Horton’s ability to use his size effectively made him one of the better forwards off the cycle and allowed him to be an effective playmaker below the goal line as he shielded the puck from defenders and assesses his options. He was able to consistently make difficult passes off his backhand to the slot while dealing with pressure along the perimeter in the offensive zone, which allowed him to consistently get pucks to the middle of the ice when he was having a hard time generating puck touches in the middle of the ice on his own. He had some really strong sequences as a puck-carrier in transition as well, using deft moves at top speed to catch defenders flat footed and create odd man advantages in the process. Horton possesses some of the most advanced shooting mechanics on the entire team, which allowed him to beat goaltenders cleanly from distance and made him a threat to score from all over the offensive zone.

This event was another opportunity for Braden Horton to show off his innate goal scoring ability using his shot, strength and big frame to his advantage in the offensive zone. He has great intuition around the net, reading plays and then positioning himself in spots where he thinks the puck will end up or into open spots where he his teammates will be able to find him and when the opportunities present themselves, he is able to cash in on his chances whether it be from in tight or from distance thanks to his release that sees the puck explode of his stick. Although he’s been more aggressive in funneling pucks to the net in the past, he branched out his offensive game during this event by holding on to pucks a bit longer, using a combination of quick hands, shot fakes and his long reach to freeze and beat defenders to create more space for himself with the puck which then allowed him to flash a bit more of his playmaking side, showing he has the ability to play a more rounded play style as well.

Horton was one of the Shattuck forwards who kept dragging his team back into the fight by showing the assertiveness to push plays north and get pucks to the net. He was generating chances in transition with quick shots off the rush but he also displayed his strong net front presence to get a few quality deflections from the slot and pick up some rebounds around the crease. He set up his team’s first goal after making a nice play from below the goal line to shield the puck and slip it to Chartier at the side of the net.

I thought Horton was able to create some quality looks for himself through his play on and off the puck. He created a solid chance for himself in the first period using quick stick work to split two defenders and attack the slot but I found that his prime scoring chances came from his strong positional play where he was able to drift into open space in the high slot for one-time opportunities or pick the opportune times to crash the net and put himself in the right spots around the blue paint which allowed to amass quality looks despite not converting in this game. He did however execute a give-and-go to perfection with DiCunzolo in the second period to up the Shattuck lead to 3-0.

In a game where the defence group on Shattuck mainly stood out, Braden was the forward who I was most impressed with. I thought he was ambitious, trying to spark offensive chances and showing patience and confidence in the offensive zone to make something happen. Horton was looking to find ways to attack the middle of the ice, sparking a goal after a successful toe-drag toward the net, which ended in an eventual rebound goal for his linemate.

Horton was another offensive weapon for Shattuck that had a nice game. He was not afraid to go to the net and get in those greasy areas. Rather than skating by the net like many would at his age, he strategically stopped in front, positioning himself perfectly to capitalize on scoring opportunities. These small, smart plays added up, showcasing his presence throughout the match. He wasn't afraid to battle in the corners, consistently winning puck battles and maintaining possession for his team. In the offensive zone, Horton displayed impressive vision with some fantastic passes, often maneuvering behind the net to set up plays.

Horton’s shoot-first mentality combined with his lethal finishing ability makes him one to keep tabs on in the offensive zone. He opened up the scoring in this one by taking himself to the net and firing a quick snapshot from in tight off a centering pass, outmuscling a defender in the process. It wasn’t too long after when his willingness to go to the front of the net paid dividends again, picking up his own rebound in a congested area and executing a centering pass to a teammate who scored. He was almost able to bury another one off a faceoff, showing his wicked release that beat the goaltender clean from the top of the circle. In one instance Horton was able to flex his muscles as a puck carrier through the neutral zone, making a deft move at top speed to get around a defender and create a two on one opportunity.

I thought Horton had a really strong start to this game by utilizing his above-average frame to excel below the hashmarks before trailing off a bit in the second half. He was next to impossible to knock off the puck below the goal line in the offensive zone, which allowed him to buy himself time with the puck and assess his passing options. This was best exemplified on his assist in the first half when he shielded a defender, scanned behind him and made a quick backhand pass to Burcar who scored. There were a couple times where he was able to execute zone entries as a puck carrier and showed shrewd puck management by delaying at the hashmarks and opting to wait for his teammates to arrive.

I liked how aggressive Horton was with the puck, always looking for ways to get it towards the net. When he received a pass in the offensive zone, it would only take a few seconds before he looked towards the net and let off a shot even when pressured by the opposing team. On rush chances, he would take a couple strides into the zone and fire a shot through small seams using the defenseman as a screen. He was a presence around the net throughout the game where he buried his first goal off a rebound at the side of the net and he got another chance in the third period when he grabbed his own rebound and quickly wrapped around the net but was stopped by the Penguins goaltender.

I thought Horton played such an effective north-south game, he created Shattuck’s first great scoring chance when he drove the net off the faceoff, cut across the crease and almost wrapped the puck around the goalie. He then scored a couple minutes later when he beat a Reaper defenseman to a loose puck for a shorthanded breakaway and fired it right past the goalie’s right pad. He had a shoot-first mentality throughout this game, firing pucks at the net from different angles trying to catch the goalie off guard and ripping a few one-timers in the high slot. He looked to support teammates up the ice by hustling to join transition plays and driving to the net but also during possessions in the o-zone where he did a good job at finding open space and crowding the front of the net. He beat the goaltender again in the third period, this time with a shot from the low circle that came off his stick so quickly and was perfectly placed right underneath the glove.