3/24 Recap: Brennan engine as Juniors take lead

T.J. Brennan scored the game winning goal and added a pair of power play assists as Montreal defeated Rouyn-Noranda, 4-1. Brennan's first-star performance helped the Juniors get out to a 2-1 series lead heading into Wednesday's game four. Tyler Ennis scored his fourth goal of the playoffs as Medicine Hat lost to Swift Current, 5-2. The Tigers now trail the Broncos two games to one in their opening round series. Tyler Myers was +2 in Kelowna's 3-2 overtime win over Kamloops. Myers was named the #3 star of the game. The victory gives Kelowna a 3-0 series lead. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel had an assist as Niagara took a 5-2 win over visiting Ottawa. The defenseman also received a questionable double minor after checking 67's center Logan Couture from behind late in the third period. The Dogs lead the series 2-1. Nick Crawford was -2 as Saginaw edged Guelph, 7-6 in 2OT. 2009 draft eligible Peter Holland had a hat trick in the losing effort, while fellow '09 Jordan Szwarz had three assists to help pace the Spirit. Saginaw will look for the sweep on Thursday. Jordon Southorn had an assist and three minors as PEI lost 3-2 in overtime Moncton. Inside of 2:00 to play, the Rocket scored two goals within :11 of each other before Wildcats defenseman David Savard capped the game with his hat trick goal in OT. Down 3-0, PEI will fight for their season on Wednesday. Paul Byron had an assist and a team-high three hits as Gatineau dropped a 5-2 decision to Bathurst. Les Olympiques hold a 2-1 series lead over the Titan. Jacob Lagacé had an assist as Chicoutimi lost to Rimouski, 6-3. The Sags will look to avoid elimination on Wednesday. Finally, J.S. Allard had an assist as Quebec lost to Baie-Comeau, 4-3. The Remparts lead the Drakkar 2-1 in their series despite the loss.

Gogulla to Sabres confirmed for 2009-10

Many thanks to Henrike Wöbking of Haimspiel.de for his recent interview of Philip Gogulla. Below is a select snippet, while the entire translated version can be viewed here. Despite the bad season for the club you scored a career high of 17 goals this year, most of them playing with Christoph Ullmann and Marcel Müller. Was that also a “sought and found”-kind of line? At the beginning of the season I was still on a line with Kamil Piros. Doug Mason [Coach for the Cologne Sharks 2005-2008] told us, he still had to find out who is going to be on our line, as Ivan wasn’t on the team anymore. The lines were put together well and he also didn’t want to separate us. So I played the first three games of the season with Kamil, then I went to Buffalo for training-camp, and when I returned Doug was gone. [Doug Mason got fired after the team lost its first seven games of the season.] They asked me if I would play with Ullmann and Marcel Müller. I said, sure, I’d love to. From then on we played together for the rest of the season. I think, we fit together pretty well. Doug always told me, your biggest problem is, you need to shoot the puck more often. I did that this year, whenever I had the chance. It’s great that it resulted in the most goals I ever scored in a season. Doug was absolutely right. He told me over and over again to just shoot. He said I have a good shot. That’s why he played me on the blueline [on the powerplay] a lot. He kept telling me, if you can’t shoot you have to pass, but if you have a chance to shoot just do it. That’s what I tried over the last couple of years. It worked out pretty well, I guess. I still like to make the final pass in a two on one situation, though. I consider myself rather a passer than a shooter. The 2008 playoffs have been your best playoffs so far. You’ve been a big factor in the success. I don’t think I ever saw you that focused before games like you were during that run. That was one of the most awesome periods of time I had with Cologne. I get goose bumps right now, just because it was so great back then. Really. We were listening to the same music in the locker-room before every game. I was really focused, like you said. I wanted to win the championship so badly. Coming up short in the final game was bad luck. I was completely focused. For example, in that game against Mannheim which went to the sixth overtime, I knew any mistake would be lethal. It was a tense situation. I wanted to win so badly. During that overtime I never had the feeling we could lose the game. Never in my life before did I ever have a feeling like that. I knew we were going to win that game. God having me scoring the winner was flat out amazing. The coach trusting in me and letting me play helped a lot. I just went out there and played, I guess. Scoring twelve points during that run was pretty good. The playoffs in prior years never felt like that. Over your five years with Cologne the attention you got from the media increased significantly. Did you have to get used to that? You bet. When you join a pro-team as a sixteen year-old it is something special. You were always excited and afraid of saying something wrong. I even was nervous at all the season openings when I had to go on stage and talk to the fans. It was tough. But over the years you get used to it. You are still a little bit excited but I think I’m doing quite well. I realized that journalists are normal people, too, who just want some information. Are you ready for the media circus in North-America? That’s going to be a whole different animal, of course. Even at preseason games there’s always so many camera teams rushing into the locker-room after games. It’s completely different compared to here. Hockey writers covering the Sabres think you should come over for the next season, as staying in Germany would not help your development anymore. Do you think so, too? One should mention that the DEL is a very good league. And it’s challenging, also. To say, if I stay another year I’d score 25 goals and 70 points, would be completely wrong. That just wouldn’t be the case. The league is becoming closer and closer every year. I don’t know if it really wouldn’t help my development if I’d play here for another year. I think, it’s simply time for me to go over. Two years ago I signed a three-year-contract. I know if I don’t give it a try overseas now, the window might be closing for me. If I don’t give it a try, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. As the season ended for the Cologne Sharks that early, theoretically there would have been the possibility to join the Portland Pirates for the remainder of this season. Would you have done it if they had approached you? That’s a difficult question. I think it’s always difficult when a player joins a team shortly before the playoffs. Not only for the team, but for the player as well. I don’t know if I’d be comfortable coming in and taking the spot of someone who did play for that team the whole season. Tough to say, if I would have done it. Also, the nationalteam might be calling soon. I would really have had to think about it. I probably wouldn’t have said no right away, but I would have had to think about it thoroughly, for sure. A year ago you were quoted by a German newspaper “NHL or I will not go”. Did you really say it like that back then? Yes, that’s always been my philosophy. I thought to myself, why should I play in Portland? I tried to compare the leagues [AHL and DEL] a little bit. I don’t know exactly, how it is over there. Of course it is a different game, but the guys, who came over here, said the DEL is a little bit better than the AHL. Plus you don’t make that much money over there, you don’t get a car and an apartment. Here you get all that and you make good money. Why should I go over if I’m playing for a top-notch club in Cologne and have the option to stay here? Now I have to go over. And today it would be naïve to say, I’m not going to play in the farmteam. I absolutely expect to be in the farmteam all year. If I get the chance to get called up once in a while – say if the Sabres run into injury trouble – I would be very, very happy. Are you concerned about adjusting your game to the smaller ice? A little bit. It is a different game and it’s more intense physically. You’ve got less time to do something. I realized that. You have to pay attention every single second. It’s incredible. It’s completely different. You literally have no time. Did you ever talk with Felix Schütz about which is the better way to make it to the NHL as he had a different approach than you spending time in the QMJHL? I think, that’s always hard to tell. He has the advantage of knowing how the small ice works, but he also returned to Germany after two years and gave it a shot in the DEL. I was lucky to have Hans Zach as a Coach [in Cologne, as he likes to work with young German players]. If it wasn’t for him I might not be where I am today. It’s really hard to tell. One guy is trying it this way, another guy is trying it a different way. Since you’ve been drafted you went to trainings-camp every year. Did you get any feedback from the coaches? What did they tell you to work on? I’ve been to the rookie-camp twice and also twice to the main-camp. When I returned from the rookie camp I was in great shape. I felt really good. But it’s a tough grind. Last year was the toughest camp I’ve ever experienced. Even in my first year I thought, this is tough. But last year they cranked it up another notch. It’s a little bit difficult, because they don’t see me play in Germany. Basically all they say is: good luck und keep working hard. That’s what I do. In the gym as well. At the rookie-camp you don’t get any feedback. You just work hard for a week. At the other camps they give you a “well done” once in a while, but that’s pretty much it. This year’s trainings-camp will be a whole different animal. How do you approach that? Are you already thinking of the time when the cuts will be made? Well, I will just try my very best. I don’t go in there thinking, I have to make the big team. That’s not going to work. I know I’ll end up in Portland. That’s how I approach it. If the coaches think I can do better than that, that would be absolutely awesome. But in no way will I be disappointed if it is going to be Portland for me. Right now I focus on the nationalteam. But once I’m at the camp, I’m sure I’ll be nervous. To say it will be any different than that would be a lie. Since you got drafted you knew you would have to leave Cologne at some point. Did you prepare for this moment all those years or didn’t you give it any thought at all? For the last two years I knew this day would come. When I got drafted it all seemed so far away. Very far away. I always wanted to win a championship with Cologne. I didn’t accomplish that. I always gave it my best for Cologne. As long as I was playing here I didn’t really think of Buffalo that much. I was watching their game highlights occasionally, but that was pretty much it. While I was playing here I never thought, wow, next year you’ll be in Buffalo or Portland. I didn’t think that right to the end. Then the season was nearing the end and there were only five games left to play, then three and then our final home game. In Ingolstadt, where we played our last game of the season, I sort of thought everything over during the final period. My whole career here just ran like a movie in my mind’s eye. I thought, strange, this is over now. Then I took off the jersey for the last time. At that point it was over. Later that week I enjoyed the season wrap party with the fans. But the sad part is, it’s always over so quick after the season ended. The same goes for the players. The guys all just leave suddenly. You never get to see them again. For example, saying good-bye to Frank Doyle, not knowing where he will play next year. I’ll probably never see him again. Same with Todd Warriner. Within one week after the final game it’s all over. In your dreams, what do the next fifteen to twenty years in your career look like? In my dreams I become a great hockey player – also for the German hockey -, spend many years in the NHL and make a lot of money. My biggest dream would be to win a championship. But the most awesome thing would be to raise the Stanley Cup at some point. There is no bigger dream for any hockey player in the world than to win the Stanley Cup. That would be a dream come true.

Yar! Persson a Pirate

With his SEL season over, Swedish news outlet Sodermanlands Nyheter is reporting that Dennis Persson, 20, is awaiting a work visa to finish the year with the Sabres AHL affiliate in Portland. The 6'1, 187-pound Persson will add mobility, heady passing, and a solid point shot to a depleted Pirates blueline. Buffalo's first-round pick in 2006, Persson adjusted to a more defensive role while averaging 12:09 of work down Timra's right side. In 46 games, the lefty scored one goal and five assists to go along with a -8 rating.

3/22 Recap: Schiestel points in loss

In Sunday OHL play, Drew Schiestel had an assist as Niagara failed to earn the road sweep in a 6-2 loss to Ottawa. The defenseman has a point in each playoff game, and 14 in 16 career postseason appearances, after notching just eight in his final 20 regular season contests, including a five game stretch of zeros to close the season. With the series tied at one, the clubs will resume their first round series on Tuesday in St. Catherines. Nick Crawford finished -1 as Saginaw edged Guelph, 3-2. The back-and-forth contest saw the teams compile a total of 85 shots on goal (44-41). The Spirit take a 2-0 series lead to Guelph on Tuesday.

Sabres freshmen ready for NCAAs

The 2009 NCAA Division I Hockey Tournament field has been released, and a pair of Sabres prospects will be making their first bracket appearance with an eye for the Capitol. Friday evening will see freshman defenseman Drew MacKenzie, 20, make his tournament debut when #3 Vermont visits East Region host #2 Yale. Puck drops at 6:30. #1 Michigan and #4 Air Force will square off in the other half of the bracket. On Saturday, first-year netminder Brad Eidsness, 19, and reserve defenseman Corey Fienhage, 18, of WCHA regular season champion North Dakota (#2) will travel to Manchester, NH to face home-staters New Hampshire (#3) in a Northeast Region semifinal. Faceoff is at 2:00 EST. The winner will take on one of tourney top seed, Boston University, and #4 Ohio State. In West action kicking off Friday, #1 Denver will take on #4 Miami while #2 Duluth battles #3 Princeton. The Midwest Region slate for Saturday features the tourneys #2 overall seed, Notre Dame, drawing #4 Bemidji State, filled out with #2 Northeastern versus #3 Cornell. The winners of the East and Northeast Regionals will meet in one National Semifinal at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, April 9th. The winners of the Midwest and Northeast Regional will meet in the other. The National Championship will be played on April 11th.

3/21 Recap: Byron trips, Southy snaps, Genny caps

In the QMJHL playoffs, Paul Byron connected for three assists - one each short-handed, on the power play, and at even strength - as Gatineau smoked Bathurst, 8-2. The game featured a fight-filled third period that included both coaches yelling and gesturing at each other through most of the final 10:00 of play. T.J. Brennan had a goal and an assist as Montreal fell to Rouyn-Noranda, 4-3. Trailing 1-0 on a first period power play, the defenseman used a high-rising wrister from the blueline to tie the game before the first intermission. The Juniors outhit the Huskies 31-5 in defeat. After splitting the first two games, the series will resume on Tuesday in R-N on Tuesday. In Moncton, Jordon Southorn was -1 as PEI was shutout by Moncton, 5-0. Despite a team-best four hits, the contest was a less-than stellar effort that saw emotion get the best of the young blueliner. After earning a ten-minute misconduct for yapping at an officiating crew that whistled PEI for five minor penalties in the game's first 7:07, Southorn later lost his composure and got into a heated argument with Asst. Coach Corrado Micalef that resulted in him sitting alone on the bench for the last 15:00 of the game. The Rocket loss puts them in a 2-0 series hole. J.S. Allard (+1) had a pair of secondary helpers as Quebec defeated Baie-Comeau, 5-2. The Remparts now lead the best-of-seven series 2-0. Jacob Lagacé had six shots on goal and five blocks as Chicoutimi fell into a 2-0 series deficit with a 4-1 loss to Rimouski. In the WHL, Tyler Ennis (+2) earned the #3 star of the game with a goal and an assist as Medicine Hat rolled past Swift Current, 6-2. The Tigers win evens the series at one game apiece. Tyler Myers(+1) put up another strong showing, racking up two assists as Kelowna downed Kamloops, 5-1. The Rockets took a 2-0 series lead over the Blazers despite going 0/10 on the power play. The first-round match-up will move to Kamloops on Tuesday. In the OHL, Nick Crawford was -1 as Saginaw slipped past Guelph 6-5 in 2OT to take Game One of their series. In the ECAC third-place game, senior defenseman Matt Generous scored his eighth of the year as St. Lawrence saw their season come to an end in a 2-2 tie with Princeton. Generous, who one-timed a faceoff win to make it a 1-1 game at 9:58 of the opening period, ends his collegiate career with 56 points and a +22 while never being a healthy scratch. In the WCHA third-place game, Brad Eidsness made 34 saves as North Dakota lost a 4-1 battle to Wisconsin. A loose-puck scrum, a 1-2 passing play, and two pounced rebounds comprised the four goals against.

3/20 Recap: Myers with strong start as Cup run begins

Tyler Myers opened the WHL playoffs with a power play goal and #1 star performance as Kelowna defeated Kamloops, 4-2. Working for over 24:00 of play, Myers was rock defensively while exhibiting his skating ability with several rushes up ice. In another first round opener, 43-goal scorer Tyler Ennis scored both Medicine Hat goals, but the Tigers gave up twice as many in their 4-2 loss to Swift Current. Drew Schiestel scored just :51 in to the opening period as Niagara defeated Ottawa 5-3 to take Game One of their OHL first-round series. The skating rearguard finished +2 in the win, while the goal was his first in 15 career playoff games. In opening night in the QMJHL playoffs, J.S. Allard had a power play goal and later added an assist as Quebec downed Baie-Comeau, 8-1. Jordon Southorn was -3 with a team-leading three hits as PEI was rubbed out by Moncton, 7-1. Wildcats UFA goaltender Nicola Riopel stood on his head to make 40 saves and earn the game's top star. Paul Byron set-up the overtime game winner as Gatineau defeated Bathurst, 5-4. The 5'9 dangler also added seven shots on goal as the 'Piques fired a total of 55 at Titan netminder Nicholas Champion. T.J. Brennan assisted on the game winner as Montreal defeated Rouyn-Noranda, 5-3. Just :10 into a 5-3 power play, Brennan started the play that resulted in Matt Fillier's third period tally that at the time put the Juniors ahead, 4-1. Jacob Lagacé was -3 as Chicoutimi was dominated by Rimouski, 8-2. At the WCHA Final Five, Brad Eidsness made 21 saves in North Dakota's 3-0 shutout loss to Duluth. Eidsness was caught playing the puck behind the net for the first goal against before a rebound to the left circle was pounced home for a two-goal deficit. An empty netter sealed the deal for the upset minded Bulldogs. The Sioux will face Wisconsin for third place. In the ECAC Tournament semifinals, Matt Generous returned from his MCL injury to assist on the first goal of the game as St. Lawrence lost to Yale, 4-3. Up 3-2 with entering the third, the Saints surrendered two goals in the final 1:34 to miss a chance at an NCAA bid. SLU will play Princeton in the third place game. At the Hockey East tourney, Andrew Orpik was even with two minors in his final NCAA contest as Boston College fell to Boston University, 3-2. With a 1-0 lead in the third, the senior forward looked like he was going to extend his collegiate career another day before BU scored a record three goals in :44 to snatch the win. The past week also saw the season end for defenseman Dennis Persson, as Timra lost a deciding game seven to HV71 in the first round of the SEL playoffs. Persson did not see the ice in the final three games of the series.

Ennis, Myers named Dub All-Stars

Medicine Hat's Tyler Ennis has been named to the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star Team. The speedy forward, who scored 43 goals this season to lead the Tigers back to the playoffs, was also named a finalist for Most Sportsmanlike Player. Stud defenseman Tyler Myers of Kelowna was named to the Western Conference Second All-Star Team. Fellow World Junior blueliners Thomas Hickey (CAN) and Jonathan Blum (USA) finished ahead of him on the First Team. WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM Goaltender – Braden Holtby (Marshall, SK), Saskatoon Blades * Defenceman – Paul Postma (Red Deer, AB), Calgary Hitmen * Defenceman – Keith Aulie (Rouleau, SK), Brandon Wheat Kings Forward – Brett Sonne (Maple Ridge, BC), Calgary Hitmen * Forward – Brandon Kozun (Calgary, AB), Calgary Hitmen Forward – Tyler Ennis (Edmonton, AB), Medicine Hat Tigers SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM Goaltender – Martin Jones (North Vancouver, BC), Calgary Hitmen Defenceman – Michael Stone (Winnipeg, MB), Calgary Hitmen Defenceman – John Negrin (West Vancouver, BC), Swift Current Broncos Forward – Joel Broda (Prince Albert, SK), Calgary Hitmen Forward – Justin Bernhardt (Yorkton, SK), Prince Albert Raiders Forward – Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon, SK), Brandon Wheat Kings WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM Goaltender – Chet Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Tri-City Americans Defenceman – Jonathon Blum (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), Vancouver Giants * Defenceman – Thomas Hickey (Calgary, AB), Seattle Thunderbirds Forward – Casey Pierro-Zabotel (Kamloops, BC), Vancouver Giants * Forward – Jamie Benn (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets Forward – Evander Kane (Vancouver, BC), Vancouver Giants SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM Goaltender – Dustin Tokarski (Watson, SK), Spokane Chiefs Defenceman – Tyler Myers (DeWinton, AB), Kelowna Rockets Defenceman – Brent Regner (Newbrook, AB), Vancouver Giants Forward – Drayson Bowman (Littleton, CO), Spokane Chiefs Forward – Colin Long (Santa Ana, CA), Kelowna Rockets Forward – Taylor Procyshen (Emerald Park, SK), Tri-City Americans * indicates unanimous selection

Eidsness on WCHA hit list

North Dakota freshman goaltender Brad Eidsness has been named to both the 2008-09 All-WCHA Third team and All-WCHA Rookie Team. The AJHL product led the league with a .703 winning percentage for the MacNaughton Cup winning Sioux. 2008-09 All-WCHA Third Team Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown Pts F Garrett Roe St. Cloud State 5-9 175 So Vienna, VA 166 F Anthony Maiani Denver 5-7 150 So Shelby Township, MI 139 F Rhett Rakhshani Denver 5-10 180 Jr Huntington Beach, CA 116 D Josh Meyers Minnesota Duluth 6-3 195 Sr Alexandria, MN 146 D Kurt Davis Minnesota State 5-9 175 So Plymouth, MN 85 G Brad Eidsness North Dakota 6-0 175 Fr Chestermere, AB 103 2008-09 All-WCHA Rookie Team Pos Name Team Ht Wt Yr Hometown Votes F Jordan Schroeder Minnesota 5-9 180 Fr Prior Lake, MN 77 F Joe Colborne Denver 6-5 195 Fr Calgary, AB 43 F Mike Connolly Minnesota Duluth 5-8 180 Fr Calgary, AB 33 D Patrick Wiercioch Denver 6-4 185 Fr Maple Grove, BC 77 D Jake Gardiner Wisconsin 6-2 181 Fr Minnetonka, MN 31 G Brad Eidsness North Dakota 6-0 175 Fr Chestermere, AB 77

Generous, Biega take ECAC post-season honors

Two Sabres prospects earned ECAC postseason honors as Matt Generous of St. Lawrence was named the league's Outstanding Defensive Defenseman while Harvard's Alex Biega was tabbed Third Team All-League.

Rookie of the Year - Jody O’Neill, Dartmouth Best Defensive Forward - Tyler Mugford, Cornell Best Defensive Defenseman - Matt Generous, St. Lawrence Coach of the Year - Keith Allain, Yale First Team All-ECAC G Zane Kalemba, Princeton D Lane Caffaro, Union D Zach Miskovic, St. Lawrence F Mark Arcobello, Yale F Riley Nash, Cornell F David McIntyre, Colgate Second Team All-ECAC G Ben Scrivens, Cornell D Tom Dignard, Yale D Brendon Nash, Cornell F Sean Backman, Yale F Bryan Leitch, Quinnipiac F Colin Greening, Cornell Third Team All-ECAC G Alec Richards, Yale D Alex Biega, Harvard D Jody Peterson, Princeton F Brock McBride, St. Lawrence F Broc Little, Yale F Adam Presizniuk, Union All-Rookie Team G Jody O’Neill, Dartmouth D Jeff Buvinow, Brown D Keir Ross, Cornell F Patrick Cullen, Rensselaer F Doug Jones, Dartmouth F Brian O’Neill, Yale

Generous helped backstop the Saints to a 2.32 team goals against average, their best since 1955-56.