General Game Notes: February 10th, 2024 – USHL action between the Madison Capitols and Green Bay Gamblers. A lights out performance by Adam Gajan #31 and two goals from Julian Lutz #29 led the way as the Gamblers took this one by a score of 4-1.
Adam Gajan (G, L, 6’3″, 187, Green Bay Gamblers, 05/06/2004, Minnesota Duluth)
Game Grade: A
Comments: Gajan plays with a ton of confidence and it feeds into his team. It is evident his team has confidence in his abilities solely based off his and his teammates body language. He owns active hands, keeping them out in front of him, smothering pucks that come his way limiting second chance opportunities. If there is second chances, he scrambles well by getting wide, sealing the low ice and reacting to whatever happens in tight. He has the ability to make the game-changing save and can create momentum swings with the way he plays.
Chris Romaine (D, R, 6’1″, 197, Green Bay Gamblers, 02/01/2004, Ohio State)
Game Grade: B
Comments: Romaine is a right shot defender who picks up pucks effectively in his own end and quickly transitions it the other way. He is a smooth skater who can pass the puck with ease, while in stride, with his head up and hands in a passing position. He surveys the ice and understands when to move the puck, hold it, or distribute and jump into the rush. Has good offensive and defensive instincts as a solid 2-way defenseman.
Libor Nemec (RW, L, 6’3″, 187, Green Bay Gamblers, 09/03/2003, UMass Lowell)
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Nemec plays hard and has all the traits of a power-forward. He wins puck battles by engaging in the physical play and comes up with a lot of 50/50 pucks. He is a dangerous player in the offensive zone because his ability to win puck battles and then make scoring plays. He has the ability to attack the net himself, or make passes to the slot area (to find his teammates in scoring areas). He goes to the net hard, with or without the puck, leaning on his opponents and creating chaos there.
Jayson Shaugabay (C, R, 5’9″, 165, Green Bay Gamblers, 04/05/2005, Minnesota Duluth)
Game Grade: B
Comments: Shaugabay is a shifty forward who likes to challenge his opponents off the rush. He skates well, and can change the angle of his feet/hands in tight positions allowing him to grab space, force his defenders to have bad gap and attack. He will shoot when he has time and space, but definitely a pass first type player. He likes to hold onto pucks as long as possible until he sees the right play, which is often an open teammate streaking towards the net.
Mike DeAngelo (LW, L, 5’11”, 178, Green Bay Gamblers, 11/19/2004, Michigan State)
Game Grade: C+
Comments: DeAngelo made some nice/simple plays by being hard on the forecheck and turning over pucks. He owned an active stick and if he was able to retrieve pucks in the OZ, liked to jam pucks towards the net and stop there.
Charlie Russell (F, R, 5’10”, 174, Green Bay Gamblers, 08/21/2003)
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Russell won a lot of 50/50 battles and sacrificed his body for the betterment of the team. For example, would dive head first at a loose puck if it meant getting it out of his own zone. Offensively, he was hard along the walls and created zone time/cycle plays with his line-mates.
Benjamin Poitras (C, R, 5’11”, 181, Green Bay Gamblers, 07/18/2005, Northeastern)
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Poitras has a knack for finding puck in the net-front area. He has that unique ability to get lost behind defenders where his able to either catch and release pucks quickly on net, or one time them. Scored the second goal of the game for the Gamblers by filtering to the net front, sneaking off to the back post and one-timing a quick pass top shelf passed the out-stretched goaltender. The goal itself was a great example of what he does best: buys time, finds space and gets quick shots to the net.
Julian Lutz (LW, L, 6’2″, 187, Green Bay Gamblers, 02/29/2004)
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Lutz is a power-forward who plays the game the right way. He leads by example by limiting his mistakes and often making the ‘right’ play when under pressure. Although at times, he keeps it simple, he is effective. He wins puck battles in all three zones by utilizing his size and strength, engaging physically if necessary. He can make plays with the puck, either distributing it or shooting when in the open ice. He consistently goes to the net with or without the puck, making his presence felt. The type of player you want on the ice in the last minutes of the game (holding a lead) because his ability to block shots, win battles and make plays.
Lev Katzin (C, L, 5’8″, 161, Green Bay Gamblers, 05/13/2007, Harvard)
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Katzin did a good job at distributing pucks to his line-mates. Regardless of what zone he was in, he found ways to make plays to his open teammates. He made some nifty passes, whether it was a chip play, or a tape-to-tape pass from behind the goal-line to the slot area. He saw the ice well and was able to utilize his vision and skill-set to create offense.
Charlie Michaud (D, L, 5’11”, 183, Madison Capitols, 08/12/2006, Miami (Ohio))
Game Grade: B
Comments: Michaud is a 2-way defender who plays well at both ends of the ice. Defensively, he kills plays with an active stick and does his best to play with the puck, to avoid defending altogether. He does this by collecting pucks and moving them up ice, out of the defensive zone. He makes hard passes, and understands when to join the rush or when to be more passive.
Jack Brandt (C, L, 5’10”, 169, Madison Capitols, 06/14/2004, Colgate)
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Brandt was an effective player utilizing the bumper area of the ice often. On the PP, he did a good job in the middle ice, directing pucks, dragging defenders towards him and distributing to his line-mates in open areas. He made hard plays, and was hard on his stick avoiding turnovers, maintaining more puck possession.
Christopher Delaney (C, L, 5’6″, 146, Madison Capitols, 09/25/2004, UMass Lowell)
Game Grade: B
Comments: Delaney pushes the pace every time he is on the ice. He wants to attack offensively by using his speed and shiftiness to penetrate the defense and create plays, particularly off the rush. Since he is always moving his feet, he finds a lot of open ice in the offensive zone where he is able to corral pucks and use his vision to find his teammates in scoring areas. Although, not the biggest player on the ice, he is tenacious with his speed and doesn’t shy away from the corners when necessary.
Andrew Kuzma (C, L, 6’0″, 197, Madison Capitols, 01/29/2005, Maine)
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Kuzma owns a heavy shot and a quick release. He is dangerous on the PP, as he can find open space up top and rip pucks towards the net. His fast hands, quick release and power behind his shot create second chance opportunities in the net front area where his teammates were able to hack and whack at pucks. Additionally, he wasn’t afraid to make plays in the offensive zone, getting creative with passes and going to the net when required. At times, brought a physical element to his game as well.
Austin Burnevik (F, L, 6’4″, 197, Madison Capitols, 01/03/2005, St. Cloud)
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Burnevik is a deceptive player. He is tall, lanky and doesn’t necessarily skate the best north to south, but he’s got a knack for scoring goals. He is a shooter. Regardless the situation, he finds ways to find open space and let it fly. As a bigger body, he can put a lot into his shots which creates problems for the defenders and goaltenders. He is especially dangerous on the PP as a lot of plays run off him. He can control the play by making crisp plays, not forcing unnecessary pucks to dangerous areas, instead keeping possession with the puck eventually making his way back to him for an ideal one-time shot from the flank area. Not only can he shoot the puck, he also can go to the hard areas, particularly the net-front where his big frame is hard to move. Has versatility to his game, particularly how he scores goals.
Finn Brink (LW, L, 5’10”, 185, Madison Capitols, 04/06/2005, Wisconsin)
Game Grade: B
Comments: Brink makes his presence known when he is on the ice. He is a solid skater who times his hits well by shadowing his opponents, catching them when they are vulnerable and laying his shoulder down. Plays on the edge, but doesn’t seem to cross it, instead brings a spark to his team when necessary. For example, the first shift of the game off the opening draw he lined up one of his opponents and nearly sent him into his own bench.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Scout: Mike Garteig