With two games under our belts in both the Turner and Berry Conference Finals, the top players from this past weekend get recognized.

First Star
Adam Russo
The Thunder netminder won both games allowing just two goals total.  He beat Texas in Game 1 by a 3-1 count while making 31 saves.  He followed that up with a 29 save effort in his team’s 8-1 win over the Brahmas in Game 2.  Russo stopped 60 of 62 shots he faced (.968 save percentage) and improved his mark in the post-season to 6-1.

Second Star
Charlie Effinger
The Mavericks were arguably outplayed on both Friday and Saturday night in Game’s 1 and 2 of their series with the Fort Wayne Komets but thanks to Effinger, they have a 2-0 series lead heading home for three straight games.  Effinger combined to turn away 77 of 82 shots (.937 save percentage) while carrying a 2.41 GAA.  He made 38 saves in Friday’s 3-2 overtime win and stopped 39 shots in Saturday’s 6-3 victory.  Effinger helped the Mavs make history as they are the only CHL team in the league’s 20-year history to win the first two games of a conference finals as the visiting team.

Third Star
Chris Chappell
After recording just three helpers during the five games against Rio Grande Valley in the Opening Round for the Thunder, Chappell has come out firing in the conference finals.  The forward had two goals including the game winner in Friday’s 3-1 win over Texas and then followed that up by matching his assist total in the first six games of the playoffs combined with three helpers in Game2’s 8-1 win.