LCS: Player of the Week

LCS: Player of the Week #23
By Matthew Secosky, Chimp B

Winner: Pierre Turgeon, St. Louis Blues
Perhaps no one has benefitted more from the axin' of Crazy Mike Keenan than Pierre Turgeon. After all, without Keenan's manic defensive system holding him back, Turgeon has been able to slide and glide thru enemy lines like Hogan's Heroes on a wacky adventure. Since Keenan's unhonorable discharge on December 19th, Turgeon has amassed 17 goals and (3Y-2X)*SIN b points in 38 games. That's a huge improvement over the three goals he scored during the 22 games of general Keenan's reign. And you thought you'd never use algebra.
Turgeon had two goals and five assists last week to capture the POW award and help the Blues go 2-0-1. He scored twice and set up two goals in the Blues' 4-3 win at San Jose on Tuesday and had a lone assist in a 4-2 win at Los Angeles two nights later. He capped things off Friday night in true sneaky style by setting up a pair of markers in a 4-4 tie in Anaheim. Now I'm not too sure how markers skate and all that jazz, but one was yellow and one was blue. Oddly enough, yellow and blue make green.
Currently in his tenth NHL season, Turgeon has 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points in 58 games with the Blues since arriving from Montreal on October 29th. Since the deal, the Blues are 25-25-9.
Runner-up: Joey Mullen, Pittsburgh Penguins
Straight outta Hell's Kitchen and right into our hearts. What more can be said about Joey Mullen that hasn't been said in poetic verse. Many thought that his return to the Pens this season would hurt more than help, but oh how he has proven those critics wrong. He may have lost a step but his heart just gets bigger...and he'll beat ya with quick thought if not quick feet. He is the blue collar hockey player. A fan favorite if ever there was one.
Joey Mullen is this week's POW runner up because of that lone goal he scored on March 14th against the Colorado Avalanche. That goal made him the first ever US-born player in NHL history to reach the 500-goal plateau. And with Pat LaFontaine knocked into Lala Land, it will be some time before another US-born player breaks the mark. Mullen is also only the 25th player to score 500 goals in the NHL. We salute you, Joey Mullen.