S58 Championship Week

S58 Championship Week

Snuffalupagus
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Posting Freak

#67

03-28-2021, 04:00 PM (This post was last modified: 03-28-2021, 04:01 PM by Snuffalupagus.)

1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
While these two teams are no strangers to the Cup finals, we did see some very interesting things this season. Looking back, what do you feel was the most surprising part of the season?

Code:
Karl Krashwagen's dominance was the most surprising part of S58.

For the Baltimore Platoon, the SHL's hottest young team, S58 was filled with lessons. The team is young and shows much promise, but inexperience can only be snuffed out by the flame of adversity. After finishing last in the eastern conference and second last overall in S57, expectations were low in Baltimore. Coming in to S58, Karl Krashwagen, the biggest butt on the Platoon, had low expectations for himself. S57 saw him score 12-22-34. Smash cut to the end of the S58 season and surprise, surprise, Karl Krashwagen's butt lead the league in scoring with a whopping 42 goals. Krashwagen's rear was surely bruised, but also praised. 

"Yeah, honestly, I was surprised that many went in. We had a team of scientists study the curve of my derriere and it's something like the perfect angle? Yeah." says Krashwagen reflecting on his goal total.

A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. Good luck to Karl Krashwagen and the Baltimore Platoon in S59.

4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
If you're sitting at home watching the Finals: What do you plan on doing differently next season to help your team reach the promised land? If you're playing in the Finals: Is there anything different you plan on doing next season to continue your team's success?

Code:
Rob Wright, future elite grinder center for the Baltimore Platoon, is only starting his young career in the SMJHL right now. He hopes to bring his size and bravery to the Platoon shortly. All Wright can do to help the Platoon is continue grinding his time away with the Nevada Battleborn (currently eliminated from the S58 playoffs) and earn as much TPE as possible. Wright was among the top TPE earners in his S57 draft class over this past season and he looks to continue that hard work to give the Baltimore Platoon as much of a chance at the championship - whenever he's called up of course. Until then, the Nevada Battleborn will use Wright to block pucks and his own team's shots (accidentally, obviously). 

What the Baltimore Platoon do with their centre depth remains to be seen; Platoon have 6 centres with over 800 TPE (their lowest TPE earner retiring this season) and 4 more centres generating worth in the Junior league. The future is bright for the Platoon if their team maintains dedication. OR IF WE CHEAT MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Nah, we don't do that. I hope!

12. Written, up to 4 TPE - Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.
a. Hamilton finished 13 points above Buffalo in the standings this season. What is one thing that Buffalo can do to give themselves a leg up despite this?
b. Hamilton was 3rd in the league in GF this season. Buffalo was 2nd in GA. This begs the age old question: what will win out, a great defense or a great offense? Why?
c. Which of these two teams' brandings do you prefer? Take into account colors, logo, name, location, and anything else you consider relevant.
d. It's all come down to this: game seven overtime. Which four players are you sending out to win the game for you. This is in a fantasy sense, so feel free to mix and match from both teams.

Code:
    A. It's going to be tough to sequester the Hamilton offence, especially with big guns Michael Scarn, Theo Morgan, and Aaron Wilson. The top line of Hamilton combined for 236 points in S58. Buffalo will have to keep that top line pinned in their own zone to survive their line times. Nicolas Owens and Aumy Jr. will have to really play their best physical defense to hold the line.

    B. In a real life example: in the 2019 NHL playoffs, the Columbus Blue Jackets, a physical defensive team lead by head Coach John Torterella, shocked the sporting world when they swept the Presdients' Trophy, high-scoring Tampa Bay Lightning. Defense beat offense in that scenario. Flashforward a season later and the Lightning got their revenge and beat the Blue Jackets in the 2020 playoffs. The Lightning fixed this inability to get past large defensemen and a tight neutral zone by building a lineup with depth. Hamilton has depth. For this reason, they will win. MAYBE?? I don't actually know. Just gimme TPE.

    C. It is tough to compare Hamilton's and Buffalo's qualities, of which there are many. I believe, overall, I prefer Buffalo. I'm basing that decision primarily on the colour scheme of Buffalo. When I was a youngster, I played football and one of the teams I played against - the Nomads - used the Green and Gold colour-scheme (much like the Edmonton Eskimos, the CFL teams). I like that colour scheme, especially on ice.

    D. Elizabeth Doyle leads this fantasy do-or-die line-up out onto the ice. The Buffalo goalie has an AGR of 77, slightly edging out the Hamilton counterpart. For center, we look to Buffalo's Bobby Sharp. Sharp was tied for goals on his team with 34 and that's the goal scorer. Monky D. Luffy for Sharp's RW partner. Luffy is a veteran and great presence anytime on the ice. Sam Michaud will be the overtime blueline quarterback. Michaud was a stat-generating machine in Hamilton.

15. Milestones, up to 3 TPE
New this season, Milestones are folded in with CW. So just link your Milestone claim as task 16 for up to 3 TPE towards your 16 total.

SMJHL Milestones (for senddowns): +3
Link

16. Written, 3 TPE
I loved this as a mPT when hotdog did it last season, so I'd like to bring it back as a permanent fixture. After all, we could all use a little positivity every now and then. Say something nice about another member or members, no word limit.

Code:
Good ol' JR. The GM-godfather of the Platoon. JR started around the same time as me and he was one of the friendliest fellas I'd ever interacted with. Now, years later, when I'm back on the site, JR is still here! It's so nice to have a good prescence here. He is a good LR personality, a great hockey fan, and an all-around amazing person. Cheers to JR!