SlapshotLegion

SEATTLE - The Seattle Bears finally won a grueling 7 game series against the Chicago Phoenix. It was a tough series with both teams going all out in order to get the edge over the other. It proved to be close up to the very end, with one goal being the decider. Sigard Petrenko scored the third goal in a hot Seattle Bears start. While Chicago rallied back and scored two, the team was able to come together to win it anyways. The shot on goal count showed how close it was with Seattle taking the SOG lead, 35-33. This close game also highlights Dusty Wilson, a rookie goaltender who has established himself as Seattle’s number one guy. If his performance in his first ever VHL playoff appearance hasn’t convinced you, nothing will. A 0.939 save percentage in this game and a 0.925 total save percentage in the playoffs as a rookie is excellent. Sigard had a lot of praise for Dusty; as well as the rest of the team. He also hopes that this game 7 will prepare them for what is coming up next. “Dusty’s been great. Everyone’s been great. We pulled it off together and we didn’t let up. Neither did Chicago. We just happened to get a quick lead and held down the fort. This series taught us a lot about our team and what we need to do going forward. Game 7s are nerve-wracking but you learn a lot from them and it can help your mentality going forward. I mean, it helped us when we won the Championship a while back. Now that we’re one step away from the Final, it’ll definitely help us now.”

https://imgur.com/a/PeQUELB

Games 1 and 2 - Calgary Wranglers vs. Toronto Legion The Wildcard for North America had an all-Canadian matchup. Toronto from the East, Calgary from the West. I know I did this whole all-Canadian segment in the last game reviews. Let's get to the action. This was a tight game as the winner ended up winning by 1 goal. And to illustrate how tight it was, the winner also only outshot the loser by 1 SOG. Wow. To start off this close game, Leandro Goncalves scored the first goal of the playoffs just over seven minutes in to give Calgary the lead. That would be the only goal of the period, showing how tight the game would prove to be. At the beginning of the second however, Leandro Goncalves scored for Calgary yet again to extend their lead to 2. However, Matty Fire scored to cut the deficit to one for Toronto. That was the only goal of the second frame and going into the second intermission, the game was 2-1 in favour of Calgary. The third started with Calgary trying to keep their lead and Toronto attempting to eliminate it. The latter was successful as Kyle Peace scored just over 3 minutes in to tie the game up. Now, like I mentioned earlier, the SOG and goal difference between the winner and loser was 1 for both. So who would take the one shot that would secure the win? 6 minutes after Peace's goal, we found out. Saku Kotkakoivu took a pass from Erlantz Jokinen and scored. Calgary was able to shut down Toronto's offence for the rest of the game and won it, 3-2. Calgary and Toronto was a rivalry that wasn't expected but that has VHL fans watching despite it being the Wildcard round. This one had to be decided in overtime but the loser had the better shot on goal count by 13. A heartbreaker for that team for sure. To start the game, we had 6 goals in the first period alone. A minute in, Paul Atreides scored on the power play to give Toronto their first lead of the series. Matty Fire soon followed up with a goal from his own (assisted by Atreides) to extend that lead. Toronto looked to get a quick start and was hoping to run with it. Luc Tessier would not allow the Wranglers to fall behind too heavily and scored just before the 5 minute mark in order to cut the lead to one. Toronto responded by extending the lead back to two, Cadmael Ixazaluoh putting the puck in the net for them. This time, however, a Calgary power play lead to a Calgary goal with AirRig GoodBrandSun (whose name notably sounds like NHL d-man Erik Gudbrandson) bringing Calgary within one again. Looking to tie it up, Calgary was successful as Luc Tessier scored his second of the game to tie it up 3-3. All that action yet at the end of the first period, the teams were right back where they started. No goals took place in the second, both teams settling down. Then in the third, Paul Atreides scored his second of the game to give Toronto the lead back. However, Leandro Goncalves scored for Calgary to tie it again. Going into overtime, both teams where doing what they could to get the winner. The first overtime came and went. Then the second began. Saku Kotkakoivu received a pass from Landon Wolanin. Saku wouldn't miss and scored the game winner for Calgary, giving them a 2-0 series lead in the Wildcard.

1. Definitely would need an organist. Rest in peace, Willy Joosen. I love the personality and energy a live organist brings. Another arena staple would be food stands, I get hungry easily. Mascots are great and I think they can help pump out the crowd. And finally, specifically for hockey, I would LOVE more stylized arenas. I'm not talking painting ice solid colours and whole zones but stuff like team related patterns on center ice and blue ice. Just think it'd be neat. 2. One team that I can never imagine winning a championship is Buffalo. I feel for their fans, especially considering the Flames' rocky offseason start. Knowing they've gone through that for years is rough. The Sabres just seem cursed; from No Goals 1 and 2 to Eichel leaving. 3. Some of my favourite to watch are actually medical documentaries. It's always interesting to see how doctors think and the unexpected challenges that come with the profession. ---- 1. If you had to wear one of these notoriously bad jerseys, would you rather wear the Dallas Stars' Mooterus or the Nashville Predators' Mustard jersey? 2. Say you have a time machine and can bring teams from any era. If you could choose any two teams from any time (they can be from different seasons) to face off in a Stanley Cup Final, who would you choose? 3. What is one of your favourite VHL memories?

SEATTLE - Sigard Petrenko made some career milestones. He recently reached 300 points, beat his personal best for goals in a season (32), scored 10 power play goals this season (the most in his career), and also beat his personal best for hits in a season (292). However, strangely enough, Sigard Petrenko is the proudest of one milestone in particular. It takes a big physical toll on your body to hit another player. To do it 160+ times a season as a forward for 5 seasons? It’s easy to see why it doesn’t sound like the best experience for a hockey player. Some grow to love it though and Sigard continues to refine his art of hitting. He has a big smile on his face every time he gets a good and meaningful hit and admittedly, he finds himself thinking body check first in all situations; offensive or defensive. Recently, the winger who stands at a surprising 5’8” has reached 1000 career hits. “You know, at first, it’s scary. Especially considering my small size, I was terrified of coming into the VHL and trying to body check people who tower over me. Now, I want to hit all the time. The coach sometimes sits me down and tells me, ‘you hit too much, shoot too little’. And he’s right. But I don’t think I’ll ever tire of getting hits in. I just hope that I can do it to help my team rather than hurt them.”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11tNEUnyBKKMVn08kzjWoTPydIGmET3gq/view?usp=sharing

Games 521 and 531 - Los Angeles Stars vs. Vancouver Wolves Two teams. One colour scheme. The LA Stars and the VanCity Wolves played two consecutive games against each other and here is how they went. 5 minutes into the first game, a Vancouver Wolves power play goal gave the Wolves a quick lead! That goal was courtesy of Brian Schmigel. It proved to be the only goal scored in the first frame, sending Vancouver into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. Then the second period came and 56 seconds in, James glove dropper scored allowing Los Angeles Stars to tie it up with one goal apiece. However, Brian Schmigel scored yet again to give the Wolves the lead back. However, this time Callum Murray of the Stars scored on the power play to tie it up. All three of those goals came in the first 5:03 of the period and were also the only goals of the frame. Going into the second intermission, the Stars and Wolves were tied 2-2. After the intermission, the third period began and the first half of the frame proved to be fruitless as the teams were still deadlocked at 2-2. However, at the beginning of the second half of the third, Jaromir Lemiuex scored to give Vancouver a 3-2 lead. It was a tight frame but eventually Bob Chicoine scored an empty net goal to seal the victory for Vancouver... for now. 4-2 Wolves. In the second game, the Stars were motivated to get some revenge. They came out of the gates hot. Deagun Rust and Nic McMuffin both scored their 12th goals of the season to give the Los Angeles Stars a quick 2 goal lead. Their goals were scored 0:43 and 1:01 into the game respectively. After that, things settled down for the rest of the period as no additional goals were scored in the period. 2-0 Stars heading into the first intermission. Nic McMuffin was still not satisfied. Despite being on the penalty kill, Nic McMuffin scored another goal just under 5 minutes into the second to extend the Stars' lead to 3-0. However, Ryan Li scored to get the Wolves on the scoreboard and cut the lead back to two. The Wolves began to come back with Bob Chicoine scoring about a minute later, cutting the lead to one. The score was 3-1 heading at the end of the second. The Wolves looked to use their momentum in the third period. No goals were scored until the 16:35 mark of the third period. Unfortunately for Vancouver, it was a Stars goal by Finn Davis on the power play, stymying the Wolves' comeback effort. Like the last game, the final score was 4-2. But this time, it was in favour of the Stars.

1. My player is doing okay. Happy with the goal totals but Sigard either sucks offensive or sucks defensively. Heck, he sucks at both some games. 2. I typically don't watch the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup because I mostly watch baseball in the NHL off-season. Go Jays go! But I do watch the ones in the winter. 3. I went on a USA road trip and got to see Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, canyons in Arizona, the arches in Utah, and more! Lots of fun! 1. Would you rather hockey have sponsors on jerseys like in Europe or center ice being replaced with a sponsor logo? 2. What is your favourite hockey moment that you witnessed live (in person or on TV)? Not limited to the NHL so other leagues or international games count too! 3. If you could award an NHL team to a city, which city would you award it to?

SEATTLE - Sigard Petrenko has been sponsored by True North Gear. That’s right; despite the Sponsor’s Shield not being a thing for years, some of the brands are still going at it. TNG has sponsored players like Orroya Arroyo, Maxim Kovalchuk, and Shawn Brodeur. While the Sponsor’s Shield proved to be ineffective as proven by the fact it… well, no longer exists, Sigard believes that True North Gear is the exact opposite. Sigard will be using True North Gear for the remainder of the season and he said that he finds their gear to be quite extraordinary. “I’ll be completely honest; I forgot that True North Gear even existed. I mean, I knew about Sponsor’s Shield and all that but it’s rare to see players use it nowadays. They reached out to me and sent me some gear to try out. I tried it in a practice and I was instantly sold. I do hope young players and even fellow players in the VHL consider trying them out. Excellent quality sticks; I don’t know what it is exactly but I feel more comfortable when taking any kind of shot. Their skates are great and feel super smooth. Gloves, pads, everything has been stellar. True North Gear still has top notch quality stuff. 10 out of 10.” Sigard said in a press conference after a game.

HOLY SHIT! amazing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lXVSpNWmIv8HFYqNYZ5IDwSpnYnwyz5X/view?usp=sharing

Game 491 - Toronto Legion vs. Calgary Wranglers Who doesn't love all-Canadian team matchups? From the East, we have the Toronto Legion. From the West, we have the Calgary Wranglers. To start off this matchup, Calgary scored first with a goal courtesy of Saku Kotkakoivu in just under 4 and a half minutes into the game. Calgary held the lead for a half of the period before Toronto drew a penalty and scored on the man advantage to tie it up. Paul Atreides scored the power play goal with just under 5 minutes to go. The game was tied going into the second. Then this game stayed tied for quite a while as nobody scored in the second. In the third period, the game remained tied for half of the period before Kyle Peace gave Toronto their first lead of the game at the 10:10 mark. It was a close third period as both teams had 11 shots on goal but that Kyle Peace proved to be the difference as Matty Fire scored on an empty net to secure a Legion win. The total shots on goal count was 33-32 in favour of the Wranglers but the Legion got the lead in the stat that mattered, winning 3-1. Game 492 - Chicago Phoenix vs. New York Americans We had an all-Canadian team matchup; now let's look at an all-American team matchup. From the East, we have the New York Americans. From the West, we have the Chicago Phoenix. This game started off quickly with John Baard scoring 12 seconds in to give Chicago the quick lead. Exactly 2 minutes later, the Phoenix extended their lead with a goal from Scotty Sundin. Baard and Sundin scored their 20th and 30th goals of the season respectively. However, just before the 13 minute mark, former Bear Maximus Decimus Meridius was assisted by former Bear Sven Eightnine on the powerplay to cut the lead in half. The score was 2-1 Phoenix going into the first intermission. Then in the second, there was no scoring until the 16:23 mark when The Board Game Clue On Skates scored to restore Chicago's 2 goal lead. Then the second period ended and after the intermission, the third period began. The former Bear connection proved strong on the New York powerplay as this time Sven Eightnine scored while assisted by Maximus Decimus Meridius. However, Baby Bob scored two consecutive goals for the Phoenix, allowing them to win this matchup 5-2.

We were a trio then; we a trio now. Lots of love to you mate!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sfdKNwV9RzFotpGGDxf_xwTF15jiNyqo/view?usp=sharing

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - Ryuu Crimson was a tough winger in the Victory Hockey League for the Riga Reign and the HC Davos Dynamo throughout the S60s. However, if you have somehow heard of him, you know him as the first rookie to win the playoff MVP award in the VHL. Jacques Lafontaine was a Calgary starting goaltender for 6 seasons, though you may also know him as the backstop for the legendary Season 69 Saskatoon Wild team that won all but 4 games and won the Founders’ Cup. These two former VHL players have never played against each other but they have met, especially considering both players’ affiliation with the Saskatoon Wild. Now both of them will be working together as coaches for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL; Jacques Lafontaine taking over as goaltending coach and Ryuu Crimson as an assistant coach. “Looking forward to working with all of the staff. Nice to see Lafontaine with the crew. Good to know I’ll have at least one familiar face with me.” Ryuu said during their introductory press conference. “Ryuu is a tough but smart player and I know he’ll help coach these players well. I’m excited to help spread what I still remember about goaltending and I think I speak for both of us when I say we’re excited to see how things go.” (Claiming Week Ending July 30th)

1. I would change all of the red elements on the ice (faceoff circles, goal line, etc.) and turn it into Seattle Bears maroon/burgundy just because I think it would look cool. Oh, and that includes goal posts even though they aren't part of the ice. I just think it would be a nice little feature. I would also add a claw print pattern to the center ice line. 2. Something our team does to bond is pranks. Seattle has always been a fun team and we always find new and weirder ways to prank each other. For example, one of my favourite pranks that always seem to work is Siran wrap in doorways. You'd think people would learn by now but no. 3. They were so excited and happy. We have all been big hockey fans and I always dreamed of becoming a pro. They moved to Seattle with me as soon as I put ink to paper and they cheer me on. They all have season tickets and they carpool with me to the arena. Lots of fun having them around. Questions: 1. If each VHL team had a VHLE affiliate like NHL teams have an AHL affiliate, which pair of existing VHL/VHLE teams would make the most sense? 2. If for some inexplicable reason, the Victory Hockey League had a league mascot, what would it be? Why? 3. Tell me your favourite jersey number to wear and tell me a number that you would avoid wearing at all costs. Give me reasons for both! You can answer as a member or a player. (Claiming for Week Ending July 30th)

Happy Birthday, VHL! Lots of memories made here and more to come!

Game 149 - Bratislava Watchmen vs. Oslo Storm Is it the S40s? These two teams are both named after former VHLM teams and we get to see them face each other again in the VHLE. It was a close match with Bratislava having 38 shots on goal and Oslo having 37 of them. A one goal shot difference. It was a relatively uneventful first period with Oslo leading in shots on goal 14-10. However, with basically 3 minutes left in the period, Bratislava scored the opening goal courtesy of Fraser Wallace. That was the only goal in the frame. In the second frame, the shots on goal count was also 14-10 but this time in favor of Bratislava. Oslo opened the frame with a quick goal 39 seconds in from Jeremy Davidson. Bratislava then responded with a power play goal from Sock Monkey in the 7th minute of the period. Fraser Wallace got his second goal of the game, extending Bratislava's lead to 3-1. Oslo began to rally back in the third with a goal from Arthur Kimura. Hockley Mann responded to restore Bratislava's two goal lead. However, Arthur Kimura scored soon after to cut the lead back to one. Despite a valiant effort from Oslo and Arthur Kimura, Jack Hextall put the puck in an empty Oslo Storm net to give the Watchmen the victory. Game 145 - Bratislava Watchmen vs Rome Gladiators Yes, I put these games out of chronological order. No, I will not do anything to fix it. The Bratislava Watchmen faced against the Rome Gladiators. I was about to say an all-European matchup and then I realized that this was VHLE. Victory Hockey League Europe. No duh. Anyways, despite a Bratislava outshooting Rome 20(!) to 5(!!!), it was a scoreless first period thanks to DJ Fire Dragon's heroics. However, in terms of the shot total, Rome got it a bit more under control. Bratislava still outshot however it was only 8-4. They also got a lead on the stat that matters the most; the score. Sock Monkey potted his 20th of the year to give Bratislava the lead. That was the lone goal in the second. Bratislava would end up extending their lead in the third period with a goal from Jack Hextall. Then a goal from Henry Eagles. Then Sock Monkey scored yet another goal in this game to give Bratislava a 4-0 lead. 4-0 was also the final score. On the bright side for Rome, they proved that they had a reliable goaltender in the pipes with DJ Fire Dragon still having a 0.915 save percentage despite Rome being outshot 47-15. And in between the other set of pipes, Orion D H Chester IX got a shutout. You win some, you lose some, and Rome will definitely use the lessons from this game to get better.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eyekDQA_aLQkTafPCWSd0x6Kcna4VdwK/view?usp=drivesdk

1. My player's favourite movie would probably have to be the movie Cool Runnings. A chill, laid-back yet inspiring sports story based on the actual Jamaican Bobsled Team. Whenever Sigard wants to relax, he just inserts the DVD on his DVD player and watches it for fun. 2. Sigard Petrenko's favourite song would probably have to be Kickstart My Heart. He always drives down the highway to it and listens to it before they head on the ice. It gets his blood pumping, heart racing, and it helps him get into "game mode". 3. As fun as that would be, I think you'd still have to put a cap otherwise it'd just get ridiculous. Like maybe 10 at max. It would be interesting to see how good those "overage" players would be and how people would try to fight the harder and harder deprecation. 1. What do you think makes a great hockey team name? 2. Not including hockey, what would you say is your choice for the most underrated sport? 3. Tell me your player's superstitions; if they have any.

SEATTLE - Sigard Petrenko knows how to hit. People tend to forget but Sigard Petrenko is more of a small player compared to others in the sport of ice hockey. Sigard is a surprising 5’8”, smaller than Brendan Gallagher, the latter being an undersized player himself in the NHL. To be fair, Brendan Gallagher can also be quite scrappy and physical. Despite this size, Sigard is proving to be one of the top hitters and has shown his ability to hit in the past. In his only full season in the VHLM, Sigard recorded 261 hits in a full 72 game season. In the VHL, Sigard’s highest hit count in a season is 263. Interestingly, his lowest hit total was last season with a total of 163 of them. Compare that to this season where he has recorded 161 hits in exactly half a full season. “I surprised myself. When I was with the Hounds in the VHLM, I picked up tips from various guys like Vinny Detroit, Sven Eightnine, and Hogan when it came to hitting. I figured that since I lack the playmaking ability or real offensive presence that most other wingers my size had I might as well try to make up for it by playing defensively. Those three guys really helped me develop my hit in Mississauga and especially later when we were in Seattle together.”

https://imgur.com/a/u35uNND

Review: Lots of good things! First off, I love how this photo is arranged. Having the player on the side and balancing it with the text and the particle action on the left is so nice. It proves graphics do not have to be symmetrical; which is something I struggle with. I also love the colours chosen for the font and how the glow around the text is amplified and enhanced by the solid black of the text and the particle action behind it. The contrast really highlights the text. I would recommend two main things. I wish the player was more visible, whether that was through bringing the player to the foreground or erasing bits of the filter. I really want to be able to see the action. I would also recommend trying some logo swapping. Other than that, this is nice. 7.5/10.

Review: A safe and simple graphic is always great, especially considering this is a VHL.com graphic. Some of your biggest strengths is your arrangement of the elements of the graphic; I love how the text is readable but doesn't distract too much. The choice to keep it on the right helps it stick out less. The player render choice is great (love JP's facial expression, adds some great attitude) and I love the way you adjusted the logo to match his angle. I wish there was a bit more, like maybe a filter on top or some more action as it is a bit barebones, but I do understand it's a 2 TPE graphic so that isn't my main focus. I would recommend you play around with the render's colouring; the player renders' colours match the Warsaw team colours in the fact it is blue and orange but the blue and orange on the render is a bit dark and sort of highlights the logo a bit too much. Other than that, I think this is pretty nice. 7/10

SEATTLE - The Bears have said farewell to Maximus Decimus Meridius and have brought in two new players. Kakapo Bushtit is a winger who was brought in from a trade with Vancouver. A young forward who has a scoring touch and great defensive ability in terms of shot blocking, Kakapo will prove to be valuable and reliable for a Bears team that lost some of its best defensive players in the offseason. Kakapo also provides more scoring for the Bears and most importantly in that regard, consistent scoring. The second player brought in from the same trade is Drakon Zabastovka; also from Vancouver. He is a defenseman with great skating, both in terms of edgework and speed. His positioning has allowed him to be effective in blocking shots and his speed is very underrated. A defenseman who is not particularly showy on the offensive stat sheet, Drakon is a dependable defenseman that helps bolster the Bears' d-core. "It's great having both of them join us." Seattle Bears winger Sigard Petrenko commented. "Kakapo and Drakon are great players and both bolster our defense in their own respective ways. Kakapo is a two-way winger who can put the puck in the net while helping us keep it out of ours. Drakon helps fill the d-man void and can utilize his speed to help us in our own zone. I will miss MDM and his checking ability but having Kakapo and Drakon definitely make up for it. Maybe even more than just making up for it."