Create Account

(GRADED) Deep Dive #2 - Can Newfoundland Repeat?
#1
(This post was last modified: 11-04-2020, 06:09 PM by leafs1997.)

Berserkers

With the playoffs well underway, every SMJHL fan is wondering whether last season's champs, the Newfoundland Berserkers, can repeat as SMJHL champions. While their record isn't as good as last season (28-17-5 instead of 35-9-6) the team still managed to send the season at the top of their division for the third consecutive season. While you may look at their record and say that the team isn't as good as last season, it is worth nothing that both their divisional rival, the Maine Timber and the Quebec City Citadelles had better seasons than they had, especially Quebec City, who ended up with fifteen more points. The thing is, the Newfoundland Berserkers lost a lot of core players last season and it had an effect on the team, but can the Berserkers still win this time around?

Goaltender Cale Amundsen was back and posted similar numbers as last season, earning 25 wins in 42 games, against a 26 wins in 40 games performance last season. His goal against average increased and his save percentage decreased, but his general performance was about the same, if not better than it was last season. He's also having a good playoff run, with a 2.36 average and a .929 save percentage.

Core players from the championship season aren't here anymore (Ryuuji Minamino, Steve Harrington, Guy LeGrande, Patric Twist) and it hurt the offense a bit, going from 3.7 goals per game down to 3.02 goals per game this year. Their goal against average increased to 2.72 compared to a spending 2.06 in their championship season, so clearly, statistically speaking, the Newfoundland Berserkers aren't better than they were last season. 

They also have a lot of players leaving at the end of the season, so this may very well be their last chance to win the Four Star Cup in a while. Most of the veterans didn't manage to match their production from last year, but still managed to bring the team to the playoffs, but they need to kick it to another gear to get over the edge and be a championship winning team. 

To win another championship, the Berserkers' path will cross the Anchorage Armada's. Newfoundland had a 2-1 record against them this year, but the Armada has significant momentum after beating the Detroit Falcons and the Nevada Battlleborn in convincing fashion, so they will do anything in their power to get to the SMJHL final. The momentum is on Anchorage's side, but Newfoundland has the psychological advantage after winning the season series. Anchorage isn't a team to take for granted, even if they had to play in the first round, they were the best-ranked team to play in that round and had more points this season than Newfoundland. Anchorage's goaltender, Scoochie Stratton has been unbelievable in the playoffs and he comes into this series red-hot. Newfoundland will need to get dig deep into their repertoire to get pucks past Stratton who maintained a sub 2.00 goal against average so far in the playoffs. If the Berserkers manage to get past the Armada, they will face either the Carolina Kraken, or the Vancouver Whalers in the final, the two best regular-season team. Newfoundland also had a 2-1 record against both of those teams, again winning both season series. It goes to show that Newfoundland is able to win against the best teams in the league, but the players will have to be in the right mindset and everything will have to work well together if they want to win another championship, because it will be no easy task.

So the question was: Can Newfoundland repeat as champions? There's no definitive answer to that, but they need to play at their very best and not make any mistake if they want to win the biggest trophy in SMJHL once again.

Berserkers

663 words

Approved, +5 TPE @marco999

[Image: eMf7wNV.png]





Users browsing this thread:
1 Guest(s)




Navigation

 

Extra Menu

 

About us

The Simulation Hockey League is a free online forums based sim league where you create your own fantasy hockey player. Join today and create your player, become a GM, get drafted, sign contracts, make trades and compete against hundreds of players from around the world.