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fever95 · 06-22-2016, 09:44 PM

Task #1

Task #2
In the opening round of the playoffs, the fourth place Halifax Raiders faced off against the first place St. Louis Scarecrows, a favourable matchup for the Raiders who won six of the ten regular meetings against the Scarecrows. Two of those wins went to overtime or a shootout and St. Louis scored 40 goals while Halifax put 38 in the the back of the net and was much more favourable for the Raiders than if they would have matched up with Montreal.

Game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the two clubs was a tightly contested contest, with just 37 shots on goal between the two teams and 43 hits. Halifax won the shot blocking battle 12-11 while St. Louis took the battle in the face-off circle 38-31. There were just 16 penalty minutes combined and the Raiders opened the scoring early in the first period and added another midway through the third before the Scarecrows made it close late in the third period but Halifax iced it with an empty netter to take it 3-1.

Game two featured a lot more rubber making it's way to the net as St. Louis pounded 31 shots on goal and Halifax was able to get 20 on goal. There were just ten minutes in penalties total and 44 hits, 26 of which the Raiders delivered. the Scarecrows won both the blocked shots and face-off battles by margins of 9-8 and 49-37, respectively. All of the scoring took place in the third period with the Scarecrows scoring a pair of goals, one midway through and one late. Halifax potted a late goal but it was not enough as St. Louis took game two by a score of 2-1.

Game three was another low-scoring tilt with a bunch of bone-crunching checks from both sides in what would eventually turn into another 2-1 win and a 2-1 series lead for the St. Louis Scarecrows. Each team delivered 27 hits and there were 14 penalty minutes, 10 to the Raiders with shots on goal favouring St. Louis 32-27. Halifax closed the gap a bit in the face-off battle, winning 37 draws while the Scarecrows took the other 39 and they blocked eight shots to St. Louis' six. The Scarecrows opened the scoring late in the first period on the powerplay and added another late in the second period. The Raiders made it close just past the midway point of the third period but it was too little, too late.

Game four featured less shots and hits, the Raiders outshooting the Scarecrows for the first time in the series, 23-21 and won the hits battle again, 23-17. St. Louis won 39 of the 72 face-offs and blocked eight shots to Halifax's five while each team took eight minutes in penalties. The Scarecrows again opened the scoring when they potted a pair of markers twenty seconds apart late in the second period and that's all they would need. St. Louis made it 3-0 early in the third period on a powerplay before the Raiders put home a late goal to spoil the shutout and the final was 3-1 for St. Louis.

In a do or die game five, the Halifax Raiders came out flying, not wanting to go home just yet and outshot the Scarecrows 25-16 and won the hits battle 20-13. They also blocked 11 shots while St. Louis only blocked three. Halifax was disciplined, taking just four penalty minutes to the Scarecrows' ten but St. Louis once again had the edge in the face-off circle, 39-31. The Raiders scored a pair of goals early in the first period less than twenty seconds apart and put home another very early in the second period on the powerplay. They then added a fourth goal 16 seconds into the third, chasing Holmes from the net before the Scarecrows tried to mount a comeback, scoring a pair of goals. One was early in the third period and the other was a few minutes later and the Raiders took the game by a score of 4-2.

In what would be the deciding game, it was another do or die situation for the Raiders, but they were not able to put their best game on the ice this time, being outshot 28-20 and outblocked 9-2 by the Scarecrows. St. Louis once more took the majority of the face-off wins, 40-33 and Halifax won the hit battle 24-12 while taking 10 penalty minutes with St. Louis accumulating 14. The Scarecrows opened the scoring mid-late in the second period and added another a few minutes later on the powerplay prior to the Raiders cutting the lead in half with less than a minute to go in the period. In the third period, St. Louis reclaimed their two-goal lead early before Halifax cut it back in half at the midway point on the powerplay. The Scarecrows finished off the scoring on the powerplay late to win the game and the series 4-2.

In my opinion, there really wasn't a turning point in the series but rather, a few different things that caught up with Halifax later on in the series. The Raiders were not able to find success in the face-off dot and that lack of puck possession probably hurt their chances in the series. Halifax was also outshot every game in the series but one and the less shots you take, the less likely your chances of winning are. The lack of shots for the Raiders could have stemmed from the face-off losses as well and those are the two biggest things I see as to why Halifax wasn't able to win the series.

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935 words

Task #3

Task #4 - Trivia
PM sent.

Task #5
My pick for playoff MVP from the St. Louis Scarecrows would have to be Sebastian Strange. After two games of the finals in the books, Strange leads the Scarecrows in point scoring, scoring 5 goals and 8 assists for a total of 13 points in 13 games played. He sports a +5 rating with 13 hits and 4 shot blocks. He has also recorded 8 penalty minutes and has scored some big goals for St. Louis, including one game-winning goal. Strange has been an absolute stud for the St. Louis Scarecrows, doing anything in his power to help them hoist the 4 Star Cup, and if they do so, he should win the playoff MVP.

On the flip side, my pick for the playoff MVP for the Vancouver Whalers would be centerman, Levi Kubrak who is tied for the team lead in point scoring at 13 after 15 games. He has scored 7 times with 6 assists and sports a +9 rating, unlike his fellow teammate Pablo Biznette who has also scored 13 points but has a -5 rating. Levi has also recorded 14 hits with 4 blocked shots just 2 minutes in penalties. He has been huge in the clutch for the Whalers, netting 3 of their 9 game-winning goals and should Vancouver win the 4 Star Cup, Kubrak should be the playoff MVP.

Code:
224 words

Angello · 06-25-2016, 11:30 AM

Task #1 -

(Sorry it sucks haha)

Task #2 - A Western conference playoff match up between the Vancouver Whalers and the Prince George Firebirds. A classic series between two teams that share not just a province but a deep and fierce rivalry. This year's edition of the series didn't disappoint, and after four games, the two teams were deadlocked at 2 games each. The turning point that led to the series win for the Vancouver Whalers came with goalie Triforce Link's shutout of the Firebirds in Game 5. Game 5's are always tough games to lose, and the effect they can have on a series outcome cannot be overlooked. In this case, both teams came out desperate to try and put the other team in an elimination position, but in this case it was Link and the Whalers who triumphed. Link made 20 saves in his team's victory, a key contribution that edged the Whalers ahead, Another big performance from Link in Game 6 saw him save 24 of 25 shots faced, and ultimately deliver another victory to see the Whalers take the series 4-2. The young Whalers team would have been hard pressed to have defeated the more experienced Firebirds squad had they gone down 3 games to 2, but thanks to a great team effort in game 5, that's an eventuality that don't need to worry about heading forward.

Code:
Total word count, 222 words.

Task #3 - St Louis Scarecrows vs. Montreal Militia: Game 4

Let me set the scene for you. The Militia are down 3 games to 0 and looking down the barrel of elimination in just 4 games in the Eastern conference finals. Last season's champions find themselves a long way from replicating that success and need to turn up in a big way to even get a glimmer of hope that their efforts this year may yield another success story.

It would be important to the Militia to get a good start to the game under their belt, but things didn't go to plan when superstar Scarecrows forward Frans Erichsen opened the scoring just 3 minutes in. With a 3-0 series disadvantage and a 1-0 deficit in the game under their belt, this wasn't exactly what the Militia had been hoping for, but thankfully Juan Carlos Kinkaid brought them right back into it with a few minutes left in the 1st. Going into the intermission with the game tied gave the Militia at least some hope they could get a victory,

A rousing speech from GM Randleman left the team feeling invigorated as they left the locker room, and 49 seconds into the 2nd they found themselves with a lead for the first time in the series, thanks to veteran defenseman Richard Douglas' strike from the point. A 2-1 lead is precarious to say the least, but the Militia had their lead reinforced when Maatta and Watson were able to connect with Green who scored his 5th goal of the playoffs midway through the period to put the Militia up by 2. Just 20 seconds later, rookie Nolan Angello was able to snipe a goal on Casey Holmes that extended the Militia's lead to a triumphant 4-1, leading to wild celebrations from the fans who had packed in to watch their team scrap for survival.

A scoreless third period gave the Militia the win they desperately craved to keep their playoff dream alive. Do they have what it takes to continue this momentum and take the 5th game of the series? It will be an anxious watch tonight for Militia fans, as they watch their team make the long trip south and try to do the impossible.

Code:
Total word count, 376 words

Task #4 - Trivia
***PM sent***

Task #5 - Whalers

- Vancouver Whalers
Vancouver center Levi Kubrak has been nothing short of exceptional throughout the playoffs. Boasting 13 points in 15 games, the most on his team, he's been an anchor for the Whalers at center ice as they have fought their way deep into the finals. He also leads the Whalers in +/-, and additionally has also delivered very well in the hits department and produced a very good shooting percentage. I think he could be a potential playoff MVP because he has easily been the most important part of the Whalers success, which for a team that struggled in the regular season is a real achievement. Without his contributions there's a real chance that the Whalers would have made it close to this far, but he turned up when his team needed him and now the team finds themselves in the position to fight for the Four Star Cup.

- St. Louis Scarecrows
St. Louis Scarecrows goaltender Casey Holmes has played quite possibly the most important part in his team's attempt to win the S29 Four Star Cup. Posting a save percentage of 0.912, second for all goalies and best out of those who made it past the first round by a big margin, he also leads all playoff goalies in GAA. Impressive numbers sure, but Casey Holmes has been more than just statistically strong. He's delivered the big wins his team needs, which is why they find themselves one game away from victory against the Whalers in the cup finals. There have been many strong performances from players on the Scarecrows and many of their player core could be considered to have had MVP performances but as far as I'm concerned, no one else has been as important to that success as Casey Holmes.

Code:
Total word count, 302 words.

***Hallsy*** · 06-27-2016, 12:52 AM

Task #1 - Create a playoff poster for your team, advertising a specific game, a series, etc.
[Image: zf5fP1X.jpg]

Task #2 -

In Game 4 between the Prince Geogre Firebirds and the Vancouver Whalers. The Firebirds were up 2 -1 in the series and it was slowly looking like the firebirds will make it past the 1st round and into the second round. However 2 quick goals in the 1st period of the hockey game.

Code:
1. Vancouver Whalers , Pablo Biznette 2 (Conklin Owen, Jon Ross) at 2:43 (PP)

2. Vancouver Whalers , Levi Kubrak 1 (Lars Dahlstrom, Alessandro Fondente) at 16:52

Turned it around for the hockey team. As they went on to dominate against teh fires birds as they final score was 2 to 1 but the shots were 38-22. 21 saves performance also showed that they were getting good goaltending. As the Whalers netminder has let in 8 goals in his last 3 games, which are average numbers. He then went on to only let in 1 goal in the next two games. securing a victory for the whalers squad as they only had to score 1 and 2 goals in those games to win them, letting a lot of pressure off. The two early goals in game four gave the whalers won the series in my mind. They got ahead early, gained confidence. Played great defensive hockey in the next three games and won their 1st round series. Triforce Link played lights our hockey and made sure there was no weak goals like there was in game 1.

The Firebirds needed to beat Triforce Link, you can not win any series when you score 2 goals in 3 games. That is just simply giving up 3 games to the other team. They allowed Triforce to get hot and he dominated the series.

Code:
257 words

Task #3 -

Game four between the Colorado Mammoths and the Kelowna Knights. The Knights have a 3-0 lead in the series and are expected to be victors in this series. The Knights have outscore the Mammoths 13-4 which isn't a good feat for the Mammoths. The Mammoths would be very lucky if they win today as it is not looking good for the last place team in the SMJHL.This game was over before it began really.

First Period:

The Knights dominated the Mammoths as the lead in the shot department by the end of the 1st period 15-5. They also found the back of the net early and often as goals were scored by: Mikko Linna 3 (Dolph Ziggler, Mikael Talo) at 1:59 (PP), Mikael Talo 4 (Anatoly Yanovich, Mikko Linna) at 3:15, 3. Kelowna Knights , Aronne Zamloch 2 (Nicholas Leier, Dieter Dominique) at 5:59. Before . 4. Kelowna Knights , Dieter Dominique 3 (Beau Bent, Mikke Laukkanen) at 12:13 (PP)

Second Period:
The Knights would score their fifth goal of the hockey game in this period and would have a commanding 5-0 lead in an elimination game for the Mammoths. This game is looking like it is over and so is the series or is it.The shots by the end of the 2nd period were 25 to 11.

Third Period:
The Mammoths would open the third period with a power-play. Ben Dover, their offensive defensemen would score 6 seconds into the 3rd period to cut the lead to 5-1. Master Maguku Would go on to score two more goals in the hockey game to cut the lead to 5-3 but their first two periods sucked too much as they lost this game and lost the series. They were looking really good in the 3rd period and they somewhat made this sweep somewhat honourable as it was kinda looking like there was a chance of a game 5. The shots in the 3rd period was 15-2 for the Mammoths.

Interview with Ben Dover:

1. How was your first playoff series?
Dover: It sucked we lost the series in 4 games which isn't a very good thing. We learned some stuff for next season, we knew this season was going to be a rough one but I think we can put together a very good year next season and maybe we will be the ones sweeping the last ranked team in the league next year.

2.What are you going to work on this season?
Dover: I want to be better offensively, I want to show the league I can be a 40-50 point Defensemen in this league I know this is asking a lot and is rarely done but I think I could develop my offensive skills this summer to be a very dynamic player for my team.

3. Who do you compare your game to?
Dover: Erik Karlsson, I think of my self as this fast skating, Power-Play Quarterback that can create offence from the backend and is always a threat to score goals.

Code:
504 words

Task #4 - Trivia
Sent

Task #5 - Cannot be done until at least one game in the final series has been simmed - Pick a player from each of the teams in the finals and make a case for why these players would be good candidates for playoff MVP.
Requirements: At least 150 words.

Sebastian Strange of the ST.Louis Scarecrows

Why does he deserve the MVP Award? He came in clutch in game 5 to secure a victory for his team, he scored 2 goals and added 2 assists in game five, he aalso lead all wingers in scoring and was a massive reason why they got to the finals and won. Without his offensive production, I doubt they would’ve been able to score 7 goals in game 5 to win the cup. He is my st.loui’s MVP.

The Vancouver Whalers were the losers so picking a winner is going to be quite hard but Pablo Biznette deserves it in m mind 14 points in 18 games for a dman is quite impressive, 3rd in the post season for blocked shots, and lead the league in power-play goals and was 3rd mintutes played. He is my Vancouver Whalers MVP for the 2nd best team in the SMJHL.

Ultra · 06-28-2016, 08:29 AM

1.

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4. Sent.

5.

BANNING · 06-29-2016, 03:25 PM

Sent 4

prikulis5 · 06-30-2016, 03:59 PM

Task 1

FreddyT · 07-01-2016, 10:58 PM

Task One:

Task Two:

The Turning Point—A Closer Look at the Vancouver and Prince George Matchup

As we all know, the Vancouver Whalers are currently fighting for a Championship against St. Louis; and are trailing the series 2-1. At this point, however, it may be easy to forget that this is not the first time that Vancouver has been down to start a series. The team could consider themselves lucky they even made it out of the first round. The matchup for the Whalers right out of the gate was an extended appointment with the Prince George Firebirds. The Firebirds took the first game of the series at home in OT and really set the tone by winning a physical game by the score of 5-4. In game two, the Whalers scored four goals in the second and third periods, Conklin Owen having a hell of an evening. Game three the series was introduced to the Vancouver fans, and the Firebirds ruined the party by winning 2-1. The Whalers blew the first game at home, one they could've walked away victorious with if they weren't shutout for the entire third period.

The clear turning point of this series happened in game four. The Whalers were faced with losing two straight at home and effectively the series. Behind an incredible performance by their goalie Triforce Link (21 saves on 22 shots), the Whalers were able to tie up the series at 2-2 by winning this game by the score of 2-1.

[Image: 2252669031_c80b102a03.jpg]

Triforce Link was a true force between the pipes.

Game five was perhaps the nail in the coffin when the series went back to Prince George and the Whalers shut out the Firebirds 2-0, setting up Vancouver for a chance to win the series on their home ice. They of course did just that, when now famous Levi Kubrak scored with under five minutes remaining in the final period to put the Whalers on top for good with the score of 2-1 and the series victory of 4-2.

Task Three:

Upon Further Review—Game Seven—Vancouver Whalers @ Kelowna Knights

The magical playoff run of the Vancouver Whalers culminated with a Conference Championship victory in game seven on the road. This was the best thing hockey has to offer: a winner take all game in the postseason. Both teams knew this was their last shot to make it to the Finals and they played their first period like championship-caliber hockey clubs.

[Image: 20208095-mmmain.jpg]

The fans knew it was game seven.

The home team got off to a quick start on the power play, capitalizing on the man advantage was Beau Bent putting one into the net in just 39 seconds after the puck dropped. The Kelowna faithful were going berserk as their intensity had the small arena shaking in excitement. This excitement would quickly be stifled when Vancouver's Lars Dahlstrom scored the equalizer in a mere five seconds later, putting both teams with one goal apiece. Levi Kubrak, the man who scored the go ahead goal for the team in their opening round series against Prince George; again was able to put his team ahead with a goal almost 3 minutes later. Showing that they weren't about to lie down at home, the Knights were able to answer quickly; just as the Whalers did before them. Mia Landvik scored the goal to make the score 2-2 less than one minute later. Scoring in the first period came to a close at 16:26 where Brandon Makarov and Lars Dalhstrom added their second points of the game when they set up Patrick Kilgore when he netted his third goal of the playoffs and put the Whalers up 3-2 going into the first intermission.

The second period wasn't as much about scoring as it was taking frustrations out on the opponent. Ziggler got called for cross-checking, Dahlstrom ended up getting nabbed for roughing, and they caught Bernie Sanders on a blatent trip call that he tried to share with seemingly everyone in attendance. The only goal was by Vancouver at 7:47 on a power play via the golden stick of stud Conklin Owen.

[Image: cross-check_300x200.jpg]

The cross check by Ziggler seen here.

The third period of game seven was hard fought, but no goals were scored. The final score of the game was 4-2 in favor of Vancouver. The Knights faithful were understandably upset, and were even throwing garbage on the field. This author wonders, however, what was the audience truly upset at: Their team losing the series when they were up 3-1? Or was it how difficult it is to spell the name of their city?

Task Four: PM Was Sent

Task Five :

Too Early to Tell—Playoff MVP Candidates

Vancouver Whalers:

[Image: fd199be42923df8682a864e95d7b4b3c.jpg]

[Image: fd199be42923df8682a864e95d7b4b3c.jpg]

Kubrak is quite the player for Vancouver.

The obvious selection from Vancouver here would be Levi Kubrak. He was the hero in the clinching game in the first round against Prince George. He was able to carry that momentum and continue leading his team with scoring and assists; not to mention the chemistry and presence he brought to the ice every shift. Levi also scored a goal in game seven against the Knights that gave the Whalers the lead at the time, in a game they of course ultimately took. Levi has 13 points this postseason, 7 goals and 6 assists. He scored a goal in game one of the Finals, but he needs to do more to lead Vancouver to a championship if they plan to yet again come from behind and end up as champions.

St. Louis Scarecrows:

[Image: 041213_brodeur.jpg]

Holmes has been playing on a different level.

St. Louis, to me, isn’t as clear cut. However, this Finals series makes it a bit more clear and that clarity leads to their goalie Casey Holmes. He's managed to keep the red hot Whalers offense in check for the most part this series, and is sporting a 10-4 record overall in the postseason. It's always been said that the best thing a team could get in the playoffs is a hot goalie. It looks like St. Louis is going to ride that idea to the championship parade downtown. He's only given up six goals in the three games of the Finals, with the last game being a shutout. St. Louis now leads the series 2-1, with the series headed to Vancouver, St. Louis, and back to Vancouver for game six and St. Louis for game seven; if either were necessary.

GCool · 07-02-2016, 11:44 AM

Task #1 - Nope

Task #2
The first-round matchup between the Vancouver Whalers and the Prince George Firebirds was highly contested four games in. Apart from the big 4-1 Whalers victory in game 2, every game in the series to that point had been decided by just one goal. Prince George absolutely needed this victory, since both teams had split at home and they had the all-important home ice advantage. However, Vancouver played an outstanding defensive game and Triforce Link managed a shutout in a 2-0 Game 5 win.

Everyone knows how this series ended by now - Vancouver took Game 6 at home to move on to the next round, and eventually the Four Star Cup. It's interesting to look at the numbers, though. Vancouver managed 26 shots on net, and even though Prince George netminder Michael McFadden had a great game stopping 25/26 (the 2nd goal was an empty netter), that decisive goal was scored by Bernie Sanders. Sanders had an excellent potsteason and had fired 7 shots on goal that night. His goal, assisted by rookie sensation Jon Ross and staunch defender Alfred Holiday, was the turning point of the entire series.

Prince George couldn't do much to stop this -- apart from score a goal to tie it up, that is. They won the faceoff battle in this Game 5, but they only managed 11 hits. Some good physical play, especially on the second line against the weak yet shifty Sanders, could have thwarted the very offensive opportunity that cost them the game.

Task #3
The Eastern Conference Finals was a very familiar matchup, as the #1 Scarecrows faced off against the #2 Montreal Militia. These two franchises are bitter rivals, and their regular season matchups reflected just that. Now it was time to kick things off in what was the most highly anticipated playoff series to date. Game 1 was action-packed from the get-go, and it certainly didn't disappoint the home crowd in St. Louis; the Scarecrows took it in overtime, 4-3.

Let's recap the scoring, period-by-period:

In the first, the Scarecrows first line did what they did ALL season and lead a blistering attack in the first minute. Just 20 seconds in, Sebastian Strange had recorded his 5th goal of the playoffs, with assists from star rookies Kelly Rivet and DarryL Landry. Rivet and Landry paired up for another goal just six minutes later, this time Rivet slotting one home. The one thing that got St Louis in a little trouble this year was taking too many penalties; Bill Pickle served as an example of this close to the end of the 1st, getting called for hooking. In spite of a Kelly Rivet shot block, Cleo Green picked up the loose puck and put it past Casey Holmes. It was as far apart as a 2-1 game could be, but Montreal had quelled the momentum advantage thanks to the powerplay.

The second period was a defensive standstill. There were only 4 shots taken by each team! Upon further review of the game tape, we can see that St Louis was playing rather defensively, electing to chew up clock and pass the puck rather than attack the net. Conversely, Montreal was attempting more shots, but many of them were missing the net entirely. The Militia managed to tie things up about halfway through - again on the powerplay. It was, in fact, on the possession immediately following the faceoff that led to the Militia goal. Goalie Matt Lewis-Flood passed up ice to Ilmari Maatta, who notched his first score of the postseason. Suddenly, with 20 minutes to go, we had a tie ballgame!

In the last period of regulation, both teams were making up for lost shots. St Louis just edged out Montreal in volume, tallying 16 to the Militia's 12. During an offensive series of blistering shots, the puck eventually found its way to Eugene Feist. Feist passed the puck to Hans, who found Kelly Rivet. His shot sailed wide, but the puck careened off the wall back to Feist, who managed to put it past Matt Lewis-Flood as he was attempting to re-orient himself. The Crows had worked on increasing offensive pressure all year, and it paid off. Of course, the disadvantage to applying a lot of pressure is risking increased penalties and, as one would predict, Feist was sent to the penalty box for an overzealous hooking play whilst attempting to retrieve the puck. One minute into the powerplay, Cleo Green scored yet again from the blue line. The Militia went 3/6 on the PP in this game. On to overtime!!

The OT period behaved as the 2nd did, but for different reason. Neither team wanted a mistake to give up the GWG in Game 1 of the conference finals. Cautious as they may have been, the tie finally broke in the 12th minute:

"Erichsen moves the puck up past the blue line and sets up the play. He passes to Dos Diablo. Diablo ... finds Danny Foster at the point. Back to Erichsen. Erichsen FIRES! ... Feta Fingers got down and blocked it! It's a footrace for the puck! Erichsen's got it! He wheels back around, PUTS THE PUCK ON NET ... DIABLO DEFLECTS ... Goal

IT'S IN!!

Diablo got a stick on it to beat MLF! The Crows win Game 1! We'll see you tomorrow!!"

Game 1 made it look like the series would be close, but the Crows went on to win the series in 5 games on their way to their first Four Star Cup in 10 seasons.

Task #4 - Sent

Task #5
For the Scarecrows, the pick for MVP absolutely has to be Frans Erichsen. His leadership on the ice and production from the second line absolutely changed the series in favor of the Four-Star Champions. In the final three wins to get St Louis the cup, Erichsen scored 5 goals and had 3 assists. Eight points in just three games? That's ridiculous! He stayed out of the box with just 4 PIM, but he managed 20 hits, which is respectable for a playmaker of his caliber. Although he doesn't boast a great faceoff percentage and didn't really block any shots, that offensive production in the final three games, and the HAT TRICK in the 6-1 obliteration in Game 4, make him THE focal point of the series.
As far as the Vancouver Whalers are concerned, it doesn't seem as clear cut to me. Carl Farris had a very productive finals from a defensive perspective, but that certainly doesn't mean much given the 4-1 series drubbing. Levi Kubrak is the easy pick having led the team in points through the postseason, with 18 ... but he was nowhere to be found in the final 3 games of the Four Star Cup! When it's all said and done, I think it should go to Lars Dahlstrom. His performance in the postseason exceeded anyone's expectations, producing 1.01 points per 20 minutes. Carrying a +10 rating from the 4th line is amazing, given the teams with depth they faced on the way to St Louis. Call it an unpopular opinion, but he was the most valuable Whaler all playoffs.

Jenny · 07-03-2016, 03:45 PM

Updated the OP with concrete due date - Wednesday July 6 at 11:59 PM EST (extended for the holiday weekend [firework emoji here]) Smile

JumpierPegasus · 07-03-2016, 09:33 PM

TASK 1:

TASK 2:
Up 2-1 in the series, the Prince George Firebirds were experiencing a type of success they hadnâ€™t tasted in seasons. On the back of Leo Yakimov in both their wins in games 1 and 3, they worked towards fighting off the high flying Whalers team and cementing themselves as a team to be reckoned with. Analysts noted their strength in close games, the way they shut down the middle, and played a safe, jarring dump and chase style. It wasnâ€™t pretty, but it was effective. The Whalers had a hard time adjusting their play, their high flying offense that was one of the best in the league was being stifled by Prince George, especially in their 2-1 loss in game 3. But after game 3 something changed. Rather than try to get the puck past Prince George to score, they changed their game to effectively ruin the Firebirds ability to counter attack. PGF, being unable to dump and chase, began to break down offensively, but were still sound away from the puck. The next game ended in a 2-1 win for Vancouver just due to the fact that Prince George could not score and the Whalers were able to use their offense to just be good enough to pot two. In the last 3 games the Firebirds scored a total of 2 goals, while the Whalers scored 6, which still isnâ€™t a crazy amount, but the gameplay change for the Whalers was a major turning point.
TASK 3:
Entering round 2, both the Whalers and the Knights had relatively easy matchups, with the Knights sweeping their series, and the Whalers turning the tables on a very weak Prince George team in the first round. Turn their sites onto round 2 and both these teams want to go for the win in order to advance to the final. Game 1 is incredibly important and could be the tone setter for the series.

The Knights entered the game with a flurry of shots in the first. They werenâ€™t dominating play, but they were just firing shots at the net, hoping to slip a few by the Whalers goalie and slip him into making some mistakes later on. They were also keeping the Whalers from getting quality chances off, but they werenâ€™t dominating possession. They would score one goal off a brilliant shot from Dominique to go up 1-0 heading into the 2nd. In the 2nd they would play their asses off, not dominating in shots this time, but all 9 shots they had were some of the best chances we have seen all season. Dominique scored his 2nd goal of the game early, while around the 10 minute mark both Linna would score, and Dominique would get his hattrick. Leier would score later in the period to make it 5-0, but the Whalers would pot one before the end of it. Up 5-1 headed into the 3rd, the Knights were determined not to sit back. They made sure to own possession early, getting a goal from Mikael Talo around the 10 minute mark of the third. Then they sat back a little, being up 6-1. A couple shots on a rush from the Whalers led to a goal, but the Knights finished them off later with a final goal from Bartok to finish the game out at 7-2 for the Knights. A dominante performance would lead to a 3-0 series lead for the Knights that they would squander on a way to lose 4-3 to the Whalers, who advanced to the finals.

TASK 4:
SENT

TASK 5:
St. Louis â€“ Sebastian Strange

No one in the finals was an overly dominate player, each team mostly being an effect of their entire cores, but the Scarecrows had a standout player in Sebastian Strange â€“ a Los Angeles draft pick, who will play in Manhattan next season â€“ who led the team as a true leader to a Cup. 18 points in 16 games is nothing to scoff at and he lead the league in points, along with making 14 hits and also taking some brute force in order to make plays. His team was in the offensive zone whenever he had the puck, and he is my choice for MVP.

Vancouver Whalers â€“ Pablo Biznette Whalers

A defenseman who scored 14 points in 18 games is amazing. His post season was excellent, and he proved to both be on the of the best prospect PPQBâ€™s in the SHL, but he also showed his defensive skills too. 22 shots blocked is one of the best in the post-season, and a workhorse at 22 minutes per game. Biznette gets my vote over Kubrak, and if the Whalers won he would be my choice for playoff MVP

akegs · 07-05-2016, 09:45 PM

Task 2:

After a strong regular season, the cup-defending Montreal Militia came into the series against the rival Detroit Falcons as the early favorite. Games one and two of the series were hard fought by both teams, but goal tending would prove to be the story of the series. After a scoreless first period in game one, the Militia scored four unanswered goals in the second to put them up 4-1. After the fourth goal, Jari Ohvo was pulled, replaced by Gavin Trent, and the Falcons were shaken. They came out flying in the third, though, netting two quick goals that put them right back in it, but it wasn't enough. Game two was much the same, with Ohvo yet again crumbling under the playoff pressure. After allowing one goal in the first and three goals in the second, Ohvo was pulled yet again, leaving Trent to pick up the pieces. He did his job, but the Falcons couldnâ€™t deliver, and when the buzzer sounded to end game two, it was clear things were falling apart. Ohvo getting pulled in game two was the turning point in this series. Hockey is a physical game, but itâ€™s also a mental one, and when Ohvo was pulled before the first period was even in the books, the Militiaâ€™s series win was all but guaranteed.

Task 4:
PM sent

Task 5:

St. Louis Scarecrows - Casey Holmes, G
The story of the playoffs for St. Louis is their goaltending, and while plenty of guys on the team pulled their weight, put up big numbers, and showed strong leadership, Casey Holmes got his team through some tough spots, fighting off a strong last-ditch effort by a tough Montreal Miltia team to help get his team to the finals. After a huge shutout in game three of the final series, he went on to save 14 of 15 shots in game 4, managing an average save percentage of over .900. Holmes is the clear MVP for the Scarecrows.

Vancouver Whalers - Levi Kubrak, C
Without question, Levi Kubrak was the star of the playoffs for Vancouver. With 14 points and a +9 rating -- the leader on his team in both categories -- Kubrak was the leader the Whalers needed to lead them on a deep playoff run, starting with his series-clinching goal in game six against the Prince George Firebirds. The Whalers lost the cup, but they have an MVP in Kubrak.

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