The AFHL’s last week of regular season action is highlighted by the very tight race for the final spot in the playoffs.
| Rank | Team | W-L-T | Pct | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Phantoms | 153-59-28 | .696 | 334 | ||
| *2. | Vancouver Heroes | 141-58-41 | .673 | 323 | |
| *3. | Hollywood Stars | 140-71-29 | .644 | 309 | |
| *4. | Oshawa City Leafs | 134-74-32 | .625 | 300 | |
| *5. | London Mustangs | 127-80-33 | .598 | 287 | |
| *6. | Manhattan Supermen | 118-80-42 | .579 | 278 | |
| *7. | Fort Drum Killers | 114-92-34 | .546 | 262 | |
| 8. | Deer Park Chiefs | 104-97-39 | .515 | 247 | |
| 9. | Lexington Leg Hounds | 98-102-40 | .492 | 236 | |
| 10. | St. John’s Red Wings | 100-106-34 | .488 | 234 |
In any given matchup, you compete to win 12 stat categories… each win counts for two points, each tie counts for one and each loss counts for none. The total of these points is used to determine standings and playoff seedings.}
Going into the final matchup of the regular season, there are still three teams vying for a post-season berth. Already clinching playoff spots are: Buffalo, Vancouver, Hollywood, Oshawa City, London, Manhattan, and Fort Drum.
13 points separate the Deer Park Chiefs (eighth place with 247 points) and the St. John’s Red Wings (10th, 234 points) underscoring just how tight the playoff race is.
Week 21’s schedule has the following matchups:
- Deer Park Chiefs vs. Castlegar Wolves (15th place)
- Lexington Leg Hounds vs. Buffalo Phantoms (1st place)
- St. John’s Red Wings vs. London Mustangs (5th place)
Deer Park vs. Castlegar
The Chiefs continue their playoff push as they try to defeat the Wolves for the first time this season.
Castlegar beat Deer Park 5-4 in Week 2 as Parise, Richards, and Dubinsky combvined for 11 points. Parise will not play in this matchup because he was traded a few weeks before the trade deadline last Thursday.
The Chiefs are coming off a 5-4 loss to the Hollywood Stars last week and will need to play better this week to make the playoffs.
“So now it’s up to us to get ready, concentrate and focus on every game we have to play,” Deer Park coach Mike Nellany said. “We have one matchup left, but if we play good and win then we should be in the playoffs.”
Lexington vs. Buffalo
Lexington plays Week 21 against the first place Phantoms, and they were shut out by them in their last meeting 11-0.
“As the season went on, we believe we got better, we improved, so I think we’ll be ready this time” Lexington forward Derek Roy said following Monday morning’s practice.
Despite losing to the Bruins 6-4 last week, Lexington has been playing very well, winning five of their last seven matchups.
St. John’s vs. London
Time is running out on the Red Wings.
With 234 points and just one matchup left, St. John’s is in 10th place but only 13 points behind Deer Park and Lexington as they fight for the final playoff spot.
In their last matchup against London, they lost 9-2, but their roster looks completely different now.
After making a bunch of big trades a couple of months before the trade deadline, the Red Wings are loaded with several superstars including Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, M.A. Fleury, and Thomas Vokoun.
“Our chances are getting slimmer and slimmer, that’s the bottom line,” Red Wings forward Jonathan Toews said. “You start running out of matchups. Every matchup is big for us. This is the last one. There is no room for errors right now, we need a huge win.”
| Head-to-Head Who will win the AFHL Stanley Cup? Read both sides, then read Users Reactions. |
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It is no surprise that the Heroes are in the Finals. They have size, strength, very underrated speed, and a will to win that makes them a serious contender to win the championship. And it all starts with balance. Coach Ben Rauscher has four lines and three sets of defense that he can play at any time of a game. The Simon Gagne-Henrik Sedin-Daniel Sedin line will cause all sorts of havoc because their cycling ability can wear London’s in-zone coverage down. And Eric Staal, who has a nice little checking buddy in Sean Avery, has proven he still has that magical scoring touch. The Heroes also initiate at the point of attack as well as any team in the AFHL. Their style is not for the faint of heart. It hurts just thinking about the collisions we’ll see in this series with the huge hitting potential of Tomas Kaberle, B.J. Crombeen and wrecking machine Sean Avery. Heroes defensemen know how to break down the trap, too. Dan Boyle is a one-man trap breaker whose explosive skating ability will force the Mustangs to target him early. And if he gets loose, look out.Thanks to their system, size and the fact they can play and thrive on bad ice, the Heroes become a dangerous foe once they get to London.And, oh, by the way, what happened to the vaunted Stars’ power play against the Heroes? The answer is easy. Kaberle and Corvo cleared out down low so that goalies Ryan Miller and Ilya Bryzgalov could see the shots, and aggressive and wily forwards like Hagman, Langkow and Crombeen closed down passing and shooting lanes.The X-factor in all of this is persistent, consistent and Mr. Everything in the playoffs Henrik Sedin. Henrik has 101 points on the year and he has shown no signs of slowing down. Need a big goal? Henrik is there. Need a big swing in momentum? Yup, Henrik is there, too. Want to see grown men go nuts? Just sic Henrik on ’em. Coach Rauscher knows he has a special weapon in the Sedin Twins.Simply put, the Vancouver Heroes are a powerhouse. With such a well-balanced team, they will give the Mustangs a good ride, but will they become champs? |
REGULAR SEASON STATS
London coach Blake Wilson observed that the Heroes “beat a hell of a hockey team” after they outlasted Hollywood in the second round of the playoffs. They’re poised to do that again. This could be the best Stanley Cup matchup of the decade. Both teams are deep on offense and in goaltending. They’re both physically imposing and defensively sound, which should make for yet another long and grueling series.
Where London separates itself — ever so slightly — is in the abundance of goaltenders. They have three starting goalies whereas Vancouver only has two. The trio of Hiller-Rinne-Halak could be a problem for the Heroes as their opponents in the first and second round only had one starting goalie.
The Mustangs have their fair share of big-name players. Zach Parise, Rick Nash, and Kyle Okposo help form a very well balanced offense that also includes David Perron, Patrice Bergeron and red-hot Jakub Voracek. The most important advantage that the Mustangs have is in goal. For some reason there are still some Jonas Hiller detractors who don’t recognize him for how spectacular he has been all year long. Hiller has his mind set on winning the Cup and debunking his doubters. When he is focused, Hiller is as good as any keeper in the game and this season he has learned to thrive in high pressure.In a series as closely matched as this one, every small edge is vital and no coach is better at exploiting weaknesses than Wilson. Look for the Mustangs to capitalize on any sloppy play (we’re bound to see a few of those from Heroes’ defenseman Dan Girardi) and to put pressure on at well-calculated points in the game.All in all, it will be a great series, with two teams that are virtual images of each other. Heck, even their systems look alike. However, the Mustangs have a team that matches up perfectly in terms of offense and goaltending. |
The Mustangs have their fair share of big-name players. Zach Parise, Rick Nash, and Kyle Okposo help form a very well balanced offense that also includes David Perron, Patrice Bergeron and red-hot Jakub Voracek.
The most important advantage that the Mustangs have is in goal. For some reason there are still some Jonas Hiller detractors who don’t recognize him for how spectacular he has been all year long. Hiller has his mind set on winning the Cup and debunking his doubters. When he is focused, Hiller is as good as any keeper in the game and this season he has learned to thrive in high pressure.In a series as closely matched as this one, every small edge is vital and no coach is better at exploiting weaknesses than Wilson. Look for the Mustangs to capitalize on any sloppy play (we’re bound to see a few of those from Heroes’ defenseman Dan Girardi) and to put pressure on at well-calculated points in the game.All in all, it will be a great series, with two teams that are virtual images of each other. Heck, even their systems look alike. However, the Mustangs have a team that matches up perfectly in terms of offense and goaltending.
Heroes or Mustangs? Who will bring home the Cup?
| Heroes’ forward Sean Avery was a pest for Martin Brodeur in the second round against Hollywood. Don’t expect his role to change in the Finals against London. |
TheAFHL.com asked visitors the question that’s on every hockey fan’s mind: who’s going to be the last team standing? We received hundreds of responses from users on both sides of the ice with some of the most interesting ones below.
The Mustangs will win because of the tough matchups they won against the Leafs and Phantoms. They know what it takes to win and probably want it a little more than Vancouver. Mustangs win 7-5.
— Billy Sims , Austin, Texas
Vancouver is a team of veterans that like to play a defense-oriented game first and force teams into making mistakes. London is a scrappy team that has a lot of speed. Vancouver can’t handle speed. Fort Drum was proof of that. Also, London has had a terrific power play in the playoffs while Vancouver was average. If their goalies are able to play every game and London can keep Vancouver from completely dominating the offensive stat categories, they will win convincingly. London 6-4.
— Tim O’Connell , Tokyo, Japan
Ryan Miller is the best goalie in the league. The Mustangs lack the offensive talent as well as defensive strategy that Vancouver has come to master. Vancouver has proven goal scorers in the Sedin Twins, Staal, Gagne, and Boyes, as well as muckers with experience such as Sean Avery. With talent like this the Heroes work the neutral ice trap better than any other team in the league including London.
— Scott Astley , Colorado Springs, Colo.
Is there any question? The Vancouver Heroes are going to crush the London Mustangs. Heroes win 10-0.
— Ryan Dean , Calgary, Alberta
Vancouver is much faster, has a better goalie, and can check with anyone in the league. London has played two tough series and are somewhat dinged up going into the finals. Vancouver should win the series 8-1.
— Greg Buckhout , Raleigh, N.C.
The Heroes take this series 7-3 (o.k. maybe 6-3) and here’s why: 1.) 2nd and 3rd line match ups – Vancouver has been the deepest team since Manhattan was eliminated. They simply wore down Hollywood’s offensive weapons. 2.) Goaltending wins championships – There shouldn’t be any question in anyone’s mind that Vancouver has, by far, the better goaltending duo. 3.) Ready for the Cup – Not to downplay London’s desire to drink from Lord Stanley’s Cup, but Vancouver was built for this moment and the Sedin Twins are an advantage.
— Kent Lawrence , Arlington, Texas
London. They’ve got incredible firepower (ask the Phantoms), and so far, Vancouver (and Miller) hasn’t seen anything like that. Plus, they are incredible defensively (and in goal). And with a London team that scores by capitalizing on mistakes, London’s tallies will be few and far between. London just can’t match up.
— Joey McDonald , Waverley, Nova Scotia
It’s all about desire and the bottom line is the Heroes want it more. Every Heroe is throwing punishing hits. I don’t think the Mustangs have seen that kind of relentless pursuit of the puck yet, and I think it will lead to some uncharacteristic turnovers by the London D. On the other side, London’s Defense is more physical than Buffalo or Oshawa City so London won’t be able to puch guys like Staal and Gagne around. I like Vancouver 6-4.
— Matt Buffalo, N.Y.
FINALS: Vancouver Heroes (2) vs. London Mustangs (5)
Mustangs win Stanley Cup, defeat Heroes 7-4
The Mustangs’ players mobbed Rick Nash after time expired on Sunday to begin their Stanley Cup celebration.
As the final seconds ticked away, the magnitude of the moment began to overwhelm Mustangs’ forward Rick Nash.
He bent over on the ice and tried to compose himself. Nothing could prepare him for a celebration like this.
“I couldn’t breathe, and it wasn’t because I was tired,” Nash said Sunday night after lifting the AFHL Stanley Cup. “It was just too much. I was trying to hold off the tears.”
Nash, who was drafted by London in the second round of the AFHL Inaugural Draft, let the tears flow as the clock finally hit zero, and his teammates mobbed him behind the net.
When Mustangs’ forward Zach Parise was presented with the Stanley Cup, he kissed it before exultantly lifting it over his head. He then passed it to Nash as he tried to hold his own emotions in check.
“I was traded for halfway through the year,” said Parise. “But that guy has been a true leader here since the first day of training camp.”
“To lift the Cup, what a feeling,” said Nash. “It’s really been a bumpy ride with a great deal of adversity, but we definitely came through at the right time.”
The fifth-seeded London Mustangs could not have written a much more dramatic story line as they beat the second-seeded Vancouver Heroes, to win the first ever AFHL Stanley Cup.
Blake Wilson is the first coach/GM to win the AFHL Stanley Cup.
“I couldn’t put into words what’s going on,” said Wilson after the game. “It’s amazing.”
Less than a half-hour later, Wilson led his family through the halls of the Mustangs’ home ice arena, interrupted briefly by a call from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
“I guess that comes with the cup,” Wilson said. “He said he was very happy for me and if I’m ever in the Ottawa area to stop by.”
Blake Wilson began this epic journey last July when he was named coach/GM of the London Mustangs, and given the task of selecting 23 players at the AFHL’s Inaugural Draft. With his first three picks, he drafted Marc-Andre Fleury [later traded], Rick Nash, and Jonas Hiller.
The Mustangs started off the regular season very well. They were in first place for the first several weeks until they slipped a little bit in the league standings. The Mustangs continued their solid play right into the AFHL All-Star Game, where Wilson was named assistant coach of the Canadian Conference All-Star Team.
London forward Rick Nash celebrates his 2nd goal in the Finals against Vancouver.
Wilson made several big trades throughout the regular season. He did a good job putting together a solid group of three starting goaltenders. But then he made the biggest trade of all. Wilson traded for superstar forward Zach Parise and defenseman Michael Del Zotto, in exchange for forwards Matt Moulson, Mikael Backlund, and Nikita Filatov.
London qualified for the post-season with the fifth seed and faced off against the fourth-seeded Oshawa City Leafs in the first round. The Leafs had the better offense on paper, but the Mustangs wouldn’t let that deter them as their offense stepped up and contributed 36 points in the series. Their goaltending trio also made a statement in this matchup. Jonas Hiller, Jaroslav Halak, and Pekka Rinne posted 5 wins and a 1.48 GAA in helping the Mustangs advance to the second round.
The Buffalo Phantoms were their opponents in the second round. The Phantoms boasted the best record in the league and they were the last team that anyone would want to face in the playoffs. The Mustangs refused to let adversity get the best of them, and defeated the Phantoms 5-4 in an overtime thriller.
The London Mustangs were red-hot heading into the Stanley Cup Finals where they would meet the second-seeded Vancouver Heroes, a team with a lot of weapons.
London got it going early in the Finals against Vancouver, getting goals from Brandon Sutter and rookie defenseman Tyler Mylers, to put them up 2-0 in the first game.
In the second game, Rick Nash and Viktor Stalberg scored two goals each for the Mustangs. Patrice Bergeron also potted a goal that got the Mustangs really buzzing.
Bergeron skated to Rick Nash’s pass at the bottom of the left circle and, with Tomas Kaberle hanging off his left shoulder, slipped the puck through a narrow opening between Miller’s right pad and the goal post at the midway mark of the game.
Brandon Sutter scored two more goals in games 3 and 4, giving the Mustangs an 8-2 lead heading into the weekend where they would play patient but aggressive.
London Mustangs’ Coach/GM Blake Wilson will receive this award for winning the AFHL Stanley Cup. All 23 Mustangs’ players names will be engraved on the front.
Mustangs’ rookie Michael Grabner scored a hat trick on Friday night, while Jaroslav Halak posted the only shutout in the series. On Saturday, Zach Parise scored a goal and an assist. Rick Nash also got on the scoresheet with two helpers. Nash was clearly the best player for the Mustangs in this series, for both his leadership skills and his four points, including the game winning goal earlier in the week.
In Sunday’s finale, the London defense got the job done, and shut down Vancouver’s offense to seal the deal.
Heroes’ forward Henrik Sedin won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. Sedin never smiled as he accepted the MVP trophy to the boos of the London fans and the applause of the Mustangs’ players, immediately leaving the ice in tears.
“It’s tough to lose like that,” Sedin said after receiving his trophy. “It was really tough to see them [the Mustangs] cheer… This is not the one you want. You want the big silver one.”
Rick Nash said Sedin deserved the award and, “I got the one I wanted.”
“It was definitely a great run getting to the finals,” Heroes’ coach/GM Ben Rauscher said. “We didn’t finish the job and we’re a little disappointed about that… We will be back.”
Kyle Okposo thinks the Mustangs will be back, too, with most of their key players still on the team roster next year.
“It’s not over for us,” Okposo said. “We’re going to try to build on this. We have a dynasty team here.”
The Mustangs will celebrate with their fans Tuesday during a 15-block parade that will end downtown at the Hilton London Ontario hotel, which is right next to the London Internation Airport (YXU).
Rick Nash, now a conquering hero instead of a sentimental favorite, will be there with his family. Tyler Myers, who will probably win the AFHL Calder Trophy after a phenomenal rookie year, will celebrate also with his family and close friends.
Coach Wilson, who lived in London his entire life, except for a few months of work experience during school, will be there representing some thousands of fans who will not be able to make it due to work during the day.
More than 100,000 people are expected to join the parade, which will feature most, probably all, of the Mustangs’ players.
“I said from Christmas on that this is a magical team,” Wilson said. “We might have a better team one day, but this is a magical team. Our fans deserve everything that this team has accomplished this year.”
As for the Heroes, they returned to Vancouver thinking of what might have been after falling one victory short of the AFHL Stanley Cup.
The Heroes came into the weekend a confident bunch but left in tears of sorrow and frustration following a week of unnecessary penalties and insufficient offense. The Heroes were outscored in 7 of the 12 stat categories in the Stanley Cup loss.
“All that aside, I am very proud of this team,” Ben Rauscher said. “We added some key players and improved our roster over the year. The team had a tremendous year. And like I said before… We will be back.”