Enroth dismisses Admirals

Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy continued their scoring binge with a goal each, and Felix Schutz knocked him home his first of the year as Portland defeated Norfolk, 4-0. Jhonas Enroth made 29 saves on the road to earn the first shutout of his contract. Gerbe's goal gives him seven in as many games, including five in his last four. Meanwhile Kennedy's marker puts him on a seven-game scoring streak heading into tomorrow's rematch with the Admirals. The Rundown: Enroth: 29 saves, SO Schutz: 1 G, +2 Kennedy: 1 G, +1 Gerbe: 1 G, +1 Mancari: 1 A +1 Gragnani: 1 A, +1 Butler: +3 Kostka: +1 Zagrapan: +1 Card: even Weber: even Whitmore: even

10/30 Recap: Schiestel leading Dog race at quarter turn

Drew Schiestel (-1) had a power play assist for Niagara in their 3-1 win over Guelph. Having registered a point in all but three of his 16 games, the Hamilton native continues to lead the Dogs in scoring with two goals and 15 assists. John Cullen (Hamburg, NY) made 23 saves for Niagara in relief of Mark Visentin to get the W. With 25% of the regular season complete, the 5-7-1-4 IceDogs are tied with Barrie for 2nd place in the Central Division. In a beggar's night contest, RW Andrew Orpik had two shots on goal as #2 Boston College upended Merrimack, 4-1. Jimmy Hayes (TOR) potted a pair of goals to lead the Eagles. Starting to ramp his way back up, Dennis Persson (-1) logged 13:48 of play in Timra's 4-0 loss to MODO. Prize 2009 prospect Victor Hedman was +2 for MODO, while former NHLers Niklas Sundstrom and Per Svartvadet paced the victors with two points each. Finally, a bizarre incident in Moscow caused the contest between Kazan (Vjacheslav Buravchikov) and Dynamo to be suspended after one period of play. It appears that smoke filled the arena after a Dynamo goal celebration, and would not dissipate despite several measures to clear the air. Buravchikov will return to action on Sunday.

Southorn returns to Rocket

After a meeting Wednesday, the PEI Rocket have reinstated suspended defenseman Jordon Southorn in time for Thursday's game versus Moncton. The Pincourt, QC native was -1 with 4 PIMs in the 3-2 shootout loss to the Wildcats, and was pretty gassed by the end as it looked like he was on the ice for about half of the game. His second period penalty resulted in the second Moncton goal on the PP. The Guardian offered up this regarding the reinstatement.

Southorn - "I'm embarrassed and ashamed" After being reinstated Southorn practised with the club Wednesday and returns to the lineup tonight versus the Moncton Wildcats (7 p.m.) in Moncton. “Obviously, I was going in the wrong direction. I’m embarrassed and ashamed I would do something like that. (We made it clear) this will not affect our relationship, personal or business,” Southorn told The Guardian after the Rocket practice on Wednesday. “My agent wasn’t happy at all. Me and my dad had a blowup. My parents wanted me to know what this means.” Before practice Southorn apologized to his teammates in a team meeting and accepted the assitant captain’s ‘A’ being stripped off his jersey. It won’t be given to anyone else. “It wasn’t easy looking at them. I think that by doing that it shows I care,” he said. “Them being there shows they care also. We’re a family here.”

Southorn seems sincere in his return, and understanding of the "A" being removed. This situation already seems different from a two seasons back when Marc-Andre Gragnani suffered similar consequences after disagreeing with Rocket management.

Myers, Ennis named to 'Dub club

2008 first round picks Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis have been named to Team WHL when the ADT Canada/Russia Challenge makes it way west in late November.

FORWARDS: Jason Bast, Moose Jaw; Kyle Beach, Everett; Jamie Benn, Kelowna; Zach Boychuk, Lethbridge; Joel Broda, Moose Jaw; Matt Calvert, Brandon; Jordan Eberle, Regina; Tyler Ennis, Medicine Hat; Evander Kane, Vancouver; Brandon Kozun, Calgary; Colton Sceviour, Lethbridge; Braydon Schenn, Brandon; Brett Sonne, Calgary; Dustin Sylvester, Kootenay; Dana Tyrell, Prince George. DEFENCE: Keith Aulie, Brandon; Jared Cowen, Spokane; Travis Hamonic, Moose Jaw; Thomas Hickey, Seattle; Tyler Myers, Kelowna; John Negrin, Kootenay; Jared Spurgeon, Spokane; Colten Teubert, Regina. GOALTENDERS: Chet Pickard, Tri-City; Dustin Tokarski, Spokane.

2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge Schedule of Games: Game 1 – Monday, November 17 in Sydney, NS (Adam, Byron) Game 2 – Wednesday, November 19 in Saint John, NB (Adam, Byron) Game 3 – Thursday, November 20 in Guelph, ON Game 4 – Monday, November 24 in St. Catherines, ON Game 5 – Wednesday, November 26 in Swift Current, SK (Myers, Ennis) Game 6 – Thursday, November 27 in Prince Albert, SK (Myers, Ennis) Drew Schiestel and Nick Crawford were left off the roster for Team OHL.

10/29 Recap: Gerbe, Kennedy keep firing

Playing catch-up... In a mid-week AHL tilt, Nathan Gerbe scored on the power play and Tim Kennedy added another assist as Portland dropped a 3-2 decision to Hartford. Gerbe's goal was his sixth in as many games, while Kennedy now has a point all six. Chris Butler, Marek Zagrapan, and Mike Kostka also posted assists in the loss. The Rundown: Gerbe: 1 G, 4 SOG Kennedy: 1 A, -1 Zagrapan: 1 A, -2, 4 PIM Kostka: 1 A, -1 Butler: 1 A, 3 SOG Schutz: 2 SOG Gragnani: -1 Mancari: -1 Whitmore: -1 Card: -2 Dennis: 20 saves, L It was also announced this week that Dylan Hunter will be out four-six weeks after taking a puck in the foot during Sunday's win. Mike Funk (concussion) has started skating with the team, but is expected to be held back until next week. Also on Wednesday, Tyler Myers skated to a +2 as Kelowna cruised to a 7-2 win over Seattle. In the Q, Jacob Lagacé (+2, 5 SOG) scored an empty-netter as Chicoutimi topped Rimouski, 5-2.

Southy's situation addressed

Following up on our Sunday bit, Charlottetown's The Guardian today reported on the suspension of talented defenseman, Jordon Southorn.

Southorn and head coach Guy Chouinard argued as he skated to the bench for a shift change. Southorn said he threw his gloves and hockey stick to the floor, left the bench and went to the Rocket dressing room midway through the period. “We kind of exchanged words. I kind of lost it,” Southorn told The Guardian from his Pincourt home Monday. “I got upset (and) said a few things I shouldn’t have. As a leader, I shouldn’t have done that. I think I should have stayed on the bench.” The third-year defenceman said his frustration boiled over after a difficult road trip to western Quebec, which included four games in five nights in Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d’Or, and he and his Rocket team (7-9-0-1) struggling to play better. “Obviously they haven’t been happy with my play and I haven’t either. I think I pushed (Chouinard’s) last button,” said Southorn, who has eight points, 10 penalty minutes and has a minus-one ratio in 13 games this season.

While he's been told to stay away indefinitely, the team's assistant captain sounds contrite and ready to get back to his team. Part of the maturation process is realizing your shadow as a leader. If Southorn better understands that, perhaps this ordeal can be seen as a positive down the road.

For Southorn’s part, he doesn’t harbour any bad blood, and if and when he returns, is willing to accept whatever comes his way. “I don’t hold any grudges. I’m going to apologize to Guy when I get the chance. I think he doesn’t hold any grudges either,” said Southorn, a fourth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2008. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they took the ‘A’ off my jersey.”

10/28 Recap: Persson extra; Slava update

Dennis Persson was the seventh defenseman for a third straight game, registering two shots on goal in 10:50 of action in Timra's 4-3 win over Skelleftea. Defenseman Eric Moe, 20, was Timra's best player in just his sixth game of the season, potting a goal and an assist while being paired with the Eagles top d-gun Mikko Lehtonen. Moe's production has been a pleasant surprise for Timra, and his rise up the depth chart continues to come at Persson's expense. In the KHL, Vjacheslav Buravchikov went pointless in Kazan's 8-3 win over Minsk. The 6'1 defender is averaging 16:10 of time on the bottom pair for the third-place club while contributing a goal, an assist, and a -2 rating in 19 games.

Schedule 10/27-11/2

Monday (10/27) (no games) Tuesday (10/28) Timra (Persson) at Skelleftea Wednesday (10/29) Portland (AHL) at Hartford Rimouski at Chicoutimi (Lagacé) Seattle at Kelowna (Myers) Thursday (10/30) MoDo at Timra (Persson) PEI (Southorn) at Moncton Guelph at Niagara (Schiestel) Merrimack at Boston College (Orpik) Kazan (Buravchikov) at Dynamo Friday (10/31) Straubing at Cologne (Gogulla) Portland (AHL) at Norfolk Gatineau (Byron) at Acadie-Bathurst Quebec (Allard) at Rouyn-Noranda Montreal (Adam, Brennan) at Val-d'Or Niagara (Schiestel) at Sudbury Medicine Hat (Ennis) at Kootenay Dartmouth at Harvard (Biega) Boston College (Orpik) at Merrimack Nebraska-Omaha at Bowling Green (Eno) Western Michigan at Michigan State (Tropp) Minnesota State (Jokinen) at Minnesota Wisconsin at North Dakota (Eidsness, Fienhage) Saturday (11/1) Timra (Persson) at Lulea Portland (AHL) at Norfolk Gatineau (Byron) at PEI (Southorn) Quebec (Allard) at Val-d'Or Montreal (Adam, Brennan) at Rouyn-Noranda Oshawa at Saginaw (Crawford) Niagara (Schiestel) at Barrie Lethbridge at Kelowna (Myers) USA U-18 at Harvard (Biega) Boston University at Vermont (MacKenzie) Nebraska-Omaha at Bowling Green (Eno) Wisconsin at North Dakota (Eidsness, Fienhage) Michigan State (Tropp) at Western Michigan Minnesota at Minnesota State (Jokinen) Sunday (11/2) Wolfsburg at Cologne (Gogulla) Victoriaville at Chicoutimi (Lagacé) Gatineau (Byron) at Halifax Lewiston at PEI (Southorn) Kitchener at Saginaw (Crawford) Vermont (MacKenzie) at Dartmouth Medicine Hat (Ennis) at Calgary Edmonton at Kelowna (Myers)

Three Stars of the Week 10/20-10/26

Nathan Gerbe, LW (Portland - AHL) The hottest stick in hockey? After scoring five goals in two Frozen Four games to close his NCAA career, the 5th round pick in 2005 has notched five goals through his first five games to help propel the Pirates to a 4-1 record. Tyler Ennis, C (Medicine Hat - WHL) Ennis scored five points in two games during the week, including a goal and three assists in a 7-3 win over Prince George on Wednesday. Ennis now has seven points in his last four games. Luke Adam, LW (Montreal - QMJHL) With Angelo Esposito nursing a hand injury, the Newfoundland native stepped up Sunday with a goal and three assists in the Juniors 7-3 trouncing of Victoriaville.

10/26 Recap: Adam pads; Genny steady in upset

Luke Adam had a goal and three assists to earn the game's #2 star as Montreal smoked Victoriaville at home, 7-3. The multi-point night pushes Adam's point total to 16 (8+8) on the year. Defenseman T.J. Brennan did not factor into any of the Juniors goals, while Matt Fillier (LA) netted the hat trick against a Tigres club playing its third game in as many nights. ESPNU's Sunday night match-up saw Matt Generous (+1) snatch an assist while playing an impressive all-around game as unranked St. Lawrence upset #4 New Hampshire, 4-1. On a third period power play after he was boarded by UNH's Jerry Pollastrone, Generous slid a cross-ice pass to Zach Miskovic who neatly sniped the corner for his second goal of the game. The senior rearguard has battled shoulder issues over the past year, so it was good to see him get up from the dumping. In an interview played during the second intermission, SLU co-captain Shawn Fensel called Generous "an intense, hard worker on the ice". East Amherst, NY native and former USHL Player of the Year Phil DeSimone (WAS) was shutout for UNH. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla had a power play assist and a team-high six shots on goal as Cologne defeated Ingolstadt, 3-2. After a slow start, the Sharks have now won three in a row and four of their last five. The German winger will take a four-game point streak into Friday's game with Straubing. In Gatineau, Paul Byron (-1) had an assist as the Olympiques lost to Acadie-Bathurst, 4-2. Byron found Hugo Laporte on the power play to open the scoring at 16:03 of the first period. The Ottawa native now has a goal and five assists in his last four games, but the Piques are faltering with seven consecutive losses and a management team looking to shake things up. With just three goals in 15 games, perhaps Byron is being dangled. Jean-Simon Allard went scoreless for the fifth straight game as Quebec rolled over Lewiston, 7-1. In the OHL, Saginaw's Nick Crawford was assessed a five-minute major for cross-checking as the Spirit lost to Guelph, 4-1.