Big Bob

Needs double OT to take us down after losing 5-1 this might be easier than I thought  

Let’s go boys!!

European Wildcard Showdown Preview
The Prague Phantoms vs The Helsinki Titans
 
It's playoff time ladies and gentlemen! The playoffs are always an exciting time, it's where you usually see everyone firing at all cylinders and just givin' her 100% out there. The overall emotion on the ice  also peaks and you can see the beginning of great rivalries being built. That just may be what we're about to see with the European Conference wildcard showdown between the Prague Phantoms and the Helsinki Titans. Both teams have been rather close to each other in the standings all season long as they both had to battle hard just to make it to the playoffs as the European Conference was just stacked this year with the Prague Phantoms taking the last wildcard position over H.C. Davos by tiebreaker as they both finished the season with 80 points. Helsinki, was just a point ahead at 81 points. For comparison in the North American Conference there wasn't much of a competition for the wildcard spots as the Calgary Wranglers(78pts) and the D.C. Dragons (79pts) made it into the round with at least 13 points to spare over the next team, the Chicago Phoenix (65pts).  
 
The Prague Phantoms
 
The Phantoms entered the last wildcard round by winning 3 of their last 4 games and narrowly squeezing by Davos who was also playing some great hockey in the last push for a playoff spot. In their last ten games of the season the Phantoms are a mediocre 5-5 winning also half their games, however in those ten games there were 3 games against the Titans of which the Phantoms won 2 of them. Those three games are going to be a point of reference throughout this article as it gave us a little preview on how these two teams were going to matchup. 
 
Phantoms Forward Group
@animal74 @Doomsday @diamond_ace  @wcats @Jayrad28 @cartoes @Garrett @flyersfan1453
 
LW Ondrej Ohradka ----- C Thomas Landry II ----- RW Gary Tarantino
LW John Leclair II ------- C Dagmar Havlova ----- RW Dan Baillie Jr.
LW Ben McGirr ----- C Alex Pearson ----- RW Andre LeBastard
 
The Phantom's forward group has been changing recently as some of the prexisting core in Prague are growing near retirement and are having to step aside in order for some fresh faces to transition in. Veterans like Alex Pearson and Ben McGirr have been big parts of the Phantoms forward group in past years. They've aged and depreciated and they're at the point where they're now being used as complimentary scorers for the Phantoms and they're doing a damn good job in their new roles, Pearson almost broke the 50 point mark falling one shy at 49 points, McGirr got 38 points but has adapted to be more of a energy guy trying to play with a physical edge which gives room and compliments Pearson really well. LeBastard however has been struggling only posting 11 points and doesn't even look like the same player that was drafted by the team in 15th overall in S73, the young lad just looks disinterested and just plain out of shape. 
 
Havlova and Ohradka has lead the team in offense this season with both players being able to break the 80 point mark, which was a milestone that was never hit by a Phantom before this season. Havlova lead the team in scoring with 84 points but doesn't get enough credit for her defensive game. I see her as a great two way center, she lead her team in plus/minus being +17 this season and she's currently the franchise leader in plus/minus having been +46 during her entire career as a member of the Phantoms. The coach to me is aware of her two way play as she's being used to center two rookie wingers, Dan Baillie Jr. and John Leclair II on the 2nd line rather then the 1st line. The team is looking at guys like Baillie Jr. and Leclair II to lead the new generation of Phantoms forward and is hoping that Havlova can teach them the ropes and provide leadership. The top line is consisted of veterans, Ohradka and Tarantino with winger turned 1st line center, Thomas Landry II. Although Landry isn't the most experienced centerman, this line has been hard to shut down and has been hot down the stretch. Ohradka has been espeically hot having 12 points in his last ten games and has had two first star selections in his past 3 games by scoring 6 points. Ohradka lead the team in goals with 35 goals and is a guy the Titans will have to focus on specifically because he looks ready and determined to hurt the Titans on the scoresheet. It will definitely help the Phantoms odds if Tarantino can also return to his old form and come out strong.
 
Phantoms Defense Corps
@omgitshim @Cornholio @Liberty_Cabbage @KnightRiley
Cinnamon Block ---- Wolf Stansson Jr.
Jacob Perry ---- Riley Knight Gee
 
The Phantoms will obviously use their go to defensemen Cinnamon Block and WSJ on their first pairing. The two have been leading the team for several years on the backend and this year was no different as both players managed to top the 50 point mark and have showed that age isn't going to slow them down. Block has had himself a good enough season to earn himself a spot on the VHL's all star game voting list after scoring yet another point per game season by ending the year with 74 point and 2 shy of missing the 60 assist mark. WSJ earned 57 points for the year playing along side block and is a very respected figure in the team's locker room with him having been a member of the Phantoms since their inaugural year. The 2nd pairing features the return of Jacob Perry to the team after having been gone for two seasons playing as a member of the Moscow Menace. Perry has found his game back after returning to the Phantoms and playing alongside rookie defender Riley Knight Gee. Gee himself has been no slouch either having impressed the Phantoms brass with a 38 point rookie season in which the young lad played well and unlike many of the other Phantoms, has stayed out of the box. The Phantoms may try splitting the veteran top pairing in order to better shelter Gee come playoff time, but Gee has built such a good chemistry playing with Perry that the Phantoms may just give the pairing a shot to perform together in the playoffs.
 
Phantoms Goaltenders
@HearnNation67 @CrlineDijohn14
 
Woody McPine
John Poremba
 
This is only McPine's 2nd season in the VHL and to me I'm ready to claim that McPine will be considered a member of the VHL's elite soon enough with the careers of Rayz Funk and Raymond Bernard ending in the next 2 years. Mcpine has been steadily improving every season and there's no reason to think he's done improving. This year he has posted the best numbers by a Phantom's goaltender since the days of them having Brick Wahl between the pipes as McPine ended the season with a .914 save percentage. 
 
 
The Helsinki Titans
 
Titan's Forward Group
@Jubo07 @Jbeezy76 @enigmatic @Spaz @PatrikLaine @Dil @Big Bob
 
LW Valtteri Vaakanainen ----- C Ola Vikinstad ----- RW Erik Draven
LW Patrik Laine ----- C Hiroshi Okada ----- RW Jared Spaz
LW Bob Helminen
 
The Titans don't have as much depth as the Phantoms forward group but it sure has fire power and they're offense has been red hot as of late. Scoring has never really been a problem for the Helsinki Titans as they have three 30+ goal scorers in Okada (32), Vaakanainen (34) and Vikingstad (34). The real problem for the Titans have been that they let in more goals then they manage to score. If the Titans want to compete with the Phantoms in the playoffs the forwards will have to work at assisting their defensemen a little more by adding a little more effort when it comes the defensive coverage.
 
This forward group has seen contributions from everyone in the lineup as everyone has been able to produce offense for the as of late. Leading the forwards in production has been VHL veteran HIroshi Okada who posted a career best, 80 pts. Okada was a key player to last year's final run for the Titans and they are gambling for Okada to be a impact player once again for them in this year's playoff round. Okada plays between young forward Jared Spaz and rookie, Patrik Laine. Spaz was Okada's main trigger man scoring 29 goals and was one shy of joining Okada at the 30 goal mark. Laine has had flashes of brilliance and 38 points is not bad for a rookie but he's lacked the consistency required to be a VHL star, but the young man still has a lot of time the develop so there's no worries and that Laine just has to grow and mature a little more. The top line has been one of the best in the VHL as of late and he's been hot since the trade deadline addition of Ola Vikingstad to compliment veteran Erik Draven and sophomore Valtteri Vaakanainen. The line has been red hot lately, with every member of the line playing above a PPG pace during the last ten games and the three combined have produced 40 points in the last ten.  Old man Erik Draven who has announced earlier in the season that this would be his last has been especially hot as of late scoring 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in the team's last ten games. He is showing that he still belongs on the teams top line and is showing a lot of hunger to end his career with a Continental Cup. 
 
Titan's Defense Corps
@Erik Summers @Tbeez99 @Spence King
 
Erik Summers ---- Seabass Perrin
Spencer Elsby ---- Tony Bolonee
 
Like I mentioned above, the main weakness of the Helsinki Titans is that they've let in about just as many goals past their goaltenders as they've been able to score themselves. So the defense will have to be able to tighten it up in their own end to be able to survive the wildcard round. The top pairing features the Titan's captain,  Erik Summers who finished playing his 5th season as a member of the Titans and key free agent addition Seabass Perrin. Both veterans have been able to produce some offense with Summers ending the season leading all Titans skaters in scoring by producing 82 points (22 goals, 60 assists) topping his previous career best of 80pts set in last year. In last year's finals run Summers was clutch in playoffs leading his team with an amazing 28 points in the team's 17 playoff games. This year, how far the team goes into the playoffs really depends on if Summers can recreate that playoff performance. His defensive partner, Perrin has struggled on and off with his new team after spending the last 6 seasons playing on the opposite side of the fence for the Prague Phantoms but has been picking it up as of late. The 2nd pairing consists of Spency Elsby and Tony Bolonee. Sophomore defenseman Spencer Elsby has raised his game from his rookie season and ended the year with 65 points which is a 20 point improvement. Tony Bolonee on the other hand has regressed from his 61 point season +41 season, scoring a team low 27 points being +9. It's not all his fault as this comes after being bumped from playing with Summers after the acquisition of Perrin. Also consider that if we don't count the one 60 point season, this year's numbers matches up with Bolonee's career average.  Bolonee was always more of a defensive defenseman anyways and is currently giving Elsby more room on the ice to do bring out the offense.  
 
Titan's Goaltending
 
Zamboni Driver
Calvin Harvey
 
Helsinki's goaltender Zamboni Driver will have to perform when it counts, the youngster has had a mediocre season with flashes of brilliance but still ended the season with the lowest save percentage out of every starter in the league. So its safe to say that Driver will have to turn it around and produce better results for this team to have chance. This will also be his first playoff series as the team's starting goaltender so it'll be interesting to see how the sophomore goalie will handle the added pressure of the playoffs. 
 
 
 
Team Grades:
 
Phantom's Forward Group Grade: B+
Titan's Forward Group Grade: A
 
The Titan's have more elite fire power than the Phantoms and possess more playoff experience than the Phantom's young group. 
 
Phantoms Defence Corps Grade: B
Titan's Defence Corps Grade: B+
 
I'll give the Titan's the slight edge as they again are more seasoned when it comes to the playoffs and they're 2nd pairing of Elsby + Bolonee > Perry + Gee.
 
Phantom's Goaltending Grade: A-
Titan's Goaltending Grade: B-
 
McPine has been playing better than Driver and his numbers back up that statement. McPine has been hot for the Phantoms during the playoff race so it's safe to say that'll probably carry over to the playoffs. 
 
Familiar Faces:
 
There are three players in this series that will face their former teams adding some extra emotion to this series.
 
Erik Draven
-Was drafted by the Phantoms during their expansion draft.
- Played 2 seasons for the Phantoms collecting 122 points in 144 games.
- Was the Phantoms franchise's first captain. 
- Left for Helsinki via Free Agency at the end of his entry contract and has been there ever since.
 
Alex Pearson
-Was drafted by the Titans with the 30th overall pick n S67
-Was left exposed to the S68 Expansion Draft and subsequently picked up by the Phantoms.
-Been a member of the Phantoms ever since.
 
Seabass Perrin
-Was drafted by the Phantoms with the 17th overall pick in S68
- Spent 6 seasons playing for the Phantoms scoring 290 points in 432 games
- Was Phantom's captain in S71
-Left the Phantoms via Free Agency for Helsinki.
 
 
Three Game Preview:
 
Game 525
Result: 2-1, Phantoms Win in regulation
Shot Clock: HSK 39/PRG 29
1st Star: Woody McPine PRG
2nd Star: Spencer Elsby HSK
3rd Star: Gary Tarantino PRG
 
Game 522
Result: 4-2 Titans Win in regulation
Shot clock: PRG 34/ HSK 32 
1st Star: Hiroshi Okada HSK
2nd Star: Ondrej Ohradka PRG
3rd Star:  Jared Spaz HSK
 
Game 565
Shot clock: HSK 45/ PRG 35
Result: 6-5 Titan's shootout victory
1st Star: Ondrej Ohradka
2nd Star: Cinnamon Block 
3rd Star: Bob Helminen
 
Both teams have been able to play a little preview series during the playoff race as they played three game against each other during their respective last ten games of the year. During those 3 games we saw the Phantoms get the better of the Titan's as they won 2 out of the 3 games. Actually throughout the whole season the Titan's only managed to win one out of the total 5 games played against the Phantoms. During the 3 game preview we saw the Phantoms and Titans play in tight games as two of them ended up being a one goal games also both teams earned a total of 10 goals during those 3 games.  In those 3 games we saw 4 players scoring at above PPG rate, 3 of them belonging to the Titans with Elsby, Okada and depth player Bob Helminen scoring 4 points each. The Phantoms had Ondrej Ohradka score four points as well, but their scoring was more mixed throughout the lineup compared to the Titans. The Phantoms even got some production out of rookie Andre LeBastard in those games. Goaltending wise things were a little more interesting. McPine continued playing comparible to his season average and posted a save percentage of .913% during the 3 games while his team got outshot 116 to 98 by the Titans. On the Titan's side Driver posed a save percentage of .854% as he was pulled in the one game after letting in 4 goals in 13 shots in game 565. Calvin Harvey, the team's backup came in relief and gave his team a chance to comeback and tie the game after going down 4-2 by the end of the first period. Harvey saved 21 out of 22 shots for a save percentage of .955 and the Titan's tied the game to end up losing in the shootout. The showing gives the Titans a backup plan with Calvin Harvey in case Driver struggles out of the gate. 
 
 
(Please forgive me for being late in posting this, keep in mind at the time of writting the series hasn't started yet.)
 
WORD COUNT 2700+

I want to thank Jubo for drafting me into Helsinki, I know I did not make it easy for you at times ?Shame I could not really get it done in the offensive end and be a difference maker like a first round pick should be, but I think this deal is something that will benefit everybody and for that reason I'm excited to see what future brings to everybody involved.
 
Thanks to everybody in Helsinki, truly a cool and friendly group of people.  ?

@PatrikLaine

@osensthank you for your time in Helsinki and best of luck in Toronto!

@Beketov Lines uploaded to reflect this trade

I love it ! ? 

BIG BOB!

@Big Bob Hopefully you like this one, I see good things coming out of Helsinki this season. Good luck to you ?
 
 
 

After a breakthrough season 73, the Titans are hopeful they can continue to find success and return to another cup final in season 74. Over the last few days the Titans held a team-wide vote for team captaincy. It was another tight battle from start to finish, and in the end the results were separated by only a single vote. The Titans locker room continues to be an amazing place to be a part of, and this is owed to every member of the roster, not just the three names listed below. Titans pride runs true throughout our hockey club.
 
The Titans are proud to announce their elected captains for season 74;
 
Returning as Team Captain: Erik Summers @Erik Summers
Assistant Captain: Valtteri Vaakanainen @Jubo07
Assistant Captain: Erik Draven @Jbeezy76

Why

Great series from Seattle who add another trophy to their storied history.
Titans, It was a remarkable season. Honestly 49 regular season wins, coming back from being down 3-2 against Malmo, taking the 4-0 sweep against Riga and going 6 games against Seattle. We had several of the top playoff performers (7 of the top 10), including Erik Summers who led all players with an outstanding 28 points in 17 games. Nothing to hang our heads over. On to the off-season where we welcome three rookies to keep the roster full of promise for the foreseeable future. Very sad to see Ben Hafkey move on to retirement. Such an underrated talent and a staple of the Titans top six for the last 5 seasons of his career.
 
@enigmatic @jRuutu @Jbeezy76 @McLovin @Spaz @Big Bob @Erik Summers @Tbeez99 @Spence King @Cusemode @Harpskii @Brrbisbrr @Tape-to-Tape
You are all champions in my book! Thank you for such a fun season of Helsinki hockey

Season 73 Playoff Preview - Conference Finals Review and Cup Final Preview
 
Welcome to the second playoff edition of the VSN Weekly Review. We’ll cover a host of the recaps of the events happening in the Continental Cup Playoffs and any other important events that the VSN covered this week. As always, thanks to my good friend @Hylands for being the other writer on the VHL Weekly Review team who helps bring the news of the the VHL to your screen on a weekly basis. A special congratulations goes out to @MattyIce @animal74 and @Plate who are the newest members of the VSN family. It is good to have you on board!
 
Speaking of other VSN content, make sure to check out the other great work from the VSN team! Here are a few handy links that can be used to access our other works such as weekly podcasts,  scouting reports, historical articles and more!
 
Under 250: VHLM Review | Ringless: S51 Calgary Wranglers | Deep Rewind: Century Men | The Next Generation: S74 | VSN Australia
 
Conference Finals Review
 
North American Conference
 
Seattle Bears (49-18-5) vs Calgary Wranglers (44-22-6)
The top-seeded Seattle Bears had a tough match-up against the second-seeded Calgary Wranglers. Even though Seattle had some rest prior to the series, it was Calgary, coming off of their grueling 7 game series against New York who would take control of the series early, winning games 1 and 2 with identical 3-2 overtime wins. Seattle would get a much needed win in Calgary in Game 3, beating the Wranglers by a slim 3-2 margin. Calgary would take Game 4 of the series by a score of 3-1 and would have a chance to close it out heading back to Seattle. Game 5 did not end quick, and would require extra minutes. Seattle would keep their season alive with a triple OT win in Game 5 and another OT win in Calgary in Game 6. Game 7 would be a thriller in Seattle. The Bears found just enough to pull off the comeback and beat the Wranglers 5-3 in Game 7, taking the series 4 games to 3. Seattle now has a chance to win their 4th Continental Cup in 6 seasons.
 
Game of the series: Game 5: Seattle Bears 3 to Calgary Wranglers 2 (3OT)
This game was the most important game in the series for both teams. After falling down 3-1 heading back home, Seattle had to play their best game to stay alive in the series. Seattle would start off strong and take a 1-0 lead late in the 1st Period on a goal from Berocka Sundqvist. Seattle would expand their lead midway through the second period on another power play goal. Late into the third, it looked like Seattle had the game out of reach. However, Calgary wasn’t done, receiving goals from Kris Rice and Mikko Lahtinen late in the 3rd to tie it up 2-2. We would need overtime to solve this game. The game dragged into a second overtime. That wasn’t enough, so we would need a third and wouldn’t you guess it, just 2:32 into the 3rd overtime, Randy Marsh would let an absolute bomb go to put Seattle back in the series with a 3-2 triple OT win.
 
Series MVP: Rayz Funk (SEA) (4-1-2, 0.940 Save Percentage, 2.43 GAA)
 
European Conference
 
Helsinki Titans (49-18-5) vs Riga Reign (35-30-7)
After beating Malmo in 7 in the first round, Helsinki would have a tougher test against the defending Continental Cup Champions in the Riga Reign. Helsinki would open the series with a 4-1 win at home in Game 1 and another 5-2 win in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead on the road to Riga. Despite Riga scoring 4 goals in Game 3, Helsinki would double them up and score 8 in an impressive 8-4 win to take a 3-0 series lead. Game 4 was one for the ages with Riga rallying in the third to send the game to OT. Despite their heroics, Helsinki would finish the sweep with a 6-5 OT Win in Game 4, advancing to the Continental Cup Finals.
 
Game of the series: Game 4, Helsinki Titans 6 to Riga Reign 5 (OT)
With Helsinki up in the series 3-0, Riga would need to come out firing in Game 4, and they did just that. Riga would get a pair of first period goals from Patrik Tallinder and DeFenz Mann and would take a 2-0 lead into the second period. The second period was all Helsinki. They would outshoot Riga 16-6 in the second frame and would score 4 goals to go up 4-2 heading into the third period with a chance to close the series. Surprisingly, Riga managed to battle back to even relatively quickly, receiving a pair of power play goals in a span of 2:00 near the middle of the frame to battle back into it. However, Helsinki wasn’t done as Erik Draven would strike with just 5:52 left on the clock to put Helsinki up 5-4. Riga once again wouldn’t back down and Guy Sasakamoose would score a beautiful breakaway goal to even the game at 5 apiece. Riga would pepper Helsinki with a lot of shots in the last three minutes, but Samuel Ross would hold strong and send the game to overtime. Riga would fall apart in overtime, taking a pair of minor penalties early in the frame, and Helsinki would make them pay. Spencer Elsby would record his second of the game just 3:52 into the extra frame as Helsinki would advance to the Continental Cup Finals.
 
Series MVP: Ben Hafkey (HSK) (2 G, 8 A, 58.9% Faceoff Percentage)
 
Continental Cup Finals Preview
 
Alright, it’s time for the preview. GIVE ME CONTESTANT NUMBER ONE!
 
North American Conference Champions:
 
Seattle Bears (49-18-5)
 
Beat D.C. in Round 1 (4-2)
Beat Calgary in Conference Finals (4-3)
 
Seattle has once again emerged as one of the premiere franchises of the league. They are led offensively by the trio of Scott Greene, Ambrose Stark and Ola Vikingstad up the middle. On the wings, they don’t slouch either with Uhtred and Timothy Brown playing there, plus a young gun in Aleelee Kiak. Defensively, they have one of the best top four defense corps in the league featuring household names like Berocka Sundqvist, Hulk Hogan, Randy Marsh and Odin Omdahl. In net, they have a solid duo featuring the aging but still effective Rayz Funk and the future of the crease in young Jacob Tonn. Seattle is trying to cement themselves all one of the greatest dynasties in VHL history, hoping to win their 4th title in 6 seasons. Having defeated D.C. and Calgary to claim their spot in the championship, Seattle has one last hurdle to climb to reach the top of the hockey mountain. SHOW ME CONTESTANT NUMBER TWO!
 
European Conference Champions
 
Helsinki Titans (49-18-5)
 
Beat Malmo in Round 1 (4-3)
Beat Riga in Conference Finals (4-0)
 
Helsinki on paper would’ve made it to the finals in easy fashion but they took a much different path. They struggled against Malmo but ultimately took them out in 7 games and then ended the hopes and dreams of Riga Reign fans everywhere by showing no mercy and taking them out in 4 straight games. Helsinki has a solid team which is the perfect mix of young players with potential, older players who are still great and a solid prospect pool. In terms of older talent, they have Ben Hafkey, Erik Draven, Hiroshi Okada and Jared Spaz as forwards and Tony Bolonee, Erik Summers and Daldo rounding the defensive front. On the young side, they have a solid forward group with Jim Bob, Bob Helminen and Valtteri Vaakanainen. Defensively, Spencer Elsby is a young defender with a lot of upside and is one of the most important pieces of the core moving forward. In net, they have the aging Samuel Ross but also a younger future goalie in Zamboni Driver to take the reins in the coming seasons. This year, they were mostly using the two as a goalie tandem but Ross has taken the starter job so far in these playoffs. They come into the finals with confidence and I am convinced this team can get the job done, but it will be tough.
 
Predictions
 
Helsinki vs Seattle
 
Hylands: We have quite the interesting matchup on our hands here. On one hand, the Seattle Bears are known for having one of the best goalies in the VHL of all time, and are defensively solid. Meanwhile, Helsinki has been scoring for fun in these playoffs, and their offensive prowess has been on show through each round. Something’s going to have to give in this round and I can’t wait to see these teams play against each other. This is honestly such a tough matchup to predict, and as we saw in the last round anything can happen. For me, the Seattle Bears are just built for a championship from top to bottom. A future hall of famer in net, some great defencemen in the prime of their career, and a potent offense that can get the job done. Seattle in 6 from me.
 
Laine: These two teams both took very different paths. Helsinki struggled to start the playoffs but has since won 6 games in a row, including a sweep over the defending champion Riga Reign in the Conference Finals. Seattle had a rough go against D.C. but managed to pull out of that series. They struggled early against Calgary but rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to steal the series. I think Helsinki is the hotter team coming into the finals, but Seattle has a lot of momentum. This series will go down to the wire and probably go 6-7 games, but I think Helsinki takes it based on the red hot play of their offense.
 
Hylands’ Pick: Seattle in 6
Laine’s Pick: Helsinki in 6
 
 

SUMMARY

Welcome to the fourth edition of VSN’s S73 Weekly recap (Games 355-475).  We’ll cover a host of things in this recap each week including highlights of important VSN happenings, three stars of the week, power rankings, rookie profiles, and anything else of importance.
 
Speaking of other VSN content, make sure to check out the other great work from the greater VSN family! Here are a few handy links to check out, from our weekly podcasts to in-depth history articles, scouting reports, and more!
 
Talents Behind the Trophies | Under 250 | Ringless: S49 Quebec City Meute | VSN Australia | S73 Future Watch: EU
 
Recap
Week 4 was a story with 2 sides. Goalies were absolutely shutting the door to all shooters at the beginning of the week, recording a total of 14 shutouts across the entire week. The last 3 days of the week, it was all about the shooters. Mostly within the last 3 days, 16 hat tricks were recorded across the league including one game where a player scored 5 goals. As the playoffs grow closer, the amount of fighting and physicality has gone up. Hits are at a high for this season and we saw 16 fights across the week. It will be interesting to see how the play of teams will change heading into the playoffs.
 
3-Stars
 
First Star
Odin Omdahl (SEA) - 6 G, 21 A, 39 Shots Blocked
Second Star
Benny Graves (DCD) - 11 G, 14 A, 63 Hits
Third Star
Greg Eagles (RIG) - 2.53 GAA, .910 SV%, 4 Shutouts
 
Power Rankings
Featured on this week’s graphic are Berocka Sundqvist on the Seattle Bears, Mikko Lahtinen from the Calgary Wranglers, and Guy Lesieur playing for the D.C. Dragons.

Shoutout to @Pengu for the banner 
 
This week, the Seattle Bears regain the top spot on the Power Rankings, and rightfully so. The Bears have been terrific all season long, and if not for the insane winning streak that the Helsinki Titans went on, they may have topped the rankings for 3 weeks in a row. This week they were led by this week’s 1st Star, Odin Omdahl, who played a string of great games and anchored Seattle on that blue line. The #2 spot goes to the Calgary Wranglers who have had a resurgence as of late, and have climbed up our rankings all the way from the bottom spot last week after riding a 10 game win streak. They had some stellar goaltending this week from Jacques Lafontaine, who won 12 of his 14 starts which is an incredible stat. 
 
The final spot in our top 3 goes to the D.C. Dragons, who after struggling to start the season, have put all doubts aside and are now firmly cemented in the North American Conference playoff race. Star centre Benny Graves has been the key to the Dragons’ success, and he led the way this week with some terrific performances that earned him our 2nd Star of the week. Coming up next, at #4, we have the Moscow Menace. Moscow has been ever-present in the power rankings this season, only missing out in Week 1, and they have done that on the back of some excellent goaltending by Raymond Bernard. He currently leads the league in save percentage and his solid play has been critical to Moscow’s success.
 
Filling in our back half of the rankings, coming in at 5th spot are the Helsinki Titans who fell off after an amazing week last week. They rode an incredible win streak straight to the top of the rankings and after some average play from the team, they have slipped down the ranks. Erik Summers continues to have a fine season and is currently leading the team in points. Our #6 spot goes to the Vancouver Wolves who have been ever-present in our Power Rankings this season. Their top players are doing all the work for them, most notably, Brock Louth and Jeff Downey who both had great weeks and continue to help push Vancouver towards a playoff spot.
 
Making their first appearance this season in our power rankings, the Toronto Legion will claim spot #7. They’ve been unfortunate to miss the rankings all season, having just missed out in previous weeks, but they finally put together a solid week and it is enough to get a spot in our Top 8. This week was all about the team game for Toronto, with nobody on the roster exploding with fantastic individual performances, but fans of the Legion will be happy to see the team starting to gel. Our 8th and final spot is held by the Prague Phantoms. The Phantoms have been right in that playoff hunt all season long, and are currently just 1 point shy of a postseason berth. With their starting goaltender Virgil Ligriv announcing his retirement earlier this week, they have handed the reins over to Woody McPine who stood tall in his 13 starts and managed to win 8 games.
 
 
Notable Games
 
Game 361 - Prague Phantoms vs Calgary Wranglers
 
This week’s surprise tilt saw the Phantoms take on the Wranglers. The scoring got started early, as just 1:01 into the game, rookie defenseman Kosmo Kramerev would fire a bomb past Woody McPine to put the Wranglers up by 1 early. This would be the only goal of the period, but Calgary dominated the rest of the way. They outshot Prague 15-4 in the opening frame and didn’t slow down in the second. They would get a pair of goals from Willie Dredge at the 46-second mark and the 4-minute mark of the second period to make it 3-0. Midway through the frame, Prague would battle back and score 2 power-play goals within a span of 2:54 to cut the deficit to 3-2. Prague would keep battling all the way to the buzzer that ended the second period but didn’t find a way to tie the game up. All seemed lost for Prague when Kris Rice would bury a wicked wrist shot to make it 4-2, but they didn’t give in. Just 43 seconds later, Gary Tarantino would drill a slapper that had eyes for the net, making it 4-3. Prague would outplay Calgary throughout the third period and it would pay off and just 2:09 after cutting the lead to one, Dagmar Havlova would score on a breakaway to tie it up 4-4. Throughout the rest of the third period, no goals would be scored and it would take extra time to settle this game. Overtime would be back and forth, but with just 36 seconds left in the extra frame, Alex Pearson would put home the game-winning goal, stunning the Calgary crowd as Prague rallied to win against the Calgary Wranglers.
 
Game 373 - Los Angeles Stars vs Warsaw Predators
 
An interesting matchup surfaced this week in Europe, as Los Angeles and Warsaw would clash in a game for the ages. It wouldn’t take long for LA to get on the scoreboard as just 2:40 into the game, Tyler Barabash Jr would drill a one-timer home on the power play to make it 1-0 LA. Later in the frame, Sigard Gunnar would score his 40th goal of the season to double the LA lead to 2-0. Warsaw would respond quickly, with Zeno Miniti putting Warsaw on the board just 6 seconds later. The first period would end with the score staying 2-1 for LA. LA would jump out to a strong second-period start, scoring 2 goals in the first 6 minutes to go up 4-1. Warsaw needed a miracle, and they got one. In the next 3:20 after Sigard Gunnar’s goal that made it 4-1. Warsaw would come back and tie the game, receiving 1 goal from Damien Wolfe and receiving 2 goals from Zeno Miniti, including his hat trick goal that made it 4-4. LA would fight back and with around 5 minutes left in the second, Markus Nygren would put LA back on top 5-4. In the third, Warsaw would continue to battle back and just 1:35 in, Hunter Hearst Helmsley would tie it again, making the score 5-5. The third would be a very competitive period from both teams, but we would need extra time for this game. Overtime wouldn’t solve anything, so we headed for a shootout. In the shootout, Sigard Gunnar would be the only one who would find the back of the net as LA’s emergency backup goalie would stop all 3 shooters in the shootout to help LA win a wild game by a score of 6-5.
 
Game 410 - Warsaw Predators vs Calgary Wranglers
 
One of the best individual performances of the season would come during a game between Warsaw and Calgary. Calgary would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first 15 minutes of the first, receiving goals from Mikko Lahtinen and Willie Dredge. Despite this early barrage, Warsaw would get to within 1 before the end of the period, getting a goal from Damien Wolfe. The second was very uneventful and only one goal would be scored as Dalton Wilcox would tie the game up 2-2 with 5 minutes to go in the period. In the 3rd period, Mikko Lahtinen would explode, scoring 4 goals in around 7 minutes to put Calgary up by a score of 6-2. Calgary would ride this 3rd-period performance to a 6-2 win over Warsaw. Lahtinen with the performance of the season so far, scoring 5 goals and tacking on an assist for 6 points on the night. This is sure to be a confidence booster for him.
 
Events of the Week
 
Fights
 
Game 368 - Milos Slavik vs Nate Wright In a tilt between two expansion rivals, Milos Slavik and Nate Wright would drop the mitts. Wright fought admirably, but Slavik was the more skilled combatant here and Slavik ended up winning the fight. It was a fun fight to watch though, lots of punches and blocks.  
Game 371 - Remy Moreau vs Mikko Aaltonen Trying to set a tone for his team after giving up an early goal, Mikko Aaltonen would challenge Remy Moreau to drop them. The two of them went at it. Aaltonen got the jump on him and gave Moreau a few nice shots to the jaw, but Moreau came back and got Aaltonen right in the nose. The fight ended in a draw, but Aaltonen had to go off for some repairs.   
Game 382 - Griff Manzer vs Bob Helminen After tying the game and losing the tie only moments later, Griff Manzer challenged Bob Helminen right off the next faceoff. Helminen accepted and the two got right down to business. Both combatants were able to land some good blows, but Manzer ended up getting the final hit on Helminen, knocking him to the mat.  
Game 387 - Jet Jaguar vs Squirrely Dan During a highly contested match between the Chicago Phoenix and HC Davos where Chicago just extended their lead to 2-1. Jet Jaguar thought it would be a good idea to set the tone for the rest of the game and fight Squirrely Dan. The two of them went at it pretty good. Both of them were leaking a bit of blood after this fight. However, before one of them could land a deciding blow, the linesmen broke it up.  
Game 399 - Andrej Petrovic vs Tony Bolonee With Vancouver down late in the game, Andrej Petrovic and Tony Bolonee decided to drop the mitts. The two wouldn’t bother blocking and beat at each other’s faces. Both of them hung in there through the whole fight. The linesmen ended up separating the two, with the fight ending up in a draw. Bolonee would end up being ejected for instigating the fight.  
Game 400 - Dalton Wilcox vs Dagmar Havlova Trying to set the tone early for their teams, Wilcox and Havlova would fight just 6 minutes into this game. Havlova would get some solid punches in on Wilcox but in the end, Wilcox was just too much for Havlova to handle and he would end up winning this bout.  
Game 406 - JaredN vs Ola Vikingstad Late in a 5-1 win for Seattle Bears, JaredN would fight Ola Vikingstad. Both players got off a lot of punches that didn’t really materialize into any sort of advantage. As a result, the linesmen would eventually break it up and the fight would end with the result being a draw.  
Game 411 - SS Hornet vs Frans Eller In the most unlikely matchup, SS Hornet and Frans Eller would drop the mitts. Hornet would get some solid right-hand punches in and get Eller on the brink. As Hornet got the finishing blow on Eller, Eller got him right in the nose. Hornet wins but pays the price. He would have to go off for some repairs but would be right back out there 5 minutes later.  
Game 412 - Randy Marsh vs Brock Louth Two tough customers in Marsh and Louth would drop the mitts here. They would start hammering each other right away, wearing both combatants down as the fight went on. The two would begin to struggle and the linesmen would break them up.  
Game 434 - Brock Louth vs Remy Moreau Two players who already have fought players this week decided to drop them here. Louth got some solid right-hand punches in, but Remy would give him a nice shot right in the jaw. This fight was going somewhere, but the linesmen broke it up too early. I really would’ve liked to see the two keep scrapping.  
Game 438 - Damien Wolfe vs DeFenz Mann After a huge hit by Wolfe on one of Mann’s teammates, Mann decided to stand up for his teammate and fight Wolfe. Man came out firing, but the rookie was eventually put to bed by Wolfe, who managed to get him square in the jaw with a right hand. Mann eventually returned to the game after getting 20 stitches in his jaw.  
Game 439 - Jim Bob vs Scott Greene In a highly contested game between the two best teams in the VHL, Seattle got one early and in response, Bob challenged Greene to try and get Helsinki going. The two traded punches, again and again, getting weaker with every blow. Just when it looked like the next punch would be the winner, the linesmen separated the two. We missed out on a great ending to this fight.  
Game 440 - Remy Moreau vs Gert B Frobe This is Remy’s 3rd fight this week, this time taking on a tough customer in Frobe. Frobe would surprise Remy early, getting in some solid right hands and an uppercut to the jaw. In response, Remy would give Frobe one of his signature right-handers to the Jaw. The linesmen would separate the two and both would go off for repairs.  
Game 450 - Gary Tarantino vs Kyl Oferson Tarantino and Oferson would drop the mitts during a highly contested game between Riga and Prague. Tarantino would come out firing with his punches, but Oferson held firm. Once Tarantino was tired out, Oferson landed a few solid blows. At this point, both combatants were exhausted so the linesmen broke them up. Tarantino was ejected for instigating the fight.  
Game 453 - Codrick Past vs Chris Hylands With Malmo losing 2-1 in the second, Hylands took it upon himself to put some spark on the bench and fought Codrick Past. Codrick came out with the punches, but Hylands held firm and even pushed back with punches of his own. The linesmen broke them up eventually.  
Game 466 - Gary Tarantino vs Luciano Valentino In a highly contested game between D.C. and Prague, tensions began to run high and Tarantino would end up challenging Valentino near the end of the first period. The pair didn’t bother blocking and instead just began punching each other right away. To the surprise of many, they both were still standing after they had tired out and the linesmen had to break up the bout. Valentino had to go off for repairs and Tarantino was ejected for instigating the fight.  
Game 471 - Owen Nolan vs Kris Rice Our final fight of the week takes us to a clash between Calgary and New York. After a late Calgary goal would put the game out of reach, Nolan would decide to take his anger out by fighting Rice. The two went back and forth for about 20 seconds. Trading punches and going blow for blow throughout. The linesmen, unfortunately, broke them up as the fight was ending.  It would have been a great finish and I was disappointed that they broke it up so soon.  
Hat-Tricks
 
Game 373 - Zeno Miniti Zeno Miniti would record a hat trick during a crazy game between the Los Angeles Stars and the Warsaw Predators. Despite the hat trick, Warsaw would end up losing 6-5 in a shootout.  
Game 392 - Gary Tarantino In a pivotal matchup against the New York Americans, Gary Tarantino would score 3 goals, including 2 in the third to help the Phantoms steal a 5-4 win from New York.  
Game 393 - Willie Dredge Willie Dredge would record a goal in every period of the game on his way to scoring a hat trick against Moscow. Unfortunately for Dredge, Moscow would end up winning the game 4-3.  
Game 401 - Valtteri Vaakanainen In a marquee matchup between the surging Titans and falling Americans, Valtteri Vaakanainen would score 1 goal in the first period and 2 in the second to record a hat trick in a 5-2 win for the Titans over the Americans.  
Game 410 - Mikko Lahtinen In perhaps the performance of the season by a skater, Mikko Lahtinen would score 5 goals in a 6-2 win for Calgary over Warsaw. 4 of those goals from Lahtinen would come in the third period to break a 2-2 tie. This game has to be a confidence booster for him.  
Game 413 - Benny Graves Benny Graves would record a hat trick during a game between the Dragons and the Legion. He would score 2 in the second and the game-tying goal in the third in a 4-3 OT win for the Dragons.  
Game 419 - Brock Louth Brock Louth would record a hat trick against the Chicago Phoenix, potting 1 goal in the first and 2 in the second for the hat trick.  
Game 424 - Berocka Sundqvist Berocka Sundqvist would record a hat trick, scoring 1 in the first and 2 in the third to help lift Seattle over Warsaw by a score of 5-3.  
Game 425 - The Terrible Trivium The Terrible Trivium would record a hat trick in a key game for London against the rival HC Davos Dynamo. He would score 2 goals in the third and the OT winner to propel London to a 5-4 OT Win.  
Game 429 - Sigard Gunnar Sigard Gunnar would record his first hat trick of the week, scoring 3 goals including 1 in each period to lead the Stars to a 4-1 win.  
Game 437 - Owen Nolan Owen Nolan would record a hat trick, netting one in each of the three periods played during a 5-2 win for the Americans.  
Game 442 - RJ Jubis RJ Jubis would record his first hat trick this week, scoring 3 in regulation and a 4th goal in overtime to lift the Wranglers over the United by a score of 5-4.  
Game 445 - Uhtred Uhtred would record his first hat trick of the week, netting 3 goals on 6 shots during a wild 6-4 win for the Seattle Bears.  
Game 446 - Teemu Lehtinen Jr Teemu Lehtinen Jr would record his first hat trick of the week, scoring 3 goals and tacking on an assist in a 6-3 win over London.  
Game 447 - Gregg Stallion Gregg Stallion would record his first hat trick of the week. He would net 3 goals, including the game-winner in a 5-4 win over Davos.  
Game 453 - Chris Hylands Chris Hylands would record his first hat trick of the week, scoring 3 goals on 9 shots. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be enough as Riga would defeat Malmo by a score of 4-3.  
Game 470 - Gary Tarantino Gary Tarantino would record his second hat trick of the week, netting 3 in a win for the Phantoms as they defeated Riga in the game by a score of 5-2.  
Shutouts
 
Game 359 - Riga Reign vs Moscow Menace Greg Eagles would record the league’s first shutout of week 4, making 26 saves in a 4-0 win against Moscow. 11 of those 24 shots came in the 3rd so he did a tremendous job protecting the Riga lead.  
Game 367 - Toronto Legion vs Seattle Bears Rayz Funk would shut down the high powered Legion offence, making 29 saves in a 3-0 Seattle victory. All 3 Seattle goals came in the first period and Funk did a good job keeping the door shut the rest of the way.  
Game 370 - London United vs Riga Reign Greg Eagles would chalk up his second shutout of the week in a dominating 5-0 Seattle win over the London United. Riga dominated from the drop of the puck and Eagles only had to make 18 saves. Nevertheless, it is still a shutout and 10 of those stops came in the 3rd period.   
Game 390 - Riga Reign vs Los Angeles Stars Greg Eagles would get another shutout, this time against the Los Angeles Stars. Riga dominated this game start to finish to win 7-0. Eagles made 18 saves to clinch the shutout.   
Game 395 - London United vs Calgary Wranglers Jacques Lafontaine would record his first shutout of the week against London. Lafontaine would stop all 12 London shots to take the game by a score of 3-0.  
Game 397 - Chicago Phoenix vs Seattle Bears Rayz Funk would record his second shutout of the week, backstopping Seattle to a 3-0 win over the Chicago Phoenix and recording 14 saves in the process.  
Game 415 - New York Americans vs Los Angeles Stars  β-LAS G, the emergency backup goalie for the Los Angeles Stars would record a shutout. He went in at the beginning of the game and stopped all 35 New York shots in a 1-0 Win.  
Game 419 - Chicago Phoenix vs Vancouver Wolves Jimmy Spyro would record his first shutout of the week, making 37 saves in a 6-0 win over the Chicago Phoenix.   
Game 420 - Calgary Wranglers vs D.C. Dragons Jacques Lafontaine would record his second shutout of the week, stopping 25 shots in a 3-0 win over the D.C. Dragons.  
Game 423 - Los Angeles Stars vs Riga Reign Greg Eagles would continue his stretch of great performances this week, recording his 4th shutout of the week in a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Stars in which he stopped 29 shots.  
Game 426 - Moscow Menace vs Toronto Legion Raymond Bernard would stand tall for the Menace, stopping 31 shots in regulation, 4 in OT and both shooters in the shootout to help Moscow beat Toronto 1-0.  
Game 448  - New York Americans vs Los Angeles Stars  β-LAS G would record his second shutout of the week against the Americans, making 35 stops in a 1-0 OT win.  
Game 464 - New York Americans vs Helsinki Titans A Red Guy played great for New York in this game, stopping all 23 Helsinki shots to steal a 1-0 win for the Americans.  
Game 467 - Moscow Menace vs Los Angeles Stars β-LAS G would continue a string of terrific games as the emergency goalie for the Stars, making 24 saves in a 3-0 win over Moscow for his 3rd shutout of the week.  
Game 469 - London United vs HC Davos Dynamo β-LDN G would record the final shutout of the week, making 31 saves in a 1-0 win for London over the HC Davos Dynamo.  
Rookie Spotlight
Jacob Tonn

Shoutout to @Zetterberg for the rookie spotlight banner!
 
This week we shine the spotlight on our first rookie goalie this season, and we have chosen to go with none other than Jacob Tonn of the Seattle Bears. Tonn originally joined the league as a waiver signing, opting to play in San Diego with the Marlins where he had somewhat of a tough time. Having said that, in Season 71 when he joined, the Marlins were in the middle of a rebuild and were one of the worst teams in the league, so his early stats are not great indicators of his all-around performance. He was drafted 18th overall in the dispersal draft by the Mississauga Hounds where he helped them to a playoff spot with a solid 2.84 GAA and .893 save percentage. Unfortunately for Tonn and the Hounds, they ran into a red hot Philadelphia Reapers squad and were eliminated in 5 games. 
 
Following the playoffs, the Seattle Bears drafted Jacob Tonn at 4th overall in the VHL draft. The Bears were looking for their goalie of the future and they definitely got that in Tonn. What the netminder lacks in height, he’s only 5’5”, he makes up for in raw talent. He has had a pretty successful rookie campaign for Seattle, with an 8-3-1 record after 13 games. His raw stats are good for a rookie, with a 3.28 GAA and .878 save percentage and we can expect to see those improve soon as he continues to work on his game. What impresses me most about Tonn is his ability to win games for his team despite what his stats say. He won 45 games in his full season in the minors and already has 8 wins under his belt for the Bears. I am excited to see how he improves in the coming seasons.
 
With the retirement of Rayz Funk coming up on the horizon, Tonn will need to absorb all he can from the franchise goaltender in their two seasons together. It will be interesting to see if Tonn will follow in the footsteps of Funk and play out his entire career with the Bears, and with no other goalie currently in the system, it seems that Seattle is banking on just that. So far, Jacob has come up clutch when his team has needed it. For example, this week he made 3 starts and won every one of them which helped cement Seattle’s spot at the top of the standings. Seattle will be hoping they will see more and more of that as Tonn gains experience at the highest level. 
 
Having impressed so far in his rookie season, it is likely that Seattle will look to Tonn more often as Funk ages and creeps up on retirement. It will be crucial for Jacob to string together some solid performances next season as the proverbial torch is passed. I expect that Tonn will live up to all expectations as his stats are solid for a rookie, and we will be looking at a goaltender that will be one of the best in the league someday. It’s very rare to see a goalie under 6 foot these days, and Tonn is a full 7 inches under that mark, but his pure talent can’t be ignored. Seattle has chosen to ignore that and have put their full faith in the Canadian netminder.
 
- VSN Writer Patrik Laine
 
 

The first season for Zamboni Driver on the Helsinki Titans has been everything and more than what was expected. Being prepared to play as a backup for the season it was a good experience to get into the league and continue to work on my game for when I take the starting position next season here.
 
Samuel Ross was brought in as our starter and has beaten his personal win record of 30 and looks to near 40. Driver played in 14 games to this date with 12 of those games being a start. 10 wins and 2 losses is his record and better stats than I could have hoped for. With a save percentage of 0.925 and goals against average of 2.01 Driver is looking like a consistent performer that will take well to the starting job. The amount of confidence that this season has brought is really something that can not be weighed.
 
The locker room in Helsinki is a very positive place to chat and I have gotten to know the players and prospects well. We have a winning spirit and it has shown on the standings as we are at the time of this article tied for first in the league and 10 points ahead of Riga for the seasonal conference title. Jubo continues to do a masterful job here and it is felt through the line up and on the ice in each game we play. The drafting in Helsinki has been top notch and will find 3 players making the move to the Titans next season. Those players are promising stars Patrick Laine, Oh Sens and the next goalie in the pipe line Calvin Harvey. With more teams in the league now it is tougher to find the best talent. What the Titans continue to do it build through the draft and develop its prospects into star talent to replace retiring Titans. It is a cycle that brings continuous success to the franchise. I can say for sure that if Jubo will have me I want to sign with the team for the remainder of my career and finish as a top 5 goalie to have ever played for the team.
 
There are only 10 games left on the season and we are pumped up for the play off season where we hope to at the least gain more experience as a team and go for that cup win.

Griff Manzer beats up Bob Helminen at 9:04 of 2nd period
 
@Big Bob better luck next time

 

Great read! Keep it up. Rise of the Titans baby! 

Welcome to the third edition of VSN’s S73 Weekly recap (Games 236-354).  We’ll cover a host of things in this recap each week including highlights of important VSN happenings, three stars of the week, power rankings, rookie profiles, and anything else of importance.
 
Speaking of other VSN content, make sure to check out the other great work from the greater VSN family! Here are a few handy links to check out, from our weekly podcasts to in-depth history articles, scouting reports, and more!
Talents Behind the Trophies | Under 250 | Ringless: S49 Quebec City Meute | VSN Australia | S73 Future Watch: EU
 
Recap
Week 3 saw goalies struggle massively, with only 3 shutouts recorded the entire week, scorers are seeing their point totals inflate. We have numerous players on pace to break 100 points, and as we pass the midway point of the season, goalies are finding it tough. The playoff race is heating up in both conferences, and while the teams outside looking in have some work to do, the gap is definitely manageable and a win streak could shake things up immensely. The trade deadline is coming up very quickly and things could be shaken up at the drop of a hat, things have been quiet this season and I expect the trade talks to start heating up very shortly.
 
3-Stars
 
First Star
Lewis Dawson (MAL) - 9 G, 20 A, 29 P
Second Star
Raymond Bernard (MOS) - 0.920 SV%, 2.36 GAA, 1 Shutout
Third Star
Hulk Hogan (SEA) - 7 G, 19 A, 26 P
 
Power Rankings
Featured on this week’s graphic we have Erik Summers of the Helsinki Titans, Ambrose Stark who plays for the Seattle Bears, and Grekkark Gyrfalcon, Malmo Nighthawks goaltender.

@Pengu with the solid template that is just oh so sweet
 
Week 3 was a week of dominating performances by our number 1 ranked team, the Helsinki Titans. Helsinki climbs up 4 spots from last week and posted an amazing 13-2 record this week, including an 11 game winning streak. Both Zamboni Driver and Samuel Ross were great in net for the Titans, helping them gain a 4 point cushion for the number 1 spot in the VHL standings. Our #2 team this week is the Seattle Bears. Seattle falls one spot from last week but still posted a solid 10-4-1 record this week behind a great week by Hulk Hogan. Seattle is tied with New York for the first seed in the North American Conference with 61 points on the season.
 
The number 3 team this week is the Malmo Nighthawks. Malmo was one of this week’s biggest jumpers as they didn’t appear on our week 2 rankings. They were led by Lewis Dawson, who recorded 29 points in 15 games and leading Malmo to a 10-5-0 record through the week. Not too far behind them in 4th is the Moscow Menace, led by an amazing week from their goaltender, Raymond Bernard. Bernard posted a 0.920 save percentage and 2.36 goals-against average in 13 starts this week, going 9-4 and recording a shutout along the way. He’s a big part of the recent surge for the Menace.
 
Finishing in 5th this week are the New York Americans. New York went 8-4-3 this week and actually took a fall in the standings, moving from sole possession of the first place in the NA Conference into a tie with the Seattle Bears. New York will have to pick up their game if they want to contend for that top spot. Right behind them in 6th are the defending Continental Cup Champions in the Riga Reign, who went 8-5-2 this week. Goaltender Greg Eagles had another great week, winning 8 of his 13 starts and posting a 0.910 save percentage and 3.13 goals-against average. Riga is another team that may have to pick up their game to contend, especially with the EU conference standings being so close this year.
 
The 7th ranked team this week is the D.C. Dragons. The Dragons fought and clawed their way to an 8-6 finish this week. Rookie Groovy Dood has been having a solid campaign with a surging D.C. squad and he will be a big part of their push for a playoff spot. The last team on our rankings is the Calgary Wranglers, who continue to fall in our rankings, falling 1 spot from last week. Calgary finished the week with an 8-6-1 record. Not the worst numbers, but with the expectations of this Calgary team, they have to pick up their play if they want a shot at a higher seeding and possible Continental Cup glory.
 
 
Notable Games
 
Game 244 - Warsaw Predators vs London United
Our first game of the week was between two brand new teams to the league, and wow did they ever put on a show in this one. The scoring was opened by Warsaw just under 3 minutes into the game, and it was Alex Bridges who unleashed a slapshot from the point to capitalize on an early power play. London didn’t let the early goal get to them, as they regrouped quickly and prevented any more goals. About halfway through the 1st period, James Rose, who is having a fine rookie season, stepped up with 2 very quick goals just 41 seconds apart and just like that London had a lead. They took that lead into the 2nd period, and this is where the game started to open up. Damien Wolfe decided that he could do one better than Rose and he scored 2 goals of his own, but this time just 26 seconds apart, and again the lead had changed this time in favour of the Warsaw Predators. The goals in this one were coming in pairs, and they were coming quickly at that. London replied with another couple of goals to take back the lead by Guy Lesieur and The Terrible Trivium, and again these were less than a minute apart with just 33 seconds separating them. Taking advantage of a power play, Hunter Hearst Helmsley scored a nice goal to tie the game back up, but London struck back shortly after through Chico Smeb to once again take the lead. The 3rd period wasn’t as eventful as the 2nd but London finally got more than a 1 goal lead and it was Guy Lesieur getting his 2nd of the game to increase the lead. In the final minute of the game with the goalie pulled, Damien Wolfe scored a clutch goal to notch a hat trick and set up a thrilling end to the game, but it was London who managed to hold on for a 6-5 victory in this absolutely amazing game.
 
Game 326 - New York Americans vs Helsinki Titans
This inter-conference game between the top teams in the league proved to be one of the best matchups of the week. The two teams did not disappoint and things were off to a quick start with Owen Nolan notching the opener just 1:46 into the game. Helsinki answered that with 2 goals of their own, with one from Spencer Elsby on the power play, and one from Daldo. However, just 6 seconds after taking the lead, the New York Americans had tied the game right back up with Owen Nolan burying his 2nd of the game. Still, in the 1st period, the Americans started taking it to Helsinki and scored another goal, this time from Julius Freeman and then adding a 4th goal from Hugh Jass to end the 1st period. The rest of the game was mostly Helsinki trying to chip away at that 2 goal deficit that they found themselves in, and midway through the 2nd period, they got their lifeline from Erik Summers who finished a great passing play with a quick shot that fooled the goalie. Helsinki kept up the good play through to the 3rd period where they just needed 1 more goal to tie it up. With less than 8 minutes to play in the 3rd, Erik Draven unleashed a rocket one-timer past the New York netminder and tied the game at 4 apiece. The game ended up needing a shootout to decide the winner, and after Valtteri Vaakanainen scored in round 4 with a nice deke, the rookie goaltender Zamboni Driver came up with a big save to secure the comeback win for Helsinki.
 
Game 329 - HC Davos vs Malmo Nighthawks
Our final matchup of the week is between these European Conference rivals that left everything out on the ice in this particular game. The game started off slowly, with both teams feeling each other out before Lewis Dawson opened the scoring halfway through the 1st period. Davos was eager to get back on level terms though, and just 3 minutes into the 2nd frame they had their equalizer from David OQuinn. The Nighthawks took exception to that go-ahead goal and came back shortly after with a goal from Marshall James Frostbeard and just like that their lead was restored. The wheels then fell off the wagon for Malmo and Davos scored 4 unanswered goals with 2 each from SS Hornet and Jerry Garcia. The game had been turned on its head and Davos took a 5-2 lead into the 2nd intermission. Malmo’s coach must’ve had some very inspirational words for his team, because they stormed out of the gates in the 3rd period and had scored 2 goals within 36 seconds, from Dawson and Frostbeard once again. Finally, up stepped the top rookie scorer this season, Chris Hylands, who tied the game up with just over 7 minutes to play. He then popped up again with 1:06 left on the clock and buried the game-winner with a one-timer from Condor Adrienne. A great comeback victory for Malmo and a phenomenal game to end our games of the week on.  
 
Events of the Week
 
Fights
Game 236 - BRAWL! This game between London and Vancouver was feisty right from the get-go. Each team came out and made a statement by hitting early and hitting often. This would eventually erupt into a line brawl that saw Jungkok ejected for instigating. The original fight was between Balentine Kidd and Gregg Stallion, which had punches landed by both but Kidd was able to dispatch the rookie. Jungkok then took it upon himself to fight with Koda Adok which didn’t have a clear winner, unfortunately for Jungkok who was ejected for picking the fight. Meanwhile, Jeff Downey and β-LDN RW1 ended up in a scrap of their own which Downey easily won without much effort.  
Game 266 - BRAWL! At the end of this close game between Toronto and Moscow, a huge fight broke out after frustrations boiled over for the Legion players. We had Gabriel Gutzwiler and Vin Calia who put on a great show, trading punches and eventually having to be broken up by the refs. There was β-TOR D2 who picked a fight with Ryo Yamazuki II which was another interesting fight with punches connecting from both players and β-TOR D2 was ejected after the fight for instigating. The last players to fight were β-TOR LW2 and Vladimir Pavlov which also had no clear winner after the refs quickly put an end to that fight so as to not let things get too out of hand. That fight also resulted in an ejection, but for Pavlov, so both teams were short 1 player by the end of that soiree.  
Game 288 - Jay Jones fights twice Newcomer to the league, Jay Jones had something to prove in this game, considering he fought 2 Vancouver players in the 3rd period. Just 23 seconds into the 3rd, hoping to light a fire underneath his teammates, Jones and Jeff Downey dropped the gloves and started filling each other in. Multiple punches were hit by each player but it was Jay Jones who stood tall at the end. Then, after not being happy with his team’s response, he went out and got into another fight, this time against Andrew Su. Jones came out swinging in this one again, perhaps catching Su off guard, and it was only a couple of punches before Su had hit the ice.  
Game 307 - Helmsley fights twice Hunter Hearst Helmsley took on two different Calgary players in this blowout loss. First, it was Kris Rice who threw fisticuffs with HHH, and he actually ended up taking the win over Helmsley. Both players landed some good blows but Rice landed some clean hits for the win. Hunter then made it his mission to get back at Calgary and he ended up coaxing RJ Jubis into a fight that ultimately ended in a draw. The refs took issue with the 2nd fight and ended up giving him game misconduct for instigating.  
Hat-Tricks
 
Game 244 - Damien Wolfe Warsaw Predators forward, Damien Wolfe, scored a hat trick for his team in this game against London. He gave his team the lead early in the 2nd period with 2 quick goals scored only 26 seconds apart, but the Predators weren’t able to hold on. Wolfe got his team within 1 goal with his 3rd of the night late in the final period, but they ultimately came up short.  
Game 249 - Robin Winter Last season’s 2nd overall pick, Robin Winter scored a wonderful 1st-period hat trick in this game against the Wolves. He helped his team take a commanding lead early on in the game and Davos never looked back in this one, eventually winning the game by a score of 5-3.  
Game 264 - ACL TEAR
He may have announced his retirement at the start of the season, but ACL TEAR is still kicking in the VHL. He scored the 1st goal of the game, and then in the 2nd period, he helped spark a comeback with 2 goals that set the stage for a great overtime win for the Calgary Wranglers.
 
Game 268 - Gabriel Gutzwiler
This game saw a rare hat trick from a defenceman! Toronto had an amazing 3rd-period performance with 4 goals that propelled them to a 5-1 win, and Gabriel Gutzwiler put his name on the scoresheet 3 times. He scored what ended up being the game-winner, and another 2 goals late in the period to get the hat trick.
 
Game 275 - Guy Lesieur
After being traded only a few games before, Guy Lesieur made a near-instant impact with a hat trick against the Malmo Nighthawks. This game was all tied up heading into the 3rd before Lesieur took things into his own hands and scored a natural hat trick that helped the Dragons secure a 6-3 victory.
 
Game 282 - Andrew Su
Andrew Su scored a goal in each period as the Vancouver Wolves stormed to victory over the London United. He opened the scoring late in the 3rd and Vancouver kept their foot on the gas the entire game en route to a dominant 6-1 victory.
 
Game 284 - Hunter Hearst Helmsley
This battle between expansion teams was highlighted by Hunter Hearst Helmsley scoring all 3 of Warsaw’s goals and carrying them to a win. The game was tied 2-2 when HHH notched a power-play marker early in the 3rd period that ended up being the game-winner.
 
Game 287 - Ambrose Stark
Another hat trick from a retiring player, but this time it’s Ambrose Stark. This back and forth contest was close for most of the game, but a goal in all 3 periods from the veteran Stark ensured that Seattle was able to go home with a win.
 
Game 304 - RJ Jubis
Wranglers forward RJ Jubis continues his fine performance this season with his 2nd hat trick of the year. This is his first of 2 hat tricks this week and this one against LA was just what Calgary needed. He helped the Wranglers gain a crucial lead in the first and they used that momentum to dominate the game and take the win. He would complete the hat trick late in the 3rd with the team’s final goal.
 
Game 307 - RJ Jubis
Jubis’ 2nd hat trick of the week was nearly identical to his first, which is pretty crazy if you ask me, but he actually did one better and had 4 goals in this game. He once again scored 2 goals in the first which helped set the tone for Calgary, and at the end of the game, he scored the team’s final goal again which also sealed his hat trick. He did have a goal in between those in the 2nd period as Calgary added to their lead, but it was nearly a carbon copy of his hat trick in the game before. Jubis has 3 hat tricks this year and that is good enough for 2nd in the league.
 
Game 313 - Chad Magnum
Another natural hat trick this week, but this time by Chad Magnum of the Toronto Legion. Magnum came out firing on all cylinders in this contest and scored 3 unanswered goals all by himself, with 2 of them coming just 12 seconds apart. A fine performance indeed from the Toronto forward, who nearly provided all of the offence for Toronto in this one.
 
Game 325 - Balentine Kidd
This back and forth game between London and Vancouver can be highlighted by Balentine Kidd scoring a hat trick that was crucial to securing a win for the London United. He scored a goal that tied up the game in the 1st period, and that gave London some momentum which they capitalized on. Kidd also had the game-winner midway through the 3rd period.
 
Game 334 - Chris Hylands
In this comeback victory for the Malmo Nighthawks, Chris Hylands played the role of hero. Early in the game, Malmo found themselves trailing by 2 goals, but Hylands was able to cut that lead to just 1. He did the same again early in the 3rd period on the power play after LA had restored their 2 goal lead in the 2nd frame. He then popped up in overtime and scored the game-winner off a nice feed from Lewis Dawson.
 
Game 336 - Mat Tocco
Vancouver scored 4 goals in the opening period of this game against Riga, and Mat Tocco had 2 of those. The early flurry was pretty much all that the Wolves needed to secure the victory, but Tocco wanted some personal glory as well. He managed to complete his hat trick in the 2nd period as the Wolves strolled to a pretty easy 5-2 victory.
 
Shutouts
 
Game 266 - Moscow Menace vs. Toronto Legion Earning his first shutout of the season in this stellar performance against Toronto, Raymond Bernard stopped all 42 shots that the Legion sent his way. He was busy all throughout the game, and when you play as well as he did, your team always has a chance of winning and Moscow did just that by a score of 2-0.  
Game 267 - New York Americans vs. London United Another shutout this week from red hot netminder A Red Guy. This is his 3rd of the season, and his solid performance continues as the New York Americans look to hold on to that top seed in the North American Conference. It wasn’t quite as miraculous of a performance as last week, having only 25 saves to make, but a strong outing nonetheless that his team will be thanking him for.  
Game 345 - Helsinki Titans vs. Warsaw Predators Samuel Ross also earns his first shutout of the season this week, this one being against the Warsaw Predators. It was a solid game from Ross as he pushed aside all 28 shots that Warsaw managed. The veteran goaltender was traded last season from Davos where he played his entire career and is having a solid year on the 1st placed Helsinki Titans.  
Rookie Spotlight
Groovy Dood

Thank you @Zetterberg for the wonderful banner
 
Being the first overall pick can put a lot of pressure on a player, especially if the team has expectations immediately after the selection. For Groovy Dood of the D.C. Dragons, this continues to be the case. D.C. jumped up 1 spot in the draft lottery, from 2nd to 1st to select Dood first overall. Despite not being the best player in the class, D.C. needed a forward and went in for Dood.
 
Dood, who made the jump to the VHL surprisingly early, has put up solid numbers so far in his rookie season. So far in 44 games, Dood has scored 8 goals to go along with 11 assists, not the best numbers but with D.C. being a fringe playoff contender this year, his output has been solid. Dood has also made his game more physical, recording 64 hits within those 44 games. 
 
We’ve seen him grow so far this year and it will be fun to see what kind of player the coaches in D.C. will mould him into. Dood has a lot of potential, not just as a two-way forward. His defensive abilities so far in the VHL have been impressive, helping D.C. keep pucks out of their net by stripping the puck from opponents in the defensive zone. While the pressure of being the top pick is a lot, Dood has done a good job handling the pressure and it will be interesting to see where he is in a few seasons.
 
 

Make that a 10 game winstreak. Great team effort.

11 games in a row. Don't pinch me.

@Spence King As requested, a new PSA card for Elsby featuring the Titans
 

Bob Helminen has accepted a Signing Offer from Helsinki:

S74: $1,500,000

S75: $1,500,000

S76: $1,500,000