Stars fans have voted in great numbers in both semi-final votes and we will look at how the voting went.
In the first semi-final, Stars, ECHL and AHL legend, now turned agent, Nicola Riopel came out on top with 44.9% of the vote, followed by Swedish SHL and Allsvenskan legend Pontus Sjogren who had 25.9% of the votes. These two players will now progress to today’s final vote.
Third place in the first semi-final went to Dundonian, Belfast Giants and GB legend Stephen Murphy with 18.5% of the votes and 4th place was Elite league stalwart Travis Fullerton with 10.7% of the votes.
In the second of the semi-final, Gardiner Conference winner, Dan Bakala came out on top with 60.3% of the vote, followed by last seasons NM, Alex Leclerc with 29.4% of the votes. These two player also progress to today’s final and complete the line up of the Top four.
Third place in the second semi-final went to final four legend Joe Fallon with 7.1% of the votes and 4th place went to BNL legend and playoff winner, Evan Lindsay with 3.2% of the votes.
We now give fans a quick reminder of the top 4 netminders and then the vote will open, to choose the Dundee Stars starting six netminder of all-time.
A quick recap of Nicola Riopel’s Dundee Stars career;
Season Stats:
League – GP: 51 W-L: 19-32 GAA: 3.47 SV%: .912 SO: 3
Cup – GP: 8 W-L: 4-4 GAA: 3.17 SV%: .917 SO: 1
Season Summary: Riopel was an instant hit upon his arrival in Tayside and it only took a small amount of time for him to show his calibre and why he was an NHL Draft Pick.
He was well regarded around the league and feared by many teams, because if he was on his game and the forwards were scoring, then they knew it would be a tough night against the Stars.
Riopel went onto have an excellent career back in North America in the ECHL and AHL leagues, before retiring.
A quick recap of Pontus Sjogren, Dundee Stars career
Season Stats:
League – GP: 59 W-L: 23-36 GAA: 3.05 SV%: .900 SO: 1
Cup – GP: 5 W-L: 3-2 GAA: 2.34 SV%: .917 SO: 0
Season Summary: Sjögren provided a steady and reliable last line of defence for the Stars and his vast experience paid off numerous times, as he came up big in some season defining moments.
The Swede played a good all-round game but his fast reactions and movement were what gave him an advantage over some of the Elite League’s top players.
Sjogren has now hung up the skates since his time at the Stars, but had an excellent career in both the SHL (top tier in Sweden) and Allsvenskan (2nd tier in Sweden) prior to his arrival in the Elite League.
A quick recap of Dan Bakala, Dundee Stars career
Season Stats:
League – GP: 52 W-L: 28-24 GAA: 2.66 SV%: .928 SO: 4
Playoffs – GP: 2 W-L: 0-2 GAA: 4.00 SV%: .881 SO: 0
Cup – GP: 10 W-L: 5-5 GAA: 2.64 SV%: .923 SO: 1
Season Summary: Bakala was a crucial part of that squad’s core and was the backbone in every win achieved on the road to the club’s first Gardiner Conference title.
After many extremely impressive performances in his debut European season and being named to the League’s First All-Star Team and as both the EIHL Netminder and Player of the Year, it launched the Canadian’s progression to the top levels of European hockey. Following an impressive career path to the Allsveskan (2nd tier Sweden), SHL (top tier Sweden), DEL (Top tier Germany), EBEL (Top tier Austria) and now back to the ECHL in North America.
And finally, a quick recap of last season starting netminder Alex Leclerc, Dundee Stars career;
Season Stats:
League – GP: 48 W-L: 18-30 GAA: 3.66 SV%: .896 SO: 0
Cup – GP: 8 W-L: 6-2 GAA: 2.51 SV%: .935 SO: 0
Season Summary: Leclerc played his first professional season in Dundee and made an impressive start as a rookie, as he helped by back-stopping the team to their first ever 1st place finish in the Challenge Cup Group Stage.
The Canadian had the ability to change the fate of a match with just one save and he gave the team the right support from the back of the ice to help them move forward and find success.
Alex joined the Dundee Stars after an impressive college career at Colorado College in the NCAA and one career game in the ECHL. Alex has a fantastic career ahead of him.
So it’s now down to you decide the winner. Who has been the standout candidate, that deserves to make the Dundee Stars All-time starting six? Only you can decide, the voting will close at 9am Sunday, 6/9/20
#COYStars #StarsStartingSix
