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S72 Championship Week

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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.


KeK 

3 TPE 


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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.
b. New England vs Winnipeg makes this a rematch of the S70 finals! What does Winnipeg have to do differently to take round two, two seasons later, in season seventy-two?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

B. Unlike last year, which I said Winnipeg looked really good, this year looks like a real reason why they turned better. This year, their defensive side in their forwards and defensemen in the playoffs has been a big jump since their last meeting. I still think the S70 Wolfpack group would still beat the Aurora or make it very close. The Auroras defense has made an impact, the goaltender of the Aurora has gotten a better goals against average and is something to take note of. (86 words) 

D. I'm a little late to this question, but if the finals hadn't ended yet, then I would honestly pick the New England Wolfpack just because of the curse. But unlike other years the Wolfpacks defense wasn't so dominating. And you know the Aurora can destroy if their defense is not good, I'm not saying the wolfpacks defense isn't good, it's just that they looked like they were leaning into offense more than defense. When the leading forward isn't Philadelphia or Winnipeg you know the team changed their game. But in all honesty and no jokes or lies I would've said the Winnipeg Aurora. (103 words)

+2 TPE 
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5. Written, 3 TPE, Cold Sweat and Frozen Tears (150 words min)
How many more kicks at the can will these teams have with their current cores? Winnipeg has been unbelievably dominant with four straight wins of the Western conference. The Wolfpack have been one of the best teams in the league for several seasons running as well. For how long are these two cores going to keep themselves in that top echelon? Which teams will be their biggest threats next season?

Of course I would never know when both absolute monsters of a team will stop producing, but I will try to predict what might happen. An easy answer would be that the star players retire or get traded away. Another thing to think about is that the rebuilding bottom of the league teams might catch up to to either of the teams and maybe push them out of the playoffs or something like that. Teams like Minnesota, Manhattan, or Toronto has been in the bottom in the SHL for a long time, they probably aren't going to be top of the league or anything they might not even make the playoffs in a few years. So both teams at least has some seasons to keep winning cups. Their biggest threat next season in the playoffs is going to be teams such as Edmonton, Chicago, Montreal, and Buffalo. I still think their biggest threats coming into next season is going to be relatively the same as this season maybe with some surprises but I doubt it. (175 words) 

3 TPE 

8 TPE in total

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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.
Spumoni

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5. Written, 3 TPE, Cold Sweat and Frozen Tears (150 words min)
How many more kicks at the can will these teams have with their current cores? Winnipeg has been unbelievably dominant with four straight wins of the Western conference. The Wolfpack have been one of the best teams in the league for several seasons running as well. For how long are these two cores going to keep themselves in that top echelon? Which teams will be their biggest threats next season?

New England is a pretty good bet as they seem to be getting better and better. But what sort of lunatic bets against Winnipeg (in terms of regular season success). They just can’t stop making the finals, and if you think that’s stopping anytime soon, you’ve got another thing coming. This is like a dynasty, but without the ability to get over the finish line. They blow through the west like it’s nothing every single year, and then can’t hang with the various eastern teams that come through. That said, I’m betting on them in this finals, as I did the last one. Surely they’ve got a win up their sleeve. And if they make it next year, I’ll bet on them again, regardless of this season’s outcome. They HAVE to win. This is one of the most impressive runs I’ve ever seen, even factoring in the upsetting loss after loss previous years have dealt them. Very strong team and will probably continue to be so until a gradual decline and the inevitable death that comes to all great eras of a team.

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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. You can never take success for granted, but these are two of the league's heavy favorites coming into the cup finals. Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
b. New England vs Winnipeg makes this a rematch of the S70 finals! What does Winnipeg have to do differently to take round two, two seasons later, in season seventy-two?
c. The Aurora defeated the Blizzard in their conference final, and the Wolfpack sank the Forge. Who had the more impressive victory to punch their ticket to the cup final, and why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?

c. The Wolfpack’s win impressed me the most because they beat the best team in the league and maybe of all time in the Philadelphia Forge led by Antonio Flusso and his fellow hockey playing teammates who are lucky enough to share the ice with him. In all seriousness, Winnipeg making the finals is a given at this point, so whoever makes it out of the east is going to impress me the most.

d. Winnipeg. I voted Winnipeg last year and I was wrong. I voted for them the year before. And I was wrong. This year I’m going with Winnipeg as my choice, yet again. They have to win one. They just have to. This is their year, you can’t possibly make it this many times and not win one. This is going to be their time and I refuse to accept the alternative for them. If Philly had made it, sure they couldn’t do it, but Philly didn’t make it so they are going to win this one for sure.

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1. Trivia
Verfication Word: Jumbo

PH

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(This post was last modified: 09-11-2023, 09:59 AM by Bfine. Edited 2 times in total.)

1. Sota

10. Looking at IIHF this season, I think the two teams most likely to fall back to earth are Ireland and Japan. Yes they were the gold and silver medal winners respectively last season, and yes I’ve been saying Japan is going to miss the playoffs for a while now, but with Ireland’s roster just a season or two away, and Japan’s roster being a mix of aging veterans and rookies, I think both of them are going to miss out on the medal rounds this season. As for who will take their place? I think Sweden and Finland will have strong showings after disappointing seasons last year, but the one team I expect to make the biggest jump is France. France has struggled since coming into the IIHF but their roster is finally coming into its own, and I think this is the season where they can start making some noise in the IIHF and maybe even come away with a medal.

12. Winnipeg has finally won the cup and honestly I don’t think there was anything New England could do, this cup was purely destiny. After 3 seasons of making the finals and losing to Philadelphia, New England, and Buffalo, this Winnipeg core has finally brought the cup home. They were the best team on paper all season and while New England also looked incredibly strong, Winnipeg was just on another level, including in the playoffs where they dominated New Orleans, Chicago, and Edmonton on their way to winning the cup, losing only 3 games throughout the entirety of the playoffs. This was a team of destiny, and congratulations to Winnipeg.




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Thank you @xjoverax and @phoenix for the sigs!

1. CW TRIVIA
Word: Monarchs

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. You can never take success for granted, but these are two of the league's heavy favorites coming into the cup finals. Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!

It has got to be Winnipeg right? They are a terror on ice and a powerhouse team that has made it to the finals for the fourth straight season. I think it is time for them to punch their Challenge Cup ticket and bring the cup home. Consistency is huge to winning and they can do it.  [57]

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

I am really pulling for Winnipeg here. Making the finals this many times is super impressive. It is only a matter of time before they actually win this thing. Winnipeg is ready for the win, and frankly, they deserve it at this point. If they do not win, they will forever be known as choke artists and have their own place in SHL history.  [64]

3. Written, 3 TPE, Peggy's Back, Tell a Friend (150 words min.)
Winnipeg is a cup finalist for an astonishing fourth year in a row! To make that happen in the current era of the SHL requires serious skill and deserves appreciation. What is it that makes this Aurora era so successful? What have been the most crucial factors in their Western dominance? What lessons should the rest of the league learn from their success?
I know I keep repeating myself here, but it is truly impressive what Winnipeg has done. The consistency at which they have been playing at is a feat that has not been seen in a while. While some say it is not fun to watch the same teams in the playoffs, I think you have to step back and truly appreciate what Winnipeg did. They were able to build a strong core and keep that core. The managers played a huge part in the team’s success and should not be overlooked. The hardest thing to do is keep a locker room together long enough for success to show itself. Growing together and building chemistry and TPE are the key factors here. The managers were able to do so and they now have a deep team which should put their cup drought to bed. I think the big takeaway here is simple, build the team from the ground up and keep them together. Success will come, it just may take some time to get there. Patience is a must.  [178]

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1. CW Trivia: Verification: Pyromaniac, 1.5+xTPE
12. Looks like Winnipeg won S72, the team that's been dominating the West finally broke through against an Eastern Conference team. At this point it seemed that Winnipeg getting a cup was either gonna happen this year or they would be forever relegated to being the bridesmaids. Not to say that they wouldn't get back next year, just that you can only fall short so many times before the weight of all the previous seasons start taking you out of the series before the first game is played. For New England, despite scoring 16 goals in their 3 home games, their vaunted offense went silent in Winnipeg getting shutout in both away games, combine that with their high-powered offense lacking defense by letting in 15 goals in those same 3 games, and they were simply outclassed by the experts on making the finals. Winnipeg's biggest advantage for this season and seasons to come will definitely be their experience in high pressure situations, this team knows how to win and as long as they don't get hit too hard by regression they will be a team to fear in the coming seasons. 190 Words, 2TPE

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Thank you hewasajazzman, Slothfacekilla, Sulo, Frenchie, and Raymond for the sigs Smile

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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.

Word: portalwin

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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.
b. New England vs Winnipeg makes this a rematch of the S70 finals! What does Winnipeg have to do differently to take round two, two seasons later, in season seventy-two?
c. The Aurora defeated the Blizzard in their conference final, and the Wolfpack sank the Forge. Who had the more impressive victory to punch their ticket to the cup final, and why?

b. Season 70 saw New England upset their way to a game 7 championship win, carrying momentum that could not be stopped by league favourite Winnipeg. This season, Winnipeg needs to keep it simple, and that starts with their best players being their best players. Scoring when it matters. Without goals, they'll never win.

c. I would say that the Wolfpack beating the Forge was the more impressive way to get to the cup final, because we all know New England was up 3-0 before Philadelphia came all the way back to force a game 7. The mental fortitude it takes to perform in a game 7 after blowing that kind of lead is very impressive, because it could have easily gone the other way.

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10. Written, 3 TPE, IIHF Analysis (150 words min.)
Do you foresee any specific upsets in this season's IIHF? Any risers or fallers that might be hot takes? If not, why do you think the best will stay the best?

The IIHF tournament is always a crap shoot, but there are a lot of teams who have improved. Look for Ireland to be close to the top once again, with their core and star goaltender Caleb Hayden returning even better. Third place finisher Norway and fourth place finisher Switzerland always seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to predictions, but they could make a serious push for gold as well. Japan may not make it to back to the medal round. Russia is always a dark horse and we like them to make the return to the playoffs after a few seasons. Germany, Finland and Czechia are always tough when you give them an inch, and either one of them could win gold this year, while Canada and the USA will flounder, as they are easy targets for teams to poach players from. Should be a fun tournament!

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3. Buffalo Stampede , Eduard Selich 5 (Maximilian Wachter, Alexis Metzler) at 16:25
5. Buffalo Stampede , Eduard Selich 6 (Steven Stamkos Jr., Brynjar Tusk) at 19:48
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10. Buffalo Stampede , Eduard Selich 9 (Dickie Pecker) at 19:43 (Empty Net)

1. sven

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1. Chill

4. Written, 3 TPE, Pack Attack (150 words min.)
The New England Wolfpack have two defensemen and seven forwards that went over a point per game in the regular season, and one in Ivan Lackasmus that lapped it with over two points per game. They haven't slowed down in the playoffs either, so they aren't just inflated by hot games against the tanks. What is it that makes the Wolfpack's offense so incredibly lethal? Can it be imitated, or only envied? Will it be enough to get them another cup with this core?

The wolfpack are a seasoned core of veterans that run offense through all three lines. Some of the biggest points contributors are nested deep within each role and the coaches have worked to really make the lines mesh well. That being said, I do not think that this is a wholly unique situation. We have some high powered individuals and a defense core that is able to get down and block shots for the goalies. If you take a concentrated look, at new englands core they are a defensive team that has become effective grinders. They amount of skill they have over the rest of the league might just be to good player development. Against a Winnipeg team that has some fantastic skill and a bone to pick, there is a huge amount of variance that could go into these games. Look to the home games for real clarity as to who is going to take this series, because a team taking one away could spell doom for the entire series.

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. You can never take success for granted, but these are two of the league's heavy favorites coming into the cup finals. Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
New England has a great defensive 1st and 2nd line. Those two lines have been out in each game contributing to points and running successful defensive campaigns against the best lines in the game. If the third line can pick up their pace and match the 1st line with some nose to the grindstone play, we could see a runaway series.
b. New England vs Winnipeg makes this a rematch of the S70 finals! What does Winnipeg have to do differently to take round two, two seasons later, in season seventy-two?
Winnipeg has to stick to what they are good at. Get into the individual battles and beat new england out by skill. If they try to come with a straightforward shots on net approach, we could see the same shutdown defense of the pack go to work like they did back in S70. They need to dance around the goal and look for innovative shots while guarding the breakaways. They have the skill to stay dominant, they just need to believe it.

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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. You can never take success for granted, but these are two of the league's heavy favorites coming into the cup finals. Pick either of our finalists, and tell me what about them impresses you the most!
b. New England vs Winnipeg makes this a rematch of the S70 finals! What does Winnipeg have to do differently to take round two, two seasons later, in season seventy-two?
c. The Aurora defeated the Blizzard in their conference final, and the Wolfpack sank the Forge. Who had the more impressive victory to punch their ticket to the cup final, and why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?


b. I think Winnipeg will just need to continue their dominant play of their elite top lines. I think they outmatch any opponent in that regards and can dominate with their top lines regardless of who they face off against. They have the best goalie in net as well so that's a big advantage. As long as she plays well, I think it's an easy win for Winnipeg.
d. I don't have any specific preference as to who wins, as I have some good friends on both sides of the finals here. I think Winnipeg looks better on paper and has a much stronger team overall, while the Wolfpack have decent depth as well. The difference in net and top forwards skew this towards Winnipeg for me.



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3. Written, 3 TPE, Peggy's Back, Tell a Friend (150 words min.)
Winnipeg is a cup finalist for an astonishing fourth year in a row! To make that happen in the current era of the SHL requires serious skill and deserves appreciation. What is it that makes this Aurora era so successful? What have been the most crucial factors in their Western dominance? What lessons should the rest of the league learn from their success?


Looking at their roster for the first time ever, I can see a few major reasons why they're a top team. For starters, they simply have top users. OrbitingDeath is a familiar name to me, as we made 4 finals together in the VHL as well. He's a winning user who puts in the highest levels of effort in every league he participates in, and simply pisses excellence and excellent players. Others users like skoldpaddor, jay2233, RashfordU, Sburbine, Symmetrik and BadWolf are all familiar names as well and I've had good experiences with them in the past. Winning teams need winning users who are good people to have around, so that's a big component for that. I think that's something that every team in the league should try to replicate, although it's such a tall task. Simply going and getting elite sim league users isn't simple. From a TPE perspective, Winnipeg is built around a superstar goalie and an excellent forward core. The team has 2 elite centers with multiple elite wingers around them. Their top defensemen are no slouches either. It's simply a well built team of really high TPA players. How is this even allowed with a salary cap existing lol. Cap's too high?


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4. Written, 3 TPE, Pack Attack (150 words min.)
The New England Wolfpack have two defensemen and seven forwards that went over a point per game in the regular season, and one in Ivan Lackasmus that lapped it with over two points per game. They haven't slowed down in the playoffs either, so they aren't just inflated by hot games against the tanks. What is it that makes the Wolfpack's offense so incredibly lethal? Can it be imitated, or only envied? Will it be enough to get them another cup with this core?


After looking at the Winnipeg roster, I'd be sort of surprised if New England can continue their offensively dominating ways. While the Wolfpack have strong offensive options, I just think they're outclassed by the skill and experience of the Aurora. While there are familiar names like Petr Svoboda, Sven Svechnikov and Makrus Jager, I think they will struggle to match up against the stifling Aurora team. While I do like a lot of the users on this team and would be happy to see them win, I wonder if they'll hit the proverbial wall here against a team that is simply the best of the best.

I think that's why this offense can't be imitated without having the insane TPE levels of the Winnipeg squad, which once again, I am confused how that works in a league with a salary cap. If this team is performing well despite being lower TPE than other teams, its because of excellent chemistry, strategy, and line combinations. That's something to envy for sure, as it is part luck and part strategy. Imitating it is just asking for underperforming and failure.


Total: 8 TPE
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2023, 05:56 PM by RainDelay. Edited 2 times in total.)

1. Rodgers (3 TPE)

2a. I have to say I am so impressed by Winnipeg's consistency. This is their fourth year in a row in which they are representing the Western conference, that is enough to cement themselves in the greatest teams ever conversation. They just need to close the deal and I think this time they can do it. But I'm totally impressed. (1 TPE)

2b. It really feels like de ja vu. We just saw this matchup two seasons ago. 18 other teams must be getting sick of it. But Winnipeg isn't. They are definitely focused on putting the best product on the ice in order to get the job done! They need to use that high powered offense to set the tone early and often. They cant take any opportunity for granted because they have been here before and it is their turn to change the ending. Expect many crisp passes and a slew of shots early in periods! (1 TPE)

5. How many kicks at the can do these teams have left? That kind of thing is hard to guess. I have to say probably a few more, though it is unlikely that they'll be good for like 6 to 10 seasons in the future. But definitely a few more looks. Winnipeg and New England not only have the current active cores, but they have the culture that promotes being active and earning, and that definitely helps. That can be a deciding factor in pushing a team over the edge, and both have that potential. As we've seen with Winnipeg, this is now their fourth cup appearance in a row and who's to say they won't be knocking on the door for a fifth. New England is no stranger to this success as well. I would love to see my Baltimore Platoon challenge for it soon, as we have a really active core of players who are all pretty young, some have yet to make their debuts yet, including myself. It may be a couple seasons, but I'm totally ready to make noise! (3 TPE)

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1. Evil - 3 

2 (a). I think what impresses me the most about the Winnipeg Aurora is that their longevity seems unmatched within the SHL. 4 straight conference championships is an incredible feat. I think that their experience in playoff and championship level hockey is what gave them the edge that they needed to overcome the Wolfpack in the finals. (55)

4. 'For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.'! Essentially, this means that the team is only as strong as the players, and when they all work together, they are strong. That is what makes the Wolfpack’s offense so incredibly lethal. Much like a real wolf pack, the New England Wolfpack are smart, crafty, and ferocious on the offensive side of the ice. This can be evidenced by their league leading points for. Although they had to sacrifice some defensive ability to achieve that as they ranked 7th in points against. Everyone on the ice was liable to score at any time. Whether that be Ivan Lacksamus, the other six forwards, or even the defensemen, the Wolfpack were able to score at will. The team was able to rely on each other to accomplish their mission of winning a championship. I do think that this style can be imitated, but it comes with a cost. That cost is time. It takes time to build such a talented offensive roster. (179)

12. Winnepeg has won the S72 Cup and wow what a series and season it was for them! Coming into the playoffs as the 1st seed in the Western conference, the Aurora had to battle through tough teams like the New Orleans Specters, Chicago Syndicate, and the Edmonton Blizzard to even make it to the championship game. Then, they had to defeat the Eastern conference 1st seed New England Wolfpack. Impressively, the Aurora defeated the Wolfpack in the series with 4 straight wins after a game 1 loss. To me, this was the most impressive thing of the playoffs. Game one finished with the Wolfpack on top, winning a 7-3 walloping over the Aurora. While that may have deflated a lesser team, the Aurora showed a level of grit I had not seen before in the SHL and did not let it affect them for the remainder of the series, where they would win 4 straight to earn the Challenge cup. (160)

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