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wikiplaysgames · 04-28-2016, 12:20 PM

Task I: PM'ed

Task II:

Season after season, West Kendall's Colin Schmidt consistently proves that he is one of the league's elite goaltenders. However, if there is one goalie who could be called better, if not one of the greatest of all time as far as a comparison goes, look no further than Edmonton goalie Jakub Aittokalio.

West Kendall boasts one of the strongest defensive cores in the league with names like Bojo Biscuit and Maria Maximova highlighting some of the top pairings, whereas Edmonton flaunts one of the most dynamic offensive lines in the league, with the legendary Chico Salmon being a league contender for points season after season. To be completely fair, these situations actually make these teams completely opposite; After the unloading of star defenseman Richard D'amour for Winston Windsor and the retirement of Magnus Vikstrand, Edmonton is hurting for players to put behind captain Jackson Rogers-Tanaka. Therefore, there are small discrepancies amongst the goaltenders, however it is still seen that Aitto keeps his stats slightly higher, maintaining a small but steady advantage over the West Kendall goalie.
Schmidt's .917 save percentage was rather impressive, however Aittokalio outdid Schmidt, posting a .927 in the playoffs, and Schmidt faced on average about one more shot than Aittokalio. Therefore, although it's difficult to truly compare the two, there is a slight difference. What does this hold for Schmidt's playoff future, and for the legacy of Aittokalio?

Task III:
I'd like to kind of come off the grain a bit and say that any game 7 is the most important game in the playoffs for their respective franchises. If a series culminates to a game 7, both teams have devoted a hundred percent to one goal; the Challenge Cup. A lot of these guys have been playing the game, watching the game, and learning the game since their youths, therefore these games are each the most important of their lives, however game 7's especially. The tension, the hype, if you ask anyone involved in a game 7, they will be able to recall all the sights, the smells, and even the sounds, the deafening roar of the crowd.

Task IV:

rrireal · 04-28-2016, 01:45 PM

Task 1: PMed

Task 2:

[Image: QW1wKRl.jpg]

Task 3: Biggest Game or Championship Banner (3 uncapped)

The Biggest Game

To me it’s pretty obvious that the most important game of Prince George’s playoff run this season was game 7 in the second round against Colorado. This game absolutely looked like it could have gone in Colorado’s favour, with them scoring two quick goals in the first three minutes of the game. There’s a lot to be said for a strong start right out the gate, but Prince George rallied and showed they weren’t ready to give up. Responding with two goals of their own within the period, the Firebirds proved they were ready to give it all. The game stayed tight after that and easily could have been the end of Prince George’s playoff run, had it not been for the game-winning goal with seven minutes left. If they had lost this game, Prince George would have been seen as a team that were lucky to make the second round. But taking this win was a way for them to prove not just to others, but to themselves, that they were a team that deserved their place in the final.

Task 4: Head-to-head battle (3 uncapped)

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Velevra · 04-28-2016, 04:01 PM

1. Pmed

Dangles13 · 04-28-2016, 04:37 PM

Task 2: Player Comparison

I think it only fair to compare how both teams deadline pickups performed when compared head to head. Edmonton gave up Fredrik Zavstrom and two first round picks to bring in respected forward Nikolaus Scholz for their playoff push. Meanwhile West Kendall moved defenceman Jed Hackert along with a 3rd and a 2nd that will become a 1st round pick to acquire star forward Adrian Thomaz.

Scholz played in 17 games while Thomaz racked up 20, in those games Adrian managed to put the puck in the back of the net 5 times while Nikolaus only scored a very disappointing 1. Thomaz put up an equal amount of assists as goals and ended up with 10 points or a .5 points per game pace, Scholz on the other hand actually managed to set his teammates up 6 times which was good for a .4 points per game.

Defensively Scholz was -1 and only blocked 3 shots whereas Thomaz was +4 and blocked 8 shots. Adrian also managed to be the more physical player as he racked up 23 hits which were 11 more than Nikolaus' 12. Whether it was through the higher physicality of Edmonton or Scholz's ability to find space, Nikolaus was only hit 16 times while Thomaz was hammered 47 times which may explain why the Blizzard prevailed over the Platoon in the finals.

Task 3: Biggest Game

The turning point in the playoffs was game number 2 when the Edmonton Blizzard stole game 2 in West Kendall's own building. The Blizzard lost a very close game one in overtime but in the playoffs there is only winning and losing so there was no loser point awarded, however in game two Edmonton outscored the Platoon 5-3 on the back of strong performances from Theo Kane and Winston Windsor. Kane managed three points and shot the puck an astounding 7 times while winning 56% of his draws, defenceman Windsor played a strong 23 minutes and also scored two goals on two shots.

The Blizzard went 0-4 on the powerplay despite running up the score but the biggest takeaway from this game was West Kendall goalie Colin Schmidt who up to this point had been near invincible only managed a .853 save percentage and it showed Edmonton that he as only human. After this game Edmonton was in the driver seat for the rest of the series and it was this pivotal game that gave them confidence to do so.

Task 4: Head to Head

When comparing the Blizzard and Platoon head to head I think we need to start in net. Colin Schmidt was a wall for West Kendall throughout the playoffs but his numbers paled in comparison to Jakub Aittokallio of Edmonton. Schmidt had an impressive .917 save percentage and that was good enough for 4th highest in the playoffs but Aittokallio had a whopping .927 which was only good enough for second because of Earnest Chiarelli's 941, Chiarelli almost knocked West Kendall out before we could even see this matchup.

West Kendall actually outscored Edmonton throughout the playoffs, netting 51 goals to Edmonton's 48 but the Blizzard actually scored 2.82 goals a game while the Platoon had 2.55 and the big difference came in goals allowed. West Kendall fished the puck out of the net 55 times while Edmonton only had to do it 39 times, defence and goaltending were Edmonton's bread and butter.

Edmonton also won the special teams matchup and doubled the Platoons powerplay percentage, 18.52 to 9.23%. With the Blizzard's strong defence and netminding it is no surprise that they also had a 91.49 penalty kill percentage and the Platoon only had a 81.94. Maybe next season West Kendall can work on their special teams and come back as champions but it is pretty clear that the better team won when we look at the numbers.

crutch · 04-28-2016, 06:20 PM

Task 1: PM'd

Task 2:

X factors:

Edmonton Blizzard: Fredrich Mueller.

Mueller is an enigma. He has been to the Challenge Cup finals 3 times, and has never succeeded? Will the 4th time be the charm?

Goals: 11 Assists: 23 Points: 33 Minutes Played: 1138 Power Play Points: 9

Mueller is a very successful scorer on a very deep Blizzard team. Ranked for 5th on the team with scoring, Mueller was all over the ice at the right times. He logged a lot of minutes, playing in a top defensive role for most of the season as well as shining on the power play, getting 9 points himself on the man advantage. Mueller is a very dangerous player on the ice, and even though history shows that he hasn't been successful in the Challenge Cup final in the past, lighting doesn't strike the same place 4 times.

West Kendall Platoon: Bojo Biscuit

Ah yes, the iconic Platoon defenseman, Bojo Biscuit. Every kid's idol who loves hitting, the Turd Ferguson winner (multiple times) will crush you into submission every time you are matched up against him on the ice. Teams hate playing against Bojo, and for good reason.

Goals: 11 Assists: 30 Points: 41 Minutes Played: 1194 Power Play Points: 7

Bojo is a top defensive leader, who loves to chip in offensively as well (some call that a 2-way defenceman). Ranking 4th on his team for scoring this season, Bojo also was very good in his own end, ending up with a +16 +/- rating (which I know isn't a great stat). Bojo is also much more physical than Mueller.

Edge: Mueller. He's been to the finals so many times before. One can't help but notice that one of these times, something has to go right for the 9 year veteran of the SHL.

Task 3:

The most important game of the SHL S29 playoffs for the West Kendall Platoon was game 7 of their series against the Hamilton Steelhawks. The Steelhawks had established themselves as perennial contenders for the Challenge Cup, after winning the most prized trophy in simulation hockey two times in three seasons (S24/S26) and three trips to the finals in a 4 seasons. They were basically the Blackhawks of the SHL.

When West Kendall eliminated the Steelhawks, it sent them to the SHL finals against the tough Edmonton Blizzard, but many people could argue that the toughest task they this playoffs had was knocking off the Eastern giant led by goaltending sensation Jakob Tanner. The goaltender was matched and bested by a definite future Hall of Famer goaltender Colin Schmidt.

Winning against the team one year removed from a Finals appearance was a huge confidence booster for the West Kendall Platoon. With the Steelhawks out of the way, could the West Kendall Platoon win their first Challenge Cup since Season 5? I believe so.

Task 4:

The difference between the West Kendall Platoon and the Edmonton Blizzard is not much different. Like a smart evil doctor once said, "You and I are a lot alike, Mr. Powers".

Goal Scoring / Defending: The West Kendall Platoon had a small edge in goal scoring this season over the Blizzard. The Platoon potted 157 goals in total, while the Blizzard potted 143. However, the teams were ranked 1 and 2 in Goals Against. The Platoon led the way, only allowing a staggering 119 goals over 50 games while the Blizzard let in 7 more at 126.

Special Teams: Both teams had a sub-par powerplay this season, the Blizzard only managing to convert 18.09% of their chances, while the Platoon (last in the league) could only convert on roughly 15% of their chances. However, both teams' penalty kills were almost the same. Both at roughly 82%, both teams boasted a penalty kill that was in the top half of the league.

Goaltending: Both teams have elite goaltending. The Blizzard have Jakub Aittokallio, who had a .915 save percentage (best for 2nd in the league). Who was he behind? Colin Schmidt, goaltender for the Platoon who led the way for goalies at a blistering .921 save percentage.

Which team will have the playoff advantage? The Edmonton Blizzard in my opinion.

c00kies · 04-28-2016, 10:01 PM

Task 1: PM sent

Task 2: If defense wins championships, then these two are going to be vital for their teams going all the way. Chuck Goody of the Blizzard has been a quiet force in the league for the past few years, and this year is no different. Chuck has 5 goals (1 GWG), 16 points (2nd best on his team), and was a +5 during these playoffs. Who can challenge this? Another long-time stud d-man in Bojo Biscuit. Biscuit put up pretty good numbers too, scoring 2 goals and 12 points (tied for third on the Platoon). This edge goes to Chuck Goody. Of course defense is the most important part of defense, so let's see what makes them so tough to play against. Goody had 54 hits in just 17 games, while Bojo picked up 40 in 20. Both of these guys are big hitters and can wear opposing players down in a long series. Another important stat to look at is shot blocks. Goody compiled 23 of them, while Bojo was a shot blocking machine and blocked 37 shots. I'll give this edge to Mr.Biscuit. Finally, both of these players eat lots of minutes and play big parts on special teams. Goody played over 26 minutes per game, while Bojo played over 25 minutes...that's over a period and a quarter for both. Finally, the special teams play of both of these players is similar, as both are pillars on defense on the PK, but also produce offensively on the Powerplay, as Bojo had 4 points and Goody had a goal and three points.

These two d-men are going to make life hell for opposing forwards and goalies with their great two-way games, but I think Goody's offensive ability gives him and the Blizzard the advantage in this series.

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298 words

Task 3: The Edmonton Blizzard are in the finals, but it took a hard fought series against the Jets to get there. Game 5 stands out as the pivotal game for their run. The Blizzard pulled out to an early 2-0 series lead, but the Jets won back to back 4-3 games, including a game 3 OT loss, which included a blown 2 goal lead in the third period. Game five started out perfectly for the home team, as 3 different scorers opened a 3-0 lead in the first period. However, a late period goal by Satan gave the Jets a chance to comeback. The Jets got a goal closer after two periods before Goody restored the two goal lead in the 3rd period. However, shortly after, Both scored 36 seconds later, and then again with less than 8 minutes to go, tying the game. The Blizzard have blown another 2-goal lead in the third period. Aittokallio stood on his head in the first O.T. making 11 saves and allowing for the magic that would occur in the 2nd overtime. Myers would find an open Miles Berger, who would snipe home the game winner in game five and give the Blizzard a 3-2 series lead. This game was important because the Blizzard responded to blowing a two goal lead in the third period, which had previously ailed them in the series. More importantly, they were up a game going into Winnipeg, which allowed them to play a comfortable road game and win the series in 6 games.

Code:
256 words

Task 4: The Edmonton Blizzard are the Western Conference Champions after beating the Winnipeg Jets in 6 games, while the Platoon emerged victorious in 7 games from the East. These two teams met earlier in the season, with the two equally matched. The Blizzard won 2-0 at home, while the Platoon found offense in their barn and won 5-3...yup, the series was tied at one a piece and even the scoring was equal at five. The Platoon and Blizzard weren't known for their offense during the regular season, but the Platoon did have an edge scoring 157 goals to the 143 of the Blizzard. Both teams excelled defensively and were #1 and 2 in goals against; the Platoon allowed just 119 goals, while Edmonton was just behind at 126. This should make for a great low-scoring series between the two teams. The similarities continue with these teams, as they are not known for their hits, hovering at around 19-20 hits per game, near the bottom of the league, and maybe coincidentally, both are near the bottom for PIMs taken at 7-8 per game. The one big advantage that Edmonton has over the Platoon is their powerplay, as the Platoon were a league worst 15.29%, while the Blizzard were more in the middle of the pack at over 18%.

These two teams seem more like mirror images of each other than rivals, but it should make for a close series with even tighter low scoring games. Look for Edmonton to take advantage on the powerplay, but for the Platoon to have a slight edge in five to five play.

Code:
268 words

AlwaysGettingHaxed · 04-28-2016, 10:24 PM

Task 1: PM'd

Task 2:

[Image: schmidt%20aitto_zpsx9y27jyn.png]

Task 3:

Biggest game of the playoffs for the West Kendall Platoon has to be game 7 of the conference semifinals against New England. A team that the Platoon had handled quite easily in the regular season, proved to be extremely difficult to get rid of. Losing to this team would have been a failure of epic proportions for West Kendall as they would have come well short of many people's expectations.

The Platoon won this game on one principal and on principal only, the fact that Zallerras Szlerchek stayed off of the scoresheet. Many times when the big Czech forward scores, the rest of the team stops playing and expects him to carry the load, and thus losing in the end. With Szlerchek staying off the scoresheet altogether, including no penalties, the Platoon players were able to stay on focus on dominant the seventh game against a surprisingly tough Wolfpack team. This game also proved they were capable of winning game sevens, as they would go on to beat the Hamilton Steelhawks in similar fashion in the conference finals.

Task 4:

[Image: S28%20CW%20T4_zpsbchc2wwe.png]

Baelor Swift · 04-29-2016, 03:23 AM

Task 1: PMed

Task 2: Player Comparison (3 uncapped)

Where else to start but a comparison of goaltenders, eh? This battle features Colin Schmidt in net for the Platoon while Jakub Aittokallio opposed him across the ice for Edmonton. Both goaltenders are in the twilight of their careers, having been highly successful for years. This season, they were two of the best in the league. Schmidt led the league with a .921 save percentage and a 2.23 goals against average while Aittokallio finished second in the league in both categories, with a 0.915 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average. Clearly, this series is a battle between elite goaltenders.

So who has the advantage here? It's hard to say. Schmidt was clearly the best goaltender in the SHL this season. But who am I kidding? Aittokallio has arguably had the better career and he has the simmer on his side. In addition, Aittokallio also has the advantage of not being relied on as heavily as Schmidt was this season, leaving him fresher for the playoffs which could be crucial in such a well-balanced matchup. But time will tell who comes out on top, even though the series is actually over. Which veteran will be able to put the exclamation point on their career as their time wanes?

Task 3: Biggest Game or Championship Banner (3 uncapped)

Well, this one is easy. The most important game was Game 6 of the Challenge Cup Finals. The Blizzard came into this one up three games to one, looking to finish off the series at home while the Platoon looked to even it up and bring the decisive game seven to West Kendall. Now this was atight game all the way through, with the Aittokallio and Schmidt fighting for their lives. The score was still 0-0 after two periods as the goaltenders dominated. But, halfway through the third, West Kendall forward Zallerras Szlerchek put the puck past Aittokallio to give his team a lead and hopefully force a game seven. But, with just over two minutes remaining, role player Adam Abodobe, infamous for losing it over former Kelowna teammate Maria Maximova, managed to score his first playoff goal and tie the game and, ultimately force overtime. Thirteen minutes into the extra frame, Edmonton defenseman Friedrich Muller scored the gamewinner in his final game of his career.

Task 4: Head-to-head battle (3 uncapped)

Sooooo, let's take a look at how the Blizzard and Platoon did against each other in the regular season because why the hell not. The teams played two games against each other with each winning one. The first game of the season series was a 2-0 victory for Edmonton in which Jakub Aittokallio stole the show in a 27 save shutout, helping his team win despite being overmatched. In the second game, however, things were very different. The Platoon started their backup goaltender, Matt Lewis-Flood, en route to a 5-3 win in which they clearly figured out Aittokalio, scoring four goals in the first period that forced Edmonton to attempt to play catchup from the get-go. Jackson Rogers-Tanaka was the best player of the two game series, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists with a +2 rating in the two games. No other player even scored more than two points, evidence of just how dominant Rogers-Tanaka was this season.

WeWantTaro · 04-29-2016, 08:58 AM

Task 2: Player Comparison
Comparing the SHL Finals: Goalie Stats
EDM: Jakub Aittokallio: 17gp 12W 2L 3OTL .927PCT 2.08 GAA 536SA 31.5 Per G
WKP: Colin Schmidt: 20gp 10W 7L 3OTL .917PCT 2.5GAA 650SA 32.5 Per G

Both of these goalies played out of their minds this post season. They both faced 30+ on a nightly basis, which means they had to be on their toes every game. With 3 more games played, Schmidts endurance was tested and ultimately may have been one of the reasons they were finally beaten by Edmonton. Whatâ€™s most impressive is Aittokallioâ€™s .927 save percentage. These are historic numbers and certainly will draw attention when it comes time for awards at the end of the season. With a 2.08 goals against average, opponents had to find creative ways to score on Aittokllio. Schmidt had a slightly higher average at 2.5. The difference could have been due to Edomontonâ€™s defensive unit clearing away loose pucks more efficiently. Both goalies have nothing to be ashamed of as they gave their teams a chance to win every game. In the end Aittokallio had the better run and was able to carry his team to championship season. If both goalies continue this type of play next season we may very see a rematch in the playoffs. It will be tough to overcome goalies like these two.

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Task 3 Biggest Game or Championship Banner

The West Kendall platoon have made it into the finals this season but nearly were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the New England Wolfpack. Game 7 was probably their most important game up through the finals.

The Wolfpack surprised everyone in the first round by winning their first two games 4-2. They caught the West Kendall Platoon on their heels as they were expecting an easy sweep. They came back to tie the series up 2-2 and it became a best of 3 situation. They would split the next two games 1 a piece with New England, forcing a must win situation in game 7. West Kendall was in a battle and were trying to avoid being part of yet another S28 upset. Their regular season accolades were on the line. Luckily for them and their fans, their team leaders rallied the troops and they went on to win game 7 and making it through to the next round. Itâ€™s hard to think what the tournament would have looked like if they would have been eliminated so early but, luckily for the fans, they were rewarded and got to enjoy some more exciting playoff hockey in West Kendall.

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***Possum Queen*** · 04-29-2016, 11:33 AM

Task 1: Trivia
Sent

Task 2: Player Comparison
[Image: KoUIMtB.png]

Task 3: Championship Banner
[Image: TuAhLhL.png]

Task 4: Head-To-Head Battle
WIP

TML99 · 04-29-2016, 12:21 PM

Task 1:

SENT

Task 2:

D - Chuck Goody
Goody had himself a hell of a playoff run and ultimately claiming the Cup for the Edmonton Blizzard. He was part of a strong blue line for Edmonton and he led the way with 5 goals and 11 assists in the playoffs, good for 16 points in 17 games. Aside from his incredible offensive outburst, he was ranked second on Edmonton for both hits, 54, and shot blocks, 23. Considering all these factors it's easy to see why Edmonton really relied on him in the playoffs. He played the second most minutes on the team behind Tanaka. There's no question Edmonton got to where they are thanks to the play of Chuck Goody.

D - Bojo Biscuit
The all-star Platoon defenseman, Bojo Biscuit, multiple Turd Ferguson winner will crush you into the boards every chance he gets. Most forwards hate playing against Bojo, and for good reason. With 11 goals, 30 assists 41 points he is a true force to be reckoned with. Bojo is a top defensive leader, who loves to contribute offensively as well, Ranking 4th on his team for scoring this season, Bojo also was very good in his own end, ending up with a +16 +/- rating.

Overall these two D-men are pretty evenly matched but Goody gets the edge since he helped win his team the challenge cup this season, he has the creds to support his skill.

Task 3:

Task 4:

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raymond3000 · 04-29-2016, 03:01 PM

Task 1:

SENT

Task 2:

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Task 3:

The biggest game of the season for the West Kendall Platoon was game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hamilton Steelhawks. They had had a chance to wrap up the series in Game 6, but an overtime goal by Hawks legend Joe McKeil forced this decisive game 7. The Hawks had been to two straight Challenge Cup Finals, so they had the experience to pull off this comeback. Don Pellegrino opened the scoring for the Hawks before the Platoon scored two unanswered to take the lead. Things were looking good for the Platoon as they carried this lead until halfway into the third period as young Don Pellegrino scored his second of the game. Tie game. The Platoon rebound ed though and Slappy McDoodle scored just 30 seconds later. Then West Kendall scored again, with Zalleras Szlerchek scoring 22 seconds later. From there on out Colin Schmidt was unbeatable and led the Platoon to the Challenge Cup finals.

Task 4:

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Slappydoodle · 04-29-2016, 04:54 PM

Task 1 pm sent

Task 2.

Zalleras Szlerchek Vs. Theo Kane

The first line centers for West Kendall and the Edmonton Blizzard are both undoubtedly excellent players with huge impacts on their respective squads. They have a few similarities but overall go about their business in very different manners.

Theo Kane, the Blizzard's dynamic forward, is a scoring machine. He rang up eight goals to go along with fourteen assists in only seventeen playoff games during their cup run. He has outstanding puck handling skills and a monster slapshot. Kane is definitely more of a finesse player though. Physical confrontations, banging around in the corners, etc are not for Mr. Kane. He scraped together eight hits throughout the playoffs.

Zalleras Szlerchek, or Big Z as he is affectionately known around the team, is a more well balanced hockey player. An outstanding passer Big Z managed nine assists in twenty games. He also tied for the team lead with seven goals. Strong defense and skating are the hallmarks of his game. He racked up an astounding fifty four hits and even managed to block five shots, all as a center. He is a true two way forward without a real weakness to hiss game.

Task 3.

I am choosing game seven of the Eastern conference finals between the West Kendall Platoon and the Hamilton Steelhawks for my analysis. This was a hard fought back and forth matchup between two teams at their absolute best. Ultimately West Kendall prevailed 4-2 and advanced on to the Challenge Cup finals.

The first period was scoreless with only one penalty between both teams. Things heated up in the second with the Steelhawks' Don Pelligrino notching the first goal of the game. Big Z managed to tie things up later in the period and that is how the second ended.

The third period had the most action. The two squads traded goals by Oliver Pettyfer and the aforementioned Pellegrino. Soon after monster scorer Slappy "Hat Trick" McDoodle put the Platoon up for good with assists from two of his mates. Big Z finished things out with an insurance goal and the Platoon found themselves on the precipice of the Finals.

Task 4.

I am looking at the match-up between the West Kendall Platoon and the Toronto North Stars. This is always an intense battle as the two teams are designated rivals. The PIM’s fly fast and furious whenever these two lace them up. Toronto was third in the league last season in goals for at 3.30. West Kendall placed sixth at 3.14 per. The Platoon were the superior defensive team, giving up a league best 2.38 goals against. The Stars landed fourth at 2.66 per.
The West Kendall Platoon marched victoriously to the best record in the Eastern conference during the regular season, tallying a stellar sixty five points. Toronto managed a slightly less luminous sixty two points, still good enough for second in the conference.
If anyone listens to the latest Big Slappy Hour you can hear me directly before and after writing task number four, wherein I further discuss this epic contest of titans.

Bonk · 04-29-2016, 06:21 PM

Task 1: Trivia

PMed

Task 2: Player Comparison

When comparing the stats between Big Manius and Esa Anrikkanen there are several things you must consider. Such as TPE, number of games played and how much of sack Anrikkanen is. With the Dragons being drummed out in the first round Anrikkanen only had five game to shine in, although I do not know if his performance would really meet the definition of shining. As opposed to Manius, who was riding the Jets staggering playoff run, which allowed him eleven games in which to put up points. Anirikkanen was able to rack up two goals and zero assists for a staggering two points in five games giving Anirikkanen a 0.4 points per game average. Now Manius provide the Jets with four goals and eight assists for a total of twelve points in the eleven for an average 1.1 points per game average. When you look at their physical game you had Anirikkanen throwing eleven hit while taking 16 hits, averaging 2.2 hits per game while taking 3.2 hits per game. Manius on the other hand dished out 29 hits while taking 15, averaging 2.6 hits per game while taking 0.7 hits per game. Finally once you consider that Mr. Anrikkanen was the highest TPE player this past season while Manius had just cracked the 1000 tpe mark this season I think it clear who had the better playoffs.

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Task 3: Biggest Game

The game that I think was the most important to the West Kendall Platoon game was game seven of the Eastern conference finals against the Hamilton Steelhawks. The series was tied with the West Kendall Platoon against a veteran team that has carried the challenge cup more than once in the recent past. Things were starting to look tough in games seven, once Don Pellegrino tied things up in the third period and took away all of West Kendall’s momentum and the crowd out of the game. Then out of nowhere, Slappy McDoodle, Yes Slappy Mcdoodle, the offensive juggernaut that had a whopping two goals in the regular season comes through when the chips are down and gives West Kendall Platoon his series winning goal out of nowhere. Bringing all the momentum to West Kendall Platoon and the crowd back into the game. Allowing Zallerras Szlerchek to seal the deal less than a minute later. So that is why in my humble view why game seven of the Eastern conference finals was the most important game to the West Kendall Platoon.

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Task 4: Head-to-head battle

The one great head to head match up that I would have love to have seen the playoff is the Winnipeg Jets against the Calgary Dragons. To start with the teams are rivals in just about every time they play each other the PIMs per game average for both teams go up…a lot. Who does not remember the six player brawl that broke out between these teams during their fourth matchup of the regular season? When you look at the match up on paper, the Dragons had a better offensive team statistics than the Jets did in the follow stats; Goals Against, Goals For / Against, Penalty Kill %, PP + PK, Shots Against, Shots For / Against. As for the Jet they only outperform the dragons in the following offensive team statistics; Goals For, PowerPlay %, and Shots For. Although when to compare their non-offence stats the Jets dominate, leading the Dragons in Pim / GP, Hits / GP and Faceoff %. Would the advantage in these misc. made a difference in a Jets Dragons Showdown who knows. All I know is that I will not see that match up in this season playoffs.

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carousel182 · 04-29-2016, 08:38 PM

1. Done

2.
For the player comparison I will be comparing the two cornerstones of each team, the goalies Jakub Aittokallio and Colin Schmidt.

Aittokallio has long been one of the top goaltenders in the SHL, and arguably will go down as one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the SHL. He has a proven history of success, and backstopping his team to victory. Jakub reminded the SHL of how good he can be this playoff run, posting a save percentage of 0.927, and a GAA of 2.08, giving Aittokallio the best stats of any goaltender in the S28 SHL playoffs. It’s safe to say that Jakub was one of the main reasons that Edmonton was able to pull off the Challenge Cup victory over the Platoon.

Colin Schmidt has ranged from a great goaltender to a below average goaltender over his 8 SHL seasons, never putting up consistently great numbers year to year. There has been times out on the ice where he has dominated, and other times where he has looked completely lost out there. Schmidt was in the middle of these two extremes during the Platoon’s S28 playoff run, putting up league average numbers with a save percentage of 0.917, and a GAA of 2.50. These are respectable numbers, but the Platoon needed to be carried by their goaltender a bit more if they wanted to knock out the red-hot Blizzard from the playoffs.

(236 Words)

3.
For the Edmonton Blizzard, I would say that game 6 of the Challenge Cup Finals was the biggest game for them in the entire playoffs. Obviously any elimination game in the playoffs that goes into overtime, especially a game that will decide the cup winner has a large amount of pressure on all players involved. The Blizzard had just been beaten by the Platoon in Game 5 in overtime, and had also lost Game 1 in overtime, so the Blizzard didn’t have the stats on their side as they entered Game 6 overtime looking to claim the Challenge Cup for themselves. However, the Blizzard entered Game 6 overtime with one goal in mind: scoring one last goal In S28 to crown them champions of the SHL. The Platoon had no answer for the pressure Edmonton was placing on them in the overtime period, and it wasn’t long before Friedrich Müller scored to put the Blizzard on top.

(157 Words)

4.
This year’s Challenge Cup Finals showdown includes the Edmonton Blizzard, and the West Kendall Platoon. In the regular season these two teams only faced each other two times, with the season series being split between Edmonton and West Kendall. Both teams scored 5 goals and allowed 5 goals in the two games, so they were pretty evenly matched up.

Overall, in the regular season the Platoon had the higher powered offense, having the 6th best offense with 157 goals scored. However, they had the worst power play in the league, which sat at a measly 15.29%. The Platoon have a hard time scoring goals when there isn’t 5 players out on the opposing team. West Kendall had the best defense in the league, only allowing 119 goals over the course of S28, ranking #1 in the SHL.

The Blizzard ranked 8th in the league for goals scored, sitting at 143. They also had a much more competent power play than the Platoon, with the 8th best in the league at 18.09%. The Blizzard were right behind the Platoon in terms of goals allowed, having the 2nd best defense in the league with 126 goals allowed.

This Challenge Cup final was a battle of defense, and as it is famously said, “defense wins championships”.

(213 Words)

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