KHL Playoff Game Day: 4-11-13

Submitted by pete on April 11, 2013 - 18:23

KHL Playoffs (Russia):

Gagarin Cup Finals
Chelyabinsk 3 vs. Dynamo Moscow 1
Dynamo Moscow Leads the Series 2-1
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Playoff totals: 16 GP, 0-3-3, -3, 6 PIM
Regular season totals (KHL): 35 GP, 0-1-1, +6, 14 PIM
Regular season totals (MHL): 2 GP, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM

Ex-NHLer Deron Quint had 1 goal and 1 assist and potential top-10 pick Valery Nichushkin had a helper as Chelyabinsk won Game Three 3-1 over Dynamo Moscow. Nikita Nesterov played 10:07 in the match. Nichushkin has 6-3-9 in 22 playoff games thus far. Game Four is Friday as Traktor attempts to equalize the series.

NA Juniors Playoff Game Night: 4-10-13

Submitted by chad on April 10, 2013 - 21:33

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

(5)Quebec Remparts 4 @ (8)Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 5 (OT)
Rouyn-Noranda leads Best-of-7 second round series, 3-1

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: 0-1-1, -1, 0 PIM, 1 SOG, 0 Hits
Playoff totals: 9 GP, 4-8-12, +5, 10 PIM
Season totals: 33 GP, 29-34-63, +17, 14 PIM
With R-N: 27 GP, 26-27-53, +18, 12 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

The Huskies got a goal less than three minutes into overtime to top the Remparts and jump out to a 3-1 series lead. The Huskies can close out the series on Friday at home.

First round totals: 5 GP, 3-6-9, +7, 4 PIM

(3)Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 2 @ (10)Val-d’Or Foreurs 1
Blainville-Boisbriand wins best-of-7 second round series, 4-0

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 5 SOG, 1 Hit
Playoff totals: 9 GP, 7-5-12, +5, 13 PIM
Season totals: 63 GP, 27-56-83, +29, 103 PIM

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 3 SOG, 1 Hit
Playoff totals: 9 GP, 3-3-6, +3, 12 PIM
Season totals: 55 GP, 6-33-39, +20, 65 PIM

Cedric Paquette and the Armada are moving on, defeating the Foreurs, 2-1, on Wednesday night to advance to the third round of the playoffs. The loss means the junior career for Artem Sergeev is over, as he is already signed by Tampa Bay and is expected to join AHL Syracuse or the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate next year. Blainville-Boisbriand will play Baie-Comeau next round. The Drakkar swept Victoriaville, 4-0. Halifax awaits the Remparts-Huskies winner.

Prospect of the Week: April 10, 2013

Submitted by chad on April 10, 2013 - 17:28

We continue our Prospect of the Week award, an honor (virtually) given to one Tampa Bay Lightning prospect for their recent contributions on and off the ice.

The Prospect of the Week for April 10 is … Cedric Paquette, C, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL – Canada).

Cedric Paquette was made for the playoffs.

Paquette is at his best when the checking gets tight and grit matters most. The Blainville-Boisbriand center has excelled this post-season, posting a team-leading seven goals and five assists in eight games.

NA Juniors Playoff Game Night: 4-9-13

Submitted by chad on April 10, 2013 - 09:08

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

(5)Quebec Remparts 2 @ (8)Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 5
Rouyn-Noranda leads Best-of-7 second round series, 2-1

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: 0-0-0, E, 4 PIM, 3 SOG, 0 Hits
Playoff totals: 8 GP, 4-7-11, +6, 10 PIM
Season totals: 33 GP, 29-34-63, +17, 14 PIM
With R-N: 27 GP, 26-27-53, +18, 12 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

Nikita Kucherov was scoreless for the second straight game, but the Huskies got the important win to go up 2-1 in the series. Game 4 is Wednesday.

(3)Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 5 @ (10)Val-d’Or Foreurs 0
Blainville-Boisbriand leads best-of-7 second round series, 3-0

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 1-0-1, +1, 9 PIM, 5 SOG, 1 Hit, *Third Star*
Playoff totals: 8 GP, 7-5-12, +5, 13 PIM
Season totals: 63 GP, 27-56-83, +29, 103 PIM

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 0-0-0, E, 6 PIM, 2 SOG, 0 Hits
Playoff totals: 8 GP, 3-3-6, +3, 12 PIM
Season totals: 55 GP, 6-33-39, +20, 65 PIM

Cedric Paquette (pictured) was an assist shy of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick, scoring once and fighting Vincent Dunn. Paquette has seven goals in eight playoff games. On the other side, Artem Sergeev managed to stay even despite his Foreurs giving up three even strength goals. He was called for hooking, roughing, and unsportsmanlike conduct minors. The Armada can close out the series on Wednesday. Sergeev is already signed by the Lightning, so it’s possible he can join AHL Syracuse or ECHL Florida for the playoffs. (Note: There may be a rule against him joining Florida due to pre-determined rosters)

Ontario Hockey League

(E2)Barrie Colts 4 @ (E3)Oshawa Generals 2
Barrie wins best-of-7 Eastern Conference Semifinals, 4-0

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 0-1-1, +1, 0 PIM
Playoff totals: 8 GP, 0-3-3, +5, 12 PIM
Season totals: 66 GP, 4-18-22, E, 81 PIM
With Barrie: 28 GP, 2-6-8, -1, 42 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

Barrie improved to 8-0 in the playoffs while sweeping out the Oshawa Generals on Tuesday. Jake Dotchin had an assist to give him three for the playoffs. All reports say he’s playing a strong, physical defensive game to help the Colts. He finished the series with an assist, a plus-2 rating, and 2 PIM vs Oshawa. Barrie will now play the winner of Belleville and Sudbury in the Eastern Conference Finals. Belleville is up, 3-0, after struggling with Mississauga in the first round.

NHL Game Night: 4-9-13 Senators at Lightning

Submitted by pete on April 9, 2013 - 21:28

Bishop smacks down his ex-team.

OTT-2
TB-3

Ben Bishop allowed 2 goals on 33 shots for the victory against his old mates. Cory Conacher? 1 shot on goal in 15:22. Decision: Steve Yzerman. Flawless victory.

First Period
14:29 OTT Alfredsson (9), (Turris, Phillips)

Second Period
02:35 TB Labrie (1), (Thompson, Crombeen)
04:28 TB Lecavalier (9), (Purcell, St. Louis)(PP)

Third Period
00:21 OTT Latendresse (6), (Turris, Wiercioch)
14:56 TB Stamkos (26), (Lecavalier, St. Louis)(PP)

Vincent Lecavalier, Sami Salo, and The Secret Weapon, Pierre-Cedric Labrie were the game's three stars. Lecavalier is now over a point a game since coming back from the broken foot. It's a shame we'll never know what kind of season he could've had if he hadn't tried to play on a bad wheel for a month.

Old man Alfredsson retiring won't cost me any tears. The man's been cutting our hearts out for years.

Mark Barberio was -1 with 1 shot in 14:12 in his NHL debut. 4 giveaways. Oof.

Alex Killorn had 1 shot and 1 blocked shot in 22:13.

Tyler Johnson was -1 with 1 shot and was 75% on draws in 11:49.

Richard Panik was -1 with 1 shot and 3 hits in 9:37.

Radko Gudas was +1 with 1 shot, 4 hits, and 1 blocked shot in 15:05.

Pierre-Cedric Labrie scored his first NHL goal and was +1 with 2 penalty minutes, 1 shot, 6 hits, and 1 blocked shot in 8:30. Check the man's shooting percentage. Sniper. (Tongue firmly in cheek.)

Box score and extended statistics from NHL.com.

AHL Game Night: 4-9-13 Crunch at Monsters

Submitted by pete on April 9, 2013 - 20:53

Oh so close to getting the 2 points in the final road game of the season.

SYR-4
LE-5 (OT)

Cedrick Desjardins allowed 5 goals on 25 shots for the loss. Yuck.

First Period
LE Thomas, (22) (Hishon, Lauridsen), 4:13
SYR Sexton, (8) (Palat, Richard), 18:28

Second Period
SYR Namestnikov, (6) (Sustr, Korobov), 10:50 (PP)
LE Connolly, (9) (Thomas, Beaupre), 14:14
LE Vincour, (15) (Pock, Sullivan), 18:34 (PP)

Third Period
SYR Sustr, (1) (Korobov, Namestnikov), 2:03 (PP)
SYR Devos, (6) (Brown, Taormina), 3:26
LE Vincour, (16) (Hishon, Carey), 9:42

Overtime
LE Agozzino, (19) (Walker, Pock), 2:49

Ondrej Palat got the extremely rare penalty shot in Overtime, but failed to convert against Lake Erie netminder Kent Patterson.

Congratulations to Andrej Sustr on his first pro point, first pro goal, and first pro multi-point game.

Tanner Richard got a helper. In related news, water is wet.

Syracuse is now 3 points back of Providence and 1 points back of Springfield in the conference and 3 points ahead of Binghamton in the division. They head home for a hugely important 5 game homestand to finish the regular season. With Ryan Malone back for Tampa Bay, might Coach Zettler get back one of his star players for the kick at the finish line?

Box score from TheAHL.com.

KHL Playoff Game Day: 4-8-13

Submitted by pete on April 8, 2013 - 20:49

KHL Playoffs (Russia):

Gagarin Cup Finals
Dynamo Moscow 3 vs. Chelyabinsk 2
Dynamo Moscow Leads the Series 2-0
Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk, 0-0-0, -1, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Playoff totals: 15 GP, 0-3-3, -3, 6 PIM
Regular season totals (KHL): 35 GP, 0-1-1, +6, 14 PIM
Regular season totals (MHL): 2 GP, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM

Dynamo Moscow potted 2 Third Period goals to overcome a 2-1 deficit to defeat Traktor Chelyabinsk in Game Two of their Gagarin Cup Finals series 3-2. Ex-Lightning draft pick Marek Kvapil had a goal in the match for Dynamo. Lightning prospect Nikita Nesterov again switched positions to play a little forward in the match, going 67% on draws in 12:02 of ice time. Unfortunately, Nesterov was on the ice for Dynamo's game winning goal, which put Traktor in a tough 2-0 series hole. Coincidentally, seeing time on the ice on that goal was potential Lightning draft target Valery Nichushkin, who is Nesterov's teammate. Game Three is Thursday.

What to Expect from Mark Barberio

Submitted by chad on April 8, 2013 - 19:13

In the old days of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mark Barberio may be a 2-year veteran at this point in his career.

The Lightning had little organizational depth and if prospects showed flashes of NHL ability, they were called up to the big club and thrown to the proverbial wolves.

When new general manager Steve Yzerman took over, he changed all that, and Barberio is a prime example of his player development philosophy.

Barberio to Make NHL Debut

Submitted by timothy on April 8, 2013 - 17:49

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled defenseman Mark Barberio from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today. Additionally, defenseman Matt Taormina has been reassigned to the Crunch

Barberio, 23, has played in 70 games this season with the Crunch, posting eight goals and 40 points to go along with 44 penalty minutes and a plus-7 rating. He ranks third for assists (32) and fifth for points among AHL defensemen. The Montreal, Quebec native leads all Crunch defensemen in goals, assists and points. Of his eight goals this season, five have been recorded while on the man-advantage.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defenseman has skated in 212 career AHL games with the Crunch and Norfolk Admirals, posting 30 goals and 132 points with 111 penalty minutes. Last season, while playing for the Admirals, Barberio won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s top defenseman. He was also part of the Admirals team that won the Calder Cup, registering two goals and nine points in 18 games during the playoffs.

Barberio was drafted by the Lightning in the sixth round, 152nd overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

NA Juniors Playoff Game Night: 4-7-13

Submitted by chad on April 8, 2013 - 09:01

Ontario Hockey League

(E2)Barrie Colts 4 @ (E3)Oshawa Generals 0
Barrie leads best-of-7 Eastern Conference Semifinals, 3-0

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 0-0-0, +1, 2 PIM
Playoff totals: 7 GP, 0-2-2, +4, 12 PIM
Season totals: 66 GP, 4-18-22, E, 81 PIM
With Barrie: 28 GP, 2-6-8, -1, 42 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

Barrie took a commanding 3-0 series lead on the Gens by winning Game 3, 4-0. Undrafted import goaltender Mathias Niederberger from Germany stopped 35 shots for the shutout. Lightning prospect Jake Dotchin played another strong physical game. The Colts can close out the series on Tuesday in Oshawa.