2/16 Recap: Eno tops UNO; Byron stays hot

In the AHL, the Rochester Americans saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 3-2 overtime loss to Syracuse. Andrej Sekera scored his second goal of the year, and first since the season opener, on a first-period power play. Marek Zagrapan picked up helpers on both Rochester goals to raise his season point total to 31, while Marc-Andre Gragnani extended his point-streak to six games with an assist. Adam Dennis made 30 saves in the loss. Mike Funk was given a misconduct at the end of the game after voicing concerns about uneven officiating. In juniors, Gatineau center Paul Byron scored a pair of even-strength goals, including the game winner, and added an assist as the Olympiques defeated Victoriaville, 4-1. On the ice for all four Gatineau goals, the three-point night earned Byron the game's #1 star. The 5'10, 140-pound pivot now has 29 goals and 51 points in 41 games, after going 21-23-44 in 68 games in 2006-07. 2007 fifth-rounder Jean-Simon Allard notched three assists as St. John's held on to their 5-0 lead to defeat PEI, 5-4. Like Byron, Allard was also a solid +4 on the evening. Fog Devils Defenseman T.J. Brennan was +2 with a team-best six shots on goal. Brad Eidsness and the Okotoks Oilers avenged Frday's loss, getting the home-and-home split with a 4-2 win over Olds. The 2007 fifth-rounder made 35 saves for the win in a contest featuring 26 power plays between the two clubs. Black Hawks defenseman Drew MacKenzie checked out with a -3 as Waterloo took a 7-1 whooping from USHL cellar-dweller, Des Moines. In the NCAA, Nick Eno faced 40 shots, stopping all but one as Bowling Green defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 3-1. Tonight's victory was the tenth in a solid freshman season for the Howell, MI native, as his brickwall effort earned him the game's #2 star. Bowling Green climbed their way back to .500 with the win. Tim Kennedy had an assist on the power play as #7 Michigan State swept lowly Western Michigan with a 4-2 afternoon win. Spartans coach Rick Comley continued his season of line juggling, placing Corey Tropp on the third unit where he was even with three shots on goal. Next week, the Spartans will take on Michigan in a key CCHA battle. Nathan Gerbe had a power play assist and zero misconducts as #8 Boston College earned a weekend split by defeating #18 Lowell, 5-2. Andrew Orpik also had an assist for BC, bringing his point total to nine on the year. Chris Butler was again -1 as #6 Denver got outplayed by #3 North Dakota in a 4-1 loss. The game featured 122 penalty minutes thanks to a melee at the end of the second period, but Butler was only responsible for a holding minor. The weekend sweep slides Denver down the pairwise rankings, with the 6-8 cluster of teams now likely to involve the Pios, Michigan State, and Boston College. Saints defenseman Matt Generous was also -1 for the second consecutive night as St. Lawrence lost to Brown, 3-1. His +12 is still good for sixth in the ECAC. Alex Biega was +2 with five shots on goal as Harvard cooled surging #16 Quinnipiac, 4-1. Over the past four games, the stocky rearguard has seen his season plus/minus go from -1 to +7. In the SEL, Jhonas Enroth rested while Bjorn Bjurling made 34 saves in a 2-2 tie with Skelleftea. SSK and Skelleftea are currently tied for the 8th and final elitserien playoff spot. In the RSL, Vjacheslav Buravchikov has finally scored a goal for Ak-Bars. Through 40 games this season, the steady defender has one goal and 10 PIM. Over the past five games, he's raised his plus/minus from -3 to +1.