Good day to you, Star Gang! It is I, your Keyboard Warrior here to tell you the day that was in the Simulation Hockey League. After Joining team USA for the first time in the International Ice Hockey Federation tournament (I'm sure I got that acronym right) and signing a three-year extension with the North Stars, Luffy Richard entered the pre-season with pep, mustard, and a skip in his skates. The North Stars dominated pre-season, but will that success carry over? Three games are on the slate for today's sim: the Buffalo Stampede visit Toronto, the North Stars head to Montreal to face the Patriots, and then back home to face off against the Baltimore Platoon.

In the first game, Luffy Richard opened up the season scoring for the Toronto North Stars, marking the first time he has ever done so, and putting him on pace for a goal a game! Shots were dominated by the Stampede forty-six to twenty, but the hits were more even at seventeen to fifteen in favor of Buffalo. Luffy Richard was a plus-one with a goal and a hit while putting three shots on goal. The North Stars carry their pre-season momentum with this four-to-one victory over their hated rivals.

Luffy Richard's goal-scoring streak ends at one as the Toronto North Stars march into Montreal for a six-to-four victory over the Patriots. The North Stars outshot the Patriots fifty-one to twenty-one--what a lopsided affair not truly reflected in the score. Toronto was punished every time they had the puck leading to Montreal's thirty-three to fourteen advantage in hits. Luffy Richard was a minus-one with three shots on goal, a blocked shot, a hit, and a giveaway. Not the greatest game, but the North Stars came out with the two points so that is all that matters. 

The final game of the sim sees the Baltimore Platoon come in for a visit where they were greeted by a solid offensive effort by the North Stars, and a four-to-two loss. There was a lot of rubber being thrown around out there on the ice, but the Platoon came out on top with a barrage of forty-five shots to the North Stars thirty-seven. The hits were much closer but the Platoon muscles out the edge in this category as well, twenty-four to twenty. Luffy Richard was a plus-one with a shot on goal, three blocked shots, and a takeaway. Not a bad defensive effort, but he could have had another ten blocked shots with the way the Platoon were firing the puck out there.

A goal and a plus-one. Not a bad sim. More importantly, the North Stars sweep the sim for an important six points. They need to keep this momentum up because Buffalo and Hamilton will not give them room to breathe in what is promising to be another tight divisional race.

Until next time,

Shine On!

(509 words)