Comment 1: Rookie Watch
Let's take a look at a standout rookie from each team who really helped out today:
Egor Kucherov - Although he didn't get himself on the scoresheet, Kucherov did all he could to keep the game tied where it was. He recorded a game-high 4 shot blocks and registered 3 shots on goal. The second-line defenseman is really showing improvements on both sides of the ice, and it's only a matter of time before he's firing on all cylinders. You can tell that management feels this way, too, as he managed to log 22 minutes for the Whalers.
Monkey D. Luffy - One of the front-runners for rookie of the year, Luffy had himself a day when Lethbridge needed it most today. The team is already asking for huge minutes from him, and he took 34 faceoffs (winning exactly half) in 20 minutes of ice time. Add a goal on 2 shots to that against a very formidable Whalers second line, and I think most veterans would take a statline like that!

Comment 2: Who Blew It?
You can't improve without knowing what happens in your losses, so it's time for my favorite comment: Who Blew It?
Truth be told, this game was almost blown by Lethbridge's defensive unit. It seemed like the wheels were coming off late after battling with a Whalers team that was miraculously getting every shot on net. Full credit should go to Patrice Nadeau for his 34 saves in the winning effort tonight. However, the two players who were really to blame on the sequence that led to the game-winner by Nick McKee were Barret McCarthy and Bernik Vrzala. McCarthy threw the lazy pass in his own zone that led to a Dinars Briedis interception. A few calculated passes later, Vrzala laid the hit on McKee only to not follow up with the puck. While Vrzala was celebrating ... or something ... McKee was back up quick enough to grab the puck and eventually score. I don't want to lay it on Bernik too hard, as he's a young rookie just learning, but you gotta think he got an earful for that later that night. Congrats to him as well as McCarthy.

Comment 3: First-Round Performances
I wonder how each first-round pick for these teams did in this big game:
Borromini Cannellini (7th overall pick): -1, 1 shot, 8/24 faceoffs Rough night for young Borromini, but he had a tall order tonight, going up against one of the toughest centers in the SMJHL right now. Although Luffy is also a rookie, he's put a lot of work into the faceoff department - and he's no slouch himself being the 3rd round draft pick!
Eva Lykke Aparjode (9th overall pick): +1, 1 A, 1 hit, 17 MP A good day for Aparjode! He has 15 points at this point in the season, which is more than a respectable amount. Asking a rookie to play 17 minutes is about the average in today's SMJHL, but I'm sure management doesn't want to burn him out this early in his career, knowing he'll be back for at least one more full season. Aparjode is typically not a physical guy, averaging about 0.7 hits per game, so any game where he actually gets physical is worth noting.