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.
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.
Verification: REALLYANANSWERISLIME
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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. Winnipeg has put together an impressive streak of Challenge Cup Finals appearances, but has no hardware to show for their dominance in the west so far. What do the Aurora have to do differently to get over the hump this year?
b. Buffalo, fresh off a rebuild, crushed their way through the first two rounds of these playoffs after coming in as a wildcard, scoring two consecutive sweeps against two of the best teams in the East. Have the Stampede convinced you? If so, what sold you?
c. Two very different teams took two very different routes to the Cup Final: which of them impressed you more? Why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?
A. What does Winnipeg have to do to finally break that seal? Im telling you it is simple as goat sacrifices. See that's what the Gms are scared to say to their players. The Sim GODS (yes I'm a polytheistic believer) require sacrifices. Since the traditional sacrifices of spending hours of your life sim testing are gone, you have to be willing to kill a Black Phillip or two. That's just history.
D. I got to give it Buffalo, but that's because I'm an old head and I know Buffalo is just built like that. They are hot and they will continue to put up a good series with the Aurora. Also, nothing good happens in Winnipeg so why should it start now? Boom roasted. Buffalo has fought their way there and while WPG isn't new to the finals they just haven't demonstrated the will to win, unlike the storied history of Buffalo. They just won't be able to crack it.
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5. Written, 3 TPE, Blood on the Ice (150 words min)
Continuing an emergent tradition: this year's final features a god-bear of cosmic wind facing an unfamiliar rival on a familiar battleground: this year, the great glowing north faces a furious herd of buffalo! Tell me who wins and why! The arena and the rules of the fight can be whatever you desire. Get creative!
The buffalo are given sabers that are attached to their hooves to give themselves an edge. The northern lights are forced to take on corporeal form as otherwise, the fight would be unfair, but they too are given sabers. The arena is simple. You take a hockey rink and increase its size by about 26%, remove the ice, and place some nice dirt. However, you make it into a slight bowl. Not a deep one but a slight one, and then you're essentially set. However, sharpshooters line the area to enforce the rules. The rules are simple, the corporeal light people must convince the buffalo to peacefully commit seppuku, while the buffalo attempt to find out if light people are capable of bleeding. The light people only use the sabers in self-defense. Yes, this may be one-sided, but light people are terrifying. So I am going to put my money on the buffalo because I don't know how you will communicate with a Buffalo to do a complex thing like seppuku
10. Written, 3 TPE, IIHF Analysis (150 words min.)
Heading into this season's IIHF is pretty similar to every other year, there seems to be a dark horse that emerges out of the preliminary round. Ireland is slowly but surely growing into a beast, and I think this season we'll really be poised to open some eyes. Our strongest class of players has come out of the Season 68 draft, so there's a lot more earning to be done before fully reaching our potential. As far as other countries, you're really looking at the usual suspect when it comes to podium contenders. Canada has always, and will always ice a strong team. Japan is another one to keep your eyes on, as they always have good depth. An interesting one to watch will be USA, as they have struggled the past few seasons in the Round Robin. They have a strong team but just can't seem to pull it together early in the tournament for good seeding.
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Words: 150+
12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
There was no part of the series that was my favorite; maybe Winnipeg going up 2-0 on Buffalo? Otherwise I'm pretty salty about the entire playoffs and want that known. I just can't fathom how a team as milquetoast as Buffalo can waltz into the playoffs and immediately sweep two titans back-to-back. Philly was able to take them to game 7 before falling to them as well. However, the most incredible feat was saved for the finals - where BUF goes down 0-2 in the series, only to win FOUR CONSECUTIVE GAMES against the strongest team in the league by a country mile. They played the top four teams in the regular season standings enroute to a cup win, going a grand total of 16-6-1... but no, nothing to see here. What could Winnipeg, a team that went 54-9-3 in the regular season and averages over 1300tpe per player, have done better to beat Buffalo? No idea, maybe done some test sims... otherwise, nothing.
The Aurora Bear God vs a herd of buffalo. Let's compare here... but first, we need some details on the Aurora Bear God. If the largest bear in history was the Arctotherium angustidens AKA the South American giant short-faced bear weighing in at an enormous 4000 pounds and towering over animals at a height up to 14 feet tall, we can assume that this bear god is at least double the weight and 1.5x the height. Buffalo or American Bison are already between 700-2000 pounds with small and sharp horns that can pierce and injure anything in their way. A group of charging bison could put up a real fight against this Aurora Bear God if he doesn't fight with god powers. If you ask me I can see the Bison getting the upper hand really easy if it's just a fight between the animals without any extra god-like powers thrown in. Otherwise, it's the Aurora all day!
10. Looking at IIHF, I don’t think defending champions Germany are going to pull it off again. I expect the usual suspects of Sweden, Canada, and Finland to do well again, and I ultimately think Finland ends up winning another gold medal this season. In terms of underdogs I wouldn’t be surprised to see Czechia and Switzerland make a run and potentially grab a bronze medal, as both teams have some strong players, such as Dangle for Czechia and Jarrow for Switzerland. In terms of my team Japan, I don’t expect us to repeat our bronze medal feat from last season. A lot of our top players are still in regression and we don’t have a lot of top players in the S62-S64 range like a lot of other teams do. I think we can still make the playoffs, but I see us being first rounded. My final predictions are Finland gold, Canada silver, Switzerland bronze.
12. Buffalo has won the cup again, and at this point I’m not sure I’m surprised. Now the real reason Buffalo won was rigging. You think Lee is gonna let himself not get another challenge cup? He wasn’t willing to let Kekw retire without a trophy and you can see the results. The Great Lakes are back people. If you’re not on Hamilton or Buffalo you might as well retire and try again it’s all over. In all seriousness, I’m not sure why Winnipeg isn’t able to close out in the finals. Maybe it’s time for another Western conference team like Edmonton take a crack at it.
hievements 5: Named Assistant Captain of Kelowna : Drafted 6 OA by Calgary : Named Captain of Kelowna
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.
Task1
3. Written, 3 TPE, Guess Who's Back (150 words min.)
It is just insane with how much offense the Winnipeg Aurora are putting up. We have four players in the top six of goalscorers. Mikko Rashford leading the way with 16 goals, while Lias Ekholm Gunnarsson, Gonzo Gobbledygook and last but not least Lord Farquaads are just behind with 13, 13 and 12 each. Lias Ekholm Gunnarsson definitly would have taken the playoff mvp trophy with 22 assists to his name. While you also should look at Kaapo Kampainen and Jay O'Neil's plus/minus ratings. To put up +20 during a playoff run is just insane. But despite all this positiveness, we also have Rebecca Montagne in net. You would expect her to play like a maxed out goalie, but she doesn't. She doesn't come anywhere near it. I just can't explain it. I have had a lot of people test sim if height made a difference, but it didn't. Yet I still feel that us losing three finals in a row, is all my fault and trust me. It is not a good feeling. No matter what people say about it, I know it's on me. Just look at the prompt description, it is already pointing fingers before the final is played. So I'm sorry for once again failing you Winnipeg. My next player for you all will be another goalie. One that is 6'8 and I don't know how many pounds, but one that fills out the next completely. I want revenge for all these lost finals. But that's only after my career is done and I'm not going anywhere yet.
12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
The series are over but there is not much what the Aurora could have done better. We just got f'd over by the sim engine (again) and Buffalo got the better end. Seeing our tactics copied in game three and beyond and then get reverse swept shows are tactics were clearly working. So what should change somehow is to not have tactics visible to other teams, but that probably is mission impossible. My favorite part of the series was winning game 1 and 2, but with our previous scars from the last finals we just werent certain, we didnt want to celebrate anything, and unfortunately got proven right.
TASK 12 PROCRASTINATOR SPECIAL
Well, it's all done and over with and the Buffalo Stampede have emerged victorious with the cup. Unfortunately, this means that the Winnipeg Aurora have lost three consecutive finals. While it certainly is soul crushing to lose one finals series after making it all the way there, it is even worse to lose 3 in a row, and I genuinely feel for the Aurora organization and the players and users therein. I don't think that they could have done anything differently, unfortunately, and that in this instance the insane goalkeeping ability of Casey Fantobens in the playoffs was just too much for any team to be able to overcome. Fantobens is definitely the playoff MVP in my book and I would be shocked if the committee does not agree. (129)
(PHI): 66 GP | 39 G | 52 A | 91 P | +42 | 277sog | 14.08sh% | 19 ppp | 71 hits | 64 blks | 65 pim
GP | 327 G | 506 A | 833 P | +394 | 2448 sog | 13.4sh% | 194 ppp | 920 hits | 659 blks | 436 PIM
[pbl]Won Silver in IIHF with Sweden in S69
[pbl]Won the S72 Jeff Dar Award with the Philadelphia Forge
07-10-2023, 10:38 AM(This post was last modified: 07-10-2023, 12:07 PM by st4rface. Edited 5 times in total.)
1. CW TRIVIA, 3 TPE max - 1.5 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer. Verification word: dax
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. Well, Winnipg ''Aurora'' lost in the Finals to Buffalo ''Stampede'' already, so it's even a better topic to talk about now. ''Aurora'' is a great regular season team and often gets to the Finals too, but then they fail. It's pretty frustrating for players, for sure. They definitely think that the next season will be theirs, but it hasn't went that way yet. I think that they might need to improve each of all aspects a bit. They need to improve their offense and defense. Needs to get a better secondary goalie, improve their bench a bit and work ore with their strategies and lines. Work in the off season means a lot once the season starts. (117 words) b. Buffalo ''Stampede'' went and won Challenge Cup of S71. Did that surprised me? Maybe a little, but not really. This team has an insane front office which will always find a way to be a part of contenders. Great chemistry and all they do is make their team great. They won't listen to the media - they will just go out and compete for that legendary trophy. And I can say that as their previous player. There isn't anything that can stop them if they are in their zone. ''Stampede'' might be the best franchise ever to play in the SHL. If they sign a player, you can be sure that they will make them better. I left with an emptiness when they didn't re-sign me, but I' thankful for them. Great franchise and I'm sure that this wasn't their last championship in S70's. (143 words) c. Well, ''Aurora'' were more dominant in the regular season. They finished in the first place. Five places and 17 points ahead of ''Stampede''. So, since the Buffalo won it all, I'm more impressed of their run. Yes, as I said above - I was sure that they were able to win it all, but they were the underdogs. You can't be surprised of regular season winners making it to the Finals. ''Stampede'' were the sixth seed and swept their first two opponents in the Play-Offs. Impressive run which might go in the history as one of the best post season for a team ever. (103 words) d. ''Stampede'' won it and all I can say is that I would've picked them anyway before the series too. Multiple reasons - much better front office, team with a better history and just a squad who's priority is to win each game no matter what when they step on that ice. They don't care if their teammates are somehow involved in some drama or anything else. They go out and fight for a victory. And they did it once again. (79 words)
4. Written, 3 TPE, A Challenger Appears (150 words min.)
Buffalo knows how to make a roster which can compete with every single team. This time their leader was a goalie. They won a championship with a good team game. They didn't have a one or two specific leaders. They just went out with a squad which was ready to fight and give an assist if there wasn't a 100% scoring situation. And it worked. I knew they had that type of power already before they Play-Offs. And my predictions were pretty close. I knew that Buffalo will go far. Yes, I didn't predict them winning a Challenge Cup, but once they made the Finals, I knew it's pretty believable that they will win it all. Winnipeg had a team with specific leaders. They might be similar to Denver ''Nuggets'' in NBA. ''Stampede'' were closer to Miami ''Heat'' in this situation. We all know how did NBA Finals end, but this was a different type of scenario. Well done to Buffalo. Believed that they will make it happen in the beginning already. Definitely deserved it too though. (164 words)
10. Written, 3 TPE, IIHF Analysis (150 words min.)
IIHF is always hard to predict, but WJC is even harder. I think it will be an amazing experience once again, but Canada and Norway has the best chances to win it all. They both were insanely good last IIHF, but went short by losing in the first round. I think that they won't let that happen again. Germany might fight for medals too, but I think that's pretty much it. I hope that my Finnish fellas will make some noise, but I ain't that confident about that. After last WJC seems that no other nation can compete with British Isles. Hopefully that I can help Finland to get to the Finals. However, I personally think that WJC is very boring, since there isn't a bronze game. Maybe Sweden can fight a bit and bite British Isles, but I think it's a game with one type of outcome. Not anything that other countries can do about their dominance, to be honest. (161 words)
11. Written, 3 TPE, Civil War (150 words min.)
I think that every hockey player loves to play against their teammates. Specially in IIHF and WJC it's a journey. Personally, I enjoy it. It's amazing to play with them in SMJHL, but I understand that once SMJHL journey is over and SHL starts, you probably won't play with them anymore. So, I enjoy playing against them in WJC, because I know that after it ends, we will all be back in Colorado and play together again. Of course, I ain't making that hard hits against them, but I always give it all defensively and offensively. It's all cool after the game, but we love to test out each other when we are not in the same jerseys. You have to be competitive at all times if you are an athlete. How it will go this WJC? Can't predict, but I know that it will be fun and full of competitivness. Hopefully, Finland will win it all though, haha. (159 words)
12. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min.)
Well, Buffalo ''Stampede'' once again proved that this franchise is legendary and unstoppable. Winnipeg ''Aurora'' won the regular season and were 17 points ahead of ''Stampede''. None of these teams had a cake walk this post season, but Buffalo was much more confident. Buffalo always has shown a dominance. I am not shocked of them winning it all once again. It's hard to say why they won and not anyone else. As a player who has played there, I just can say that this team has an insane front office. They will find a way to be a contender each season no matter what. And I don't think that it was possible to stop them. They might be the best franchise to ever play in SHL. (126 words)
TOTAL: 16 TPE
but actually 8 TPE, because I didn't read closely and thought that the maximum is 16 TPE as always :(
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. Winnipeg has put together an impressive streak of Challenge Cup Finals appearances, but has no hardware to show for their dominance in the west so far. What do the Aurora have to do differently to get over the hump this year?
Unfortunately Winnipeg can only do one thing that is out of their control and that is to get on the lucky side of the bounces. They have put together the team, they have been at the top of the league for everal seasons, but they are failing to have the magic happen when it matters most! When they get to the cup finals. If they can't push it over the hump this time it might be a solid look at who is making the shots on the bench.
b. Buffalo, fresh off a rebuild, crushed their way through the first two rounds of these playoffs after coming in as a wildcard, scoring two consecutive sweeps against two of the best teams in the East. Have the Stampede convinced you? If so, what sold you?
I would like the stampede to be less good. They beat my team which I was still hopeful for a repeat cup performance. Last couple of seasons they still have still been competitors but did not have the oomph factor. Now they seem to be able to push it in with some ease. I think they sold me when they swept the wolves in some pretty hairy games.
c. Two very different teams took two very different routes to the Cup Final: which of them impressed you more? Why?
Buffalo wins the edge here. If you look at the two teams, WPG has just been dominant for so many seasons in that they should get to the finals. The fact that they have made it this far but have been unable to capitalize shows just how much grit the buffalo team has. They really want to win it and well see how they hold on as the series develops.
5. Written, 3 TPE, Blood on the Ice (150 words min)
Continuing an emergent tradition: this year's final features a god-bear of cosmic wind facing an unfamiliar rival on a familiar battleground: this year, the great glowing north faces a furious herd of buffalo! Tell me who wins and why! The arena and the rules of the fight can be whatever you desire. Get creative!
This is like the battle of 1 giant person versus many smaller yet equally as deadly children. Something almost anyone would be scared of is a giant herd of horned 1000 pound creatures barreling down the fields at a single ethereal bear. Now it does not say what the size of the stampede is, but just the sheer mass of the charge would be enough to stop the bear in its tracks and then possible get mowed over if it ever falters. All it takes is one moment of weakness and the stampede will crash over the giant bear and leap and just stomp their way to victory. So how could a bear beat this herd of churning machines made flesh? Run. Out run, out pace, skirmish, turn and run again. Be faster and more agile. Otherwise they will get taken down by these behemoths. So goodnight bear and hello buffalos of doom.
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.
veri word: scud
Code:
3. Written, 3 TPE, Guess Who's Back (150 words min.)
To say Winnipeg has been offensively dominant in their playoff run so far is needlessly charitable to their opponents. Lias Ekholm-Gunnarsson has *twenty nine points* in sixteen playoff games. Mikko Rashford has *twenty seven*. However, Rebecca Montaigne has a 0.888 save percentage for this run. Can Winnipeg's absurd offense finally get them over the hump, or do they need to patch up their defense if they want to outlast the Upstate Upstarts?
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.
Dex
Code:
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. Winnipeg has put together an impressive streak of Challenge Cup Finals appearances, but has no hardware to show for their dominance in the west so far. What do the Aurora have to do differently to get over the hump this year?
b. Buffalo, fresh off a rebuild, crushed their way through the first two rounds of these playoffs after coming in as a wildcard, scoring two consecutive sweeps against two of the best teams in the East. Have the Stampede convinced you? If so, what sold you?
c. Two very different teams took two very different routes to the Cup Final: which of them impressed you more? Why?
d. If it ain't broke don't fix it: Who you got? Who wins? Why?
a. In my opinion, the Winnipeg Aurora has what it takes to win it all and they were bested by themselves last season. All they really need to do is stick to their game and in their offensive scoring ways and hopefully the puck bounces their way this time. If anything, they can try shaking up the line matching a bit to give their offensive players more breathing room while shutting down the opponent's team. (74 words)
b. The Buffalo Stampede may be a wildcard, but to me their run is not a fluke. From defeating the defending Challenge Cup Champions to the previous Challenge Cup Champion before them, the Stampede have played an excellent defensive game and they caught their goalie right at the right time in terms of form. I would say Winnipeg has to watch out and not take them too lightly! (67 words)
c. I think we can say without a doubt that the Buffalo Stampede have impressed more by sweeping their first two series and clutching a game 7 win against a strong Philadelphia Forge team. The Stampede were entering as the underdogs and were knocked out in a sweep in the first round last season so to see them come all the way to the final is impressive to say the least. (70 words)
d. If the series hasn't ended yet, I would definitely have the Winnipeg Aurora winning the series as they have made it to the finals for 3 seasons in a row and have been dominant in the regular season. The betting odds are definitely with Winnipeg as for them, another Challenge Cup finals loss would be absolutely devastating. However, this is the finals here and they can have a hiccup once again! (71 words)