It was a bit of a quieter game from Kennedy than what I’ve come to expect but he still played well and had a handful of scoring chances. I was really impressed on a few rushes where he just exploded with a handful of quick strides, propelling himself by a defender, and generating a high-danger chance off this powerful explosive first few strides. He scored on one of these rushes, roofing a puck short side high, but just the pure acceleration he got on both sequences was notable. He had a handful of other scoring chances, falling under the theme of hovering into open space and playing that smart off-puck I’ve come to like from him early on.

A skater who brought a ton of energy to every shift, Kennedy was able to consistently put defenders on their heels over the course of the event by using his tenacity and speed to create scoring chances for his team. He was consistently chasing down loose pucks inside the offensive zone whether that was beating his opponents in foot races to pucks or jumping onto second chance opportunities around the net which often led to extended sequences in the offensive end and a ton of pressure onto opposing defences. I thought he also possessed impressive accuracy and vision as a passer as he was able to make reads at top speed and execute tough passes through traffic to connect with teammates in the slot on a handful of occasions throughout the event.

Colin Kennedy was one of the standout forwards on this Little Caesars team during the semifinal game, he was getting himself on the puck frequently and with his quick hands and footwork he made defenders miss and he was able to draw a penalty for his team. He was slippery on the puck darting into space and evading defenders, and once he carved himself a bit of space he was quick to get his shots directed towards goal and looked to create secondary opportunities. His movement off the puck was good too and he found his way to the center lane where he could be set up for a quick pull of the trigger by the other playmakers on his team. He was strong in puck battles down low and came away with possession thanks to his tenacity, and he was able to find the game tying goal late in the game due to that grit and ability to find the puck amidst all the chaos. He found success in the faceoff circle as well and that led to his team establishing possession of the puck in the offensive zone, quickly putting his team in control of the play. He was a real driving force on the team during the game and he helped give his team a fighting chance by sending them to overtime.

Kennedy’s four-goal performance earned him a well-deserved first star. He scored in a variety of ways, showcasing his skill and touch. He opened the scoring with a smooth skate-to-stick pickup and a backhand finish in the slot. Right after, he took the puck off the faceoff, entered the zone, and ripped one top corner off his back hip from the top of the circle. His next two came off a passing play and a well-timed cross-body tip. Along with his offensive impact, he forechecked aggressively when needed, forcing turnovers and driving momentum for Caesars all game.

He had a devastating hit on a defender which could have potentially been called for boarding I think and tossed him from the game. The player stayed down for a while. He’s quite a physical player when he wants to be. At least he was here. I found he was looking for the high slot opportunities, pouncing on rebounds, and continued to follow up other plays by driving the net with quality timing. His stick is ready to adjust and pounce, showed good reaction timing, and showed a lot of flexibility on a 2on1 rush attempt later on. The way he dragged the puck behind his hip on the left and turned his upper body to make a perfect one-timer pass around a defensive stick was excellent. He finished with 2 goals.

This was a solid game from Colin Kennedy who assisted on the game winning goal in the second period. Kennedy did a lot of subtle things in this game that helped his team throughout, such as retain the puck extremely well. His puck possession skills were excellent with the way he used his body effectively to shield the puck, and he displayed great strength to withstand shoves and pressure to ensure he didn’t give the puck away cheaply. His assist to Trupiano was a perfect example of that, as he battled below the goal line and absorbed contact and even while he was falling down he was able to maintain control and make a backhand pass to the front for Trupiano to turn into the back of the net. His vision was impressive and he made intelligent, if not unexciting, plays with the puck that kept his team on the attack and firmly in control of the tie.