Login

***hhh81*** · 04-03-2019, 05:58 PM

Task 3: (Written, up to 5 TPE)
Pick up to 5 challenge cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth '1' TPE. Each answer must be 50 words or more.

3. Between both rosters, create an all Challenge Cup starting lineup! (D, D, F, F, F, G) and in 50 words or more explain alittle about your selections.
F: Oisin Fletcher
F:  Joe Kurczewski
F: TJ Bayley
D: Alexis Metzler
D: GOD McZehrl
G: Cedric Robinson

Cedric Robinson’s playoff numbers are insane: 8-1-1 record, 0.925 save percentage, 2.07 GAA, and two shutouts in 10 starts. Aleister Cain has been good, but his playoffs don’t hold a candle to Robinson.

On defense, Metzler leads all remaining defensemen with 9 points, with three on the powerplay. Additionally, he’s been a solid all around force on both ends of the ice, laying hits, blocking shots, carrying the puck and logging huge minutes. McZehrl is an unsung hero, an offensive defenseman who clearly won’t shy away from playing a strong physical game. His +8 rating and 17 blocked shots leads all Buffalo players.

At forward, TJ Bayley has been clutch with a league leading 8 playoff goals for the Stampede. He’s a threat to be the top playoff scorer when all is said and done. Joining him is his main competition for leading playoff scorer, Oisin Fletcher. Fletcher leads all players with 312 minutes played in the postseason, while also have two game winning goals so far and being top ten in faceoff percentage. Finally, despite a horrific shooting percentage of 3.77%, Joe Kurczewski has found ways to help his team win. He’s second on NOLA with 11 points, including four power play points. His lone goal was a game winner in the all-important Game 4 against Minnesota. Don’t count him out just yet.

4. Choose 1 young player from each team (either on their roster or a prospect of theirs) who you believe will be there teams next important player and why? *tag that player*
Buffalo: Cassius Darrow @hhh81 . I don’t care if people call this a homer pick. Buffalo has one of the strongest top four defensive cores in the league. However, captain Alexis Metzler (15 seasons) and Charles Walker (12 seasons) are getting up there in age, which makes Darrow’s development crucial to limiting any dropoff when/if they retire or leave in free agency. Since entering the league prior to the S44 season, Darrow has been one of the top earners among all players in his class, highlighted by his 4th overall section in the S45 Entry Draft by Buffalo.

New Orleans: Jimmy Slothface @slothfacekilla . While he had an uninspiring second season in the SMHL, Slothface is certainly poised to be a breakout offensive player one day for New Orleans. His chances will be blocked by the wealth of talent that flocked to join New Orleans like Piotr Czerkawski, DeMaricus Smyth, Oisin Fletcher, Roman Augustus, and of course Joe Kurczewski. However, this talent will permit him more time to work on his game, until the time where he’s given the shot to play prime scorers minutes in the SHL. It might take two or three years into his professional career, but Slothface is a name to know

5. You have been asked by the league to choose a destination for next seasons all star game and its between New Orleans and Buffalo, which city did you decide should get this important league event and why?
Buffalo, duh. I pick Buffalo. The long-suffering sports city has a fanatically devoted fan base that hungers for a championship, and the city is in more need of being highlighted by the league. New Orleans paid their way into the best team money and influence could buy, so they need absolutely no more exposure at this time. Buffalo’s local economy can benefit far more from the influx of the rest of the league’s fans coming to celebrate the best of the best. Plus, we can line up all the top buffalo wing endorsements; who wants to eat shrimp etouffe and beignets while watching a hockey game over a bucket of delicious, sticky chicken wings? NOBODY! Buffalo is the natural choice.

7. Who has been there teams surprise player/unsung hero in the post season and why?..must include at least 1 stat to back up claim.
TJ Bayley has been an absolute force for the Buffalo Stampede. After a decent regular season where he put up 18 goals and 39 points (6th among Stampede scoring) as a second-line player, the eighth year pro has hit a different gear in the postseason with 8 goals and 14 points. His 1.27 points/20 lead all playoff performers. The balance of Buffalo’s top six forwards forces opponents to pick their battles. By keying in on the top line of Marius-Konig-Passamus, that allows the second line, featuring Bayley, to feast on more favorable matchups.

Task 5: (Written, 3 TPE)
Ooof, you happened to walk into one of the challenge cup teams locker room and witnessed a truly shocking visual which left you stunned! You closed your eyes and quickly left the premises... word has gotten out that something went down in the LR but the details are murky.. HO is investigating the matter and asking you 'the eye witness' to explain what happened! Must be 150 words or more. *tag anyone involved*
I always knew there was something fishy about the success of the St. Louis Scarecrows, and last night I think I got to see firsthand the darkness behind @JKortesi81’s time there, and how it’s bled over to the New Orleans Specters. I got a little lost in the arena, and stumbled into the New Orleans locker room. There, I witnessed the Specters’ general manager, Joe Kortesi, overseeing a horrifying hazing ritual. He stood by, directing veterans DeMaricus Smyth @Blastmeaway and Nicholas Williams @Nictox to restrain defenseman Karl Hefeweizen @gfridge while star goaltender Aleister Cain @SlashACM branded the 10-year pro’s bare buttocks with a white hot iron. How they heated the iron or where they even found it I do not know; I was too shocked at what I stumbled upon. Hefeweizen attempted to scream in agony, but they had stuffed a hockey sock in his mouth to muffle the sounds. Hazing has no place in sports, and this especially egregious action should not go unpunished. I hope HO takes the necessary actions to discourage such actions from ever happening again in the SHL, and that the SMJHL HO investigate St. Louis’ conduct, as well.

Task 9: (Written, 3 TPE)
You have been asked to spend a few minutes on air with the series commentators during the game 1 preshow! During that segment they ask you to do a full break down on the series... in 150 words or more tell them who you believe is the favorite and who is the underdog of this series and why.. as well as your thoughts on what each team needs to do or not do to win the challenge cup.
While this series is about as close as possible, I would give the edge to Buffalo. They were the league’s best regular season team and they’ve kept rolling through the playoffs to get here. Their shot metrics and special teams should give them a huge edge. However, you can’t count out New Orleans, no matter how much many would like to see them swept. They have a veteran team with guys and gals who’ve won when the games are most important.

I think one of the key matchups will be in net. Most of the year, Buffalo’s Cedric Robinson and New Orleans’ Aleister Cain have battled toward the top of the goalie hierarchy, battling and stealing some wins for their teams. While Robinson has been the far superior playoff goalie thus far, you can’t count out Cain stealing a game or two.

If New Orleans can stay out of the penalty box and get Joe Kurczewski going offensively, they will be a tough out in a seven game series. However, I still think Buffalo’s balanced attack and far superior defenisve core will seal this series in six games.

Task 11: (Written, 3 TPE)

There will be many SMJHL players watching this Challenge Cup series and dreaming of the day that they are involved in the SHL's biggest staged event. but first things first,, you have to make an SHL teams 20 man roster. Talk about where your player is at within your SHL organization, who are the prospects that you'll be competing with for a roster spot? when do you hope to make the big clubs roster and what are your individual expectations in that rookie season? Must be 150 words or more.

Excitingly, Cassius Darrow just completed his three year SMJHL career with the Colorado Raptors, moving onto the next stage of his career. Darrow immediately stepped into the playoff lineup on the Stampede’s third pairing with Quick Mafs, and looks to cement himself as Buffalo’s fifth defenseman next season. His main competition for playing time among fellow prospects will probably be second-year Stampeder and fellow S45 draftee Samuel Jalopski and current Anchorage Armada rearguard Kalevi Karhunen. However, Darrow’s hard work and constant updates should keep him solidly ahead of the semi-active Jalopski and permit WannabeFinn to let Karhunen, Johnny Sins, and Eric Vanderberg continue to develop in the SMJHL. Depending on how the offseason goes, Darrow has an outside chance of stepping into a top 4 role as soon as next season. In the interim, one has to think his floor next year is probably 14-15 minutes per game with some sporadic special teams time. It’s my hope Darrow can continue to develop his all-around game for the Stampede and surpass Jalopski’s 5-point season where he saw 11:46 per game.

Also I did the thing with the scramble. It's here, but also in the DM as requested.

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us