The National Strat-O-Matic Hockey League Newsletter League Established May 1, 1997 Volume #11, Issue #17 - April 28, 2008 ********************************************************************* Current League Officers: Commissioner: Doug Norris Vice-Commissioner: Brian Leahy (7/15/07 to present) Email the whole league: mailto:nshl at yahoogroups dot com NSHL Chat List: mailto:nshlchat at yahoogroups dot com Web Page Administrator: Guy Caron League Web Site: http://nshl.org Files Adminstrator: Brian Leahy / Tom Vinacci League Files Site: http://www.highrantdistrict.com/SOM/NSHL Team Websites: Capital City Cougars: http://members.tripod.com/~CapCity/ Seattle Rainiers: http://math.colorado.edu/~norrisdt/rainiers/rainiers.html ********************************************************************* CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS IN REVIEW: Well, we're down to the final four in the NSHL. In each case, the teams with the first- and third-most points in their conference are now battling to see who will be the representatives in the 2008 Farley Cup. Not only were there no upsets, but only one underdog took things to six games! The team that pushed their series the hardest was the Seattle Sasquatch, who, after knocking off the second-seeded Fiddler Crabs, took the Houston Aeros to six. It could have ended in many possible ways, too, as the first three games were all decided in extra time. In the end, it was a groin injury to netminder Marc-Andre Fleury that doomed the Sasquatch, as they lost the pivotal game five on Aero ice before losing the series at home. Star of the series Brendan Shanahan scored the game-winning goal in both Game Five and Game Six, the latter a shorthanded winner. The Sasquatch weren't the only Emerald City squad to fall in this round, as the defending champion Rainiers allowed twenty-one Nevada goals in a five-game defeat. Former Rainiers Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Mike Sillinger and Jaromir Jagr paced the Thunder to wins in the first three contests, and it was another Rainier alum, Matt Cooke, who sealed things with the overtime winner in game five. Out East, "Original Six" teams Brooklyn and St. Michael's squared off, and it was the Fourteenth who advanced to their fifth conference finals. The Privateers managed just nine goals in five games against Brooklyn's stifling defense, while John Madden led the Fourteenth with solid two-way play. Brooklyn will face Quebec City, a squad looking to advance to the Cup Finals for the first time in league history. Although the Long Island Berserkers outscored the Patriotes by a 16-15 margin, Quebec City was the more efficient of the clubs, winning three games in overtime. Tomas Plekanec, Petr Sykora and Jochen Hecht were the clutch heroes while Manny Fernandez provided timely netminding. ********************************************************************* 2007-08 TROPHY NOMINEES: I'll be announcing these later in the week in a special newsletter! Yay special newsletter! ********************************************************************* 2008 CONFERENCE FINALS: #2 QUEBEC CITY PATRIOTES at #1 BROOKLYN FOURTEENTH #3 NEVADA THUNDER at #1 HOUSTON AEROS ********************************************************************* EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL RESULTS: #6 ST. MICHAEL'S PRIVATEERS at #1 BROOKLYN FOURTEENTH St. Michael's 1, at Brooklyn 3 [Game One, Brooklyn leads series, 1-0] BRK Alexander Ovechkin - goal, assist, hit BRK Barret Jackman - two assists, two hits STM Tim Thomas - forty-four saves, 2/3 GR St. Michael's 2, at Brooklyn 3 [Game Two, Brooklyn leads series, 2-0] BRK Matt Pettinger - assist, two takeaways BRK Scott Walker - game-winning power-play goal STM Nathan Horton - power-play goal, hit Brooklyn 2, at St. Michael's 3 [Game Three, Brooklyn leads series, 2-1] STM Tim Thomas - thirty saves, 5/7 GR STM Duncan Keith - assist, two takeaways, hit BRK Olaf Kolzig - twenty-three saves, 2/2 GR Brooklyn 3, at St. Michael's 1 [Game Four, Brooklyn leads series, 3-1] STM Tim Thomas - thirty-five saves, 6/6 GR BRK Michael Nylander - two assists, hit BRK John Madden - goal, two takeaways St. Michael's 2, at Brooklyn 4 [Game Five, Brooklyn wins series, 4-1] BRK John Madden - goal, assist, hit, nine shots on goal BRK Matt Pettinger - two assists, takeaway BRK Mike Commodore - shorthanded goal, takeaway, two hits #5 LONG ISLAND BERSERKERS at #2 QUEBEC CITY PATRIOTES Long Island 3, at Quebec City 4 [Game One, Quebec City leads series, 1-0] QCP Robert Lang - game-winning goal, assist QCP Daniel Briere - two assists LIB Marian Gaborik - goal, assist Long Island 3, at Quebec City 4 (OT) [Game Two, Quebec City leads series, 2-0] QCP Tomas Plekanec - two goals including goal at 10:13 of overtime QCP Manny Fernandez - forty-five saves, 8/10 GR LIB Trent Hunter - two goals Quebec City 3, at Long Island 2 (OT) [Game Three, Quebec City leads series, 3-0] QCP Petr Sykora - goal at 7:21 of overtime, two takeaways QCP Manny Fernandez - thirty-three saves, 5/7 GR LIB Radek Martinek - five takeaways, two hits Quebec City 0, at Long Island 5 [Game Four, Quebec City leads series, 3-1] LIB Vincent Lecavalier - three goals, assist, plus-five LIB Marian Gaborik - two goals, two assists, takeaway, plus-five LIB Evgeni Nabokov - thirty saves, shutout, 2/2 GR Long Island 3, at Quebec City 4 (OT) [Game Five, Quebec City wins series, 4-1] LIB Ryan Whitney - power-play goal, two assists, hit QCP Daniel Briere - goal, assist, hit QCP Jochen Hecht - series-winning goal at 0:20 of overtime ********************************************************************* WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL RESULTS: #7 SEATTLE SASQUATCH at #1 HOUSTON AEROS Seattle Sasquatch 3, at Houston 4 (OT) [Game One, Houston leads series, 1-0] HOU Justin Williams - goal at 2:43 of overtime, assist HOU Mats Sundin - goal, assist, takeaway SES Sergei Brylin - goal, assist, takeaway Seattle Sasquatch 3, at Houston 4 (OT) [Game Two, Houston leads series, 2-0] SES Milan Hejduk - two goals, assist, two takeaways, hit HOU Ken Klee - goal at 11:54 of overtime, takeaway HOU Brendan Shanahan - goal, three takeaways Houston 3, at Seattle Sasquatch 4 (OT) [Game Three, Houston leads series, 2-1] SES Teemu Selanne - two power-play goals including GWG at 2:42 of OT HOU Brendan Shanahan - three goals, takeaway, hit SES Martin Gelinas - two goals Houston 1, at Seattle Sasquatch 3 [Game Four, series tied, 2-2] SES Milan Hejduk - two goals SES Marc-Andre Fleury - thirty saves, 4/5 GR SES Martin Gelinas - two assists, two takeaways Seattle Sasquatch 1, at Houston 3 [Game Five, Houston leads series, 3-2] HOU Tomas Vokoun - thirty saves, 7/8 GR HOU Brendan Shanahan - game-winning power-play goal, two takeaways HOU Nicklas Lidstrom - assist, two takeaways, two hits Houston 3, at Seattle Sasquatch 2 [Game Six, Houston wins series, 4-2] HOU Brendan Shanahan - game-winning shorthanded goal, takeaway HOU Tomas Vokoun - thirty-six saves, 8/9 GR SES Marc Savard - goal, eight-of-ten faceoffs #5 SEATTLE RAINIERS at #3 NEVADA THUNDER Seattle Rainiers 2, at Nevada 6 [Game One, Nevada leads series, 1-0] NEV Jason Blake - two goals NEV Mike Sillinger - two power-play goals NEV Jason Arnott - power-play goal, two assists Seattle Rainiers 4, at Nevada 7 [Game Two, Nevada leads series, 2-0] NEV Jaromir Jagr - two goals, two assists NEV Mike Sillinger - goal, two assists SEA Chris Drury - shorthanded goal, assist, 11-of-13 faceoffs Nevada 4, at Seattle Rainiers 3 [Game Three, Nevada leads series, 3-0] NEV Brian Rolston - goal, four takeaways SEA Dany Heatley - goal, assist NEV Jaromir Jagr - two assists, two takeaways Nevada 1, at Seattle Rainiers 4 [Game Four, Nevada leads series, 3-1] SEA Tomas Holmstrom - two goals, takeaway, hit SEA Vesa Toskala - twenty-five saves, 5/5 GR SEA Stephen Weiss - two assists, takeaway Seattle Rainiers 2, at Nevada 3 (OT) [Game Five, Nevada wins series, 4-1] NEV Matt Cooke - two goals including series-winning goal at 3:16 of OT NEV Jean-Sebastien Giguere - twenty-nine saves, 4/6 GR NEV Martin Straka - two assists, takeaway ********************************************************************* 2007-08 REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE STANDINGS: NORTHEAST DIVISION GP W L OL SL Pts Pct GF GA Home Road Brooklyn Fourteenth 82 62 16 2 2 128 0.780 280 181 36- 3- 1- 1 26-13- 1- 1 Buffalo Bulldogs 82 56 23 2 1 115 0.701 287 213 32- 9- 0- 0 24-14- 2- 1 Long Island Berserkers 82 42 36 0 4 88 0.537 257 259 22-18- 0- 1 20-18- 0- 3 Corner Creek Green Cal 82 36 37 2 7 81 0.494 233 242 24-12- 2- 3 12-25- 0- 4 Lyndonville Blades 82 31 42 4 5 71 0.433 218 241 21-15- 3- 2 10-27- 1- 3 Empire State Americans 82 30 42 3 7 70 0.427 177 253 14-21- 1- 5 16-21- 2- 2 ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L OL SL Pts Pct GF GA Home Road Quebec City Patriotes 82 43 30 3 6 95 0.579 245 242 24-12- 2- 3 19-18- 1- 3 Florida Hellcats 82 41 33 4 4 90 0.549 231 237 21-17- 2- 1 20-16- 2- 3 St. Michael's Privatee 82 41 36 2 3 87 0.530 229 236 25-14- 0- 2 16-22- 2- 1 Manayunk Bullies 82 39 36 3 4 85 0.518 226 215 18-20- 1- 2 21-16- 2- 2 Stone Harbor Sound 82 31 44 1 6 69 0.421 178 231 15-23- 1- 2 16-21- 0- 4 Montreal Wanderers 82 25 52 1 4 55 0.335 183 291 10-28- 1- 2 15-24- 0- 2 NORTHWEST DIVISION GP W L OL SL Pts Pct GF GA Home Road Fort Garry Fiddler Cra 82 51 25 3 3 108 0.659 259 202 27-10- 2- 2 24-15- 1- 1 Nevada Thunder 82 50 27 3 2 105 0.640 284 216 25-15- 0- 1 25-12- 3- 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 82 49 27 3 3 104 0.634 256 231 24-13- 1- 3 25-14- 2- 0 Seattle Rainiers 82 50 29 2 1 103 0.628 302 231 25-15- 0- 1 25-14- 2- 0 Seattle Sasquatch 82 47 30 0 5 99 0.604 291 275 24-14- 0- 3 23-16- 0- 2 North Calgary Hawks 82 43 33 2 4 92 0.561 281 252 22-15- 2- 2 21-18- 0- 2 CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L OL SL Pts Pct GF GA Home Road Houston Aeros 82 54 26 0 2 110 0.671 308 212 29-11- 0- 1 25-15- 0- 1 Capital City Cougars 82 48 27 3 4 103 0.628 276 246 23-13- 2- 3 25-14- 1- 1 Hampton Roads Hounds 82 45 28 4 5 99 0.604 247 221 20-16- 2- 3 25-12- 2- 2 Pittsburgh Sound Chase 82 40 38 0 4 84 0.512 243 242 20-19- 0- 2 20-19- 0- 2 Topeka Tarantulas 82 23 51 3 5 54 0.329 188 314 12-27- 0- 2 11-24- 3- 3 Minneapolis Massasauga 82 7 71 2 2 18 0.110 129 325 3-37- 1- 0 4-34- 1- 2 ********************************************************************* 2007-08 EXPANDED LEAGUE STATISTICS: EXPANDED STATISTICS Total Home Road NORTHEAST DIVISION REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO Brooklyn Fourteenth 59-16 1- 2 2- 2| 35- 3 0- 1 1- 1| 24-13 1- 1 1- 1 Buffalo Bulldogs 45-23 2- 2 9- 1| 27- 9 0- 0 5- 0| 18-14 2- 2 4- 1 Long Island Berserkers 35-36 2- 0 5- 4| 18-18 1- 0 3- 1| 17-18 1- 0 2- 3 Corner Creek Green Calv 32-37 2- 2 2- 7| 22-12 0- 2 2- 3| 10-25 2- 0 0- 4 Lyndonville Blades 25-42 3- 4 3- 5| 16-15 3- 3 2- 2| 9-27 0- 1 1- 3 Empire State Americans 24-42 2- 3 4- 7| 13-21 1- 1 0- 5| 11-21 1- 2 4- 2 ATLANTIC DIVISION REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO Quebec City Patriotes 38-30 1- 3 4- 6| 20-12 1- 2 3- 3| 18-18 0- 1 1- 3 Florida Hellcats 34-33 2- 4 5- 4| 17-17 1- 2 3- 1| 17-16 1- 2 2- 3 St. Michael's Privateer 34-36 1- 2 6- 3| 21-14 1- 0 3- 2| 13-22 0- 2 3- 1 Manayunk Bullies 35-36 1- 3 3- 4| 16-20 1- 1 1- 2| 19-16 0- 2 2- 2 Stone Harbor Sound 23-44 2- 1 6- 6| 11-23 2- 1 2- 2| 12-21 0- 0 4- 4 Montreal Wanderers 20-52 3- 1 2- 4| 8-28 1- 1 1- 2| 12-24 2- 0 1- 2 NORTHWEST DIVISION REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO Fort Garry Fiddler Crab 41-25 4- 3 6- 3| 20-10 3- 2 4- 2| 21-15 1- 1 2- 1 Nevada Thunder 43-27 1- 3 6- 2| 22-15 0- 0 3- 1| 21-12 1- 3 3- 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 42-27 4- 3 3- 3| 21-13 3- 1 0- 3| 21-14 1- 2 3- 0 Seattle Rainiers 44-29 5- 2 1- 1| 24-15 1- 0 0- 1| 20-14 4- 2 1- 0 Seattle Sasquatch 33-30 6- 0 8- 5| 17-14 5- 0 2- 3| 16-16 1- 0 6- 2 North Calgary Hawks 37-33 3- 2 3- 4| 17-15 3- 2 2- 2| 20-18 0- 0 1- 2 CENTRAL DIVISION REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO REG OVT SHO Houston Aeros 50-26 2- 0 2- 2| 28-11 0- 0 1- 1| 22-15 2- 0 1- 1 Capital City Cougars 44-27 1- 3 3- 4| 22-13 0- 2 1- 3| 22-14 1- 1 2- 1 Hampton Roads Hounds 40-28 1- 4 4- 5| 17-16 0- 2 3- 3| 23-12 1- 2 1- 2 Pittsburgh Sound Chaser 37-38 1- 0 2- 4| 19-19 0- 0 1- 2| 18-19 1- 0 1- 2 Topeka Tarantulas 17-51 2- 3 4- 5| 8-27 1- 0 3- 2| 9-24 1- 3 1- 3 Minneapolis Massasauga 7-71 0- 2 0- 2| 3-37 0- 1 0- 0| 4-34 0- 1 0- 2 ********************************************************************* NSHL CALENDAR April 29 - Conference Finals begin today! May 13 - All conference final games should be reported. ********************************************************************* INCENTIVE POINTS: Incentive points are not discretionary, and are assigned strictly per formula without respect to extenuating circumstances. Incentive points may be appealed through the Review Board. CUMULATIVE INCENTIVE POINTS: BRK -2 IP CCC exempt FLO -2 IP HRH -1 IP HOU -1 IP MAN -3 IP MIN -1 IP NEV -2 IP NCH -2 IP QCP 1 IP STM -1 IP SES -1 IP SHS -2 IP TPK -2 IP VAW -7 IP ********************************************************************* 2007-08 NSHL NORRIS POWER INDEX To calculate the predicted margin of victory for an upcoming game, take the NPI of the home team, subtract the NPI of the visiting team, and add the calculated home-ice advantage (currently 0.237 goals). NPI: projected "power" of the given team VAR: variation in a team's NPI. SOS: strength of schedule (average NPI of opponents to date) NORRIS POWER INDEX NPI VAR SOS LW 1. Houston Aeros 1.340 8.220 -0.074 1 2. Brooklyn Fourteenth 1.328 4.102 -0.119 2 3. Nevada Thunder 1.075 6.819 0.108 3 4. Buffalo Bulldogs 0.819 6.023 -0.071 5 5. Seattle Rainiers 0.800 8.296 0.156 4 6. Seattle Sasquatch 0.591 7.403 0.205 8 7. Vancouver Whitecaps 0.581 5.721 0.128 6 8. Fort Garry Fiddler Crabs 0.573 9.050 0.114 7 9. Capital City Cougars 0.387 6.042 0.017 9 10. North Calgary Hawks 0.385 7.367 0.111 10 11. Hampton Roads Hounds 0.138 7.965 0.033 11 12. Long Island Berserkers 0.048 8.451 0.004 12 13. Quebec City Patriotes -0.004 5.407 -0.080 13 14. St. Michael's Privateers -0.023 8.255 0.027 16 15. Manayunk Bullies -0.025 5.078 -0.102 14 16. Corner Creek Green Calves -0.035 6.199 0.065 15 17. Pittsburgh Sound Chasers -0.048 7.124 -0.027 17 18. Florida Hellcats -0.116 8.141 -0.049 18 19. Lyndonville Blades -0.329 6.168 0.039 19 20. Stone Harbor Sound -0.784 5.548 -0.006 20 21. Empire State Americans -0.989 5.684 0.039 21 22. Montreal Wanderers -1.428 6.396 0.012 22 23. Topeka Tarantulas -1.586 7.082 0.086 23 24. Minneapolis Massasauga -2.697 4.403 0.178 24 ********************************************************************* POSTSEASON INJURY REPORT: This will change with every playoff game, and will be announced to the relevant owners at that time. NEV - Andy Wozniewski out 21 games QCP - Drew Stafford out 31 games ********************************************************************* ASSOCIATE LIST: SINCE GP Dean Engemoen June 16, 2007 17 Francois Lessard December 10, 2006 8 Steve Kramer December 13, 2004 0 Greg Ralls December 14, 2004 0 Andrew Smith November 19, 2005 0 J.J. Schrems May 1, 2006 0 Scott Bruner June 18, 2007 0 Dale Ripley September 11, 2007 0 Steve Beren February 2, 2008 0 If you're still an active associate, and aren't on this list, please get in contact with me. Thanks! Doug ********************************************************************* TRANSACTIONS: All free agents *must* play in at least six of your team's games the following biweek. Violation of this results in the player being released immediately. ********************************************************************* League Governing Boards Responsibilities of the following governing boards are outlined in the Constitution. Review Board Tom Vinacci, Buffalo Bulldogs Patrick Shea, Long Island Berserkers Mark McNeil, Lyndonville Blades Constitutional Council Head: Patrick Shea (patrickjshea at verizon dot net) Doug Norris, Commissioner Brian Leahy, Vice-Commissioner Andy Bartalone, St. Michael's owner (vacant) *********************************************************************