5/5 Recap: Gogulla helpers propel Germans

At the World Championship in Halifax, Philip Gogulla set-up the eventual game winner for Germany in their dominating 4-2 win over Slovakia.

The Germans continued to press and impress, and late in the period they were rewarded with a beautiful goal. Philip Gogulla took a stretch pass up the middle from Michael Bakos deep in his own end. As a Slovakian defenceman chased Gogulla down, he turned and delivered a backhand pass to Michael Hackert in the slot. Hackert beat Lasak between the pads to restore the Germans’ two-goal lead before the end of the period.

With an adjusted published weight of 198 lbs, the 6'2 German winger later earned the primary assist on the power-play as Germany closed out their scoring in the third period.

"We kept the puck deep and didn't take any stupid penalties," Gogulla added.

Gogulla's two assists tonight come on the heels of a breakout year for the 20-year old. The winger scored more points for league runner-up Cologne (11-33-44) than he did in his first two DEL seasons combined (43). He also added three assists in three games at the Skoda Cup against entries from Slovakia, France, and Switzerland. Gogulla's future teammate in Buffalo, Andrej Sekera, was named Slovakia's Best Player in the loss... In the USHL, Drew MacKenzie and the 'Hawks couldn't get a goal in Waterloo's 2-0 loss to Omaha. The teams have split the first two games of the Clark Cup Finals, and will head to Waterloo for Game Three on Wednesday.

More notes on Byron's emergence

Fished out of the pond late, here is a piece on Gatineau coach Benoit Groulx from last Friday's Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia). Included were remarks on les Olympiques dynamic duo of Claude Giroux (PHI) and Sabres 2007 sixth-rounder, Paul Byron. On the "secret" to stopping his club:

So who knows what that one thing is? Maybe Groulx is worried that Rouyn-Noranda head coach Andre Tourigny will have an effective method to shut down Claude Giroux and Paul Byron. The two snipers were nearly unstoppable against the Mooseheads, piling up a combined 18 points in four games and skating circles around Halifax’s defence. The Halifax coaching staff elected not to shadow Giroux and Byron the way the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles shadowed Halifax stars Jakub Voracek and Brad Marchand in the second round. Hindsight being what it is, that might have helped the Mooseheads. One NHL scout I know well also suggested that Halifax erred by not being more belligerent with the two slightly undersized forwards. His logic was that it would have been worth a try to try to hammer on Byron and Giroux physically to see if they would eventually grow tired of the attention and shy away in the offensive zone. The Mooseheads never really did this.

A litmus test on Byron's ability to take a hammering in a pressure situation would be welcome to those who suggest he's too small to succeed at the next level. Smart money says Byron can deal with it. I fondly remember a story from last summer about Byron getting into it with LNAH heavyweight Ryan James Hand during a pick-up game. This isn't to say that he'd easily transition to an old time, Eddie Shore style of play, or that the Q finals is equivalent to an offseason skate. It only suggests that he's seen physical hockey before. Heck, he may even draw a few penalties in the process. After dropping the opener on home ice, Rouyn-Noranda cruised to a 6-2 win in game two. They managed to hold Giroux to a single assist while keeping Byron off the sheet, but it wasn't accomplished via physical means. The Huskies only outhit Gatineau by a 13-9 margin. Going 4/5 on the power play was the "secret" there. Later, the author offers an additional bit on Byron:

And how about Byron? People in Gatineau have surely known longer than the rest of us how good this guy is; but what a show he put on against the Mooseheads! He may only weigh about 140 pounds, but he sure can skate and handle the puck. He was a real treat to watch.

Tied 1-1 in their best-of-seven QMJHL Final series with the Huskies, Gatineau is three wins away from allowing Byron to present his skills on Canadian junior's brightest stage, The Memorial Cup. Of course, the lights get brighter if you skate for your country at the World Juniors. As of now, it's a safe assumption that the speedy Ottawa native is flying high on the radar of Hockey Canada.

MacKenzie's 'Hawks Take Game One

In the opening game of the Clark Cup finals, D Drew MacKenzie registered a shot on goal for Waterloo in their 4-3 OT win over Omaha. The Black Hawks will look to steal another road win from the USHL regular season champions tomorrow evening in Mid America Center.

Future of Gerbe and Kennedy speculated

In today's Buffalo News, Bucky Gleason offered his spin on the situations surrounding the Sabres pair of talented collegians, Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy.

Sabres prospects dangle With every day that passes without a contract agreement, the chances increase that Sabres prospect Nathan Gerbe is headed back to college for his senior year. If he plays out his final season, he’s as good as gone. You would think the Sabres learned their lessons over the past few years, but they continue jerking around their players. They could end up alienating — and losing — Gerbe and South Buffalo native Tim Kennedy if both players decide to get tough in negotiations. And they would have every right. Gerbe led the nation in scoring, led his team to a national championship, was the best player in the Frozen Four and was selected to play for Team USA in the world championships. He’s going to play in the NHL. He shouldn’t accept less than the maximum allowed for rookies, or $850,000 a year. And you wonder why players don’t want to deal with these guys. Kennedy is in a similar position. He led Michigan State to a national title the previous year and led the Spartans in scoring two straight years. Sources said recent contract talks stalled after the Sabres made a lowball offer. We’ll see if he elects to play out his senior year and become a UFA. Both would find plenty of suitors.

Can Gleason verify that the Sabres have not made, or will not make, a "bona fide" offer to Gerbe? Either way, I don't read the Gerbe situation so much about money as it is his desire to finish out his college years. He was considered an academic longshot entering Boston College, and I have little issue with Gerbe pursuing his degree if it's indeed a personal milestone. The argument can be made that the talented gunner has little to prove by returning to school, that he can always finish school during summer months. An equally compelling argument can be made that being in college is a unique time of your life that should be consumed to the max. It's likely he'd spend most, if not all, of next season in the AHL. Good luck with your decision, Nate. The Kennedy situation seems a little different. I've also heard that this is a money issue, but I'm concerned about how much leverage the Kennedy camp has right now. The Spartan senior-to-be deserves to be compensated more than a typical 6th round pick, but I don't expect him to sign a deal greater than what a player like Clarke MacArthur garnered when he left the Dub (600-650K range). Perhaps the sticking point is the non-NHL salary portion of the deal, since that has the most immediate impact on a young man cutting short his education to turn pro.

5/3 Recap: Streak ends for top CHL sniper

Paul Byron saw his twelve game point-streak come to an end as Gatineau fell to Rouyn-Noranda, 6-2, in Game 2 of the QMJHL Finals. The Huskies win evens the series at a game apiece as the clubs head to Gatineau for Game 3 on Tuesday. The 5'10 pivot compiled 15 goals and 19 total points over the torrid stretch, and his 16 goals overall top the entire CHL playoff leaderboard. 2008 prospect Zach Boychuk of Lethbridge leads the WHL with 13 goals, while Team Canada WJC hero Matt Halischuk paces the OHL with 15 goals for Kitchener.

Gogulla, Germany fall in opener

In Halifax, Philip Gogulla was -2 as Germany dropped their IIHF World Championship opener to Finland, 5-1. Gogulla was fourth among German forwards with 13:48 in ice time, but failed to register a shot on goal in the loss. Team Germany and their raucous fans will take a day off before facing Slovakia on Monday.

Eidsness ready to go

Per the Grand Forks Herald, Brad Eidsness looks poised to win the starting job as a freshman at the University of North Dakota...and to be an exemplary student.

The 19-year-old goaltender recruit said he hopes to enroll in summer classes at UND and get to campus early in order to prepare to battle for the starting job this fall. “I’m really looking forward to it,” said Eidsness, a Chestermere, Alta., native who is expected to compete with senior-to-be Aaron Walski for playing time. “Knowing I have a chance to play my first season is quite exciting. When (Anthony) Grieco left last fall, I knew I might get a chance to play more this season and I think that helped motivate me a little bit more. “I want to get there this summer to get in the swing of things and hopefully I’ll be ready to go right off the bat.”

Full article talking about UND's incoming class can be found here (registration required). After being named AJHL MVP, the Sabres 2007 5th round pick was also tabbed as the Okotoks Oilers MVP at their season banquet. Elsewhere from the banquet circuit: Harvard D Alex Biega was named an Assistant Captain for the 2008-09 season. The "A" he'll wear next season will be the first on a Crimson sweater since 2005. At Denver, D Chris Butler received his second consecutive Keith Magnuson Memorial Award given to the club's best defensive player. This past season also saw the St. Louis native become the school's 34th All-American. Across town at the 59th Annual Pike's Peak Club banquet, Boston College junior Nathan Gerbe was given the Norman H. Dailey Memorial Award as team MVP. The Oxford, MI native was also the recipient of the Herb Gallagher Award (New England's top forward) at the New England Hockey Writer's banquet. Junior Tim Kennedy was named Michigan State's Outstanding Offensive Player at their mid-April celebration. Freshman netminder Nick Eno earned Most Improved Player honors at Bowling Green's season ending fete. In St. Catharines, D Drew Schiestel was named Most Sportsmanlike Player by the Niagara Ice Dogs.

Sanborn's McCollum sitting pretty for draft

Western New York native Thomas McCollum of the OHL's Guelph Storm has been ranked the #1 North American goaltender in Central Scouting's final list for the 2008 NHL draft. Draft winds blow McCollum's way On the possibility of being selected by the Sabres:

"That would be great, to play in front of your hometown fans," McCollum said of the possibility. "But they've got a couple of goaltenders in their system who are younger and pretty talented, and they have Ryan Miller there right now."

On the unlikely path taken to draft day:

He was discovered by Guelph by accident, when Niagara-area scout Bob Rivet went to a tournament with the intention of scouting one of McCollum's teammates. A visit by the coaching staff, several phone calls and a trip by the close-knit McCollum family (his parents and grandparents are season-ticket holders) to Guelph sealed the deal. Nobody expected he would have two OHL all-star games and trip to the top prospects game on his resumé in his first two seasons in the league. "There are times it hits me, especially when I'm back home," McCollum says of his rise to fame. "If I'm talking with a friend that I used to play junior B with, it's kind of like 'how did I get lucky and end up in Guelph and they're stuck there?' I put the time in, I work hard. But at the same time I caught a break."

5/2 Recap: Byron nets game winner

Locked in a 2-2 tie entering the third period, Sabres property Paul Byron notched the game winning goal for Gatineau, lifting les Olympiques to a 6-2 win over Rouyn-Noranda in the opening frame of the QMJHL Finals. The power play winner was Byron's 16th of the playoffs. He accumulated five shots on goal in the win, while also contributing a team-best four blocks. The two clubs will battle again this evening for game two.

Byron getting noticed

Today's National Post contained a nice piece on Gatineau's Paul Byron. Byron and les Olympiques begin their QMJHL series with Rouyn-Noranda tonight. Olympiques’ little man putting up big numbers

"He's not very big," says one of his former coaches, Ottawa West Golden Knights Jr. B head coach and president Blake Sinclair, "but he plays like a 200-pounder." A 200-pounder with hands. In their run-up to the league final, which opens Friday in Rouyn-Noranda, the Olympiques have been in 14 playoff games - and Byron has 15 goals. No one in the "Q" has scored more this spring (Scott Howes of Saint John also has 15). Byron is tied for fourth in points, with 20, behind his winger, Giroux, the Philadelphia Flyers' hot prospect.

Byron's 2008 playoff performance comes a year after last season's playoff year that saw him score five goals in five games.

He tries not to get caught up in the anticipation of next fall's pro camp in Buffalo (the thumb injury limited his activity at last year's camp), or even the possibility of a Memorial Cup tournament if Gatineau can survive this round. Byron's thoughts are on tonight's game, on getting better as a two-way player. His favourite NHL player is Paul Kariya, but Byron tries to play a more robust style than his hero. "I try to be smart and use my quickness to get out of situations," Byron says, "but I also try to play hard physically. When you hit, you create turnovers and chances. I find a lot of people play me soft because they look at me and don't expect me to be physical."