(Note: These game recaps are copies of write-ups produced for the Monarchs discord, some content (mostly the pings of individual players) have been removed.)

Game #1 of 7 vs New Orleans Specters (5)

It's a rocking good time at the Throne for Game 1, and the fans have our back from the first minute.

Like we did in our last game, we come out of the tunnel ready to go, and it's our captain getting us on the board first.

"...odd collection of players on the ice, caught out for a change is a few guys, it's Hoang with the puck behind the net. Hoang gets in to Kim, looks, off to Kove, who fires AND SCOOORES! NEVEK KOVE WITH A BLAST AND IT'S THE MONARCHS ON THE BOARD, IT'S ONE TO NOTHING!"

It doesn't stay 1-0 for long, as Darnell Mohamed Johnson the Second gets on the board soon after.

"...still loud from that goal. Lund trying to set up, over to Johnson and he SCORES! What a shot from him, and the big left winger has the first of the series for the Specters, it's tied at one."

It's tight action for the next two minutes, with the shots definitely in the Monarchs favor. It's only a matter of time.

"...looking for a chance, he had nothing there. Gato surveys, a pass off to Knight with Jarrow sneaking opposite SIDE, HE FOUND JARROW! THEY SCORE! SPACK JARROW, THE MID-SEASON ACQUISITION, HAS THE MONARCHS UP TWO TO ONE!"

The crowd is in it now, and they stay in it as the minutes tick by in the 1st.

"...7:05 left in the first, shots are 17-9 for the Monarchs so far in this period. Knight looks, he has an assist already, finds Hoang sneaking around the net, quick shot, IT GOT THROUGH LODGE! HE SCORES! HAI NAM HOANG, WHO HAD 5 POINTS TO END THE SEASON, HAS TWO TONIGHT! MONARCHS UP TWO!"

But just because the shots are going our way to end the period doesn't mean we stay in control. Midway through the 1st, we can't get a lot started. The man to capitalize is all-too-familiar.

"...hard to set up, the adjustment on the fly by New Orleans has caught them hard, a steal! It's Pane streaking in! Pane all alone! Looks! SHOOTS! HE SCORES! LUCA PANE, THE FORMER MONARCH, HAS GOT NEW ORLEANS WITHIN ONE HERE IN THE SECOND."

It's a frustrating development. We lose our grip of the game with a tough penalty from Koivu putting us down a man going into the 3rd.

"...setup. They find Oiduser looking, surveying, Mathieson screened. Fires a shot that's DEFLECTED, IT'S IN! NEW ORLEANS HAS TIED IT ON A POWER PLAY GOAL. Peter Tingle was out in front of the net, he makes the Monarchs pay, it's 3-3!"

But in the playoffs, magic happens, and it tends to happen late.

"...dumps it in, Kove holds while Gibbles goes in after it. Gibbles battling hard, look at the work that young rookie is doing in the corner. Gibbles passes it OUT FRONT, FLORSCH IS THERE, HE SCORES! JULIAN FLORSCH GIVES THE MONARCHS THE LEAD WITH 1:26 TO PLAY IN THE THIRD!"

That locks up the game for the Monarchs. Despite a rough showing, We've shown that last week was no fluke. We're here to play and to win.

(Series lead to Minnesota, 1-0)

-----

Game #2 of 7 vs. New Orleans Specters (5)

Game Two is very much looking like Game 1 to start off, as the Monarchs are all over Lodge to start this game.

And that pays off.

"...Kim, looking so good this season, has really come into his own as an elite playmaker in this league. Behind the net, Kim gets it to Gibbles. Gibbles passes it back- no, he faked it to Egli! One time shot- SCORE! RIGHT THROUGH LODGE! EMIL EGLI MAKE IT ONE TO NOTHING MONARCHS just like that!"

I'm not gonna say the thing again, but you know what comes next.

"Frazier, he had a big game last night, was looking good. Off the faceoff it comes to him, gives it to Surkhi-Ze'ev. He shoots and HE SCORES! What a shot by the big right winger! Ben Surkhi-Ze'ev has made it 1-1."

It'll take 6 minutes for the Monarchs to respond.

"...asked to do so much, especially with them not knowing each other. Wisconsin a deadline acquisition, and here's great passing from this line, back to Wisconsin. Jarrow! KOBLISKA! HE FINISHES IT OFF, WHAT A PASSING DISPLAY FROM THE THIRD LINE! JUST LIKE THAT, IT'S TWO TO ONE, MINNESOTA. What a show!

The Monarchs keep the pressure on. The Specters give an inch, we take a mile.

"Long shots in this series might be the way to go, with the struggles both goalies have had. It's Knight to HOANG IN FRONT! HE SCORES! HAI NAM HOANG IN FRONT OF THE NET! Off a great feed from Knight! It's 3-1."

And the 2nd period follows closely like that. Kobliska strikes again at 4:11 to make it 4-1. Hoang strikes on a power play to make it 5. Then, on a chance deep in the zone...

"...you wonder when the hook comes. Florsch in the corner. Florsch battling, great behind the back pass... SCOOORE! GORDON-WILLIAM GIBBLES, WELCOME TO THE SHL PLAYOFFS! His first career playoff goal, and it's a big one. 6-1 is the score.

Patience, patience and grit from Florsch in this game has been crucial, to making those plays happen, Mac. Behind the net, he is just so good at reading the defense, able to spring that play, perfect for Gibbles...

...and Jon St. Ark is putting his mask on and heading out on the ice. Lodge obviously hanging his head after that goal, not what you want to see as a coach, and his night is over. 6 goals, on 26 shots. And St. Ark will slot in."

Meta Knight scores to make it 7, but with the game already out of reach, A goal by Oiduser with less than a minute left is set dressing. It's a 2-0 series lead heading to New Orleans.

(Monarchs Lead Series 2-0)

-----

Game #3 of 7 vs. New Orleans Specters (5)

It's yet again a hot start for Minnesota early, slicing through the raucous New Orleans crowd.

"...the younger players, it's all about getting them engaged early.

Here's Gibbles, streaking into the zone. Backpass to Kim! HE SCOOOOOORES! Kevin Kim has the Monarchs on the board just 1 minute and 41 seconds into the game! And that lowers the noise level here in New Orleans."

Despite that, the 2nd is dominated by defensive structure and key plays to keep the shots low and the game knotted. It takes until the 2nd for things to heat up again, but as is the them, they start early.

"...leaves the zone, the Monarchs forced to dump the puck in.

And it's a key job by New Orleans to stifle that entrance, it's key plays like that- Look out!

TINGLE GAVE IT AWAY, IT'S HOANG IN ALONE! AND HE SCOOORES! WHAT A GREAT FORECHECK BY THE MONARCHS, HOANG HAS MADE IT TWO TO NOTHING!"

And yet, the Specters still have life. Rallying around their goaltender, they shell Mathieson with shots early and often, and within 10 minutes, they have taken the lead back at 3-2. Meta Knight takes care of the tying goal late in the frame, and we head to the 3rd.

Anyone want to wager how the start of that period goes?

"...caught up in his skates, Gibbles doing a great job keeping it in as the Monarchs get a change going, and he finally loses it, but it gets back to Wisconsin. Wisconson finds Kobliska- HIS shot off the body- REBOUND! SCORES! IT'S GIBBLES AGAIN IN HIS SECOND STRAIGHT GAME! THE MONARCHS TAKE THE LEAD!"

Unfortunately the great goal by Gordie Gibbles is in vain, as we give up the lead quickly, and don't recover fast enough to take the game. The Specters take one away from us in their barn, but the sweep at home gives us a critical cushion. Brush it off and recover for the next one.

(Minnesota Leads Series 2-1)

-----

Game #4 of 7 vs. New Orleans Specters (5)

Off a rough loss, the Monarchs will look to recover in hostile territory with a battling start. They’ll do it with a new face behind the net, as Jeff Newman will take over for Mathieson, starting in his first game in two weeks. He and Lodge are tested early but not often, and the first period goes by quickly.


Into the 2nd, things get testy and the Specters look to put the momentum on. Six minutes in, Atticus Hale and Gordie Gibbles get into a jousting match that puts them away. It provides a hard reset for the team, and sure enough, the Monarchs take advantage.


“this team- both teams really, they look like it’s a minute into the 1st...

They are moving quick, as the puck moves quickly, it’s Kove at the point. Moving. Looks to Koivu, he shoots. HE SCORES! BINKO KOIVU GETS MINNESOTA ON THE BOARD! How about that! A great shot through traffic!

It’s Koivu’s period to call his own, and the Specters are just skating on it. Three minutes later, a setup in the zone with the first line connects to score again.

The Monarchs remain on lockdown for the rest of the game, but Konig Wolf stamps out the shutout opportunity with just change left in the final minute.

It’s a well-earned fist pump and a game puck for Binko Koivu, but in the locker room, Koivu shows his guts by sawing the puck in half, and giving a piece to Jeff Newman, solid all night for a .970 save percentage off a vacation and a half of time on the bench.

(Minnesota leads series 3-1)

-----

Game #5 of 7 vs. New Orleans Specters (5)

An anxious crowd prepares for what could be a historic night for the Monarchs, one of three possible times for the Monarchs to put this series away.

But this is an ugly game with every sense of the word. It's tight and chippy early, with Artturi Lappalainen of the Specters drawing first blood.

Specters PBP man Kenny Creller on the call.

"...keeping the puck in, New Orleans leading in shots so far in the 1st. Johnson takes it. Over to Lappalainen! SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE! LAPPALAINEN! ARTTURI LAPPALAINEN! THE SPECTERS TAKE THE LEAD!"

It's the first game of the series where the Monarchs to not have control over the game, and it gest these two teams ANGRY.

Both coaches, the Monarchs' Daichi Franciszek and the Specters' Nicholas Williams take bench minors jawing at the refs, and the 2nd period is marred by sticks where they shouldn't be, typified by Topalo taking a paw from Nevek Kove, who gets two for unsportsmanlike conduct.

In the 3rd, it all falls apart.

"...they keep it in, Rhodes gives it off to Pane, who shoots. He SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORES! LUCA PANE HAS GIVEN NEW ORLEANS A 2-0 LEAD! OH BROTHER!"

An empty net goal from Lappalainen puts the game to bed, and an anxious, concerned crowd sees no recovery for a team that has shown them that no 3-1 series lead is safe. While shaky and not battle-tested, Lodge has recovered with a shutout. The lone bright spot is still Jeff Newman, stellar when he could be, but the support is not there.

Back to New Orleans.

(Minnesota leads series 3-2)

-----

Game #6 of 7 vs. New Orleans Specters (5)

Two chances remain.

The start is all New Orleans in front of a home crowd that can sense our grip on the series slipping, but both goalies stay strong for the interim. In the 2nd, is where the team that starts the best scores first.

"...Florsch working the low point, off the boards to Hoang behind the net. Hoang looks left, winds it around the boards. Gato surveys, comes up, winds and SCORES! Lazer Gato has given Minnesota the first goal of the game!"

But again, as the game passes its halfway point, we can't get anything going, and New Orleans quickly makes us pay.

"...it's a two on one into the neutral zone, Rhodes in with Tingle. Over to Tingle, feeds it back AND FORTH, SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE! OH, DANGLE DINGLE, THAT'S A GOAL FROM TINGLE, AND THIS GAME IS TIED AT ONE!"

"...just like that, the whole complection of the game and crowd is changed. They're in again! Ze'ev! SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!
BIG ZEE HAS GIVEN NEW ORLEANS THE LEAD! BIG BEN ZEE!"

"It's really been something special these past few seconds. They dump it in on net, it's BOUNCING! THEY SCORE AGAIN! OH NO, OF ALL THE GOALS FOR NEWMAN TO GIVE AWAY! FRAZIER, FROM JUST ABOUT HIS OWN BLUE LINE! And in just a minute, this game is all-Specters!"

A power play goal a minute after seals the game up, and a dejected team has to control their frustration and swallow their pride. For the second straight game, it's back to the home-team's barn for Game 7. The only light at the end of the tunnel - It'll be back in St. Paul.

(Series Tied 3-3)

-----

Game 7 vs. New Orleans Specters (5)

It's an all-in buy from everyone in the building, as players, fans, and coaches prepare for the war that Game 7 implies, and we are not proven wrong.

The first period splits even for seven minutes, but hemmed in their own zone, the Monarchs cough it up.

Stirling MacTavish is in the booth for tonight.

"...holding the puck in the zone. Manius shoots, it's in traffic, deflected to the corner. Pane trying to work it out front, it's a pass-back play, and they score! Peter Tingle working in front of the net, and the Specters lead by one."

That lead holds into the 2nd, despite heroic efforts by both teams. It looks like the goalies' wills are the deciding factor in this game.

An icing call early in the period gets Minnesota aboard.

"Faceoff win from Kim, Gibbles takes it, he'll find Kove in the middle, there he is! HE SCOOOOOOOOOOOORES! THE CAPTAIN NEVEK KOVE GETS MINNESOTA THE EQUALIZER!"

The pressure builds, the mistakes come out of the woodwork. Manius, who made a key play to get the first goal, gets his glove in the face of Smokes after a whistle and brings her down, drawing a call. That mistake is all Minnesota needs.

"...they'll look to set it up, as it's Florsch skating in, Hoang in the middle, gives it too him, back over to Florsch. Shoots! SCOOOOOOOOORES! OH, IT GOT THROUGH! JULES FLORSCH PUT IT THROUGH HILL'S LEGS, THE MONARCHS LEAD TWO TO ONE!"

It takes 3 minutes for the Specters to respond in kind.

"...great at getting in that position, to set it up as they do here, Tingle to ZE'EV... they score! A terrific passing play by this mix-up of lines, and just like that, the Specters have tied the game at two."

It's turning into the most exciting kind of game. Kove just misses the post with 3 minutes left. Just a few seconds later, an innocent play develops.

"...Gato gets the puck out with that pass to Gibbles. Through the neutral zone, the Monarchs look to change- WOAH! SCOOOORE! GORDON GIBBLES WITH A ROCKET! THE MONARCHS TAKE A LEAD FROM A SHOT JUST PAST THE BLUE LINE! How about that!"

The third goal of such a type to get through in this series (advantage, Minnesota), has Lodge shaking his head, but time left in the period gives the Specters a chance to recover.

"...here they come back the other way, It's Johnson working around Egli. Johnson, what a move, shoots- HE SCORES! WOW, what a great move by Johnson! Tied up the defenseman and used the screen to shoot it high! And we're tied again with a minute and a half remaining."

The Specters defense nullifies a chance in the dying moments of the 2nd, so this series will be decided by a 3rd period, or an overtime, if required.

It will not take long.

"...Knight takes it in, Knight looks for Koivu on this rush, Koivu, the-backpass-to Hoang! SCOOOOOOOOOOORE! OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PASS! HAI NAM HOANG OFF THE FEED FROM KOIVU! THE MONARCHS LEAD JUST 46 SECONDS INTO THE THIRD!"

Hai Nam Hoang jumps into the glass, and an enormous amount of weight has been lifted from the anxious players in green. Two minutes later, the momentum carries.

"Gato takes it from behind the net. They'll start it up with a great passing play, Kobliska and Gibbles with that feed as Gibbles goes off, It's Jarrow, dumping it in- Woah, both teams go for the change, that's not the plan, Kove dives in deep to get it, spins the OTHER WAY! THAT PUCK IS IN! SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE! THE CAPTAIN GETS HIS SECOND OF THE GAME! THE SCORE IS FIVE TO THREE!"

The Specters can't find the space to breathe. One of their chances is swallowed up by two saves, one from Gato, the other from Newman. On another, Florsch breaks the play up.

"...and Wisconsin, obviously something drawn up, as he's not usually on this line with Hoang and Koivu. Hoang wins the draw, over to Wisconsin. He feeds de Pengu, the shot- OFF TOPALO AND IN! OH, WHAT A TIME FOR ADELIE TO GET THEIR FIRST OF THE PLAYOFFS, IT'S 6-3!"

The three-goal lead starts the internal countdown with everyone on the ice and in the stands. Not a player takes 30 seconds without glancing up at the clock. Monarchs and Specters alike have their gloves on their chins, eyes skyward, face muted but undoubtably anxious.

The desperation sets in with five minutes remaining, the crowd, one by one, releasing 30 years of breath with resounding cheers at every play. A dump in coughs the puck to Kove. 4:29 remains. de Pengu blocks a shot. 2:49 remains. It's with the final minute of play that the raucous, triumphant energy reaches the Monarchs bench. Gato is jumping on the bench, almost bouncing while he holds onto the shoulders of Kove, pairing partner and captain. Every time he can get away with it, Jeff Newman is banging his stick on the ice, barely containing his joy as he locks eyes with Mathieson, who's been laughing and smiling at his anticipation every chance they get.

Faceoff at the far blue line with 23 seconds remaining on a 10,515-day wait for all of St. Paul.

"It'll be 1st line against 2nd. Kim will take this faceoff, the BIGGEST faceoff of his career so far... Frazier wins it back, Hale is tied up, gets the shot off, Newman directs it to the corner! 29 YEARS! BELIEVE YOUR EARS, MINNESOTA! YOUR MONARCHS! ARE GOING TO THE SECOND ROUND!"

The puck is in Lodge's pads when the horn sounds. It's Manius who will take the puck and shoot it back down the ice, where the mob of Monarchs congregates.

-

Jeff Newman, starter for six years, playoff starter for four, storms out of his crease as the buzzer sounds. The first player that finds his arms is Julian Florsch, his long-time defensive stalwart. Eyes wide, arms wider, it’s an embrace 11 years in the making for the forward-turned-defenseman.

-

Kevin Kim starts the yardsale when his stick and gloves go flying. It’s not normal, usually not the code to shed equipment for a series win, but his example gets sticks, gloves, and helmets airborne. He’s already on the ice, turning towards the zone, but he’ll just be one in the pile when he gets down to the net.

-

Gordon-William Gibbles, with three points on the night, turns around right into a hug from Kim, pointing up at the press box. He knows that in the booth, his father, whose number hangs in the rafters, is holding back tears watching his son do something he never got the chance to do.

-

Spack Jarrow and Jay O’Neil have their arms around each other exiting the bench, two teammates for the entire season, even if the teams changed. They’re taken aback by the chaos unfolding by the visiting bench, but they join in the celebration the way they feel comfortable, with their helmets off, sticks on the bench, and gloves still on their hands.

-

Hai Nam Hoang gets over the boards, arms raised, and then, concerningly, he doubles over, sliding onto the ice with his helmet still on, gloves up to his eyes, stick still in his hand. As Kobliska leans in to make sure he’s alright, Hoang is already dry-heaving. He’s fine, suffering from an attack of cataplexy, his body unable to process what’s just happened. It’ll be the first time Hoang will get by the 1st round in his career. The tears are just too sweet to blink away.

-

Meta Knight, the offensive standard-bearer for years and years, jumps onto the ice. With his elite offensive instincts, he sees something before anyone else. He’s the one to move the net out of the way so the celebration headed back towards the crease doesn’t run into a metal post. He’s also the one to collect the puck, but he eventually wades into the celebration.

-

The Minnesota Monarchs moved on to face the team they faced in the first round last season, the Texas Renegades. Seemingly emotionally spent and likely out of gas in a tough series, Minnesota made it a fight, but the Renegades took the series in 5 games, on their way to a run all the way to the Challenge Cup Final.
It’s cold comfort to say that this series changed things for either franchise. With New Orleans continuing a run of dominance in their division to keep their championship window alive, and Minnesota navigating between two eras, it’ll be hard to say if such a series will come about again.

The story remains: Minnesota has made it farther than they have the previous 29 seasons. They’ve won more than they have in their team’s history. It’s a changing tide. And for Monarchs fans that have waded through mediocrity and suffered with the team, the shock, awe, horror, and jubilation of the fans is something that will stick with all 17 of these players for the rest of their days.

(Word Count: 3732)