Nobody from Belleville managed to get past him and playing the big ice, which speaks volumes to his skating ability and freedom. I believe Mrazek has the potential to seize that top area, if he could continue to get playing time. I think this bodes really well for his production at the following level, even though his skating needs development (that was evident on the major ice tonight). I believed Martindale played with an OK match, likely better than Toffoli was tonight. I keep attempting to catch Toffoli on a great game, but that I 've yet to do so. He does have good ones ? Losses to Newcastle after which West Ham, either the kind of games at which Hassenhuttl will have expected to carry at least a point, have left them under the relegation water line . Of all of the players hoping to earn 4th line minutes following year, MacDonald seems like the best bet to find consistent ice time, because he plays the high speed, physical fashion that Dale Hunter enjoys out of his thickness guys.
With Dalton Smith out of the lineup (apparent upper body trauma, but not severe ), these two performed a TON tonight; this had to be taxing on them. Evidence of this was his near expensive delay of game penalty in the third period that enabled Kyle DeCoste to tie this match . Before his injury, Cuma was a really competent puck rushing defenseman and a man who showed flashes of becoming a very competent two way defenseman. Back in Guelph he was a forecheck and cycle system, a man who created his scoring opportunities by outworking the defense at the offensive zone. Ever since, his offensive production has really slipped and I think it's directly associated with confidence and timing. In Ottawa, he's become a considerably different offensive player; one which creates his offense primarily off the rush and on the drive into the net. And I'm convinced we'll see him take more opportunities on the hurry. He left a couple nice plays off the rush to create scoring opportunities. Had a very good scoring opportunity himself by slipping beyond the Belleville defense after carrying a pass from the championship machine, but couldn't put enough to the sole timed shot to beat Grubauer, shooting it into his chest.