Task #1 - 3 TPE

Kelowna suffered a hard defeat to Quebec City this season. We licked our wounds out of that series. I thought a couple good hits to their offense and I would free up some scoring opportunities. But, we just couldn't convert and ended up getting crushed by their sharp shooters. But, so goes it, and I've got mad respect for their team. But you know what those sharp shooters could use? An aggressive hard hitting opportunity creating player like Scott Thorn. If I wasn't playing for Kelowna I'd brush up on my French, inhale a bowl of poutine and join Quebec City. My aggressive play style could have helped them advance from Anchorage and we'd be sitting in the finals right now - guaranteed. Quebec City faced the same crushing loss to anchorage so we feel each others pain. But that mutual pain could be a great synergy. Pain synergy for anchorage if we can make our union happen.

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Task #3 - 2 TPE


During our series with Quebec City the Kelowna Knights suffered a punishing loss. We didn't win any games but Scott Thorn did lay some good hits. Like that cross check on Jeff Hopkins into the boards. That hit was like a truck. It snapped the stick right in half as drove into his hip. I'm surprised his hip didn't go with the stick. Just like our broken dreams of advancing in the playoffs, that broken stick is a reminder of the damage Scott Thorn can do on the ice. Two lucky fans will be receiving one of the stick each. Enjoy everyone and thanks for the support.

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Task #4 - 2 TPE

This edition of Compare Those Players is going to cover the guys holding down the fort in SMJHL finals - goalies.

Bean Gamble (Anchorage) vs Evgeni Petrov (Newfoundland).

Bean Gamble, the Canadian Goalie from Reddit, weights in at 183 lbs and 6ft 6in. He's a left handed goalie and lives life on the edge. Evgeni Petrov is a left handed goalie from Russia, weighs in at 200lbs and is also 6ft 6in. Mentally, Evgeni has a small edge due to his toughness.

But let's look at their performance of Evgeni vs Bean.

Saves: 914 vs 554
Evgeni has more action on the ice and it shows because he's got 2644 minutes played whereas Bean only has 1449.

Save Percentage: 0.914 vs 0.904
Evgeni has a small edge here. He see's more action and is able to keep the door closed.

Shutouts: 3 vs 5
Bean has disappointed more opposing teams than Evgeni.

Overall, Evgeni Petrov is looking like a more experienced goalie but Bean is showing tons of potential.


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Task #5 - 3 TPE

The local gym has a boxing ring and on weeknights after school they host kids from the neighborhood to duke it out for an hour. Scott Thorn has donated to the gym to get the kids some new gloves, shorts and jock straps. These kids have a lot going on in their life and there's nothing like throwing a swing at your best buddy to let it all out. The gym serves one of the under represented neighborhoods in Kelowna and has a long history of serving the community. They hold celebrity fights and all the proceeds go towards running free after school programs for the kids. Scott Thorn got in the ring with local celebrity Tyler Shelast for a battle of fists. We went easy on each other but if I ever see that guy on the ice he's going into the boards. The fight raised over $2500 and will support the young ones after school and give their parents a chance to see their kids growing as boxers.

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Task #6 - 3 TPE

C - Robert Black (NL)
In the playoffs Robert has 71 points and 23 goals. And he doesn't just dance around the puck he's also got 46 hits.

RW - Evil AllBran (NL)
Is it just me or is All Bran cereal the breakfast of champions? I love his name. Oh, and he's got 31 goals in the playoffs.

LW - Jesse Trudeau (NL)
Our line needs political connections. Trudeaus know how to work the system. Jesse has 66 points in the playoffs and one of the top in LW assists.

RD - Gregory Goode (ANC)
Great defensive, creates opportunities and sets up goals. He has 47 assists and 68 blocked shots in the playoffs.

LD - Shion Okamoto (NL)
38 shot blocks in the playoffs and a solid plus minus.

G - Evgeni Petrov (NL)
914 saves and 0.914% save percentage. Does the puck ever get past this guy? Evgeni is one of the biggest reasons Newfoundland is in the finals. This guy deserves an MVP award.

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Task #7 - 3 TPE

Kelowna had a touch matchup against Quebec City in the first round and the disappointment exceeded expectations. A more interesting matchup would have been Vancouver so there would be a nice west coast rivalry. Kelowna would be the underdog of the west and Vancouver would get to flex their muscle. Honestly, this probably would not have changed the outcomes much. It might've given Vancouver a confidence booster to get past Newfoundland. But Newfoundland and Vancouver are top dogs in the regular season so it would be a close match either way. It would definitely stir up the west coast though and the fans would love that series. But if Vancouver advanced to face Anchorage in round 3 that could've been the series they needed to push themselves into the finals. And honestly, the west coast would love to see Vancouver in the finals and that might have even gained a couple Kelowna fans along the way.

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Task #8 - 3 TPE

Honestly, Scott Thorn didn't perform the way I had hoped. I was looking for more assists and hits. More aggressive play style. He had the right attributes to make it happen with solid checking, hitting and stick checking. With those attributes he should have been creating more openings and scoring opportunities. But, Scott Thorn needed to hit the gym more and get those physical attributes up. His stamina is looking better and he's becoming a faster skater. He looks to be on a good trajectory but needs to get himself more training, gym time and focus a bit more on defense. He's got good physical skills but a bit more investment to his checking abilities can really create some good opportunities. In the coming season, I expect more physical abilities and taking his hitting skills to the next level. He's going to need to skate faster and with better stamina to get his opponents into the boards more often. Get control of the puck and get it towards his teams goal scorers. I'd like to see more assists and hits in the next season.

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Task #9 - 2 TPE

The Kelowna Knights and Quebec City was the best series. A battle for the heart of Canadians. East coast versus west coast. Hard hits and a series sweep by Quebec. Kelowna fans felt the disappointment after game 3 but didn't lose hope right to the bitter end. Game 1 was a real let down after losing 5-1. But after scoring 2 goals in Game 2 I really thought Kelowna had a chance to make a comeback. But the determination from the team just wasn't enough. Quebec City went wild that night. They knew they had the series and the parties looked wild. Kelowna ran out of steam in game 4 and were ready to call it quits. But it was exciting to have such an underdog team show up and deliver excitement.

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Task #10 - 3 TPE
So your team just got eliminated these playoffs, and have to look forward to next season where hopefully things go differently. What does your team have to be excited about for next season, where they'll have another go at the coveted 4-star cup?
Requirements: 150+ words.

The Kelowna Knights struggled in the playoffs after losing 4-0 against Quebec City. Kelowna had a lot of rookies including Scott Thorn. These youngins are the future of the team but they need some time in the oven to get their skills on par with the rest of the team. If Kelowna's rookies can stay active in the gym, focus in practice and play a lot of games it will bring up their experience level to SHL material. Kelowna did manage to get a few good goals in during the playoffs. Gerry Atrick is definitely feeling the excitement as the lead goal scorer for Kelowna in the playoffs. Also Adriano Donini and Leons Briedis have a goal each and are standing out for top draft picks in the SHL. With the experienced players on the team and the rookies taking shape there's definitely potential for next season. Training camp and the pre-season will be good indicators of what's to come.

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Task #11 - 3 TPE

This offseason is all about spending some time at the cottage, relaxing on the water and cracking some ice cold brews with buds. I'm taking a full week off to get my mental game on track before I get back to work. The fam loves heading up into northern Ontario and it's my favorite time of year to catch up with everyone. But, I know I've got a lot of work ahead of me so I'll be looking to stay in shape while away. So my pops is putting me to work. He's got regimented plan for me: rowing kayaks, swimming laps in the lake and working on a new cottage extension for him. I'll be lifting lumber, chopping down tress, lifting cinder blocks, digging a new foundation and making his cottage a dream with my hard labor. Keeping in shape the old fashioned way and putting my body to good use.


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Task #12 - 3 TPE

This J season we've had our eye on a lot of rookies. We've been looking and their abilities and their performance to anticipate who's going to be the top picks. Scott Thorn is one rookie we've taken a look at. In practice we've seen him practicing his hitting, checking and stick checking. We've also seen his coach show him how to take a good hit and not lose control of the puck. He's in the gym a lot lifting weights so we know he's building himself up like a tank to shake the puck lose from the other team. We hope this guy isn't just going to be a giant meat bag and hopefully he's got some brains too. His offensive and defensive read are concerning. But it seems like his coach has been teaching him how to follow the momentum on the ice. He seems to have a temper because he's always yelling and cursing at his opponents... maybe trying to get under their skin. Luckily, he hasn't spent too much time in the box.

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Task #13 - 4 TPE
A)
My favorite player name is Pasta the Turtle. There's a lot to unpack in this name. Turtles are slow but he can obviously skate fast so what else is it about turtles that gives him this name? The hard shell? Maybe like hard shell pasta? Is there a relation? Or maybe his snapping beak is good at munching down pasta.

B)
I think they deserve to win the cup. They've clearly got a great team and their performance shows. The series is neck and neck but Bean Beanman and Cole Carter have been delivering phenomenal performances. If they keep up that many goals I think Anchorage will take it past the finish line.

C)
In another timeline Vancouver and Kelowna would have met much earlier for a battle of the west. Vancouver would win that series 4-0 and move on to round 2 with a huge confidence booster. Its really down to confidence because we already know they have the skill after seeing their regular season performance.

D)
I think that Cole Carter made a huge impact during the regular season. He's the top goal scorer for Anchorage and near the top in total points. Mikhail Novikov is another noteworthy mention as their main center. Not only can he get the puck in the net but his ability to setup goals for other players has him top in total points.

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Task #14 - Latecomer Special - 3 TPE


Quebec City really did a number on Kelowna Knights. They took the series right to Anchorage and then blew it. We feel each others pain. Now Anchorage is in the finals because they know how to win games. The arctic tundra in Alaska has forced a fierce goal scoring team. Recruiting the right players is one of their keys to success. Just look at Mikhail Novikov. That guy gets the puck in the net every time. That guy pucks! Also the defense from Gregory Goode was unbelievable. He's got one of the best +/- in the league at 37 so you know he's not letting goals in. He's also got the talent to setup scoring opportunities and it shows with his 47 assists. This guy is just all over the ice. The rest of their keys are teamwork, strong players and top notch skating. If there's anything Scott Thorn can learn to be a better player, it's to look at the player on Anchorage and the values that team has.

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Task #16 - Milestones - 3 TPE

https://simulationhockey.com/showthread....pid3083693