Game played 1/04/2025.
General Game Notes: This high scoring game was able to show both teams depths in their offense as well as their ability create multiple different ways of scoring. The Green Bay Gamblers were able to score seven tonight, despite only getting one goal on the power play. In the third period alone , they were able to score a power play goal, shorthanded goal, even strength goal, and an empty net goal.
Lukas Peterson (D, R, 5’9″, 167, Green Bay Gamblers, 02/15/2006, Maine)
Grade: B+
Comments: Peterson picked up a nice assist on the power play from the point simply getting his shot through. This is an important part of his game that gets over complicated with other offensive defenseman. Rather than working the perimeter, which is great on the power play, he saw a chance to go right at the net with traffic in front and took it. If it caught the goalie or defensive system off guard is to anyones guess, but the simple fact that he took what was given to him is a skill in itself. Simply put, he does a good job at quickly processing what is around him in the offensive zone and acts on it.
Brady O’Malley (D, L, 6’3″, 194, Green Bay Gamblers, 01/26/2005, Bowling Green)
Grade: B
Comments: O’Malley was able to show tonight that he does not shy away from the physical side of the game and he does not hesitate getting into the dirty areas. However, his decision to be physical is very methodical and responsible. He does not allow physicality to result in poor decision making or penalties. Instead he uses it to either obtain or maintain possession, and apply pressure on the opponent. He does not throw his body around carelessly but he is not afraid to. Instead he finds a way to use his body or stick to disrupt plays while keeping him very much in the flow of the possession. This can come off as not physical at all but he just picks his times. The bigger defenseman is at his best in his own end.
Aidan Park (C, R, 6’1″, 190, Green Bay Gamblers, 01/06/2006, Michigan)
Grade: A-
Comments: Park continues to be one of the more prolific players for the Gamblers. A lot of his success is rooted in his continuous effort and awareness of high-quality times to shoot the puck. He has a way of getting into the right areas and times his shots just right. He allows opponents to get close enough to possibly obstruct a goalie’s vision but never close enough to disrupt the shot. Scored a nice goal on the power play getting his big body in a shot lane where was able to get a stick on a shot from the point. Park uses this style of play throughout his game, using his size to construct space and dominate it. One aspect of his game that is elite amongst others, is his speed given that he is bigger. He actually has some great first couple steps from a dead stop.
Cole Longacre (D, L, 6’2″, 190, Green Bay Gamblers, 05/26/2006, Merrimack)
Grade: B-
Comments: Longacre was able to show tonight that he is great at killing transitions and plays very responsibly as a blue-line defender. His long reach forces attackers on the rush to make plays earlier than they want to. Although, he needs to work on physical play, he disrupts in small ways that prove effective. Pinning along the boards and forcing dumps with step ups at the red are where he shows his physicality. Offensively, his ability to hold onto the puck allows his teammates an opportunity to set up and get into position for quality scoring chances.
Reece Cordray (RW, R, 5’10”, 180, Green Bay Gamblers, 06/20/2005)
Grade: A-
Comments: Cordray was able to produce out of his norm tonight, all worthy points and just showed that he was able to have himself a productive night. Scored two goals tonight, both in the third period, one of them being shorthanded, the other even strength where he showed his catch and release skill getting puck over the goalies shoulder from the hashmarks. Under a bit of pressure and in a tight spot, Cordray was able to coral the puck and get it off in one swift motion, with his head up and a little screen, he tied the game up. One aspect of his game tonight in his own end, is that he is not incredibly fast but can shift into another gear when in space offensively or closing in on an opponent defensively. For lose pucks, he seems to be able to find a different gear.
Will Zellers (LW, L, 5’11”, 170, Green Bay Gamblers, 04/04/2006, North Dakota)
Grade: A-
Comments: Zellers added his eighteenth of the year almost putting him at a goal per game. Tonights goal was an empty netter but as one of the more dynamic offensive players that the Gamblers have, having him out when they needed to stop a goal showed his range as a 200ft player. He moves the puck well and clearly has the confidence to look to make plays happen. One the power play tonight he was able to show the deception to look off a defender on the puck, open up the passing lane, and then the use this quick twitch movement to snap the puck to the intended target. With time and space, he just does a good job at making it look like he is going to do one thing while clearly his game plan up for something else.
Egor Shilov (C, L, 6’1″, 163, Green Bay Gamblers & Long Island Gulls U16, 04/30/2008)
Grade: B
Comments: Shilov scored the opening goal only a minute into the game tonight. First, forcing a turnover from a lazy defender, he was able to strip the puck and go in on a mini breakaway. He boat the goalie five hole really setting the tempo for the rest of the night. Off the rush tonight he was able to show that his hands are very good as well, as he’s able to stickhandle close to his body and make lateral movements to shake defenders. Shilov is hard to play against with how hard he works up and down the walls, he does not let a single derail his path. He does a good job at keeping his feet churning applying his work ethic shift in and shift out.
Landon MacDonald (C, L, 6’2″, 193, Madison Capitols, 08/12/2004, Northern Michigan)
Grade: B+
Comments: McDonald is a smaller winger that plays exactly how he should. Speed and hands are two things he does not lack. Scored a nice goal late in the game being net front and getting a high tip from the wall. McDonald planted himself while being up a man, six on five, in the bumper spot and as the puck worked around the perimeter, he slowly crept downhill hoping for a shot pass to his blade. He showed this same style throughout the game where he is not afraid to drive the net and generate offense in tight.
Ryker Lee (RW, R, 6’0″, 182, Madison Capitols, 11/08/2006, Michigan State)
Grade: A-
Comments: Lee wants the puck and likes to have it on his stick. He extends shifts knowing that he can take a lot of players one on one and end up making a play. With three assists on the night, he was able to show off his ability to see the ice and be a step a head a lot of the time. There were a lot of times that I saw him getting denied at the blue line, and I can’t help but think that better straight-line speed would’ve yielded a different result. He has solid east west when competing in tight one on one but at the straight away is where he could improve. The magical hands to escape two defenders in the neutral zone, but lackluster skating speed allows for an easy denial at the blue line, is a usual play that happens.
Robert Cowan (RW, R, 5’11”, 176, Madison Capitols, 06/12/2006, St. Thomas)
Grade: B
Comments: Cowan scored a nice goal on the power play in the bumper spot. After a set play, the puck made its way into the bumpber where he was able to get a one timer off and beat the goalie over the glove. Great look and exactly how the bumper is supposed to score. The mechanics of his stride need a lot of work. He could use a bit more bend in his knees, although the real issue is how far out from under him his legs go after each stride. That’s causing the weird wobble you see in his stride and effects him in small areas. He was at his best when he is entering the zone with a bit of pace, looking to made a quick move to beat a defender, and get his quick shot off.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images