Played on Feb 3, 2026
Game Played in CN Center
General Game Notes: This is an exciting game given that it was a tied game with four minutes left to play. Red Deer went on the power play, and they capitalized with an impressive goal. Costly penalties down the stretch for the Cougars, from the middle of the second all the way to the game winning goal, was the difference tonight.
Bauer Dumanski (D, L, 6’0″, 197, Prince George Cougars, 01/05/2005)
Game Rating
A-
Dumanski demonstrated his ability to excel in a physical game, using his size and positioning to disrupt opponents. He is reliable on the penalty kill and can be trusted to match up against top-line attackers. His defensive skills are notable, particularly in his own end where he excels at maintaining gap control with his long stick. On offense, Dumanski’s struggles lie in puck movement and shooting accuracy. However, as long as he has a solid partner who covers for him when rushing up the ice, he becomes an effective player. His pivots can be slow, which may leave him vulnerable to dump-and-chase plays, but he makes up for this with his ability to disrupt play at the blue line.
1 Viewing
Comments: Dumanski is another offensive presence for the Cougars. He does a good job at moving the puck and creating his offense that way. He was able to show that he is a big body with a two way style game and shows that he can play in all three zones on the ice. A reliable presence that looks to close quickly defensively, move the puck, and join the rush, all in the same play. He keeps his gap tight on the rush against by surfing the ice, looking to stay for most of the play before he goes backwards and ultimately forces a dump into his own zone.
Carson Carels (D, L, 6’2″, 197, Prince George Cougars, 06/23/2008)
Game Rating
A
Carson Carels possesses a strong physical presence, which allows him to effectively contribute in the defensive zone. He excels at carrying or passing the puck out of his own end, making it difficult for opponents to maintain possession. Carels’s agility and ability to make tight power turns enable him to create space on the ice, allowing him to attack with confidence.
1 Viewing
Comments: Carels absolutely wired one, as he was able to come downhill on the flank spot and beat the goalie over the glove. Carels kind of does it all as his teams offensive defenseman, but to be able to get fifty points so far in the year, he needs to be able to shoot the puck this goal was a good example of how well he can, as well as his fifteen on the year so far. He is clearly involved in the offense whenever he sees an option, making his game a bit more risky, but he does a good job at managing the risks by extending his possession and just simply making smart plays with the puck.
Brock Souch (LW, L, 5’11”, 176, Prince George Cougars, 10/11/2006, St. Cloud)
Game Rating
A
1 Viewing
Comments: Souch is positionally sound, and on the power play he does a good job at drifting into open space, making himself an option to move the puck around. Scored a nice goal on the power play, where he was the bumper and able to get a high tip from a bit of a distance and still find the back of the net. He’s a smaller forward who has really good mobility and is able to extend the play with his head up and puck on his stick. He shows confidence, drawing players in and being able to make plays through them or around them.
Terik Parascak (RW, R, 6’0″, 176, Prince George Cougars, 05/28/2006)
Game Rating
A-
Parascak demonstrated strong offensive skills, showcasing elite playmaking abilities and a deadly shot. He is an intelligent player with excellent skating ability, making him a formidable winger. His constant motion and adjustment to positioning make him a threat on offense, often finding open spaces at the perfect time. However, Parascak’s defensive limitations became apparent when pressured for the puck or in tight spaces. His lack of size and strength makes it difficult for him to handle physical play or maintain possession. On defense, he sometimes appears lost or reactive, struggling with positioning when his team is hemmed in by opponents.
1 Viewing
Comments: Parascak I was able to show that he is not afraid to get at the top of the crease and play a nasty game at the net front in order to win space. He was not able to get a touch on his teams first goal, but provided the net front chaos that ultimately allowed it to cross the goal line. He stays in constant motion in the offensive zone, making himself hard to cover and also making himself an option with time and space for the puck. His quick skating and agility allowing him to play this style. When he is on, he is not afraid to take guys one on one.
Matthew Kondro (G, L, 6’1″, 166, Red Deer Rebels, 12/06/2007)
Game Rating
A-
Kondro’s game was marked by a consistent display of physicality and athleticism, allowing him to effectively challenge shooters with his size and agility. His ability to track pucks with composure was evident throughout the game, as he remained focused on the action unfolding in front of him. Kondro’s aggressive approach to reading the play allowed him to stay calm under pressure, which helped him recover from chaotic second chances around the crease.
1 Viewing
Comments: Kondro did not get the win tonight, but played extremely well. He made multiple point-blank saves to open the game and ultimately kept his team in a close fight throughout the night. His ability to recover and get from side to side is the reason why he was able to make some of the diving saves that he did. He had some help from a pipe a couple times, but tonight was ultimately about how good he was as a goalie.
Aleksey Chichkin (D, L, 6’4″, 222, Red Deer Rebels, 07/21/2005)
Game Rating
B
Aleksey Chichkin’s game is built around his physical presence in the defensive zone, where he excels at eliminating opponents and using his size to gain an advantage. He demonstrates good positioning skills, scanning the ice before re-engaging with a defender. Chichkin also shows ability to push off of opponents and stay engaged in the play. However, there is room for improvement in terms of mobility along the blue line and creating scoring opportunities.
1 Viewing
Comments: Chichkin is a massive body on the backend and plays that role well, where he leads with a physical presence, an active stick, and looks to eliminate players first. That being said, his skating and agility need work in order for him to pick up on smaller forwards who tend to take advantage of him. The first and second thought on his mind is being physical, where he loses sight of the puck and focuses too much on the body. When it does work, he is extremely hard to play against but this type of style is just inconsistent, at least it was tonight.
Nate Yellowaga (D, L, 5’11”, 171, Red Deer Rebels, 03/09/2008, Maine)
Game Rating
B-
Yellowaga’s speed allows him to be a dynamic force on the ice, often dictating the pace of play. However, this energetic approach can sometimes compromise his defensive awareness, leading to moments where he overextends or makes errors. Despite this, he is not consistently careless in his defense and remains a valuable asset. In terms of offense, Yellowaga is a tireless worker who consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic and competitiveness. He has a relentless drive to pursue every loose puck, making him a formidable opponent for opponents to match up against. His competitive nature fuels his productivity shift after shift.
1 Viewing
Comments: Yellowaga it is a smooth skating defenseman who does a good job at making the first available pass as his outlet and not over complicating his decision making. He will get up in the play and keep his momentum constantly moving to be an option both on the breakout and offensively. A couple times tonight, defensively, he tends to skate himself out of position, like in two on ones where he decides to pinch or slide way too early just looking to either play body and be physical which is a solid part of his game, but it takes them directly out of the play.
Cameron Kuzma (C, L, 6’2″, 192, Red Deer Rebels, 07/17/2008, Lake Superior)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Kuzma opened the scoring with a nice little toe drag wrist shot that beat the goalie clean over his glove. This was a pretty impressive goal, given that it started out by him kicking the puck to his stick. He used the defender as a little bit of a screen, but ultimately this goal was just perfectly placed, with enough power behind it to make it difficult for the goalie to react from the screen. Kuzma has solid size and can move with pace. That makes him a tough player to play against off the rush, and this goal is a perfect example of that.
Poul Andersen (F, R, 6’1″, 189, Red Deer Rebels, 06/01/2007, Maine)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Andersen scored in high school just being in that front presence and getting a stick on a point shot. He has good size, but he is not the biggest player on the ice, which makes his goal all the more better. Given that he was able to win a battle and show his tenacity in a dirty area. He fights for his space and wins it for the most part by simply outworking his opponent. He has really good jump on the breakout, where he is able to get a puck from a standstill and explode into space forcing defenseman back on their gaps.
Matus Lisy (D, L, 6’1″, 196, Red Deer Rebels, 06/15/2007)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Lisy plays more of a two way defensive role but is more than capable of chipping in on the offense and was able to get a nice assist on the game winning goal. He wants to get involved offensively more than he does throughout the game, but where he is at his best is shutting down plays in his own end creating turnovers and getting the puck moving the other way. His offense ultimately comes from being the second wave in the zone and being a support role when the forwards cycle the puck low and extend their possession.
Patrick Sopiarz (LW, R, 6’0″, 196, Red Deer Rebels, 03/05/2008)
Game Rating
B+
Sopiarz demonstrated his ability to capitalize on turnovers with ease, swiftly gaining possession after a forced giveaway by his teammate. He showcased his wrist shot skill, accurately placing the puck past the goalie from a distance, resulting in a successful goal.
1 Viewing
Comments: Sopiarz scored the game winning goal tonight, just being in the right spot at the right time. Held down in that front presence where a shot from the flank went off of him and into the back of the net. He does a good job at just outworking the player next to him. He fights for space, creates turnovers, and is a fast transition player going the other way. One of the better parts of this game, that is a smaller detail, is his contact before possession. He initiates contact rather than possession first and then getting bumped off the puck.
Landon MacSwain (LW, L, 6’3″, 199, Red Deer Rebels, 08/01/2007)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: MacSwain is a big body who showed that he can use his skating defensively to take good angles and create turnovers that way. When he is off on his angle and a smaller opponent decides to cut back on him, that is when his frame and strength show up, and he uses physicality to defend. He needs a couple of strides to match a lot of his opponents’ top speed, but when he gets there, he’s a tough player to beat. He could extend his possession and play nastier at the net front offensively.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images