Central Plains Capitals vs Winnipeg Thrashers (Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League)
League: Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League
Home Team: Winnipeg Thrashers
Visiting Team: Central Plains Capitals
Arena: Gateway – Blue, Winnipeg MB
Date: November 3, 2017
Game Time: 7:30pm (CT)
Age Group: Midget (2000-2002 Born)
Introduction: Two teams stuck in the middle of the standings battled as the season continued on a chilly Friday night in Winnipeg with a good crowd on hand. The Capitals played a near perfect game for the first two periods as they held onto a 2-1 lead. The Thrashers turned it up in the third however, and scored three unanswered goals–including two on the power play–to take this one by a final of 4-2.
Players we noted in this game:
Central Plains Capitals
Logan Calder #19 (F, L, 5’9/140lbs, 01/12/2001, Portage la Prairie MB)- Logan is a speedy forward with a very quick first three strides and crafty stick handling ability. He was the best forward for the Capitals tonight and attracted attention every time he was on the ice. The 2001 has good playmaking ability, and he made a very nice pass on a shorthanded goal in the second period. He played a lot of penalty kill time and was very effective with his speed and his active stick, creating turnovers and putting pressure on the opponent. Grade: A
Jaxon Blight #5 (F, L, 6’2.5/165lbs, 09/26/2000, Oakville MB)- Jaxon is a big forward with a long reach and good work ethic. He threw some nice hits and did well retrieving pucks that were dumped in the corners. He uses his big frame effectively to shield out opponents. The 2000 plays a solid two-way game; he takes care of the defensive zone and stays in good position but can also help the team out on the score sheet as well. Grade: B+
Kian Calder #8 (D, L, 5’9.5/191lbs, 07/17/2002, Portage la Prairie MB)- Kian is a very good skating defenseman. He has a quick stride and can get up to top-speed quickly. He is agile and can evade opponents on the forecheck and he makes a good first pass out of his own zone to allow for clean breakouts. The 2001 plays an offensive-style game from the back end, creating scoring chances by jumping in on the rush and having an accurate point shot. He played a lot of power play time and snuck down low and got a juicy rebound for a nice backdoor goal. Grade: B+
Max Neill #17 (F, L, 5’11/175lbs, 01/31/2001, Portage la Prairie MB)- Max is an intriguing player with a strong, accurate shot. He has strong skating abilities and is good with his edges. He sees the ice well and has a knack for knowing where the puck will be and moves the puck well on the power play. He has the skills to be a top-scoring forward, but he seemed to force the puck a few times. The ‘01 is a 2016 ninth-round draft pick of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL. Grade: B
Tyler Van Deynze #9 (D, R, 5’11/171, 07/15/2000, Portage la Prairie, MB)- Tyler is an offensive defenseman who likes to skate with the puck and jump in on the rush. He has quick feet and solid top-speed that he uses effectively. The 2000 has a heavy point shot and good puck moving abilities. He has smooth hands and a quick stick that he creates turnovers with. Tyler needs to sharpen his defensive zone coverage to fully round out his game. Grade: B-
Rhett Boschman #1 (G, L, 5’11/180lbs, 05/01/2002, MacGregor, MB)- Rhett is a big goalie who can move well in the crease and take away open net. The young 15-year-old played a solid first two periods, but things broke down a bit in the third when the team took a few penalties and got caught running around in their own end. He put up a fight the whole game however, and battled to see through traffic and swallow up loose pucks. He finished with a respectable .900 save percentage, stopping 27 of 30 shots. Grade: B-
Winnipeg Thrashers
Curtis Rebeck #19 (F, L, 5’11/180lbs, 10/30/2000, East St. Paul MB)- Curtis played a solid game tonight; he got a lot of shots on net and potted three goals for the hat trick. He has a heavy shot and is great at playing his off-wing on the power play and getting off solid one-timers. He is a crafty winger with great speed and agility and sees the ice well. The 17-year-old played a smart game and is a leader and assistant captain for the team. Grade: A
Reid Robertson #18 (F, R, 6’4/200lbs, 08/21/2000, Winnipeg MB)- Reid is a big, powerful center who skates well and has smooth hands. He plays a strong game with his big frame and isn’t afraid to throw hits and get gritty in along the boards. He displayed great vision and passing abilities tonight, making some beautiful cross-ice passes on the power play that lead to his two assists on the night. The 17-year-old played a good two-way game and was responsible in his own zone on top of creating lots of offense. Reid is the captain of the Thrashers and a 2015 eighth-round draft pick of the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. Grade: A
Ryden Fedyck #4 (D, L, 6’4/194lbs, 03/30/2001, Winnipeg MB)- Ryden is a big two-way defenseman who likes to play physical and fast. He moves the puck quickly and has a great first pass. He skates well and isn’t afraid to jump in on the rush when it’s smart to do so. Ryden has a great hockey IQ and saw a lot of power play time tonight. He controls his gaps and does well to keep forwards wide. The 16-year-old has a heavy point shot and did well to adjust his angles and shooting lanes to get pucks to the net. Ryden is a 2016 third round draft pick of the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. Grade: A
Jacy Kennedy #37 (F, L, 6’1/185lbs, 01/11/2000, Winnipeg MB)- Jacy is a hard-working winger who never takes a shift off and has a solid hockey IQ. He plays a very smart game and is sneaky at picking opponents’ pockets with his quickness and active stick. He battles hard for loose pucks and is equipped with a heavy wrist shot. The-17 year-old has a smooth stride and good top-end speed that he uses well to get in on the forecheck and put pressure on the defenseman. Grade: B+
Dawson Rattai #1 (G, L, 6’0/186lbs, 08/06/2001, Winnipeg MB)- Dawson played a great game tonight; he looked calm and collected and made some tough saves look easy. He got from post-to-post very quickly and made a huge save in the second period, where he robbed the Caps forward on a one-timer. He is active and plays pucks behind the net, and he makes smart reads when the forwards pressure him. Grade: B+
Riley Barroso #9 (D, L, 6’1/170lbs, 05/17/2000, Winnipeg MB)- Riley is a smooth-skating defenseman who made entering the offensive zone look like a breeze. He was the team’s go-to on the power play to gain entry into the zone. He did a great job of either slamming on the breaks and setting up, or beating the defenseman wide and swinging all the way around the net and setting up. He plays the game smart and has a great hockey IQ. He has solid puck-moving ability and a heavy shot from the point. The 17 year old also plays very physical and won many battles in the corners and in front of his own net. Grade: B+
Kyle Schroeder #17 (F, L, 5’11/175lbs, 05/07/2000, East St. Paul MB)- Kyle has speed to burn and showed very quick hands and smooth stick handling. He works hard and has a relentless forecheck and did well to create a few turnovers. The 17-year-old forced the puck a few times and seemed a bit quick to get rid of the puck on some occasions. He needs to round out his game a little more and work on his assignments in his own end, but he definitely has very intriguing speed and stick handling. Grade: C+
