1984/85 SKATER & GOALIE OF THE WEEK #10

Dale_HawerchukGreg_MillenPierre_MondouPat_Riggin

CLARENCE SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASSISTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
Hawerchuk, Dale CHD 3 7 6 13 0 8 18 39%
                   
CLARENCE GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
Millen, Greg AND 2 5 2.41 59 .922
                   
WALES SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASSISTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
Mondou, Pierre CHI 3 2 5 7 0 1 10 20%
                   
WALES GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
Riggin, Pat OHI 1 1 1 19 .950

Chicago Underground
WEEKLY PREVIEW: A solid matchup, though one team is a little better than the other as far as points in the standings.
GAME #1:

SAINT CLAIR SHORES SAINTS

VS.

CHICAGO UNDERGROUND

Chicago gets out to an early lead only 1:35 into the game. By the 6:52 mark of the 2nd period, Chicago holds a 5-1 lead & looks like they are in control of this game. 8-Minutes later things change. An even-strength goal, followed by 2 Power-Play & then to top that all off, 2 Short-Handed goals, & with 9:01 left in the 3rd the Saints hold a 6-5 lead. The Referees had much to do with this one & Chicago management was not happy with the calls on the ice.

Final Score: St. Clair Shores 6 – Chicago 5

Labatts 3-Star Selection:
Star 1: CHI – Peter Stastny 2G, 3Pts
Star 2: CHI – Pierre Mondou 2G
Star 3: SCS – Murray Craven 1G, 3Pts

Game Winner: – Murray Craven

Notables:
SCS – Chris Nilan 17 Minutes in Penalties
CHI – Pelle Lindbergh 36 Saves

WEEKLY SUMMARY: A disappointing finish to the only home game Chicago has at the Capone Center. The team is headed out on the road, where Pelle Lindbergh rents a Porsche 930 Turbo & drives fast. Denis Savard puts a drink in Pelle’s hand & says “You got this”. Pelle in turn says, “Denis who knows I might buy one of these someday”.
Pittsburgh Spirit
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Two home games. Can the Spirit right the ship? Or is it too late to be so far behind CapJack in the standings?
GAME #1: 

TEXAS BRAHMAS VS.

PITTSBURGH SPIRIT

The Brahmas bull their way into Pittsburgh… but it’s the Spirit that can’t be broken as they win this one 7-3.
GAME #2: 

HYANNISPORT PRESIDENTS VS.

PITTSBURGH SPIRIT

The Spirit scores 4 unanswered goals… but the Presidents score the next 4 to tie it 4-4!!

Goulet (25) scores on the PP to make it 5-4. Goulet (26) would also pot the empty netter to seal the victory in the waning seconds of the game. Spirit win 6-4.

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Two home games, two wins. The sign in the locker room above the door says it all…

“Just @$#&%!& WIN!!”

Mackinac Island Moose
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Dallas comes to town for the final game before winter hibernation. What? Moose don’t hibernate? Then let’s go hit the bars!!
GAME #1: DALLAS DRAKES VS. MACKINAC ISLAND MOOSE Moose struggles to get the puck out of their zone most of the period. Even 2 PP sessions don’t put many SOG on the board. Dallas scores early for the only goal of the period from Greschner. 1-0 after the 1st.

Must have been some good locker room talk on the Moose end, because they come roaring out and score 2 early, Marios and Zezel with long-range rockets, and the lead flips to the Moose. A couple of small fights lead to 4-on-4 action, but no blood. McPhee with another long ranger pushes the lead to 2, but Dionne responds in the next minute to make it 3-2 Moose, and that is how the period ends.

A double minor on Bothwell opens the door wide for the Drakes early in the 2nd. Moose are able to limit the damage to just one goal, from Anderson, and we are tied at 3 with 18 minutes to go. A couple of small fights lead to more 4-on-4 action in the middle of the period, but once again no blood. A minor on Anderson gives the Moose a PP opportunity, but can’t cash in, and just as Anderson comes back on the ice, Quinn with an attack on the goal pays off and the Moose is now up 4-3. Moose get the puck into the Drakes zone as the clock approaches 1 minute, and go into 4 corner passing to kill some clock and avoid the pulled goalie attack. With passing not an option, Propp takes a desperation shot and it finds the back of the net for some insurance. 5-3 Moose, and it ends that way.

1st star – Marios 1G 2pts
2nd – Quinn 1G 2pts
3rd – McPhee 1G 2pts

WEEKLY SUMMARY: A solid win over a quality team from Dallas. The boys should feel good heading to holiday break with a fresh W.

Happy Holidays to all you MWOTHL’ers ! I will toast all of you in the next few weeks.

Ohio Legends
WEEKLY PREVIEW: The Hyannisport Presidents make the trip to the Buckeye State prior to the holiday break for the lone game this week for Ohio.
GAME #1: HYANNISPORT PRESIDENTS VS. OHIO LEGENDS Ohio 6, Hyannisport 5 (OT)

Tim Higgins netted his sixth goal of the season at 25 seconds of overtime, as the Ohio Legends claimed a 6-5 overtime win over the Hyannisport Presidents. The goal capped a three-goal run by Ohio to erase a 5-3 deficit at the second intermission.

Eleven different players netted goals in this contest, as a pair of defensemen took the top scoring honors. Phil Housley had three assists for Hyannisport and Randy Carlyle added three helpers for the Legends. Dan Bouchard turned away 21 shots in picking up the win, while Greg Stefan absorbed the overtime loss after stopping 22 shots.

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Ohio collects a win in its lone home contest of the week. Safe and Happy Holidays to all in the MWOTHL and their families.
CapJack Rangers
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Rangers host two games this week in Madison Oval Garden – the first is against one of the teams we love to beat (if we can) maybe more than any except Chicago!! (or Pittsburgh, or ….). The other is against Gretzky!
GAME #1: NEW CASTLE DUCKS VS. CAPJACK RANGERS Ah the Quacks! I mean the Ducks – they waddle onto the ice and the Rangers are already dreaming of ways to cook them! And by the end of the first period it looks like cooked Duck and all the trimmings.

Barr and Haworth score early in the opening period to get thing going as Billy Smith gets beat twice within the opening 7 minutes (in spite of a nice ratings boost). Then as things are still looking up for CapJack, Beck goes off for slashing at 13:42 and Stastny and the Ducks make the Rangers pay with a wraparound PP goal to cut the lead to 2-1. But as the period is ending, Wickenheiser beats Smith with 30 seconds left and the Rangers skate to intermission with a 3-1 lead. NOTE: last time these teams played there were over 100 penalty minutes so it’s not surprising that period 1 picked up right where they left off with 20 minutes of sin bin time including a Don Maloney/Larry Robinson main bout in center ice after Maloney took exception to a very clean, but hard hit from Robinson. Even Billy Smith got whistled as he slashed Crowder right in front of the net (and in front of the ref!).

Intermission for the Ducks players was intense after that last minute goal in the 1st and they came out with a vengeance. McCrimmon (2:19), Middleton (PP 6:12) and Doug Smith (19:41) flip the score to a 4-3 New Castle lead. They get the last minute goal and boy, they are skating way above the levels of the ice as they head to the locker room for the 2nd break. Things settled down a bit in the 2nd, only 8 penalty minutes – but the Maloney slashing penalty was crucial as the Ducks made them pay just as it was expiring. That was their 2nd PP goal!

Third period and now the pressure is on and the next goal can really set the tone and it’s New Castle breaking through with a Don Maloney goal 3 1/2 minutes into the period as he beats Weeks top shelf. It’s fun seeing the Maloneys (Don and Dave) skating against each other. Who will get the best of it? But that goal gives the Ducks the 2 goal lead at 5-3. However, brother Dave (2nd assist in the game) sets up McNab for a Rangers goal 2 minutes later to cut it to 5-4 and we still have a hockey game. In fact, 5 minutes later Kromm grabs a Wickenheiser kick out and slaps it right past Smith to tie it up with 10 to go! Then things really tighten up as the teams go back and forth. 1:46 left, Rangers call time. Off the break Trottier is kicked out of the circle and New Castle is able to come up with the puck. Stastny skates it up, off to Lewis, over to Hardy, sends it to Doug Smith – oh, he’s working it, and he shoots and SCORES – beating Weeks over his glove and New Castle grabs the 6-5 lead with 1:10 to go! Silence in the Garden. Billy Smith is gearing up for what could be a tough 70 seconds! Ducks win the draw and gets it to Doug Smith deep in CapJack’s end, but the Rangers gain control. 50 seconds left, Weeks off, Crowder in for the extra skater. Suave and Bjugstad work it in, Donnelley has it, over to to Sauve, shoots – Smith deflects it out of play! Face off to his left, Ducks gain control, working to end the game with 30 ticks left in regulation and Crowder hits Johnson hard and the Rangers gain control. McNab, to Barr, to Arniel. They’re working it around, to Beck, to McNab, back to Arniel as he finds an opening, he fires it and BEATS Smith up high and the game is TIED 6-6 with 22 seconds left. And that’s how regulation ends, 6-6 and lots of bumps and bruises and drama as the 3rd period ended. 15-7 shot advantage Rangers as they came back a few times. So what could be more appropriate than FREE HOCKEY on to OT.

The Rangers came out for OT acting like they wanted this one and totally dominated play – but Billy Smith kept coming up big, time after time. Halfway through the 5 minutes he already had 4 really good saves to keep his team in the game. However, the Rangers weren’t letting his teammates amount much of any kind of attack – so the Rangers weren’t losing any hope seeing Smith stop shot after shot. And finally their perseverance paid off as Arniel and Boutilier set up Barr for the game winner at 1:39 left as he fires in a great shot to give the Rangers the big 7-6 OT win over New Castle!!

Rangers had a 43-33 advantage in shots – Billy Smith (yeah, he gave up 7, but he made 36 saves in the game). Big help for CapJack was the 61-39% faceoff win advantage and boy they laid on 22 hits (to 14 for the Ducks). Only 44 minutes of penalties but the Rangers were 0 for 2 on the PP while the Ducks were 2 for 3!

STARS
1. CAP Arniel 1 goal, 3 assists
2. CAP Barr 2 goals (don’t often see the #1 star with fewer goals than the #2 star!)
3. NCD Dough Smith 2 goals

Another great game in the annals of the New Castle-CapJack rivalry!

GAME #2: PORTLAND SASQUATCH VS. CAPJACK RANGERS The high scoring Rangers (and 1st inthe Patrick) take on Big Foot with Gretzky and Lemelin and for some unknown reason they are floundering at the bottom of the Smythe division. That just can’t be right!

And on this day – Portland set out to prove the standing were bogus! First period, the two teams looked like a couple of boxers sizing each other up. 8 Portland shots, 7 CapJack shots, a bunch of hits but mostly neither team could mount a threat, so after 1 it’s still 0-0. Maybe it was the Wells/Donnelly fight 3 minutes into the game. Of the Ciccarelli/Arniel fight with 2 minutes left in the period that kept thing quiet (so to speak).

However, in the 2nd, the Rangers give Portland 2 PP opportunities – but hold off Big Foot. But who needs a PP, certainly not the Sasquatch as they finally find not 1, but 2 ways to beat Resch and in an double whammy bunch. With just over 7 minutes left in the period Lamoureux wins a faceoff in Rangers end and Portland goes to work, around and around and finally McKenna tees up a slapper and fires it high past Resch and we finally have a score in this game, 1-0 Portland. Rangers win the center ice draw and take it into Portland’s end but after a wide shot give it up. Iafrate gets it out, Gavin skates into CapJack’s end, passes to the Great One and he fires low – oh yeah – it’s a GOAL! 2-0 as Gretzky pads the Portland lead 40 seconds after their first goal. That was it for period two – EXCEPT for another fight between Cyr and Donnelly. That’s Donnelly’s 2nd fight plus a slashing and a tripping penalty. Prior to today, he’s only had 1 other fight and 8 minors (but that was in 16 games).

3rd Period – CapJack is looking for the scoring MoJo – they do it a lot, but the Sasquatch defense has been smothering holding CapJack to 7 shots in the 1st and then just 5 in the second. So it’s not surprise to see the Rangers come out with a vengeance in the 3rd and it pays off when Trottier scores 4 minutes in to cut it to 2-1! But then we go into a defensive game even though the Rangers are getting more shots on Lemelin – he’s stopping them all. Then at the midway point of the 3rd, Foligno beats Resch low on his stick side on a great set up from Cyr and Ellett to give the Sasquatch an extra cushion with the 3-1 lead. Rangers however, don’t quite and in the waning minutes of the game, they put Resch on the bench and ad that extra skater and – well – it works out better for Portland as Yaremchuk scores the empty netter to put the game on ice!! 4-1 Portland Man, where did that come from, although that’s what it looks like on paper and today paper and ice come together.

STARS (all from Portland)
1. Gretzky 1 goal
2. Lemelin 25 saves
3. Yaremchuk 1 goal

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Rangers go 1-1 at home this week. A big OT win over New Castle and a disappointing 4-1 loss to Portland where the Sasquatch put it all over us. Well you certainly can’t win them all (but it would be nice!).
New Castle Ducks
WEEKLY PREVIEW: The Ducks have only one home game this week. For most of the season the Ducks had good defense but could not score. Suddenly they are scoring but also giving up goals at an alarming rate. What will be at home against Pittsburgh?
GAME #1: PITTSBURGH SPIRIT VS. NEW CASTLE DUCKS Another wild high scoring game and this one goes to the Ducks. NCD 7 PIT 6 in OT
Seven goals in the first period alone as NCD takes a 4-3 lead. After the Spirit scored 2 early goals, the Ducks came back with three unanswered goals before PIT tied it on a goal by Mike Rogers only to see Mark Napier get his second of the period to make it 4-3 NCD after one.
In the second period, Rogers got his second of the game at 58 seconds to tie it at 4-4. The Ducks took a 5-4 lead on a goal by Tom Lysiak midway through the period. Once again PIT tied i when Smail got his second of the game with 7 seconds to go in the period. 5-5 after 2!
In the third, Terry Ruskowski put the Ducks up 6-5, scoring at 13:29. A mere 25 seconds later Steve Payne once again tied it for Pittsburgh. 6-6. And thats the way the third period ended.
In OT – it was all Ducks as Rick Middleton got the only shot of OT and made it count – his 19th of the year to win it for NCD 7-6!THREE STARS:
1- NCD Napier 2 G 1 A 3 PTS
2- PIT Smail 2G 1 A 3 PTS
3- NCD Mark Johnson 1G 2 A 3 PTSPetre Skriko had 3 assists for PIT. John Vanbiesbrouck made 30 saves for NCD as PIT outshot NCD 36-26 including 13-8 in the third period. The Ducks were 1-2 on the PP while PIT was 0-3.
WEEKLY SUMMARY: The suddenly high scoring Ducks get the maximum 2 points. NCD has now risen to 13th in scoring (from dead last) but their once top 10 defense is now NEXT TO LAST in the MWOTHL
Saint Clair Shores Saints
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Kamsack travel to St. Clair Shores
GAME #1: KAMSACK CYCLONES VS. SAINT CLAIR SHORES SAINTS Perrault scores the first goal of the game for the Cyclones. The Saints score 3 in a row as Adams, Federko, and Tocchet score.

Kamsack gets hot and dominates play. They score 4 in a row. With 1:02 left, Murray scores for the Saints, but they fall short.

Kamsack 5 SCS 4

1-Neely
2-Gartner
3-Federko

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Kamsack wins 5-4 over the Saints.
Dallas Drakes
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Portland and Andes come to town
GAME #1: 

PORTLAND SASQUATCH

VS. 

DALLAS DRAKES

Marcel Dionne opens up the scoring early in the first beating Rejean Lemelin 1:44 in. The Sasquatch fire back and at 12:36 of the first Paul Cyr redirects a pass from Mike Foligno to tie it up. The score would stay tied until 2:36 of the second whe Illka Sinisalo puts the Drakes up. Marcel Dionne comes in shorthanded to extend the lead and then strikes again at the 17:19 mark to give the Drakes a 4-1 lead going into the second intermission. Portland comes out hard in the third and Guy Carbonneau cuts it to 4-2 and then Wayne Gretzky cuts it even further to 4-3 at the 18:45 mark of the third. With the goalie still pulled Joe Mullen fires home an empty netter for the Drakes 4 seconds later and Ken Linseman adds with another empty netter as the Drakes skate off 6-3.
GAME #2: 

ANDES MOUNTAINEERS

 VS.

DALLAS DRAKES

Brad Park puts Andes on the board scoring on the power play on a great setup from Stan Smyl and Mats Naslund at 6:56 of the first. The Drakes would strike back on the power play with Joe Mullen scoring from the circle beating Greg Millen. The game would stay tied but on the power play early in the second Reed Larson would beat Millen through a screen but at the 8:42 mark Brent Peterson would tie it up. The game would go into the second intermission tied at 2 and the third period would be left wing lock central as neither team could muster anything……..until Joe Mullen deflects a shot from Jim Peplinski at 19:22 of the third period….and the Drakes would salt it away.
WEEKLY SUMMARY: Drakes get 4 points
Michigan Stags
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Home contests with a couple of Norris Division teams – Chicago and New Castle
GAME #1: CHICAGO UNDERGROUND VS. MICHIGAN STAGS The Underground rose up and pummeled Alan Bester and the Stags 7-3. Brian Sutter led Chicago’s assault with a hat trick, while Ray Bourque collected 1G+3A. Bester surrendered 6 goals on 20 shots in 35 minutes of work before mercifully being yanked in favor of Bob Janecyk.
GAME #2: NEW CASTLE DUCKS VS. MICHIGAN STAGS Another 7-3 game, but this time Michigan is on the right side of the ledger. The Ducks held a 3-2 lead after two periods. But then the Stags exploded for 5 third period scores to cruise to the win. Doug Shedden and Bobby Carpenter both scored twice on Billy Smith, while Colin Patterson picked up 1G+3A.
WEEKLY SUMMARY: A split at home. Michigan’s offense continues as one of the league’s best. Now if the team could only play some defense once in a while.
Texas Brahmas
WEEKLY PREVIEW: One game this week sees CapJack head to Texas. Texas is still fighting for a playoff spot, even with a losing record, as CapJack is the best in the league. Should be fun.
GAME #1: CAPJACK RANGERS VS. TEXAS BRAHMAS Dunn gets Cap on the board first before Sutter and Nilsson answer to close out the 1st period with Texas up 2-1. The lone goal in the 2nd belongs to Barr and Cap and we are tied at 2 after 2. Sandstrom gets the lead back for Texas before Barr gets his second and a 3-3 tie. With just over a minute left, Maloney gets one by Bannerman and Cap gets the 4-3 win.

3 Stars

1. Barr (CAP) – 2 G
2. Dunn (CAP) – 1G
3. Sandstrom (TEX) – 1G, 1A

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Another day, another game, another loss.
Portland Sasquatch
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Portland hosts Ohio in the lone game of the week
GAME #1 – VISITING TEAM: Ohio Legends
GAME #1: OHIO LEGENDS VS. PORTLAND SASQUATCH Kerr (27 & 28), Yzerman (6), and Carlyle (4) net goals for Ohio while Foligno (14) gets one for Portland as the Legends win 4-1
WEEKLY SUMMARY: Portland loses the only game of week 4-1 to Ohio
Charlestown Chiefs
WEEKLY PREVIEW: A trifecta of home games this week.
GAME #1: 

MICHIGAN STAGS

VS.

CHARLESTOWN CHIEFS

4-4 tie.

Scoring Summary
Per Time Str Team
1 2:27 EV MIC Shedden (11), assisted by Patterson (4) and Gare (7)
1 8:13 EV CHA Wilson (7), assisted by Chelios (25) and Flatley (2)
1 12:19 PP MIC Ogrodnick (13), assisted by Shedden (11) and Watters (9)
1 12:50 EV MIC Gardner (8), assisted by Shutt (5) and Babych (21)
2 5:25 PP CHA Coffey (13), assisted by Tremblay (16)
2 11:46 PP MIC Beers (14), assisted by Watters (10)
3 9:14 EV CHA Krushelnyski (23), assisted by Nicholls (30) and Chelios (26)
3 13:37 PP CHA Lemieux (20), assisted by Nicholls (31) and MacInnis (28)

Star 1: MIC Shedden 1 G, 2 Pts
Star 2: CHA Lemieux 1 G
Star 3: CHA Wilson 1 G

Notables: MIC Janecyk 34 saves
CHA Penney 31 saves

GAME #2:

MACKINAC ISLAND MOOSE

VS.

CHARLESTOWN CHIEFS

5-4 OT loss.

Scoring Summary
Per Time Str Team
1 14:51 EV MIM Quinn (12), assisted by Frycer (18) and MacLean (18)
2 3:43 SH MIM Gilbert (3), assisted by Seiling (6)
2 18:19 EV MIM MacLean (23), assisted by Frycer (19)
2 19:55 EV MIM Gilbert (4), assisted by Seiling (7)
3 3:19 EV CHA Wilson (8), assisted by Lowe (6)
3 13:55 SH CHA Lowe (3), unassisted
3 17:18 EV CHA Lemieux (21), assisted by Coffey (38) and Chelios (27)
3 17:44 EV CHA Krushelnyski (24), assisted by Nicholls (32) and MacInnis (29)
4 2:22 EV MIM Gilbert (5), assisted by DeBlois (3)

Star 1: MIM Gilbert 3 G
Star 2: MIM MacLean 1 G, 2 Pts
Star 3: MIM Quinn 1 G

GWG: Greg Gilbert

Notables: MIM Gosselin 30 saves, Gilbert hat trick
CHA Non

GAME #3: 

CHICAGO UNDERGROUND

VS.

CHARLESTOWN CHIEFS

7-4 win. We score a pair of shorties less than a minute apart in the 1st.

Scoring Summary
Per Time Str Team
1 9:53 PP CHA Tremblay (16), assisted by Coffey (39) and Wilson (9)
1 10:54 EV CHI Bell (4), assisted by Stastny (32) and Bossy (23)
1 16:05 EV CHI Savard (15), assisted by Stastny (33) and Bossy (24)
1 17:35 SH CHA Lever (3), assisted by Chelios (28)
1 18:47 SH CHA O’Reilly (7), unassisted
2 4:45 PP CHI Bourque (10), assisted by Mondou (16) and Paterson (1)
2 7:32 EV CHI Foster (9), assisted by Mondou (17) and Brian Sutter (15)
2 8:10 EV CHA Lemieux (22), assisted by Tremblay (17) and Coffey (40)
3 12:15 EV CHA Krushelnyski (25), assisted by MacInnis (30) and Patrick (5)
3 18:50 EN CHA Young (12), assisted by Chelios (29) and Coffey (41)
3 18:54 EN CHA Nicholls (16), assisted by MacInnis (31) and Krushelnyski (19)

Star 1: CHA Krushelnyski 1 G, 2 Pts
Star 2: CHA Coffey 3 A
Star 3: CHA Lemieux 1 G

GWG: Mike Krushelnyski

Notables: CHI Lindbergh 34 saves, Bell, Bruce 5 blocks
CHA Coffey 3 assists

WEEKLY SUMMARY: A win, an OT loss, and a tie – we like to keep things interesting.
Andes Mountaineers
WEEKLY PREVIEW: Week 10 of MWOTHL action for Andes. We welcome Kamsack and Charlotte for this week’s games.
GAME #1: KAMSACK CYCLONES VS. ANDES MOUNTAINEERS A surprise for this era, a low scoring affair between two teams having sub .500 seasons. Andes looks to be on the way to a hard won home game when Howe scores with 34 seconds left in the game. Teams would battle through 5 minutes of OT without anyone earning the victory.

1st Star – Murphy
2nd Star – Fox
3rd Star – Sundstrom

GAME #2: CHARLOTTE DYNAMO VS. ANDES MOUNTAINEERS Another game where the home fans are gifted free hockey. The visitors will ultimately walk away with the road victory as McDonald gets it by Jensen.

1st Star – Murphy
2nd Star – Poulin
3rd Star – Anderson

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Andes and their visitors provide the home fans free hockey in both games as each game goes to OT. Andes is only able to earn 1 out of a possible 6 home points this week.
Charlotte Dynamo
WEEKLY PREVIEW: The numbers for Charlotte were barely above average (you are what the record says you are as a fellow NJ native, Bill Parcells, once said) as it entered the week hanging by a thread onto a winning record of 15-14-2: sixth in the league in offense and sixth in defense in this 16-team league of ours. The Dynamo hosted two games this week (versus non-division foes from Hyannisport and Texas) as it held out hopes of ending 1984 on a high note.

Writeups will be straightforward and to the point: mimicking the immortal words of Ringo Starr during this busy holiday season: “peace and love, peace and love, I have too much to do!” (It’s an entertaining and legendary YouTube clip if you are so inclined).

GAME #1: HYANNISPORT PRESIDENTS VS. CHARLOTTE DYNAMO Goaltending and defense were in short supply in this one. Led by two goals from John Tonelli, the Presidents overcame a 2-0 deficit to grab a 4-2 lead midway through the game. Then Dale Hawerchuk came to life in a big way for the Dynamo. Charlotte scored four unanswered goals with Hawerchuk notching a hat trick along the way to put Charlotte ahead 6-4.

The Presidents responded with two of the next three goals from Tonelli and Brian Mullen in the third (sandwiching yet another Hawerchuk goal, his fourth) which narrowed the deficit to 7-6. Hyannisport yanked Richard Sevigny from the net with about a minute left: Laurie Boschman got an empty netter for Charlotte with 34 seconds remaining and four seconds later, with this night being one to remember for Hawerchuk, the Dynamo’s all time greatest player over four years drilled in an empty net goal after the faceoff win for his fifth goal (a Charlotte record for goals in one game); the hosts prevailed 9-6 in a game much closer than the score indicated (it was in essence a one-goal nail-biter).

Three stars:
1. CHD Hawerchuk 5 G, 8 Pts
2. CHD Laurie Boschman 2 G, 5 Points (his first goal had put Charlotte ahead 2-0 late in the first)
3. HYA Tonelli, a hat trick.

Notable: Charlotte outshot Hyannisport 36-30. Neither starting goaltender set the world on fire. Warren Skorodenski saved 24 while letting in the six for Charlotte. Greg Steffan after 49 minutes was yanked by the Presidents after Hawerchuk’s fourth goal midway through the third that put the Dynamo ahead 7-5 at the time . Mike Bullard had three assists for the Presidents.

GAME #2: TEXAS BRAHMAS VS. CHARLOTTE DYNAMO The Brahmas, in second place in the Smythe, showed why they are very much in the East playoff race and contending for a division crown: behind two goals from Dave Andreychuk, Texas grabbed a 5-4 lead by the end of the first period and 5:07 into the second, extended that to 6-4 on a power play goal from Dave Taylor that added to his impressive season count (18 entering the week). The Dynamo saw enough from starting goalie Warren Skorodenski (six goals against 14 saves and replaced him with Andy Moog right then and there). And then the comeback was on: the Dynamo roared back with four goals from Doug Halward, Lanny McDonald, Glenn Anderson and Boschman the rest of the contest, and Moog saved 24 without letting any shots beat him, as the Dynamo rallied in unexpected fashion, 8-6.

Three stars
1. CHD Hawerchuk 1 G, 4 Points
2. TEX Andreychuk 2 G 3 Points
3. CHD McDonald 1 G 3 Pts

Notable: John Tucker, Willi Plett and Lindy Ruff accounted for the other Brahmas goals that helped Texas build its lead. Losing Texas goalie Murray Bannerman saved 26 while allowing seven goals in an uncharacteristically rough night.

WEEKLY SUMMARY: Charlotte rallies to win two high-scoring affairs to improve to 17-14-2, with a road game at hand against Andes. Happy holidays everyone!