CFHL Week 7

 Sorry for the hiatus while I was enjoying the sunshine and warm weather of SWFL.  But back at it up here in the Grey/Brown season with an update on the CFHL.

Goon Crew in Week 5 dispensed the Checkers easily 5-0-1 15 hits from Foligno and a great week from goaltender Ukko-Pekka "Oompa Loompa" Luukkonen who had 2 wins and SV% of .968.  Unfortunately, the Crew would then fall to the Assassins 1-4-1 the next week, despite 4 goals from Dylan Larkin. They  remain 6 points back in the Cherry Division in 4th place...

The Oompa Loompa did well for the Crew

After the Checkers lost to the Goon Crew, with 18 hits from none other than Jeremy Lauzon, they were able to bounce back against the White Mambas 4-2.  The Checkers scored 16 goals with Marshessault getting 5 and Reinhart and Toffoli netting 4 each!  Lauzon continued to hammer the boards with 17 more hits!  However they remain in last place in the Cherry Division...

Lauzon being Lauzon...

The Assassins in Week 5 played a tough game against Who Gives a Puck beating them 3-2-1.  5 assists from Makar and a good week in goal by Demko (2 wins and .925 SV%) helped the cause.  The following week they got the Crew and took care of them 4-1-1.  Nikita Kucherov had a huge week scoring 4 goals, 5 assists, 3 PPP and 3 hits!  Assassins are in the mix of things in the North, trailing 2nd place Raisins by only 1 point and division leading Greek Empire by 2...

Kuch had huge week for the Assassins!

In the big California rivalry, Greek Empire shut out the California Raisins 6-0!!  Star of the game was Joel Eriksson Ek who had 4 goals, 4 assists, 3 PPP and 5 hits!  Plus Hellebuyck continued his MVP performance with 2 wins and .958 SV%.  But then, what seems very common place in this league, the Greek would lose the following week, this time to the Slapshot 1-3-2.  Hellebuyck finally stumbled, not getting any wins and a SV% of .878.  They still lead the Cherry Division but only by 1 point over the Raisins.

4 goals for Joel...who has a little Kopitar look to him...

Speaking of the California Raisins and the tale of 2 weeks, after they got their butt handed to them by the Greek Empire, they took it out on Who Gives a Puck beating them 5-1.  This was not a goalie dual, with only one win between all 4 goalies.  But the Raisins got great production from Brock Boeser (3g, 3a, 3PPP, 1 hit) and 5 assists from Dobson.  After that 5 win week, they trail the Greek by only 1 point.

Boeser scores for the Raisins

The Buffalo Slapshots still remain in last place, but showed some signs of life the past two weeks going a total of  6-4-2.  Thy tied the Krampus 3-3 in Week 5, edging them by 1 assist and just 2 PPPs.  Leon Draisaitl led the team with 2 goals 3 assists and 2 PPP.  The following week they were able to get the win against the Greek Empire again with a good performance from Draisaitl (6 assists) and 4 goals from team favorite JJ Peterka. 

Krampus Carols went 3-3 in back to back weeks.  First to the Slapshots.  Thankfully the Krampus had great goaltending or it wouldn't have been that close.  They got 4 wins and a SV% of .952 between Kuemper and "Principal" Skinner.  Then they went toe to toe with division leading Space Monkeys getting a huge week from Connor McDavid.  He scored 4 goals, 4 assists, 3 PPP and 5 hits!  They now trail the Space Monkey Mafia by 3 points.

McDavid keeping the Krampus in contention

League leading Space Monkey Mafia were surprised by the White Mambas in Week 5 despite Nathan MacKinnon's week of 3 goals, 5 assists, and 4 hits.  MacKinnon followed that up with 5 goals, 2 assists, 3 PPP the next week in their draw with the Krampus Carols.  Fours were wild with Matthew Tkachuk, who had 4 goals, 4 assists, 4 PPP, and 4 hits!

Space Monkey Mafia fans celebrate MacKinnon's Hatty

The reason the White Mambas were able to surprise the Mafia was the play of David Pastrnak.  He had 5 goals, 2 assists, and 2 PPP.  Victor Hedman also had a big week from the blue line scoring 2 goals, 3 assists 2 PPP and 3 hits!  They wouldn't be able to surprise the Checkers though losing 2-4, even if Brayden Point had 4 goals and Pastrnak with 3.  The White Mambas are a long way back in the Smythe division, but are still in the thick of the playoff race...

White Mambas serving up a big helping of Pasta

The defending champs Who Gives a Puck certainly are having their struggles.  They currently sit at 37 points on the outside of the playoffs looking in.  Week 5 saw the Assassins come in and beat them 3-2-1.  The Puck did get 5 goals from Matthews and 4 more from Rantanen in the loss.  And then the Raisins hammered them 5-1 the following week.  That week Matthews was only able to manage 2 goals and just 1 PPP.  Cherry Cup hangover?

Matthews one of the few bright points for the Puck