I have been a big fan of Salandra over the last two years, and he has continued to improve and make an impact in virtually every game he has played. He has great instincts on how to conduct himself on each rush up the ice. He utilizes his speed extremely well to push defenders back and create separation that allows him to get a powerful shot away, and he also has great movement off the puck to slip away from coverage and set himself up to catch and shoot the puck quickly with great power and accuracy. He also doubles as a very capable playmaker by combining on some strong link up play in tight spaces with his quick stick work, and also finding good passing lanes when in control of the puck with time and space. I like his hard work in the defensive end as well, showing a great work ethic to get back and throw a hit as he rushes back into his zone or making a well timed stick check to foil the opposition’s attacking efforts by picking their pockets and turning the puck up ice with pace. He’s an exciting well-rounded player that has been a mainstay near the top of our American forward rankings.

One of the top performers from the weekend in my eyes, Joseph Salandra was the driving force behind the Rangers’ offense and when he was in possession of the puck he just emitted an air of confidence. His puck skills were great and he was able to beat players while at a virtual standstill just by reading their body movements. He found himself in plenty of shooting areas and was more than happy to take the defense up on their offer of allowing him to shoot. His shot was heavy and accurate and while he only came away with one goal he could have added a couple of more along the way. He was calm on the puck and enjoyed taking his man head on knowing he was capable of beating him and earning the inside track to the net. He showed a strong work ethic in all three zones and his back checking resulted in a few turnovers that led to some rushes back up the ice.

The star of the show in this game was Joseph Salandra, and it didn’t come as much of a surprise. He has been excellent over the last few months and in this contest he showed why he has been the focal point of this offense. A pair of goals that were incredible individual efforts, using his speed to gain a step on the defense and showing great lower body strength to fight off the defenseman, and slick hands to finish neatly. He brought an undeniable spark to the game, using his speed to get open and shoot gaps in the defense, add a quick dip of the shoulder to get around his man to the outside, and pick his head up to find an open passing lane or earn himself a shooting opportunity in tight. His creativity and head-on approach to attacking made him extremely dangerous, he crafted numerous chances for his teammates, including the late goal that gave his team a chance to tie things up. He was the life of this offense and will be integral to their success heading into the knockout stages.

Joey was the best forward on the Mid Fairfield side. He used his speed to create advantages of all sorts. He was able to draw penalties moving his feet in the offensive zone, as well as create separation in the neutral zone thanks to his flashy hands. I loved the way he paired his speed and physicality in the offensive zone. Salandra was plenty to handle down low, winning tons of 50/50 battles and quickly finding a way to either carry or pass the puck to the net front for quality scoring chances.

Salandra is a player whose skillset immediately jumps out at you when you watch him. The way he’s able to navigate through the neutral zone with the puck on his stick seems effortless at times and makes him a highly effective player off the rush. His acceleration is a really special trait to have for a player his age, as he’s able to get to top speed in just a few strides. He was flashing this ability throughout the entirety of the game, consistently gaining entry to the offensive zone and generating scoring chances off the rush. Another thing that stands out about Salandra is his shot, which absolutely explodes off his stick whether from a standstill or while he’s in motion. This was best exemplified on his goal in the second period where he picked up a pick in the neutral zone, crossed over the blueline, then fired an absolute bullet that ricocheted off the goaltender and into the net. He possesses intriguing one on one attacking ability as well, using his quickness and slick set of hands to get around defenders. I also liked his competitiveness along the perimeter in the offensive zone where he never shied away from board battles and was consistently engaged in attempt to gain possession of the puck.