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After a quick look at
the North American Hockey League recaps from this past weekend, I felt that Halloween
might have come a week early.
#1 Amarillo Bulls 8-1-2 / Last
Week #1
The Bulls looked distracted in Saturday's OT loss in Corpus but
was able to pull it all together in Sunday's 9-3 win over the IceRays. The
Tornado visit Amarillo this weekend and will be seeing a lot of pink. The Bulls are bound to be short a few
players from Sunday's fiasco.
#2 Wenatchee Wild 11-2-1 / Last
Week #3
The Wild enjoyed their weekend off...well, it was sort
of off. The team did get 1,000+ into the building for an inter-squad scrimmage
on Thursday. Wenatchee head coach Bliss Littler was asked if the boys consider
the Minot Minotauros to be an easy weekend. "They better not, there are no easy
weekends at this level of play," the veteran coach quickly responded.
#3 Topeka
RoadRunners 10-2-2 / Last
Week #2
The RoadRunners were very unhappy with the shutout loss at home
against Springfield on Friday but did bounce back for one of their own on
Saturday after dismissing one of the assistant coaches. The RoadRunners are well...on
the road this weekend in Odessa.
#4 Texas
Tornado 11-1-1 / Last
Week #4
The Tornado nabbed five out of the six possible points over the
weekend against Wichita Falls while Tony Curtale is away on a forced vacation.
This weekend the sibling rivalry with Amarillo heats up with a pair of games on
the Texas panhandle. Without Curtale, I don't think the Tornado have a chance.
#5 Fairbanks Ice
Dogs 11-3-0 / Last
Week #5
The temperature outside the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks
should dip to 5 degrees Friday night and that should be just enough to freeze
the IceRays into submission. It's going to be a rough few weeks in Alaska for
Corpus Christi.
#6 Jamestown Ironmen 10-2-2 / Last
Week #7
The red-hot Ironmen have now won six in a roll and travel to
Port Huron this week to face a distracted Fighting Falcons team.
#7 Austin Bruins 8-2-1 / Last
Week #6
The Bruins are always going to be happy to take three out of
four points in Bismarck. Austin travels to Aberdeen this weekend to face a
Wings squad that will still be missing key players due to last week's team
imposed disciplinary suspension.
#8 Brookings
Blizzard 8-3-0 / Last
Week #8
The Blizzard iced Minot on Saturday night and have
another home and home set this weekend with Coulee Region. Brookings should be
able to take both games.
#9 Soo Eagles 8-4-3 / Last
Week #10
The Eagles took care of business in Johnstown nabbing three
points for their efforts. The road-trip continues this weekend in Flint where
the Soo boys should be able to take both games.
#10 Kalamazoo
K-Wings 8-5-1 / Last
Week #9
The Zoo have given up
15 goals in their three game losing streak and face an agry Tomahawks team that
is looking for road points. Which K-Wings team is going to show up?
#11 Johnstown
Tomahawks 6-5-4 / Last
Week #11
The Johnstown staff is not happy with the Soo getting out of
town with three points and will have to burn up the highway this weekend when
they face Kalamazoo.
#12 Port Huron
Fighting Falcons 10-6-0 / Last
Week #12
It has been an interesting week for the Fighting Falcons but they
still managed to get a win against Michigan. I don't see them getting that lucky
with the Ironmen coming to town. Will Steve Shannon still be the coach on
Friday? I don't think so.
#13 Kenai
River Brown Bears 6-5-3 / Last
Week #13
The Brown Bears play host this weekend when Paul Baxter brings
his Wildcats to Alaska. Wichita Falls stunned defending Robertson Cup
champions on Sunday in Frisco and are going to be riding that high to Kenai
River. Which Brown Bears team is going to be there to greet them?
#14 Janesville
Jets 7-5-2 / Last
Week #14
The Jets kept the Chill in the cooler over the weekend and we
can't help but imagine that Janesville head coach Joe Dibble has been looking
forward to his return to Springfield this weekend. Well maybe not after he saw
how well the Blues performed in Topeka. Sorry Joe, I see a split.
#15 Fresno Monsters 5-7-2 / Last
Week #15
Fresno's home opener
should be a stunner for the Bismarck Bobcats' players. The Monsters will pull
off the stops to put on an amazing show. Let's just hope that the Fresno
players remember what happened to them back in Bismarck.
#16 Wichita Falls
Wildcats 5-8-2 / Last
Week #16
The Wildcats reward for beating the Tornado in Frisco on Sunday?
A trip to balmy Soldotna, Alaska for a two game set against the Brown Bears.
You say that Kenai River is not balmy? Wait until you get to Fairbanks the
following weekend.
#17 Corpus Christi
IceRays 4-7-3 / Last
Week #18
Alaska is my home and I would not trade that time in my life for
anything...with the exception of having to play at the Big Dipper in Fairbanks. Corpus
Christi needs to stay focused but will likely be without the services of their coach
for the first weekend of their Alaska trip.
#18 Bismarck Bobcats 5-7-0 / Last
Week #20
The Bobcats get to experience the big-time this weekend in
Fresno. Compared to Bismarck, these guys are going to feel like it is a Stanley
Cup final. I see the crowd getting into the Bobcats head and Fresno coming away
with the sweep.
#19 Springfield Blues 4-8-2 / Last
Week #21
OK, I'm more impressed with the Blues' performance in Topeka
than I was with the home sweep against Port Huron. Former Blues' boss Joe
Dibble returns to town this weekend with the Janesville Jets and will be
looking for some skin. Can the Blues ruin the homecoming? I think so.
#20 Aberdeen
Wings 4-7-0 / Last
Week #19
The Wings will have a difficult time keeping the Bruins down
this weekend without the use of their full team. Look for a Austin sweep.
#21 Odessa Jackalopes 3-7-1 / Last
Week #17
The Jacks are in a bit of a slide and will try to regain some of
the magic against Topeka this weekend in Odessa. The RoadRunners are in a scoring slump so now is a really good time for the Jacks to bounce.
#22 Coulee Region
Chill 2-6-3 / Last
Week #22
The ice-cold Chill close out the month with the same team they
opened it with. Does the losing streak end? I don't think so.
#23 Michigan Warriors 3-11-0 / Last
Week #23
Moe Mantha has to be optimistic after his team's performance
Saturday night in Port Huron. Sorry Moe, but the Soo Eagles are on a roll and
are determined to nab all four points in Flint.
#24 Minot
Minotauros 2-9-1 / Last
Week #24
The Minotauros must have been crazy to agree to this schedule.
The worst team in the league travels this weekend to face one of the best in
Wenatchee. The arena will be stuffed and the Wild will be ready. Yikes.
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Stephen Heisler resides in Puerto Penasco, Mexico with his
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