Sioux Falls and Sioux City wrapped up their weekend series on Saturday night with a high paced and entertaining game. The game was back and forth until the Stampede scored 2 power play goals in the 2nd period taking a 2-0 lead into the final frame. The Musketeers made a late push to cut the lead to 2-1 and then cashed in on a late goal to tie the game 2-2 in the 3 rd period. A back and forth 3 on 3 overtime game a lot of excitement until AJ Hodges sealed the deal with a goal on a great line rush while cutting to the net hard.
Sam Stange (3.75 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C+) Forward
They only credited Sam with 1 SOG, but he attempted or set up several shots to the opposing net. His ability to play north with speed was his best asset throughout the contest. He put pressure on defenders through the neutral zone with his pace. A very quick release made him a threat any time he touched the puck below the top of the circles. He currently sits with 23 goals, which is tied for 2nd in the USHL. His skating and goal scoring ability is drawing attention of NHL Scouts in his second year of NHL Draft eligibility. With a strong finish down the stretch he could make his case for a late round pick. GAME LINE: 0-1-1 (1 SOG) GAME GRADE: A-
Tommy Pasanen (4 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C) Defense
Tommy is an intriguing prospect who has upside to his game down the road. A large right handed defender can be very difficult to find throughout the draft or free agency. He has great length and is put together very well which made him hard to play against. His game was simple with the puck and he made the simple pass and didn’t try to do too much with the puck. He added an offensive element on the power play with a heavy shot from the blue line that didn’t want to be blocked by defenders. For a younger defender he had a physical presence on the game and threw his weight around. He should be in consideration for a late round pick if someone is looking for a big defender with upside. GAME LINE: 0-0-0 (1 SOG) GAME GRADE: B
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Game Evaluation: Lenny Hofmann