TASK ONE: Pick either of the teams currently in the finals. Which player had to overcome the most adversity to get where they are at now? What did they have to endure before finally getting their crack at the Cup? Must be 150 words and include two specific situations that player experienced en-route to the Cup finals, whether this season or at some point during their career.

I believe that the player who endured the most adversity to overcome and make it to the Challenge Cup Finals was Connor O'Rielly. A S23 draftee, O'Rielly was not called up when New England earned their historic first franchise Challenge Cup that season. He was a member of the Regina Force who we all know didn't win shit through years of existence in the Simulation Hockey Junior Leagues. He bounced over to Winnipeg during a huge drought that they had, went inactive, and has now found a role on this Calgary team before he sets off into the sunset. Connor O'Rielly has gone to the cup only to lose on a number of occasions, and he has stated that this will be his last shot before he hangs up the skates. For such a storied defenseman, and someone who has contributed to Calgary even in inactivity, Connor O'Rielly has been so close to the Cup, but hasn't had the chance to lift it. Maybe this will finally be the year that Connor O'Rielly breaks through and retires a Challenge Cup Champion. (181 words)

TASK TWO: Who is your choice for the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs up to this point? Must be at least 150 words and include at least two statistics in support.

I think the unsung hero of the S38 playoffs is Luke Atmey. Overshadowed on his own team by the likes of Ace Redding, Geoffrey Allen, and Wyatt Wollker, Atmey is the beating heart of the Rage that makes the whole operation successful. In these playoffs, he's put up 17 points and has gone +6. He has fired the puck on the net every chance he gets, with a shocking 82 shot attempts. Finally, where he makes his money, Luke has made shots when it counts. He has 3 game winners to his name in these playoffs alone, along with a game tying goal. At .77 points per 20 minutes, Atmey has demonstrated the one skill that you just can't teach: clutch. He comes up big when his team needs him, and an Atmey game winner might be what wins the cup for Manhattan this season. Luke Atmey is my unsung hero for the S38 postseason. (155 words)

TASK FOUR: What rookies or young players are looking to make a name for themselves during the Finals? How have they contributed to the team on the way to the Finals? Must be at least 150 words, and include two statistics.

I think that Mike Izzy has been making a name for himself this offseason in Calgary. He was 5th in team scoring with 31 points. He demonstrated that he could contribute on the offense even without the likes of Joe or Randy on his line. Izzy also demonstrated that he could bring the body like a wrecking ball as well as anyone in the league, piling on a whopping 192 hits over the season. The one issue that Izzy needs to work on to be a more complete player is his PIMS. He had 57 on the season. While his game will lead him to the penalty box on occassion, that's more than one PIM per game, which is simply too risky once you get into the playoffs. He needs to find a method of controlled mayhem; where he can smash the body but stay responsible defensively. The rest of Calgary is a good fit for him: his role is well defined and he sticks to it gracefully. His contributions to the Dragons are definitely a reason why they are in a position to lift the cup. (187 Words)



TASK SIX: You’re the coach of a team in the finals. What changes would you make to the roster, lines or strategies of the team to give the team a better chance at winning the series? Must be at least 150 words.

I think Calgary needs to take a look at their top lines and find a way to get some depth scoring. Joe and Randy have simply not been getting it done in this series, and they've run into a very hot goaltender in the form of Jason Aittokallio. A line change might get them going, and I would bring up someone who can be trusted to defend against the Manhattan line of Ace and Geoffrey. Maybe Mike Izzy would be a good addition to the top line. He's currently being underutilized in Calgary, and bringing him up will add defensive depth and physical presence to a top line that's just been shackled all series. They may even think about changing the lines to add more points to defense, like 3, and make the top line a shutdown line where Randy Randleman, most likely, could find some scoring opportunities lower on the depth chart. (153 words)