Game played on 12/27/2024.
General Game Notes: Omaha was able to tie this game up early in the second period one to one, but the rest of the game was all Tri-City. Cameron Springer with back to back goals to make the score three to one going into the third, then the heartbreaker with an empty net to seal the deal.
Mikhail Yegorov (G, L, 6’5″, 182, Omaha Lancers, 03/07/2006, Boston University)
Grade: B
Comments: Yegorov deserved more credit than the score tonight, he saw a lot of pucks and did not get a lot of help in his end. One thing he did well was attack shooters, so when the player is looking to shoot, Yegorov lowered himself a bit. It looks like he would crouch but it was just his preperation stance. Visually it looks like he had more space on his glove side and blocker side, less between the legs. This style made it seem like he was kind of tempting the opponents to shoot there and that’s where he was dominant. With his glove. Could always get out of his net and play puck more, control the flow of play.
Easton Jacobs (C, L, 6’3″, 180, Omaha Lancers, 01/29/2006, UMass Lowell)
Grade: B+
Comments: Jacobs was the lone goal scorer for the Lancers tonight, but did tie the game up at the time. On the power play, he attacked down hill as the flanker and let an absolute rip go. There was no chance the goalie was stopping his as the power he was able to get behind this shot showed in his follow through, one kneed down. So much space in front of him gets eaten up and fast, often leaving defenders in a bind as how keep the same pace. His game is based on momentum. He can make long strides and gain a high pace pretty quickly. Jacobs is a solid 200-foot player. He works hard in the defensive zone off the puck with his positioning, ability to filter into passing lanes and show an understanding of how to support his defenders down low.
Brian Lonergan (D, R, 5’11”, 171, Omaha Lancers, 12/28/2005)
Grade: B
Comments: Lonergan wants to push the pace but his stick and puck work did not match his brain a lot of the time. His energy and skating can breakdown forechecks but a lot of his game ended before his team entered the neutral zone. He plays physical for his size and makes it hard for smaller opponents to control ice in the offensive zone. Picked up a nice assist quarterbacking the power play. He made a simple dish to the flank but he has the presence of mind to understand that his teammate has a ton of space to attack.
Tanner Morgan (C, L, 5’9″, 180, Omaha Lancers, 07/18/2006, Northeastern)
Grade: C+
Comments: Morgan is not the fastest skater but has good edges and agility. He has a low center of gravity due to his size which helps him not to be beaten to pucks. He does however display a strong base which allows for him to cut and launch off of his edges and from irregular footings, seeing him somewhat offset his lack of acceleration. Multiple times tonight there were chances for Morgan to hold on to the puck longer and make plays. Too many times he threw away pucks under pressure and sometimes not even under pressure. He needs to be aware of his surroundings more to establish a better sense of possession.
Adam Dybal (G, L, 6’1″, 184, Tri City Storm, 09/02/2005)
Grade: A-
Comments: Only seeing twenty six shots tonight, Dybal made the stops he needed to and was a rock in their victory. At the first view, he looked pretty upstanding, most of the time and then he just sticks his pads to the ice and moves. When the attack is going right to the slot, and Dybal is expecting the player to shoot the puck, he lowers his posture a bit. Thanks to that, he is much quicker on the ice with his pads. He was struggling with low targeting shots, controlling them and not letting them get put into a second chance area, but his athleticism showed up in these situations and was able to stay square.
Carmelo Crandell (C, R, 5’11”, 176, Tri City Storm, 03/02/2005, Arizona State)
Grade: B+
Comments: Crandell opened the scoring tonight half way through the first period. After he got the puck in the slot, a little shimmy fake made the defensmen that was flexing out at him stutter, he then pulled it in tight to his body and found low glove, sneaky little goal that maybe the goalie should have had. He is always thinking of attacks and to be as fast in the neutral zone as possible. That for sure is one of the aspects of his game that he is really good at. Sometimes he just rushes this decision. When there is a slight chance that any of his teammates would get the puck anywhere in the defensive zone, he abandons instantly, always between two defenders on the blue line. Very often the play is stopped yet before it started and he is no longer in the right spot and he tends to get back there late.
Ashton Dahms (C, L, 6’0″, 180, Tri City Storm, 02/13/2005, Minnesota Duluth)
Grade: B-
Comments: Dahms has got an appetite for mixing up his speed and angles upon entry, getting defenders to commit to him and dish little drop passes back behind into the space he just created. This allows for Dahms to not only create shooting lanes for teammates, it gives himself avenues to work through layers and room to present himself as an option to again be involved in the play. Defensively, he made adjustments as he lowered his position in the defensive zone, he was deep in the zone when the play was on the opposite boards but was also ready to accelerate by making a few quick strides to the defender on the blue line. He may sometimes be too deep, but his positioning is safer to be there than not being in a space to defend.
Attila Lippai (LW, L, 5’9″, 184, Tri City Storm, 11/25/2004, St. Thomas)
Grade: B+
Comments: Lippai scored the empty netter that sealed the deal for his squad. Him being out there in a time where they needed to secure the lead, says a lot about his game. He is smaller in stature and is is under six feet but his ability to hold the puck and protect it, is strong. He does a good job at sitting back a little bit, he will make contact with the opponent, and thanks to his lowered posture, he is able to stay on the puck and push himself into a less crowded space. He is at his best when he is being elusive, he slides through the neutral zone very quickly, and when enters the offensive zone on the right side, he likes to do a little toe drag to get to the better spot for a shot.
Cam Springer (C, R, 6’0″, 190, Tri City Storm, 05/24/2006, Bowling Green)
Grade: A-
Comments: With two goals and game winner, Springer was player of the game tonight. Springer scored a nice goal his first goal of the game, after a sneaky little pass from his teammate back door, Springer caught the puck on his backhand and just tapped it in. This game goal from beating his defenseman to the backside post with speed and a jump out of a stand still. Springer gets low to the ground, extending his stride to the max, especially when he sniffs out an odd man rush for. He was at his best tonight when he was using that low center of gravity to catch defenders off their footing. Couple times tonight he would shoot out of a cannon from his own zone, stretch the neutral zone, and once he had the defenseman turning their feet, he exposed them by making time and space.
Artemi Nizameyev (LW, R, 5’10”, 190, Tri City Storm, 11/20/2005, Miami (Ohio))
Grade: B+
Comments: Nizameyev continues to be one of the more spotlighted players throughout his teams games. His ability to get pucks through on net off the rush is fantastic. Nizameyev can either be the primary puck carrier finding shooting lanes or follow the play up and finding shooting space behind the first wave of attack with equal proficiency. He has little problem beating the defense in open space, producing solid individual scoring efforts. However, these attempts typically lacked the flash to finish on his own, at least that was the case for tonight. He does a good job at creating but finishing was his issue tonight in close range. For the leading league goal scorer, this is usually not an issue.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images