3/31 Recap: Ennis, Schiestel advance

In a WHL game seven, Tyler Ennis (+3) had a pair of assists as Medicine Hat advanced past Swift Current, 4-1. An Ennis shot on goal was pounced on at 1:29 of the first period to get the Tigers running, 1-0. His second helper came on the clinching empty netter with 1:48 to play. The Tigers move on to face either Brandon or Calgary. In the night's other game seven, Drew Schiestel (+1) had an assist as Niagara closed out their first round series with a 4-3 OT win over Ottawa. After getting beat on the first 67's goal, the Hamilton native shot on goal helped cash a power play with :19 left in the first period for his fifth point of the series. After a two-goal comeback in the third, 2009 eligible Andrew Agozzino ended it with a wrister just :13 into overtime. Fellow '09 Andrew Shaw also put forth a solid effort for Niagara. With the career of 67's coach Brian "Killer" Kilrea coming to an end, the Dogs start preparing for the Belleville Bulls in round two. On Monday, the 67's shut the Dogs out 4-0 to set up the loser-goes-home showdown. Schiestel was even in the loss.

Western Wildcat recruit gaining traction

Out in British Columbia, a big, skilled forward has been developing quietly under the radar over the the past two seasons in the Junior "A" BCHL. Actually 'off the radar' would be more appropriate, as the emerging talent was ignored on North American Central Scouting's mid-term rankings. Cam Reid of the Westside Warriors is a 6'2, 185-pound center who finished his 17-year old season with 40 points in 58 games. After scoring 6-17-23 in 41 games for the Victoria Grizzlies, the Delta, BC product hit for a point-per-game after a January trade, and stayed hot through the BCHL playoffs with four goals and three assists in eight games. With the makeup of a fine skating power forward, Reid's consistent, playmaking game earned him a full scholarship to the University of New Hampshire back in October. A late August birthday (8/25/91), Reid was initially slotted to have minimal impact as an 18-year old freshman in 2009-10 until Ryan Bourque spurned his Wildcats commitment to instead prepare for the pro game with Quebec of the QMJHL. Now, it appears the early ice will be there for the taking if he adjusts quickly. Reid is a scoring, two-way pivot with loads of potential. He combines equal parts passing, skating, and stick skills with a team-first desire to get his hands dirty. In Hockey East, using his size and strength on his way to the net could give him game-breaking ability by the time he's an upperclassmen. The scheduled four-year gig will offer Reid ample time to add mass while rounding out his physical and defensive sides of his game. If the skill set sounds enticing, you just might be a Sabres watcher ready to re-stock the center position with size and skill. Here's a 17-year old sleeper with a strong foundation that should fall in the late rounds, or according to some scouting services, not at all. Five BCHLers made the 2009 mid-term rankings, and it looks like the table may be set for an under-scouted sixth to creep into the '09 mix. The league had six players drafted in 2008, after seven in 2007, and five in 2006. While the Regier-era Sabres have never selected a player from the BCHL, they are proponents of using late-rounds to maximize the longer developing college route, and are wise enough to look at a kid who has earned a full-ride to a reputable D1 program. It's worth noting that Buffalo's WHL scout (and Kelowna Rockets Asst. Coach) Kim Gellert has likely been watching more BCHL puck while his son, Alex, plays out his junior seasons with Cowichan Valley before joining Alaska-Anchorage of the WCHA in 2010.

Felix feelin' it, Persson points as Pirates produce

Felix Schutz had a goal and two assists, while Tim Kennedy scored the late game winner to go along with an earlier helper as Portland defeated lowly Springfield, 4-3, to earn their first three-game win streak since January. Playing in his second career AHL game, Dennis Persson received the only assist on Kennedy's goal while Nathan Gerbe and Marc-Andre Gragnani also chipped in an assist each. Jhonas Enroth made 33 saves to collect his 23rd win of the season. The Rundown: Schutz: 1G, 2A, +1 Kennedy: GWG, 1A, 2 SOG Gerbe: 1A, +1, 5 SOG Persson: 1A Gragnani: 1A Kostka: even Zagrapan: -1 Whitmore: -1 Mancari: -1 Enroth: 33 saves, W On Saturday, Marek Zagrapan had three assists as the Pirates rode a Colin Murphy hat trick past Manchester, 5-2. Gragnani had a goal and an assist for Portland, while Gerbe potted his 26th goal of the year. The Rundown: Gragnani: 1G, 1A Gerbe: 1G, -1, 7 SOG Zagrapan: 3A, +1 Mancari: 1A, +1 Whitmore: even Kostka: 2 SOG Persson: -1 Schutz: -1 Enroth: 24 Saves, W

3/29 Recap: Ennis helps Tigers claw to game seven

In the WHL, Tyler Ennis (+1) had a pair of assists as Medicine Hat staved off elimination in a 3-0 home-ice shutout of Swift Current. With the Ennis line seeing loads of time despite his six minutes in penalties, the quick-footed Edmontonian remains atop the WHL playoffs in goals (8) and points (11). The clubs will travel back to Swift for Tuesday night's deciding Game Seven. T.J. Brennan (-1) had five shots on goal and three of his team's five blocks as Montreal advanced to the second round of the QMJHL playoffs with a 4-2 win over Rouyn-Noranda. The New Jersey native had 10 points (4+6) in the six-game set, good for second in playoff scoring for Q defensemen behind '09 eligible Dmitry Kulikov (12). Winning the series by a 4-2 count, the Juniors move on to face #1 seed Drummondville. In the NCAA, Vermont anxiously watched as top-ranked Boston University got a goal with :15 to play to edge UNH, 2-1. The Terriers win advances them to Washington, DC for the Frozen Four national semifinals where they will square off with first-year defenseman Drew MacKenzie and the Catamounts on Thursday, April 9th.

3/28 Recap: MacKenzie, Cats skate into Frozen Four

In the East Region Final, Drew MacKenzie was +1 as Vermont earned a ticket to the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time since 1996 after a 3-2 double overtime win over Air Force. The freshman rearguard made a key defensive play in the first OT to keep the Cats in it when he slid across the slot to knock the puck from an otherwise unabated attacker. The winning goal came after a 12-minute review that determined that a Dan Lawson shot a few minutes before the stoppage in play entered and exited the Falcons cage. The Cats will play the winner of Sunday's battle between Boston University and New Hampshire. In a Northeast Region semi-final, Brad Eidsness made 28 saves as North Dakota gave up a two-goal lead in their stunning 6-5 OT loss to New Hampshire. UNH's Thomas Fortney shoved a puck past Eidsness with just .01 left in regulation, before Peter LeBlanc completed the thriller just :45 into to overtime to end the Sioux's season. Eidsness ends his freshman year with a 24-12-4 mark, a regular season title, and two games of valuable NCAA tourney experience. In St. Catharines, Drew Schiestel was -1 as Niagara defeated Ottawa 4-3 in a pivotal game five. With a 3-2 series edge, the Dogs will look to cancel out the 67's Monday night in Ottawa. In the QMJHL, defenseman Jordon Southorn had three shots and five hits as PEI's season came to end with a 4-3 loss to Moncton. The Rocket had trouble getting past a firm Wildcats defense to drop the first round series 4-1. Southorn was -2 with two assists in the five postseason games.

Enroth guides Pirates to key victory

Resuming our AHL coverage, Jhonas Enroth made 39 saves on Friday in Portland's 3-2 win over Lowell. Tim Kennedy (15th), Marek Zagrapan (19th), and Marc-Andre Gragnani (8th) scored second period goals to end the Pirates' three-game losing streak and keep them in the thick of the playoff hunt with nine games to play. Dennis Persson joined the Pirates earlier in the week, and should see his first AHL action over the weekend. The Rundown: Kennedy: G, +1 Zagrapan: G, +1, 5 SOG Gragnani: G, 3 SOG Mancari: 2A, +1 Gerbe: -1, 6 SOG Schutz: -1 Kostka: 4 SOG Whitmore: 1 SOG Enroth: 39 saves

Schiestel eyeing the pros

On Friday the St. Catharines Standard ran a story on Drew Schiestel as he wraps up his OHL career with the Niagara IceDogs. IceDogs head coach Mario Cicchillo has been more than pleased with Schiestel’s play in the playoffs. “He’s shown why he’s a high draft pick in the NHL and he’s become a real good leader,” he said. “He came in here as a young kid and he’s become a young man. “Our organization should be proud of him because he’s going to have a real good career.” Schiestel was a plus-two heading into Thursday’s game before he was done in by turnovers by teammates and being on the ice for an empty-net goal. The 2005 IceDogs third-round pick was a team-worst minus-29 during the regular season, but that was an unfair representation of his play. “People can look at it and think what they want, but from the amount of minutes I’ve played, and when you’re missing key guys with injuries and being at world juniors, and with two rookie goalies at the start of the year, that’s tough,” he said. “And those empty-net goals will kill your plus-minus.”

3/27 Recap: Brennan picks up pace

In the NCAA East Region semi-final, Drew MacKenzie was even as #3 seed Vermont defeated #2 Yale, 4-1. With their first tourney win in 13 years, the Catamounts have a Saturday date with an Air Force club fresh off a victory of top-seeded Michigan. In Montreal, T.J. Brennan had two goals and two assists in the third period for another #1 performance as the Junior erupted for six goals in the final 20 minutes in their 7-0 shutout of Rouyn-Noranda. The output gives Brennan 10 points in the series, good for seventh overall in QMJHL playoff scoring, after a 34-points regular season. The win gives the Juniors a 3-2 series lead over the Huskies. Elsewhere in the Q, J.S. Allard had a goal and an assist as Quebec closed out their opening round series with a 7-1 trouncing of Baie-Comeau. With two goals and six assists, Allard has registered at least a point in each of the Remparts' first five playoff games. Paul Byron had an assist and a game-high nine shots on goal as Gatineau needed overtime to defeat Bathurst, 4-3. The five-game series win moves the Olympiques into the second round. Byron leads the team in scoring with nine points. In the WHL, Tyler Ennis scored his eighth goal of the playoffs as Medicine Hat suffered a 5-3 loss at Swift Current. Now trailing the series 3-2, the Tigers will look to force a game seven on Sunday. Ennis' eight marks sits atop the WHL leaderboard.

3/26 Recap: "O" defenders goal it up

Thursday in the OHL, Drew Schiestel scored for Niagara in their 6-4 loss to Ottawa. The power play snapper was Schiestel's second of the playoff season. The 67's win evens the first-round series at two games apiece. In Guelph, Nick Crawford scored a short-handed empty net goal as Saginaw defeated the Storm, 4-1. The win gives the Spirit a quarterfinal sweep with the second round opponent yet to be determined.

3/25 Recap: Ennis trick bucks Broncos

In Wednesday WHL play, Tyler Ennis (+3) notched a hat trick as Medicine Hat defeated Swift Current 5-3 to even their first-round series at two games each. With seven goals in four games thus far, the speedy Tiger is saying goodbye to a junior career with style. Tyler Myers (+1) put forth another dominating performance with a goal and an assist as Kelowna closed out Kamloops, 5-3. The Rockets sweep of the Blazers sets up a second round match-up with one of Seattle, Spokane, or Tri-City. In the QMJHL, Paul Byron had a goal and two assists as Gatineau pitched a shutout of Bathurst, 4-0. The win puts the Piques ahead 3-1 in their first round series. Jacob Lagacé scored a goal and an assist as Chicoutimi saw their season come to an end with a 4-3 loss to Rimouski. The overmathced Sags were swept by the Nics, 4-0. J.S. Allard set-up the game winning goal as Quebec defeated Baie-Comeau, 5-2. The Remparts win puts them ahead 3-1 in their best-of-seven. Jordon Southorn had an assist as PEI defeated Moncton, 5-4. Trailing three games to none, the Rocket staved off elimination with the home-ice win. T.J. Brennan had three shots on goal ans Montreal dropped a 3-2 decision to Rouyn-Noranda. The loss evens the series at two games apiece.