January 20th - Brampton v. Mississauga Game Report

by Jason Ray
#34 Newly acquired Brandon Maxwell made the start in Goal for the majors also #10 Andrew Goldberg made his debut tonight for the majors.

The game started at a great pace. Both teams showed great skating and puck control. The Battalion started to take the period over by winning the board battles deep in the Majors Zone. Brampton also began to step up their physical game throughout the period. Using the body gave the Troops the early lead as Captain Sam Carrick netted his 23^rd of the year. The troops domination in the first period was also seen on the shot clock as Brampton held Mississauga to 3 shots in the first period, shades of their Thursday night game versus Plymouth.

In the Second, the Majors came out with more force and were able to tie the game at one off the stick of former Sudbury Wolves forward Kris Kontos. The tie would not last long as the Majors would take the lead on the Power Play. The Majors work their typical setup to find Riley Brace just beside the net with a little tip in goal. The goal was his 23^rd of the year, but it wasn’t his last. 3 minutes after the Majors take the lead, Brampton score twice to take back the lead for a score of 3-2. Patrick Mahac and Alex O’Neil, their 10^th and 1^st of the season respectively. The Battalion would add to their lead and take a 4-2 lead heading into the 3^rd period. Captain Carrick would score his second of the game on the Power Play, 24^th on the year. After 40 minutes the Battalion out shot the Majors 30- 8.

Shots on goal would be a non factor in this game as the third period saw Mississauga apply the pressure as Brampton would play their defensive game and protect their two goal lead. Spencer Abraham would take a high sticking call at 11:42 in the third and even thought Brampton killed off the penalty. Seconds after Abraham took to the ice, the same power play setup of Kontos to Brace found the back of the net to make it a one goal game. With under 2 minutes left in the game BRA Dylan Blujus takes a tripping call which gives Mississauga their 6^th power play of the game and Riley Brace completes the hat trick and ties the game up at 4. The game was headed into Overtime with the ice tilted in favour of the Majors as they had put 12 shots on goal in the third while holding Brampton to only 6 shots.

Overtime did not decide the game so it was off to a shootout. After trading goals and saves the game was decided in the 8^th round when Justin Rasmussen scored and Brampton’s Mitchell Porowski could not extend the shootout to round 9.

Mississauga picked up the extra point in the game and closed the gap on the Division Leader, Brampton Battalion to 11 points. Brampton with their SOL remained in first place in the Central Division. Both Mississauga and Brampton have the night off on Saturdy but have home games Sunday Afternoon, Saginaw and Sudbury respectively.

ITO Prospect Files: Kristoff Kontos

This week, we head north to the nickel belt to take a look at the play of second generation player, Kristoff Kontos. Let's get to know his game a little better...

NHL Draft Prospect: Kristoff Kontos--Sudbury Wolves

The Line:
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 203 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Center
Draft Eligible: 2012

The pride of Penetang, Ontario, Kontos is a big, bruising center who plays the game hard, both ways. The late 1993 birthday held him back a draft year and that's a good thing as far as his status is concerned. He has gotten off to a hot start and that has caused his stock to rise.

Kontos is most effective in games where the intensity and physical play is cranked up to 10. When he is going hard, he is a tough player to stop. When the game is more of a finnesse style, he tends to fade into the background. it's not that he doesn't have the skill to play that game, it just appears that he isn't as into it.

I think Kristoff's game is one that will improve at the next level, where the intensity will be dialed up every night and he will have to bring it every night. With that said, he has gotten off to a hot start, scoring 6 goals and 13 points in his first 18 games this season and the scouts are noticing.

Kontos is a pitbull in front of the net, and is next to impossible to move. He is an adequate skater and has an NHL-caliber shot to go along with a very deft set of hands. The pedigree is also there as Kontos's father, Chris, played in the NHL and pro over seas for a long time.

Kontos projects to be a late second or early third rounder and, if his play continues on this pace, he could move up even more. The power game is something that is hard to find and although his power game is raw, it is there...and NHL teams will want it.

NHL Player Comparison: Todd Bertuzzi (now, not-so-much 10 years ago)