Showing posts with label schiestel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label schiestel. Show all posts

Sunday, March 18, 2012

3/17 Recap: Shipley tunes up as Dogs eye run

Steven Shipley scored a goal and two assists Saturday as Niagara hammered Ottawa, 7-3. The 6'3 center is coming on of late on a line with Mitchell Theoret and David Pacan, scoring six goal and 10 points in his last seven games. After finishing the regular season on Sunday with a trip to Mississauga, the top-seeded IceDogs will open the 2012 playoffs on Thursday versus Oshawa.



Dan Catenacci snapped a five-game funk with a faceoff win assist as Owen Sound lost to Guelph, 3-1. With the pair of weekend losses to the Storm, the Attack slip to a 6th place finish in the OHL Western Conference. Owen Sound will be without leading scorer Mike Halmo (suspension) for the entire first round playoff match-up with Kitchener, meaning that Catenacci, who finished the regular season with 33 goals and 72 points, will need to step it up if the Attack is to defend their league crown.



Cedrick Henley recorded an assist as Val-d'Or defeated Baie-Comeau, 7-4. The 6'5 power forward finishes the regular season as Val-d'Or's seventh leading scorer, posting a career-best 13 goals and 39 points in 53 games. The Foreurs will wait for the outcome of Sunday action to learn where they'll be traveling for the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.

Gregg Sutch and Alex Lepkowski did not factor as Barrie was rolled by Brampton, 5-2. Sutch was stung late when he blocked a shot but should be good to go next week when the Colts begin the playoffs at home versus Mississauga.

Colin Jacobs logged a -1 as Seattle lost to Everett, 6-4. The Thunderbirds will now face a must-win situation on Sunday when they battle Portland in the final game of the regular season. Currently two points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, a Seattle victory will force a one-game tiebreaker with Everett on Tuesday.

Mark Pysyk finished +1 as Edmonton finished the regular season with a 7-3 win over Red Deer. The Oil Kings, who enter the WHL playoffs as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, will face defending league champion Kootenay in the first round. The first two games will be played at Rexall on Friday and Sunday.

Nathan Lieuwen made 14 saves as Kootenay was blanked by Calgary, 3-0. The ICE 2011-12 co-MVP, Lieuwen finishes the regular season with 27 wins (11th in WHL), a 2.50 goals against average (3rd) and .914 save percentage (5th).

Brad Eidsness backed up as North Dakota reeled off their seventh straight win to claim the WCHA Final Five Championship with a 4-0 shutout win over Denver. The Sioux victory gives them the automatic bid into the NCAA brackets. Their opponent will be announced Sunday at noon.

Kevin Sundher did not play as Brandon closed out the regular season with a 7-2 win over Regina. The Wheat Kings, who finish as the #6 seed in the WHL Eastern Conference, will hope to have the speedy center back on Thursday when they begin their opening round playoff series at Calgary.

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In AHL play, blueliners T.J. Brennan (14th) and Nick Crawford (4th) added regulation goals and Paul Szczechura scored in overtime as Rochester edged Binghamton, 4-3.

Travis Turnbull also scored for the Amerks while David Leggio made 33 stops for his fifth win in his last six starts.

The Rundown:
Brennan: G, +1, 6 SOG
Crawford: G, +1, 2 SOG
Lagace: 2 SOG
Adam: -1, 4 SOG
Biega: +1, 2 SOG
Szydlowski: +1

On Friday, Orchard Park native Nick Schaus scored a late power play goal to give Syracuse a 4-3 win over the Amerks. Szczechura and fellow vets Colin Stuart and Evan Rankin provided the Rochester marks, while Phil Varone added two assists.

The Rundown:
Brennan: A, -3, 5 PIM
Biega: A,
Adam: A, 4 SOG
Lagace: 2 PIM
Crawford: +1
Szydlowski: even

Winners of eight of their last 10, the Amerks welcome Syracuse to the BCA for mid-week tilt on Wednesday.

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In Texas, Drew Schiestel recorded an assist as Texas dropped both ends of a Friday/Saturday set to Oklahoma City. Schiestel has four assists and a +1 rating in six games since being re-assigned to the Stars top affiliate.

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In the Coast League, Corey Fienhage picked up a pair of assists and Jonathan Parker chipped in a helper as Gwinnett held on for a 4-3 win over Greenville. Riley Boychuk recorded two shots on net in the win.

Since we haven't fed the savages in a while, here's a clip of Boychuk refining his pugilistic skills last weekend against the Road Warriors.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

3/6 Recap: Lieuwen takes loss; Schiestel reassigned

In Tuesday WHL action, Nathan Lieuwen allowed four goals on 30 shots as Kootenay was defeated by Swift Current, 4-3. Adam Rossignol ('12), who the Broncos acquired from the ICE at the trade deadline, beat Lieuwen for the game winner with just under five minutes to play. The 6'5 netminder has lost five of his last seven starts while allowing four or more goals four times.

Colin Jacobs (+2) earned an assist as Seattle defeated Prince George, 3-1. The helper was Jacobs' first point in seven games.

In Finland, Joel Armia was -2 in 15:43 of work as Assat dropped a 5-2 decision to the Pelicans. The Aces have lost four of their last five, slipping to 6th place in the SM-liiga standings with four games left on the schedule. The 6'3 wing ranks third on the team with 36 points in 50 games. His 17 goals are 14th best in the league.

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In other news, the Rochester Americans announced Tuesday that Drew Schiestel has been reassigned to the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.

An AHL All-Star a season ago, the 6'2 defender suffered his second knee injury in a span of 10 months in the Amerks season opener. Schiestel had a hard time getting into a groove upon his return, compiling two goals and 12 points while platooning at times as a forward due to injuries and recalls.

The loan to Texas places Schiestel in a situation to play regularly as part of a clear day roster, and more importantly, affords him an opportunity to re-gain his confidence down the stretch in the final year of his entry-level contract.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Schiestel's OT mark seals Amerks win

Drew Schiestel scored on the power play at 3:21 of overtime Tuesday as the Amerks earned a 4-3 win over the AHL's top club, the Oklahoma City Barons. The blast from the point, Schiestel's second goal of the year, added to an earlier assist for his first multi-point game of the season.



Paul Szczechura paced the Amerks with two goals and an assist in his first game back from Buffalo, while Alex Biega scored his third of the season. Biega, who has collected all three of his marks in the last eight games, equals his out from a season ago when he scored 18 points as an AHL rookie with the Portland Pirates.

The Rundown:
Schiestel: GWG, A
Biega: G, +1, 2 SOG
Fienhage: A, +1
Boychuk: +1
Lagace: +1
Parker: 2 SOG
Persson: -1, 2 SOG
Foligno: -1
Crawford: -1
Szydlowski: -1

The Amerks (14-12-4-1) and Barons will play it back on Wednesday.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Amerks fall in OT

ECHL call-up Evan Rankin continued to state his AHL case Saturday, scoring both of the Amerks goals in a 3-2 overtime loss to Adirondack. The 25-year old Rankin has four goals and two assists in seven games since being recalled from Toldeo, where he piled 10 goals in 15 contests for the Walleyes. The 6'1 196-pound wing had just 20 goals in a four-year collegiate career at Notre Dame.



Phil Varone assisted on both Rankin tallies, while Marcus Foligno added a single helper for his 12th point of the year.

The Rundown:
Foligno: A, +1, 1 SOG
Biega: +1, 2 SOG
Brennan: -1, 3 SOG
Crawford: 2 PIM
Persson: -1, 3 SOG
Parker: 1 SOG
Boychuk: 2 SOG
Schiestel: 1 SOG, 4 PIM
Lagace: -1, 2 SOG

The Amerks (11-10-3-1) travel to Hamilton for a Sunday afternoon tilt.

***

Playing a bit of a catch-up from last week...

Foligno earned his second fighting major the year Saturday (12/3) when he took on Ian Schultz in the Amerks 4-2 loss to Hamilton.



The following night, he'd score his of eighth the season in the Amerks 4-2 loss at Albany (12/4).



Third-year man Drew Schiestel would complete the Amerks scoring in the loss with his first goal of the year.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Foligno scores, MacIntyre stops 40 in Amerks win

Marcus Foligno scored his ninth goal of the year at 5:13 of the opening period, while Drew MacIntyre was rock solid in stopping all 40 shots he faced as Rochester earned a 3-0 Friday night win over Albany. The shutout was MacIntyre's first of the season and 15th of his nine-year career.

The 20-year old Foligno provided all the offense the Amerks would need when he gathered an Alex Biega pass in the corner and made a strong move to the net that eventually resulted in the puck popping into the air and over the line. The goal was Foligno's second in as many games.

Biega scored his first goal of the year on the power play in the final minute of the first period, while Derek Whitmore's 12th of the season in the second rounded out the Amerks attack. The 26-year old Whitmore, a Rochester native and product of Bowling Green, has eight of his 12 goals this season in his past six games.

Jacob Lagace and Drew Schiestel picked up assists for the Amerks. Schiestel now has a goal and an assist in his last two games.

Defenseman Dennis Persson returned to the lineup after missing 22 games with high ankle sprain.

The Rundown:
Foligno: 1G, +1, 2 SOG
Biega: G, A, +1, 2 SOG
Lagace: A, 2 SOG
Schiestel: A, 2 SOG
Crawford: +1, 3 SOG
Parker: 1 SOG
Boychuk: even

The Amerks return to action Saturday versus Adirondack.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Schiestel to the shelf

Rochester defenseman Drew Schiestel is expected to be out four-six weeks after spraining his left MCL in the Amerks' Saturday night loss to Hamilton.

The 22-year old was playing his first regular season game after blowing out his right knee back in January. Named an AHL All-Star before being shut down, a healthy Schiestel was widely considered the Sabres de facto "#8" defesneman heading into 2011-12.

Schiestel's hometown paper, The Hamilton Spectator, has the details on how it all went down.

After making an innocuous pass, he got bumped near his blue line. Not hammered. Not flattened. Just got involved in one of those thousand-times-a-game collisions.

Problem was, his toe was caught in the kind of malleable ice you get early in the season when temperatures outside are more reminiscent of the middle of summer than the onset of fall and the building isn’t deeply chilled.

“The ice is just so soft, the ruts are unbelievable,” he says. “There’s no way your skate’s coming out of it.”

As he twisted, his knee didn’t. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, something bent awkwardly, his kneecap slid out of place and a somewhat familiar pain kicked in.

When he got to the medical room, he sat quietly waiting for some word as the Dogs’ team doctor checked him out. Mainly hoping and praying to not hear the letters ACL.

He didn’t. That’s the good news. That, and the fact that it’s his left knee. The one that wasn’t already repaired once. The bad? It’s a second-degree sprain of the MCL. Even though surgery likely isn’t necessary, he’ll be sidelined for four weeks, maybe six.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

10/2 Recap: Henley shows Howe it's done in; Foligno gets two

Cedrick Henley rallied for a Gordie Howe hat trick Saturday, posting two goals including the game winner, an assist, and a third period fight to lead Val-d'Or to a 4-1 win over visiting Lewiston. The 6'5, 196-pound forward was physically dominant in his first game since returning from Sabres camp, rounding out his night with a game-high seven hits while helping the Foreurs sustain pressure down low. Henley's younger brother, 6'3 Samuel ('11), finished -1 for the MAINEiacs and will look to avenge his bro getting the better end when two clubs play it back on Sunday.

Henley's Gordie was the first for a Sabres prospect since PEI's Jordon Southorn scored, dished, and scrapped his way to one back on March 6, 2009 - also against Lewiston. Niagara's Drew Schiestel pulled one off on September 26, 2008 against Oshawa.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno notched his first two goals of the year as Sudbury downed Plymouth, 8-4. Wearing an "A" for the Wolves but conducting business as the team's heart and soul leader on a line with Kris Kontos and John MacFarland (FLA), Foligno is looking to step up his both his physical and offensive games this season, and so far the early returns look good. Stefan Noesen ('11) had two goals and an assist for the Whalers, who dropped a home game to the Wolves for the first time in 15 years.

Steven Shipley scored his second goal of the year late in the third period to force overtime, but Niagara failed to capture the momentum in a 4-3 loss to Brampton. Defenseman Dylan Blujus ('12), a 16-year old product of the Wheatfield Blades and Buffalo Regals, had an assist for the Battalion. Shipley and the Dogs will continue to gel through a wekk of practice in preparation for Friday's meeting with Foligno's Wolves.

Gregg Sutch earned an assist on the game winning goal as Mississauga defeated Belleville, 5-3. Austen Brassard ('11) finished -3 for the Bulls in the loss. Sutch and the Majors will host Ottawa on Sunday afternoon.

In the WHL, co-captain Matt MacKenzie scored a goal and an assist in his first game back as Calgary dropped Moose Jaw, 6-2. With the game tied 2-2 at the first intermission, the Hitmen outshot the Warriors 21-6 the rest of the way to get their season on track after a 0-2 start. The shutdown MacKenzie scored an insurance goal on the power play with a little over five minutes to play.

Kevin Sundher was -1 as Chilliwack shellacked Kamloops, 6-1. Corey Fienhage was even for the Blazers. After a quiet statisitical night, the pair of Sabres draft picks came together to earn offsetting minors with 2:55 to play. Sundher's Bruins will next face Spokane on Tuesday, while Fienhage and the Blazers will get the Chiefs the following night.

Riley Boychuk finished -1 as Portland fell to Seattle, 4-3 in a shootout. Calvin Pickard was masterful for the Thunderbirds with 44 saves. The Winterhawks will close the weekend with a Sunday evening contest with Lethbridge.

In USHL opening weekend action, Christian Isackson finished -1 with a shot on goal as Sioux Falls was blanked by Sioux City, 5-0. The Stampede will continue their season next Friday at expansion Muskegon, where over 4,000 fans showed up for Saturday's season opener.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Odds & Ends: Southorn talking; Tropp on the way?

With 2008 draft pick Jordon Southorn recently finishing his fourth QMJHL season, The Guardian is reporting that player agent Don Meehan is talking to the Sabres about a pro deal.

Southorn said his agent, Don Meehan, is talking with the Buffalo Sabres, the team that drafted him in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 2008 draft, about a three-year, entry-level contract. At the maximum, it can be worth over $825,000 a year.


Enter the Sabres blueline pipeline, where the system is rich with numbers. With Dennis Persson (one year), T.J. Brennan (two), and Drew Schiestel (two) having term remaining on their first contracts, and Nick Crawford recently added to the fold, it is thought that decisions on Portland defenders Matt Generous and Mike Kostka will play a role in what shakes out with Southorn and recent Harvard grad, Alex Biega.

The 5'11 Biega, who served as the Crimson captain this past season, moves well and plays a smart game, but the Sabres have to decide if he has enough juice to produce on the power play while providing consistent even-strength support. In 131 NCAA games in Cambridge, the Montreal native collected 15 goals and 55 assists with a net +1 rating.

Southorn, on the other hand, is waiting and working a summer job after an up-and-down season that saw a shift in his approach.

Southorn, who turns 20 today, had a solid 2009-10, if not bumpy one.
A pre-season suspension by the Rocket, his second in two seasons, cancelled Buffalo’s plans to bring him to its training camp.
But Southorn focused on his job, finished with a team-high plus-five plus-minus and fourth in hits with 86, and left the offence to itself (four goals, 19 assists, 67 games).
He was down 18 points in scoring from 2008-09, but up 18 points in his plus-minus ratio.
“I think my game changed this year. I was always the offensive guy. My plus-minus was up in the plusses,” he said. “My defensive game got much better. That’s what I was proud of.”
New head coach Eric Lavigne, hired in early October to replace the fired Guy Chouinard, stressed defensive zone coverage and it worked.


Southorn isn't a poor depth option by any stretch, but I was surprised to hear that discussions are taking place because there aren't that many jobs to go around in an organization that doesn't use an ECHL affiliate.

The Sabres have five blueliners under contract (Butler, Rivet, Sekera, Montador, Myers) entering 2010-11, with the expectation that RFAs Marc-Andre Gragnani and Mike Weber will be tendered. There is also the potential for UFA back-up plans like a Dennis Seidenberg and perhaps a Dan Hamhuis to be in place in the event that one of both of Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman sign elsewhere.

If you look at the depth chart, I already have Brayden McNabb penciled in to assume Dennis Persson's AHL slot beginning in 2011-12. I'll stop short of calling Persson a lame duck this early, but he will be entering the final year of his deal with the expectation of taking a huge developmental step on the Pirates blueline.

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After signing forward Luke Adam to an entry-level contract at the end of his junior season, the Sabres still have decisions to make with some forwards in the coming weeks.

It's becoming more of a certainty that Michigan State RW Corey Tropp will follow in the footsteps of past collegians Chris Butler, Nathan Gerbe, and Tim Kennedy by leaving school after his junior season to sign with the Sabres. The CCHA program has already lost juniors Jeff Petry (EDM) and Andrew Rowe (PHI) to the pro ranks this offseason, making Tropp's departure a no-brainer given the Sabres depth needs. The 6'0 winger led the Spartans this past season with 20 goals and 42 points, and with MSU bench boss Rick Comley not having a consistent track record for developing pro bodies, it may be in both parties best interests to shift the development cycle to the AHL.

With the Sabres short on forwards, it seems that Jacob Lagacé will ultimately get a look as well despite his disappointing finish with Cape Breton. The fifth-round pick in 2008, Lagacé scored five goals in 25 games with the Eagles after having 30 in 35 with Chicoutimi at the time of the deal.

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In other forward 'stuff', former first-rounder Marek Zagrapan has had his two-year KHL contract with Severstal terminated after one season. After a quick start in his return to European ice, the former Sagueneen/Amerk/Pirate found it tough to earn consistent time and ultimately became a non-factor down the stretch. It remains to be seen where Zagrapan will land moving forward, but the Sabres will continue to retain his NHL rights while the sting of another first round disappointment subsides.

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Speaking of Sabres European prospects, Felix Schutz made noise on the international stage when he scored the overtime winner as Germany shocked Team USA to win the opening game of the 2010 IIHF World Championships. It was a nice touch for Schutz after a tough second half in Portland that saw the tweener limited in ice time while being left off the Pirates clear day roster.

Schutz has two goals through three games for Germany, while fellow Sabres prospect Philip Gogulla has yet to record a point.

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When the University of North Dakota began stockpiling defensive recruits like Derek Forbort and Dillon Simpson, we began to think long and hard about the impact it would all have on Sabres 2008 third-rounder, Corey Fienhage. When Fienhage was sat late in the year in favor of forward-turned-defenseman Matt Davidson, those thoughts intensified.

When we reported that Fienhage was placed on the protected list by the WHL's Kamloops Blazers, the writing was seemingly being scribbled on the proverbial wall.

But when Fighting Sioux junior Chay Genoway announced that he would be returning to the team in 2010-11, the message on the wall stated that Fienhage was outsy.

Nothing is official, but whispers around Grand Forks are suggesting that Fienhage is as good as gone (along with Isles prospect David Toews). Fienhage needs to play, and since he didn't get in the lineup last season until Genoway suffered a concussion, it isn't too difficult to connect the dots.

My question is where does Fienhage go? If he opts for the WHL, his window to earn a deal is cut down to one season. Another option has him seeking a scholarship elsewhere, thus sending him to the USHL for a season of Jr. A to retain his NCAA eligibility, and in turn allow the Sabres to keep his rights for a longer term.

Fienhage is rugged and tough, and I would be eager to watch his game translate to the WHL. However, Fienhage is just 20 and needs consistent reps after playing a scant 39 games over two seasons with the Sioux. Couple that with the fact that the Sabres blueline prospect cupboard is already crowded, and I fully expect the Sabres to advise him to somehow stay in school.

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While we're at it, might as well make official what we already knew. Mark Adams, the Sabres fifth round pick last summer, will be enrolling at Providence College this fall. The right-hander will join Vermont junior defenseman Drew MacKenzie in the competitive Hockey East.

Adams, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman, was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round (134th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He played three seasons at Malden Catholic High School before spending one season with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League. While with Chicago, Adams played in 53 games and recorded four goals and 10 assists for 14 points during the 2009-10 season.


After a minor shoulder injury in the first half, "Roo" got his game clicking as the Steel's year wound down. Adams has good wheels that he'll need to use to limit stick infractions as he steps up a level of competition.

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Lastly, if you're not doing so already, try to follow SabresProspects on Twitter. I'll be in Los Angeles for the draft and will be using it to communicate throughout the entire week. This space will be updated as well, of course, but that feed should be more lively.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Schiestel, Genny key as Pirates take three

Drew Schiestel and Matt Generous scored their first professional goals, and Felix Schutz scored his first goal of the season and added an assist as Portland defeated Norfolk, 4-2.

Schutz, returning after missing six games with a concussion (deemed a shoulder by most reports), got the Pirates on the board with a backhander to make it 1-1 in the opening period. Generous lit the lamp with a point shot in the second period before fellow rookie Schiestel scored from the high slot just :42 later as Portland pulled away.

Paul Byron, Nathan Gerbe, and Philip Gogulla added assists for the Pirates, while J.P. Lamoureux stopped 23 shots to secure the club's third straight win. The former Hobey Baker finalist started four games in five nights ahead of Jhonas Enroth, finishing the stretch 3-1.

The Rundown:
Schutz: 1G, 1A
Schiestel: 1G, +2
Generous: 1G
Byron: 1A, +1
Gerbe: 1A, -1, 6 SOG
Gogulla: 1A
Kostka: +1
Weber: +1
Brennan: even
Persson: even
Ennis: -2

Saturday, November 21, 2009

PP powers Pirates out of basement

Nathan Gerbe scored a goal and an assist on Friday as the Pirates connected three times with the man advantage in a 3-1 win over Worcester. Philip Gogulla netted his fourth goal of the season, while Tyler Ennis (2) and Paul Byron had assists to help key the victory. Making his third straight start, J.P. Lamoureux kicked aside 32 shots to earn his fourth win of the year and second over the Sharks in three days.

The Rundown:
Gerbe: 1G, 1A
Gogulla: 1G, 5 SOG
Ennis: 2A, 2 SOG
Byron: 1A
Kostka: 1 SOG
PErsson: 1 SOG
Schiestel: even
Generous: even
Weber: 14 PIM

The win vaults the Pirates from last place into sixth in the eight-team Atlantic Division.

Marc-Andre Gragnani (leg), Felix Schutz (shoulder), T.J. Brennan (undisclosed), and Travis Turnbull (hand) did not ply for the Pirates. The first three are considered day-to-day, while Turnbull is out definitely with a busted hand.

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On Wednesday, Mark Mancari scored a pair of goals to lead Portland's comeback efforts in a 5-3 win over the Sharks. Tyler Ennis notched his seventh goal of the season and added two assists, while Nathan Gerbe also posted a pair of assists for the Pirates.

The Rundown:
Ennis: 1G, 2A
Gerbe: 2A
Gogulla: 1A
Generous: +2, 4 SOG
Weber: +2
Persson: 2 SOG
Brennan: -1
Kostka: -1
Schiestel: -2
Byron: -2

Friday, November 13, 2009

Pirates halt hot Amerks in HSBC

The Portland Pirates sailed into HSBC Arena on Thursday to defeat the Rochester Americans, 6-3. The victory snaps a two-game skid for the Pirates while ending the Americans 11-game win streak. Mark Mancari, Philip Gogulla, and Cody McCormick each had a goal and an assist to lead the Pirates . Buzzing between Gogulla and Mancari from the first drop of the puck, Tyler Ennis picked up a pair of assists to fuel Portland’s effort. Ennis set-up a Mancari one-time laser to open scoring late in the period. He later shifted inside to create a tic-tac-toe passing play that was finished off by Gogulla to put the Pirates ahead for good at 12:56 of the second period. Rookie center Paul Byron also showed his quickness and offensive skills, scoring a short-handed goal at 4:43 of the second period to open Portland’s four-goal floodgate. The fleeting Byron spent most of his shifts between vets McCormick and Jeff Cowan. In a shuffling blueline, rookie T.J. Brennan spent most of his time with veteran Joe DiPenta. Drew Schiestel saw PK time with DiPenta, but played shifts with Mike Kostka. At one point, it appeared that Dennis Persson skated a shift at forward. Matt Generous and Mike Weber were a steady pair however. Weber was a +3 but did make one poor decision on a cross-ice pas in his own zone that was very similar to plays made in the pre-season. Jhonas Enroth, who was sent down by Buffalo earlier in the day, kicked aside 23 saves to earn his fourth win of the season. Enroth will need to remain sharp if the 6-10 Pirates are to gain ground in the standings. Nathan Gerbe (concussion), Marc-Andre Gragnani (leg), and Felix Schutz (shoulder) did not play for Portland. The Rundown: Mancari: 1G, 1A Gogulla: 1G, 1A, +1 Byron: 1G, 1 SOG Ennis: 2A Weber: +3 Brennan: even Schiestel: even Generous: +1 Turnbull: 1A Enroth: 23 saves, W

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Pirates split weekend slate

In Friday farm action, Mark Mancari scored the overtime game winner while second-year man Jhonas Enroth made 36 saves as Portland defeated Lowell, 3-2. Nathan Gerbe and Tyler Ennis each added a pair of assists for Portland, while T.J. Brennan and Travis Turnbull added single helpers. The win moved the Pirates season mark to 4-7, including a 3-0 record at home. The Rundown: Gerbe: 2A, +1 Ennis: 2A Turnbull: 1A Brennan: 1A Schutz: -1 Kostka: even Schiestel: even Gogulla: -1 Mancari: 1G ----------------------- The Pirates returned to the ice on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to Bridgeport. Enroth stopped 17 of 20 shots to take the loss in his 10th start of the season. Recently-inked Marc McCutcheon scored both Portland goals, while Mancari extended his point streak to six games with an assist. The loss was the Pirates first of the season on home ice. The Rundown: Mancari: 1A, +1 Schiestel: +1 Gogulla: +1 Kostka: +1 Gerbe: -1, 4 PIM Ennis: -2 Schutz: even Brennan: even Enroth: 17 saves Weber: -1 Generous: -1 Turnbull: 3 SOG

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Ennis explodes as Pirates pound 'Pack

Tyler Ennis exploded for his first professional points, scoring three goals and an assist to lead Portland past Hartford, 6-3. The center's production stemmed from clicking with linemates Jeff Cowan (2G, 1A) and Nathan Gerbe, who added a goal and three assists. The trio swept the game's three star selections. T.J. Brennan also collected his first AHL points with a pair of assists. Marc-Andre Gragnani, Mike Kostka, and Mark Mancari added single helpers. Jhonas Enroth made 27 saves to earn the W, while Drew Schiestel remained in the press box. The Rundown: Ennis: 3G, 1A, +2, 6 SOG Gerbe: 1G, 3A, +2, 4 SOG Brennan: 2A Kostka: 1A, +1 Gragnani: 1A Mancari: 1A Gogulla: 1 SOG Weber: 1 SOG Schutz: 2PIM Persson: -1 Byron: -1 Legault: -2, 3 SOG Enroth: 27 saves, W Schiestel: DNP The Pirates begin a five-game road swing on Saturday at Manchester.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

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

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

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Sabres make it official

As previously reported, the Sabres today announced the signings of T.J. Brennan and Drew Schiestel to three-year deals beginning in 2009-10. From the Sabres: Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have signed defensemen T.J. Brennan and Drew Schiestel to three-year entry level contracts that will begin in the 2009-10 season. Brennan (31st overall) and Schiestel (59th) were Buffalo's first two selections in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Brennan (4/3/1989, 6’0”, 205 lbs., shoots left) played three seasons in the QMJHL with the St. John's/Montreal franchise, finishing with 116 points (37+79) and 234 PIMs in 192 games. Brennan was the QMJHL's defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006-07 when he scored 41 points (16+25) in 68 games. A native of Willingboro, NJ, Brennan also scored 20 points (7+13) in 20 career playoff games. Schiestel (3/9/1989, 6’2”, 193 lbs., shoots left) is coming off a career year that saw him amass 48 points (10+38) in 63 games with the OHL's Niagara IceDogs. He also had eight points (2+6) in 12 games during the 2009 OHL Playoffs. In four seasons with the IceDogs, Schiestel had 111 points (25+86) and 197 PIMs in 237 games. The 20-year-old Schiestel (pronounced Shiss-tull) is a native of Hamilton, Ontario.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Sabres sign Brennan and Schiestel

2007 second round picks T.J. Brennan and Drew Schiestel have come to terms on entry-level deals with the Sabres. I'll edit this post as more details become available, but the defensemen are practicing with Portland (AHL). More to come. EDIT" Three-year deals beginning in 2009-10.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

4/6-10 Recap: And then there was two

My apologies to those visiting over the past week for the lack of updates. After serving an unintentional five-day misconduct, let's jump back in with a capsule of the week's action that leaves just two players competing for the Memorial Cup. In Tuesday WHL play, Tyler Myers (-1) had a goal and two assists as Kelowna rolled over Tri-City, 7-2. The win put the Rockets behind 2-1 in their best-of-seven. The following night, Myers forced overtime with a power play goal then drew an assist on Jamie Benn's game winner as Kelowna evened the series with a 4-3 win. In Friday's game five, Myers (+1) had an assist as the Rockets defeated the Americans, 5-2. Myers has four goals and eight assists while pointing in seven of the Rockets' nine postseason games. With their #1 rearguard logging monster minutes, Kelowna will look to complete the comeback on Sunday. While Myers was helping dig the Rockets out of a 2-0 series hole, left wing Tyler Ennis and the Medicine Hat Tigers were getting dominated by an offensive-minded Brandon Wheat Kings in their quarterfinal match-up. On Wednesday, Ennis was -2 as the Tigers were blown-out by the Wheaties, 6-1. Brayden Schenn, 17, had a goal and an assist for the winners, and looks like a pivot that teams will trade up for come June. Facing a 3-0 series deficit, Ennis was -3 as the Tigers season came to an end on Friday with a 6-2 loss in Brandon. Ennis ends the playoff year as the second leading scorer, potting eight goals and 11 assists in 11 games. With many Tigers dealing with flu bugs and other dings, Ennis was rumored to be nursing an injury throughout the second round. It's now time to get the contract talks going as Ennis is done as a junior. ****** In the QMJHL this week, two prospects saw their junior careers end, while one other remains in the mix to advance in the final round. On Tuesday, J.S. Allard was -1 in Quebec's 3-2 win over Cape Breton. The Remparts halved the Screaming Eagles lead in the series to 2-1 with the W. The 6'2 forward posted two shots on goal as the Rems evened things up with a 5-2 victory on Wednesday. On Friday, Allard was -1 as the Remparts dropped a 3-2 decision to the Screaming Eagles. After pointing in every game of round one, the Alma, QC native has failed to hit the scoresheet while racking up a cumulative -5 in the series. Allard and the Rems will look to stave off elimination and force a game seven on Monday. With Allard's junior hopes still alive, two other Sabres prospects saw their seasons end over the course of the week. Hot in the first round, T.J. Brennan finished -3 on Tuesday as over-matched Montreal got pounded by Drummondville, 6-1. The win put the Volts comfortably ahead 3-0 in the series. On Wednesday, Brennan would go on to notch an assist in the Juniors 5-3 loss as the Volts earned the sweep. Entering the week locked in a 1-1 series tie, Paul Byron and Gatineau lost three straight games to see their season close in a quarterfinal loss to Shawinigan. On Tuesday, Byron had a goal and an assist as the 'Piques fell to the Cataractes, 6-3. The points extended the right wing's playoff scoring streak to eight games, and a total of 15 dating back to the final regular season contests. Wednesday saw the Ottawa native's streak end as the 5'9 Byron finished -2 in a 4-2 loss in Shawinigan. Byron came back on Friday to pot an assist, but Gatineau was overwhelmed in a 5-2 loss. A year after leading the QMJHL playoffs in goals (21) en route to a Memorial Cup appearance, the speedster ends his two-round postseason with two goals and 14 assists. ****** In the OHL, a pair of Sabres hopefuls concluded their 2008-09 campaigns as their respective clubs were bounced in the quarterfinal round. On Tuesday, Nick Crawford had an assist in Saginaw's 5-2 loss to London. The Knights dominated the Spirit to earn an easy sweep, forcing Crawford and his fellow blueliners into a hesitant posture throughout the four games. Heading back to the O in 2009-10, Crawford ends his postseason at -1 with a goal and four assists in eight contests. Also on Tuesday, Drew Schiestel was -2 as Niagara lost a 5-2 decision to Belleville on home ice. With the win, the Bulls skated away with a 3-1 series lead. On Thursday, Schiestel (-2) earned in an assist in what should be his final junior hockey game as the Dogs fell to the Bulls, 5-2. With the 4-1 series loss, Schiestel finished the playoffs with two goals and six assists and now awaits a contract. ****** On Thursday at the NCAA Frozen Four in Washington, DC, Drew MacKenzie scored his first collegiate goal as Vermont lost to Boston University 5-4 in the National Semifinal. Playing well defensively throughout, the Connecticut native pumped home a screen shot at 9:40 of the third period, but saw the game-tying goal bounce off him and into the Catamount net just three-and-half minutes later as victory started to slip out of UVM's hands. For more on the ups and downs of MacKenzie's night, check out this USCHO article.
The freshman defenseman was in line to be the hero for a Catamounts’ come-from-behind victory under the bright lights of college hockey’s biggest stage. His first collegiate goal, scored with just over a half a period remaining in the third, put Vermont ahead in a see-saw affair. However, things turned against him a short time later when he redirected a rebound past his own goaltender, igniting a BU rally that put the Terriers in the title game and had the Catamounts packing their locker room. “It went from being a high point to . . letting that one go in off my stick, obviously I’m disappointed, but there’s nothing I can do about it now,” MacKenzie said. “If I could take back that goal, I would. But it happened, so you can’t do anything.”

Sunday, April 5, 2009

4/5 Recap: Ennis ups ante with five-point night

In a wild western shootout, Tyler Ennis (+2) had a whopping five assists as Medicine Hat lost to Brandon, 8-6. Ennis' five-point night gives him 19 in nine games to lead all WHL playoff scorers, and comes one night after fellow prospect Paul Byron collected three helpers in a Gatineau win. Looking poised to even the series with a 5-3 lead after 20-minutes, the Tigers had trouble matching the Wheat Kings the rest of the way thanks in part to '09's Brayden Schenn (one goal, one assist) and Scott Glennie (three assists). Zdenek Okal had a hat trick and an assist for the Tigers. Series: Wheat Kings 2, Tigers 0. In the QMJHL,J.S. Allard finished -2 as Quebec lost to Cape Breton, 5-3. After marking in all four games of the Remparts' first round sweep, Allard has failed to hit the sheet in the two games of the QMJHL quarterfinal. Series: Cape Breton 2, Quebec 1. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel was +2 as Niagara shut out Belleville, 2-0. Jeremy Smith stopped all 50 shots the Bulls fired to get the Dogs on the board with a W. Series: Belleville 2, Niagara 1. Nick Crawford was even in Saginaw's 4-1 loss to London. Crawford and the Spirit will look to extend their seasons and avoid the Knights sweep on Tuesday. Series: London 3, Saginaw 0.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

4/3 Recap: Losses across the board in the prospectsphere

In the OHL, Drew Schiestel (-1) had a pair of assists in Niagara's 5-4 OT loss to Belleville. The Dogs surrendered three goals within the first 2:49 before scoring four straight to take a 4-3 lead in the third period. The Bulls scored with 2:27 left to force OT, where P.K. Subban's power play goal gave the Bulls a 2-0 series lead. The assists, his sixth and seventh points of the postseason, push Schiestel's career playoff point total to 20 in 24 games. On Thursday, Schiestel was +1 as Niagara opened the quarterfinal with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Bulls. Also from Thursday, Nick Crawford (+1) had a pair of assists as Saginaw was doninated at London, 7-3. 2009 eligible Nazem Zadri had two goals and three assists to pace the winners, while fellow '09 John Tavares added an assist. The Spirit trail the Knights 1-0 with game two on Saturday. In Friday's WHL second round action, Tyler Myers had an assist as Kelowna started their series with a 4-3 loss to Tri-City. An aggressive Myers boarded the 6'0, 174-pound Mitch Fadden late in the third to set up the Ams game winner with 1:57 to go. In the QMJHL quarterfinal opener, Paul Byron had an assist as Gatineau lost to Shawinigan, 4-3. Former Pique Matthew Pistilli scored the game winner midway through the third period to give the Cataractes a 1-0 series lead. Byron has goal and nine assists on his five-game playoff point streak. The streak extends to 12 games total when combining the seven-gamer he ended the season with. T.J. Brennan (+1) had a late assist in Montreal's 7-1 loss to top-ranked Drummondville. The helper was Brennan's 11th playoff point. In a 4OT thriller, J.S. Allard had five shots on goal as Quebec lost 3-2 to Cape Breton. Allard has eight points in five postseason games.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

3/31 Recap: Ennis, Schiestel advance

In a WHL game seven, Tyler Ennis (+3) had a pair of assists as Medicine Hat advanced past Swift Current, 4-1. An Ennis shot on goal was pounced on at 1:29 of the first period to get the Tigers running, 1-0. His second helper came on the clinching empty netter with 1:48 to play. The Tigers move on to face either Brandon or Calgary. In the night's other game seven, Drew Schiestel (+1) had an assist as Niagara closed out their first round series with a 4-3 OT win over Ottawa. After getting beat on the first 67's goal, the Hamilton native shot on goal helped cash a power play with :19 left in the first period for his fifth point of the series. After a two-goal comeback in the third, 2009 eligible Andrew Agozzino ended it with a wrister just :13 into overtime. Fellow '09 Andrew Shaw also put forth a solid effort for Niagara. With the career of 67's coach Brian "Killer" Kilrea coming to an end, the Dogs start preparing for the Belleville Bulls in round two. On Monday, the 67's shut the Dogs out 4-0 to set up the loser-goes-home showdown. Schiestel was even in the loss.