Good afternoon, SSBHL community!

Another week down, and we are closing in on the final push to the playoffs! We had an interesting Week 7 with some high-scoring games and a little bit of drama as well. Every team is still in contention for the playoff run! Only two teams have punched a ticket so far: the Mustangs and Stone Hands. The other two slots are still available to claim. Which two teams will battle to compete in the SSBHL Playoffs for a chance to win the glorious Price Cup? With that, let’s jump into the game results.

🏒 Game Results

Mustangs vs Hooligans

Final: 8-1 Mustangs

From the opening ball drop to the final closing minutes, the Mustangs were once again in complete control of the match. Starting off strong in the first period, the Mustangs were all over the opposition and managed to take the lead at 1-0. With only one second left in the first period, they claimed another goal to make it 2-0 and ended the period with that lead. The Mustangs never looked back after that, extending the score even more in the second period and again in the third. Captain J-Mac of the Mustangs was an offensive force, leading the team with five goals! The Mustangs would later close out the game with a score of 8-1 and improve their record to 7-0 for the season, maintaining a firm grip on first place.

In a later interview, defenseman Aaron Gerstel of the Mustangs said, “If we play our game, we win,” and so far this season, that has proven true. Let’s see how they fare in this coming Sunday’s first- and second-place matchup. We missed it last time due to the rainout, but this week should be an interesting match between the first-place Mustangs and the second-place Stone Hands!

Spiders vs Stone Hands

Final: 11-1 Spiders

The scrappy Spiders showed they are not to be trifled with and came out with an absolutely dominant performance against the second-place Stone Hands squad. They took a large first-period lead right from the start and never looked back! The offensive explosion by the Spiders was led by star defenseman Nick Provenzano, who had three goals, followed by gritty second-liner Ryan Gurley, who also scored three goals. The team combined for a total of 11 goals while only giving up one.

Speaking of their goalie, Nick Bonofiglio posted his best performance of the season, allowing only a single goal late in the third period. Captain and coach Matt Leary was thrilled with his team’s play and had this to say post-game:

"Just a great game by the boys in a must-win situation. From the opening drop to the final buzzer, we never took our foot off the gas. Great work and hustle by Avenia, who really was a workhorse all game long. Big Nick was clutch in between the pipes when we needed him, and our defensive play and forwards were all clicking."

Indeed, the squad played probably their best game of the season and improved their record to 3-4-0, taking third place for the time being. The Spiders will look for another great performance in this Sunday’s matchup against the hungry and tenacious Stick Figures.

Stick Figures vs Smokey Joes

Final: 6-5 Stick Figures OT

This game had all the elements of a great hockey match: insane goals, great saves in key moments, some questionable calls, and an overtime conclusion. It might have been one of the most entertaining and stressful games of the season. It felt like a playoff match and had the intensity and feel of one for sure.

The first period was anybody’s game and ended 2-2 heading into the second. In the second period, the Joes claimed a small lead at 4-3, heading into a drama-filled third period. In the third, the Stick Figures rallied to tie the game from a goal by defensive player Derek Goguen, who had his best game of the season. Shortly after, Matt Swan of the Smokey Joes was fed a pass from his linemate and bombed one in from the red line that appeared to take the lead back. However, this goal was waived off as the ball had come just over the red line. Sharp eyes by linesman Nick Provenzano caught it, and it was later confirmed via video review.

It didn’t matter, though, as about a minute later, the Joes scored again to reclaim the lead at 4-3 in the third. But again, the Stick Figures didn’t go down. They ground their way back with another goal to tie it at 4-4 from forward Thahmid. Again, the Joes responded with a goal from Captain Matt Swan, taking a 5-4 lead with only three minutes left.

In the final minute, the Stick Figures pressed into the attacking zone. The ball was loose in the crease and eventually knocked free, and forward Thomas Schindler tapped it into the net to seemingly tie it at 5-5. However, the whistle had blown—did the goal count? Head official Dan Harding ruled it a good goal while the Joes looked on in stunned fashion, sending the game to overtime.

In overtime, the Joes came out hot, and goaltender Brad Wall made pivotal saves to keep it tied. With only two minutes left in OT, defenseman Derek Goguen came around the net short side, where the goalie was not hugging the post, and put it home to give the Stick Figures the much-needed 6-5 win.

Later, Dan Harding explained the fifth Stick Figures goal:

"In the moment, I had a good view of the crease. The ball was loose, and I saw Matt Swan covering it with his hand. I initially blew the whistle for a Stick Figures penalty shot, but at the same time, the ball crossed the goal line. I went with my gut instincts and called it a good goal. After reviewing the footage, I could see the ball had not fully crossed the line before my whistle. For that, I apologize to the Joes. I understand their frustration, but both teams played a great match, and I tried to make the correct call in the moment. I’ll try to be better going forward."

🔥 Offensive Powerplants

#1 Offensive Player of the Week – Matt Avenia (Spiders)
Avenia was a monster all game long and a generator of offensive attack from the moment the ball dropped onto the rink. He was all over Stone Hands players with both forecheck and backcheck pressure. With constant harassment, Avenia was able to convert multiple opportunities with two goals and set up teammates three times for three assists, totaling five points in the match. Without a doubt, it was Matt’s best game of the season. His teammate Tim “The Moth” Shyshpar said:

"Matt’s been an incredible player this season. Honestly, he’s been one of our top guys all year long, and we depend on that for our team’s success. He is an essential backbone in our game plan every week."

Avenia will look to keep his winning ways going in this Sunday’s matchup against the deadly and hungry Stick Figures, who are fighting tooth and nail for a playoff spot.

#2 Offensive Player of the Week – Matt “Swan Song” Swan (Smokey Joes Captain)
Captain Swan was devoted, dedicated, and committed to his team all last Sunday. His leadership and effort kept the game within striking distance all game long. Despite a low shot count of only 20 shots in three periods plus overtime, Swan put up five points with three goals and two assists. Those numbers are incredible considering the low shot total.

Despite some shaky officiating, Swan didn’t let it discourage him. He remained focused on the play in front of him, like a true leader. Even with a minor injury in the third period, and accusations from the opposition of faking it, Swan stayed productive and kept his squad on track. Missing his linemate Ryan Doherty, who has been battling a lingering injury all season, Swan still led by example. Though they came up short in OT, the Joes managed to hang onto a point and maintain playoff positioning. They will look to build momentum this Sunday against a struggling Hooligans team needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive.

#3 Offensive Player of the Week – Joe “J-Mac” MacKenzie (Mustangs Captain)
Oh captain, my captain, were the words of the Mustangs as the battle of the Macs took place on Sunday morning. However, J-Mac proved victorious, as the Mustangs’ young leader led an explosive offensive performance with five goals in the game—the most he’s scored this season!

Typically in the top five of points, J-Mac has taken a more conservative role this season, focusing on leadership first and scoring second. Being a new captain naturally slows down production, but J-Mac has remained very productive with the help of his linemates Aiden and Connolly. He is always a scoring threat, and Sunday was proof. He will look to keep the pace rolling in next week’s matchup against the Stone Hands, which should be a great clash between two of the league’s top teams.

🛡️ Defensive Dynamos

#1 Defensive Player of the Week – Nick Provenzano (Spiders)
New to the defensive role yet thriving in the spot, Nick Provenzano has been a hidden gem in the Spiders’ defensive scheme all season long! Usually a forward, Captain Matt Leary decided to slot Nick in on defense, and it’s worked out effectively. Nick went on a run last Sunday, racking up a strong five-point performance with three goals and two assists.

With Nick’s offensive awareness as a defenseman, he’s able to read the play as it develops and set up his linemates with refined precision and intelligence. His hockey IQ has translated into assists, goals, and smart defensive breakups throughout the season. He knows exactly when to jump into a play and when to fall back. The Spiders’ success has heavily depended on Nick’s ability to play as a solid two-way defender, using his powerful shot from the point and threading passes into the zone to set up scoring chances.

His next matchup against the very persistent and fast Stick Figures squad will test his ability to get back into position while still producing offensively. It’ll be a good test to see if he can continue balancing his scoring touch with solid defensive play.

#2 Defensive Player of the Week – Derek “The Golem” Goguen (Stick Figures)
Derek was a massive presence in the Stick Figures’ game last Sunday against the powerful Smokey Joes. His ability and gameplay were on full display with an incredible three-point performance — not one, not two, but three goals in his matchup! And all three were massive. Derek scored once in the first period and again in the second, both crucial goals that kept the pressure up on the Joes.

He was also brilliant defensively, breaking up multiple high-danger chances from Swan and Bronson. Derek was sacrificing the body, forechecking aggressively, and playing smart, poised hockey all game long. His biggest moment came in overtime, though — battling for the ball behind the opposing net, wrapping around to the left-hand side, and firing the ball into an opening on the goalie’s short side to secure the game-winning goal in overtime!

It was one of Goguen’s best games of the season and possibly his SSBHL career. His captain, Jeff Beattie, was asked after the game about his linemate Derek and said:

"In my honest opinion, Derek’s been a nail gun all year but just hasn’t found the back of the net — and then his wife shows up to watch him play, and he gets a hat trick! Can’t even make that up, lmao. It’s the WAGs, 100% (wives and girlfriends)."

#3 Defensive Player of the Week – Matt Leary (Spiders Captain)
In a game that demanded leadership and stalwart defensive play, there are few players who can hold the line like Matt Leary, captain of the stingy Spiders squad. Leary has always been one of the toughest players to go up against. His incredible defensive IQ makes it seem like he can see into the future — anticipating moves and positioning himself perfectly to counter any offensive scheme thrown his way.

Despite some struggles putting up points this season, Leary still contributes elite defensive play, and his leadership keeps his team on course. With multiple blocked shots, high-danger breakups, and great communication with his teammates, the Stone Hands’ top players — including Captain Steve — could not find any rhythm offensively, being limited to just one goal all game.

His teammate Tim Shyshpar later said, “Leary is just an impossible player to go up against. He puts you on an island with no hope of generating any offense. He’s such a smart player, and I love playing with him this season — it’s been a pleasure all year long.”

Leary’s dependable defensive strategy will be tested again this week in his matchup against the desperate and hungry Stick Figures, who are fighting to claw their way into a playoff position.

🥅 Grand Goaltending

#1 Goalie of the Week – Nick Bonofiglio (Spiders)
Big Nick was solid in his match against the Stone Hands, facing a grand total of 37 shots on net and stopping all but one. He finished with an outstanding 1.00 GAA and a .973 save percentage — his best game of the season!

Nick looked back to his old self — calm, composed, and sharp as ever in net. Well-positioned and confident, he made several great stops against some of the Stone Hands’ best players, including Steve Wilde and Howard Troughton. It’s been an up-and-down season for the Spiders’ goaltender, but neither his team nor anyone else is worried. Nick knows how to win and how to handle big games — he’s got a Cup under his belt from last season, after all.

The Spiders are going to need him at his best in the coming weeks to secure that playoff spot once and for all.

#2 Goalie of the Week – Dan Harding (Mustangs)
Harding finally put together a strong game after struggling to find consistency for most of the season. Facing 33 shots and stopping 32 of them, he held a 1.00 GAA and a .970 save percentage.

The Mustangs have been a powerhouse all season long, meaning Harding hasn’t been called upon to deliver massive performances too often — but that will change as we get closer to postseason play. Teams will find ways to generate offense against the Mustangs, and when they do, Harding will need to be ready to respond.

His play has been solid enough so far, but he’ll need to elevate his game when the shots start coming fast and heavy. This coming Sunday’s matchup against the second-place Stone Hands will be a great test — a true showdown of the season.

📊 Standings So Far (W-L-OTL)

🗓️ Upcoming Games

• 9:00 AM (10/12/25): Spiders at Stick Figures
  Key Matchup: Matt Avenia vs. Matt Holleran

• 10:30 AM (10/12/25): Hooligans at Smokey Joes
  Key Matchup: Manny D vs. Andy G

• 12:00 PM (10/12/25): Mustangs at Stone Hands
  Key Matchup: Aiden vs. Wilde

🎥 Notes and Updates

Just one more thing to touch on — the videos from last week got pretty messed up due to the GoPro constantly overheating and having multiple errors. I don’t know if I have much usable footage from the first two games as a result. The only decent game footage was from the last one.

Because of that, I may not bother doing full Week 7 videos. I’ll go through what I have and see if anything’s worth posting — maybe I’ll do a highlight reel instead, all clumped together. Still deciding what to do, so stay tuned for that. Hopefully, we’ll get back on track for videos in Week 8.

You’ll also notice I missed the weekly write-up last week. I was very busy with work, had a wedding to attend Friday, a golf tournament Saturday, and then games Sunday — I simply ran out of time. Sorry about that! Hopefully, I don’t miss any more going forward. 😊

Thank you, and have a great rest of the week!

– Dan H