Week 1 – Spring 2026 SSBHL: The Season Begins!

Good afternoon, SSBHL Family!

And welcome back to another exciting season of SSBHL hockey! We’ve got some fresh energy in the league this spring, with two brand-new captains stepping into leadership roles: Josh Charmatz and Timmy “The Moth” Shyshpar.

Coming off his best season yet with 13 goals and 14 assists in Fall 2025, Tim Shyshpar now takes command of his new squad, The Mothmen. Known for his creativity and offensive instincts, Tim will be looking to lead by example and prove he has what it takes to bring his team deep into the season.

Meanwhile, Josh Charmatz, known around the league for his defensive prowess and calm leadership on the rink, assumes command of the Marshfield Gators. After displaying strong leadership and reliability last season, Josh now steps behind the bench as captain, ready to guide his squad into battle.

Both new captains will be looking to show they have what it takes to lead their teams all the way to the finish line.

We also had two captains from last season step down.

B-Mack of the Hooligans has stepped away from the captaincy but will remain in the league as a forward for the Mustangs. We’re excited to see what he can do focusing purely on his player role this season. As one teammate joked after Week 1, “When B-Mack doesn’t have to worry about the clipboard, he just worries about putting the ball in the net.”

As for Steve Wilde, longtime captain of Stone Hands, he will be taking a season off while transitioning into life as a father. Steve has been an integral part of this league, contributing countless hours—and probably a good chunk of his sanity—to helping organize and grow the SSBHL.

Many of you may never realize just how much work he put in behind the scenes. His recruiting efforts alone played a massive role in helping this league grow into what it is today.

So if you see Steve around the rink, make sure to thank him for everything he’s done over the past nine seasons.

With that said… let’s drop the puck and jump into our Week 1 recap of Spring 2026!

🏒 Offensive Swagger

#1 Offensive Player of the Week – Aidan “Nighthawk” Lovett (Spiders)

No better way to open a season than with a six-point night.

Picking up right where he left off last season, Aidan Lovett exploded offensively in the Spiders’ opening matchup against the new Stick Figures squad. Lovett finished the game with 2 goals and 4 assists, reminding everyone why he’s one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league.

Lovett wasted no time getting involved, setting up the very first goal of the game within the opening minute, sliding a slick backhand pass across to linemate Ryan Gurley to give the Spiders an early 1-0 lead.

Moments later, Lovett struck again—this time feeding Jordan Cookson, who jumped into the play and buried a sharp-angle shot to extend the lead 2-0.

In the second period, Lovett continued the clinic, sending a crisp pass back to Captain Matt Leart at the point, who hammered a labeled shot short side to push the lead to 4-0.

Lovett would then get on the board himself, popping in a rebound from a tough angle before adding another goal and another assist, finishing the night with a dominant six-point performance.

After the game, a teammate summed it up best:

“When Nighthawk gets flying like that, good luck stopping him.”

A huge reason behind the Spiders’ first win of the season.

#2 Offensive Player of the Week – Jake Roth (Smokey Joes)

Talk about making a first impression.

Jake Roth, one of the league’s new signups this season, wasted absolutely no time showing what he can do. Roth finished his debut with 2 goals and 1 assist, playing a huge role in the Smokey Joes’ hard-fought victory.

Roth opened the scoring within the first minute of the game, taking a pass from Captain Matt Swan, cutting to a better shooting angle on his backhand, and burying it to give the Joes a 1-0 lead.

Later in the period, Roth carried the ball behind the opposing net and threaded a perfect backhand pass to Ryan “The Dragon” Doherty, who ripped a shot blocker side to extend the lead 2-0.

With the game tightening late in the third period at 2-1, Roth once again stepped up when it mattered most. Battling in the slot, he fought for a loose ball sent in from defenseman Max, made a smooth backhand-to-forehand move, and slapped home the eventual game-winning goal.

Not a bad start for a rookie.

As Captain Swan said after the game:

“The kid’s got instincts. He was around the puck all night.”

#3 Offensive Player of the Week – Tim “The Moth” Shyshpar (Mothmen)

In his first game as captain of the Mothmen, Tim “The Moth” Shyshpar made it clear he plans on leading from the front.

Facing one of the league’s strongest teams in the Mustangs, Tim delivered a strong performance with 2 goals and 1 assist.

Early in the game, Tim set up Nick Provenzano with a perfect pass, sending him in on a breakaway that he buried to tie the game 1-1.

Later in the third period, Tim struck himself, ripping a deceptive wrist shot past Brad Wall to narrow the score to 4-3.

Not long after, Tim struck again—this time deflecting a beautiful pass from defenseman Gianni “G” Sciola to tie the game 4-4, sending the Mothmen bench into a frenzy.

Three points in your first game as captain?

Not a bad way to start the season.

🛡 Defensive Standouts

#1 Defensive Player of the Week – Jordan Cookson (Spiders)

Returning to the league in style, Jordan Cookson wasted no time making his presence felt.

Cookson was everywhere on the rink—skating hard, disrupting plays, and jumping into the offense when the opportunity presented itself.

In the first period, Cookson connected with Aidan Lovett, collecting a pass in front and firing a tough-angle shot into the net to push the Spiders’ lead to 2-0.

But he wasn’t done.

Later in the game, Cookson launched a blistering slap shot from the half-ice line, bending it beautifully into the top-left corner for another highlight-reel goal.

Defensively, Cookson was just as impressive—blocking multiple high-danger chances, breaking up plays in his own zone, and helping transition the puck cleanly out to the forwards.

One teammate said it best after the game:

“Cookson was a wall back there tonight.”

An outstanding start to the season.

#2 Defensive Player of the Week – Gianni “G” Sciola (Mothmen)

A familiar name on the defensive leaderboard, Gianni “G” Sciola once again proved why he’s one of the most dangerous offensive defensemen in the league.

Armed with a booming slap shot and high hockey IQ, G put up three points in his season debut.

Midway through the second period, Sciola wound up at the point and unleashed one of his signature rockets, blasting a slap shot into the top corner to tie the game 2-2.

He later added two assists, including a key setup for Captain Tim Shyshpar, helping bring the Mothmen back into the game.

As one opposing player put it:

“You give G space at the blue line and you’re asking for trouble.”

#3 Defensive Player of the Week – Matt “Swan Song” Swan (Smokey Joes)

One of the more interesting developments this season is Matt Swan’s role change.

The longtime Smokey Joes captain, known primarily as a dominant forward, has shifted into a defensive role on the blue line—and early returns suggest the move might be a brilliant one.

Swan’s speed and agility allow him to carry the ball into the offensive zone while still quickly recovering back on defense.

He showcased this same style last season in the semifinal matchup against the Mustangs, and it looks like the strategy may stick.

While he may sacrifice some of his usual scoring totals, Swan’s defensive presence could dramatically reduce goals against for the Joes.

He still managed to contribute offensively with several shots on goal and an assist.

The big question now:

Is this the new Swan for the season?

We’ll find out.

🥅 Goaltenders of the Week

#1 Goalie of the Week – Paul “Panda” Mendonca (Smokey Joes)

It’s with great pleasure that the #1 Goalie of the Week goes to everyone’s favorite netminder:

Paul “Panda” Mendonca.

Returning after last season’s injury, Panda looked absolutely dialed in from start to finish.

Facing 32 shots, Panda stopped 30 of them, finishing the night with a stellar .937 save percentage and a 2.00 GAA.

He was square to shooters all game, swallowed rebounds, and stayed calm under pressure—exactly the kind of performance you want from your goaltender in a tight matchup.

This game never got out of reach, staying within one or two goals the entire time, and a huge reason the Smokey Joes walked away with their first win of the season was Panda’s rock-solid performance.

As one teammate put it:

“Vintage Panda. Calm, cool, and impossible to beat clean.”

#2 Goalie of the Week – Nick Bonofiglio (Marshfield Gators)

Nick Bonofiglio showed why he’s considered one of the league’s most reliable goaltenders.

After allowing two early goals, Nick quickly settled in and shut things down the rest of the way.

A key trait of great goalies is not letting early adversity shake your confidence, and Nick demonstrated exactly that.

He finished the game facing 36 shots, stopping 33, for a .917 save percentage and 3.00 GAA.

Nick tracked the ball extremely well, stayed square to shooters, and made several high-danger saves look routine.

Even though the Gators fell short by a single goal, they were never out of the game, thanks largely to Nick’s steady presence in net.

#3 Goalie of the Week – Jake “Le Gant” Deehan (Mothmen)

Coming in at #3 Goalie of the Week is Jake “Le Gant” Deehan—a nickname that literally means “The Glove.”

Known for having one of the fastest gloves in the league, Jake had plenty of chances to show it this week against the high-powered Mustangs offense.

Facing a barrage of shots all game long, Deehan stood tall, dealing with slap shots, wrist shots, and one-timers from every angle.

By the final whistle, Jake had faced 43 shots, stopping 38 of them for a respectable .884 save percentage.

The Mothmen nearly forced overtime, but with just 11 seconds remaining, a late power-play breakdown gave a Mustangs forward a point-blank chance that slipped through.

Still, without Jake’s strong performance, the game likely wouldn’t have been nearly as close.

A hard-fought effort and a solid start to the season.