WEEK 20 (thru Wednesday)

Leading by 57.6 points on February 10th (after an 80.3 point week) the Wild Ducks appeared to be storming toward the 2019-20 FHL Cup championship. Since then, the nine-time champion has been skating on dry ice, Alexander Ovechkin (no goals since February 4th) and Co. now leading by just 39.7 points, the suddenly-vulnerable Ducks the worst of Week 20 with only 7.0 points.

Central Red Army: 30.8
Wild Ducks: 7.0
Most thought the Central Red Army would have their hands full with the Wild Ducks. Instead, the Ducks have been battered by Buker’s battalion, Dominik Kubalik (2g) guiding his team to a 14.8 point Wednesday, the Army now leading the dazed Ducks by 23.8.

Cherry Pickers: 10.8
Boulder Flyers: 33.5­
Chris Kreider (1g, 2a) collected 5.0 points as the Boulder Flyers extended their lead over the Cherry Pickers, the 3rd place (overall) Flyers (now just 43.5 points behind the Ducks) leading the pickled Pickers by 22.7.

SC Cobras: 18.5
Polar Bears: 10.5­
Mika Zibanejad was the star of this show, the SC Cobras forward collecting a goal, three assists and 8.0 points, the Cobras - after a sluggish start - now skating toward what would be a huge win, their lead over the Polar Bears currently 8.0 points.

Vegas Vipers: 17.7
Ice Hogs: 15.0­
New-hire Igor Shesterkin (37 save win) helped place the Vegas Vipers in front of the heavily-favored Ice Hogs, the must-win Vipers now leading the Hogs and their 10-match winning streak by 2.7 points.

Badger Bob: 21.2
Rocky Rocks: 19.4­
Badger Bob finally caught and passed Rocky Rocks, David Pastrnak (league-best 43rd goal) pacing his team’s 7.0 point Wednesday, the Bobs leading the somehow still-pesky Rocks by 1.8 points with four days remaining in the week.

Bluliners: 8.0
Misconducts: 17.5
On the strength of Ben Bishop’s 39 save win, the Misconducts further distanced themselves from the slow-skating Bluliners, GM Smalley holding a 9.5 lead ahead of a relatively light 8-game Thursday.

LINK: Standings

Note: Today's news was written with some trepidation. Whenever I draw attention to a sluggish team, or a player who isn’t scoring, they invariably get hot. Sometimes red-hot.

I shouldn’t have said anything.

Seatbelt fastened ahead of tonight's action.