Nash Stone has chemistry with Vikings sniper Carter Dittmer
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/03/2024 (801 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Call it offensive chemistry, or call it teamwork.
Either way, Vincent Massey Vikings assistant captain and senior forward Nash Stone has enjoyed his only season playing in the Westman High School Hockey League.
“I’m never been a natural goal scorer, more of a playmaker and bring physicality to my game,” said Stone. “But when I’m playing with Carter (Dittmer) and Theron McGregor, we have a chemistry.”
On a line with 71-goal-scorer Carter Dittmer and Theron McGregor, Vincent Massey Vikings forward Nash Stone (9) excelled on his team's No. 1 powerplay unit, scoring five goals and adding 15 assists during the regular season. He scored the opening goal on the Hamiota Huskies as the Vikings took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three semifinal playoff series following a 3-2 OT victory Saturday night at Flynn Arena.
This offensive chemistry has Dittmer leading the WHSHL in scoring with 71 goals and 110 points in 32 games this season, and counting in the playoffs, while McGregor has 11 goals and 47 points in 32 games.
In his own 32 games, Stone has found the back of the net 25 times, and added 33 assists setting up many of Dittmer’s goals.
“Yeah, I’ve been involved with a lot of his goals for sure,” laughed Stone, who was born and raised in Brandon and started playing in Hockey Brandon’s system in Grade 2.
“When you play with Carter, you try to be open for his passes. I try to be in the right spot knowing he’s going to get you the puck. We have a good chemistry playing together.”
Unlike some of his hockey peers, Stone was late to the game.
“I started late, playing,” he recalled. “I was seven I think. I’ve always played forward, and never thought about playing defence or being a goalie, which never interested me, unless I was playing road hockey.”
By his atom season, Stone started playing AA hockey besides house league being double rostered. From AA peewee, he then made Brandon’s AAA bantam team, but did so during a limited season because of the COVID pandemic.
The past two seasons prior to switching to high school hockey, Stone was on the Brandon Wheat Kings U17 AAA team.
Stone is happy with his decision to play high school hockey versus moving up to U18 AAA.
“The pace of play is definitely different from U17 AAA hockey. Playing for the Vikings exceeded my expectations in the regular season. Coming in second I’m happy with my play and being on this team,” he said, “but it’s still competitive. I was surprised there are some great players in the league, especially on the rural teams we are playing.”
Like the Hamiota Huskies, a team he scored his team’s first goal against Saturday night at Flynn Arena during the semifinal series opener. Dittmer, who had three points in the game, scored the overtime winner as the Vikings took a 1-0 lead following the 3-2 triumph.
“Hamiota is a tough team, and have good D-zone play, with four lines which are always working,” he said of his playoff opponent. “It won’t be an easy series as the Huskies always play us tough.”
When it comes to his hockey prowess besides being a playmaker, Stone is not shy when it comes to battling with D-men in front of the net or taking the puck off an opposing forward during wall battles.
Vincent Massey Vikings assistant captain Nash Stone finished 18th in Westman High School Hockey League scoring with 25 goals and 58 points in 32 games. (Jules Xavier/The Brandon Sun)
“One of my strengths is my physicality for sure,” he said. “I know the defence will play me tough, but I don’t mind … I’ll be there in front to deflect the puck when I’m being pushed out.”
If there’s a part of his game he’s been working on all season, it would be his consistency playing a 200-foot game.
“I need to do more in my defensive zone,” said Stone. “I need to make sure I get the puck out on our breakouts.”
The Grade 12 student will turn his attention to the Vikings baseball team once his hockey season is done, and he’s hopeful captain Dittmer is hoisting the playoff trophy first this spring.
“Our coach told us at the start of the season we have a team which has an opportunity to win the league with our talent, if we play our game, and so far, it’s worked out,” he said.
If the second-place Vikings (25-5-0) get past the third-place Huskies (24-5-0), their opponent will be either the first-place Neepawa Tigers (25-4-0) or the fourth-place Dauphin Clippers (22-6-0).
The Tigers are starting their series this week after being in Winnipeg this past weekend competing in the provincial AAAA high school hockey tournament.
Game 2 of the Vikings-Huskies series is in Hamiota today at 8:15 p.m. Flynn Arena is the venue for Game 3 on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
» jxavier@brandonsun.com
» X: @julesxavier59