2018-2019 PLAYER & GOALIE OF THE WEEK #20

Ryan_O'ReillyJohn_GibsonBrad_MarchandRoberto_Luongo

EASTERN SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASISSTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
O’Reilly, Ryan TBN 3 3 4 7 0 6 6 60%
                   
EASTERN GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
Gibson, John JAG 3 6 1.94 25 .926
                   
WESTERN SKATER TEAM GP GOALS ASSISTS POINTS PM  +/-  SOG S%
Marchand, Brad ALA 3 4 4 8 6 3 10 40%
                   
WESTERN GOALIE TEAM GP GOALS AGAINST G.A. AVERAGE SAVES SAVE %
Luongo, Roberto GUE 3 3 1.01 97 .970
                   

Yellowknife Braves
Weekly Preview: One home gave against the Central Division leading Guentzel Gunners
Guentzel Gunners @ Yellowknife Braves A 1-1 game goes into the 3rd. Evgeny Malkin scores to take a one goal lead with 5 minutes left. Yellowknife follows up with an empty netter to secure a 3-1 win.
Stars # 1 YEL Monahan 1G 2 pts
#2 YEL Malkin 1G 2pts
#3 YEL Fleury 27 saves
Weekly Summary: Yellowknife stays in the Division hunt in a 3 way race with Guentzel and Toledo
Thunder Bay NorWesters
Weekly Preview: Thunder Bay’s three games this week are all against division rivals. We have a chance to play spoiler.
New Jersey Grizzlies @ Thunder Bay NorWesters New Jersey obviously declared March 9th a vacation day. Thunder Bay scored six unanswered goals. O’Reilly(9), Connor(30), Saad(19), Goligoski(3), Coyle(5) and Couturier(20). Debrusk (21) did not score until 12:10 of the 3rd period followed by Saad(20) and Kase(18). Final score Thunder Bay 7 New Jersey 2. Holtby and Schneider gave up 7 goals on just 22 shots on goal and 15 scoring chances. Do you think they took us too lightly or was it a vacation day.
Clearfield Bison @ Thunder Bay NorWesters Once again O’Reilly breaks the ice scoring his 10th of the season. Palmieri(20) ties the score at 1-1. Then Couturier(21) to end the 1st period with the Nor’Westers leading 2-1. There were no goals scored in the 2nd period. At 4:15 of the 3rd period Saad(21) pushes the lead to 3-1. Bergland(14) narrows the gap to 1 half way through the 3rd but that closes out the scoring. Thunder Bay wins two at home. Brandan Saad scored both game winning goals.
Weekly Summary: It is nice to write up 2 wins in a week, but more important we made the teams in our division remember we are here and we plan to be fully engaged next season.
Chicago Cosa Nostra
Weekly Preview: Chicago with one home game this week at the Capone Center
Bucks County Raccoons @ Chicago Cosa Nostra The team just above the Cosa Nostra in the standings & a win would put them tied. Chicago fans hope for the best. Fear the worst. They walk out disappointed once again.

Final Score: Buck County 4 – Chicago 1

3-Star Selection:
Star #1 – Timo Meier – 2 Goals
Star #2 – Jake Allen 32 Saves
Star #3 – Dan Girardi 1 Goal

Allen 32 Saves for the Raccoons.

Game Winning Goal: Dan Girardi

Weekly Summary: Chicago is now looking up at everyone in the standings.
Guentzel Gunners
Weekly Preview: three games up for grabs to break away from Yellowknife
Toledo Walleye @ Guentzel Gunners Guenzel pounds Toledo 11-4.
Chicago Cosa Nostra @ Guentzel Gunners A 3-0 easy game for Guenzel.
Bucks County Raccoons @ Guentzel Gunners Guenzel gets up 3-1 and hold it to the end.
Weekly Summary: 3-0 6points to help clinch the number two seed on their side.
Jagr Mullets
Weekly Preview: Just one home game this week against division rival Columbus. We rest Auston Matthews at home – will it come back to haunt us?
Columbus Brew Jackets @ Jagr Mullets Total domination by the Mullets. They outshoot Columbus 50-24 (COL only had 12 shots through the first two periods) en route to a 6-0 clipping. John Gibson collects the shutout, and Patrik Laine scores his 38th and 39th goals (both in the 1st period).

Scoring Summary
Per Time Str Team
1 5:38 PP JAG Laine (38), assisted by Kadri (25)
1 14:21 PP JAG Laine (39), assisted by Hall (72) and Rielly (46)
2 5:27 EV JAG Ellis (5), assisted by Granlund (19) and Galchenyuk (4)
2 11:30 EV JAG Hall (33), assisted by Laine (27) and Letang (36)
3 17:18 EV JAG Radulov (16), assisted by Elias Lindholm (12) and Letang (37)
3 17:41 EV JAG Granlund (15), assisted by Staal (16) and Rielly (47)

Star 1: JAG Gibson 24 saves
Star 2: JAG Laine 2 G, 3 Pts
Star 3: JAG Hall 1 G, 2 Pts

GWG: Patrik Laine

Notables: CBJ Bishop 44 saves
JAG Lindholm 15 faceoffs won

Weekly Summary: Locked in a dead heat with Brentwood, Jagr collects two much needed points at home.
LA Great Danes
Weekly Preview: Only home game this week is versus Long Beach. The Great Danes come in having won 6 of their last 8.
Long Beach Ice Dogs @ LA Great Danes Brayden Schenn kicks off the scoring with a PPG to give LA a 1-0 lead after the 1st, and they extend the lead to 3-0 in thd 2nd on goals by the seniors Thornton and Nash. But the Ice Dogs get a PPG by Mitch Marner with just 11 seconds left in the period to make it a game heading into the 3rd. But a quick penalty by Long Beach to open the period leads to a PPG by Mark Scheifele at 1:14, and Joe Thornton closes out the scoring with his 2nd goal of the night at 7:14. The Danes come away with a 5-1 win.
Weekly Summary: It was a big game for the Danes second line – Thornton 2G-1A, Schenn 1G-2A, and Ehlers 3A. Frederick Andersen continues his strong recent play in goal with 38 saves.
Columbus Brew Jackets
Weekly Preview: Brew Jackets have 1 home game this week – against Lafayette, the teams are battling for 3rd place – both teams are secure in staying home for the playoffs.
Lafayette Homesteaders @ Columbus Brew Jackets Seems like the Jackets are throwing in the towel as they drop this one to the Homesteaders 3-1. They dominate play, but Jones is just like a steel curtain in the net stopping 29 of the 30 Columbus shots.
Dadonov (25) scores inside the opening minute and then Bozak (6) tallies a PP goal to finish the 1st period scoring with Lafayette taking a 2-0 lead.
Kucherov tallies for Columbus – his 38th – on a PP in the 3rd and then with the score still 2-1 as the game winds down Gostisbehere (8) tallies an empty netter in the final minute for the 3-1 Homesteaders victory.
STARS
1. LAF – Jones 29 saves
2. LAF – Gostisbehere 1 goal
3. LAF – Dadonov 1 goal
Weekly Summary: So 1 game, 1 loss, looking at the draft (and auction) to get back to the top of the heap.
Bathgate Rangers
Weekly Preview: Rangers are playing somewhat better than their record indicates, they play the good teams tough, but usually don’t win. This week they host Jagr as their only home game. Jagr is one of the 3 best teams in the league (and 2 of them are in the Rangers division!).
Jagr Mullets @ Bathgate Rangers Jagr wins the SOGs – 39 to 30; shot attempts 68-59, and scoring chances 20-11, and yet JUST BARELY wins the game – but they win it (boo), 4-3. Rangers even get the games #1 STAR! But lose.
A pair of PP goals highlight the 1st. Parise (5) scores one for Jagr, Ferland gets one for Bathgate. 1-1 after 1.
Minute 2 of the 2nd period sees Ellis score for Jagr (assisted by Ellis #60) and then Hischier (2) score for Bathgate. Then 5+ minutes later, Ferland (30) gets his 2nd PP goal of the game giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead!!!! But in the final 5+ minutes of the period Nash (11) and Ovechkin (40) score Mullets goals and it’s 4-3 Jagr.3rd period – 8 shots for Jagr, 10 for Bathgate, NO PENALTIES, minute and 15 seconds of extra attacker for Rangers BUT NO SCORING for anyone, so the game ends 4-3 Jagr.
STARS
1. BGR – Ferland 2 goals
2. JAG – Parise 1 goal, 1 assist
3. JAG – Ovechkin 1 goal
Weekly Summary: That’s the wrap for this week as teams head for the final few games of the regular season, Rangers drop their only game to Jagr – who is fighting neck and neck with Brentwood for home ice advantages in the playoffs.
Bucks County Raccoons
Weekly Preview: One home game against division leading Yellowknife
Yellowknife Braves @ Bucks County Raccoons The Racs score twice in the first 10 minutes of the game and look to be in control, but 4 unanswered goals by the Braves leave the Racs on the short end of a 4-2 score…..
Weekly Summary: The game started out well for Bucks County and ended better for visiting Yellowknife after a 4-2 Brave win…..
Cincinnati Inferno
Weekly Preview: The Cincinnati Inferno enter the final days of the season just six points behind New Jersey for the final playoff spot. Two intra-division games against the bottom two teams in the division give the club a chance to make up ground on the leaders. Can the club take advantage.
Charlotte Buzzards @ Cincinnati Inferno The Inferno notched the only goal in the opening term, as Matthew Takchuk picked up his 22nd goal at 11:30.

Charlotte leveled the scores with an Oliver Ekman-Larsson tally at 5:26 of the middle frame, his seventh of the year and on the power play.

The Buzzards grabbed the lead for good at 12:45 of the third–when Michael Grabner picked up his 20th goal. Henrik Zetterberg notched the game winning goal at 15:31 on the power play with his sixth of the year. The Inferno got back into the contes with 4:42 to go when William Karlsson slammed home his 21 st of the year. Jonathan Marchessault’s empty netter with 27 seconds to go closed out the victory.

Antti Raanta stopped 39 shots to collect the win, while Carter HUtton turned away 23 in the defeat. Charlotte was opportunistic on the power play, cashing in twice in six tries, while Cincinnati squandered both of its chances.

Thunder Bay NorWesters @ Cincinnati Inferno After dropping the game to Charlotte, the Inferno welcomed last place Thunder Bay–looking to get back on the victory trail and into the playoff race.

A three-goal third period explosion gave the Nor’Westers a 6-5 win at The Incinerator.

Brock Boeser was the only multi-goal scorer in the contest, which never saw a two-goal lead for either team. There were six lead changes in the contest.

With two minutes remaining, Thunder Bay held a 5-4 lead. With the goaltender pulled, William Karlsson netted his 22nd goal at 18:21 to tie the game. Fifteen seconds later, Jeff Petry rifled home his fourth goal on a one-timer to give the Nor’Westers the 6-5 triumph.

James Reimer stopped 31 shots in the win, while Carter Hutton took the loss with 29 saves. Jake Muzzin was the offensive star with a goal and three assists for Thunder Bay.

Weekly Summary: Cincinnati’s playoff hopes sit on life-support with these two critical losses. The Inferno continue to trail New Jersey by six points with just ten games remaining in the season. Cincinnati will have a chance to avenge both losses at Charlotte and Thunder Bay next week. The Inferno will also host Clearfield and New Jersey next week to complete the circuit in the division.
Brentwood Bandits
Weekly Preview: Brentwood in a dead heat with the Jagoff Mullets. Two division rivals enter the ‘wood. Coach Tom Atkins wants both wins. We’ll see how it plays out!
Columbus Brew Jackets @ Brentwood Bandits Columbus Brew Jackets come to town… will the drink their “brew” from the cup of victory? Or the toilet bowl of defeat?

46 seconds in Krug pots his 14th on a slapper from the point. 1-0 Bandits

Kempe (15) scores at 17:33 on the PP to tie it 1-1.

2nd period – El Nino scores his 31st of the campaign to put the Bandits up 2-1.

Couture gets his 29th of the season to tie it 2-2.

We go the 3rd period tied at 2.

Back and forth. Columbus outshooting the Bandits 15-12. But with 1:32 to play, Lars Eller gets his 10th of the season to take 3-2 lead.

Columbus pulls Rinne cause that’s what you do… Horvat gets the empty netter to make it 4-2 Brentwood. Then, 9 seconds later Braun shoots it into the empty net from center red. Final score 5-2 Bandits win.

The Bandits did everything they could throughout the game to lose it. 2 double minors by Niederreiter and a 5 minute major (charging) for Dumoulin. But they managed to only give up the one PP goal. The Bandits also got ZERO PP chances.

Star 1 – Krug 1G, 1A
Star 2 – Horvat 1G, 1A
Star 3 – Braun 1G

Notables
CBJ – None
BWB – Tavares 16 faceoffs won, Maatta 5 blocks, Vasilevskiy 32 saves

Bathgate Rangers @ Brentwood Bandits Bathgate comes to town to try to play spoiler. Starting a backup goalie in Georgiev has the Bandits licking their chops. Would the feast? Or go hungry?

Tavares starts the scoring with his league leading 42nd goal of the season. Kessel continues to pad the assist numbers with his 88th of the season and Krug got his 52nd. 1-0 Bandits.

Bandits on a PP… looking like a feast is coming. Not so fast, said Killorn as he scores a shortie on a breakaway (his 17th) to tie it 1-1. This started a wave for Bathgate.

On their own PP, Bathgate gets a goal from Wood (20) to take the 2-1 lead.

2nd Period
Kerfoot pots his 20th of the season to tie it 2-2.

3rd period
Brentwood can’t stay out of the box and Wood (21) gets another PP goal to give the lead back to Bathgate 3-2.

Brentwood pulls Vasilevskiy down 3-2 but Zibanejad (18) gets the empty netter. 4-2 Bathgate.

Brentwood does get one back at 19:46 with Krug (15) getting the empty netter from Kessel (89). It’s 4-3 with 14 seconds remaining, which is not enough time and Bathgate upsets the Bandits 4-3.

Star 1 – Wood 2G
Star 2 – Killorn 1G
Star 3 – Zibanejad 1G

Notables
BGR None
BWB Dumoulin 5 blocks

Weekly Summary: 2 home games, 2 points. Not the outcome we’d hoped for, but both teams played tight divisional games against us to try to play spoiler. Let’s see how those Jagoffs are doing and how we do on the road.
Gilbert Sharks
Weekly Preview: Gilbert has 3 games this week, 2 of them against the teams ahead of them in the standings.
California Regulators @ Gilbert Sharks California wins 4-3, Johnny Gaudreau gets the game winner with 1:30 left in the game.
Alamo Defenders @ Gilbert Sharks Gilbert wins 6-3, Andrew Cogliano has a goal and two assists in the win
LA Great Danes @ Gilbert Sharks LA wins 6-3, Mikkel Boedker has 2 goals and an assist in the victory.
Weekly Summary: A disappointing 1-2 week losing to both of the teams ahead of them in the standings
California Regulators
Long Beach Ice Dogs @ California Regulators California wins 5-3.
Alamo Defenders @ California Regulators California wins 6-5.
Weekly Summary: California wins 2 at home.
Alamo Defenders
Weekly Preview: Alamo has a single home game against the 2nd place LA Great Danes.
LA Great Danes @ Alamo Defenders Robin Lehner stood on his head this game. LA outshoots Alamo, 48-19, but Lehner shows signs of playing better than earlier this year. Marchand scores his 34th and 35th goals of the year. Wheeler with a goal and an assist. Rick Nash scores his 13th goal for the Great Danes.

Alamo 4 LA 1

1st star – Lehner 47 saves
2nd star – Marchand 2 goals
3rd star – Wheeler 2 points

Weekly Summary: Alamo gets the win over LA, 4-1.
Toledo Walleye
Weekly Preview: Toledo hosts division rivals Yellowknife and Chicago this week. Artem Anisimov is out with a minor ankle sprain and is day to day.
Yellowknife Braves @ Toledo Walleye Toledo 3, Yellowknife 1 – A very tense battle between 2 playoff hopefuls. The first period sees a lot of action as both teams combine for 25 shots on goal, but the real studs are the two goalies, Fleury and Dubnyk who each hold the line. Both teams get one powerplay advantage but both PK units are up to the task and the period ends scoreless.

2nd period is a continuation of the same. This time the Walleye get 2 early powerplay opportunities, but the Braves are up to the challange and the PK units kill the early threat. The Walleye control action most of the period outshooting the Braves 18-5, and this apparently wears down Fleury, as he lets in a breakaway shot by van Riemsdyk with just over a minute left and less than a minute later a wraparound by Backstrom after a rebound. In a big surprise the teams go to 2nd intermission at 2-0 Walleye.

The Braves come out with good energy in the 3rd and early in the period take advantage of a line change mistake by the home team to strike back on a deflection goal by Rantanen. Play continues with both teams showing good defense, until the Walleye run a nifty give and go play resulting in a open shot by Mantha into the net to get the lead back up to 2 with just under 7 minutes remaining. Dubnyk and the Walleye defense is up to the task including a pulled goalie late and preserve the 3-1 win.

1st star – Backstrom 1g1a
2nd – Dubnyk 29 saves
3rd – van Riemsdyk 1g

Chicago Cosa Nostra @ Toledo Walleye Chicago 5, Toledo 4 – Chicago shows up ready for this one, getting the first goal early by DeBrincat just 5 minutes into the game. Toledo responds 6 minutes later on a powerplay goal by Goodrow. Chicago then takes control of the game on 3 unanswered goals, extending into the 2nd period. Parayko, Pastrnak and Copp send the Walleye to the locker room feeling beaten up 4-1 after 2.

The Walleye return to the ice with a new fire, and are able to close the gap to 1 by the 10 minute mark on goals by Mantha (PP) and Krejci. The thugs from Chicago are able to stop the bleeding for a while, and they even find one more bullet, with Butcher scoring just under 2 minutes left. Thank goodness he did, because the Walleye pull the goalie and cut the lead back again with Vanek scoring. That is all they can muster and Chicago escapes with the 5-4 win.

1st star – Pastrnak – 1g2a
2nd – DeBrincat 1g1a
3rd – Parayko 1g

Weekly Summary: Toledo wins 1 of 2 at home this week, losing ground to Guentzel, and at best holding ground against Yellowknife. The race for the division title seems to be slipping away.

Top performers this week – Pastrnak 3 pts. CHI

Dubnyk 29 saves 1 GA and a win

Lafayette Homesteaders
Weekly Preview: The Steaders take on Brentwood, Bathgate and Jagr
Brentwood Bandits @ Lafayette Homesteaders Bretwood dominates more then the score indicates

Brentwood 4 Lafayette 3

Bathgate Rangers @ Lafayette Homesteaders All Bathgate

Bathgate 4 Lafayette 1

Jagr Mullets @ Lafayette Homesteaders Jagr score with just a minute to go to tie it up bu Lafayette wins in the shootout

Lafayette 4 Jagr 3

Weekly Summary: 2 points but three great games and Lafayette looks to end the season .500 ish
Charlotte Buzzards
Weekly Preview: The Buzzards go toe to toe with the top team in the MWHL, the Clearfield Bison. As the fourth-place Buzzards teeter on the precipice of a winning record to cap off their first season, it serves as a good litmus test.
Clearfield Bison @ Charlotte Buzzards Despite a valiant effort the Buzzards fall to the Bison 4-3, with the difference being a James Neal power play goal with 1:19 left in regulation. The power play opportunity came courtesy of a Brooks Orpik interference penalty in the last minutes of play. Neal was assisted by Rikard Rakell, and Patrick Kane, who also scored an earlier power play goal in the second period that put the Bison ahead 2-1 at the time. Against the high flying Bison, Charlotte strategically elected to rest three of its top players to reconcile end-of-season usage — defenseman Erik Johnson, goalie Anti Raanta, and winger Ryan Dzingel all sat out. Still, the Buzzards nearly captured at least a point. Fourth-line center Colton Sissons rose to the occasion with his first goal of the season which tied the game 3-3 with 10:14 left in regulation, before Neal’s game-winner. Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic assisted. Clearfield’s Tristan Jarry finished with 30 saves for the win, while King Henrik absorbed the loss.
Weekly Summary: The loss encapsulate’s Charlotte’s season — a good effort but not good enough for the playoffs.
New Jersey Grizzlies
Cincinnati Inferno @ New Jersey Grizzlies Cin-3 NJ-2 OT
Charlotte Buzzards @ New Jersey Grizzlies CHA–2 NJ–3