S78 PT #5: Playoff Woahs and Woes
Due: Sunday, September 15th @ 11:59 PM PST
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CrazyMojito
File Worker Posting Freak
Australiankek
Registered Posting Freak
Kevin Kim loves the crowd in Minnesota, they are so supportive and go roaring in the playoffs. The hype was at the highest point ever when the Monarchs won the first round last season. Thus, Kevin loves to impress the fans. He always looks for opportunities which could make a game highlight. Whether its with his teammates, or depending on the situation, a solo. Of course Kevin loves the fame upon himself, but he also likes sharing this special recognition with other Monarchs. For example, Kevin encourages other players to pass him the puck while not looking. This could only be achieved by gaining the trust of the locker room and recognize each unique game that the teammates play. In the playoffs, although it is important to play by textbook in these high staked tournaments, Kevin never leaves these exciting specialties and is always watching for chances to make a great game for the fans.
Magenta
Registered S28 Challenge Cup Champion
The pressure of losing in big games drives Jett Labyrinth to work as hard as possible on and off the ice. Jett tries to lead by example, and hopes that if rookies see how hard he works to avoid losing, that they’d do the same. He does not handle losing well, after their controversial series with the Yukon Malamutes ended this season, Jett stayed in the locker room with his head down and all his equipment still on for 30 minutes. After about a week, Jett is able to continue on with his life, and tries to take his mind off things by doing other activities in the offseason. Last offseason, Jett got really into table tennis and even hosted a tournament with his teammates that he won. Of course though, like most players, Jett also loves to golf, although he is not great at it. Overall though, while these distractions are fun, Jett’s main focus in the offseason is to get better and train to win next season.
hotdog
SHL GM RIP Dangel
philippe eko eel, on the unfortunate occasion of being eliminated from the playoffs, likes to take some time to decompress and put himself fully out of the hockey world and lifestyle. he certainly does not pay any attention to the remaining rounds and games and remains blissfully unaware of whatever is going on in the league. he stays in atlanta for a few days to wrap up whatever business remains there, says goodbye to his teammates, and heads down to the depths of the sea and returns to his family. he lives the normal eel type of lifestyle for a bit, eating small fish and such, hanging out in rocks, spending time with his eel siblings, etc. once he's had enough of a reset from the grit and grind and gruel of the season, he heads to norway for IIHF. the one hockey-related stuff he does continue to do in the offseason is work out and stay physically fit - easy to do when he doesn't have anything else going on!
Frenchie
SMJHL GM allegedly doing stuff
Derek has always been a pretty decent season performer, but also a pretty decent playoff performer. Over his career, Derek has scored 112 points in 91 games. Despite all of this, newcomer and SHL geriatric Mikko Rashford has taken it upon himself to "motivate" the Los Angeles captain, in a rather odd way. Instead of lifting him up, praising his 108 point season, bum is the only way Mikko found to qualify his teammate and his performances. Derek isn't one to really read into things much, or take things personally, but he sure as hell isn't going to let an old man bully him, and that's been a driving factor. Beating other teams? Sure. Besting their Californian rival, the pride? Why not. But proving the resident old panther, @RashfordU? Yeah, that, for sure. He's doing a pretty great job so far in these playoffs, having already tallied up an impressive 21 points in 11 contests. Suck it Mikko, try to keep up old man, or maybe you're the bum?
@jason kranz sig elite / @sulovilen elite sig
[pbl[S73 - IRE - 8 W | 0 OTW | 4 L - Lost in Round 1[/pbl]
charlieconway
Registered Posting Freak Quote:Written Option 1: Most players want to show off their skills on the ice. Whether in the form of a fancy save or incredible goal or even a hit that makes the glass shatter, spectators love being impressed. This is even more true for the playoffs where the stakes are higher. Does your player try to impress the crowd come playoff time? If so, how do they try to do so? Do they include their teammates in a set play that will make the crowd roar? Or do they try to take the glory for themselves to make an impossible play? If they aren’t the type to change their style of play to impress fans during playoffs, how does your player maintain their focus when the games get tougher and play gets more intense? Yes, my player tries to impress the fans, even during the playoffs when the stakes are higher. One thing he enjoys doing is getting on the mic in the pregame skate and dedicating his next goal to a lucky fan in the stands, usually a little kid. Then, when he finally scores the goal, he goes to that kid and points at him through the glass while celebrating. Another thing he does is reverse his stick so that he’s controlling the puck with the knob of his stick, and then does some sick stickhandling moves around the opposing defenders to score a goal that sends the fans crazy. He usually does this at home, since he doesn’t see the point of trying to impress an away crowd. Finally, it should be noted that Jae-ik only does this type of thing when the game itself is still fairly open. He’s not going to start doing trick shots when his team is down a goal in game seven with only two minutes left on the clock, as that would be irresponsible and lead to him being shot into the sun by the coach.
Whitecap
SHL GM SHL GM
Prompt 2:
Unfortunately Emeric has gotten a little too used to losing. Despite his individual success, he had never even won a single playoff game back in minor hockey. Now in the J with Kelowna, that trend has mostly held up as despite winning a series last season, they were eliminated in short order in the following round. Given his lack of playoff success, Emeric has made it a tradition to travel in the offseason. The earlier his team is eliminated, the early he can hop on that plane to somewhere nice. Every year it is a different location, just last year he went off grid to go hiking in the remote areas of Iceland. This year he had a trip planned to go back to his home country of France for the summer. Those plans changed when Kelowna won their series against Quebec, and then also the next one against Thunder Bay. Now instead of boarding his plane to Paris, he's having to get on one headed to Yukon. Although he's sure Yukon is nice this time of year, he couldn't help but be just a little disappointed.
sköldpaddor
Commissioner Turtle Lord
Written 2: Lias is intimately familiar with the disappointment of defeat. You can’t come within four games of a cup and go home empty handed as many times as he has without developing some coping mechanisms, after all, or he probably would have bounced a long time ago. When it comes down to it, there really is only one thing you CAN do - you have to pick yourself up and just keep going. Losing never really gets easier, but learning to manage his own reactions has definitely been something he’s gotten better at over time. Above everything else, Lias does not want to be a sore loser (being an ugly winner is just as bad, but that’s for another PT). Blaming factors outside your own control, publicly spewing bitterness, screaming at whoever beat you, it might help in the moment but it’s almost always something you regret later on, and it makes you look bad, so Lias tries to avoid all that completely. If he thinks he’s at risk of saying something he will regret later, he will remove himself from the situation and come back when he’s in a better mood.
Leoben
Registered Posting Freak
Handling defeat can be tricky for some players. It's often hard to tell how someone who enjoys success, especially early in their career, will handle things when that success is taken away. It's easy to be active and motivated when you're team is on top and winning, but the real test is if they keep that same level of commitment when the team is in the gutter. Ottawa has experienced both ends in the last two season, from coming up just short in the Four Star Cup to failing to finish above .500 the following season. Worley has managed to stay focused. The important thing is just to keep doing your job to the best of your ability. Either believe the success will come or don't, but make sure you're doing your part. Set an example and keep others motivated, take the bad times with the good. Handling defeat is someone everyone experiences at some point in time. It's just another step in the process.
tredpalo
SMJHL HO Senior Member
09-15-2024, 03:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-15-2024, 03:51 PM by tredpalo. Edited 1 time in total.)
Written Option 1:
While spectacle and flair are something that I am sure all fans would love to see from a player, Trevor Lopez is absolutely neither of those two things. Does he particularly CARE that he isn't flashy like so many other high end SMJHL talent? No, not really, and why should be? Being flashy does NOT win you games. What DOES win you games is hard pressing defense, steady consistent offense and a gritty, no-nonsense attitude. All spectacle and flair is going to win you is a few likes on instagram and twitter....or X, whatever the hell that Elongated Muskrat wants to call it nowadays. Not everyone on a team needs to be super fun to watch. All teams need a guy who is willing to get down and dirty, to do the work that nobody else wants to do, and THAT is what Trevor Lopez does best. 154 words.
Trevor "The Tijuana Tornado" Lopez #36
MattyIce
Registered Senior Member
Written Option 2:
Easton Schaffer and the Ottawa Highlanders have been recently eliminated from the second round of the playoffs, and it's been a mixed bag of sentiments, in all honesty. Two seasons ago, Schaffer signed on with Ottawa as a DFA, and we were eliminated in six games in the first round. As an expansion team, the expectations were very low, but we did put up a good fight, knowing an improved team would compete in the next season. Last season, we made it to the finals, and that elimination game one hurt a lot. We knew however that we caught lightning in a bottle and carried that streakiness from the season into the playoffs. Somewhere deep down, he knew that Ottawa was opportunistic and luck would run out. This season, with leaders like Benji Hockiwi and Demir Bellona going up to the big league, it was going to be a serious challenge. We were more steady this season, but it was apparent soon in the playoffs that despite winning in the first round, we had met our match with Maine. Easton never gets disappointed whenever his team gets eliminated, neither does he ask himself what could have been, so going forward, his lessons and experience will prove invaluable to go chase a Cup, no matter the expectation and result.
JaytheGreat
IIHF Commissioner IIHF Commissioner
Written Option 1
Now matter what time of the year I always try to play the same way and with the same intensity. The playoffs are always a different animal however, the intensity is dialed up to 11. While I do like bone crushing hits it's all about locking down mental and shutting down the opposition. Any opponent that comes into my area I make a non factor. Stick lifts, body bumps shielding them away from the net. It's not the type of play that will get the fans hyped but it will win games. It takes a lot of metal fortitude to lock in and bang against a forward while keeping them in front of you along with going right into the boards and corners and battle for the puck. Some teams love to try to wear you down when there on offense and make the defense chase and battle for the puck. As a defenseman you can't get tired and you can't lose focus, any hesitation or lapse in concentration will lead to a scoring chance.
Citizen of Adraa
SHL GM Lives on halušky
prompt 1:
Mister Hlemýžď is in a slightly weird spot for these sorts of plays. On one hand, there is so much enjoyment in a properly placed pass that pushes a compatriot towards a petrifying play, or a big hit that makes a guy think twice before reentering your side of the rink looking for a pass again. On the other hand, he is a defensive defenseman. The last line, the final frontier, the end of the play. If he tries to go for a big hit, and terribly misses, or even just missplaces this hit, he can leave his team in a position where they are left playing the role that he is supposed to cover, instead of letting them do the big things and having him be the big papa bear that makes sure if that pass goes wrong, there is a guy back there ready to do anything he can to stop it from going into the net. Therefore it's a very sparse treat that Arnošt partakes in, mostly in situations where even if there was a mistake to be made, it's hopefully not impactful enough to turn around a game, or just adds to the already existing misery of a game deeply lost. Manhattan Rage | General Manager
thanks Sulovilen for the sig! D | Manhattan Rage | Czechia
SouthPaw
SMJHL GM Posting Freak
Jacppo Nummilavin has made a run in every season of his career so far. Losing in the Cup Final and Conference Championship the past 2. This season he finds himself in the Conference Championship and looking to right the wrongs of the prior seasons. For Jacppo he has always carried a lot of the weight of losing on his shoulders. Being someone that is such a key part in the offense and defense he knows that he has to be better. He has always tried to learn from everything in a variety of ways. This has included seeing where he could have been better during the season as well as on the ice during the game. In the end after a loss he has always found comfort in just spending a day or two at home disconnected from everything and in the event that they do win it all during his career he will definitely be going to disney world.
Code: 160 words
KalixIzalumi
Registered Senior Member
option 1:
Elly wants to focus during the playoffs themselves. Its more important to play well and do the game winning plays than try to do something too grandiose and risk losing a shot or turning over the puck. The best way Elly shows off during this time is by being the best play maker she can for her team and setting the stage. If you can make your team shine, you could can stand in the spotlight with them. Setting the puck absolutely perfectly, swiping from the other team, even just some very placement can make all the difference. Although she has worked on her posing just a bit. Despite the need to focus on the game taking priority, she can make her passes, shots, and various plays look good for the camera when she thinks about it, and one thing she has been practicing is a backflip. If a good goal comes up, she can surprise the crowd with one. A big kitty backflip is sure to make the crowd lose their minds. (173 words) |
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