a_Ferk

Man's didn't even put himself. Smh mh my head ?. Minner's been a stud tho so can't complain.

Now that the first season of Dakota Lamb's career is officially in the books, I would just like to take this article to reflect on everything that happened and everyone I met along the way.
 
First of all, I want to talk about the franchise that took a chance on me, the Miami Marauders. Right off the bat, Miami had my heart, as they took me and a friend I knew prior to VHL (@osens). This eased the transition into a new group of people who I had never so much as said "hi" to before. As the season progressed, I met a lot of cool new people in that locker room, and while there are too many people to mention here, if you are reading this you know who you are. Special shoutout here to Miami management. You guys are awesome.
The "us vs. them" mentality we rallied around throughout the season is something so fun and what makes me happy to call myself a Marauder. We exceeded expectations in all meanings of the phrase, making the playoffs and pushing the 1st seed to 7 games. In both the social and on-ice aspects of my 1st season, I would call it a resounding success.
I wasn't sure at first if i would stick to VHL, as I thought it would be something I could only commit to as a side thing once in a while, however over the last month or 2 I have grown to love this place, always making time for it and being excited to strengthen both my writing and graphic skills on the side. Being a huge fan of hockey, especially in the world we are now in, i'm glad i'm here.
 
To anyone I talked to over this past season, thank you for making this 1st-genner feel welcome and accepted, and I am excited for what the future brings for me in this league.
 
#dlamb1strounder
#GOMarauders

When many people recall the greatest game of hockey they’ve ever watched, they think of games like the Miracle on Ice, or the Canada 2010 Olympic Gold Medal Game. However, with me being the oddball that I am I prefer games like when the Canadiens lost to Columbus 10-0 that one time. Alternatively any time the Leafs play Boston in game 7. So it is with great pleasure that I recap my second favourite game of the VHLM regular season, this matchup between Miami and Houston.
 
Preview
 
This was a game that didn’t really matter a whole lot standings-wise. The Houston Bulls had a historically bad season, winning a mere 8 games. Miami on the other hand had a pretty firm grasp on the final wildcard spot, with Yukon and Halifax both tanking their seasons. It was expected by anyone with half a brain cell to be an easy win for Miami, but the result was not so simple.
 
 
First Period
 
If you take a quick look at the index and look at the shots category, you can immediately see this was a period that Miami completely dominated on paper. With the shots being 16-3 in the first in favour of Miami, your first thought should be “Wow, this is going to be a blowout”. Houston had other plans, however. At 6:40 in the first period Casey Scott scored on Miam’s goaltender Bacon, on what was only Houston’s second shot of the game to open the scoring. To add further insult to injury, Riley Knight Gee scored 39 seconds on Houston’s third shot of the game and last shot of the period, making the score 2-0. Miami had a dominant second half of the period allowing Houston no shots and restored the lead in similar fashion to Houston’s two quick goals. Kosmo Kramerev scored at 16:44, and Dakota Lamb scored a minute and two seconds later at 17:46.  
 
 
Second Period
 
You can expect that Miami’s coach was furious after the first half, kicking garbage cans, throwing water bottles, et cetera. You would expect that they would go out there and really stick it to the worst team in the league. However, in hilarious fashion Houston forward Wilhelm von Luxembourg won the opening faceoff back to Riley Knight Gee, who skated into Miami’s zone and scored 10 seconds into the period. At this point Miami’s goaltender had a save percentage of .250, which is just awful. It’s really a wonder that Bacon stayed in the game at this point. The rest of the period was largely uneventful. The period ended with the shots tied 5-5, and Houston leading 3-2 thanks to Gee’s second goal of the game.
 
 
Third Period
 
If Miami’s coach wasn’t completely livid after his team’s poor performance in the first, you can rest easy knowing he probably had a complete mental breakdown following the second. Miami really had to pull up their socks, and they did just that. Houston was completely shut down in the third, only managing a single shot. Miami’s offense on the other hand was running on all cylinders. Drew Minott, Houston’s goaltender, really had a workout facing a ton of shots throughout the period. It’s pretty likely that Miami had most of the possession of the puck as well, considering Houston only had one shot. Things were looking pretty good at this point for Miami, but they had just one problem. They were shooting on net like madmen, but none of their shots seemed to actually be going into the net. With time winding down and Houston still in the lead, the announcement came; “One minute remaining in the third period”. It was at this exact moment that Bacon was pulled from the net. They were hoping for a miracle. Miami only managed a single shot on net in that final minute, and it was a desperation shot by Rocket with 9 seconds remaining. It was a miracle that didn’t occur, although on the other side of the ice a miracle had happened for Houston. They won a game.
 
 

 
677 words, using for week ending July 5th

When many people recall the greatest game of hockey they’ve ever watched, they think of games like the Miracle on Ice, or the Canada 2010 Olympic Gold Medal Game. However, with me being the oddball that I am I prefer games like when the Canadiens lost to Columbus 10-0 that one time. Alternatively any time the Leafs play Boston in game 7. So it is with great pleasure that I recap my second favourite game of the VHLM regular season, this matchup between Miami and Houston.
 
Preview
 
This was a game that didn’t really matter a whole lot standings-wise. The Houston Bulls had a historically bad season, winning a mere 8 games. Miami on the other hand had a pretty firm grasp on the final wildcard spot, with Yukon and Halifax both tanking their seasons. It was expected by anyone with half a brain cell to be an easy win for Miami, but the result was not so simple.
 
 
First Period
 
If you take a quick look at the index and look at the shots category, you can immediately see this was a period that Miami completely dominated on paper. With the shots being 16-3 in the first in favour of Miami, your first thought should be “Wow, this is going to be a blowout”. Houston had other plans, however. At 6:40 in the first period Casey Scott scored on Miam’s goaltender Bacon, on what was only Houston’s second shot of the game to open the scoring. To add further insult to injury, Riley Knight Gee scored 39 seconds on Houston’s third shot of the game and last shot of the period, making the score 2-0. Miami had a dominant second half of the period allowing Houston no shots and restored the lead in similar fashion to Houston’s two quick goals. Kosmo Kramerev scored at 16:44, and Dakota Lamb scored a minute and two seconds later at 17:46.  
 
 
Second Period
 
You can expect that Miami’s coach was furious after the first half, kicking garbage cans, throwing water bottles, et cetera. You would expect that they would go out there and really stick it to the worst team in the league. However, in hilarious fashion Houston forward Wilhelm von Luxembourg won the opening faceoff back to Riley Knight Gee, who skated into Miami’s zone and scored 10 seconds into the period. At this point Miami’s goaltender had a save percentage of .250, which is just awful. It’s really a wonder that Bacon stayed in the game at this point. The rest of the period was largely uneventful. The period ended with the shots tied 5-5, and Houston leading 3-2 thanks to Gee’s second goal of the game.
 
 
Third Period
 
If Miami’s coach wasn’t completely livid after his team’s poor performance in the first, you can rest easy knowing he probably had a complete mental breakdown following the second. Miami really had to pull up their socks, and they did just that. Houston was completely shut down in the third, only managing a single shot. Miami’s offense on the other hand was running on all cylinders. Drew Minott, Houston’s goaltender, really had a workout facing a ton of shots throughout the period. It’s pretty likely that Miami had most of the possession of the puck as well, considering Houston only had one shot. Things were looking pretty good at this point for Miami, but they had just one problem. They were shooting on net like madmen, but none of their shots seemed to actually be going into the net. With time winding down and Houston still in the lead, the announcement came; “One minute remaining in the third period”. It was at this exact moment that Bacon was pulled from the net. They were hoping for a miracle. Miami only managed a single shot on net in that final minute, and it was a desperation shot by Rocket with 9 seconds remaining. It was a miracle that didn’t occur, although on the other side of the ice a miracle had happened for Houston. They won a game.
 
 

 
677 words, using for week ending July 5th

Not really, Davos should have been there ?

I was voted by someone? But seriously even if I wasn't in the ballot, great thanks for whoever did vote for me! HUGE honor to be even considered for this award.

Shoutout to those who nominated me. It has only been a month and a half but I love this community! 

- Ajay Krishna - 
G | 5th Round 63 pick 





It was draft day night, VHLM. Everyone eager to find themselves a new home among the pros. Every pick pulls out the energy in you. It summarizes your hard work you had put in throughout your life on the ice. Every athlete will be pleased to go in the first or second round, but that is always not possible. The draft is always a gamble, never know if they are gonna be a bust or a superstars or even a late round steal ?. Let me introduce you to a hard working athlete, the name is Krishna, Ajay Krishna. An Indo-american , grew up near Los Angeles, California. He had a nice work ethic, learnt from one of his favorite VHL Veteran player Jet Jaguar( @gorlab) and. One of the best C in the league, currently playing for HC Davos. He had a nice 1 week training with him before the draft. This would hence boost his draft reputation and stock. BUT no! He would wait all the way till the 5th round and was given a chance by  defending champions Ottawa Lynx. You could find his personal thought on this here .Even though he did not like it, that was what it was supposed to be. From the bright side he was given a chance to start for the team as a goaltender. Ottawa  Canada was where he was supposed to go now! Even though being far from home (India) he felt like it was his new home, thanks to coach @DoktorFunk and his goalie and assistant coach @DarkSpyro. He learned a lot from them, especially how to go about when it was time for VHL. They kept on calling him an steal of the draft. Even made an poster for him.

Poster made for Ajay when he was drafted by the staff members

Ottawa will be called his turning point, he had made friends with VHL player and  Canadian Timothy Brown and many others. He would potentially play with rebuilding Ottawa lynx a push them towards the playoffs,. He had an impressive career with 0.891 save % , which many provoked as one of the best  right now.  As of where he came from, no one knows. He kept his personal details very secretive. He does press conferences once per week, giving only 2 words answers. Overall Ajay is now entering the S73 VHL draft. He will be looking to go in the first round. He has been trying really hard to do so.
 
 

@Z16 That little black dot above your pfp always makes me think there is something on my screen ?

When many people recall the greatest game of hockey they’ve ever watched, they think of games like the Miracle on Ice, or the Canada 2010 Olympic Gold Medal Game. However, with me being the oddball that I am I prefer games like when the Canadiens lost to Columbus 10-0 that one time. Alternatively any time the Leafs play Boston in game 7. So it is with great pleasure that I recap my second favourite game of the VHLM regular season, this matchup between Miami and Houston.
 
Preview
 
This was a game that didn’t really matter a whole lot standings-wise. The Houston Bulls had a historically bad season, winning a mere 8 games. Miami on the other hand had a pretty firm grasp on the final wildcard spot, with Yukon and Halifax both tanking their seasons. It was expected by anyone with half a brain cell to be an easy win for Miami, but the result was not so simple.
 
 
First Period
 
If you take a quick look at the index and look at the shots category, you can immediately see this was a period that Miami completely dominated on paper. With the shots being 16-3 in the first in favour of Miami, your first thought should be “Wow, this is going to be a blowout”. Houston had other plans, however. At 6:40 in the first period Casey Scott scored on Miam’s goaltender Bacon, on what was only Houston’s second shot of the game to open the scoring. To add further insult to injury, Riley Knight Gee scored 39 seconds on Houston’s third shot of the game and last shot of the period, making the score 2-0. Miami had a dominant second half of the period allowing Houston no shots and restored the lead in similar fashion to Houston’s two quick goals. Kosmo Kramerev scored at 16:44, and Dakota Lamb scored a minute and two seconds later at 17:46.  
 
 
Second Period
 
You can expect that Miami’s coach was furious after the first half, kicking garbage cans, throwing water bottles, et cetera. You would expect that they would go out there and really stick it to the worst team in the league. However, in hilarious fashion Houston forward Wilhelm von Luxembourg won the opening faceoff back to Riley Knight Gee, who skated into Miami’s zone and scored 10 seconds into the period. At this point Miami’s goaltender had a save percentage of .250, which is just awful. It’s really a wonder that Bacon stayed in the game at this point. The rest of the period was largely uneventful. The period ended with the shots tied 5-5, and Houston leading 3-2 thanks to Gee’s second goal of the game.
 
 
Third Period
 
If Miami’s coach wasn’t completely livid after his team’s poor performance in the first, you can rest easy knowing he probably had a complete mental breakdown following the second. Miami really had to pull up their socks, and they did just that. Houston was completely shut down in the third, only managing a single shot. Miami’s offense on the other hand was running on all cylinders. Drew Minott, Houston’s goaltender, really had a workout facing a ton of shots throughout the period. It’s pretty likely that Miami had most of the possession of the puck as well, considering Houston only had one shot. Things were looking pretty good at this point for Miami, but they had just one problem. They were shooting on net like madmen, but none of their shots seemed to actually be going into the net. With time winding down and Houston still in the lead, the announcement came; “One minute remaining in the third period”. It was at this exact moment that Bacon was pulled from the net. They were hoping for a miracle. Miami only managed a single shot on net in that final minute, and it was a desperation shot by Rocket with 9 seconds remaining. It was a miracle that didn’t occur, although on the other side of the ice a miracle had happened for Houston. They won a game.
 
 

 
677 words, using for week ending July 5th

Good luck and have fun!
 
Obviously cheering for Canada so go get 'em @Hylands33 ??

I don't know time zones. I have no need to know when the hell cst is. EST is the only time zone that I am worried about. TBH all other time zones don't exist.

I don't know time zones. I have no need to know when the hell cst is. EST is the only time zone that I am worried about. TBH all other time zones don't exist.

Eoin Byrne From Cairlinn Ireland it's just a common fella.
Comming from a small village in the north of ireland, he had to learn to fight from a very young age.
but even then,he would never do it for himself,but to protect others,because he got told, that he shall not raise his fist against his enemies,but instead to protect his family,friends or other folk.
so,that way time passed and Eoin learned the game of Hockey,where he had a strange natural skill to block shots and had the chance to protect his new friends.
When he turned 16,his coaches suggested him to try his luck across the sea, he met some new coaches that came to him asking for him to join a team in a werid land called Miami! where they had a new team and needed someone with his.... skillset to help them win a playoff spot!
and so we did, i'm already a couple days in here. surrounded by new friends (that hopefully don't become rivals) and i'm able to play a great level of hockey on the Penalty Kill squad and with plenty of minutes already!
This lockeroom it's super active,everyone's doing something all day long! who would know?
from the General Manager, to his Assistant, to the Captain, or the other team members,everyone was so friendly towards me (and works hard as hell)
I only hope that if my story (and the draft) moves me elsewhere, people it's as friendly as here. never ever would like to move if that doesn't happens.
for cold I already have the cold and harsh climate of my homeland. the land where the last leprachauns still live and with their magic brings us luck.
I don't expect to be the best player ever. it would be stupid to want that,but to be the best teammate ever, so that way people will come to me and the cold will be no more.
speaking of cold... my biggest friend (and I hope she thinks of me as a rival as well) Emi rune, came from England to play in Saskatoon. so we will face eachother before it all ends. 
and who knows,maybe we will play for the same team in a future,not in the minors,but as two full grown players.
everyone should fear if we two end up on the same defensive line,for I trust her with my life,and so do she.
Great Britain could have a great defensive duo that way (think about it)
but that matters not,for now all that it does matter are the playoffs
we will face minesotta on the first round! and for what i've heard it could go either way!
it's a lot to manage, a lot to understand,learn and focus on.
But I know for fact that these guys can do it.
they can pull it off and I am going to be here to help them archieve it.

 
502 words 2555 characters  

@Esso2264 here's the regular version

Welcome to the final edition of VSN’s S72 Weekly recap (Games 371-432).  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!
 
Ringless | Under 250 | VSN Australia | Talents Behind The Trophies

Recap
 
At last, we have reached the end of another season and there was a lot of excitement this week. Scoring seems to be returning to the league as hat-tricks once again outnumber shutouts and there is no greater evidence of this than the fact that we have a hundred-point player for the first time in four seasons. Congratulations to Condor Adrienne on that accomplishment. One thing that was very clear this week was the importance of having a strong goalie, even in these high-scoring matches. Goalers like Jacques Lafontaine, Raymond Bernard, Samuel Ross, and Michael Johnson all came in clutch when their teams needed it most this week. It will be interesting to see what effect spreading the talent around the league more has on the trend toward higher scores as we expand to sixteen teams next season. With so many teams already looking to retool in the coming season, it will be interesting to see which ones are forced into a multi-season rebuild as the talent pool becomes smaller. But this is a recap, not a prediction, so let’s get back to it.
 
There were several tight playoff races this week and several teams showed us that these playoffs could truly be anyone’s game. The Riga Reign and HC Davos Dynamo both entered the playoffs on a bit of a rough week, so their first-round matchup might be more exciting than your typical one-seed vs. four-seed competition. Meanwhile, teams like the Helsinki Titans and New York Americans entered the playoffs strong but both find themselves matched up against teams who boasted much higher goal differentials in the regular season. Even the Toronto Legion encouraged us to be on the lookout for upsets as they beat the best team in the league, the Calgary Wranglers, just to make it into the postseason; calling into question just how their first-round meeting would go. As we enter the playoffs, there is always a sense that anything can happen, but that feeling seems especially pronounced for some reason this season. Regardless, I am pumped to get to see some exciting games in the last instance of the eight-team playoff format.

3-Stars
 
First Star
Jet Jaguar (DAV) - 10 G, 10 A, 57.03 FO%
Second Star
Hulk Hogan (SEA) - 3 G, 12 A, 20 SB
Third Star
Samuel Ross (DAV) - .915 SV%, 2.64 GAA, 1 SO
 
Power Rankings
 
European Conference
 
The final power rankings of the season are here and the European Conference had an epic 3 team battle to the finish. The top of the conference was wrapped up with Riga taking the top spot, a spot which they held for a good portion of the season after their somewhat slow start. Helsinki climbed back up into 2nd place, winning their division and secured the critical home-ice advantage for their playoff series with Moscow. Now here’s where things get interesting. The last 2 playoff spots had 3 teams fighting it out, right up until the last games of the season. Moscow, who are in 3rd place almost solely thanks to the remarkable season of Raymond Bernard, seem to have risen from the dead and claimed their spot in the postseason. Holding the last spot, in somewhat of a surprise, we see HC Davos who started out the season extremely hot, but stumbled their way through the meat of the games and eventually found their game again as the season ended. The blockbuster acquisitions of Jet Jaguar and Hunter Hearst Helmsley seem to have taken time to adjust to the team, but who knows what could happen if both stars heat up come playoff time. Devastatingly, the Prague Phantoms will miss out on the playoffs this year, and the gap was just too much to overcome on the final day. They hold on to 5th spot in the rankings and will be looking ahead to next season where they will hope to improve on this one. Finally in the last spot are the Malmo Nighthawks. The game plan was to tank this season, and they did just that, ending the season with the worst record in the league and earning highest odds for the upcoming Season 73 Draft Lottery.
 
North American Conference
 
A bit of a different story over in the North American conference, as all the playoff spots were pretty much accounted for heading into the final games of the season. Front runners all season long, the Calgary Wranglers finished hot and held an 8 point lead over Seattle as the season came to a close. They are the only team to break 100 points this year. Seattle came close to bursting through the 100 point marker, but fell just short and finished 2nd on 97 points. The race between these powerhouse teams was a joy to behold all season long, and Calgary slowly pulled away with their insane consistency. The gap between Seattle and New York is quite sizable, at 13 points, but the Americans have earned a playoff berth as well as a matchup against the Bears in what is sure to be a thrilling contest. Taking the last playoff spot, and in 4th place, we have the Toronto Legion, who really stumbled to the finish line. A 4-6-0 record in the last 10 games was barely enough to edge out the Vancouver Wolves who ended up finishing just 1 point out of the playoffs, even after trading away most of their star players. The Wolves accepted their fate as outsiders pretty early in the season, but they were nearly gifted a playoff spot in what turned out to be a somewhat weaker North American conference. The D.C. Dragons will be pretty upset with how the season went, not many people had them down as bottom feeders, but owning their own 1st round pick which is a lottery pick after this disastrous season, has to be seen as a success and they will be looking to pick up a piece to add to their core in the upcoming draft.

Notable Games
 
Game 411 - Malmo Nighthawks vs. HC Davos Dynamo
This week was a lot more of a nail-biter for the Dynamo than I’m sure they would have liked. First, they were passed by the Moscow Menace, then they quickly for the Phantoms right at their heels. However, HC Davos entered this game with the ability to nearly cement their place in the postseason. They stepped up to that challenge. The Rogue Davis to Jet Jaguar connection was strong as Davis assisted Jaguar on the first three Dynamo goals. In that span, they gave up one goal to the Nighthawks but that would be the only one. They went on to score two more before the final buzzer, but the last fifteen minutes of this game were mostly just keep-away. This was a game Davos was expected to win, and they did, but it was far more important than it seemed. With a loss in the match, the Dynamo would have put their playoff hopes in serious jeopardy. Instead, they got Riga in the first round, may God have mercy on their souls.
 
Game 425 - Riga Reign vs. Seattle Bears
For the Riga Reign, their road to the playoffs, though more secure, was a bit bumpier this week. Despite entering the week looking to have secured the first seed with a nine-point lead over the Helsinki Titans, by the time it was all said and done, that lead had dwindled to just four points. Despite Guy Sasakamoose having one of his best games of the season, and certainly his best period, the Seattle Bears matched them goal for goal, even taking a lead for eight seconds in the second period. As we neared the final minute of play, it looked like Riga might have finally secured the win, but with just sixty-two seconds left Seattle tied it again. Overtime was not enough to settle this one, so it was off to the shootout to find a winner. Ambrose Stark scored immediately for the Bears but that was matched in the second round by Codrick Past. It was Scott Greene in the third who would finally give the Bears another lead, one that would end the game.
 
Game 429 - Calgary Wranglers vs. Toronto Legion
Lastly, we have the story of another team just trying to hang on. After a shockingly strong start from the Toronto Legion, they slowly crept back down the standings as the season stretched on. At the other end of that spectrum, the Vancouver Wolves started slower than expected but stayed in close competition for a playoff spot throughout the early weeks. However, in a move that made very little sense before we all knew about the coming expansion, the Wolves management decided to liquidate many of the teams best assets and seemingly forgo all hope of a playoff run. But as the season wound down, these two teams found themselves closer and closer in the standings. That led the Legion to enter one of the toughest games of their season in a must-win position. It did not look good as the Calgary Wranglers scored first with a goal early in the first, but Toronto retained their composure. In the second period, they answered with two of their own and that would be it for the scoring. The Legion had won and with that, they would finally return to the postseason.

Events of the Week 

Fights
 
Game 379 - Lahtinen beats up Gutzwiler
I’m sure you are familiar with the saying, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Well, I can’t think of a better example of that than this smackdown. Certainly, Toronto came into this game with a plan to play a physical game and throw the Wranglers off their grove. That started just twenty-one seconds in the game and a fight broke out between Mikko Lahtinen and Gabriel Gutzwiler. However, just as Gabriel lost the fight convincingly, so too did the Legion come up short in this match.
Game 388 - McDagg vs. Laughton
There weren’t a lot of fights this week so I chose this opportunity to highlight a reformed man. Back when I was writing recaps of every single fight in the league, I wrote Blake Laughton’s name more than any other, and, while he certainly gets in a scrap now and again, I have noticed a drastic decline in his thuggish behaviour. Perhaps, he was a little out of practice, as Kristopher McDagg wiped the ice with him in this fight.
 
Hat-Tricks
 
Game 379 - Kris Rice
Kris Rice opened the scoring, scored in the middle of the game, and closed the scoring to complete his hat-trick. With assists from Charlie Paddywagon, who also had a three-point game, on each of his first two, Rice quickly put the game out of the Legion’s grasp. With his final kill-shot in the first half of the third period, Kris finished his first hat-trick of the week.
Game 396 - Kris Rice
That’s right, I said, “of the week.” Just a couple games later, Kris Rice was back at it again. This time it was the Helsinki Titans that felt his wrath, but the Calgary Wranglers spread the points around with four separate players racking up three tallies on the point sheet. Rice and the Wranglers had an explosive first period where he scored two of their four goals. They went silent for the second before scoring again just seconds into the third. Just a short while later, Kris completed his second hat-trick with the final goal of the game.
Game 400 - Jerry Garcia
In the middle of what looked to be a crazy comeback story in the making, Jerry Garcia found himself on the unfortunate end of a losing hat-trick. Despite scoring the first three goals of the game, with Jet Jaguar contributing primary assists on all of them, the Phantoms clawed their way back to eventually take the day. For a brief moment, it looked like they might be able to knock the Dynamo out of that final playoff spot.
Game 411 - Jet Jaguar
After their loss to the Phantoms, HC Davos had to work hard to hold onto the final playoff spot in the European Conference. The veteran Jet Jaguar took that to heart. Scoring the Dynamo’s first three goals of the game, all on assists from Roque Davis, it was just his second that ended up being the game-winner. But late in the third, Jaguar made a statement, finishing his first hat-trick of the season.
Game 413 - Mat Tocco
The Vancouver Wolves were another team in the hunt for a playoff spot this week, and Mat Tocco brought us a little bit of that old magic for which he is known. Ending the night with four points, he netted two of his own in the second period and completed the hat-trick in the middle of the third. Although I am sure he would have liked a shot at the postseason, this has to be a satisfying way to close out the season.
 
Shutouts
 
Game 401 - Vancouver vs. Toronto
There were just two shutouts this week and this one had a lot of significance in the final standings. Toronto finished just one point ahead of the Vancouver Wolves, so they ought to be crediting Jaxx Hextall and his amazing performance in this game with saving their season. Hextall stopped all thirty shots he faced to hold on to just a 2-0 victory and send the Legion to the postseason. 
Game 432 - New York vs. HC Davos
In the very last game of the season, HC Davos entered knowing they had fended off the Phantoms at their heels, but that didn’t mean they had nothing to prove. All season, I have heard about how great a contender the Dynamo could be if they made a play for a goalie. Samuel Ross wants to put that thinking to bed. There is nothing better than entering the postseason with a goalie on a hot streak and a twenty-eight save shutout is a great way for Ross to start one.

Rookie Spotlight
Joakim Bruden

A huge thanks to @Zetterberg for this great graphic.
 
Joakim Bruden played 3 seasons in the minors, all for the Ottawa Lynx. He enjoyed a stellar career there, managing to win an amazing 121 of 152 total regular-season games. On top of that, an incredible 2.53 GAA in the minors over those 3 seasons is quite the achievement as well. He made the playoffs in each season and improved every time as well. It took them 3 tries, but they eventually won the big prize in Season 71, only losing twice throughout the entire playoffs on the back of some wonderful performances by Bruden. 
 
This season, he made the jump to the big leagues and showed to the world that he is a young goalie to keep an eye on. There were only a handful of rookie goalies this season, but Joakim stood out from the rest by leading most of the stat categories. In 15 games, he had a remarkable .914 save percentage and 2.70 goals-against average, both of which put him in first place among rookies. He picked up 5 wins, to 7 losses, which is a very respectable record for a rookie and he will be looking to build on this very successful rookie campaign.
 
I think it’s only a matter of time before Joakim will take over as the #1 in Davos. He has shown he has the fight, passion, and most of all, skill to compete in this league. His mechanics are solid and he has a great foundation to build upon. Going forward, he will likely need to work on the more physical aspect of his game, like size and agility before he can break into that group of elite goaltenders. As long as Joakim keeps improving at this rapid pace, we have quite the prospect on our hands here and I am quite excited to see how his career develops.
 
 

? AWESOME.   






 

Nice article Patrik. Some of these players have been pretty overlooked. ?

Hello everyone, and welcome to a brand new series on VSN! In Diamonds In The Rough, we take a look at some of the upcoming draft’s underdogs. This season has had no shortage in underdogs, to say the least. We have an abundance of unique storylines to cover with these players, and we’re excited to see where they fall on their draft day. With the expansion teams coming in for this draft and being underdogs themselves, maybe they take a chance on a player like this. Now, let’s see who it is that we’re talking about.
 
- Ajay Krishna -
G | Ranked #20 in midseason rankings
Ajay Krishna has been one of my personal favourites of this draft class for a little while now. Impressively earning every possible capped TPE available to him so far, the goaltender’s progression to this point is something that can be maintained for as long as he chooses. While he hasn’t capitalized on a crazy amount of uncapped TPE opportunities, he did show a flash of promise just a couple of weeks ago when he posted a week of 30 TPE, 18 being uncapped. His TPE earning habits remind me somewhat of a young Jacques Lafontaine in his draft season, and Lafontaine has unquestionably turned out great for the Wranglers. What makes Krishna an underdog is his total TPE. His 146 TPE places him at 23rd in the draft class, so he has a bit of a hill to climb. You may be asking how his TPE would be so low with his impressive productivity, and the answer lies partially in the newly added late joiner TPE. Krishna joined in a time when the adjustment was not automatic, and he needed to claim it manually. He did not do so, and missed out on 12 TPE. Combining this with his lack of uncapped TPE participation so far, it seems that he is a bit behind right now. The good news is that his outstandingly consistent capped TPE earning makes him a very high potential, low-risk pick in the draft. The uncapped TPE will hopefully come as well, and if that is the case, we could be looking at an extremely valuable goalie prospect.
 
 
- Kevin King -
C | Ranked #25 in midseason rankings
A prospect with almost scary potential, Kevin King has unfortunately fallen victim to poor timing. Joining in the very last week of S73 eligibility, he has found himself in a position where he has a ton of catching up to do. That said, he has not wasted as much as a second so far. Kicking off his career with a week of 46 TPE, King made a statement to the VHL right out of the gate. Pairing that with the second week of 14 TPE where he capped out once again, it becomes apparent that he’s a player who could skyrocket in value over the next few weeks. On the ice, the offence hasn’t come yet for the American forward, but he does have a decent build. His only glaring weakness is puck handling, but that can be ironed out pretty quickly with time. I expect the goal totals to increase a lot really soon, and hopefully, that puts him closer on the radar of VHL GMs. With his late entry into the VHLM, it sparks the question of where he would be if he had joined earlier. Would he be pushing for a spot in the top ten, or even the top five? That said, there is a spectacular amount of talent here, and hopefully, he is able to reach his highest potential.
 
- Alec Volchenkov -
C | Ranked #27 in midseason rankings
SirRupertBarnes is a user who is looking for redemption. His last player, Dimitri Volosenkov, was one of the most exciting prospects of the S66 Draft. Following his top-five selection in the draft, Volchenkov would go on to have a fantastic rookie season with 70 points in 72 games. However, that success would be short-lived, as he would post 21 points the next season and go entirely inactive. This time around, his latest player Alec Volchenkov hopes to prove his reliableness. So far, his TPE production shows that he’s off to a great start, with 74 TPE over 4 and a half weeks, including 50 in the last 2.5 weeks. The Russian is a fantastic two-way player who shows much promise as a playmaker as well. He always finds a way to get the puck to teammates in open ice, which is an incredibly useful skill at both ends of the ice. Especially at a time where the majority of forwards prioritize scoring, his ability to thread the needle will likely be coveted by VHL teams to balance their lineups out a bit more. There’s quite a bit of promise in this player, and I don’t think Volchenkov will burn out as Volosenkov did.
 
- John Merrick -
C | Ranked #11 in midseason rankings
It’s hard to call a first round prospect an underdog, but I think it’s very fitting for John Merrick, given the circumstances. Like King, Merrick entered the VHLM in the last week of S73 eligibility and has not had much time to catch up. I think it is fair to consider him an underdog since had he recreated at last season’s deadline, he may have very well been a contender for a top-three selection, possibly even first overall. The reason I say this is because Steve’s last player, Guy LeGrande, was an S67 player who had already amassed 1177 TPE, which still stands as seventh in his draft class, even with over two weeks since he retired. Merrick is a goal-scoring centre with all the right tools to be successful offensively. His faceoffs could use some work, but he’s still extremely early in his development, so it will likely be improved soon. He has had a quality start to his career with the Mexico City Kings, with 16 points in 26 games. With his rapid improvement presumably continuing for the playoffs, expect him to be a real breakout candidate there. This is undoubtedly an elite prospect, and only time will tell how far he can climb up the rankings before draft day.
 
There are definitely other prospects who have fallen under the radar for one reason or another, but these ones are the most notable ones to me. It’s always fun cheering for the underdog, so make sure to keep an eye on these players around draft time. If you’d like to give some recognition to an underdog of the S73 Draft class, feel free to leave a comment on this article. With that said, we’re all done for this season, but make sure to come back next season for the underdogs of the S74 draft class!
 
One way to follow these prospects is to keep up with VSN’s VHLM content! We’ve got weekly updates for it as well as the big league. Keep an eye out for that, as well as an upcoming mock draft! But really, that’s just the tip of the iceberg with VSN content. We’ve got plenty of diverse content that any member would like. Here’s our latest work:
| VHLM Weekly | VHL Weekly | Behind The Trophy |
 
Players mentioned: @Hooperorama @IamMOOSE @SirRupertBarnes @Steve
 

i beat ferk https://www.chess.com/live/game/5048410959

I still need to play @Snussu @Devise and @GrittyIsKing09
 
Don't think I'll be doing much next week so I can play pretty much every day after today

Note: This article was written before the first round of simulations occurring on 6/27/20
 
Hello, and welcome to the first edition of a new season of Under 250: The VHLM Report. In these series, we will be taking a look at the trends and topics from the past week in the VHLM. What twists and turns will our minor league hold? Stay tuned to find out!
 
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! 
 
Ringless | VSN Weekly Review | VSN Australia | Talents Behind The Trophies
 
The Review
 
Another regular season has come and gone, and it is time we head into the playoffs! Who will be crowned this season’s Founder’s Cup Champions? Will it be our Prime Minister’s Cup-winning Minnesota Storm? Or will it be a plucky underdog, taking out the big teams on their route to immortality? You’ll have to stay tuned to find out! Without further ado, let’s dive into our regular season review and see just how the end of the season shook out.
 


The aforementioned Minnesota Storm lead the league as they have for a while now, ensuring the number one overall spot heading into the playoffs. They will be matching up in the first round against the Miami Marauders, who make the playoffs as one of the league-wide wildcard spots. The second overall Saskatoon Wild will go up against the next wildcard of the Ottawa Lynx. Following this is the Theusch Division winners of the Philadelphia Reapers, who will be playing the Mississauga Hounds. The final matchup of the first round will be between the Mexico City Kings and the Las Vegas Aces, two teams which finished with just a point between them, the Kings advancing with their additional three overtime losses, despite their wins being one fewer than the Aces. Missing out on the playoffs we have Halifax 21st, the Yukon Rush, the San Diego Marlins, and the Houston Bulls. Good luck next season!
 
Let’s post the ELO chart one final time, and with those statistics in mind, dive into the first round preview!
 

 

First Round Preview
 
Minnesota Storm (1) vs Miami Marauders (8)
 
Certainly, making the playoffs in their inaugural season is cause for celebration in Miami, but is it crazy to think they have a chance in upsetting Cup contenders in Minnesota? In their regular-season matchups, while the Storm were able to score consistently against the Marauders, Miami also caused Minnesota some trouble of their own, conceding the most goals against of any regular-season series. Granted, there were eight games played against each other compared to some 5 or 7 game series, but ultimately it is clear that the Marauders can do some damage to the solid Minnesota defence, as evidenced by them beating the Storm in 3 of 8 matches. Not a majority, but good enough to not write a surprise victory off! 
 
The Storm relies on a host of depth talent, with top goalscorer in the league Ike Bennet providing a real threat in front of the net. While Bennet is the only member in the top 10 players in the league for points, the whole team produces, as evidenced by their league-leading 345 goals scored. This season, VHLM vet Mickey Dickson has stepped up to the plate, reaching a career-high of 95 points, while defensemen Liam Flaten sits at third in the league for defensemen with 111 points. The Marauders rely on a studded blue line themselves, with Kosmo Kramerev and Wolf Stansson at first and third on their roster for points. They are particularly strong at the centre position, with Dakota Lamb and Andre Lebastard reaching third and sixth in the league for points scored by centres. 
 
Saskatoon Wild (2) vs Ottawa Lynx (7)
 
Our next series will pit the Corcoran Division champions Saskatoon Wild against the Ottawa Lynx. The Lynx finished the regular season last in their division, but their division was the strongest of any, with the highest total points between their three teams. The Wild should feel strong going into this matchup, which they are heavily favoured in after winning all six of their regular-season matchups against the Lynx, including one shootout win. The Wild scored more against the Lynx than any team not named Houston or San Diego, and are looking to continue this trend. 
 
The Lynx are not likely to go down without a fight, but a lot will be riding on their rookie goaltender Ajay Krishna to carry the team as their highest TPA player, after their midseason firesale to Philadelphia. Saskatoon, on the other hand, has a host of top talent, including four players at the cap. Their top centre, Lucas Brandt, will be looking to lead the line along with the team’s highest goalscorer Timothy Brown whose 58 goals is tied for fourth in the league. Tyler Walker is tied for the league lead in assists and is vital in moving the puck around for those scoring opportunities. As shown in the ELO charts, the Wild are top contenders along with Minnesota, as they made up the difference, each with essentially the same ELO by the end of the season. 
 
Philadelphia Reapers (3) vs Mississauga Hounds (6)
 
The Philadelphia Reapers were on a bit of a run there to end the season. With 26 games remaining, they moved for Ottawa’s big stars of Adam Syreck, DeFenz Mann, and Big Chungus, as well as Rich Dickbutt McFudderdudder for some very solid depth, to complement their already star-studded roster. The Reapers have an incredible six capped players and are looking very dangerous on both ends. They have four of the top 10 players in the league for points, including Adam Syreck and Bob Helminen leading the pack with the top two slots, and those two are joined by Big Chungus’s 61 goals, good for second in the league. With all that power it seems difficult for the Mississauga Hounds to mount a challenge, but not impossible.
 
The odds are certainly stacked against them, as the Reapers have shown they can consistently beat the Hounds, winning six times while only losing twice, though each team won once in a shootout. One thing in the Hound’s favour is their own ability to score, and while they might not be exactly favoured in a shooting gallery, it might be their best chance. Other than the Minnesota Storm, the Hounds were the team that scored the most on the Reapers, although they did have three more games to do it in compared to the Aces and Kings, for example. Led by right-winger Michael Mac, the Hounds have a competitive roster, with a lot of balanced scoring options. Their goaltender Jacob Tonn will be very important in seeing how far they can go; the capped netminder had a relatively poor regular season compared to his ability, but if he turns it up in the playoffs the Hounds have the opportunity to go far. 
 
Mexico City Kings (4) vs Las Vegas Aces (5)
 
Finally, we come to the closest out of all the first-round matchups, with the Mexico City Kings taking on the Las Vegas Aces. Despite the Kings maintaining a steady ELO lead, they have never really widened the gap since they split apart around their 45th game of the season. This is the only match in which the lower-seeded team might actually be favoured. Despite the Kings coming away with one more point in the regular season, thanks to their extra overtime losses, the Aces were the team that narrowly took the regular-season matchup. The two teams went three regular time wins apiece, but the Aces took two additional matches in the shootout, giving them a 5-3 edge. Additionally, they scored almost identically, with the Aces once more narrowly taking the lead, 22 goals to 20. 
 
The Kings don’t have many statistical leaders on their team but are built to last with all of their players up and down the roster getting on the score sheet. Chris Hylands is their top guy with 107 points, while their goaltender is Zamboni Driver, a strong performer that is looking to improve on his play in last season’s playoffs that saw his team lose in the second round. Their field general of Viktor Alexei Kamenov is integral to their play, leading the team in assists from the blue line along with Chance Rust on the second pair. The Aces have a little bit more star power, with the top assist man in the league, Alex Letang, leading their blue line (he is tied for first with 94 assists). Gregg Stallion and Jeff Blaze, each with 49 goals, are lethal in front of the net, and will be key in this series. Additionally, the Aces have strong depth options, having attracted a number of midseason signings of players from reputable agencies whose skills will help to even the playing field in the playoffs. 
 
 
That’s all for this edition of Under 250: The VHLM Review. Thank you all for reading, and stay tuned next week for the inside scoop on all that’s going on in the league. Until next time!
 
Players Mentioned: @Caboose30, @Brewins15, @flatl99, @Mongoose87, @ahockeyguy, @dlamb, @Andre LeBastard, @Hooperorama, @twists, @a_Ferk, @Advantage, @Spade18, @Mike, @Ferda, @Weretarantula, @Big Bob, @LastOneUp, @MexicanCow123, @Hylands33, @Tape-to-Tape, @BigTittySmitty, @turkey2349, @Spartan, @SweatyBeaver, @NyQuil
 
VSN Writer Mr_Hatter