Showing posts with label kevin porter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kevin porter. Show all posts

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Gerbe, Butler named All-Americans

Congratulations to Boston College LW Nathan Gerbe and Denver D Chris Butler, as both Sabres prospects have been named to the Division I American Hockey Coaches Association RBK list of All-Americans.
First Team All-Americans East G Kevin Regan, Sr., New Hampshire (South Boston, MA) D Matt Gilroy, Jr., Boston University (North Bellemore, NY) D Mike Moore, Sr., Princeton (Calgary, AB) F Mike Radja, Sr., New Hampshire (Yorkville, IL) F Lee Jubinville, Jr., Princeton (Edmonton, AB) F Nathan Gerbe, Jr., Boston College (Oxford, MI) West G Richard Bachman, Fr., Colorado College (Highlands Ranch, CO) D Tyler Eckford, Jr., Alaska (Langley, BC) D Jack Hillen, Sr., Colorado College (Minnetonka, MN) F Ryan Jones, Sr., Miami (Chatham, ON) F T.J. Oshie, Jr., North Dakota (Warroad, MN) F Kevin Porter, Sr., Michigan (Northville, MI) Second Team All-Americans East G Josh Kassel, Jr., Army (Greensburg, PA) D Grant Clitsome, Sr., Clarkson (Gloucester, ON) D Brad Flaishans, Sr., New Hampshire (Glendale, AZ) F Bryan Ewing, Sr., Boston University (Plymouth, MA) F Peter MacArthur, Sr., Boston University (Clifton Park, NY) F Matt Fornataro, Sr., New Hampshire (Calgary, AB) West G Jeff Lerg, Jr., Michigan State (Livonia, MI) D Chris Butler, Jr., Denver (St. Louis, MO) D Alec Martinez, Jr., Miami (Rochester, MI) F Chad Rau, Jr., Colorado College (Eden Prairie, MN) F Chad Kolarik, Sr., Michigan (Abington, PA) F Ryan Lasch, So., St. Cloud State (Lake Forest, CA)
Both Gerbe and Butler are expected to sign with Buffalo in the upcoming weeks. Gerbe being placed on the East First-Team comes on the heels of his just missing out on college hockey's top individual prize - The Hobey Baker Memorial Award - which on Friday was given to Michigan's Kevin Porter.
For fellow Hobey Hat Trick nominee Nathan Gerbe, Porter’s victory should come as no surprise. “I’ve known Kevin since growing up and it’s well-deserved,” he said. “He’s such a great player and also a dynamic player. Off the ice, he’s one of the greatest kids I’ve ever played with. He’s been so caring and I’ve played with him for a few seasons at USA there [the U.S. National Development Team Program] , so I can’t say enough nice things about him.”

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Gerbe lands in Hobey Hat Trick

And then there were three. Hobey finalists, that is. Congratulations to Michigan's Kevin Porter, Miami's Ryan Jones, and Boston College's Nathan Gerbe, who today were tabbed as the three finalists for the NCAA's Hobey Baker Award - also known as the Hobey Hat Trick.
Gerbe, a junior forward, has helped guide his Eagles to their third straight NCAA Frozen Four. He has produced 30 goals and 30 assists in 41 games and ranks second in the nation in scoring. Gerbe was named first-team Hockey East and the league's playoff MVP, The Dodge Holiday Classic MVP and was the Hockey Commissioner's December National Player of the Month.
It's worth noting that Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna suggested over a month ago that Gerbe's November suspension should not factor into the award voting.
"I think that would be a shame," Bertagna said. "Believe me, I believe whether it's players or coaches I've always been a stickler for people doing what's expected of them. I think it would be a shame if someone took it that far [to punish Gerbe in the Hobey Baker voting]. I really don't believe there's a body of evidence to make that a factor in the voting, just a couple incidents that happened. It seems like a long time ago to me, and he paid the price for it. To me, he's been a great player since, and I haven't had an incident, or anything anybody has asked me to look at or anything."
This is the first year since 2002 that a goaltender was not part of the 'Hat Trick', and for the first time since 2001 (Ryan Miller - Mich. St./CCHA), the winner will come from a non-WCHA school. The award will be handed out on Friday, April 11th. The Sabres selected Gerbe in the 5th round (142nd overall) of the 2005 Draft.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Kennedy named to CCHA Second Team

Michigan State junior forward Tim Kennedy has been named to the CCHA All-Conference Second Team. Originally selected by Washington in the 2005 draft, Kennedy scored 18 goals and 20 assists to lead the Spartans. The point total was good for 7th overall in the CCHA. Other notables on the All-Conference list include Michigan forward and current Hobey Baker favorite, Kevin Porter (first team), Bowling Green forward and Rochester native Derek Whitmore (second team), and Sabres summer prospect camp invitee, Mitch Ganzak of Miami (second team). As prevously mentioned, 2007 seventh rounder Nick Eno was named to the All-Rookie Team. 2007-08 CCHA All-Conference Teams First Team F Kevin Porter, Sr., Michigan (11) 55 F Ryan Jones, Sr., Miami (10) 53 F Chad Kolarik, Sr., Michigan (7) 47 D Tyler Eckford, Jr., Alaska (9) 48 D Alec Martinez, Jr., Miami (6) 43 G Jeff Lerg, Jr., Michigan State (7) 42 Second Team F Bryan Marshall, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha (5) 40 F Derek Whitmore, Sr., Bowling Green (2) 31 F Tim Kennedy, Jr., Michigan State (1) 30 D Mitch Ganzak, Sr., Miami (3) 30 D Mark Mitera, Jr., Michigan (2) 23 G Jeff Zatkoff, Jr., Miami (4) 36 All-Rookie Team F Carter Camper, Miami F Max Pacioretty, Michigan F Jacob Cepis, Bowling Green F Mark Olver, Northern Michigan D Erik Gustafsson, Northern Michigan D Jeff Petry, Michigan State G Nick Eno, Bowling Green

Friday, February 8, 2008

Four more for Gerbe

After setting up the first Eagles goal, Nathan Gerbe assisted on third period goals by Dan Bertram and Ben Smith to push Boston College past Massachusetts, 4-1. Gerbe filled an empty net late to complete the four-point night. The game's #1 star, Gerbe has now amassed 22 goals and 43 total points with a +14 in 26 games. Tonight's point total improves his per game average to 1.65, keeping him in the national lead. With just five weekends left in league play, the Sabres 2005 pick continues to move the needle towards a spot in the Hobey Hat Trick. Meanwhile, close tabs shall be kept on Hobey front-runner Kevin Porter of Michigan as the #2 Wolverines battle #1 Miami.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

CSTV knocks Gerbe down a peg

Though it doesn't matter, it's worth pointing out that Boston College LW Nathan Gerbe is still without a first-place vote in CSTV's Hobey Watch. Gerbe was quiet in Friday's tie at Maine, but scored the game winner in the 4-2 Eagles win the next night. Heading to the stretch, Gerbe's 1.61 points-per-game leads the nation, just as it has since he was midstride in his nine-game, 27-point outburst over a month ago. With unanimous front-runner Kevin Porter going pointless over the weekend in then-#1 Michigan's loss and tie against rival Michigan State, one might think something could break at the top of CSTV's list. Instead, last week's #2 was leap-frogged by Miami's Ryan Jones, who had a goal and an assist over two weekend games in Alaska. Jones, 23-year old senior, is having a fine season with 22 goals, but isn't close to being the dynamic player that the feisty Sabres draft pick is. Perhaps Gerbe's battle with Maine's Ben Bishop on Friday overshadowed his breakaway game winner on Saturday. Another online outlet, INCH, seems to take a different approach with their version of the Hobey Watch. Their explanation of Gerbe at #1 sounds eerily similar to thoughts previously expressed in this space (like in the link at the top, for example).

Friday, January 25, 2008

No Hobey? No problem

Boston College forward Nathan Gerbe is getting plenty of support in the media for his fine statistical season on Chestnut Hill. The gifted speedster just posted one of the most prolific tears in recent NCAA memory with 27 points in nine games, yet the gap between he and top-ranked Kevin Porter (PHX) of Michigan in CSTV's Hobey Watch is rather wide. Porter is a great player in his own right, but it's dumbfounding how Gerbe cannot garner one first-place vote from the CSTV panel. From hobeybaker.com:
Hobey Baker Memorial Award Criteria 1. Candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the ice. 2. Candidates must contribute to the integrity of the team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game. 3. Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportmanship. 4. Candidates must comply with all NCAA rules: be full time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; and complete 50% or more of the season.
Gerbe's aforementioned praise comes while being criticized for incidents of questionable behavior on the ice. Essentially a blend of the NHL's Lady Byng and Hart trophies, fans should wonder which carries more weight when reading various Hobey forecasts. Let's not be ignorant and suggest that the feisty forward fits the trophy's criteria to a T. He doesn't. He has the character and skills of the first two points. I'm assuming he's compliant with #4. It's the sketchiness of #3 that causes his detractors to claim that he'd misrepresent what the trophy stands for. The great namesake of the Hobey was called for only one penalty during his career at Princeton from 1911-1914. Gerbe has 21 minutes this year alone, but it's still just the eighth-most on the Eagles squad. Even Porter himself has 18 for the Wolverines. The astute hockey fan knows this isn't about penalty minutes anyways. The same set also knows that the game of hockey has changed quite a bit in 94 years. The sport's pace and style demand that a player who's often half-a-foot shorter than his foe doesn't back down. Gerbe's game of skill isn't lacking physicality, something he'll need to continue exuding as a pro. This is really all Sabres fans should be concerned with at this point. Don't get me wrong. Hockey can do without the occasional dive and chirping between whistles. Butt-ending an opponent, like Gerbe did against Merrimack to earn a one-game suspension earlier this year, is a dishonorable thing to do on the ice. I'm not excited that he had been warned about his behavior prior to the suspension, though I wonder if Gerbe was more guilty of retaliating in that particular instance. Merrimack has played a chippy brand in the past, and that particular night saw Eagles goalie John Muse get run, and senior forward Dan Bertram get knocked out of the game by a checking from behind misconduct. It's hard to say when Gerbe's infraction took place because he wasn't penalized for it during the game. I've been critical of Gerbe until this season. I've wanted to see a balanced, dominating presence from the Oxford, MI native, and that's exactly what coach Jerry York has gotten in a season that has seen the suspension of upperclassmen Brett Motherwell (has since left the program) and Brian O'Hanley, and injuries to junior forward Brock Bradford. Gerbe's 1.71 points-per-game is tops in the country, with his 18 goals landing him 5th on the national list. He's a double digit guy in the plus column, and his three short-handed goals are second in the NCAA. Nathan Gerbe is a player with immense talent and heart, much like Hobey Baker. If he doesn't exemplify college hockey's top boy scout to a few media members, so be it. His future is looking to be pointed straight at the NHL, something the coveted award doesn't guarantee.