Game played 11/22/2024.
General Game Notes: The Des Moines Buccaneers defeated the Chicago Steel 6-3 in what was a close game until about half way through the third period when the Buccaneers were able to control a three goal lead. Chicago fought back in the second period, narrowing the gap to 4-3 with quick goals on the power play. However, Des Moines regained control in the third, tightening up defensively and adding a late goal to seal the victory.
Benjamin Yurchuk (C, L, 5’8″, 169, Chicago Steel, 02/01/2005, Merrimack)
Grade: B+
Comments: Yurchuk likes to hold on to the puck, sometimes for great plays, sometime a little too long. He can make some pretty great passes though, when he holds on it and being attacked he is scanning at the same time. Couple times he did this on the power play so he knew once he was out of the pressure, he knew right away who to dish to. Little risky but fun to watch. He was able to show tonight that he is not afraid to skate the perimeter in the offensive zone, he looks to wait something better to open up a lot of the time. he wheels around the tops of the circles and hits a teammate back door, it worked this time on this play, but he has a tendency to pass up good chances for perfect chances. One part of his game that could improve is shot selection, he was taking far too many of his shots from low danger areas.
Hudson Gorski (D, R, 6’3″, 183, Chicago Steel, 09/05/2005, Cornell)
Grade: A-
Comments: Gorski is at his best in his own end. He needs to keep the game simple and in front of him. His breakout passes out of his own zone are consistently on point, rarely getting picked off, but needs an extra step to do this. He has the confidence under pressure to hold off if the pass there is not one there and get into a position to make a smart pass up the ice. Playmaking is not always about making passes, Gorski uses his body to make plays. Making the most of his physical gifts. Defensively, he knocks his opponents off the puck to create opportunities for his teammates. Offensively, he often takes a shot intending for tips, deflections, and rebounds that create havoc and scoring opportunities in front of his opponents net.
Kolin Sisson (RW, R, 5’9″, 172, Chicago Steel, 09/30/2006, Providence)
Grade: A-
Comments: Sissons scored two goals tonight providing a lot of the offensive for the Steel. Sissons is a smaller forward who can easily get lost in the offensive zone. Scored a nice goal picking an absolute corner from a bit of a distance. In this goal, he was able to show his shot strength, accuracy, and confidence to take a shot like this given it was at a bit of an angle. His quickness of both his feet and hands allow him to change the angle on the shot right before releasing. Because he is one of the smaller forwards on the ice, defensively, he won’t be pinning opposing players against the boards to shut down cycles or throw the big hit to blow up a play. His game is offense but he can be scrappy and win loose puck battles with his feet.
Henry Major (LW, L, 5’9″, 169, Chicago Steel, 03/19/2007, Cornell)
Grade: B-
Comments: Major scored a nice goal with eight seconds left in the first period giving his team a little life and momentum heading into the second. With a nice catch and release shot, he beat the goalie clean over the shoulder, the quickness of his release and how he reacted to picking a corner was how this puck was able to find the back of the net. Major has some quick feet, his acceleration and power in his stride are also much better than would be expected from a player his size. His strong first steps are a reason as to why he is able to create so much separation from a stand still. At times, he is just too confident sometimes. To name a specific problem, he struggles in finding simple plays, Major is overplaying when he has time and space buty wants to make the highlight reel play.
Eliot Seguin-Lescarbeau (G, L, 6’3″, 196, Des Moines Buccaneers, 09/14/2005, New Hampshire)
Grade: A-
Comments: Seguin-Lescarbeau did not see a ton of shots tonight but was strong when it mattered most, going into the third period up by a goal. Seems like he is in the right position for every shot. Very rarely tonight was there a shot where he was completely throwing himself side to side because he was out of position. One part of his game tonight that showed especially during times when his team was hemmed in their own zone, was his ability to read the play and control the game with freezes. He controlled the play, but he could look to play the puck a little more at times. Get out of the net and stop rims but keep the puck moving to teammates.
Andrew Clarke (F, R, 5’11”, 165, Des Moines Buccaneers, 02/11/2004, Dartmouth)
Grade: B+
Comments: Clarke is a smaller player on the ice who does not play a small game. Scored a nice goal on the power play playing his bumper middle role to a tee. As the flanker shot his shot, a loose puck was sitting at the top of the crease when Clarke crashed the goal in a desperate fashion and buried his chance. He has this style of play in other situations in his game, He uses his low centroid to evaluate opponents hits, he is very strong on his feet. On the other hand, he is not afraid to hit guys along the boards. He is not going to brake when he is coming to the player. A specific, not game changing play, he made off the rush was when he wound up in the neutral zone, dangle a defender upon entry and made a smart pass to a teammate for a shot attempt. This was a scenario where most players will dump the puck into the zone and chase after it, typically resulting in a turnover but he wanted the puck on his stick and wanted to create.
Yaroslav Bryzgalov (LW, L, 6’3″, 202, Des Moines Buccaneers, 03/23/2007)
Grade: B
Comments: The big man constructed space in front of the, got a great feed into the slot where he placed a quick catch and release shot over the goalies shoulder. Bryzgalov was able to show tonight that he is always looking to use his body to knock opponents off of the puck, but not in a one dimensional fashion. His strength and balance on his skates allow him to be a dominant force in all areas of the ice. He has a solid ability to identify the proper moments to attack physically, while consistently maintaining position. His footwork can get him in trouble playing defense one on one, couple times tonight he lost a step to a smaller player looking to expose his gap.
Jacob Jastrzebski (C, L, 5’11”, 180, Des Moines Buccaneers, 07/27/2005, Augustana)
Grade: B+
Comments: Jastrzebski moved well tonight and scored what was ultimately the game winner. On the power play, Jastrzebski was the beneficiary of good puck movement and great positioning. As he sat back door, his teammate fired something on net and the rebound bounced off him and to his stick where he was able to bury and easy tap in. One of Jastrzebski’s best atttributes as a player is his feet. He is able to explode towards the loose pucks after losing his momentum along the boards because of his ability to be confident on his feet. He has some risk to his game, at times he does not recognize that the best way how to get from a tough situation is by simple play. Pass the puck behind the net or pass it to the neutral zone. He wants to make an unbelievable play every single time.
Ryan Seelinger (F, R, 5’11”, 180, Des Moines Buccaneers, 08/07/2005, Miami (Ohio))
Grade: B+
Comments: Seelinger scored one of the more important goals of the game to open the third period which set the tempo and momentum for the rest of the game and gave his team a comfortable lead. Not only was this goal complete hard work but showed his ability to capatalize in tight. From his own zone, his defenseman threw one of wall in an attempt to create a race that almost looked like icing. That was until Seelinger came out of nowhere, beat the icing and the opposing defenseman to the puck, created a mini breakaway and scored. Seelinger has a two game that shows up periodically. You can see his defensive play at times is different type of energy than his offensive, when he sees the rush coming at him he tends to drift back into the defensive zone, but as soon as there is a forced turnover and can start a transition the other way, he explodes and gets going through the neutral zone.
Jack Kernan (F, R, 6’2″, 185, Des Moines Buccaneers, 03/30/2005, Minnesota State)
Grade: A-
Comments: With three assists on the night, Kernan was moving the puck well and picked his opportunities to create and not force plays into existence. Kernan was able to show tonight that his ability to get the puck to a teammate in dangerous areas is why he was one of the more noticeable players on the ice tonight. He knew exactly where he wanted to go with the puck before it touched his stick, and then used his hands and creativity to execute. He is able to do this because he continually scans the ice, with and without the puck, he does a good job at taking in information and make something positive out of it, quickly. The winger played with confidence and invites the pressure in order to beat someone and open the ice up for everyone else.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images