In my opinion, Brett Kennedy is the unsung hero for the Challenge Cup-winning Manhattan Rage. Though scoring was not his strong point in the playoffs, with only 11 points through 20 games, he performed a few roles on the team that contributed immensely to their success. First of all, his face-off percentage was great for a second-liner at 52.95%, and exactly what the Rage needed on that second line designed to match up well against lesser depth. He maintained this face off percentage despite taking about twice as many turns in the dot as his second-line counterpart in the finals, Shane Gagner. Additionally, his physical presence extended well to outside the face-off circle, as Kennedy also contributed to great possession numbers with a solid 60 hits through 20 games. This was vital to the Rage’s win, as their heavy physical game aided them to regain and keep the puck away from the aging Calgary Dragons.



A notable young name in the finals this season is well-known Calgary Dragon Mike Izzy. His point production through the postseason was somewhat surprising for his young age, posting 7 points through 11 games in the first and second rounds. Despite this, however, Mike Izzy will be counted on much more by the Dragons for his physical presence in the finals. Izzy threw his body around for 46 hits in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and the Dragons will be looking for him to continue that dominant play to maintain possession as much as possible. Izzy should be a boon to the aging Dragons; with the rest of the roster slower than they were in their prime, Izzy will likely be their vanguard in regaining puck possession. The younger Manhattan team will have to work overtime trying to finesse the puck back if Izzy can keep the puck for the Dragons’ leading scorers to do what they do best.