Fonzerelli
Registered User
WHL Update
Brandon Carlo played a hell of a game for Tri-City on Tuesday night. Again, he's not messing up the score sheet, but that's not his job. He was charged with shutting down the opponents top line, and as he does on a nightly basis, he knocked that assignment out of the park. The challenge he faced Tuesday was the Oil Kings dominant line of Baddock/Bauer/Pollock, who are one of the league's elite lines, and the only line to speak of on a one-line Oil King team. Carlo played his gaps perfectly and was a menace all night with a strong stick and decided reach advantage. His play along the wall was superb and he kept a clean crease. Carlo's strong play has led his basement dwelling team on a 7-2 tear of late and he finished this night +1 again and even managed a couple shots on net. The kid is pure gold.
Jake DeBrusk continues to toil on a lower line (-2 with no points in 2 games this week) and the Memorial Cup hosting Rebels continue to struggle. Another loss last night drops them to 0-4 on their current losing streak, as the team seems to mirror the fortunes of DeBrusk. Since the return of overage forward Luke Philp, Jake has been pushed to the lower line, is -2 with 1 point in those 4 games and the Rebels are winless. When Jake played on the top line with Helewka the Rebels seemed unbeatable and Jake was lighting it up, but in the 11 games Jake didn't play on the Rebels 1st line, Jake is +1 with no goals and 2 assists in those 11 games. In last night's game Jake didn't have much chemistry with his linemates, appeared visibly frustrated at times and appeared to try and do to much, holding on to pucks and a couple times Nascar-ing through the offensive zone. Tough to say for sure what he's thinking, but he's a kid who is used to logging big minutes with older veteran players on a teams top line and does thrive in those spots. He doesn't seem to be a guy that's going to carry a line maybe, or at least, hasn't been able to do that so far in Red Deer. Having said that, he is still a +1 playing on that lower line after those 11 games playing for a defensive minded coach like Sutter.
Jesse Gabrielle was not in action this week. His team is set to host DeBrusk and the Rebels in a double header this weekend.
Added in - Just for perspective on Debrusk
- When Jake plays on the top line with Adam Helewka, the Rebels are 8-2-1 and Jake himself averages 2 ppg, with a line of 11GP, 8G, 14A, 22pts and +11
- When Jake plays on a lower line and he and Helewka are separated, the Rebels are 3-6-2 and Jake himself averages squat, with a line of 11GP, 0G, 2A, 2pts and +1
Bottom line - Jake and the Rebels excel when he and Helewka are together on the top line.
Brandon Carlo played a hell of a game for Tri-City on Tuesday night. Again, he's not messing up the score sheet, but that's not his job. He was charged with shutting down the opponents top line, and as he does on a nightly basis, he knocked that assignment out of the park. The challenge he faced Tuesday was the Oil Kings dominant line of Baddock/Bauer/Pollock, who are one of the league's elite lines, and the only line to speak of on a one-line Oil King team. Carlo played his gaps perfectly and was a menace all night with a strong stick and decided reach advantage. His play along the wall was superb and he kept a clean crease. Carlo's strong play has led his basement dwelling team on a 7-2 tear of late and he finished this night +1 again and even managed a couple shots on net. The kid is pure gold.
Jake DeBrusk continues to toil on a lower line (-2 with no points in 2 games this week) and the Memorial Cup hosting Rebels continue to struggle. Another loss last night drops them to 0-4 on their current losing streak, as the team seems to mirror the fortunes of DeBrusk. Since the return of overage forward Luke Philp, Jake has been pushed to the lower line, is -2 with 1 point in those 4 games and the Rebels are winless. When Jake played on the top line with Helewka the Rebels seemed unbeatable and Jake was lighting it up, but in the 11 games Jake didn't play on the Rebels 1st line, Jake is +1 with no goals and 2 assists in those 11 games. In last night's game Jake didn't have much chemistry with his linemates, appeared visibly frustrated at times and appeared to try and do to much, holding on to pucks and a couple times Nascar-ing through the offensive zone. Tough to say for sure what he's thinking, but he's a kid who is used to logging big minutes with older veteran players on a teams top line and does thrive in those spots. He doesn't seem to be a guy that's going to carry a line maybe, or at least, hasn't been able to do that so far in Red Deer. Having said that, he is still a +1 playing on that lower line after those 11 games playing for a defensive minded coach like Sutter.
Jesse Gabrielle was not in action this week. His team is set to host DeBrusk and the Rebels in a double header this weekend.
Added in - Just for perspective on Debrusk
- When Jake plays on the top line with Adam Helewka, the Rebels are 8-2-1 and Jake himself averages 2 ppg, with a line of 11GP, 8G, 14A, 22pts and +11
- When Jake plays on a lower line and he and Helewka are separated, the Rebels are 3-6-2 and Jake himself averages squat, with a line of 11GP, 0G, 2A, 2pts and +1
Bottom line - Jake and the Rebels excel when he and Helewka are together on the top line.
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