NFHL Game of the Night

With the NFHL trade deadline approaching, teams on the cusp of the playoff cut line have a decision to make.  Become buyers in an attempt to make the playoffs and the millions of dollars that come with it or become sellers, giving up on the playoffs in favour of youth and picks and another year of rebuilding.  The Anaheim Ducks are one such team.  And tonight's action won't make that decision easier.  They started off the night by trading star forward Murray Craven to the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for younger blue liner Patrice Brisebois.  Yet that signal that they will be sellers was contradicted later tonight when they took down the Minnesota North Stars 3-2 in overtime.  Ray Whitney and Robert Svehla scored goals in the 1st period for Anaheim, but they needed a Brent Sutter goal in the dying seconds of the extra period to secure the win.  Craig Janney and Mathieu Schneider had the Minnesota goals. For the Ducks, when combined with Edmonton's loss tonight, means they are now just 5 points out of a playoff spot. The decision remains with just 5 days before the deadline.

While most GMs are focusing on the next 5 days and their last chances to improve their team, for the present or the future, the league had other business to attend to. The Skater and Goalie of the Week awards had to be handed out.  The Skater of the Week was Edmonton's Mark Recchi.  Recchi played in 5 games this past week, scoring 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points in that span.  He was +8 and had 16 shots and 5 hits in those 5 games to win the $100,000 prize for the Oilers. Also considered were a pair of North Stars in Dmitri Khristich and former Oiler Craig Janney, as well as Florida's Mark Messier.  The Goalie of the Week was Buffalo's Corey Schwab who almost had a perfect week in net for the Sabres.  He played in 3 games, winning all 3 of them, 2 by shut out and only allowing 1 goal in the other game.  That is 88 saves on 89 shots for a .989 save percentage and a $100,000 prize going to the Sabres.  While there was no real competition, Calgary's Chris Terreri and Kelly Hrudey of the Rockies also had their name mentioned.

But that wasn't all.  The Skater and Goalie of the Month awards were also announced.  The Skater of the Month just missed out on the weekly honour.  Minnesota's Dmitri Khristich was the award for his team as his 34 points shot him to the top of the league scoring ladder.  In 20 games, Khristich had 13 goals and 21 assists, while dishing out 50 hits and 67 shots.  His +19 rating helped him with the $250,000 prize.  A trio of Florida Panthers were also considered in Michel Goulet, Mark Messier and Teppo Numminen.  The Goalie of the Week was Hartford's Don Beaupre.  Beaupre played in 16 games, winning 13 of them with 3 shut outs along the way.  He finished with a 13-2-1 record and a .902 save percentage on 369 saves on 409 shots. 

Three Stars of the Night

	Bob Probert (CBJ) - 3 Goals (16), +3, 5 Shots, 3 Hits
	Alexei Kovalev (PIT) - 2 Goals (20), 1 Assist, +2, 6 Shots
	Sergei Fedorov (MON) - 2 Goals (23), 1 Assist, 4 Shots