz: -1 Hunter: 2 PIM Whitmore: 2 SOG Enroth: 24 saves

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Enroth stops 44, Kennedy's streak ends in loss

Jhonas Enroth made a career best 44 saves, yet gave up two goals in the shootout as Portland lost 3-2 at Albany. The Pirates welcomed rookie all-star Nathan Gerbe back to the lineup after the forward missed seven games due to injury. Mark Mancari scored his 19th of the year on the power play, with assists going to Gerbe and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Gragnani faked a shot and whisked the puck to Mancari who ripped a beam under the crossbar. Marek Zagrapan assisted on the first Portland goal by Colton Fretter at 1:48 of the second period. Mancari, Gerbe, Tim Kennedy, and Tyler Bouck all struck out in the breakaway round. Kennedy saw his five-game point streak snapped in the loss, while Dylan Hunter missed the game with a bug. Line combos: Mathieu Darche-Tim Kennedy-Mark Mancari Nathan Gerbe-Marek Zagrapan-Colton Fretter Aaron Slattengren-Derek Whitmore-Jimmy Bonneau Felix Schutz-Tyler Bouck-Kyle Rank. Defense pairings: Marc-Andre Gragnani-Mike Kostka Kenny Macaulay-Matt MacDonald Cliff Loya-Zach Tarkir. The Rundown: Mancari: 1G, -1 Gerbe: 1A, 2 SOG Zagrapan: 1A, +1, 4 PIM Gragnani: 1A, 2 SOG Kennedy: -1, 4 SOG Whitmore: 1 SOG Kostka: even Enroth: 44 saves, L

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Gerbe, Kennedy to sit out of All-Star festivities

Planet USA teammates Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy of the Portland Pirates will miss the AHL All-Star Game on Sunday due to health reasons. Gerbe leads Portland with 19 goals, but missed his third straight game on Friday due to the flu bug that has traveled about the team. Kennedy has played in the last two Pirates games, but is scheduled to undergo two more dental procedures to repair damage from the two-hander he took in a game against Manchester last Saturday. Fourth-year man Mark Mancari, who leads the Pirates in scoring with 42 points in 37 games, will play for the Canadian team for the second year in a row.