WHL: Pulpan Fistric are Giants Odd Couple

Notes taken from a recent game featuring the Vancouver Giants and some of their prospects most notably defensemen Lukas Pulpan and Mark Fistric, both of whom are eligible for the 2004 NHL Entry Draft in Carolina.

Aaron Sorochan (2004), G

Made a nice stick save as well as making sure he steered it in to the corner .. let in a horrible bad angled shot from just inside the face off circle .. made a sparkling glove save on an odd man rush .. doesn’t stay down .. has taken over as the Giants main man in net .. would never be mistaken for Martin Brodeur or Marty Turco, however he is adequate handling the puck outside his crease.

Mark Fistric (2004), D

Turned over the puck .. doesn’t seem willing or able to generate a play offensively .. dominates the game when he gets mad by throwing his weight around .. lacks vision .. on the penalty kill .. cleared a turnover down the ice .. communicates with his defensive partner .. still shows an unwillingness to shoot from the point .. plays a stay at home style - low risk, low reward .. took a PIM with an opposition for sticking up for a teammate .. displays surprising speed, especially in a straight line .. forced a forward to the outside, although the player still got scoring chance .. rushed with the puck all the way into the offensive zone before turning it over .. generally plays composed .. his point shot was easily blocked .. didn’t hesitate to jump a player that hit a teammate from behind.

Marcin Kolusz (Min), C/LW

Snake-bitten Polish forward has seen his ice time and his role on the Giants decreased as his lack of production increased .. on the penalty kill and power play, in fact briefly played the point on a power play .. has a dangerous looking shot, but rarely gets it on net .. tricky off the boards pass to a hard skating teammate .. got an assist on the power play .. conscientious defensively .. will go in deep on the forecheck .. terrific passing skills and silky smooth stickhandler .. created a scoring chance on a between legs pass .. looks to setup the open man .. gets his passes away quickly and on the tape .. made a half-hearted attempt at taking the body .. gave a solid hit along the boards .. has the potential to be a top line forward in the WHL once he adjusts to the North American game and regains his confidence.

Lukas Pulpan (2004), D

Stocky, pint-sized Czech blueliner plays on both special teams .. made a sweet little back handed dish to an open man .. terrific wheels, as he proves when ever he turns over the puck that he has such great acceleration and top speed he generally can recover .. likes to carry the puck when given the chance .. high risk (although improving) and high reward ..was speared and had to be helped off the ice while in obvious pain .. came back on the ice and was on the ice for the Giants PP goal .. most dangerous when he moves the puck early .. not unusual to see him lead a rush .. skates with ease .. doesn’t back down from a scrum and plays much bigger than his size.

Tyson Marsh (Tor), D

For the second year in a row he is the captain .. partnered with Lukas Pulpan .. a mainstay on both the power play and penalty killing units .. drilled a shot wide that went to the other point which was banged home for a goal .. ties up his man on the boards .. took himself out of the play by going for a big hit, but had the speed to come back and help break up a scoring chance .. heavy hitter .. drove to the net on a penalty kill and forced the opposition to take a penalty .. is most effective when he plays within himself and takes the body .. has decent vision .. little question that he is not only the best Giants defenseman, but the leader by example .. has the mobility to rarely get beaten wide .. played a ton of minutes in every situation .. makes a quick transition from offensive to defense .. named the game's second star.

Ty Morris (Van), LW

First Vancouver Canuck’s draft pick to play for the Vancouver Giants .. solid on his skates, but lacks elite top end speed and acceleration .. on PP .. moves the puck well to the open man .. needs to work harder and show more of a willingness to take punishment in front of the net .. lacks .. a long way a way from being a dominant player at the WHL level let a lone the NHL.