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sarmo · 01-18-2018, 05:27 PM

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.

While Richard C. Hocolate has won cups with Dragons, he certainly has never been appreciated. One of the situations he has faced is that he has been the back up for the Dragons for 7 seasons and barely got any ice time in the playoffs. Another would be him finally getting the starting position in season 37 and getting eliminated in the first round where a game 7 was involved. Being an active goalie, and barely getting any recognition can be disheartening. The adversity with Hocolate does not end there; poor Hocolate finally got a ride to the finals on a typical Dragons playoffs-fire run but fell short to a hot Rage goalie. Still, getting a chance at the cup in his second season as a starter would be enough to say that Hocolate has overcame tough obstacles in his career to get to where he has. He posted up a solid 10-6-1 record with a .900 SV%, a decent statline in his first full ride in the playoffs. There will be no doubt by hockey fans that he will only improve from here on out as he truly was a hidden gem for the Calgary Dragons.

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.

The unsung hero this playoffs would definitely be Dani Forsberg of the Calgary Dragons. Forsberg logged in the least amount of minutes played on the Dragons top 9 forwards with 18.28 average minutes per game. He took advantage of every single time he hit the ice; 53 hits, 15 points (12 assists) and 3 blocked shots in 17 games. He turned heads with his offensive prowess and showed that he was not afraid to shoot the puck at all, putting up 52 shots on goal. A solid two-way player, Forsberg was a major contributor to the Dragons' playoffs run and there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that he was an X-factor in the tournement. The Dragons needed a facilitator within their bench and Forsberg proved his versatility beyond others in taking the depth of the Dragons forwards to the next level. Sadly, he might not even get the recognition he much deserves because of Calgary falling short of their Challenge Cup goal.

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.

A young winger who definitely made a name for himself in the Season 38 Playoffs would be Mike Izzy. He might not have put up big offensive numbers but was potent enough playing the depth role on line 3. He did establish his presence as an agitator and a finisher, getting under opponents' skins with a team high 61 hits, 26 penalty minutes and shooting 16.22%, easily top 3 in that category. He was a nightmare for opposing coaches, a top finisher on the 3rd line, with 6 goals and 7 points, making his mark at such a young age. A season 35 draftee, Izzy is well developed for his age, mature and built to play in the big league. With the playoffs all said and done, his name is out there now and he has unfinished business to attend to going into next season. This was just a sample size of what the physical scoring winger can bring to a team and expect him to become even more of a freakishly agitating young stud for the Calgary Dragons.

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.

Given that the Dragons lost to the Rage this finals; there are a few strategy changes I would have made to Calgary's roster which (in my opinion) would have given them a greater chance against Manhattan. The Rage won because of their hot goaltender and solid defense- it is a tough pill to swallow after being such a mediocre team in the regular season. They got hot when it matter nonetheless, which required strategy adjustments to counter their personnel. Dragons have relied on their much proven offensive strategies to which the Rage took exception, and probably should have went more defensive on a lot of their lines. I would have made their 3rd line into a checking line, going 1-1-3 there. 0-2-3 on their 2nd line to make it more of a shutdown line and would have made all their defense lines more defensive by 1 strat point. We could see Hocolate struggled a bit compared to the Rage goalie and I think giving him some more support and matching the Rage in a head to head adjustments may have given them a better shot at beating them.

Dweaves08 · 01-18-2018, 07:38 PM

Task 2-

I would have to take Ace Redding for the unsung hero of the playoffs to this point, he may not have the most points for the playoffs but that is why it is the unsung award. When you look at Redding’s performance it has been steady throughout the whole playoffs and he is one of those guys that makes room for other people on the ice, producing 93 hits in 20 games leading the playoffs. Redding is always one of those guys that does a pass first mentality especially on the powerplay he had 6 powerplay points and 5 of them were assists. I can’t wait to watch Redding in action with the games to come if he can keep plugging away like he has he will put his team in a good place to possibly capture another title. He heads the top line and hasn’t looked back in many seasons, always takes a set forward when it comes to leadership.

Task 4-

Rookies are always a hot top on who is going to make our break their team when is comes to the playoffs, Roman Augustus is one of those player that is definitely helping his team and not hurting it. I’ve had the chance to watch Augustus grow as a player since his time with the Scarecrows & may have even played a couple games while I was a Scarecrow. Augustus is a stay at home defensemen that plays a very tight game, he plays top 4 minutes for the Dragons and that has helped in the development. He hasn’t had anytime on the powerplay but he has still managed to put up 9 assists throughout 17 games in the playoffs and for a rookie that is an amazing accomplishment. Speaking of Augustus being a stay at home defensemen he is always one of those players to step in front of the net and block a shot for his goalie he has already accounted for 21 blocks in the playoffs so far.

Task 6-

To be honest if I was Calgary and notice the strategies that Manhattan had I would compare a lot more with how deep the Dragons are I would have switched lines one and two because I think that the second line for the Dragons could keep up and hold the Rages first line. Another thing I would have taken into consideration is the amount of time played by percentage the Rage had their top 2 lines playing 80% of the time while with the depth of the Dragons they had spread the time out more evenly through out the 4 lines of the team, the only change that I would have done to the Dragons playing percentage would have been giving the last line 5% and giving that extra 5% to the first line with how solid they have been playing together over the past seasons. This season was no different for this line didn’t matter when you put them on the ice you knew something was going to happen.

bilbo · 01-18-2018, 10:41 PM

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.
There are probably a lot of players who had to face adversity, but looking at the Calgary Dragons in particular, Richard C. Hocolate is a player who has faced a lot of long nights on the bench, being the door opener for the legend Hunter Wong. He was a backup for the Calgary Dragons from season 30 through 36, and enjoyed a Challenge Cup in that time, but it probably didnâ€™t feel like he really earned it. Still, he kept being active and adding on that TPE, even though he stayed in Hunterâ€™s shadow. He was a Four Star Cup Champion in Halifax in season 30, and he took that talent to season 37 where it was his first year as a starting goalie, getting the Dragons to round one of the playoffs, but they fell short. It must have not felt good, but still then, he didnâ€™t give up, and has helped the Dragons strong contenders once again by getting them right up to six games in the season 38 finals. Props to him for sticking through it and for being a new fantasy fave goalie. 187 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.
Mike Izzy was looking to make a name for himself in the season 38 playoffs, especially in the Finals. Heâ€™d made two playoff appearances before, unable to score points in either, but he came to the season 38 playoffs on a mission. The young gun put up 7 points, 6 of those goals (one a game winner) and showed his vets up in hits at 61 total. Though he didnâ€™t get the Cup, it seems heâ€™s going in the right direction and will hopefully spark up a more defense-heavy group of forwards. Looking at the Manhattan Rage side of things, another young gun looking to make a name for himself is Niklaus St. Croix. Croix made the Rageâ€™s roster in season 35 and has stayed on the third line ever since, gaining enough points to help the team, but still with a lot to show. In his first appearance in the playoffs, Croix was able to contend with the vets on the team for hits (53) and shots blocked (20), showing that he can be a defensive force, at least in the playoffs, and deserves to keep growing on the Rageâ€™s roster. 192 words

TASK SIX: Youâ€™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.
Looking at Calgaryâ€™s team, since they lost this time, I shall now pretend to be good at lines and things. The Dragons lost the last two times they played the Rage, the last time being with their backup, so I see why they kept Hocolate in starting for the Finals (obviously). I'd be more concerned with their defense. When the Dragons played the Rage in the regular season, Bubba Nuck was only playing once in their 5 on 5 line up, but in the playoffs, I'd expect a bigger defense presence against him, since he was playing on two lines, the first and then also the fourth with Wyatt Wollker, two D-men you donâ€™t want to have to go against. I'd also make sure I had my best players on the power play, since the Rage's powerplay was 21.31% versus the Dragon's 15.52%, which can be a significant difference in the playoffs. I see they did make changes to their lines from the last time they faced the Rage to the final games (lines that had been working for them thus far in the playoffs) and had their best players up as often as possible, but I donâ€™t know, man, sometimes line strategy and such can only get you so far. 213 words

TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the teamâ€™s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.
[Image: VnLgJ1o.png]

ztevans · 01-18-2018, 11:47 PM

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.

While he played a minor role on the roster, perhaps nobodyâ€™s presence on the championship-winning Manhattan Rageâ€™s roster was more surprising than Johnny Pollak. Once, Johnny Pollak was a fifth-round pick for the Prince George Firebirds in the Season 30 SMJHL Entry Draft, taken ahead of the likes of Toivo Kosonen, Geronimo Otto, Vasily Horvat, Jacob Renninger, Adam Kaiser, and Ronnie Westbrook. However, his growth and development stagnated as he went undrafted in the Season 31 SHL Entry Draft after a disappointing season with an equally disappointing outcome â€“ a loss in the Four Star Cup Finals to Halifax. Pollak would play one more season with the Firebirds, scoring 12 points in Season 31, before leaving the game of hockey for good â€¦ or so we thought. While he didnâ€™t play a single minute of the season for the Rage this season, Pollak was a vital provider of dihydrogen monoxide, chirps per 60, and reasons why nobody likes the Buffalo Sabres en route to the Rageâ€™s Challenge Cup.

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.

The unquestioned leader of the Manhattan Rage in their Challenge Cup triumph was goaltender Jason Aittokallio, boasting a .934 save percentage during the playoffs. However, one of the unsung heroes lost in Aittokallioâ€™s superb performance was forward Luke Atmey. Atmey led the team in goals, as he lit the lamp nine times in 20 games. Not only that, many of his goals came at the time Manhattan needed them the most.
In game seven of the Rageâ€™s first-round series with the New England Wolfpack, Atmey scored in overtime to push the Rage into the Eastern Conference Finals. After falling behind 3-0 to the Minnesota Chiefs in that series, the Rage rallied to force a game seven. In that game seven, Minnesota took a 3-2 lead, but Atmeyâ€™s game-tying goal at 5:22 in the third period sparked a three-goal run for the Rage as theyâ€™d win 5-3. Lastly, in the Challenge Cup Finals, Atmey again provided the game-winning goal in the decisive game six, pushing Manhattan ahead 4-3 with 4:22 remaining in the third period for the Cup-clinching goal.

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.

The lone rookie in this seasonâ€™s Challenge Cup Finals, Roman Augustus hopes to make an impact early in his career for the storied Calgary Dragons franchise. Selected with the tenth overall pick in the Season 36 SHL Entry Draft, Augustus joined the Dragons after three seasons playing for the SMJHLâ€™s St. Louis Scarecrows. Augustus was immediately thrust into a key role on the Dragons, playing top-four minutes on Calgaryâ€™s defense. Augustus actually tallied more shot blocks this season (78) than he did in any of his SMJHL seasons, adjusting well to life in the â€œbig leagues.â€ Those shot blocks not only trended upward from his junior numbers, they placed him atop the team leaderboard and just shy of the SHL-wide top ten in the category. Those defensive contributions have been critical for the team during its Challenge Cup Finals run, and he should only get better with time and development.

raymond3000 · 01-19-2018, 12:36 AM

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.
Dani Forsberg of the Calgary Dragons is a young player that has really stepped up for his team in these playoffs. He has 15 points in 17 games to go with an astounding 53 hits. His physicality has ramped up in the playoffs, and that is something every coach likes to see. Amazingly, he's done this playing just 18 minutes per game. He has developed into the third best forward on the team, behind only SHL superstars in Randy Randleman and Joes Kurczewski, surpassing longtime Dragons Anrikannen and Pedersen. The changing of the guard is underway in Calgary, and Dani Forsberg looks to be a big part of it. Other young players on the Dragons, such as Roman Augustus and Mike Izzy have also played well, and this playoff experience is bound to help them as they take over the reigns of this Dragons team. Even though they lost in the Finals, this sort of experience is invaluable.

TASK FIVE: Itâ€™s Zamboni time! The teams have been asked by the SHL offices to re-design their Zamboni with a Finals theme. Please use your creativity on this and make it specific to one of the teams in the finals. Must include a logo from a team in the Finals and a color scheme appropriate to the team.
[Image: PJJfKuy.png]

TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the teamâ€™s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.
[Image: 4lEK3TE.png]

TASK EIGHT: Design the Championship Banner for the S38 Challenge Cup. Must include team logo, team name and at least one render.
[Image: SDmd2UQ.png]

Symmetrik · 01-19-2018, 12:56 AM

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.

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.

TASK FIVE: Itâ€™s Zamboni time! The teams have been asked by the SHL offices to re-design their Zamboni with a Finals theme. Please use your creativity on this and make it specific to one of the teams in the finals. Must include a logo from a team in the Finals and a color scheme appropriate to the team.

[Image: 8rN74am.jpg]

TASK SIX: Youâ€™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.

***Hallsy*** · 01-19-2018, 02:06 AM

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.

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Crossfit Jesus went 43rd overall in the S43. Some teams actually passed on him for nothing., this is just added fuel to the fire of his competitiveness. &nbsp;People didn't think that he would turn into a quality SHL Player but he has. He is now a top six winger on the Manhattan Rage, who is a team that is playing in the finals and have a shot at winning a championship. Crossfit has worked his ass off to get to his point. Another turning point that he had to battle against was his rookie season in the smjhl where he only had 5 points in 50 games. It is evry hard to stay active when your player in his first season, that is supposed to be a goal scorer only scored 2 goals in his first season. He still looked at the bright side that he was still employed in the smjhl and worked hard to have a better 2nd season, in his 3rd season he ended up putting up 56 points in 50 games.

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 Alek Koivu is a good candidate, I know the Jets aren't in the finals, but his production during the post-season was off the charts. I don't think anyone in the league thought he would be able to step up his game so much, 12 points in 13 games as a defenceman and he was also a +7. He wasn't the reason why the Jets lost to the dragons, I think he will be a good candidate for breakout star this upcoming season if he is able to translate his success in this last post-season in the upcoming season. I think we are about to see one of the greatest offensive defencmen in the SHL that will lead a Power-play. Maybe I am overhyping his post-season but you never know, this builds confidence in one player and we could see Koivu win the stevens very soon for the Winnipeg jets.

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151 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.

Brett Kennedy, He is a young power center, that I think people didn't know that he could be any sort of a quality offensive player but in the post-season, he has been the glue that sticked on the rage 2nd line. He is a hard worker that managed to put up 11 points in 20 games this season. He is also one of the hardest players to play against and can shut down anyone, he was a +5, 18 pims, 60 hits and he won 52.95% of all his face-offs. He is a heavy player that I think teams fear internally due to the fact that he is very capable to shut down other teamâ€™s star players. He has definitely created a name for himself as one of the leagues elite young power forwards and opposing teams will have a rough time trying to score a goal when he is on the ice.

TASK SIX: Youâ€™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 would spread the offence out for the manhattan rage, Iknow that they won the cup but I feel like some of their players are stilling playing too much hockey every game, which would lead to penalties, thank god that their pk was elite or they wouldâ€™ve been a quick out this post-season. I think to limit the risk of even their weker depth players, they need to start spreading out and allow their star plays carry the load, maybe something like:

1 Ace Redding Rurik Razin Geoffrey Allen 30 0 1 4
2 Brett Kennedy Crossfit Jesus Bennet Jones 30 0 1 4
3 Dean Colt Harry Hans Luke ATmey 30 0-2-3

This allows the rage ot have 3 scoring lines and be one of the hardest teams to defend against on the nightly basis. Kennedy-Jesus-Jone is still a solid 2nd line awhile Redding=Allen are able to carry Razin next season. But honestly why fix something that isnâ€™t broke?

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160 words

MyLittleHexx · 01-19-2018, 09:47 AM

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.

A lot of people talk about the heroes of the playoffs. The guys that score the goals, win the games, and make their impact felt in the scoring sheet. Everyone gets so caught up in the emotion and energy, that they ignore the guys who go to battle every game, fighting to keep the team playing at a high energy level and keep the physical style of playoff hockey up. These are the unsung heroes of the playoffs, and for S38 my unsung hero choice is Rurik Razin of the Manhattan Rage. Averaging about 13.17 minutes per game, Razin was able to throw an impressive 50 hits, while only going to the box three times. During his 20 games, he was only able to pick up 2 assists, but he was able to finish with a positive +/- of 5. Razin brought a physical, playoff brand of hockey to Manhattan, and really helped elevate the Rage to a Challenge Cup victory. Razin truly is an unsung hero for Manhattan in the S38 Challenge Cup Playoffs.

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.

The winners of the Challenge Cup for S38 are the Manhattan Rage. They were able to topple a very skilled Calgary Dragons team. Calgary fans from all over have been voicing their frustration online, claiming that if they just made this one change, or tweaked this slightly, they would have been able to take home the Challenge Cup. One of the most interesting arm chair coach choices has been the benching of Calgary Dragons player Mike Izzy. In the 17 games Calgary played this postseason, Izzy only was able to contribute 7 points, 6 of which were goals. Many were scratching their heads as why to a player such as Izzy would have such trouble playing in the offseason. Some have even speculated that his #IzzyBrand business ventures has made him lose focus during the postseason, and a result he hasn't been playing the best of his ability. So a decision to bench the Mike Izzy could have some benefit, as it could make it clear to him, as well as the team, that giving anything less 99% during a game is unforgivable (100% effort is impossible, as efficiency is impossible. For more information, take an introductory physics class.)

MP7 · 01-19-2018, 11:38 AM

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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.

One of those who probably had to go through a lot the last year is Allen Geoffrey. Imagine the following situation. Your heart and your soul still willing to play hockey at the highest level, but your body says no. After years of drudgery and constant hard training, it is no longer possible. It's time to announce that you can't or will not play much longer, and that it's time to leave the big stage after the season. Allen had already done this, ready to go down in history as one of the greatest Renegades. But then came the big bang, the still new management team of the Renegades was severely punished due to a careless mistake and Geoffrey's got a hard hit. But it got even worse, after spending his entire career as a Renegade, he was traded to Manhattan. What initially felt like a slap in the face, developed into one of the most beautiful stories in sports and brought a story book ending for one of the sport greatest.

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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.

My choice for the unsung heroes of the S38 playoffs to this point is Winston Windsor. As we know for some days now that the Manhattan Rage won the Challenge Cup. But why Winston Windsor? He has made the most points in the playoffs of all Manhattan players. But that is hardly a matter, of course, Winston Windsor was never a player who played offensive big or played very spectacular. He was always a solid defender you could rely on. But in this, his last season as a professional, he played again big. 8 goals in 20 games, as many as in the whole regular season, showed how dangerous he could be. To his 8 goals come 10 assists. 18 points in total, placing him first with Wyatt Wollker and Ace Redding. But even more remarkable is how fair Winston Windsor plays ice hockey. Not one penalty he has received in the playoffs! As a defender, a rarity, when it gets as hot as hell in the playoffs.

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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.

Only one rookie made it to the finals and he hasn't played good in the playoffs. Which is why we turn our attention to a slightly older but still very young player. He too is still at the beginning of his career, which should be a very promising one. The two-way forward has very good predispositions and is extremely dangerous in front of the net. He is not the big playmaker for the dragons, but always very dangerous on the ice. This is also reflected in his statistics. he made 6 goals and 1 assist. Mike Izzy also has a lot from a power forward, because with 61 hits he leads his team in this category. One of his 6 goals was quite an important one. His fifth goal in the playoffs was the overtime winner against the Winnipeg Jets and the associated 2-1 series lead. We are very curious what will come of this young man in the future. At the moment you can see Izzy in action at the IIHF World Championship with Austria.

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TASK SIX: Youâ€™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.

It's always easy to say what else should have been done to be successful. We take a closer look at the games from the point of view of the dragons. Game 1 was lost 4-3, but it was fairly balanced 32-33 shots and the teams were close to each other in all stats. Thus, there was not really a reason to act prematurely and it paid off. Game 2 was clearly won 6-3 and so they went on with the same tactic in Game 3 and won this with 3-2, it was close but they won. But then Game 4 was on and the somewhat inexplicable slump of such an experienced team. 4-0 was the score and a big hit for the dragons. For game 5 a small change has been made. Now for the powerplays, they tried it with 5 forwards playing 70% of the time. But it wasn't as successful as they hoped and they lost again 4-0. With the back to the wall, they changed many thing to ward off the elimination. The 5vs5 and powerplay lines were reshuffled, the dragons scored goals again but not enough for the win.

Keygan · 01-19-2018, 01:18 PM

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.

My choice for this would have to be Geoffrey Allen of the Manhattan Rage, purely because the man was recently traded from a team that he called his family. When Texas originally was hit with the tampering punishment they knew they were going to have to sell off pieces if they were hoping to ever be competitive again, and sadly Geoff and Onyx were casualities of that. In leaving his Texas cattle farm Geoff headed to the concrete jungle where he was greeted by men selling mix tapes that couldnâ€™t understand he never wanted them in the first place, this caused a great amount of stress in his life, and that is why I believe Geoff Allen overcame a great deal to be here. But I am sure that Geoffrey would do it all again just to be named a champion for the second time in three seasons, congratulations Geoff and Onyx.

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152

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.

My choice for unsung hero of the entirety of the playoffs is Manhattan legend Maverick O'Dooley.
Some of you might not have even known Maverick was on the Manhattan Rage until just now, but let me tell you when he saw the ice time he deserved, he produced in a big way. In 2 minutes of ice time Maverick O'Dooley saw an average of 0.8 minutes per game this season in the playoffs, good for probably darn close to last in the league, not to mention this time on ice was exclusively on the penalty kill. He allowed stars like Wollker and Allen the rest they needed in order to thrive on the ice. That is why without a doubt Maverick O'Dooley is the peoples champion and the unsung hero of the season 38 simulation hockey league playoffs. Awards committee I hope you realize this name and own up to your mistakes.

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152

TASK SIX: Youâ€™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.

If I were the coach of the Detroit Falcons I would make sure my team only played defense, the Prince George Firebirds with their high powered offense consisting of Paddy Kane Rielly, Dildo, Blabar Banananananstrom and Kyler Gill are a force to be reckoned with and as Gene Wolf once said â€œ The best offense is a good defense, but a bad defense is offensive. â€ in order for the Falcons to win this series they need to actively look for chances created by the Prince George Firebirds lousy defensive play, not creating chances themselves as one mistake is enough for the Firebirds to capitalize on and they will finish when giving the chance, I promise you that. Elite defense and Evgueni Marmeladov standing on his head is the absolute only way that the Falcons have a chance of bringing this series back. You can quote me on that one.

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150

TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the teamâ€™s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.

[Image: t-shirts-1.jpg]

Glyc · 01-19-2018, 01:54 PM

Task 2:

In my mind there is only one pick for the unsung hero of the playoffs, and it has to be Brett Kennedy of the Manhattan Rage. Kennedy is my pick for a few reasons but Iâ€™m going to zone in on a few here real quick. Without Kennedy in the line-up I see a very different finals match up, where Manhattan is without a Centreman with a positive face off win ratio. He was by far the best face-off specialist the Rage could offer this series with a total Faceoff win ratio of 52.95%. I see a lot more goals against in the Rageâ€™s future if they didnâ€™t have a dependable man to get the puck in possession. But there is one other stat that helps his case here, which is his assists which he had 9 of. Just about 9 tenths of his points come from his reliability to get the puck to an open man. Which is why Kennedy is the Unsung hero.

Task 4:

One person in particular comes to mind when I think of a young forward trying to make their name, and that is Dani Forsberg. Forsberg really put up a hell of a fight for his first time in the Challenge cup finals. He was an absolute force to reckon with throughout the playoffs posting a team 4th 15 points in 17 games, and was just under a point per 20 minutes at .97. A ridiculously high rate for such a young forward. It doesnâ€™t stop there either, as he laid out 53 hits and only took back half of that while only taking on 12 Penalty minutes to boot. In the end I think it is Needless to say, Dani has been out strong to make a name this season, and quite frankly I think itâ€™s working so far. I canâ€™t wait to see what comes out of Forsberg in the coming seasons.

Task 7:
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Task 8:

Without going too far into the rosters, there are a few things I might have changed in the series for the Dragons. When looking at the stats the main thing that stood out to me is the Goals against. Looking at the final number of 15 Goals for Calgary and 21 Goals for Manhattan, I think that some defensive changeups might have been required, especially seeing as their Penalty Kill was so much worse than the Rageâ€™s, but that could also come down to bad luck. Additionally the Powerplay needed a look for sure, scoring at 15% is a little less than what you want to be running at, especially for a team that came into the Final so hot. In the end all I can really do is guess, and Iâ€™d say that a little tweaking of the Powerplay, Penalty Kill and Defensive lines might have helped tipped the balance over to Calgary.

Your Mothers Favorite Goalie · 01-19-2018, 02:40 PM

TASK FIVE

TASK SEVEN

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TASK EIGHT

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Bzerkap · 01-19-2018, 03:05 PM

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.

Manhattan Rage player Geoffrey Allen had to overcome a lot to get to where he is at this point. He may have won a cup with Texas a few years ago, but as he has been his whole career, he was carried there and didn't really contribute all that much. It's been a sore spot for Allen his entire life, constantly overlooked and basically picked up by the strongest member of the team and carried to the finish line. The first few years in the league he tried to fight this hardship, but as he got used to being the 9th wheel he decided to just accept it and let it happen. However, the blow to his ego, never made him the same person again.

Allen gave his life to the Texas organization, well as much as they would allow him to give. He couldn't imagine himself anywhere else, so in his final year of competitive play Allen decided he would take drastic measures to show his team how good he was. The endowment reduction surgery went very well, and Allen was excited to be a lighter and more aerodynamic player on the ice.

Then he was traded, to the Rage.

Allen was distraught, beside himself, didn't know what to do. He now was leaving the only team he ever knew and was a short about five inches of his pride.

In the end, it all worked out as Allen was carried to another championship and ended his career on a much shorter but still very effective high note. The many struggles of Geoffrey Allen are an inspirational story to any player out there who might not have the skills, but has the length of character where it counts.

<a href='index.php?showuser=1770' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-3'>Allen</a>

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.

Unsung hero in my view is someone who didn't play a lot but provided an extremely powerful impact on their team. So, my unsung hero is Bennett Jones, forward for the Manhattan Rage. Jones didn't play a lot of minutes, 265 or 13.27 per game, but did play in all 20 of the teams games. He scored eight points in those games, with three goals and five assists, giving him the seventh best points per twenty on the squad.

With these points and the small amount of time on the ice, he was clearly a net positive for the team, registering a +/- of 5. He did take a lot of shots at 42, and his shooting percentage of 7.14% is not good, however this overlooks his contributions on the defensive end to get the puck up on the other half and shoot it. He only had two PIMs, so he was never a liability for the squad, and for a forward he had a strong amount of blocked shots with 6.

Bennett Jones is the Rage's unsung hero.

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.

Roman Augustus had a lot placed on his shoulders this season for a rookie. He came fresh faced into the Calgary lineup and was immediately put to work. He averaged 21.50 minutes per game, sixth most on the team and was a top 4 DMan from the word go. That's a lot of pressure, even for a veteran playmaker. Augustus did well, scoring 18 points and leading the team with 78 blocked shots. He was also a key contributor on special teams.

So what more is there to prove? Well, Augustus took more hits than he gave, and even with his extremely low shot volume, he was one of the worst shots on the team, only hitting home on 5.26% of shots taken. As a defenseman you would hope he would at least hit more than was being hit and as a two-way defenseman you would hope he converted more than that.

The finals will be an opportunity for Augustus to prove himself to his peers as the type of player with no weaknesses to his game.

TASK SIX: Youâ€™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.

Give Mike Izzy more minutes! How can you keep a guy like this on the bench? He has a 94 in scoring and an 88 in skating, he's a bit of a wild card with his 78 checking, but hey he's the prototypical power forward and needs more minutes.

Speaking of centers, I don't think Shane Gagner should be your 2nd line center. The dude has a poor score/pass split for a center. In my opinion centers need to be distributors. Get Alex Mack in there. He's got great Passing, Skating, Scoring splits and has an 87 in faceoffs. Plenty of faceoff skill to win a lot of exchanges.

That pushes Gagner down to the 3rd line but you can double shift him on to the 4th line for minutes. I actually like all of the wing pairings from a theoretical standpoint, but maybe play Izzy on some special teams. The defense is ok as well in their synergy.

Here are my redone lines:

Center Left Wing Right Wing
1 Joe Kurczewski Nicholas Pedersen Randy Randleman
2 Alex Mack Schnitinfritz Jagr Dani Forsberg
3 Shane Gagner Mike Izzy Esa Anrikkanen
4 Shane Gagner Joe Jurczewski Randy Randleman

Pris · 01-19-2018, 04:10 PM

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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.

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.

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Word count: 155.

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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.

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.

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Word count: 161.

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TASK FIVE: It’s Zamboni time! The teams have been asked by the SHL offices to re-design their Zamboni with a Finals theme. Please use your creativity on this and make it specific to one of the teams in the finals. Must include a logo from a team in the Finals and a color scheme appropriate to the team.

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TASK SEVEN: Design a t-shirt or a rally towel for one of the teams in the finals. Must include some text (a slogan), the team’s logo and a local sponsor for the giveaway.

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Vikian · 01-19-2018, 04:37 PM

The Player that has been underrated in this Finals Series has to be Mike Izzy. The man has poured his soul into these playoffs. Izzy is not known for putting up great amount of points but he has shown heart and grit in these playoffs. Mike Izzy so far has clearly intimidated other teams with his size and his tenacity to hit you. Right now Izzy is second in the playoffs in hits with 61. He has also only been hit 11 times which shows not too many players will go after this guy. They usually try to stay away from him. Izzy is also not scared to throw down and pump his team up or stand up for his teammates that may have been hit a little too hard. He is top 5 in penalty minutes with 26. Not a lot of teams now a days can pull of intimidation and have it work out in their favor but Calgary definitely has an advantage with Izzy. He has also helped out by scoring six goals and half of them in one game as he is one of the three players with a hattrick.

There aren't too many rookies in the finals, in fact there are only two. But one has definitely caught the eyes of many. In 17 games Roman Agustus has impressed with his two-way game, though he has yet to score he has gotten very close couple times. He has though posted 9 assists, showing his soft hands ability to find his teammates. He has been crucial for Calgary with his ability to play the PK as he has played 46 minutes already. He also leads all the rookies with points in the playoffs. Though he is not the biggest or the most threatening guy on the ice he is not scared to throw his body around as he has 24 hits so far. There were some concerns going into the playoffs for his ability to play defensively against the best in the league. But overall he has played extremely well, and sits in decent -4.

For the Detroit Falcons Sebastian Primeau has gone through some diversity to get where he needed to be in the Finals. While only playing a few games in the regular season he joined the Falcons late and picked up a lot quickly. An undrafted free agent he wasn't given too many chances for a spot on the SMJHL team. But he caught the eyes of the Detroit Management and was brought very quickly to be the future goaltender of the Falcons. With Marmeladov going to LA this upcoming season the reigns of the net are going into the hands of Primeau. The pressure is on Primeau as he felt just a tiny piece of it in the games he started. But to be the number goalie for a team that is extremely young has just been in back to back Finals is a ton of pressure that can build up. But Primeau has the passion and the talents to pull off being a great goalie.

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