animal74

What!?!? The nominees are all from different teams?!?!

Gunner now needs 3 goals to tie Locke and 1 point to tie Campbell! At least one more game to go. Unreal! But... he has one more season left as well!

The Las Vegas Aces defeated the Halifax 21st in Game 6 of the Founder’s Cup Final to win their first VHLM championship since their back-to-back Cup victories in S83-S84 and the 11th in franchise history and 6th since moving to Las Vegas. GM @sadie built arguably the deepest defensive foursome in the league and backed that with the signing of one of the top goalies in the league, Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun (also known as OCO) @TenIQ. And while it seems ludicrous to some critics that the second-lowest scoring team during the regular season ended up winning the Founder’s Cup, I would suggest that the clues were there and the stats didn’t paint a clear picture on how formidable this Las Vegas team was. S97 Founder's Cup Champions - Las Vegas Aces Clue #1: While it’s true that Las Vegas’ 126 goals scored were more than only the last-place Mississauga Hounds’ 120, their goals against was tied for third in the league. They also played in more 1-goal games than any other team. The Aces’ 20 overtime and shootout losses led the league by a wide margin and could have swung their way. If they were closer to the league average and had won 10 of those extra-time games, that would have made them a much-stronger looking 94-point team. During the playoffs, they also avoided overtime for the most part with only three games going past regulation with them winning two and losing one. Clue #2: I would also state that the goal differentials of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, Miami and Halifax, that were both beaten by Las Vegas, were inflated due to playing the bottom two teams in the league many times. For example, the Aces’ Finals opponent, the Halifax 21st, had the best record in the league and was the highest-scoring team. They may have looked like the far superior team but their record against the Philadelphia Reapers and Mississauga Hounds was a combined 18-1-2 with a combined goal differential of +56. Subtracted from their regular season goal differential of +96 and that leaves a +37 differential against the rest of the league which would have been fourth in the league instead of first. The Western Conference was a much stronger conference as every team was just about at a .500 winning percentage or higher. Although, to be fair, Las Vegas did have a perfect 9-0 record against the Hounds as well. Clue #3: Special teams were a huge part of Las Vegas’ regular season having the top-ranked power play and the fourth-rank penalty kill. They were also the least penalized team in the regular season with 46 less penalty minutes then the next least penalized team. So it’s really no surprise that they were given more power plays (31-14) against their first round opponent, Miami, although the discrepancy in penalties could be debated. To their credit, the Marauder’s power play did do well against Las Vegas at 28.57%, the best rate behind the Aces, but their penalty kill was torched by the league’s best power play, which found another level in the playoffs. Whatever power play formations the coaches drew up for the postseason worked to perfection as the Aces operated at 29.87% for their playoff run. No one could stop them. 23 of their 47 goals scored in the playoffs were scored with the man advantage. Their penalty kill also found another level as they only allowed 6 power play goals on 53 attempts. That means that after Miami went 4 for 14 against them in the first round, the Aces' penalty-killers only allowed an incredible 2 for 39 the rest of the way including blanking all of Saskatoon's 18 chances! Clue #4: Signing Oluwaseun in the off-season may have been the Aces’ shrewdest move in the off-season and did the Burkina Faso native ever deliver! One of the consensus Top-3 netminders during the regular season after leading the league in GAA (1.52) and finishing third in SV% (0.923) and shutouts (11), Oluwaseun continued his hot run leading the Aces with a 12-3-1 record, 1.68 GAA and a league record-tying 5 shutouts (former Ace Deadpanda @Alex set the record two seasons prior). Throughout the playoffs, it was more how OCO devastated opponents at crucial times that astonished the league. In both of the first two series, he posted a shutout in Game 1 and in the series-clinching game. While Halifax turned the table in the Final and shutout Las Vegas in the first game, OCO returned the favor and shutout the 21st in Game 4 to tie the series at two games a piece. They then only allowed one goal on 16 shots in the Cup-winning game to go along with assisting on all three Vegas goals!. To summarize, OCO’s stats in series-clinching games was 3-0-0 with a 0.33 GAA, 0.974 SV%, and two shutouts. Definitely one of the more clutch performances in VHLM history! Clue #5 That the Aces’ defense core would lead them offensively in the playoffs like they did in the regular season cemented a curious but effective strategy by GM Sadie. During the regular season, the Aces’ top four scorers and leading goal scorer were all defensemen. Led by Albin Algard’s 39 assists and 51 points and Kazuma Satou’s 22 goals, that duo continued their offensive brilliance along with Mathias Gunnarsson and Manuel Ceson especially on the power play. With a combined 98 power play points and 15 game winning goals, it was as inevitable as Thanos that those four would have to factor in every game for Las Vegas to have a shot at the Cup. And they sure did. Satou led the playoffs with 14 assists and 22 points while Aldgard was second in the M with 9 goals. Satou was third with 8 goals while Aldgard was T-3rd with 18 points. Satou and Ceson led the playoffs with six power play goals each and Satou set the modern-day VHLM record for game-winning goals by a defenseman in a single post-season with 5 (including both of Las Vegas’ overtime winners)! In fact, after Raoul Cyr and Lorenzo Mancini scored the Aces’ first two goals in Game 3 in the Final, defensemen scored the next nine Las Vegas goals to give them the 4-2 series win. And, true to form, the four Vegas blueliners were the top four power play producers in the playoffs with a combined 36 power play points. They also scored 9 of the needed 12 game-winning goals. Ceson was credited with the Cup-winning goal in Game 6 at 1:47 of the second period on – you guessed it – the power play. Other notable Las Vegas contributors: Cyr did have a great playoff as well finishing 3rd on the team and 5th overall with 17 points. Danny Ross was held without a goal but finished with 6 assists, a league-leading 54 hits and 62.67% faceoff winning percentage (among those with 25 or more taken). Ethan Ashcroft tied Cyr for the team forward lead with 5 goals including 2 game-winners. To conclude, Las Vegas was perhaps more of a Cup contender entering the playoffs than the pundits assumed. The old adage states: “Defense wins championships.” And when your defense is also lethal on the power play and scores more than most forwards, then that saying is even more accurate. Congratulations to the Las Vegas Aces – The S97 Founder’s Cup Champions!

The Animal Sports Agency extends their congratulations to the Las Vegas Aces for winning the S97 Founder’s Cup. We would especially like to congratulate our client and friend, defenseman Albin Aldgard for his heroics in the playoffs. After leading Las Vegas in scoring during the regular season, Albin led the Aces with 9 goals in the playoffs, one behind the league lead. His six points in the Founder’s Cup Final and 18 points (tied for fourth in the league) over 16 games is further testament to his determination and ability to raise his game in big moments. We look forward to celebrating this victory with him in the off-season and helping him prepare for his first VHL season. Our Agency is proud to support high-level athletes and proud of our relationship with the VHL and VHLM. Albin’s Founder’s Cup victory is the fourth VHLM Championship for our clients and second with the Las Vegas Aces and we are happy to be a part of their successes! ASA’s clients’ Founder’s Cups: Gunnar-Rune Rorvik, S5 Toledo Scorpions; Ondrej Ohradka, S69 Saskatoon Wild; Joel Castle, S84 Las Vegas Aces; Albin Aldgard, S97 Las Vegas Aces

Good series Halifax! Aces!! We did it!!

OMG!

1. Among defensemen, I was 9th in scoring (51 points), 3rd in shots (195) and T-2nd in powerplay assists (17). I was T-4th in powerplay assists and T-7th in powerplay points in the league. 2. The Las Vegas Aces 3. I'll pick the surprise teams - Toronto and Las Vegas. More logical choices: Riga and Halifax. 4. Canucks runs to the Stanley Cup Finals, 1994 and 2011 5. Not really 6. Play a few (drums, piano, bit of trumpet, mandolin, bass). Would like to learn guitar better, steel drums, uilleann pipes.

1. As Las Vegas is still in the playoffs, I am excited for our unexpected run and for next season in D.C.! 2. No I did not predict that. 3. Yes, they are sneaky good. 4. Really it's up to the BOG vote. Sometimes it doesn't always make sense. 5. Happy Birthday! I hope you had a great day and was able to celebrate with friends and family! 6. Maybe for young talent but we may want to see what we have before becoming buyers too quickly. 7. Well, there are a lot of good young D joining the VHL next season and I've fallen behind a bit in my earning the past month (super busy at work and home) so we'll see. Always a possibility!

1. Not really. It would have been hard to make any significant moves without probably mortgaging the future. 2. As an offensive player obviously points and power play points but I also am looking at plus/minus and blocked shots. 3. Ah, can't think of one 4. Probably not watching but it'd be cool to see the Chiefs get a three-peat. 5. Geography, Band, Computer Science 6. Dry salt and pepper

Only if there is pineapple on the pizzas...

Don't think he's catching me and Condor

Thanks @Victor!

Sorry, this was supposed to be posted in Media Spots. Could someone with perms please do that? Thanks!

Nothing But Hits Up His Sleeves Tommy Sleeves: The VHL’s Next Great Pugilist When Tommy Sleeves @dasboot was picked by Helsinki 23rd overall in the S90 Draft, the Titans’ fourth of six players selected in that draft including 1st overall defenseman YaBoi Oven @Doomsday, few would have guessed that seven seasons later, Sleeves would be the only player left from that draft still on the Titans’ roster. Now, partially through S97, Sleeves has cemented himself as one of the toughest and most physical players ever to touch blades on VHL ice. He is already a record-holder and by the end, he may become the greatest pugilist ever. Since starting his career in S91, no one has garnered more penalty minutes (1656 - through 30 games this season) or hits (2052) and he’s led the VHL in PIM the last three seasons. Last season, Sleeves set the record for penalty minutes in a season by a defenseman with 336, the second-highest single-season total ever, smashing Noah Lefevre’s mark of 313 set in S11. He’s also the only player to reach 288 penalty minutes or more (a 4 PIM per game average) three times in a career. After finishing S96 in 10th all-time in career PIM, he’s accumulated 116 in 30 games in S97 putting him in 7th (passing Ove Dyrdahl) and is on pace to break Peter Payne’s 82-season-old all-time record of 1858 by season’s end! He also doles out the hits more than almost any defenseman in VHL history. As mentioned above, no player, let alone defenseman, has posted more hits since the start of his career. He currently sits 41st all-time and at his current rate, he could reach the Top-20 by the end of the season. Last season, he led all players with 411 hits, which was the third-highest total ever by a blueliner (just behind Edwin Encarnacion’s 414 and Nick Fisher’s 413) and the highest total since Druss Deathwalker had 413 in S82. He is the fifth player in VHL history to record two seasons over 400 or more hits and the only defenseman to do it. But he’s not just a thug on the ice – he can also play his position. He led the VHL in blocked shots last season with 272, the second-highest total in a decade and was nominated for the Jake Wylde Trophy as the league’s best defensive defenseman. In fact, he’s the 28th player in VHL history to reach 1000 hits, 1000 PIM, and 1000 blocked shots and he was the quickest to do it (only six seasons). With one more year left to play after this, what else could Tommy Sleeves accomplish? All-time defenseman hits leader? Top-10 in hits all-time? Top-10 in blocked shots? Top-5? Helsinki’s all-time leader in games played? Or maybe top of the list is to help the Titans get to the playoffs one more time in his career? Only he knows, but the possibilities are vast. One thing is for certain: Tommy Sleeves is one of the greatest tough guys in the history of the VHL. He is also a beloved Helsinki legend. However the rest of his hockey career plays out, fans will remember Tommy Sleeves. And the skaters he crunched will probably remember him longer.

Review: Game 105 - HFX 8 MIS 3

S97 Game 105 Mississauga 3 Halifax 8 The high-scoring Halifax 21st kept pace with the top teams in the league with a huge offensive showing against the Hounds and are in third place overall. After trading goals three times, Inker Belle @WildfireMicro broke the tie at 5:38 in the 2nd period to make it 4-3 and Halifax poured on the gas after that scoring four more unanswered goals in the third and outshooting Mississauga 20-9 in the final frame. Halifax’s dominant duo of Pelayo Bolivar @SMYLS4 and Belle remain 1-2 in league scoring as they both scored twice and Belle added two assists and Bolivar added one. Ty Duke @TheDuke also had a four-point night with 1-3-4. Cysteine @Bea, Hater Tottingham @Trunkxolotl, and Petr Novak @LastGoon007 (his first of the season) also scored for Halifax. Goalie Chad Powers @Big_Dyl was sharp stopping 28 of 31 shots. The Hounds were led by Davin VanHousen @David VanHousen and Kurt Bachmann @Blutch who each posted a goal and an assist. Jay Sikes @JaySmacksss also scored and despite being under siege in the third period, whiteknight @shaun1979 valiantly turned aside 31 of 39 shots. Special teams were special for both teams as each scored short-handed and Mississauga scored once on the power play and Halifax scored three times.

1. It's weird not seeing the Reapers and Hounds near the top of their conference but looking at the rosters, the Reapers don't have much talent right now and the Hounds could be doing better if not for their goalie situation. 2. Offense - specifically from the forwards. Pure and simple. We've now been shut out two of the last four games. Four of the team's top five scorers are defensemen. 3. Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun has been keeping us near the top with a decent goal differential as they try to backstop the lowest-scoring team in the M. 4. November 1st - Egg Nog Day 5. FF Toadly 6. We're in Vegas, right? With all the casinos we should... go streaking down the strip!

After the Las Vegas Aces were shutout for the first time this season by the San Diego Marlins in a 1-0 OTL, defenseman Albin Aldgard went on a six-game point streak to help the Aces to a 1-1-4 record in that stretch. He recorded one point in each of those six games posting a goal and five assists for six points. While the streak (the second-longest in the league at the time) was officially broken in a 3-2 shootout win against Philadelphia, Aldgard converted on his shoot out chance to win the game for Las Vegas. He posted another assist in the next game to help the Aces beat San Diego 3-2. Despite being held to one assist in the next four games, Aldgard currently leads the Aces in scoring with 12 points in 18 games including pacing the team with 10 assists and 26 blocked shots. With four of the team’s top five scorers being defensemen, the Las Vegas forwards will need to increase their offensive output to help the team keep pace at the top of the Western Conference.

1. Watching Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun stop the puck. He'll give us a chance to win every night. 2. Hopefully we can stay in a playoff spot but we've got to score more. 3. We're very good defensively and in goal which should be strong enough to get us to the playoffs but we need more scoring. 4. I don't necessarily have a favorite brand but I would say Earl Grey is my favorite style. 5. Fried salmon, risotto, salad with some ice cream for dessert. 6. Uh, don't really have one.

Thanks! There was one player I was worried about and didn't want to be disqualified for being over the dollar amount.

1. No I didn't! I'm not on Reddit much, but I'll check it out. 2. Unfortunately, I couldn't participate as much as I would like to, but it's always a good event for a good cause. 3. Current jersey numbers, season high single game perfomances? 4. I don't know A&W? 5. Wow. Extra arm. (Hopefully do more stuff) Shirts would be difficult though 6. My family always watches a short animated film called The First Noel. Narrated by Andy Griffith.

Need to change the title of the form. Also, so the TPE shown in the Builder is law? Even if the player may be higher now?

Merry Christmas!!

Almost Christmas!!

Getting close now!