Game played 11/22/2024.
Riley Mercer (G, L, 6’2″, 203, Drummondville Voltigeurs, 03/31/2004)
Grade: A
Comments: Mercer shut the Huskies out, making 45 saves in a superb outing on November 22 against a first place team. He looked big and athletic in the net. Riley timed his butterfly well and when he went down, he slid in every direction quickly. His glove was in front of his eyes and he tracked pucks well with technically sound steps. His length made him tall enough to protect the top of the net in the butterfly. Riley made a terrific shoulder save in the first with under five minutes left. The Huskies tested him high, but Mercer’s paddles were fast, and he caught pucks. He was up and down in a flash and his pads flipped out quickly. The 2004 controlled pucks and skated well out of his net, even holding a puck to allow pressure to skate by and then make a pass. He collected shots in his chest and left only one bad rebound. Mercer could be a top goalie at the NCAA level. For goalies with over 1000 minutes, he leads the QMJHL in saves, save percentage, and GAA.
Luke Woodworth (C, R, 5’9″, 165, Drummondville Voltigeurs, 04/01/2004, Nebraska Omaha)
Grade: B+
Comments: Luke leads the Voltigeurs in scoring with 40 points in 26 games played, 33 of which are assists. He is one of the team Captains. In this game, he ripped a shot from the slot that bounced off the back wall for an assist. He was able to catch and shoot rapidly. He centered the first line and was excellent on the dot. He won the opening faceoff cleanly, which quickly led to a goal. His stick looked long as he protected possession and worked the cycle with his head up. He came off the wall and snapped an elite pass on the tape in the first for a chance. He is plus 20 for the season and looked decent on his end; he made a flamingo move instead of blocking a shot and was not overly engaged low in the zone. It’s an area he must improve, as it was not a problem in this game defensively, as he had the puck a lot. His overall faceoff percentage is 59%, with some games at 70%. He started several chances in the offensive zone in this game by winning draws. Woodworth’s stick and touches were quick and soft, but his passing enabled him to start multiple quality chances and quickly transition. Luke held pucks and passed off the handle with crisp, accurate pucks. He skated with some pace and showed mobility that allowed him to dodge contact. Luke played almost half of this game and showed plenty of offensive skills that would translate to the NCAA level. He certainly made everyone around him better, as Drummondville had the puck most of the time he was on the ice. He will make an impact for Nebraska-Omaha.
Sam Oliver (C, L, 5’11”, 190, Drummondville Voltigeurs, 07/04/2004, New Hampshire)
Grade: B+
Comments: Oliver wears the ‘C’ for Drummondville and has 23 goals and 10 assists in 29 games. He centered the second line in this game. Sam showed quality acceleration and moved on his edges. He made plays at top speed and knew how to get to space and use that space to attack the net. His release was rapid, and his shot heavy. He protected possession and made a clever play in the neutral zone as he was jammed moving forward, curled back to his forehand along the wall and snapped a pass to a streaking winger. He showed the poise and presence one would expect from an overager. Oliver looked off opponents and snapped puck on the net. He swiveled and snapped passes and shots. Sam had some bite, a nose for the net. The recent UNH commit used a strong stride and decent speed to carry through stick contact. He backchecked and bumped puck carriers off the puck. He played a prepared, poised game with consistency and excellent play on the man-up.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images