General Game Notes: Close game that proved to be dramatic til the finish. With Victoria leading 2-0 at the start of the third, Langley was able to score with about two minutes left in the game and then it was all hands on deck. Some solid individual defensive efforts allowed Victoria to hold on to their win.
| Richard Baran | Victoria Grizzlies | BCHL | L | D | 6’1″ | 181 | Arizona State | 2024 | Bratislava, SVK | 2005 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Tonight Baran was able to show that he has a unique combination of being one of the bigger defenseman on the ice while also being able to push the pace of play with his feet and passing. There were multiple shifts where he created breakouts and transition by attacking through the middle ice, drawing the defenders in tight, then snapping the puck to the wide lane to give his teammates more time and space outside the dot-lanes. The confidence to attack the middle slowed the forecheck and trapped the forecheckers in their neutral zone coverage. His offense comes from being puck mover while his defense is more of a shut down mentality. He used his puck anticipation to jump on loose pucks, win 50/50 battles and create offensive opportunities. His long arms and hidden poke check only adds to his defensive game giving him the reach to break up plays with using an active stick well.
| Nathan King | Victoria Grizzlies | BCHL | L | D | 6’2″ | 193 | Merrimack | 2024 | Victoria, BC | 2004 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: King is a mobile defenseman who likes to play with the puck on his stick. He shows this by constantly looking to beat players in the offensive zone. He will dive into the slot when the puck is low, or create quick lateral movement along the blue line to open up his shot lane. His allusiveness makes him hard to keep track of and play against. He has a quick jump onto lose pucks forcing defenders to play him fast. Being this active adds a ton of risk to his game and at times, he finds himself chasing back the rush. It is not always the wrong play but couple times when he jumps in forwards are working to get the puck up to the point.
| Owen Bresson | Victoria Grizzlies | BCHL | L | G | 6’3″ | 168 | Dominion, NS | 2006 | 2024-2025: B+ |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Great game from Bresson who stood his ground in scrums well, being big and low when they puck was 50/50 right in front of him. His positioning was sound staying square to shots and did a good job of deflecting pucks into the corner in a space where his defenseman could make quick pick up. Like to see him get out of his net a little more to stop rims and continue the flow of the play on his own, but could be a system thing. His ability to go down and pop back up into position allowed him to quickly face another shooter in a scoring area.
| Charlie Gollob | Victoria Grizzlies | BCHL | L | C | 6’2″ | 201 | Brown | 2024 | Toronto, ON | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Gollob is a puck distributor. He sees the ice well with and without the puck. He does a good job at reading coverages and understanding where the defender is going to go to next. He showed this by getting passes blind, knowing that a defenseman was going to step up on him, yet he knew where his teammate was going to be to complete a pass. The big center plays a solid possession game but once it is lost, his footwork to get back on defense is staggered. Where his game lies is in small areas either along the wall or out in space, but under pressure so he can use his size to create space that way.
| Luke Ashton | Langley Riverman | BCHL | L | D | 6’5″ | 230 | North Vancouver, BC | 2005 | Potential Late Round Selection |
Game Grade B+
Comments: Ashton is a big defenseman who plays an offensive role and can create something out of nothing. Multiple times tonight when it looked like he was going to get squeezed off in space, a little shoulder and head fake he was able to find lanes to the net. He has a powerful shot when he is able to get his full force behind it, and consistently gets it to scoring areas. One thing Ashton understands is beating the first layer of blockers, whether his shot is hard or is able to get a little wrister off, he gets it to a space where his teammates can pick up rebounds if it does not reach the net on its original path.
| Ryder McIntosh | Langley Riverman | BCHL | C | 5’8″ | 165 | Langley, BC | 2005 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: B
Comments: McIntosh is a speedster with great work ethic and a motor that just doesn’t quit, and while size is the main concern at this point, he has the vision to make plays without exceptional puck skills. Multiple times tonight he was able to create turnovers simply using his speed and playing tight forcing opponents to panic with the puck. He is an undersized playmaking forward who possesses good vision and skating abilities. He was able to show tonight his ability to look one way and pass the other. As he would come down the wall on a rush, he is looking at the net and he would hit the late guy, catching most of the rush off guard.
| Charlie Tritt | Langley Riverman | BCHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 170 | Vancouver, BC | 2005 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Tritt deserves to be nominated tonight with his play. Though he lost the game, in a low scoring match, he played great to keep the score what it was. One goal was on the power play, Tritt played the shot the best he could but was tied up in the end. What he showed tonight that he was able to do really well was show off his movement when the play would change sides. His efficient footwork side to side allowed him to get square to shots with out leaving rebounds.
| Tyler Chan | Langley Riverman | BCHL | L | F | 5’8″ | 157 | Burnaby, BC | 2005 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Chan is an especially intriguing prospect because of his exceptional skill level, but his size is a drawback. He could definitely stand to be quicker, and if he can strengthen his base some more, it will mitigate those size concerns. Couple times tonight he was bumped off the puck easily but the positive part was he was able to draw penalties. What he does really well is beat opponents to space without the puck. When he is trying to be covered, he is able to get lost with quick feet and having a sense of where the ice is.
| Oskar Komarov | Langley Riverman | BCHL | R | RW | 5’11” | 183 | Uusikaarlepyy, FIN | 2003 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Komarov showed that he is a very creative player who is not afraid to take some chances but also understands when it’s appropriate to take them. Multiple times tonight you saw him slide under or around enough a big defender along to enter the zone with space to work with. He plays an aggressive style without the puck and is by no means intimidated by bigger opponents. Quick to the outside and brave enough to dart into the middle, Komarov can be counted to enter the zone cleanly and make smart decisions thereafter. He will change the sides of the entry relieving pressure for teammates to make plays with time
| Chase Pirtle | Victoria Grizzlies | BCHL | R | RW | 6’2″ | 183 | Cornell | 2024 | Far Hills, NJ | 2005 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Pirtle scored a nice goal tonight constructing space using his large frame and body position. He has a great shot when he is able to get the power behind it, usually this requires a couple steps into shooting motion. Pirtle plays the game with a presence, finishing checks and even going out of his way sometimes to be physical. His first three steps could use some fine tuning but when he is able to clip body, looks like the player is taken out of the possession entirely.
| Cameron Smith | Victoria Grizzlies | BCHL | L | LW | 6’2″ | 201 | Victoria, BC | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B
Comments: The big winger does a good job at his support role. He is able to create space with his power and physicality. The presence he brings opens ice up for his linemates. With that being said, when he does have the puck, he contributes with possession and being able to create turnovers with his footsteps. Smith makes himself known at the net front by constantly providing screens for shots is able to get sticks on pucks with how hard it is to move him out of space.
| Deven Nagra | Victoria Grizzlies | BCHL | L | D | 6’2″ | 205 | Vaughan, ON | 2003 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Nagra has the ability to lean on players, finishing every check and winning battles is his calling card. He is a bigger sized defenseman that can play physical and did by pinning players against the wall and clearing out the font of the net. But don’t let the fact that he plays this way get in the way of the clear skill he has, he did a good job at using lateral movement on the blue line creating his own shot lanes when they were not presented to him. With a little shoulder and head fake, he was able to get the blocker moving one way and shoot the other.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images