Game played on 10/18/2024.
General Game Notes: Sioux City came out hard and was in control for much of the first period. Green Bay for the most part protected the middle of the ice and took advantage of the Muskateer’s impatience, at times. Mykhailo Danylov opened the scoring for the Gamblers 12:48 into the first period when he exploded out of his own zone in a race for a loose puck. He went in on a breakaway and scored. Towards the end of the period, Green Bay extended their lead to 2-0 on a tough angle shot by Aidan Park with just under 1:30 left in the period. Sioux City answered back 24 seconds later when the Garry brothers connected on a one timer goal scored by Luke Garry to end the period with a score of 2-1 Green Bay. In the second period Sioux City pushed the pace and tried to even the game. They were able to draw penalties and give themself a chance on the power-play. A combination of impressive goaltending and tight and aggressive penalty killing by Green Bay stymied the Sioux City power-play. Then, 12 minutes into the period a seemingly routine play along the boards in the defensive zone leads to a 2 on 1 for Green Bay and Will Zellers scored on a nice pass by Tanner Bruender. Down by 2 goals to start the third period Sioux City came out pressing. They were able to create scoring chances but Gavin Moffat stood tall between the pipes for Green Bay. Lev Katzin increased the Gambler lead 13.38 into the period on a great individual effort that led to a break away goal. Gavin Gerry was able to reduce the lead to 4-2 a couple minutes later. Sioux City was forced to pull their goalie later in the third down by two goals and that opened an opportunity for Lev Katzin to score his second of the night into the empty net to bring the final score in Sioux City to 5-2 in favor of the Green Bay Gamblers. Scout: Nick Dineen
|Brady^O’Malley|
Grade: B+
Comments: Brady played the game of a solid stay at home defenseman. He maintained gap control on rushes and forced guys wide to eventually close them out and separated them from the puck. Offensively, he used lateral movement along the blueline to open up shooting lanes, allowing him to get shots to the net with bodies in front. Brady showed great awareness in the 3rd period. In his own zone he made a d to d pass and got back to the middle of the ice to be an option for his winger. He was able to get the puck back and skated the puck to the redline to get it deep, knowing he was up by 3 goals with under 4 minutes to play.
|Aidan^Park|
Grade: B+
Comments: For the second goal of the game Aidan used the net in the offensive zone to gain separation and found himself alone on the side of the net. He got a pass on his offside and from a tough angle he was able to corral the puck and score in the top corner over the goalie’s glove. On the penalty kill, Aidan communicated well and directed traffic while taking away passing lanes. He realized when to apply pressure to the power-play and on multiple occasions forced hurried and sloppy passes from the opposing players.
|Lev^Katzin|
Grade: A
Comments: Lev was the motor behind the Gamblers victory. The power- play ran through him and he would find his shooter ( Zellers) with seam passes on his forehand side. 5 on 5 he created space as the 3rd man high and pushed out of escapes in the offensive zone to create time for himself. On the penalty kill he made a good read on a broken up pass. He was by himself against 3 opponents and came out with the puck and threw it down the ice. In the third period he had great positioning as the strong side winger. He was able to break up a pass from the forward to the defenseman with his stick. The puck went out to the neutral zone and Lev beat both players up the ice, went in on a breakaway, and made a fake to his backhand to lift the puck over the goalies pad for the 4th Green Bay goal. Later while playing 5-6 he was able to score on the empty net for his second of the game.
|Will^Zellers|
Grade: B+
Comments: As the drop guy on the power-play breakout Will was able to gather speed and attack the penalty killers through the neutral zone. He was shifty and able to split the defenders on his way to a grade A scoring chance in the first period. Will tried to chip and chase by the defenseman and was able to draw a penalty in the second period. Throughout the game when it came time to go on offense he jumped up and wanted the puck. He was able to create chances with his skill and head fakes. On the defensive side he tended to be a little nonchalant. He did not have the sense of urgency to get back on defense as he did to go on offense. Will ended up scoring the eventual game winner on a 2 on 1 that started in his own zone. He made a nice chip out from his half wall and worked his way quickly up the ice. He opened up and got the puck and showed patience and goal scoring touch. He was able to outwait the goalie and shoot to the weak side, where the goalie had just pushed from.
|Mykhailo^Danylov|
Grade: B
Comments: Mykhailo scored the 1st goal of the game. He read the play out of his own zone and supported his teammate on the wall. Danylov drove off the outside shoulder and received a pass and exploded in on a break away. He made a move to his forehand and was able to beat the goalie far side with his speed. Later in the game Mykhalio surfed the top of the circle on the forecheck and laid a good hit on the defenseman. He used his speed all night to get in on the forecheck and come back into his own zone through the middle of the ice, allowing his defensemen to maintain their gaps and protect the middle of the ice.
|Tate^Pritchard|
Grade: B
Comments: Tate played with patience offensively. In the first period he was able to draw two defenders to him and find Gunderson alone for a scoring chance. He was effective on his forehand side on the power-play. He was able to draw the killers in by attacking the lane. He distributed the puck back up top after getting the killer out of position. In the offensive zone he spread out the zone giving his line-mates space to make plays and found dead areas as the third forward high. Tate created extended periods of offense by being an option in the high slot and not forcing plays
|Drake^Murray|
Grade: B
Comments: Drake played with urgency going back to retrieve pucks in his own zone and looked to move pucks north immediately. He did not get himself out of position defensively and played stick on stick well against attackers. He broke up plays and then got his feet moving up the ice and found open wingers. During neutral zone regroups, he used his eyes to deceive forecheckers and found the center in the middle of the ice.
|Trey^Jefferis|
Grade: B+
Comments: Trey was explosive early on in the game. He was quick to be the first forechecker. He won the puck in the corner, escaped from the defenseman and attacked the net. He put the puck through the triangle of the next defender and got a quick wrist shot off that was saved by the goalie. The next shift he used his edge work through the neutral zone and a head fake to dangle the defenseman and create another scoring chance for himself. On the PK he read the play and knew when to apply pressure. The second period there were a couple penalties both way and Trey did not have the chance to play on the power play. This cost him some momentum, from what started as a good performance. In the third period however, he moved his feet all the way home on the back check and took the body in front of his own net, taking away second chances.
|Gavin^Garry|
Grade: B+
Comments: Gavin assisted on the first Sioux City goal. In typical power forward fashion he used his big body to protect the puck below the goal line. He moved the puck low to high and gained separation from the defender by moving up the wall. Gavin got the puck back from the defenseman and immediately found an open player in the slot for a goal. The whole night he was strong on the puck, especially below the goal line in the offensive zone. In the face-off circle he used his strength to win face-offs throughout the night. He scored the second goal for Sioux City on the power-play in the third period. Gavin was playing the bumper position and the puck went down to the goal line. He found was ready for the pass and one timed it far side for a nice goal.
|Anthony^Allain-Samake|
Grade: B+
Comments: Anthony gapped up well through the neutral zone. He protected the middle of the ice first and took away options and broke up the play on a 3-2 rush. He was the QB of the power-play. When he got pucks up top he froze the middle penalty killer and changed sides, which opened up low plays. In the offensive zone he used his smooth skating to drive off defenders back sides creating sustained offense and scoring chances
|Landen^Gunderson|
Grade: A-
Comments: Landon played a strong 180 foot game. He started the game by making a strong play in his own zone where he got the puck on the wall and hit the far side while taking a hit to make the play. After making the play he joins the rush and crashes the net starting a scrum early to set the tone. He was making plays in the first, as well, he dropped the puck to a teammate and found open space for a give and go and was rewarded with a grade A scoring chance. In the second period he laid a big hit on the forecheck and ended up drawing a penalty when he was punched in the face and did not retaliate. In the third period he assisted on the Garry goal. On the power-play he popped out on the goal line and got the pass from the half wall. He one touched the pass right into Garry’s wheelhouse for a one-timer goal.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images