Nick Crawford scored his 11th goal of the year Thursday as Barrie worked out a 4-3 win over Belleville. Crawford's power play marker gave the home Colts a 2-0 lead before the teams traded five goals in an exciting final twenty minutes. The goal ups Crawford's OHL leading points for defensemen to 68, while the CHL #1 ranked Colts need one more win to secure first overall in the OHL playoffs.
On Tuesday, Crawford drew an assist on the game-tying goal as Barrie earned an exciting 6-5 overtime win over Sudbury. Marcus Foligno finished -1 with a fighting major for the Wolves. With Sudbury leading 2-1 late in the first, Colts forward Zac Rinaldo (PHI) took a run and instigated the scrap in hopes of sparking his club. The 5'11 Rinaldo took a head start before getting handled rather easily by the 6'3 Foligno.
In Thursday USHL action, Mark Adams was -1 as Chicago was shut out by Sioux Falls, 2-0.
On Wednesday, Brayden McNabb netted his 17th goal of the season as Kootenay finished off Edmonton, 7-3. The 6'4 defender, who remains fifth among WHL blueliners with 56 points, finished the game a season-best +4. The Ice victory was their 40th of the year, giving them a leg-up on Red Deer for the #4 home-ice playoff spot with five games to go.
In the QMJHL, Jordon Southorn assisted on the game-winning goal as PEI topped league front-runner Saint John, 3-1. A Sea Dog victory would have locked up first overall in the QMJHL with five games remaining on their regular season schedule.
In Tuesday Q play, Luke Adam failed to inch closer to the 50-goal plateau as he and teammate Jacob Lagacé were blanked in Cape Breton's 2-0 loss to Moncton. The disappointing effort saw the Screaming Eagles register just 14 shots on goal against the team they're lined up to meet when the playoffs begin two weeks from now. With a QMJHL best 46 goals, Adam has five games left to hit the half century mark. Lagacé, on the other hand, has just three goals in 20 games since being dealt to Cape Breton. Maxime Legault did not play for the Eagles.
Luke Adam notched a hat trick Saturday to lead Cape Breton past Bathurst, 6-1. The three-goal night, Adam's fourth of the season, gives him 46 goals with six games remaining in the regular season, and 21 since his mid-January return form Team Canada. Maxime Legault added his 14th goal for the winners, while Jacob Lagacé assisted on the first Adam tally.
Also from the QMJHL, Jordon Southorn scored his 4th goal of the season as PEI lost to Baie-Comeau, 4-3. As noted yesterday, the goal was Southorn's first in 39 games.
In the OHL, Nick Crawford rang up a pair of assists as Barrie throttled lowly Niagara, 6-1. Both helpers came with the man advantage.
In WHL play, Brayden McNabb finished -2 as Kootenay lost to Lethbridge, 4-1. The Hurricanes scored three goals in the third period to to seal the win.
In the NCAA, Connor Knapp made 23 stops as #2 Miami played to a rare 0-0 double shutout with Ohio State. Marked by some key stops late, the blanking was Knapp's fourth of the season and Miami's ninth overall. The RedHawks finish the regular season with a 21-2-5 record, good for first place and a bye when the CCHA playoffs begin next week.
Alex Biega finished -1 as Harvard fell to St. Lawrence, 4-3. The Saints outshot the Crimson 45-22 en route to forcing the Crimson into the #9 seed and a road trip to Princeton when the ECAC playoffs kick off next weekend.
Brad Eidsness made 27 saves as #8 North Dakota held off #13 Colorado College, 3-2. Eidsness was beaten off a drop pass in the second period, and had to stand tall in the final two minutes after the Tigers scored with the extra attacker. Corey Fienhage finished the night even for the Sioux.
Corey Tropp did not factor into the scoring as #12 Michigan State ended the regular season with a 2-2 tie at Bowling Green. Nick Eno served as back-up after a disappointing Friday start. The Spartans finish the CCHA slate in second place to earn a bye week.
Justin Jokinen was again scratched as Minnesota State battled hard in a 4-3 OT loss to #1 Denver.
In the USHL, Mark Adams was +1 as Chicago swept Tri-City, 3-2.
Nick Crawford added two assists and a +2 to his fine season line on Friday as Barrie smoked Oshawa, 9-2. Crawford's 64 points are tops among OHL defensemen, while his +48 rating is tied for the lead in all of Canadian juniors with Colby Robak of the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. At 48-8-0-2, the Colts are currently the top-ranked team in the CHL/Mastercard Rankings with two weeks left to play in the regular season.
In the NCAA, Corey Tropp (+1) picked up two assists as #12 Michigan State defeated Bowling Green, 5-2. The Spartans leading scorer, Tropp ranks 11th nationally with 42 points (20+22). Falcons goaltender Nick Eno allowed three goals on 16 shots before getting pulled at 17:54 of the first period.
Brad Eidsness made 26 saves as #8 North Dakota won a 3-2 overtime battle with #13 Colorado College. Eidsness was beaten on a 2-1 with only a forward back on the first goal, then saw a point shot hit traffic and go past him to give CC a 2-1 lead in the early third. Stay-at-home sophomore Corey Fienhage finished the night even for the Sioux.
Drew MacKenzie scored his 3rd goal of the season into an empty net as #18 Vermont dumped #20 Boston University, 7-3. The sophomore defenseman finished the night a game-high +3.
Alex Biega assisted on the only Crimson goal as Harvard dropped a 2-1 overtime decision at Clarkson. With the score knotted at zero in the third period, Biega forced a neutral zone turnover and fed the puck to Doug Rogers who wristed in his 6th of the season.
Justin Jokinen was a healthy scratch for the fourth consecutive game as Minnesota State lost to #1 Denver, 3-1.
Connor Knapp looked on as #2 Miami minted a 6-2 win over Ohio State.
Elsewhere, Marcus Foligno earned an assist as Sudbury lost to London, 3-2. Foligno had two nice chances early, getting stopped beautifully by Knights goalie Michael Houser before ringing a cross bar on his next shift. The night before, Foligno was even in the Wolves' embarrassing 6-0 loss to Brampton.
In the QMJHL, Maxime Legault posted an assist while Luke Adam and Jacob Lagacé each registered a -1 as Cape Breton defeated Bathurst, 3-1. The Eagles earned another W, while Adam (13 games) and Lagacé (4) see their respective point streaks snapped.
Jordon Southorn played even as PEI took a 4-3 shootout over Chicoutimi. The 6'2 defenseman, who was also even in Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Drummondville, hasn't scored a goal since November 8th - a span of 39 games.
In the WHL, Brayden McNabb (-2) picked up an assist as Kootenay stumbled against Medicine Hat, 5-3. The 6'4 defender was even in the Ice's 4-2 loss to Red Deer on Tuesday.
In USHL play, Mark Adams assisted on the first Chicago goal as the Steel edged Tri-City, 4-3. The Jr. A rookie now has three goals and four assists on the season.
Luke Adam scored two goals and added an assist Sunday as Cape Breton downed Halifax, 4-1. Sabres prospects factored in on all four Screaming Eagles tallies on the afternoon with Maxime Legault scoring a goal and two assists and Jacob Lagacé adding a pair of helpers. The Eagles have now taken 15 of the last 16 games between the two clubs.
Trailing 1-0 at the end of one, Adam scored two goals five minutes apart in the second to give Cape Breton the lead for good. The afternoon's work ups his league-leading total to 43 goals on the season, leaving him seven shy of 50 with eight games to play. His 79 points are good for 3rd overall in the QMJHL despite playing just 48 regular season games.
In the WHL, Brayden McNabb (+2) assisted on the game-winning goal as visiting Kootenay defeated Medicine Hat, 3-1. With nine games to go, the Ice need just three points to clinch a playoff spot.
Luke Adam coupled his 41st goal with a pair assists on Friday to lead Cape Breton in a 6-4 comeback win over Halifax. The league's leading goal getter, Adam also notched a career-best 10 shots on goal to pace the Screaming Eagle attack. Cape Breton trailed 3-0 after the first thirty minutes before evening the score entering the third. Jacob Lagacé added his 33rd goal of the year into an empty net with :15 to play, while Maxime Legault finished the night at -1.
Lagacé avoided serious injury when he took a knee-on-knee hit from Moose dman Garrett Clarke midway through the third period. The 2011 eligible Clarke received a major and a game misconduct, while Lagacé returned to see time on the ensuing power play.
On Wednesday Legault had a goal and two assists as the Screaming Eagles defeated Shawinigan, 5-3. Adam, who saw his ten-game goal scoring streak snapped, and Lagacé each had an assist in the win.
Elsewhere Friday, Jordon Southorn was even as PEI doubled Shawinigan, 4-2.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno scored his 12th goal of the year as Sudbury edged Niagara, 2-1. The big forward snapped home his own rebound on the power play to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead late in the first period.
In the WHL, Brayden McNabb scored his 16th goal of the season as Kootenay dropped a 6-4 decision to Spokane. The 6'4 left-side defender went high glove side through a screen to give the Ice a 4-3 lead late in the second period, but the Chiefs answered back :26 later for their first of three unanswered goals to get the win.
In Friday NCAA play, Brad Eidsness made 31 saves in what may have been his best performance of the year as #11 North Dakota defeated #6 Duluth, 5-2. Clutch saves, good rebound control and better positioning than his previous Friday outing were marks of his solid all-around evening. Corey Fienhage was -1 for the Sioux.
Nick Eno made 21 saves and earned an assist on the game winning goal as Bowling Green upset Notre Dame, 4-3. The Falcons, who beat the Irish for the first time since January 2005, rallied for a quick-strike third period after entering the final 20-minutes trailing 3-1. Eno was beaten five-hole on a power play, by a clean wrister on a partial short-handed breakaway, and glove side on a screen by shot from the point.
Corey Tropp earned an assist in his first game at the center position as #12 Michigan State lost to #14 Ferris State, 4-2.
Drew MacKenzie picked up an assist as #17 Vermont lost in overtime to #13 New Hampshire, 5-4. The sophomore punched a shot to the net that caused a down-low goal on the rebound to tie the game 3-3.
Alex Biega contributed two shots on goal as Harvard was shut out by #10 Cornell, 3-0.
Connor Knapp served as backup as #1 Miami downed Nebraska-Omaha, 6-2.
Justin Jokinen was scratched as Minnesota State defeated visiting Alaska-Anchorage, 5-2.
In the USHL, Mark Adams registered a pair of minor penalties as Chicago defeated Sioux Falls, 1-0.
On Thursday, Nick Crawford was +3 with an assist as Barrie registered 55 shots on goal in a 6-4 win over Oshawa.
In Sunday QMJHL action, Luke Adam buried a backhand for his 40th goal of the season and Jacob Lagacé notched the controversial game winner as Cape Breton defeated top-ranked Saint John, 4-2.
Lagacé made a clean steal and found Adam in front of the Sea Dogs net to get the Eagles on the board in the opening period. The mark extended Adam's current streak to 10 straight games with a goal. The Q's leading goal-getter, Adam would later return the favor, earning an assist as Lagacé finished off a short-handed transition play in the third period to cement the win over the reigning #1 club in CHL Mastercard Rankings. Play continued after Lagacé's winning shot, but the goal was awarded after review. Maxime Legault (6 PIM) did not factor in to any of the Eagles goals.
Adam and Lagacé's goals are captured as part of the video recap below:
Elsewhere, Brayden McNabb was even as Kootenay doubled up Saskatoon, 6-3. The 6’4 defender was victimized by an ill-advised pinch that led to the first Blades goal. Later in the second, McNabb was cross-checked hard into the boards by Charles Inglis causing a pair of fights and two ejections.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno was even as Sudbury continued their recent struggles with a 5-0 loss at London.
Luke Adam scored a goal and an assist on Friday as Cape Breton lost at Saint John, 3-2. The late mark at 18:51 of the third period extends Adam's streak to nine straight games with at least one goal. The 6'2 pivot has collected 14 of his league-leading 39 goals over the stretch. Maxime Legault earned an assist in the loss, while Jacob Lagacé continued to struggle as an Eagle by finishing the night with two shots on goal and -2 rating.
In the OHL, Nick Crawford was +3 with an assist as Barrie bested Ottawa, 6-4. On Thursday, the Caledon, Ontario native was +1 in the Colts' 7-2 trouncing of Peterborough.
Marcus Foligno was +1 as Sudbury lost to Brampton, 3-1. The gritty 6'3 forward nearly equaled his 12-goal output from last season when he rang one off the crossbar early in the first period.
In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was +1 as Kootenay dumped Edmonton, 5-2. On Tuesday, the 6'4 defenseman registered a power play assist as the Ice defeated Moose Jaw, 5-2.
In NCAA action, Brad Eidsness made 22 saves as #11 North Dakota lost to #4 St. Cloud State, 4-3. Eidsness' night was a mix of poor positioning leading to goals against and timely stops to keep the Sioux alive late in the game. Sophomore blueliner Corey Fienhage played even in defeat.
Netminders Connor Knapp and Nick Eno both took a rest as #1 Miami held on to post a 3-2 win over Bowling Green. BGSU is now 4-21-4 on the year heading into Saturday's rematch with the RedHawks. Connor Knapp is the likely starter for Miami, while it is unclear if Eno will get the nod for Bowling Green. On Tuesday, Eno stopped all 12 shots he faced through 23:00 of play before suffering a minor leg injury in the Falcons 4-0 loss to #19 Michigan.
Alex Biega earned an assist as Harvard dropped a 5-4 decision to RPI. On Monday, Biega was -3 in Harvard's 4-1 loss to Northeastern in the Beanpot consolation game.
Drew MacKenzie did not dress as #17 Vermont played to a 2-2 tie with Merrimack.
Justin Jokinen was even as Minnesota State lost at #3 Wisconsin, 4-3.
In the USHL, Mark Adams was -1 as Chicago got throttled by Waterloo, 6-1.
On Wednesday, Jordon Southorn was +1 with three sots on goal as PEI lost in a shootout to Halifax, 5-4.
Luke Adam scored his QMJHL-leading 38th goal of the season on Saturday to extend his scoring streak to eight straight games as Cape Breton lost to Halifax, 3-2. Big and strong on the puck, Adam has often looked like a man amongst boys since returning from the World Junior Championships. To chart his run against other recent Q stars, the 6'2 center will need a goal in each of his next six games to equal Sidney Crosby's mark of goals in 14 straight with Rimouski back in 2004-05.
Jacob Lagacé moved back up to the top line to earn an assist on Adam's mark, while Maxime Legault was given the night off due to a nagging injury. Lagacé, who has one goal and nine assists in 12 games since being traded from Chicoutimi, appeared frustrated at times with The Mooseheads physical play and even earned a 10-minute misconduct in the middle frame after chirping at the refs.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno saw his three-game point streak snapped as Sudbury was blown out by Mississauga-St. Mike's, 8-3. Trailing 4-2 near the end of the second period, Foligno got in his sixth scrap of the season by taking on defenseman Brett Flemming. The 6'3 aggressor yelled to jack up his team on his way to the box, but the pep talk did little to rally the troops as the Wolves were outscored 4-1 in the final period to conclude the poor home-ice effort.
Also from the O, Nick Crawford was +1 as Barrie slid past Sault Ste. Marie, 4-3.
In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was -3 as Kootenay collapsed in a 5-4 OT loss to Regina. The Ice held a 4-2 lead late before allowing the Pats to score two goals in the final 1:53 of regulation and cash the momentum in overtime.
In an emotional night in Oxford, Connor Knapp made a season-high 38 saves as #1 Miami pounded hard-skating Lake Superior, 10-4. The team sported the initials "BB" on the back of their helmets and held a moment of silence for team Brendan Burke, the RedHawks team manager who was killed on Friday. Miami and Knapp were both solid in building an 8-1 lead through two periods before winding down a difficult 24-hours with some minor letdowns in the final 20-minutes. Knapp will take a 6-2-3 record, 2.04 goals-against-average, and .917 save percentage into next weekend's set with Bowling Green.
Corey Tropp assisted on the lone Spartans goal as #12 Michigan State tied Alaska-Fairbanks, 1-1. Playing the center position for the first time in his career, the 6-footer rang a post on the power play shortly before netting his 20th assist on a goal by Jeff Petry. The helper was his first point in six career games at Fairbanks, giving him a line of 19-20-39 on the season.
Elsewhere, Alex Biega was -1 as Harvard lost an Ivy league battle with #8 Yale, 6-3. Yale dominated play early and closed strong with four third period goals.
Drew MacKenzie registered a shot on goal as #17 Vermont played to a 1-1 tie with Providence. The Catamounts will host Merrimack next weekend.
In the USHL, Mark Adams picked up four minor penalties, two for tripping and one each for roughing and delay of game, as Chicago lost to Green Bay, 2-1. Through 33 games of his only Jr. "A" season, the 6'3 rearguard has collected three goals, three assists, and 54 PIM while accumulating a -4 rating for the 15-20-5 Steel.
Luke Adam continued his wicked pace with two goals Friday, including the 100th of his QMJHL career, as Cape Breton doubled PEI 4-2. The 6'2 Adam, who also added an assist, reached the century mark on the power play at 9:20 of the third for the game winner. He’d later add his league-leading 37th of the year into an empty net with 15 seconds left in regulation.
Adam enters Saturday's contest at Halifax with 12 goals over his current seven-game scoring streak, and 21 in his last 14 games. With 15 contests remaining on the regular season slate, Adam has a very real shot at being the first Sabres prospect to notch 50 goals since Shawinigan's Jason Pominville hit for 57 in 2001-02. Pommer did it in 66 games, while Adam will top out at 57 if games if he plays out the schedule.
Maxime Legault and Jacob Lagacé were both held off the scoresheet for the winning Eagles. Legault maintained his RW spot on a hard hitting line with Pier-Antoine Dion and Taylor MacDougall, while Lagacé skated with Nick McNeil opposite Brad Cuzner. Jordon Southorn finished the game -1 for PEI after logging a -3 and a fighting major in Wednesday's 6-1 loss to Moncton.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno scored a goal and an assist in Sudbury's 8-5 loss to Sault Ste. Marie. In the third period, Foligno tipped in a pass from John McFarland for his 11th goal of the year to make it 6-5 before the Soo pulled away to close out the win.
In WHL play, Brayden McNabb finished -2 as Kootenay was shut down by Brandon, 4-1. On Wednesday, McNabb notched his 50th point of the season with an assist in the Ice's 2-1 win over Moose Jaw.
In the NCAA, Alex Biega (+1) scored a goal and an assist in Harvard's 5-2 win over Brown. Biega blasted a point shot through traffic for his second of the year on the power play minutes after his wide shot was scooped up for the Crimson's first goal of the game.
Drew MacKenzie was even as Vermont downed Providence, 5-1. The sophomore blueliner entered the game with points in three straight.
Corey Tropp was kept off the sheet as Michigan State lost 2-0 at Alaska. The junior has yet to register a point in five career games in Fairbanks.
Connor Knapp sat in his usual Friday spot as creasemate Cody Reichard set a new Miami record with his fifth shutout of the season in the RedHawks 2-0 win over Lake Superior. The 6'5 Knapp is expected to start for the RedHawks in Saturday's rematch. Prior to the win, team manager Brendan Burke and an 18-year old companion were killed in an automobile accident a half hour away from campus. Burke was the youngest son of Maple Leafs GM, Brian Burke.
In the USHL, Mark Adams contributed two shots on goal as Chicago lost to Cedar Rapids, 5-2. The Steel have lost three in a row.
In Thursday OHL action, Nick Crawford picked up an assist as Barrie dropped a 3-2 decision to Mississauga. The defenseman, who skated for the Eastern Conference All-Stars in Tuesday's 17-10 win over the West, now has 10 goals and 44 assists this season.
Luke Adam scored his sixth career hat trick on Sunday as Cape Breton completed a weekend sweep of visiting Victoriaville, 5-3. The hatty, Adam's third of the season, gives him an even 35 goals on the year and extends his career-best streak to six straight games with a mark. The Newfoundland native rounded out his #1 star effort with seven shots on goal, seven blocks, and a 11-8 record at the dot. Jacob Lagacé provided a helper on Adam's power-play game winner, while Maxime Legault also had an assist for the Eagles.
With 10 goals in his last six QMJHL games, Adam's outburst comes up short of Tyler Ennis' torrid 10-goals-in-three-games clip from last February. If you recall, the former WHL sparkplug potted six in one night.
However if you add Adam's nine goals in six games prior to his departure for Team Canada, his current stretch of 19 in his last 13 is the most productive baker's dozen the Sabres prospect stable has seen in recent years. To compare, it's more productive than all of the following:
- Tyler Ennis' 17 goals in 13 games (including the six-goal game) with Medicine Hat in 2008-09
- Benjamin Breault's 17 goals in 13 games with Baie-Comeau in 2006-07
- Jacob Lagacé's 15 in 13 earlier this season while with Chicoutimi
- Paul Byron's 15 in 13 in both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons with Gatineau
- Nathan Gerbe's run of 14 goals in 13 games with Boston College in 2007-08
Last season, both Ennis and Tyler Myers rode successful World Junior experiences to impressive finishes of their CHL seasons. As of now it appears that Adam is enjoying a similar ramp-up, which is certainly a delightful development for a Sabres organization in need of a hard-driving center who can finish.
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In Sunday OHL action, Marcus Foligno (-1) had an assist as Sudbury defeated Brampton for the sixth straight time this season, 4-3 in a shootout. With the Wolves trailing 2-1 in the second period, Foligno worked the puck to a charging John McFarland. McFarland took it to the paint where crashing linemate Mathias Sointu whacked home Sudbury's second goal of the game. 2010 eligible Phil Lane (Rochester, NY) scored his 14th goal of the year for the Battalion, but missed as the third shooter in the deciding frame.
Somewhat aided by a promotion to the McFarland line a week-and-a-half ago, Foligno accomplished a career first by finishing the month of January a point-per-game player with five goals and eight assists in 13 games. To put the development into perspective, it took the 18-year old banger 28 games through November to fetch his first 13 points of the season.
Luke Adam extended his career-high streak to five straight games with a goal on Saturday by scoring a pair to lead Cape Breton to a 4-2 comeback win over Victoriaville. Trailing 2-1 midway through the third period, Adam tied the game for the Eagles before later finding the empty net to seal the victory with :37 to play.
The 6'2 center now has 32 goals on the year, half of which coming in his last 12 QMJHL contests. Maxime Legault offered his best all-around effort as a Screaming Eagle with an assist and several punishing hits to earn the game's #2 star. Jacob Lagacé added three shots on goal for the winning side.
Also from the Q, Jordon Southorn finished +3 as PEI bested Bathurst, 4-2. The surging Rocket have now won five straight.
In the WHL, Brayden McNabb scored his 15th goal of the year as Kootenay held off Spokane, 4-3. The goal was McNabb's 10th power play mark of the 2009-10 campaign. Regina's Jordan Eberle (EDM) leads the WHL with 15.
In the OHL, Nick Crawford (+2) collected two more assists as Barrie defeated Kitchener, 5-2. Both of Crawford's helpers came at even strength to give him a distribution of 22-21 in terms of ES vs PP assists.
In NCAA play, Drew MacKenzie scored his second goal of the year as #17 Vermont played to a 4-4 tie with #19 Maine. The sophomore defenseman went straight down the seam and buried a rebound at the right post to tie the game 1-1 in the second period. MacKenzie now has points in three straight games for the second time this season.
Connor Knapp made 15 saves to up his season mark to 5-2-3 as #1 Miami edged Western Michigan, 2-1. The sophomore was beaten glove-side by a wrister in the second period to allow just his fifth goal in his last five games. The RedHawks are unbeaten in their last 18 conference tilts, while limiting 14 of their last 17 CCHA opponents to one goal or less.
At the Ralph, Brad Eidsness made 24 saves as #4 North Dakota dropped a 4-2 decision to #3 Denver. Ex-AJHL nemesis Joe Colborne (BOS) celebrated his 20th birthday by beating Eidsness for his second straight game-winning goal to give DU the first sweep of the Sioux on home ice since 2006. Corey Fienhage finished the night even on the North Dakota blueline.
At Joe Louis Arena, Corey Tropp finished -1 as #12 Michigan State lost to Michigan, 5-4. The junior will enter next weekend's set at Alaska-Fairbanks as the nation's third leading scorer with 19 goals and 38 points.
Justin Jokinen finished even as Minnesota State snapped a five-game skid with a 3-2 win over Michigan Tech. The Mavs fired a season-high 45 shots on net, with Jokinen registering one of them.
In the USHL, Roo Adams was -1 with a shot on goal as Chicago lost their second straight to Indiana, 4-3.
Drew MacKenzie scored his first goal of the seaon on Sunday as #17 Vermont shutdown #15 Massachusetts, 3-0. With the Catamounts on the power play, the sophomore settled a pass on the blueline and wristed a shot through traffic to net the game-winning goal at 8:29 of the first period.
In the QMJHL, Luke Adam scored his 30th goal of the year as Cape Breton closed a three-games-in-three-days journey with a 5-2 loss to Chicoutimi. The 6'2 center has collected five goals in his past four games. Jacob Lagacé assisted on Adam's power play goal, and is now amidst a six-game point streak with a goal and seven helpers, while Maxime Legault added an assist of his own with :06 remaining on the clock.
Elsewhere in the Q, Jordon Southorn registered a shot on goal as PEI defeated Halifax, 2-1 in a shootout.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno was -2 with an assist as Sudbury was defeated by Mississauga-St. Mike's, 5-2. The grinder now has points in three straight games.
Marcus Foligno (+3) scored a pair of first period goals on Saturday as Sudbury edged Brampton, 3-2. Foligno, who for the second straight game was placed on the Wolves' top line with Kain Allicock and top 2010 prospect John McFarland, buried a rebound at 1:42 before sweeping one in from the slot five minutes later. The 6'3 power forward has four points in his last two games, and has accumulated a +10 over his last eleven. 2010 eligible Phil Lane (Rochester, NY, Buffalo Jr. Sabres) was -1 for the Troops.
Nick Crawford was +1 with a roughing minor in Barrie's 6-3 loss to Sault Ste. Marie.
In the QMJHL, Luke Adam scored his 28th and 29th goals of the season as Cape Breton got dumped by Baie-Comeau, 8-4. Maxime Legault added his 12th of the year late for the Eagles, while Jacob Lagacé notched two assists including the primary on Adam's first goal.
In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was -2 as Kootenay's franchise record winning streak ended at 14 games in a 5-2 loss to Prince Albert. The dominant run through the 2010 schedule has the Ice trailing Central Division leaders Calgary by one point entering the last third of the regular season.
In NCAA action, Connor Knapp earned his third shutout of the season as #2 Miami dictated tempo in a 5-0 win over Alaska-Fairbanks. Knapp stopped all nine shots through the first two periods before being tested for another 12 in the final twenty minutes to up his season mark to 4-2-3. The sophomore heads home for next weekend's set with Western Michigan toting a 2.17 goals-against-average and .910 save percentage.
Brad Eidsness made 15 saves as #5 North Dakota defeated #9 Cornell, 3-1. The sophomore netminder was closing in on his second shutout of the season before a Blake Gallagher turnaround shot from the right side made it through traffic with 9.6 seconds on the clock. The Big Red were skating with the extra attacker for the final two-plus minutes. Sophomore Corey Fienhage was even on the Sioux blueline.
Corey Tropp (-2) assisted on the first Spartan goal as #11 Michigan State failed to earn a CCHA weekend sweep in a 4-2 loss to Ohio State. After his penalty led to an OSU goal in the opening minutes on Friday, Tropp again watched a goal from the sin bin as his hooking minor saw the Buckeyes tie the game at 1-1 at 3:14 of the second period.
Alex Biega was +2 as Harvard played to a 3-3 tie with RPI. The senior rearguard ended the weekend +5 with two shots on goal and a game-winning assist.
In the CCHA, Nick Eno made 14 saves as Bowling Green defeated Western Michigan, 3-2. Eno has been in net for all of the Falcons (4-18-4) victories this season.
Drew MacKenzie was even with two shots on goal as #18 Vermont was upended by Massachusetts, 3-1.
In the USHL, Roo Adams was even with a checking from behind minor in Chiocago's 3-2 shootoout loss to Sioux City.
In Friday QMJHL action, Luke Adam scored a goal and an assist and Jacob Lagacé added a helper as Cape Breton closed out Baie-Comeau, 6-2. Adam connected for his 27th goal of the season on a feed from Lagacé for the fourth of four third period goals for the Eagles. Maxime Legault, who returned to the Cape Breton lineup after missing five games with an ankle injury, finished +2 on a line with Nick MacNeil and Brad Cuzner.
Jordon Southorn was +1 with a power play assist as PEI downed Bathurst, 4-3. On Wednesday, the 6'2 defenseman punched three shots on goal in the Rocket's 5-4 win over Shawinigan.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno collected a pair of assists as Sudbury lost to Barrie, 6-4. Foligno, who snapped a three-game point drought, raises his season line to 8-17-25. Colts defenseman Nick Crawford (+2) recorded an assist for his 47th point of the year - good for 2nd overall among OHL rearguards.
In WHL play, Brayden McNabb (+1) picked up an assist as Kootenay edged Saskatoon, 5-4. On Wednesday, McNabb was +2 with a power play goal and an assist in the Ice's 8-6 win at Swift Current. His 44 points have him slotted as the sixth highest scoring defenseman in the WHL this season.
Alex Biega assisted on the game winning goal as Harvard cruised past #13 Union, 4-1. The senior captain, who finished with a season-high +3, saw his point shot deflected in by Eric Kroshus to put the Crimson ahead 2-1 at 12:07 of the middle period. Harvard has now won four straight ECAC contests, including three straight wins against ranked opponents.
At Munn, Corey Tropp finished +1 as #10 Michigan State handled Ohio State, 5-2. The Grosse Point, MI native is currently fourth in NCAA scoring with 35 points in 27 games. With the win, MSU improves to 16-7-4 overall, and 11-4-4-1 in conference play.
Nick Eno made 32 saves as Bowling Green tied Western Michigan, 4-4. The Falcons held a two-goal lead late in the third period until the Broncos pulled their goalie and scored a pair in the final 4:10, including the game-tying tally with just :03 left in regulation.
Brad Eidsness took a rest for North Dakota as the #5 Fighting Sioux lost a tough 1-0 battle at #9 Cornell. Corey Fienhage was even in defeat as the Sioux could not get any of their 28 shots past Big Red netminder, Ben Scrivens. The two clubs will get reacquainted Saturday evening at Lynah.
Connor Knapp watched from his usual Friday spot at the door as #2 Miami skated to a 1-1 tie at Alaska-Fairbanks. Cody Recihard made 20 saves in his third straight start for the RedHawks. As of now, it is unclear if Knapp will get his Saturday post back in the tail end of the RedHawks subzero Alaskan weekend.
In the USHL, Mark Adams was +2 as Chicago earned a 5-4 overtime victory over Des Moines.
Luke Adam (+4, 5 SOG) scored his 26th goal of the season on Sunday, and Jacob Lagacé (+5, 5 SOG) added a pair of assists as Cape Breton pummeled Baie-Comeau, 8-0. The duo continued to skate together on the Eagles top line, and while it will eventually happen with more reps, they have yet to click for substantial offense despite Lagacé earning a helper on the Adam tally. Coach Mario Durocher inserted Viktor Hertberg as the line's third member, and the opportunistic Swede responded with two goals en route to being named the game's #1 star. The Sabres third prospect in Cape Breton, Maxime Legault, is still a few days away from returning from an ankle injury.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno left the game with an undisclosed injury as Sudbury saw their three-game winning streak end with a 8-3 blowout loss to Guelph. The 6'3 forward went hard into the boards in the first period and did not come out for the final forty minutes.
Nick Crawford was +1 as Barrie edged his former mates in Saginaw, 3-2. The steady defender has played 21 straight games without committing a minor penalty.
In WHL play, Brayden McNabb finished -1 as Kootenay downed Calgary, 3-1. Ranked fifth among WHL defenders in scoring with 41 points (12+29), McNabb has now gone eight straight contests without a goal and hasn't earned a fighting major in his past 18 games after dropping the mitts in five of his first 20.
Well Zack Kassian's first game in a Windsor Spitfire uniform on Thursday was certainly an interesting one.
The bruising winger, acquired in a Sunday deal with Peterborough, scored a goal and earned a game misconduct in the second period as Windsor lost to Barrie, 4-2. Defenseman Nick Crawford assisted on an empty net goal late for the Colts, while 2010 eligible Alexander Burmistrov scored the short-handed game winner.
Hitting is a big part of Kassian's game, but tonight he made a poor decision in the neutral zone as he left his feet to deliver a blow up high on Colts forward, Matt Kennedy.
Kassian is certain to earn a suspension for the hit. I won't sit on my soapbox and talk about blows to the head. Every hockey fan knows that they have no place in the sport. My initial reaction was that at least we saw some fire out a kid who was maybe trying a little too hard, but at the end of the day he will need to be spoken to and demonstrate that he has learned the boundaries of clean physical play.
In the QMJHL, Jordon Southorn was +1 with an assist as PEI defeated Cape Breton, 3-1. Jacob Lagacé assisted on the lone Eagle goal while Luke Adam had an off night with a possible World Junior hangover, finishing at -2 and having an outburst late that cost him a couple of shifts at the end of the game.
Jacob Lagacé scored his 31st goal of the year on Wednesday, and Luke Adam added an assist in his return to QMJHL action as Cape Breton defeated Chicoutimi, 4-2. Lagacé's quick mark at :41 of the first period, his first in new colors, came against his former club of two-and-a half seasons a week after being dealt to the the nest. Last season for the Sags, the 5'11 sniper collected 32 goals in 64 appearances. Adam was playing his first game since December 11th after joining Team Canada's WJC silver medal efforts.
On Tuesday, Alex Biega was -1 as Harvard upset #5 Yale, 3-2. Habs prospect Louis Leblanc netted a pair of goals for the Crimson (3-10-2).
Corey Tropp (-2) registered a power play assist to extend his point-streak to a career-best eight games on Saturday as Michigan State tied Lake Superior, 3-3. Tropp has gone three games without a goal after potting seven in his previous five. Still, his 17 goals remain tops in the country while his 32 points trail Duluth's Jack Connolly by one for the national scoring lead.
You can vote for Tropp in phase I of the Hobey Baker selection process here.
In Grand Forks, Corey Fienhage earned his second assist of the season and Brad Eidsness made 20 saves as North Dakota held off Minnesota State, 3-2. Eidsness was tested more than he was in Friday's victory, making many tough stops late to earn the game's #3 star. Justin Jokinen was even for the Mavericks in defeat. Game highlights below:
Eidsness, the undisputed #1 goaltender in Grand Forks, moves to 11-5-3 on the year. Fellow sophomore Fienhage now has two assists in 13 games in relief of Hobey Baker candidate Chay Genoway.
Elsewhere in the collegiate ranks, Harvard defenseman Alex Biega finished -1 as was swept at Minnesota, 3-1. The senior captain has one goal and four assists n 14 games.
Nick Eno served as backup in Bowling Green's 4-3 loss to Ohio State.
In the QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé posted a shot on goal and a pair of minor penalties in Cape Breton's 2-0 shutout of Halifax. Lagacé has yet to register a point in two games with the Eagles, but was very active on the forecheck as he tried to get things going in his second game with new teammates.
Jordon Southorn was -2 as PEI edged Shawinigan, 3-2 in overtime. Rocket netminder Wendell Vye made 48 saves to backstop the victory.
Brayden McNabb was -1 as Kootenay defeated Red Deer, 2-1. With all three goals coming in the third period, it was a McNabb hiccup in the neutral zone while on the power play that led to the Rebels only goal of the game. The win was Kootenay's ninth in a row.
In the OHL, Marcus Foligno saw his five-game point streak snapped as Sudbury was shut down in a 7-0 shellacking by Belleville.
Nick Crawford was even as Barrie eeked out 3-2 overtime win over Mississauga-St. Mike's. The fourth-year rearguard has gone three games without a point for the first time all season.
In the USHL, Providence-bound Mark Adams was -3 as Chicago got thumped by Waterloo, 8-3.
In Friday night OHL play, Marcus Foligno scored his seventh goal of the season and picked up a fighting major that led to huge momentum shift as Sudbury doubled Brampton, 4-2. The 6'3 checking forward is amidst a career-high five game point streak, including goals in three straight.
Foligno buried a one-timer from the slot top shelf at13:05 of the second period. After the Batallion came back with a goal just :37 later, Foligno came out on his next shift and drilled Rochester, NY native Phil Lane with a hit along the boards, causing Brampton forward Sam Carrick to challenge the relentless Foligno to a scrap.
Also from the OHL, Zack Kassian played his most complete game in weeks, but the Petes could not complete the third period comeback in a 4-3 OT loss to Oshawa. Kassian (-1) picked up an assist in the loss, and while failing to score a goal for the eleventh consecutive game, made a physical mark with one bruising hit in particular.
The 6'3 banger was in the middle of a scary moment with 3:07 left in regulation when his finishing check caused Generals forward Nick Esposto to leave the ice on a stretcher. Deemed a clean hit, the vulnerable Esposto hit his head on the glass upon impact after passing the puck up ice. No penalty was issued, and Esposto is expected to fully recover.
Kassian nearly iced the game n the OT when he executed a dangling offensive carry that has been quite rare in his season portfolio. Despite the solid effort, the Petes captain lost the puck at the point a few minutes later to allow a 2-1 break on Boone Jenner's short-handed overtime winner.
On Thursday, Kassian earned an assist as Peterborough lost to Mississauga, 6-3.
Also from Friday, Nick Crawford was -1 as Barrie got throttled by Kingston, 6-2. The Colts blueline is set to welcome Team Canada defenseman Alex Pietrangelo after a Friday night trade with Niagara.
In the QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé made his Cape Breton debut on Friday, registering four shots on goal as the Screaming Eagles were defeated by Saint John, 3-1. Cape Breton played without Maxime Legault, who left Wednesday's 4-1 loss to Montreal with an ankle injury. The 20-year old forward is slated to miss at least two weeks.
Jordon Southorn finished +1 as PEI bested Gatineau, 5-4.
In NCAA action, reigning NCAA Player of the Month Corey Tropp was credited with a pair of assists as Michigan State skated past Lake Superior, 4-2. The leading point-getter in the entire NCAA, Tropp missed a chance to pile up additional marks by earning a 10-minute unsportsmanlike misconduct in the final minute of the second period.
Brad Eidsness was called on to make just 18 saves, while Corey Fienhage finished +1 as North Dakota defeated Minnesota State, 4-1. Justin Jokinen was -1 with two shots on goal for the losing side.
Alex Biega was even as Harvard lost a non-conference match-up at Minnesota, 5-2.
In Pittsburgh, sophomore netminder Connor Knapp watched from his usual Friday spot on the bench as his top-ranked Miami RedHawks were upset by Robert Morris, 3-1. Knapp should get the nod when the two clubs complete the home-and-home series on Sunday in Oxford.
Nick Eno made 28 saves including 17 in the opening twenty minutes as Bowling Green lost to Ohio State, 7-2. The junior keeper allowed five of the seven goals before giving way to Andrew Hammond with 11:35 to play in the third.
In the USHL, Mark Adams was +1 as Chicago lost to Des Moines, 5-3.
On Thursday, Brayden McNabb picked up an assit as Kootenay edged Calgary, 2-1. The 6'4 blueliner, who saw his seven-game point streak snapped in Wednesday's 8-1 win over Saskatoon, is currently fourth in WHL scoring for defenseman with 40 points (12+28) in 34 games.
As speculated, the Cape Breton Post is reporting that the Chicoutimi Sagueneens have tradedJacob Lagacé to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles as part of three-way deal.
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are rumoured to be part of a three-team deal that would land them sniper Jacob Lagacé from the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
The Cape Breton Post has learned that Lagacé will join the Eagles on their weekend road trip. They face the Saint John Sea Dogs Friday and the Halifax Mooseheads, Saturday. Also, posts on Lagacé’s Facebook page have been wishing the Beloeil, Que. native good luck in Cape Breton.
Wednesday, the Eagles flipped 17-year-old blue-liners Zachary Evans-Renaud and Ian Saab and a second round pick in the 2012 draft to the Maineiacs in return for defenceman Eric Gelinas, forward Stephen Woodworth and a fifth-round pick in 2010.
The Eagles will reportedly send Gelinas to the Saguneeens along with a pair of draft picks for Lagacé.
Lagacé, who leads the QMJHL with 30 goals, will join the Eagles forward ranks which also includes Sabres prospects Luke Adam and Maxime Legault. Legault was previously brought in from Shawinigan in a deal over the Christmas holiday. More to come as details shake out.
