First intermission: Brennan scores, Adam leveled

Defenseman T.J. Brennan scored the opening goal of today's contest between Montreal and the #2 team in the CHL Mosaik Top-10, Cape Breton. Brennan's second of the season was the only goal mustered by the Juniors in the period, as the score stands at a 1-1 tie after 20:00 of action. With 2:14 to go, 6'2, 203-pound Luke Adam had the boom lowered on him by a Jan Piskacek hip check as he cut across the middle just inside the Cape Breton blue. Clearly shaken on the play, Adam went immediately to the dressing room for the rest of the period. However, Adam is skating as the teams hit the ice for the second period. The Juniors will be without top-line center Angelo Esposito for the rest of the afternoon. The Thrashers prospect immediately jumped Piskacek after the blow to Adam, picking up an instigator, fighting major, and game misconduct. The contest featuring two of the QMJHL's elite goaltenders in Jake Allen (STL) and Olivier Roy ('09 eligible) has seen a fair of amount of offense with a combined 23 shots in the first period. Roy, who in previous viewings has been a lights-out type of stopper, doesn't seem as sharp thus far. Allen on the other hand has been very good, including a few nice saves down low late in the period.

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.

2/27 Recap: Adam plays trick, continues tear

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11/28 Recap: Adam stars; Byron hangs ten

Luke Adam (+2) earned the game's #1 star with a goal and two assists, and T.J. Brennan (+1) added an empty-netter as Montreal downed Val-d'Or, 5-2. Adam, who was a machine with five blocked shots, notched his first goal in six Q games despite scoring in both of Team QMJHL's tilts with Russia in the ADT Challenge. In Shawinigan, Jacob Lagacé (-1) had a goal and a game-high six shots on goal in Chicoutimi's 5-2 loss to the Cataractes. The goal, his 11th of the season, was his first in five games as the quality road effort was rewarded with the game's #2 star. Paul Byron had an assist to extend his point streak to ten games, yet Gatineau fell to Victoriaville, 5-3. The loss ends the Piques run of four consecutive wins. Jean-Simon Allard assisted on the game-winning goal as Quebec defeated Baie-Comeau, 4-1. The Alma, QC native has three goals and four assists in his past four games for a total of 22 on the year. Also from the Q, Jordon Southorn (2 PIM) finished -1 in PEI's 4-1 loss to Rimouski. In OHL play, Nick Crawford scored for Saginaw in their 4-2 loss at Windsor. The goal, Crawford's second of the year, came :09 into a first period power play after he was checked from behind by the Spits Adam Wallace. St. Lawrence defenseman Matt Generous (+1) posted an assist in the Saints' 4-3 win over #17 Massachusetts. The senior now has five points (2+3) in his last seven games. Freshman Brad Eidsness made 21 saves in the North Dakota crease as the Sioux scored four third period goals to close out Cornell, 7-3. Eidsness has been in the net for all five NoDak victories this season. Corey Fienhage was in the lineup for North Dakota, earning a high sticking penalty while playing bottom pair minutes. At the College Hockey Showcase in Madison, Corey Tropp had two shots on goal as Michigan State lost to Wisconsin, 3-1. Spartan goalie Jeff Lerg made 50 saves in defeat. Justin Jokinen was scratched as Minnesota State played to a 2-2 tie with Bowling Green. Sophomore goaltender Nick Eno remains out of the Falcons lineup with an ankle injury.

10/17 Recap: Orpik drops rare deuce; Adam apple of Juniors O

Andrew Orpik had a pair of assists as #1 Boston College defeated Bowling Green, 5-3. Both points came on the power play as the Thayer product notched his first multi-point game since 10/31/06 when he had a pair of helpers at Providence. Brock Bradford (BOS) paced BC with two goals and an assist in the win. Jimmy Spratt (CAL) took the loss for Bowling Green as Nick Eno remained out for a second straight week with a tender ankle. The Eagles will drive across town to face Northeastern tomorrow, while the Falcons head to Providence. In the QMJHL, Luke Adam had a goal and an assist to rescue a dormant Montreal offense in their 3-2 win over Rouyn-Noranda. The Juniors suffered two shutout losses while Adam recovered from a sore knee, and the big forward marked his return with two points in the game's first six minutes. Adding to a common theme, Adam was the game leader in SOG (6) and blocks (5). Defenseman T.J. Brennan had a power play assist and a game-best four hits for the winners. In the West, Tyler Myers (-2, 2 PIM) had an assist in Kelowna's wild 8-6 loss to Everett. Trailing 4-3 entering the third, the Rockets all of sudden found themselves with a 6-4 lead with 9:47 left to play. However, the Tips pumped out four unanswered goals in the final 8:14 to earn the win. The game featured a crunching first period hit by the 6'8 Myers on 5'6 Zack Dailey that left the Tip forward feeling the effect for a couple of shifts.. Also in the Dub, Tyler Ennis (+1) assisted on a gorgeous short-handed play as Medicine Hat shut out Chilliwack, 3-0. The 5'9 forward now has seven points (2+5) in ten games. The Tigers square off with a rugged Regina squad on Saturday. Elsewhere in the NCAA, Justin Jokinen went pointless as Minnesota State scored three short-handed goals to spark their 5-1 pounding of North Dakota. Defenseman Corey Fienhage had a strong performance for the Sioux, finishing as one of six skaters to be even or better while showing his true colors with a roughing minor. Brad Eidsness was the back-up to Aaron Walski, and should get the start on Saturday when the two schools play it back. Drew MacKenzie was -1 as #17 Vermont upended #7 Miami, 4-3. MacKenzie was on the ice for the third Redhawks as the Catamounts move to 2-0 with the win. St. Lawrence defenseman Matt Generous was even with a shot on net in the Saints' 5-3 win over Niagara. SLU will head east to Rochester for a Saturday match-up with RIT. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla had four shots on goal in Cologne's 5-1 loss to Wolfsburg. With another loss, the Sharks remain second-to-last in the league standings. Drew Schiestel (-1) notched another assist as Niagara lost at Plymouth, 5-4. The Dogs power play is clicking with eight goals in four games, and the Hamilton native now has a point in six straight to equal his previous best run from last March. Nick Crawford was -2 in Saginaw's 3-0 shutout loss to Barrie. It was just the second time this season that the Caledon, Ontario native finished the game with a minus rating. The Spirit will host Schiestel's Dogs on Saturday. Also from the collegiate ranks, Michigan State winger Corey Tropp has come down with mono, obviously keeping him out of the lineup in the Spartans 3-1 win over Lowell. Expecting him to ready for next week's battle with Northern seems unreasonable at this point. The focus is on getting rest, and we all hope he gets well as quickly as possible.

2/19 Recap: Adam gets 41st; Eidsness, Eno earns W's

Luke Adam coupled his 41st goal with a pair assists on Friday to lead Cape Breton in a 6-4 comeback win over Halifax. The league's leading goal getter, Adam also notched a career-best 10 shots on goal to pace the Screaming Eagle attack. Cape Breton trailed 3-0 after the first thirty minutes before evening the score entering the third. Jacob Lagacé added his 33rd goal of the year into an empty net with :15 to play, while Maxime Legault finished the night at -1.

Lagacé avoided serious injury when he took a knee-on-knee hit from Moose dman Garrett Clarke midway through the third period. The 2011 eligible Clarke received a major and a game misconduct, while Lagacé returned to see time on the ensuing power play.

On Wednesday Legault had a goal and two assists as the Screaming Eagles defeated Shawinigan, 5-3. Adam, who saw his ten-game goal scoring streak snapped, and Lagacé each had an assist in the win.

Elsewhere Friday, Jordon Southorn was even as PEI doubled Shawinigan, 4-2.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno scored his 12th goal of the year as Sudbury edged Niagara, 2-1. The big forward snapped home his own rebound on the power play to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead late in the first period.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb scored his 16th goal of the season as Kootenay dropped a 6-4 decision to Spokane. The 6'4 left-side defender went high glove side through a screen to give the Ice a 4-3 lead late in the second period, but the Chiefs answered back :26 later for their first of three unanswered goals to get the win.

In Friday NCAA play, Brad Eidsness made 31 saves in what may have been his best performance of the year as #11 North Dakota defeated #6 Duluth, 5-2. Clutch saves, good rebound control and better positioning than his previous Friday outing were marks of his solid all-around evening. Corey Fienhage was -1 for the Sioux.

Nick Eno made 21 saves and earned an assist on the game winning goal as Bowling Green upset Notre Dame, 4-3. The Falcons, who beat the Irish for the first time since January 2005, rallied for a quick-strike third period after entering the final 20-minutes trailing 3-1. Eno was beaten five-hole on a power play, by a clean wrister on a partial short-handed breakaway, and glove side on a screen by shot from the point.

Corey Tropp earned an assist in his first game at the center position as #12 Michigan State lost to #14 Ferris State, 4-2.

Drew MacKenzie picked up an assist as #17 Vermont lost in overtime to #13 New Hampshire, 5-4. The sophomore punched a shot to the net that caused a down-low goal on the rebound to tie the game 3-3.

Alex Biega contributed two shots on goal as Harvard was shut out by #10 Cornell, 3-0.

Connor Knapp served as backup as #1 Miami downed Nebraska-Omaha, 6-2.

Justin Jokinen was scratched as Minnesota State defeated visiting Alaska-Anchorage, 5-2.

In the USHL, Mark Adams registered a pair of minor penalties as Chicago defeated Sioux Falls, 1-0.

On Thursday, Nick Crawford was +3 with an assist as Barrie registered 55 shots on goal in a 6-4 win over Oshawa.

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

Luke Adam scored his QMJHL-leading 38th goal of the season on Saturday to extend his scoring streak to eight straight games as Cape Breton lost to Halifax, 3-2. Big and strong on the puck, Adam has often looked like a man amongst boys since returning from the World Junior Championships. To chart his run against other recent Q stars, the 6'2 center will need a goal in each of his next six games to equal Sidney Crosby's mark of goals in 14 straight with Rimouski back in 2004-05.

Jacob Lagacé moved back up to the top line to earn an assist on Adam's mark, while Maxime Legault was given the night off due to a nagging injury. Lagacé, who has one goal and nine assists in 12 games since being traded from Chicoutimi, appeared frustrated at times with The Mooseheads physical play and even earned a 10-minute misconduct in the middle frame after chirping at the refs.

In the OHL, Marcus Foligno saw his three-game point streak snapped as Sudbury was blown out by Mississauga-St. Mike's, 8-3. Trailing 4-2 near the end of the second period, Foligno got in his sixth scrap of the season by taking on defenseman Brett Flemming. The 6'3 aggressor yelled to jack up his team on his way to the box, but the pep talk did little to rally the troops as the Wolves were outscored 4-1 in the final period to conclude the poor home-ice effort.



Also from the O, Nick Crawford was +1 as Barrie slid past Sault Ste. Marie, 4-3.

In the WHL, Brayden McNabb was -3 as Kootenay collapsed in a 5-4 OT loss to Regina. The Ice held a 4-2 lead late before allowing the Pats to score two goals in the final 1:53 of regulation and cash the momentum in overtime.

In an emotional night in Oxford, Connor Knapp made a season-high 38 saves as #1 Miami pounded hard-skating Lake Superior, 10-4. The team sported the initials "BB" on the back of their helmets and held a moment of silence for team Brendan Burke, the RedHawks team manager who was killed on Friday. Miami and Knapp were both solid in building an 8-1 lead through two periods before winding down a difficult 24-hours with some minor letdowns in the final 20-minutes. Knapp will take a 6-2-3 record, 2.04 goals-against-average, and .917 save percentage into next weekend's set with Bowling Green.

Corey Tropp assisted on the lone Spartans goal as #12 Michigan State tied Alaska-Fairbanks, 1-1. Playing the center position for the first time in his career, the 6-footer rang a post on the power play shortly before netting his 20th assist on a goal by Jeff Petry. The helper was his first point in six career games at Fairbanks, giving him a line of 19-20-39 on the season.

Elsewhere, Alex Biega was -1 as Harvard lost an Ivy league battle with #8 Yale, 6-3. Yale dominated play early and closed strong with four third period goals.

Drew MacKenzie registered a shot on goal as #17 Vermont played to a 1-1 tie with Providence. The Catamounts will host Merrimack next weekend.

In the USHL, Mark Adams picked up four minor penalties, two for tripping and one each for roughing and delay of game, as Chicago lost to Green Bay, 2-1. Through 33 games of his only Jr. "A" season, the 6'3 rearguard has collected three goals, three assists, and 54 PIM while accumulating a -4 rating for the 15-20-5 Steel.

11/7 Recap: Eidsness bests #1; Adam pots pair

If you've been reading this space of late, we've talked about a looming shake-up in Gatineau where the Piques were riding a ten-game losing streak heading into Friday's game with Montreal. The shake-up came this week with Mario Richer resigning as coach, and being replaced by former NHLer Jerome Dupont. Gatineau owned the opening period of the new boss' debut, scoring three times on 17 shots, but Montreal stormed back with six unanswered goals for the win. Luke Adam lit the lamp twice, while the Juniors won their second straight game on T.J. Brennan's winner midway through the third period. Brennan and Adam also posted assists on the night, while the Piques' Paul Byron had a power play goal in the 6-3 loss. In other Q action from Friday, Jacob Lagacé scored a goal and an assist in Chicoutimi's 3-2 win over Victoriaville. Tied at one apiece heading into the third, Lagacé first set up Nicolas Deschamps (ANA) at 2:47, then scored his ninth of the year for the game winner about ten minutes later. Jordon Southorn scored a goal for PEI in their 4-3 loss to Cape Breton. The power play marker was Southorn's second of the season, and his play has been both improved and inspired since his return from suspension. J.S. Allard scored his fifth goal of the season as Quebec defeated Baie-Comeau, 8-6. The Remparts went 4/9 on the power play to earn the win. In the OHL, Nick Crawford was +2 in Saginaw's 7-2 win over Ottawa. His +8 for the season ranks him 20th overall in the O. From the WHL, Tyler Ennis scored his eighth goal of the year in Medicine Hat's 4-2 loss to Regina. Ennis tied the game at 2-2 early in the third when he raced in on a short-handed breakaway and made a nifty deke before roofing the puck over Linden Rowat (LA). The Pats would counter with two goals of their own to seal the victory. In NCAA play, Brad Eidsness made 29 saves as visiting North Dakota defeated #1 Colorado College, 3-1. Eidsness, who moved to 3-2 on the year, made many great saves to earn the W and should be back between the pipes when the two clubs play it back on Saturday. Freshman defenseman Corey Fienhage did not travel with the club for the weekend set. Alex Biega (+1) assisted on both Crimson goals as #18 Harvard lost to RPI, 3-2. The junior now has three points in three games. Matt Generous (+1) notched his first point* of the season, assisting on the overtime winner as St. Lawrence defeated Yale, 3-2. The senior started the game-winning play as he broke into the Yale zone and sent a shot just wide of the net. The puck was corralled and fed back to Brandon Bollig, who poked the puck over the line. Andrew Orpik was -1 as #2 Boston College suffered a 4-1 upset loss to #12 Notre Dame. The rematch of last year's NCAA final kicked off a Holy War weekend as the two school's football teams will also meet on Saturday. Corey Tropp (-1) returned to the #11 ranked Spartans lineup after a bout with mono in their 3-0 loss to Ohio State. In Alaska, Justin Jokinen (2 PIM) was even in #13 Minnesota State's 5-3 win over Anchorage. Freshman Drew MacKenzie was even in #16 Vermont's 2-2 tie with Providence. In the AHL, Tim Kennedy scored the shootout winner but saw his nine-game point streak snapped as Portland edged Springfield, 2-1. Mark Mancari scored on the power play, with Nathan Gerbe being credited with the assist. Adam Dennis made 26 saves to earn the win, while Mike Funk made his first appearance of the season after a concussion delayed the start of his schedule. The Rundown: Mancari: 1G, 6 SOG Gerbe: 1A, 7 SOG Kennedy: -1 Butler: 2 PIM Weber: even Schutz: 1 SOG Funk: 2 PIM Gragnani: 3 SOG Zagrapan: 2 PIM Funk: 2 PIM Kostka: -1 Whitmore: 2 SOG Card: even Dennis: 26 saves *Generous still hasn't been credited with an assist on Zach Miscovic's game winner against UNH a few weeks back.

Adam chasing NHL dream

Friday's Montreal Gazette featured a story on Juniors leading goal man, Luke Adam. Adam's father Russ had a cup of coffee with Toronto in 1982-83, and the burgeoning forward will look to achieve his own NHL dream in a Sabres sweater once his junior days are complete.

"I guess you have to say the Sabres are my favourite team now," said Adam, a lifelong Detroit Red Wings fan because of the proximity of his father's family in nearby Windsor. "Getting drafted was exciting for the whole family," the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder said. "But for me, it's another step along the way. I know there's a lot of work to do to get there (NHL). "I went to the Sabres' development camp for 10 days this summer and went back for training camp before the start of their season, and I learned an awful lot. When I left, they just told me to keep my cool and keep working hard. There's a lot of stuff I have to work on to get to the next level, but it's something I want to do. It's one of my goals."

10/11 Recap: Myers plays nice; Adam sore

A night after getting blown out by provincial rival Vancouver, the Kelowna Rockets opened up a can of their own in Saturday's 8-1 win over Prince George. The game featured four fights, yet Tyler Myers gave his knuckles a rest en route to capturing a +4 on the evening. With Myers staying out of the box for the first time all season, the Rockets limited the Cougars to a total of 12 shots on goal while firing 45 of their own. Nick Crawford was +3 for a second consecutive game in Saginaw's 5-2 win over Sarnia. The Spirit currently sit in third place in the OHL's West Division, and will host in-state rival Plymouth on Sunday. In the Q, T.J. Brennan was -1 in Montreal's 4-0 loss to the Saint John Sea Dogs. Missing the services of Luke Adam due to sore knee suffered in Wednesday's loss, the struggling Juniors offense mustered just 20 shots in defeat. The timing of the injury couldn't be worse, as the Juniors would greatly benefit from Adam's offensive control when they battle league-best Moncton on Sunday. The full prognosis hasn't been made, so for now Adam should be considered day-to-day. Jordon Southorn assisted on the Rocket's insurance goal in their 4-2 win over Chicoutimi. Jacob Lagacé (4 SOG) was held without a point for the Sags, and has one assist in his last three games after starting the season with eight points in five games. J.S. Allard (+1) scored the first Remparts goal in their 4-1 win over Baie-Comeau. With Quebec riding an eight-game winning streak, Allard leads all of the Sabres CHL prospects with 11 points this season. In NCAA play, Justin Jokinen went without a point in Minnesota State's 4-2 win over Bemidji. The Mavericks swept the weekend set with the Beavers, and are heading for a showdown with a hungry 0-2 North Dakota club next weekend. Matt Generous was -1 as St. Lawrence fell to Michigan, 5-3. After a weekend sweep at the hands of the Wolverines, the Saints will head to Western New York next weekend for tilts with Niagara and RIT. Corey Tropp was -1 as Michigan State dropped the IceBreakerChampionship game to Boston University, 2-1. The Spartans will have a short prep week as they host Lowell for a Thursday-Friday set. Nick Eno again watched from the press box as Bowling Green and Niagara played to a 3-3 tie.

Adam's mark puts Amerks in position

With his confidence plummeting to perhaps the lowest point of his pro career in recent weeks, and his club desperate for a victory, Luke Adam scored a very big goal Saturday to break a tie and give the Rochester Americans a 2-1 regulation win over the Lake Erie Monsters in their final game of the AHL regular season.


Adam's mark at 4:14 of the third period, his fourth of the year and second in his last three games, would hold up as Amerks' MVP David Leggio made 16 of his 35 saves in the final frame. Paul Szczechura scored the first Rochester goal, while rookies Brayden McNabb and Marcus Foligno (three-game point streak) chipped in with assists.

The victory gives Rochester 86 points, good for 5th place in the AHL Western Conference entering the final day of the season. While not officially in, their playoff hopes are looking pretty good per the explanation provided by Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

The Rundown:
Adam: G, +1, 6 SOG
McNabb: A, +2
Foligno: A, +1
Crawford: +2
Tropp: +1, 3 SOG
Brennan: 3 SOG
Varone: SOG
Biega: even

Adam tabbed; Kassian, McNabb miss cut

Luke Adam is one step closer to towards achieving a career goal, as the 6'1, 210-pound center has been named by Hockey Canada to the 36-man Selection Camp roster for the 2010 World Junior Championships.

Adam, 19, was chosen by the Sabres with the 44th overall pick in the 2008 draft. The St. John's, Newfoundland native is currently third in QMJHL scoring with 19 goals and 25 assists in 29 games, while being ten months removed from a spleen injury that saw him endure over 100 days of rehabilitation.

A pair of Buffalo's 2009 draft picks, Zack Kassian (1st round, 13th overall) and Brayden McNabb (3rd round, 66th overall), joined Adam at at Canada's Summer Evaluation Camp but were not chosen to skate in the final cutdown camp set to begin December 12th in Saskatoon.

10/13-16 Recap: Tropp, Lagacé get tricky; Eidsness blanks rival

Corey Tropp scored his first collegiate hat trick Friday as Michigan State posted a big win at Maine, 5-3. The junior right wing scored one goal at even strength, and one each on the power play and penalty kill. Tropp was excellent with the puck throughout, making sharp moves around defenders to earn six shots on goal to help push the Spartans to a 3-0 season start. In the QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé had three goals and an assist as Chicoutimi plowed their way to a 6-4 win over Halifax. The 5'11, 196-pound forward filled an empty net in the final minute to complete his second career hat trick. The game's #1 star, Lagacé becomes the first Sabres prospect to hit double-digit goals with 10 in 12 games. Brad Eidsness stopped all 22 shots sent his way as North Dakota defended home-ice with a 4-0 shutout of rival Minnesota. The sophomore made a few clutch stops along the way to move to 3-0 on the season. The shutout, Eidsness' second of his NCAA career, was sealed when the Sioux killed off a five minute major in the final minutes. Sophomore Corey Fienhage was again a healthy scratch for the Fighting Sioux. In the WHL, Brayden McNabb continued his strong 2009-10 start, notching his third goal of the year and finishing +2 as Kootenay edged Spokane, 4-3. The 6'4 defenseman also earned a fighting major when he tangled with Chiefs disturber Kyle Beach (CHI) after the Ice scored the game's first goal. Elsewhere, Luke Adam scored his fifth goal of the year and went 16 of 24 at the faceoff circle as Cape Breton defeated Shawinigan, 2-1. The consistent 6'2 center has five goals and 11 assists by collecting points in all but two of his 11 games this season. Jordon Southorn was -2 as PEI was shutout by Moncton, 4-0. Top 2009 prospect Kirill Kabanov had three assists for the victorious Wildcats. In the OHL, Nick Crawford scored a goal and finished +1 as Saginaw defeated Sault Ste. Marie, 4-1. Crawford's third goal of the year got the 7-2-1 Spirit on the board in the first period to help hand the Hounds their fourth straight defeat after being the hottest OHL club in the first two weeks of the season. Marcus Foligno was -1 with hooking and roughing minors as Sudbury lost to Oshawa, 3-1. In the WCHA, Justin Jokinen had four shots on goal as Mankato dropped a 5-2 decision at Duluth. The sophomore right wing missed a chance at this first goal of the year when a good opportunity went high with his club trailing 2-1 in the second period. Nick Eno made 14 saves and surrendered one goal against as three Bowling Green netminders split time in a 7-2 exhibition loss to the USA U18s. DU-bound Nick Shore banked a puck off Eno from behind the goal line to put the Falcons down 5-0 in the late second period. ------------------------------------------- Playing catch-up.... Jordon Southorn was +2 with an assist on Tuesday as PEI shutout a strong Saint John club by a 4-0 count. Marek Zagrapan was even with two shots on goal as Severstal lost a tough one to HC MVD, 2-1. On Wednesday, Luke Adam had a pair of assists as Cape Breton downed Montreal, 6-2. Jacob Lagacé scored his seventh goal of the year on the power play as Chicoutimi came up short in a 3-2 loss to Rimouski. Vjacheslav Buravchikov was even through 12:16 of work in Ak Bars' 3-1 win over Motorist. In Thursday Q action, Southorn was -2 as PEI defeated Moncton, 4-2.

11/1 Recap: Adam streaks to seven; McNabb down

Luke Adam continued his recent tear on Sunday, scoring his 12th goal of the season and leading the way with a game-high six shots on goal as Cape Breton fell to Quebec, 3-2 in overtime. Adam, who also blocked five Remparts shots, was rewarded for his all-around effort by being named the game's #1 star. The Sabres second round pick in 2008, Adam has collected seven goals and four assists over his recent seven-game point streak. Maxime Legault continues to have a positive impact since his return to juniors, scoring a goal and an assist as Shawinigan dropped a 3-2 decision to Victoriaville. Also in Sunday Q play, Jacob Lagacé returned to the Chicoutimi lineup after missing a week's worth of games, picking up a pair of assists as the Sags defeated Baie-Comeau, 4-3. The helpers raise Lagacé's season total to 20 points (10+10). However, just as one table in the Sabres prospects training room was vacated, another was getting prepped as Brayden McNabb left Kootenay's game with Seattle in the second period with a left knee injury. The rugged defender is expected to miss at least a week of action pending further evaluation. In the OHL, Marcus Foligno (-1) assisted on the only Sudbury goal in a 3-1 loss to Mississauga-St. Mike's. Rounding out Saturday's slate, Roo Adams was +1 in Chicago's 6-5 win over Cedar Rapids.

Tropp pots hatty in d-camp finale

The Sabres 2011 Development Camp closed Sunday with Grey defeating White in a shootout, 5-4. Players gassed. Lots of guys to process. Let's go.

Corey Tropp paced the Greys with a hat trick. Luke Adam added a single for the winning side, while Riley Boychuk, Phil Varone, Brad Navin, and Steven Beyers struck for Team White.

1st period: no scoring

2nd period:
White: Boychuk edge of crease, pushes puck under Houser (1-0)
White: Varone knocks in rebound of Lagace shot (2-0)
Grey: Tropp takes Bailen feed, goes five hole (2-1)
Grey: Crawford shoots puck, hits Tropp in front and gets in net (2-2)
Grey: Adam takes deflected pass down wing and drills wrister (3-2)
White: Navin in front, finishes Beyers rebound (3-3)

3rd period:
White: Beyers converts rush off a turnover (4-3)
Grey: Tropp topples over Lagace to left of Knapp, buries hat trick

In the shootout, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc (glove side), Adam (five hole), and Jokinen (glove-side wrister) scored for Grey while Boychuk (wrister through Eno's glove) and Marcus Foligno (low slapper) hit for White.

###

For the second straight day, Tropp played 'Sabres hockey' with his mixture of skill and toughness. The six-footer, who started the day with a hard take-out of Drew MacKenzie, pressured the puck and consistently battled around the net. When the pesky guy produces, he becomes a target. After notching all three goals from the low-slot area, he and Fienhage had a brief jousting match before being separated by Foligno - who of course gave an extra shove to Tropp. Fatigued in the third, Tropp showed good speed getting back after a neutral zone turnover, but couldn't D-up as Beyers finished the play.

Tropp can attest that Foligno again played "big" for Team White as the Sudbury product came across and wiped out the former Spartan with a solid open ice hit near center ice. Foligno was also a major net presence for the second straight day. He's going to be a beast with a couple years of seasoning, but that doesn't mean he won't see the NHL before Zack Kassian because right now it's anyone's ballgame.

Kassian didn't get a whole lot going Sunday in the lighter camp environment. This isn't to say that he had a poor outing or was too casual (he wasn't), but rather a suggestion that he'll be more inspired and motivated (and have more opportunities to become angry) when the live bullets fly this fall. If I'm the Sabres, I keep him down for as long as possible. See if he's ready to work for it. If he's properly motivated, he should be foaming at the mouth when he makes his NHL debut.

Steven Beyers was perhaps the greatest weekend revelation with his speed and finishing ability. When a White goal was scored, you seemed to be looking for his number on the ice. Beyers has very light feet, making the camp invite an excellent wheel always looking to get it and go. He consistently gained separation to get shots off (though on his best 2x1 chance he missed badly) and showed that he has an intelligent defensive stick as well. Very likable player who I'd fully be on board with the Sabres investigating further.

Jacob Lagace continued the year-over-year improvement that began after his month-long ECHL stint. He's skating harder in all three zones with quicker starts and better routes, and was more aggressive in taking the puck to the post. He was instrumental in White's second goal when he made a sharp cut without the puck, swatting a rebound of a Beyers shot before Varone potted the the third attempt. Lagace's surge scrambled the D, allowing Varone the opportunity to cash. Later in the third, Lagace again turned on the jets in the neutral zone, barking for the puck before shooting in alone down the right side for a solid scoring chance. If his intensity carries into winter, Lagace could easily ascend the next rankings.

An improved Justin Jokinen provided good jump to the Grey offense. He was regularly getting into scoring position while showed excellent speed and stickhandling skills in open ice. He looks ready entering his senior WCHA season.

No comments required for Adam and Ennis. They're AHL rookies of the year. We know what they can do...

As far as vet blueliners go, Grey's Alex Biega and White's T.J. Brennan kept a good pace as expected. Just like the Saturday scrimmage, both made good outlet passes and came out on top of most of their one-on-one battles.

Nick Crawford stayed within his usual two-way range as well. Nothing heavy on the checking side. Just good use of his stick and strong support up ice. He may have been the only Grey defender to not skate the puck deep in the 4x4 portion of the third period. He stepped into a point-blank slapper that was gloved by Cullen early, and later flipped the puck towards Tropp that resulted in Grey's second goal.

Alex Lepkowski may have executed with higher levels of confidence and physical play than Brayden McNabb did in his first d-camp back in 2009. His willingness to get involved offensively continued with an early chip-and-charge before stepping up for a give-and-go. He and Corey Fienhage felt pressure from the Grey forwards over the course of the weekend, but they acquitted themselves using their size and athleticism. Broad shouldered and mobile in his 6'4, 210+ pound frame, Lepkowski has the makings of becoming a dominant OHL blueliner.

Fienhage played his simple stay-at-home role. He could afford to keep working on his puck skills, but overall showed his rugged style while not shying away from going down on one knee to block a shot.

Kevin Sundher started well, winning a draw and nearly finishing a 2x1 with Foligno in the opening minute. Some Roy-ish elements in play here. He didn't factor into the scoring, but his play away from the puck has improved since the beginning last season. Victoria coach Marc Habscheid needs to keep riding him to come back hard (and maybe even shoot the puck more) in his final year of junior to make him a more complete two-way player.

Just as described pre-camp, Phil Varone was a calm, patient player with solid edgework and a propensity to dish the puck. I like his head for the game at both ends and think that with additional strength he could be an effective pivot to fill the gap in Rochester left by Paul Byron's departure to Calgary.

Varone's teammate last season in Erie, Shawn Szydlowski, is already slated for Rochester next year. Szydlowski looks ready to go, using his body to protect the puck while generating good momentum in the offensive zone. The line of he, Varone, and Boychuk combined for the game's first goal.

Riley Boychuk did what he does best, and that's use his huge frame to produce board-rattling hits and traffic near the paint. Early on he corralled a feed in stride and quickly made a drop pass between the dots to give Geordie Wudrick a quality opportunity. Boychuk, who looks ready to bring his physical style to the AHL, scored the game's first goal in true power-forward fashion by planting himself firmly as a screen and pushing the loose puck into the net.

Camp invite Wudrick held up alright among White's forward grouping. He kept his forecheck going as the up-and-down pace picked up in the third but didn't collect anything down low all weekend like he was accustomed to in the WHL this past season.

There's nothing enlightening to report about Brayden McNabb or Mark Pysyk that already hasn't been written in this space. No glaring errors for either. Both stayed back in classic defenseman mode until McNabb joined the late Grey 4x4 surge when he skated through a seam in the middle and clanged one off the pipe behind Knapp.

I'll stick with the Kris Letang ceiling (specifically the confident, defensively-sound Letang from the first half of 2010-11) when it comes to Jerome Gauthier-Leduc. He can leg it out of trouble, makes a clean first pass, and loves to shoot. He doesn't have the flow hanging off the back of his helmet, but his instincts in both ends put him on par with the Pens PP ace.

Canadian spectators were briefly treated to a MacKenzie-MacKenzie defensive pairing. Thankfully their shifts were less adventurous than Bob and Doug's at the Elsinore Brewery. The American, Drew, showed his offensive skills by looking to advance the puck through the neutral zone. Canadian Matt played safe at both ends, providing a couple shots on net while making a physical statement with a hard thump on Jokinen just inside the blueline.

Aside from Beyers, Navin was the only player to score in both scrimmages (both of Navin's goals were rebounds of Beyers shots right in front of the net). Solid frame with a good handle and decent gallop. He should be an excellent WCHA player in the sense that he's hard to knock off the puck.

Christian Isackson was sharp while taking turns between the various wing combos thrown at him. Heady player, good balance, looks more developed physically. Made some nice passes in the neutral zone to set Tropp and Ennis off early.

Camp invite Jonathan Parker is a competitor. He wasn't afraid to enter the middle to make plays, but he was challenged by thicker bodies and longer sticks that made it tough to get shots off in tight spaces. On one shift, he atoned for a neutral zone turnover that nearly resulted in a Justin Jokinen goal by pressuring the puck and getting to Foligno in front. Pretty responsible player and good puckhandler who would be more effective with an extra step.

Mark Adams was one of the Grey defenders who found Boychuk tough to handle from the corners in. Like most of the Grey blueliners, Adams became more aggressive offensively in the third period in an effort to get the win. One such occasion saw him put on the recovery afterburners to successfully break up a Beyers rush. Adams ended the season strong and should only improve as a young, progressive-mind Nate Leaman is set to take over the Friars bench.

John McCarron brought a power game and good defensive skills. The 6'4 wing knocked Pysyk off the puck early on as the first-rounder attempted to skate it out of his zone. McCarron, who gets around ok for a big guy, will produce at collegiate level by combining his big body with hard work.

After a giveaway on Foligno's goal Saturday, Nick Bailen was quick to flash his offensive talent by creating Grey's first scoring chance of the game with a fast pass down low to Jokinen. The RPI junior packs leverage in his sub-six-foot frame as evidenced by his Mike Weber-like hit on White's Navin as the future Badger carried the puck into the zone.

Steven Shipley looked a little slower than the pack, often finding himself behind the action on the backcheck. He began the day between Ennis and Tropp, and later floated out to wing with Isackson and Kassian. Shipley needed to stand out more for me to get on board heading into next season. Less watching, more engagement.

Cedrick Henley disappeared late. Nothing stood out to me as his lines struggled to get sustain any pressure early. I was looking for him in the third period, but don't recall seeing him get any shifts.

Matt Zarbo was efficient as a camp invite centering draft picks Tropp/Ennis and Henley/Jokinen. Nothing flashy, looked to get the puck deep. He'll definitely benefit from the camp experience when he returns to Clarkson for his sophomore year.

Real quick goalie cruise: Connor Knapp held up well as Grey applied lots of late heat. Still needs to get quicker but looked good while playing deeper in his crease....John Cullen was solid as the White starter, challenging shooters and making sure he saw the pucks coming in....Grey starter Michael Houser looked less overwhelmed than he did on Saturday. He made some tough stops in the first while dealing with traffic....Nick Eno relieved Houser. A couple juicy rebounds but nothing out of the ordinary from the ECHL-bound 'keeper.

Have a fantastic July. We'll see you in August for Canada's U20 Development Camp.

Central Scouting 2008 Final Rankings

Below are the final rankings put out by NHL's Central Scouting. Buffalo will pick 13th overall, and holds San Jose's first round pick in a lot that has yet to be determined. NORTH AMERICAN SKATERS First Round 1. Steven Stamkos, C, Sarnia (OHL); 2. Zach Bogosian, D, Peterborough (OHL); 3. Drew Doughty, D, Guelph (OHL); 4. Tyler Myers, D, Kelowna (WHL); 5. Luke Schenn, D, Kelowna (WHL); 6. Alex Pietrangelo, D, Niagara (OHL); 7. Kyle Beach, C, Everett (WHL); 8. Zach Boychuk, C, Lethbridge (WHL); 9. Cody Hodgson, C, Brampton (OHL); 10. Colin Wilson, C, Boston Univ. (NCAA). 11. Mikkel Boedker, LW, Kitchener (OHL); 12. Luca Sbisa, D, Lethbridge (WHL); 13. Colby Robak, D, Brandon (WHL); 14. Joshua Bailey, C, Windsor (OHL); 15. Michael Del Zotto, D, Oshawa (OHL); 16. Zac Dalpe, C/RW, Penticton (BCHL); 17. John Carlson, D, Indiana (USHL); 18. Colten Teubert, D, Regina (WHL); 19. Tyler Cuma, D, Ottawa (OHL); 20. Jamie Arniel, C, Sarnia (OHL). 21. Nicolas Deschamps, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); 22. Greg Nemisz, C, Windsor (OHL); 23. Jake Gardiner, D, Minnetonka, Minn. (U.S. high school); 24. Matthew Calvert, LW, Brandon (WHL); 25. Jyri Niemi, D, Saskatoon (WHL); 26. Maxime Sauve, C, Val-d'Or (QMJHL); 27. Aaron Ness, D, Roseau, Minn. (U.S. high school); 28. Joe Colborne, C, Camrose (AJHL); 29. Yann Sauve, D, Saint John (QMJHL); 30. Kruise Reddick, C, Tri-City (WHL). Second Round 31. Tyler Ennis, C, Medicine Hat (WHL); 32. Shawn Lalonde, D, Belleville (OHL); 33. Jordan Eberle, C, Regina (WHL); 34. Cody Goloubef, D, Univ. of Wisconsin (NCAA); 35. James Wright, C, Vancouver (WHL); 36. Corey Fienhage, D, Eastview, Minn. (U.S. high school); 37. Danny Kristo, RW, U.S. under-18 team; 38. Justin Schultz, D, Westside (BCHL); 39. Michael Stone, D, Calgary (WHL); 40. Derek Grant, C, Langley (BCHL). 41. Brandon Burlon, D, St. Michael's (OPJHL); 42. Luke Adam, C, St. John's (QMJHL); 43. Jared Staal, C, Sudbury (OHL); 44. Adam Comrie, D, Saginaw (OHL); 45. Danick Paquette, RW, Lewiston (QMJHL); 46. Kelsey Tessier, C, Quebec (QMJHL); 47. Daulton Leveille, C, St. Catharines (GHL); 48. Brandon McMillan, C, kelowna (WHL); 49. Corey Trivino, C, Stouffville (OPJHL); 50. A.J. Jenks, LW, Plymouth (OHL). 51. Eric O'Dell, C, Sudbury (OHL); 52. Nicholas Larson, LW, Waterloo (USHL); 53. James Livingston, RW, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); 54. Justin jokinen, RW, Cloquet, Minn. (U.S. high school); 55. Jacob Lagace, LW, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); 56. Philip McRae, C, London (OHL); 57. Mikhail Stefanovich, C, Quebec (QMJHL); 58. Derek Stepan, C, St. Mary's, Minn. (U.S. high school); 59. Eric Mestery, D, Tri-City (WHL); 60. David Carle, D, St. Mary's, Minn. (U.S. high school). Third Round 61. Patrice Cormier, C, Rimouski (QMJHL); 62. Colin Long, C, Kelowna (WHL); 63. Jimmy Hayes, RW, Lincoln (USHL); 64. Mitch Wahl, C, Spokane (WHL); 65. Adam Henrique, C, Windsor (OHL); 66. Josh Brittain, LW, Kingston (OHL); 67. Matt Delahey, D, Regina (WHL); 68. Lance Bouma, C, Vancouver (WHL); 69. Mathieu Brodeur, D, Cape Breton (QMJHL); 70. Joel Broda, C, Moose Jaw (WHL). 71. Geordie Wudrick, LW, Swift Current (WHL); 72. Anthony Nigro, C, Guelph (OHL); 73. Joel Champagne, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); 74. Nathan Moon, C, Kingston (OHL); 75. Travis Hamonic, D, Moose Jaw (WHL); 76. Samuel Groulx, D, Quebec (QMJHL); 77. Patrick Wiercioch, D, Omaha (USHL); 78. Nathan Condon, C, Wausau, Wis. (U.S. high scool); 79. David Toews, C, St. Mary's, Minn. (U.S. high school); 80. Philippe Cornet, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL). 81. Davisd Warsofsky, D, U.S. under-18 team; 82. Marco Scandella, D, Val-d'Or (QMJHL); 83. Julien demers, D, Ottawa (OHL); 84. Taylor Stefishen, LW, Langley (BCHL); 85. Brodie Reid, RW, Burnaby (BCHL); 86. Brett Theberge, C, Peterborough (OHL); 87. Seth Soley, C, Omaha (USHL); 88. Robert Czarnik, C/RW, U.S. under-18 team; 89. Luke Pither, C, Guelph (OHL); 90. Max Nicastro, D, Chicago (USHL). Fourth Round 91. Cameron Gaunce, D, Mississauga-St. Michael's (OHL); 92. Ian Schultz, RW, Calgary (WHL); 93. Zach Harnden, RW, Peterborough (OHL); 94. Robert Mignardi, RW, Kingston (OHL); 95. Neal Prokop, C, Moose Jaw (WHL); 96. Matthew Tassone, C, Swift Current (WHL); 97. Michael Lomas, C/LW, Brampton (OHL); 98. Chad Suer, D, Moose Jaw (WHL); 99. Joel Chouinard, D, Victoriaville (QMJHL); 100. Justin Daniels, C, Kent, Conn. (U.S. high school). 101. Stephen Johnston, LW, Belleville (OHL); 102. Drew Olson, D, Brainerd, Minn. (U.S. high school); 103. Mark Goggin, C, Choate-Rosemary, Conn. (U.S. high school); 104. Gary Nunn, RW, Vancouver (WHL); 105. Jack Downing, LW/RW, Univ. of Vermont (NCAA); 106. Brent Raedeke, Edmonton (WHL); 107. Alexandre Neron, D, Rimouski (QMJHL); 108. Zack Smith, C, Swift Current (WHL); 109. Drew Daniels, RW, Kent, Conn. (U.S. high school); 110. Jan Dalecky, LW, Swift Current (WHL). 111. Mathieu Tousignant, C, P.E.I. (QMJHL); 112. Anders Lee, C, Edina, Minn. (U.S. high school); 113. Justin Florek, LW, U.S. under-18 team; 114. Tyler Barnes, RW, Burnsville, Minn. (U.S. high school); 115. Kyle De Coste, RW, Brampton (OHL); 116. Matthew Ius, RW, Everett (WHL); 117. Marshall Everson, LW, Edina, Minn. (U.S. high school); 118. Antoine Roussel, LW, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); 119. Zac Rinaldo, C, Mississauga-St. Michael's (OHL); 120. Samuel Morneau, LW, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL). Fifth Round 121. Harry Young, D, Windsor (OHL); 122. Jordon Southorn, D, P.E.I. (QMJHL); 123. Julien Cayer, C, Northwood, N.Y. (U.S. high school); 124. Michael Pelech, C, Mississauga-St. Michael's (OHL); 125. Marc-Andre Bourdon, D, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL); 126. ANtoine Laganiere, C, Deerfield, Mass. (U.S. high school); 127. Wacey Hamilton, C, Medicine Hat (WHL); 128. Tim Billingsley, D, Mississauga-St. Michael's (OHL); 129. Travis Toomey, C, Saskatoon (WHL); 130. Chris Doyle, C, P.E.I. (QMJHL). 131. Steve Quailer, RW, Sioux City (USHL); 132. Nik Pokulok, D, Northwood, N.Y. (U.S. high school); 133. Jordan Samuels-Thomas, LW, Waterloo (USHL); 134. Mark Barberio, D, Moncton (QMJHL); 135. Vinny Saponari, RW, U.S. under-18; 136. Chase Drake, D, Mosinee, Wis. (U.S. high school); 137. Luc-Olivier Blain, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL); 138. Patrick Mullane, C, Avon Old Farms, Conn. (U.S. high school); 139. Michael D'Orazio, D, Owen Sound (OHL); 140. Greg Burke, Jr., LW, Monarchs (EJHL). 141. Danny New, D, Avon Old Farms, Conn. (U.S. high school); 142. Riley McIntosh, D, Kelowna (WHL); 143. Joeseph Campanelli, RW, Westminster, Conn. (U.S. high school); 144. Shayne Wiebe, C, Kamloops (WHL); 145. Paul Lee, C, Avon Old Farms, Conn. (U.S. high school); 146. Greg Pateryn, D, Ohio (USHL); 147. Andrew MacWilliam, D, Camrose (AJHL); 148. Cameron Atkinson, RW, Avon Old Farms, Conn. (U.S. high school); 149. Jordan Skellett, LW, Erie (OHL); 150. Jared Festler, LW, Lincoln (USHL). Sixth Round 151. Teigan Zahn, D, Saskatoon (WHL); 152. Jake Youso, C/LW, International Falls, Minn. (U.S. high school); 153. Dale Weise, RW, Swift Current (WHL); 154. T.J. Brodie, D, Saginaw (OHL); 155. Eric Filiou, LW/RW, Nanaimo (BCHL); 156. Stefan Della Rovere, LW, Barrie (OHL); 157. Bryce Aneloski, D, Cedar Rapids (USHL); 158. Tyler Gron, C, Fort McMurray (AJHL); 159. Alexander Fallstrom, RW, St. Mary's, Minn. (U.S. high school); 160. Russell Goodman, LW, Nanaimo (BCHL). 161. Luke McManus, D, Rosemount, Minn. (U.S. high school); 162. James McIntosh, C, Stouffville (OPJHL); 163. Richard Manley, LW, Burnaby (BCHL); 164. Pierre Vandall, LW, Shawinigan (QMJHL); 165. Kurtis Bartliff, LW, Listowel (MWJHL); 166. Jean-Sebastien Berube, LW, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL); 167. Derrick Pallis, D, Nobles, Mass. (U.S. high school); 168. Tyler Schmidt, D, Tri-City (WHL); 169. Pascal Amyot, D, Saint John (QMJHL); 170. Brett Perlini, RW, Sault Ste. Marie (NOJHL). 171. Stephen Delisle, D, Gatineau (QMJHL); 172. David Wohlberg, C, U.S. under-18 hockey team; 173. John Murray, LW, St. Mary's, Minn. (U.S. high school); 174. Jake Hendrickson, C, Burnsville, Minn. (U.S. high school); 175. Craig Cunningham, D, Vancouver (WHL); 176. Scott Winkler, C, Stover (midget); 177. Mike Hoffman, C/LW, Drummondville (QMJHL); 178. Joe Gleason, D, Hedina, Miss. (U.S. high school); 179. Mike Thomas, LW/RW, Saint John (QMJHL); 180. Thomas knotek, C, Halifax (QMJHL). Seventh Round 181. Lee Moffie, D, Avon Old Farms, Conn. (U.S. high school); 182. Eric Louis-Seize, LW, Halifax (QMJHL); 183. Tyler Thompson, C, Cedar Rapids (USHL); 184. Ben Smith, RW, Boston College (NCAA); 185. Peter Starrett, Catholic Memorial, Mass. (U.S. high school); 186. Ryan Hegarty, D, U.S. under-18 team; 187. Mike Reddington, D, Spokane (WHL); 188. Tyler Shattock, RW, Kamloops (WHL); 189. Steven Spinell, D, Ohio (USHL); 190. Max Cook, RW, Green Bay (USHL). 191. Sam Lofquist, D, U.S. under-18 team; 192. Austin Handley, D, Des Moines (USHL); 193. Travis McIsaac, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL); 194. John O'Neill, C, Anoka, Minn. (U.S. high school); 195. Nick Oddo, RW, Cedar Rapids (USHL); 196. Nicholas Tremblay, C, Smiths Falls (CJHL); 197. Travis Stacey, LW, Gatineau (QMJHL); 198. Jared Spurgeon, D, Spokane (WHL); 199. Brock Montpetit, RW, Waterloo (USHL); 200. Jonathon Bonneau, LW, Victoriaville (QMJHL). 201. Nicholas Prockow, C, Berkshire, Mass. (U.S. high school); 202. Corbin Crawford, D, Kingston (OHL); 203. Sean Lorenz, D, U.S. under-18 team; 204. Drew Leblanc, C, Chicago (USHL); 205. Ryan Grimshaw, D, U.S. under-18 team; 206. Ashton Bernard, LW, Shawinigan (QMJHL); 207. Mark Olver, C, Northern Michigan Univ. (NCAA); 208. Nick Pryor, D, U.S. under-18 team; 209. Erik Gustafsson, D, Northern Michigan Univ. (NCAA); 210. Jeff Ryan, LW/RW, St. George's, R.I. (U.S. high school). INTERNATIONAL SKATERS First Round 1. Nikita Filatov, LW, Russia; 2. Kirill Petrov, RW, Russia; 3. Mattias Tedenby, LW, Sweden; 4. Erik Karlsson, D, Sweden; 5. Anton Gustafsson, C, Sewden; 6. Roman Josi, D, Swtizerland; 7. Viktor Tikhonov, LW/RW, Russia; 8. Vjateslav Voinov, D, Russia; 9. Evgeny Grachev, C, Russia; 10. Dmitri Kugryshev, RW, Russia. 11 Philip Larsen, D, Sweden; 12. Tomas Kundratek, D, Czech Republic; 13. Johan Motin, D, Sweden; 14. Kristoffer Berglund, D, Sweden; 15. Andrei Loktionov, C, Russia; 16. Sergei Ostapchuk, LW, Russia; 17. David Ullstrom, LW/RW, Sweden; 18. Lukas Stoop, D, Switzerland; 19. Andre Petersson, LW/RW, Sweden; 20. Joonas Rask, C/LW/RW, Finland. 21. Tomas Kubalik, RW, Czech Republic; 22. Jerome Flaake, LW, Germany; 23. Jori Lehtera, C, Finland; 24. Tomi Sallinen, C, Finland; 25. Teemu Hartikainen, C, Finland; 26. Dmitri Kostromitin, D, Russia; 27. Emil Bejmo, C, Sweden; 28. Jan Stransky, LW, Czech Republic; 29. Anton Korolev, RW, Russia; 30. Henrik Eriksson, C, Sweden. NORTH AMERICAN GOALTENDERS 1. Thomas McCollum, Guelph (OHL); 2. Chet Pickard, Tri-City (WHL); 3. Peter Delmas, Lewiston (QMJHL); 4. Braden Holtby, Saskatoon (WHL); 5. Michael Hutchinson, Barrie (OHL); 6. Jacob Deserres, Seattle (WHL); 7. Kevin Poulin, Victoriaville (QMJHL); 8. Jake Allen, St. John's (QMJHL); 9. Dustin Tokarski, Spokane (WHL); 10. Chris Carrozzi, Mississauga-St. Michael's (OHL). 11. Jaroslav Janus, Erie (OHL); 12. Steven Stanford, Prince Albert (WHL); 13. Joe Cannata, U.S. under-18 team; 14. Robert Mayer, Saint John (QMJHL); 15. Patrick Killeen, Brampton (OHL). INTERNATIONAL GOALTENDERS 1. Jacob Markstrom, Sweden; 2. Harri Sateri, Finland; 3. Anders Lindback, Sweden; 4. Mikko Koskinen, Finland; 5. Sergei Bobrovsky, Russia; 6. Joacim Eriksson, Swden; 7. Mika Jarvinen, Finland; 8. Stanislav Galimov, Russia; 9. Dominik Furchslavia, Czech Republic; 10. Alexander Pechurski, Russia. 11. Eddie Lack, Sweden; 12. Lukas Flueler, Switzerland; 13. Leonardo Genonidavos, Switzerland; 14. Tomas Halasz, Slovakia; 15. Rasmus Rinne, Finland.

11/29 Recap: Adam pops off as Eagles hang ten

Luke Adam scored a hat trick and added an assist on Sunday as Cape Breton smoked Drummondville, 10-2. Adam (+4) also posted five shots on goal and won 11 of his 13 faceoffs to earn the game’s #1 star and help the Eagles shake off Friday's brutal shutout loss to Bathurst. The four-point effort ups the pivot's season totals to 19 goals and 25 assists through 29 games – good for third overall among QMJHL scorers.

Also from the Q, Maxime Legault scored the game-tying goal as Shawinigan won a 3-2 shootout decision over Gatineau. The power play tally was Legault’s seventh goal of the season.

In OHL play, Marcus Foligno saw his two-game goal streak snapped in Sudbury's 3-1 loss to Kitchener.

In the lone Sunday college contest, Alex Biega was even with a shot on goal as Harvard was dumped by Dartmouth, 6-2.

9/19 Recap: Kassian cashes winner

In Saturday night OHL action, #1 star Zack Kassian scored the game winning goal and added an assist Peterborough downed Belleville, 3-2. With his usual physical game on display, Kassian's tally midway through the third period held up at the visiting barn to get the Petes' off to a 2-0 regular season start. The Petes will go for three in a row on Thursday when they host the Hounds. In the QMJHL, Luke Adam (+1) made his Cape Breton debut a successful one, scoring a third-period goal in the Eagles 5-4 overtime loss at Saint John. Often found near the Sea Dogs cage, Adam also notched an assist and won 11 of 18 draws to earn the game's #2 star. Adam's last Q goal was on January 28th of last season. The Eagles will face Moncton on Sunday. One night removed from a four-point performance, Jacob Lagacé (+1) followed up with a goal and an assist as Chicoutimi dropped a 5-4 shootout decision to Quebec. The third-year man fired five shots on goal (a total of 12 in his first two games) en route to earning the game's #3 star. Lagacé was stopped by Remparts' netminder Peter Delmas in the shootout. In the wild west, Brayden McNabb scored his team's only goal as Kootenay was thumped by Red Deer, 7-1. Trailing 1-0 in the first period, McNabb snuck in on the power play and shoveled a wrister from the edge of the dot to tie the game at 15:47. It was all Rebels from there. After the two clubs squared off in an aggressive 2nd period, McNabb dropped the gloves in the final minutes with 6'3, 205-pound Cody Esposito. It was a frustrating night for the Ice getting outshot 50-15 and fighting off 11 Rebel power plays. Rounding out the Saturday skates, Marcus Foligno finished -2 with a minor penalty for contact to the head as Sudbury lost to Ottawa, 3-1. Nick Crawford was even in Saginaw's 3-2 win at Owen Sound. Starting the year with a pair of road wins, the Spirit will head home to host Plymouth on Thursday. On Friday, Mark Adams was +2 as Chicago defeated Indiana in a USHL pre-season match-up. The Steel will face off against Green Bay on Sunday.

3/27 Recap: Five more bounced as Sioux, Eagles lose

Brad Eidsness put forth a solid effort Saturday, stopping 20 shots and keeping his team competitive as North Dakota lost in the NCAA Northeast Regional to Yale, 3-2. Eidsness was beaten by a first period tip before surrendering goals via an inside cut-and-deke and a bad rebound off the rear boards to allow the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead through 40-minutes. The sophomore ends his season 24-10-4 with a 2.11 goals against average and .914 save percentage. Corey Fienhage was even on the Sioux blue to end the year with two assists and a +4 rating in 30 appearances.




At the NCAA Midwest Regional in Fort Wayne, Connor Knapp served as back-up as Miami edged Alabama-Huntsville, 2-1. With Coach Enrico Blasi sticking to his goaltender rotation, Cody Reichard earned the nod over the hot-handed Knapp to guide the RedHawks into a Sunday showdown versus CCHA rival Michigan with a Frozen berth on the line. The RedHawks and Wolverines will rematch last week's CCHA semifinal which saw UM light Reichard up for five goals and force Knapp in to stop the bleeding. As of now, it is unclear who gets the Sunday call, but there's no question that Knapp is deserving.

In the QMJHL, Luke Adam (-2), Maxime Legault (-2), and Jacob Lagacé (-1) were all quiet as Cape Breton was bounced out of the playoffs thanks to a 4-0 blanking by Moncton. Legault, who had the best scoring chance of the three when he was stopped on an early breakaway, was the best Eagles forward throughout the 4-1 series loss, showing heart and character when the majority of the club was playing a baffling uninspired brand of hockey.

Adam, a candidate for league MVP, ends the series with three goals, an assist, and a -8 rating. Legault banged in a goal, while Lagacé collected three assists and just eight shots on goal in the five-game affair. It is expected that the Sabres will look to bolster their AHL affiliate in Portland by adding one or two Eagles for the playoff run. SabresProspects sees Adam and Legault as the most logical choices for extended duty.

In the USHL, Mark Adams was whistled for three minor penalties as Chicago lost to Des Moines, 4-3.

11/14 Recap: Adam stops short of dozen; Roo nets two

Luke Adam saw his career-high point streak end at eleven games on Saturday as Cape Breton lost to Rouyn-Noranda, 2-1. The Screaming Eagles top-line center collected 18 ponts (10+8) over the stretch to tie the QMJHL's longest point streak of the season. Adam is currently 4th in league scoring (34), 2nd in power play goals (8), and 2nd second in shots on goal (121). Jacob Lagacé picked up a pair of assists as Chicoutimi defeated Lewiston, 4-3 in a shootout. The game's #2 star, Lagacé's helpers came in the third period as the Sags overcame a 3-1 deficit to force the extra session. Lagacé is the Sabres most productive prospect this season (mathematically), scoring 29 points (13+16) through his first 19 games. In the USHL, Mark "Roo" Adams scored twice on the power play in Chicago's wild 7-6 OT loss to Youngstown. It was the first multi-goal game of the year for the rookie defenseman. The 6'2, 207-pound Providence commit is the only minus-player for the second place Steel, clocking in with a cumulative -1 through his first 13 junior "A" games. In the OHL, Zack Kassian scored the Petes' only goal in a 6-1 loss to Barrie. The mark was Kassian's sixth of the season, giving him 12 points through his first 14 games. Nick Crawford was -1 for the Colts. In the ECAC, Alex Biega notched his first points of the year with a goal and an assist in Harvard's 3-3 tie with #19 Princeton. The senior captain finished +3 while paired with freshman brother Danny for the first time at any level of hockey. Their brother, Michael, secured the tie with a goal with just :57 remaining. In Grand Forks, North Dakota defenseman Corey Fienhage saw his first action since last December 6th, finishing even while looking comfortable with the game's speed in the Sioux's 3-1 loss to St. Cloud. The 6'3, 216-pounder was paired with fellow sophomore Ben Blood (OTT), and should continue to build upon his ten-game NCAA career with captain Chay Genoway sidelined indefinitely. NoDak netminder Brad Eidsness was spectacular in relief, making 16 saves after his scheduled night off lasted just 20:14 with freshman Aaron Dell allowing three goals on seven shots. The loss snaps a 17-game home unbeaten streak for the #2 Fighting Sioux. Connor Knapp returned to the nets for the first time in three weekends as #1 Miami played to a 1-1 tie with Ferris State. The 6'5 sophomore made 32 saves while surrendering a power play goal against to reaffirm his Saturday position in the RedHawks goaltender rotation. In Ann Arbor, Corey Tropp was even with four shots on goal as #13 Michigan State completed the home-and-home sweep of #6 Michigan with a 2-0 shutout. The Spartans are undefeated in their last seven games heading into next week's Thursday-Sunday matchup with #8 Notre Dame. Nick Eno made 22 stops but Bowling Green couldn't overcome a 3-0 first period deficit in their 5-3 loss to Alaska-Fairbanks. Drew MacKenzie was -2 as #15 Vermont got thrashed by #16 Boston College, 7-1. BC freshman Chris Kreider scored his first collegiate goal in the win. Justin Jokinen was scratched in Minnesota State's 3-2 loss to surprising #10 Colorado College.