Played on Nov 7, 2025
Game Played in South Okanagan Events Centre
General Game Notes: The visiting Seattle Thunderbirds scored two late goals on the Penticton Vees, but it wasn’t enough as they lost 4-2. Special teams were the difference in this game as the Thunderbirds went 0-5 on the power play and gave up a shorthanded goal. Jacob Kvasnicka scored what proved to be the game game winner, his ninth of a season, while Booker Toninato scored his first WHL goal. Vees goaltender AJ Reyelts was again very good in the net with 23 saves.
Andrew Reyelts (G, L, 6’1″, 182, Penticton Vees, 03/20/2006, Minnesota Duluth)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Reyelts (6’1′, 180 lbs, 2006) — Minnesota Duluth commit — posted a steady outing (2 GA on 25 shots; season SV% .916, 8-2 record) and projects as a positionally sound, calm netminder who minimizes unnecessary movement and wins with technique rather than athleticism. He reads plays well, routinely makes bang-bang saves and screen shot stops by being positionally sound and patient, and shows excellent poise and confidence playing the puck — willing to exit the crease into the trapezoid, make outlet passes when available, or have patience too assess options.
Sean Burick (D, R, 6’8″, 210, Penticton Vees, 01/09/2008, Denver)
Game Rating
B
Burick is a large, right-shooting defenseman with impressive size and reach. He demonstrates good puck-handling skills and poise on the ice, showcasing his ability to move the puck out of trouble. However, his skating mechanics are average, which may hinder his ability to keep up with the pace in high-intensity situations. To unlock his potential, Burick must focus on improving his physical engagement in battles for position and tightening up his gap control. With enhanced skating speed and a more assertive physical game, he could become a solid shutdown defender at the collegiate or professional level.
1 Viewing
Comments: Burick is a 6’7′, 210 lb right-shot defenseman (2008) whose growing confidence is starting to unlock his upside — he handles the puck with poise, rarely panics under pressure and uses possession to create better options. His vision and hockey IQ are good, as is his first pass that allows him to make plays out of the defensive zone; several times he confidently moved the puck into the middle to his supporting center on breakouts. Skating is currently average and is the key area for development — improved mobility will let him do much more with the puck and join plays more effectively. He shows willingness to occasionally play physically but would benefit from adding consistency in this area. In this game he logged about 13 minutes, below his season average, and did not see power-play or penalty-kill time. Overall, a high-upside, smart young defenseman whose ceiling rises sharply with improved skating and added physicality.
Brooks DeMars (C, L, 6’1″, 184, Penticton Vees, 06/09/2009, North Dakota)
Game Rating
B
This player displays a competitive edge in the physical aspect of hockey, showcasing willingness to make hard checks and play in traffic. They possess sound puck skills and good offensive instincts, allowing them to effectively crash the crease and create chances through physical presence. Their ability to navigate the ice time is an area for growth, as their stride could benefit from refinement with targeted coaching on mechanics. Despite this, they have a strong foundation in their current skillset and clear upside as a power-forward.
1 Viewing
Comments: Demars (2009) is a 6’1′ left wing who brings a relentless, hard-working 200-foot game to every shift; he plays with physicality and consistently finishes checks, making life difficult for opponents along the boards, and especially for defenceman going back for pucks. He shows good puck skills, good vision and an ability to make plays in traffic, which helps drive offense. The primary area for development is his skating mechanics — his stride and edge work should be focus areas — but he shows above-average quickness and top-end burst thanks to quick feet. Overall, his physicality, playmaking instincts and work ethic give him significant upside if his skating can evolve.
Booker Toninato (RW, R, 6’0″, 171, Penticton Vees, 04/30/2008, Arizona State)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Toninato (6’0′, 170 lbs) — 2008-born right wing and Arizona State commit — showed in limited ice time (just over seven minutes) a nice blend of straight-line speed, acceleration and puck skill; his highlight came off a blue-line turnover when he used a short burst to create space on backchecker, receive a pass on his backhand, quickly shift to his forehand and bury the puck while moving across the goalie, for his first WHL goal. He displays good hands, edgework and transition ability, but tends to try to create plays standing still sometimes rather than using his feet to manipulate space; he also struggled on the walls making plays off breakout passes and with that must show a more consistent work ethic and willingness to engage in the dirty areas. With added overall compete level, upping the physical component, more willingness to get to the middle and smarter use of his skating to create time and space, his skill set projects well at the collegiate level.
Brady Birnie (C, L, 5’8″, 171, Penticton Vees, 09/07/2005, Bemidji State)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Birnie (2005) is a 5’8′, 165 lb left wing and Bemidji State commit who plays a hard-working, high-energy game centered on excellent skating and top-end speed; he consistently creates offense by using his quickness to gain separation and his strong puck skills to make plays. He is a dual threat, but is at his best as a puck distributor rather than a shooter — he operates effectively on the flank, particularly on the power play, where he pre-scans the ice and can quickly make plays. In the defensive zone, he receives rims or wall passes from defensemen, again, constantly pre-scanning, then with his head up, allowing him to either quickly, move his feet and carry or, find supporting teammates for the breakout. He is relied upon for more than 17 minutes a night, competes aggressively for 50-50 pucks, and wins over half of those battles—impressive toughness and detail for his size that should translate well at the collegiate level.
Morgan Tastad (D, L, 6’4″, 188, Penticton Vees, 01/10/2006)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Tastad (6’3′, 190 lbs, 2006) is a left-shot, stay-at-home defenseman who excels as a reliable, no-flash rear guard. He consistently prioritizes safe, effective hockey — making strong first passes for clean outlets or chipping pucks out to relieve pressure — and his steady decision-making keeps his team out of danger. A solid skater with good mobility, he also displays sound puck skills that allow him to execute consistent plays under pressure. Tastad reads the play well, pre-scans, wins retrieval battles by getting back quickly, and routinely uses his defense partner and multiple outlet options (wheeling, D-to-D, reverse outlets) to move the puck out of the zone. While not an overly physical player, he is a sound one-on-one defender and dependable on low-down coverage; he averages nearly 19 minutes per game and is trusted on the first penalty-killing unit.
Vanek Popil (D, R, 6’1″, 178, Seattle Thunderbirds, 05/14/2008)
Game Rating
B
This player’s skill set is characterized by a strong emphasis on reliability, mobility, and defensive prowess. They possess excellent skating ability, which enables them to effectively close gaps and disrupt attacks. In the defensive zone, they demonstrate good body positioning and physical play, making it difficult for opponents to create scoring opportunities. Offensively, they are calm and poised, consistently making sound first passes and communicating with teammates. Their decision-making is solid, allowing them to earn significant ice time on the penalty kill. Despite playing in a lopsided game, this player managed to come out even in the plus-minus category.
1 Viewing
Comments: Popil (2008) — 6’1′, 175 lb, right defense: Agile, mobile defender with strong skating that shows up in his positioning and ability to win board battles; consistently willing to finish on the body and compete physically. He’s a very capable puck handler and can deliver an accurate first pass, preferring to be a puck-mover while also having the confidence to take open ice and carry when the lane appears. Reads on retrievals well, pre-scanning options to allow him to make plays. Usage was limited behind five veteran defensemen to roughly 13 minutes in this game (just under a 15-minute season average), but his battle numbers are encouraging — around a 60% win rate — suggesting he’s effective in one-on-one play and ready for expanded minutes. He is a player that has upside.
Coster Dunn (C, R, 6’1″, 191, Seattle Thunderbirds, 09/13/2005)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Dunn (2005) — 6’1′, 190 lbs, right centre — A well-rounded player with very good skill, including skating, that shows up on the power-play breakout where he consistently maneuvers through traffic as the late man; displays good puck skills and poise whether on the flank or occupying the bumper, making smart reads and quick plays. Competitively engaged along the walls, he battles for pucks, drives the net hard and is willing to finish physically, giving him value in both transition and net-front areas. His combination of speed, puck processing and work ethic projects him as a reliable pivot and effective on special-teams where he is on the top power play and second penalty killing unit.
Sawyer Mayes (C, L, 6’4″, 202, Seattle Thunderbirds, 01/08/2007)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Mayes (2007), a 6’4′, 200 lb left-center, is not flashy but brings a hard-nosed, never take a shift off player who impacts all three zones; he stands out on the forecheck, getting to defensemen quickly with his good skating ability, and finishing with consistent, hard checks, always in the middle of scrums and battling on the walls. While more regarded for his defensive game—logged nearly 16 minutes and saw time on the second penalty kill—he also has reliable puck skills, above-average vision and the playmaking ability to generate chances off turnovers for himself and linemates. He was rewarded in this game for his efforts, with a late net front tip-in goal. He’s had good success on the season on the face off dot where he is 66%. His skating isn’t elite but is very good overall with a strong top-end speed, making him a dependable, high-energy two-way center with physicality, compete level, and secondary offensive upside.
Brendan Rudolph (LW, L, 5’11”, 182, Seattle Thunderbirds, 03/08/2008)
Game Rating
B+
Brendan Rudolph showcases a strong compete level, using his top-end speed to pressure opponents on the forecheck and finish with physicality. His skating abilities allow him to respect defenders at the blue line, creating separation in transition. In this game, he demonstrated reliable puck-handling in open ice and was noticeably physical, winning 57% of battles. Rudolph’s evenness was impressive given the score disparity. To maximize his potential, he will need to refine his finishing and playmaking skills in traffic.
1 Viewing
Comments: Rudolph (2008) is a 5’11’, 180 lb left wing who is a hard-working, high-effort player with very good skating—excellent top-end speed and strong acceleration—that makes him an effective late man on the Thunderbirds’ second-unit power-play breakout and allows him to maneuver traffic effectively to enter the zone. He displays reliable puck skills and playmaking instincts on the power play, competes aggressively on the forecheck and is willing to finish physically. With continued refinement of his shot and decision-making in tight spaces, along with getting to the hard areas in the middle more, Rudolph projects as a versatile two-way winger capable of impacting special teams and contributing in middle-six roles.
Radim Mrtka (D, R, 6’6″, 218, Seattle Thunderbirds, 06/09/2007)
Game Rating
B
Mrtka possesses a notable skill set that contributes to his effectiveness on the ice. He boasts solid skating ability, which allows him to move confidently and maintain possession in game situations. While there is room for improvement in his skating mechanics, this does not impede his ability to make plays. Mrtka demonstrates poise and patience when handling the puck, often making informed decisions that facilitate quick transitions. He exhibits strong awareness and physical prowess, allowing him to effectively absorb contact while retrieving and delivering precise passes. His tight gap control in the neutral zone prevents opposing players from gaining speed, making him a valuable asset in both defensive and offensive situations. With continued development, Mrtka’s potential for growth is notable.
1 Viewing
Comments: Mrtka is a 6’6′, 220 lb right-shot defenseman (Buffalo draft) who has added notable smoothness and quicker feet to his stride, resulting in improved mobility; he recovered pucks quickly, wheeled effectively around the net to create space in tight areas and completed an excellent breakout pass through the middle. His mobility at the offensive blue line, combined with very good puck skills and poise, makes him an effective top power-play distributor. Areas to clean up: defensive reads—he occasionally puck-watched or overcommitted offensively and ended up on the wrong side of plays—he’d benefit from holding his position more consistently. He showed he can handle heavy usage (25+ minutes in this game), worked on both the top power play and penalty kill, and won roughly 70% of his battles.
Simon Lovsin (RW, R, 6’0″, 189, Seattle Thunderbirds, 01/22/2006)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Lovsin (2006), a 6’0′, 190 lb right wing, is a very hard working 200-foot player who brings strong skating with a good top end speed to aggressively close gaps on the forecheck and finish physically; he consistently wins battles along the boards and retrieves pucks, frequently converting possessions into transition chances. He displays good hockey IQ and playmaking instincts with the puck, he is a reliable penalty killer who willingly blocks shots and competes hard in defensive-zone coverage, while also providing offensive balance on the second power-play unit. His compete level, physicality, and two-way instincts make him an effective forward with upside as a versatile special-teams contributor; continued refinement of his playmaking under pressure and offensive consistency would elevate his ceiling.
Marcus Laraque (RW, R, 6’4″, 217, Seattle Thunderbirds, 03/30/2009)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Laraque is a 6’4′, 215 lb right winger (2009) who brings relentless effort every shift and projects as a heavy, hard-working presence at higher levels. An average skater, but has a decent top gear, he would benefit from refining his skating mechanics to unlock more consistent acceleration and edge control; when he applies that speed he gets to the defence quickly and is disruptive on the forecheck and board battles. His puck skills and playmaking are serviceable—he shows good awareness and the ability to make plays—but he is more of a secondary attacker who excels in puck-recovery and support roles rather than driving possession. Defensively he competes though, positional consistency and zone awareness remain areas for development. With continued skating refinement and sharper defensive reads, he is a player that can make contributions to his team.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images