This is the first installment of a series of post-season awards blogs. In this post I will name the winners of two awards: the somewhat nebulous "Flying Under the Radar" award, and the "Freshman of the Year" award.
As always, my picks and opinions are open to debate, and I welcome feedback and criticism in the comments.
Now, on to the awards.
Flying Under the Radar
The Flying Under the Radar award, as I have said previously, was mostly dreamed up as a way to point out what I thought was a great deal of potential in mid-season winner Wade Finegan. He's a strong, hard-working player with a bit of a mean streak, and I like the Falcons to have a few players like that. With the physical Kai Kantola graduating and moving on to an amateur tryout with the Norfolk Admirals and trusty captain Kyle Page joining the Toledo Walleye, the Falcons are going to need someone to step up and fill that void.
But this post isn't about the previous winner, it's time to name the post-season winner - Andrew Hammond.
Hammond's season, to me, was the definition of un-tapped potential. His stat line for the season was fairly disappointing: 13 starts, 0-12-2 record, 4.30 GAA, and 88.0 save %.
That being said, every time I looked at his stats, I was absolutely shocked to see that he hadn't won a game in overtime or regulation. He showed many flashes of greatness, standing on his head to keep the Falcons in games, but just never got the breaks to put a notch in the win column. Considering his play in the Miami and Michigan State series, I don't think it will take long before Hammond makes a big impact on the BGSU hockey team.
Also, a quick story to share. During pre-season practices, I went for a ride around campus and decided to stop for a moment at the Ice Arena. I went inside and noticed the team preparing for a practice, so I sat in Section D and watched for a while. As players made their way to the ice one-by-one, others were already taking shots on the empty net and working on passing. Just as one player shot the puck around the boards, a goalie was just stepping onto the ice. The puck whipped around at face-level, but the player snagged the puck with his glove-hand without having more than a second to react. I seem to remember at the time thinking it was Hammond. It may not have been, but having seen some of the saves he made, especially in the closing moments of the MSU series, it certainly wouldn't surprise me. Maybe Andrew or someone in the know could confirm this one for me.
Of course, there are plenty of other players whose futures I am excited about as well. Cameron Sinclair, Marc Rodriguez, and Max Grover showed a ton of heart and grit in the second series with Notre Dame, helping the Falcons to buck the years-long winless streak against Notre Dame. Also on the radar is Ian Ruel, whose size and physical play brought early comparisons to a young Rob Blake.
Anyway, moving on to award #2.
Freshman of the Year
At mid-season, there was really no room for debate on this one. Jordan Samuels-Thomas wasn't just leading the Falcons in scoring, he was near the top of a number of other conference and national lists as well. He took the ice by storm and won the appreciation of many of the Falcon faithful. Naming him as the winner of the award was really just a formality. Now that the season has come to a close, the winner is:
Jordan Samuels-Thomas
I'll give you a moment to compose yourself.
It was very tempting to name a different winner for this award, but ultimately I didn't think I could. JS-T ended the season in the same position statistically as he held at the break - the top. Samuels-Thomas finished the season with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points, a one goal edge over late-season hero Tomas Petruska.
Samuels-Thomas' play was a key to the Falcons successes this season, as he frustrated opponents early and often, making them work hard to account for him, and opening up the ice for other players in the process.
The reason I was tempted to choose a different winner, though, was that his production dropped off in the second half. Hampered by a short-lived illness and facing teams who had learned a thing or two about slowing him down, JS-T's numbers faded a bit. Through the first half of the season, he collected six goals and nine assists for 15 points. In the final 18 games, he recorded only five goals and five assists, for a total of 10 points.
Another player I strongly considered for this award was Nathan Pageau. His hustle and offensive spark bode well for the Falcons' future, and his ability to step up against high-profile opponents should make him a hit with the fans. Of Pageau's 11 points this season, six came during games against Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Notre Dame.
Well, there you have it. My picks for the Flying Under the Radar award and the Freshman of the Year award.
The next two awards to be named will be Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP, followed by Most Improved Player and Team MVP.
As always, feel free to give your opinions in the comments. Tell my why I'm right, tell me where I messed it up, suggest someone for the upcoming awards, or just tell me about your day. As long as I see a couple of comments on the post, I'm a happy guy.
Showing posts with label Finegan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Finegan. Show all posts
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Season Wrap-Up
As the BGSU ice hockey season draws to a close, I inevitably start trying to put the season into perspective. What did we achieve? What did we learn? Who stood out and who faded away?
Following the conclusion of the Falcons' run in the CCHA playoffs, the bulk of the posts will be about looking back on the season that was. As was the case at mid-season, I will name the "winners" of a series of awards. To review, I will name players for the following awards:
Freshman of the Year (Midseason winner: Jordan Samuels-Thomas)
Most Improved Player (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Offensive MVP (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Defensive MVP (Midseason winner: Kyle Page)
Flying Under the Radar (Midseason winner: Wade Finegan)
Team MVP (Midseason winner: Nick Eno)
In addition to these individual awards, I'll be giving commentary on all sorts of other issues as they come to mind. If you have any specific topics you'd like to see discussed, feel free to leave them in the comments. Also, if you'd like to give your opinions on any of the topics or awards I've pointed out here (or anything else, for that matter). Leave them in a comment and maybe I'll share them on the blog.
Anyway, BG is down 4-1 right now to Duh Mavs (Brennan Vargas just scored!) but things aren't looking pretty. Anything's possible, but it's going to take something surprising to turn this around. Anyone who knows me knows I don't believe it's over until the buzzer sounds, so I still have hope. But, should this game not go the way of the Falcons, you can expect the wrap-up posts to start within the next few days.
Following the conclusion of the Falcons' run in the CCHA playoffs, the bulk of the posts will be about looking back on the season that was. As was the case at mid-season, I will name the "winners" of a series of awards. To review, I will name players for the following awards:
Freshman of the Year (Midseason winner: Jordan Samuels-Thomas)
Most Improved Player (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Offensive MVP (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Defensive MVP (Midseason winner: Kyle Page)
Flying Under the Radar (Midseason winner: Wade Finegan)
Team MVP (Midseason winner: Nick Eno)
In addition to these individual awards, I'll be giving commentary on all sorts of other issues as they come to mind. If you have any specific topics you'd like to see discussed, feel free to leave them in the comments. Also, if you'd like to give your opinions on any of the topics or awards I've pointed out here (or anything else, for that matter). Leave them in a comment and maybe I'll share them on the blog.
Anyway, BG is down 4-1 right now to Duh Mavs (Brennan Vargas just scored!) but things aren't looking pretty. Anything's possible, but it's going to take something surprising to turn this around. Anyone who knows me knows I don't believe it's over until the buzzer sounds, so I still have hope. But, should this game not go the way of the Falcons, you can expect the wrap-up posts to start within the next few days.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Bowling Green Falcons v. Michigan State Spartans
Friday, 2/12/2010 @ 6:05PM - Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, MI
Saturday, 2/13/2010 @ 7:05PM - Bowling Green Ice Arena, Bowling Green, OH
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 5-22-4 (4-17-5-4)
-Last game: v. Notre Dame T 1-1 (SOW)
Michigan State:
-Record: 18-11-5 (13-8-5-2)
-Last game: v. Ferris State W 3-2
Last time out...
(Bad) Luck of the Irish
Last week the Falcons broke free of the Curse of the Irish. After 18 consecutive unsuccessful attempts to beat Notre Dame in regulation, the Falcons proved they could handle the Irish by taking five-of-six points available for the weekend series. With a loss and a shootout win at Notre Dame earlier this season and last weekends results, the Falcons took a total of seven of the 12 available points from Notre Dame, winning the season series.
A few highlights from the weekend included the third period comeback on Friday night, during which underclassmen Wade Finegan, Brennan Vargas, and Nathan Pageau powered the Falcons to victory.
Also worthy of mention is senior Tomas Petruska's night on Saturday. Petruska scored the game-tying goal and then went on to score the deciding shootout goal. His workmanlike approach to the game has long been appreciated by the Falcon faithful, but probably never as vocally as Saturday night, as cheers of "Petruuuuuuuska!" rained upon the ice while the players exited the playing surface.
"Home and Away With theEgg Suckers Sparty Crew"
This week the Falcons take on familiar foes, the Michigan State Spartans. Earlier this season, the icers lost a pair of games to the Spartans, 2-3 in OT in Bowling Green and 1-4 in regulation in East Lansing.
Michigan State is currently tied for second place in the CCHA with Ferris State. Bowling Green has moved out of the CCHA cellar, with a three-point lead over 12th place Western Michigan.
Michigan State comes into the series off of a 3-2 win over Ferris State, but having gone 1-3-1 in their last five games. Bowling Green comes in after a shootout win over Notre Dame and also having gone 1-3-1 in their last five.
The standard roster snark was covered last time around, but if you know me, you know I'm always looking for new ways to pick on old opponents.
After pointing out Andrew "ducks in a" Rowe last series, the offensive weapon contributed assists on two of Corey Tropp's three goals in the Saturday game in East Lansing.
Zach Josepher (Joseph-er than what?) is one of many Spartans with a lofty +/- rating. Josepher sits in a tie for third on the team at +11.
Lastly, Matt "Grassi Knoll" has proven to be a serious pest, racking up 13 penalties for a team-third 43 PIMs (behind Torey Krug - 25/61 and Nick Sucharski - 18/47).
What to watch for: Michigan State
Michigan State's usual starting goaltender, sophomore Drew Palmisano, has been very solid. His record is currently 14-9-4. He has a save percentage of .923 (good enough for fifth in the country) and a GAA of 2.28.
Senior backup Bobby Jarosz has a record of 4-2-1, a save percentage of .911, and a GAA of 2.48.
The play of sophomore Palmisano has to be encouraging for the Spartans, who appear to have a solid starter in place for the next few seasons.
Still leading the Spartans on offense is junior forward (and noted lumberjack) Corey Tropp (20G-20A-40P).
As this is the end of the season, it is interesting to point out that MSU loses only four players to graduation at the end of this season (Justin Johnson, Jay Sprague, Nick Sucharski, and Bobby Jarosz), only one of which is a major contributor (Sucharski).
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The Seniors
As the final series of the season approaches, the focus is understandably on the senior class. A quick list of the Falcon seniors leaving after this season:
Brian Moore - D - #3
Kyle Page (C) - D - #4
James Perkin - F - #7
Kai Kantola - F - #14
Tomas Petruska - F - #18
Josh Boyd - F - #26
Tommy Dee - F - #27
Phil Greer - G - #30
Looking at this group of seniors, I see a group of hard-working, physical, committed players.
Kai Kantola's combination of offense, size, and physical presence have given the fans more than a few thrills over the past years, and he has found a new way to contribute this season, claiming the crease as his office on many occasions.
James Perkin and Josh Boyd have shown a ton of heart in their time at BG, often out-working players twice their size. It is that kind of tenacity that will be needed in future seasons as the Falcons rebuild.
Tomas Petruska and Tommy Dee have come up big in many ways this season, filling holes left by departing players, either with physical play or with clutch offensive strikes. Both have become fan favorites during their time at BGSU.
(Also, Tomas Petruska currently sits at 4th in the fan voting for the Hobey Baker award. Hat tip to Drew of Bring Back the Glory.
Brian Moore has had an impact on and off the ice. He was a nominee for the 2009 Bank of New York Mellon Hockey Humanitarian Award and the CCHA's Illitch Award for his work on a mission trip to Haiti in 2008.
Phil Greer has become a fan favorite in spite of his limited playing time over the past four years.
Finally, Kyle Page has been the rock for a defensive unit that has taken its share of criticism over the years. His leadership, hard work, and steady hand have been essential to keeping the unit together, despite the early exits of players like Nick Bailen and Dean Petiot.
I would personally like to give my thanks to all of the Falcon seniors for everything they have given to the program. Their contributions have been essential, and they have been appreciated by all BGSU fans.
Saturday, 2/13/2010 @ 7:05PM - Bowling Green Ice Arena, Bowling Green, OH
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 5-22-4 (4-17-5-4)
-Last game: v. Notre Dame T 1-1 (SOW)
Michigan State:
-Record: 18-11-5 (13-8-5-2)
-Last game: v. Ferris State W 3-2
Last time out...
(Bad) Luck of the Irish
Last week the Falcons broke free of the Curse of the Irish. After 18 consecutive unsuccessful attempts to beat Notre Dame in regulation, the Falcons proved they could handle the Irish by taking five-of-six points available for the weekend series. With a loss and a shootout win at Notre Dame earlier this season and last weekends results, the Falcons took a total of seven of the 12 available points from Notre Dame, winning the season series.
A few highlights from the weekend included the third period comeback on Friday night, during which underclassmen Wade Finegan, Brennan Vargas, and Nathan Pageau powered the Falcons to victory.
Also worthy of mention is senior Tomas Petruska's night on Saturday. Petruska scored the game-tying goal and then went on to score the deciding shootout goal. His workmanlike approach to the game has long been appreciated by the Falcon faithful, but probably never as vocally as Saturday night, as cheers of "Petruuuuuuuska!" rained upon the ice while the players exited the playing surface.
"Home and Away With the
This week the Falcons take on familiar foes, the Michigan State Spartans. Earlier this season, the icers lost a pair of games to the Spartans, 2-3 in OT in Bowling Green and 1-4 in regulation in East Lansing.
Michigan State is currently tied for second place in the CCHA with Ferris State. Bowling Green has moved out of the CCHA cellar, with a three-point lead over 12th place Western Michigan.
Michigan State comes into the series off of a 3-2 win over Ferris State, but having gone 1-3-1 in their last five games. Bowling Green comes in after a shootout win over Notre Dame and also having gone 1-3-1 in their last five.
The standard roster snark was covered last time around, but if you know me, you know I'm always looking for new ways to pick on old opponents.
After pointing out Andrew "ducks in a" Rowe last series, the offensive weapon contributed assists on two of Corey Tropp's three goals in the Saturday game in East Lansing.
Zach Josepher (Joseph-er than what?) is one of many Spartans with a lofty +/- rating. Josepher sits in a tie for third on the team at +11.
Lastly, Matt "Grassi Knoll" has proven to be a serious pest, racking up 13 penalties for a team-third 43 PIMs (behind Torey Krug - 25/61 and Nick Sucharski - 18/47).
What to watch for: Michigan State
Michigan State's usual starting goaltender, sophomore Drew Palmisano, has been very solid. His record is currently 14-9-4. He has a save percentage of .923 (good enough for fifth in the country) and a GAA of 2.28.
Senior backup Bobby Jarosz has a record of 4-2-1, a save percentage of .911, and a GAA of 2.48.
The play of sophomore Palmisano has to be encouraging for the Spartans, who appear to have a solid starter in place for the next few seasons.
Still leading the Spartans on offense is junior forward (and noted lumberjack) Corey Tropp (20G-20A-40P).
As this is the end of the season, it is interesting to point out that MSU loses only four players to graduation at the end of this season (Justin Johnson, Jay Sprague, Nick Sucharski, and Bobby Jarosz), only one of which is a major contributor (Sucharski).
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The Seniors
As the final series of the season approaches, the focus is understandably on the senior class. A quick list of the Falcon seniors leaving after this season:
Brian Moore - D - #3
Kyle Page (C) - D - #4
James Perkin - F - #7
Kai Kantola - F - #14
Tomas Petruska - F - #18
Josh Boyd - F - #26
Tommy Dee - F - #27
Phil Greer - G - #30
Looking at this group of seniors, I see a group of hard-working, physical, committed players.
Kai Kantola's combination of offense, size, and physical presence have given the fans more than a few thrills over the past years, and he has found a new way to contribute this season, claiming the crease as his office on many occasions.
James Perkin and Josh Boyd have shown a ton of heart in their time at BG, often out-working players twice their size. It is that kind of tenacity that will be needed in future seasons as the Falcons rebuild.
Tomas Petruska and Tommy Dee have come up big in many ways this season, filling holes left by departing players, either with physical play or with clutch offensive strikes. Both have become fan favorites during their time at BGSU.
(Also, Tomas Petruska currently sits at 4th in the fan voting for the Hobey Baker award. Hat tip to Drew of Bring Back the Glory.
Brian Moore has had an impact on and off the ice. He was a nominee for the 2009 Bank of New York Mellon Hockey Humanitarian Award and the CCHA's Illitch Award for his work on a mission trip to Haiti in 2008.
Phil Greer has become a fan favorite in spite of his limited playing time over the past four years.
Finally, Kyle Page has been the rock for a defensive unit that has taken its share of criticism over the years. His leadership, hard work, and steady hand have been essential to keeping the unit together, despite the early exits of players like Nick Bailen and Dean Petiot.
I would personally like to give my thanks to all of the Falcon seniors for everything they have given to the program. Their contributions have been essential, and they have been appreciated by all BGSU fans.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Streak is Over!
Friday night the Falcons topped the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 4-3 in a thrilling come from behind effort. The win was the first by the Falcons over the Irish in regulation in their last 19 attempts. After trailing 3-1 in the third period, the Falcons came back to win behind the scoring of three underclassmen - Wade Finegan, Brennan Vargas, and Nathan Pageau (who scored the game-winner).
More detailed write ups of the game can be read at Bring Back the Glory, the BG News Sports Blog, and BGSUFalcons.com.
More detailed write ups of the game can be read at Bring Back the Glory, the BG News Sports Blog, and BGSUFalcons.com.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Mid-Season Awards: Er... Well... All The Rest
So what happens when you run a hockey blog and promise to post six mid-season awards, then begin a string of 60-80 hour work weeks?
You feel guilty for not getting them done and end up trying to force yourself to write them at 8:45 AM on New Year's Day. Then you fall asleep again.
So here is my marathon mid-season awards post where I'll attempt to write the remaining four before the puck drops on the next Falcon game.
So, to get started, a run-down of the previously named awards:
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Most-Improved Player: Tommy Dee
Runner-up: Tomas Petruska
Now, moving on to the remaining awards. The explanations in this post will be much shorter, due to the obvious time constraints.
First up, we have the award for:
Offensive MVP
My pick for Offensive MVP is Tommy Dee. Obviously any of the top three or four Falcon scorers could have been chosen for this one. Each of them have contributed a lot on the offensive side of the puck, but Tommy Dee has impressed me the most with his overall effort, work ethic, and character.
For those unaware, Dee has six goals and five assists for a total of 11 points. He also plays a very disciplined game, having spent only eight minutes in the penalty box through 18 games this season. His leadership and hard work on the ice have been a key for the Falcons.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Defensive MVP
The FHH Mid-Season Defensive MVP is Kyle Page. Page has been an incredible asset to this team since he first suited up for BGSU. Despite his relative lack of size when compared to his opponents, Page has been able to exert his will on the ice. He plays much bigger than his 5'10", 189lb frame and has more heart than just about any player you'll see.
Looking at statistics, it's a mixed bag for the senior captain. Page is last on the team in terms of plus-minus rating, registering a -11. On the positive side, Page has blocked more shots than any other player on the team. In the 18 games thus far, he has stopped 34 shots from ever reaching the Falcon goaltender.
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Flying Under the Radar
Even for me, the person who came up with it, this award is somewhat nebulous. As it's not based on specific offensive or defensive statistics and it's based as much on potential as anything else, it's truly the most wide-open award up for grabs in this exercise.
Pageau, Ruel and Rodriguez were all mentioned in reader comments, and all are worthy candidates for the award.
I'll be honest. I really don't have a winner for this one. I may have been a little bit hasty in adding it to the list. The main reason I even mentioned it was to give me an excuse to say this:
I think Wade Finegan has a ton of potential. He hasn't shown up much on the ice statistically, and my complete lack of hockey experience weighs against me pretty heavily, but there's something about his play that catches my eye when he's out on the ice.
He plays fast, he plays hard, and a lot of the time, he plays mean. The kid has a knack for contact and seems to come up with big emotion plays at key times, despite not seeing much ice time.
Call me crazy. That's just how I see it.
Runner-up: Nathan Pageau
And finally...:
Team MVP
While writing this post, I realized I should have named this player at least a runner-up for the Most Improved Player award.
Maybe this is a make-up call of sorts, but the FHH Team MVP is Nick Eno.
Eno has come a long way since he started here at BG. Held back by injuries, Eno had plenty of down moments last season. This season, though, he's beginning to show a renewed sense of stability.
After starting only 4 games, posting a 4.58 GAA and a save percentage of 80.5 last season, Eno's GAA this season is down to 3.14 (still higher than the Falcons and their fans would like it to be) and his save percentage is up to 90.1.
Yes, his record is 2-9. The wins haven't come yet, but thanks to Eno, the Falcons have been "in" just about every game this season right to the end. He has also showed incredible nerve in the Falcons' shootout contests.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
--
So that wraps up the first annual mid-season awards here at Falcon Hockey Hooligan. Hopefully it has been fun to read. I know I've enjoyed writing them, and I have definitely enjoyed the reader commentary. Feel free to continue to voice your opinions on all of these.
Finally, I'd love to be able to get a series preview together in time for the tournament, but there's just no way it's going to happen. I'll be working all weekend, so I'm going to have to take a pass on this one.
Fortunately, there's someone else out there who did their work ahead of time, and has a preview posted for your reading pleasure. Check out the tournament preview over at Bring Back the Glory.
I'm sad I won't get the chance snark on the Goofers and the Falcons' other potential opponents, but Drew's preview should point you to all of the important information you'll need.
Thanks for reading, happy new year, and here's to a great second half of Falcon hockey!
You feel guilty for not getting them done and end up trying to force yourself to write them at 8:45 AM on New Year's Day. Then you fall asleep again.
So here is my marathon mid-season awards post where I'll attempt to write the remaining four before the puck drops on the next Falcon game.
So, to get started, a run-down of the previously named awards:
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Most-Improved Player: Tommy Dee
Runner-up: Tomas Petruska
Now, moving on to the remaining awards. The explanations in this post will be much shorter, due to the obvious time constraints.
First up, we have the award for:
Offensive MVP
My pick for Offensive MVP is Tommy Dee. Obviously any of the top three or four Falcon scorers could have been chosen for this one. Each of them have contributed a lot on the offensive side of the puck, but Tommy Dee has impressed me the most with his overall effort, work ethic, and character.
For those unaware, Dee has six goals and five assists for a total of 11 points. He also plays a very disciplined game, having spent only eight minutes in the penalty box through 18 games this season. His leadership and hard work on the ice have been a key for the Falcons.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Defensive MVP
The FHH Mid-Season Defensive MVP is Kyle Page. Page has been an incredible asset to this team since he first suited up for BGSU. Despite his relative lack of size when compared to his opponents, Page has been able to exert his will on the ice. He plays much bigger than his 5'10", 189lb frame and has more heart than just about any player you'll see.
Looking at statistics, it's a mixed bag for the senior captain. Page is last on the team in terms of plus-minus rating, registering a -11. On the positive side, Page has blocked more shots than any other player on the team. In the 18 games thus far, he has stopped 34 shots from ever reaching the Falcon goaltender.
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Flying Under the Radar
Even for me, the person who came up with it, this award is somewhat nebulous. As it's not based on specific offensive or defensive statistics and it's based as much on potential as anything else, it's truly the most wide-open award up for grabs in this exercise.
Pageau, Ruel and Rodriguez were all mentioned in reader comments, and all are worthy candidates for the award.
I'll be honest. I really don't have a winner for this one. I may have been a little bit hasty in adding it to the list. The main reason I even mentioned it was to give me an excuse to say this:
I think Wade Finegan has a ton of potential. He hasn't shown up much on the ice statistically, and my complete lack of hockey experience weighs against me pretty heavily, but there's something about his play that catches my eye when he's out on the ice.
He plays fast, he plays hard, and a lot of the time, he plays mean. The kid has a knack for contact and seems to come up with big emotion plays at key times, despite not seeing much ice time.
Call me crazy. That's just how I see it.
Runner-up: Nathan Pageau
And finally...:
Team MVP
While writing this post, I realized I should have named this player at least a runner-up for the Most Improved Player award.
Maybe this is a make-up call of sorts, but the FHH Team MVP is Nick Eno.
Eno has come a long way since he started here at BG. Held back by injuries, Eno had plenty of down moments last season. This season, though, he's beginning to show a renewed sense of stability.
After starting only 4 games, posting a 4.58 GAA and a save percentage of 80.5 last season, Eno's GAA this season is down to 3.14 (still higher than the Falcons and their fans would like it to be) and his save percentage is up to 90.1.
Yes, his record is 2-9. The wins haven't come yet, but thanks to Eno, the Falcons have been "in" just about every game this season right to the end. He has also showed incredible nerve in the Falcons' shootout contests.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
--
So that wraps up the first annual mid-season awards here at Falcon Hockey Hooligan. Hopefully it has been fun to read. I know I've enjoyed writing them, and I have definitely enjoyed the reader commentary. Feel free to continue to voice your opinions on all of these.
Finally, I'd love to be able to get a series preview together in time for the tournament, but there's just no way it's going to happen. I'll be working all weekend, so I'm going to have to take a pass on this one.
Fortunately, there's someone else out there who did their work ahead of time, and has a preview posted for your reading pleasure. Check out the tournament preview over at Bring Back the Glory.
I'm sad I won't get the chance snark on the Goofers and the Falcons' other potential opponents, but Drew's preview should point you to all of the important information you'll need.
Thanks for reading, happy new year, and here's to a great second half of Falcon hockey!
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