We've just rolled -- or, rather, skated -- past the midpoint of Season 7, with all sorts of fun storylines shaping up in this first campaign with a full six-team league. One of those storylines is the sheer dominance of second-year forward Newsy Lalonde of the Victorias. With 12 goals and 7 assists in just 11 games, Lalonde ought to be cruising toward the scoring title and the Forward MVP trophy.
Except, he isn't.
There's another player with 12 goals and 7 assists in 11 games played, but also a league-leading +13 plus/minus rating (compared to Lalonde's pedestrian +1). One might reasonably guess three-time MVP Gord Roberts to be that other player, but Roberts, despite having a fine campaign, is all the way back at tenth in the league in total points as of today. No, Lalonde's plucky challenger is Comets left winger Blair Russell.
The Comets are loaded with offensive talent, starting with two-time MVP Frank McGee, the league's all-time leader in goals scored. They've also got Dick Irvin, Frank Foyston, and George Richardson, plus high-scoring defenseman Mike Grant, and yet Russell has more goals and points than any of these luminaries. What gives? Well, Russell was a bit of a minor star in earlier seasons, finishing sixth in the scoring race in Season 2 and fifth in Season 3. Since then, Russell hasn't even sniffed the top ten, or even the top twenty. This year, he's on a brand-new line, skating with crafty winger-turned-center Foyston and either Shorty Green or defenseman-turned-forward Joe Hall on the right wing. Their stellar play has propelled the Comets to (currently) second place behind the lordly Vics.
I can't wait to see if Russell outduels Lalonde by the season's end, or if another challenger emerges to steal their thunder!
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