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*CptSquall* · 08-23-2020, 08:09 PM

SO! when we last left off we had finished the SHL Semi Finals and were ready to charge into the Conference Finals when the MAXIMUM CHARACTER LIMIT so rudely cut us off. I have some down time so @39alaska39 and the rest of Rage

this ones for you boys.

Que Theme Music

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS!
pride

VS

3rd 3.54 GF 3.10 8th
2nd 2.76 GA 3.04 5th
2nd 26.19 PP% 24.20 4th
1st 84.68 PK% 78.43 8th
5th 52.95 FO% 51.23 9th

Outlook:
The Battle of the Purple teams has indeed come together here in the Western Conference Finals of Season 52! The Pride have been roaring out of San Francisco ALL season as a top tier team. The New Orleans Specters have been freaking the league out since Season 46 and this battle has been a long time coming. The breakdown doesn't shake out well for the Spooky boys. Out Gunned, the battle in net is a slight loss, the powerplay isn't the hotter of the two, AND the Pride are a well disciplined team to boot. The Pride also tend to win the lion's share of the draws allowing them to put that offensive machine to good use early and often. You cannot count the Specters out though and to get this far takes a lot Cain in net can really keep them in this, and they are a deep team who loves being the underdog. Prediction? pride

in 6

Game 1:

@

4-2W for

Remember how I said don't count out New Orleans? Well the big boys stepped up for them in this one. DeMaricus Smyth has been a legend for the Specters for the entire team's history and he made his presence felt early with a goal at 3:02 of the first, giving NOLA that 1-0 lead with his 4th of the playoffs. As expected the Specters got into a LITTLE penalty trouble just under a minute later thanks to Lil Manius, but they'd kill that one off. Jack Tanner would get his first of this post season campaign just before the 8 minute mark to knot things up at 1. Lil Manius though, would redeem himself of the interference minor by restoring the one goal lead with HIS 4th at 11:23. At 17:04, Vince Reaper would keep San Fran in range with his own 1st campaign marker before Richard Metcalf Jr. took their momentum away with a vengeful roughing minor near the end of the frame that was killed off. Shots were 19-14 for pride

The second was all NOLA as two penalties for the Pride bookended another go ahead goal for the Specs, this time from Mika Mayfield, her 3rd of the playoffs. Shots were 17-5 for Specters

The third saw Lil Manius get his second of the night 5 minutes in and San Fran spent the rest of the period trying to come back but ran into the wall that was all American Aleister Cain. Shots were 16-13 for Specters

and 47-37 for Specters

by the end.

Game 2: Specters

@

4-3W for

You know what they say, your never in trouble until you lose at home. Well the other half is if you DO lose at home, make damn sure you beat them next time. Well San Francisco sure took care of that. Things started solid with a nice back and forth, neither team wanting to make a mistake. Former New Orleans Specter Piotr Czerkawski took a Hooking call but the Pride killed it off. Finally 12 minutes into the first, Steven Moyer gets his 4th of the post season from noted dish master Richard Metcalf Jr. and Leopold Lockhart to put the Pride on top. Things would stay 1-0 until the last 30 seconds of the period, where Michael Fox would pocket a ball buster of a goal to tie it going into the intermission. Shots 11-11

Now I don't know what the esteemed Head Coach of the San Francisco Pride said to his team before the start of the second, but he may want to save that one for the future. Vince Reaper puts one past Cain to restore the lead for the Pride 24 seconds in, THEN Jeff Brogen snaps a quick one past Cain 6. Seconds. Later. In 30 seconds it is now 3-1 San Fran. New Orleans kept rather disciplined, Kaspars Claude hooking minor aside. Nathan Explosion felt the need to trip the specters up and had to sit, but nothing came of it. With this frame winding down, Jonas Larsen got his first of the playoffs to put this one almost out of reach. That period was all Pride as shots were 17-5.

Knowing that they need to come back, the New Orleans Specters came flying out of the gate for the third. Bobby Watson started chipping away at that lead 6 minutes in, 2 minutes later "Old Bones" Joe Kurczewski made it a 1 goal game. But Partridge was holding strong and the frustration got to Bob Bergen who took a High Sticking call late in the frame and killed all of NOLA's momentum. Game ended 4-3 with shots in the frame being 15-13 for New Orleans, but 41-31 SFP overall.

Game 3: pride

@

3-2 OTW for pride

With the series tied we head over to Louisiana for game three. This one is sure to be a stiff contest as both teams have had time to get a solid feel of each other and will now set to work on adapting and overcoming each other. With that weighing on each team, the puck drops. To say the game starts off slow would be unkind to the Pride, who controlled the play most of the first period. In spite of Dominic Montgomery picking up a minor penalty for hooking, San Fran dominated the play. Jimmy Slothface though, would open the scoring with his 4th of the playoffs at 8 minutes in. Late in the frame, hemmed into their own zone, Lil Manius would get his stick between a lad's skates and you cant do that. 2 minutes. Charlie Schieck grabs the power play marker to keep the pride in this and end the first tied at 1. Shots are 15-4 pride

The second didn't give much more in the way of goals, but NOLA was obviously still gassed with Lyle Odelein III taking a hooking minor 7 seconds in. Luckily they killed that one off. The Pride were in total control and the frustration boiled over, punctuated by Lil Manius cracking someone over the nose with his stick. His loyal comrades killed it off and the frame ended still 1-1. Shots 13-7 pride

The final frame. Tie game going into the third talk about exciting. Charlie Serpe took another hooking penalty for the Specters 30 seconds in and, as much of a wall as Cain has been in this one, he couldn't stop Ray Bork from restoring the lead for San Francisco in the first minute. Lil Manius would come up big for earlier by knotting things up only 4 minutes later. things started to eb as both teams settled in to not make the first mistake, knowing it would be the last. Shots were 9-8 Specters

BONUS ROUND!
The Pride came out with more pep in their step and had the lion's share of chances here in overtime and sure enough, the inevitable happened. Jeff Brogen put her past Cain to give San Fran the HUGE 3-2 win. Shots were 4-1 pride

and 40-21

overall.

Game 4: pride

@

5-3 W for

Game four got hot early. Piotr Czerkawski put the Pride up 1-0 3 minutes in. Bob Bergen would retort for New Orleans at the half way mark of the first, Mika Mayfield would then notch one on the powerplay after a Bo Kane Cross Check. With the frame slowly winding down, Jeff Brogen would knot things up at 2 apiece. However with just over a minute left, Bobby Watson would restore the lead for the Specters from Raquel and Serpe. 3-2 after 1, with shots 23-8 for

The second stanza was nowhere more exciting then in the penalty box as Charlie Schieck would kick things off with an Obstruction Holding minor that San Francisco would kill off. Bergen would not be so lucky aside from his high sticking infraction not cutting anyone. Richard Metcalf Jr. would score on it though, making it 3-3 as the Pride slowly started coming back into this game. Bobby B wouldn't learn his lesson as within two minutes he was back in the sin bin, this time for tripping. Thankfully New Orleans would kill it off and the second would end 3-3. Shots 13-11 for

The final frame, obviously the Specters need a win here to tie the series up at two before they head out on the road. The Pride have been pushing hard since the start of the second and, if momentum helps, could carry through to being on the brink of a Challenge Cup finals berth. Unfortunately an early penalty killed that momentum and Jimmy Slothface would restore the Specters lead Bergen on the right side of the stat sheet this time. Leopold Lockhart would pick up another penalty in the mid of the frame, allowing DeMaricus Smyth to seal the deal and make it 5-3. Bergen had 3 points and 6 mins in penalties...I think Physt rubbed off on him after all these years. Shots were 13-12 Specters

and 49-31

overall.

Game 5: Specters

@

6-1 Win for Specters

Game five here with the series tied 2-2. That means it is the pivotal game, the one that will dictate the swing of the proverbial pendulum. The winner here has a strangle hold on this series, the other, has nowhere to turn to but to face their opponent. But that is for game 6, this is game five. Both teams look to battle it out early as each one has their chances. Darnell Johnson takes a hooking minor that Leopold Lockhart takes advantage of to put San Fran up by one on the man advantage. Just after the ensuing faceoff, Nathan Explosion, who must have been chirped mercilessly by DeMaricus Smyth, drops the gloves. Both of these titans held their own, however the sudden, confusing nature of it left the ref no choice but to send Nate to the showers early for his Krakatoa like blow up. Other than that, the first held some nice saves for each side, but the pride took their 1-0 lead to the intermission. Shots 14-13

The second was a totally different frame. Maybe even a different song, certainly a different tune. Five minutes in, Lyle Odelein III finally gets a goal here in the playoffs to tie things at 1. Just before the ten minute mark Jimmy Slothface gets his 6th to give the Specters their first lead of the game. Mika Mayfield nets her 5th with five minutes to go in the second, and DeMaricus Smyth gets one with a minute left, NOLA having chugged through the period to a 4-1 lead. Shots were 15-11

and nobody sat in the sin bin.

The final frame saw almost any early chance at a come back for the Pride hampered by penalty trouble. Whilst they killed it off, San Fran could have used this time better. 13:31 saw DeMaricus Smyth get his second of the night, just to rub it in the home town crowd's face that he was here and Explosion was not. Mika Mayfield went hard with a minute and a half left to have a nice two goal night as well and it was 6-1. Richard Metcalf Jr. and the Pride took exception to the score running and Sheriff Darnell Johnson stepped up for the tilt. Another spirited draw but it wasnt going to change anything. Shots were 13-9 for Specters

and 42-33 overall. Cain stood tall while Partridge struggled.

Game 6: pride

@

3-1 Win for pride

Game six started out with a crawl. The San Francisco Pride seemed almost scare to make a mistake, so much so that, aside from a Ray Bork roughing minor, which was killed off, not much more happend. hell shots were 8-1

and i am certain that at least half of those 8 were on said power play.

Things opened up in the second big time. I dont know who said what in San Fran's Locker room but they came out roaring. Darnell Johnson took a bad roughing double minor that left Pride fans roaring mad, calling for him to be tossed. Instead Richard Metcalf Jr. made him pay on the power play with the goal, 1-0 Pride, poetic. Ray Bork doubled up a minute later for the Pride, things were feeling good and the home town crowd was stunned. Jimmy Slothface would bite back for the Specters in the last five minutes, but Joe Kurczewski took a penalty and stemmed the momentum that New Orleans was trying to build. Shots were 15-6 pride

Third period, San Francisco fighting for its life in this one with a flimsy 2-1 lead, New Orleans fighting desperately to not let this one slip away. It only took six minutes to see which way the pendulum was bound to swing. Jeff Brogen put the insurance marker on the Pride's lead. A couple more penalties but nothing special as both were dutifully killed off. Shots were 10-8 pride

and 26-22 Overall for of course pride

Game 7:

@

6-4 Win for pride

This is it, for all the marbles. Both teams will likely be exhausted afterward and all this, just to represent the best of the West. This is the farthest that the San Francisco Pride have gone in franchise history as is. The New Orleans Specters, in their short history, have NEVER won a game seven. This one got started quick as Vince Reaper drew first blood a minute in, 1-0 Pride. Charlie Schieck took a hooking minor but San Fran killed it off and that seemed to give them new life with Piotr Czerkawski putting them up 2-0 in short order. Two minutes later, Leopold Lockhart would blow the doors off of this one to make it 3-0 before the 10 minute mark of the first. Bobby Watson gets New Orleans on the board just after the 12 minute mark and we settle in to some exciting hockey and great saves by both Partridge and Cain. Shots 18-10 pride

The second begins with a bang as Nicholas Williams and Nathan Explosion start chucking fists. Unfortunately for the Specters Nick Willy drew the instigator and got tossed out. The power play from that leads to a goal by Piotr Czerkawski again and its now 4-1 San Francisco. Steven Moyer starts to put this one out of reach with his marker making it 5-1. Lil Manius swings the momentum back the other way with his 7th of the playoffs. Then Bobby Watson goes on a run as the second stanza winds down, completing the hattrick with 15 seconds left in the period 5-4 Pride is the score. Shots are 14-8 Specters

in the second.

Third period, game seven, flimsy one goal lead again. In spite of the penalty trouble, New Orleans keeps the fight going and wont let San Fran score but cannot find one themselves. Late third. down a goal, Nola's coach gives Cain the hook for that extra man. But Vince Reaper would cut them down and the bell would toll on the Specter's season 6-4 is the score, shots in the third were 10-7 pride

and 36-31 in the end.

Challenge Cup Finals!
Rage

VS

7th 3.22 GF 3.54 3rd
3rd 2.78 GA 2.76 2nd
5th 23.53 PP% 26.19 2nd
15th 74.07 PK% 84.68 1st
2nd 54.37 FO% 52.95% 5th

Analysis:

What a finals we have in store. Firstly out of the East we have the Manhattan Rage, who have not won the Cup since the S30s. Out of the West we have the San Francisco Pride playing in their first ever Challenge Cup Finals. What a time to be alive. What is not to love about the Pride? They were your President's Trophy winners with the best record, top 3 in scoring, second stingiest team, their special teams are both scary good, and they didn't even suffer massively on puck possession either. Gotta be serious favorites. Rage are not too far off. Their scoring was more middle of the pack, the difference in goals against is basically non existent, hell the only thing that surprises me about the Rage being here is their god awful PK. This should be a close one, unless MAN cannot stay out of the box.

Prediction: pride

in 6

Game 1: Rage

@

5-2W for

Kicking this game up hard at the first meeting of these two titanic teams. Manhattan would come out flying, but a Leopold Lockhart tripping penalty would be what leads to the first goal. Craig Finley 7 minutes into the first gets the Rage on the board. 30 seconds later, Austin Roenick would double that lead with one at even strength. A minute later it was Alex Winters' turn to put one in, making it 3-0 MAN. At that point Richard Metcalf Jr. decided to do something about things. He and Anastasia O'Koivu went to the dance and Metcalf kicked his ass. Score is 3-0 Rage, shots are 18-9 Rage.

Second saw more life from the Pride but Rainbow Dash would pot one to make it 4-0 and irish man Craig Finley would strike again. Richard Metcalf Jr. would go to work again, this time putting one past Peter Larson and getting the Pride onto the board in the middle of the frame. A few more penalties happened but all were killed off. Score is now 5-1 Rage and shots managed to be 16-12 for them too.

Third period time and MAN has run out of steam. SFP is dictating play but Peter Larson is keeping his team afloat. Steven Moyer would get one more back on the barrage of shots but that was it, 5-2 the score, shots for the frame were 15-5 SFP but 39-36 for MAN.

Game 2: Rage

@

2-1W for

Game two, Rage up 1-0 in the series, ON the road too. First period has more of SFP dominating possession and play, but coming up empty. They even get two power plays. SHots are 12-2 for SFP but its 0-0.

The second wasnt TOO much better. Everybody started playing defensive, careful, boring hockey. Somewhere in there, Filip Zadina put the Pride on the board and gave them their first lead in the series 1-0. More penalties killed off but with shots being only 6-5 for the Pride, this one wasnt going to bring much.

The third is the last frame so here we go. Luke Thomason erases that lead 3 minutes in with a solid goal as the Rage get her going. SFP fans should bow down to Filip Zadina though who scores again and restores a lead that NOBODY removes. Game ends 2-1 Pride, shots here were 12-6 MAN but Chris Partridge kept the Pride alive. Overall shots were 24-19 SFP and the series was equalized.

Game 3: pride

@

3-2W for

David Kastrba got the Manhattan faithful RAGING with a goal 10 seconds in for a 1-0 MAN lead on home ice. Charlie Schieck ties her up at 1s on the power play, showing all these penalties by the rage are sure to catch up eventually. However Austin Roenick managed to get Manhattan back on top 2-1. Shots here are 19-10 SFP but the score is 2-1 in favor of MAN.

Second Stanza gives us a quick, early goal by Rainbow Dash before each team bounces back and forth and their respective goalies come up big. Peter Larson was getting worked as he saw 18 shots and let in nothing. 3-1 is the score, and shots were 18-9 SFP.

The third saw the boys in red get down to brass tacks and actually put the effort in, in spite of that, Piotr Czerkawski brought the Pride to within 1 and the Rage had to fend them off. Lucky for them they did, 3-2 the score and shots were 17-11 MAN while being 48-36 SFP.

Game 4: pride

@

1-0W for

These guys are not giving me much to work with. The first period saw a fist full of penalties killed off and shots were 16-12 for MAN but nobody scored.

Second period gave us a penalty each to kill and a Jax Aittokallio goal to put the rage up 1-0. Shots were 10-6 SFP that time.

The third gave us more killed penalties, 9 shots each, and no more goals. Larson stood on his head to give MAN a 3-1 series lead. shots totaled out to 31 each.

Game 5: Rage

@

2-0W for

Well losing by shutout is embarrassing, so SFP decided they didnt want to do that again. This game was just all Pride back on home ice too. Leopold Lockhart got one ten minutes in and Ray Bork even landed another late in the frame to make it 2-0. Shots were 16-8 SFP.

The rest of the game was a lot of penalties, Peter Larson standing on his head to keep the Rage in it, and the Rage only managing 15 shots all game. Score was 2-0 SFP, shots were 43-15 SFP. Talk about a Debbie Downer game.

Game 6: pride

@

6-4W for

Sometimes the flood gates have to open, the dam bursts, the levies fail. Goalies are the same way, every now and again you have an okay game at best and you pray the offence can get her done.
Phineas Gold gets a rare man advantage one up on the Pride and the gates of hell opened for both Larson and Partridge. Jeff Brogen would tie it up 40 seconds after the Golden goal. 2 minutes later Piotr Czerkawski would make it 2-1 Pride. It would take 3 minutes for Luca Veccelli to tie things at 2. ANOTHER 40 seconds saw Rainbow Dash give the Rage another lead 3-2. A minute 10 after that. Dominic Montgomery manages to tie things up 3-3. Finally a penalty to MAN would result in Ray Bork making it 4-3 SFP, in the first, where shots were 13-10 SFP. YIKES!

Second calmed WAY down. Jax Aittokallio would tie her up at 4 apiece on the man advantage and other that that more penalties would be killed off. Shots were 10-7 MAN during that frame.

Third period, goalies have been only okay, Rage have a 3-2 Series lead and all the momentum with that last goal. Just like that each keeper stands tall, nobody can score and everyone can swear this one is going to overtime. Two minutes left and Alex Winters brings Madison Square Garden to it's feet with a thundering clapper that makes it 5-4 Rage. Luke Thomason would add an empty netter just to seal the deal 6-4. Shots were 33-24 MAN.

Was a hell of a good run by the San Francisco Pride who have a fantastic future with their franchise i am sure. As for the Rage, they show that the Eastern Conference has some real dandies in it too.

Graders we are at 4082 words.

DeletedAtUserRequest · 08-25-2020, 01:40 PM

Awesome stuff as always!
+1

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Tomasnz · 08-25-2020, 05:21 PM

Wow. The memories....

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