10. The Unexpected (4 TPE)

The unexpected is what makes hockey great in general. Unexpected results are part and parcel of the game. That all being said, this is exactly why the National Hockey League and therefore the Simulation Hockey League uses a playoff format where teams compete in a best of seven instead of just a single game. This allows for some randomness )which is a good thing by the way - imagine if you were watching a sporting event and you just straight up knew who was going to win) while still crowning who should be the better of the two teams as there is a 4-7 game sample size. I do not believe that this needs any changing, and in fact I welcome it. If the “better” team won every time, this whole thing would be a lot less interesting. While of course the regular season matters, and is normally a good indicator of things to come as far as the playoffs are concerned, it is simply not the end all be all and should not be. An underdog team is completely capable of pulling off a tactical victory, using the system that they are given to pull an upset. In regards to accolades, of course the regular season champion has some bragging rights, but overall it is and should be overshadowed by winning the whole shabang. (225)


6. Which team would your player root for in the finals and why? (3 TPE)

My player, Quazon Brosonchi, is all about the underdog story. Having been born into a very poor family in his hometown of Derry. Ireland, Quazon had to scrap and fight his way out of said poverty in order to find himself in the position he is now. That all being said, Quazon would be on the side of the Tampa Bay Barracuda. While they are not your traditional underdog team, being third in points during the regular season, they are an underdog compared to the San Francisco Pride, who had a whole eight more points. Additionally, it would just be cool to see a team that only had one previous cup win another one. Compared to each other, the Tampa Bay Barracuda have the more significant uphill climb. It is going to take some serious grit and tenacity to topple down the San Francisco Pride - something Quazon Brosonchi knows a little too much about. (154)

1. CW TRIVIA (1.5 TPE)

Verification word: meese