Game played on 12/31/2024.
General Game Notes: A close game that came down to the final minutes to decide a winner. A late push from the Buccaneers made this an interesting game but it was the consistent and early scoring from the Stampede that made this game end the way it did.
Keaton Orrey (D, L, 6’1″, 186, Des Moines Buccaneers, 01/12/2006, Miami (Ohio))
Grade: B-
Comments: Orrey was able to show tonight that is always in the right position in defensive zone. Well he is not perfect, but showed that he understands his own zone and shifting. In a certain play tonight, he notices the turnover then immediately turns to the fore check, makes himself available in offensive zone then drives play and makes short pass in the middle of the ice. He is fantastic with his crossovers, but there is need for a little bit of work on his speed and edges as he tends to get a bit heavy and inconsistent in his stride.
Ben Kevan (RW, R, 6’0″, 179, Des Moines Buccaneers, 01/03/2007, Arizona State)
Grade: B
Comments: Kevan showed some risk to his game as he did surrender great passing options in order to hold the puck. But this is common for players of his caliber looking to make plays. He wants to make the highlight reel look and has the skill to do so but this can be a knock on his game as well, thinking that he has to every time he touches the puck. He is not afraid to get involved in the corners and dirty areas, and does a good job at utilizing his frame and aggressive play style to a fuller effect. He plays somewhat a safe transition game. He makes short yet simple passes in the middle of the ice for quick plays.
Jack Kernan (F, R, 6’2″, 185, Des Moines Buccaneers, 03/30/2005, Minnesota State)
Grade: B+
Comments: Kernan was able to open the scoring on the power play. With enough time to read the paper, Kernan got the puck at the flank and was able to walk in and take his time to pick his spot, which was exactly what he did. He was able to show off his shot and ability to capatalize on a chance. After a nice little pull into his body, he was able to get the goalie moving side to side, then put back side over his glove. A part of his game that does not get talked about enough is in his own end, as he is responsible in his defensive assignments. Kernan is quite big and strong, and that is why he is hard to get off the puck. He can make plays for his teammates or finish them off himself.
Blake Zielinski (RW, L, 5’11”, 182, Des Moines Buccaneers, 03/05/2008, Providence)
Grade: B+
Comments: Zielinski scored a nice goal late in the game making it a one goal game. After a couple bounces in front of the net, the puck bounced to Zielinski’s stick and with some solid hand eye coordination, he was able to bat the puck home and find the back of the net. He plays with a controlled aggressiveness and works to get puck to the net or into the dangerous slot areas. He can be prone to driving the net and rushing the slot areas without surveying what is around him at times. Couple turnovers happened because of this and could have been avoided, so puck management was something is his game today that hurt.
Joe Belisle (D, L, 5’11”, 169, Sioux Falls Stampede, 06/06/2005, St. Cloud)
Grade: B
Comments: In all three zone, Belisle uses skating to his advantage in areas all around the ice. Being able to reach top speed in short amount of time along with a decent reach makes him really hard to get beaten by opponents in one on one situations. Belisle showed tonight that he reacts very well to opponents changing their directions. He uses his feet to shuffle side to side making it hard for a forward to find an angle on him. Offensively is not his ‘specialty’ but he is an all around solid hockey player and can make plays. Quickly in the offensive zone you noticed that he really loves to shoot for deflections of his teammates rather than straight on the goaltender. Regardless, it gets to the net and this type of choice is better than getting it blocked.
Noah Urness (C, L, 5’10”, 182, Sioux Falls Stampede, 12/01/2005, St. Cloud)
Grade: A-
Comments: Urness continues to show his consistency throughout this season. With two goals on the night tonight, he was able to display his offensive talents. Scored a nice one on the power play popping into space, getting a one timing pass, and after quickly getting his shot off and getting his own rebound, finally beat the goalie. The best part of this goal was how quickly he popped into space, he read the play well and saw the defenseman biting on the puck carrier, this gave his space to shoot but also time to get a couple shots off. Urness has a sturdy build but has the quickness that can make him hard to play against, quick and hard to knock off the puck.
Ethan Wyttenbach (LW, R, 5’9″, 180, Sioux Falls Stampede, 02/10/2007, Quinnipiac)
Grade: B+
Comments: Wyttenbach is one of the top players night in and night out, in this sense that he can skate well, he can make some clean passes, and he can definitely shoot the puck. His puck control is what separates him from a lot of other players, as he utilizes his body well in staying low to the ice, and creating as much space as possible between the opponent and the puck. While Wyttenbach does have a great mind for creating plays, and can get the job done, he often misses out on a great play due to a missed pass, or by trying to do too much. He wants to have the puck on his stick there is no doubt, but deleting the extra sauce pass or spin move from his arsenal would simplify his game and is not necessary most of the time.
Bryce Ingles (D, R, 5’9″, 170, Sioux Falls Stampede, 07/08/2005, Ohio State)
Grade: B
Comments: Ingles is an offensive defenseman who is defined night in and night out on how well he is moving. When his feet are going, he can break down a defense and effectively break pucks out or offensively, be a threat with his forwards. He does a good job at creating attacking opportunities from defensive zone by passing to one of his teammates. When the puck is dumped into his corner, not often is it stopped. He either finds net play with his stick or his feet. High risk, high reward, his passes sometimes lead to an icing rather than to promising situation, but he is looking to create and as long as he does it with en emphasis on being last man back, he can mitigate the consequences after a mistake.
Reid Varkonyi (C, R, 5’10”, 186, Sioux Falls Stampede, 01/15/2006, Denver)
Grade: B
Comments: Varkonyi was able to show that he is a skilled player with the puck on his stick. He made a great seam pass on the power play and when he has time and space, he can be dangerous. This was one aspect of his game. In the defensive end, he seems to float around a lot. There are also times in the neutral zone where he seems disengaged or waiting for the puck to come to him. There are games where this does not occur and Varkonyi works hard, but it is not a consistent in his game. One of the better aspects of his game was he was able to show his ability to lean on a puck, he is bulky, and is not knocked over easily.
Sam Spehar (RW, R, 5’8″, 180, Sioux Falls Stampede, 04/20/2007, Denver)
Grade: B+
Comments: Spehar scored a nice goal tonight which ended up being the game winner. At an important time of the game, Spehar was able to find some open ice, barrel down the slot and lose his guy. His teammate was able to find him half cocked ready for the puck. He one timed the puck on his off side and beat the goalie before he was able to get square. Spehar has some wheels on his that make it easy for him to get lost in the offensive zone. Sometimes it looks as if he is drifting out there but rather he choose his spots. He was able to show some IQ in this way, he does not run around but controls his skating and uses his energy wisely.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images