Belanger Keeps Up MVP Pace for Bullfrogs

Hugo Belanger continued to make a strong statement Thursday night for Roller Hockey International’s most valuable player honors.

The veteran in-line winger scored two goals and had two assists to lead the Bullfrogs to their seventh consecutive victory, 6-3, over San Jose at the Arrowhead Pond in front of an announced crowd of 2,235, lowest home attendance in team history.

Goaltender Rob Laurie won his 11th game, saving 27 of 30 shots. Belanger raised his totals for goals (23) and assists (29) on par with what he had accomplished by this time in 1996, when he was last named the league’s MVP as a member of the Long Island Jawz .

“The guy can put the puck in the net,” San Jose Coach Guy Gadowsky said. “He’s very talented.”

Belanger’s slap shot with 1 minutes 41 seconds left to play gave the front-running Bullfrogs (11-1-2) some breathing room with a two-goal lead over the third-place Rhinos (7-3-2). “I think my performance in 1996 and this year are comparable,” said Belanger, who totaled 101 points in 25 games that year. “But we’re playing much better as a team here. We have three solid lines. In Long Island, I was on the floor all the time.”

Belanger’s first goal gave the Bullfrogs a 2-1 lead with 6:28 to go in the first half.

“I think Belanger’s credential speak for themselves,” Bullfrog team captain B.J. MacPherson said. “When he’s out there the other teams try to match up with him. Everybody has a guy to go to, but he’s the best.”

San Jose tied the score, 3-3, with 9:06 to go in the game with an unassisted goal by Mike Taylor. But winger Roman Hubalek put the Bullfrogs back in front with his 14th goal of the season with 7:04 to play. Defenseman Tom Menicci assisted.

Bullfrog Notes

Defenseman Mark Stitt is out for the season after suffering a broken kneecap in practice. The Bullfrogs picked up left-winger Brent Thurston, who played briefly in Anaheim in 1997, and rookie center Dan Shermerhorn. . . . Team President Bob Elder said the Bullfrogs will broadcast home games over the Internet beginning with the July 23 contest with the Chicago Bluesmen. The Las Vegas Coyotes and the Rhinos Webcast most home games and the league is pushing to get all RHI games on the Internet. The RHI Webpage is https://www.rollerhockey.com.