5^th week Fall 2025 SSBHL Top Players of the week, Halfway Point!!!!

Good afternoon, SSBHL community!

Week 5 is in the books, and what a wild Sunday it was! We saw one team finally break into the win column, another stay undefeated, and a heavyweight clash that handed Stone Hands their first loss of the season. With the playoff picture slowly forming, every game and every shift is starting to matter that much more.

Let’s take a look at the action:

🏒 Game Results

Stick Figures vs. Hooligans
Final: 6–2 Stick Figures
After weeks of close calls and frustrating bounces, Stick Figures finally put it all together and notched their first win of the season. Their offense clicked, their defense tightened up, and Brad Wall was rock solid between the pipes. It wasn’t just a win — it was a statement that this squad isn’t going anywhere.

Mustangs vs. Spiders
Final: 7–5 Mustangs
Another game, another Mustangs victory. This team just keeps finding ways to win, moving to a perfect 5–0 on the season. The Spiders battled hard and kept it close, but the Mustangs’ depth and relentless attack proved too much in the end. Every week, they look more and more like the team to beat.

Smokey Joes vs. Stone Hands
Final: 11–3 Smokey Joes
Talk about a statement game. Smokey Joes came in locked and loaded, and they unleashed a dominant offensive performance that snapped Stone Hands’ undefeated streak. Swan and company were on fire, and new addition Andy Godfrey made his debut in net with a performance that gave the Joes even more confidence. This one was never in doubt — the Joes meant business.

🔥 Offensive Tenacity

#1 Offensive Player of the Week – Matt “Swan Song” Swan (Smokey Joes Captain)
Swan was electric from the very first shift, putting on an offensive masterclass that powered his team to their biggest win of the year. He piled up 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists), single-handedly driving the Joes’ offense and proving why he’s one of the most dangerous players in the league. Whether he was finishing chances with his trademark speed and quick feet, or setting up teammates with pinpoint passing, Swan was unstoppable. It wasn’t just the numbers — it was the way he controlled the flow of the game. Stone Hands had no answer for his speed, vision, and leadership.

#2 Offensive Player of the Week – Ryan “Mr Lahey” Doherty (Smokey Joes)
Linemate chemistry can make or break a team, and Ryan Doherty’s connection with Swan was on full display Sunday. The two looked like they didn’t miss a beat from Ryan’s time off, feeding off each other and keeping Stone Hands’ defense scrambling. Doherty chipped in 2 goals and 2 assists, but what stood out was his positioning — always finding the soft spots, always ready to finish. He didn’t just ride Swan’s coattails — he created chances of his own, making him the perfect one-two punch in the Joes’ offensive explosion.

#3 Offensive Player of the Week – Tim” Moth” Shyshpar (Spiders)
The Spiders may have fallen short against the undefeated Mustangs, but Shyshpar gave his team every chance to hang around. With 3 goals and an assist, he showed off his knack for timely scoring and his ability to seize momentum. One of his tallies came at a crucial point when the Spiders were closing the gap, a reminder that he’s always a threat when the puck is on his stick. Even in defeat, Shyshpar’s performance was a bright spot and a sign that the Spiders can go toe-to-toe with the league’s best.

🛡️ Defensive Dynamos

#1 Defensive Player of the Week – Aaron Gerstel (Mustangs)
If you want to beat the Mustangs, you’ll need to solve more than just their forwards — and Gerstel made sure of that on Sunday. He was phenomenal in his own zone, breaking up multiple high-danger chances and shutting down the Spiders’ rushes before they could develop. His breakout passes were crisp, clean, and perfectly timed, springboarding his teammates into transition and leading directly to scoring opportunities. With 3 assists to his name as well, Gerstel was the complete package: reliable defender, smooth distributor, and quiet backbone of the Mustangs’ undefeated run.

#2 Defensive Player of the Week – Nick Provenzano (Spiders)
Sometimes, the best defensive players are the ones who turn defense into offense — and Provenzano did just that. His positioning and awareness were fantastic all game long, and he didn’t just stop plays, he created them. With 1 goal and 2 assists, he contributed on both ends of the rink and was a big reason the Spiders pushed the Mustangs as hard as they did. Provenzano was everywhere, hounding puck carriers one moment and jumping up into the play the next.

#3 Defensive Player of the Week – Matt Connolly (Mustangs)
Connolly was superb in Last Sundays match Vs the Spiders! Connolly was all over the Forwards of the Spiders, making every play a nightmare to try and get offensive pressure going. Connolly was also able to score 2 very important goals, one that came to start the game off getting the Mustangs up early at 1-0. And the other in the 3^rd which extended the lead to 3-1, but that goal was a highlight reel as he rushed into the offensive zone, deked out Spiders Defender Nick Provanzano, and out lasted the goalie to slide home a beautiful goal! Overall fantastic game and this season Connolly has been the picture of consistency at the blue line!

🥅 Grand Goaltending

#1 Goalie of the Week – Andy Godfrey (Smokey Joes)
Talk about a debut! After being dealt in a blockbuster trade, Godfrey swapped his forward stick for goalie pads and looked like a natural. Facing a barrage of 45 shots, he turned away 42 of them for a sparkling .933 save percentage and a 3.00 GAA. His calmness under pressure was remarkable, especially considering it was his first game in net for the Joes. Time after time, he came up big, giving his team the confidence to attack freely. If this is any sign of what’s to come, the Smokey Joes may have found the missing piece they’ve been searching for.

#2 Goalie of the Week – Brad “Stone Wall” Wall (Stick Figures)
Consistency has been the story of Brad Wall’s season, and once again he was rock solid. Facing 25 shots, he stopped 23 of them (.920 SV%, 2.00 GAA) to backstop Stick Figures to their first win of the season. He wasn’t just making routine saves — he came up huge in key moments, slamming the door on the Hooligans when they tried to claw back. Wall’s steady play gave his teammates confidence to press offensively, and it paid off in the form of a convincing 6–2 victory.

#3 Goalie of the Week – Manny DeBettencourt (Hooligans)
Manny faced a heavy workload again, turning aside 31 of 36 shots (.861 SV%, 5.10 GAA). While the scoreline didn’t go the Hooligans’ way, Manny kept things respectable with several highlight saves that stopped the game from slipping away early. His ability to stay locked in despite constant pressure is a testament to his competitive drive. Week after week, he’s proving to be a backbone for his team, and his effort never wavers.

Honorable Mentions & Extra Credit

⭐ Cam MacKenzie (Stick Figures)
Fresh off the trade, Cam wasted no time proving his worth. He tallied a goal while playing shutdown defense against none other than his brother and Hooligans’ captain, B-Mack. His ability to adapt quickly to his new squad and keep pace with one of the league’s toughest forwards deserves recognition.

⭐ Jeff Beattie (Stick Figures Captain)
The captain led by example, starting the game with strong penalty-killing shifts that set the tone defensively. Beattie also chipped in offensively, notching a goal and an assist. A balanced, gritty performance that showed why he wears the “C.”

⭐ Bronson Zawaduk (Smokey Joes)
What a milestone moment — Bronson buried his first career hat trick in style! His three goals were a big piece of the Joes’ dominant 11–3 win over the Stone Hands. You could feel the energy every time he touched the ball. A night to remember for him and a sign of more to come.

Standings So Far…        W-L-OTL

1)       MUSTANGS:        5-0-0 / 10 POINTS / 42 GF / 23 GA / +19 GD

2)       STONE HANDS: 4-1-0 / 8 POINTS / 31 GF / 28 GA / +3 GD

3)       SMOKEY JOES:   2-3-0 / 4 POINTS / 36 GF / 34 GA / +2 GD

4)       HOOLIGANS:      2-3-0 / 4 POINTS / 21 GF / 28 GA / -7 GD

5)       STICK FIGURES: 1-3-1 / 3 POINTS / 21 GF / 25 GA / -4 GD

6)       SPIDERS:               1-4-0 / 2 POINTS / 24 GF / 37 GA / -13 GD

Upcoming games…

[9:00am on 9/28/25] Smokey Joes at Spiders (Key Matchup: Matt Swan Vs Matt Leary)

[10:30am on 9/28/25] Stick Figures at Mustangs (Key Matchup: Dan Gately Vs Matt Connolly)

[12:00pm on 9/28/25] Hooligans at Stone Hands (Key Matchup: Pedro Fontes Vs Brendan Merrick)

Thanks all and looking forward to the last half of the season!

-Dan H