Some firsts for the upcoming season

A look at some "firsts" for the upcoming season...

Right-handed defenseman Casey Fitzgerald, chosen in the third round this past June, joins fellow sophomore Christopher Brown to become to the first pair of Sabres prospects to play together at Boston College since 2005 draftmates Nathan Gerbe and Andrew Orpik were in Chestnut Hill together in 2007-08. Fitzgerald is the first full-time Eagles rearguard to be selected by the Sabres since John Adams (2002).

Vasily Glotov will be the first Sabres prospect to play in Cape Breton since Luke Adam, Maxime Legault and Jacob Lagace all skated for the 2009-10 edition of the Screaming Eagles. Adam played the whole year in Cape Breton following a June 2009 trade from Montreal, while Legault and Lagace were added at the QMJHL trade deadline.

William Carrier played in Cape Breton when he was drafted by St. Louis, but was dealt to Drummondville one month before being acquired by the Sabres in the Ryan Miller trade.

In the WHL, Brandon Hagel is the first Sabres property to skate with the Red Deer Rebels since toughguy Craig Brunel rang up 140 penalty minutes in 35 games in the 1999-2000 season. Brunel, a ninth round pick in 1999, began his long journey as a career minor-leaguer the following season with the Rochester Americans.

Vojtech Budik will play 2016-17 with the Prince Albert Raiders, continuing a connection to central Saskatchewan that was re-kindled a season ago with the selection of Brendan Guhle. If Guhle is returned to the WHL, the pair will become the first two players drafted by the Sabres to play together in Prince Albert.

Prior to Guhle, the Sabres hadn't had a prospect play there since Brunel began the 1999-00 season with the Raiders. Shane Hnidy (1994, 7th round) was the last Sabres defensive prospect to play in Prince Albert, posting two decent seasons from 1994-96 before going on to play over 500 NHL games with six different teams.

Cliff Pu will carry on his OHL playing days with the London Knights. You don't have to dig too deep to remember Nikita Zadorov returning to the Knights' blueline in 2013-14, along the way joining fellow defensive prospect Brady Austin in London green, but in terms of forwards, Pu has work to do if he has designs on equaling Dylan Hunter's back-to-back seasons of 104 and 117 points while playing with names like Corey Perry and Dave Bolland.

Meanwhile, Austin Osmanski will continue his development in Mississauga with the same franchise that housed Gregg Sutch in 2010-11 when the then Majors hosted the 2011 Memorial Cup.

Regardless of where Brett Murray plays this season, it will mark a first for a Sabres prospect. The Sabres have never seen any player make a developmental stop at Penn State, but if he does indeed play a ramp-up year with the USHL's Youngstown franchise, he'd become the first Sabres prospect to ever play for the Phantoms as well. Youngstown has seen quite a few Jr. Sabres products come and go (Chris Bradley, Pat Conte, Zach Evancho, Kyle Mackey to name a few) since their 2003-04 inception, but they have never helped developed any Sabres draft picks.

The Tim Murray-Greg Royce duo looked to Sweden for three of their first six picks in the 2016 draft, a proposition that could introduce some new clubs into the ranks of Sabres prospects alumni.

Alex Nylander, if he were to return to Rogle BK, would be the first Sabres prospect to ever skate for the southern Swedish club. The same holds true for Rasmus Asplund, whose likely return to Farjestads BK would be a first stop for any Sabres prospect.

Defenseman Philip Nyberg will keep things a little more familiar, as he enters the NCAA Division I ranks at the University of Wisconsin, following in the footsteps of recent Sabres prospects Jake McCabe and Brad Navin.

It's also worth noting that departures from MODO will see two Sabres prospects in new SHL jerseys this season.

Following MODO's relegation to the second-tier Allsvenskan, leading scorer Victor Olofsson left to sign a deal with Frounda HC, making him the first Sabres prospect to play for the perennial powerhouse since Mikael Andersson scored 19 times in 36 games for Vastra Frolunda in 1984-85. Calle Johansson played for Vastra Frolunda before getting selected 14th overall in 1985, but moved to Bjorkloven for the next two years before making his Sabres debut.

Gustav Poossler also busted out of MODO for greener pastures, landing a two-year SHL contract with Djurgardens IF. Dennis Persson, who the Sabres chose with the 24th pick in 2006, played with DIF for two years following his selection. Persson's draft year teammate with Vasteras, Patrick Berglund, was taken one pick later, and has gone on to play over 500 NHL games.

12/4 Draft Stuff: Mascherin mashing; Kunin connects

It's December, so it's time to once again fire up the Draft Stuff.

Adam Mascherin used his bullet of a shot to cash two power play goals Friday as Kitchener rolled past Ottawa 5-1. The second overall pick in the 2014 OHL draft, Mascherin has already surpassed his previous year totals with 14 goals and 31 points in 24 appearances. He began the season with points in his first 11 games, and now has six goals in his last six outings.

First-round candidate Luke Kunin scored his fifth goal as a collegian as Wisconsin coughed up a three-goal lead to take a 6-4 loss to Michigan. His teammates gave him a nice gift on his 18th birthday as Kunin finished off a pretty passing play with a quick rising shot from in front to extend his point streak to three games. Kunin has 10 points through his first 13 NCAA contests.

Brett Howden struck for a pair of goals in a span of four minutes in the middle frame as Moose Jaw cruised past Saskatoon 6-1. Howden, who displayed his quick release on his second of the night, has clawed his way back to a point-per-game pace with 13 goals and 15 assists in 28 WHL games.

Kieffer Bellows (BU) scored off one of his eight shots on goal as Team USA U18 stormed past Sioux City 5-2. Fellow Terrier commit Clayton Keller remained one of the hottest players in the draft class with two assists and a game-high nine shots on goal. Zach Walker, an Idaho product by way of the Colorado Thunderbirds, scored twice for the NTDP. Jake Oettinger (BU) remained undefeated with a 32-save shutout.

Stocky scorer Dmitry Sokolov used his quick left-handed shot to snatch a pair of goals in Sudbury's 6-4 loss to Barrie. After a cool November that saw him score in just one of 11 games (okay, so it was hat trick), Sokolov has started December with goals in two straight. Sololov has 22 points (12+10) in 28 games.

Julien Gauthier continued his Cy Young campaign with a third-period marker as Val-d'Or outgunned Acadie-Bathurst 7-5. The 6-foot-4 winger has collected 24 goals and eight assists in 28 games this season. Earlier this week, Gauthier was one of three draft eligibles invited to Canada's World Junior Selection Camp.

Halifax Mooseheads winger Maxime Fortier notched a goal and an assist in a 5-2 loss to Rouyn-
Noranda. Fortier, a "C" rated prospect by Central Scouting, has 16 goals and 36 points at the 30-game mark.

Another C skater in Central's Players to Watch list, Benjamin Gleason connected for a career-high two goals plus a helper as Hamilton downed Guelph 7-4. The Michigan-born defenseman has seven goals and 15 points in 24 games since an early season trade from London.

Alex Debrincat failed to score in regulation for just the ninth time in 27 games, but connected for the only goal in the shootout as Erie edged Owen Sound 3-2. Smallish but fearless, Debrincat has crushed the OHL this season with a league-leading 32 goals and 58 points. I'm not going to tell you what he's on pace for, but it's a lot. Fellow sub-six-footer Kyle Maksimovich scored his 11th of the year for the Otters.

William Knierim scored his fourth goal of the year and assisted on the game-winner in the final minute of play to help Dubuque to a 3-2 win over Omaha. The banging 6-foot-4, 207-pounder is committed to Miami University for 2016-17. He has 10 points in 19 USHL games.

In the BCHL, Tyson Jost (North Dakota) had two assists as Penticton blanked Vernon 3-0. Jost sits with 24 goals and 60 points through 30 games. Puck-moving defender Dante Fabbro (BU) contributed one helper for the Vees to give him 39 points (7+32) through 24 contests.

Tyler Benson connected for two assists to earn the game's first star as Vancouver skated to a 4-0 win over Kootenay. Benson has points in three straight to boost his season total to 15 (5+10). Ty Ronning, son of former NHL forward Cliff, scored his 17th goal for the Giants.

12/13 Recap: Amerks end slide; Peterson gets first

Chad Ruhwedel went high stick side for the overtime winner Saturday as Rochester ended their six-game slump with a 4-3 victory over Hamilton. Andrey Makarov made 31 saves to improve to 7-7-1 on the year. Johan Larsson posted three assists for the Amerks while Mikhail Grigorenko added a pair of helpers.

Phil Varone scored for the second straight night when he buried a backhand to give the Amerks a 1-0 lead at 6:29 of the opening period. Just as they did on Friday, Larsson and Grigorenko earned the assists on the Varone marker as Rochester scored the opening for the first time in 10 games.

After the Bulldogs ripped off the next three goals. Luke Adam answered back at 4:07 of the middle frame when he jammed a puck over the line to make it a 3-2 score at the second intermission.

Rochester tied the game at 6:06 of the third period while on the power play when Zac Dalpe tipped a Jake McCabe point shot for his fifth goal of the year. Larsson got the puck back to McCabe for a secondary helper on the play.

In overtime, it was again Grigorenko and Larsson providing work leading to Ruhwedel snapping his 10-game goal drought with the winner.

The Amerks are back at it Wednesday at home versus Syracuse.

OHL

Justin Bailey flipped a puck to the net from beneath the goal line to get his 17th goal of the year as Kitchener dropped a 6-2 decision to Barrie. Brendan Lemieux was unable to get on the board for the Colts, leaving him with 19 goals through 25 games. Barrie is back in action Sunday versus Mississauga. The Rangers next host London on Tuesday.



Eric Cornel (-2) scored a shootout marker as Peterborough snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory at Sarnia. Cornel is tied for second in team scoring with 26 points (8+18) in 28 games heading into the Petes' Sunday tilt in London.




NCAA

Judd Peterson scored his first-ever NCAA goal as St. Cloud State dropped a 5-3 decision to Nebraska-Omaha. The freshman forward gave the Huskies a 2-1 lead at 11:28 of the opening period when he snagged a puck off the glass and quickly fired a shot for an unassisted marker. Peterson has collected three points (1+2) in his first 16 games as a collegian for the Huskies, who are off until January 2 when they host Quinnipiac.

J.T. Compher (-1) recorded five shots on goal as Michigan was upended by Boston College 5-1. Compher, who has produced 11 points (3+8) in 15 games with the Wolverines, will remain in Boston for the start of Team USA's World Junior training camp on Tuesday. His USA teammate Thatcher Demko (VAN) stopped 41 shots to guide Boston College to the victory.

USHL

Christopher Brown notched an empty-net goal and an assist as Green Bay doubled Chicago 4-2. Brown's multiple-point night, his fourth of the year, ups his team-leading totals to 10 goals and 11 assists through 24 contests. The Gamblers play their final game before the break on Friday when they welcome Dubuque to the Resch Center.

SEL

Gustav Possler notched three shots and Victor Olofsson skated for 12:40 in his final game before leaving to join Sweden's national junior team as MODO downed Linkpoing HC 2-1 in overtime. Linus Ullmark served as backup for MODO, who heads to the holiday break tied for last-place in the 12-team league. MODO resumes the schedule Friday, Dec. 26 versus Vaxjo.


Team Canada Selection camp

Canada took down the CIS All-Stars 10-3 in a World Junior Selection Camp scrimmage. Nicholas Baptiste did not score while skating on an all-OHL line with Remi Elie (Belleville/DAL) and Nick Paul (North Bay/OTT). Sam Reinhart along with linemates Max Domi (ARZ) and Anthony Duclair (NYR) were given the night off. The two sides will battle again on Sunday.

McCabe gets first as Amerks fall in overtime

The Rochester Americans gave up four first-period goals for the second straight night, but clawed their way back in a 5-4 overtime loss at Hamilton. Luke Adam scored the Amerks lone goal of the first period. Matt Ellis, Chad Ruhwedel and Jake McCabe connected in the middle period to make it a game. McCabe's marker was his first as a professional.

Adam got the Amerks on the board with his seventh of the year at 9:18 with a nice finish of a Matt Ellis feed at the goal mouth. Tim Schaller earned the second helper on the play.



The Bulldogs would take over from there, beating Andrey Makarov four times including twice on the power play to take a three-goal into the first intermission. Rene Bourque, Jacob de la Rose, Greg Pateryn and Gabriel Dumont scored the Hamilton goals. Sven Andrighetto collected assists on three of the four.


The Amerks would get it together with three unanswered goals in the middle frame to set the stage for an exciting finish.

Ellis picked up his second point of the night when he buried a power play marker at 6:55. Mikhail Grigorenko snapped a four-game funk with an assist on the play. Joel Armia earned the other helper.

The Amerks continued their climb at 11:32 when Ruhwedel stepped into a one-timer for his fourth goal of the year. The Amerks second power play goal of the afternoon was assisted by Adam and Johan Larsson.



Five minutes later, McCabe stepped into the slot for his first professional goal to tie the game. Larsson dug out a puck out of a corner scrum and quickly sent it to McCabe, who made a nice read on the play to slide into scoring position for the clear shot.


The Amerks carried their momentum in third period, out-shooting the Bulldogs by a 16-11 margin, but the teams were unable to light the lamp.

The Bulldogs iced the victory when T.J. Hensick beat Makarov cleanly from the high slot at 2:28 of the overtime period to send the Amerks to their seventh loss in their last eight games.



Makarov settled down after the opening period barrage, finishing with 31 saves on 36 shots to move to 4-4-1 on the year.

Rochester played without fourth-line forward Daniel Catenacci, who earlier in the day was handed a two-game suspension for a boarding incident on Friday's victory over Toronto.

The Amerks are back in action Friday when they host the Utica Comets at Blue Cross Arena.

11/14 Recap: Bailey tricks; Hurley gets OT winner

A quick cruise through the Friday action....

OHL

Justin Bailey continued his excellent start Friday, notching his second hat trick of the season and adding an assist as Kitchener bested Plymouth 5-3. Through 17 games, Bailey has gathered 13 goals and 26 points. He'll look to stay in his groove Saturday when the Rangers travel to Erie.



Nick Baptiste scored his fifth goal of the year as Sudbury continued to struggle with a 5-2 loss at Mississauga. The marker gives the speedy winger nine points (5+4) in eight season outings. The Wolves visit Sarnia on Saturday.



Eric Cornel finished with a minus-two rating as Peterborough suffered a 7-2 drubbing at North Bay. The Petes host Niagara on Saturday.

QMJHL

Vaclav Karabacek scored his sixth goal of the year as Gatineau dropped a 7-4 decision at Rimouski. Karabacek is shaking off a slow start with two goals in his last three games. Next up for Gatineau is a Sunday afternoon to Sherbrooke.

WHL

Sam Reinhart (+3) collected four assists as Kootenay earned a wild 7-6 overtime victory over Calgary. The top prospect has seven points in three games since being returned to junior. The ICE, who have now won all three games with Reinhart back in the lineup, will look to keep the momentum going Saturday when they visit Lethbridge.



NCAA

Connor Hurley jammed home the game-winning goal in overtime as Notre Dame squeaked past Merrimack 3-2. The down-low tally, which snaps Hurley's four-game point drought, gives the freshman pivot six points (2+4) through his first 10 collegiate contests. Cal Petersen got the night off for the Fighting Irish, who will go for the conference sweep of Merrimack on Saturday.

J.T. Compher (+1) posted a pair of assists as Michigan downed American International 5-2. Compher continues the search for his first goal of the season when the clubs close out the non-conference set Saturday at Yost.



Max Willman (-2) picked up an assist as Brown was hammered by Harvard 6-2. Sean Malone remained out of the Harvard lineup with an undisclosed injury. Brown wraps up the weekend Saturday at Dartmouth while the Crimson take on Yale.

Hudson Fasching was shut down as No. 1 Minnesota was blanked by Minnesota-Duluth 3-0. Christian Isackson logged a shot on goal for the Gophers. Minnesota will look to earn the weekend split on Saturday.

Anthony Florentino (+1) produced three shots on goal as Providence pitched a 3-0 shutout of Vermont. Mark Adams (+1) resume his stay-at-home role on the Friars' bottom defensive pair. The Friars and Cstamounts will go at it again on Saturday in Providence. 

Judd Peterson (-1) was kept off the score sheet as St. Cloud State edged Western Michigan 4-3. The teams play it back on Saturday.

USHL

Christopher Brown recorded one assist as Green Bay lost to Madison 4-1. The helper gives Brown a team-best 10 points (5+5) on the year, The Gamblers are at Des Moines on Saturday.

ECHL

Justin Kea and Colin Jacobs each registered one assist as Elmira doubled Evansville 4-2. The Jackals and Icemen play a rematch Saturday night in Elmira.

AHL

Luke Adam and Matt Ellis each potted a pair of goals as Rochester ended their five-game skid with a 6-1 victory over Toronto, Johan Larsson and William Carrier added singles for the Amerks, while Andrey Makarov stopped 23 of 24 shots to earn the victory. Phil Varone connected for three assists. Brady Austin also notched a helper for his first professional point. Rochester faces Chicago on Saturday for the first time since being eliminated by the Wolves in last year's playoffs.

Adam pair, Armia shortie not enough

In Monday action, Luke Adam (2nd star) scored twice and Joel Armia batted in a short-handed tally as the Rochester Americans were defeated by the Adirondack Flames 4-3. The loss sends the Amerks spiraling on a five-game losing streak.

Nathan Lieuwen earned the start in the Rochester net, stopping eight of 11 shots in the opening frame before giving way to Andrey Makarov to start the second period.

Johan Larsson made his return to the Amerks lineup after a brief NHL recall, manning the left wing on a line with Tim Schaller and William Carrier. Taking Carrier's place down the left side on the line with Mikhail Grigorenko and Armia was 24-year old rookie Jordan Samuels-Thomas.

QMJHL product Emile Poirier beat Nathan Lieuwen just 2:30 into the opening period to give the Flames an early 1-0 lead. Poirier took a short pass and got some torque on his stick from the top of the circle to beat Lieuwen cleanly.



Adam got the Amerks even when he pounced on a Jake McCabe rebound in front of Joni Ortio at 6:48. Zac Dalpe kicked the puck back to McCabe at the point for the second assist.



With Nick Petrecki in the box, Boston College alum Bill Arnold (1st star) buried a rebound past Lieuwen from the low slot to put Adirondack up 2-1 at 9:45. The power play goal was Arnold's first of the season.

DING DING. Samuels-Thomas and Mathieu Tousignant squared off for what was essentially a wrestling match at 16:03. The pair earned fighting majors for their tumble to the ice.



With the combatants making their way to their respective dressing rooms, Garnet Hathaway cut to the net from the right side and saw the puck get caught in the skates of Jerome Leduc and end up in the Amerks net for a 3-1 Flames advantage at 16:32.

The Amerks freshened it up by putting Makarov in net to start the second period, but that move backfired when the second-year pro misplayed a puck a behind his own net and couldn't scramble back to make the save just 13 seconds into the action. The goal, Arnold's second of the game, made it a 4-1 Adirondack lead.



With the Amerks working the power play, Adam would get his get his second of the night at 7:02 to halve the Flames' lead when he deflected a nice feed from Phil Varone (3rd star) at the doorstep. Adam's third goal in his last two games gives him a share of the Amerks' points lead with 12 (4+8) in his 13th game. Larsson worked the right point to earn the secondary helper on the play.

The Amerks got one back early in the third period as Joel Armia scored his fifth goal of the year and second while short-handed at 2:28 to make it a 4-3 game. Varone stole a puck just inside the Rochester blue line and broke all the way into the Flames end before sending a backhand pass to a streaking Armia, who scored off the backhand finish. Varone's second helper of the game puts him into a tie with Adam atop the Amerks scoring list.



Makarov put the early gaffe behind him to finish with 16 saves on 17 shots on a night when the Amerks defensive core struggled in their own zone. It was also an off night for Mikhail Grigorenko, who saw his ice time decrease as the game progressed.

Rochester looks to end the funk Friday on home ice when they host division nemesis Toronto.

11/8 Recap: Olofsson connects; Amerks skid hits four

Victor Olofsson scored a pair of goals Saturday as Sweden concluded the U20 4 Nations Cup with a 4-1 victory over Russia. The Swedes finish with a perfect 3-0 record to capture the top spot in the tourney. For Olofsson, the two goals tied for the tournament lead to keep the fleet-footed trigger man firmly on Sweden's World Junior radar. The 19-year-old winger, who went without a point in earlier wins versus the Czech Republic and Finland, averaged 13:46 of work per game at the event. Olofsson has collected 12 points (6+6) in 18 games this season for MODO of the SHL.

WHL

Sam Reinhart recorded one assist as Kootenay got past Swift Current 3-2 in a five-round shootout. Reinahrt calmly picked up an assist on the second ICE goal, and he nearly ended the game in overtime but was stopped by a fantastic stick side by Broncos goaltender Landon Bow. Reinhart failed to improve on his 3/14 success rate in WHL shootouts when he fumbled the puck away. Swift Current defenseman Brycen Martin recorded a pair of minor penalties in the loss. (Early versions of this post stated that Martin had scored his first of the year. The game replay shows that he did not, and the WHL game sheet has been changed.)



Next up for Kootenay is a Friday matchup with Calgary. Martin and the Broncos are off until Saturday when they welcome Prince Albert to town.

USHL

Christopher Brown scored a power play goal on one of his five shots as Green Bay skated to a 3-1 win at Waterloo. The Boston College commit has a team-best five goals in his first dozen games for the Gamblers, who are off until Friday when they face expansion Madison.

ECHL

Justin Kea scored his second professional goal and logged his first career fighting major as Elmira came up short in a 2-1 shootout loss at Kalamazoo. The power play marker gives Kea four points (2+2)  at the 10-game mark of his rookie professional season. Colin Jacobs sat out after making his first two appearances of the season earlier in the week. The Jackals are off until Friday when they play the first of back-to-back home games against Evansville.

OHL

Nick Baptiste notched a pair of assists in the final three minutes of regulation as Sudbury clawed their way back from a three-goal deficit to earn a 7-6 overtime victory over Belleville. The helpers give Baptiste eight points (4+4) through his first seven contests. The Wolves visit Mississauga on Friday.



Justin Bailey (-1, 2 PIM) was held without a point for the just the second time in his first 15 games as Kitchener was defeated by Plymouth 4-3 in overtime. The Rangers complete the three-game weekend Sunday in Saginaw.

Brendan Lemieux (-2, 4 PIM) failed to connect as Barrie was blasted by Sault Ste. Marie 8-3. The Colts play just two games in the next 14 days starting with a tilt versus North Bay on Saturday.

NCAA

Anthony Florentino was kept off the score sheet in back-to-back games for the first time this season as No. 10 Providence was blanked 1-0 at Merrimack. Senior defenseman Mark Adams finished with a minus-one rating for the Friars, who continue the Hockey East schedule on Friday versus Vermont.

Judd Peterson logged one shot on goal as No. 6 St. Cloud State was swept for the first time this season with a 3-1 loss to Minnesota-Duluth. The Huskies will look to get back on track Friday at Western Michigan. 

Brad Navin (-2) produced one shot on goal as Wisconsin extended their losing streak to six games with a 5-1 loss to No. 2 North Dakota. The Badgers (0-6) will get a week off before taking a trip west for tilts against Colorado College and Denver beginning Friday, Nov. 21.

Max Willman recorded three shots on goal as Brown was edged by Clarkson 2-1. The freshman has gone without a point in his last two contests after scoring the team's first goal on opening night.

Sean Malone remained out of the lineup as Harvard played to a 2-2 tie at No. 8 Union. Malone has missed all three of Harvard's games this season. The Crimson are back in action on Friday versus Brown.

AHL

Luke Adam captured one goal and one assist and Andrey Makarov stopped 30 of 33 shots as Rochester's losing streak hit four games with a 3-2 loss to Utica. The Amerks were able to score more than one goal after posting a single marker in each of their previous three outings, but it wasn't enough to beat the AHL's top .

After a scoreless first period, Wacey Hamilton gave Utica the 1-0 lead when he banked a second chance off Makarov's back from beneath the goal line just 52 ticks into the middle frame.

The Comets added another at 12:16 when Latvian forward Ronalds Kenins followed-up on his own rebound to bat a puck over a sprawling Makarov.

Luke Adam finally got the Amerks on the board at 2:36 of the third period with his second goal and ninth point of the season when he pushed a puck towards the crease and it deflected off a Utica defender behind Jakob Markstrom. Chad Ruhwedel and Jake McCabe were credited with the helpers.



Bobby Sanguinetti restored Utica's two-goal lead when he popped one in the short-side corner while on the power play to make a 3-1 game with under seven minutes to go.

Things were made interesting with 3:04 left on the clock when Adam circled high and sent a backhand on goal that was tipped by Zac Dalpe for his third goal of the year, but the Amerks were unable to score down the stretch with the extra attacker to end on the wrong side of a 3-2 decision.


Phil Varone picked up the secondary assist on the Dalpe tally to join Joel Armia for share of the team scoring lead with 10 points through the Amerks' first dozen contests.

The victory was the Comets' 10th in their first 13 games. They hold a 10-point lead on the second-place Amerks (6-6-0-0) in the North Division standings.

Rochester will look to end the skid Monday at home versus Adirondack.

11/1 Recap: Baptiste key as Wolves end funk, Petersen sharp

Nick Baptiste (+4) picked up a goal and two assists Saturday as Sudbury ended a 13-game losing streak with a 7-2 win at Niagara. Baptiste's second-star effort gives him six points (4+2) in four games since returning from a shoulder injury. On Sunday, the Wolves will look to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they travel to London.

Elsewhere in the OHL, Justin Bailey notched a two assists as Kitchener got past Owen Sound 5-4 in a shootout. The Rangers' leading scorer with nine goals and nine assists, Bailey has collected points in all but one of his 13 appearances this season. The Rangers next host Peterborough on Friday.

Brendan Lemieux was unable to produce in his return from his two-game suspension as Barrie dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to Guelph. The Colts will finish the weekend with a Sunday visit to Peterborough.

QMJHL

Vaclav Karabacek (+1) produced four shots on goal as Gatineau won at Rouyn-Noranda 6-5. The second-year winger has amassed 12 points (4+8) in 16 outings. The Olympiques are back in action Sunday versus Val-d'Or.

WHL

Brycen Martin finished with a minus-one rating as Swift Current lost at Regina 2-1 in a shootout. The Broncos are off until Tuesday's road game at Medicine Hat.

Sam Reinhart remained out of the Kootenay lineup as the ICE defeated Lethbridge 6-5 in overtime. It appears that the 18-year old captain will make his debut next Friday when Kootenay faces Edmonton.

NCAA

Cal Petersen earned his third straight start, stopping a season-high 42 shots as Notre Dame played to a 2-2 tie with No. 14 Vermont. Petersen looked to be on his way to his fourth straight victory before the Catamounts connected with the extra attacker in the final minute of regulation. Connor Hurley finished the night with one shot on goal and a plus-one rating. Notre Dame visits Minnesota next weekend.

Anthony Florentino (+1) recorded an assist and three shots on goal as No. 8 Providence earned the weekend split with a 2-1 victory at No. 6 Boston University. Florentino's four points (0+4) through six games are tied for the team lead. Fifth-year senior Mark Adams contributed one shot on goal from the blue line for the Friars, who play a home-and-home series next weekend with Merrimack.

J.T. Compher was ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct early in the third period as No. 13 Michigan suffered their third straight defeat 6-2 at Michigan Tech. Compher was back at the center position for the second straight game, producing one shot on goal before getting tossed. The Wolverines will look to get back on track two weeks from now when they host Atlantic Hockey opponent American International.

Hudson Fasching went without a point as No. 1 Minnesota rode a Justin Kloos hat trick to a 4-3 overtime triumph of No. 7 St Cloud State. Judd Peterson recorded one assist for the Huskies, while Gophers fourth-liner Christian Isackson (-1) punched one shot on goal for the winning side.

Sean Malone was scratched as Harvard opened the ECAC schedule with a 3-3 tie at Dartmouth. The Crimson return to the ice Friday at Rensselaer.


USHL

Christopher Brown scored his fourth goal of the year as Green Bay was bested 5-2 by Cedar Rapids. The Boston College commit is tied for the team-lead with seven points in 10 games for the Gamblers, who are off until Friday when they visit Dubuque.


AHL

Phil Varone scored his team-leading fifth goal of the year and Nathan Lieuwen made 22 saves as Rochester dropped a 3-1 decision at Toronto.

After a scoreless first period, the Marlies sent a pair of shots high glove side over Lieuwen early in the middle frame to stake a 2-0 lead.

University of Maine alum Spencer Abbott was the first to connect with an accurate shot at 1:30. Less than two minutes later, Erie Otters product Connor Brown chipped one under the cross-bar at 3:16, forcing Chadd Cassidy to burn his time out and lay into the team.

Greg McKegg added to the Toronto lead at 11:00 of the second period with a short-handed goal to make it a 3-0 game.

Varone finally got the Amerks on the board with his ninth point of the season at 14:03, but unfortunately it would be the game's final goal. Mark Pysyk and Luke Adam picked up assists on the play. Adam's helper extends his point streak to four games.

Next up for the Amerks is a Tuesday morning School Day game in Hamilton.


ECHL

In the ECHL, Justin Kea (-2) logged two shots on goal as Elmira defeated Brampton 5-3. The Jackals resume the schedule Wednesday at Evansville.

***

From earlier in the day, Linus Ullmark locked it down late as MODO came from behind to earn a 4-3 win over HV 71.

10/31 Recap: Makarov superb; Willman gets first

Andrey Makarov made 38 saves for his first AHL shutout Friday, and Joel Armia scored the short-handed game-winner as Rochester defeated Syracuse 3-0. Jerome Leduc and Phil Varone added the other Amerks goals.

With Johan Larsson in the penalty box for holding, Armia gathered a Leduc zone clear and finished with a forehand just 2:58 in. The second-year Finn now has four goals on the year, including marks in two straight and three of his last four.



A fight broke out with 2:01 remaining in the first period when 24-year-old rookie Jordan Samuels-Thomas wrestled with Mike Angelidis after the Crunch forward was whistled for a cross-checking penalty.



Leduc connected for his first of the year on the power play at 19:02 to put the Amerks ahead 2-0 at the first intermission. Mark Pysyk earned the primary assist. Mikhail Grigorenko was also credited with a helper to give him points in two straight games and a total of seven (4+3) on the year.



The second period would come and go with the teams trading power play opportunities but no goals were scored.

Varone extended the Amerks lead to 3-0 with a fluky goal at 7:42 of the third period. He took a Luke Adam feed and went to the net with a defenseman on him when the puck deflected into the air and over the glove of Andrei Vasilevskiy.



Makarov (1st star) was simply superb in his second consecutive start for the Amerks while earning the second assist on Armia's goal. The second-year pro improves to 3-0 with a 1.44 GAA and sparkling .959 save%. Armia (GWG) and Leduc (1+1) rounded out the game's three stars.

Rochester (6-2-0-0) is back in action tomorrow at North Division rival Toronto.

NCAA

In NCAA action, Max Willman scored his first goal as a collegian as Brown downed Army 4-2. The freshman winger came down the left side and tucked one in at the side of the net just 5:06 into play to give Brown the early 1-0 lead. The Bears are back in action Friday when they host St. Lawrence.

Hudson Fasching scored his fourth goal of the year as No. 1 Minnesota suffered their first loss of the season 4-1 to No. 7 St. Cloud State. The sophomore winger came down the right side and sent a wrist shot just inside the post at 4:18 of the third period for his fifth point in as many games. Judd Peterson posted two shots on goal for the Huskies. Minnesota senior forward Christian Isackson will continue looking for his first point of the year on Saturday when the teams complete the home-and-home set at Mariucci Arena.

In Hockey East, Cal Petersen made 34 saves to record his third consecutive victory as Notre Dame edged No. 14 Vermont 3-2. Fighting Irish sophomore Connor Hurley saw his three-game point streak snapped, finishing with three shots on goal while centering the team's second line and seeing time on the top power play unit. Notre Dame goes for the sweep on Saturday.

Defensemen Anthony Florentino (SOG) and Mark Adams (-1) were unable to produce as No. 8 Providence came up short in a 4-1 loss to No. 6 Boston University. Jack Eichel ('15) picked up a short-handed goal, an assist and eight shots for the Terriers. The 18-year-old centerman now has four goals and eight points through his first four NCAA contests. The two clubs play it back tomorrow at BU.



J.T. Compher (-1) moved back to the center position after a few games at right wing, recording one shot on goal as No. 13 Michigan was upset at Michigan Tech 4-1. Dylan Larkin (DET) scored the lone Wolverines goal. Compher has yet to score goal this season, posting three assists and a minus-four rating through his first six games. Michigan will look to earn the weekend split on Saturday.

CHL

Nick Baptiste scored his third goal of the year on the power play as Sudbury continued their slide with a 4-1 loss to Sarnia. The Wolves have now lost 13 straight games after earning the victory in their season opener. Hayden Hodgson, who recently attended Detroit Red Wings training camp as an undrafted free agent, scored twice for the Sting. The Wolves will look to end the miserable run Saturday at Niagara.

In the WHL, defenseman Brycen Martin finished with an even rating as Swift Current blanked Calgary 3-0. Martin will continue the hunt for his first goal of the year on Saturday when the Broncos visit Regina.

Sam Reinhart did not dress as Kootenay lost to Red Deer 7-3. The ICE captain is expected to make his season debut Saturday versus Lethbridge. With just three wins in 16 tries, Kootenay currently sits in last place in the league standings.

USHL

Christopher Brown (+1) picked up an assist to snap his two-game funk as Green Bay bested Bloomington 4-1. The Gamblers  host Cedar Rapids on Saturday.

ECHL

Justin Kea notched an assist as Elmira skated to a 3-2 overtime victory over Brampton. The checking centerman has a goal and two helpers in six games with the Jackals. The teams will meet again Saturday in Elmira.

Larsson three-pointer not enough for Amerks

In Saturday AHL action, Johan Larsson notched a goal and two assists as Rochester saw their three-game winning streak halted with a 7-3 loss at Adirondack. Larsson has recorded multiple points in three of the Amerks' six games for a total of eight (3+5) on the year. Luke Adam and Tim Schaller picked up pairs of assists in the loss.

Nathan Lieuwen reclaimed the net following a solid Friday performance from Andrey Makarov, stopping 18 of 23 shots before being relieved by the Russian midway through the middle frame. Makarov stopped 16 of 18 shots the rest of the way.

Garnet Hathaway parked at the doorstep and tipped a Ryan Culkin shot past Lieuwen at 18:20 of the opening period to give the Flames the 1-0 lead at the first intermission.

The Amerks would get on the board when Larsson finished off a nice passing play at 4:14 of the middle period for his third goal of the year. Schaller earned the primary assist to give him points in three straight games. Adam snapped a two-game funk with the secondary helper.



The game would be tied for less than minute, though, as Mathieu Tousignant capitalized on a Mark Pysyk giveaway right in front of Lieuwen to put the Flames ahead 2-1.


Adirondack took control from there, swarming to three goals from Byyce Van Brabant, Tyler Wotherspoon and Michael Ferland in the next six minutes to chase Lieuwen from the cage.

Chad Ruhwedel would get one back for the Amerks at 12:18. Larsson and Adam picked up assists on the power play tally for their second points of the night.

The Flames extended the lead with third-period goals from Yale product Kenny Agostino and Culkin before Zac Dalpe connected for his second of the year at 8:16 to make it a 7-3 final. Schaller and Larsson were credited with the helpers.



Before the final horn, Jerome Leduc dropped the gloves with Turner Elson for the game's only tilt.



The Amerks return to the ice Wednesday when they face Hamilton at First Niagara Center in Buffalo.

European trio guides Amerks to victory

Mikhail Grigorenko (1st star) scored the game-winning goal and added an assist as Rochester earned their third straight victory Friday with a 4-1 decision over Adirondack. Andrey Makarov (2nd star) made 34 saves to earn the win in his first start of the year, while Joel Armia (3rd star) produced a goal and an assist for his second multi-point game of the young season.

After a Markus Granlund power play tally put the Flames up 1-0 early, the Amerks got one back with a man advantage of their own at 12:38 when Phil Varone swatted at a rebound for his third goal of the year. A hard-working Luke Adam and Chad Ruhwedel drew assists on the play.



Grigorenko added his third goal of the year less than a minute later when he drilled an Armia pass to give the Amerks the 2-1 lead at 13:11. Mark Pysyk earned the second helper.



The teams would play a scoreless middle frame before Grigorenko returned the favor, assisting on Armia's second goal of the season in the 51st minute to make it a 3-1 Amerks advantage.



Johan Larsson put the icing on the cake with an empty-net goal with 1:46 left on the clock. Jake McCabe was credited with an assist for his first point of the season. Tim Schaller was given the other to give him points in two straight games.

Makarov was excellent all game, shaking off the early goal against to shut the door the rest of the way. He was especially sharp in the final period with the Flames applying plenty of late-game pressure.


The two squads will square off again Saturday in Glens Falls.

Four score as Amerks down Marlies

Dan Catenacci, Akim Aliu, Phil Varone (2nd star) and Mikhail Grogorenko (1st star) all picked up goals Saturday as Rochester defeated Toronto 4-1. Nathan Lieuwen stopped 24 of 25 shots while the Amerks received points from 10 different players to collect their second victory in three tries to open the 2014-15 season.

With the Amerks applying pressure, Catenacci snuck into the middle lane with his stick on the ice and buried a Matt Ellis feed at 5:15 of the opening period for the 1-0 lead. The goal was Catenacci's first of the season. Mark Pysyk drew a secondary assist on the play.


The Amerks would keep the hits coming quickly in the second period, beginning with an Aliu tally just 24 seconds in to make it a 2-0 lead. Luke Adam and Nick Petrecki were credited with the helpers.

Rochester struck again at 4:07 when Varone entered the zone and threw a puck at the net for his second of the season. Chad Ruhwedel earned the assist for his team-leading fifth point of the season.



Grigorenko extended Rochester's lead to 4-0 midway through the middle frame with a spinning backhand finish at the doorstep. William Carrier picked up the lone assist to give him points in each of his first three professional games.



Toronto closed out the scoring early in the third period when Connor Brown roofed a shot for his first professional goal.

The Amerks are off until Wednesday when they host Rockford.

10/11 Recap: Bailey tricks; Carrier gets first

Justin Bailey recorded the second hat trick of his OHL career Saturday and added a shootout marker as Kitchener lost at Erie 5-4. The game's number two star, Bailey now has six goals, a team-best 10 points and the first five-game point streak of his OHL career since returning from Buffalo. He has also converted both of his shootout attempts. For the Otters, Connor McDavid ('15) record two assists and the first fight of his OHL career while fellow '15 eligible Dylan Strome connected for a pair of goals and the game's first star honor. Next up for Kitchener is a Monday meeting with Guelph.

Elsewhere in the OHL, Brendan Lemieux notched a goal and an assist as Barrie defeated Sudbury 6-4. The helper came via good work to get the puck out of his zone and the goal came from his usual spot at the front of the net. Lemieux now has seven points (4+3) through the first six games of the year. The Colts visit North Bay on Monday.


Eric Cornel saw his three-game point streak snapped as Peterborough was doubled by Plymouth 8-4. Cornel did not point but out forth a solid two-way effort while recording slashing and roughing minors. Peterborough continues their swing through Michigan Sunday at Saginaw.

***

In the AHL, William Carrier scored his first professional goal as Rochester coughed up a late third-period lead in a 6-4 loss to Hamilton.

The rookie winger, who recorded two assists in his first professional game on Friday, used speed around the edge to convert his own rebound just 3:25 into the game. Tim Schaller and Chad Ruhwedel assisted on the goal to give the trio points in each of Rochester's first two games.


Johan Larsson added to the lead when he scored his first of the year at 10:04 of the second period. The Amerks did a nice job sustaining pressure with solid back end support leading to the goal getting scored in traffic. With an assist on the play, Luke Adam notched his 100th point as an Amerk.


The Bulldogs evened the score with two quick ones following the Larsson tally before Akim Aliu connected for his first as an Amerk at 15:36. Adam and Larsson earned assists on the play.

The lead lasted all of 1:28 before Hamilton's Charles Hudon tied the game 3-3 with his first of the year.

For the second straight night, the Amerks would come out quickly to start the third period as Aliu buried a Phil Varone feed at 4:22 to give Rochester a 4-3 lead.

The lead would hold until the Amerks collapsed by surrendering three goals, including one into an empty net, in the final 2:57 to settle on the 6-4 loss.

Nathan Lieuwen earned his second-straight start, stopping 25 of 30 shots to move to 1-1 on the year.

The Amerks will look to learn from the result as they prepare for Saturday's tilt at division rival Toronto.

***

In case you missed it earlier, you may want to check out Victor Olofsson's goal from MODO's Saturday loss.

***

In the QMJHL, Vaclav Karabacek (-2) recorded one assist as Gatineau lost at Baie-Comeau 5-2. Karabacek has maintained a point-per-game pace with Gatineau, notching three goals and five assists in eight games since being returned from Buffalo. The Olympiques visit Chicoutimi on Sunday.

In USHL play, Christopher Brown picked up an assist as Green Bay got past Madison 5-4 in overtime. The Boston College commit has four points (2+2) in his first four games with the Gamblers, who next travel to Tri-City for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday.

In the collegiate ranks, Anthony Florentino (-1, SOG) notched an assist while skating on the Friars' top defensive pair as No. 4 Providence edged Ohio State 2-1 in overtime. Providence defenseman Mark Adams finished with an even rating. The Friars will next host Team USA U-18 for a recruiting exhibition on Thursday.

Judd Peterson posted three shots on goal as No. 6 St. Cloud State defeated No. 5 Colgate 3-1. The Huskies will take a week off before visiting Union for key non-conference set beginning Oct. 24.

Brad Navin contributed three shots on goal from the top line left wing spot as No. 12 Wisconsin lost to Alaska-Anchorage 4-2 at the Kendall Hockey Classic. The Badgers, who were swept by the two Alaskan schools in the weekend jaunt, will return home to host Northern Michigan next weekend in Green Bay.

In the WHL, Brycen Martin logged a plus-one as Swift Current defeated Tri-City 2-0. Martin has gathered four assists through his first 10 games. The Broncos are off until Wednesday when they face Saskatoon.

A Dozen Questions Entering 2014-15

It's that time again.

Before we know it, the 2014-15 schedule will be in full gear. The buzz surrounding the future Sabres has hit its peak, and with that comes many compelling questions on the eve of what should be an exciting season of sticks and pucks. Here are 12 of them:

Will Sam Reinhart stay in the NHL all year?

Photo by Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images

From the moment he was selected with the second overall pick in June, Reinhart has been rightfully targeted for immediate NHL duty.

After all, the last eight drafts have seen Aleksander Barkov (2013), Gabriel Landeskog (2011), Tyler Seguin (2010), Viktor Hedman (2009), Drew Doughty (2008) and Jordan Staal (2006) make the jump from the No. 2 spot. As far as those who stayed back, Ryan Murray (2012) remained in the WHL due to the lockout while James Van Riemsdyk (2007) went off to college.

Answer: Tough one here. Reinhart is mentally mature, but he could obviously afford to get physically stronger. Little is gained by rushing "kids" into the league, but his skills and two-way smarts as a 19-year old (November birth date) are good enough to stick in the NHL. The added vet presence could only help the transition for a kid with future captain material. We need to see how camp and preseason go, but the nine-game NHL tryout is a foregone conclusion, and something tells me he'll be around longer.

Can Linus Ullmark repeat as the Honken Trophy winner?

Ullmark was one of European hockey's greatest revelations last season as a 20-year old, posting a 2.08 GAA and league-best .931 save% to earn the award as the SHL's top netminder. The performance helped get Ullmark an entry-level deal, but he'll remain with MODO for the final year of his European contract before coming to North America for 2015-16.

Answer: If his development camp performance was any indication, all signs point to Ullmark again being at the top of the class among SHL netminders. His numbers will be challenged by vets like Bernard Starkbaum (BIF), David Rautio (LHF), Oscar Alsenfelt (LIF), Fredrik Petterson-Wentzel (FBK) and former Sabre Mikael Tellqvist (DIF), but there is no reason why Ullmark can't maintain a 2.00 GAA and a .925 save% to defend his title as Sweden's top dog.

Will a Sabres prospect score 50 goals?

It has been 14 seasons since Jason Pominville snatched 57 goals in his final year of juniors with Shawinigan. Luke Adam came close with 49 for Cape Breton in 2009-10, but other than that no other Sabres prospect has seriously approached the milestone.

Answer: Even if Reinhart returns to Kootenay, it's hard to see him connecting for 50 given how he'd miss nearly a month at the World Juniors. The same holds true for Nick Baptiste, who hit the 45-goal mark in 2013-14 in 66 games (.682 goals/game). In realty, the number 50 is less important than it is seeing one of these players get to .75 goals/game like Nathan Gerbe did in 2007-08 (.814).

Will Gustav Possler return to form? 

A season ago, Possler stormed out of the gates for MODO with eight goals in his first 11 games, including a run of seven straight outings with a marker. Scoring line duty was cemented as MODO's co-leading scorer, but then a November knee injury lingered into December, ultimately resulting in surgery and effectively ending an impressive rookie campaign.

Answer: The rehabilitation process extended into summer, but all signs point to a complete recovery. Possler has skated with no issues thus far in preseason action on MODO's top line. He hasn't scored in the exhibition schedule, but it's expected that he'll restore his game to a high level by December. Netting 20 goals is possible (he'd be MODO's first since 2011-12) pending a clean run through the 55-game schedule, but coming up just shy (say 17) seems a little more reasonable.

Who will be the starting goalie in Rochester?

Last season was a wild ride in the Amerks crease. Matt Hackett was penciled in for the lion's share of starts, only to surrender the top gig to Nathan Lieuwen in January. When both shuttled up to Buffalo in the dizzying post-Miller frenzy, Andrey Makarov rose from the ECHL to guide the Amerks into the playoffs with seven-straight wins.

Answer: What a great situation for Amerks fans. With Hackett out until mid-year, Makarov could get an early competitive edge with a solid Traverse City showing, but let's be clear - this is Lieuwen's job to lose. Chadd Cassidy will need both goalies to be sharp to be successful, and it's possible that both will get their fair share of starts with Lieuwen, at the very least, garnering the better end of a 60/40 split.

Who will score more goals - Hudson Fasching or JT Compher?

The B1G counterparts are coming off impressive freshman seasons. Compher scored 11 times in 35 games (.31 goals per game) for Michigan to help earn the honor of Big Ten Freshman of the Year. A few states to the west, Fasching piled up 14 goals in 40 tilts (.35) to capture Minnesota's Freshman of the Year award.

Answer: This will be a fun little competition to monitor this season. Compher is a little more creative and will generally possess the puck more. Fasching works equally hard for his chances with a propensity to hit the net front for tips and second chance put-backs. We're taking Compher in this race, thinking that both that will reach the 18-goal barrier while hoping that one or both can cash 20.

Can Joel Armia pick up where he left off?

After an up-and-down regular season, Armia caught fire in his first North American playoff series. The light seemingly went on with the games having more meaning, as Armia played big en route to more than doubling his per-game output with six points (3+3) in the Amerks' five-game loss to Chicago. At one point, he even dropped the gloves. The performance gave Sabres management confidence moving forward, so expectations will be high in 2014-15 as Armia looks to prove that he's an NHL level player.

Answer: Thinking that Armia can produce a point per game could be a stretch, but upping his shots on goal should lead to more lamps being lit. He scored just seven times in 54 regular season games a year ago, but I'm setting a benchmark of 10 goals at the 20-game mark to really judge his progress. A hot start could have him well-positioned for a late fall recall.

Will Justin Bailey earn an entry-level contract?

News flash: the Sabres currently enjoy a luxurious prospect stable jammed with quality forward talent. Bailey is right in the middle of it all with his combination of size and scoring skill, but it's clear that the WNY native will need to stand out from the competition with a big year in Kitchener to maintain his position in the pipeline.

Answer: You always want to impress your new bosses. Bailey put in the summer work, and it's easy to think that a bigger, stronger forward should be able to reach new heights, especially coming off a 2013-14 season that saw him capture Kitchener's MVP award. The USA camp snub is behind him. This year is all about scoring 35 goals and targeting AHL duty a year from now. He can do it.

Will Nikita Zadorov be a full-time NHLer?

We all know the drill by now. In order for a player to be AHL eligible, he must turn 20 years old on or before Dec. 31 of the season being played. Zadorov doesn't turn 20 until next April, so he either needs to make the Sabres NHL roster or be dispatched back to London of the OHL. Playing in Rochester is not an option until the completion of his junior season. So...

Answer: If you ask London coach Dale Hunter, he'll tell you that the Sabres have Zadorov pegged for an NHL roster spot.

Not so fast!

If he earns it, great. The additions of Josh Gorges, Andrej Meszaros and Andre Benoit, though, suggest that Tim Murray is leery of having too much youth on the back end, especially if Rasmus Ristolainen stays in the NHL (as I believe he should/will). Jake McCabe, Mark Pysyk and Chad Ruhwedel (20, 22 and 24 respectively) are also knocking at the door. Slow cooking a defensive prospect is never a bad thing, so it's fair to think Zadorov waits his turn for one more year regardless of his projected dominance at the junior level.

What do you want to see from Mikhail Grigorenko this year?

It's time to get the Sabres and the talented Russian on the same page. He was in the NHL at 18, then sent back to junior. He was again in the NHL at 19, but again was sent back to junior. He didn't want to play in the QMJHL, tried to get a deal to play in Finland, and eventually took his medicine and reported to his junior club before finishing his year with Rochester. So now what?

Answer: Right or wrong, both sides have been understandably frustrated with the other. The slate is now clean, though, and it's time to rightfully earn big league time. If Grigorenko can pay his AHL dues by carrying his bags, producing points and being an all-around good solider like he hinted at in his summer interviews, well, everything should take care of itself. His season-ending stint in Rochester showed a committed defensive player who couldn't quite capitalize on his chances. This year, a hungry playmaker with his head screwed on straight should come out and own it every shift. Mathematically, how about 60 points with ~70 percent of his take coming at even strength?

How many Sabres prospects will play in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship?

An NHL club having a few of its draft picks playing in the annual U20 tournament is usually par for the course. The Sabres have been no different in recent years, sending three (2014), four (2013), two (2012), two (2011) and one (2010) to the last five events.

Answer:

"The Sabres could have NINE guys at the WJC"

If the stars align, the 2015 WJC could resemble Sabres Development Camp 2.0 with as many as NINE future Sabres battling for medals. At the very least, expect a minimum of six.

Compher, Fasching, Baptiste, Jonas Johansson, Vaclav Karabacek and Victor Olofsson are essentially locks to represent their countries. Aforementioned NHL bubble players Reinhart and Zadorov are mild possibilities to get the best of both pro and World Junior worlds, while Anthony Florentino should get off to a good start in Providence and crack the USA roster as the seventh defender (even if USA decides to bring in 2015 draft stud Noah Hanifin, who was not on the NJEC roster).

Is there a "surprise" breakout player on the way that we're not thinking of?

Every year, there is a player that exceeds expectations and shoots up the prospect rankings. Baptiste, Fasching, Possler and Ullmark come to mind as recent examples of spiked trajectories. With a loaded stable on tap, some new candidates are set to emerge.

Answer: While I expect 2014 classmates Karabacek and Eric Cornel to elevate their play as "standouts", the dark horse in the bunch is Max Willman. We rarely talk about perennial underdog Brown University, an Ivy League school that hasn't had a winning record in ECAC play since 2003-04. Willman will be one of two NHL draft picks on the Bears roster, and like Harvard's Sean Malone a season ago, has the offensive goods to approach the 20-point line to get his name on the All-Ivy awards list at the close of his freshman season.

5/4 Recap: Amerks bounced; Petersen moves on

The Rochester Americans saw their season come to an end Sunday with a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Wolves in the fifth and deciding game of the first round AHL playoff series. Brayden Irwin and Luke Adam scored the Rochester goals, while Andrey Makarov made 32 saves in his season finale. Irwin and Kevin Porter led the way with four shots on goal each for the Amerks.

Chicago was quick to produce out of the blocks as Shane Harper jammed the boards, forced Chad Ruhwedel into turnover, and finished off a give-and-go to put the Wolves up 1-0 just 2:02 into play.

The Amerks were able to even the score before heading to the first intermission when Irwin went straight to the post and finished off a Luke Adam feed at 15:21. The power play marker was Irwin's third of the series. Phil Varone added the secondary helper on the play thanks to his zone entry.



The Wolves were quick to score in the first period, and the Amerks returned the favor in the second as the power play would continue to pay off with an Adam beauty at 2:01. Deke, cradle, fire. Adam has scored both of his playoff goals with the man advantage following a regular season that saw him connect on the power play for 16 of his 29 markers. Varone earned his second helper of the game, while Rasmus Ristolainen was credited with an assist for his second point of the series.



Things got testy midway through the second period, culminating with a fight between Nick Deslauriers and former Amerks toughguy Eric Selleck. Selleck received the extra minor for instigating the tilt way behind the play, but the Amerks were unable to produce on the ensuing power play to keep it a 2-1 game.



The momentum shifted from there with the Wolves striking twice before the end of the period on two power plays of their own to take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.

With Andrey Makarov unable to regain position after falling on his backside, Brent Regner would pound the puck into the net to tie the game at 17:28.



The pressure continued immediately following the goal, leading to Grigorenko getting whistled for a hooking penalty with 1:17 to play in the period. Dmitrij Jaskin made the Amerks pay less than a minute later by burying a Keith Aucoin pass at the edge of the crease to give the Wolves the 3-2 lead.



The teams would trade opportunities in the third period, but the Amerks were unable to convert the rest of the way. Taylor Chorney's empty-netter sealed the deal with 1:01 left on the clock to shut the door on the Amerks season.

Three stars:
#3 - Jake Allen (21 saves)
#2 - Brent Regner (goal)
#1 - Dmitrij Jaskin (1+1)

***

In the USHL, Cal Petersen made 37 saves to earn the game's number three star as Waterloo advanced to the Clark Cup Final with a 5-1 victory over Sioux City. The Black Hawks, who won the best-of-five semifinal round by a 3-1 count, move on to face the Indiana Ice in the championship series beginning Friday. Petersen has started all seven postseason games for the Black Hawks, racking up six wins, a 2.34 GAA and a .922 save%.

4/26 Recap: Amerks even series; Petersen locked in

Colton Gillies (first star) and Chad Ruhwedel (second star) each scored a goal and an assist Saturday as Rochester held on for a 3-2 victory over Chicago in Game 2 of the AHL Western Conference quarterfinal series. The best-of-five tilt is now even at one game apiece with the teams heading to Chicago for Thursday's Game 3.

A Nathan Longpre goal gave the Wolves a 1-0 lead at the first intermission, but the Amerks would take control with a pair of markers in the middle frame beginning with Gillies pouncing on a bouncing puck at 6:14. Gillies picked up his second point of the night in the game's 31st minute when he hit Ruhwedel in the high slot from beneath the goal line to give the hosts a 2-1 lead at the end of forty minutes.



Rochester would find themselves in familiar territory with another early power play opportunity in the third period, and this time they connected with Luke Adam (third star) capitalizing on a rebound at 4:07 to make it a 3-1 game.



A night after coughing up a two-goal lead in the final five minutes, Rochester hit the highway to the danger zone again when penalties to Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Petrecki gave the Wolves a two-man advantage with 3:47 to play. Chicago's Keith Aucoin would get one back while on the five-on-three at 16:38, but there would be no déjà voodoo as this time the Amerks shut the door the rest of the way to get the win.

Andrey Makarov made 26 saves to record his first career playoff win, while Jerome Gauthier-Leduc earned an assist on the Gillies goal for his first career AHL playoff point.

In the USHL, Cal Petersen made his fifth consecutive start, stopping 25 of 26 shots as Waterloo defeated Sioux City 3-1 in Game 2 of the Clark Cup Semifinal. The victory puts the Black Hawks ahead 2-0 in the series with Game 3 taking place Friday in Sioux City. Petersen has posted a perfect 5-0 record thus far in postseason play while managing a 2.40 GAA and .915 save%.

4/25 Recap: Amerks open playoffs with OT loss

Joel Armia and Chad Ruhwedel each notched a goal and an assist Friday as Rochester squandered a late two-goal lead to drop a 4-3 overtime decision to Chicago in the opening game of their AHL first round playoff series. Nick Deslauriers added the other Amerks marker, while Andrey Makarov finished the night with 35 saves.

Armia got the Amerks on the board at 14:09 when he drifted just inside the faceoff circle and got a piece of a Nick Crawford shot. Johan Larsson made a nice play along the boards to kick it back to the point and earn the secondary helper on the play.



Less than two minutes later, Deslauriers connected from the right point on the power play to give Rochester a 2-0 lead. Armia and Ruhwedel earned the assists on the first of the Amerks two power play goals on the night.



Chicago would halve the deficit with a late first period goal, but the Amerks would restore the two-goal lead early in the middle frame when Ruhwedel made a great zone entry with the man advantage, fed the puck to Luke Adam on the left wing, and continued on his path to the net to deflect the Adam shot for the goal.



The Amerks would maintain the two-goal lead with under five minutes left to play in regulation before a bad bounce off the glass put the puck right in the slot, where Sebastian Wannstrom buried it past Makarov to once again make it a one-goal game.



The momentum had officially shifted from there, with the Wolves' Mark Cundari sneaking in from his point to score off a low shot and force extra time with 2:19 left. Dmitrij Jaskin used his big body beneath the hash marks to end it just 1:06 into overtime.

The Amerks will look to even series Saturday when the teams meet again at Blue Cross Arena.

In the USHL, Cal Petersen stopped 31 of 33 shots to earn the game's number three star as Waterloo edged Sioux City in Game One of the Clark Cup Semifinal series. Petersen improves his postseason record to 4-0, while posting a 2.75 GAA and .904 save%. The two clubs will reconvene Saturday for Game Two.

4/18 Recap: Amerks offense clicking at right time

Five different players provided goals, and Andrey Makarov (No. 2 star) stopped 22 of 23 shots to extend his winning streak to seven straight starts as Rochester downed in-state rival Syracuse 5-1 Friday in the 2013-14 home finale at Blue Cross Arena. Veteran forward Brayden Irwin (No. 1 star) and Phil Varone (No. 3 star) each contributed a goal and an assist, while Tim Schaller, Luke Adam and Nick Deslauriers supplied single markers.

Schaller, fresh off being named the Amerks' Most Improved Player prior to the opening faceoff, opened scoring at 7:44 when he finished off a Colton Gillies feed for his ninth goal of the season.



Rochester would get another goal at 11:04 when Adam stole the puck from Crunch netminder Cedrick Desjardins following a misplayed Dan Catenacci dump-in. The marker was Adam's team-leading 29th of the season.



Just under two minutes later, Irwin sent the Amerks to the dressing room with a 3-0 first intermission lead when he cashed a power play chance down low. Irwin, who draw a secondary helper on the Schaller marker, has 13 points in his last nine games.



Rochester would keep the goals coming early into period two, as Deslauriers scored his first in an Amerks uniform to extend the lead to 4-0 in the 23nd minute. Kevins Porter and Sundher would pick up assists on the play, which quickly prompted Crunch bench boss Rob Zettler to call a timeout to have some words with his group.


Syracuse would eventually score off a three-on-one rush at 3:33 of the third, but the Amerks would eventually restore the four-goal lead with less than five minutes to play when Varone redirected a Johan Larsson centering feed for the game's final tally.



Makarov has been a revelation for the Sabres organization of late, winning all seven of his April starts while compiling a 1.98 GAA and .931 save%.

Chad Ruhwedel earned an assist in his return the Amerks blueline after suffering a mild concussion during his stay in Buffalo, while Joel Armia remained out of the lineup for the second consecutive game due to illness.

The Amerks conclude regular season play Saturday afternoon in Toronto. 

In the USHL, Connor Hurley produced three shots on goal as the Green Bay Gamblers were eliminated from the playoffs with a 1-0 loss to Indiana in Game 4 of the best-of-five Eastern Conference semifinal. Hurley finishes postseason play with four points (2+2), all of which came in the Gamblers' Game 2 victory.

Also from the USHL East, Judd Peterson (injured) did not play as Cedar Rapids was blanked by Dubuque 1-0 in Game 3 of their semifinal tilt. The Roughriders will look to avoid elimination when the two clubs go back at it on Saturday.

4/11 Recap: Makarov the man; Knights bounced

The Rochester Americans continued their fight to get into the playoffs Friday with a 3-1 home-ice victory over the rival Toronto Marlies. Andrey Makarov was excellent in his seventh straight start, stopping 26 of 27 shots for his fourth win in a row and the game's number one star. The victory puts the Amerks back into seventh place in the AHL's Western Conference with five games remaining on the regular season schedule.

The teams traded goals in the opening frame, with Kevin Porter getting the Amerks on the board first at 13:22 thanks in part to a nice shift from Joel Armia, who earned a helper on the play. Armia's assist gives him 26 points (7+19) through his first 52 games of North American hockey.



The teams were unable to produce any goals in the second period, but they would continue the night's parade to the penalty box. Johan Larsson earned his share when he dropped the gloves late in the frame with Marlies forward Kenny Ryan.



With the teams deadlocked at 1-1 in the third period, the Amerks would capitalize on the power play as Luke Adam tipped a Phil Varone shot for his 28th goal of the year, and 16th with the man advantage. The game's second star, Adam's goal total ranks eighth overall in the league.



Minutes later with the Amerks again on the power play, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc connected on a slapper to give the Amerks the 3-1 lead. The insurance marker in the game's 44th minute was Gauthier-Leduc's third of the season and sixth of his two-year AHL career.


Mikhail Grigorenko went without a point for the first time since being assigned to Rochester after getting on the score sheet in his previous three outings. Phil Varone, the game's number two star, notched two assists while contributing five of the Amerks' 21 shots on goal.

The Amerks will get right back at it Saturday when they visit the Hamilton Bulldogs.

In the OHL, Nikita Zadorov and the London Knights were eliminated from the playoffs with a 5-4 loss to Guelph in Game 5 of their Western Conference Semifinal series. Zadorov, who started to show signs of fatigue after logging major minutes through the first four games, finishes the postseason with four goals and nine points in nine contests. London now gets a long break before hosting the 2014 Memorial Cup, with the club opening the festivities Fri., May 16 against the QMJHL representative.

William Carrier remained out of action as Drummondville dropped a 5-2 decision at Val-d'Or in Game 5 of their QMJHL quarterfinal series. The defeat puts Drummondville into a 3-2 series hole with the clubs resuming action on Sunday. Carrier, who has missed seven of the Voltigeurs' 10 postseason games with a lower body injury, has one goal and four points despite the limited duty.

The USHL playoffs kicked off on Friday, with all three Sabres prospects playing in the league this season getting in on the action.

Cal Petersen got the start for top-seeded Waterloo, stopping 25 of 29 shots as the Black Hawks opened the Western Conference semifinal round with a 7-4 triumph over Sioux Falls. Petersen entered the playoffs with 27 wins (t-1st in league), a 2.50 GAA (6th) and a .915 save% (8th) in 38 regular season appearances. The Black Hawks will look to keep the momentum when they host Saturday's Game 2.

Connor Hurley (-1, 3 SOG) was unable to point as Green Bay was blanked by Indiana 2-0 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal. The best-of-five series continues Saturday in Indianapolis.

On the other half of the Eastern Conference bracket, Judd Peterson (-1, 2 SOG) came up empty as Cedar Rapids was edged by Dubuque 2-1. The Roughriders will go for the home-ice split on Saturday before heading to Dubuque next Friday for Game 3.

3/15 Recap: Baptiste keeps stacking

Nick Baptiste scored a pair of goals Saturday as Sudbury lost in Belleville 7-4. Baptiste now has 46 goals and 89 points in 65 games this season, including 26 goals in 29 games since Jan. 1. The loss coupled with a Barrie win over Peterborough locks Sudbury into the No. 5 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Wolves cap a three-game weekend Sunday with their regular season finale at Oshawa.

Nikita Zadorov and Brady Austin logged plus-three ratings as London rolled past Saginaw 6-2. Eric Locke (-4) and Justin Kea each picked up an assist for the Spirit in defeat. The Knights, who have clinched fourth place in the Western Conference to set up a first round playoff series with Windsor, wrap up the regular season schedule Sunday in Sault Ste. Marie. The Spirit finish up Monday versus the Greyhounds. 

In the WHL, Logan Nelson tied a career high with his 23rd goal as Victoria closed out the schedule with a 3-2 loss at Everett. The Royals end the season as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, setting up a first-round playoff series against Spokane.



William Carrier notched an assist as Drummondville finished the regular season schedule with a 7-2 drubbing of Victoriaville in a preview of a QMJHL opening round playoff series. The left winger, who finished the year with points in 10 of his final 12 tilts, captured 22 goals and 43 assists in 66 games this season. The victory locks the Voltigeurs into the sixth seed, giving then home ice advantage for their series with the Tigres.

Mikhail Grigorenko saw his eight-game point streak end as Quebec completed regular season play with a 2-0 blanking of Rimouski. Grigorenko posted 15 goals and 39 points in 23 junior games for the Remparts, who finish in the seventh position in the QMJHL standings. They'll have home ice advantage for their first round playoffs series against No. 10 Rouyn-Noranda.

In NCAA action, J.T. Compher (+1, 3 SOG) recorded two assists as No. 13 Michigan finished off the conference schedule with a 6-2 victory over No. 1 Minnesota. Hudson Fasching produced a game-high five shots on goal for the Gophers, while Christian Isackson received fourth line minutes. Michigan will square off with Penn State in a B1G quarterfinal tilt on Thursday. Minnesota will get back to work Friday in a semifinal matchup against the winner of Thursday's Michigan State/Ohio State contest.



Jake McCabe (laceration/stitches) did not play, and Brad Navin manned fourth line minutes as Wisconsin rode a four-goal first period to a 4-3 win over Michigan State in the regular season finale for both clubs. The Badgers finished second in the B1G standings, earning a spot in a Friday semifinal versus the winner of Michigan/Penn State.

Anthony Florentino picked up an assist as Providence doubled Maine 4-2 to win the Hockey East quarterfinal series in two games. The Friars have now won their last six games heading into Friday's Hockey East semifinal at TD Garden. The opponent will be decided after the other three quarterfinal series are decided.

In the AHL, Johan Larsson scored his 15th goal of the year and Nathan Lieuwen stopped 31 of 33 shots as Rochester lost at Binghamton 2-1. Luke Adam led all skaters with a season-high nine shots on goal, while Joel Armia returned to the lineup after missing one game with a lower body injury. Lieuwen, who has started 12 of the Amerks' last 15 games, ranks among the top AHL netminders with a 2.34 GAA (8th) and .922 save% (7th).



In USHL action, Connor Hurley (1 SOG) was blanked as Green Bay was shut out by Indiana 2-0. The Gamblers are in a three-way tie for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with Chicago and Muskegon with seven games left to play.

Cal Petersen served as backup as Waterloo dumped Dubuque 7-3. 

In ECHL action, Connor Knapp made 24 saves to win back-to-back starts for just the second time all year as Alaska defeated Colorado 4-2.

Colin Jacobs registered two shots on goal in Elmira's 4-1 loss at Reading.

Shawn Szydlowski was unable to produce, and Andrey Makarov again served as backup Fort Wayne was defeated by Florida 3-1.