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Zach · 07-25-2019, 06:35 PM

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First article bonus (Wasn't allowed to use this on draft bonus articles)

The Anaheim Outlaws grinded through a hard fought battle Tuesday as they dropped an early one goal lead to lose 6-2 in the game 7 thriller of this season's SMJHL finals. Rookie Anthony Archer scored both goals in the team's last stand as they tried to defend their championship. Archer opened the scoring early with a first period goal on a beautiful feed from Monkey D. Luffy. The Whalers would score shortly after, and then another in the second before Archer scores his second on a tic-tac-toe play from Jerry Mander and Monkey D. Luffy. The Outlaws then allowed 4 unanswered goals to drop their championship title. Archer finishes the post season with five goals and eight points, or if you're more interested in what the kid's known for -- he lead the team with 40 hits, five from this game a lone including a huge hit on Vancouver's Dale Miller. We now go down to the locker room to hear from none other than Anthony Archer, in his post season wrap up, his last interview before we heads to the draft. Here's more.

The broadcast would transition down to a recorded feed from the locker room after the game.

How do you feel right now, Anthony?

"Uh, I mean yeah I felt good about my performance obviously but it's upsetting to see the team down about such a crushing defeat ya know.. they put a lot of hard work in this season and never gave up. And I got drafted onto this team knowing we're defending champs so it being my first year obviously I don't come in expecting to win any sort of championship let alone expecting the team to win two in a row after other teams had such good drafts as well, but I gave it what I could this season, you know.. it took a while to settle in and all but they were all here for the run last year so I can imagine how it must feel to come so close to defending something you worked so hard for and just barely letting it slip away.."

A new reporter jumps in

Do you think you could run those two goals back for us?

Uh.. ooh.. I mean I can try but you know it was just so all in the moment and the adrenaline was filling me up uh.. I think that's part of why I did so good I just felt it all on the line and felt like I was invincible, nothing to lose and need to step up to pitch in and make sure we get a W tonight.. but uh yeah the first one I barely saw it coming I think it was a nice little feed from Luffy there through the legs of the defender and it just came right out in front of me and I made sure to slam it home.. on the second one it all happened so quick as well.. I remember a quick little slap pass from Mander to Luffy and uh.. I think he couldn't settle it down but tried his best to get it to me so it was a bit of a floater and I just barely managed to find it in the air and deflect it in for our second.

A controversial penalty there right after your second goal, what was your thoughts on that?

Uh yeah, I was just skating towards the crease to get to the net as I saw the shot coming and I felt like I got a bit of a shove into the goalie and made some contact with him, didn't feel that heavy but uh.. even despite that, puck goes in the net and refs immediately waved it off, said I intentionally interfered with him so.. I don't know I haven't gotten to see the replay, maybe it looked worse from a third person perspective than it felt from me, maybe it doesn't look like much a shove when you watch it back, not sure but uh.. definitely one I didn't wish happen, could've gotten the lead there perhaps, at least wouldn't have gotten a penalty that seemed to be all down hill from there you know.. they score on it and then get another before the penalties over and it's tough when a team like that gets a two goal lead..

You were just a inch away from completing the hat trick, what was going through your mind after that?
I mean, yeah it's really frustrating uh.. first season in the league and I've been getting robbed like that left and right so.. definitely is rough I mean, I guess maybe I could've settled the puck down a bit quicker and gotten a shot off just a smidge faster and that would've been enough to get it done but at the end of the day he has a hell of a glove so it's going to be hard to beat him no matter what you do and uhh.. yeah it just sucks in your rookie year getting so much bad luck on your side and getting robbed so much like that but I think I'm definitely starting to uh.. crack it open and uh.. you know open the flood gates and will have some better luck next season.

A new reporter jumps in

Does the pressure of a game 7 make you play better?
Uh, well yeah maybe I didn't have a lot of game 7's in our tournaments or playoffs, you know back in travel when I played in Detroit, but the few we did I usually had some better than average performances so I guess it'll become more clear as I get further into my career but uhh.. I think I tend to feel a lot more calm, and almost as if my back is against the wall, I have nothing to lose. I mean maybe that's just a general feeling I get from any game where I'm facing elimination but I feel like the adrenaline definitely does put me in the moment in a game 7 and it does give me that little boost to feel more settled in, yeah.

What went wrong this game?
Uhh.. I think we played a great game to be honest, I think the question is more 'what went right?' and the answer is their goalie uh.. Braulin I think his name is, he just really came out ready to play and you could tell he really wanted it, even the two I scored barely got past him and they were on great setups so.. It really was a challenge to even get one goal on him and then when you add on how hard we worked to get those two goals to tie the game and then we get called for a penalty like we did and they come in and score.. it's really draining on the team you know? You work so hard for something and then just like that it disappears, it's really tough on the team especially the young teams you're watching here in the junior league. I think we'll bounce back from it next season though and we'll fight just as hard and maybe be able to get it done on a second try.

How will you improve in the off-season?
Well, I already talked to the coaches we already have plans for a lot of on ice and off ice one on one sessions for the summer, uhh.. I'm going to go back home for a bit, visit my family, probably play some pickup games while I relax and then it won't be long before I'm back here and then I'll be on my way to uh.. I heard I got picked to play in world juniors so we'll see how that goes, should be an interesting time and I'm excited to learn new things and get to see the world a little, and play against some other cultures and nationalities, so that should be a very cool experience but uh.. besides that we're also looking into expanding and kicking my workouts up a notch now that I'm getting older and maturing more, and I think that'll really have a big impact and help me take that step to the next level, you know getting drafted into the SHL here before long and all..

A new reporter jumps in

Do you think the playoffs raised your draft stock?
Uhhh.. I really wouldn't know. I mean I imagine they mainly focus on the regular season you know, but then again the playoffs are a lot more recent seeing as it's been like twenty games of hockey or something crazy like that since my last regular season game, and it kind of shows more closely of how you'll play to next season, and I definitely made a lot of improvements to my game over the past few weeks, I heard on social media that lots of the prospect reports had bumped me up to pretty high in the draft so who knows, maybe it will, maybe it won't. Wherever I get picked I'll be happy with, I don't have any expectations or preferences in teams or places in the draft or anything like that so..

Any other questions?

Anthony pauses for a moment looking around, but receives nothing but silence and gives a slight smug smile and nods before offering a slight wave.

Thanks guys.

The feed transitions back to the analyst desk as they continue their coverage on the game and Archer proceeds to clean out his locker before preparing to fly out to Canada.

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