Macdonald Earns Honor
November 16, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Bloomington PrairieThunder News Release
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - For the second time in three weeks, Craig Macdonald of the Bloomington PrairieThunder has been named the Player of the Week by the International Hockey League, it was announced Monday.
The 27-year-old Macdonald scored nine points on six goals and three assists to help the PrairieThunder earn five of a possible six points with two victories and a shootout loss in a rugged three-games-in-three-days stretch over the weekend. It also allowed Bloomington to maintain sole possession of first place in the league standings with an 8-3-0-2 record and 18 points.
The Milton, Ontario native registered a plus-5 on the plus-minus rating system. He began the weekend with two goals and one assist for three points and a plus-2 rating in a 5-3 victory over Dayton at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. His first goal came on a power play only 1 minute, 16 seconds into the game.
He followed that the next night by setting a PrairieThunder record for the quickest goal scored to start the game when he found the net for his first of two goals just 18 seconds into a 5-2 triumph over Quad City at home. Besides his two goals, Macdonald had two assists for four points and a plus-3 rating.
In his final game of the weekend, Macdonald scored a pair of goals with the second one coming with 3.3 seconds remaining in regulation on a power play to force overtime in an ultimate 4-3 shootout loss at Quad City.
Macdonald, who has been among the league's scoring leaders all season, currently is tied for second with Muskegon's Todd Robinson with 20 points. Robin Bouchard of Muskegon is first with 22 points. Macdonald has nine goals and 11 assists. His nine goals rank second in the league.
He has scored at least one point in 10 of the PrairieThunder's first 13 games, including six multiple-point performances.
The IHL honor marked the fourth time a PrairieThunder player has been recognized this season. Besides Macdonald, goaltenders Paulo Colaiacovo and Andrew Martin have earned the league's top Goalie of the Week award.
Bloomington returns to action Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Coliseum against two-time defending IHL champion Fort Wayne. Tickets for all PrairieThunder games are available at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum box office, calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or 309-585-0507, ext. 304.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from November 16, 2009
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