10/16 Recap: Kassian, Parker power Amerks onslaught

Zack Kassian scored two goals and Jonathan Parker added a single and two assists Sunday to power the Rochester Americans to a 7-2 shellacking of Grand Rapids. Marcus Foligno and Jacob Lagace also had goals for the winners, while ookie rearguard Brayden McNabb earned his first professional points with a pair of assists.

Parker continued his early season success with all three of his points in the first period as the Amerks jumped out to a 3-1 lead. Not surprisingly, a Red Wings prospect from Sweden (Gustav Nyquist) was able to get the Griffins on the board.

The Amerks would duplicate their three-goal output in the second period beginning with a backhand finish from Kassian at 9:12 to take a 6-2 advantage into the second intermission.

Things got chippy in the third period with the Amerks holding a comfortable lead. Three fights broke out involving Sabres prospects, highlighted by the Sabres rookie duo of Kassian and Foligno throwing at the same time.

Remember how when the Sabres drafted the pair in 2009, then-Sudbury coach Mike Foligno said that "Buffalo got the two toughest kids in the Ontario League"?

Kassian went toe-to-toe with former NHL vet Garnet Exelby, while Foligno took a decision over ex-WHLer Travis Ehrhardt. A minute after that double-feature, Corey Tropp was called to battle with former Amerk Doug Janik.

Tropp was given an interference penalty in the second period when he collided with/blew over Griffins center Landon Ferraro on a backcheck in front of the Amerks net. Tropp's shoulder seemed to make contact with the side of Ferraro's head, sending the Wings prospect hard to the ice and off to the dressing room.

The Rundown:

Kassian: 2G, 3 SOG, 15 PIM

Parker: 1G, 2A, +1

Foligno: 1G, +1, 12 PIM

Lagace: 1G, +1

McNabb: 2A, +3

Biega: 1A, +3

Szydlowski: 1A, +1

Crawford: 1A, +1

Boychuk: +1

Tropp: 3 SOG, 7 PIM

Brennan: 2 PIM

The Amerks will remain in Rochester for a game with in-state rival Syracuse on Tuesday.

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In the lone junior game Sunday, Cedrick Henley recorded three shots on goal and two hits as Val-d'Or earned a 3-2 overtime victory over Shawinigan. The 6'5 forward has yet to score in 10 games this season, and has just one goal in his last 20 since returning from wrist surgery last February.

McNabb ends junior career; Sutch hurt as Majors move on

Brayden McNabb's excellent junior career came to end Friday as the Kootenay ICE lost the Memorial Cup semifinal to Mississauga, 3-1.

As is often the case, the patrolling McNabb (-1) had his physical efforts highlighted by a solid open-ice pop, this time on Jordan Mayer in the second period.



He also showed discipline in the later stages, clearly peeling off an opportunity to label a guy knowing that he couldn't risk being penalized. Offensively he was somewhat limited in the contest despite the ICE's seven power play opportunities.

The 6'4 defender finishes the extended 82-game year (including the Memorial Cup) with a line of 24-78-102. It's expected that he'll play in the AHL next season, as his size and offensive skills are good to go but his feet look like they'll need a little grooming before fully developing into a top-four blueliner.

Mississauga forward Gregg Sutch left midway through the first period and did not return after laying a hit on the ICE's Jagger Dirk.



After the game, Majors coach Dave Cameron said he suffered a shoulder injury and is currently a longshot for Sunday's title tilt versus the Saint John Sea Dogs. (EDIT: it appears that Sutch actually broke his wrist on the play).

If Sutch is somehow able to play, it will mark the third straight year a Sabres prospect gets to play in the Memorial Cup Championship game. Kelowna's Tyler Myers was unable to capture the title in 2009, while Zack Kassian hoisted the Cup after Windsor's dominating run a year ago.

McNabb plays big as ICE advance

Brayden McNabb (+2) notched an assist Thursday as Kootenay came back from a two-goal deficit to eliminate Owen Sound from the Memorial Cup with a 7-3 victory. The 6'4 defenseman, who had a pair of helpers in the ICE's 5-4 OT win over Saint John on Tuesday, now has three points in three tournament games.

The game got off to an undesirable start for the ICE as the Attack came out buzzing to catch some early momentum. McNabb made a nice stick play in the slot right before getting spun around as Cameron Brace scored the game's first goal at 7:12 of the first period.



Trailing 2-0 in the early second period, McNabb got beat down the ice for a near goal against. After the ensuing whistle, his stick snapped as his neutral zone pass turned over for another rush into the ICE zone.



Kootenay would get it together as the period wore on though. Erik Benoit and Joe Antilla tied the game with goals just 13-seconds apart before McNabb, using his power play quarterbacking skills, got some space to open a lane for Matt Fraser to skate in and give the ICE a 3-2 lead.



Kootenay would maintain control in the third period. After being on the ice for a power play goal that gave the ICE a 4-2 lead, McNabb made two excellent defensive plays, one in his own end and a second in the neutral zone, to create a sequence of pressure that eventually lead to a big blast by Cody Eakin.



McNabb of course drew the ire of Attack fans for being suspended just one game after his elbow to the head of Joey Hishon earlier in the tournament. With the hit proving to be the end of Hishon's OHL career, critics didn't see it fair that McNabb was able to play in the game. Adding insult to the Attack's injury was the absence of star forward Garrett Wilson, who was lost to a concussion suffered in Wednesday's loss to Mississauga.

The elimination win advances Kootenay to Friday's Memorial Cup semifinal against Gregg Sutch and the Majors.

5/22 Recap: Sutch limited yet effective as hosts win

Gregg Sutch executed smartly in a limited fourth line role Sunday, skating without a point but keeping the puck deep as Mississauga evened their Memorial Cup record with a 2-1 win over Kootenay.

Sutch's unit, who didn't get any time in the middle period due to heavy special teams play, brought pressure over two hard shifts in the game's first five minutes with the 6'2 grinder helping set a tone with a board rattling finish to end his second run. The Sutch/Jamie Wise wing pairing later completed two strong shifts in the top half of the third period with the game tied 1-1. Sutch showed good defensive tactics in the ninth minute with a 40-second block that saw him come back deep, protect the crease in a net block posture, then win a one-on-one battle in the corner and calmly play the puck to himself off the boards to advance it out of the zone.

Cody Eakin (WAS) opened the scoring for Kootenay at 7:55 of the first period before Maxim Kitsyn (LAK) evened it up in a goal-mouth scrum nearly a minute-and-a-half later. The two-clubs would claw at each other and trade a few power plays for the next thirty minutes before Rob Flick (CHI) notched the game-winner at 11:55 of the third. Mississauga (1-1) now waits for Wednesday's OHL final rematch with champion Owen Sound.

Kootenay (0-2) played the tight checking affair without their physical, point-producing captain Brayden McNabb, who was suspended for the game after his major/misconduct in Saturday's loss to Owen Sound. The 6'4 defender will return to action Tuesday when the ICE complete the round robin versus Saint John.

McNabb's elbow earns a one game sit

The CHL has announced that Kootenay defenseman Brayden McNabb has been suspended one game for his elbow to the head of Owen Sound forward Joey Hishon in the Attack's 5-0 win over the ICE on Saturday. Per the CHL, McNabb's elbow on Hishon "was a reckless action by the player but not a deliberate attempt to injure.” The recently-inked rearguard, who is the first player suspended at the Memorial Cup since 1999, will sit out the ICE's Sunday contest against host club Mississauga.

So yes, this 2009 draft class is shaping up to be quite the 1-2-3 "punch". We're all aware of Zack Kassian's brushes with the OHL and IIHF (and heck Windsor PD) bylaws and Marcus Foligno's desire to drill guys into the third row, but let's not forget McNabb's rugged tone as well. If you recall, the 6'4 bruiser was assessed a one-game sitdown for ramming a Saskatoon forward heavily into the boards from behind while trailing late in the game. Sound familiar?

McNabb is not a dirty player, but he does bring his passion near the edge. It's what makes him a tough SOB to play against and what his teammates (and especially goaltenders) appreciate most. I think McNabb's actions on Saturday were clearly the result of frustration. He wasn't having his best game and you could see him upset after being in the mix on the third goal against. Shortly after, he delivered the elbow that everyone is talking about today...

We'll keep an eye out the rest of the way. McNabb's actions may hurt his team in the short term but are sure to have a more positive impact on the Sabres future toughness.

5/21 Recap: McNabb ejected as ICE drop opener

Brayden McNabb earned a late ejection for a vicious elbow Saturday as Kootenay opened the 2011 Memorial Cup with a 5-0 shutout loss to Owen Sound. McNabb, who used his long stick and physical frame throughout, showed that 'the simpler the better' is the way to play his game. He did a good job stepping into guys and using the boards to safety, and showed good hustle on an early power play (below), but there were other moments when McNabb tried to leg the puck only to succumb to the forecheck and keep the play in his end. Also of note was a miss against the speed of Cameron Brace (clip #2) that nearly resulted in an Owen Sound tally.





After a rough third period that saw him take a hooking penalty and then get beat for a goal as his up-ice pass was turned over, the 6'4 McNabb took some frustration out with 5:35 to play by landing a huge open ice elbow to the head of star forward Joey Hishon.



McNabb received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the blow, and could face additional discipline from the CHL if the headshot is deemed suspension worthy. Stay tuned as the ruling will come quick in the year-end tournament.

On Friday, Gregg Sutch executed his grinding role in spot duty as Mississauga opened the tournament with a 4-3 loss to QMJHL champion Saint John. The Majors and ICE will play game #3 of the tournament's round robin on Sunday. With Sutch regularly shuffled in and out of the lineup and McNabb possibly facing a suspension, Sabres reporters looking for a spring beat could be SOL come puck drop.

McNabb joins the fold

As expected, the Buffalo Sabres have announced the signing of 2009 draft pick Brayden McNabb to a three-year entry-level contract.

From the Sabres website:

“Brayden is a big kid with great offensive abilities, and he’s continued to improve every year in Kootenay,” said Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier. “His outstanding performance in the WHL Playoffs was just another positive sign in his development, and we are thrilled to now have him under contract for the next three years.”

McNabb (6’5”, 216 lbs., 1/21/1991, shoots left) just finished his fourth full season with the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League, and is headed to the Memorial Cup Championship that begins this weekend in Mississauga. McNabb’s 27 points led all Canadian Hockey League defenseman in the postseason, and his 24 assists were more than any other CHL defenseman’s total points.

A native of Davidson, Saskatchewan, McNabb was tied for second overall in WHL Playoff scoring, and had a 12-game point streak from April 3-May 10 where he scored 21 points (2+19). He also posted a league-best plus-23 rating in the Ice’s 19 playoff games.

The 20-year-old McNabb improved his regular season point total for the third year in a row, finishing second among WHL blueliners with 72 points (21+51) in 59 games. In four full seasons with Kootenay from 2007-11, McNabb had 176 points (50+126) in 258 games, along with 419 PIMs.

Sorry for posting in this late, but I was away in Florida and only able to broadcast messages via twitter...

5/13 Recap: McNabb's ICE take WHL title, deal next?

Brayden McNabb notched a pair of assists Friday including the primary on the game winning goal as Kootenay won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a 4-1 win over Portland. The ICE, who earned their third WHL Championship in franchise history, will savor the flavor of victory before joining the Owen Sound Attack and host Mississauga Majors at the 2011 Memorial Cup. The QMJHL Final between Saint John and Gatineau is still being played with the Sea Dogs holding a 3-2 edge.

Moments after his nice slap pass wasn't converted, McNabb's patient power play quarterbacking found Matt Fraser in front of the Winterhawks net for the game winner at 19:16 of the 2nd period. The 6'4 defenseman would later assist on an empty-netter to finish the playoffs with a line of 3-24-27 (t2nd overall in WHL) and a +23 rating (1st). He had more assists than any other CHL defensemen had points in the postseason.

Portland's Riley Boychuk skated -1 while earnng a slashing/roughing double minor after he got his stick tangled between a Kootenay forward's legs on his way to a line change. The edgy 6'5 forward finishes his playoff year with four goals, 12 points and 50 PIM in 21 games.

With the Memorial Cup tournament set to being May 20th, McNabb may still make news before the puck drops. Back in 2009, the Sabres signed Tyler Myers to an entry-level the day after Kelowna's WHL Championship win. Keep an eye in the coming days as it's reasonable to suggest the Sabres use the short window prior to the tourney to get a deal done with Myers' former Athol Murray College of Notre Dame teammate.

5/11 Recap: McNabb stops at dozen as ICE inch towards title

Brayden McNabb saw his 12-game point streak come to an end Wednesday as Kootenay needed overtime to get past Portland, 5-4. The victory gives the ICE a commanding 3-1 lead in the WHL Championship series. McNabb (-1, 8 PIM) amassed 21 points over the dozen game run, collecting multiple points in seven of the contests (all victories).

Riley Boychuk picked up an assist to give him points in two straight games. With McNabb in the penalty box to start the second period, the 6’5 Boychuk found Ryan Johansen with a back door pass just as the ICE captain was skating back into play. Boychuk has four goals and eight assists in the playoffs heading into Portland's first elimination game of the year on Friday.

In Tuesday’s game three, McNabb and Boychuk each posted assists as Kootenay took a two-games-to-one lead with a 3-2 OT win. Much like McNabb on Tuesday, Boychuk was just stepping out of the box as the ICE rushed down the ice to open the game’s scoring.

5/7 Recap: McNabb keeps mackin'; Boychuk bounced

Brayden McNabb extended his playoff point streak to eleven games Saturday, collecting a pair of assists for the second straight game as Kootenay evened the WHL Championship series at a game apiece with a 7-5 win over Portland. McNabb, who now has 24 points (3+21) this postseason, struck with primary power play helpers three minutes apart in the second period as the ICE took firm control of the game into the 2nd intermission.

Portland forward Riley Boychuk (+1) was ejected in the second period after being assessed an elbowing major for a hit behind the net on defenseman Hayden Rintoul. I know Boychuk and the 'Hawks were trailing 6-1 and surely frustrated at the time, and I know the CHL is attempting to crack down on hits to the head, but I'll let you decide whether or not the crime was worthy of five and a game.





What do you think? Personally, I think we've all seen more egregious contact result in a lesser fine.

After splitting the first two games in Portland, the ICE and Winterhawks will head to Kootenay for back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

5/6 Recap: McNabb continues tear as 'Hawks steal opener

Brayden McNabb (+2) extended his point and assist streaks to a franchise record 10 games Friday as Kootenay opened the WHL finals with a 4-3 overtime loss to Portland. Finishing with a pair of even strength helpers, the 6'4 defenseman has now collected 22 points (3+19) in 15 playoff games. Meanwhile the ICE loss, much in part due to slow start after a long layoff, snaps their amazing 11-game winning the ICE. Sabres power forward prospect Riley Boychuk recorded a roughing minor for the Winterhawks, who are expecting close to 10,000 fans when they host Saturday's game two. Portland sniper Sven Bartschi ('11) continued his ascent up draft boards with a pair of goals, while linemate Ty Rattie ('11) buried the OT winner.

In the OHL Championship, Gregg Sutch was a scratch for the ninth consecutive game as Mississauga lost game three to Owen Sound, 6-5 in overtime. Defenseman Matt Petgrave, undrafted but mentioned in the 2010 preview as a possible late rounder, scored the OT winner and an assist for the Attack. The Majors hold a 2-1 series lead with the teams heading back to Owen Sound for Sunday's game four.

In the USHL Western Conference Final, Christian Isackson finished -1 with a shot on goal as Sioux Falls defeated Dubuque, 3-2. The Stampede, who now trail 2-1 in the best-of-five, will again play with their season on the line as the teams stay in Sioux Falls for Sunday's game four.

4/27 Recap: McNabb keeps stacking; Kassian available

Brayden McNabb (+4) notched two assists Wednesday to extend his playoff point streak to a ridiculous nine games as Kootenay trounced Medicine Hat 7-2 to sweep the WHL Eastern Conference Final four games to love. Max Reinhart (CAL) potted five goals to pace the ICE while McNabb, whose 20 points leads all Canadian junior defensemen in the playoffs, saw his night cut short when he earned a major and game misconduct after scrapping with Tigers forward Emerson Etem with 7:35 to play and the game well in hand.



With the ICE rolling on an eleven-game winning streak, the 6'4 defenseman finds himself one series away from joining former Athol Murray College of Notre Dame teammate Tyler Myers as a Sabres blueline prospect to play in the Memorial Cup. Before that chapter can be written though, Kootenay must first face the winner of the Western Conference Final between Portland and Spokane. (And for those wondering, ICE captain McNabb did not touch the Husky Eastern Conference Championship bowl when it was presented.)

Riley Boychuk made a key play that led to the game winning goal as Portland got past Spokane, 3-2 in overtime. The aggressive forward, who was sent to the box twice in the game for cross-checking (1st period) and slashing (2nd period), chipped the puck from his own zone behind the Chiefs defensemen to create the game winning odd-man rush. The Winterhawks will hold a 2-1 lead when the series resumes Friday in Spokane.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian saw his OHL season come to a close as Windsor got embarrassed by Owen Sound, 10-4. Kassian, who of course was suspended for the game for his game three match penalty, is now eligible for AHL duty if the Sabres want to get the development going with the signed first-rounder. The Attack win the Western Conference Final in five games, not only moving into the OHL Championship against Mississauga, but also earning a berth in the Memorial Cup due to the Majors being this year's host.

4/26 Recap: McNabb extends; "Ship" sinks

Brayden McNabb extended his point streak to eight games Tuesday, notching an assist as Kootenay took a commanding 3-0 lead in the WHL Eastern Conference Final with a 3-1 win over Medicine Hat. McNabb, whose helper came on Cody Eakin’s third game-winning goal of the series, continues to lead all WHL defensemen with 18 points (3+15) in 13 games. The total also ties Windsor’s Ryan Ellis for most among all CHL defensemen in this year’s playoffs (Ellis has played four more games than McNabb). Winners of ten consecutive games, the ICE will look to use the brooms for a second straight series Wednesday in Cranbrook, while at the same time hoping to book a date with the winner of Portland/Spokane for the right to rep the Dub in the 2011 Memorial Cup.

In the OHL, Steven Shipley finished -2 as Niagara’s season came to end with a 4-1 loss to Mississauga. Shipley, a 6’3 center who struggled for most of the year after being traded from Owen Sound, was unable to emerge in the playoffs scoring one goal and six assists in the IceDogs 14 postseason contests. His uninspired play was noted by a friend in attendance who writes, “Ships looks like he has been demoted/benched. Very ineffective this game. Practically invisible in all aspects of the game”. Gregg Sutch was again scratched by the Majors. Mississauga winning the Eastern Conference title means that the winner of the Windsor/Owen Sound series will not only advance to the OHL Championship, but will also advance to Memorial Cup (with Mississauga being the host city).

4/23 Recap: Kass finds trouble; McNabb a machine

Zack Kassian had a game he'd like to forget Saturday, posting an assist but also getting called for a late high sticking penalty to led to the game winning goal as Windsor lost game #3 of the OHL Western Conference Final to Owen Sound, 6-4. But folks, Kassian wasn't done. With :22 left on the clock and the Attack about to pot their capper into the empty net, Kassian received a match penalty with intent to injure by delivering a high cross-check to defenseman Jesse Blacker right at center ice.

The short-fused Kassian, who earlier gloated after earning his second period helper, had been jawing with Blacker throughout the contest and finished the conflict in a rather deplorable way. Expect the 6'3 bruiser to take a seat for Monday's game #4, with his track record of suspensions likely giving OHL commish David Branch some ammo to tack on some extra discipline. I don't like where this is going...More later.

Also from the OHL, Steven Shipley skated even as Niagara dropped game #3 of the OHL's Eastern Conference Final to Mississauga, 3-2 in overtime. Justin Shugg played hero by notching the goal at 3:13 of the extra session. Majors forward Gregg Sutch was a healthy scratch for the third straight game, while Shipley has yet to record a point in the series. The Dogs trails the series 2-1 with the teams traveling back to St. Catharines for Monday's game #4.

In the WHL Eastern Conference Final, Brayden McNabb extended his point streak to seven games with an assist as Kootenay shut out Medicine Hat, 3-0. The 6'4 defenseman, who set across-the-board franchise offensive marks for a blueliner this past season, has now tied ICE postseason marks for career playoff assists (24) and career playoff points (27) for a defenseman. Winners of six straight road games and nine straight overall, Kootenay will take a 2-0 series lead into Tuesday's game #3.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson (+1) posted four shots on goal as Sioux Falls defeated Omaha, 5-1, to sweep their best-of-five semifinal. The Stampede, who went hard for the sweep for four second period goals, will move on to face the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the Western Conference Final beginning Friday.

4/22 Recap: McNabb streaks to six as ICE take opener

Brayden McNabb assisted on a late power play goal Friday as Kootenay opened the WHL Eastern Conference Final with a 6-5 overtime win at Medicine Hat. The 6'4 McNabb, who continues to lead all WHL dmen in points this playoffs with 16 (3+13), extended his point streak to six games when he earned a secondary helper on the game-tying goal with 1:55 left to play in regulation. The ICE, who have now ripped off eight consecutive wins, will look for the road sweep of the Tigers Saturday before taking the series back to Cranbrook.

In the WHL Western Conference Final, Riley Boychuk skated even with a minor penalty as Portland lost game #1 to Spokane, 2-1. Boychuk provided hard-working energy for the 'Hawks, who were coming off a five-day rest, but the Chiefs posted a 43-28 shots-on-goal advantage to gain the edge with the series remaining in Portland for Sunday's game #2. The 6'5 Boychuk has four goals and nine points in the 11 games thus far in the playoffs, but hasn't gotten on the scoresheet in the last four games since Brad Ross returned from suspension to reclaim his top line spot.

In USHL second round action, Christian Isackson (+2) earned an assist as Sioux Falls held on for a 4-3 win over Omaha. The St. Paul, MN native has three goals, three assists, and a +6 rating in five postseason tilts for the Stampede, who now take a comfortable 2-0 series lead back home for Saturday's game #3. Seth Ambroz ('11) notched a late goal for the Lancers to earn the #1 star of the game.

McNabb earns Player of the Week honors

Kootenay ICE captain Brayden McNabb has been named the WHL Player of the Week.

From the WHL website:

McNabb picked up six points, scoring one goal and five assists to go with a +2 rating in two games over the last week, helping the Ice to a 4-0 series win over the Saskatoon Blades to advance to the Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series.

On Tuesday, April 12th, the Kootenay Ice hosted the Saskatoon Blades for game three of their second round series at the Cranbrook Rec Plex. McNabb scored one goal, added two assists and was named the games 1st Star as the Ice downed the Blades 3-0 to take a 3-0 series lead. The following night, Wednesday, April 13th, the Ice had the opportunity to upset the top seed in the 2011 WHL Playoffs in front of a home crowd in Cranbrook. McNabb collected three assists as the Ice defeated the Blades 5-2 to advance to the next round.

The Kootenay Ice will now face the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series starting Friday, April 22nd and Saturday, April 23rd at 7:30pm MT at the Medicine Hat Arena.

McNabb, a 20 year old (born 1991) from Davidson, SK, is playing his fourth season with the Kootenay Ice. The Ice made him their 2nd round (37th overall) selection at the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft and was selected in the 3rd round (66th overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. McNabb set career highs in all offensive categories this season and finished 3rd among WHL defenceman in scoring gathering 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) in just 59 games. He is currently 6th among all WHL Scorers in the post-season with 15 points (3 goals, 12 assists) in 10 games.

4/16 Recap: Kassian helper gives Spits upper hand

Zack Kassian assisted on the game winning goal Saturday as Windsor moved one-step closer to advancing in the OHL playoffs with a 5-3 win over Saginaw. Kassian entered the Spirit zone with four minutes left on the clock, throwing the puck on net for Ryan Ellis to bang in the rebound and break the 3-3 tie. Kassian, who speaks about the play here in a post-game interview, now has 11 playoff points (2+9) heading into Sunday's game #6 in Windsor.

In other CHL playoff news, three Sabres prospects have received their marching orders for the week as OHL and WHL Eastern Conference Finals schedules have been set.

Steven Shipley and the Niagara IceDogs will open their OHL best-of-seven Tuesday at Mississauga. The 6'3 Shipley, who scored his first playoff goal and added two assists in the Dogs' Friday clincher, could be heating up at the right time as scoring depth will be needed to tackle the high-scoring Majors. Gregg Sutch has seen limited fourth-line minutes through the first two rounds for Mississauga, who will host this year's Memorial Cup once league titles are distributed.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb and the Kootenay ICE will begin their series on the road Friday and Saturday with a set of games in Medicine Hat. McNabb currently leads all WHL defensemen with 15 points (3+12). Lewiston's Olivier Dame-Malka has netted 16 points (8+8) thus far in the QMJHL playoffs to lead the entire CHL.

4/13 Recap: Foligno finished; McNabb mackin'

Marcus Foligno scored a goal and an assist Wednesday in what should be the final game of his junior career as Sudbury was swept via a 4-3 overtime loss to Mississauga. The 6’3 winger, who #1 star of the game reminded folks that he wasn't eager to complete his OHL playing days, ends his playoff year with two goals, one assist, one fight, and a -10 rating in eight games. Barring injury, Foligno is expected to report to the Portland Pirates in the coming days on an ATO to hopefully extend his physical brand for a few more weeks of action. Gregg Sutch was a healthy scratch for the Majors, who dug themselves out of a 3-0 hole by quick-striking thrice in the last ten minutes to force the OT.

Also from the OHL, Steven Shipley (+1) recorded an assist as Niagara steamrolled to firm control of their second round series with a 6-1 win over Oshawa. The 6’3 center has yet to score a playoff goal but has collected four assists through the first eight games. The IceDogs will look to close things out Friday at home.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb bagged a pair of assists as Kootenay completed the Eastern Conference semi-final sweep of Saskatoon with a 5-2 win. The ICE captain has collected 14 points (3+11) and a +12 rating through his first 10 games this postseason. Kootenay looks well-oiled and hopes to not lay idle for too long while waiting for the winner of the Red Deer/Medicine Hat series.

Riley Boychuk skated even as Portland downed Kelowna, 4-2. The victory gives the Winterhawks a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series with game #5 Friday in Portland.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson cashed a pair of goals on six shots on net as Sioux Falls opened their 2011 playoff campaign with a 5-1 win over Sioux City. Isackson drilled a power play one-timer from the left circle to open scoring before later dancing around Matt Skoff for his second goal of the night to make it a 3-0 in the middle frame. The clubs will continue to sink their teeth into the series Thursday in SF.

4/12 Recap: McNabb takes command; Boychuk pots winner

Brayden McNabb notched a goal and two assists Tuesday as Kootenay came within one game of eliminating the WHL's top regular season club with a 3-0 shutout of Saskatoon. The victory gives the ICE an unthinkable chance to use the brooms Wednesday in Cranbrook. After his power play point shot was followed-up on to give the ICE an early lead, the 6'4 McNabb took it coast-to-coast to bury a wrister for the 2-0 lead at the end of two periods. The Kootenay captain, who also displayed excellent power-play QB skills throughout, leads all Sabres prospects with two goals and 12 points through eight playoff games. The #1 star effort was his second three-point performance of the playoffs.

Elsewhere in the WHL, Riley Boychuk scored the power play game-winner and added an assist as Portland defeated Kelowna, 5-4. The 6'5 Boychuk made a key play late in the second period when he got the puck back to the point and set a screen for Tyler Wotherspoon's shot on the fourth Portland goal. The 20-year old, who is currently averaging 1.29 points-per-game in the playoffs after a mean of .58 in the regular season, later banged home a rebound with a two-man advantage to give the 'Hawks a 5-3 lead. The power-play goal was the third time this series that Boychuk has scored on a five-on-three. It's expected that Boychuk will remain on the Winterhawks top line when the clubs return for Wednesday's game #4 in Kelowna.

Matt MacKenzie skated even as Tri-City dropped a 4-1 home ice decision to Spokane. After winning the opener, the Americans find themselves in a 2-1 series hole heading into Thursday's game #4.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian scored his second goal of the playoffs as Windsor lost to Saginaw, 5-2. The unassisted breakaway tally, Kassian's ninth postseason point, came amidst a disappointing top-to-bottom effort from the defending Memorial Cup champions. The 6'3 winger was a little too late with the passion, getting assessed a misconduct at the final horn after a shoving match with former midget teammate and good pal, Dalton Prout. With the Spits trailing the series by a 2-1 margin, Kassian needs to bring that aggressive attitude back to the rink for Thursday's game #4.

Marcus Foligno continued his disappointing series, finishing -2 with a fighting major as Sudbury lost for the third straight game to Mississauga, 6-3. Gregg Sutch was even with an elbowing minor for the Majors, who with a Wednesday win can end Foligno's OHL career. The 6'3 Wolves captain sparked his team early, making a big hit along the boards then dropping the gloves for the first time since returning from his February knee injury to take on Rob Flick.



In Monday OHL action, Steven Shipley was +1 as Niagara defeated Oshawa, 5-3. The win gives the IceDogs a 2-1 series lead with game #4 Wednesday in Oshawa. Ryan Strome ('11) scored his fourth of the postseason for the victors.

4/9 Recap: McNabb chips in as ICE gain edge

In Saturday playoff action, Brayden McNabb (+2) logged an assist as Kootenay earned a 3-2 overtime win over Saskatoon. The ICE, who jumped out a surprising 2-0 series edge with the pair of road victories, held the lead until 1:05 left in regulation when a Brayden Schenn slapshot bounced off Cody Eakin and past a kicking McNabb into the Kootenay net. The 6'4 minute-eater has collected two goals and seven assists through eight postseason games including points in three straight. The teams will travel back to Kootenay for Tuesday's game #3.

Matt MacKenzie finished -1 as Tri-City opened their WHL Western Conference semi-final with a 3-1 win at Spokane. The tilt was the 50th playoff appearance of MacKenzie's WHL career. The Ams and Chiefs will continue the series Sunday in Spokane.

In the OHL, Steven Shipley picked up an assist as Niagara lost to Oshawa, 6-4. The 6'3 center now has points in three straight playoff games. The IceDogs and Generals are tied 1-1 in their second round set with game #3 Monday in Saint Catharines.

In the USHL, Christian Isackson recorded two shots on goal and a pair of minor penalties as Sioux Falls was a dealt a 2-0 shutout by Omaha. With the loss, the Herd earn the #3 playoff seed and playoff date with Sioux City beginning Wednesday. Isackson ends the regular season as the Stampede's leading scorer with 44 points (17+27).