Fury sweep week again

Published on December 11, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


TOP TEAM TALES: Achieving another weekend "trifecta" through the grand sweep of all three of their games in as many days the past week, the United Hockey League's all-time top winning team, the Muskegon Fury, continue their jammin' jazzed juggernaut in an unrelenting, unabating fashion. Under the direction of first year head coach Bruce Ramsay, the "Furious Ones" have elevated their overall season record after 25-games to a magnificent 25(22-3-0) totaling 44-points. Let the Fury record book show that their current season mark represents the franchise best-ever through the initial 25-games of the UHL regular season as it is achieved in the Fury 's 15th anniversary season. At this juncture of the campaign, the torrid Fury have increased their advantage atop the Eastern Division standings to a sizeable and significant 14-points over defending league titlist Kalamazoo 23(15-8-0)30-points with the Wings having 2-games in hand on Muskegon's finest on ice. The Kalamazooans are 5(4-1-0) in their last 5-outings and 8(6-2-0) through their last 8-dates. Abroad, the Wings have grown their win skein to 4-consecutively. The Muskegon lead atop the East has advanced to 18-points over third place Elmira 22(13-9-0)26-points with the Jackals having 3-games in hand. Checking the overall UHL banner chase, the men of the Fury fraternity have built a 16-points' lead over Western Division front-running Fort Wayne 20(14-6-0)28-points, though the Komets do have the potential luxury of 5-games in hand on the league's top-ranked club. The Fury do have a combined record of 8(6-2-0) in game combat against their three nearest pursuers, including a rather impressive 5(4-1-0) mark on the road show. This week, the league-leaders will embark on a two game foreign territory journey to the state of Illinois where they will be the guests of the expansion Bloomington Prairie Thunder on Friday night and the newly-minted Chicago Hounds on Saturday evening.

FURY FANS WIN-WIN WINDFALL: Though the men of the Fury first place class are traveling on the UHL road thoroughfares this week, there is more home action coming soon and another great opportunity to watch and to cheer minor pro hockey and the UHL's all-time top winning team. The Fury's next home action is set for Saturday night, December 23rd at 7:30 pm at Walker Arena where they will tackle the fledgling Bloomington Prairie Thunder. It has been designated as "WIN-WIN" NIGHT with the Fury. Should the Fury win on this date, every fan attending this game is entitled to redeem his or her ticket stub for a FREE ticket to the Fury game of Sunday, January 28th against division rival Elmira.

THE BEST 25 FROM THE FURY: Through their first 25-games of the 2006-07 season, the Fury have composed their best record ever at 25(22-3-0) for 44-points. One year ago, following the Fury's first 25-outings, they had compiled a mark of 25(20-3-2) for 42-points. The Fury's winning percentage at this stage of the season is a lustrous .880. They are presently enjoying their second 3-game win streak of the season, having previously attained the league's overall best victory string of the year at 8-straight which they have accomplished twice already. With their sweep of three games in three days the past weekend, the Fury's number of wins, totaling 22, represents 7-more wins than all other teams in the loop. In their last 132-regular season games, the Fury have compiled a compelling composite of 132(95-25-12) for a win percentage of .765. Moreover, in their last 151-regular season decisions, the record is 151(108-31-12) for a victory percentile rating of .755. The monthly account numbers are in: October 7(7-0-0); November 13(11-2-0); December 5(4-1-0).

HOME TEAM MEAN: The past weekend, "Fury Fever" home dominance was, once again, dynamic. In casting out two opponents in the form of Port Huron Saturday night, 5-4 (OTSO) and Chicago Sunday, 2-1, Muskegon enhanced its home log to a league-best 13(11-2-0), outscoring the invading interlopers, 59-32. Both of the Fury's home setbacks have been by scant single-goal margins while their 11-home triumphs are two more than the entire league. The Fury's longest home win streak of this season has been 8-in a row, coinciding with their initial 8-home dates of the year. In their last 107-regular season home decisions, the Fury are operating at an extraordinary .813 clip with a record of 107(84-17-6).

ROAD TRIP TRUMP: By engineering a command-performance 5-0 verdict at Flint Friday night, the Ramsay rendition upgraded their latest road win streak to a league-best 7-in a row. Their 7-game road win skein matches their best of last season and remains just one victory shy of the Fury's all-time club record of 8-straight road wins achieved at the inception of the 2001-02 season, the year of Colonial Cup II. For the season, Muskegon has assembled a sterling road mark of 12(11-1-0) with the 11-victories being 3-more than all other teams and the lone loss being absorbed back on November 4th in Elmira where the Fury fell that night, 7-4. The men of the Fury have also earned a 4-game road win streak for the year. The league-leaders have spirited away victories from every city which they have sojourned at this point of the season, excluding Chicago and Rockford where they have yet to touch down thus far in the campaign.

REFERENCE CONFERENCE: The Fury have taken no prisoners thus far no matter the conference calling. To amplify and magnify, the Muskegon squadron has essayed a superb 16(13-3-0) mark in their own Eastern Conference and a perfect personified 9(9-0-0) against the Western Conference competition. Against the East, they are 7(5-2-0) at home, outscoring the opponents, 26-17 and 9(8-1-0) on the road, out-goaling their opposition, 39-23. The breakdown: Port Huron 4(4-0-0)19-12; home: 2(2-0-0)10-7; road: 2(2-0-0)9-5. Flint 5(4-1-0)22-8; home: 2(1-1-0)7-3; road: 3(3-0-0)15-5. Kalamazoo 4(3-1-0)13-9; home: 2(1-1-0)6-5; road: 2(2-0-0)7-4. Elmira 3(2-1-0)11-11; home: 1(1-0-0)3-2; road: 2(1-1-0)8-9. Western Conference: 9(9-0-0)49-19; home: 6(6-0-0)33-15; road: 3(3-0-0)16-4. The breakdown: Quad City 3(3-0-0)22-9; home: 2(2-0-0)15-7; road: 1(1-0-0)7-2; Bloomington 2(2-0-0)14-4; home: 1(1-0-0)7-3; road: 1(1-0-0)7-1. Chicago 2(2-0-0)6-3; home: 2(2-0-0)6-3. Fort Wayne 1(1-0-0)2-1; road: 1(1-0-0)2-1. Rockford 1(1-0-0)5-2; home: 1(1-0-0)5-2.

DEFENSE DELUXE: In posting victories in 6 of their last 7-starts, the Fury have grudgingly surrendered a scant 13-GA for a GAA of an Ebenezer Scrooge, miserly-like 1.86. For the season, the men of Muskegon pro hockey rank 3rd in the UHL, having allowed only 59-GA in 25-games for a GAA of a thrifty and nifty 2.36. At home, in 13-games, they have allotted 32-GA for a GAA of 2.46. Abroad, they have yielded 27-GA in 12-games for a GAA of 2.25. The Fury have permitted more than 3-GA in just three of their first 25-games of the season. In the meantime, the offense con-tinues to maintain its major marquee mastery, having brewed a league-high 114-GF for a GFA of a potent 4.56. At home, they have sniped 59-times in 13-outings for a GFA of 4.54 while on the road, they have delivered 55-times in a dozen dates for a GFA of 4.58. The Fury boast the best differential in the UHL, having outscored their adversaries, 114-59 for a +55.

HEADLINING LAUREATES: Remaining on their torrid pace in this '06-07 season, the Fury prowess is reflected in their domination of most of the major departments in the UHL. In the UHL point-scoring race, the top 5-principals belong to the Fury. 1- Todd Robinson 25(21-31-52); 2- Mike Watt 24(17-19-36); Rustyn Dolyny 24(9-27-36); 4- Elias Godoy 19(11-23-34); 5- Philippe Plante 25(7-25-32); 17-Evan Kotsopoulos 24(10-10-20). The Fury also have the top 2-goal-scoring virtuosos on the league; 1- Robinson (21); 2- Watt (17). The top 4-in assists; 1- Robinson (31); 2- Dolyny (27); 3- Plante (25); 4- Godoy (23). In PPG; 2- Robinson (8); 3- Watt (7). In PPA; 1- Plante (16); 2- Robinson (15); T-4th- Watt (10). Robinson is #1 in SOG with 114 with Watt #4 with 103. In GWG, it's Robinson on top of the UHL with 5-GWG and Watt (3), Dolyny (3) and Jon Insana (3) tied for 3rd best. Robinson tops the league in SHG with 5. The Fury now have the top 11 plus players in the UHL. 1- Dave Van Drunen +27; 2- Plante +22; 3- Kotsopoulos +21; Robinson +21; 5- Godoy +16; 6- Dolyny +15; 7- Watt +14; Justin Coutu +14; 9- Joe Pomaranski +13; 10- Scott Barnes +11; 11- Dave Noel-Bernier +10. Van Drunen is tied for #1 in the UHL in minor penalties with 29; Adam Smyth is 5th in PIM with 90. In UHL Rookie Scoring, 1- Godoy; 2- Kotsopoulos; 13- Coutu 22(4-6-10); 18- Josh Chase 25(4-4-8). On the UHL defense, Philippe Plante is #1 with 25(7-25-32) with Jon Insana 7th 16(5-9-14). Insana's 3-GWG lead UHL defensemen. Plante's 7-goals rank as 2nd best among league defensemen. In the goaltending department, Clayton Pool remains ranked as #1 in the league. He leads the UHL in wins (15); GAA: 1.83 and SPCT .938.

THE "RUSTO" GLOW: The Fury captain Rustyn Dolyny may be on the precipice of enjoying his best season of six as a pro in the UHL with the Fury. In three games in three days the past weekend, the erstwhile MSU star-studded one collected 6-points on 1-goal, 5-assists, +2 rating 6-SOG and one #1 Star followed the next day by the game's #2 Star. In Saturday night's 5-4 OTSO spine-tingling, thrilling theater against Port Huron, "Rusto Bravissiomo" delivered the ultimate GWG on his team's second shot of the "sudden-death" portion extra session. For the Sunday matinee in his team's 2-1 triumph over Chicago, he was instrumental on both strikes stoked, connecting of the game's FG on the power play before assisting on the GWG from another former MSU star, Jon Insana. In the process, Dolyny has pushed his personal point streak to a current league best 11-games with 11(4-14-18), one game away from equaling his teammate Elias Godoy's league-best of this season consisting of 12-consecutive point-scoring games. "Rusto's" current 10-games' assist streak has emerged as the best in the league this season. Dolyny is the Fury's nomination for Sher-wood / UHL Player of the Week.

BETTER LEATHER LARCENY: The goaltending ace of the place Clayton Pool continues to pile-up larcenous saves and a plethora of Fury victories. The past week, the league's top-rated backbone backstop was virtually impregnable as he stubbornly surrendered a scant 1-GA in spearheading his first place team to two victories in his two starts. Friday night in Flint, he zeroed the Generals for the second time this season by the replica, resounding, resonating result of 5-0. Earning the #2 Star, the U. of Alberta product repelled all 34-shots. Sunday afternoon on home ice, he landed laurels for the #1 Star, brushing aside 23-shots in a 2-1 victory verdict. For the week, he was 2(2-0-0) with a microscopic 0.50 GAA and .982 SPCT. Still undefeated on the road at 9(9-0-0) with a 1.73 GAA, Pool has posted the league's premiere record of 17(15-2-0). In his last 12-games he has surrendered only 19-GA for a GAA of 1.58. Named UHL Goaltender of the Month for November, Pool is the Fury's nomination this week for Southern Sports Supply / UHL Goaltender of the Week.

MACHINE 19: The league's top scoring human machine, Todd Robinson enjoyed yet another prosperous weekend of point polished proficiency. In 3-games, he was 3(3-4-7) with 16-SOG and +2 rating. Included in his prolific output was (2-2-4) Friday night in Flint where the Fury ambushed the home-standing Generals, 5-0. "T. Rob" landed the game's #1 Star in that one before securing the #3 Star Saturday night following (1-1-2) in the drama and suspense of the 5-4 OTSO win over Port Huron. For the season, the pre-eminent prince of points playmaking pivot has adeptly and adroitly maestroed 15-multiple point games and 5-multi-goal performances. He is averaging a monstrous 2.08 points per game this season.

THE MIKE STRIKE: Former Michigan State star Mike Watt seems to be digging his new "digs" in the home of the Fury. The 10-year pro collected 6-points in the three games' docket the past weekend; 3(1-5-6) with 15-SOG. In the process, the veteran of some 157-NHL games swelled his personal point-scoring scourge to 6-games with 6(5-8-13) in that prominent and dominant span. He is currently tied with linemate and fellow MSU alumnus Rustyn Dolyny for second in league-wide point productivity.

RYAN DENYIN': The Fury's first year goaltender Ryan Cyr has made each of his starts sound and solid. In fact, in backstopping his squad to that thrilling OTSO 5-4 Saturday night triumph over division rival Port Huron, Cyr was superb; especially in the extra session. It was there that he rebuked 5 of the Flags 7-shots in leading his team to victory. The Abbotsford, B.C. native is currently on his own 4-game win streak and has elevated his season mark to an outstanding 8(7-1-0). He is an impeccable 3(3-0-0) against Port Huron.

ATOM ADAM: The Fury's Adam Smyth has developed into an enormous find for the Fury. Under NHL contract to the Atlanta Thrashers, the intimidating on-ice presence has demonstrated the very valued dimension of versatility in the Muskegon lineup. With his team riddled and ravaged with injuries and player call-ups, "Smitty" has stepped-in and filled the breech wherever needed and he has done it with considerable contribution. Moving back and forth from right wing to defense and then back, again, he unleashed a key, pressure-packed touch-in-the clutch shot on his team's last shot of the regulation portion of Saturday's OTSO that equalized the extra session and set the stage for his team's completion of the ultimate success in the sudden death time of the OTSO. Earlier in the same game, he sizzled a wicked point shot that tied matters in the opening moments of the middle stanza to erase a Fury 2-0 deficit.

"BARNES"-STORMING: Returning to the Fury lineup following a 20-games absence due to injury, Ryan Barnes made quite an impact and impression in his second coming to "Furytown." In his first game appearance since October 14th, the former Detroit Red Wings #2 draft choice promptly proceeded to produce the game's FG on a PPG in the latter stages of the first stanza. It proved to be the GWG as well in the Fury's 5-0 shutout collaring of divisional foe Flint.

THE ATTRITION CONDITION: It is becoming one of the more fascinating Fury seasons in '06-07. Despite innumerable injuries and the usual interruptions and disruptions for player recalls and facsimile, the Fury still continue to win in a truly relentless fashion. The latest injured body count stands at 5 as Billy Collins (1), Joe Pomaranski (1), Scott Barnes (5), Elias Godoy (6) and Bill Zalba (13) are on the shelf with a sundry of ailments and maladies. In addition, defensemen Jon Insana and Tom Galvin are assuming their respective positions with the AHL Griffins of Grand Rapids.

SPLENDIDLY SPECIAL: The specialty teams of the Fury have been both proficient and efficient with recent action. The past weekend, the Fury produced 5-PPG in 3-games while allowing only 1-PPGA all weekend. For the week, the Fury were percolating with the extra man band at 5-19, 26.3% conversion rating. For the season, they lead the league with 36-PPG and the #2 ranked extra man outfit in the UHL; 36- 185 for a rating of 19.5%. The penalty-killing cast has been extremely effective as the opposition is just 1 for the last 23 for an efficiency mark of 95.7%. The opposition is only 7 for the last 67 for an efficiency rating of 89.5%. On the year, the Fury rank 3rd in the UHL; 178-206 and 86.4%. The Fury have been shorthanded the most times of all teams in the league (206).

THE FURY FIGURE FILBERT: Rustyn Dolyny (191) needs one more assist to tie Brant Blackned (192) for 6th place on the Fury's all-time list. Dolyny (128) is 6-goals away from tying Brett Seguin (134) for #4 all-time on the Muskegon career goal list. Todd Robinson (39) is 2-PPG away from tying Paul Kelly (41) for 4th place on the Fury PPG list. Clayton Pool's next game will be the 100th of his Fury career.

FEW FUN FURY FAST FACTS FROM "FIC": Dating back to last season, when the Fury have the lead entering the third period, they are undefeated at 57(54-0-3). The Fury have outscored the opposition in the second period this season, 44-16. The Fury have been assessed the most minor penalties in the UHL with 231 while ranking tied for second in majors with 31. Of Jon Insana's 5-goals this season, 3 have been GWG. The Fury are unbeaten in their last 14-games against Port Huron; 14(11-0-3).

RECAP WRAP: Once again, this weekend, the Fury swept 3-games in 3-days. Friday in Flint, they claimed a 5-0 conquest. Clayton Pool had 34-saves with Todd Robinson (2-2-4)PPG, Mike Watt (1-3-4), Justin Coutu (1-1-2)PPG and Ryan Barnes (FG/PPG/GWG) accounting for the firepower. Saturday night at home, they outlasted Port Huron in the OTSO, 5-4. The Fury surmounted 2-0 and 3-2 deficits in regulation as Robinson (1-1-2)TBG, Philippe Plante (PPG), Adam Smyth (GTG), Dave Noel-Bernier (GTG) each connected. Rustyn Dolyny contributed 3-assists before he delivered the GWG in the OTSO. Robinson and Smyth also struck in extra time and Ryan Cyr repulsed 5 of 7-shots. Sunday afternoon, the Fury edged Chicago, 2-1 on goals by Dolyny (1-1-2)FG/PPG and Jon Insana (GWG). Pool was stellar with 23-saves.

THE FURY GAME CALENDAR THIS WEEK:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15TH THE FURY AT BLOOMINGTON 8:00 PM

The Fury meet their new rivals for the third time this season and the second consecutive tine in Illinois. Muskegon leads the series, 2(2-0-0) on the impetus of emphatic victories to the tune of 7-3 opening night, October 13th at Walker Arena and 7-1 in the Fury's first road game of the season, October 20th at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16TH THE FURY AT CHICAGO 8:30 PM

For the second time in a week's time, the Fury and the Hounds will hook-up in Muskegon's first-ever trip to the state-of-the-art Sears Center in Hoffman Estates. The Fury lead the season series, 2(2-0-0) on the strength of two consecutive triumphs on home ice; 4-2 on October 21st and 2-1 the past Sunday afternoon, December 10th in Muskegon.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from December 11, 2006


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