The USHL preseason got underway Wednesday night for a pair of Sabres prospects as Luke Osburn and the Youngstown Phantoms traveled to Green Bay for a three-games-in-three-days set with Vasily Zelenov and the Gamblers. The Phantoms emerged victorious by a 3-1 score in what developed into a chippy affair.
Osburn appeared to be in mid-season form as the contest was an overall showcase of his two-way skill set. He was very much in control of the game from the back end. His passing was fast, sharp, and precise. Poised and decisive, Osburn jumped into the play and quickly found space to release shots at the goal.
The standout attribute in Osburn’s game is his total skating. He has excellent balance and a smooth stride. He makes really tight turns, and when packaged with very good puck control, he makes for a natural fit as the team’s power play quarterback.
Osburn earned one assist with the man advantage when he worked the center point of the 1-3-1 to perfection, moving the puck to the wings and quickly finding a shot lane that led to a rebound goal.
Osburn later earned a cross-checking minor when he retreated to the defensive zone on a puck retrieval and dumped a Gamblers forward into the wall with a hit from behind.
For Zelenov, he came away from his first game of North American hockey likely realizing how physical the style of hockey is going to be moving forward and how he’ll need to get stronger on his skates as he goes.
It seemed he had a bit of a target on his back early. Bodies and sticks were on him several times in the opening frame, both during play and after whistles near the net. At one point in the middle frame, Osburn gave Zelenov an aggressive shove as the two crossed paths on their way back to the benches after a shift. It didn’t appear they were reminiscing about their time at Sabres Development Camp.
The physicality brought Zelenov into the game, though, and as the evening progressed, Zelenov himself went to lay a couple hits of his own. He did not appear timid.
There was plenty to like as Zelenov began settling in with a Gamblers attack that felt a little disjointed. Serving as a centerman and taking a significant number of draws, he was very involved in the play. He showed soft hands accepting some difficult passes, and feathered a few nice ones of his own. He understands how to function down the middle in the defensive zone, providing good support in front of the net and assisting the defenseman below the goal line to win possession.
When the Gamblers were awarded an early power play, Zelenov came out with the first unit to take the draw and worked the net front area. Perhaps this is an indication that he’ll have opportunity to play a featured role, but with several camp bodies yet to see the ice it too early to tell.
As a whole, Zelenov emerged from his first exposure to the league with a fair amount of data. As he goes, he’ll better understand the pace. He can clearly think the pace, but some added quickness and more familiarity with his his new teammates will certainly help with the execution.
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