Mr. October continues Q cruise

Reigning QMJHL Offensive Player of the Month Luke Adam notched three assists on Friday as Cape Breton defeated Acadie-Bathurst, 6-2. Adam has seven goals and seven assists over his current eight-game point streak, and has hit the scoresheet in 17 of 20 games this season to solidify the center position for the Screaming Eagles (12-6-2-2). Maxme Legault had two assists as Shawinigan lost to Rimouski, 7-4. The 20-year old Cataractes captain has five goals, four assists, and a +4 in eight games since returning from his AHL stay with Portland. In the OHL, Nick Crawford posted a pair of assists in Saginaw's 5-1 over Oshawa. The Spirit win was their fifth in a row, while Crawford upped his season point total to 19 (3+16) in 18 season games. Marcus Foligno picked up an assist and a fighting major as Sudbury was outplayed in a 6-2 loss to Barrie. Foligno earned the third period takedown in one of four evening tilts, but Wolves continue to find themselves in last place in the Central Division with 7-11-0-1 mark. In the CCHA, Corey Tropp was even with two shots on goal as unranked Michigan State played to a 3-3 tie with #10 Nebraska-Omaha. Despite the bagels, Tropp is currently tied with Duluth's Jack Connolly atop the NCAA leaderboard with 15 points (8+7). In 63 games prior to this season, the junior had scored just nine goals. In the WCHA, Brad Eidsness made 21 saves to help #2 North Dakota earn a 4-2 win over Michigan Tech. The win ups the sophomore's record to 4-1-1 on the year. Corey Fienhage was again a healthy scratch, but could play on Saturday as the Sioux look to work him in to the blueline rotation. Drew MacKenzie picked up a power play assist as #15 Vermont came back to tie #8 Lowell, 3-3. Alex Biega was even as Harvard lost at Colgate, 5-4. Connor Knapp took his usual Friday post on the RedHawks bench as #1 Miami took down #4 Michigan at Yost, 3-1. After missing last Saturday's spot in the rotation, Knapp wil likely get back to action on Saturday as the RedHawks look for the sweep. Nick Eno served as back-up in Bowling Green's 5-1 loss to Ferris State. In the USHL, Mark Adams (+1) scored an unassisted goal as Chicago lost to Fargo, 4-1. The mark was Adams' first of his junior "A" career for the first-place Steel.

11/4-5 Recap: Tropp stays hot; Kassian cashes in

On Thursday, Corey Tropp scored a goal and an assist to regain the national scoring lead as Michigan State shutout Nebraska-Omaha, 3-0. Heading into Friday night NCAA play, the junior was leading all scorers with 15 points (8+7) in 10 games. In the QMJHL, Maxime Legault scored a goal and an assist as Shawinigan shutout Lewiston, 3-0. The Cataractes captain also registered six shots on goal in the win. On Wednesday, Zack Kassian one-timed a puck in the opening minute as Peterborough lost to Kitchener, 6-4. The banger now has goals in two straight games, and five on the year, as he looks to heat up for the meat of the season after missing nearly a month with a separated shoulder. Nick Crawford was +2 with an assist as Saginaw cruised past Sarnia, 4-1.

Suspension stands for Kassian

Zack Kassian will miss Peterborough's game with Belleville on Wednesday following a slew-footing penalty he received in Monday's win over Ottawa.

In the third period, the referee assessed Kassian a slew-footing match penalty which carries an automatic one-game suspension. Petes' GM Jeff Twohey wanted the OHL to review the penalty because they disagreed with the call and Kassian denied using his legto kick the 67's player's feet out from under him. However, the league announced Tuesday that the penalty would stand. Kassian will miss the game in Belleville against the Bulls. He'll return to the lineup Thursday when the Petes host the Kitchener Rangers at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Centre.

Enroth called up to Buffalo

From Sabres.com:

The Buffalo Sabres have recalled goaltender Jhonas Enroth from Portland of the American Hockey League to fill in for an injured Patrick Lalime. Lalime hurt his groin during Monday’s practice. Head Coach Lindy Ruff said it’s unclear when he will return. “You never know with groins. We hope its not long, but it depends on how it responds,” he said. Ryan Miller will start tonight’s match-up against the New York Islanders, but Ruff said if Lalime is not ready to play by the weekend, Enroth will likely make his season debut. “We’re going to stick to the program,” Ruff said. After compiling a .914 save percentage in his AHL rookie season, Enroth (6/25/1988, 5’10”, 166 lbs.), has struggled out of the gate in the 2009-10 campaign. The netminder is 3-7 in his first 10 games, with a 3.90 GAA and 0.872 save percentage.

Adam earns Q honors

Cape Breton center Luke Adam has been named QMJHL Offensive Player of the Month for October.

Luke Adam of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles is the award-winner on offence after tallying ten goals, including two game-winners, and twelve assists in fourteen games. Moreover, he posted a +10 rating while racking up twenty-two hits. The Screaming Eagles finished the month of October with a 9-4-0-1 record.

McNabb out at least a month

Kootenay Ice defenseman Brayden McNabb will be out of action for four to six weeks after suffering a knee injury in Sunday's 1-0 win over Seattle. In the opening minute of period two, McNabb took a clean hit along the boards from a T-Birds forward and immediately hobbled off the ice favoring his left leg. Recently selected for Team WHL in the upcoming Canada/Russia Subway Super Series, the 6'4 defender hits the injury list ranked sixth in scoring among WHL defenseman (3-13-16). I'll have more on this as details become available.

Kassian finds net, suspension in Petes win

In a rare Monday morning OHL contest, Zack Kassian scored his first goal since returning from a separated shoulder as Peterborough defeated Ottawa, 5-4 in a shootout. The goal came at 12:37 of the first period when he got underneath the 67's defense and slid a backhander past netminder Chris Perugini. Kassian has four goals and five assists in 10 games this season. With the game tied 3-3 in the third period, the Petes captain was assessed a five-minute match penalty and misconduct for slew footing forward Thomas Nesbitt. The penalty carries a one-game suspension, but will be be reviewed before league officials make a final decision. The 6'3, 215-pounder has been displaying his aggressive style since missing nearly a month, racking up a pair of checking-to-the-head penalties in the two games leading up to the Monday morning misconduct.

11/1 Recap: Adam streaks to seven; McNabb down

Luke Adam continued his recent tear on Sunday, scoring his 12th goal of the season and leading the way with a game-high six shots on goal as Cape Breton fell to Quebec, 3-2 in overtime. Adam, who also blocked five Remparts shots, was rewarded for his all-around effort by being named the game's #1 star. The Sabres second round pick in 2008, Adam has collected seven goals and four assists over his recent seven-game point streak. Maxime Legault continues to have a positive impact since his return to juniors, scoring a goal and an assist as Shawinigan dropped a 3-2 decision to Victoriaville. Also in Sunday Q play, Jacob Lagacé returned to the Chicoutimi lineup after missing a week's worth of games, picking up a pair of assists as the Sags defeated Baie-Comeau, 4-3. The helpers raise Lagacé's season total to 20 points (10+10). However, just as one table in the Sabres prospects training room was vacated, another was getting prepped as Brayden McNabb left Kootenay's game with Seattle in the second period with a left knee injury. The rugged defender is expected to miss at least a week of action pending further evaluation. In the OHL, Marcus Foligno (-1) assisted on the only Sudbury goal in a 3-1 loss to Mississauga-St. Mike's. Rounding out Saturday's slate, Roo Adams was +1 in Chicago's 6-5 win over Cedar Rapids.

10/31 Recap: Tropp pots winner; Lagacé ready

Corey Tropp continued his blazing season start on Saturday by cashing the game winning goal as Michigan State defeated Western Michigan, 5-3. Tropp's closer, his 7th of the year, came at 6:44 of the third period when he roofed a backhand off a cross-ice feed from Nick Sucharski. The junior's seven goals and 13 points lead the NCAA through the first month of play, all the while propelling the unranked Spartans to a 6-2 record. Justin Jokinen was -1 with a team-best five shots on goal as Mankato played to a 4-4 tie at #3 Denver. The sophomore showed good jump on a line with Eli Zuck and Zach Harrison one night after a collision in the Pios crease that left DU netminder Marc Cheverie out of action for at least a month with a deep calf laceration. Connor Knapp missed his Saturday nod as #1 Miami squeaked past Northern Michigan, 2-1. Knapp has been shaky in his past two starts, but it appears that the sit was more about Knapp recovering from a flu bug than it was sub-standard play. Bowling Green's Nick Eno again gave way to 21-year old freshman Andrew Hammond as the Falcons lost at #13 Nebraska-Omaha, 3-1. Despite inflated goals against and save percentage numbers, Eno made several spectacular stops last Friday against Minnesota State. Still, Hammond was the Falcons best player on Saturday and earned the back-to-back road starts this weekend against UNO. In the OHL, Nick Crawford was even as Saginaw took a 5-4 shootout win over defending Memorial Cup champion Windsor. 2010 eligible Ivan Telegin scored his 9th and 10th goals of the season for the Spirit while consensus top-3 for next June, Taylor Hall, netted his 17th for the Spits. Saginaw sits alone in second place in the OHL's West Division with 22 points. Windsor still paces the league with 29 points. In the QMJHL, Jordon Southorn was -1 as PEI was shut out by Montreal, 3-0. The Rocket (10-7-2-1) sit in fourth place in the tightly packed Atlantic Division. Also of note from Eastern Canada, Chicoutimi Sagueneens forward Jacob Lagacé was held out of action this week as he continues to feel effects from being on the wrong end of a thundering blow to the head from Quebec's Danick Paquette last Friday (10/23). It was thought that the Sags leading goal man would return on Thursday, but precautionary measures have kept him off the ice. With headaches gone, Lagacé skated hard on Wednesday and will be on the ice when the Sags battle Baie-Comeau on Sunday.

Pirates split weekend slate

In Friday farm action, Mark Mancari scored the overtime game winner while second-year man Jhonas Enroth made 36 saves as Portland defeated Lowell, 3-2. Nathan Gerbe and Tyler Ennis each added a pair of assists for Portland, while T.J. Brennan and Travis Turnbull added single helpers. The win moved the Pirates season mark to 4-7, including a 3-0 record at home. The Rundown: Gerbe: 2A, +1 Ennis: 2A Turnbull: 1A Brennan: 1A Schutz: -1 Kostka: even Schiestel: even Gogulla: -1 Mancari: 1G ----------------------- The Pirates returned to the ice on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to Bridgeport. Enroth stopped 17 of 20 shots to take the loss in his 10th start of the season. Recently-inked Marc McCutcheon scored both Portland goals, while Mancari extended his point streak to six games with an assist. The loss was the Pirates first of the season on home ice. The Rundown: Mancari: 1A, +1 Schiestel: +1 Gogulla: +1 Kostka: +1 Gerbe: -1, 4 PIM Ennis: -2 Schutz: even Brennan: even Enroth: 17 saves Weber: -1 Generous: -1 Turnbull: 3 SOG