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***aleks*** · 07-08-2023, 04:05 AM

pass

***NYR73*** · 07-08-2023, 11:17 AM

CW pass

***MikeLiut*** · 07-08-2023, 11:23 AM

1. CW TRIVIA (3 PT)
Verification word: MomSaysImSpecial

SHL AFFILIATE (3 PT)
PBE affiliate

10. IIHF Analysis (150 words min.) (3 PT)
Write your predictions for this year's IIHF tournament or WJC! Tell me about your team! How far do you realistically expect to go this year? What nations do you want to match up against, and which do you dread?

In the WJC, I hope that UCORCAL wins it. They have everything they need this season to make a strong push, and I know @EmoLeBron and @jj2416 will take good care of this team. Traditionally, UCORCAL has been a bit of a peculiar team: too many wingers, not enough defense, and we're always lucky if we have a goalie. I'm not sure if they have six defensemen or even a goalie, but Bender Junior should be there, and Ozols and Ozolins should be back. My old friends from Kelowna, Jagrs and Vràna, should also make the team for the last time. Winters, e.e, and Ivanova should also return. I heard that Russia's IIHF GM, Ace Lightning, is bringing in his defenseman. I really hope Wehadababyitsaboy can join the team this season. There was an issue with the file in the last tournament that prevented his participation. This team has been my (and Randominoe's) baby for the past three tournaments, but we've never managed to win the finals. Canada and USA will be tough to beat, but UCORCAL will always hold a special place in my heart. (186 words)

TacocaT 2 · 07-08-2023, 12:13 PM

CW Trivia Word: tacos

+ ? TPE

Crash_Conrad · 07-08-2023, 02:56 PM

1. graduation (hopefully 3 TPE)

2. B. The Buffalo Stampede have turned a lot of heads. It's pretty damn impressive what they've been able to do. This run has been absolutely insane. To compare it to another sport I'd have to liken this to the 2023 Miami Heat in the NBA. They weren't supposed to do anything in the playoffs but knocked off a powerhouse and then took down other teams in the finals. The stamepede have lived up to their names, trampling the competition. Pretty crazy. I think it's safe to say they have sold me! (1 TPE)
2. C. I think to be able to compare these two runs is not a very easy task. Asking which impressed me more is a bit of a loaded question. Of course, I'll go with the answer of Buffalo, just due to the sheer unprecendented nature of their run. nobody saw that coming. To say that Winnipeg was unimpressive though would be doing them a major disservice! They rolled through the league and kept that going in the playoffs. That deserves some props and recognition, because that kind of consistency is not always easy! (1 TPE)

11. Ryan Quintana-Green loves facing off against his teammates in the IIHF games. However, seeing his familiar faces on the opposing side of the ice doesn't make him treat the game any differently. It's always all business with RQG. Part of the fun of playing with teammates from all over the world is being able to square off against them. It can be pretty unnatural and unusual at first but at the end of the day they just become another opponent. It is easy to go back to being friends and team mates when the 60 minutes are over. IIHF tournaments are quite fun and are a great way to bring the game of hockey worldwide and have people represent their roots. My teammates all feel the same and we totally enjoy the friendly competition! I just hope that no matter who is on the other side, teammates or not, USA comes out on top! (3 TPE)

8 total

***Whitecap*** · 07-08-2023, 03:53 PM

GM CW Pass

*NorwegianDemon* · 07-08-2023, 04:00 PM

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

norway

Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

Code:
a. Winnipeg has put together an impressive streak of Challenge Cup Finals appearances, but has no hardware to show for their dominance in the west so far. What do the Aurora have to do differently to get over the hump this year?

After failing for a couple of years, I think they simply need luck to go there way this time. There is a lot of luck involved in winning a championship even if people want you to believe otherwise. Their results in the last few seasons have shown that they have everything they need to win a championship in terms of talent and the way they play, add a bit more luck on top of that and they will lift the cup.

81 words

Code:
c. Two very different teams took two very different routes to the Cup Final: which of them impressed you more? Why?

Buffalo impressed me more, because I didn’t expect them to be there, while Winnipeg as shown once again this season that they are the top team in the west by a significant margin. Buffalo have beat two top four teams in the league while Winnipeg face none, and Buffalo sweeping the Wolfpack, the team who beat them to the division championship, was the most unexpected result of these playoffs.

69 words

Code:
3. Written, 3 TPE, Guess Who's Back (150 words min.)

To say Winnipeg has been offensively dominant in their playoff run so far is needlessly charitable to their opponents. Lias Ekholm-Gunnarsson has *twenty nine points* in sixteen playoff games. Mikko Rashford has *twenty seven*. However, Rebecca Montaigne has a 0.888 save percentage for this run. Can Winnipeg's absurd offense finally get them over the hump, or do they need to patch up their defense if they want to outlast the Upstate Upstarts?

You know what they say, defence wins championships. However, in this case and with this level of production on offence, I think the Winnipeg Aurora could end up proving this saying wrong. Up to this point, Winnipeg has been carried by their offence and I don’t see why it can continue during the final series since they only need to keep doing it for a maximum of another seven games. However, they absolutely need to keep this insane level of offensive output during the final if their defence doesn’t get better, because they most likely won’t score enough goals to cover their defensive flaws if their production goes down. I also don’t think it would be a good idea to change the way you play going into the final, because it is this way of playing that got them there and making significant changes going into this last series as a great probability of affecting the team in a negative way.

161 words

*mystick* · 07-08-2023, 04:29 PM

1. (3tpe) verification word: stick

3. (3tpe) This seems like the classic high powered offensive machine against a peaking goalie and solid defence. I would like to think that Winnipeg can finally finish off a season with the trophy after being so dominant for the past while, but I feel like they will as usual choke in the end. It took the leafs like 20 years to break their round 1 streak, so why would it only take Winnipeg 5 top seasons? Defence wins championships, and I believe that racking up points against a weaker team doesn't translate well to a 2-1 grind game vs the solid D that Buffalo has. If Rebecca can up her game to a bit above average it gives them a good shot, but that might be asking a lot as she does not face a lot of shots, and the defence in front of her seems more focused on offense most of the time. High powered offence, and a slumping goalie can make it a tough series. 166 words

4. (3 tpe) The combination of a hot goalie with a strong D and team in front of them can be tough to beat. Buffalo is blocking a lot of shots between their defence and goalies, with Fantobens standing on his head. If he keeps that up, expect another dissapointing finals for the bears. After a solid regualar season Buffalo seem to have really raised the bar to another level in the playoffs. Fantobens was a stud all year, but has gone god mode in the postseason. Its not like the stampede offence has been slouching either, still putting up some good numbers of their own. A lof this comes down to whether Fantobens can keep it up, and based on his play in the regular season, even if he regressed to that he would still be playing lights out. Being a defender, Defence > offence all day every day, and for that reason I think the Stampede run over the Bears and send Winnipeg home to the cold with no trophy again. 169 words

Massive Coiler · 07-08-2023, 05:05 PM

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

Verification Word: Spumoni

Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Winnipeg has put together an impressive streak of Challenge Cup Finals appearances, but has no hardware to show for their dominance in the west so far. What do the Aurora have to do differently to get over the hump this year?

b. Buffalo, fresh off a rebuild, crushed their way through the first two rounds of these playoffs after coming in as a wildcard, scoring two consecutive sweeps against two of the best teams in the East. Have the Stampede convinced you? If so, what sold you?

c. Two very different teams took two very different routes to the Cup Final: which of them impressed you more? Why?

d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

C. Winnipeg coming in for their third straight season is nothing short of outstanding. Win or lose, it is an impressive feat to find themselves here again. Not to take anything from Buffalo who have played outstanding, but the longevity and consistency over these last three years from Winnipeg has impressed me the most. What a run.
D. Buffalo has been so hot and them winning would not come as a surprise, but I just have to think Winnipeg will finally get over the hump. These guys are so strong and they’ve put themselves in a position to learn from their past failures and adjust to beat an incredibly hot young team. It could realistically go either way, but my money is on Winnipeg, they just can’t lose three straight… right?

Code:
3. Written, 3 TPE, Guess Who's Back (150 words min.)

To say Winnipeg has been offensively dominant in their playoff run so far is needlessly charitable to their opponents. Lias Ekholm-Gunnarsson has *twenty nine points* in sixteen playoff games. Mikko Rashford has *twenty seven*. However, Rebecca Montaigne has a 0.888 save percentage for this run. Can Winnipeg's absurd offense finally get them over the hump, or do they need to patch up their defense if they want to outlast the Upstate Upstarts?

So far, Buffalo has relied on elite goaltending out of a perhaps unlikely hero. If the saves keep coming (and they don’t stop coming) then Winnipeg themselves relying on a high flying offense may run into trouble. It takes a team playing well in every area to win themselves a championship, Winnipeg being just unable to get over the final hurdle these past couple seasons. An improved defensive game in these finals could very well be the difference between glory and losing three straight. The bottom line here is that Winnipeg needs their goaltending to improve. Whether or not the goalie needs to perform better, or the defense in front needs to prevent more, that number has to improve or else they’re going to meet the same fate as the three other teams that rolled into Buffalo expecting their shots to beat their stopgap. The offense may be enough to solve the goalie, but I would have assumed that for the other teams as well. Shore up defensively and prepare to continue to face elite level goaltending, you can’t just plan for the other team to falter.

8/8

**Rich** · 07-08-2023, 05:28 PM

Fileworker CW Pass

KlusteR · 07-08-2023, 06:10 PM

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

VoidcastDais

Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Winnipeg has put together an impressive streak of Challenge Cup Finals appearances, but has no hardware to show for their dominance in the west so far. What do the Aurora have to do differently to get over the hump this year?

It's hard to say, isn't it? For the past two seasons, we've seen Winnipeg clawing their way out of the Western Conference, yet victory remains elusive, and last season's 7-game thriller against the New England Wolfpack was the closest they've gone so far. Can their core finally get over the hump, and manhandle the Stampede? They've shown they're capable of scoring, but right now, I fear the hurdles for the Aurora may be psychological more than anything else. (86 words)

Code:
c. Two very different teams took two very different routes to the Cup Final: which of them impressed you more? Why?

Now looking towards the Eastern Conference, we saw some heavy favourites flounder and surrender to the resurgence of a powerhouse of the earlier decade. The Buffalo Stampede could not be stopped in the first two rounds, delivering back-to-back sweeps to Cup hopefuls - the Montréal Patriotes and New England Wolfpack - before duking it out with the Philadelphia Forge in a very even series. The key to this run has been, as indicated in the prompts, the marvellous play of Casey Fantobens in net for the Stampede, but let's not discount the influence of their defensive unit in the netminder's statistical columns. (105 words)

Code:
11. Written, 3 TPE, Civil War (150 words min.)

How does your player feel about playing against SHL teammates in the IIHF? Do you ease up on your hits, or do you go harder? Do you grin at each other across the ice, or is this a point of national pride?

Levin could hardly believe the news, and he had to do a triple take when he received the phone call from Ivan Lacksamus himself. He has been invited to represent his home country, Switzerland, in the upcoming IIHF Tournament, at 18 years of age!

After a season of ups and downs at the junior level - selected first overall to San Francisco, and then struggling immensely in his sophomore year in Great Falls - he wasn't even certain to be selected to the Rhine squad in the World Junior Championship. To him, it felt like he was still missing something in his play, and that could leave him off the roster at the favour of other players from France and Germany, and "relegate" him to represent Team Ice for a third season in a row - not that he minded, truly, since he had the occasion to play international hockey, any chance given was accepted humbly... But as a first overall pick? The possibility of being left off the roster frightened him, which made this selection to the national squad all the sweeter. If anything, should Germany or France be in our pool during the tournament, Levin would be extra motivated to prove his critics wrong, and deliver an inspired showing against the competition. He needs to improve the tempo of his game, and not simply give chase to the puck aimlessly, as his smaller frame makes it hard to stay upright in the thick of play, near the front of the net and in zone entries. But he knows he has an opportunity to show his worth to the press, and put the Pride's Front Office at ease in their pick last off-season. (282 words)

*leviadan* · 07-08-2023, 06:42 PM

1. Trivia

barn

2a. Honestly I have no idea. Hard to feel bad for for a team with three straight West championships, but at this point the problem can't be anything but mental, right? You simply have to get a few bounces and believe it can happen. They're clearly one of the best built teams the SHL has seen in the modern era, they're either painfully unlucky or battling their demons of the past.

2b. They beat my silly ass into the dust in round two, so I guess I'm convinced. Buffalo has consistently been a top tier team the entire 16ish seasons I've been in the SHL? Even when they weren't top in TPE they've always been exceptionally well managed and coached. I would certainly never count them out. When they have talent they know what to do with it.

2c. Buffalo looks insanely good this season but I gotta give it to Winnipeg on this run with their consistency. Sure they haven't gotten the final job done, but you want as many kicks at the can as you can get. We're sitting here having our little giggles and theorizing why they can't get it done, but we could just as easily be sitting here talking about WPG going for their third straight Challenge Cup. They've earned the respect and they've shown they can be great. Just one last step for them.

2d. At the risk of looking silly, I want to go with Winnipeg. There's so many good folks on that team and they've clearly built an insane roster, it'd be fun to see them get it done. Buffalo, as you mentioned, are just coming out of a super successful rebuild, so they'll get quite a few more chances. Winnipeg is approaching the tail end of their window and just need a little bit of a shove from the hockey gods. I won't be mad if either team wins, but gun to my head, I want to see Winnipeg finish the fight.

12. Buffalo won it all, coming back from a 2-0 series defecit to win 4 straight and take home the cup in 6. To be frank, I didn't see it coming. As I mentioned in the other task I thought this was Winnipeg's year, but they'll have to get to the finals for a fourth if they want another chance at finishing the job. I'm not sure what you can say that hasn't been said already, they just gotta find a way to get it done. Three different teams have all come in and cracked the Aurora code, so somethings gotta give. All credit to Buffalo, they're set up to be a powerhouse for several seasons to come. Will Winnipeg get another shot? They're a great team but it's not an easy league to win in, and four finals in a row is a tall order. If you're an Aurora player you sure hope you get another chance to prove yourself.

TPE 9/8

*jeffie43* · 07-08-2023, 07:13 PM

Code:
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. This is completed through a Google form linked below. Make sure to spell your answers correctly or you will not get credit. Post your verification word in your CW post.

Verification Word: Done

+ 3 TPE

Code:
2. Written, up to 4 TPE - Grab Bag: Pick up to 4 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words.

a. Winnipeg has put together an impressive streak of Challenge Cup Finals appearances, but has no hardware to show for their dominance in the west so far. What do the Aurora have to do differently to get over the hump this year?

b. Buffalo, fresh off a rebuild, crushed their way through the first two rounds of these playoffs after coming in as a wildcard, scoring two consecutive sweeps against two of the best teams in the East. Have the Stampede convinced you? If so, what sold you?

c. Two very different teams took two very different routes to the Cup Final: which of them impressed you more? Why?

d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

a. I think in order to get over the hump, Winnipeg will need to win 4 games in the Challenge Cup Finals. Previously, they have found themselves unable to achieve this feat as they let the other teams win 4 games before they could in the finals, but if they could somehow manage to achieve this rare feat, they will find themselves holding the Challenge Cup at the end of it all.
c. I think the route the Buffalo Stampede took to the Challenge Cup Finals has really impressed me with the way things have gone. From a team that was rebuilding and just a team you were used to seeing get rolled to a team that is now very strong and finds themselves up 3-1 in the Challenge Cup Finals.
d. I think I will be taking the Buffalo Stampede over the Winnipeg Aurora in these Challenge Cup Finals. I think the Stampede have been a really strong team all season from top to bottom and this consistency will shine in the finals as their tactics and strong all-around roster is strong enough to edge out the Winnipeg Auroras overpowered high octane top heavy offense

+3 TPE

Code:
4. Written, 3 TPE, A Challenger Appears (150 words min.)

Buffalo hasn't put up the same offensive numbers as the Aurora, but they haven't needed to. Their points leader in Konstantin Selich has 19 points in 16 playoff games, an impressive number in its own right, but the Stampede's hero has been Casey Fantobens, their brick wall with a casual *0.929* save percentage over the playoffs so far. In a battle of unbelievable offense vs the stoutest playoff defense this league has seen in a while, does Buffalo have what it takes to bring home the trophy and send the Aurora back to Winnipeg yet again?

I think the Stampede had long convinced me that they were a strong team after sweeping their series in the first round. Buffalo was a really strong team to start the regular season off and I had initially suspected of it being due to some good chemistry or the team just finding themselves having a good luck with FHM success but playoff success is usually a pretty good indicator of strong teams and they have definitely looked like it so far.

Their roster has been really strong, led by the one and only Konstantin Selich with a strong regular season once again. He finished the regular season with 103 points in 66 games with 47 goals and 56 assists. Similarly, the Stampede have been blessed with a breakout season for Casey Fantobens. In his prior 4 seasons, Fantobens had only had one season above .900 sv% in S69 with .903, however this season he really turned things up with a .911 sv% and somehow did even better in the playoffs with a ridiculous .919 sv%, absolutely carrying Buffalo in the playoffs.

+3 TPE

Nour is pretty hot ngl

Toivo · 07-08-2023, 07:32 PM

Code:
10. Written, 3 TPE, IIHF Analysis (150 words min.)

I am hoping for the best for Team Switzerland. My player is really starting to mature into his prime build and he will be good to go for Team Switzerland for several seasons. I am hoping that this correlates with the rise of Team Switzerland in the medal stage. We have gone all the way before and it was such a great moment in the federation’s history. I strive for us to get back to that stage. We have a good group of people, the locker room is great, management is top notch. We are in a perfect spot to do some damage. We just have to have a little bit of sim luck. The Swiss, our flag is a big plus. We have been training hard to put Switzerland on the map as a hockey powerhouse in the IIHF world. Hopefully this IIHF tournament will see us with gold medals around our necks. Go Switzerland!

Code:
11. Written, 3 TPE, Civil War (150 words min.)

It is not too hard to play against SHL teammates in the IIHF. I wouldn’t say that I hit teammates harder when we’re playing against each other in international hockey, nor do I take it easier. I know these players very well from all the hours of practice we put in. It is some friendly competition when we are out there on the ice. Mostly, we are playing for bragging rights. However, we’re also playing for national pride. So typically, we do want to make our nations proud of us. This means we are giving it a lot out there. Still, it isn’t worth trying to get injured just to win the off-season international tournament. There’s a lot that could go wrong and jeopardize your season, where you’ll spend more time playing with these players than against them. Thus, you just go out there and keep things simple while trying to best your teammates so you can brag to them at the start of the next regular season.

Code:
12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)

Looks like Buffalo Stampede won the cup! The Stampede had 5 players that were point per game or better which really did them favors. Winnipeg on the other hand had 6 players point per game or better, nearly 7, with a few others hovering around 2 points from point per game or better. Both teams were putting up a lot of points over the playoffs and this series going 6 games really showed how close the series was. Winnipeg’s only challenge to this point in the playoffs was Chicago who took them to 7 games. Buffalo blew past Montreal and New England before going 7 games against Philadelphia. The finals could have gone either way really.

*.simo* · 07-08-2023, 08:55 PM

ISFL PT +3 TPE

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