| Igor Nechayev | Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk | MHL | L | C | 6’1″ | 154 | Orsk. RUS | 2006 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Nechayev was my player of the game as he finished with 2 points. Nechayev has a smooth stride and would greatly benefit from picking up that footspeed to improve his overall pace. He has skilled hands which he used very effectively when being pressured by the defense. Igor remained calm and kept the puck in motion to slip into space and find an open teammate. He was able to blend pass receptions into dekes in one fluid motion. One in particular he opened his hips to pivot for an incoming pass from behind. He pivoted back and used his momentum from the first turn to catch the defender biting and cut around him towards the boards. He rushed the puck with confidence but had a bit of trouble handling the puck in tight 1v1 scenarios. Nechayev scored the opening goal of the game on a powerplay in the first period. He set up at the top of the circle and fired a bullet one timer which beat the goalie blocker high. His assist came on a power play late in the third period. It was a secondary assist, but his quick puck movement allowed for a chance to develop in front of the cage. A lot of work to be done to round out his game but a solid game tonight.
| Matvei Onishchenko | Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk | MHL | L | LW | 5’11” | 154 | Chelyabinsk, RUS | 2005 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Not the best performance from Onishenko. With the puck on his stick, he plays at a very high pace. He can accelerate to top speeds very quickly and uses his feet to beat defenders in most situations. He typically circles the top of the zone and scans for passing options. His decision making needs some work. Early in the game he pulled off a nice play to drive the puck wide with his pace. He made a hard cut to the front of the net from below the goal line and created a dangerous chance in the crease. He often held onto the puck for too long and missed options or forced passes towards covered teammates. In one particular example he used his feet to create a 2v1. The defender took away his teammate leaving Onishenko with a wide-open shot. Matvei held onto the puck for too long before attempting to slide the puck to his covered teammate which was easily shut down. He also circles the zone and attempts to beat everyone but rarely generates any chances from his choices. One of his best plays from tonight was on a rush into the offensive zone. He cut towards the middle, drawing a defender with him, then dropped the puck to a teammate entering the zone behind him. This was a manipulative play which opened up a wide lane for his teammate to drive into, creating a dangerous chance. Without the puck, Onishenko is far too lazy. He shows very little energy unless he has possession. His defensive game will need to greatly improve to move up to higher levels of hockey.
Scout: Henry Lawrence