WEEK 13 (thru Thursday)

While much of the FHL Cup attention has been placed on the Polar Bears and Silicon Valley Slashers, the off-the-radar Bluliners have quietly scaled the standings, Dustin Byfuglien’s nine point Thursday (2g) drawing the four-time champion to within 30.0 points of first place.

Bluliners: 49.4
Wild Ducks: 34.5
The Bluliners have put the kibosh on the Wild Ducks, ripping 17.0 points on Thursday. With just one day remaining in the week, the now-on-the-radar Bluliners lead the deficient Ducks by 14.9.

Misconducts: 29.3
SC Cobras: 37.4
The Misconducts inched closer to the Cobras but time is suddenly an issue, GM Smalley's 7-5 squad trailing GM Murphy's 5-7 team by 8.1 with only Friday left to be played.

Ice Hogs: 34.3
Boulder Flyers: 34.2
Aside from being tied, this H2H brewhaha literally couldn't be any closer, the teeth-clenched Ice Hogs gingerly nursing a 0.1 lead.

Badger Bob: 37.7
Between the Pipes: 33.4
Badger Bob have put the pedal to the metal, racing past Between the Pipes on Thursday. With the Week 13 finish line in sight, the 8-4 Bobs lead the 7-5 Pipes by 4.3.

Polar Bears: 35.5
Silicon Valley Slashers: 27.4
The Silicon Valley Slashers were 2.2 points better than the Polar Bears on Thursday, the ground-gain not nearly enough, the Slashers still trailing GM Elya's first place team by a bunch.

Ice Cats: 40.2
Redliners: 16.0
A 10.9 Thursday put the final nail in the Redliners coffin, GM Cutshall's team now leading the in-the-red Redliners by 24.2.

LINK: Standings­­­­­­­

Was awake late last night until the end of San Jose and Edmonton. Sharks and Martin Jones of Between the Pipes won in a shootout. So BTP got the extra .05 for each save.

The big hero of the night for Badger Bob was Winnipeg forward Andrew Ladd, who had three assists for five points in the Jets' 5-4 win over Nashville. Ladd had been in a bit of a funk on offense. (He never lacks for effort as we know.) He came through last night for sure.

For that effort, will give Ladd his due since he did not, and rightly so, merit the lead photo of today's wrap. Yours truly, as was "Badger" Bob Johnson during his coaching career, a big believer in positive reinforcement. Carrot as opposed to stick.



(So you forgot that Ladd also was the captain in Atlanta? And so you also forgot, as I did, what the Thrashers' unis looked like? The photo above a public service of Badger Bob!!!)

BB and BTP have provided a close match with the exception of the first day, Saturday, that hopefully has been good for ratings for the Belle Tire Match of the Week.

Believe each team has four players in action tonight, all skaters.

It may come down to the last game of the night and the period, Dallas at Anaheim, in which BTP has Sharp, Klingberg and Goligoski in the lineup. (Also has Panarin of Chicago in an earlier game.) I will be rooting for Gibson or Andersen, whoever is in goal for Anaheim, to pitch a shutout.

Meanwhile, BB has Bergeron of Boston at Buffalo, the Sedins at Carolina and Ladd at Minnesota.

Bergeron has been on a point per game pace all seasons. The Sedins have not had a big game on offense in a couple weeks. Could they catch fire tonight? And can Ladd put in another strong point-scoring effort?

We'll find out tonight.