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Beaty · 06-24-2017, 09:31 PM

<span style='color:orange'><div align="center">Colorado Mammoths Season 35 Preview</div></span>

In what began as a season of success, the Colorado Mammoths were left wanting more for the second straight season with another first round exit. The team found their offensive stride early on and would maintain that for the season, with four of their players finishing top 18 in points. Titova had a more than impressive season, leading the Mammoths in points and finishing fourth in the league with 20 goals and 36 assists. The top line found instant chemistry and showed that all year long as they would prove to be one of the most offensively lethal lines in the SMJHL, finishing with a combined 146 points. On the defensive end is where the team struggled at times, and when expected number one defenceman Rambo announced that it would be his last season mid season, it was a blow to the team.
[Image: hershey-bears-wbs-pens-game5-7.jpg]

[Image: hershey-bears-wbs-pens-game5-7.jpg]

This season though, the previously weak defense is expected to blossom into a well oiled machine with the ability to shut down other teams top scorers. With the absence of Rambo, sophomore Finn Kruger will assume the role of number one defenceman. The German had an impressive rookie year, finishing with 27 points and showing that he can also be reliable in his own end which were all large factors in Kruger being the 3rd overall pick in this years SHL Entry Draft. Kruger also showed impressive leadership abilities on and off the ice, this made him and assistant captain in his rookie season. The rest of this team's defensive core is where questions will begin to be asked. Casey Creller is expected to play on the top line with Kruger. The third overall pick in last weeks SMJHL Entry Draft is a smooth skating puck mover with a knack for creating offence. He will be a key part of this team's potential success. He plays a very mature game for someone who has just been drafted, and is already beginning to be a large part of the team's locker room. The next pairing will likely also boast two rookies. Chase Byron has always been a defensive sound player, but during his draft season he added the keys to having an offensively productive game as well. He has also gotten a lot stronger this off-season which should help with the corner battles that come with the SMJHL. His line mate is expected to be Mark Ruggeri. The 6`5â€ two way defenceman has impressive skating for someone with his size, and bolsters a wicked shot that is sure to create rebounds if it doesnâ€™t find its way to the back of the net. For a big guy, he doesnâ€™t throw his body around much, which could be a point to improve on in the future. The third pairing features the biggest question mark on this team. Two defenceman who have struggeled in the past will have to step their game up in order to keep up with the rest of the growing pack. Suri Uedo had an offensively impressive rookie year putting up 17 points, but proved to be a liability on the other side of the puck. The other half of the third pairing features Jake Brosnan. The two way defenseman struggled to make the pass out of the zone and would often get caught too far into the play which would lead to odd man rushes going the other way. [Image: rieder%20ger.jpg]

The forward group will be losing their leader both on and off the ice in Zinaida Titova, but this is expected to cause the emergence of other forwards this season. The two leaders for this group heading into Season 35 will be S33 SMJHL Draftees Finn Larsson and Vratislav Zbynek. After ok rookie seasons, both of them broke out last year putting up 42 points each. This season they are expected to skate on the top line and anchor what should be a deadly offence. Larsson is a pure playmaker. His creativity is through the roof, he boast passing that can turn anyone on the ice into a threat, and his skating/puck handling allow him to hold the puck in the offensive zone and wait for the perfect moment to send off a pass. Zbynek benefited greatly from skating with two veterans last year. He more than doubled him totals from his season as a rookie and will rely on his shot and skating to finish off the plays set up by Larsson. The third piece of this top line is expected to be Wolf Von Hammersmark. After only playing in ten regular season games, the Austrian born sniper is expected to assume a much larger role. He is already one of the best skaters in the league, and has the ability to bury the puck, but is currently a defensive liability who will have to improve on that aspect of the game as well as his play when the puck isnâ€™t on his stick. On the second line up front, you see more potential for a scoring line, led by veteran Teddy Kesler who is coming off a hot year where he was second on the team in scoring. More of this will be needed from Kesler to push the Mammoths secondary scoring. Kesler is joined by fellow veteran Vincent Garland who has been with the organization for sometime now. He is a solid two way forward who provides reliability on the second line. The biggest mystery on this line is Daedric Heikennin. This will be his second season with the team and will assume a much larger role with the club. He has shown flashes of brilliance in his young career, it is now just a matter of finding the consistency. The third line features two rookie wingers centered by another vet, Asvard Lyszczarczyk. He has been a steady defensive forward who has never put up flashy numbers but plays the games smart. On his left side heâ€™ll have Alex Zajac. The speedy playmaker out of Phoenix has natural offensive traits, but lacks the physical aspect of his game. With an increase strength, Zajac could become a deadly setup man. Right wing Mikhail Kapralov is hoping just that happens as the two are linemates. Born in Russia, Kapralov features a very mature shot, but lacks many over aspects of his game. His skating is already above average, but his defence makes him a liability. Two late additions to the Mammoths roster, Jordan Weir and Nick Posch are both scoring machines. The two will skate on the fourth line for the season as they hope to add other dimensions to their games and become a larger part of this Mammoths team next season. [Image: -1728f758e545c3f1.jpg]

Manning the net this season will be S34 rookie Alexsandr Alexsandrov. After having a very impressive rookie season that saw him break some Mammoths records, the Russian has been criticized for the use of his 6â€™4â€ frame, but with his reactions and insane speed, he hopes to silence those critics.
This season will be one of change for the Mammoths after losing many key parts, but with a young core full of exciting, fast players, who knows how far they could go. [Image: 5944618.jpg?size=640x420]

Update: I just found this in my google docs and realized I forgot to post it, so I will also provide a quick update on how the team has done.

The Mammoths have come storming out of hibernation to start the 35th season. After the first 18 games of the regular season, they have a record of 14-4 and are first in the league by four points. Finn Kruger has led the way with 8 goals and 16 assists good for 24 points, and first in the league, but it doesnâ€™t stop there. The top 5 scorers in the entire SMJHL are all Mammoths. Newly appointed captain Vratislav Zbynek came out of the gates hot, but soon found himself in a drought. It appears that dry spell may now be over though as he has had 6 points in the last 3 matches. Teddy Kesler has picked up right where he left off last season despite being on the second line. Finn Larsson has also had a very nice start to Season 35 being a setup man to two snipers on the top line. The biggest surprise of the season so far though has to be the emergence of Asvard Lyszczarczyk. After averaging just 8 points per season through his SMJHL career, he has broke out in a huge way and currently sits with 21 points and a league leading 16 assists. Not to be lost in all of this offence is goalie Alexsandr Alexsandrov. He has had an impressive season to date and has proved that he has what it takes to be an SMHL starting goalie.
The Mammoths have easily been one of the most exciting teams to watch, as well as the most dominate. They have the most goals scored by 22 and are tied for having the least amount against. If all of this offence continues in Colorado, we may just have an Ice Age on our hands.
[Image: hershey-bears-ot-game-7-wilkes-barre-pen...boyd-8.jpg]

[Image: hershey-bears-ot-game-7-wilkes-barre-pen...boyd-8.jpg]

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DeletedAtUserRequest · 06-24-2017, 11:07 PM

+1 article!
The top 5 scorers in the SMJHL are Mammoths. That's unbelievable! So far so good for

Btw.. 6-7 are Langabeer and Izzy Cheers

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Beaty · 06-24-2017, 11:27 PM

Quote:Originally posted by Coach Biz@Jun 24 2017, 11:07 PM
+1 article!
The top 5 scorers in the SMJHL are Mammoths. That's unbelievable! So far so good for   

Btw.. 6-7 are Langabeer and Izzy 

Thank you! That top 7 is pretty sweet eh Wink

Clint Eastwood · 06-25-2017, 09:36 PM

Quote:Originally posted by Beaty@Jun 24 2017, 10:27 PM

Thank you! That top 7 is pretty sweet eh

Pretty sweet. Please stop raping the knights. kthxbye

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