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TheOPSquid · 07-18-2024, 03:22 PM

After a long season and a battle throughout the playoffs, here we are at the peak of Simulation Hockey: the Challenge Cup Finals. After defeating the top 2 regular season teams in the Conference finals, only the Texas Renegades and the New England Wolfpack remain.

Today we will be looking at some standout players and the overall form of the two teams to see how they got here and recognize some of the outstanding performances by some of these players.

The Texas Renegades

The Renegades have had a solid run so far, going 12-4 over the first three rounds of the playoffs. Averaging 5.6 goals for per game and 3.5 goals against per game, the high flying offense of the Renegades has them as a dangerous team who can shut down their opponents and run the score up. With their biggest test coming against the San Francisco Pride, their offense dipped a bit down to 5 goals per game but they showcased their ability to exploit their opponents weaknesses, blowing out San Francisco by a score of 18-6 in games 2 and 3. They can also play lock down hockey, evidenced by their opponents averaging less than 3.5 goals per game in the playoffs so far.

Both their defensive play and offensive play seem to run through their blueline, with 4 of their 6 defenders having 10 points or more in their 16 playoff games. They are also getting great defensive contributions from their defenders, with each one taking the puck away an average of 15 times in these playoffs. Former Bojo Biscuit nominee and winner, Hodor leads the team in blocked shots with 87, first in the playoffs among all players. Also contributing on the offensive side with 12 points so far, Hodor has been a huge part of the defense core. David Doug has been phenomenal as well, leading the defense in points with 13 and takeaways with 19, this defensive pair has been a huge reason the Renegades are in the finals.

The Texas offense has been on fire all throughout the playoffs, with only 1 player currently sitting below a point per game. Leading the way is Marton Diehm, Chris Valentine, and Lasse Zeigler. In just 16 games Diegm is sitting with 29 points and 19 assists, Valentine is sitting at 14 goals and 28 points and Zeigler is sitting with 21 assists and 25 points. The top guys are getting it done offensively, but the thing currently setting this forward lineup apart is their depth and ability to play a two-way game. 5 of the forwards on Texas currently are around even or positive in their takeaway to giveaway ratio, meaning they either get the puck back often or don't lose possession often. With good puck management and the ability to capitalize on chances throughout the lineup, this Texas team is in a very good spot heading into the final series.

Anthony Dionne is the netminder for the Renegades in this playoff run. Putting up average numbers throughout the playoffs this far, a Goals Saved Above Average of -.9 and save percentage of .886. He has been making all the saves he has needed to make and has routinely kept his team in games. Texas seems to be a team that likes to use their defense on offense so when the defenders get beat it can leave Dionne in some vulnerable scenarios. If Dionne maintains his current play the Renegades have a good shot at winning this series.

The New England Wolfpack

The Wolfpack enter this series as the underdogs, finishing 4th in the Eastern Conference and 9th overall. New England has battled hard throughout the first 3 rounds, pulling off arguably the biggest upset of the playoffs by defeating the 1st ranked Philadelphia Forge in just 5 games. Going 12-6 in their 18 playoff games this far, the Wolfpack's hardest series so far was the second round matchup against the Buffalo Stampede. They would battle through a lot of adversity and come back from a 3-2 series to force Game 7 and win in overtime. New England is here thanks to their best players playing at the top of their game. They have been in very even games for the majority of the playoffs, with a goal differential of +0 in round 1 against Toronto despite winning in 6 games, and a goal differential of +3 against Buffalo. They started heating up against the Forge, outsourcing them by 11 goals in a 5 game series and going 6-1 over their last 7 games.

Defensively they are led by Seamus O'Slapahan, leading the defense in points with 13 and 85 shots blocked. O'Slapahan is also first among defenders with 22 takeaways and sits with an incredible 0 giveaways through the first 3 rounds. Scoring 5 goals already O'Slapahan is getting it done at both ends of the ice, driving play on offense and shutting plays down on defense. Pork Tenderloin has been great in the defensive end, putting up 51 blocked shots and having 14 takeaways, a great shutdown defender playing in a defense first role alongside Troy McClure IIII.

The Wolfpack offense has been electrified by their top line of Nathan Cormier, Bruno Tooyo and Antoine Beauregard. Combining for 72 points through 18 games, Cormier has been dishing the puck well and leads the team with 21 assists, Tooyo has been finishing off those chances with 13 goals so far, and Beauregard has been doing both with 27 points and 8 goals so far. Ivan Lacksamus has been a huge part of this team and been putting up crazy numbers with 17 goals in 18 games so far. The offensive firepower has been spread throughout the lineup, with Lacksamus centering the third line with wingers Matiss Ozolinsh and Outdoor Truck. While the second line of Lily Jin Morrow, Thomas Sawschuk and Kenny Omega have been cooking at around a point per game as well. Only 2 players on this team have hit double digit goals but each line is rocking a finisher with 8+ goals.

The biggest factor for the Wolfpack in this series will be their goaltending. Olof Karsikko has put on a goaltending clinic for New England so far, being first in Saves, Goals Saved Above Average, second in save percentage (but first out of goalies with more than 1 round played) and third in goals against average. Karsikko has faced an average of 38 shots each game, routinely making 40+ saves throughout the playoffs and single handedly pushing the Wolfpack to wins. The 19.76 Goals Saved Above Average is unreal with 12.19 GSAA more than second place. He has also faced 184 more shots than the second place goaltender, showcasing a massive workload that he has excelled with. A .914 save percentage is an amazing save percentage to be running into the finals with, and if he keeps up his incredible play he could steal some more games for the Wolfpack.

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