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+---- Thread: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE (/showthread.php?tid=134597)
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - yosh - 01-21-2024
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2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?
c. Which of the finalists had the more impressive conference finals victory, and why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?a. What impresses me the most about the Winnipeg Aurora is just how consistent they have been. They have seen the rise and fall of other contenders and yet still remain very much a team in contention. Their core players that I recall should be hitting regression at this point, but even then they are still built like such a strong and reliable team.
B. I would make the case that New England did, simply because of them having Buffalo and Philadelphia in their road to the cup finals. Buffalo was a very strong team this season with a lot of their players putting out incredible offensive seasons, and the Forge have been a consistent force in the playoffs too if I’m not mistaken. All in all, that seems to combine for a recipe of challenge and disaster, but the Wolfpack have done well to stay in it.
C. Again, I would say the Wolfpack. Winnipeg took down the Pride in 5, and really did not seem to be in any real danger, even though the Pride were a team that had taken out a real powerhouse in the Edmonton Blizzard. It’s clear the Wolfpack had a tough battle, especially with the Forge taking them to six games. They handled it quite well, though.
D. Honestly, my money going into the finals would have been Winnipeg still, but at the same time, I totally understand why most would have gone with the Wolfpack. In the end, of course, we do know how the series ended, but it would not have been irrational at all to bet it on the western team just given how consistent they have been.
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5. Written, 3 TPE, Upset City (150 words min)
An impressive string of upsets took place this season, especially in the West with San Francisco’s Cinderella run. Which upset series impressed you most, why, and what in that series sticks out most in your memory? For the purposes of this task, any series won by the lower seed is an upsetI’m just going to stick with what works and talk about San Francisco’s upset of Edmonton. Everyone knew just how dominant Edmonton was heading into the playoffs. Top team in the entirety of the league, putting up an impressive 52 win season in 66 games. That is just a campaign to remember for sure. The Pride, as you may all know, was 14th out of 20th in the entire league, and by points percentage, was just a bit over .500. On paper, the Blizzard were supposed to take the Pride out in quick succession in what was likely going to be a short series. Instead, the Pride won the series in six games. They faced resistance from the Blizzard for sure, but it was a really gutsy and impressive showing from San Francisco to pull off the upset, even if it meant them having to take on Winnipeg in the end.
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Citizen of Adraa - 01-21-2024
GM pass
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - golden_apricot - 01-21-2024
Trivia: hi
2a. EDMs ability to move from being utter garbage to a competitive roster is very interesting. They build a good roster and made moves where needed, some questionable, but they did work out for them in the end. This is more impressive than luke lucking his way to another final at the expense of many better teams.
2b. the east was and will be more difficult of a total path to the title than the west. There are not many good teams out there so it really is just surviving until you face EDM or WPG. In the east there are several good teams all of who could challenge for a title making the whole road much harder over there with two difficult matchups almost guaranteed.
3. The reason these teams are continuously in the finals of the league is they do not ride the highs and lows of trying to load up around a single draft class, rather they do whatever they can to spread out the roster to make cap management easier and to help facilitate the team to be continuously competitive in terms of total TPE. With the leage the weay it is now, teams do not have to be top two in total tpe to win a title like was the case in previous eras of the SHL, rather there are 5-8 teams in a season who you can realistically say have a shot at the title. The west is a bit less of this since it has been EDM and WPG for the last forever since there are many disfunctional teams over there, but in the east, continuously competitive but not spiking in TPE has proven to be best.
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - DELIRIVM - 01-21-2024
1. CW Trivia Verification Word: Hambone
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Whikadoodle - 01-21-2024
1. Trivia
Verification word: Woo
3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)
Despite being the 8th and 10th ranked regular season teams in the league, our finalists from Winnipeg and New England represent two of the most dominant teams over the past several seasons. What do you think is the secret to their success? What can other teams learn from them? Which one is more likely to be back again next year?
There is a clear reason why these two teams have been successful, and that is because I have had a player there. My players don't play for teams who are not championship contenders. Why would I do that? Johnny FourStar is a big winner and that is why Winnipeg is in the cup final. There may be other secrets to the teams success. Maybe there is something a little extra in the water here in Winnipeg. Maybe we just have some stellar management. It could be just luck! But I think that the single most important reason why the Winnipeg aurora are in the Sim hockey league challenge cup finals is because they took a chance on the best young forward in the league, the one the only Johnny FourStar. If the Winnipeg bears keep doing this one super easy super simple trick (keep Johnny FourStar on their roster and gainfully employed) I think I know who I'm going to bet on being here next season, and that's in the cup finals.
(172)
4. Written, 3 TPE, The Char B1 bis In The Room (150 words min.)
This league was until quite recently dominated by a cabal of four teams. Two of them, Winnipeg and New England, are our finalists. A third, Philadelphia, was a finalist last year. The fourth... was Montreal. Does the success of Winnipeg and New England prove that Montreal pulled the plug too soon and should’ve kept the gang around? Or did at least one of the others just get lucky and Montreal made the better decision, without hindsight? What team-building lessons can we learn from this?
Obviously Winnipeg and New England made the right call by keeping the band together this long. Everyone else are a bunch of big dum dums and gave away perfectly good hockey players at the exact wrong time! How could they! What were they thinking! Retirement is for bozos! Keep players until they turn to dust. On this point, why do people retire their players? What else could they be doing if they aren't playing simulated hockey? Are they into hobbies. Opening up new papa john's pizza franchises in West Virginia? Are they just tired of staying in shape? I am going to play hockey until the day I virtually die. You can't get me out of this league. And as long as I'm in this league I'm going to keep the gang together. I will tell my gm to never trade or drop anyone. Or else I am going to leave too! Just you watch, I will do it!
(159)
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - gurbs - 01-21-2024
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE
Verification word: word
2. Written +2 TPE
c. Winnipeg's conference finals victory was more impressive, displaying dominance in both ends of the ice. Their skilled offense and disciplined defense were on full display, highlighting a well-rounded team. The ability to control the pace and outclass the opponent sets the stage for a formidable presence in the Challenge Cup finals. [51 WORDS]
d. If it ain't broke, don't fix it—Winnipeg should emerge victorious. Their proven track record, consistent performance, and strategic team-building make them the team to beat. With a winning culture, talented roster, and effective coaching, Winnipeg's formula for success remains intact, positioning them as the favorites to lift the Challenge Cup once again. [53 WORDS]
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4. Written, 3 TPE, The Char B1 bis In The Room (151 WORDS)
The recent dominance of Winnipeg and New England in the league, alongside Philadelphia's finals appearance last year, highlights the shifting dynamics among the best of the best in our league. Montreal's absence raises questions about their decision to disband the gang. While Winnipeg and New England's success suggests sustained excellence, it doesn't necessarily mean Montreal erred in pulling the plug.
Success in this league involves a mix of skill, strategy, and sometimes luck. Montreal might have made a strategic decision, considering factors beyond immediate outcomes. The success of Winnipeg and New England doesn't automatically imply luck; it is a result of effective team-building, coaching, and management. Team-building lessons include recognizing the nature of success in sports. Montreal's decision may have been based on a long-term vision, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, strategic planning, and a commitment to sustained success rather than short-term gains. Ultimately, the landscape of success in sports is complex, and each team's journey is unique.
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Bongo - 01-21-2024
1. TRIVIA (3TPE) - verification word: Tissue
3. (3TPE) I am really not surprised that the two finalists for the challenge cup were the New England Wolfpack, and the Winnipeg Aurora. Despite finishing in a lower seed relatively in the standings, everybody continues to view each team as a threat, and this would prove to be a reasonable interpretation. First of all, for the New England Wolfpack, their secret weapon and claim to fame and the reason that they have been so successful is their all star calibre forward Ivan lacksimus. Lacksimus has been at the forefront of every SHL award for the past 5-6 seasons. He's always like top 5 in points and has proven to be a playoff performer. After the past 3 seasons of pure disappointment, it was good to see Lacksmaus get his well deeerved championship. Winnipeg has longevity as well and to be honest, have an underrated D core lead by Jay O'Neil. There are questions to be asked with montagne in net aging - the question begs, is Winnipegs window over?
4. Of course the league until recently have been dominated by the big four: those being Montreal Patriotes, Winnipeg aurora, Philadelphia forge and New England Wolfpack. Some people may critique Montreal's decision to reel it back in early as they have been in rebuild or retool mode for quite some time. But I would like to pose a question: how is this any different than Philadelphia? Year after year Philadelphia gets deep into the playoffs and then gets stomped at some point. This is now the fifth consecutive season where Philadelphia has gotten past round 2 only to pack their bags without a challenge cup. However Philly did win quite considerably in s69. I guess that's what separated Philly from Montreal. Montreal would have these juggernaut teams in the regular season only to come up short each time in the playoffs. It comes to a point as a general manager where you need to ask yourself; can we really compete with this new young crop of talent in other teams? Or has our window passed and must we rebuild? I cannot say cor certain whether or not Montreal tore it down too early. But I can say that if they had not torn it down, I do not think they could've kept up the pace with Winnipeg and New England, or even Edmonton and Philadelphia. Talk to me in season 80 and maybe we can have a Conversation, because if their rebuild doesn't work, I will have the answers then.
5. (3TPE) I believe that I may sound like a broken record when I declare my pick for most impressive upset. I can assure you that 99% of the simulation hockey league players and staff would not have predicted the San Francisco pride to best the 51 win, recently former champions of the SHL, the Edmonton blizzard. San Francisco having barely squeaked in to the SHL playoffs, many may have predicted that they wouldn't even make it past the first round. They truly went on their "hamburglar" run, and the entire simulation hockey league finally got to see some new blood get some deep playoff success with an exciting young core. I believe that in a few seasons, we will see the young core develop into true contenders. It was nice to get a taste of the future of the league. Oskar Schulz, Victor Hargreaves and Kyle Murray had a coming out party. With little experience under their belt, they proved that they are going to be a force to be reckoned with.
10. (3TPE) One upset that foresee upcoming in the 4-6-1-1 United States of America team beating team Ireland in the group stage. Users who select Ireland do not have that dog in them. They choose Ireland due to their romanticization of a European country with an absurdly high amount of cultural and artistic export. I guarantee the mystique of Ireland would disappear one hour and 45 minutes into a trip to dublin, as you realize that Ireland like the rest of the global west is now a sterilized cesspit of consumer brained cultureless dweebs who value funko pop tech gaming and efficiency and such words. the fellows who pick USA are very true to who they are, and they choose America because it is the best country in the world. This alone allows me to believe that all American simulation hockey league all stars do in facts have that dog in them. I think especially if team Ireland had to fight team United States in real life, team United States would wipe the floor with them and leave them begging for mercy. Ireland overall is cringe and I want to see them lose.
+15TPE OVERALL!!
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - MCP_ - 01-21-2024
Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.Layer
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2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?
c. Which of the finalists had the more impressive conference finals victory, and why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?b. It's a bit difficult to determine which road is tougher, since the level of competition was about similar for both. If I were to choose, I would say New England had the harder road. Not only did they have to face the conference leader, but their conference finals was much tougher compared to Winnipeg facing a cindarella team (58 words)
c. New England had the more impressive conference finals victory, since they faced a higher quality opponent in the Philadelphia Forge, who is still part of the cream of the crop in the eastern conference. While it's amazing that San Francisco made it to the conference finals, they still were heavily outmatched in their series against the Aurora. (57 words)
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5. Written, 3 TPE, Upset City (150 words min)
An impressive string of upsets took place this season, especially in the West with San Francisco’s Cinderella run. Which upset series impressed you most, why, and what in that series sticks out most in your memory? For the purposes of this task, any series won by the lower seed is an upset.As mentioned, San Francisco had an amazing season, with the bow on top of it all being the 6 game series versus the Edmonton Blizzard. It's amazing for a multitude of reasons. For one, Edmonton were title defenders, and not one that was still drunk off of last season; they were still by far the best team in the west, and of course had the best record in the league with many wins in hand over Buffalo at 2nd. The fact that they were able to beat them as-is is impressive. The other impressive thing is the resilience of the Pride to take the series. If you've been around the SHL for a while, you would know that they've basically only had one cup final appearance since their rebrand to San Francisco, which was in a weird season right before the transition to FHM. The fact is, it seems like they've reached the light at the end of the tunnel, and we can expect them to do more in the near future. (172 words)
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Scrufdaddy - 01-21-2024
Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.scruf
Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?b.
New England had the more difficult road to the finals. Winnipeg had to fight their way out of a tight division with a 7 point spread between Texas, Chicago, and Winnipeg. Then, they easily dispatched the San Francisco upset run in 5 games. There may be some nerves when you are the much better team coming against an underdog on a heater, but they built an early 2 game lead and cruised from there.
New England on the other side was handed back to back division leaders with a 12 and 9 point gap between Buffalo and Philadelphia. Buffalo also just came off a 4 game trouncing of Toronto while New England went to 7 with Hamilton.
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4. Written, 3 TPE, The Char B1 bis In The Room (150 words min.)
This league was until quite recently dominated by a cabal of four teams. Two of them, Winnipeg and New England, are our finalists. A third, Philadelphia, was a finalist last year. The fourth... was Montreal. Does the success of Winnipeg and New England prove that Montreal pulled the plug too soon and should’ve kept the gang around? Or did at least one of the others just get lucky and Montreal made the better decision, without hindsight? What team-building lessons can we learn from this?I think Montreal made the right move, which isn't to say that the others made a wrong move. New England and Winnipeg didn't have great regular season results when you look at the whole league, but they were firmly in playoff position for their divisions. Buffalo ran away with the North East, but New England cleared the 4th place by 21 points. Texas barely won the Central with Chicago and Winnipeg right in the mix.
Montreal gets a full reset and a chance to build a fresh core together. They also get to ice a bunch of veterans at league minimum for the locker room of rookies. If they tried to stay in the mix, they would be pushing against New England and Buffalo to break into the playoff picture.
Winnipeg might need to make a similar decision soon as Minnesota comes up to speed. They will walk away without a championship, with a low draft position, and an older roster. New England walks away with a championship, so the gamble clearly pays off.
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5. Written, 3 TPE, Upset City (150 words min)
An impressive string of upsets took place this season, especially in the West with San Francisco’s Cinderella run. Which upset series impressed you most, why, and what in that series sticks out most in your memory? For the purposes of this task, any series won by the lower seed is an upset.I think it's hard to beat the San Francisco upsets in both scale of the point gaps and heartfarming factor being the second to last team in for the West. They bridged a 17 point gap to beat Los Angeles in 6 and then a 38 point gap against Edmonton also in 6. It's karma that their smallest gap of 13 against Winnipeg crushed them back in 5.
It's weird to think New England came through with a series of upsets because they such a juggernaut in general, but they bridged a 12 point gap against Buffalo to win in 5 and a 9 point gap against Philadelphia to win in 6. They cleaned up the best teams in their conference on the way to win the championship.
There weren't many other upsets to even consider. Winnipeg technically upset both Chicago and Texas, but that was a tight division where Chicago had a 4 point gap and Texas had 7. Lastly, Baltimore technically upset Atlanta, but they were dead even in the regular season so it was the most level matchup.
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - RaidTheArcade - 01-21-2024
1. CW Trivia - 3 TPE : Verification word = Snake
2. - 2 TPE
Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?
c. Which of the finalists had the more impressive conference finals victory, and why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?a. It's New England and Winnipeg in the final, and the one that I am most impressed with has to be Winnipeg. After finishing 10th in the regular season standings, they were able to pull off some upsets and make it to the final when I feel most people probably wouldn't have expected them to. They also seemed to have a knack to dispose of teams without too much resistance.
b. Both teams seem to have made it to the finals as an upset, given they were both ranked fairly similarly in the regular season table as solidly midtable, but New England seemed to me to have a tougher road to the final because of the overall more playoff games it took for them to make it all the way over there, whereas Winnipeg didn't have as much trouble.
c. Looking at both of the conference finals, it's got to be said that Winnipeg had the more impressive victory. Not only did they win their series in less games, wrapping it up in 5 games, but they also demonstrated a great ability to score a lot of goals, and also to be clutch when it matters, as evidenced by their OT win in game 2.
12. - 2 TPE
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12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
Looks like [TEAM] won Season 74! Who won and why? What could the other team have done differently to change the result? What was your favorite part of the series?The New England Wolfpack are the winners for S74, and it's fair to say that most people would not have expected this, given how they were performing in the regular season. Not that they were terrible or anything, but they did finish 9th and were doing just okay. However, once the playoffs started, they proved to have a knack for major upsets, as they took down Buffalo and Philadelphia on their way to the final, who had finished the regular season in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Once there, they proved too much for their fellow upset team Winnipeg and managed to beat them in 6 games. I don't feel there was much Winnipeg could have done differently, as the teams were fairly evenly matched, but it just seemed likt New England had a better handle of the pressure that comes along with a final, as they were able to dominate the series fairly early on and never let Winnipeg get close to tying it.
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Jumbobone19 - 01-21-2024
1. CW Trivia
Jumbo
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - TannerPitts - 01-21-2024
Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.
Winston
11. Written, 3 TPE, Juniors’ Juniors (150 words min.)
Are there any new promotions to your org that you’re excited to see make your IIHF squad? Who’s a good rookie on your squad this offseason? Alternatively, who’s a current World Juniors star you’re excited to see in the IIHF soon?
As a goalie from Finland, I take great interest in all players that Hail from Finland. I am most excited to watch my fellow goaltenders lead the charge in a hard fought IIHF tournament. Mat Smith and Rhett Carpet are two of my IIHF stars. However while closely monitoring your rivals and heros is important, it is vital to check in on the new call ups for the IIHF. Cheeks Klapanen is an exciting player to watch out for. The right defensemen playing for Calgary Dragons has a lot to prove this year. He posted an impressive 42 points and came up with just 84 blocks. Cheeks' -61 plus minus rating has fans slight worried but he remains a workhorse on the ice. Klapanen averaged 20:37 minutes in ice time each night for his team and can log minutes for Finland this upcoming IIHF tournament. Keeps your eyes on this talent as he continues to grow. The hockey world will surely be put on notice in the future.
(169 Words)
12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
Looks like [TEAM] won Season 74! Who won and why? What could the other team have done differently to change the result? What was your favorite part of the series?
With the 74th season coming to an end, we look back at the thrilling Game 7 win by the Detroit Falcons over the Colorado Raptors. The SMJHL had a thrilling end to their season as the Detroit Lions completed a reverse sweep of the Colorado Raptors to win the season. Colorado was devastated by the loss and had hoped to bring home the win for their fans. "We took a lead and then let off the gas" said Colorado starting goaltender Tanner Pitts. "We allowed them to gain the momentum they needed to pull it out in the end." Without a doubt the thrilling start by Pitts had the league on notice as he posted back to back shutouts. Sadly it did not prove to be enough. When asked what he could do differently, Pitts said "I would've saved more pucks".
(141 Words)
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - dogwoodmaple - 01-22-2024
3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before? (150 words min.)
To me, it's all about how well each of these teams play together. Yes, you need talent. Yes, you need skill. But more than that, you have to have a cohesive plan that you can execute in practice, in the locker room, and on the ice day in and day out. And I also think there's a bit of "chip on the shoulder" mentality when you're dealing with teams who didn't exactly blow through the regular season. They know that they have to step their game up in a major way in the postseason and that they can't just skate through their competition, pardon the pun. Both of these squads have great veteran leadership and stable coaching staffs who know how to bring out the best each game and know how to push the right buttons come playoff time. Because as we all know, postseason hockey is an entirely different animal than the regular season and both of these teams' play a style of hockey that is advantageous come trophy time.
10. Written, 3 TPE, IIHF Underdogs (150 words min.)
Call me crazy, but I think this tournament sets up really well for the German team. They have some of the best lines in the entire IIHF and have veterans around the help steer the younger players through the tournament. When it comes to winning the gold, you have to have elite offense, sturdy defense, a rock solid goalie, but more than that you have to have connection and camaraderie both on the ice and in the locker room. That's what has allowed us to win a pair of golds for Sweden and those same attributes are what separates Germany and makes them one of the dark horses to win the title. When you have players like Red Kirkby and Konstantin Selich leading the way, you will be a threat no matter who you face off with. I especially love their matchups with Canada and France and think their style of play will give those teams all sorts of fits both schematically and stylistically. Keep an eye out for those tough Germans!
12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
The New England Wolfpack took home the title this season in a thrilling six game series win over Winnipeg. For the champion Wolfpack, it was all about offense, offense, and more offense. They had a staggering five separate players with 30+ points, providing not just an elite level of firepower but also some notable depth along the line. Winnipeg did their best to slowdown this offensive juggernaut, but in the end they just couldn't bottle them up enough to win the series. Overall, I think the team playing the better brand of hockey won, which is a testament to the coaching and strategy shown by New England throughout the playoffs. Just have to tip your cap to the new champs for how well they took to the ice this season.
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - zeagle1 - 01-22-2024
1. Trivia
Confirmation word: ATL
3. Written, 3 TPE, Haven’t I Seen This Before?
Form is temporary, class is permanent. A saying that is occasionally used in the world of soccer, but clearly applies here to both the Winnipeg and New England hockey teams. They had quiet regular seasons but showed their championship DNA during their playoff runs, with New England taking the cup in a comfortable 4-2 finals. That championship experience is both team's secret weapon, their players show out the most when the lights are the brightest. I think overall, the New England Wolfpack are the most likely of the two teams to make the long journey back to the finals next season, as they have just won the championship and their entire team seems primed to run it back. Winning heals all wounds and brings teams together, and I anticipate the New England management being able to continue to harness this energy to bring the Wolfpack back to the championship series again. Not to say that Winnipeg couldn't be back, just that New England is that good. (166 words)
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Two old faces are back in the ring, proving reports of the dynasty’s demise were greatly exaggerated! Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
I am the most impressed by the Winnipeg Aurora making the finals despite being a very mediocre regular season hockey team, totaling only 38 wins in the regular season. I believe this is one of the lowest totals to make it to the finals in recent history, making it quite the detriment to overcome. (54 words)
b. Upsets were a theme this year - which of our finalists had the more difficult road to the promised land and why?
The New England had one of the most difficult paths to the finals in recent memory, defeating the #1 and #2 teams in their conference, the Philadelphia Forge and the Buffalo Stampede. They did this in 6 and 5 games respectively, and were always in control of the series. They also defeated Hamilton in the first round, who are always a tough opponent to face. (65 words)
RE: S74 Championship Week! 1/21 DEADLINE - Nhamlet - 01-22-2024
1. Trivia 3TPE
tea
2b. 1 TPE
Looks like New England was by far the given in terms of having the more difficult road having to beat Hamilton, Buffalo, and Philly to get to this point. Philly and Buffalo alone were considered two of the three best teams this season and had every reason to believe that they were going to be in the finals, so to make it over those opponents is about as impressive as it gets.
4. Written, 3 TPE, The Char B1 bis In The Room (150 words min.)
Generally speaking, if there's a reasonable belief that your team is in the echelon where you're contending for the cup, there should be no reason not to simply give a swing into the matter and try to see where the chips would land. Of course that line can be somewhat blurred sometimes when considering there are teams like Edmonton, Philly, Winnipeg and New England who themselves appear to have the final 4 spots locked. In some ways some of those teams do with Winnipeg and New England trading off and appearing at each once in the finals every couple of seasons. However, for those other seasons, there are other teams that seem to make it out of there. In that sense if you feel yourself being capable of a final 4 finish then why not give it a shot and see if this is the season that you might get to go to the finals. At that point it should be at least a worthwhile shot. On the other hand if you don't feel as though you can confidently reach there, blowing it all up in the hopes of getting that necessary potential is such an investment that in the immediate moment does not feel that difficult to do relatively speaking.