Blow-out and OT thriller hi-lite week 6 of SHL action

The first game of week six action in the SHL proved to be a blow-out while the second game saw an exciting overtime finish. In game one, AWARE thumped Hooters Nana 9-3 with replacement player and former president of Thai-World Hockey League (TWHL) Scott Whitcomb scoring a hat-trick and earning Rolling Stone player-of-the-game honours.

Just before game time Sport Corner/Titanium goalie Gabor Toth was told he was doing double duty as Hooters Nana lost their regular goalie Pattarapol “Dream” Ungkulpattanasuk to a Thai national team commitment. Gabor made 18 saves for Hooters on the 27 shots fired his way, while his counterpart Yves Gaboriault stopped 15 of the 18 pucks he faced helping AWARE to earn their victory.

Multiple players had multiple-point nights for AWARE on the night, including captain Patrik Lundback and Tan Limpinphet, both with a goal and three assists; Brandon Vick with two goals; and Sebastien Verdy and Corry Day each chipping in a goal and an assist. La had a big night for Hooters, netting a goal and an assist, while Sebastien Ranger added a goal and assist as well for Hooters Nana.

In the second game, Sport Corner/Titanium defeated the Sukhumvit Spitfires 4-3 in a thrilling overtime contest.  Remo Nyffenegger was the Rolling Stone Pizza player-of-game in this match, scoring two goals including the game-winner in overtime. John Schachnovsky chipped in with a goal and an assist for Sport Corner/Titanium giving him eight goals and six assists to maintain his SHL scoring lead (John is followed by the Hooters Stephen Sproule with 4 goals and 4 assists; AWARE’s Patrik Lundback with 3 goals and 5 assists; AWARE’s Tan Limpinphet with 3 goals and 4 assists: and Hooters’ Paul Stoddart with 5 goals and one assist).

Harrison Oztemel was the best player for Sukhumvit in a losing cause, scoring two goals and earning several excellent scoring chances. Scott Murray also registered a goal and assist for Sukhumvit, while Gabor Toth, playing in his second game of the night, made 15 saves to record the victory for Sport Corner. Lance Parker turned away 23 shots in a losing cause as he subbed for injured Jason Cotsmire for the second straight week.  

Sukhumvit has had some tough luck this year: first they lost their best player Geoff McIntyre to injury for the season after just the first week and then his replacement Donny Kerfoot was unable to play in this game. Then goalie Cotsmire went down (week-to-week with a lower body injury), but Sport Corner/Titanium were missing a number of key players in this match as well and battled hard for the victory.     

Sport Corner/Titanium and Aware now sit tied atop the standings with eight points each, but Sport Corner has the edge based on one more regulation-time victory; while Hooters Nana is in third with seven points ahead of Sukhumvit who is bringing up the rear with five.  

League action continues at “the Rink”, Central Grand Rama 9, on Sunday January 22nd with a rematch of last Sunday’s action as Sukhumvit faces off against Sport Corner/Titanium at 8:30 and AWARE takes on Hooters again at 9:30pm. Both Sukhumvit and Hooters will be out to avenge last Sunday’s losses.

(SHL league rules were recently changed, so now if a game ends in a tie after regulation time, there will be a 3-on-3 overtime for four minutes, if still tied a sudden death shoot-out follows).     

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter and on Instagram

For more information on the SHL check out Dom Dumais great podcasts and interviews with SHL players.