2018-2019 PLAYER & GOALIE OF THE WEEK #17

Taylor_HallConnor_HellebuyckTyson_BarrieRoberto_Luongo

EASTERN SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASISSTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
Hall, Taylor JAG 4 1 6 7 2 5 15 7%
                   
EASTERN GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
Hellebuyck, Connor CLE 3 6 2 85 .934
                   
WESTERN SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASSISTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
Barrie, Tyson TOL 3 1 4 5 0 2 11 9%
                   
WESTERN GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
Luongo, Roberto GUE 2 2 1 59 .967
                   

Chicago Cosa Nostra
Weekly Preview: Chicago has two home games for the week & they are trying to catch the Bucks County Raccoons & get out of the cellar in the Central Division. Odds are against the Cosa Nostra.
Toledo Walleye @ Chicago Cosa Nostra The Walleye come into the Windy City & swim upstream as they knock off the home team in another 1 goal game.

Final Score: Toledo 3 – Chicago 2

3-Star Selection:
Star #1 – Tyson Barrie – 1 Goal, 2 Points
Star #2 – Devan Dubynk – 40 Saves
Star #3 – Trevor Daley – 1 Goal

Andrew McDonald 5 Blocked Shotes, Devan Dubynk 40 Saves for Toledo.
Jonathan Toews 15 Faceoff Wins for Chicago.

Bucks County Raccoons @ Chicago Cosa Nostra In a division paring that could cement Chicago into the cellar for the season the Cosa Nostra come out with something to prove. The motto of the game being said by the caoches is “We might have a 1 goal game, but this time we want to be the one on top”.
They do just that & luckily take this one thanks to a goal in overtime.Final Score: Chicago 3 – Bucks County 2 (OT)3-Star Selection:
Star #1 – Alex DeBrincat – 1 Goal
Star #2 – Pierre-Luc Dubois – 1 Goal
Star #3 – Chris Kreider – 1 GoalJake Allen 39 Saves for Toledo.
Jonathan Toews 16 Faceoff Wins for Chicago.
Weekly Summary: Chicago splits the two home games, but more importantly are now just 1 point from being out of the cellar in the Central Division.
Yellowknife Braves
Weekly Preview: Yellowknife play 2 at home. They bring in the Chicago and the whiz kid Jeramiah and his Gunners
Chicago Cosa Nostra @ Yellowknife Braves The Braves circle Chicago’s Wagons and double them up 4-2.
Stars #1 YEL Panik 2G
#2 YEL Kuznetsov 1G
#3 YEL Malkin 1G
Guentzel Gunners @ Yellowknife Braves In the battle for first Guentzel steals the game and the division lead. The Gunners win it 3-2
Stars #1 YEL Rantanen 2G
#2 GUE Niskanen 1G
#3 GUE Haula 1G
Weekly Summary: The Braves split their home games
Columbus Brew Jackets
Weekly Preview: Brew Jackets have 2 home games – biggest rival Bathgate and Lafayette.
Bathgate Rangers @ Columbus Brew Jackets Last week the Rangers came to town and won 2-1. Payback time? Yes! But barely.
Rangers get on the board twice before Columbus wakes up. Jankowski and then Tierney (SH). Strome had gone off for cross-checking and the sleepy Jackets let Bathgate tally. While Strome was still in the box Benn scores to get Columbus in the game. 2-1 after 1.
However, the Rangers keep coming and as the 2nd period winds down, Hischier scores with 30 seconds left to make it 3-1 Bathgate.
During the intermission the Jackets took each other to task and lone goal scores Benn says we gotta get this one. He score just over 5 minutes into the 3rd. 3-2. Hayes then knocks one in 16 seconds later and it’s a whole new game 3-3 with just over 14 left. Took less than 2 minutes for the Brew Jackets to get the lead when Noesen scores to make it 4-3. Bathgate pummeled away down the stretch firing 14 shots on Rinne but former Ranger Pekka said no-dice and held on for the win including close to a minute and a half of the extra attacker.
STARS:
1. CBJ – Benn 2 goals plus Inspiration
2. CBJ – Hayes 1 goal
3. CBJ – Noesen 1 goal
Lafayette Homesteaders @ Columbus Brew Jackets Jones vs. Bishop and the Brew Jackets are looking for a home sweep. Forsberg lights it up first just past 2 minutes in and the Homesteaders take the early lead. Late 1st period goal by Hayes ties it up. PP goal as Labanc was off for tripping.
2nd period sees the Brew Jackets fire rockets at Jones – 15 of them get to the net but he stones the home team. Bishop did likewise, but only had to stop 7 shots.
We go to the 3rd 1-1 and Forsberg gets a pass for Eichel and sets up for the slap shot and he scores. Bishop should have had it – but dang, he never saw it. Forsberg’s 2nd of the game, 2nd for Lafayette and it turns out to be the winner.
STARS:
1. LAF – Forsberg 2 goals
2. LAF – Jones 30 saves
3. CBJ – Hayes 1 goal
Weekly Summary: Chance for 2 of 2 goes down in flames when the Brew Jackets offense gets stifled in game 2.
LA Great Danes
Weekly Preview: All division games this week – Gilbert and Long Beach come to LA.
Gilbert Sharks @ LA Great Danes Teams come in tied for second in the Pacific. Perrault and Danault score for Gilbert in the game’s first 10 minutes and that’s it until Keller’s empty netter seals a 3-0 road win for the Sharks.

Last week’s western goalie of the week Tuukka Rask turns in a stellar performance with 46 saves, two shots off the post preserved his shutout.

Long Beach Ice Dogs @ LA Great Danes After getting shut out in the game’s first week, the Danes give up a goal on the game’s first shot by TJ Oshie just 1:42 in. Then the Danes explode for 4 1st period goals, including Jack Roslovic’s PPG, his first career MWHL goal.

The 2nd period was a rough one for LA, giving up 2 SHG’s by Raffl and Savard. The teams also traded even strength goals, and the Ice Dogs also had a goal disallowed after a review, so the Danes cling to a 5-4 lead after 2.

Mark Scheifele’s 2nd goal of the game 2:12 into the 3rd off a 2 on 1 rush gives LA some breathing room, and they hold on the rest of the way for a 6-4 win.

Weekly Summary: A split at home for the week, LA probably played better in the loss than the win. You don’t win very often giving up 2 short-handed goals on back to back power plays, but the breaks seemed to even out over the 2 games.
Toledo Walleye
Weekly Preview: One home game for Toledo this week against division rival Bucks County. Toledo is without David Krejci out for some serious ice-fishing in Maumee Bay.
Bucks County Raccoons @ Toledo Walleye Toledo 4, Bucks County 2 – The Raccoons make quick work of the face-off line with a goal only 31 seconds in by Wilson. Coach Borzenski tries to get the egg off his face the rest of the 1st period, deadly afraid of falling 2 goals behind early. After 6 mintues the Walleye have only 2 SOG while the crafty Raccoons keep the puck in the offensive zone, but can manage only 4 shots themselves.

Things liven up when Johansson and Cammalleri hook up for a little glove in face action, sending both off the ice. This fires up Perry who gets a little rammy and gets whistled for slashing a minute later. All this leads to the Walleye breaking the ice on the score board with a powerplay conversion by Mantha. Borzenski feeling a little better as play moves to the other end of the ice for the remainder of the period, Toledo ending up with a 16-7 SOG advantage by end of the period, and a 1-1 score.

2nd period sees Toledo spend half of the first 8 minutes on the kill, with both successful PK sessions quickly followed by a goal by Spooner, and shortly after that Backstrom as Toledo seems to enjoy the 5 on 5 action much better. Toledo survives one more PK session before the period ends with the score 3-1 Toledo, and a less stressed coach feeling much better at intermission.

3rd period sees Toledo in the penalty kill early on a Mantha roughing penalty, but the PK unit stands tall again to preserve the 2 goal lead. The frustration for the visitors manifests itself a few minutes later when Wilson goes after Vanek, both netting 5 minutes for fighting and Wilson getting a bonus 10 for being a bad boy.

The teams play pretty even until late, when the Raccoons crank up the aggressiveness and Perry is able to convert a wrap around just under the 5 minute mark to make the crowd and coaches very nervous. Fortunately Brouwer and Barrie are able to return the favor for the home team, on a deflection goal for Brouwer from Barrie just under 4 to play, making it 4-2 Toledo. The Walleye are able to keep the puck away from their zone most the rest of the game, in spite of a pulled goalie by the Raccoons, and hang on to the 4-2 win.

1st star = Barrie 3 assists
2nd Mantha 1g1a
3rd Backstrom 1g

Weekly Summary: One home game in a light 3 game week for Toledo. A win keeps the Walleye in the playoff race.

Nice 3 assist game for Barrie.

Thunder Bay NorWesters
Weekly Preview: Just a single home game this week against division rival New Jersey.
New Jersey Grizzlies @ Thunder Bay NorWesters A wide open game – “Where did the defense go” 133 shot attempts and 84 shots on goal.

Thunder Bay opened the scoring when Gabe Landeskog scored his 25th, but the Grizzlies rallied back with 2 goals by Byfuglien(7) and Draisaitl(16) to give the visitors a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.

Early in the 2nd period Thunder Bay scored on a power play – Calle Jarnkrok (6) to tie the game at 2-2, but once again New Jersey countered when Bratt scored his 11th to give the Grizzlies a 3-2 after 40 minutes.

The pattern continues as Kyle Connor scores his 28 to tie the game at 3-3. This time the Nor’Westers back it up with Brandon Saad’s 18th of the year to take their first lead of the game 4-3 with 6 and a half minutes to play.

Unfortunately holding leads is the Thunder Bay biggest weakness Debrusk ties the game with just un 4 minutes to play and Zach Werenski scores his 15th to win the game 5-4 at 18:50.

The season of frustration continues.

Weekly Summary: What’s to saw once again we hung tough but did not have the ability to close out a lead.
California Regulators
LA Great Danes @ California Regulators California wins a close one, 4-3.
Weekly Summary: California wins its only home game this short week.
Bucks County Racoons
Weekly Preview: Contest against the top two teams in the Central Division in Guentzel and Yellowknife.
Guentzel Gunners @ Bucks County Racoons Bucks County came out flat as can be, generated only 5 quality chances for the game and fell to the Guentzel Gunners by a score of 3-0.
Yellowknife Braves @ Bucks County Racoons Bucks County rallied 3 times to tie the score, the last with the goalie pulled with 1:11 left in the 3rd, but only got the charity point as Yellowknife scored in the OT to come away with a 4-3 win.
Weekly Summary: DAD: How did the day at the rink go, son?
SON: Started out great, but then we got our butts kicked
DAD: What happened?
SON: The big kids got out of school.
Lafayette Homesteaders
Weekly Preview: Lafayette has 1 game this week playing division leader Brentwood
Brentwood Bandits @ Lafayette Homesteaders 1st- Jack Eichel gets the home team a lead when he pushes one past Vasilevskiy assited by the Ghoast and Dadonov.
2nd- Homsteaders have a 5 minute PP and could not get anything past Vasilevskiy minutes after the penalty Kessel puts in his 23rd from Tavaras and Hornqvist.
3rd- Jones and Vasilevskiy keep both teams in it with save after save. Until 2:50 to go LeBlanc puts one in from the point his 7th of the season and less then a minte later Eichel gets his 2nd of the game and 19th of the season. From there Jones holds tight and Lafayette wins01 Eichel
02 Jones
03 LeBlancNotes : Tavares 19 FOW and Vasilevskiy 40 savesLAF 3 BRENT 1
Weekly Summary: Steaders are playing solid defensive hockey the past couple weeks. Jones was the difference in this weeks game.
Brentwood Bandits
Weekly Preview: One home game – against Jagr.

The sibling rivalry continues…

Jagr Mullets @ Brentwood Bandits No time for fancy write-ups, but basically Vasilevskiy was a sive. Letting in 6 goals in 25 shots. Finally brought Murray in and he saved the only shot he faced.

Brentwood outshoots Jagry 37-26 but John Gibson makes the saves he needed to make against his former team as Jagr wins on the road 6-3.

Weekly Summary: Only one home game, zero points. I believe we have zero points on the road this week as well. So it has been a rather horrible week. Is this when the wheels fall off? Or just a slight bump in the road?

We’ll see!

Cincinnati Inferno
Weekly Preview: Cincinnati enters the week just two points out of a playoff spot. Two opportunities at home this week to try to get back into the picture. Is this the week that the Inferno take fire and make their move?
Charlotte Buzzards @ Cincinnati Inferno Charlotte opened the scoring in this one at 7:06, as Vinnie Trochek gets his tenth of the year on the Dynamo’s first shot of a two-on-one rush. The opening period ended with Charlotte leading, 1-0, and holding a 10-6 shots advantage.

In the second, Cincinnati exploded for three goals. Tyler Toffoli’s seventh at 9:42 knotted the game up. Brayden Point’s 16th at 13:05 gave the Inferno the lead, 2-1. Then, with 31.3 seconds remaining in the frame–David Perron’s 13th gave the home team a two-goal cushion. Shots favored the Inferno, 15-9, in the middle stanza.

But these are the Cincinnati Inferno and this year has not had anything go according to script–why start now?

Anders Lee picked up his 32nd goal at 56 seconds with Cincinnati playing maximum protection off the start. That cut the lead to 3-2. Milan Lucic’s re-direction at 5:06 was his seventh goal and levelled the scores at 3-3.

At the 16:45 mark of the third period came the turning point. Charlotte already enjoyed a power play and Cincinnati was whistled for too many men on the ice. William Karlsson went to the box and the Dynamo had 59 seconds to take advantage of the two-man advantage and grab the lead.

Charlotte needed just nine seconds of that time to slip Erik Johnson’s fifth goal through for the game winner. The shots in the third facored Cincinnati, 9-8, and for the game the Inferno led, 30-27, but the Dynamo won the big battle and the two standings points.

Antii Rantaa picked up the win with 27 stops, while Corey Crawford turned away 23. Charlotte was one-for-six on the power play, while Cincinnati was stymied in two tries.

CHARLOTTE 4, Cincinnati 3

Thunder Bay NorWesters @ Cincinnati Inferno Cincinnati looked to try to salvage the week with a visit from Thunder Bay. Following a scoreless first period that saw the Nor’Westers outshooth the Inferno, 10-8–the action picked up in the second.

In the middle frame, Cincinnati scored at 8:41 when Sidney Crosby picked up his 16th goal on a rebound during a power play. The lead extended to 2-0,when Crosby collected his second goal with a high slot shot. The shots in the middle frame were even at eight apiece.

In the third period, the Inferno got an insurance goal at 6:12 when Adam Lowry netted his first goal, deflecting a Brett Pesce shot off the crossbar and in. Tyler Toffoli iced the game with his eighth goal with 2.7 seconds reamining in the 4-0 Cincinnati win.

Thunder Bay won the shots battle, 31-26, while the Inferno dominated faceoffs (32-20) and blocks (16-6). Cincinnati was one-of-two on the power play, while the NorWesters were zero-for-three. Jacob Markstrom grabbed the win with 31 saves, while James Reimer took the loss with 22 stops.

Crosby ended the night with two goals, an assist and a pair of hits, while John Carlson had three assists.

CINCINNATI 4, Thunder Bay 0

Weekly Summary: A split in a week that two wins were needed keeps this club ubbalanced…still.
Gilbert Sharks
Weekly Preview: Gilbert with just one home game this block but it’s a big one against division leading Califorrnia
California Regulators @ Gilbert Sharks Gilbert goes up 2-0 in the 1st Period with goals from Nathan Mackinnon and Deryk Engelland and things are looking good. Bobrovsky shuts them down the rest of the way though even on a 5 on 3 Powerplay in the 3rd Period. California meanwhile gets 2 goals from Eric Staal and the game winner from Mark Stone to win 3-2.
Weekly Summary: Gilbert once again just comes up a bit short against California
Alamo Defenders
Weekly Preview: Alamo gets visits from the West Coast – California and LA.
California Regulators @ Alamo Defenders California means business and scores 40 seconds into the first period as Huberdeau scores his 20th. Midway through the 1st, the Regulators score again.

In the 2nd, Eric Staal scores on a penalty shot. Then, to conclude scoring, Barzal scores his 20th.

California wins on a shutout!

California 4 Alamo 0

1st – Bobrovsky 32 saves
2nd – Barzal
3rd – Huberdeau

LA Great Danes @ Alamo Defenders Another Pacific game at Alamo. In the 1st, Pominville scores his 10th goal for the Defenders. Midway through the 3rd, Marchand scores his 27th goal for Alamo. Then, on a late power play, Hinostroza scores and the Defenders win.

Alamo 3 LA 0

1st – Lehner 17 saves
2nd – Hinostroza
3rd – Marchand

Weekly Summary: Alamo gets shutout by California, then earns a shutout against LA.
Guentzel Gunners
Weekly Preview: 1 game against toledo
Toledo Walleye @ Guentzel Gunners Guenzel wins 6-2.
Weekly Summary: 1-0 this week.
Jagr Mullets
Weekly Preview: Matchups against division foes Lafayette and Columbus
Lafayette Homesteaders @ Jagr Mullets Ovechkin breaks a 2-2 deadlock late in the 3rd with his 2nd goal of the game (30 & 31 overall) to give Jagr a 3-2 win.
Columbus Brew Jackets @ Jagr Mullets Jordan Staal (11) scores on a shorthanded breakaway to break a 3-3 tie and give the Mullets the 4-3 victory. Hall (29),Ovechkin (32), and Laine (33) also score.
Weekly Summary: Two big wins and four points at home while giving Auston Matthews a breather is always a good week.
Charlotte Buzzards
Weekly Preview: Games versus New Jersey and Clearfield
New Jersey Grizzlies @ Charlotte Buzzards It took a shootout to settle this one, but the Charlotte Buzzards prevailed over the Grizzlies 6-5.Anti Raanta bested Braden Holtby 2-0 in the shootout with Vince Trocheck and Anders Lee converting. Jesper Bratt had two goals for the Grizzlies and Charlotte’s third line shined, led by Ryan Dzingel (2 goals 1 assist) and Dylin Larkin (3 assists)
Clearfield Bison @ Charlotte Buzzards An upset of the top team in the division was not in the cards: Patrick Kane’s dramatic goal with only one second left lifted Clearfield to victory, 4-3. Giroux and Hamhuis assisted on the game winner. James Neal scored two early goals to help spark the Bison to an early 3-1 lead before Dougie Hamilton and Vladimir Tarasenko (heard of him?) goals tied the game at 3 prior to Kane’s heroics.
Weekly Summary: and…just like that a Patrick Kane last second goal eliminates a probable 3 points (minimum) and reduces that to two points in two home games.