Played on Apr 6, 2025
Western Hockey League
Game Played in CN Center
Scout: Ben Marshall
General Game Notes: The Cougars were able to win tonight and force an intriguing game seven in the first round of the playoffs. They won tonight riding the coat tails of one of their best players in Heidt. With a hat trick tonight, he was able to open the scoring and score the game winner providing his team with an incredible individual performance.
Kyle Chyzowski (C, L, 5’10”, 170, Portland Winterhawks, 08/16/2004, Denver)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Chyzowski tied the game up minutes after the opening goal was scored. Chyzowski was able manipulate the rush by realizing that the two on two he was one, his teammate drew both of the defenders to him. He snuck behind and got a nice pass to go in on a mini breakaway where he was able to go backhand forehand and beat the goalie far side. His hands and feet make up for lack of size when he has the time and space to use them. He gets bumped off the puck but not often, he makes no mistake when he gets in tight to the goalie like that, and it shows with the forty goals he was able to produce in the regular season. He plays with a ton of pace and his hands are connected to his feet, he was also able to show on this goal that he sees the ice well and understands the flow of plays.
Alex Weiermair (C, R, 6’1″, 192, Portland Winterhawks, 05/10/2005, Denver)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Weiermair was able to show tonight that he plays with an incredible motor, and has a high defensive IQ as well as an ability to play physical hockey if the situation calls for it. His game does not rely around being a power forward, but he can reliably get more out of less from his body and stick to win board battles and fight for loose pucks. He is skilled at killing opposing chances in his own end and has the skating ability to be a plus player in transition. He reads plays well and takes off in a seconds notice once he sees a chance to go the other way. If he is able to do this a step quicker than the other players, opponents have a hard time recovering.
Diego Buttazzoni (C, L, 5’9″, 183, Portland Winterhawks, 01/13/2006, UMass Lowell)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Buttazzoni was able to show tonight that he is a creative playmaker at heart and uses his high end puck skills and quickness as a skater to create offensive opportunities. When he has time and space he is an excellent and lightning fast skater, and his skating is what helps him create so much space off the rush. Buttazzoni is undersized, and lacks the strength to win battles for pucks consistently, meaning that his defensive upside is considerably lower than his offensive upside. He is still a hard worker and is relentless on the forecheck and played effectively enough to be considered one of the better players on the ice.
Joshua Ravensbergen (G, R, 6’5″, 190, Prince George Cougars, 11/27/2006)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Ravensbergen was stellar tonight and show that his ability to be aggressive and kill chances before they even fully materialize is a skill that he helped him be very effective. Like all goalies, though, he is susceptible to dips in performance if the team playing in front of him is relying on too much offense and not enough, clearing out the net front. Thankfully for the Cougars, Ravensbergen was seeing everything and was attacking shots before the shooter could get set. He is a butterfly goalie, so he’s sometimes prone to overcommitment, but Ravenbergen has the athleticism and instincts to make highlight reel saves in those situations. Given his size, an exact butterfly going is a bit of a stretch but he does play on the ice more often than some other larger goalies in the league.
Bauer Dumanski (D, L, 6’0″, 197, Prince George Cougars, 01/05/2005)
Game Rating
B+
Dumanski is a defensive defenseman who excels in his own end, showcasing his ability to maintain good gap control with his long stick. He effectively disrupts plays within range, using quick steps and precise stick work to push opponents along the blue line. While he struggles with pivoting, allowing opposing players to dump the puck behind him, he can quickly capitalize on advantageous gaps. When playing against the rush, Dumanski’s ability to read the game allows him to excel. However, his tendency to opt for stick play over physicality at times limits his impact on the momentum of the team. With a few adjustments, Dumanski has the potential to increase his effectiveness and become an even more dominant force in his own end.
1 Viewing
Comments: Dumanski was able to show tonight that he is an imposing physical presence and as he is shown to play the type of physical game that size requires. He is reliable on the penalty kill and can be trusted to match up against his opponents best offensive players. For everything Dumanksi can do defensively, though, there are huge question marks surrounding his offense. He is a poor puck mover, has lackluster skills with the puck, and a shot that lacks consistency and accuracy that he needs to get more through from the point. That being said, though, as long as he is paired with a solid puck mover who he can cover when his partner rushes up the ice, he makes himself extremely effective.
Jozef Viliam Kmec (D, R, 6’2″, 210, Prince George Cougars, 01/02/2004)
Game Rating
A-
Kmec showcased a well-rounded skill set, particularly in terms of his mobility and puck management. His forward speed allows him to effectively move along the blue line, making him a formidable presence on the ice. He is able to generate power without necessarily extending his stride, which contributes to his unique mobility. Kmec’s subtle deceptiveness with the puck helps him draw players in, while his calm demeanor under pressure enables him to extend possession for his team. His size also suggests potential as a two-way defenseman with significant offensive upside.
1 Viewing
Comments: Kmec was able to show tonight that he is a phenomenal puck mover, adept at going coast to coast with the puck and creating opportunities for his team. He is more effective in the offensive zone but not terrible in his own. He is not an elite shut down defender but he is definitely no slouch either and can be reliably counted on to play twenty five plus minutes against his opponents most skilled forwards. He was able to pick up two assists tonight, quietly, and leads his team in plus minus. This stat is a bit stretched but it does say a lot about his game, willing to put the work in his own end as much as he is in the offensive end.
Aiden Foster (LW, L, 6’2″, 184, Prince George Cougars, 02/25/2007)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Foster was able to show that he definitely plays with a gnarly style and is strong enough to win board battles reliably, but he lacks the high end skill, skating, and consistency to turn his style and strength into points. He can be a strong asset in tight at the net though, with a keen ability to park himself in front of the net and create scoring chances there, but around the perimeter he is weaker. His defense is also not a strong area of his game, as he sometimes lacks the focus and positioning skills to be a shutdown presence. He is strong enough and big enough to have defensive upside, but right now he showed too often that he is a liability on that end.
Ben Riche (LW, L, 5’10”, 180, Prince George Cougars, 03/15/2005)
Game Rating
A-
Riche’s spatial positioning on the ice was a key factor in his play, allowing him to make timely moves and capitalize on scoring opportunities. His ability to be explosive and agile enables him to react quickly to changing situations, making him a formidable opponent. In one notable instance, Riche showcased his hand-eye coordination and poise as he tapped in a shot from the corner, demonstrating his instincts and positioning.
1 Viewing
Comments: Nice goal from Riche coming down the wall and putting the puck under the goalies glove and put him team up by a couple. Not much to say on the goal itself other than he was able to use his speed to beat a trapped defender into the neutral zone and on a two on one, had the confidence to look off the pass and take it himself. He has the agility and speed smaller forwards has along with the tenacity it takes to into wall battles with larger slower defenseman. He will need to get stronger or faster in order to keep this from relegating him to being a third fourth line player as he gets older but for now he has the skill to be one of the more skilled players on the ice.
Riley Heidt (LW, L, 5’11”, 182, Prince George Cougars, 03/25/2005)
Game Rating
A
This player possesses a dynamic skill set that allows him to excel on the ice. His speed is a significant asset, enabling him to quickly transition into the opponent’s zone with the puck. When given space, he can utilize his exceptional stick handling and problem-solving skills to navigate through tight spaces and find openings. However, he also tends to be willing to put himself in difficult positions by skating into pressure, which can sometimes lead to turnovers. Despite this, he consistently demonstrates a willingness to use his skills to create scoring opportunities and exploit defensive vulnerabilities.
1 Viewing
Comments: With a hat trick tonight, Heidt was hands down player of the game. He opened the scoring in the second period with a nicely placed shot through traffic that distracted the goalie enough to beat him low glove. Off the rush, Heidt came in as a bit of a late wave where he caught the puck in the slot, quickly picked his place and got it on net with accuracy and speed. He is not the biggest player on the ice and this shows with some defensive lapses getting out muscled at the puck by bigger players but his speed usually accounts for this as he does not lose a ton of small area races. The captain is confident with the puck and it shows the way he skates with it, head up always scanning but usually opting to take it himself.
Terik Parascak (RW, R, 6’0″, 176, Prince George Cougars, 05/28/2006)
Game Rating
B+
Parascak’s gameplay is strongest when he’s moving at a quick pace, maintaining a high head position, and scanning the ice for opportunities to create space. This allows him to identify potential plays beyond the initial defender.
1 Viewing
Comments: Parascak was able to show tonight that he has undeniable offensive upside, paired with elite playmaking abilities and a deadly shot. He is an incredibly smart player and a strong skater, and has huge offensive upside as a winger. All that being said, his weaknesses is that he is not strong enough or large enough to be a factor defensively or when pressured for the puck. Too often tonight a stick lift or a bump in the corner created too much chaos for him to handle the pressure and the puck would either get turned over or the scoring chance he was trying to create would get shut down. His constant motion is an asset though, he does not just get open, but constantly adjusts his positioning to be in the perfect spot with perfect timing.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images