SCRIMMAGE SUMMARIES
Blue 7, Grey 5
Blue goals: Graham Millar, Zane Jones 2, Carter Cochrane 2, Remi Laurencelle 2.
Grey goals: Gunnar Wegleitner 3, Addison Runey 2.
Blue goalies: Nathan Spark (1 goal against), Nik Amundrud (4 goals against).
Grey goalies: Ben Colvin (3 goals against), Mario Petit (4 goals against).
Green 5, Red 4
Green goals: Cole MacDonald, Brayden Low, Bryce Kindopp, Spencer Gerth, Sami Pharaon.
Red goals: Ivan Vilcauskas, Sean Mallonee, Brendan Weir 2.
Green goalies: Austin Lotz (1 goal allowed), Bryce Schiebel (3 goals allowed).
Red goalies: Dayton Rasmussen (5 goals allowed).
Red 6, Grey 5
Red goals: Sean Mallonee, Patrick Bajkov, Logan Aasman, Dawson Leedahl 2, Noah Juulsen.
Grey goals: Jantzen Leslie, Gunnar Wegleitner 2, Duncan Long, Addison Runey.
Red goalies: Nick Ewanchuk (9 shots, 6 saves), Dayton Rasmussen (17 shots, 15 saves).
Grey goalies: Mario Petit (18 shots, 15 saves), Benjamin Colvin (16 shots, 13 saves).
Green 3, Blue 2
Green goals: Avery Belcourt, Nic Ponak, Bryce Kindopp.
Blue goals: Zane Jones, Remi Laurencelle.
Green goalies: Bryce Schiebel (14 shots, 13 saves), Austin Lotz (18 shots, 17 saves).
Blue goalies: Nik Amundrud (16 shots, 15 saves), Nathan Spark (17 shots, 15 saves).
FINAL STANDINGS
Green 3-0, 6 pts, 12 GF, 9 GA
Red 2-1, 4 pts, 18 GF, 13 GA
Blue 1-2, 2 pts, 12 GF, 16 GA
Grey 0-3, 0 pts, 13 GF, 17 GA
Green faces Red for the third annual Volunteer Cup at 9:45 a.m. Sunday. Blue and Grey square off in the third-place game at 8 a.m.
TALKING POINTS
– The first player I want to discuss is Dayton Rasmussen. The 16-year-old goaltender from Minnesota, who’s one of the top goalies in the U.S. in his age group, arrived Friday night and took part in today’s scrimmages, so we got a chance to see what he’s all about. Rasmussen was solid. He kind of reminded me of former Tips goaltender Kent Simpson, in that he wasn’t flopping around the ice making spectacular saves, he just seemed to always be in the right spot. He was square to the puck wherever it happened to be, and as a result he was in position to make saves. He also has good size, so he takes up a lot of the net, and he stood his ground in goal-mouth scrambles. If he’s interested in playing for Everett this season, he’ll be right in the mix for a roster spot.
– Another player worth examining is Addison Runey. The 17-year-old from Texas was Everett’s most significant signing during the offseason, but we never had the chance to see him play before training camp. From what I’ve seen he’s definitely justifying the signing. He moves around the ice well and he’s been involved offensively. The Tips had two 1997-born forwards who played as 16-year-old rookies last season in Patrick Bajkov and Matt Fonteyne. Runey looks like he belongs with those guys.
– In the overager battle update, both Brayden Low and Zane Jones really brought it today. Both put in a lot of work during the offseason, with Low bulking up and Jones slimming down. Low’s hands seem substantially better, while Jones is much lighter on his feet. Meanwhile, Kohl Bauml was skating well and Ben Betker is impossible to get past on defense, so it appears the Tips are going to have a legitimate decision to make in picking their three 20s.
– I like what I’ve seen from Everett’s 15-year-old draft picks. It can be difficult for a 15-year-old to make much of an impression in a setting like this, attending his first WHL training camp and playing against guys who are as many as five years older. So even if a 15-year-old doesn’t make much of an impression, it doesn’t mean that player has no future with the Tips. For example, when Everett’s 1997-born draftees came in as 15-year-olds I was a little underwhelmed. Then four made the Tips as 16-year-old rookies last season, and that draft looks like it will be one of the best in franchise history. But many of Everett’s picks from this year did some really good things. I’m not sure there’s a Ryan Murray or a Patrick Khodorenko in that group, a player who comes in at 15 and you can tell he’s going to be a star in the league. But top to bottom there were more draftees who I noticed in a positive way than in many years. You expect that from the higher picks, but later-round selections like Jake Christiansen, Connor Dewar, Carson Dimoff and Blake Bergquist also had their moments.
– If there’s an invited player who’s making a case for a spot on Everett’s protected list, it’s Gunnar Wegleitner. The 16-year-old forward scored five goals in two scrimmages today. He has good size (6-foot-1) which he showed some willingness to use, he held his own in the B.C. Major Midget League as a 15-year-old last season (though he wasn’t a key performer on the team), and he’s shown a dynamite shot in camp.
– There were some quality performances turned in by members of the Everett Junior Silvertips. The most notable would have to be forward Sean Mallonee. The 16-year-old from Kennewick scored in both his team’s scrimmages and seemed to be in the thick of things whenever he was on the ice. Brendan Weir, another 16-year-old forward from that team, chipped in with two goals of his own, while 15-year-old defenseman Wyatte Wylie showed why the Tips picked him in the bantam draft.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
