CFHL Week 20

We have made it to 20 weeks!  Hard to believe after the long grind we only have 3 weeks to go in the regular season.  Just a little reminder that the division winners get top seed and the two best get a bye, then the best next 3 make playoffs. 

Playoff picture brought to you by Pepsi

Here's a look at the Playoff Picture.  The Assassins still leading the league, while the Mambas downward trend continues.

Division Leader:
1. Assassins (132) - Bye
2. Mayhem on Ice (129) - Bye
3. La Femme Nikita (126)

Wild Card:
4. Goon Crew (130)
5. Checkers (128)
6. USSR (125)

In the Hunt:
White Mambas (123)

What happened last week?

Goon Crew vs. USSR 4-2 - What a game! A much closer battle than the final indicated.  No one came close to the combined offensive totals in this game: 30 goals scored, 39 assists, 21 PPP!  In the end the Crew hung on for the win. Their goal tending came up big with 5 wins and .932 SV%.  Fleury had 3 wins while Blackwood had a SV% of .958. 

Blackwood has been a nice surprise

California Raisins vs. White Mambas 5-0-1 - The Raisins hammered the sliding Mambas as they look to make a huge run to try to get into the playoffs.  Malkin lead the team with 3 goals and Kreider had 12 hits for the Raisins.

Malkin for the Raisins

Checkers vs. AshBusters 3-3 - The Checkers managed only to tie the AshBusters as their goal tending woes continue.  They had 0 wins between Rinne and Samsonov.  A bright spot however for the Checkers was the "Zombie" Kopitar had a nice week that included 4 assists along with 2 PPP.

The Zombie Kopitar

Assassins vs. Krampus Carols 4-2 - The Assassins held onto the top spot with the win.  Carey Price was strong in net with 2 wins and a SV% of .920.  Mike "Hassel" Hoffman played well too for the Assassins getting 3 goals, 2 assists a PPP and 2 hits.

Who Gives a Puck vs. La Femme Nikita 3-1-2 - The Puck managed to beat La Femme Nikita, who only scored 2 goals.  Plus the Puck won goalie wins by getting just one win.  Brady Tkachuk for La Femme Nikita almost beat the Puck in hits on his own 18-19.

Mayhem on Ice vs. Greek Empire 6-0 - The Mayhem took full advantage of a depleted Greek Empire team.  Goal Tending for the Mayhem was on showcase as Bobrovsky and Binnington combined for 5 wins and a SV% of .942

Good ole Bob back to his antics..

Three Stars of the Week:

First Star: Jordan Binnington, G, Mayhem on Ice - 3 wins, .984 SV% plus 2 shutouts!

Second Star:  Mark Scheifele, C, Goon Crew - 3 goals, 5 assists, 3 PPP

Third Star:  Patrik Laine, F, Goon Crew - 2 goals, 3 assists, 3 PPP and 6 hits

Goon of the Week:  None other than Brady Tkachuk, F, La Femme Nikita - 18 hits (make it 8 Goon of the weeks.  would have been 9 if there was a newsletter last week.  He had 22 last week!)

CFHL Week 18

The marathon continues.  Week 18 and the standings continue to change week to week.  Here is the latest playoff picture:

Division Leaders:
1. Assassins (121) - Bye
2. USSR (115) - Bye
3. Mayhem on Ice (111)

Wild Cards:
4. Goon Crew (117)
5. Checkers (116)
6.  White Mambas (115)

In the Hunt:
La Feme Nikita (113)

With only 5 weeks in the regular season left, this is not the time to have a bad week...

Here is what happened last week:

Goon Crew  vs. California Raisins 5-1 - For a while it looked like this could be an upset in the making.  Nah.  Crew came on toward end of week to put the game away getting 5 goals from Laine and finally getting some good goal tending from Grubauer (3 wins and .963 SV%)

Laine's 5 goals included a hat trick!

Checkers vs. White Mambas 4-1-1 - Checkers took down the division leading Mambas, jumbling up the standings.  Tavares had 5 goals for the Checkers as well!  They got nothing out of their goalies except a relief duty that posted 1.000 SV%.

Krampus Carols vs. La Femme Nikita 5-1 - Krampus knocked Nikita out of the playoffs, currently, but a lot can happen in 5 weeks.  Krampus have an interesting goalie strategy going right now, starting BOTH Bruins goalies Rask and Halak.  Its working so far as they combined for 3 wins and a .948 SV%

This combo has been working for the Krampus Carols

Who Gives a Puck vs. AshBusters 5-0-1 - The injuries are catching up with the AshBusters with 4 players out.  Auston Matthews had a great week with 4 goals and 3 assists.  His teammate Marner had 6 assists.  Too bad they appear to be out of the playoff hunt...

might be the best porn-stache in the CFHL 

Mayhem on Ice vs. USSR 3-3 - Mayhem had the offense winning G, A, and PPP while the Soviets had the hits and goal tending.  And that would be 54 hits, with 13 coming from Kulikov.  Elvis has been great in goal as well getting 2 wins and .971 SV% for the USSR.

Assassins vs. Greek Empire 6-0 - The sweep of the Greek Empire has moved the Assassins to the top of the league and the number 1 seed currently.  With Frederik Andersen out, Carey Price had to carry the load for the Assassins and he did getting 2 wins and a .950 SV%.

Price helping the Assassins to top of the league

Three Stars of the Week:

First Star:  Philipp Grubauer, G, Goon Crew - 3 wins, .963 SV%

Second Star: John Tavares, F, Checkers - 5 goals, 2 assists, 4 PPP and 5 hits

Third Star:  Elvis Merzlikins, G, USSR - 2 wins, .971 SV%

Goon of the Week:  Brady Tkachuk, F, La Femme Nikita, 14 hits (7th time as Goon of the Week)

I'll be heading back to SWFL so no blog next week.  :)

CFHL Week 17

I'm back!  Well at least the blog is back.  Not sure how back the Crew are...But with 6 weeks to go, its time to lock it in on the prize and make a run for the playoffs.  The current playoff picture:

Division Leaders:
1. White Mambas 112 points - bye
2. La Femme Nikita 111 points - bye
3. Mayhem on Ice 105 points
Wild Cards:
4. USSR
5 Assassins
6 Checkers
Crew tied with Checkers but Checkers might have tie breaker...

Here's a look at last weeks games:

Goon Crew vs. Krampus Carols 3-3 - The Crew's goal tending continue to struggle as they only got 1 win and a .904 SV%.  Ovechkin had 3 goals and 5 hits for the Krampus.

Assassins vs. AshBusters 3-2-1 - Assassins had great net minding, as Andersen and Price combined for 4 wins and a .935 SV%

Andersen was strong in net for the Assassins

Checkers vs. Raisins 4-2 - The Checkers continue their quest for the playoffs, sitting now in the last playoff spot.  Draisaitle had a great week getting 2 goals and 6 assists.

DeBrusk sneaks one in for a goal for the Mambas

La Femme Nikita vs. Greek Empire 6-0 - This game has to hold the record for most players in the starting lineup that are on IR.  There were 4 players on IR in this game.

White Mambas vs. Mayhem on Ice 4-2 - The White Mambas continue to lead the league.  Jake DeBrusk had 3 goals and 2 PPP for the Mambas, who all week wore numbers 24 and 8 in honor of the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant.

USSR vs Who Gives a Puck 4-2 - USSR took it to the defending champs scoring 13 goals, 19 assists and 59 hits!  Stamkos had 5 goals for the Soviets!

Three Stars of the Week:

First Star:  Leon Draisaitl, C, Checkers - 2 goals, 6 assists, 2 PPP and 1 hit

Second Star:  Steven Stamkos, C, USSR - 5 goals, 3 assists, 0 PPP and 8 hits

Third Star:  J.T. Miller, F, Crew - 3 goals, 4 assists, 0 PPP and 7 hits.

Goon of the Week:  Tom Wilson, F, Assassins - 23 hits!

CFHL Week 15

In the CFFL the regular season would be over and we would be talking about playoffs.  Not here in the CFHL.  Still 8 more weeks in the regular season.  Not like there has been a flurry of trades, but trade deadline is February 18 for those that are wondering.  So about a month away.

The Smythe still looks to be a two horse race between the Mayhem (99) and Empire (97), but with 8 weeks to go, don't count out the California Raisins (83).

Checkers are slipping some in the Norris, now down 10 points to the division leading Mambas (101).  Adams division leading USSR trying to keep a team that makes no changes to line up entire season winning the division, up only 3 points.

Mayhem vs. Goon Crew 5-1 - Crew, after gaining first place in the league, got hammered despite 4 goals from David "Pasta" Pastrnak, including a hat trick.

Pasta been on fire lately

White Mambas vs. Assassins 3-1-2 - Mambas overthrow the Crew as top team in the league.  They tallied 21 assists against the Assassins.  Only one person didn't get an assist for the Mambas.

California Raisins vs. Who Gives a Puck 2-2-2 - This game ended in a complete dead lock.  Players of this game were Panarin "Bread" for the Raisins with 2 goal sand 5 assists, and "Fat" Tony DeAngelo for the Puck, who had 3 goals, 4 assists, 3PPP and 5 hits!

Panarin "Bread" celebrates

Krampus Carols vs. Checkers 5-1 - The Krampus finally showed up and put the Checkers in their sack and beat them.  Ryan "Ted" Nugent-"Anthony" Hopkins had 3 goals for the Krampus.

"Ted" Nugent Hopkins for Krampus

USSR vs. La Femme Nikita 4-2 - USSR held off the Nikita to keep in first place in the Adams.  It was a slug fest as the Soviets had 63 hits.  James "Vince" Neal and Jeff Petry "Dish" both had double digit hits.

Greek Empire vs. AshBusters 2-2-2 - Another game deadlocked. Brock "Lesnar" Boeser had 3 goals for the Empire. 

Three Stars of the Week:

First Star:  "Fat" Tony DeAngelo, F, Puck 3 goals, 4 assists, 3 PPP and 5 hits.

Second Star:  Jordan Binnington, G, Mayhem - 3 wins .930 SV%

Third Star:  Connor McDavid, C, Mambas - 2 goals, 4 assists, 2 PPP and 3 hits.

Goon of the Week:  James Neal, F, USSR - 17 hits (10 in one game!)

Note:  There will be no article next week as I will be attending a FHL commissioners conference in Florida....

CFHL Week 14

Things change fast in the CFHL with possibilities of getting up to 6 wins a week!  Greek Empire now first place in the Smythe.  The Goon Crew now top in the league and have 2 point lead in Norris and USSR are tied with La Femme Nikita in the Adams....

Week 14 action:

Goon Crew vs. Who Gives a Puck 5-1 - The Goon crew took care of the defending champ Puck to regain top honors.  Crew finally got a good week out of their goalies getting 5 wins between Fleury and Grubauer.

Fleury came up big for the Crew

Assassins vs. California Raisins 3-2-1 - Assassins squeak by the Raisins behind 3 goals from Vrana and 10 hits each from Niskanen and Trouba.  Raisins got 4 goals from Patrick Kane and 5 big goals from Werenski in the loss.

Assassins Vrana sniping a goal

Checkers mascot with a young Checker fan

AshBusters vs. Krampus Carols 4-2 - AshBusters' hands off policy gets back on winning track against the Krampus.  Both teams were weak...Only 1 goalie win between the two of them and 13 goals.

Mayhem on Ice vs. Cherry's Checkers 2-2-2 - Checkers lived up to their name getting 48 hits, including double digit hits from Pageau and Pionk.

The White Mambas vs. La Femme Nikita 4-2 - Mambas trying to keep pace with Crew this week defeating Nikita.  Injuries starting to pile up for Nikita with 3 players on IR...

The Greek Empire vs. USSR 5-1 - One week they are number one, the next they are number 8.  The Soviets not only lost the World Junior Cup Sunday, but their CFHL team got hammered by the Greeks.

Team Canada defeats Team Russia in IIHF WJC 2020

Three Stars of the Week:

First Star:  Mark Scheifele, F, Goon Crew - 3 goals, 5 assists, 4 PPP, 3 hits

Second Star:  Nathan MacKinnon, C, Mayhem - 3 goals, 5 assists, 3 PPP and 1 hit

Third Star:  Zach Werenski, D, Raisins - 5 goals and 3 hits.

Goon of the Week:  Brady Tkachuk, F, La Femme Nikita - 17 hits (6th of the year)

Kept avoiding putting this in because of Habs,
but finally gave in...