Sabres sign Myers

2008 first-round draft pick Tyler Myers has come to terms on a three-year entry level deal with the Sabres. Press release from the Sabres: “Tyler is having an outstanding year with the Kelowna Rockets,” said General Manager Darcy Regier. “This past weekend he led the Rockets to the Western Hockey League Championship where he was named playoff MVP. He is a big, strong player who has excellent hockey skills for a 19-year old player. We’re glad to have him signed and look forward to his continued development both on and off the ice.” Myers (6’8”, 215 lbs., 2/1/1990) is about to put the finishing touches on an incredible season, as his Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League have advanced to the Memorial Cup Championship that begins this week in Quebec. Myers played a huge role in the team’s postseason success, being named the WHL Playoff MVP by finishing with 20 points (5+15) and +13 in 22 games. This follows up a regular season where Myers scored a career-high 42 points (9+33) in 58 games for the Rockets, along with a +31 and 105 PIMs. The towering defenseman was also a key element of the Canadian team that won gold at the 2009 World Junior Championships in Ottawa. Myers had one goal in seven games for Team Canada, and drew rave reviews for his smooth skating and puck-moving abilities. Myers also won gold with Team Canada at the 2008 Under-18 World Championship in Russia, and he captained Team Alberta to a bronze medal at the 2007 Canada Winter Games. Myers had 77 points (17+60) in 191 games for Kelowna from 2005-09, after being drafted 19th overall as a 15-year-old in the 2005 WHL Draft. Myers was born in Katy, TX, but his family moved to Alberta when he was 10 years old. He now makes his home in Calgary, AB.

Rockets rally for Rimouski; Myers nabs MVP

Tyler Myers and the Kelowna Rockets are heading to the Memorial Cup thanks to a 3-2 OT victory over Calgary in Game Six of the WHL Final. Myers, even for the game despite two miscues that led to both Hitmen goals, was named the MVP of the championship series. Calgary got on the board in the first period when Myers coughed the puck up in the offensive zone to allow a breakout pass to Bostjan Golicic. Golicic, who had just stepped out of the box, streaked down for short-handed tally to put the visitors up 1-0. Just :41 later, a Myers shot appeared to tie the game, but was ruled no goal after video review revealed that the net became dislodged before the puck crossed the plane. The paced picked up in the second twenty minutes, and Kelowna capitalized. Colin Long buried a power play goal at 11:43 to get the Rockets in the game. Nearly two minutes later, Lucas Bloodoff had a puck go off his skate to give the Rockets a 2-1 lead after 40:00. Calgary would battle back with 7:00 to play in regulation when a Myers fumble of what-looked-to-be an intercept of a Brett Sonne pass created an opportunity for 53-goal man Joel Broda to force overtime with his 11th of the playoffs. Kelowna controlled the extra session, outshooting the Hitmen 5-1 before a Tyson Barrie ('09) power play marker sealed victory, set Prospera Place into a frenzy, and punched the Rockets ticket to Rimouski. Leading playoff point man Jamie Benn (DAL) ignited the Rockets with a pair of assists, including one on the game winning goal, after missing the previous three games due to injury. Myers was active at both ends throughout, especially in the offensive zone where he was apt to attack from his point position. If the past two series have revealed anything negative about his game, it's that he needs stronger hands on the puck, both controlling it tight and also when clearing the zone. His handling has improved, but too many weak clears have come off his stick. The puck needs more umph behind it, and we're confident he'll be slinging it around in no time. But before Sabres strength and conditioning coach Doug McKenney can get his hands on the 6'7-3/4 project, Myers and his mates will play for junior hockey's top prize. The Rockets will open the 2009 Mastercard Memorial Cup on Friday at 7:00 against the host Oceanic. The Windsor Spirfires will represent the OHL, while the winner of the QMJHL President's Cup series between Drummondville and Shawinigan will round out the field. High octane Drummondville currently holds a 3-2 series lead. The 2009 gathering will mark the ninth straight year that a Sabres property has skated for the Cup. Last season, Paul Byron and his 21-goal playoff tear helped carry the Gatineau Olympiques to Kitchener. The year before his draft eligible season, 17-year old Tyler Ennis was a member of 2006-07 WHL playoff champion Medicine Hat. In the 2006, Patrick Kaleta scored eight goals and 10 assists in 19 playoff games as Peterborough earned a spot in Moncton. Ottawa 67's forward Mark Mancari was a bull down the stretch in 2004-05, scoring 14 goals in the OHL playoffs before skating against Sidney Crosby of Rimouski, Shea Weber of Kelowna, and Corey Perry of the host London Knights. Defenseman Mike Card also participated in the tournament for a third time as a member of the Rockets blueline. In 2004, Card's Rockets won the Memorial Cup over a field that included Daniel Paille of the Guelph Storm and Clarke MacArthur of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Speedy forward Derek Roy cemented his place in CHL history when the tourney MVP captained the Kitchener Rangers to a 2003 Cup title in Quebec City. In 2002, Paille was a center for the host Guelph Storm, while 2000 2nd round draft pick Gerard Dicaire was a member of the cup winning Kootenay Ice. Dicaire went unsigned and was re-drafted by Tampa later that summer. The 2001 series saw Sabres scouts watching Regina forward Karel Mosovsky, a 4th round pick in 1999 who scored three goals and three assists for the host Pats before crapping out after three seasons in Rochester.

Hitmen making it a series

In the WHL Finals, Tyler Myers was -1 as Kelowna got rocked by Calgary for a second straight night, 6-1. After winning the first three games of the series, the Rockets were outshot 50-19 in having their lead trimmed to 3-2. Myers picked up 12 PIM on the night, including a misconduct after stepping in on a scrum with 2:30 to play. The teams are back in Kelowna for game six on Saturday.

Myers, Rockets on the cusp

After two games this week, Tyler Myers and the Kelowna Rockets find themselves on the verge of heading to Rimouski for the 2009 Memorial Cup. On Wednesday, Myers had an assist as Kelowna lost to Calgary, 6-2. The win puts the Hitmen on the board in the WHL Finals, as they now trail Myers' Rockets 3-1. In Monday's game three, Myers was +1 as the Rockets shutout the Hitmen, 2-0. Playing both games without injured forward Jamie Benn, Myers gave and absorbed hits, and helped picked up the slack adding more offensive rushes to his sound shutdown foundation. Myers has five goals, 15 assists, and is +14 in 20 playoff games.

Myers a rock as Rockets roll late

Tyler Myers was credited with a pair of assists while finishing a game-high +4 as Kelowna rode a three-goal third period to a 5-2 win over Calgary. The Friday-Saturday sweep at the Saddledome gives the Rockets a comfortable 2-0 series cushion heading back to British Columbia for Monday's game three. Meanwhile, the Hitmen suffered back-to-back home losses for the first time since March of 2008. The character building victory saw role players like Evan Bloodoff and Ian Duval step up after leading scorer Jamie Benn took a pop and left the game just 10-minutes in. A 2009 eligible, Bloodoff was elevated from an energy line to score a goal and two assists, while a Duval tally sparked the team's late flurry. The Rockets, who outshot the Hitmen 15-7 in the final frame, got two goals from Flames prospect Mikael Backlund to pull away. The multi-point performance (one assist may be re-assigned to Tyson Barrie) gives Myers 19 points (5+14) in 18 playoff contests, but his emergence as a dominating league presence actually began back in January. In 49 total games since winning World Junior gold with Team Canada, Myers has scored 41 points and racked up an impressive +35.

5/1 Recap: Uno de Myers

Tyler Myers buried the game winning goal on the power play and added two assists as Kelowna took game #1 of the WHL Finals from Calgary, 3-1. With the game tied 1-1 midway through the third period, Myers took a Jamie Benn pass and pumped a shot through heavy traffic to give the Rockets a 2-1 lead. The goal was Myers fifth of the playoffs. Producing offense while sturdy on the blueline, the native Calgarian was named the game's #1 star. Mark Guggenburger (free agent) was excellent in the Rockets net, while faceoff ace Cody Almond (MIN) and Benn (DAL) paced the forwards. The puck drops for game #2 on Saturday. In the QMJHL Final, Drummondville set a record by winning their 20th straight game (7 in regular season, 13 in playoffs) with a 2-1 win over Shawinigan. The victory gives the Voltigeurs a 1-0 series edge. In the OHL Final, Windsor took a 2-0 series lead by defeating Brampton, 5-3.

Myers good to go

The WHL has announced that Tyler Myers will not be suspended for his hit from behind on Vancouver's Craig Schira in Monday's game six victory. In making their decision, the league further opined that the hit should have been ruled a double-minor as opposed to the five-minute major and game misconduct that was assessed. With their stud defenseman cleared for action, the Rockets will travel to Calgary to kick off the WHL Finals on Friday. The two clubs split the regular season series 1-1.

Myers tossed, Rockets advance

Tyler Myers received a five-minute major for checking from behind and a game misconduct, but the Kelowna battled their way to a 5-4 OT win to advance to the WHL finals where they'll face the Calgary Hitmen. Trailing 3-2 in the third period, a forechecking Myers drove Giants defenseman Craig Schira hard into the end boards, dislodging the glass, and spilling Schira's blood on to the ice. Evander Kane, who scored two goals on the night, put the Giants up 4-2 on the ensuing power play before Jamie Benn and Cody Almond scored 33-seconds apart to send the game to overtime. From there, Mikael Backlund sealed the series win with his hat trick goal. The WHL finals will start on Friday in Calgary. Meanwhile Myers, who was named the Western Conference Final MVP, will wait to see if a suspension will be handed out for the hit.

Gogulla grinds in German loss

Philip Gogulla continued his North American primer at the World Championship with a -1 in 14:12 of work as the Germans lost to Switzerland in overtime, 2-1. Skating on Germany's third line, the 6'2 left wing failed to get a shot on goal as the Swiss rode a Mark Streit power-play winner to their second straight tournament victory. Wearing an "A" for Germany, Jochen Hecht led the German attack with four shots on goal while raking in 17:33 of time, a total right on par with his 2008-09 season average of 17:23. Germany will continue pool play on Tuesday against France. ------ In other Sunday action from the Worlds, Andrej Sekera had an assist as Slovakia lost a shootout to Belarus. The helper came on a Marcel Hossa goal to force overtime with 2:46 to play in regulation. The 22-year old defenseman led Team Slovakia with 24:20 of ice time. In Saturday play, Drew Stafford (+1) picked up a goal for USA in a 4-2 win over Latvia. Thomas Vanek was -1 with two shots on net in Austria's 7-1 loss to the fluid Swedes. On Friday, Derek Roy assisted on a Dany Heatley goal as Canada rolled past Belarus, 6-1. The Canadians will face Hungary later on Sunday.

4/25 Recap: Myers #1 star as Rockets take lead

At the Pacific Coliseum, Tyler Myers saw over 27:00 of work and was named the game's #1 star as Kelowna edged Vancouver 1-0 in the pivotal fifth game of their conference final. The back-to-back shutouts give the Rockets a 3-2 series lead with the clubs heading back to Kelowna for Monday's game six. Like he has through most of the series, Myers disrupted the Giants attack by breaking up plays with his reach and quickly moving the puck out of his end. His steady play has caught the eyes of scouts who have been keying in on '09 Evander Kane's aptitude against his larger foe. While Kane, 17, has put up a fight, he has just one goal and one assist in the series as the Sabres future anchor has been winning most of the rounds. Myers' over-the-glass clear early in the third period resulted in a 5-3 power play where Kane had more than one nice chance to tie the game. With their stud in the box, the Rockets dmen blocked shots and got a few keys saves to give the Giants consecutive losses for just the second time all season.