NAHL Players of the Week
Published on March 22, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL) News Release
BUNGER'S FIVE POINTS EARNS SHER-WOOD NAHL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Bozeman IceDogs have enjoyed some long winning streaks this season and they are looking to close out the campaign with one more. They extended their current streak from three to five games, and Ryan Bunger, who earned the Sher-wood NAHL Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending March 19, was a big reason why.
The native of Sammamish, Washington, was in on each of the five goals the IceDogs scored in their two wins over the weekend, and scored four of them himself. While he was not the only NAHL player this week to score five points, he was the only one who did so in two games.
On Friday, the Billings Bulls came to Bozeman in a preview of their first round playoff match-up. Bunger got to work less than five minutes into the game when he set up a power play goal by Josh Heidinger. A half minute into the second period, Bunger tallied a power play goal of his own, and that accounted for all the scoring that evening.
The next night, the visitors were the Bismarck Bobcats and Bunger tallied a goal in each period. He scored an even strength goal in the first, a power play goal in the second and an empty net goal late in the game, the only player on the ice to score in a 3-0 IceDogs victory.
Bunger is third in scoring among the IceDogs this season. This is his first selection as Player of the Week.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Gavin Dittman (Wasilla), Joel Gaulrapp (Southern Minnesota), Ryan Hernandez (Springfield), Aaron Jeffery (Bismarck), Eric Kattelus (Bismarck), Sean McCauley (Texas), Chris Ochoa (Wichita Falls).
DALTON, HOOPER CAPTURE SHARE SHER-WOOD NAHL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Two goaltenders on first place teams share the Sher-Wood NAHL Defensive Player of the Week award for the week ending March 19.
Goaltender Matt Dalton of the Bozeman IceDogs was perfect on the weekend, stopping every shot fired at him by the Billings Bulls and the Bismarck Bobcats, recording a pair of shutouts, his league-leading eighth and ninth of the season.
On Friday night, the native of Clinton, Ontario, turned aside all 18 Billings shots in a 2-0 blanking of the Bulls. Billings had four power plays during the contest, but could not hit the twine behind Dalton.
The Bobcats took 29 shots on goal the following night, but Dalton was perfect again in a 3-0 triumph over Bismarck, who could not convert on two power plays.
Dalton continues to lead all NAHL goaltenders in every statistical category, and he improved his league leading goals against average to 1.62 and his save percentage to .940.
The first-year Southern Minnesota Express posted three wins on the road to take over first place in the Central Division last week, including a head-to-head match-up for the top spot with the Fargo-Moorhead Jets. Express goaltender Nick Hooper won that showdown with a 1-0 shutout, and allowed six goals in the three games, stopping 87 shots for his share of the honor.
On Thursday in North Iowa, Hooper stopped 25 of 27 Outlaws shots and allowed only one power play goal on six chances to post a 5-2 victory.
On Friday in Fargo-Moorhead, the native of Culver City, California, sparkled in kicking out all 36 Jets shots in the 1-0 shutout that leapfrogged the Express over the Jets for the Central Division lead. Hooper denied the Jets on all four power plays he faced.
On Saturday in Alexandria, Hooper and his teammates played their third road game in a different city in three nights, and came away with an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Blizzard. Hooper faced 30 shots and turned aside 26 of them, to help cement the Express's hold on the top spot. Hooper allowed one power play goal on seven Blizzard attempts. For the three games, he allowed only two power play goals on 17 chances.
This is Dalton's fourth Player of the Week award, the most in the NAHL this season. It is Hooper's second consecutive Player of the Week award.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Brett Blatchford (Texas), Mike Garman (Springfield), Devan Hartigan (Wasilla), Doug Robinson (Wichita Falls), Ian Wilson (Billings).
PREVIOUS WINNERS (2005-06)
September 18 Offensive: Karl Sellan (Texas), Chris Connelly (Fargo-Moorhead) Defensive: B.J. O'Brien (Fargo-Moorhead)
September 25 Offensive: Sean McWhorter (Bismarck) Defensive: Kenny Reiter (Cleveland), Brett Blatchford (Texas)
October 2 Offensive: Kyle Kraemer (Wichita Falls) Defensive: Riley Gill (Texarkana)
October 9 Offensive: Kyle Kraemer (Wichita Falls), Sean Murphy (Southern Minnesota) Defensive: Lyon Messier (Texas)
October 16 Offensive: Anthony Ciraulo (Mahoning Valley), Dan Swanson (Minnesota) Defensive: Matt Dalton (Bozeman), Johnny Morrow (Alpena)
October 23 Showcase MVP: Josh Heidinger (Bozeman) Offensive: Sean Murphy (Southern Minnesota) Defensive: Tim Krystosek (Bismarck)
October 30 Offensive: Marc Menzione (Mahoning Valley), Alex Coles (Minnesota) Defensive: Matt Morin (North Iowa)
November 6 Offensive: Karl Sellan (Texas) Defensive: Dennis Urban (Mahoning Valley)
November 13 Offensive: Josh Leonard (Cleveland) Defensive: Bobby Jarosz (Cleveland), Jeff Carlson (Southern Minnesota)
November 20 Offense: Jacques Lamoureaux (Bismarck) Defense: Drew Fortney (Mahoning Valley), Graham McManamin (Bozeman)
November 27 Offense: Blake Page (Helena), Ryan Guentzel (Southern Minnesota) Defense: Matt Dalton (Bozeman), Troy Redmann (Texas)
December 4 Offense: Phil Fox (Fargo-Moorhead) Defense: Mike Garman (Springfield), Jeff Carlson (Southern Minnesota)
December 11 Offense: Tibor Kutalek (Helena) Defense: Riley Gill (Texarkana)
December 18 Offense: Anthony Becker (Texarkana) Defense: B.J. O'Brien (Fargo-Moorhead), Dervin Stonehouse (Texas)
January 1 Offense: Travis Hamway (Billings), Casey Haines (Texarkana) Defense: Bryce Christianson (Fairbanks), Tim Krystosek (Bismarck)
January 8 Offense: Jason Krispel (Bozeman) Defense: Brandon Johnson (Santa Fe), Ian Wilson (Billings)
January 15 Offensive: Troy Matilla (Springfield Jr. Blues) Defensive: Nick Hopper (Southern Minnesota), Davide Nicoletti (Springfield Jr.Blues)
January 22 Offense: Rhett Rakhshani (USNTDP) Defense: Joe Palmer (USNTDP)
January 29 Offensive: Steve Mcleod (North Iowa), Scott Motz (Minnesota) Defensive: Riley Gill (Texarkana)
February 5 Offensive: Derek Danowski (Texas) Defensive: Dan Vasquez (Helena)
February 12 Offensive: Phil Fox (Fargo-Moorhead) Defensive: Thomas Billick (Wichita Falls)
February 19 Offensive: Casey Haines (Texarkana) Defensive: Matt Dalton (Bozeman), Jeff Carlson (Southern Minnesota)
February 26 Offensive: Brent Marple (Santa Fe) Defensive: Brandon Johnson (Santa Fe), Chris Nutini (Wichita Falls)
March 5 Offensive: Jacques Lamoureaux (Bismarck) Defensive: Tim Krystosek (Bismarck), Troy Redmann (Texas)
March 12 Offensive: Chris McKelvie (Bozeman) Defensive: B.J. O'Brien (Fargo-Moorhead), Nick Hooper (Southern Minnesota)
One of the great brand names in hockey equipment, Sher-wood is the exclusive Official Equipment Supplier of the North American Hockey League. Sher-wood sticks, gloves and pants are provided to NAHL clubs by the company, which also sponsors the NAHL Players of the Week awards. Each week, NAHL coaches nominate offensive and defensive players for these awards and winners are selected for their outstanding play and recognized on NAHL.com. The teams and players of the NAHL thank Sher-wood for their support of the oldest and largest Junior A hockey league in the United States.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2006
- Nor-Pac champion Cutthroats to be honored at Bighorns game Friday - Helena Bighorns
- NAHL Players of the Week - NAHL
- One Win Gets it Done this Weekend for the First-Place Texas Tornado - Texas Tornado
- Phantoms fall to U.S. - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- FM Jets Players Near Records - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
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