Thoughts on Owen Sound and Brampton from February 28

I've been itching to catch a Battalion game since Cody Hodgson returned to action, and was finally able to watch this lunchtime affair (time changed due to the Olympic Gold Medal game) between Brampton and Owen Sound. The game was largely controlled by the Battalion, who out shot the Attack 36-20 and used a two goal game from Hodgson to defeat Owen Sound by a score of 5-2.

This Brampton win extends their win streak to 3, and gives them a 6-3 record in their last 9, with those three losses all by only one goal. After a slow start (as expected), Hodgson has 8 goals and 9 assists in his last 8 games. With a healthy Cody Hodgson and a solid defense, I certainly wouldn't want to play Brampton in the playoffs. They look poised to be able to push any team (Barrie and Mississauga included) to the limit.

Meanwhile, the Attack continue to be one of the league's most inconsistent teams. One night they look great, the next they look like the worst team in the league. With the expectations the team had going into this season, you have to think management (Dale Degray, Mark Reeds) could (and should) come under heavy scrutiny from the ownership in Owen Sound.

Here are some thoughts on players from both sides...

Owen Sound Attack





Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Was completely invisible and a disappointment. At times he looked behind the play and I question his ability to accelerate as he had visible trouble creating space for himself.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
Wilson had a good game, which seems to be par for the course this season as one of Owen Sound's most consistent performers. I've talked at length previously about the strides he's made this season, so I won't go there again. He had a really nice drive to the net in the second period that saw him beat the Brampton defenseman to the outside, then throw a pass into the slot to teammate Steve Shipley who missed the net high on a wrist shot. Also in the second, he came up with a steal off a poor Ken Peroff breakout pass, cut towards the middle and rifled a slap shot on Patrick Killeen who kicked the rebound right to Bobby Mignardi for the tap in. Obviously, Wilson drew the primary assist. Next year will be really interesting for him as he could have a really big year, with even larger improvements to his skating and strength.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Hishon had an excellent game, definitely the best one I've seen him play this season. He scored a highlight reel goal at the end of the first period, as he stepped out of the box shorthanded, gloved a clearing attempt, took two steps to reach max acceleration and blew by Brampton defenseman Ben Alavie for a partial breakaway. Hishon then went backhand and roofed it over Patrick Killeen. His speed and acceleration made him a threat nearly every time on the ice, even if Brampton's defense did a largely solid job against him. I would still like to see Hishon use his teammates better though. Too much of the predictable inside/outside move coming down the wing. It's good to see him generate chances with his speed, but he needs to have less of a one track mind. One thing I was particularly impressed with was his play without the puck, or at least his determination towards it. While Cody Hodgson largely got the best of him, Hishon was fighting him all game long in the corners and along the wall and showed a dedication to play without the puck that has been a criticism of most.

Steven Shipley (2010)
I continue to be impressed with Shipley. While his acceleration may not be amazing, I think the knocks towards his skating are unfounded. I think he moves quite well for a bigger forward, and once he does get going, he's got the leg strength and balance to be able to get past defenders one on one. He missed a glorious chance off a feed from Garrett Wilson, as he roofed it over the net in the slot. All game long, he worked hard on the penalty kill and in the corners, and was having some success being able to bring the puck into the offensive zone. On the downside, I'm not sure what the deal is with him continuing to be on the point on the powerplay. Owen Sound went 0/5 and whenever Shipley was on the ice on the point, the team had trouble even gaining the zone. Not a knock against Shipley, but he's much more effective offensively as he gets closer to the net. Please Mark Reeds, stop this madness!

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Schemitsch did not have a strong game at all. Absolutely the weakest I've seen him play all season. He had a lot of trouble defensively in coverage, as he was on the ice for 3 goals against. On the first Cody Hodgson goal, he and partner Milan Doczy must have gotten mixed up because somehow Hodgson wound up wide open in front of the net 5 on 5 for an easy goal. On the third period Stephon Thorne goal, Schemitsch was very passive in playing the puck carrier and allowed Thorne to pick up a loose puck off the wall and go right to the net for the shot on Stajcer, whom he beat over the shoulder. Not only did he fail to engage Thorne, but he provided a perfect screen on his own goaltender. On the positive defensively, Schemitsch remains a strong one on one defender, as he uses his solid mobility to prevent forwards from beating him to the net. Offensively, he failed to get anything going. Two bad turnovers as he tried to move the puck up ice by throwing it through the center of his own zone. He just had a lot of trouble with a strong Brampton forecheck and appears to be struggling to play the role of puck rusher, unless he has time and space.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Despite giving up 5 goals on 36 shots, I didn't feel Stajcer played THAT poorly. He had a lot of bad bounces go against him. Deflections, screens, and just terrible defense left Stajcer out to dry. In the first and second period, he made a few really big point blank saves to keep his team in the game. At this point though, he's still not technically sound enough to be the type of goalie who can consistently steal games for his team. With how poor Owen Sound's defense has been this season, could we blame this on a lack of confidence?

Brampton Battalion






Matt Clark (ANA)
Simply put, Clark may be the best defensive defenseman in the league. He's nearly impossible to beat one on one, as his size, strength and mobility make him as close to a rock as you can find. His positioning is exceptional too, as he consistently wins battles in the corners or anticipates the direction of loose pucks. On the penalty kill he played a particularly strong game, holding Owen Sound to 0 for 5. Offensively, he'll never be an elite player, but he makes a good first pass and can actually do a decent job of running the powerplay, getting his shot through to the net. This guy is ready for professional hockey next year.

Cameron Wind (2010)
In the battle of under appreciated defense prospects for this years draft (between he and Schemitsch), Wind easily won today. He played a very strong game and it's easy to see why Central Scouting continues to be high on him. Wind possesses good size, good mobility, a developing aggressive nature and an untapped offensive potential. Having seen Wind more earlier this season, I can appreciate the improvements in his offensive game. He looks much more confident in his ability to move the puck up ice and completed several successful rushes into Owen Sound's zone. He also made a few very nice defensive plays, cutting off the passing lane and winning lose battles in the corners. He laid a beautiful hit on Bobby Mignardi around his own blue line too, as Mignardi tried to gain access with his head down. With Brampton receiving more and more attention, Wind could slowly start to see his draft ranking rise.

Sam Carrick (2010)
Carrick started the year so well, but proceeded to go through a tough stretch during the middle part of the season. He's played much better this month though and had a very strong game today. Carrick, anchoring Brampton's second line, demonstrated a solid all around game and a good ability to take the puck strong to the net. Despite being only averaged sizes, Carrick is quite strong and at one point on the rush, skated the puck up ice with one hand as he used the other to fend off would be attackers. He scored his goal on a slapshot from the blueline in the first period, as he perhaps fooled Scott Stajcer. He later added an assist in the second period on Cody Hodgson's second goal of the game after winning a puck battle in the corner and getting it to Hodgson. I think Carrick has an edge to his game that will only be elevated as he gains confidence. He threw a couple checks, ran Scott Stajcer, and hit an Owen Sound player from behind. That edge may be the key that gets him drafted higher than many may expect.

Cody Hodgson (VAN)
Ladies and gentleman, Cody Hodgson is back. He was head and shoulders the best player on the ice this afternoon. Played just a tremendous game. Every time he was on the ice or touched the puck, it seemed like he was close to scoring or setting up a goal. His conditioning looked excellent as he played a good majority of the game, and even in the late stages was impossible to strip the puck from. Strangely enough (and perhaps speaking volumes about Owen Sound's defense), Hodgson scored both of his goals by being absolutely wide open. His first, by stopping a point shot and finding himself wide open in front of Scott Stajcer. He proceeded to make a move and went backhand to the top of the net, leaving Stajcer on his stomach. His second goal was scored he took a loose puck from the corner, walked right out into the slot and ripped one over Scott Stajcer's right shoulder. On the penalty kill, Hodgson was excellent too. Looks like the back problems are behind him for the time being.

Patrick Killeen (PIT)
No goalie in the league has been hotter than Killeen in the recent months. In 2010, he's got a .925 SV % and four shutouts through 23 games. It was a big year for Killeen who needed to prove to Pittsburgh that he was worthy of being signed as one of their 2008 draft picks. Needless to say, he's made great strides this year. A big goalie, Killeen has really tightened up his technical skills. He controls rebounds better, he's reacting to plays quicker, and he's playing the angles more effectively. I think the biggest thing might just be an increase in confidence, as Killeen's become the team's number one goaltender for the first time in his career. The one goal scored by Owen Sound's Bobby Mignardi was a bit of a soft one though, as he kicked out a soft shot right into the slot for Mignardi to put home into the open net. While the rebound control has improved, rebounds off low shots still require improvement. Killeen made 18 of 20 saves for the win.

Anybody else with thoughts on this matinee?

Thoughts on Niagara and Owen Sound from December 30

Wanting to see the return of Joey Hishon to the Owen Sound Attack line up, I caught this one on the OHL Action Pack tonight.

The first period and a half was a real snooze fest. Really sloppy, disjointed play. It was clear that both of these two teams were rusty from the holiday layoff. When the pace finally did pick up, these two teams traded powerplays and scoring chances, with the Attack eventually coming out on top by a score of 3-1. For a large portion of the game though, Attack goaltender Scott Stajcer kept his team in the game by making a few big saves (especially on Andrew Agozzino).

It was a tough game for the Dogs. Already shorthanded defensively because Jay Gilbert's sitting at home waiting for a trade and Dougie Hamilton is at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge, the Dogs suffered two defensive injuries relatively early on in the game, to Reggie Traccitto and Keith Maisonville. As a result, they looked dead tired by the end of this one and just had nothing left in the tank, allowing the Attack to take control of the game in the later part of the 3rd period. I think defenseman Matt Petgrave must have played 80% of the third period (no joke). However, as tired as the defense looked, the forwards looked even more distressed. If Majors coach Dave Cameron likes to roll four lines, Dogs coach Mike McCourt likes to roll two. I'm not sure why he played his forwards into the ground tonight, but Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton especially were out there every other shift and it was obvious that they were tired. On powerplays, these guys were playing the full two minutes (save maybe 10-15 seconds as the penalty ended), and then they'd be out there two shifts later. While the Friesen, Agozzino and Hamilton line is obviously the teams most dangerous, it doesn't hurt to give them a break. It only makes them more effective in the long run...or say at the end of the game when your team needs a go ahead goal.

The Attack just plain didn't deserve to win this one. They got lucky that Niagara looked so tired. They were very sloppy. So many passes failed to connect, breakouts failed to occur and most of their game was played in the neutral zone as they attempted to get the puck by a Niagara defense. Even on the powerplay, despite scoring two goals with the man advantage, they did not look strong. One goal on a wild goal mouth scramble, the other on a long winded screen shot from the point (with the third coming with the empty net). First game back from the break, but this team did not look like a unit with great chemistry. A lot of individual efforts and just general disconnect.

On to individual player performances...

Niagara IceDogs







Alex Friesen (2010, but 1991 born)
Already passed over in one draft, I'd be very surprised to see Friesen passed over again this year. He's progressed incredibly well this year and taken huge steps forward offensively. His speed and work ethic in the offensive zone make him a real tough guy to contain. He was generating chances for the better part of the first two periods, although was not able to put anything up on the board. Kind of a jack of all trades type of a player, he projects well as a potential energy player at the next level.

Andrew Agozzino (2010, but 1991 born)
Agozzino has been just as good this year for the Dogs. He's the new captain, and he's playing with a lot of determination. He had a few really good chances to score tonight but just couldn't beat Scott Stajcer. Two stymied one time chances at the side of the net (saved by a sliding Stajcer), and one partial breakaway. He's got very good instincts on where to be for scoring chances, getting himself in good position for goal opportunities. The question is whether he's got a serious chance of being selected in 2010, the second time around. While I think Friesen has a good shot, I'm not as confident about Agozzino's chances. I was fairly high on Agozzino last year, when he was pretty much the same player he is now, and he failed to get drafted then. Scouts seem to be enamored with progression, of which Friesen has seen. Agozzino is the same player he was last year and if it wasn't good enough for NHL scouts last year, why would it be now? I'm still pulling for him though.

Freddie Hamilton (2010)
Hamilton was kind of along for the ride with Friesen and Agozzino tonight. He didn't really have a great game. Had a few chances set up by his linemates, but failed to get anything off. He's never a liability on the ice, but I don't see the upside that NHL Central Scouting does, when they ranked him 17th among OHL skaters in November. He did earn an assist on Josh Moes powerplay goal, although the goal was manufactured by Moes and not necessarily set up by Hamilton directly.

Matt Petgrave (2010)
Quite frankly, as an NHL prospect, I prefer Niagara's Petgrave to Hamilton. He had a very strong game tonight, especially considering he probably played 40 minutes. He brings the puck up ice with confidence and effectiveness. Has kind of a hunched over skating stride, but his mobility is solid. He keeps the puck in on the powerplay well, although I'd like to see him shoot the puck more. Whiffed on a beautiful chance to score on a one timer, as he snuck in from the point but didn't get much on the shot. He did make a couple of bad pinches, but he hustles back to his zone and never gives up on the play. Defensively he was excellent. Not afraid to take the body despite not being overly large, and he's surprisingly effective in the corners and in front of the net. Saved a goal with a very nice defensive play early in the game by tying up Joey Hishon as he tried to put home an easy tap in goal off a juicy rebound to the side of the net. Every time I see him, he seems to get better.

John Chartrand (2011)
I was surprised to see Chartrand get the start tonight over Mark Visentin. Petteri Simila is at the World Juniors as Finland's back up, and Chartrand was called up from Streetsville of the OJHL. He was the Dogs 4th rounder from 2009. Considering that when I heard he was getting the start and proceeded to check his Junior A stats this season (which aren't pretty), I was not expecting much out of him. But he was surprisingly strong. Made the saves he had too, kept his rebounds under control and looked generally calm in net. He seems like he could be the teams back up goaltender next season. The two goals scored against him were not really his fault. A wild goal mouth scramble and a screened shot from the point. Despite taking the loss, he was named the game's second star.

Owen Sound Attack





Garrett Wilson (FLA)
In the other times I've seen the Attack this season, Wilson had been a beast, but he was really quiet tonight. Outside of two very strong shifts, he wasn't noticeable to me. On one of the shifts he took a very nice feed from Steve Shipley and rang one off the post. And on the other, which just happened to be late in the third period, he did a good job to block a point shot and beat the Dogs defender to the loose puck for the open net clincher that made it 3-1. Still like the progression he's made this season.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Definitely was better than when I had seen him earlier in the season. But it's clear that he doesn't seem to have his full legs under him just quite yet. He was probably the best Attack forward on the night though (which isn't really saying much). Generated a few scoring chances off the rush and did a much better job of trying to use his teammates than he was earlier in the year. Did a good job on the penalty kill too, putting one off the crossbar on a shorthanded rush as he used the Niagara defender as a screen. A solid performance, but not an outstanding one.

Steven Shipley (2010)
For Steven's sake, I think I need to watch all of Owen Sound's games. He seems to play well when I'm watching. He didn't have an amazing game or anything, but was effective and had a few very good shifts. I was particularly impressed with his work on the penalty kill where he showed a lot of heart blocking shots and outworking Niagara players for loose pucks. His play away from the puck does seem to be improving, even if he could stand to use his size more to his advantage. He also had a shorthanded chance to score, breaking in and beating Andrew Agozzino (who was on the point) wide to the net, but a backtracking Matt Petgrave managed to lift his stick at the last second preventing a serious scoring chance. He was credited with the first Attack goal on the goal mouth scramble, where he simply shoveled the puck into the net. I still don't think the Attack are using him correctly though. I find him to be much more successful as a winger who can use his size to take the puck to the net from the outside lanes. He was also being used on the point on the powerplay again, which just does not work. He needs to be down low.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
I thought Schemitsch played another strong game. While he had some struggles in bringing the puck up ice and starting the rush (like every Attack defenseman), he did manage to break through into the offensive zone on a few occasions and picked his spots to pinch effectively. Defensively he was very solid, and did a good job on a couple odd man rushes, on one occasion taking the passing lane away from Andrew Agozzino and then collapsing on him forcing a poor shot attempt. He scored the game winning goal on a very good powerplay for him. Did a great job to keep the puck in the zone a couple of times, then managed to get the puck back and let a wrister go that found its way past Chartrand. He's got points in his last 6 games and is really heating up again. I'm very curious to see where Central Scouting has this guy when they release their rankings in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to wonder if I'm drinking crazy juice because I'm the only one talking about this kid.

Roman Berdnikov (2010)
Was not impressed by Berdnikov at all tonight. Was set up a few times by Joey Hishon or Bobby Mignardi and failed to get a shot off. The puck was rolling on him all night and he just had a really hard time. Took a lazy hooking penalty in the offensive zone out of frustration too. Playing with Hishon and Mignardi on that first line is a great opportunity for him, but he's going to have to play better than he did tonight to stay there.

Jesse Blacker (TOR)
Blacker had maybe the best game I've seen him play this season, which isn't really saying much. He was still only average on the night, but at least he seems to be limiting his turnovers. Still had one really bad one that resulted in Andrew Agozzino's partial breakaway though. If he could harness his raw abilities, he really could be quite an outstanding player. His combination of speed and puck handling ability makes him tough to stop once he gets up to full stride. Had a few nice rushes that generated scoring chances tonight. He was quiet defensively too, which is a good thing. One thing that I've noticed this year though is the absence of Blacker's physical game. Last year with Windsor, he was the type of defenseman who had the ability to lay a big hit, but I haven't seen that from him this year.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Stajcer was outstanding tonight. He really won this one for his team. Made several key saves in the first two periods to keep his team in the game, robbing Andrew Agozzino point blank a couple of times. One was a very nice save as he slide cross crease to rob a one timing Agozzino (who did fail to elevate the puck though). His rebound control was very strong tonight too. While Owen Sound has struggled with consistency, Stajcer has been largely effective for the last couple of months (after starting the season very poorly). Here's hoping he can continue to play well and that Owen Sound continues to climb up the standings of the Western Conference. He was the game's first star and took the win.

Anyone else with thoughts?

Thoughts on Plymouth and Owen Sound from October 7

Baseball playoffs have started. TSN's opening NHL broadcast is on. Yet...I'm watching the Plymouth Whalers take on the Owen Sound Attack on a Wednesday night. Am I crazy? Perhaps I'm a fanatical fan of the OHL. But more importantly, I got a chance to watch Tyler Seguin for the first time this season. With the way he's exploded this season, I felt the need to see him play and see the progression.

It was a pretty entertaining game, all things considered. Fairly wide open play. A few breakaways, some big hits, and some nice goals. The Whalers got out to a pretty convincing 3-0 lead after the first two periods. But the Attack came to life in the 3rd and closed the gap to 4-2. But that was as close as they got, losing the game by a score of 5-2. A.J. Jenks was named the first star by recording 2 goals and an assist, while Tyler Seguin continued his scoring streak by adding two assists of his own.

Here are some thoughts on individual performances...

Plymouth Whalers







Austin Levi (2010)
Really impressed with what I saw. Great size at 6'4, 200lbs and he uses it too. Eliminated players off the rush, was great positionally, won battles in the corners. Overall, very solid at the defensive end. Offensively, he didn't do a whole lot. But in a way, that was impressive. He kept things simple and never tried to force a play and he was composed with the puck in his own end. Stay at home defenseman with size, who can take care of the puck do not grow on trees. He will be an NHL draft pick in June.

Tyler Seguin (2010)
Every bit as advertised. Dominated the majority of his shifts and is just one of those players who's constantly around the puck. Explosive offensive player who nearly broke in alone on a few occasions. Has a lot of confidence with the puck on his stick and is not afraid to try and make things happen. But most importantly, he rarely tried to force the play. As aggressive as he was with the puck, he was also smart with it. If the opportunity to take the puck to the net wasn't there, he made the pass or the dump. The pass to Myles McCauley on his second period goal was a work of art. Eluded nearly the entire Attack defense, and made the pass to the wide open McCauley at the side of the net. McCauley was so wide open because the defense was disorganized from trying to keep up with Seguin. At this point, I'm not sure there is anything he doesn't do. He's killing penalties effectively, he's providing leadership as Plymouth's captain, and he was winning battles in the corners. At one point it looked like he and Joey Hishon might drop the gloves, to which I was incredibly excited and was hoping, but alas it failed to happen. If this guy was playing in Windsor and Taylor Hall was playing in Plymouth, would we be talking about Seguin as the first overall pick? There, I said it! He finished the game with 2 assists.

Garrett Meurs (2011)
Was quite impressive, definitely one of the better 1993's I've seen this year. There is a lot of skill there and he did a good job of creating offense by moving the puck quickly and working inside the offensive zone. Like any rookie, he made some mistakes. Tried to do a little too much with the puck at times and turned the puck over. A couple turnovers in the third period could have really cost Plymouth. But the decision making will come with experience and tutelage. He scored a garbage goal at the end of regulation to give himself a two point night.

Beau Schmitz (2010, but 1991 born)
Schmitz went undrafted in 2009, which was somewhat surprising to me. Then he failed to earn a contract from Carolina after attending their training camp, which also surprised me. He's a solid defenseman though; a guy who has vastly improved from the beginning of last year (his first in the league). He's much more composed with the puck now, and is doing a better job with his decision making. He wasn't really noticeable tonight, save for one really nice defensive play on Joey Hishon. Hishon tried to get around him to the net and he knocked the puck off his stick then delivered an awesome hip check. Unfortunately he received a ridiculous interference penalty on the play, but it was an impressive display of one on one defense.

A.J. Jenks (FLA)
Really liked what I saw from Jenks tonight. He was a beast on the forecheck. The game's opening goal was a direct result of Jenks' forechecking ability. He exploded into the offensive zone, hit the Owen Sound attack defenseman behind the net and knocked the puck free. It ended up finding its way to the front of the net and Jenks came back from the corner to bury it to the back of the net. His second goal of the night came shorthanded, as he got sprung on a breakaway by Tyler J. Brown. Made a nice deke on Stajcer and put it to the back of the net. He also played the point on the Whalers first powerplay unit and did a very good job of bringing the puck into the offensive zone. His skating looks much improved from what I remember. Jenks finished the night with 2 goals and 1 assist.

Michal Jordan (CAR)
Jordan had a pretty solid night. He did a good job of carrying the puck up ice and was smart with his pinches. He seems to have solid offensive awareness. Defensively, he was hit and miss. He looked really good on a couple occasions as he prevented Owen Sound players from driving to the net (Hishon on one occasion). But then Steve Shipley made him look really bad in the third period, as he split the defense and went in alone for the goal. On that occasion, he and his defensive partner got caught standing still, so he just needs to keep his feet moving in the defensive zone.

Matt Hackett (MIN)
Hackett has not had a very strong start to the season, so it was good to see him have a solid game. He reads and reacts to the play very well. He covers his angles and is technically sound. The two shots that beat him were breakaway goals by Steven Shipley, where he committed too early to the ice and Shipley beat him high. But he's a solid goaltender, positionally sound, controls his rebounds pretty well. Needs to continue to string together solid games in order to get consideration for Team Canada at the WJC's. He made 31 of 33 saves for the win.

Owen Sound Attack






Keevin Cutting (2010)
Cutting impressed me tonight more than he has in the past. He was composed with the puck and he made really smart decisions on the ice. He was by far the best Owen Sound defenseman at playing through Plymouth's tough forecheck. He's fairly solid with his one on one defense too, despite his slender frame. He laid an absolutely beautiful body check on a Plymouth forward (I believe Gaynor) as he tried to cross the blueline with the puck. I've never seen that physical side of him before. Defensively, he does need to work on his coverage though, as he got caught running around a bit on that Myles McCauley goal. Ditto for the 3rd period Joe Gaynor goal that put the game out of reach. I was still impressed though.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
Wilson was good tonight until he got injured. He took a Milan Doczy shot to the upper leg/knee area and missed a few shifts. When he came back, he was in obvious pain still and wasn't nearly as effective. But kudos to him for coming back and playing through it. Through the first half of the game, he was his normal self and one of the only Attack players generating offensive chances. I really like the progression he's shown this year so far.

Joey Hishon (2010)
What is wrong with Joey Hishon? That is the question I want answered. He's really struggling out there and it's frustrating knowing how much talent he has. It's pretty obvious he's pressing out there. He has the speed, agility, and puck skills to carry play in the offensive end, yet he isn't. He's trying to break through openings that aren't there. He's not using his teammates as well as he can, and when he does, his passes are not on the mark. On a few occasions, he created a scoring chance using his speed, but then simply threw the puck on the net, rather than making a pass or continuing with the puck. He took a really bad penalty in the 2nd period too. Obviously frustrated, he took a run at Beau Schmitz a few seconds after he had gotten rid of the puck. It was obviously a late hit and had to be called. Someone needs to have a talk with him, just to re-focus his play. Everyone knows he's capable of better and that he'll eventually break out of it.

Steven Shipley (2010)
I seem to remember a certain OHL blogger claiming that Shipley would be a much more effective winger the last time I saw him (Ahem). Tonight, he played the wing on a line with Hishon and Mignardi and looked the best I've ever seen him. On the wing, he's able to keep the game simple. He's able to use his good straight ahead speed to develop plays off the rush. Scored two beautiful goals. First one was off a pure breakaway, where his speed really showed. Second goal was all him, as he exploded between the two Plymouth defenders, went in on net, fought off a vicious slash and roofed it on Hackett. Sure he's a big body who doesn't really use his size to play physical. If he can continue to use his speed and take the puck to the net, he's going to have a lot of success in this league from the wing. He finished with 2 goals.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Continue to be impressed with his offensive abilities. He moves the puck very well and has great on ice vision. He runs the powerplay well, although does need to do a better job of getting his shot on net. He is raw though, which is to be expected since he's playing his first season in the league. He makes bad pinches that lead to odd man rushes, two on occasion tonight. And he seems to have a hard time with play in the corners, not strong enough yet to win loose puck battles against guys like A.J. Jenks. That said, when he has the puck on his stick, he knows what to do with it. Hopefully he can continue to work on his defensive game and earn a place on the NHL draft radar. Finished with 2 assists tonight.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Like Hackett, he's struggled to start the year. My prediction for the OHL 2nd all star team seems far fetched now. He's still a solid prospect though. Even though he gave up 5 goals tonight, I don't think he played terribly. He got hung out to dry by his defense on the majority of the goals and really didn't have a chance. He does give up way too many rebounds though, although he does direct them to non danger areas the majority of the time. He made 21 out of 26 saves and took the loss.

That's it on the game. Thoughts? Does Tyler Seguin rival Taylor Hall for first overall?

Thoughts on Owen Sound and Sarnia from September 23

Bored on a Wednesday night and tired of watching the 4th place Toronto Blue Jays (yes...I know...baseball), I decided to throw on the Owen Sound/Sarnia game on the Action Pack. Nothing like watching two winless teams fight for their first victory!

All joking aside, it was actually a very entertaining game; albeit a sloppy one. Both teams had their share of troubles defensively, with penalties (both teams had 6 powerplays) and with turnovers. Thanks in part to three powerplay goals, the Attack came out on top by a score of 5 to 2. First time I've really seen both of these teams this season. My general thought is that Sarnia will be in for a long season, as expected. They work hard and they've got some young talent, but this year will not be pretty for them in the standings. Owen Sound, despite the win, needs to be A LOT better if they want to finish better than last year. Turnovers in the defensive end and undisciplined penalties could have been the end of the them against a better and more talented team. They'll be playing Kitchener and Windsor on the weekend and if they play like that defensively, it'll be a long weekend (and not the good type of long weekend).

One thing I've really noticed is how much Owen Sound misses David Kolomatis. Obviously it didn't show on the powerplay, but I think it shows a lot 5 on 5. He's such a good skater and generally has little trouble bringing the puck into the offensive zone. I noticed tonight that most of the Owen Sound turnovers occurred as Attack defenseman tried to force the puck up ice on a rush (hello Curtis Crombeen and Paul Bezzo). As such, Attack forwards were generally responsible for bringing the puck up across the red line. Also, Kolomatis is a vastly underrated defensive player, who really solidifies the back-end. He's been out with mono and as such I really expected him to be back in Owen Sound due to circumstances beyond his control. But instead the Kings (who drafted him in 2009) recently sent him to the AHL's Manchester Monarchs training camp. Since he's returning from mono, he's not likely to be ready physically for AHL action anyway, but none the less, his demotion to Manchester and not Owen Sound has to be troubling to Attack management.

Enough with the rant, here's some of my thoughts on Attack and Sting players...

Owen Sound Attack






Keevin Cutting (2011)
Played a quietly effective game tonight. To be honest, I didn't really notice him that much on the ice. He had one bad turnover that I remember, where he tried to get too cute with the puck, but I also remember him bailing out Paul Bezzo on a few occasions defensively. One thing I do feel the need to mention is how small he looks on the ice. He's listed at 6'1, 177lbs, but he doesn't really look 6'1. Perhaps because he's so slim in comparison to his teammates. As one of the younger 1992 birth dates in the OHL, he's got a lot of time to put on weight and size before the NHL comes calling in June of 2011. I'm interested to see how talented he is offensively, once he starts to gain more confidence in doing things with the puck.

Curtis Crombeen (2011)
Curtis Crombeen is going to be a good player in the OHL, but he doesn't look ready yet. Admittedly he did get better as the game went on, but he's still too careless with the puck for my liking. Made a couple bad pinches and turned the puck over trying to cut through the opposition with the puck. He also makes Keevin Cutting look like Paul Bezzo. He is very talented though and you can see that in the few successful rushes he did make. Elite skater with potentially elite puckhandling skills. Just needs to continue to adapt to the speed of the OHL game.

Garrett Wilson (FLA)
The best player on the ice for me tonight. It's obvious as to what Wilson worked in this offseason. His skating looks much better. He's still slow getting going, but because he's got good size, once he hits that top gear, he's hard to handle. He appears to have turned himself into more than the crease crasher and slot target he was last season. His line (with Shipley and Josh Moes) was the most effective for Owen Sound. He really appears confident in his ability to take the puck hard to the net and in so, created several scoring chances. He also made a really nice touch pass to Joey Hishon for the 2nd Attack goal, where he used his body to shield the defender going hard to the net. He's still a physical presence on the ice too. Looks much improved to me. He finished the game with 1 goal and 2 assists and was named the first star.

Joey Hishon (2010)
Hishon played a solid game tonight. His speed and puck control wreck havoc on opposing defenses. I do have one criticism though. I feel like he and his linemmates didn't really connect tonight. They were dangerous, but they did so on accord of their own individual efforts, more so on cycling and working as a cohesive unit. The line (Myles Doan and Bobby Mignardi with Hishon) and it's speed really gave the Sting defense fits. I felt like some of that connection problem came from Hishon himself, who tried to do a little bit too much. He's a great puckhandler, but I felt like he had already made up his mind a few times as to where he was going with the puck. While some teams love to see a guy like that, I think most prefer those types on the wing. As a center, and as a great playmaker, I think Hishon needs to use his linemmates more than he did tonight. But I suppose that is nitpicking on a night where he had a goal and an assist and was one of the game's most dangerous players. His powerplay goal off that nice Wilson feed really showcased Hishon's ability in close to the net where he made a nice move to cut back to the middle and out-waited the Sting goalie for the goal.

Steven Shipley (2010)
Shipley is a bit of an enigma. At times he was a dominant force on the ice and other times he appeared content to play a background role. I think it may be a confidence thing that will slowly allow him to become an impact player. He skates very well for a big man, accelerating to top speed in only a few strides. He used this skating ability on a few occasions to blow past a Sting defenseman on his way to the net. I also think he uses his size really well when he doesn't have the puck, making room for his linemmates. Truthfully, I'd love to see him on the wing where he'd be more fit to use his size and speed coming down the wing. One thing I don't want to see him doing is quarterbacking the powerplay like he did tonight. In my opinion, it's a total waste of his size and hands. Shipley finished the game with 2 assists.

Geoffrey Schemitsch (2010)
Liked what I saw of this OHL rookie tonight. He was probably the most effective Owen Sound defender at rushing the puck up the ice and he appears to have the confidence of the coaching staff as he played in all situations. He did have one very bad turnover where he panicked and tried to force a pass to the wing and it led to a near goal (if not for a post and his effort to come back and clear the puck from the goal line). But he was generally very solid and smart with the puck. Decent size, if he can have a good year, he might get NHL draft attention. He finished the game with 2 assists.

Scott Stajcer (NYR)
Stajcer was very shaky in the first period, but really settled down as the game went on. The two goals he gave up in the first were a direct result of very poor rebound control. That being said, the rebounds would have been a non issue had Owen Sound defenders tied up their man. He does have a tendency to give up bad rebounds on low shots to his pads. Stajcer needs to learn how to direct his rebounds to the corner and away from the slot. On high shots, he's excellent though and does a very good job of controlling shots to his chest. Another thing I'd like to see from Stajcer is for him to be more aggressive in challenging shooters. He rarely leaves the blue ice of his crease and got caught deep in his net a few times. He got lucky with a couple posts too. But you have to give him credit for shutting the door in the second and the third. He finished the game with 32 saves on 34 shots, got the win and was named the game's 2nd star.

Sarnia Sting






Nathan Chiarlitti (2010)
He's already matched his goal scoring total (and point total for that matter) from last season. Chiarlitti is also wearing an A this year, which proves that Dave McQueen and the coaching staff have a lot of confidence in him. He finished the game -2, but I'm not necessarily sure he deserved that fate. He looks pretty poised with the puck and did a good job at keeping the puck in the zone. He also was smart in his pinches. Defensively, he looked pretty solid. Did a good job with the rush and was hard to beat one on one. On the negative side, and perhaps part of the reason he was -2, he needs to work on his zone coverage. But he appears to have a pretty good head on his shoulders and has the makings of a steady two-way defender.

J.C. Campagna (2011)
One of those highly touted draft picks that the Sting managed to sign, Campagna had a solid game. He's got really great wheels and seems to have a nose for the net. His goal was scored as he jumped on a juicy rebound and put it top shelf. I really liked the energy he brought and he even got involved physically. Seems like a really talented 1993.

Brandon Francisco (2011)
Another of the highly touted draft picks from the 2009 priority draft, Francisco was supposed to be one of the most talented players available and a surefire top 10 selection. However, due to the same old NCAA connections, he slipped to the third round. You can see why he was so highly touted. Similar to Campagna, he brings a lot of speed and energy to the ice. He's got great hands and nearly scored off a nice rush. However, he appears a lot more physically immature than Campagna. At only 5'10, 155lbs, he was getting pushed around out there and got leveled twice with hits. He was really only noticeable on a couple occasions, as his body just isn't ready for a big role in the OHL. He'll be a good player though once he gets bigger and stronger.

Joe Rogalski (2010)
I thought Rogalski was less impressive than his defense partner, Nathan Chiarlitti. He got exposed a few times defensively, especially off the rush. He appears to be mobile and a solid skater, but he needs to keep his feet moving. He also had some trouble in the defensive zone with coverage. Offensively, he looked poised with the puck and did a good job rushing it and moving it up ice. But he's got to be better defensively. With his size and potential offensively, he'll definitely get a look from the NHL. Rogalski also finished -2.

That's all folks. I know there are quite a few Owen Sound fans who read the blog and obviously some Sarnia ones (Ryan Yessie I'm looking at you!), so I'd love to hear what you guys thought on the game too.

Sunday Top 10 - An Early Look at 2010

With the 2009 NHL Entry Draft behind us, I'd like to take a closer look at the OHL prospects eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Obviously, with another full year of OHL hockey ahead of us, and three major tournaments (Ivan Hlinka, Under 20 WJC's, Under 18 WJC's), a top 10 list could be conceived as premature. That being said, I think a lot of 1992 born (and late 1991) players had excellent seasons and it gives us at least an early indication of who we can expect to see at the top of a list like this a year from now.

In making a list like this, it's obvious how talented this crop of players is. I had a lot of trouble narrowing it down to a Top 10. The top end talent is there, as is the depth. It may seem early to say, but I think this may be the best and deepest OHL talent crop since 2003.

Another astute observation sees a lot of average or undersized forwards in this top 10. Part of me sees this as asinine because of the emphasis put on size in 2009. When a talented guy like Alex Hutchings can fall to the 4th, and a big "project" like Jamie Devane can go in the 3rd, you know that NHL scouts see size as important in today's NHL. However, I just couldn't ignore the talent level of these players, and subsequently I left out a lot of bigger forwards (Austin Watson, Andrew Yogan, Greg Sutch, etc). Is this likely to change next year? Who knows.

Here is my very early look at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft Top 10 (from the OHL of course).

10. Jared Knight - London Knights
Knight has the makings of a dominant power winger. He doesn't have the ideal size of a power forward at pushing 6'0, but he brings all the other intangibles. He's aggressive on the forecheck, he works the corners, he takes the body, he drops the gloves. On top of that, he's actually got a lot of skill. I think he has the potential to put up high offensive numbers in this league. And I think that could happen as early as next year when he's surely a lock to move into London's top 6.

9. J.P. Anderson - Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
I look at the emphasis put on goaltender size in this years entry draft, and it makes me wonder where a guy like Anderson will fit in next year. At 5'10, he's definitely an undersized goalie. However, he impressed me a ton this year. In the playoffs for Mississauga, he was unbelievable. And at the Under 17's, he was great in backstopping Team Ontario. Clearly, Anderson is a big game goalie. Getting off to a quick start next year is going to be crucial for him. He's still going to be in a platoon battle with Chris Carrozzi and he'll need to play a high level of hockey to emerge as the true number one. But when a 92 born goalie performs as well as he did in the playoffs, people take notice.

8. Tyler Toffoli - Ottawa 67's
Toffoli is another one of those averaged sized forwards. Listed at pushing 6 feet, Toffoli is an offensively talented winger who caught my eye with his determination this year. He's a slick offensive player, but he's not afraid of the danger areas. He isn't afraid of the front of the net or the slot and he takes the punishment associated with occupying that space. However, he's also a very elusive player. He's one of those forwards who finds open space well, despite not being a speedster. Ottawa's coaching staff seemed to have a lot of confidence in him this season and in particular the playoffs. When Ottawa played Niagara in the first round, Toffoli was often used as an offensive catalyst. He would be placed on a line that wasn't performing well offensively, in order to give it a boost. I think he's a guy we see a lot of progression in next year, as he gets more confident in having the puck on his stick, and as he gets stronger.

7. Tyler Seguin - Plymouth Whalers
Seguin is one of those guys that is flying under a lot of people's radar right now. He doesn't get mentioned with the best of this draft class, perhaps because he isn't as flashy or because he's isnt the biggest. However, Seguin is very talented. A lot of people look at the season he had (67 points) and comment on how he was part of one of the best lines in the OHL with Chris Terry and Matt Caria. I think most people also assume that Terry and Caria did the majority of the heavy lifting and his stats may be inflated because of that. That assumption won't be proven wrong or right until next season. But keep in mind that Seguin was fantastic for Team Ontario at the Under 17's, finishing 2nd in tournament scoring. Seguin is an exceptionally talented playmaker and next season I think he proves to a lot of people that Terry and Caria's success may have in fact been a by product of Seguin's performance.

6. Jeff Skinner - Kitchener Rangers
Skinner is definitely not the biggest guy out there, but he's one of the most exciting to watch. He topped a past top 10, where I ranked the most impressive 92's this season. Every time I saw him play, he caught my eye for the better. He gives 100% all the time and uses his speed to be a pest to the opposition. I don't think he size holds him back because of the elusive quality he possesses, in combination with what appears to be really solid strength. He reminds me of Bryan Little in the way that he uses his lower body to protect the puck, despite not being the biggest. Skinner is also incredibly skilled and has the ability to make that electrifying one on one move. With the talent coming in to Kitchener this season, Skinner should be at the forefront of their explosion. Judging by how well he ended the season, Skinner could very well finish the season as the 2nd highest scoring forward among his draft class behind Taylor Hall.

5. Joey Hishon - Owen Sound Attack
Hishon is another little guy with little fear. He is exceptionally talented offensively, as many people saw at the most recent Under 18's. Hishon finished with 5 goals and 5 assists in 6 games, which led Canada in scoring. Much like Skinner and Toffoli, Hishon's size holds him back very little. He hits open scoring lanes, he crashes the net, and has no fear in working the corners. Being a late birthdate 91, and undersized, Hishon is going to need to have an explosive offensive season in Owen Sound in order to maintain a solid draft position.

4. John McFarland - Sudbury Wolves
Admittedly, McFarland would not have been at number 4 on this list before the Under 18's. In my viewings of him in Sudbury this year, he did not impress. The skill level was evident, however the determination, strength, team play, and two way play were absent. Anyone else I've talked to felt the same way. Perhaps that is a reflection of Sudbury's disappointing season in general. However at the Under 18's, McFarland was outstanding. He finished 1 point behind Hishon for the team lead and I felt that at times, he was Canada's best player, at a tournament largely designed for 1991 born players. His offensive skill level is incredibly high. He needs to play really well in Sudbury next year and show that he can lead a team. If he can do that, he could very well be a top 10 pick.

3. Erik Gudbranson - Kingston Frontenacs
This big and talented rearguard had an incredibly impressive season for a 1992 born player. He was solid for a disappointing Kingston team, one that probably held back his offensive production. He was probably the best defenceman for Team Ontario at the Under 17's (honorable mention to Stephen Silas), who won Gold. And he was solid for Team Canada at the Under 18's, not looking out of place at all. With the way he skates at 6'3 (and growing), and his ability to play at both ends of the ice, he's going to need to take a huge step back next year in order to NOT be a top 10 selection.

2. Cam Fowler - Windsor Spitfires
I debated this one for a while. Fowler or Hall at number 1? I think it's really close. In the end, to be honest, I gave the nod to Hall because he's actually playing in the OHL and because I know what he's capable of in that league. Fowler, of course, is a talented two way defenceman from the US Development Program who has signed on to play for the Spitfires next season. He's coming off an excellent season for the program, and an even better Under 18's where he was named the tournament's best defenceman in helping Team USA to Gold. If anyone saw that tournament, they would have seen what he's capable of.

1. Taylor Hall - Windsor Spitfires
Like I said, it was close. But I gave the nod to Hall because of my familiarity with him. And heck, if I want to give the nod to Fowler for winning Under 18 Gold, I can't forget that Hall was a crucial member of Team Canada's Gold medal winning Under 18 team the year before. He didn't play this year due to Windsor's Memorial Cup run. Everyone knows how much offensive ability they are getting with Hall, however I think his performance in the playoffs and Memorial Cup really increased his stock (if that's possible). The one knock on him previously, was that he didn't show up in big games. He didn't have a strong playoffs last year, where Windsor got bounced disappointingly early. This year, he returned determined to lead Windsor to the promised land, which he did. The only thing he's got left to prove is becoming a valuable member of Team Canada at the Under 20 WJC's, where he was cut this year. It'll be quite the battle to see teammates Hall and Fowler battle it out for the likely first overall spot in 2010.

Honorable Mentions:
I don't normally include an HM list in the Sunday Top 10, however due to the nature of the list, I felt it appropriate this week.

Keep an eye on the "big" forwards I left off. Guys like Austin Watson, Greg Sutch, Andrew Yogan, Steven Shipley, and Ryan Martindale. Yogan will try to continue his solid play with Erie next year, where I hope he continues to develop his power forward game and mean streak. Sutch was recently traded to Mississauga. He played last year with Sarnia and he has a lot of talent. He skates exceptionally well for a big man and he has offensive talent despite putting up few points last year. Watson will look to play a bigger role in Windsor and establish himself as a consistent scorer. Shipley can hopefully take a step forward next season offensively, after a slightly disappointing rookie season. And Martindale just needs to stay healthy.

Also keep an eye on Ryan Spooner, the one undersized forward I left off. Admittedly, he was the last guy I cut off this list, which makes you wonder even further about a possible fascination of mine with undersized forwards. Spooner is a pure goal scorer and can hopefully establish himself as a more consistent threat this year.

Lastly, keep an eye on two defenceman. Ryan O'Connor in Barrie is an undersized defenceman cut from the same cloth as Ryan Ellis. He quietly had a very strong offensive season and is going to be quarterbacking a very solid Barrie powerplay next season. Also, Belleville's Stephen Silas. He was fantastic at the Under 17's, but didn't play a large role in Belleville. With P.K. Subban gone, Silas might be a guy who explodes next year and establishes himself as a very, very solid NHL draft pick.

That's it for our early look. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts, or even your own top 10 list for 2010. Stay tuned for next week's Top 10. Not sure what the topic will be yet though.

Ryan Yessie's Thoughts on Owen Sound from January 16

Ryan Yessie returns with his first report of the New Year, and was able to take in the Sarnia - Owen Sound game this past Friday. All 5 goals are scored before the game reached the midway point. Huge saves were made early by Dan Spence en route to the Sarnia Sting defeating Owen Sound 4-1.

Steven Shipley - YOB: 1992 - 6’2” - 200 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/17/09: This guy is a player. No question of this guy’s skill. I didn’t hear much about him going into this game but he’s certainly going to have an impression on me for the next 18 months leading up to his draft. He has some dynamic offensive skills and if not for two massive saves by Dan Spence Shipley could have single handedly kept his team in the game. He skates with great speed which is very impressive considering he has NHL size and is only 16 years old. Shipley has good stick handling moves and shows great agility and has big potential to be a game breaker at every level he plays at. Very impressed with his puck control and his overall offensive awareness. This looks like something Owen Sound saw come in about 5 years ago, except his name was Bobby Ryan. I’ve only seen two guys skate and handle the puck with the size that Bobby Ryan had , and Shipley is definitely the better of the two I’ve seen so far. I really don’t see any flaws in his game, his defensive play wasn’t noticeable so I guess that can’t be considered positive or negative. (Shipley had 1G)

Joey Hishon - YOB: 1991 - 5’10” - 166 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2010
Report: Jan/17/09: Hishon is a late birth date so he’ll have to wait till next year. Hopefully that gives him time to add to his size because he desperately needs to add about 15-20 lbs in the next 18 months. Hishon was another guy I was very impressed with, I was surprised Sarnia kept Owen Sound to only one goal with these two skating around the ice. Hishon displayed great speed, a quick release, good awareness in the offensive zone, and distributes the puck very well. What I was really surprised about is how good of a penalty killer Hishon is. His positioning is as good as it comes, and he always had a stick in the passing lane. A complete player and could certainly push into the top 15 of the draft next year, and the only flaw I could see in his game is his 5’10” - 166lb frame that desperately needs a little more muscle added to it, if he does that he could be a dangerous prospect.

Garrett Wilson - YOB: 1991 - 6’2” - 199 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Jan/17/09: Wilson had his good sides and bad. The good is that he has a fairly quick release on his shot, and it comes off with some force, he’s a good physical player and is not afraid to hit. His best asset is his net presence, he looked like Holmstrom out there on the power play he was an unmovable object when he was in front of the net which could be useful to an NHL team looking for a mid-late round pick. On the bad side his skating could use some help, and he does seem to get very over aggressive at the wrong times and winds up taking bad penalties. Not someone I was considering untill I saw what he was able to do in front of the net, so certainly someone to keep an eye on. (Wilson had 1A, 2PIM)

Michael Lomas - YOB: 1990 - 5’11” - 198 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Jan/17/09: I know some out there are wondering about this guy, he was rated last year but didn’t get picked, he has good numbers so I was curious myself. I was very disappointed in Lomas’ play. He turned the puck over at some bad times for his team, and a few were just lazy turnovers not moving his feet, or paying enough attention to the play. I have no clue how this guy has 19 goals so far this year, because he missed the net wildly 3 times. He was within 20ft. Of the net and missed by atleast 5 ft. every time, his stats must be padded at least a little from playing with Shipley and/or Hishon. The one bright spot I saw in his game was his defensive play, he was out there on the PK a couple times and played fairly well during that time. (Lomas had 2 PIM)

Michael D’Orazio - YOB: 1990 - 6’1” - 211 lbs.
NHL: Eligible in 2009
Report: Jan/17/09: I was impressed a bit with this guy last year so I was curious as to how he was playing this year. D’Orazio was a good stay at home presence, he was throwing hits every chance he had and he threw some big ones, he looks like he’s built like a tank when he hits, definitely looks taller than 6’1”. Doesn’t look like there is much offensive potential to speak of, but a solid player that I could see getting late round consideration.

Tyler Beskorowany - YOB: 1990 - 6’5” - 199 lbs.
NHL: 2nd Round - 59th Overall by Dallas in 2008
Report: Jan/17/09: Beskorowany was starting for Owen Sound tonight and I wasn’t very impressed with him. He let in two very soft goals which between that and if Shipley didn’t get robbed this could have been a very different game. He does have great positioning; he faced 48 shots and he was in position for probably 47 of them. His biggest issue is the amount of rebounds he gave up, if it was possible to give a rebound on a shot he gave it, and they were big rebounds. He also doesn’t seem to cut down the angle enough when players are coming in down the wing even if they’re by themselves and gave them a lot of net to look at. (Beskorowany stopped 44 of 48 shots)

Thoughts on Two Weekend Games

I was able to catch a couple games this weekend, but didn't have the time to post my thoughts on them until now. Thursday, the Ice Dogs took on Owen Sound, while on Friday they were in Kitchener taking on the Rangers. The two biggest names, in terms of NHL draft picks, did not participate in the games. Tyler Beskorowany (Dallas, 59th in 2008) got to rest on Thursday, as his back up Scott Stajcer played in the game for Owen Sound. And Rangers defenseman, and Penguins draft pick (78, 2007), Robert Bortuzzo is rehabbing from shoulder surgery he had in the offseason. Both games were still very entertaining and a few players stood out.

Owen Sound Attack vs. Niagara Ice Dogs - Thursday, November 13







Keevin Cutting (2011 NHL Draft Eligible)

Cutting was the Attack's 4th round draft pick in 2008 Priority selection. As a late September birthdate, he's also one of the youngest players currently playing in the OHL. As rare as it is to find a 4th round pick jump right into the OHL, it's also rare to see him playing so well. Cutting has been taking a regular shift on the blueline for the Attack this year and for his efforts, was recently named to Team Ontario for the Under 17 Hockey Challenge, along with teammate Steven Shipley. Cutting is very slight, but he skates and moves the puck very well. Defensively, he didn't make any obvious mistakes either and held his own in defensive zone coverage. Looks like the type of player who's only going to get better and better.

Michael D'Orazio (2009 NHL Draft Eligible, 1990 born)

There was a lot of excitement when D'Orazio entered the league two years ago as Owen Sound's first round pick in the 2006 draft. He had an excellent rookie season and was being considered as a potential top 60 NHL draft pick for the next year. But he had a disastrous second year in the league, playing for an Attack team that finished third from the bottom of the OHL standings. D'Orazio did not take the steps forward many were expecting to see in his offensive game. He scored only 1 goal after getting 3 in his rookie season, and finished the year at -27. Subsequently, he failed to get drafted in the 2008 entry draft. However, I was surprised slightly by this, only because D'Orazio was one of the youngest players eligble and I figured someone would roll the dice on him with a late pick, hoping he could turn it around. This season so far hasn't been a whole lot different. D'Orazio really appears to have stalled in his development. He takes the body hard and he can make a first pass out of the zone, but he still remains only an average skater with little offensive hockey sense. And for such a big guy, he's still not as dominant defensively as you'd like to see. Perhaps the best compliment I can give the big guy from this viewing was that he was completely invisible. At least that means he didn't make any mistakes. I wouldn't expect him to be getting drafted anytime soon.

Steven Shipley (2010 NHL Draft Eligible)

I thought Shipley was quite good in this game. The third overall selection from the 2008 draft was creating offense down the wing and did not look scared in driving hard to the net. He made one particular nice saucer pass to create an offensive chance in front of the net that forced Dogs goalie John Cullen to make one of his many big saves that night. He looks to have good speed and actually looks pretty big for a rookie, showing little signs of being overmatched in the offensive zone. Looks to need to work on his overall game, but what OHL rookie comes in with that ability? Was recently named to Team Ontario for the Under 17 Challenge, and it's easy to see why.

Joey Hishon (2010 NHL Draft Eligible)

I was expecting a lot more from Hishon in this game. He was relatively invisible, which I did not expect from the 2nd highest scoring 2010 player behind Taylor Hall. I'm not even sure Hishon got a shot on net, and was completely smuggled and over matched against the Dogs defense. He showed some good speed entering the zone, which is definitely something you want to see in an undersized player. He also wasn't afraid to enter danger zones and play rough, which is another thing you like to see in smaller players. I'm sure I just caught him on an off night. Would definitely need another viewing.

Mike Lomas (2009 NHL Draft Eligble, 1990 born)

Lomas is an interesting player. I highly expected him to get drafted in last years NHL draft, despite the fact that I was never very impressed by him. But he's a very good skater and was able to put up some decent offensive numbers for Brampton despite being one of the younger players available for the 2008 draft. A trade to Owen Sound this offseason looks to have done great things for him. He's still using his speed to create scoring chances, but he also looks to be more involved in other aspects of the game. I saw him forechecking and attempting to play defense for the first time tonight. He's also putting up good, but not great offensive numbers. If he can continue to work on his overall game and develop a niche as a good crashing winger, he's got a chance for a career at the next level. However, if he tries to fall back to being a finesse player, perimeter player, he doesn't have the offensive skills for that.

Niagara Ice Dogs vs. Kitchener Rangers - Friday, November 14









Ben Shutron (Drafted 2006 by Chicago/95th)

Shutron is quite the enigma. A somewhat undersized, yet physical offensive blueliner who has had quite an up and down career in the OHL. He was outstanding for Kingston for a couple years and managed to get himself drafted. But soon fell out of favor in Kingston and was traded to Kitchener half way into last season. But he had some injury problems and played very poorly during the regular season. But re-surfaced in the playoffs and Memorial Cup, as he was a very large part of the Rangers success that saw them make it to the Cup final. But Chicago did not sign him to a contract and he ended up going undrafted as a re-entry. He's now back playing with Kitchener as an overager and serving as their captain. He looked good in this game, as good as he did during that Memorial Cup run last season. He moves the puck well up the ice, he skates well, and he's very adept at running the point on the powerplay. He's just a very smart offensive player. His defensive game is pretty solid too, although I'm reluctant to say that he could be a good defensive player at the next level, at least in terms of man coverage. On the whole, I'm relatively surprised that Chicago didn't offer him a contract. I think he's got a pretty good chance of earning one this offseason from an NHL team, as he's got a chance to at least be a depth defenseman.

Jason Akeson (2009 NHL Draft Eligible, 1990 born)

Akeson is a very interesting case. He came to the Rangers late last season after coming over from Tier 2, Junior A Cumberland, giving up his NCAA eligibility. He decided to leave after linemate Eric O'Dell left Cumberland for Sudbury and began having some serious success. But Akeson was joining a very deep Kitchener team and saw very little ice time, although he did play in a vast majority of the Memorial Cup games. With some key departures, more was to be expected of Akeson this season. From what I've heard, he's been up and down. Invisible one game, very good the next. He was very good in this game against Niagara. He looked very comfortable creating offense once inside the offensive zone and ended up finishing the game with a goal and an assist. The assist was on a very nice play where he won possession behind the net and made a great pass to a teammate infront of the net for the goal. Looks to be a smart offensive player who can create offense. I'm interested to see how he finishes the year and whether he manages to get on any draft lists this year.

Brandon Mashinter (Overager, NHL free agent)

While I'm sure more was to be expected from Mashinter this season as an overager, I think that it's needless to say that he's gone beyond expectations thus far. His previous career high in goals and points was passed two weeks ago already. He's a very large guy who opposing defenses are having a hard time containing infront of the net. He appears to be playing the role that David Clarkson played so well for Kitchener a few years ago. Mashinter was outstanding against Niagara, playing in all situations. He made a few great plays on the PK to gain puck possession and he looked very comfortable banging home pucks in front of the net. He's not the world's best skater, but for such a big guy, he's not the worst either. Just a solid all around player who gives you heart and determination. I've seen less players get NHL contracts after strong overager seasons, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't get one.

Jeff Skinner (2010 NHL Draft eligible)

Despite only registering an assist, Skinner was the most impressive player on the ice for Kitchener tonight, in my opinion. He was all over the place creating scoring chances, and if it weren't for John Cullen, he and his linemates would have had much more impressive lines on the scoresheet. He looks to have very good speed and puck skills. He made a couple really nice plays to get by Niagara defenders to create odd man scoring rushes. He looked great in close to the net, making another Niagara defender fall down on a great move, only to be robbed by John Cullen with the glove. There are lots of reasons to see why he was also named to Team Ontario for the Under 17 Challenge.

One more thing that I'd like to point out about this weekend's games is how well Niagara Ice Dogs goalie John Cullen played. Cullen, as you may recall, was listed 30th on my top 30 eligible players for the 2009 Entry Draft. If he keeps on improving, he's going to be higher on the next one. He completely shut down Owen Sound posting a 34 save shutout. And made over 50 saves, many of them of highlight quality, against Kitchener the next night. This guy keeps getting better and better, as he becomes more confident in his rookie OHL season. He's now up to 7th in SV % in the OHL.