[G-Force]

AHA SHOOTOUT
five rounds of monthly news from around the league

1. In any kind of draft setup, all eyes are on the top pick. Wayne Gretzky hasn't disappointed. The Calgary center is third in the AHA in points through the first month of the season with 19 (6 G, 13 A) and the Stampede have done exactly that out of the gate, getting off to a league best 11-2-0 start.
   
   
2. Sure, the most focus was going to be on Gretzky, but Pierre Turgeon of the Portland Pioneers has been the most productive player thus far. Turgeon leads the league in assists (16) and points (23) and is a +7 as Portland leads the league in goals with 53. Unfortunately for them, they've also allowed the third most (45), trailing only the two cellar dwellers: Houston (47) and Montreal (46).
   
   
3. The Philadelphia Freedom sit atop the Eastern Conference despite being even in goals for/against thus far, having scored and allowed 41. Evgeni Malkin is tied for third with 7 goals and Ilya Bryzgalov is second in wins (6) and fourth in save percentage (.934). The Malkin/Howe/Heatley line has accounted for 19 goals. Mike Richter has struggled in net so far, particularly on the road, where he's 1-4 with a 3.76 goals against.
   
   
4. The Chicago Hitmen are going to have decision to make if this keeps up. Bill Ranford is a perfect 5-0 with a stellar .961 save percentage. Andy Moog has gotten seven starts, and is 2-4-1 with a .920 save percentage. Not bad by any means, but it's going to be hard to not give Ranford the bulk of the time if he stays hot.
   
   
5. A pair of major injuries: Seattle suffered a huge loss on opening night as Guy LaFleur had to be helped off the ice after suffering a torn hamstring. He's expected to be out for 2-3 months. The Indianapolis Engines lost a key cog in the preseason, as defenseman Doug Bodger tore his Achilles.
   
   GH