Offenses explodes in Week Eight
HAVERHILL, MA — It’s time for another edition of Short Shifts around the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) and Eastern Hockey League Premier (EHLP).
Some of the hottest teams in the league have kept their winning streaks going, while goals have been coming in bunches with some high-scoring affairs. Here are some of the top stories from the league over the past week.
Staying Hot
- As of Friday morning, the New Jersey 87’s have the longest active winning streak with 10 straight victories. On Wednesday, they knocked down the Pennsylvania Huntsmen by a score of 5-2.
- Aiden Doherty had a pair of goals; it was his second straight two-goal game, he now has five goals over his last four games.
- The second-longest streak belongs to HC Rhode Island, as they swept the New York Apple Core in a back-to-back and followed that up with a big win over the Connecticut RoughRiders.
- Aiden Forcier had a week to remember, collecting 11 points over those three games (7g, 4a), including a four-goal performance against Apple Core.
- The New Hampshire Avalanche extended their winning streak to six games; they scored two wins over the Seahawks Hockey Club and took down the New England Wolves by a score of 4-2.
- Danny Storella and Ben Carfora each had a goal and two assists in their 4-0 win over the Seahawks. A few days later, Carfora put up two more goals in their 7-3 victory. Noah Rogers also collected two goals plus an assist while Petey Silverman notched four helpers.
- Alex Ravikovich had a goal and two assists in that 7-3 win over the Seahawks; he followed that up with a pair of goals including the game-winner against the Wolves. That win also put the Avs one point ahead of the Wolves for first in the North Division.
Hockey Central Rhode Island
- Hockey Club Rhode Island is establishing itself as the top team in the Central Division; they have a 10-3-1 record and have the second-longest active winning streak with six straight victories.
- Austin Haldane is leading the team with 12 goals and 19 points in 14 games so far this season. He found the back of the net in HC Rhode Island’s 5-2 win over the Providence Capitals on Wednesday.
- What also makes HC Rhode Island’s success so interesting: after Haldane, the next top three scorers from the team are all ’07 birth years. Aiden Forcier (7g, 10a), Roberts Stamurs (7g, 10a) and Ernests Muska (6g, 10a) are all among the top 20 scorers in the EHL. No other ’07 in the league is in the top 40.
- The same can be said for their goaltending. Angelo Evangelista, an ’07 birth year who recorded the win in HC Rhode Island’s win over the Caps, is off to a 3-1-1 start with a .936 save percentage and a shutout.
Goals, Goals and More Goals
- It was a great week for EHL skaters. There were 16 games played between last Friday and Thursday, and nine of them saw at least one team score five or more goals.
- Last week, the Connecticut RoughRiders pulled out the win in an 8-6 shootout against the Connecticut Nor’Easter. Connor Hetherington picked up the hat trick plus an assist. Brendan Devenney had five points with a goal and four helpers.
- In the battle of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Little Flyers beat the Pennsylvania Huntsmen 9-2 last Friday. Braylen Tuff had a goal and five assists while Anthony Ostrowski had two goals plus an assist.
- New York Apple Core had an eventful week that saw a lot of goals. Their second game against HC Rhode Island was a 7-6 defeat, but they bounced back with a 4-1 win over the Nor’Easter.
- Gage Winter has been having a remarkable start to the season in Brewster. In 14 games, he has 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points, including eight points in his last two games. He recorded two goals and three assists against Rhode Island and put up two more goals plus an assist in the win over Connecticut.
- Apple Core’s offense also got a shot in the arm since Braedon Gallante returned to the team. In his first six games back, Gallante has 14 points (6g, 8a) including two goals and two assists in their win against Connecticut.
- The Bears have points in seven straight games (6-0-1) including a 5-1 win over the Little Flyers on Thursday. Francesco Donohue had two goals plus an assist in the victory.
- For a team that lost so many veterans from last year, it is remarkable how the Bears haven’t lost a step and are still competing for the top spot in the South Division. Their three top scorers—Oliver Bunjer, Jayden Juan and Donohue—are all first-year EHL players and ’06 birth years.
Around the EHLP
- The New Hampshire Avalanche had a jam-packed schedule with five games over five days. They won every single game and extended their winning streak to eight.
- Ryan Dube has recorded a point in each of the Avs’ last eight games (8g, 7a), including a hat trick in their most recent 6-2 win over the Seahawks Hockey Club.
- Speaking of, that stretch of five games was bookended by games against the Seahawks, starting with a 4-3 overtime win and ending with that 6-2 victory.
- In the Mid-Atlantic Conference, the Union Jr. Thunder have won four in a row. Last weekend, they took down the Atlantic City Seals, 3-2 in a shootout, then beat the New Jersey Bears 5-2.
- Union continues to see offensive production from forwards like Radek Jenik and Matej Denk, but Matthew Bomeisl factored in those two wins. He picked up two helpers in the shootout win over the Seals, then had two goals and an assist against the Bears.
- If there were a single performance from a goaltender to be recognized over the week, that honor would go to Colton Alles of the Express Hockey Club. He recorded a 49-save shutout in the Express’ 1-0 overtime win against the Wolves. Sviat Antipkin had the lone goal in the extra session.
- Alles followed that shutout with a win over the Seahawks, improving his record to 8-0-0 this season while rocking a 1.99 goals against average and a .932 save percentage.