Simulation Hockey League

So since I got backed up a bit and forgot to do a couple of these, I chose to just wait for the season to end and put the rest of the games of the sim in a single thread. I think that makes things easier, don't you?

Now enjoy the final games of the sim!

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#1 New England Wolfpack (30-16-4) VS. #2 Manhattan Rage (28-15-7)</div>

The first game of the sim features what eventually became the #1 and #2 teams in the East! New England was coming off a great run, while Manhattan was having some struggles, so there was a lot riding on this game with the #1 seed at the time on the line. The game started with Manhattan all over New England, and Harry Hans (Sarone, Vikingstod) opened the scoring midway through the first period. The Rage outshot the Wolfpack 10-5 and took the first period with a 1-0 score.

The Second period tipped more to the Wolfpack, as they started outshooting Manhattan and Mainio Makinen (Lundberg, Bure) scored his 14th of the season at the 6 minute mark. They continued to attack, but they could not keep the game tied after two, because Chris Welch (Hamilton, Leclerc) scored his 4th of the season to give the Rage the lead once again. The second period ended with the same score difference as the first, Manhattan up by one.

The third period was nothing but a shooting gallery, with the majority of goals happening in a 4 minute time period. At 8:34 New England tied it up again when Mikael Talo (Reid, Jones) scored his 7th and put the game 2-2. Manhattan did not wait long to retake the lead as one minute later Bryce Collins (Hamilton, Vikingstod) scored his 14th and took the game back in the Rage's favor 3-2. However, New England went HAM when Brandon Pomery (Silverwing, Russell) and Bennett Jones (Talo, Reid) scored two goals in two minutes to give the New England Wolfpack their first lead of the game! The two teams traded shots for the rest of the third period, however the last goal to be scored would be from Mainio Makinen (Morenov) of the Wolfpack with an empty net goal.

This game had it all. Great goaltending, crazy offense, and a ton of lead changes. If you missed this game, you missed out on a doozy, and with the two teams at the top of the East this could be an insane Conference Final matchup!

<div align="center"> Win 5-3</div>


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#6 Winnipeg Jets (22-21-7) VS. #2 Seattle Riot (30-15-5)</div>

The next game of the sim is Winnipeg and Seattle, one non-playoff team and one comfortably in the second spot in the West. This one was quite a show, as the Jets wanted to at least show they were competitive. Unfortunately, in the first period the Riot were the ones to open the scoring, with Pavel Bursyuk (Koskinen, Cartier) scoring his 8th of the year two minutes into the period. Winnipeg peppered McFadden with shots, and eventually got a break on a powerplay chance where Rembrandt Q. Einstein (O'Reilly) scored to tie up the game 1-1. The Jets would continue to dominate the period, but they would not score again, leaving a 1-1 game after the first period.

The second period once again got off to a rocking start, when Vidrik Onoprienko (Manious, Carter) of the Jets scored just a minute into the period to make it 2-1 Winnipeg. However 5 minutes later the Riot responded with a goal from Dean Colt (Lloren, Benson) to put the game tied up again! Just like the first period, though, the second period had no more goals for the rest of the frame, meaning the third period would begin deadlocked at 2-2.

The third period saw the Jets with more offense, putting 13 shots on goal against McFadden the entire period. He would not relent, however, and the Riot bided their time to get a play going. It appeared it would go into extra innings as it remained tied in the last five minutes, however with three seconds left a powerplay chance was given and the Riot ended up scoring a buzzer beater to win it from Jed Lloren (Colt). The Riot, despite being outshot, were able to go home with a 3-2 win in regulation!

This game was big for a couple reasons. McFadden and his 9.46 save percentage was awesome, the Riot and Jets had some big flashes of entertainment, and the buzzer beater goal at the end was the icing on top of a great game.

<div align="center"> Win 3-2</div>


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#3 Edmonton Blizzard (30-19-1) VS. #5 Texas Renegades (28-19-3)</div>

Edmonton and Texas. Two teams with bad blood, and two teams pretty damn close to each other in the standings. At the time this was a major game for the two teams battling into the post-season, and it started early.

In the first period Evgeni Karpotsov (Windsor, Scholz) scored his 11th of the year at the 1:35 mark. The Blizzard dominated the play, but with three minutes left the Renegades would tie things up from Evandrus Jesster (Lidstrom, Vader). Edmonton would not accept a tie, however, and Chico Salmon (Scholz, Muschenkersons) would score his 8th 20 seconds later to put the Blizzard up 2-1 to end the first period.

The second was nothing but goals. Edmonton once again outshot the Renegades, and a minute in Ivan Koroviev (Kane, Szlerchek) scored his 14th to give the Blizzard a 3-1 lead. Texas needed something to get back into it, so Rick James (Durden, Jesster) got his self in order and put the Blizzard on their heels. A goal from Vladimir Lidstrom (Kowalski, Vader) five minutes later would tie the game for the Renegades. Their jubilant demeanor would last only 14 seconds because Ivan Koroviev (Stinson, Szlerchek) would score his second of the period to retake the lead for the Blizzard. A minute after that Mark Longford (Karpotsov, Abodobe) twisted the knife further and the Blizzard ended the second period with a 5-3 lead going into the third period.

For the Renegades, this was do or die time, and immediately they fought back. At the 1:27 mark Jack Dudren (Black, Allen) scored a powerplay goal to put the Renegades down by one. Then 30 seconds later Alexander Charlyb'y (Owen) scored his third of the year to tie the game up. THEN 30 seconds after THAT Yuri Boyka (Allen, Vader) scored his 11th and gave the Renegades their first lead of the hockey game! Three goals within a minute of each other, and the Blizzard saw their easy win suddenly falling apart. The Blizzard were able to come back, though, when Chico Salmon (Thorvaldsen, Karpotsov) scored his second of the game at the 13 minute mark, and with time running down it looked like both teams would come away with a point. NOPE! Texas stormed back again when Yuri Boyka (Lidstrom, Allen) scored his second with one second to go and stole the game away for the Renegades by a score of 7-6.

What a game this was! Game of the year I say! Scoring, chances, plays! Heartbreak then hope then heartbreak again! It doesn't get any better!

<div align="center"> Win 7-6</div>


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#1 Los Angeles Panthers (38-10-2) VS. #1 New England Wolfpack (30-16-4)</div>

This game comes between conferences, and it is another one with high octane action between the Panthers and the Wolfpack.

The game starts slow, but New England gets a powerplay chance at the 7 minute mark and Nathan Russell (Silverwing, Bure) gets his 8th of the year to put New England up by a goal. Los Angeles responds only three minutes later when Sebastian Strange (Malkin, Ruutu) scores his 21st and ties it up 1-1. However, the Wolfpack had 20 shots and wanted to make more than one of them count, and at the 17 minute mark Nathan Russell (Silverwing Reid) scored again to put the Wolfpack up 2-1 leading into the second period!

The second period was all Wolfpack on the scoreboard. Raven Silverwing (Landvik, Russell) scored around the 8 minute mark, and then six minutes later Nathan Russell (Clayton, Buckner) scored his third of the game and 10th of the year to put New England up 4-1! Bennett Jones (Morenov, Dominique) would score late to make the deficit even further.

The third period was more of the same, with Mattias Holmberg (Makinen, Lundberg) and Bennett Jones (Holmberg) scoring two goals on the powerplay early and late in the periods. Los Angeles had a couple goals from Anton Fedorov (Reflieux) and Reynolds (Ruutu, King) midway in the period, but it simply wasn't enough to stop the Wolfpack in their major upset win against the powerhouse Panthers!

This game seems like it was lame, but remember the Panthers were the team to beat, had barely any losses, and seemed like they were unbeatable. Add that with Nathan Russell's hat trick and you got an insane hockey game that is worth the price of admission!

<div align="center"> Win 7-3</div>


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#7 Toronto North Stars (18-24-8) VS. #5 Buffalo Stampede (21-22-7)</div>

Here is a game that maybe nobody saw because the two teams are kinda bad. But it was something you will regret you missed between Toronto and Buffalo!

The third period didn't pop off until the middle of the frame, where Toronto's Niklas Wikstrom (Linkos, King) scored his 7th of the year to give the North Stars the 1-0 lead. Buffalo responded a minute and a half later when Eduard Selich (Muller, Stamkos) scored his 16th to tie it up. Toronto a few minutes later would then retake the lead with Steve Linkos (Wikstrom, Johnson) and the first period would end with the score 2-1.

The second period was a snoozefest. There were some shots, but nobody scored! That isn't fun!

The third period finally picked up, and Toronto extended their lead to 3-1 with a goal from Kristian Eriksson (Johnson, Karlsson). At the 18 minute mark, however, Buffalo showed signs of life with a goal from Friedrich Muler (Winter, Wind), his 18th of the year. The Stampede would then tie it up 20 seconds later from Dickie Pecker (Modano, Daugavins) and forced the game to overtime at 3-3.

Overtime was uneventful, which led to the shootout commencing. This was a pretty intense looking shootout, and the North Stars stood tall while Damien Wert would score the only goal among the initial shooters, giving the North Stars the shootout victory after giving away the lead!

<div align="center"> Win 4-3 (SO)</div>


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#4 Calgary Dragons (27-18-5) VS. #5 Texas Renegades (28-19-3)</div>

With only two sims left, this was a major game to determine which team may make it to the postseason. Calgary and Texas. Lots on the line in this one.

The first period was all Calgary, as Pierre-Luc Laflamme (Creller, Mack) scored his 15th on the year at the 7 minute mark. Texas, however, would respond thirty seconds later with Jack Durden (Kinsler) scoring his 9th. Calgary then took control as Randy Randleman (Johnson, Mack, Creller) scored twice in 4 minutes to give the Dragons a 3-1 lead after the first period!

The second period again tilted in Calgary's favor. Schnitinfritz Jagr (Pergher) scored his 9th of the year at the 4 minute mark, and Chris Johnson (Creller, Randelman) scored his 4th at the 5 minute mark, giving the Dragons a killer 5-1 lead. But Texas was not giving up just yet. Vladimir Lidstrom (Owen, Charlyb'y) scored 4 minutes later, giving the Renegades some life. Then 5 minutes after that Evandrus Jesster (Durden, Black) scored his 19th, putting the Renegades back to within two goals going into the third period.

But oh well, the Renegades mustered 5 shots on goal in the third period and pissed the game away. You blew it!

This game was pretty entertaining for the first two periods, but was lame in the last one. It made the cut because of who was involved. Too bad for Texas! This could have been the difference!

<div align="center"> Win 5-3</div>



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#4 Minnesota Chiefs (23-24-3) VS. #2 Manhattan Rage (28-15-7)</div>

This game was put on here just to recognize the run that Vlad McZehrl had to end the year, as the game was a bloodbath and wasn't even competitive for the Chiefs. McZehrl scored three goals, four points, and led the Rage to a 6-2 victory over Minnesota, despite the fact the Chiefs had some competitive games against them in the past. It was just Vlad's time to shine, I suppose.

<div align="center"> Win 6-2</div>