I noticed Brandt mainly for how he used his physical tools in this game. He's a powerful skater who protects the puck well, using his frame and reach to smartly keep pucks away from defenders. It was nothing flashy, just a high volume of sequences where Brandt shielded pucks from an opponent and kept play flowing up ice, thanks to his ability to gain separation and not be closed down. With the puck, he was smart in his decision-making, typically processing his options correctly and choosing the right path to link plays together and help the Lakers in transition.

After watching the Lakers six times over the Silver Stick, I had more time to develop notes on the rest of their roster, and Rooyakkers benefited from these extra views. I really liked his ambition to try to penetrate and attack the middle of the ice. When he had the puck in the offensive zone, Brandt was always looking to make something happen, showing some tactical handling to navigate his way in and out of defenders. Through this puck handling and confidence, Rooyakkers could beat defenders and win lanes to the dangerous parts of the ice on many occasions. While most of my notes revolve around his handling to beat defenders, there was an aspect of dual-threat as he connected on a handful of passes to the scoring areas.