Amerks get in win column

T.J. Brennan scored his first goal of the season and Corey Tropp notched two assists Friday to help lead Rochester to a 3-1 win over Lake Erie. The victory was the first of the year for the Amerks after two straight losses that saw them outscored by a 10-3 margin.

David Leggio made 34 saves to earn the game's #1 star. Dennis Persson and Drew Schiestel each missed their second consecutive game due to injury, while Matt MacKenzie was a healthy scratch.

The Rundown:
Brennan: 1G, +1, 2 SOG
Tropp: 2A, 4 SOG
Crawford: 1A, +1
Kassian: 4 SOG
Foligno: even
Biega: even
Parker: even
Lagace: even
Boychuk: 2 PIM
McNabb: -1, 2 PIM

Rochester D&C Game Recap

After Greg Mauldin scored a power-play goal for Lake Erie at 16:06 of the first, Leggio stood tall.

"He was outstanding," Amerks coach Ron Rolston said. "He was big. ... There were a lot of second effort saves."

Michael Ryan converted a pass from Corey Tropp at 5:08 of the second and T.J. Brennan scored off a broken play with the man advantage to give the Amerks their first lead of the season at 16:54.

Greece native Derek Whitmore provided some breathing room, deflecting home a shot by Nick Crawford at 7:38 of the third.

Rochester (1-2) will head back home for a Sunday tilt with Grand Rapids.

Amerks fall in opener

Newly signed Jonathan Parker scarfed up a rebound for his first professional goal, but the highlights were few as Rochester opened the 2011-12 campaign with a 5-2 loss at Hamilton.

T.J. Brennan and Zack Kassian, his first AHL point, earned assists, while Corey Tropp also added a helper while logging his first fighting major of the year. Tropp topped all Sabres prospects last season with nine tussles.

Drew Schiestel, playing his first game since last January, appeared to have injured his knee in the third period after falling awkwardly but early signs suggest that no damage was done.

Defensemen Matt MacKenzie and Nick Crawford were among the healthy scratches.

The Rundown:

Parker - 1PPG, 2 SOG, -1

Kassian - 1A, 5 SOG

Tropp - 1A, 2 SOG, -1, fighting major

Brennan - 1A, 2 SOG, -1

McNabb - 2 SOG (paired w/ Morrisonn)

Biega - even

Persson - 1 SOG

Szydlowski - even

Boychuk - 1 SOG

Foligno - 2 SOG, -1

Schiestel - -2

We'll turn it over to Kevin O. of the Rochester D&C for the game story:

Rochester Amerks open season with 'sloppy loss'

"The easiest lesson from tonight: We've got a lot to work on," said veteran left winger Colin Stuart, who wore the captain's "C."

"In order to be the team we want to be, we need to do a lot of things better."

Of course, with eight rookies in the lineup and just one preseason game against a collegiate team from Canada, the Amerks weren't exactly in real-game mode.

"It was pretty sloppy, that's pretty safe to say," defenseman T. J. Brennan said. "We have a lot of guys still getting their feet wet. It's a change. That's why it's Game 1 of 76, not the Calder Cup already."

Rochester kicks off the home schedule Thursday against Wilke-Barre.

Tropp in the fold

The Buffalo Sabres are set to announce the signing of Michigan State right wing Corey Tropp to a three-year entry level contract. Orignally chosen in the third round of the 2007 draft, the Grosse Point Woods, MI native comes to the Sabres organization after a three-year NCAA career saw him collect 29 goals and 70 points in 100 games with the Spartans.

Tropp, 20, got off to a blazing start in 2009-10, leading the nation with 17 goals through his first 21 games before cooling after the new year. The team’s MVP, Tropp would finish the season with 20 goals and 22 assists in 37 games as the Spartans were bounced in the first round of the CCHA tournament. The 6’0, 185-pound right wing is a skilled effort guy who possesses a quick shot release and a willingness to go to the dirty areas to get it off. His hands and two-way skills will enter the next phase of development with the Portland Pirates in 2010-11.

One and done: Gogulla gallops back to Germany

After just one season of North American hockey, Philip Gogulla will be leaving the Portland Pirates and heading back to the DEL to play a sixth season for the Cologne Sharks.

Those close to the situation will say this is no surprise. The 2005 second round pick (48th overall) was unhappy and perhaps a little homesick in his first extended period away from Europe. The first red flag came when he reacted poorly to the rigors of prospect camp two summers ago. There was never any sense that playing in the NHL was his "dream gig".

The 6'2, 198 pound forward appeared in 76 games for the Pirates in 2009-10, finishing sixth in team scoring with 15 goals and 20 assists. Like many pro rookies, he had his good games and bad ones. When a load of teammates were called up to the big club following Portland's first round playoff loss, Gogulla (and fellow German Felix Schutz) flew to Cologne to play in the IIHF World Championships. Gogulla posted one goal and six shots on net in seven of Germany's nine tourney games.

And so the beat goes on when it comes to the Sabres history with European draft picks.

Moving on, Gogulla's departure puts the heat on the Sabres to get a deal gone with 2007 third rounder Corey Tropp. After a 20-goal junior year, the Michigan State forward is primed to begin his professional career in Portland. There was already a spot open, and now there is 35 points to replace with the loss of Gogulla.

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.

3/13 Recap: Biega, Tropp bounced; Kassian catchin' up

Alex Biega saw his collegiate career come to a close Saturday as Harvard was shut out by #9 Cornell, 3-0. The Big Red sweep of the ECAC quarterfinal sends the senior defenseman back to Cambridge with 15 goals and 55 assists in 131 games of his four-year NCAA career. The 5'11 righthander will now sit and wait for a contract offer from the Sabres. The club of course has until August 15th to make a decision on the player.

Also seeing his season come to frustrating close Saturday was Michigan State junior Corey Tropp. The Spartans fell for a second straight night to energy-laced Michigan, 5-3, but Tropp was forced to sit the game out after stepping on a puck and tweaking his ankle during pregame warm-ups. The freak accident put an abrupt end to Tropp's remarkable bounceback year where he led the Spartans with 20 goals and 42 points. Despite finishing 2nd in the CCHA regular season, MSU is essentially done as their current pairwise ranking projects them out of the 16-team NCAA tourney.

In the WCHA, Brad Eidsness stopped 22 shots as North Dakota saw their best-of-three series evened at one game apiece in a 4-2 loss to Minnesota. After a Friday shutout of the Gophers, the sophomore surrendered three goals against in game two - a pair with the Gophers on the power play and the third on a high point shot through traffic that came quickly off a draw. With the game tied 2-2, it appeared that Eidsness did not see the shot coming until it was too late, stabbing upward while standing up as the puck shot past him. Corey Fienhage did not dress for the Sioux, who will look to keep their healthy pairwise ranking in tact with a victory in Sunday's rubber match.

Connor Knapp did not get his usual Saturday start as #2 Miami suffered a 5-4 overtime loss to Ohio State. The move to not start Knapp backfired on RedHawks coach Enrico Blasi, as the nation's top netminder (numerically) Cody Reichard allowed three goals on his first 11 shots while fighting the puck all evening long. The Buckeye victory forces a Sunday game #3, and a likely opportunity for Knapp to assume the crease for Miami after a shutout in his last start.

In Hockey East, Drew MacKenzie registered three shots on goal as Vermont edged New Hampshire, 1-0. With the Catamounts leveling the series at one game each, the #1 seeded Wildcats are forced to defend home ice in Sunday's deciding game.

As expected, Justin Jokinen remained back in Mankato as Minnesota State lost to St. Cloud State, 3-2. After splitting the Friday/Saturday games, the clubs will play it back Sunday in St. Cloud.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian scored a pair of goals as Windsor ended their regular season with a 8-3 loss to Sarnia. The Spits sat five of their top players en route to losing to the league's worst team, while Kassian continued his tune-up on a line with Kenny Ryan and Stephen Jonhston. The two-goal night, highlighted by a clean slapper on the latter, allows the 6'3 wing to finish his 38-game regular season with 12 goals, 19 assists, 81 PIMS, and a -16 rating. The Spits will play either Saginaw or Erie when the playoffs begin next week.

Nick Crawford was +1 in Barrie's 4-2 win over Kingston. Heading into the final day of play, Crawford's 70 points gives him a three-point lead over Soo's Jacob Muzzin for the defensive scoring title. The Greyhounds finish their regular season on Sunday versus Kitchener. The Colts (57-9-0-2) finished the season first overall with 116 points and are guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. They will open against either Niagara or Marcus Foligno's Sudbury Wolves pending the results of Sunday's closing slate.

Brayden McNabb finished even as Kootenay concluded their regular season by defeating Edmonton, 2-1. Prior to the game, the 6'4 McNabb was named the team's Top Defenseman for the 2009-10 season. The Ice will begin the playoffs at home on Friday against Medicine Hat.

Mark Adams was even while being 'credited' with the first fighting major of his junior "A" career as Chicago defeated Tri-City, 4-2. Coincidental delay of game penalties were also assessed on the play.

3/12 Recap: Adam on cusp; Eidsness blanks Gophers

Luke Adam scored his 49th goal of the season Friday as Cape Breton defeated Moncton, 4-0. Adam, whose goal total trails Drummondville's Gabriel Dumont (50) for the QMJHL lead, will look to hit the half-century mark when the regular season concludes on Sunday. Maxime Legault continued to show why he was acquired at the deadline, scoring his 17th of the season, closing quickly on the forecheck, and earning a fighting major as the Screaming Eagles looked to make a statement against the team they will square off with in round one of the playoffs. Jacob Lagacé was assessed a pair of minor penalties in the win.

Elsewhere in the Q, Jordon Southorn was -1 as PEI lost to Saint John, 4-0. The Rocket are locked in to face the Sea Dogs when the playoffs begin next week.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno finished +2 with a fighting major as Sudbury clinched a playoff spot with a 5-3 win over Kingston. The Wolves will face either Barrie or Ottawa in the first round. In the final minutes of the game, Foligno dumped a Fronts player in the corner and had to defend his actions against Derek Froats.



Zack Kassian was even as Windsor sat five starters in a 4-3 overtime loss to London. On Thursday, the 6'3 forward netted a goal in his second game since returning from suspension as the Spits defeated Plymouth, 6-4. Kassian, who is still battling some rust, got in down low to take a pass and score his 10 goal of the year, and first since January 14th. After clinching the Western Conference title with the Thursday win, the Spits will finish the regular season Saturday in Sarnia.

Nick Crawford was -1 as Barrie beat Brampton, 4-2. Crawford still holds a three-point lead as the OHL's top scoring rearguard with one game remaining on the schedule.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was +1 as Kootenay doubled Red Deer, 4-2. The Ice, who have one regular season game remaining versus Edmonton, will face Medicine Hat in the first round of the playoffs.

In the WCHA playoffs, Brad Eidsness stopped all 27 shots sent his way as #5 North Dakota pounded Minnesota, 6-0. The game #1 shutout, Eidsness' second of the season, gives the sophomore 20 wins for the second straight season. Corey Fienhage did not dress for the Sioux. Fast forward to the 2:00 mark below for a pretty sweet glove save by the 2007 fifth round pick.



In Hockey East, Drew MacKenzie scored his fourth goal of the season as #19 Vermont lost their playoff opener at #11 New Hampshire, 7-4. The sophomore roofed a wrister from the point to tie the game 1-1 in the first period.

In the opening game of an ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series, Alex Biega was -2 with four shots on goal as Harvard lost at #9 Cornell, 4-1. Cornell scored the final four goals of the game to pull away and take control of the best-of-three.

In the CCHA playoffs, Corey Tropp finished -3 as #10 Michigan State lost to rival Michigan 5-1. The Wolverines used three first period tallies to take the 1-0 road lead.

Connor Knapp looked on as #2 Miami opened their playoff year by cruising to a 6-2 win over Ohio State.

Justin Jokinen did not make the trip (healthy scratch) as Mankato opened the first round of the WCHA playoffs with a 4-3 OT win at #7 St. Cloud State.

In USHL action, Roo Adams was -2 as Chicago lost to Tri-City, 4-1.

Eidsness holds weekly spot; Tropp tabbed MVP

For the second straight week, North Dakota goaltender Brad Eidsness has been named the Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week. Eidsness backstopped the Sioux to a rare road sweep of Colorado College to help lock up home-ice in the WCHA playoffs.

A 6-0, 175-pound sophomore from Chestermere, Alberta, Eidsness turned aside 53 of 57 series shots on goal for a .930 saves percentage while allowing just two goals each night. He also blanked the host Tigers on all 10 of their series power-play opportunities, after CC entered the series with the league’s top rated power-play.

A draftee of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, Eidsness stopped 26 shots in North Dakota’s 3-2 (ot) victory over Colorado College last Friday (Feb. 26) night and held the Tigers scoreless on all five power-play chances.

He then posted another 27 saves last Saturday (Feb. 27) evening as the Sioux completed the double victories with another 3-2 triumph, recorded their first sweep at CC since 1998-99, and clinched a home playoff berth for a league-leading eighth straight season.

On the season, Eidsness ranks second among WCHA goaltenders for all games in goals-against average at 2.21, is fourth in winning percentage at .655 on a 17-8-4 record, is fifth in saves percentage at .910 and is first in minutes played with 1,850.

Elsewhere in NCAA news, Michigan State junior Corey Tropp was named the Spartans Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Offensive Player at the team awards banquet on Wednesday.

Tropp has been among the CCHA and national leaders in scoring all season. After the regular season, he is tied for 12th nationally in points (42), tied for 10th in goals (20), tied for 11th in power-play goals (9) and is tied for fifth in game-winning tallies (5). He twice earned CCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors, and was both the CCHA and Hockey Commissioner's Association (HCA) Player of the Month for December. Tropp has a 20-22-42 scoring line headed into the playoffs, and will appear in his 100th career game next Friday night in the CCHA quarterfinals.

2/27 Recap: Adam plays trick, continues tear

Luke Adam notched a hat trick Saturday to lead Cape Breton past Bathurst, 6-1. The three-goal night, Adam's fourth of the season, gives him 46 goals with six games remaining in the regular season, and 21 since his mid-January return form Team Canada. Maxime Legault added his 14th goal for the winners, while Jacob Lagacé assisted on the first Adam tally.

Also from the QMJHL, Jordon Southorn scored his 4th goal of the season as PEI lost to Baie-Comeau, 4-3. As noted yesterday, the goal was Southorn's first in 39 games.

In the OHL, Nick Crawford rang up a pair of assists as Barrie throttled lowly Niagara, 6-1. Both helpers came with the man advantage.

In WHL play, Brayden McNabb finished -2 as Kootenay lost to Lethbridge, 4-1. The Hurricanes scored three goals in the third period to to seal the win.

In the NCAA, Connor Knapp made 23 stops as #2 Miami played to a rare 0-0 double shutout with Ohio State. Marked by some key stops late, the blanking was Knapp's fourth of the season and Miami's ninth overall. The RedHawks finish the regular season with a 21-2-5 record, good for first place and a bye when the CCHA playoffs begin next week.

Alex Biega finished -1 as Harvard fell to St. Lawrence, 4-3. The Saints outshot the Crimson 45-22 en route to forcing the Crimson into the #9 seed and a road trip to Princeton when the ECAC playoffs kick off next weekend.

Brad Eidsness made 27 saves as #8 North Dakota held off #13 Colorado College, 3-2. Eidsness was beaten off a drop pass in the second period, and had to stand tall in the final two minutes after the Tigers scored with the extra attacker. Corey Fienhage finished the night even for the Sioux.

Corey Tropp did not factor into the scoring as #12 Michigan State ended the regular season with a 2-2 tie at Bowling Green. Nick Eno served as back-up after a disappointing Friday start. The Spartans finish the CCHA slate in second place to earn a bye week.

Justin Jokinen was again scratched as Minnesota State battled hard in a 4-3 OT loss to #1 Denver.

In the USHL, Mark Adams was +1 as Chicago swept Tri-City, 3-2.