OHL: Rizk Factor

A well-built player with good size … very balanced on his skates and is hard to knock off the puck ... possesses above-average speed once he hits top stride, although parts of his skating still need work … his stride is very choppy and lacks smoothness … often turns corners very wide and lacks the quick feet required to dance around opponents … his first-step acceleration is sub-par, as it takes him several steps to reach top speed ... boasts a hard wrist shot which he times well … tried to pick his spots and showed good patience waiting for the goalie to go down ... displayed an accurate passing game in the offensive zone, making several difficult passes that he made look easy ... didn’t do much of the dirty work in the corners, instead relying on his teammates to get him the puck ... showed a defensive conscious at times, but, on the whole, didn’t put forth much effort in his own end, choosing instead to stand near the blueline and wait for the puck … this lack of effort led directly to one of Sarnia’s goals, as he allowed his man to skate right in on net from the high slot untouched ... appeared to get a little flustered when pressured by opponents … several times, he froze up and made a bad decision when pursued aggressively by a defender, resulting in a number of neutral-zone giveaways ... did make a nice play in the offensive zone when he dived to intercept a breakout pass ... also took a horrible high-sticking penalty near the end of the game when his team was applying constant pressure, killing any hope of tying the 4-3 game.

Patrick McNeill, D Saginaw, (2005)

The first-overall pick looks very comfortable rushing the puck … a fast skater with a smooth stride … showed good mobility, moving well both laterally and in reverse … accelerates quickly and can transition from defense to offense in a heartbeat, appearing to be stopped at one moment, then suddenly rushing his team quickly down the ice … is already Saginaw’s best puckmover from the back-end and the team’s quarterback on the powerplay … plays very smart hockey when in control of the puck, rarely making a bad pass or offensive decision … boasts a hard accurate wristshot and a booming slapshot … loves to pinch in the offense and utilize his shooting arsenal ... did make a few mistakes in the defensive zone, however, and also displayed some immaturity regarding when to jump into the rush and how deep to press … should become smarter with experience ... his speed and work ethic often allow him to make up for a bad pinch, as he gets back into the play rapidly ... teamed up with solid vet Paul Bissonnette, who is excellent at covering up teammate’s mistakes.

Paul Bissonnette, D, Saginaw (PIT)

Shot the puck very well today … blasted several hard, accurate point-shots that created a number of quality scoring chances … appears to be gaining increased confidence in his offensive abilities, as he is now a consistent puckrushing threat … forms an excellent rushing blueline tandem with rookie Patrick McNeill … a very wise player, who is always looking to cover up for his mates … played an excellent positional game … showed excellent leadership, constantly shouting instructions to younger teammates … played a ton and is gaining valuable experience as a defensive standout on a mistake-prone Saginaw team.

Tom Pyatt, C, Saginaw, (2005)

An outstanding passer with great offensive instincts, Pyatt made several beautiful passes … a solidly-built and stocky presence, who works well in corners thanks to his low centre of gravity ... his acceleration and speed are not eye-catching and certainly not his biggest assets … however, he does have solid game speed, just not that explosive extra step ... a good puckhandler who is very confident heading into traffic with the puck ... consistently heads to the net with the puck looking for an open man or to open up space for himself ... looking very comfortable already in his young OHL career.

Daniel Carcillo, LW, Sarnia (PIT)

Worked hard all game and made some nice passes ... carried the puck hard to the net on several occasions … picked up a goal after coming out of the corner and firing a hard wristshot … is exhibiting his fearless side with more consistency this season, albeit he has also been showing a lack of discipline and letting his emotions get the best of him with greater frequency as well.

Ryan Munce, G, Sarnia (LA)

Stopped thirty-one shots en route to his fourth win of the season … did struggle, however, with his puckhandling today … got his pocket picked behind the net which led directly to a goal … otherwise, he played a sound positional game and displayed a firm understanding of how to play angles.

Mike Suggs, LW, Saginaw, (2004)

Saginaw winger is blessed with excellent size ... doesn’t carry much speed, though, and his agility appeared to be below average … turns corners too wide, taking himself out of the play at times ... very strong on the puck with good balance on his skates ... a tough foe to battle against along the boards and in the corners ... possesses a nice long reach, which he utilized to score on a wraparound ... displayed a solid work ethic and exerted constant forechecking pressure.

Daniel Borges, C, Saginaw, (2004)

An aggressive forechecker who worked hard all game... his wrist shot still needs work as it seemed to lack velocity on this occasion ... is a very agile skater with good speed ... showed solid puckhandling skills as well.

Phil Kozak, D, Saginaw, (2004)

Didn’t receive much ice time, but when he was given a chance, proved to be a defensive-minded player with solid positioning and an edge to his game.