SKATER & GOALIE OF THE WEEK #18

Bobby_SmithRick_St.-CroixGlen_SharpleyMike_Liut

CLARENCE SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASISSTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
Smith, Bobby BRO 4 2 9 11 2 7 19 11%
                   
CLARENCE GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
St. Croix, Rick PIT 2 3 2.12 39 .929
                   
WALES SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASSISTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
Sharpley, Glen OHI 4 2 8 10 0 1 11 18%
                   
WALES GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
Liut, Mike SCS 2 3 1.5 80 .964

Chicago Underground
Weekly Preview: Chicago with one home game this week at the Capone Center. Chicago’s been hot lately.
Saint Clair Shores Saints @ Chicago Underground Chicago didn’t come to play, scoring only 2. St. Clair Shores however didn’t fair much better, but just enough as they put 3 in the back of the net.

Final Score: St. Clair Shores 3 – Chicago 2

Three Star Selection:
Star #1 – Mike Liut – 39 Saves
Star #2 – Steve Christoff – 1 Goal
Star #3 – Errol Thompson – 1 Goal

Mike Liut – 39 Saves & Chris Nilan 12 Minutes in Penalties for St. Clair Shores
Game Winning Goal – Errol Thompson

Weekly Summary: No Points at home this week for the Underground.
Saskatoon Cyclone
Weekly Preview: Two tough games at home this week for the Cyclone as they host division rival Silk City Whales and everybody’s favorite team – the defending Cup champion Pittsburgh Spirit.
Silk City Whales @ Saskatoon Cyclone This game should have been a blowout with Saskatoon dominating with a 45-27 shot margin and 10 power plays compared to Silk City’s two, but thanks to a titanic effort by Whales’ keeper Bob Sauve who turned aside 41 shots but it was just not quite enough as the Cyclone edged the visitors 4-3.

Saskatoon actually scored as many goals on its 10 power plays as it allowed with Dave Taylor getting his 39th of the year while Larry Murphy was off for five minutes for checking from behind and then Mike Crombeen scored late in the 2nd period while his Whales’ were short-handed on a nice pass interception by Barry Beck. The Whales also killed off another five-minute major that was handed out to Jerry (King Kong) Korab also for checking from behind.

The Whales scored with less than five minutes left in the game when Lindgren (5) blasted it past Glen Hanlon, but that was as close as they would get. Perry Turnbull scored for the Whales in the first period on a defensive breakdown by the Cyclone deep in their own zone. For Turnbull, it was his 28th of the season.

Wayne Gretzky didn’t put the puck in the net but did pick up three assists with helpers on Taylor’s goal, Dave Maloney’s 10th and Bob Gainey’s 19th. Doug Risebrough (10) continued to make a difference in pretty much every game he has played in albeit in a limited role due to his being as brittle as 200 year old stained glass.

Pittsburgh Spirit @ Saskatoon Cyclone Pittsburgh had the first and last laugh in this game with a breakaway goal by Steve Vickers and a blistering slapshot by Matti Hagman, but the Cyclone were doing all the laughing in between scoring six times between the Spirit bookend goals in a 6-2 win over Pittsburgh.

Vickers (11) opened the scoring at the 9-minute mark when he stripped Rick Vaive of the puck and deked out Reggie Lemelin, but Gaston Gingras (2) evened things up somehow breaking loose at his own blueline to have his own breakaway and beat Glenn Resch stickside low.

Jacques Richard (36) scored a minute later on the power play with Gerry Hart off for holding (not to mention a 10-minute misconduct) as the teams began to pound each other in expression of their mutual love. Gretzky and Dave Taylor assisted on the goal.

Tom Laidlaw fired a point shot through Resch’s legs with 89 seconds left in the period to make it 3-1 on only his 5th goal of the year. Vaive and Malinowski assisted on the play.

Midway through the 2nd the Cyclone capitalized on yet another power play with Wayne Gretzky scoring his 51st while Ron Greschner was off on a nice pass from Dino Ciccarelli with Taylor getting his 2nd assist of the game.

Ciccarelli zipped into the crease from behind Resch at 15:12 of the 2nd period and slid a backhander past Chico to make it 5-1 and put an end to the Pittsburgh netminder’s night.

Rick Vaive closed out the Saskatoon scoring when he scored his 19th on a tip in of Jacques Richard’s wrist shot.

The 3rd period consisted of the two teams pounding the stuffing out of each other while the refs looked the other way. Pat Ribble and Dave Maloney finally managed to smack enough snot out of each other to get the refs to blow the whistle and hand out off-setting roughing minors at 11:58 … and then at 14:17 all hell broke loose and the benches cleared. Featured matchups (and mismatchups) had Ribble trading punches with Keith Acton which is what started the whole thing. Guy Chouninard got tossed for being the first guy off the bench and he proceeded to smack around poor pacifist Jacques Richard who was also kicked from the game. Then it was Gerry Hart pounding on Merlin Malinowski (nothing magical about getting the shit kicked out of you young fella) and in a very sad hockey moment Rick Vaive could only find one Guy Lafleur as a fisticuffs partner. While Guy was trying to figure out how his gloves even came off, Vaive was pummelling him mercilessly and did to his head what a fat kid does to his first pinata.

Pittsburgh actually outshot Saskatoon 37-31 in the game thanks to 21 shots in the 3rd period, but Lemelin was rock solid and allowed just the one late goal.

Weekly Summary: Hard to complain about any series that included a 6-2 win over Pittsburgh and the win over the Whales was a bonus. Five points for Gretzky in the two games as he chases Nilsson and Smith for the point scoring lead.
CapJack Rangers
Weekly Preview: CapJack fighting for a playoff spot with those Harbor Rats host two games this week – Vermont and Saskatoon, the top two teams for the Smythe division, oh boy!
Vermont Foresters @ CapJack Rangers Foresters are always a tough game for the Rangers, especially since they feed us all the B&J ice cream. And they brought it with them. But after a Faubert elbowing penalty, the Rangers gain the lead 1-0 when Cloutier scores a PP goal 6 minutes in. Murray ties it up 4 minutes later, but Trottier scores 3 minutes after that and the 1st period ends 2-1 CapJack.

2nd period, Vail scores 25 and 26 (PP) goal to give the Foresters the 3-2 lead, quiet the crowd and see the Rangers head to the 3rd in need of some production. Everyone must have taken an ice cream break in the 2nd.

3rd period, Vermont goes on the attack outshooting the Rangers 15-8. However Lucien DeBlois ruled the period scoring twice (17) and (18 PP) within the 1st 4 minutes. Shutt shut down the Foresters with his 36 with just over a minute and a 1/2 to go and the Rangers skate away with the 5-3 win. Big finish was nice for a change.
STARS
1. VER – Vail 2 goals, 1 assist and then he got injured and it seems to have turned the tied
2. CAP – DeBlois 2 goals – well he had a lot to say about turning the tide
3. Gare – what did he do, set up 4 of the 5 goals!

Saskatoon Cyclone @ CapJack Rangers Hmmm – Dave Taylor reaches the 100 mark (PIM), he was already there in scoring. So if a hockey player gets 100+ points and 100+ PIM, is that a double-century?
OK the game.
Period 1 – Gare gets whistled for high sticking (4 min) and the Cyclone respond with 2 PP goals – Maloney and Gainey. 5 minutes in and down 2 – but not so fast – Robinson scores 14 seconds after the Toons 2nd goal. Then DeBlois gets an unassisted PP goal 9 minutes in and it’s all tied up 2-2 before the mid point of period 1. But Acton breaks that tie shortly after and the Toons take period 1 3-2.
PERIOD 2 – Rangers pounce on the Cyclone – they hired Pecos Bill to lasso the Cyclone – and the rattled off 4 unanswered goals off Lemelin and that finishes his day. It also gives the Rangers a 6-3 lead. Trottier, Lonsberry, Shutt and Lonsberry again. The 1st 3 were PP, the last SH. Special teams! 15 seconds after the last of the 4 goals, Rota scores a PP goal for Saskatoon and the game tightens to 6-4 and that’s how the 2nd period ends.THIRD PERIOD – 1st period and 2nd period each saw 5 goals so we are for a feast – but the feast in the 3rd period was served up by Vachon as he stops 12 Cyclone shots. And early in the period Danny Gare puts one past Hanlon to make it 7-4 and that’s how it ended. Gretzky had the most time on ice for Saskatoon, but was held pointless – so what’s the point? Pretty even stats across the board – slight advantages to the the Cyclones. PP stats: Saskatoon converted on 3 for 4 (75%); CapJack on 4 of 8 (50%). That was 7 PP goals in the game.
STARS: (all CAP)
1. Lonsberry 2 goals
2. Robinson 1 goal, 2 assists
3. Trottier 1 goal, 2 assists
Weekly Summary: CapJack gets 2 for 2 this week at home! Yay, it is needed and no complaints.
Charlestown Chiefs
Weekly Preview: Three home games this week — are we still sending individual files, or has that been worked out?

Sending individually until I hear otherwise.

Saskatoon Cyclone @ Charlestown Chiefs Some young snot nosed punk named Gretzky comes to town (never heard of him), and leaves empty pointed. The Chiefs color Saskatoontown for 5 goals en route to a 5-1 victory.

Scoring Summary
Per Time Str Team
2 3:43 EV CHA Gradin (8), assisted by Tremblay (33) and Baxter (5)
3 1:19 PP CHA Gardner (22), assisted by Bourque (19) and Potvin (35)
3 9:09 EV SAS Tardif (14), assisted by Quenneville (17) and Taylor (67)
3 11:31 EV CHA Steve Tambellini (10), assisted by Giles (16) and Lyle (9)
3 17:55 EV CHA Potvin (16), assisted by Steve Tambellini (8)
3 19:26 EV CHA Bourque (16), unassisted

Injuries: Acton(SAS)-game Lowe(SAS)-game

Star 1: CHA Potvin 1 G, 2 Pts
Star 2: CHA Tambellini 1 G, 2 Pts
Star 3: CHA Plasse 34 saves

GWG: Paul Gardner

Notables: SAS D.Maloney 14 PIM
CHA Plasse 34 saves

One down, two to go. A good start.

CapJack Rangers @ Charlestown Chiefs Anyone else think there are too many teams in the league that begin with “C”? The nerve of these owners…

For Charlestown, “C” is for Crappy, as Plasse gives up 4 goals in the first and as valiant as they try (including a SH goal at 18:19 of the 3rd), the Chiefs come up short in the 5-4 loss.

Scoring Summary
Per Time Str Team
1 2:32 EV CAP MacMillan (14), assisted by Siltanen (38) and Vadnais (16)
1 3:15 PP CAP Tookey (6), assisted by Schutt (49) and Cloutier (16)
1 7:02 EV CHA Gradin (9), assisted by Tremblay (34)
1 7:22 EV CAP Tookey (7), assisted by Schutt (50) and Cloutier (17)
1 14:50 EV CAP Cloutier (13), assisted by Tookey (15)
2 3:57 EV CHA McDonald (21), assisted by Potvin (36) and Savard (28)
3 1:34 EV CAP DeBlois (17), assisted by Mulvey (19) and Cloutier (18)
3 2:42 PP CHA Paiement (26), assisted by Bourque (20) and Gardner (43)
3 18:19 SH CHA Savard (28), assisted by Paiement (64)

Injuries: Gare(CAP)-game

Star 1: CAP Tookey 2 G, 3 Pts
Star 2: CAP Cloutier 1 G, 4 Pts
Star 3: CAP MacMillan 1 G

GWG: Lucien DeBlois

Notables: CAP Cloutier 3 assists, Vachon 34 saves
CHA Coffey 12 PIM, Plasse 30 saves

Charlotte Dynamo @ Charlestown Chiefs Teams end the 1st period knotted at 2, then the Chiefs have a goal party and win it 7-3.

Scoring Summary
Per Time Str Team
1 1:33 EV CHA Kerr (28), assisted by Savard (29)
1 6:21 PP CHA Potvin (17), assisted by Paiement (65) and Savard (30)
1 15:58 PP CHD Smith (14), assisted by Lacroix (15)
1 19:28 PP CHD Cashman (18), assisted by Hajt (8)
2 5:54 PP CHA Tremblay (12), assisted by Gradin (27)
2 11:59 EV CHA Kallur (22), assisted by Gradin (28) and Tremblay (35)
2 16:45 PP CHA Paiement (27), unassisted
3 5:51 EV CHA Gradin (10), assisted by Tremblay (36) and Kallur (12)
3 12:03 PP CHA Gardner (23), unassisted
3 19:55 EV CHD MacTavish (3), assisted by Rowe (9) and Jonathan (17)

Star 1: CHA Tremblay 1 G, 3 Pts
Star 2: CHA Gradin 1 G, 3 Pts
Star 3: CHA Kallur 1 G, 2 Pts

GWG: Anders Kallur

Notables: CHD Jonathan 15 PIM
CHA Plasse 32 saves

Weekly Summary: Three home games, 2-1 record. That’ll work.
Syracuse Bulldogs
Weekly Preview: Ducks Vs. Dogs
New Castle Ducks @ Syracuse Bulldogs New Castle wins on the road 4-3
Stars #1 NEW Kaspar 2G 3pts
#2 NEW Currie 1G 3pts
#3 NEW Allison 1G 3pts
Weekly Summary: One home game. Another L
Silk City Wales
Weekly Preview: The Whales have one home game this week as first place Vermont comes in for a battle.
Vermont Foresters @ Silk City Wales Craig Ramsay scores two goals, the second 14:41 into the second period to lead the Foresters to a 5-3 win over Silk City. Vermont had a 3-1 lead after the first period but the Whales came back to tie the game on goals by Jerry Korab and Willie Plett. MIke Foligno added an insurance goal early in the third period for the Foresters.

1st Star – Craig Ramsay (VER), 2G
2nd Star – Mark Howe (VER), G, A
3rd Star – Kent Nilsson (VER), G

Weekly Summary: The Whales show some grit but come up short in a battle against Smythe Division leader Vermont.
Saint Clair Shores Saints
Weekly Preview: The surging New Castle Ducks are still on the outside looking in but now find themselves battling for the final playoff spot with Ohio, Syracuse and St. Clair Shores. Three big home games this week against division leader Philadelphia, with Chicago (leading in the “wild card” race) and St. Clair Shores.
Philadelphia Firebirds @ Saint Clair Shores Saints The Firebirds are too much for the Ducks as Philly wins this one 4-0 as Don Beaupre makes 34 saves and gets his second shutout of the season. Marcel Dionne was a one man wrecking crew for Philly as he scored the first two goals of the game (36, 37) and assisted on the final tally. In between Peter Lee’s 32nd of the year was a huge insurance goal in the third period. The Firebirds scored three of their four goals on the power play as the Ducks penalty killing continues to be one of the worst in the league.

THREE STARS
1- PHI Don Beaupre 34 saves – SHUTOUT
2- PHI Marcel Dionne – 2 G, 1 A
3- PHI- John Anderson 3 A

Michel “Bunny” Larocque made 31 saves for the Ducks in the losing effort. New Castle defenseman RIchie Dunn had 8 shots on goal. There was a third period fight between two of the toughest players in the league as Philly’s Gary Howatt went at it with New Castle’s Frank Bathe.

Chicago Underground @ Saint Clair Shores Saints New Castle found its scoring touch again as they routed Chicago 7-2. The Underground hold the first of two non division winner playoff spots and the Ducks are still close enough to potentially catch them – and this win will help. The Ducks scored three in the first period and added a fourth goal in the second before Chicago got on the scoreboard. Rick Middleton scored the game’s opening goal (34), Mike Allison scored twice (36,37) and Steve Kasper scored (17) what proved to be the game winner.

THREE STARS:
1- NEW Mike Allison 2 G 1 A
2- NEW Steve Kasper 1 G, 2 A
3 – NEW Yvon Vatour 1 G, 2 A

Chicago outshot New Castle 40-29 but Billy Smith was sensational in the Ducks goal making 38 saves. In the second period with the score 4-1, Smith made the biggest play of the game when he stopped Mike Bossy on a penalty shot (Smith is 2 for 2 this year stopping penalty shots). The Ducks had 40 PIM to 2 for Chicago as the Underground had NINE poewr plays but converted on only one of them. New Castle scored on its only power play.

Bobby Clarke had 14 PIM including a misconduct and Frank Bathe had 12 including a misconduct.

New Castle Ducks @ Saint Clair Shores Saints SCS 3 NEW 1. In a big game with playoff implications, Ducks Coach Raylesberg inexplicably started third string goalie Gary Edwards, who made his first appearance of the year. And it wasnt a good one as he allowed 3 goals on only 13 shots int he losing effort. Greg Malone made it 1-0 SCS in the 2d period before Yvon Lambert tied it with his 25th of the season. Two minutes later Errol THompson got his 20th for the Saints to make it 2-1 with what proved to be the game winner. SCS’s Doug Wilson scored an insurance goal at 1:50 of the third and the Saints then held on despite a New Castle onslaught as the Ducks outshot SCS 16-2 in the third period.
For the game, the Ducks had a 42-13 SOG advantage but Mike Liut was spectacular in goal for SCS, making 41 saves. THere was a third period brawl between tough guys Terry O’Reilly of the Ducks and Chris Nilan of SCS. Nilan got a fighting major and a GAME misconduct. O’Reilly got a major and a misconduct.
THREE STARS:
1- SCS Mike Liut 41 saves
2- SCS Errol Thompson 1 G 1 A
3- SCS Doug Wilson 1 G
Weekly Summary: The Ducks have a disappointing week at home, dropping 2 of 3. As of the moment they trail Syracuse by only one point for the final playoff spot but Ohio, St. Clair Shores and Syracuse all have more games to play this week with an opportunity to gain ground and pass New Castle for that final playoff spot.
Ohio Legends
Weekly Preview: Three pivotal home games for the Ohio Legends as they continue their pursuit of a playoff berth.
Mackinac Island Moose @ Ohio Legends OHIO 6, Mackinac Island 4

Ohio opens a 4-0 led just past the halfway mark of the game and Macinac Island came charging from there. Brian Propp’s 30th goal late in the second got things started for the Moose and Phil Russell’s fourth early in the third cut the deficit in half. The Legends were able to hold on, as Jim Rutherford led the way with 28 saves.

Glen Sharpley had a goal and three assists for Ohio, which went two-for-four on the power play, while Mackinac Island was a perfect two-for-two with the man-advantage. The game featured a pair of fights and the Moose won the shots battle, 32-26.

Philadelphia Firebirds @ Ohio Legends OHIO 6, Philadelphia 3

Another game that saw Ohio race out to a 3-0 lead early in the second period before Philadelphia came charging back. Bernie Federko’s second goal of the night (and 23rd of the season), put the Legends ahead at 5-1 after two periods.

In the third, the Firebirds got goals from Rod Langway (12) and John VanBoxmeer (14) to get back ton within 5-3, but Garry Lariviere’s first of the year came via an empty net to close it out.

Jim Rutherford got another win with 26 stops, while Don Beaupre took the defeat after turning away 23 shots. The shots were even at 29 each and Ohio dominated the special teams (everyone brings out the worst in Philadelphia)–going four-for-seven with the man-advantage, while the Firebirds were one-of-two on the power play.

Glen Sharpley had a gosal and two assists to lead Ohio.

Syracuse Bulldogs @ Ohio Legends Syracuse 5, OHIO 3

Syracuse rallied from a 2-1 deficit at the midway point in the game to p[ick up the victory. Al MacAdam (8) and Reed Larson (9) scored 81 seconds apart to turn the tide and give the Bulldogs the lead they would not relinquish.

Glen Sharpley’s goal with just under four minutes remaining closed the gap to 4-3, but Bill Derlago’s tally at 18:22 ended the contest.

Dave Parro turned aside 32 shots to grab the win, while Denis Herron re-routed 24 in the defeat. Each team went one-for-five on the power play and the game featured a fight.

Weekly Summary: Ohio wins two of three games at home for the week and picked up a big four points. Glen Sharpley was the hero of the week for the Legends, collecting three goals and six assist for nine points. Jim Rutherford picked up a pair of improbable wins as well.
Brooklyn Harbor Rats
Weekly Preview: Chiefs and Whales come to Brooklyn this week.
Silk City Whales @ Brooklyn Harbor Rats Harbor Rats open a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes, but Brian Sutter and Perry Turnbull score the only second period goals to help the visitors tie things up. Early in the 3rd and Silk City can’t stay out of the box as Brooklyn scores 3 power play goals in 4 minutes time. Then a pair of goals from the Rats 4th line helps salt things as Brooklyn gets 8 goals from 8 different skaters in an 8-4 win over cousin Chris’ Silk City Whales.
Charlestown Chiefs @ Brooklyn Harbor Rats Brooklyn again has a 3 goal first period and when Paul Reinhart connects on the power play early in the 2nd, it’s 4-0 Harbor Rats and they go on to a 6-2 win over Charlestown. Bobby Smith has a goal and 3 assists off his 3 assist performance against Silk City.
Weekly Summary: 14 goals in 2 home games, with a pair of win for 4 points, an excellent home week for the Harbor Rats fans!
Columbus Owls
Weekly Preview: Columbus has 3 home games this week as the season winds down.
Ohio Legends @ Columbus Owls This in state game goes to the Owls by the score of 6-1

1st star-Payne Col 2 goals
2nd star-Espositio Col 3 assists
3rd star-Fogolin Col 1 goal 1 assist

Syracuse Bulldogs @ Columbus Owls Syracuse 4 Columbus 3

1st star-Boldirev Syr 1 goal 1 assist
2nd star-Smyl Syr 1 goal 1 assist
3rd star-Fraser Syr 1 goal

Chicago Underground @ Columbus Owls Columbus wins a high scoring shootout 6-5

1st star-Zuke Col 1 goal 3 assists
2nd star-Goulet 2 goals
3rd star-Fogolin Col 2 goals

Weekly Summary: Owls get 4 of 6 points available this week as they strive to get better and build momentum towards next season.
Philadelphia Firebirds
Weekly Preview: Philly continues its limp towards a playoff chance. They take on Columbus and Mackinac
Columbus Owls @ Philadelphia Firebirds Philly gives 3rd string Ed Staniowski the start and gives Randy Carlyle a rest.

1st – Columbus takes the lead on a Murdoch goal (5th) from Payne and Espo. Philly responds on the PP as Al Secord gets his 3rd from Maruk. Payne takes a 5 minute elbowing penalty and Philly capitalizes as Maruk gets his 33rd from Hartsburg and Dionne. Philly keeps the pressure on but John Ogrodnick gets the SH breakway and beats Stanioski for his 19th and the period ends 2-2
2nd- Maruk puts Philly up 3-2 with his 34th on the DP and Doug Soetart does not get up and has to leave the game. The Owls score twice on goals by Hunter and Payne both assisted by Espo and the Owls lead 4-3

3rd- Philly comes out flying Langway gets his 12 , Maruk gets his hat with his 35th and Dionne gets his 36th and with just 5 minutes to go it looks good for Philly. But Lee Fogolin throws one at the net and we see why Staniowski doesnt play much and with just a minute left Blaine Stoughton blows his 36th past the tender to tie the game at 6

PHILLY 6 COLUMBUS 6

Mackinac Island Moose @ Philadelphia Firebirds Philly saw enough of Staniowski and doesn’t dare start him against the moose and Sevigny gets the start.

1st – The first is all Moose and Lysiak and Park score to put the Moose up 2-0. John Anderson pulls Philly back within one and the period ends 2-1 Mack
2nd – Langway gets his 13th and his 2nd in 2 games on a blast from the point. Russell does the same for Mack but before the period ends MArcel Dionne ties it up with his 37th.
3rd – The third is tight but a PP goal by Johnson Anderson (12th) from Maruk and Boxxy is the difference.

PHILLY 4 MOOSE 3

Weekly Summary: 3 points in 2 games is good but we left a point in the game with Columbus.
Charlotte Dynamo
Weekly Preview: Charlotte, enjoying a much better second half of its inaugural season, hosted the leaders in its division, Pittsburgh and Cap Jack.
Pittsburgh Spirit @ Charlotte Dynamo With the prospects of facing the top team in the league in Pittsburgh, the Dynamo elected to swallow its medicine whole, rip off the band-aid, and sit six top starters collectively against the Spirit to address final usage issues — scratches included the league’s leading goal scorer (Charlie Simmer) and hall of famers Gil Perreault and Glenn Anderson. The Dynamo players who were left turned in one of the most admirable efforts of the season, before ultimately bowing to their Pittsburgh visitors 3-2. The Spirit’s Willie Huber fired in the game winning goal from the point with just 2:50 left to play in the hard fought contest. Winning goalie Chico Resch was forced to make 28 saves against the undermanned Dynamo. Stan Jonathan and Glenn Hicks scored goals that had given Charlotte a brief 2-1 lead in the early in the second, before defenseman Gerry Hart knotted the game at 2-2 halfway through the contest. Earlier, Rejean Houle found the net 3:32 into the first period to account for Pittsburgh’s other goal and provide the Spirit with the quick 1-0 lead at the time.
CapJack Rangers @ Charlotte Dynamo The Dynamo lost another late heartbreaker, falling 6-4 in a game much closer than the score indicated. Knotted at four, Danny Gare scored the game winning goal with just 1:43 left in the contest, then CapJack’s Lucien DeBlois scored an immediate even strength goal 20 seconds later following the center ice faceoff win, to seal the deal. The Rangers’ Steve Shutt scored two earlier goals in the game for first-star honors and CapJack’s Bryan Trottier won an astonishing 18 faceoffs to keep the Dynamo at bay throughout much of the contest.
Weekly Summary: Undermanned Charlotte put up a fight before losing two home games in the final moments — fighting valiantly as it strategically elected to scratch multiple top players against the two best teams in the league. The decks are now cleared however, for the Dynamo to field the strongest team possible during the final stretch.
Mackinac Island Moose
Weekly Preview: The Moose host Chicago and Saint Claire Shores this week. The ice has melted and teams can now take the boat to the island. Beats the view from behind those sled dogs.
Chicago Underground @ Mackinac Island Moose Chicago 5, Moose 3 – After Propp and Rautakallio serve time for a little skirmish, the Moose give Chicago the advantage on a pair of penalties. The first is thwarted with a good penalty kill effort, and the 2nd results in a penalty shot which is successfully stopped by Meloche. The teams continue to battle evenly, and seem headed to a scoreless 1st period, until the Moose defense breaks down and allows late period goals by Savard and Gillies. Period ends 2-0 Underground.

2nd period opens up with the Underground still pumped up, and Foster pushes the lead to 3 with a goal just one minute into the period. The period continues on with Chicago opening the door 3 times with penalties, but the Moose unable to convert. Finallly near the end of the period, the Moose find success with quick goals from Lever and Barber to send the game to intermission 3-2 Chicago.

After Smith opens up the 3rd period with a penalty, Chicago makes a comeback tougher with a goal by Stastny at the 2 minute mark to make the lead 2. Chicago is in a giving mood and commits 2 penalties in the next 5 minutes, with the home team able to convert on the last one, with Propp scoring to make it 4-3 Chicago. Good play the rest of the way until the home team defense gets to aggressive late, letting Mondou get into scoring position to net one and make it 5-3 Chicago. The Moose are unable to muster any more offense and go home sad.

1st star – Stastny 1g1a
2nd – Mondou 1g1a
3rd – Gillies 1g

Saint Clair Shores Saints @ Mackinac Island Moose Moose 5, Saints 4 – Tired of watching the visitors get the first goal, the Moose score only 40 seconds into the game with Russell bombing a long slapper to make it 1-0. Shortly after, the Saints Nilan continues his assault on the penalty minutes race by racking up 12 minutes (2+10). Duguay joins in the penalty competition a little later and that allows Dupont to add another goal for the home team to make it 2-0. The period continues on and appears headed to intermission with no more damages until Babych nets one and gives the visitors some redemption, making 2-1 at the break.

Early in the 2nd, Kelly gets a steal and a breakaway, converted successfully to tie it up at 2. The visitors then feel obligated to help the home team with penalties, Nilan twice and a botched shift change. The home team is able to convert on the last penalty, Napier scoring, to make it 3-2 Moose at the 2nd intermission.

Good tight play in the 3rd until Christoff gets another breakaway for the visitors, which he converts, and the score is even once again at 3, with 12 minutes to go. McTaggart then commits his first of two penalties, this one a difference maker as Napier gets his 2nd goal of the game, putting the Moose up 4-3. Napier proves to be the man in charge this evening as he completes the hat trick with 4 minutes to go, putting the home team up 5-3. This lets the home fans breathe easy for all of 18 seconds until Christoff slips one by Palmateer to put the pucker factor back in the fans heading into the final 4 minutes. Palmateer and the defense is up to the task, and hold off a pulled goalie attack the final minute and 15 to escape with the win.

1st star – Napier hat trick
2nd – Christoff 2g
3rd – Russell 1g

Weekly Summary: The Moose manage 2 points in 2 home games this week. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Napier with a hat trick in game 2, adds an assist in the loss, ending the week with 4 points.

Saint Clair Shores Saints
Weekly Preview: The Saints have one home game this week. They host Syracuse.
Syracuse Bulldogs @ Saint Clair Shores Saints The Saints get some rare offense and defeat the Bulldogs, 6-3. Fraser, Hamel, and Larson score for Syracuse. The Saints score 4 in the second, and get 6 different goals from 6 different skaters.

1st – Fidler 1 goal, 2 assists
2nd – Babych 1 goal, 2 assists
3rd – Delorme 1 goal, 1 assist

Saints 6 Bulldogs 3

Weekly Summary: Saints defeat Syracuse, 6-3 in the Saints only home game.
Pittsburgh Spirit
Weekly Preview: Sorry it took so long. No time for write-ups.
Brooklyn Harbor Rats @ Pittsburgh Spirit With only 16 shots on goal, the Spirit beat Brooklyn 5-4.
Silk City Whales @ Pittsburgh Spirit 3 PP goals leads the Spirit to a 5-2 win over Silk City.
Weekly Summary: 2 games, 4 points. Have we clinched a playoff spot yet? 😉
Vermont Foresters
Weekly Preview: 2 games with charlotte and brooklyn coming to the bjc
Charlotte Dynamo simmer scores 34 seconds in on the first shot of the game and ron low suffers his 1st loss of the year. vermont outshot charlotte 14-3 in the 3rd period
Brooklyn Harbor Rats reinhart scores 26 seconds in on the first shot of the game, mike gartner at 1:43 but vermont ties it with goals from hunter and foligno to make it 2-2 at the end of 1 period. vermont takes a 3-2 lead, brooklyn scores the next 2 for a 4-3 lead, vermont scores 1 late in the second to end the period 4-4. vermont scores 3 goals in 4 minutes 10 seconds in the middle of the 3rd to take control 7-4 and brooklyn adds 1 more late to end it 7-5. vermont lost pat price and brooklyn lost bobby smith to injuries in the 2nd.
Weekly Summary: 2 games 1 win 1 loss 4 points for nilsson