HAVERHILL, MA — The Eastern Hockey League (EHL) and Eastern Hockey League Premier (EHLP) Announce Week 24 Stars of the Week, running March 17th through March 22nd.
EHL
Northeast Conference
Cayden Miceli (F) East Coast Wizards
The East Coast Wizards head into the playoffs winning three straight, getting some big help from their Captain Cayden Miceli. He was the star of the show against the Bridgewater Bandits, where he factored in on all three goals. He scored both in regulation and assisted the game winner. Miceli then assisted a shorthanded insurance tally against the Valley Jr. Warriors, whom the Wizards will face in the first round of the playoffs this week.
Lukas Toth (G) Express Hockey Club
The Express had a huge bounce-back week, winning three straight as they head into a postseason dance with the Bridgewater Bandits. ‘05 All Star goaltender Lukas Toth won a pair of those, both against division leaders and both in come from behind fashion. After 43 stops and a commanding shootout performance, Toth and the Express took down the Seahawks Hockey Club. He followed that up with a 46/48 showing against the New Hampshire Avalanche, wrapping up the year with an impressive .923 in 41 games.
Kacper Gach (F) New Hampshire Avalanche
Midseason addition Kacper Gach has paid off dividends since joining the New Hampshire Avalanche. In a 2-1 week, the ‘05 collected points in all three games. He had a pair of assists in their victory over the Central Division leading H.C Rhode Island. The Illinois native added another assist against the Valley Jr. Warriors before scoring two goals against the Express Hockey Club to wrap up their three-in-three week. They’ll await the winner of East Coast Wizards vs Warriors.
Mid-Atlantic Conference
Liam Kansler (F) Philadelphia Hockey Club
Philadelphia Hockey Club Captain Liam Kansler carries a seven game point streak into the postseason after a 2-0-0-1 week. He had a pair of assists against the Philadelphia Little Flyers to start the week. In their two game set against the New Jersey Bears, he had a two goals and an assist, helping them secure three out of four possible points. He’ll be heading to Arcadia University for NCAA hockey next season.
John Danks (D) New Jersey Bears
John Danks finished the regular season leading all defenseman in goals, and on a stellar ten-game point streak He started the week with a shorthanded goal and an assist against the Pennsylvania Huntsmen before collecting another three points in a pair of games against Philadelphia Hockey Club. The latter featured a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win. Danks and the Bears now gear up for the first round against the New Jersey 87’s.
Jaydon Jones (F) Philadelphia Hockey Club
Jaydon Jones mentioned regaining his scoring touch in a recent interview, and that trend continued this week. Dangerous on the man advantage, the veteran forward had a pair of power play goals this week, adding to a total of five. He had a pair against the Philadelphia Little Flyers and another three across two games against the New Jersey Bears. The NJ native also added two assists. PHC will take on the Little Flyers in the first round of the playoffs.
EHL Premier
Northeast Conference
Devin Kelly (F) Seahawks Hockey Club
With their top two scorers out of the lineup, the Seahawks Hockey Club got some big offense from ‘07 Devin Kelly. He first scored the game tying goal as the Seahawks came from behind to take down the Connecticut Nor’Easter. In a playoff preview against the Express Hockey Club, Kelly led the way with a pair of goals, including the game winner. He finished the regular season with an impressive 26 goals, good for eighth in the EHLP.
David Wood (F) New Hampshire Avalanche
No team enters the playoffs with more momentum than the New Hampshire Avalanche. They enter the playoffs on a fifteen game winning streak, and added two more this past week. In a pair of tight wins against the Providence Capitals, David Wood collected three points. He scored the first goal for the Avalanche in each game and added an assist in the second. The Capitals will face off against the Connecticut Nor’Easter, with the Avalanche awaiting the winner;
Logan Boyd (G) Seahawks Hockey Club
After dropping last weekend’s game against the Express Hockey Club, the Seahawks Hockey Club were out for revenge in their final game of the regular season. Thanks to some stellar goaltending from ‘08 Logan Boyd, they got the job done. He turned aside 35 of 36, and made a number of incredible stops in the process. Boyd helped kill off a trio of Express power plays as well, securing a big win against the team they’ll see in the playoffs.
Mid-Atlantic Conference
Eddie Kienzle (F) New Jersey 87’s
This is the New Jersey 87’s time of year, and the defending champs are riding a six game heater into the postseason. Eddie Kienzle did some damage yet again as the 87’s swept their weekend three-in-three. He first scored a pair against the Philadelphia Little Flyers, which featured the game winner. In a 6-3 win over the Union Jr. Thunder, he had helpers on four of the goals. The 6x Star of the Week then scored five of six goals in a win over the division leading Atlantic City Seals. The 87’s will now await their next matchup, with a bye through the first round.
Matej Denk (F) Union Jr. Thunder
Matej Denk finished the season third in the league in points after a monster weekend featuring eight points in two games. After a goal and an assist in their loss to the New Jersey 87’s, Denk made sure UJT ended the regular season on a high note. He tallied four goals and two assists in a win over the Philadelphia Little Flyers to snap a lengthy skid. They’ll take on the Huntsmen in the first round of the playoffs.
Holden Bates (G) Pennsylvania Huntsmen
Holden Bates and the Pennsylvania Huntsmen wrapped up the year with a win as they get ready for the EHLP postseason. Although dropping his first game of the week, he still made 49 saves in the effort, resulting in a tight game against the New Jersey Bears. Against the same opponent, he followed that up with a shutout victory where he stopped another 30. The All Star finished the year with a .925.