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**brickwall35** · 09-29-2021, 10:22 AM

With the playoffs set to start, I thought it would be a good idea to breakdown the matchups and see what teams are likely to plow through to round 2, or put on their glass slippers and start a Cinderella run. I'll be looking at overall performance, H2H record, and X-factor players that can make or break a team (spoiler, it will mostly be goalies.) So let's get to it. [ranks are playoff seeds, not regular season ranking]

#5 Citadelles

vs. #12

We will see the very dominant QCC play in round one after they and Newfoundland played hot potato with the division lead before the potato finally ended up jammed in QCC's throat (get it, because they choked?) These teams met 4 times this season, with QCC sweeping DET. The one thing Falcons fans can hang their hats on is that the final two matchups were 1 goal games, the last one being decided in a shootout. For QCC, Greyson Cooper will be the X-factor, as if he shows up ready to score, there isn't much any team can do to stop them. For DET, it will be rookie goalie Hugh Jass. He will have to have a Patrick Roy performance to give his team a shot.

PREDICTION: QCC in 5 games.

#6 Armada

vs. #11

Anchorage started off the season in the middle of the pack, but once those big boat engines got warmed up, man did this team start pulling ahead of the competition. The same can actually be said of Anaheim, except the competition was to not be in last place. But hey, they did it! Just like in the previous series, ANC swept the 4 game season series against ANA (oh yeah, it's the AN battle) but the Outlaws kept things closer in the final 2 games, each coming down to 1 goal, with the last being in OT. For ANC, rookie goalie Dominik Tretyak will need to stay hot. ANC was desperate for an active goalie, and once they got one, they haven't looked back. For ANA, Senji Seteki will need to stand on his head and also use witchcraft in order to carry ANA to round 2.

PREDICTION: ANC in 5 games.

#7 Knights

vs. #10

This is what I believe to be the sleeper series of the first round. One look at Regina's record, and you may think this series will be exactly like the 2 above. But I don't see that happening, and I'll explain that more in the X-factors. These teams split their 6 game season series 3-3, but REG actually had the better goal differential. All but 2 games were extremely close, and the two games that were won by 3+ goals were by the Elk. This series will be a battle of rookie goalies. Lord Skrolk has to be in the running for Rookie of the Year after a fantastic regular season. He has proven he can steal victories for this team. So that's brings us to #freeMontagne. For reasons inexplicable to me, Rebecca Montagne started only 43 games, despite being the much better goalie. If she starts every game, this Regina team is much better than their record shows.

PREDICTION: REG in 7 games.

#8

vs. #9

If the previous series was the sleeper series, this has to be the main event of round one. These two teams are by far the two closest in talent and ability out of any of the round 1 matchups. They split their 6 game series 3-3, and have a net 0 goal differential. Only 1 game was decided by more than 2 goals, that being a 4-1 win by the Grizzlies. The teams finished only 4 points apart in the standings. For Great Falls, they will need rookie goalie Brick Wall to show up. But the teams lone All-Star Artur Tumovs is their X-factor. He ranked 2nd in the league in shots blocks and is the backbone of the team's defense. For the Scarecrows, Iorek Byrnison will need to stand tall. But league leader in hits Brent Ashe will need to continue to play hyper physical, but keep things in control. Ashe also lead the league in penalty minutes, and in a series this tight, a single power play can turn the tide completely.

PREDICTION: GFG in 6.

There you have it. Let me know what your predictions are, who the key players will be, who your long shot Cup winners are. Go Grizzlies!

Quote:768 words

Evok · 09-29-2021, 10:37 PM

09-29-2021, 10:22 AMbrickwall35 Wrote: #5 vs. #12
(get it, because they choked?)

heck u

I'll choke by welcoming new players in the league on any season, that's what we are here for

**OrbitingDeath** · 09-30-2021, 02:02 AM

Love the #FreeMontagne reference in it :D

Opera_Phantom · 10-01-2021, 04:17 AM

Approved!

+5 TPE @brickwall35

VillageBC · 10-04-2021, 12:23 AM

09-29-2021, 10:22 AMbrickwall35 Wrote: <snip>
#7 vs. #10
This is what I believe to be the sleeper series of the first round. One look at Regina's record, and you may think this series will be exactly like the 2 above. But I don't see that happening, and I'll explain that more in the X-factors. These teams split their 6 game season series 3-3, but REG actually had the better goal differential. All but 2 games were extremely close, and the two games that were won by 3+ goals were by the Elk. This series will be a battle of rookie goalies. Lord Skrolk has to be in the running for Rookie of the Year after a fantastic regular season. He has proven he can steal victories for this team. So that's brings us to #freeMontagne. For reasons inexplicable to me, Rebecca Montagne started only 43 games, despite being the much better goalie. If she starts every game, this Regina team is much better than their record shows.

PREDICTION: REG in 7 games.
<snip>

Quote:768 words

This aged well... Knights brought out the brooms for this series. Towel

**brickwall35** · 10-04-2021, 08:38 AM

#nowaitputMontagnebackonthebench

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