Gold storms back for 8-7 win

Gassed and ready to break camp, the group of talent assembled at the Buffalo Sabres 2008 Development Camp strapped it on for one last scrimmage on Tuesday. With the lack of hitting promoting wide-open play, the tired bodies still provided some solid action. Jean-simon Allard, Derek Whitmore, and Brady Irwin joined Dylan Hunter, Mike Funk, and Paul Byron on the list of non-participants. Byron developed a sore shoulder last week, and has stayed away from the ice in preparation for Team Canada's Development Camp on the 25th. Team Blue got off to another quick start, leading Gold 4-2 at the half time break, but a nine-goal closing stanza would result in Gold's only win of the weeklong gathering. Depleted up front, Alex Biega, Mike Card, and even Mike Weber all saw time as a forward for Team Gold during the afternoon skate. In a similar vein, Marc-Andre Gragnani assumed Allard's forward spot with Blue, skating on a line with Tim Kennedy and Jacob Lagace. Adam Dennis (Blue) and Nick Eno (Gold) started each half in the nets. Scoring synopsis: Five minutes in, a Tyler Myers wrist shot from the point deflected past Nick Eno to open the scoring for Team Blue. Felix Schutz and Mark Van Guilder were in front, but were crediting Myers with the goal as it appeared to bounce off a Gold defender. The line of Van Guilder-Schutz-Orpik continued to impress throughout the afternoon. One of the prettiest plays of the day was an in/out move by Van Guilder that was stopped by Jhonas Enroth. Moments later, Drew MacKenzie jumped up to work a textbook give-and-go with Tim Kennedy, one-timing the return past Nick Eno to give Blue a 2-0 lead. MacKenzie quietly performed well in camp, showing steady play and a bit of an edge amongst a stacked defensive deck. Just as Enroth was getting set after an on-the-fly goalie change, Andrew Orpik blasted home a Felix Schutz feed to make it 3-0 Blue. Corey Tropp would get Gold on the board, pumping a pass from Tyler Ennis past Brad Eidsness to cut Blue's lead to 3-1. The Ennis-Cepis-Tropp unit gelled in the scrimmages, using speed and nifty plays down low to set each other up. Blue would strike again shortly after Tropp's marker. Tyler Myers took a Marek Zagrapan pass into the zone, and spotted Nathan Gerbe heading toward to the net. Gerbe slid a backhander along the ice inside the right post to score Blue's final goal before the break. Tyler Ennis cut Gold's deficit in half when he took a Jacob Cepis pass into the zone and got off a quick wrister. The puck would deflect off a Blue defender (Dennis Persson perhaps), and get past Eidsness. Ennis continues to remind us of a new-era Daniel Briere. His stick-to-it-ness on every play is reminiscent of the former #48, and he even stands like him in warm-ups. End of 1st - Blue 4, Gold 2 The first and second goals of the back-and-forth 2nd were scored via penalty shot. After a hack by Patrick Kaleta, Nathan Gerbe would skate in on Eno, fake a slapper, then deke three times before finishing it off with a backhand. Brilliant. Nick Crawford would later get it back for Gold, beating Adam Dennis stick side to make it 5-3 Blue. A large Gold presence parked in front of the Blue net, Luke Adam took a Vincent Scarsella look and roofed a backhander from in tight to get the comeback juices flowing. On the next shift, a patient Felix Schutz circled in front of Nick Eno and found an opening to put Blue back ahead by a pair. Unfettered and kicking it up a notch with a win in mind, Gold's Mike Kostka finished off a give-and-go with Kaleta to make it a one-goal game. Felix Schutz would again engage in the game of "top that", going top shelf with a pretty backhand. Mark Van Guilder picked up the assist on the seventh and final Blue goal. With Jhonas Enroth now feeding off the Gold energy, Kaleta one-timed a Chris Butler pass from the left point to make it 7-6. Luke Adam would strike again on the way back down to tie the game, 7-7. Minutes later, Scarsella set-up Josh Vatri for the game winning goal. Final Score: Gold 8, Blue 7 Other notes: In a hurry to catch a 7:00 flight out of town, Chris Butler again showed his ability to take the puck down the ice and get a shot off. The guy epitomizes the term "all-situations defenseman", and will be a rock out of the gate for Portland. At one point, Lagace picked him cleanly and took the puck back the other way. Butler chased him down and shoved him to the ice like a mini-linebacker. Butler's partner Mike Weber also had a decent rush into the zone in the 2nd half, but was quickly shut down in the circle. Tyler Myers was seen wheelin'-and-dealin' at various points, causing Sabres Asst. Coach James Patrick to remark, "Tyler Myers is going to be a very good defenseman". Agreed. Dennis Persson was noticeable in front of both nets today. For the good, he continued to jump into play, causing screens and attracting defenders. He also made a few nice passes into the slot for tip opportunities. For the bad, he had the puck poke checked from him at the edge of his crease by Felix Schutz, resulting in a shot on goal. With Mark Van Guilder showing traits of a steady, dependable forward, fellow invitee Jacob Cepis was equally impressive all week. Cepis was going hard the whole way through, charging to the net expecting a puck. When isolating Alex Biega, you really notice his excellent footwork and his ability to stand up against the rush. Marek Zagrapan sprung Gerbe on a breakaway early, but like many others, was running out of gas late. The tank being on E was also the likely villain when Philip Gogulla made an own-zone giveaway to Mike Card in the 2nd half. The save of the day came when Enroth robbed Orpik with a big glove in the 2nd. Jhonas was flashing the leather late, and his supreme hand-eye coordination was evident by his snaring of several tips throughout camp. More in the comments later.

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%.

Adam, Lagacé shine versus Russians

Luke Adam scored two goals and two assists to earn Player of the Game honors Wednesday as Team QMJHL trounced the Russian Selects 8-3 in Game #2 of the Subway SuperSeries. Chicoutimi's Jacob Lagacé joined the series as Adam's linemate, chipping in a goal and three assists in the victory. Adam, who also won 10 of 14 faceoffs, lit the lamp in the opening minutes with a sharp wrister from the slot. Lagacé knocked a player off the puck in the corner to start the scoring play. A streaking Adam later one-timed a Lagacé feed in the second period to to make it 3-2 at the time, and in essence break the dam for Team Q. In Monday's opener, Adam posted an assist and a game-high seven shots on goal from the left wing spot as The Q All-Stars defeated the Russians, 3-1. The QMJHL fired 56 shots at Russian netminder Alexander Zalivin in the win. Adam, 19, finished with five points in the two-game set, and is certain for inclusion at Team Canada's World Junior selection camp in mid-December along with 2009 draft picks Zack Kassian and Brayden McNabb. The Russian Selects traveled west in a 5-2 loss to Team OHL on Friday. No Sabres properties were in action for the win, but there will be representation on Monday when Kassian and Barrie's Nick Crawford suit up for the OHL in Game #4 of the Super Series.

Adam amped at camp

Saturday's edition of The Telegram (St. John's, NL) included an item on local product Luke Adam, who has been grinding through Team Canada's U20 Camp in Saskatoon.

"It's a real honour to be here," he said earlier this week after his second day of the camp. "I knew that coming in, but when you get here with all these great players, you really know how special it is" But he also know he can't afford to be awestruck, a fact reinforced during a meeting with national team head coach Willie Desjardins at the start of camp. "He said you won't make the team based on what you do this week, but you can sure work your way off it," said Adam, who is one of more than 30 players in camp who have been selected in the first or second round of the NHL draft. Adam, a Buffalo Sabres' 2008 second-round pick, had 22 goals and 27 assists in 47 games with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Montreal Junior last season before a ruptured spleen ended his season. He's fully recovered from the resulting splenectomy and says he got positive confirmation of his health status last month at a Sabres' prospects camp. "Everything's great. I'm 100 percent. No problems," said Adam, who is being practising on a line with a couple of Colorado Avalanche draft picks - Ryan O'Reilly of the OHL's Erie Otters and Kelsey Tessier of the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.

So with his health no longer an issue, pundits can re-hash the debate of what lane Adam will fill this season and beyond. Last season saw him float between left wing and center with the Montreal Juniors, and it seems like his versatile ways will continue as the 2009-10 campaign creeps up.

He's being used as a left-winger this week, even though he's slotted as the No. 1 centre for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, who acquired him in a June trade with Montreal. "When you get to here to this level and a chance to make this team, I'll do whatever they want me to do," said Adam. "It doesn't matter where I play. I just want to play."

1/31 Recap: Adam's trick tames Tigres

Luke Adam scored his sixth career hat trick on Sunday as Cape Breton completed a weekend sweep of visiting Victoriaville, 5-3. The hatty, Adam's third of the season, gives him an even 35 goals on the year and extends his career-best streak to six straight games with a mark. The Newfoundland native rounded out his #1 star effort with seven shots on goal, seven blocks, and a 11-8 record at the dot. Jacob Lagacé provided a helper on Adam's power-play game winner, while Maxime Legault also had an assist for the Eagles.

With 10 goals in his last six QMJHL games, Adam's outburst comes up short of Tyler Ennis' torrid 10-goals-in-three-games clip from last February. If you recall, the former WHL sparkplug potted six in one night.

However if you add Adam's nine goals in six games prior to his departure for Team Canada, his current stretch of 19 in his last 13 is the most productive baker's dozen the Sabres prospect stable has seen in recent years. To compare, it's more productive than all of the following:

- Tyler Ennis' 17 goals in 13 games (including the six-goal game) with Medicine Hat in 2008-09
- Benjamin Breault's 17 goals in 13 games with Baie-Comeau in 2006-07
- Jacob Lagacé's 15 in 13 earlier this season while with Chicoutimi
- Paul Byron's 15 in 13 in both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons with Gatineau
- Nathan Gerbe's run of 14 goals in 13 games with Boston College in 2007-08

Last season, both Ennis and Tyler Myers rode successful World Junior experiences to impressive finishes of their CHL seasons. As of now it appears that Adam is enjoying a similar ramp-up, which is certainly a delightful development for a Sabres organization in need of a hard-driving center who can finish.

-----

In Sunday OHL action, Marcus Foligno (-1) had an assist as Sudbury defeated Brampton for the sixth straight time this season, 4-3 in a shootout. With the Wolves trailing 2-1 in the second period, Foligno worked the puck to a charging John McFarland. McFarland took it to the paint where crashing linemate Mathias Sointu whacked home Sudbury's second goal of the game. 2010 eligible Phil Lane (Rochester, NY) scored his 14th goal of the year for the Battalion, but missed as the third shooter in the deciding frame.

Somewhat aided by a promotion to the McFarland line a week-and-a-half ago, Foligno accomplished a career first by finishing the month of January a point-per-game player with five goals and eight assists in 13 games. To put the development into perspective, it took the 18-year old banger 28 games through November to fetch his first 13 points of the season.

Adam solid in early WJC goings

Luke Adam scored his third goal of the U20 World Junior Championships on Tuesday as Canada (3-0) cruised past Slovakia, 8-2. Adam's unassisted wraparound effort came at 5:08 of the second period to put Canada ahead 4-0. The Canadians will face off against unbeaten Team USA on Thursday.

Adam, 19, previously had scored a pair of goals and an assist in Canada's 16-0 tourney opening thrashing of Latvia. In addition to his four points, the 6'2 pivot has accumulated 11 shots on goal, a 15-9 record at the dot, and a +4 rating through the first three games of the preliminary round.

Chosen 44th overall by the Sabres in 2008, Adam is seeing his first international action in a Canadian sweater since appearing for Canada-Atlantic in the 2006 World U17 Challenge. Known more as an offensive commodity in the QMJHL, the future Sabre is executing in a checking/4th line capacity with linemates Stefan Della-Rovere (Barrie - OHL) and Jordan Caron (Rimouski - QMJHL). He's coming back deeper on the backcheck and has progressively become more aggressive physically all the while being big on the puck and a presence in the goal mouth much like he is when with Cape Breton. In typical Adam fashion, his first goal of the tournament came when he pounced on a rebound in the high slot.

Adam's 25 goals and 52 points made him the Q's top point-getter at the time of his departure for Canada's selection camp. Last season, Tyler Myers returned from his excellent World Junior performance to turn in one of the most dominant second halves in recent CHL memory.

Canada and Team USA will drop the puck Thursday night at 8PM on NHL Network.

Rookie camp closes with White out

The Sabres rookie camp concluded on Friday with a 6-1 blowout win for Team White. I'm a little late to the plate, but here's what I saw as the rooks skated in their third scrimmage in three days before making room for the veterans.

Team Blue opened scoring early in the first when Luke Adam busted down the right side and slid a a 2-1 pass to Tyler Ennis. The shifty Ennis took a clean lane to net and used a quick deke before lifting the puck over Jhonas Enroth's shoulder.

It was all White from there.

A few shifts after the Blue tally, a blind centering feed from the corner made its way to the stick of Mark Pysyk. The 2010 first rounder calmly settled the puck and drilled a rising slapper past former Princeton Tiger Zane Kalemba to tie the score.

Marcus Foligno would give White the 2-1 lead when he tapped a Marc Mancari shot from the corner over the line. Mancari's throw made it through a group of two or three bodies and sat on the line for a second before getting knocked in. This is pretty much how Foligno will score the majority of his professional goals - using his big body to clean up rebounds and loose pucks near the paint.

Jacob Lagace would give White a 3-1 lead into the first intermission when he crashed the net and the momentum of the play carried the puck through Kalemba and over the line.

Lagace would score a more conventional "Jacob Lagace goal" on power play early in the second period when he drifted into the high slot and one-timed a Marcus Foligno pass top shelf to put White ahead 4-1.

Travis Turnbull fattened the White bottom line before the end of two, finishing a nice pass at the top of the crease from a breaking Dennis McCauley to make it 5-1.

The third period would come with a spike in hitting and the teams trading power plays. Cedrick Henley rocked the boards with a good finish behind the opposing net. Turnbull smoked Lagace along the near boards. Maxime Legault missed a golden opportunity to light up a retreating dman as the lead forward on a smart chip-and-charge.

The game's only near dust-up came when Felix Schutz and Nathan Gerbe exchanged pleasantries near the top of the frame. After the two collided on the near boards, the tenacious Gerbe immediately went looking for the German forward, offering a few pokes from behind that brought the pair nose-to-nose. Words were exchanged before Gerbe dropped his gloves and helmet, ran his hands through his hair, and put on the foil. Schutz, fresh off an unsuccessful AHL bout last season, opted to conserve energy and skate away from the fearless, 5'6 forward. The two closed their argument with an expletive-laced exchange that continued from the benches.

Corey Tropp would score the only goal of the period when fellow rookie Nick Crawford took the puck on the left boards, wound up in a shooting motion, but instead ripped a pass directly to his tape for the easy tip-in. The old Jason Woolley play. Final score: White 6, Blue 1.

Fourth-year man Marc-Andre Gragnani left the ice late in the first period and did not return after suffering a knee/leg injury as the result of a blocked shot. John Vogl of The Buffalo News reported that Gragnani left the arena before the end of the scrimmage, with more details becoming available on Saturday.

Gragnani still comes across very casual at even strength. Once he opted to pass across the front of his net, and another time he made what I felt was a lazy pass from the point to a cutting forward. He looks comfortable on the power play, but even then I was looking for more motion and a better sense of urgency.

Kevin Sundher, who stood out for his ability get the transition game to the neutral zone and advance the puck deep, was most impressive for his faceoff abilities. I stopped charting them after a string of consecutive wins demonstrated his knack for controlling the dot. Sundher is strong and smart and looks to be a key element to the Sabres' center position moving forward.

As expected, fellow 2010 third-rounder Matt MacKenzie held his own with the elevated level of competition. He limited his margin for error via low-risk decisions with Dennis Persson and later Corey Fienhage, and also rotated into PP time with T.J. Brennan after Gragnani left the game. Like Pysyk, MacKenzie plays the percentages and will be a better player with added strength. He had a clean look from the point in the second period, but didn't get all of it causing me to note "MacKenzie needs more mcmustard".

Good news for Portland forwards: Paul Byron is healthy and firing. I love his lightning-bolt style. I love his creativity. I would love him to wear some kevlar body armor because his high-flying offensive game and fearlessness would be a huge attribute for a full AHL season.

Mike Weber was another player who may have been saving his best for when the vets report. He played his usual stay-at-home style, and even exercised his trademark 'step-up and drill a guy' when meeting an oncoming rush. I've seen him do this with success in juniors and the "A", and I've seen him go for the same hit in the NHL and take himself out of the play. In the third period, he circled in his end with the puck and coughed it up due to the forechecking pressure of Zack Kassian.

Kassian continued his hard-driving ways Friday, coming back to his end with more determination and making plays along the boards to pin defensemen. A few times he found little holes that allowed him to go to the net, but his offense was generally limited. He's saying the right things off the ice and it looks like he's doing the right things on it. I still think there's an opportunity for him to make some noise in training camp, but one more season of maturity and junior success still presents the best long-term plan for the bruiser.

Fienhage is a physical monster who has already shown improvement over his summer camp performance. I love his athleticism and awareness, and you really notice his size and thickness in the corners where (at this level) he can box two guys out at once. There was one instance Friday where he stiff-armed an attacker and quickly shoveled the puck with his free hand to his defensive partner. Like this summer, there are other times when I'd prefer he was quicker in his breakout decisions but for now we're content watching his game take shape. He does a good job making sure guys don't get back door when he's facing the play.

Luke Adam at center? Yes, please. I've previously rattled on about the likelihood of Adam engaging the pro ranks as a left wing, but he likes to play the pivot and can succeed there if remains committed to his own-zone responsibilities. We'll see what Kevin Dineen thinks in a couple of weeks, but Adam is going to swoop into space and collect his share of goals regardless of where he lines up.

Corey Tropp on a line with Adam? Yes, please. It didn't happen Friday, but the former Michigan State Spartan continued to bring it on the forecheck and complete his assignments. Couple in his finishing ability, and Tropp has all the makings of forming a deadly combo with Adam at some point.

Jacob Lagace on a line with Byron and Derek Whitmore? Yes, please. The puck seems to find him, and he does well when he gets it. I made a comment to Vogl that Lagace and Ennis have the same instincts and shiftiness with their hands, but like Byron, Ennis just does everything faster. The current SabresProspects poll results are suggesting a runaway in rookie farm production, but pairing Lagace with a slick distributor like Byron will give the ex-Sag/Screaming Eagle every opportunity to narrow the perceived gap. Adam scored .478 goals per game in the QMJHL, while Lagace marked at a .471 clip.

Showing no signs of a stressed finger, Owen Sound's Steven Shipley dug his blades into the ice a few times as he went to the net. Doing that with regularity upon return to juniors should translate to serious offensive numbers.

Brennan continues to ascend the blueline pecking order in Portland with his up-ice thinking and steadiness in his zone. Brennan, who lined up with Gragnani on Blue's top power-play unit, is expected to be a player whose athleticism will carry to the next stage of development.

Paired with Brennan, Alex Biega executed well with the puck and looked to make some hits on the boards. Crawford will add a safe, two-way skill-set to the Pirate blueline in year one of his three-year deal.

Drew Schiestel continued to display positive elements while paired with Weber. All the tools are in hand, but this season is all about consistency. There was one particular instance where he returned to the bench shaking his head because he failed to make a crisp pass in the opposing end, but for now it's prudent to isolate his play in his own zone to determine how much he's developed. We'll reserve judgment until the start of the AHL season.

I was yapping away and saw a great sliding play to break up a 2-1 rush. I had it as 34 Blue - Riley Boychuk.

With the teams setting aside power time each period, here's what a couple of the units looked like:

Blue PP: Gerbe-Ennis-Kassian, Gragnani-Brennan (Brennan's partners rotated)
White PK: Lagace-Schutz, Schiestel, Weber

White PP: Foligno-Byron-Tropp/Lagace, Schiestel-Mancari
Blue PK: Kassian-Adam, Brennan-Fienhage

At one point, Lagace and Schutz nearly connected on a nice 2-1 PK break. The play referenced earlier where Kassian put heat on the retreating Weber came on the tail end of a White PP.

That's about it. The first batch of rooks (Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Gregg Sutch, Henley, Shipley, et.al) will be returned to their junior clubs in the next few days as the Sabres key on some positional battles en route to shaping their opening night roster.

Among the projected CHLers, I still think Brayden NcNabb and Kassian are two possibilities for pre-season time with Pysyk perhaps holding a slight chance at getting a taste before heading back west. Personally, I'd like to see how Fienhage and MacKenzie adjust to the quicker pace, but that's asking for too much seeing how the Sabres will have about 20 blueline bodies in town for main camp. How they decide to divide time before dispatching them all for their 2010-11 assignments remains to be seen.

Adam earns Q honors

Cape Breton center Luke Adam has been named QMJHL Offensive Player of the Month for October.

Luke Adam of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles is the award-winner on offence after tallying ten goals, including two game-winners, and twelve assists in fourteen games. Moreover, he posted a +10 rating while racking up twenty-two hits. The Screaming Eagles finished the month of October with a 9-4-0-1 record.

Sabres quest begins with Traverse City title

When Terry Pegula took control of the Buffalo Sabres with promises of a winning culture, Western New York hockey fans had no idea it would begin this early.

Victory celebrated in Traverse City

The Pegula Era's first training camp ramped up properly Wednesday, as the Sabres rookies defeated the New York Rangers, 5-2, to capture first place at the Traverse City Prospect Tournament. Marcus Foligno paced the Sabres prospects with a pair of goals, while Luke Adam posted a goal and an assist. Nathan Lieuwen made 21 saves to earn the win. Despite being outshot by a 23-22 margin, the Sabres never trailed en route to earning the title in their first-ever appearance in the highly scouted tourney.

The Sabres rode their beefy top line of Luke Adam (6'2, 203 lbs), Zack Kassian (6'3, 226), and Marcus Foligno (6'3, 216) early to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Adam, the reigning AHL Most Outstanding Rookie, snapped a high wrister over the shoulder of Scott Stajcer to get the Sabres on the board at 10:17. Just over three minutes later, the Newfoundland native would cause a turnover that allowed Kassian to find Foligno in front for an early two-goal lead. The Rangers were able to halve the deficit at 13:44 when 2011 first-round pick J.T. Miller beat Nathan Lieuwen cleanly from the slot.

The momentum shifted in the favor of the quick-footed blueshirts in the second period, but they were only able to capture a single tally as Chris Bourque capitalized on a Nick Crawford turnover at the top of the faceoff circle to knot the game 2-2 heading into the final frame.

Before the start of the third period, Rangers bench boss Ken Gernander set a goal for his squad to fire "25-30 shots on goal" in the final period. The Sabres apparently had different designs.

Corey Tropp, who earlier engaged in the game's only fight with former Niagara IceDog Jason Wilson, notched the game-winning goal just 1:28 in when he took a Phil Varone pass down the right side to beat Stajcer with high blast. The tournament-clinching marker caps a successful summer for the ex-Michigan State Spartan after the 6'0 forward potted a hat trick in the final Development Camp scrimmage.

With the Rangers pressing late, the Sabres were able to close the tourney with a pair of breakaway goals by Daniel Catenacci and Foligno, his second of the night.

Catenacci's goal with five minutes to play was a great hand-eye play from start-to-finish. Former Erie Otter Shawn Szydlowski picked a neutral zone pass out of mid-air, and immediately fed it to a breaking Catenacci, who made a deft backhand deke to give the Sabres the 4-2 lead.

The Sabres size advantage was put on display in the opening minutes when 6'4 rearguard Brayden McNabb wiped out 5'9 sniper Christian Thomas with a thunderous hit at the blueline. McNabb, who was suspended for a similarly timed hit on Colorado prospect Joey Hishon at the Memorial Cup in May, served two minutes for elbowing and drew some post-whistle attention for the balance of the period. Aside from the aforementioned scrap though, the game didn't escalate physically.

With a good read on his batch of youngsters, Sabres GM Darcy Regier will now sit with his hockey department to decide who will remain in Buffalo when the Sabres open camp over the weekend. Much like they did a year ago with Foligno, Kassian, and McNabb, it's reasonable to think that one or two CHL hopefuls (Mark Pysyk, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc) will stay for NHL pre-season exposure before retreating for their junior campaigns.

The Sabres will begin their NHL exhibition schedule Monday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.

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.

Adam tabbed for AHL honor

The American Hockey League announced today that Portland Pirates center Luke Adam has been named the Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month for October. In nine games, Adam tallied six goals, seven assists and a plus-6 rating to help the Pirates to the top of the Atlantic Division standings.

Adam’s professional career began on Oct. 9 with a four-point performance, including two third-period goals, in a 6-5 win over Manchester. He had a second four-point effort a week later, scoring one goal and assisting on three others in a 4-2 victory over Springfield on Oct. 16. Adam ran his goal-scoring streak to three games with markers at Bridgeport on Oct. 17 and vs. Manchester on Oct. 19, and had a goal and two assists as part of a 6-5 win at Norfolk on Oct. 29. Adam also earned two recalls to Buffalo during the month, making his NHL debut with the Sabres at Philadelphia on Oct. 26.

Please visit sabres.com for the complete story.

2/5 Recap: Adam eyeing 50

Luke Adam continued his wicked pace with two goals Friday, including the 100th of his QMJHL career, as Cape Breton doubled PEI 4-2. The 6'2 Adam, who also added an assist, reached the century mark on the power play at 9:20 of the third for the game winner. He’d later add his league-leading 37th of the year into an empty net with 15 seconds left in regulation.

Adam enters Saturday's contest at Halifax with 12 goals over his current seven-game scoring streak, and 21 in his last 14 games. With 15 contests remaining on the regular season slate, Adam has a very real shot at being the first Sabres prospect to notch 50 goals since Shawinigan's Jason Pominville hit for 57 in 2001-02. Pommer did it in 66 games, while Adam will top out at 57 if games if he plays out the schedule.

Maxime Legault and Jacob Lagacé were both held off the scoresheet for the winning Eagles. Legault maintained his RW spot on a hard hitting line with Pier-Antoine Dion and Taylor MacDougall, while Lagacé skated with Nick McNeil opposite Brad Cuzner. Jordon Southorn finished the game -1 for PEI after logging a -3 and a fighting major in Wednesday's 6-1 loss to Moncton.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno scored a goal and an assist in Sudbury's 8-5 loss to Sault Ste. Marie. In the third period, Foligno tipped in a pass from John McFarland for his 11th goal of the year to make it 6-5 before the Soo pulled away to close out the win.

In WHL play, Brayden McNabb finished -2 as Kootenay was shut down by Brandon, 4-1. On Wednesday, McNabb notched his 50th point of the season with an assist in the Ice's 2-1 win over Moose Jaw.

In the NCAA, Alex Biega (+1) scored a goal and an assist in Harvard's 5-2 win over Brown. Biega blasted a point shot through traffic for his second of the year on the power play minutes after his wide shot was scooped up for the Crimson's first goal of the game.

Drew MacKenzie was even as Vermont downed Providence, 5-1. The sophomore blueliner entered the game with points in three straight.

Corey Tropp was kept off the sheet as Michigan State lost 2-0 at Alaska. The junior has yet to register a point in five career games in Fairbanks.

Connor Knapp sat in his usual Friday spot as creasemate Cody Reichard set a new Miami record with his fifth shutout of the season in the RedHawks 2-0 win over Lake Superior. The 6'5 Knapp is expected to start for the RedHawks in Saturday's rematch. Prior to the win, team manager Brendan Burke and an 18-year old companion were killed in an automobile accident a half hour away from campus. Burke was the youngest son of Maple Leafs GM, Brian Burke.

In the USHL, Mark Adams contributed two shots on goal as Chicago lost to Cedar Rapids, 5-2. The Steel have lost three in a row.

In Thursday OHL action, Nick Crawford picked up an assist as Barrie dropped a 3-2 decision to Mississauga. The defenseman, who skated for the Eastern Conference All-Stars in Tuesday's 17-10 win over the West, now has 10 goals and 44 assists this season.

Adam, Byron to face Russians

Sabres prospects Luke Adam and Paul Byron have been selected to skate for the QMJHL in next month's ADT Canada/Russia Challenge.

Players from the QMJHL eligible to play for Canada at the 2009 world junior hockey championships (age 19 and under) starting Dec. 26 in Ottawa were chosen to the squad that will face a team of Russian select players Nov. 17 in Sydney, N.S., and Nov. 19 in Saint John, N.B. The Russians will then face the Ontario Hockey League and conclude the series against the Western Hockey League. The Canadian Hockey League is hosting the Russians in a six-game series for the sixth straight year. The CHL is 25-5 versus Russia. The players for the Canada-Russia Challenge will be evaluated by Hockey Canada head scout Al Murray, Quinn and Boucher for possible invitations to the Canadian junior team’s selection camp in early December. “It’s a great opportunity for the players to get some national exposure,” Boucher said in a statement. “There are two things that players need to focus on to stand out: speed and feistiness. When comparing two equally talented players, the one who battles and ultimately comes out with the puck will draw the most attention.”

The full QMJHL roster is as follows: Goaltenders - Jake Allen (Montreal); Maxime Clermont (Gatineau); Olivier Roy (Cape Breton). Defencemen - Mathieu Brodeur (Cape Breton); Marc-Andre Bourdon (Rouyn-Noranda); Simon Despres (Saint John); Brandon Gormley (Moncton); Alex Grant (Saint John); Hubert Labrie (Gatineau); Kevin Marshall (Quebec); Charles-Antoine Roussel (Shawinigan); Marco Scandella (Val-d’Or); Yann Sauve (Saint John). Forwards - Luke Adam (Montreal); Paul Byron (Gatineau); Jordan Caron (Rimouski); Patrice Cormier (Rimouski); Philippe Cornet (Rimouski); Nicolas Deschamps (Chicoutimi); Christopher DiDomenico (Saint John); Angelo Esposito (Montreal); Olivier Fortier (Rimouski); Dave Labrecque (Shawinigan); Logan MacMillan (Halifax); Maxime Sauve (Val-d’Or); Kelsey Tessier (Quebec) Last season, Jean-Simon Allard replaced the injured Benjamin Breault (at that point a Sabres prospect) for Team QMJHL.

Summer school wraps for future hopefuls

With the Sabres concluding their 2010 Development Camp on Friday, there's little doubt that the 40+ players in attendance rejoiced at the sound of the final buzzer. Temperatures reached the 90's in Western New York, creating a grueling backdrop for a week involving lessons in physical fitness and on-ice drill work. The action was tighter on Thursday, and needless to say the play was somewhat sloppier by the time Friday's scrimmage took place.

I can't imagine the Sabres are looking for excuses about players being gassed though, as the development camp is a large part of their team building strategy. The old days of drafting a player and hoping he develops with his amateur club are long gone. The organizational coaching begins immediately and continues throughout the season with video, mid-stream visits, and phone calls. Jobs aren't won or list at these sessions, but it's in the players best interests to leave everything they have on the ice including pools of lactate.

I'll post some brief notes below. Some of this has been tweeted and I'm not sure I'll cover all of the players. Additional remarks will drive content for the new Top 25 rankings...

- There's not really a ton to note on the goaltending front. Jhonas Enroth continued to be the pacesetter, showing good angles and a refined "paddle down" approach as a result of the week's work with Jim Corsi. He's getting better at challenging the shooter....The closest to Enroth in terms of size and athleticism, North Dakota goalie Brad Eidsness exhibited his sharp reflexes and technique in drill work, and made a few decent saves in the scrimmages. A couple juicy rebounds were kicked back, but for the most part no egregious positioning errors were recorded...Nick Eno appeared to be fighting the puck in the Thursday scrimmage. but was more composed on Friday.  He's a big kid who can hold ground in tight, but his puckhandling is still a little suspect....The biggest goaltender in the system, Connor Knapp kept it simple by covering most of the net and steering most of his rebounds. He played the puck well aside from a gaffe in the Friday scrimmage that created a goal against. He's got the size and mechanics, but his hang up will be quickness. Pekke Rinne is an athletic freak, but regardless he is the NHL standard for big goaltenders. Of all the positions, goaltending is the hardest one to gauge at these off-season camps due to the lack of action and rhythm leading in.

- Definitely the case on Friday, T.J. Brennan may very have been the best defenseman throughout the entire camp. Good at moving the puck north-south, Brennan got more involved over the course of the two scrimmages. His defense looks sturdy, with his 6'0 frame and added upper body strength creating a situation where he can drive upward on a guys chest with his forearm to break up plays. He got turned around and caught watching when Corey Tropp made a great feed to Luke Adam on Thursday, but overall he committed few mistakes and looks to be a guy who is more in-tune with how to pick his spots matriculating the puck. If I'm looking at year-over-growth, Brennan was most impressive.

- I really enjoy watching Marcus Foligno patrol the zone and finish his checks. His pivoting has vastly improved and his pursuit routes are where they need to be. I'm less enthused by the hat trick he posted in Friday's scrimmage, and more excited by the feeling that Foligno may very well be future letter material. Regarding his offense, Foligno will collect loads of rebounds and tap-ins inside the hash marks. Frankly, I think he's more effective when he doesn't need to think about making a play. He lined up at center this week. He's not even 19 yet, but I really like where his development is heading.

- Similar to previous viewings, Chilliwack's Kevin Sundher competed and created at a high level throughout the course of the week. Sundher looks good entering the zone, using his body and lateral movement to create angles for additional passing options. Just a very aware player wired to produce under pressure. His shot is pretty accurate, and it's clear that the Sabres have themselves a natural center option brewing.

- Brayden McNabb is going to be a tough cut for Team Canada this winter. The simpler the better - both physically and offensively. He's solid in front of his net, and he works hard to keep the puck down low in the opposing end.  When Chris Butler wrenched his back on Thursday, McNabb was traded between periods to assume his spot on team blue.

- 2010 third-rounder Matt MacKenzie looked like a  camp veteran out there. Sure being a late-'91 birth date may have something to do with it, but his composure and vision were top notch. He scored a beautiful backhand goal on Thursday when he shot in the left lane and roofed it stick side. I like his level of engagement and thought he communicated well with his partner. Not a lot of flash, but very good overall.

- A pair of recent signees, Luke Adam and Corey Tropp, lined up with Nathan Gerbe for what was perhaps the best juxtaposition of skill sets in camp. Gerbe motors, Adam gets space, and Tropp battles. All three can shoot. If Gerbe goes down to Portland to begin the season, here is one of your projected scoring units. Adam continued to consistently swoop into scoring position and get off his thick shot. Tropp went hard, faring well one-on-one to both distribute and get shots off.  

- Christian Isackson has the vision and offensive understanding to get the job done. An excellent passer, this kid has good hand-eye coordination and understands how to use the space that's given to him to better use his teammates. The future Gopher made a few nice set ups in the Friday session.  If he can improve his first three strides and hit a higher top end, expect Isackson to make some noise in the WCHA down the road. Nothing short of an excellent find by the Sabres Minnesota bird dog, Nik Fattey.

- Gregg Sutch was very businesslike all week, showing good puck control skills and strength on the forecheck. Nice framework for a checking line forward. He made a nice play in Friday's scrimmage to get to the crease on Knapp, but couldn't slide the puck past the wall. Had a wraparound attempt as well that rolled on him.

- Aside from guys like Ennis, Gerbe, and Byron, Jacob Lagace may have the most talented set of shooting hands among the forward prospects. He was automatic in drill work from between the dots and he worked to get to front of the cage. When the real action takes place, I still have lingering concerns about his play away from the puck. He's going to score his share of goals for sure, but whether it's at the AHL or NHL level will be determined by his desire to pay the price to light the lamp.

- A full season of regular ice time and weight room activity in the USHL has had a positive impact on Roo Adams. He's looks bigger and more adjusted to the flow. He did commit a stick penalty in one of the scrimmages to compensate for a guy getting past him, but the coaching of Tim Army and David Berard should greatly benefit the big kid over his career at Providence.

- Another NE prep/USHL product, Drew MacKenzie, looked a year wiser. A straight forward "classic defenseman", MacKenzie is steady and good at staying within his box. Guys that do too much get exposed and he rarely does that.

- The youngest player in camp, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc has some things to work on but clearly has the tools to generate offense down the road. Good feet and a decent defensive foundation in place. I think he understands and is more committed to his defensive responsibilities than Marc-Andre Gragnani at the same stage, but I'd be lying if I didn't deem the few shifts he had paired with Dennis Persson as adventurous. Granted much of that was due to Persson coughing the puck up twice within their first :20 together. As a whole Gauthier-Leduc didn't seem to get overpowered along the boards and made good decisions to get the puck out of his end. 

- Mark Pysyk is smart, smart, smart. He goes to the right places positionally and is decisive with the puck. Real good vision. His skating is smooth and effortless as if he's on rails, and his shot stays low and gets through. When the going gets tough, I expect Pysyk to adjust with a conservative yet effective style. No issues from last season's foot injury.

- Zack Kassian is simply a specimen. Long arms and torso and thick as a tree trunk. He carves the ice at every turn, and while his feet generally stay moving, I've yet to see an extra gear (both ways). He can pump a shot and he showed some deft little puck plays, but overall there wasn't a ton of intensity in the scrimmages when guys like Travis Turnbull and Maxime Legault were tossing their weight around.

- The unit of Legault-Turnbull-Riley Boychuk was quite physical. Solid at the dot, Turnbull always looks good in these camps. Legault put forth a consistent drive and finished what he could. Boychuk has some skating work to do, but his size and shot as a 19-year old are a welcome addition. 

- I can't say that Justin Jokinen put forth a better effort than last year's camp, but I'm getting the feeling that he's just getting started. You see the size and basic offensive elements, but he needs to put it together this season to validate the package. A few times he entered the zone and appeared to pull up and think about what he wanted to do, giving the defender time to close on him and force an unfavorable outcome. He can fix this and I think it will happen with increaseed ice time as a junior.

- Steve Shipley didn't do a ton to get noticed. He made some decent effort plays in drill and width-wise shinnies on Wednesday. His feet will drive his compete moving forward, but you can see offensive elements.

- I thought Nick Crawford displayed his cool nature on the ice. Another guy who communicated well, Crawford is patient with the puck and good with his angles and gaps. He was a shutdown guy in the OHL, and it'll be interesting to see how he takes guys coming at him at top speed in the AHL. His upper body will need a little work.

- I mentioned Drew Schiestel's agility on Twitter. Looks to be more in control with the puck. Good shot, but like Brennan, didn't get many chances to pop it off. I expect gradual improvement defensively in year two. Consistency is the key in his own end since he has little issue helping push it up ice. He loves his forehand/backhand deke on the breakaway.

- Cedrick Henley is another long, lanky player who can go nowhere but up. He's pretty average with his skating and stick skills in his 6'5 frame, but his presence at the edge of the crease can cause trouble for the opposition. That alone should see him score 15 goals in the QMJHL next year.

- Paul Byron did not attend camp due to a bout with mononucleosis. Tough blow for one of the speedier, more offensively talented Pirate forwards. Byron joins Brad Eidsness, Corey Tropp, Luke Adam, and Drew MacKenzie as players to battle the infection after being drafted by the Sabres.

- Another skater, rearguard Corey Fienhage, was in town but did not see the ice due to a foot injury suffered in summer workouts. Fienhage recently bolted the University of North Dakota to see more playing time with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL.

Feel free to fire questions about guys not mentioned or if you need me to expand on anything above. Next up, the adjusted Top 25. 

Adam goes national with CHL honor

Luke Adam has been named CHL Player of the Week for February 15th-21st, edging Spokane's Mitch Wahl (WHL) and Sarnia's Tyler Peters (OHL).

Adam led the Screaming Eagles to three wins picking up two three-point games to finish the week including his best effort played on Sunday where he was named first star of a 4-1 win over the Halifax Mooseheads scoring two goals including the game-winner and adding one assist. He also scored a goal and two assists Friday night in a 6-4 win over the Mooseheads, after contributing a single assist in a 5-3 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday.

Adam, a 19-year-old from St. John’s, NL, is playing in his fourth QMJHL season and first with the Screaming Eagles after two seasons with the St. John’s Fog Devils and competing last season with the Montreal Juniors. Adam, a second round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and member of Canada’s National Junior Team, leads the league with 43 goals and is ranked third overall in points with 79 in 48 games played.

12/10 Recap: Adam leaves mark with national team in mind

Does anyone think Luke Adam is ready for Team Canada's Selection Camp?

Playing in his final game Thursday before departing for a world junior tryout in Saskatchewan, the Cape Breton forward scored four times in the Screaming Eagles 7-5 win over Victoriaville. Adam's +4 output vaults him into the QMJHL goal scoring lead with an even 25, and second overall in total points with 52 in 32 games.

Starting on Saturday, Adam will join 35 other players, including 15 from last January's gold medal winners, for the rights to wear the Canadian maple leaf in the World Junior Championships. A bubble player heading into the 2009 schedule, SabresProspects has Adam in strong contention for a role on the fourth line pending a good showing in the camp scrimmages. He's not the quickest skater, but his timely playmaking, use of size, and adequate two-way abilities could make him a hidden gem at either center or wing.

In the OHL, Zack Kassian was -1 as Peterborough edged Niagara, 3-2. The Sabres' first round pick last June, Kassian has eight goals and 23 points in 25 games this season.

10/10 Recap: Crawford piles helpers; Adam jamming

In the OHL, fourth-year defenseman Nick Crawford posted a career-best four assists on Saturday as Saginaw cruised past Belleville, 8-3. The 6'1 Crawford now has 12 points in nine games. Josh Shalla ('10) had a hat trick for the Spirit, while summer camper Adam Payerl connected on the power play for the Bulls. Marcus Foligno finished -1 as Sudbury was handed a 9-2 beatdown by Plymouth. Tyler Seguin ('10) had an even strength hat trick and two assists for the Whalers. At 6'1, 190 pounds, the 17-year old center leads the OHL with 14 goals, three hatties, and 11 assists in 10 games, and would be an ideal first-round target for the Sabres next June. In the QMJHL, Luke Adam extended a career-best six-game point streak with a pair of assists as Cape Breton lost to Saint John, 5-2. The big pivot paced the Eagles with six shots on goal and four hits, and continued to show improvement at the dot by taking 13 of 18 draws, but his club was forced into multiple turnovers by the hard skating Sea Dogs. Adam, who had a nice center ice collision with Dog dman Simon Despres (PIT), will enter Sunday's rematch as Cape Breton's leading scorer with 13 points (4+9) including eight in his last three games. Jordon Southorn (+2) assisted on both Rocket goals as PEI edged Rouyn-Noranda, 2-1 in OT. With Southorn putting forth a sound effort at both of the ice, Sabres Prospects continues to be impressed with undrafted Rocket, Adam Polasek. The import defenseman can skate with the puck, makes smart decisions, and likes the physical game. PEI was playing their first game under new head coach Eric Lavigne after the firing of Guy Chouinard earlier in the week. In Saturday college action, Corey Tropp had two power play assists as Michigan State swept Clarkson with a 4-3 win. The junior right wing had back-to-back multi-point efforts for the first time in his NCAA career, and seems to be clicking on the Spartans first line with Nick Sucharski and former BCHLer Derek Grant. Sophomore Connor Knapp was sharp in his first start of the year, stopping 20 shots to earn his third career shutout in Miami's 2-0 blanking of St. Cloud. Knapp directed the puck well, but was rarely tested by the Husky forwards. The #1 RedHawks will continue their Friday/Saturday goaltender rotation when they travel to New Hampshire next weekend. In Grand Forks, Brad Eidsness made 16 saves as North Dakota pushed off to a 2-0 season start with a 3-2 win over Merrimack. The Warriors were a little more active around the NoDak goalmouth, but Eidsness held his ground with good rebound cpntrol. Corey Fienhage was again a scratch for the Sioux as Dave Hakstol dressed a pair of freshmen ahead of him this weekend. Drew MacKenzie had an assist as Vermont defeated Denver, 6-4. Summer camper Brayden Irwin (#1 star) had two goals to lead the Catamounts, who earned the weekend split with the win. In the KHL, Vjacheslav Buravchikov was +1 as Ak Bars lost to Atlant, 4-3.

Sabres ink Adam

Sources close to both sides of the equation are indicating that Luke Adam has been signed to a three-year entry-level contract by the Buffalo Sabres. Adam, who recently finished second in voting for QMJHL MVP after a 49-goal campaign in Cape Breton, will head to Portland to join the Pirates in preparation for the start of the AHL playoffs.

Adam, 19, comes to the Sabres after a dominating second half that saw him return from Team Canada's silver medal winning performance at the 2010 World Junior Championships to score 24 goals in the Eagles' final 23 games. The 6'2 center totaled 90 points in all to finish fifth in QMJHL scoring while his 1.61 points-per-game was tops in the league.

The St. John's, Newfoundland native can play center and left wing while contributing down low on the power play. Adam, who approaches the game with "a passion for scoring goals", lit the lamp with a respectable 17.8 shooting percentage this past season to set the table for a professional entry.

Adam contributes as Canadians earn bye

Luke Adam was +2 with an assist as Canada came back to defeat Team USA, 5-4 in a shootout. With a win in the tournament's most exciting game to date, the Canadians earn a bye into the semifinals where they will battle the winner of Russia and Switzerland. The Americans will next face Finland, with the winner getting Team Sweden for a right to play for the gold medal.

The 6'2, 210-pound Adam earned an assist at 2:03 of the first period when Stefan Della Rovere barreled to the net for the first goal of the game. Adam later played a big part in the third Canadian goal by planting his big body in front of USA netminder Jack Campbell, creating enough of a distraction for Jordan Eberle to slip the puck into the net. Trailing 4-2 before Eberle's tally, the goal was the momentum shifter that brought the Saskatoon crowd back to life before Alex Pietrangelo's sniping corner pick tied the game and forced the tiebreaking session.

Adam did not see the ice in the 4-4 overtime or earn a shootout attempt, but his defined role continues to make an impact as Canada aims for a sixth straight gold medal.

2/14 Recap: Lagacé nets winner, Adams hits 40 in big win

In Sunday QMJHL action, Luke Adam buried a backhand for his 40th goal of the season and Jacob Lagacé notched the controversial game winner as Cape Breton defeated top-ranked Saint John, 4-2.

Lagacé made a clean steal and found Adam in front of the Sea Dogs net to get the Eagles on the board in the opening period. The mark extended Adam's current streak to 10 straight games with a goal. The Q's leading goal-getter, Adam would later return the favor, earning an assist as Lagacé finished off a short-handed transition play in the third period to cement the win over the reigning #1 club in CHL Mastercard Rankings. Play continued after Lagacé's winning shot, but the goal was awarded after review. Maxime Legault (6 PIM) did not factor in to any of the Eagles goals.

Adam and Lagacé's goals are captured as part of the video recap below:



Elsewhere, Brayden McNabb was even as Kootenay doubled up Saskatoon, 6-3. The 6’4 defender was victimized by an ill-advised pinch that led to the first Blades goal. Later in the second, McNabb was cross-checked hard into the boards by Charles Inglis causing a pair of fights and two ejections.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno was even as Sudbury continued their recent struggles with a 5-0 loss at London.