Played on Oct 22, 2025
Game Played in InnovationPlex
General Game Notes: This back and forth matchup needed overtime to decide a winner, which came as no surprise given how evenly matched these two teams were. A few standout individual efforts on both sides helped keep things tight throughout. The Rebels made the most of their special teams, converting on two of three power play opportunities, while the Broncos were unable to capitalize on any of their four chances, a key difference in the outcome.
Luke Vlooswyk (D, R, 6’5″, 201, Red Deer Rebels, 01/09/2007)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Vlooswyk is a big body on the back end, and plays like it. He is not afraid to play the physical game along the boards or in front of the net. One of the better aspects to his game is that he can get moving pretty well for a player his size. When he has full speed, he is someone that opposing players need to keep a head on a swivel because he can create some damage with a check. Offensively, he had a smart game getting lanes and working to get shots on net. His game is simple from back there but he does have a powerful shot if he has time to get it off.
Keith McInnis (D, L, 6’1″, 197, Red Deer Rebels, 01/08/2006, Minnesota Duluth)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: McInnis was able to show tonight that he is a positive mobile defenseman. He has strong skating, vision, and playmaking instincts. He is adept in transition and can help move the puck in all three zones, with two assists on the night including one for the overtime winner, McInnis plays a hard two way game. Where he is at his best is when he is understanding when to utilize his speed to create space with the puck. When he is a skate first player, he is one of the more dynamic players on the ice.
Matthew Gard (LW, L, 6’5″, 197, Red Deer Rebels, 04/07/2007)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Gard was the hero in tonights game scoring the over time winner. As he pulled the puck down to the top of the cirlce, he used his defender as a screen and was able to beat the goalie with a quick release and a release that let the puck go close to the player to provide the most screen possible. Gard skates super well for his tall and lanky size. He has the reach in his stride that at top speed make it hard for smaller defenders to cover him on one one. He can get away from trouble with a couple steps but his agility could improve. Defensively, he uses that same long reach with his stick to close on players when they least expect it.
Jaxon Fuder (LW, L, 6’0″, 167, Red Deer Rebels, 04/02/2006)
Game Rating
A-
Jaxon Fuder is a skilled offensive forward with exceptional hockey sense and creativity. He excels at moving the puck quickly and efficiently to his teammates, often creating scoring opportunities through clever playmaking. On the power play, Fuder showcases impressive puck possession skills, using his agile hands to remain elusive and exploit defensive vulnerabilities. His high level of skating agility allows him to create space and threaten opponents, while his keen awareness enables him to find prime scoring positions. With a strong work ethic, Fuder is always a threat, making the extra move when necessary to find open spaces and capitalize on scoring chances.
1 Viewing
Comments: Very similar to the goal his teammates scored right before him, Fuder was able to connect pretty generously on a one timer feed from the opposite flank. Standing with some size, Fuder was still able to get a knee down in order to get enough contact on the play, showing his mobility to make a play. Fuder is a triggerman, and while he showcased decent playmaking ability in tonights game, it is his shot that gave him value in the offensive zone. His defense is still a work in progress, but even if he is more of a liability on that end he showed that for how much of a threat he is in the offensive, he can get away with some of the defensive side, for now.
Samuel Drancak (C, L, 6’0″, 197, Red Deer Rebels, 02/04/2006)
Game Rating
B-
Drancak’s playing style can be inconsistent, particularly in entering the offensive zone where he tends to overcompensate by trying to do too much. He often struggles when attempting to split defenders, but excels when given space and time to operate. In these situations, he creates numerous scoring opportunities for his team. Defensively, Drancak has room for improvement, but he shows promise when using his size to block opponents from reaching the net. His ability to cut off space and use his stick to control the puck is also a valuable asset.
1 Viewing
Comments: Drancak does a good job at the face off circle by giving that extra effort to win pucks back to his defenseman. Couple times tonight it was a 50/50 puck off the draw and because he was able to get that extra reach off, he got the puck back to his teammates and created a chance for. He is able to hold on to pucks longer than expected, he is not the biggest center on the ice, but when he goes through the neutral zone contested, he finds ways to kick pucks out to his wingers with guys dragging all over him. At times he holds on the puck a little long with space to make a play.
Ty Coupland (RW, R, 5’11”, 173, Red Deer Rebels, 05/06/2007)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Coupland unleashed a bomb from the flanker position on the power play not giving the goalie any chance to get a piece of it. He of course had time and space to take this shot but the power he was able to get behind it despite not being the biggest, was impressive. Coupland is a shifty player who plays with pace and his head up. He was at his best when stick handling with his hands and feet at the same time. He makes it hard for defenseman to pick up on his movements and what he is going to do next. Coupland has average defensive positioning skills and is not a physical player, and therefore struggles to beat opposing forwards for pucks consistently in battles.
Owen Shadrick (LW, L, 6’1″, 168, Red Deer Rebels, 05/29/2008)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Maybe bit of an unlikely hero, Shadrick showed a lot on his goal tonight. The way he was able to pick up a bobbling puck, get it to a shooting space, and get it off quick enough to beat the goalie showed a skill set that has the potential for a solid point season. What Shadrick does well with his size is drive the net, he is able to put a shoulder down while spreading his base to create a sturdy foundation and make himself hard to move around. This happens when he is able to get speed through the neutral zone, when he has to start from a dead stop, it takes an extra step to get to where he wants to be, pace wise.
Peyton Kettles (D, R, 6’6″, 197, Swift Current Broncos, 09/01/2007)
Game Rating
A-
Peyton Kettles showcased a strong physical presence on the ice, using his strength to win battles for the puck and create space. He is an effective hit-taker, but doesn’t overdo it, making him a formidable force in possession situations. However, he struggled to maintain possession after contact, as he often found himself playing solo. On defense, Kettles excelled, using his physicality to neutralize opponents’ attacks.
1 Viewing
Comments: Kettles is a towering defenseman who was able to record two points on the night including a goal where he was able to show off his power and accuracy. After getting a cross ice pass in the offensive zone, he attacked down hill with time and space to pick his spot. That is exactly what he did, right over the goalies glove for an impressive goal. Despite being one of the larger defenders on the ice, Kettles has the mobility and lateral movement to be both dynamic on offense and defense. He walk the blue line well and dive into space offensively, and get back on pucks first to start the breakout defensively.
Jace McFaul (D, R, 5’9″, 172, Swift Current Broncos, 03/03/2007)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: McFaul was able to show tonight that he has the puck skills to make plays from the back end. He’s a decent shooter and has a sneaky shot from the point. He plays an aggressive style offensively, and sometimes pays for that defensively, and he is not big or physical enough to win as many board battles or fights for loose pucks in his own end and relies on an active stick. He does a good job defensively at keeping the play to the outside because he can keep up with most forwards.
Noah Kosick (C, L, 5’11”, 167, Swift Current Broncos, 08/18/2008, Michigan)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: Kosick sees the ice extremely well and showed this with his two assists on the night. He wants to make plays when he has the puck and has the stick handling, agility, and creativity in his game to do so. He is a bit undersized and because of this, needs time and space before he gets the puck to be effective, he struggles with board and net front battles to come away with the puck. Kosick makes up for his lack physical play with his motor, his agility allows him to escape trouble, get up the ice, and create rushes for. That is where he is deceptive and creative, off the rush, where he can make plays with his quick movements.
Aidan Sexsmith (C, L, 5’11”, 163, Swift Current Broncos, 01/08/2008)
Game Rating
B-
1 Viewing
Comments: Sexsmith was able to show that he is adept at pulling off fancy dekes and generally beating players one on one. He simply is not big enough or strong enough to consistently win battles for pucks and that lack of strength impacts his ability to maintain possession of the puck and create space for himself to be a playmaker. When he is at his best, he was starting in his own zone creating pace without the the puck, if he is able to find the puck when he has some speed, it makes him a much harder player to player against.
Anthony Wilson (C, R, 5’11”, 199, Swift Current Broncos, 04/27/2005)
Game Rating
A-
1 Viewing
Comments: After following up his own rebound from a shot in the slot, Wilson picked the puck up on his backhand where he was able to win space at the net front and open the scoring and score one of his two goals on the night. Wilson plays with an edge and does a good a job as any and playing physical without the puck. Couple times tonight he lost races to loose pucks but would win it back due to his effort level and physical play. Similar to his goal, he wins battles to space and has the strength to lean on his stick and out muscle larger defenders.
Photo credit; Dan Hickling/Hickling Images