WEEK 17 (thru Saturday)

The Wild Ducks are the 2020-21 FHL H2H Champion, Connor McDavid carrying GM Collard to the title by posting a goal, three assists and 8.0 of his team’s 14.0 points, the Ducks 6.1 point “thru Saturday" lead certified “insurmountable” as the Lumberjacks have no one playing on the final day of the week.

Championship Match

Wild Ducks: 64.0
Lumberjacks: 57.9­
No Alexander Ovechkin. No problem. The Wild Ducks used a 24.0 point week from Connor McDavid to capture their first-ever H2H championship. The Lumberjacks put up a good fight - leading the match for much of the week - but on Saturday they were betrayed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. With four Penguin starters - including arguably their best player in Sidney Crosby - GM Recoskie was hoping for a high-scoring game. The Penguins won 1-0, which ultimately sealed the Lumberjacks fate.

The Wild Ducks have won 10 FHL Cups but have had little success in H2H play. Last year - despite wining the league championship - the Ducks didn’t even qualify for the playoffs. With that monkey discarded from his back, GM Collard spent a good portion of Sunday looking for a spot to place the H2H Championship trophy - on his very crowded FHL mantel. The Ducks’ boss will also have to make room in his wallet for $120.00; the prize money awarded for being crowned the 2020-21 H2H Champion.

Despite the disappointment of losing, GM Recoskie won’t walk away empty-handed, the first-year GM awarded $50.00 for his team’s runner-up effort.

Consolation Match

Central Red Army: 57.7
Cherry Pickers: 48.0­
The Central Red Army scored 10.1 points on Saturday, the number successfully repelling the advances of the Cherry Pickers. With no one skating on Sunday - and trailing by 9.7 points - the Pickers were declared dead by the FHL Coroner, GM Buker handed the consolation prize of $30.00 for his team's 3rd-best finish. The Cherry Pickers - despite their impeccable play during the H2H regular season - depart the tournament with nothing.



Connor Hellebuyck was at a loss for words when asked why he sucked on Saturday, the typically reliable goaltender - along with his typically reliable partner, Andrei Vasilevskiy - both losing on one of the most important evenings of the season, the Ice Hogs 1st place lead reduced to 5.2 points.

The Battle for the FHL Cup
The Ice Hogs only scored 6.0 points, which allowed all the contenders to move forward. The Wild Ducks potted 14.0 points, the 10-time champion drawing to within a Connor McDavid shift of 1st place. Despite their H2H woes, the Cherry Pickers also scooted closer to the overall lead, an 11.0 point evening placing the Pickers just 8.4 points back. The Lumberjacks were hurting for points but were bailed out by defenseman Devon Toews (2g) and his 9.0 point game, the Jacks and their 11.0 point effort now seated just 16.5 points in back of the FHL Cup and $600.00.

The Bout for the Money
With only Sunday and one long and weird 10-day week remaining in the season, five teams are separated by only 22.8 points - the Hogs, Ducks, Pickers, Jacks and Rocks all alive in the money hunt. Long shots include the SC Cobras and Misconducts; the snakes trailing the money by 31.4 points; the Misconducts by 32.0.

The Scrap for the Laughing Bag
The improved play of the Polar Bears is making the scrap for the Laughing Bag very interesting (too interesting for my blood) a 12.0 point Saturday placing GM Elya and his team just 20.7 points from ground level. The Boulder Flyers have the biggest target on their back but Baba Booey isn’t safe yet - the Booeys just 28.8 points better than the last place Bears.



BONUS LEADERBOARD
1. Ice Hogs, 72.4
2. Wild Ducks, 64.0
3. Misconducts, 61.8
4. Lumberjacks, 57.9
5. Central Red Army, 57.7

NOTE: This week (Week 17) is the final week of the $10.00 bonus. There will be no bonus awarded in Week 18. As such, the team that has the highest recorded weekly score - after this week - will be awarded an additional $10.00.

LINK: Standings