Played on Feb 4, 2026
Game Played in TD Civic Centre
General Game Notes: February 4, 2026 – The Kingston Frontenacs visited the Brantford Bulldogs. A tight matchup didn’t see much offense but saw two goaltenders shine: Gavin Betts (#43) for Kingston and David Egorov (#88) for the Bulldogs. Overtime solved nothing, and Kingston earned the extra point in the shootout with a final score of 2-1.
David Egorov (G, L, 6’2″, 196, Brantford Bulldogs, 05/18/2006)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Egorov is a technically sound goaltender who rarely plays outside of his structure. He moves well in the crease, skates efficiently to his spots, and consistently gets set to make saves. He’s often square to the shooter because he reads plays well and avoids over-committing, typically staying a touch deeper in his crease rather than challenging too far out. He battles through traffic with purpose and doesn’t shy away from difficult situations. While rebounds can occasionally spill out, he shows strong compete and second-effort ability, finding ways to make tough saves when lanes are clogged. Whether it’s punching pucks away, blocking shots with his shoulders, or simply out-battling bodies at the top of the crease, Egorov does whatever is necessary to keep the puck out, especially in traffic-heavy situations
Adam Jiricek (D, R, 6’3″, 172, Brantford Bulldogs, 06/28/2006)
Game Rating
B
Jiricek is a well-rounded defenseman who excels in various aspects of his game. His size, speed, and skill allow him to effectively move the puck up ice and create scoring opportunities. In his own end, he demonstrates poise with the puck, taking time to assess situations before making a decision. Jiricek’s ability to hold onto pucks and make smart plays helps maintain possession and create chances for himself and his teammates.
1 Viewing
Comments: Jiricek oozes confidence with the puck, no matter which end of the ice he’s in. He shows patience in his own zone, holding onto pucks, staying calm under pressure, and making difficult plays look easy. A good example is how he’ll draw a forechecker toward him, then slip the puck underneath their triangle to a teammate streaking out of the zone with speed. That same confidence carries over to the offensive zone. He’ll pump fake at the blue line to freeze defenders, create space for himself, and then make a play toward the net. He consistently found teammates in scoring areas and was also able to generate quality looks of his own.
Adam Benak (C, L, 5’7″, 166, Brantford Bulldogs, 04/10/2007)
Game Rating
B+
Benak is a skilled forward with strong hockey instincts, often reading plays in all three zones effectively. He excels at backchecking, positioning himself well to disrupt opposition attacks and quickly transition play. This intelligence allows him to anticipate the game’s progression and make smart decisions. On offense, Benak utilizes his speed to create scoring opportunities. He can get into open ice and apply pressure on defenders, making it challenging for them to clear the puck. Notably, he has a solid finishing ability, as demonstrated by his first goal of the game where he capitalized on a loose puck in a hard area.
1 Viewing
Comments: Benak creates a lot of offense with his speed and creativity. He reads plays well away from the puck, allowing him to pick off passes and immediately turn defense into attack. A good example came in the first period, when he intercepted an errant pass and broke in alone, using his speed to separate before fending off defenders and making a strong move to the net, though he was unable to finish. That sequence highlighted what Benak does best: finding ways to get pucks, attacking with pace, and driving hard to the net. Combined with his skill set, he’s a consistent offensive threat who forces defenders to back off, and his ability to create offense on his own makes the players around him more dangerous.
Caleb Malhotra (C, L, 6’1″, 184, Brantford Bulldogs, 06/02/2008, Boston University)
Game Rating
B+
Caleb Malhotra showcased exceptional on-ice vision and agility in the offensive zone. He demonstrated impressive footwork, using hip openers to gain space and time before delivering precise passes to teammates. Malhotra’s ability to read the ice and anticipate opportunities was a key aspect of his playmaking. While not a physical presence, he fearlessly pursued hard areas and capitalized on his high hockey IQ. His skillset allowed him to consistently create scoring chances for himself and his team, making him a reliable force in the offensive zone.
1 Viewing
Comments: Malhotra has high-end talent that shows both with and without the puck. He displays excellent puck poise and rarely panics when pressured. A clear example came in the first period, when he was the “last man back” in his own end. Under pressure, he calmly drew the forechecker in and then sauced a tape-to-tape pass to a teammate for a clean breakout. That kind of decision-making speaks to his maturity and responsibility as a forward. He understands that supporting his defense and making the safe play is what fuels his offense later in the shift. While he didn’t generate as much offensively as he does on most nights, he still played a strong, effective game. His line consistently got pucks into dangerous areas, maintained possession in the offensive zone, and crashed the net to create traffic and second-chance opportunities.
Zachary Sandhu (D, L, 6’1″, 211, Brantford Bulldogs, 12/20/2005)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Sandhu made a lot of simple plays that were quietly valuable to his team. His gap control was strong, and he consistently swarmed opponents in the neutral zone, denying easy entries into his own end. He plays with a physical edge and uses his size and strength to make it difficult for opposing forwards to win battles along the boards or through the middle. Sandhu’s presence is especially noticeable in front of the net, where he takes away space, clears lanes, and doesn’t hesitate to finish checks to protect his crease. He’s the type of defender who doesn’t need to flash a highlight-reel play to make an impact-he simply makes the right read, closes the gap, and forces the opposition to work harder to generate chances.
Marek Vanacker (LW, L, 6’1″, 188, Brantford Bulldogs, 04/12/2006)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Vanacker put himself in scoring areas by using his speed and attacking open spaces. He let his teammates do the work, and then found him in Grade-A areas where he could get quick-release shots on net. Although he was unable to capitalize, he generated plenty of chances and forced the goalie to make several strong saves. Most of those opportunities came from him finding soft areas and using his shot effectively. Good players find ways to get into scoring areas, and Vanacker does just that.
Gabriel Frasca (C, L, 6’0″, 191, Brantford Bulldogs, 02/18/2006, Quinnipiac)
Game Rating
B+
Frasca is a well-rounded center who excels in both his defensive and offensive roles. He consistently demonstrates strong puck control, maintaining possession even when pressured, and showcases high hockey IQ by avoiding unnecessary plays. His set of hands and shot are particularly noteworthy, allowing him to create chances for himself and his line-mates. In tight spaces, Frasca’s edgework is impressive, as he uses deceptive moves to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. He also handles the puck confidently on the power play, attacking the flanks with purpose and unleashing a powerful shot when given space. Overall, Frasca’s combination of skills makes him a reliable asset on the ice.
1 Viewing
Comments: Frasca made his presence felt whenever he was on the ice. His speed and puck control stood out, as he consistently beat opponents to loose pucks and made plays once he got there. A couple of strong examples came on the forecheck, where-despite opponents initially having a step on him-he closed the gap, won puck battles, and came away with possession. Those are the small details that often go unnoticed, but he executed them consistently. In addition to his motor, Frasca has the skill set to make high-end plays with the puck. Whether off the rush or at five-on-five, he plays with his head up, surveying his options and making the right decision between shooting and passing. He was rewarded for his work ethic by scoring his team’s lone goal, forechecking hard, picking off a pass from the goaltender, and finishing decisively.
Gavin Betts (G, L, 6’0″, 178, Kingston Frontenacs, 04/03/2008)
Game Rating
B+
Strong foundation and anticipation skills. He consistently tracks pucks well, arrives square to shots, and makes effective saves through good positioning and timing. His skating ability allows him to stay on his feet as long as possible, reading rushes effectively and setting his edges for optimal play. He shows excellent hand-eye coordination, tracking pucks cleanly into his gloves. In addition to his defensive skills, he demonstrates solid puck-handling abilities. Betts is proactive when handling pucks in traffic, making confident passes to his defensemen to initiate clean transition plays. His controlled movements around the crease also enable him to quickly recover and respond to changing situations.
1 Viewing
Comments: Betts showed early mental toughness by not letting a mistake shake him after an ‘bad goal’ on the first one. He gritted through the rest of the game, making 29 saves and earning first-star honours. His puck-playing ability stood out immediately. Even after the early turnover, he stayed confident and consistently stopped rim attempts, limiting his opponents’ zone time and helping his team move the puck out quickly. He made several high-end plays to teammates, forcing quicker breakouts and easing pressure in his own end. Athletically, Betts is impressive. He battles for pucks, relies on strong reflexes, and can stretch to cover the net in desperation situations. He’s comfortable moving laterally and doesn’t hesitate to challenge shooters, which shows up in his ability to make difficult saves look routine. Perhaps most notable is his play-reading. Betts seems to anticipate where shooters are going before they get there, and he tracks pucks with purpose and timing. While his rebound control was occasionally iffy, he consistently battled for loose pucks and made several big saves when it mattered most. Ultimately, he held strong to preserve the win for his team.
Maleek McGowan (D, L, 5’11”, 193, Kingston Frontenacs, 06/13/2005)
Game Rating
B
McGowan showcased his hockey IQ with a highlight-reel goal, demonstrating his ability to read the game and capitalize on scoring opportunities. He plays a physically demanding game on defense, consistently finishing checks and winning puck battles. McGowan’s aggression and competitiveness allow him to impose himself defensively, making him a reliable presence in his own end.
1 Viewing
Comments: McGowan is a strong skating defender, which allows him to contribute at both ends of the ice. Offensively, his mobility and reads enable him to pinch down the walls effectively, keeping pucks alive and extending offensive-zone time. He showed an ability to collect pucks, hold onto them under pressure, and spin off checks before getting shots through to the net, creating chaos and second-chance opportunities around the crease. Defensively, McGowan was reliable and composed. He retrieved pucks well, consistently shoulder-checking on pickups to identify pressure and make the appropriate play. He’s physical when necessary and does a good job of smothering opponents, using his body and positioning to close space and end plays.
Nolan Buttar (LW, L, 6’2″, 191, Kingston Frontenacs, 05/23/2008)
Game Rating
C+
1 Viewing
Comments: Buttar played at a fast pace and consistently pushed the tempo in all three zones. He was effective making slip plays off the rush and driving the net with or without the puck. At times, he turned pucks over while trying to be too fancy, but he showed confidence in his abilities and displayed good chemistry with his linemates.
Vann Williamson (D, R, 6’1″, 187, Kingston Frontenacs, 07/14/2006)
Game Rating
B
Williamson is a reliable defender who excels at reading plays and retrieving loose pucks from his own end. He plays a physical game but maintains control by staying within established defensive structures, often sacrificing over-commitment for more effective results. His ability to anticipate and react quickly allows him to stay in front of opponents and disrupt their offense.
1 Viewing
Comments: Williamson was able to snap tape-to-tape passes out of his zone to kick-start transition play. He regrouped quickly, kept his eyes up ice, and showed poise with the puck, consistently identifying whether the stretch pass or the simple five-footer was the right play. He’s not overly flashy, but he plays a simple, hard game that’s effective and reliable. In his own end, he was steady and composed, killing plays with an active stick and strong positional awareness. He closed time and space well, took away passing lanes, and wasn’t hesitant to engage physically when necessary, especially along the boards.
Aleks Kulemin (C, L, 6’2″, 182, Kingston Frontenacs, 03/20/2009)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Kulemin created offense and found ways to get to the inside of the ice, even when space was tight and lanes were hard to come by. He’s strong on his skates and uses his size to lean on opponents and drive into the high-traffic areas. He also showed a good shot and earned several quality looks, though he wasn’t able to finish on them. Defensively, Kulemin was responsible and reliable. He back-checked with purpose, hustling hard to get back into the play and then stopping in the house to take away scoring chances. He didn’t cheat offensively, staying committed to his defensive duties and making sure his team wasn’t left exposed.
Adam Kelly (C, R, 5’11”, 184, Kingston Frontenacs, 09/19/2008)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Kelly did an excellent job of penetrating off the rush, using his speed, shiftiness, and skill set to get to the inside ice and create scoring opportunities. He plays with pace and is comfortable moving in and out of traffic, showcasing a strong set of hands while consistently keeping his head up. This allows him to survey his options and either shoot or find a teammate in a dangerous scoring area. Confidence was never an issue for Kelly, as he frequently attempted an extra move-and more often than not, it paid off.
Nolan Snyder (RW, R, 5’10”, 173, Kingston Frontenacs, 04/13/2009, Penn State)
Game Rating
B
Snyder showcased his composure and poise in several key situations during this game. He demonstrated an ability to read the play and wait for opportunities to arise, such as pulling the puck back for a one-touch shot that left the defender and goaltender anticipating the initial move. This patience allowed him to capitalize on higher-percentage chances. In addition to his composure, Snyder was also notable for his tenacious pursuit of pucks across all three zones. His strong motor enabled him to keep up with opponents and create turnovers. Furthermore, he displayed sharp vision by consistently finding open lanes and moving into scoring areas where he could make an impact.
1 Viewing
Comments: Snyder is a speedy forward who plays with pace and purpose. He attacks off the rush, using the outside lane to create space, and can either drive to the net or stop on a dime and find a teammate joining the play as the second wave of offense. He made several nifty passes in the cycle, consistently finding teammates in tight areas and helping his team sustain possession.His impact showed up on the scoresheet as well. Snyder scored his team’s only goal in regulation by picking up a loose puck in the defensive zone and turning it into an odd-man rush. He eluded the pass, then ripped a bullet of a shot top shelf, beating the goaltender cleanly. It was a strong finish that highlighted his speed, timing, and ability to make the right play in transition.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images