2/6 Recap: Energized Adam keeps going (and going)

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.

2/5 Recap: Adam eyeing 50

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.

1/30 Recap: Adam's pair continues tear

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.

1/29 Recap: Tropp stops drought as Spartans top rival

Corey Tropp scored a pair of power play goals on Friday, his 18th and 19th of the season, as #12 Michigan State held off a late run to earn a 3-2 win over rival Michigan. The goals, a backhander through traffic and a tight-angle cashing of his own rebound, were his first in seven games dating back to December 29th.

The Spartans got off to a 3-0 lead before allowing the Wolverines to get back on the map with two third period goals. Michigan looked to have tied the game in the final minute, but Chris Brown's apparent marker was waved off to send MSU to victory.

The game's #1 star, Tropp below speaks about the win as part of BTN's post-game coverage:



In the OHL, Marcus Foligno scored a goal and an assist as Sudbury suffered their second defeat in as many nights in a 5-2 loss to Kitchener. Foligno, who was -1 with a pair of minor penalties in the Wolves 4-1 loss to Barrie the night before, registered his fourth multi-point game in the month of January after having just three in the 2009 portion of the season.

Nick Crawford was even as Barrie beat Mississauga, 4-0. On Thursday, the 6'1 defender racked up four assists in the Colts cruise over Foligno's Wolves. The Thursday effort, his fourth four-point game of the season, thrusted Crawford into a tie for the OHL assist lead for defensemen with 41. The shutdown dman remains as the 2nd leading defensive point-getter with 51 through 48 games played.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb collected a pair of power-play assists as Kootenay earned a 4-1 win over Prince Albert. The two-point night comes after his one goal, one assist effort in Tuesday's 6-5 OT loss to Brandon. The 6'4 McNabb is currently fourth among WHL defensemen with 48 points (14+34).

Rounding out the Friday slate, Drew MacKenzie (+1) posted an assist and four shots on goal as #17 Vermont lost to #19 Maine, 6-3. The 6'2 rearguard now has a goal and six assists this season.

Brad Eidsness stopped all nine shots he faced through 40-minutes of relief work as #4 North Dakota stumbled on home ice against #3 Denver, 2-0. The sophomore netminder was put in to spark a flat Sioux squad after freshman Aaron Dell gave up two goals on the Pioneers' first four shots. Corey Fienhage was even with a shot on goal stemming from a good opportunity off a rush.

Alex Biega was even with three shots on goal as Harvard lost to Princeton, 2-1. The loss snaps the Crimson's five-game ECAC unbeaten streak.

Justin Jokinen finished even as Minnesota State lost to Michigan Tech, 4-1. Jokinen's Mavericks have now lost five straight, while the Huskies notched their first victory in 15 games.

Per the usual, Connor Knapp watched in his Friday bench posture as #1 Miami downed Western Michigan, 4-1. The sophomore netminder is expected to vie for his second consecutive shutout when the RedHawks go for the sweep of the Broncos on Saturday.

In the USHL, Mark Adams finished -1 as Chicago got smoked by Indiana, 6-2.

In Wednesday QMJHL action, Jordon Southorn was +2 with an assist in PEI's 4-1 win over Val-d'Or.

1/23 Recap: Knapp freezes Nooks; Foligno fuels pack

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.

1/22 Recap: Adam hits 27; Biega keys Crimson

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.

1/16 Recap: Tropp assists pace Spartans

Corey Tropp stacked up three assists on Saturday as #7 Michigan State played to a 4-4 tie with Notre Dame. The junior helped the Spartans get off to a 2-0 lead at the end of one, and later set-up the game-tying goal with 2:21 left in regulation after the Irish uncorked four straight goals. With his eleventh multi-point effort of the year, the junior ups is total to 35 (17+18) in 26 games, good for third overall among NCAA skaters. The Spartans will host Ohio State next weekend.

As a reminder, you can cast a vote for Tropp in phase I of the Hobey Baker selection process here.

In WCHA action, Brad Eidsness made 18 saves but suffered his first defeat in his last six starts as #4 North Dakota was upset at Minnesota, 5-1. Corey Fienhage finished -1 in the loss after being on the ice for Josh Birkholz's rebound tally in the first period.

A three-goal second period paved the way for the Gophers, with the marks coming on a breakaway, a 2-1 off a turnover, and a flukey play that saw the puck float over Eidsness without him seeing it. The Sioux will look to rebound next week against #9 Cornell before taking on current #1 Denver two weeks from now.

Justin Jokinen finished even with two shots on goal as Minnesota State lost a 4-3 overtime decision to #10 Minnesota-Duluth. The Mavericks sophomore received a double minor for roughing in the second period after jostling with David Grun.

In the CCHA, Connor Knapp did not receive his usual Saturday night start as #2 Miami held on to sweep #6 Ferris State, 4-2. The RedHawks, who entered the weekend tied with the Bulldogs atop the league standings, went back to sophomore Cody Reichard after Friday's shutout victory. It was no surprise to see Enrico Blasi temporarily abandon his set rotation to stay hot on the road after being swept by unranked Robert Morris a week ago, but things could get a little hairy with Reichard emerging as a legit Hobey Baker candidate with a 12-2-1 record (10-0-1 in conference), a .932 save percentage, and four shutouts.

Elsewhere, Nick Eno made 33 saves as Bowling Green battled to a 3-3 overtime tie with Northern Michigan.

In Hockey East, Drew MacKenzie skated even as #18 Vermont trounced Northeastern, 9-2. Prospect camp veteran Brayden Irwin paced the Catamounts with a hat trick and an assist.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb assisted on the power play game-winner as Kootenay edged Spokane, 4-3.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno was even as Sudbury downed Owen Sound, 4-3 in overtime. Foligno made quite an impact on the road with his pesky play, drilling defenseman Geoffrey Schemitsch into the boards in the second period and not taking the bait to drop the gloves late in the game.

In the QMJHL, Jordon Southorn was -2 as PEI lost to Drummondville, 6-5 in a shootout. The Rocket at one point trailed 4-0 in the first period before completing a comeback with three goals in the final twenty minutes.

In the USHL, Mark Adams was -1 with three shots on goal as Chicago got smoked at Cedar Rapids, 6-1.

1/15 Recap: Eidsness sharp as Sioux tie

In a Big Ten Network match-up, Brad Eidsness made 24 saves as #4 North Dakota skated to a 3-3 tie at Minnesota. Sioux defenseman Corey Fienhage finished the night +1 with a shot on goal.

After an 11-save first period, Eidsness was beaten by a Jordon Schroeder power play shot from the right point at :53 of the second to tie the game 1-1. The Gophers would take a 2-1 lead just 1:45 later when a deflected shot landed on the stick of Patrick White in the slot for an easy goal.

The sophomore was sharp down low throughout, but also flashed some leather in a one-on-one with 2008 prospect camp invitee Jake Cepis midway through the third. The 5'10 Cepis would later score the game-tying goal on a wrister through a pair of collapsing D, and was excellent overall on a line with Schroeder and Zach Budish.

Elsewhere in the NCAA, Corey Tropp was -2 with a shot on goal as #7 Michigan State was outgunned in a 5-2 loss to Notre Dame.

Justin Jokinen was -1 as Minnesota State lost to #10 Duluth, 2-1.

Nick Eno allowed one goal in relief as Bowling Green was hammered by Northern Michigan, 6-0. Eno entered the game with 7:38 remaining in the second period after freshman Andrew Hammond surrendered five goals on 26 shots.

Drew MacKenzie was -1 as #18 Vermont lost to Northeastern, 3-1.

Connor Knapp watched as creasemate Cody Reichard made 23 saves in Miami's 4-0 shutout of Ferris State.

In the OHL, Nick Crawford (-1) picked up a power play assist as Barrie defeated Plymouth, 4-2.

Marcus Foligno played even as Sudbury needed a shootout in a 4-3 win over Oshawa.

In the USHL, Mark Adams was +1 with a checking from behind minor as Chicago lost to Sioux City, 3-2 in the shootout.

1/9 Recap: Hobey candidate Tropp extends streak

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.

1/8 Recap: Foligno hitting stride, Kass lowers boom

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.

Tropp earns CCHA monthly nod

Michigan State junior Corey Tropp has been named the CCHA Player of the Month for December.

Tropp, a 20-year-old from Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., led the Spartans to a 5-1-0 record in December including the program’s 12th Great Lakes Invitational title. He leads the nation with 17 goals and four game-winning goals through 22 games this season, and currently ranks third with 29 points. In the month of December, Tropp led the country with seven goals and 10 points. His efforts helped MSU climb to No. 9 in the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Poll and second place in the CCHA with a 9-3-2-0 record. Tropp was drafted by Buffalo in the 3rd round (89th overall) of the 2007 Entry Draft.

The 6-foot, 185-pound junior was named CCHA Player of the Week on Dec. 14 after recording his second hat trick of the season, including the game-winning goal, and an assist in an 4-1 victory over Bowling Green Dec. 12. Tropp also recorded the only goal in a 1-0 win over Northern Michigan (Dec. 4) and a pair of game-tying tallies that forced overtime against NMU (Dec. 5) and BGSU (Dec. 11).

1/30 Recap: Streak stopped for Tropp; Lagacé priced high

Corey Tropp notched an assist on Wednesday as Michigan State won the Great Lakes Invitational with a 6-1 win over RPI. Tropp made a cross-ice feed to Jeff Petry in the second period to register his 29th point of the year, but going without a goal ended his career-high streak of five straight games with a marker. Regardless, the junior still leads all NCAA players with 17 goals this season.

In the QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé (+3) had a goal and two assists as Chicoutimi edged Baie-Comeau, 4-3. The game's #1 star, Lagacé now has 29 goals and 52 points this season to leads the Sagueneens (14-15-4-4).

With Lagacé's name still surfacing in various trade rumors, word out of Chicoutimi is that Sags Coach and GM Richard Martel believes that the net-crashing scorer may return to the QMJHL next season as a 20-year old. Because of this, the asking price for his star forward will be more than what he received in the deal that sent Nicolas Deschamps to Moncton. Frankly, Lagacé going back to the QMJHL is very debatable. As of now, SabresProspects has him penciled in for Portland next season.

Elsewhere, Maxime Legault posted an assist and a game-high nine shots on goal as Cape Breton defeated Halifax, 4-2. The 6'2 Legault has three assists in three games since being traded to the Eagles.

Jordon Southorn was -2 as struggling PEI lost to Bathurst, 5-2. The Rocket saw four players traded away in the previous two days, and their effort resembled a team scrambling to make ends meet.

Tropp hits 17 as Spartans roll

Corey Tropp (+3) scored his 17th goal of the season on Tuesday as #13 Michigan State opened the 2009 Great Lakes Invitational with a 10-1 trouncing of Michigan Tech. The Spartans, who saw their 10 goals come from nine different players, will take on the winner of Michigan/RPI in Wednesday's final at Joe Louis Arena.

Playing a quick game of catch-up:

Brayden McNabb scored a goal for the fifth straight game on Sunday as Kootenay defeated Calgary, 3-1. The goal gives the 6'4 blueliner an even 36 points in 30 games this season. McNabb finished the 2008-09 season with 36 points in 67 games.

Maxime Legault made his Cape Breton debut on Sunday, registering two shots on goal and going 5/11 at the dot in the Eagles 3-0 blanking of PEI. Jordon Southorn posted three shots on goal for the Rocket.

Jacob Lagacé was -2 as Chicoutimi got smoked by Quebec, 10-1.

Tropp's redemption mirrors that of MSU hockey resurgence

With the Great Lakes Invitational beginning on Tuesday, The Detroit News ran a story a few days back detailing the bounce back seasons of both Corey Tropp and the Michigan State hockey program.

Tropp plays on a line with freshman Derek Grant (seven goals, 19 points) and senior Nick Sucharski (two goals, eight points).

"We have very good chemistry," Tropp said. "They (Grant, Sucharski) are highly-skilled players. Coach (Comley) will change up lines so we play with a lot of different players during the season.

"I'm known for being an offensive player, but I've worked hard on being a complete player. I play on all special teams, including penalty killing. I want to be known for being a complete player."

Tropp enters the GLI on a hot streak. He has scored at least one goal in each of his last four games. He scored a hat trick in Michigan State's last game, a 4-1 win over Bowling Green Dec. 12 at Munn Arena. He had four goals and six points during MSU's sweep of the Falcons.

Tropp's Spartans will kixk off the GLI on Tuesday versus Michigan Tech. Rival Michigan and RPI round out this year's field.

12/11 Recap: Tropp sparks Spartan rally

Corey Tropp continued his pre-Christmas cruise on Friday, scoring the game-tying goal then starting the play on the overtime winner as Michigan State rallied past Bowling Green, 3-2.

Trailing 2-0 entering the third period, the visiting Spartans forced the extra session when Tropp buried a rebound through the legs of Nick Eno at 14:20. The late equalizer was Tropp's second in as many games, with the OT helper giving him eight multi-point games this season. Eno made 21 saves in the Falcons net to move to 2-9-1 on the year.

In a WCHA battle, Brad Eidsness was pulled for the first time in his career after allowing three goals in 23:48 of work as North Dakota played to a 3-3 tie with Wisconsin. Corey Fienhage was -1 after getting back late on the third Badger goal.

Per the game highlights below, Eidsness would certainly like the last goal back. Fienhage (4) is seen sliding to prevent the shot after losing control of the puck in the neutral zone, but otherwise played well on the Sioux blueline.



Elsewhere, Justin Jokinen was even with two shots on goal as Minnesota State defeated Bemidji State, 5-1. The sophomore's offensive tools were briefly shown while skating on the fourth line, and it's easy to think that consistent two-way hustle can keep him in the Maverick lineup. To date, coach Troy Jutting has used the spare forwards to keep the group honest. Jokinen has been a scratch five times as a result.

Connor Knapp took his regular Friday post on the Miami bench as the #1 RedHawks posted their third consecutive shutout with a 6-0 thrashing of Ohio State. Knapp will look to extend the blanking of the opposition when he mans the Miami crease on Saturday.

In QMJHL action, Jordon Southorn finished -2 as PEI lost to Saint John, 4-1. The Sea Dogs continue their QMJHL domination by collecting their 21st straight victory - the third longest streak in league history.

Jacob Lagacé and Maxime Legault were both held without points as Chicoutimi won a 3-2 shootout over Shawinigan. Lagacé has now gone three games without a point for the first time since February of 2008.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was -1 with a high sticking minor in Kootenay's 3-1 loss to Calgary.

Mark Adams remained out with a separated shoulder as Chicago lost to Sioux City, 3-2.

An OHL match-up between Nick Crawford's Barrie Colts and Marcus Foligno's Sudbury Wolves was postponed due to poor travel conditions.

12/5 Recap: Knapp puts Irish to sleep

Connor Knapp made 18 saves on Saturday to earn his second shutout of the season and fourth of his career as #1 Miami tamed #14 Notre Dame, 4-0. The 6'5 sophomore was rarely tested, but was poised when he needed to be to up his season mark to 2-1-3. The RedHawks posted back-to-back shutouts of a weekend opponent for the first time in their varsity history.

In Marquette, Corey Tropp scored his 12th goal of the year as #11 Michigan State lost in overtime to Northern Michigan, 3-2. With the Spartans playing catch-up throughout, Tropp's marker with 6:21 left in regulation tied the game 2-2 and forced the overtime. Tropp has a dozen goals through 18 games after entering the year with just nine in his first 63 NCAA contests. The loss drops Michigan State to 10-6-2 on the year.

Brad Eidsness made 25 saves as #3 North Dakota lost a controversial decision to #12 Duluth in overtime, 3-2. The Sioux sqaundered a two-goal lead in the third period, with the tying goal coming in the final minute after a puck bounced into the netting behind the North Dakota net. The play should have been whistled dead, but instead Edisness was beaten as the play continued. The Bulldogs proceded to score just :12 into OT to hand the Sioux their fifth defeat of the year. Corey Fienhage was even while skating on the Sioux's third pair.

In CCHA play, Nick Eno stopped 16 of 19 shots in 29:04 of action before giving way to freshman Andrew Hammond as Bowling Green lost to Lake Superior, 5-2.

Justin Jokinen was even with a shot on goal as Minnesota State got throttled by Minnesota, 6-2. Freshman Josh Birkholz (FLA) led the Gophers by scoring the first two goals of his collegiate career.

In the OHL, Nick Crawford added two more assists to his impressive first half of the season as Barrie dominated Niagara, 6-1. The fight-filled contest was the 17th straight victory for the Colts (25-4-1).

Zack Kassian finished +1 with an assist as Peterborough was shelled by Windsor, 9-5. The Petes' captain also earned a second period misconduct on what turned into a frustrating evening for his club.

In the QMJHL, Jordon Southorn was +1 with a fighting major as PEI skated past Bathurst, 5-3. The 6'2 defenseman, who now has more fights (4) than goals (3) this season, took on 17-year old Jérémie Malouin just :17 into the second period. Three seconds later, Malouin's brother Danick dropped the gloves with PEI's Eric Bouchard. The Rocket (18-10-1-2) improve to 8-2 in their last ten games.

In the USHL, Mark Adams did not play as Chicago lost to Youngstown, 3-1.

12/4 recap: Friday night fever for Lagacé

Jacob Lagacé notched his second consecutive Friday night hat trick, including goals just :18 apart, as Chicoutimi lost a 7-6 overtime decision to Rouyn-Noranda. The Sagueneens scored six times in a wild, nine-goal third period but surrendered the game winner just :23 into the extra session. The game's #2 star, Lagacé (+2, 10 SOG) also added an assist to raise his season totals to 22 goals and 42 points while extending his point streak to 11 games. The hat trick was his third of the season.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian posted a goal and an assist, but Peterborough suffered several defensive lapses in an 8-4 loss at Kitchener. The 6'3 crash-and-banger finished a season-low -3 but still earned the game's #3 star.

Nick Crawford scored a late goal on the power play as Barrie kept rolling with a 6-3 win over Erie. The Colts move to 17-0-0-1 in their last 18 games, and current sit at #3 in the CHL Mastercard Rankings.

Marcus Foligno was even as Sudbury won their second straight game 5-4 over Brampton.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was -1 as Kootenay fell to Prince George, 4-1.

Jordon Southorn was even as PEI defeated Halifax, 8-5. Joel Champagne (TOR) scored four goals to pace the Rocket.

Maxime Legault was -1 as Shawinigan was shut out by Baie-Comeau, 2-0.

In NCAA action, Corey Tropp scored the only goal of the game in Michigan State's 1-0 shutout of Northern Michigan. The goal, Tropp's 11th of the season, broke the scoreless tie with 6:07 left in regulation.

Brad Eidsness stopped 29 pucks to earn his eighth win of the season as #3 North Dakota defeated #12 Duluth, 4-2. Corey Fienhage continued his simplistic yet effective play in relief of senior captain Chay Genoway, finishing even with a shot on goal in the Sioux victory.

Elsewhere, Nick Eno made 25 saves in Bowling Green's 2-1 loss to Lake Superior.

Drew MacKenzie was +1 as #19 Vermont played to a 3-3 tie with Boston University.

Connor Knapp watched as creasemate Cody Reichard stopped all 24 shots throw at him in Miami's 1-0 blanking of #14 Notre Dame. With Knapp allowing five second period goals last weekend against North Dakota, it is unclear if coach Enrico Blasi rides the hot goalie or elects to stick to his set schedule of Knapp getting the Saturday nods.

Justin Jokinen was scratched for the third straight game as Minnesota State downed Minnesota, 3-1. The sophomore has just one goal in ten games and needs to be more consistent in order to stick as a regular in the Maverick forward lineup.

11/28 Recap: McNabb leads way; Marcus earns marks

Brayden McNabb scored the game-tying and game winning goals on Saturday to lead Kootenay past Kelowna, 4-2. The power play goals were the fifth and sixth of the season for the rugged WHL defender. The game's #1 star, McNabb's evening was rounded out by 23 PIM, the bulk of which coming from a third period scrap and misconduct after Kelowna's Curt Gogul came in high on blueline partner James Martin.






In the OHL, Marcus Foligno scored a goal for the second straight game as Sudbury lost in a Saturday night shootout to Barrie, 4-3. Foligno lit the lamp on the power play at 9:05 of the third period to force the extra session. Nick Crawford was +1 for the winners.

Somehow not included in Friday's recap was Foligno's slumpbusting effort on that saw him net his second goal of the year (and first in 22 games) in the Wolves 4-2 loss to Owen Sound. The 18-year old wasted little time getting reacquainted with the twine, scoring at the 1:56 mark of the opening period.

In the QMJHL, Maxime Legault scored on the power play in the game's final minute to give Shawinigan a 4-3 win over Moncton. The 20-year old also earned an assist to up his season totals six goals and six assists through his first 12 games.

Jordon Southorn was even through a period and a half before earning a fighting major and game misconduct as PEI defeated Lewiston, 6-4. The win was the fifth straight for the Rocket.

In the NCAA, North Dakota's Brad Eidsness made 21 saves while Connor Knapp stopped 19 shots for Miami as the #3 Sioux and #1 RedHawks played to an exciting 5-5 tie at the Subway Holiday Classic. Knapp and the Redhawks survived a four-goal onslaught in the second period to score a pair in the third and earn the tie. Corey Fienhage was -1 for the Sioux.

All ten goals against involving the Sabres goaltending prospects:



In the CCHA, Nick Eno made 33 saves as Bowling Green battled to a 4-4 tie with Notre Dame. Three of the Irish goals came on the power play.

Corey Tropp was held without a point as Michigan State lost to Minnesota, 2-1.

Justin Jokinen was again a scratch as Minnesota State defeated Michigan Tech, 3-2.

In the USHL, Mark Adams did not play in Chicago's 3-2 loss to Green Bay.

11/27 Recap: Lagacé gets hatty; Crawford cruising as Colt

Jacob Lagacé notched his second hat trick of the season on Friday as Chicoutimi lost to Rimouski, 7-4. The three-goal output, which included two at even strength and one shorthanded, extends Lagacé's point streak to nine games (9+10), while improving his season numbers to 19 goals and 18 assists in 23 games.

In the NCAA, Corey Fienhage earned his first point of the year and finished a game-high +3 as host #4 North Dakota defeated Ohio State, 4-1, at the Subway Holiday Classic in Grand Forks. Playing on the third pair, Fienhage picked up an assist when he made a nice keep at the blueline and used good vision on a pass to Darcy Zajac for the Sioux's first goal. Brad Eidsness made 22 saves to help North Dakota improve to 8-4-1.

Game highlights:





In the early game at Grand Forks, Connor Knapp watched as #1 Miami was upset by #6 Bemidji State, 3-2. The sophomore is expected to get the nod opposite Eidsness when the RedHawks take on North Dakota on Saturday.

In East Lansing, Corey Tropp scored his 10th goal of the year and added an assist as #8 Michigan State got throttled by #15Wisconsin, 7-3, as part of the College Hockey Showcase. The junior has now a career-high 19 points through the first 15 games of the Spartans' schedule.

Brayden McNabb scored a goal and an assist in his return to the Kootenay lineup as the Ice scored five third period goals to earn a 6-5 shootout win over Kamloops. McNabb, who garnered an assist in Team WHL's Subway Super Series win on Thursday, missed the previous eight games with a knee injury.

In the OHL, Nick Crawford posted three assists as Barrie downed Mississauga, 5-2. Crawford, who finished the night +3, has one goal, nine assists, and a +10 in seven games since being traded to the Colts.

Zack Kassian was held without a point as Peterborough dropped a 3-2 shootout to league stud, Windsor.

Finishing the QMJHL wrap, Luke Adam was -2 in Cape Breton's 3-0 loss to Bathurst. With the Eagles struggling and lacking intensity, the generally mild-mannered Adam displayed his unhappiness on the bench during the chippy contest, at one point throwing his stick in disgust.

Jordon Southorn was +1 as PEI defeated Lewiston, 6-4.

Elsewhere in the NCAA, Nick Eno made 31 saves as Bowling Green was defeated by Notre Dame, 2-1 in overtime.

Drew MacKenzie was scratched as #18 Vermont edged Northeastern, 3-2. Catamounts coaching staff Kevin Sneddon was looking to send a message after Tuesday's 6-2 loss to Massachusetts, and barring injury/illnes, it appears that the sophomore defenseman was one of the examples being made.

Justin Jokinen was also a scratch in Minnesota State's 5-2 win over Michigan Tech.

In the USHL, Mark Adams did not play in Chicago's 4-2 win over Team USA. The 6'2 defenseman registered one shot on goal in the Steel's 2-1 overtime loss to Green Bay on Wednesday.

11/22 Recap: Lagacé liking November

Jacob Lagacé continued his cruise through the QMJHL schedule on Sunday with a goal and two assists, but Chicoutimi squandered a three-goal lead in an exciting 6-5 OT loss to PEI. The 5'11 Lagacé has collected six goals and 10 assists while pointing in all eight November games for the Sagueneens (11-9-2-4). The game featured six goals in the final 20-minutes of regulation, with Matthew Hobbs scoring the overtime winner with just .1 seconds remaining on the clock. Jordon Southorn was +1 for the Rocket.

In Moncton, Luke Adam assisted on a goal just :20 into the game as Cape Breton held off the Wildcats, 3-2. Tied for third overall in QMJHL scoring with 37 points (15+22), the big pivot has hit the sheet in 22 of 26 games this season.

In a CCHA tilt, Corey Tropp was -3 as #6 Michigan State lost to Notre Dame, 4-1. The first-place Spartans will host WCHA programs Wisconsin and Minnesota next weekend.