Lumberjacks Sweep Player Of Week Awards
April 13, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.---Having captured the third place position in the league's final regular season standings on the strength of impressive victories in their last two games of the 2008-09 season, the Muskegon Lumberjacks will launch the Turner Cup Playoffs this weekend in Port Huron with the impetus of sweeping all three league-wide weekly honors in the final week of the regular phase of the campaign.
On this date, the International Hockey League, in concert with the Lumberjacks, has announced that left wing ANTON KHARIN has been named PEPSI / IHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK; center JON GRABAREK has been hailed AQUAFINA / IHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK and KEVIN ARMSTRONG has been acclaimed SOUTHERN SPORTS SUPPLY / IHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK for the week of April 6th to April 12th.
KHARIN, (hah-REEN), 23 is enjoying an extraordinary pro premiere since his arrival on the Muskegon hockey scene from the campus of RIT (Rochester Tech) of the AHA Division I Conference. The high-flying first year pro from Moscow, Russia engineered 6-points in 3-games on 2-goals, 4-assists with 8-SOG and a stellar +6 rating. Registering key, clutch scoring points in each of his team's 3-games, the 5-11, 180lb left wing was utterly electrifying the past Friday night in fueling the 'Jacks 6-0 dismantling of archenemy Flint at Muskegon's Walker Arena. In a special, historical evening, the young Kharin was united with his famous father, former world class elite star and Muskegon standout, Sergei Kharin on the same forward line in the starting lineup to begin the game. The presence of his perennial All-Star dad seemed to act as inspiration for son Anton as he crafted a brilliant 3-points enormous performance including 2-goals, 1-assist with a sterling +3 rating and the game's #2 Star. Perhaps, it was apropos that A. Kharin would score the game's FG which proved ultimately to be the GWG.
Then, on the following night, in the season's regular season finale, he collected 2-assists and +2 rating while delivering a pivotal goal in the prolonged version of the OTSO in his club's 5-4 OTSO triumph over Kalamazoo to clinch third place. Kharin enters his first-ever pro post-season with a 6-games' point streak; 6(3-7-10) with a masterful +8 rating in that span. He has recorded points in 9 of his first 10- games as a pro with 10(5-10-15) and +9 rating.
GRABAREK, (GRAB-ah-reck), 24, is also in his rookie season in the Muskegon coat of arms. The product of Detroit's Wayne State U., enjoyed his best week in the pro ranks, collecting 5-points in 3-games on 2-goals, 3-assists, 4-SOG and +5 rating. Also scoring points in all 3-'Jacks outings, the 5-11, 180lb center launched the week with 1-goal, 1-assist, 2-points in a 4-3 setback last Thursday night at Flint. Returning home the ensuing night for an encore duel with the Generals, the Sterling Heights, MI native authored the assist on the GWG and earned a +2 rating in the 6-0 trumping of Flint. In the finale, Saturday night, he was heralded the game's #1 Star as he connected on 2-points, 1-TBG and 1-assist before firing an all-important OTSO strike and carding another +2 rating in that 5-4 OTSO success over the K-Wings. Grabarek is currently on a 4-game point streak with 4(3-3-6) and +6 rating.
ARMSTRONG, 20, is yet another of the talented rookie discoveries who represent Lumberjacks' key acquisitions in the latter stages of the current campaign. Signed as a free agent upon the conclusion of his major junior 'A' season with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL (Western Hockey League) he posted two monumental, momentous Muskegon victories in as many nights to secure third place in the final league's order of standings.
Armstrong's home debut Friday night was a rousing and raving success as the 6-1, 198lb native of Winnipeg, Manitoba earned his first-ever pro victory with his first-ever pro shutout, rebuffing all 30-Flint shots in his team's 6-0 victory verdict. He was named the game's # 1 Star.
Then, on Saturday night, with third place hanging in the balance, the Lumberjacks latest human puck blockade and barricade attained #2 Star honors in backstopping Muskegon to the OTSO win over Kalamazoo. In the contest, Armstrong brushed aside 36-shots before blocking 5 of 7-Wings offerings in the OTSO to capture the conquest in the contest and solidify the better standings position.
For the week, Armstrong was 2(2-0-0) with a miserly, microscopic 1.86 GAA and .943 SPCT, rebuking 66 of 70-total shots.
This is the first time this season in which the Lumberjacks have completed a clean sweep of the IHL' s league-wide weekly honors and they accomplish the neat feat with a trio of first-year pros who have made outstanding contribu-tions to the club since their respective advents.
Not to be overshadowed whatsoever has been the effort and performance of yet another rookie in center Gerome Giudice. The past week, the former OHL major junior 'A' Sudbury Wolves captain essayed 5-points in a 3-games' point streak on 2-goals, 3-assists including his first ever pro goal, along with a premium plus rating of +5.
The next step in development for the Lumberjacks outstanding rookie quartet of Kharin, Grabarek, Armstrong and Giudice will be their first endeavor into the IHL Turner Cup Playoffs. The best 4-of-7 semi-final series will open on the road this Friday night, April 17th and Saturday night, April 18th at Port Huron where the Lumberjacks will be hosted by the second place finishing Icehawks with both games set for 7:30 pm.
The first two home playoff dates for the Lumberjacks are set for Games # 3 and # 4 next Tuesday, April 21st and Wednesday, April 22nd at 7:00 pm at Muskegon's Walker Arena.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from April 13, 2009
- Lumberjacks Sweep Player Of Week Awards - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Slappy to Visit Cold Stone - Kalamazoo Wings
- K-Wings Weekly - Kalamazoo Wings
- IHL Announces Weekly Honors For Week Twenty-Six - IHL 2
- Komets Clinch Huber Trophy; Playoffs Begin Friday - Fort Wayne Komets
- Komets' defense of the Turner Cup begins Friday - Fort Wayne Komets
- Icehawks Announce First Round Playoff Schedule - Port Huron Icehawks
- K-Wings Announce Schedule for Turner Cup Semi-Finals and Playoff Slogan - Kalamazoo Wings
- 2009 IHL Turner Cup Playoff Schedule- Round One - IHL 2
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