Sam Stange (3.75 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C+) Forward
February 29, 2020 – Sioux Falls at Dubuque
In a 4-2 loss to Dubuque Sam’s game line of 1 goal, 4 shots and a Plus/Minus of +1 looks pretty good. But what did we learn about his game and situational awareness, skills, special teams potential and competitiveness? Let’s take a look at our game notes and find out.
Game Notes:
- Dependable weakside wing in the defensive zone, maintained line-ups with his point while keeping his stick on the ice and head on a swivel
- Defensive grey area turn over which lead to nothing
- Active stick creates turnover in offensive grey area, excellent soft chip which allows for forecheck and offensive zone time
- Poised off mid-wall cycle, carries through high slot, hard snapper through traffic
- Line Change Awareness coming off the bench leads to partial breakaway, hard snapper from slot under pressure, blocker save, turns to net & stops in front
- MORE Awareness on line change, backchecks through the middle with stick on the ice involved in forcing a poor pass
- Jumps on loose puck, drives wide, gains offensive zone, cuts to middle and bullet snapper, save made
- Poor stick placement on neutral zone forecheck leads to quick up and odd man rush against
- Blocked shot
- Lost man on line rush, back checked with stick in the air exposing passing lanes
- Another blocked shot
- Second Period
- Hard middle drive, stops in front
- Active stick in neutral zone forces turnover
- 2nd Power Play unit, works strong side mid-wall, activates towards net for one timer
- Does not kill penalties
- Judges depth well as F2 and F3
- Good read as F1, does not foolishly chase behind the net
- Iffy change, nothing happens
- Turnover on breakout from trying to be too cute, but recovered to net
- Starts to drift in defensive zone coverage at the end of a shift
- First unit on 4v4 action, excellent indirect to point, beats his defenseman to the net from the corner
- Another good read as an F3, covered for pinching defenseman, walked the blueline with the puck and fired a snapper on net
- Very strong through contact, opponents seem to bounce off of him
- Another good read on forecheck, takes away time & space as F1, finishes check creating a turnover, finds the soft area and is prepared to shoot = One Timer from high slot for Goal
- Third Period
- Works hard to be an option on breakouts
- 2nd Power Play, strong side mid-wall, settles passes along wall very well, shoots from low percentage area & it is blocked, power play over
- Awareness off the bench during a line change (THIRD TIME), Back checks through the middle cutting the ice in half, active stick creates turnover leading to transition
- Good read as F3, maintains depth with their wingers, forcing neutral zone turnover
- Poor cross corner dump leads to clean breakout
- Pulled Goalie 6v5 situation, plays the bumper, lots of cycling, nothing really generated
- Still stopping on pucks when the game is essentially over