Week 18 |
In the early game, the IceDogs helped out their playoff hopes by beating the Cattle Barons 8-4.
The IceDogs started out quickly & found themselves up 4-1 by the end of the first period. The teams each scored a goal in the second. The IceDogs capped it off by scoring three more in the third, while the Cattle Barons scored two.
Joe & Jordan DeBoer will share the Player of the Game honours for this one. They each scored five points in the IceDogs' win. Greg Bork also had a good game, tallying three assists.
The early game was another battle of the two top teams in the standings. The Flyers put an exclamation point on clinching a playoff spot with an 8-1 win over the Hawks.
The Flyers dominated the game - scoring four goals in the first period and three in the second.
After getting rattled in the early game while playing as a "fill-in" goalie for the Cattle Barons, Rick Jones rebounded for in the net for the Flyers, and looked like he might get his second shut-out of the season. This was until the Hawks were finally able to get on the scoreboard with two minutes to go in the third.
We'll let Rick Jones share the Player of the Game with his team-mates, Steve Capelle & Ryan Cross, who each scored three points for the Flyers.
The late game was an important "four point" type of a game between the two teams separated by a point for the final playoff spot. The Stars continued on their streak by beating the Omegas 7-4.
It was a good battle all the way through, with the Stars going up 3-1 by the end of the first. They stretched the lead in the second, and were up 5-2 going into the third.
The Omegas gave the Stars a scare when they scored two quick goals early in the third to trim the Stars' lead to 5-4. The Stars countered when they scored a power-play goal with seven minutes to go, and sealed the deal with an empty netter in the last minute.
Chris Helps is the Player of the Game. He had five points for the Stars, including four goals.
With two games to go in the regular season, the standings are still far from being settled.
The Hawks have clinched first place, but the rest of the playoff picture is quite unclear at this point.
The Flyers have 23 points & have clinched a playoff berth, but still do not know what position they will finish in.
The IceDogs sit in third with 21 points. They could finish as high as second position, but also could miss the playoffs.
The Stars are now sitting in fourth with 19 points. They could finish as high as third seed, but could also miss the playoffs for yet another season.
The Omegas are in fifth position with 18 points. They are in a very similar situation as the Stars. They also can finish as high as third position, but they could miss the playoffs for the first time in years.
The Cattle Barons will not be in the playoffs this season, but they can certainly play the role as spoiler. They could be the key in how the standings play out.