Glaciem

Bern Royals Win Championship over Brampton Blades As most people predicted heading into the playoffs Bern met Brampton in the VHLM finals. While the VHLM Magazine predicted a 4-1 series win for Bern, the defending champions Brampton were not going to roll over easily. The finals were truly one to remember, with high scoring affairs and close over time tilts. Ultimately Brampton could not defend their title and fell in six games. Here we will look at what Bern did right to secure the victory and why Brampton was unable to repeat. Keys to Bern’s Victory Chuck Goody Rising to the Occasion Chuck Goody took over the games when it mattered most. Games one and two really set the tempo for the series, both going into overtime. Here Goody did his best work getting a goal and two assists, including the primary assist on the game winning goal in game one and scoring twice, including the overtime winner, in game two. Finally Goody emerged in game six to close the series opening the scoring and assisting on all three of Bern’s goals that followed. Goody willed Bern to the championship. Second Line Scoring While Goody dominated, the second line of Marcel Faux, Markus Muller and Marquis Hyvarinen had a remarkable performance. The success of Bern’s second line compared to Brampton’s was a major factor in the series. In both games where the each member of the second line did not get points, Bern lost. In six games played… Faux 5 goals 4 assists 9 points Muller 2 goals 5 assists 7 points Hyvarinen 0 goals 6 assists 6 points Why Brampton Fell Too Many Shots The shot totals over this series were not remotely close. In the two games Brampton won they managed to out shoot Bern, albeit by a single shot both times. In the loses the shot totals were heavily in favour of Bern. To be specific, in their loses they were out shot on average by 19. In game two they let Coca Cola face 43 shots while only getting 14 on Bernie Gow. No one can get outshot this hard and expect to compete. Snake Bitten Rookies Two rookies were the focus point of much ire from Brampton fans over the series, Maxime Perron and Le’Sean Coutzen. Over the series neither player scored. Coutzen did not even manage to get a shot on net in four of the six games. Combined they only had three assists. Both these players were looking to make a name for themselves heading into the draft, this finals is not the showcase they had hoped for. Le’Sean Coutzen 0 goals 1 assist 1 point Maxime Perron 0 goals 2 assists 2 points Conclusion Brampton could not bring a strong defensive game every night. This resulted in them being hemmed into their own end for extended periods of time and while Cola regularly had an above .900 SV% his team never had the opportunities to score. Brampton did have some competitive games but truthfully it felt like they were under siege in their loses and it was only a matter of time before the walls ultimately fell. We will see if next season Bern can do what Brampton could not… and repeat as VHLM champions! Words:543

Who should I be rooting for?

Good series Brampton! Congrats boys!

Got to respect the clutch.

One day I will make this line up!

I'm almost impressed at that point.

Two over times in a row! Looking like a classic series!

Jaladolar has been a immense help since I joined. Sad he won't be a part of the locker room anymore

I'm just surprised at the sudden burst of offense. 10 points in 6 playoff games... when I had 25 in 50+ regular season games?

Giovanni Reuel. No you have not heard this name before but he is suddenly in the spotlight. The Bern winger has been playing on a line with Tim TebowGow and Josh Merica for most of the season and somehow managed to only get twenty five points. So why does this kid matter now… Because he is leading the Bern Royals in scoring after the first round that’s why! Not Merica, not TebowGow, not Goody… Reuel is leading the Royals in scoring. I didn’t even know how to reach the kid so I got my secretary to find his number for a comment on his performance. “It feels great to finally contribute. It was frustrating playing catch up after missing the first twenty games of the season, but I finally was able to focus and show Bern what I am about. Though I feel some of the praise is a bit much, I am setting up plays sure but I have the best finishers in the VHLM on my team. It makes my job a lot easier to know all I have to do is put the puck on their sticks. I am really just glad I finally proving to everyone that coach was right to put me on the top line.” Words: 213

Giovanni Reuel Finally Breaks Out Giovanni Reuel has been claiming all season that his game will turn around for playoffs. Since his arrival in Bern the Italian has been a resounding disappointment wallowing in mediocrity night in and night out. This Reuel was nowhere to be seen in the six game series against the Bratislava Watchmen. Reuel emerged as the difference maker in a surprisingly competitive series. The Performances Game One: Bern 4 – Bratislava 1 The series started with a one sided affair where Reuel proved he was a playoff performer. Dominating the play Reuel had a career high three point game, three assists including assisting on the first two crucial goals. Game Three: Bern 2 – Bratislava 5 The series was now tied 1-1 after a disappointing game two. Reuel made an immediate impact assisting on the opening goal and scoring the go ahead goal to make it 2-1 at the end of the first period. Unfortunately the rest of the game went to Bratislava but Reuel was a part of both Bern goals and now had five points in three games. Game Five: Bratislava 2 – Bern 5 After Bern tied the series two games apiece in game four; Reuel broke his single game point high in game five. Reuel assisted on the second period goal which made it 2-1 for Bern but then did something absolutely remarkable. In the third period between 10:02 and 12:01 Reuel assisted on three straight Bern goals, the primary assist on the second and third. An incredible feat for a player who only had fifteen assists through fifty plus games in the regular season. Game Six: Bern 4 – Bratislava 3 Obviously it is nearly impossible for Reuel to surpass his performance in game five, but he played a major role in game six as well. While the quantity of points was not there in game six, Reuel did get the primary assist on Chuck Goody’s the third period goal which won Bern the series. The Results Giovanni Reuel finished the series against Bratislava leading Bern in scoring with one goal and nine assists for ten points in six games. He was a part of over 63% of both even strength and power play goals. While being tied for the team lead in +/-. Truly remarkable stats for a player who averaged less than half a ppg through the regular season. What Changed? We literally saw Reuel transform into an offensive threat overnight. There was nothing going down the stretch that would indicate this offensive explosion from Reuel. We asked him what changes he made to bring forward this kind of result. “I have always been capable of this, I just needed time to adjust to the speed of the VHLM. I don’t just mean my feet either. My brain had to catch up to the speed of the game. With our break between the end of the season and this series I finally had the opportunity to delve into film of my game. I gained a ton of perspective and when I went back out on the ice it just clicked”. Time will tell if Reuel’s dominant performance will continue but as of right now an argument could be made for Reuel as Bern’s most valuable player. Words: 542

Lets close it up, is the next game tonight?

It is a three game series now!

Looks like we will be seeing the Watchmen in the next round! Looking forward to seeing some games

Giovanni Reuel had a largely underwhelming rookie year producing at a leisurely pace. However he has vowed that the season was only a warmup and he is ready to show his worth in the playoffs. He made a point of coming to us for an official comment. “All season I’ve been working on my possession game and on not making mistakes. I was coming off an injury in the offseason and I knew I had to be careful but it is playoffs, time for me to stand up. I have been working hard with TebowGow to work on my offensive game. I am hoping to get out there and not just trail the play but create it. I am playing to win the championship now and I will not be a passenger on the ride. I need to play with confidence and trust me when I say I have not felt this good in a long time.” Reuel has been talking about building towards the playoffs all year and his talk bought him time with the Bern fan base. However the fans expect the Royals to bring home the championship, if they do not Reuel’s lack of production will likely be held to blame. Words: 204

Giovanni Reuel’s First Year in the VHLM Italian Winger Giovanni Reuel has just completed his first season with the dominant Bern Royals of the VHLM European Conference. Reuel did not have the most successful individual season as his numbers pale in comparison to line mates Tim TebowGow and Josh Merica. However Reuel’s strengths are not easily measured by statistics. He is a strong stick handler, skater and defensively responsible. This has shown itself on the power play where he earned over half his assists by deftly avoiding defenders until the seams open up. While it is easy to see why the Reuel is an asset to the top line due to his defense first mentality the VHLM is a stat obsessed league, let’s take a look at Reuel’s first season. Production GP: 54 G: 10 A: 15 P: 25 +/-: +62 PIM: 28 HIT: 82 In his rookie campaign Reuel produced at a leisurely pace, finishing ninth on his team in scoring. Of the 25 points over half were from the power play, 13 points. Reuel played a clean season rarely taking penalties and played the puck over the body. Five on Five Reuel focused on getting the puck to his gifted line mates TebowGow and Merica, as seen by his low shot total of 65 on the season. When he did shoot it normally was a clear opportunity resulting in having the highest shot percentage on the team, despite his weak shot. It was also rare for someone to successfully lay the body on Reuel as he is fast and handles the puck well, as seen by having the fewest hits taken of anyone who played over 18 minutes a game. These stats show that Reuel has a solid understanding of his role on the team, indicating a high hockey IQ. When on the puck he does not turn over and ensures his super star line mates get more opportunities. He also trails behind the play without touching the puck too often giving TebowGow and Merica increased freedom to go all out offensively. This could hint that Reuel simply lacks offensive talent but this is a question we will not be able to answer until he is put in a role where he needs to produce, it is likely he will succeed in such a position next season as his power play numbers are solid. Future Reuel has recently stated he intends to work on cross ice passes heading into the playoffs, the one area where he has been turning the puck over, if he is successful we could see an offensive explosion from Reuel in the playoffs. As a VHL prospect, Giovanni Reuel looks to have a mature mental game who aims to limit mistakes and create opportunities for his line mates. This is a selfless style which is increasingly uncommon as players aim to dominate the spotlight by lighting the lamp. Reuel without a doubt needs more time in the VHLM to season, but with time Reuel could prove to be an excellent addition to a top line to support creative goal scorers Words: 516

I am glad Cologne is expressing interest! They are a team I am very interested in myself!

I only found these recently, awesome set of articles! Really motivates me to train! Do the colours mean anything?

Could I claim this score? 10/6 would be great as my last doubled Media Spot

Brampton versus Bern: The Battle of the Best The VHLM has turned into a competition between the Bern Royals and the Brampton Blades as the rest of the league falls further behind these two exemplary organizations. This likely will be the finals with Bern emerging from Europe and Brampton representing North America. Assuming the two best teams emerge victorious let’s see how they have matched up this season. The overall series stands pretty close to even slightly favouring Bern (4-3-1) with two more games to be played. This record hides the true story line that has grown between the two clubs this season. Brampton consistently beat Bern throughout the early part of the season but in the past few weeks Bern put a commanding stamp on the series with two huge wins over their North American rivals. Early Blade Dominance 1) Bern 2 Brampton 3 2) Brampton 1 Bern 3) Brampton 4 Bern 3 – SO 4) Brampton 5 Bern 3 5) Brampton 3 Bern 2 Bern Retribution 6) Bern 2 Brampton 1 7) Bern 5 Brampton 0 8) Brampton 1 Bern 6 With those two one sided games it would be easy to say that Bern has solidified themselves as the top team in the VHLM without any real opposition but lets’ take a closer look at the what led to their individual successes. Keys for Brampton Maxime Perron For obvious reasons the attention in Brampton has been focused on Sam Teibert and Valentin Taneyev but Maxime Perron has been the difference making offensively in the series against Bern. In Brampton’s four wins versus Bern Maxime Perron got 4 goals and 5 points, as well as the shootout winner in the third meeting. In their four loses he was completely invisible getting zero points. Depth is important and Perron will be called on to step up come playoffs. Find Special Team Success Throughout the season Brampton has had incredible success on the power play with a 24.57% success rate. However against Bern they are a measly 10% on thirty attempts. Considering they only scored once in their last two games against Bern they need the power play to actually produce and not just give momentum to the opposition. Along the same lines as the power play, Brampton has had great success on the pk this season. With the second best penalty kill in the league, killing 86.27% attempts. Unfortunately they have had no success against Bern only killing 66.67%, a full 20% worse than average. Not going to have success in the post season if Bern scores almost every other power play. Keys for Bern Win Some Face-offs Bern has not been a good faceoff team this year sitting 5th overall but they perform remarkably poorly against Brampton; only winning 36% of defensive end face-offs. This leads to a ton of sustained pressure, a perfect example of this is the 5-3 loss where Tim TebowGow went 7/25 and Markus Muller went 7/21. They need to win some more defensive draws to relieve the pressure off Bernie Gow. The Real Josh Merica Must Stand Up There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that Josh Merica is a premier talent, with 128 points through 65 games, but his performance against Brampton has been lack luster at best. In Loses 4gp 0g 1a 1p In Wins 4gp 2g 2a 4p Even in the wins Merica is not producing near his normal rate. He has actually only scored in one of the eight games. If Merica goes invisible like this for an entire series Bern could find themselves in trouble, despite their recent success against Brampton. In Conclusion Overall the games between these two clubs have been remarkably close. A finals series between these dynamic offenses will be one for the ages, especially if Brampton can return to their early season form. Despite this given Bern’s late season charge it should surprise no one to see Bern end the season as champions. Words: 653

The Bern Royals do not remember what it feels like to lose. They have won an astounding twenty eight straight games. As the VHLM is incredibly unbalanced at the moment it reasonable to see an easy schedule leading to this impressive streak but the team is playing with an unbelievable swagger. Their last lose was against the Brampton Blades, a close 3-2 tilt. During this twenty eight game streak they played Brampton three more times, the first a close 2-1 battle but the next two matches were a different story. In the last two meetings Bern has beat Brampton 11-1. That is right Brampton the number two team in the league has lost their last two matches against the rank one squad 5-0 and 6-1. A mid-season addition Reuel was reached for comment. “We are playing unbelievable hockey right now. We are dominating possession like no team in history. Our entries are flawless. We get sustained pressure in the offensive zone every single shift and whenever TebowGow or Merica get on we score. Some nights it feels like we could go up against VHL teams! We are playing with that much confidence! Our goaltending has been great too, we’ve had five or six shutouts on this run!”

Giovanni Reuel - Forward Points +/-

Who else is in this draft class?

2 tpe - giovannie reuel

Giovanni Reuel is finding his feet again. Since coming to Bern Reuel has looked out of sorts. While his hand-eye and puck skills were apparent the foot speed was not there. He lagged behind line mates Tim TebowGow and Josh Merica completely unable to help create offensively. In the past week he has found his stride again. The offense has yet to come for the Italian but he at least looks like he belongs out there with the top offensive talents of the VHLM! We asked what has brought about this change in fortune. “My stride was way off, I had a leg injury during the off season and I had been skating differently to manage the pain. I just had a really hard time trying to correct my skating after the surgery. Now I am getting back to where I was before the injury, at least form wise. I still have to strengthen up a bit as these muscles were not being used with my other skating form. It takes time but I am sure that I will continue to make progress. It is all about peaking for playoffs right now! Everything before is just practice.”