OHL Draft: Huron Perth vs Mississauga Rebels – Marlboros Holiday Classic

Dec 27, 2012. Huron Perth Lakers vs. Mississauga Rebels (Marlies Holiday Classic) 4-2 MISR

HPL#6 F Kenny Huether. Stood out in this game for his relentless pursuit of the puck, quickly getting in the faces of opposing defenders attempting to create bad decisions or turnovers whenever he was on the ice. Top line minutes for the Lakers and was consistently involved in the generating of offensive chances….

[sociallocker]Showcased good vision and positioning jumping on a rebound opportunity for the second Laker goal.

HPL#10 F Ted Nichol. Smooth skating forward, worked well on the first line with #6 to be the main offensive forces for the Lakers. Did not showcase any elite offensive skill in tight, instead used a combination of hard work and good vision to put himself in positions to make plays happen. Had some good reads on the power play finding open teammates and not forcing passes. Was not afraid to engage physically and get in the faces of opponents before and after whistles when needed. Scored the first Laker goal on a top shelf shot from the high slot area.

HPL#12 D Blake Nichol. Smooth skating puck moving defenseman, consistently made solid outlet passes allowing for quick counter attack opportunities. Skated the puck out of the zone when needed as well. Was effective on the power play with good puck movement, and showcased a strong one-timer slap shot when given the time and space to set up. Vision was a plus as well, picking spots to hit streaking forwards up the middle or playing the puck off the glass when no options were available. Physicality is an aspect of his game that needs to be more consistent to be an effective defender.

MISR#9 D Rocky Kaura. Really awkward skating style, although this seems to be improving as the season has progressed. Utilized an active stick effectively to keep oncoming attackers outside with no space to cut to the middle. Used body size well down low to knock smaller forwards off of pucks and win board battles. Has a tendency to over skate sometimes and take himself out of the play by taking bad angles or misjudging situations. When pressured is prone to throwing the puck around the boards without looking, even though there is open outlets.

MISR#44 F David Zeppieri. Skating has steadily continued to improve as the season has progressed. Showed good outside speed on numerous occasions in this game, beating defenders and driving to the net hard. Defensively aware as well, bailing out defenders down low and along the side walls when needed. Was just average on the draws in this game, roughly a 50 percent win/loss ratio. Given time in all situations for the Rebels in this game and on the ice for every big moment. When given time and space showed effective 1-on-1 dekes and moves beating several defenders over the course of the game. Scored one of the nicer goals of the tournament, beating a defender to the outside before getting a partial breakaway and beating the goaltender top shelf backhanded to seal the game for the Rebels.

MISR#91 D Austin Clapham. Smooth skating puck moving defenseman. Was very effective with an active stick, breaking up plays and creating turnovers. Was excellent on the power play moving the puck well and picking good shot opportunities. Is not overly physical, although does not shy away when necessary and has the body size to be effective. Footwork was strong, which allowed him to jump into the rush at will and get back with efficiency. Picked spots well when deciding to pinch or jump into the rush and very rarely was caught out of position. Biggest negative from this game was 3 minor penalties which against stronger opponents could hurt the team.

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