Kristian Epperson is a player I feel was overshadowed by some of the immense standout talent on the 14U team, and now with some of those players playing for different levels Epperson is one of the focal points of the Sabres offense. Epperson can offer a little bit of everything, he is a strong skater, his edgework makes him difficult to stymie, and his strength on the puck means even if you catch him there’s no guarantee you can get the puck away from him. He has pretty solid playmaking abilities and he can pick out a nice pass but his best asset is his shot. He can pick a corner with his wrist shot and he does a great job at creating his own space to generate his own scoring opportunities. He is constantly involved in the offense and he uses his skating and strength to drive hard to the net if given the opportunity. In addition to his offensive prowess, he is no slouch on defense as he logs important penalty kill minutes. He works hard in the defensive end and his ability to read the play and anticipate passes allows him to break up the offense and relieve his team of pressure. Epperson has constantly been one of the top performers for SSM so far this season and with his skillset and work ethic it seems unlikely for that to change.

Kristian Epperson will find success in his hockey career from his high compete level and premiere skating abilities. The moment his skate touches the ice, Epperson quickly assesses the situation and flips his acceleration into high gear. He’s a natural skater with a fast get off and strong edges to circle each zone at top speed. I can’t stress enough how fast Epperson can play, once trailing an entire pack of players and ending the rush at the front. Away from the puck, he shows excellent play recognition by delivering hard checks into the boards or dragging his toe, in the neutral zone, to avoid taking an offsides on an offensive zone entry. Although he’s highly skilled, Epperson also is effective on the penalty kill by eliminating shooting space and covering multiple defenders. All-in-all, Epperson has the tools to become a fixture of his draft class.

A four goal performance is exactly the type of game Epperson needed to get the points flowing again, hopefully jump starting a storm of production once he’s back in the States. The blend of skating and shooting prowess is great, he’s one of the last guys any goalie wants to see blazing down the ice with a viable shooting lane. The skill he displayed on his second goal really hints at the monster he can be — his body is basically along the goal line but he still manages to reach and curl the puck around for a great touch past the goalie. All four of his goals really showed how much finesse is found in his game, complimented by powerful skating and good positioning with his teammates.

Centering the second line with Epperson and Baker flanking either side of him, Teddy Stiga was partnered with a pair of two-way players with high forechecking ability and this line operated exactly like that. Teddy Stiga led the high effort forechecking and his tenacity enabled him to quickly get into the defensive zone and get stuck in along the boards to initiate battles for the puck. Stiga’s goal was an excellent display of work in the offensive end and hand-eye coordination as he positioned himself in the slot for a point shot from Whipple that he was able to get his stick on and redirect past Leenders. Stiga pushed the pace in this game, as he is more than capable of doing, and coming down the right wing with speed he would slow down and open up his blade as he looked down the corridor to the back post and attempted to hit some nice seam passes with Baker streaking in and they nearly connected on a couple occasions. When establishing an offensive possession Stiga did well to hold onto the puck and play smartly without making risky passes and instead keeping play flowing with some nice cycle work. It was a strong effort from Stiga in this one and nice to see him get on the board.

Knowing when to be at the goal mouth is a valuable skill and Epperson benefits from that for his first goal of the game. After Hensler’s rebound is sent to the left of the OZ, Epperson waits patiently at the net for any chance to redirect a puck back in the net and is rewarded for trusting Plante to get him the chance. Epperson’s hunger for the net-front did earn him a second goal as well, as he drove the net while Van Vliet performed wonders behind the goal line to create a centering lane. Epperson is able to score off the pass while under heavy pressure.

The first player that really caught my eye for the Shattuck was a player whom I previously have shown some appreciation for, Kristian Epperson. He was so heavily involved in the team’s offense in each game and truly asserted himself each time he stepped out on the ice. He looked very skilled on the puck and had his feet moving underneath him and was difficult to stop once he got a full head of steam. He was decisive on the puck and was able to put his passing ability to good use as he frequently searched for key passes to cut open the defense. He was able to beat his opponents with skill and create space to either get his shot away or take the puck hard to the net after taking that newfound space. He was hustling each shift and making sure nobody fought harder for the puck than he did. He looked really great over the weekend and he was the one pulling all the strings for SSM.