Played on Feb 18, 2025
Western Hockey League
Game Played in Westoba Place
General Game Notes: February 18th, 2025 – WHL action between Brandon Wheat Kings and the Prince Albert Raiders. Despite scoring the games first two goals, the Raiders were unable to hold their lead as the Wheat Kings rattled off five straight goals for a commanding 5-2 victory.
Carson Bjarnason (G, L, 6’3″, 202, Brandon Wheat Kings, 06/23/2005)
Game Rating
A-
Bjarnason offers a well-rounded skill set that allows him to excel in modern goaltending. He combines size, quickness, and agility to effectively cover the net. His style is characterized by balance between aggression and positional play. He excels at tracking rebounds, staying engaged with the play, and making timely saves. His ability to execute T-pushes and shuffles challenges shooters and maintains a strong position on the puck. This skillset enables him to consistently give his team a chance to succeed.
1 Viewing
Comments: Bjarnason has all the tools to be an NHL goaltender. He remains calm in the net, providing his team with a cool presence and exuding confidence throughout the game. While he’s big, he moves quickly and with sharpness, getting to shooters before they can release the puck, which allows him to track the puck cleanly into his body or hands. He reads the game well, knowing when to be aggressive and when to play passively. He fights through traffic, keeping his hands in good position to find pucks even through screens. His post-play is smooth, transitioning easily in and out of the RVH.
Jordan Gavin (LW, L, 5’11”, 190, Brandon Wheat Kings, 11/13/2006)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Gavin goes to the net with purpose. When he doesn’t have the puck, he drives the middle lane, pulling defenders with him to create chaos in the net-front area. Strong on his skates, he’s tough to knock off the puck, and whether he has possession or not, he plays a skilled but solid game. He forechecks relentlessly and isn’t afraid to finish his checks when the opportunity arises. He scored the first goal of the game for the Wheat Kings by driving the net hard with his stick on the ice, making no mistake in converting the back-door pass.
Carter Klippenstein (LW, L, 6’3″, 180, Brandon Wheat Kings, 11/25/2006)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Klippenstein plays a power-forward role, with plenty of upside to his game. He excels in puck battles along the walls in all three zones, showing responsibility in his own end. Using his size, he leans on opponents, making it difficult for them to knock him off the puck. He has a strong net-front presence, providing options for high tips or serving as a screen. With a solid hockey IQ, he understands where to be in all areas of the ice. He scored the insurance marker for his team, capitalizing on a turnover and making no mistake from the slot area.
Nicholas Johnson (C, R, 6’1″, 205, Brandon Wheat Kings, 01/20/2005)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Johnson displayed excellent edge work, particularly when gaining valuable zone entries off rush plays. He effectively drove wide and opened up his hips, buying himself more time and space. Strong on his skates, he was able to drive the net or make plays to the net-front area. His vision was impressive, and he didn’t hesitate to shoot the puck when the opportunity arose. He consistently played with his head up and kept his hands in strong positions to make plays. A great example of his skill set and edge work came in the second period, when he drove wide, pushed off a defender, and made a tape-to-tape backdoor pass that his teammate just barely missed.
Brady Turko (RW, R, 5’11”, 167, Brandon Wheat Kings, 09/12/2007)
Game Rating
B-
The player showed good speed when carrying the puck down the walls, using his quickness to cut back effectively and maintain zone time. His edge-work was strong, allowing him to create space and evade defenders. While he often kept to the outside, he could generate passing lanes with his linemates.
1 Viewing
Comments: Turko was dangerous off the rush, assisting on two goals in very similar fashion. He won key puck battles at the offensive blue line, chipping pucks past defenders to his teammates while maintaining speed to pursue the play. These subtle yet effective plays showcased his impressive hands and hockey IQ, as he was quick to read where the pressure was coming from and anticipate where his teammates would be.
Dominik Petr (C, L, 6’2″, 167, Brandon Wheat Kings, 04/30/2005)
Game Rating
B+
Petr demonstrated a well-rounded skillset on the ice, showcasing his ability to navigate physical situations effectively. He utilized his size and reach to shield the puck from opponents, often emerging with possession in tight spaces. Petr’s aggressive approach to driving to the net allowed him to create scoring opportunities, as he was relentless in his pursuit of the goal.
1 Viewing
Comments: Petr may not be the fastest skater on the ice, but he moves well for a big man. He flows in and out of rush plays, using his size and reach to collect pucks and attack the net. When given space, he’s able to put his shoulder down and power his way to the net. He scored a beautiful goal in the game by collecting a puck off the rush, cutting to the middle, and releasing a perfectly placed, quick shot low to the blocker side, beating the goaltender cleanly. His combination of sneaky skill and power-forward traits makes him a solid, dynamic player.
Matteo Michels (F, R, 5’11”, 165, Brandon Wheat Kings, 06/29/2005)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Michels is an effective two-way player who excels both on the penalty kill and at 5-on-5. With his blend of speed and skill, he’s able to utilize both attributes simultaneously. He challenges defenders off the rush, attacking the middle of the ice with the ability to shoot or pass depending on the situation. He assisted on the Wheat Kings’ first goal of the game by creating a 2-on-1 scenario and threading a perfect back-door pass for a tap-in goal to his teammate. This goal perfectly showcased his strengths—creating plays off the rush with both speed and skill.
Nolan Flamand (LW, L, 5’10”, 190, Brandon Wheat Kings, 01/12/2004)
Game Rating
B
Flamand’s performance was characterized by his strong hockey IQ and speed, which allowed him to effectively disrupt opponents on the penalty kill. His ability to quickly transition the puck out of his zone made him a threat to clear danger and create scoring opportunities off turnovers. Flamand’s quick hands and agility enabled him to break through defensive pressure, generating shots on net.
1 Viewing
Comments: Flamand is everywhere on the ice, bringing energy shift in and shift out. He finishes his checks in all three zones and isn’t afraid to block shots when necessary. He’s quick to stop on pucks and wins battles, creating possession and generating more zone time for his team. Flamand plays a gritty, two-way game, with a scoring touch to complement his hard-nosed style. He consistently gets pucks to the net and, when a clear lane isn’t available, he moves them into dangerous areas. His straightforward approach is reliable and demonstrates strong leadership.
Lukas Dragicevic (D, R, 6’1″, 200, Prince Albert Raiders, 04/25/2005)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Dragicevic is a right-shot defender who excels at both ends of the ice, utilizing his skating ability in all three zones. He’s quick to the puck in his own end, showcasing solid puck retrievals by starting with a shoulder check and keeping his feet moving. While he often makes clean passes to exit the zone, he’ll opt for the glass when necessary. Offensively, he has strong edge work, using quick movements to create space by maneuvering around opponents and getting shots on net, with or without traffic in front. He plays with his head up, allowing him to survey all options. He scored the Raiders’ second goal of the game by receiving a great pass on the rush, wasting no time to bury a top-shelf shot past the goaltender.
Justice Christensen (D, R, 5’9″, 195, Prince Albert Raiders, 08/30/2005)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Christensen is an undersized defenseman, but he doesn’t lack the physicality in his game. He’s effective on the penalty kill, closing in on opponents and making them pay with or without the puck. He’s not afraid to block shots and also contributes offensively, making clean passes and getting shots through from the blue line. Christensen plays a well-rounded game, but his feisty edge truly stands out, highlighting his leadership as the team captain, wearing the ‘C’ for a reason.
Dayce Derkatch (LW, L, 5’8″, 145, Prince Albert Raiders, 05/30/2007)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Derkatch is a smaller forward who excels at making plays off the rush. He keeps his feet moving and plays with his head up, always looking to find his teammates in scoring positions. He scored the game’s first goal by picking up a puck behind the net and beating the goaltender with a quick wraparound.
Riley Boychuk (LW, R, 5’10”, 165, Prince Albert Raiders, 01/31/2008)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Boychuk plays with a combination of speed and skill. He’s particularly effective off the rush, where he can challenge defenders with his impressive hands and speed. He’s adept at weaving in and out of traffic, gaining valuable ice to either attack the net or set up teammates in scoring positions. With a knack for making plays in tight spaces, he does a great job of navigating the puck under pressure. As an underage player, his upside is extremely high.
Tomas Mrsic (C, L, 5’11”, 170, Prince Albert Raiders, 02/26/2006)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Mrsic created offensive opportunities for himself and his linemates by utilizing his speed and driving wide on his opponents. He showcased excellent edgework, able to stop on a dime, curl back, and quickly find his teammates in the middle of the ice with speed. The combination of his skating, hands, skill, and vision make him a dangerous threat every time he enters the offensive zone. Additionally, his quick release and deceptive shot can catch goaltenders off guard.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images