Short Shifts Around The EShow
The Final Stretch of the Regular Season
BOSTON, MA -- The EHL season is getting to the stage where teams are clinching playoff spots. A bunch of spots are still up for grabs, however, and those who have already clinched are still fighting for a higher seed and home-ice advantage.
Between the playoff races, Apple Core continuing its winning streak, and a regional showcase on the horizon, there’s plenty to talk about in this week’s edition of Short Shifts around the #EShow.
Clinched in a Pinch
- The New Hampshire Avalanche is the first EHL team to clinch the top seed of any division. With a 29-6-3 record, the Avs have a 14-point lead over the second-place Seacoast Spartans in the North Division.
- Three teams have clinched the playoffs in the Central Division (Railers Jr. Hockey Club, New York Apple Core and Providence Hockey Club) as well as the East Division (Express Hockey Club, East Coast Wizards and Boston Jr. Rangers).
- The New Jersey Bears are the first South Division team to clinch. Seeds 2-6 are separated by only 12 points, so every game in this division will be a battle for playoff position.
"We may never lose again"
- Apple Core is coming off a 5-1 win over the New Jersey 87’s, extending the win streak to 19 games. It’s officially the second-longest winning streak in league history.
- Maxim Maziarchuk has proven to be another stellar addition in Brewster. He has recorded a point in each of his first eight games with Apple Core, tallying 14 points (8g, 6a) in that span.
- The Bears shut out the Pennsylvania Huntsmen 5-0 on Wednesday. Matthew Fortin had two goals plus an assist while Carson Frye pitched a 21-save shutout. The team is now 4-0-2 in their last six games, looking like their dominant selves from the beginning of the season.
- The Boston Jr. Rangers took down the East Coast Wizards on Thursday, 3-2 in overtime. Kaleb Miller scored the OT winner, which was also his league-leading 29th goal of the season.
- That was the first time the Jr. Rangers had won a game beyond regulation all season. Granted, it was only the second time they played a game that went past 60 minutes.
Exeter, stage left!
- The Seacoast Spartans are on a five-game point streak, going 3-0-2 in that span. Their latest win came on Thursday with a 4-2 victory over the Valley Jr. Warriors.
- Myles Kidd, who started the season with the Railers, is heating up with the Spartans. He is on a six-game point streak with four goals and three assists in that stretch.
- Seacoast will also host the third regional showcase of the season. From February 20-22, all Central, North, and East Division teams will play at the Rinks in Exeter.
Around the EHLP
- The Union Jr. Thunder defeated the Pennsylvania Huntsmen 5-1 on Sunday, ending the Huntsmen’s winning streak at 14 games. Cody Livernois had two goals and Logan Powell made 60 saves on 61 shots.
- With the Huntsmen streak snapped, the hottest team is now (surprise!) the Railers, who have won 10 straight.
The Railers had a wild 5-4 win over the Jr. Rangers on Thursday. Down 4-2 entering the third period, they scored three unanswered goals. In the final minute of regulation, Zackary Warner-Senee scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in a span of eight seconds.
- The 87’s had their own late-game heroics in a two-game sweep over the Adirondack Jr. Thunder, a 4-3 overtime win and 5-4 shootout victory. Logan Behrje had the overtime goal on Saturday and a shootout tally on Sunday.
- Despite the losses, Adirondack managed to clinch the New England Division, becoming the first EHLP team to lock up a number one seed this season.
- The Seahawks Hockey Club defeated the Express Hockey Club 4-2 on Thursday; Seahawks forward Huero Rivera had a goal and an assist.
- Charlie DiMartino also had two points. The Express forward has an eight-game point streak and leads the EHLP with 73 points (38, 35a) through 35 games.
Anthony Di Paolo
Anthony Di Paolo covers the EHL for HNIB and can be followed on Twitter @DiPaolo_016
Anthony Di Paolo has been working in various levels of hockey over the last five years, ranging from juniors to the pros. Di Paolo spent four seasons as the Communications Director and play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Titans of the North American Hockey League (2016-2020), and is entering his fifth season in a similar role with the New Jersey 87’s of the Eastern Hockey League. Graduating from Seton Hall University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, the New Jersey native covered Division I athletics for his school’s radio station, WSOU, and spent two years writing for the Fischler Report, a newsletter run by U.S. Hockey Hall-of-Fame inductee Stan Fischler. In addition to writing features and player spotlights throughout the season, Anthony is a fixture on the weekly #EShow podcast.
