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zeagle1 · 12-25-2020, 05:49 PM

(2x first media bonus please)
So this season, the Quebec City Citadelles have been far and away the best team in the league (no jinx please). Here is a recap of their games thus far this season, along with some sub-par analysis if I feel like it. I do not really know what I am talking about though, so take everything with a grain of salt.

Game 1: vs Colorado Raptors, 2-7 L

Quebec had an ugly start to the season at home vs Colorado. Giving up four first period goals is not the best way to start the season, and that was compounded by Quebec allowing another three goals in the second period. The Citadelles did muster their first goal of the season in the second, and scored a consolation goal in the third, but it was far too little and way too late. There were a few bright spots for QCC in this game though, as QCC lead in shots and hits, but that’s about it for positives. A first career goal for rookie Bjorn Jakobsen is the lone highlight from the game. Both goalies got destroyed by Colorado, each posting a save percentage below 75%. It’s never a good thing when save percentages look like my undergrad calculus grades…

Game 2: at Vancouver Whalers, 9-2 W

For as bad as game 1 was, The Citadelles rallied in a major way and dominated the reigning champs from whistle to whistle. The first period had a relatively close 4-2 score line, and there were no goals in the second, but in the third period, all hell broke loose, and Quebec lit the lamp an additional five times. I’m pretty sure that Vancouver goalie Jon St. Ark was pulled in the first period, and reserve goalie Mertin Brouder managed to play a solid second period, before getting shellacked in the third and being pulled, putting the original piece of swiss cheese back in net. QCC had three players with three points, and an additional six with two points! Center Zdenko Beranek was the first star of the game, nothing two goals and an assist on four shots, along with blocking a shot on the other end of the ice. Rookie Bjorn Jakobsen was the second star of the game, tallying twice on three shots, blocking a shot, recording his first career hit, and getting a takeaway. Stan Q. Next rounded out the three stars with three assists.
In a season of highs, this game was one of QCC’s best.

Game 3: vs Anchorage Armada, 6-5 W

This is the birth of the meme that QCC is a third period team. Ok, it’s not a meme yet and I’m the only one who says that, but it’s true. Anyways, Quebec and Anchorage were tied at three after the first, but the Armada scored twice in the second to give themselves a commanding 5-3 lead going into the third. Quebec used this deficit as motivation and rallied back, scoring 3 goals late in the third period to clinch a 6-5 win over a top team. Armada Goalie Chimkin Tendy (fantastic name btw) allowed an abysmal thee goals on his first seven shots faced and didn’t even make it to 10 minutes of ice time before finding himself riding the pine. Winger Tres Sombreros was the first star of the game, adding a pair of assists while also sacrificing his body on defense to block a shot. Stan Q. Next was third star again, with a goal and an assist during the game. Quebec’s top couple lines played immensely well throughout the game, and were a big reason why Quebec managed to come back and win this game. This game was when the world started to realize just how good Quebec City was going to be this season. Quebec is a legit contender this season.

Game 4: vs Maine Timber, 4-2 W

A low scoring affair by Quebecois standards, the Timber were felled with relative ease. A goalless first period gave way to a three goal second period, which ended with the Citadelles up 2-1. The third period had an identical score line, and thus the game ended with a 4-2 win for Quebec. Quebec Center Zdenko Baranek notched his second first star of the young season, securing it by way of two assists. Winger William Salming made his first appearance amongst the stars, earning the third star of the night with his two assists. A big highlight for Quebec in this game was their dominance in the faceoff circle, winning 35 faceoffs and only losing a mere 27. While that’s not extreme dominance, with a team as possession orientated as Quebec, losing a faceoff means the next time you touch the puck, it’s to pick it out of the back of your own net. Additionally, they slightly outshot the trees throughout the game. Goalie Mat Smith had one of his best games of the season, saving 26 out of the 28 shots he faced in his 60 minutes of ice time.

Game 5: at Newfoundland Berserkers, 5-4 W

This game was the exact opposite of third period Quebec. The Citadelles started strong, tallying the only score of the first period, before lighting the lamp an additional four times in the second. While scoring four is always good, they also allowed three in the second period as well. Newfoundland starting goalie Tim Allen Jr. was pulled after the fifth goal, and backup Hugo Gronroos was called upon to stop the bleeding. He performed excellently in the role, as Quebec did not score a goal in the third period. The Berserkers pulled a goal back in the third, and the last few minutes of the game were rather tense, but the quality of the Citadelles roster saw them pull through and escape with a win.
Jst Maro channeled his new dad energy (congratulations!) into a first star caliber performance, assisting on two goals and scoring one on his own. William Salming added another third star to his resume, scoring and assisting once each. Mat Smith may have allowed four goals, but he faced 40 shots over the duration of the game, so he ended the night with a solid save percentage of 90%.

Game 6: vs Nevada Battleborn, 4-3 W

Quebec continued their trend of winning close games in their sixth game of the season. This game was extremely similar to game 5, with Quebec scoring once in the first, opening up the scoring a bit more in the second, ending the second with a two goal lead, then conceding in the third and barely hanging on to a one goal victory. Jst Maro had some leftover new dad energy, and was first star again, scoring once and tallying an assist on top of that. Rookie future superstar (no bias, I promise) Mew Two makes his first appearance amongst the stars of the game, with a one goal performance that was good enough to be the third star of the night. He also added two blocked shots and even played with the shorthanded line for a shift or two throughout the game. While Nevada is not the most impressive team to beat, the best teams consistently win the games they should win. Complacency will never be an issue with the Quebec team this season, as they are laser focused on winning the cup.

Game 7: vs Nevada Battleborn, 4-3 W

No this is not a typo, Quebec and Nevada played twice in a row and got the exact same score. In this game, Quebec struck first, scoring twice in the first period. A quiet second period ensued, and the third period was a high scoring affair. The Citadelles scored twice more, and the Battleborn scored three goals to once again make the game a little too close for comfort. Quebec loves one goal wins, I guess. Both goalies posted solid stats, with Battleborn netminder Phillip Weaver posting 33 saves on 37 shots and Quebec stopper Mat Smith saving 22 out of his 25 shots faced. The first star was that man again, Zdenko Beranek ( a name that won’t be going away any time soon). He had a goal and a pair of assists to leave the Citadelles to victory. Defender Jasper Maximov earned his first third star of the season, assisting two goals on the way to victory. Quebec, now on a six game win streak (four of those by one goal), is really rolling.

Game 8: at Maine Timber, 4-2 W

In their second meeting of the season, the Timber were felled again by the Citadelles, this time by a score of 4-2. In both the first and second period, Quebec and Maine each scored once, and with a 2-2 tie heading into the third period, Quebec remembered that I am trying to make 3rd period Quebec a meme and scored twice to secure the win and the two points. Winger Igor Petrov was first star, with a goal and an assist over the course of the game. Mr. dad strength, Jst Maro himself, was the third star of the game, with a pair of assists to help Quebec secure the win. For some reason, Quebec almost never gets the second star…. I blame Agent Smith. In this game, Quebec was actually outshot by Maine, 35-33. All of the stats were close, but Quebec once again proved their mettle in this matchup and seized on every opportunity to escape the northeast with two points.

Game 9: at Nevada Battleborn, 5-4 W

Quebec City Citadelles, winner of many one goal games. The teams scored a goal apiece during the first two periods before both goalies decided to take off early, and Quebec scored three goals to Nevada’s two in the third. Despite the score line, this is one of the most lopsided shooting games I’ve seen at any level of hockey, with Quebec registering 41 shots to Nevada’s paltry 16. Quebec Goalie Mat Smith had a forgettable outing, with a terrible 75% save percentage on those 16 shots. He added a win to his season tally though, and I am sure that is the most important thing for him.
Despite the team’s struggles in net, Quebec’s skaters carried the burden. Zdenko Beranek added yet another first star to his career, with two goals and an assist. He’s really good. Like really, really good. Like if you don’t vote for him for MVP you’re an idiot good. I assume anyways, I know nothing about this league. Regardless though, when Zdenko Beranek plays well, the entire Quebec City Citadelles team plays well.

Game 10: vs Maine Timber, 3-0 W

SHUTOUT! Citadelles goalie Mat Smith had one of the best games of his career, shutting out the Maine Timber. He saved all 22 of the shots he faced, and make it look easy while he did it. Somehow this was not good enough to be one of the stars of the game, which went to Yuuto Kira Cloudera Jr, Bjorn Jakobsen, and Igor Petrov. The game was a tense, scoreless affair throughout the first two periods, before the Quebec skaters woke up and scored three in the third frame to close out the game and to make it look like a comfortable win (it was not). Quebec got the punk on net 40 times during the game, and opposition goalie Bigga Foryu was at the top of his game, saving 37 of those shots, but ultimately that was not enough for the Timber to win. While this is undoubtedly one of the least comfortable 3-0 win in SMJHL history, a win is a win, and anyone looking back at the score line in the future will see it and think that it was a comfortable win that was nearly a blowout.

Through 10 games, Quebec is sitting at an impressive 9-1-0 record. Their defense is a bit porous, but the high scoring offense more than makes up for it; they are red hot and are showing no signs of cooling off any time soon.

Code:
2003 Words

Faelax · 12-25-2020, 09:45 PM

Each one goal game takes a day off of my life

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