Game played 1/25/2025.
General Game Notes: Neutral Zone viewed the WHL matchup between the Red Deer Rebels and the Moose Jaw Warriors on January 25, 2025. Red Deer was the dominant team in this game, almost doubling the shots of the Warriors and kept the majority of play in the offensive zone. With the heavy pressure, goaltender for the Warriors Josh Banini took the opportunity to shine and without him between the pipes, the score could have been a lot worse. Not to be outdone though was Rebels defenseman Derek Thurston who did a great job for his team on the backend to continue the pressure his team had throughout the game.
Joshua Banini (G, L, 6’1″, 190, Moose Jaw Warriors, 04/10/2006)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Banini had lots of action in this game and was ready for it all. He made some massive saves throughout but can improve on his overall positioning from outside shots as sometimes the saves were challenging, but he still made the ones he should have made. He saw the play come to him well, especially on 2-on-0 or breakaway chances. He looked calm and poised and didn’t bite until the shots came. On a 2 on 1, he made a beautiful glove save, reading the pass across and keeping his body up to take away as much of the net as he could, finding the puck in his outstretched glove. On a 3-on-0 chance, he stuck with the shooter, and didn’t cheat for a pass, and it paid off for him as when the forward shot, he was right there and kicked it away. Despite giving up 5 goals on 40 shots, it was an impressive performance from Banini, taking every shot as if they were the first.
Eric Johnston (D, L, 6’0″, 190, Moose Jaw Warriors, 02/18/2004)
Game Rating
B+
Eric Johnston showcased his impressive hockey skills, particularly in his physical presence down low. He effectively cleared space by delivering hard checks into the boards and controlled the corners with strength and aggression. On offense, he demonstrated exceptional speed and agility, maintaining a tight gap on opponents to thwart rushes and make key poke checks. His ability to push the pace allowed him to quickly transition up ice, finding his wingers for stretch passes or taking it himself. Johnston’s skill extended to the blue line, where he found creative ways to release shots through narrow lanes. A highlight-reel moment came when he broke free from defenders and scored an empty-net goal, securing a win for his team with his impressive individual effort.
1 Viewing
Comments: Johnston is a really solid defenseman for his team and as a 20-year-old player, you can really see his comfortability at this level. He is strong in all situations on the ice. With the puck on his stick, he does a good job of holding pressure off and moving further up the ice or deeper into the offensive zone. When defending his net, he can move forwards out of his goalie’s sightlines. He can make plays on the ice but for the most part, just plays the smart and easy game. When he does get into open ice, he can make a quick move by changing direction and finding open ice to skate into, moving by checkers although he can improve his hands which would allow him to create more offensive plays.
Connor Schmidt (D, R, 5’11”, 182, Moose Jaw Warriors, 03/20/2007)
Game Rating
B+
Connor Schmidt possesses a strong offensive game from the defensive zone. He excels at creating scoring opportunities for his teammates through smart decision-making and positioning. When joining rushes, he often finds himself in prime position to receive rebounds or capitalize on loose pucks. From the point, Schmidt boasts a powerful wrist shot that can penetrate through traffic. He also demonstrates exceptional vision by setting up tips on net. Notably, he thrives on powerplay situations, where his ability to read the game and make quick passes is highly valued. His overall skillset makes him an asset to his team’s offense.
1 Viewing
Comments: In his game, Schmidt plays with an offensive style, finding opportunities to rush up the ice and creating scoring chances when below the blue line. He can move the puck through the middle of the ice and weave his way through the neutral zone, keeping his head up to dish the puck off to a winger along the wall, or take advantage of an open lane and skate over the blue line. When at the point, he walks the line very well, changing angles with stops and starts where he can then make passes through the middle. He also does a good job of collecting the puck in his own end. After dump-ins, he quickly transitions from backwards to forwards and takes a smart angle to the boards that allows him to continue with his speed either around the net or back up to the half wall. On one recovery, he quickly spun around a check and made a quick pass to his winger to start a rush back the other way.
Ethan Semeniuk (C, R, 6’0″, 190, Moose Jaw Warriors, 04/21/2005)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Semeniuk has great hands. He doesn’t make slick moves or dangle around players, but when skating through traffic, he does a great job of keeping the puck ahead of him and moving it away from poke checks while keeping his feet moving. He showed a nice first step that allowed him to burst into the middle of the ice off the breakout where he then chipped the puck around the defender and took off on an odd-man chance. He battles hard in front of the net and isn’t afraid to get bumped down low. This was most evident in the dying seconds of the game when he broke the shutout with a goal after getting low, battling, and quickly shot the puck over the goalie’s shoulder top corner from in tight.
Luke Moroz (C, L, 5’10”, 170, Moose Jaw Warriors, 07/18/2007)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Moroz made some nice plays in this game and had some great chances to score as well. After stealing the puck off the defenseman with a stick lift, he quickly turned to the net and showed a quick release wrist shot that beat the goalie but rang off the crossbar. He has a great first step that catches players by surprise as he can jump by them if they aren’t ready or don’t have their feet moving. On the powerplay, he played the bumper position and made a nice pass across the ice after drawing his penalty killer to him and out of position.
Max Finley (RW, R, 6’0″, 177, Moose Jaw Warriors, 01/05/2007)
Game Rating
C+
Max Finley demonstrated impressive skillset by effectively controlling the pace of the game in the offensive zone. He excelled at setting up his teammates with precision passes, often finding open angles to exploit defensive weaknesses. Finley’s fluid stride allowed him to quickly transition from defense to offense, creating opportunities for himself and others. His ability to read the play and adapt to different situations was evident as he made smart decisions on when to pass or shoot. This level of skill suggests that Finley is a valuable asset in his team’s attack.
1 Viewing
Comments: Finley was able to gain controlled zone entries down the wing after picking up a second breakout pass. He also had a nice give-and-go play on a 3 on 2 rush right across the crease where he set up his man but the forward couldn’t finish the play off.
Derek Thurston (D, L, 6’1″, 195, Red Deer Rebels, 06/04/2006)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Thurston had a great game against the Warriors where it seemed like he could only make the right play. He moves the puck quickly at the point, finding teammates all over the zone and through tight lanes. When he can’t find a passing lane, he takes advantage of whatever space he has to walk in and take a hard wrist or snap shot on net. This is couple with a powerful slap shot that he was able to get off a couple times from the point. He manage to pick up a goal this way, walking across the blue line, loading up for a slapshot, and firing it in the net. Defensively, he doesn’t quit on any play. As it looked like a player was going to skate by him, he stuck with it, got his stick on the puck late, and transitioned the other way to start a 3-on-0 chance.
Keaton Dowhaniuk (D, L, 6’0″, 172, Red Deer Rebels, 02/08/2004, Alaska Fairbanks)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Dowhaniuk has great hands. He isn’t afraid to deke a player inside and out just to simply skate around them. On the blue line with a forward looking to apply pressure, he faked to the outside and then cut to the middle, slipping the puck through the player to move in and get a shot off. This is however very risky and as the last man back, he did cough the puck up a couple of times which led to odd-man chances the other way which were unnecessary based on how much his team was dominating the game. He likes to pinch and did so effectively, making sure to jump in front of the forward to at least get a piece of them while keeping his focus on the puck.
Matthew Gard (LW, L, 6’5″, 195, Red Deer Rebels, 04/07/2007)
Game Rating
B+
Gard is a physical forward who excels at creating scoring opportunities through his toughness and puck-handling skills. He effectively uses his size to finish checks and create space in tight lanes, allowing him to deliver precise passes to his teammates. When moving into the offensive zone, Gard makes intelligent decisions, using his agility to drag defenders out of position before delivering a chip pass to open linemates. His ability to score from the slot and rip shots with power is a notable asset. In addition to his scoring prowess, Gard also demonstrates skill in his own end, winning pucks and quickly transitioning play through quick passes.
1 Viewing
Comments: Gard will be a highly coveted pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and for good reason. He is a terrific blend of size and speed and plays with power in the offensive zone. When skating with the puck, his strength is truly on display as he is strong on the puck and keeps his feet moving, bouncing off checks and continuing his way down the ice. He had a great penalty kill, pressuring puck carriers and getting it out of his end quickly when the opportunity was there. He works hard down low and in the corners and can be a one-man cycle when he needs to be, making sharp turns and exploding into open ice behind the net. On the powerplay, he’s set up at the net and took advantage of his spot by finding a rebound to bang it in for a goal on the man advantage.
Brett Calhoon (LW, L, 6’1″, 182, Red Deer Rebels, 01/10/2005)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Calhoon is a quick player and makes plays in a flash. In the corner, he stole the puck and quickly moved it to the point, then curled around the dot, got the puck back, and ripped a wrist shot from just outside the slot. He liked to take advantage of these give-and-go plays. On another chance, he made a behind-the-back pass to his teammate behind the net, moved around the crease, got the puck back, and with a snapshot one-timer, put the puck in the net before the goalie could react.
Nishaan Parmar (RW, R, 6’1″, 195, Red Deer Rebels, 06/03/2006)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Parmar is a good-sized playmaking winger. At the side of the net with the puck on the powerplay, he waited for a defender to apply pressure to him, opening up space through the slot where he fired a pass through to his teammate for an easy tap-in goal. Throughout the game, he made many passes across the middle of the offensive zone, waiting for the right time where the defender either looked away or moved out of position to make his play. When he did get into the corners, he did a good job of protecting the puck but he needs to get more involved in plays when the puck isn’t on his stick and to gain a sense of urgency to win it back.
Beckett Hamilton (F, R, 5’10”, 160, Red Deer Rebels, 03/28/2008)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Hamilton finds ways to take the puck into the offensive zone and make plays on the rush. Crossing over the blue line with a defender closing in on him, he made a nice pass to his teammate streaking down the middle, right on his tape as he took a check, leading to a 2 on 1 chance. On another rush, he made a beautiful saucer pass to his teammate, through the defender, and gave his team a great look at the net that was saved. When the puck is on his stick, he is always looking for how he can make the dangerous passing play. Where he can improve is finding ways to get himself, not just his teammates, into the middle of the ice and not skating as much towards the outside. Later in the game on a broken play, he found the puck on his stick and ripped a wrist shot passed the goalie top corner from the low slot.
Ty Coupland (RW, R, 5’10”, 170, Red Deer Rebels, 05/06/2007)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Coupland had a very nice assist with a one-touch pass across the crease after having a hard shot/pass directed towards him which was put right onto his teammate’s tape. With the puck on his stick, the game seemed to slow down for him, especially on the powerplay where he plays at the top. He moved across the blue line smoothly and was able to get into open space where his teammates could open themselves up for passes.
Jhett Larson (C, L, 5’9″, 180, Red Deer Rebels, 02/03/2004, Alaska Fairbanks)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: As a small forward, Larson is very quick on his feet. He crosses over through the neutral zone, weaving his way through and then darts to the open side. After his centerman won a faceoff, he swung onto the puck, moved around the circle and got off a nice wrist shot. On the rush, he kept himself in the middle of the ice, ready for when the puck came to him, and made a quick pass back to the passer which was stopped with an incredible save by the goalie.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
