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dankoa · 03-18-2024, 01:01 PM

3. Written, 3 TPE, Been there, Done that (150 words min.)
It has been 10 seasons since Panthers last won the cup and Yannick Svoboda is only player left from that team. While for the New England this is 4th finals appearance since S70 and multiple players have been there for all of them, including the two cup wins. Will that experience triumph over excitement or will it make them overconfident? Will the nerves of Panthers get better of them now when the stakes are the highest? Which team has the mental advantage over the other and how big of an impact you think it will have on the match up?

I think experience in big games is actually one of the hardest things to factor into how a series plays out. There's been times in the league's history when no matter how many times a team makes it to the big series, they can't seem to get over the line, while we've seen other franchises make it to the finals once and walk away with all the marbles. It really can't be predicted how things will play out, but in this case it's quite clear the effect that LA's lack of finals experience didn't hold them back, and New England's multitude of finals appearance didn't give them any sort of edge. I'm sure it was tough to see for New England's fans, but the Panthers were able to overcome any nerves and give an undeniably great finals performance to brush the Wolfpack aside and win themselves a Championship. Perhaps the hunger of Los Angeles as a city and the Panthers as a franchise willed the individual players on the team to give a dominating performance and take home another long-awaited Challenge Cup that will mean an incredible amount.

Code:
188 words

4. Written, 3 TPE, Merely a setback! (150 words min.)
For more than 5 seasons conference finals have mostly been played between Edmonton and Winnipeg in west, yet this season they were both knocked out earlier. In the east Baltimore and Hamilton challenged Philadelphia and New England but ultimately we saw the same two teams in conference finals. Was season 75 merely a setback for Edmonton and Winnipeg or is the clock also ticking for New England and Philadelphia? Which teams you expect to see making it to finals during next few seasons?

I think the moves Edmonton have made show this isn't going to be just a setback, and the team has instead hit the big red button the GM's desk that says "REBUILD" on it. They've traded away a great deal of their players and will be looking to instead focus on a different championship window a few seasons down the line, and it looks as if some of the early offseason moves Winnipeg have made indicate they'll be going in a similar direction. I can't speak as definitively on the teams in the East, but I think Baltimore and Philadelphia will both be back in the hunt next season and could absolutely be realistic cup contenders. In terms of other teams that have the potential to be in the mix for being in the conference finals, I'd love to see a team like Texas really put a run together and go deep into the playoffs as a team that's flirted with success but ultimately hasn't been able to pull it off, and on the other side of the league it would be good to see a team like Tampa Bay take the next step and fight their way deep into the postseason.

Code:
202 words

6. Written, 2 TPE, Maybe next season (100 words min)
Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

This is incredibly biased but I'm going to see the best team to not make the finals in the SMJHL was the Detroit Falcons. Regular season record be damned; this Falcons team was loaded with talent, evidenced by the fact that they won the whole damn thing last season and came back into this season aiming to hit their stride just at the right time to propel them to glory once more. Things didn't work out that way however, and the team proved to be incredibly ineffective in the postseason, taking 7 games to beat a weaker opponent in Round 1 before being dumped out in Round 2. This was a really disappointing outcome for a team that was the best and most talented in the league in my objective view, and it marks a sad note to end my time in the J with the team (love you all really).

Code:
151 words

8/8

*mystick* · 03-18-2024, 02:46 PM

Code 1. 3TPE Verification word: stick

Code 3. 3TPE Good on New England for somehow making the cup final again, but lets be honest, this does not look like the same powerhouse team that won and made it before. They must be running on fumes and the hot hands of Lacksamus, because I just don't see them beating LA. Those young guys have been going hard all season and after taking out the powerhouse that is Edmonton, are going to firing on all cylinders to take home the trophy. I have been wrong before in counting out New England though, as they are playing really well, above where I believed they could which is impressive. Mentally NE has all the right stuff, been there done that. But I believe LA is going to be all in with this, they have only lost twice going into the series, so if NE can take win the first two games it could really mess with LAs resolve and make themselves question their skill. 162 words

Code 6. 2TPE To me this is a pretty clear SHL team in Edmonton not making the finals. They didn't even make the conference finals. I am not sure what happened to them in the playoffs, but they just weren't their normal selves. Maybe winning a season or two ago and dominating for the past three season made them lackadaisical about doing it again and taking it as a given they would make the finals. Not to say LA is a slouch, they are dominant themselves. EDM has a top goalie, top D pair, and top forward line, along with a great supporting cast. There is no way they are happy with themselves not making the finals. 116 words

8TPE total

***Evok*** · 03-18-2024, 05:39 PM

CW pass

Kalakar · 03-18-2024, 07:40 PM

1. 3 TPE verification word: kal

5. 3 TPE 207 words
Well considering this is my first time ever hearing about this Ultimus Bowl, I think there is still some work to be done marketing wise about that. So if I were to lead a team to work on a new intermission show, well for starters I would advertise it on all social platforms to get all the gen Z excited about our sport. Then as for the show, I would try to come up with a low budget event to make sure the budget people in the SHL don't mind the costs so I would try to incorporate the performance and make sure the ice gets resurfaced at the same time. My genius idea would be to have 4 zambonis on the ice at the same time but instead of resurfacing the ice as they usually do starting from the perimeter, each zamboni would start from a corner of the ice and would compete to resurface the ice using dyes to mark their territory. The zamboni with the most ice resurfaced would be the main prize in a raffle among the fans in the stands. Add in some RGB on the zambonis and Imagine Dragons singing their latest single and I think we've got ourselves a hit.

13. 2 TPE 120 words
So it looks like the SHL finals were decided between the Los Angeles Panthers and the New England Wolfpack. I guess the Wolfpack also procrastinated because I don't think they realized they were playing in the finals for the Challenge Cup. The Panthers easily swept them in four easy wins that left them probably wanting a second chance to at least win a single game. I think the only way the Wolfpack could have won would have been to turn all their players into aggressive forecheckers but I've been told this is against the law.Still, to come so close and to be swept in such a way, I hope they won't be too demoralized and can bounce back next season.

Total: 8 TPE

wizard_literal · 03-18-2024, 09:46 PM

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.

triviatoday

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. During the Conference Finals Panthers had no players who had multi goal game, yet they beat the Texas in 5 games. Can New England shut down a team with such depth, how could they do it?

b. On New England side Ivan Lacksamus is back on MVP form, scoring 15 goals and 38 points in 19 games, including the 15 points scored in Conference Finals. Should Los Angeles try to find a way to stop him or hope that their stars kick in the next gear to meet the challenge head on?

c. Olof Karsikko, who has won the Razov and the Challenge Cup with both teams, while already past his peak comes into finals with higher save percentage than Grzegorz Brzeczyszczykiewicz who on the other hand has lower goal against average. Which team in your opinion has advantage on net and how much of an impact you think it will have on the series?

d. So, a pack of wolves fighting some panthers. Where the fight happens? How it goes? Which side wins? Were animals hurt while answering this prompt?

e. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

a. Sure not having a multi goal scorer is definitely a sign of strength in a team's roster depth, but I'm not sure if it quite reflects how other teams will have success against them. Playing solid defense will stop the puck from getting in the goal no matter who is shooting, whether it's a all star league scoring leader, or the third line player, a shot blocked is a shot blocked.

71 words

b. Absolutely, you can't ignore a player with that kind of production and expect it to go well for you. Now I'm not saying dedicate all your resources on Ivan in a "all the eggs in one basket" strategy. But you certainly need to have some sort of game plan that shifts the focus favored in his direction.

57 words

d. Now this is interesting. Wolves can be assumed to have the numbers advantage, so we'll place the Panther's on their home turf to even out the odds. I think the Panther's are able to stealthly chip away at the numbers of the Wolves using their home advantage, but when push comes to shove the Wolf Pack bands together in a last ditch effort and teamwork makes the dreamwork as they come out on top.

74 words

e. I gotta go with the Panther's in this matchup. Between a roster that fields all stars on nearly every line, and a youthful core that is hungry for the win over a Wolfpack team that has been there and done that. If New England is just a bit too long in the tooth for my likes, and a spriful Panther team wins this one in seven.

66 words

***lore*** · 03-18-2024, 09:55 PM

GM CW pass

*Katth* · 03-19-2024, 05:09 AM

1. Trivia - 3 points
Katth

2. Grab bag - 2 points
d. Neither would win if you put them up against each other. They are both predators and predators do not wish to fight each other in a direct confrontation. Also panthers hunt alone while wolves always hunt in packs. It is not a match up that would happen in the wild at all.
e. Beforehand I would have said that Los Angeles had it sealed and done with Adam Prprich in their ranks, but New England have proven to be a really tough team to beat and Los Angeles just did not seem to find a good way to beat their sturdy defense. I am surprised by this result.

4. Merely a setback - 3 points
The clock is definitely ticking for Edmonton, Winnipeg, Philadelphia and New England. Edmonton has already started their fire sale and shipped out all of their star players and core and are up for a completely overhaul and rebuild. New England is also ageing and I'm surprised they've won the cup yet again. It's pretty amazing what they have been doing, but I would not be surprised to see them drop in the next season or two. Winnipeg was already on the decline and I think for them it is also time to start thinking about a rebuild. Philly might actually have a season or so more in them, but Baltimore and Hamilton are on the rise so is Los Angeles. Will be interesting to see where we are in two seasons from now. Perhaps even Montreal will win more than one game in a single season by then and perhaps Tampa Bay will win the cup!

S50 Challenge Cup Finals Game 7
[Image: gNFVjT6.png]

***hockeyfan*** · 03-19-2024, 11:37 AM

1. Trivia
Word: tough

Code:
3. Written, 3 TPE, Been there, Done that (150 words min.)

It has been 10 seasons since Panthers last won the cup and Yannick Svoboda is only player left from that team. While for the New England this is 4th finals appearance since S70 and multiple players have been there for all of them, including the two cup wins. Will that experience triumph over excitement or will it make them overconfident? Will the nerves of Panthers get better of them now when the stakes are the highest? Which team has the mental advantage over the other and how big of an impact you think it will have on the match up?

On paper, it would appear that New England would have the huge mental advantage going into the finals. As a team who's "been there before" more frequently, the team knows how to win and the team knows how to lose. Los Angeles has had a few solid regular seasons, but haven't seen the post season success in nearly a decade (of seasons). But maybe that's a good thing. This team doesn't know anything, so they won't be bogged down by feelings of winning or losing. It looks like the Panthers are having a ton of fun out there, just playing their game, and it's clear they come in as the underdogs because of the Wolfpack's recent history of dominating the league. I would have to say that the Panthers will come in, win game 1, and put all the pressure on New England, who won't know what to do with it and fold like cheap lawn chairs. Am I right?

Code:
6. Written, 2 TPE, Maybe next season (100 words min)

Which SHL or SMJHL team was the best team to not make the finals this season and why?

I would say that the Texas Renegades were the best SHL team not to make the finals, which is only because they play in the same conference as the Los Angeles Panthers. They went a combined 8-1 in the playoffs before the Western finals, beating two plucky teams with past success in Chicago and New Orleans. David Arturri Donskoi and Marton Diehm were on a heater in this playoffs too, putting up 17 goals and 39 points together in the 14 games they played. And they got a win over the Panthers, one of only 2 losses they had throughout the whole playoffs. Also Anthony Dionne was lights out, even against Los Angeles, but they just got beat by a better team.

8 TPE

TheOPSquid · 03-19-2024, 01:08 PM

Prompt 3
Since Yannick Svoboda is the only player left on the Los Angeles Panthers from their cup win 10 seasons ago, I think they will understand the gravity of the situation well. Knowing that winning a cup is never a guarantee in a career as well as making the finals doesn't necessarily guarantee a cup and that the players in the locker room must lock in and get the job done in order to win it all. I think that the New England Wolfpack have the advantage mentally as they have been able to clutch up the cup last season and are looking for the back to back win. However, they can't let the fact they won last season make them fight less and they have to want the cup as much or more than they wanted it last season. Winning a cup and immediately going back to the finals can either benefit them greatly or be their downfall, as if they are content with winning last season I can see the Panther's motivation for their first cup outdoing the Wolfpack's motivation for their second. I think the series can go either way and the on ice mental battle will be a deciding point.
180+ words 3 TPE

Prompt 4
If you had told me in Season 73 that Edmonton wouldn't make it past the Second round with their current core again, I wouldn't have believed you. The core must not have clicked well as at the time of writing Edmonton has blown the squad up and are entering a rebuild but they will always have a Challenge Cup together which is the biggest goal in the SHL in my opinion. With the rebuild officially kicking off, a new Western Conference team will emerge soon. Winnipeg is a solid team but they are getting older and their core is regressing, they shouldn't be written off but they are one of the more older squads in the league and will be looking to shake it up or get younger somehow if they want to extend their cup window. New England has quite a few older players that have been regressing but also have a solid wave of players from Season 70 and onwards that are coming up to fill the ranks. They should still be able to compete for awhile, maybe not at the level of perennial conference finals but they should still be a top team in the East. Philadelphia is more on the same page as Winnipeg, however their team is slightly younger and have not had to deal with as much regression yet. They probably have a few more seasons as a top dog in the East and will be back soon.
200+ words 3 TPE

Prompt 6
The best SMJHL team to not make the finals is easily the Quebec City Citadelles. After having 4 of the top 5 scoring players, two with 100+ points and two with 96 and 99 points, the Citadelles were eliminated in Round 3 after having a bye in the first round. If you looked at the stat sheet at any position, Quebec had a player in the top 3 and multiple in the top 10 for defender scoring and forward scoring. They were tied with only the Maine Timber with 6 players scoring at a point per game or higher, but Quebec's top players still vastly outscored them. With 4 players on Quebec finishing with more points than Maine's top scorers, Quebec had the most potent offence in the SMJHL. Quebec had one of the best regular seasons of all time with a super team but were unable to get it done when it matters most.
120+ words 2 TPE

8 TPE total

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