hylands

3 hours ago, ProfoundBeggar said:

Player Information

Username: ProfoundBeggar

Player Name: Sebastian Iver

Recruited From: Reddit

Age: 20

Position: LW

Height: 74 in.

Weight: 195 lbs.

Birthplace: Norway

 

Player Page

 

@VHLM GM

Welcome to the VHL, @ProfoundBeggar!

 

I’m the GM of the Mexico City Kings, and we can offer you Top 6 minutes on our squad! You’ll be getting lots of ice time on a great team with an active locker room filled with 1st generation players like you and I.

 

Just quote this message and say “acepto” to become royalty!

Also @fishy, @Thranduil has missed two picks in a row technically...not sure how you want to proceed.

F - Ray Sheilds

 

@CowboyinAmerica

It’s been 12 hours, but since @Thranduil has 2 picks in a row, you have an additional 12 hours.

8 minutes ago, Hblatsyuk said:

Player Information

Username: Mando Blatsyuk

Player Name: Mando Blatsyuk

Recruited From: Member (Hylands)

Age: 18

Position: RW

Height: 72 in.

Weight: 203 lbs.

Birthplace: United Kingdom

 

Player Page

 

@VHLM GM

Welcome to the VHL, @Hblatsyuk!

 

We can offer you 1st line minutes here on the Mexico City Kings squad for this year. We’re not competing for the cup but being on the 1st line will get you maximum minutes and opportunities to score points.

 

Just quote this message and say “acepto ” to become royalty!

D - Alex Bridges

 

@BladeMaiden

1. Jubo07

F - Chad Magnum

F - Jim Bob

F - Jungkok

D - Condor Adrienne

D - Roque Davis

G - Jacques Lafontaine

 

2. Banackock

F - Kris Rice

F - Scott Greene

F - Chris Hylands

D - Berocka Sundqvist

D - Hulk Hogan

G - Rayz Funk

 

3. CowboyInAmerica

F - Benny Graves

F - RJ Jubis

F - Phil Marleau

D - Jeff Downey

D - Micheal Gary Scott

G - Stone Wolski

 

4. Hylands (Group Manager)

F - Ray Sheilds

F - Ola Vikingstad

F - Markus Nygren

D - Alex Bridges

D - James Rose

G - Doug Dimmadome

 

5. BladeMaiden

F - Mikko Lahtinen

F - Patrik Tallinder

F - Soren Jensen

D - Lincoln Tate

D - Hugh Jass

G - Jimmy Spyro

 

6. Thranduil Fishy

F - Brock Louth

F - Thomas Landry II

F - Squirrely dan

D - Erik Killinger

D - Luciano Valentino

G - Jean Pierre Camus

 

Good luck everybody!

 

Hey @linsangeles, welcome back with your new player!

 

I'm the GM of the Mexico City Kings and I can offer you Top 6 minutes this season! We have just a few wingers as of yet so you will slot in perfectly on our 1st line. We aren't set to contend for a cup this season, but if you want a fun locker room experience and a place to maximize your ice time, then Mexico City is where you want to be!

 

Just quote this message and say "acepto " to become royalty!

Hey @Brrbisbrr, glad to see you back with another player!

 

We have a pretty bare bones squad here in Mexico City this season, and we can offer you Top 6 minutes as of right now! We are unlikely to be competing for a cup this season, but if you want to pad your stats on a mediocre team with an excellent locker room, then this is the place to come.

 

Just quote this message and say "acepto " to become royalty!

I'll apply! I'm online pretty frequently throughout the week and can definitely do the required job.

2 hours ago, Jayrad28 said:

Player Information

Username: Jayrad28

Player Name: Ryan Ryker

Recruited From: Other (Former first gen baby)

Age: 17

Position: RW

Height: 75 in.

Weight: 190 lbs.

Birthplace: Canada

 

Player Page

 

@VHLM GM

 

Welcome back, @Jayrad28!

 

I am the GM of the Mexico City Kings and I can offer you top line minutes on our squad this season! We aren't poised for a cup run this year, but if you're looking for a place with a fun group rather than results, then Mexico City is where you want to be!

 

If you would like to join us on the Kings, just quote this post and say "acepto " to become royalty!

43L843758T8623521

 

$1M Player Store Cash

5 Uncapped TPE

Doubles Week

 

Claiming all now

 

i’m in...also willing to be a group manager

claiming 3rd graphic

Hylands has been upgraded to PLUG STATUS!!!

Season 73 Playoff Preview - Round 1 Review & Conference Finals

Welcome to the first 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.

 

 

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

 

The playoffs are underway and with that we bring to you the Round 1 Review as well as Conference Finals preview! We've had some excellent match ups so far, and we are in for a treat with the top 4 teams in the regular season battling it out for the Continental Cup. Without further ado, let's get in to it.

 

Round 1 Review

 

North American Conference

 

Seattle Bears (49-18-5) vs D.C. Dragons (37-33-2)

We jump into this review with this great match-up from the North American Conference, and it lived up to all of the hype. The Seattle Bears came into this as heavy favourites being the top seed and the Dragons making it in through the Wildcard round. Seattle took the first two games of the series on home ice, and things looked to be heading to an easy series win for the Bears. Game 3 was a tight contest that could’ve gone either way but the Dragons came out on top and made the series just that much more interesting. Seattle followed up that loss with a blowout victory that put D.C. on the brink of elimination and a series win for the Bears almost seemed like a foregone conclusion. The Dragons showed just what they were made of, and with their backs against the wall they pulled out an amazing win and forced a Game 6 back on home ice. Unfortunately for D.C. they came up just short, losing a heartbreaker in overtime and sending them packing. The Dragons can be proud of what they achieved this season though, and will be looking to come back even stronger next season.

 

Game of the series: Game 6, Seattle Bears (3) @ D.C. Dragons (2) (OT)

The deciding game was the obvious choice for game of the series, and what more could you have asked for than a double overtime thriller? The game started with an almost immediate power play for the Bears, but they weren’t able to take advantage of the early man advantage. It wasn’t until nearly exactly midway through the period that Seattle would open the scoring through a Berocka Sundqvist point shot off a nice feed from Uhtred. The 2nd period was pure action, with not many whistles and both teams taking turns on the offensive side with some great fast paced action. The period flew by in a flash and before we knew it the teams were headed for the dressing rooms. D.C. came out flying in the 3rd period and they capitalized on a defensive breakdown from Seattle and it was Benny Graves who got the equalizer. Off the ensuing faceoff, Seattle skated right into the D.C. zone and Ambrose Stark immediately restored the Bears lead. The Dragons seemed to be deflated after going behind so quickly and it was Luciano Valentino who lit the fire back underneath them and got into a fight with Randy Marsh. There was no clear winner but it was just what the Dragons needed. They found their 2nd wind and kept coming back at Seattle until eventually they found another tying goal, and of course it was the man who kickstarted everything, Luciano Valentino, who tied the game with just under 6 minutes to play in regulation. Both teams headed into overtime thinking they had the upper-hand momentum wise, but the first overtime period ended with the teams still deadlocked. Multiple players were above the 40 minutes played mark and they were looking gassed, but it was the man with the freshest legs and least minutes played, Aleelee Kiak, who wound up being the hero for the Seattle Bears. With just under 7 minutes to play, he fired a puck at the net that somehow found its way in and the Bears had booked their ticket to the Conference Finals. 

Series MVP: Berocka Sundqvist (3 G, 6 A, 16 Hits)

 

Calgary Wranglers (44-22-6) vs New York Americans (43-23-6)

The rematch of last season’s Conference Finals went almost exactly the same way this 2nd time around, if you can believe it. The teams traded wins last year and they did it again this time. New York managed to split the games in Calgary, and they headed home with the series at 1-1. We had the same result in New York, with the teams splitting games and it was clear we had the tightest matchup of the playoffs, with no game being won by more than two goals. Calgary would come back to their home ice and pick up a very important win to take the 3-2 series lead. With their elimination staring them right in the face, New York grinded out a 2-1 win in Game 6 to force an exciting 7th game. Unfortunately for New York, they could not hold on any longer and Calgary ended up with a blowout victory in Game 7 to secure a 2nd Conference Finals appearance in a row.

 

Game of the series: Game 4, Calgary Wranglers (3) @ New York Americans (4) (OT)

Another game in which we saw a double overtime, and it was the New York Americans who had the last laugh in this game of the series. The Wranglers were dominant in the 1st period, outshooting New York 14-4, but it was New York who struck first through Richard Penisson on the powerplay with just under 4 minutes to play. Just 23 seconds after that, Calgary finally found a way to the back of the net and it was Mikko Lahtinen who tied the game up at 1-1. New York would then take the lead again, and it was Bjorn Scoringsonn who picked up his 1st goal of the playoffs. Just 5 minutes later the Americans had doubled their lead with Julius Freeman who scored off a nice passing play. Calgary would not be phased by going down another goal, and their perseverance paid off when ACL TEAR managed to poke one home and crucially cut that lead back to just a single goal. The Wranglers used that goal to swing the momentum in their favour and they were all over New York in the 3rd period and they were able to find the tying goal through RJ Jubis just about halfway through the period. They continued with the offensive push, trying to get the win but A Red Guy brushed aside all of their shots. We headed to overtime with the score at 3-3 and the New York Americans were the team that came out swinging. They peppered the Calgary goal with 17 shots in the 1st overtime but they could not solve Jacques Lafontaine. The 2nd overtime had just barely begun when Jerry Wang stepped over the blueline and put one over the shoulder of Lafontaine to secure an important win for New York, and stop them from going down three games to one.

Series MVP: Jacques Lafontaine (.931 SV%, 2.05 GAA) 

 

European Conference

 

Helsinki Titans (49-18-5) vs Malmo Nighthawks (35-30-7)

The top seeded Helsinki Titans came into this match-up off the back of an extremely successful regular season which saw them share the Victory Cup with the Seattle Bears. Malmo, on the other hand, were fresh off a thrilling Wildcard Round victory over HC Davos. The teams split the first four games of the series, essentially boiling things down to a best of three. Malmo then shocked the entire league and pulled off a huge win in Game 5 to put Helsinki on the brink of elimination. With things looking bleak in the Titans camp, they proceeded to play their best game of the series and dominate with a 6-1 victory to send things back to Helsinki for Game 7. Unfortunately for Malmo, the Titans were just too strong and they were eliminated in 7 games.

 

Game of the series: Game 3, Helsinki Titans (4) @ Malmo Nighthawks (3) (OT)

We continue on the theme of wonderful overtime games, and this time it was Helsinki who came out the victors. Helsinki was the dominant team in the 1st period, starting off the game with some extremely fast paced play. It wasn’t until 14:28 into the period, while they were short handed, that Erik Draven scored the game’s first goal. Just a couple minutes later Helsinki was celebrating another goal, this time from Valtteri Vaakanainen. Their smothering play finally had paid off and they took that lead into the 1st intermission. In the 2nd, the Titans would get into a little bit of penalty trouble, taking 3 minor penalties and it was Tyler Walker who was the one to score for Malmo with a nice shot from the point. The Nighthawks would keep the pressure up for the remainder of the period but saw themselves still trailing as they headed into the 3rd. Now this is where this game really picked up and took the spot as the game of the series for me. Chris Hylands scored the game tying goal just over 6 minutes in, and they used the momentum gained from that goal to get their first lead of the game with a goal from Mickey Dickson. This was a phenomenal showing by the rookie core of the Malmo Nighthawks. However, the veteran experience of the Titans really shined here and they didn’t let the quick goals from Malmo break their spirits. With the goalie pulled, and under 30 seconds left to play in the game, Hiroshi Okada came through for the Titans with a clutch tying goal that would send this game to overtime. The Titans really didn’t look back after that goal, and they started the overtime period with all of the offensive play. Just 1:43 in, the hero from the 3rd period, Hiroshi Okada once again was the saviour and scored the game winner to give Helsinki a 2-1 series lead.

Series MVP: Jim Bob (7 G, 4 A, 20 Hits)

 

Riga Reign (46-23-3) vs Moscow Menace (40-23-9)

Another rematch from last year, just a round earlier this time, with almost the exact same result. Riga put in a dominant performance in this series and Moscow struggled to cope with their talent. Most of the games were high-scoring, but in favour of whoever was winning. Game 1 was an offensive showdown that went Riga’s way by a score of 7-4. Moscow’s only victory of the round came in Game 2, a game which they dominated from start to finish and wound up as 5-1 winners. That was all of the success that the Menace would be able to find though, as Riga tightened things up and squeezed the life out of Moscow. Games 3 and 4 were taken by the Riga Reign, and they out-scored Moscow by a score of 11-1 over both games. Moscow found their feet in Game 5 as they faced elimination, but they came up just short, losing by a score of 4-3 and sending Riga to the Conference Finals.

 

Game of the series: Game 5, Moscow Menace (3) @ Riga Reign (4) (OT)

Just like in the other series, this one was decided in overtime, coincidentally by the same score as well. Riga jumped out to an early lead, scoring just 26 seconds into the game. It was Phil Marleau who found himself all alone after some nice play right off the opening faceoff. Things slowed down after that quick opening goal, and it was Moscow who actually dominated the game for the majority of the period. With a power play opportunity, Oscar Lagesson scored the equalizer that Moscow felt they deserved. They kept that pressure up and just 2 short minutes later, Henrik Zoiderberg scored a nice breakaway goal to give Moscow a lead that they took into the 2nd period. The 2nd was evenly matched, with both teams getting plenty of chances, but it was the Riga Reign who took advantage. Just after the halfway mark of the period, Kyl Oferson tied the game after linking up with Guy Sasakamoose, and just 30 seconds after that they had the lead again with Marleau’s 2nd goal of the game. A quick lead change and suddenly Moscow found themselves chasing the game. The Menace kept throwing everything they could at the Riga net, and eventually Nate Telker managed to sneak one past the Riga netminder while he was screened in front of the net. Another overtime was beckoning, and that’s exactly what we got. After Moscow had nearly found the game winner from Lucas Brandt, Riga took the ensuing rebound down the ice on a 2 on 1, and Marleau slid the puck over to a wide open Pengu to seal the series win.

Series MVP: Phil Marleau (5 G, 5 A, 23 Hits)

 

Conference Finals Preview

 

North American Conference

@Zetterberg made both of these banners on super short notice, so thank you very much!

Seattle Bears (49-18-5) vs Calgary Wranglers (44-22-6)

 

The Calgary Wranglers have once again made it to the Conference Finals, and this year they match up with the top seeded Seattle Bears. The two top teams in the North American Conference will battle it out for the right to play for the Continental Cup. The season series was won by Seattle, they won 4 of the 6 games that they played against each other. Having said that, two of those victories came in the shootout, so they easily could have gone the other way. We can expect a very close fought series here and I expect that we will be seeing another seven games in this one. Seattle has been a great example of a team effort, and they are getting point production from all over the place. The top defensive pairing of Berocka Sundqvist and Hulk Hogan have been instrumental to the Bears’ success and that is clear because they are leading the way with 9 and 8 points respectively. Not to mention some absolutely heroic goaltending from the veteran netminder, Rayz Funk. He was lights out in that first series against D.C. and he will be looking to carry on where he left off. Calgary’s success has come in a similar fashion to the Bears, being a solid team effort and now you are starting to see just why these teams are in the Conference Finals. They have three separate players all with 9 points in Willie Dredge, RJ Jubis, and Kris Rice, and they are getting solid point production from the rest of the squad. Jacques Lafontaine was solid in the first round but he has a tough matchup ahead of him that will surely be one for the history books. 

 

European Conference

Helsinki Titans (49-18-5) vs Riga Reign (46-23-3)

 

The top two teams in each conference are facing off, and in the European Conference it’s the Helsinki Titans facing off against the Riga Reign. Back to back Conference Finals appearances for Riga will have them fired up and hoping for another Continental Cup. The 6 games that these teams played against each other in the regular season were split evenly at 3 games a piece so it’s very hard to choose a favourite in this matchup. The playoff experience of Riga will undoubtedly be a factor, the team they have now is virtually the exact same as last year. They will be looking to their star defenceman Lincoln Tate, who currently leads the way with 12 points, all of them being assists. In net, Greg Eagles has been solid, but not quite the MVP performance of last year. He has a very good .920 save percentage, and his 2.55 goals against average is very good as well, but I know Eagles will be looking to up his game in the next series. As for Helsinki, they are led by forward Jim Bob, whose 7 goals in the series against Malmo leads all players in the playoffs. On the blue line, they have been getting some excellent performances from Erik Summers, who has been a key factor in Helsinki’s success. I reckon if their core group of forwards keeps producing at this rate, we could actually see them topple Riga. Another series that almost looks destined for 7 games, but we will see just how that plays out once action gets underway. Since both teams are so talented on the offensive side of things, it will likely be a battle of the goaltenders, and in that case I would give the upper hand to Riga. One thing is for sure though, and that is we are in for a great series between two of the heavyweights of the European Conference.

 

Predictions

 

Helsinki vs Riga

 

Hylands: These teams are extremely evenly matched, and I expect this series to mirror that. Helsinki comes into this one with all of the momentum after that great comeback over Malmo, and their offensive guns are firing on all cylinders. Some solid goaltending from Samuel Ross to go along with that and you have a recipe for success. Riga will be looking to defend their honour as last year’s champs and they are looking so good. This team is built for playoff hockey and with a solid defensive core, along with last year’s playoff MVP in Greg Eagles, I think they have what it takes to win the series.

 

@PatrikLaine: I think this will be a hell of a series on both sides. Helsinki’s high flying offense has been dangerous all season and they have a solid goaltending duo in net. Riga has been no slouch either, they have an older but solid goaltender in the crease in Greg Eagles who can absolutely steal a series. This series can go either way, but I think Greg Eagles is just too good right now. I see it going the distance as a six or seven game series but I think Riga takes it with a chance to repeat.

 

Hylands’ Pick: Riga in 7

Laine’s Pick: Riga in 7

 

Seattle vs Calgary

 

Hylands: Two of the great heavyweights of the league in recent years, and further when you really dig into the history books. This matchup has everything you could possibly want in a playoff series. We have two of the best goaltenders in the league, along with some of the most talented forward groups as well. Seattle will be trying to prove that last season’s first round exit was a fluke, and that they really are one of the greatest dynasties of this era. Calgary, however, are aiming for a second straight appearance in the finals. This time, they will obviously aiming for that Continental Cup that eluded them last season, and I think they have a great chance of doing just that. They have gotten hot at just the right moment, and everything seems to be going their way. I predict we will be seeing a rematch of last season’s finals this year.

 

Laine: I think this is a very balanced matchup. Seattle has been playing great in hopes of raising their 4th Continental Cup in 7 seasons with the soon to retire Rayz Funk leading the charge in the crease. Calgary is a similar story, looking for redemption after losing to Riga in last year’s Continental Cup Finals. They have played great down the stretch and into the postseason. I think Calgary will fight hard, but Seattle’s offensive and defensive starpower will just be too much for the Wranglers to handle. Setting us up with a Riga-Seattle showdown for the Continental Cup Finals. One team looking to go back to back, the other looking to solidify themselves as one of the great VHL dynasties of their era.

 

Laine’s Pick: Seattle in 6

Hylands’ Pick: Calgary in 7

 

 

I demand a ranking change to STEAL because I finally passed Randy Marsh this week.

2 hours ago, MRKFC said:

Player Information

Username: MRKFC

Player Name: Harrison gould

Recruited From: YouTube

Age: 18

Position: RW

Height: 72 in.

Weight: 182 lbs.

Birthplace: Canada

 

Player Page

 

@VHLM GM

 

Welcome to the league @MRKFC!

 

You've joined at a bit of a weird time as we are currently going through playoffs, so no teams are allowed to sign waiver players. However, feel free to look around and get yourself familiar with the site and how things work. Feel free to message me or any of the other GMs if you have any questions

11 hours ago, Pythonic said:

Player Information

Username: Pythonic

Player Name: Gaspar Zakrevsky

Recruited From: Other (Google search)

Age: 18

Position: LW

Height: 76 in.

Weight: 212 lbs.

Birthplace: Russia

 

Player Page

 

@VHLM GM

 

Welcome to the league @Pythonic!

 

You've joined at a bit of a weird time as we are currently going through playoffs, so no teams are allowed to sign waiver players. However, feel free to look around and get yourself familiar with the site and how things work. Feel free to message me or any of the other GMs if you have any questions

1 hour ago, Nosmas91 said:

Player Information

Username: Nosmas91

Player Name: Louis Samsonov

Recruited From: Other (Play store)

Age: 21

Position: G

Height: 70 in.

Weight: 140 lbs.

Birthplace: Canada

 

Player Page

@VHLM GM

 

Welcome to the league @Nosmas91!

 

You've joined at a bit of a weird time as we are currently going through playoffs, so no teams are allowed to sign waiver players. However, feel free to look around and get yourself familiar with the site and how things work. Feel free to message me or any of the other GMs if you have any questions

1 hour ago, Isaac said:

Player Information

Username: Isaac

Player Name: Isaac

Recruited From: YouTube

Age: 18

Position: C

Height: 65 in.

Weight: 145 lbs.

Birthplace: Canada

 

Player Page

 

@VHLM GM

 

Welcome to the league @Isaac!

 

You've joined at a bit of a weird time as we are currently going through playoffs, so no teams are allowed to sign waiver players. However, feel free to look around and get yourself familiar with the site and how things work. Feel free to message me or any of the other GMs if you have any questions

Welcome to the fifth edition of VSN’s S73 Weekly recap (Games 476-576).  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!

Under 250: VHLM Review | Ringless: S51 Calgary Wranglers | Deep Rewind: Century Men | The Next Generation: S74 | VSN Australia

 

Recap

Before this week's review I would like to thank the wonderful @FrostBeard taking a chance and hiring me on to be apart of the VSN family. He has done wonders with the crew and his presence will surely be missed. However, having said that I would like to congratulate @Doomsday on his promotion to editor-in-chief. We have decided this week to go away with the power rankings, and instead include a playoff preview! Special thanks goes to @PatrikLaine of course, who I could not do these articles without.

 

The final week of the regular season has come to a close, and we are underway with this season’s playoffs. Teams around the league left everything on the line as they made their final push for a spot in the postseason. We had a close race for the playoffs in the European Conference, in which the Prague Phantoms sadly missed out by just a single point. We also had the first ever Wildcard round, where in the North American Conference, the D.C. Dragons triumphed over the Vancouver Wolves. Over in the European Conference, the Malmo Nighthawks took down HC Davos. Both series were closely fought and went down to the wire, needing all 5 games. 

 

That means semifinal match-ups are set, and we are ready to determine a Continental Cup winner. D.C. is taking on the top seeded Seattle Bears in the North American Conference and our other matchup is a rematch of last year’s Conference Finals. In the European Conference, the Helsinki Titans are taking on the Wildcard winners, the Malmo Nighthawks, and last year’s champs, the Riga Reign, are facing off against the Moscow Menace.

 

3-Stars

 

First Star

Sigard Gunnar (LAS) - 9 G, 9 A, 18 PTS, +7
Second Star

Greg Eagles (RIG) - 8-2 in 10 GP, 0.930 SV%, 2.30 GAA

Third Star

Erik Killinger (TOR) - 4 G, 13 A, 17 PTS, +7

 

Playoff Preview

 

(NA1) Seattle Bears vs (NA WC) D.C. Dragons

SEA Leads 3-1

 

Perhaps a surprise appearance for the D.C. Dragons in this year’s playoffs, they qualified from 5th place after taking out the Vancouver Wolves in the Wildcard round. However, they have run into a red-hot Seattle Bears squad who are being led by the amazing goaltending of Rayz Funk. An incredible .954 save percentage along with a formidable 1.26 goals against average has been the key to Seattle’s success so far. That’s not to say the offence hasn’t been clicking either, as the Bears blew out the Dragons in Game Four by a score of 6-1. The Dragons have found almost all of their scoring through Benny Graves and Guy Lesieur who were also a massive part of their success in the Wildcard round. If they want to bring this series back from the brink they will need their secondary scorers to find their touch, and fast. They are facing elimination in Game 5 and if they can manage a win, the series is set for an interesting conclusion.

 

(NA2) Calgary Wranglers vs (NA3) New York Americans

Series Tied 2-2

 

In the other North American Conference series, we have a rematch of last season’s Conference Finals. These games have absolutely lived up to the hype, and the two rivals have been going at it cutthroat. We have somewhat of a goaltenders battle going on with this series, with all 4 games being relatively low scoring. Jacques Lafontaine has been stellar so far for the Wranglers, with a .929 save percentage and 2.07 goals against average. While for the Americans, A Red Guy has similar stats, boasting a .933 save percentage, but a slightly higher 2.52 goals against. Offensively, Jerry Wang has been the top dog for New York, leading the way with 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 4 games. RJ Jubis is the top point scorer for Calgary, but they have been getting contributions from all over the lineup, with 5 separate players on 4 points. With the biggest win only being by 2 goals, we can expect to see more close games, and I also expect the series to go the full 7 games. 

 

(EU1) Helsinki Titans vs (EU WC) Malmo Nighthawks

Series Tied 2-2

 

This series has been an absolute joy to watch. Extremely heavy hitting games every night between these two rivals. Despite the series starting in Helsinki, Malmo would grab the early lead in this series as they won Game One by a score of 4-3 during a great night for Chris Hylands and Ray Sheilds. Sheilds had a pair of goals and Hylands had three assists in the win. Helsinki would strike back and take the series lead back, taking Game Two by a score of 5-2 and then ruining Malmo’s homecoming by on a late goal to tie the game and an early overtime goal. Malmo would play great in game 4 and tie the series up at 2 games a piece. It will be interesting to see how Game Five in Helsinki happens as Malmo has been great on the road.

 

(EU2) Riga Reign vs (EU3) Moscow Menace

RIG Leads 3-1

 

This clash between these two European Conference rivals has not disappointed. Riga’s offense took control of the series early in a 7-4 win for the Reign in Game One. In Game Two, it was a much different story. Moscow would dominate from the get-go. They would end up chasing Greg Eagles out of the game during a 5-1 win in Game Two. Eagles didn’t let this bother him, as he absolutely robbed the Menace in Game Three and Game Four. Eagles would save 47 out of 49 shots in those two games as Riga took control of the series with decisive 3-1 and 8-1 victories, respectively. Riga now has the opportunity to close the series out on home ice. It will be interesting to see how the defending champs perform throughout the rest of the series. Moscow is no pushover though, they have been great on the road all year, but the playoffs is a different animal. Moscow will need Raymond Bernard to be at his best as they have to win three in a row to save their season.

 

 

Notable Games

 

Game 478 - Toronto Legion vs Vancouver Wolves

 

This week we start off with an amazing game between two teams hunting for a playoff spot. Both teams came out firing in this one, and it was Vancouver who opened the scoring through Griff Manzer on an early power play. Shortly after that they extended their lead to 2 goals through a nice passing play that was finished off by Brock Louth. The Toronto Legion were then awarded a power play of their own which they capitalized on courtesy of Kristopher McDagg. The Legion looked to be heading for the intermission down a goal, but defenceman Leon Gutzilwer rocketed a blast past the Vancouver netminder to tie the game at 2. Toronto then used that momentum to grab a lead of their own, this time Chad Magnum managed to put away a scramble in front of the net. The back and forth action continued, and only 34 seconds after going behind, Andrew Su stepped over the blue line and ripped a shot over the shoulder of Jaxx Hextall to tie the game up once again. Toronto again grabbed a lead shortly before the end of the 2nd with a nice power play goal from Thorny Underyew and they held that lead going into the 3rd period. Picking up where they left off, just 1:37 into the 3rd period Magnum scored his 2nd of the game and extended Toronto’s lead to 2 goals. The Wolves didn’t let the deficit get their spirits down, and they continued to play their game and chip away at the Toronto lead. First, Mat Tocco brought them within one, then it was Brock Louth with his 2nd of the game to tie the game back up and keep the fans at the edges of their seats. Things seemed to be headed for an overtime period, but the Legion took a late penalty and rookie Gregg Stallion scored the game winning goal with just 22 seconds left to play in regulation. This game ended up having huge implications in the playoff picture as Toronto missed by the 2 points that they lost at the end of this game.

 

Game 487 - Calgary Wranglers vs New York Americans

 

Another North American matchup, this time between two teams that are all too familiar with each other. The Wranglers jumped out to an early lead after a power play goal from Willie Dredge, but the Americans actually ended the 1st period ahead on the scoreboard after goals from Jerry Wang and Julius Freeman. Calgary came back with another quick goal in the 2nd period, this time from Mikko Lahtinen, also on the power play. Most of the 2nd frame was uneventful, but when Micheal Gary Scott scored for the Americans he started a landslide of offensive moves from both teams. Joe Proto answered back with a goal only 22 seconds after Scott had scored, and then Scott decided to one up Calgary even further by scoring his 2nd of the game only 14 seconds after that! 3 goals in the span of just 36 seconds really opened up the game and it was all offensive from then on. Acyd Burn got a goal of his own shortly after that flurry of activity, and Willie Dredge scored his 2nd of the game to keep Calgary within striking distance. Calgary came out in the 3rd period with a chip on their shoulder and scored another quick one, this time from Kris Rice. He went on a rampage in the 3rd period, scoring himself a hat trick and putting the game to bed for Calgary who scored 4 unanswered goals, with one from RJ Jubis as well. The Wranglers can thank Rice for the immense 3rd period performance because this helped them gain home ice advantage in the playoffs over the team that they just beat. 

 

Game 535 - Prague Phantoms vs Malmo Nighthawks

 

This European Conference matchup follows the same tune as the others, being an offensive game with some great back and forth action. Malmo enjoyed most of the play in the 1st period, and it was Marshall James Frostbeard who opened the scoring just under 5 minutes into the game. The rest of the period was largely uneventful, up until Tyler Walker stepped into a shot that found its way into the back of net with 55 seconds to play. The Nighthawks continued their good play in the 2nd period, extending their lead to 3 goals through Ray Sheilds. Prague would finally find a goal of their own through Dagmar Havlova but a goal at the end of the period from Condor Adrienne once again extended the lead. Prague then found their feet in the 3rd and exploded for 3 goals to tie the game and force overtime. It was Cinnamon Block with the goal to start the rally, then Thomas Landry II really put some doubt into Malmo with a wonderful goal to bring the game back to 1 goal. Midway through the 3rd period Ben McGirr scored the game tying goal and that would be all the scoring for regulation. Overtime would be needed to solve this one, and Prague fans will be cursing the hockey gods after being forced to watch their team make a remarkable comeback only to fall short in the extra frame. Ray Sheilds scored the winner with only 53 seconds to play and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Another phenomenal game to round off the week that had a very big impact on the playoff race. A win for Prague here would have ensured their spot in the wildcard round, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

 

 

Events of the Week

 

Hat-Tricks

• Game 487 - Kris Rice
  • The first hat trick of the week comes from Calgary forward Kris Rice. In this game where defence was an afterthought, the Wranglers lit up the Americans for 8 goals in a high scoring affair. It was Rice who came up clutch for Calgary, as they actually entered the 3rd period trailing by a score of 5-4. However a 3rd period hat trick from Rice completed a very nice comeback for Calgary.

 

• Game 491 - Guy Lesieur
  • Lesieur continued his phenomenal season in this game against Prague. He did all the scoring for D.C. in this one, and they have to be happy with their decision to acquire him at the trade deadline. They will be hoping that he continues this play in the playoffs.

 

• Game 506 - Jerry Wang
  • Another high-scoring game between the Americans and Wranglers in this one, and this time it was Jerry Wang who came out with a hat trick. He had a goal in each period, and even got the game winner in the 3rd as Calgary attempted another remarkable comeback.

 

• Game 511 - Sigard Gunnar
  • An amazing natural hat trick was scored by Sigard Gunnar in this match-up between the Los Angeles Stars and Toronto Legion. The Stars took a narrow lead into the 3rd period before Gunnar absolutely lit up the Legion for 3 goals in just under 8 minutes. This game brought his tally up to 56 goals for the season.

 

• Game 512 - Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  • Another natural hat trick, this time from Warsaw’s free agent signing, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. You could be picky and say his hatty was broken up by an intermission, but he still scored 3 in a row. HHH led the way for Warsaw in this game, they ran out of this one as 5-2 winners.

 

• Game 516 - Ola Vikingstad
  • Nearly everybody on the Bears roster had a point in this 9-0 drubbing of the London United. However, Ola Vikingstad stood out above his teammates by scoring a great hat trick. He had two goals in the 3rd period, and one with just 6 seconds left which confirmed his hat trick.

 

• Game 520 - Kristopher McDagg
  • In this back and forth game which had multiple lead changes, Kristopher McDagg scored a clutch hat trick to help secure a comeback win for Toronto. With his team trailing by a goal midway through the 3rd, he came up with a couple of goals which helped ensure a victory and a hat trick.

 

• Game 528 - Jared Spaz
  • The Titans had a few hat tricks this week, and Jared Spaz had two of his own. His first came against the Prague Phantoms, where he added on some insurance at the end of the game to really drill home the victory. This hat trick was also Spaz’s 30th goal of the season, which is something he can be very happy with.

 

• Game 538 - Ben Hafkey
  • Another one from the Helsinki Titans, this time it was Ben Hafkey. He had a pair of goals in the first period, and one of them came on the penalty kill. In the 2nd period, shortly after Calgary had tied the game, he scored his hat trick goal to give the Titans a 3-2 lead which they eventually turned into a 5-4 victory.

 

• Game 543 - Marshall James Frostbeard
  • Players this week are just loving their game winning hat tricks. This time it was Marshall James Frostbeard of the Malmo Nighthawks coming up with a hat trick game winner against the New York Americans. He had a couple of goals in the middle frame and then popped up midway through the 3rd with the hat trick and eventual game winner.

 

• Game 544 - Benny Graves
  • An amazing season for Graves continued in this game where he scored a hat trick against a tough Calgary Wranglers team. The Dragons dominated in this one and Benny Graves scored 3 wonderful goals in a 6-2 victory.

 

• Game 550 - Roque Davis
  • Another clutch performance and this time it’s from the young defenceman, Roque Davis. He helped Davos out of a 2-0 hole in the first period by scoring twice and erasing that deficit. He then popped up again when it mattered most, and buried the game winning goal in the 3rd period.

 

• Game 554 - Chris Hylands
  • In this 4-1 victory for Malmo, they almost had Hylands to thank exclusively. He scored a nice hat trick, with goals in each period, and helped Malmo to a relatively easy win.

 

• Game 556 - Micheal Gary Scott
  • A very rare hat trick from a defenceman and it goes to Micheal Gary Scott. The veteran defenceman scored 2 very quick goals in the 1st period, and then finished the job later on in the 3rd period, scoring his 3rd goal. The Americans would take this one by a score of 5-1.

 

• Game 557 -Lucas Brandt
  • We almost had another natural hat trick on our hands from Lucas Brandt, but it wasn’t meant to be. He did score all of his goals in the 1st period, but his hat trick goal was split by a goal from Chicago just 8 seconds before he managed to score his 3rd. He won’t be too upset, however, as Moscow won the game 4-3, thanks to the scoring ability of Lucas Brandt.

 

• Game 563 - Jared Spaz
  • Spaz’s 2nd hat trick of the week came in a 7-3 drubbing of the Chicago Phoenix. A goal in each period by the Titans sharpshooter ensured a great day at the office for himself and his team.

 

• Game 576 - Balentine Kidd
  • The final hat trick of the season came in the final game. Balentine Kidd played a wonderful game for the United, scoring a goal in all 3 periods and the game winner for his hat trick. A great way to end the season for Kidd and the London United.

 

Shutouts

• Game 484 - Jean Pierre Camus
  • Recording his 3rd shutout of the season and putting a dent in Davos’ playoff hopes, Jean Pierre Camus played a solid game for the Chicago Phoenix. He stopped 26 shots, and even managed to get on the scoresheet, by grabbing an assist on Chicago’s 2nd goal. What a game from the rookie netminder.

 

• Game 493 - Samuel Ross
  • The Helsinki Titans have Samuel Ross to thank for this win. He made 26 saves in this one, and it’s a good thing he was there when his team needed it, because Helsinki only won by a score of 1-0. Only his 2nd shutout of the season, but I doubt Ross will be too displeased considering Helsinki’s #1 spot in the standings.

 

• Game 496 - A Red Guy
  • The first of 4 shutouts this week for the retiring goaltender A Red Guy. He made 30 saves in this 1-0 win over Riga. This included stopping a late flurry of shots after being forced to go on the penalty kill with only a minute left in the game.

 

• Game 499 - A Red Guy
  • ARG proves once again just why he is thought of as one of the best goaltenders in the league, stopping 37 shots en route to another 1-0 victory, our 3rd in a row and ARG’s 2nd in as many games. Another solid outing from New York’s star man.

 

• Game 505 - Nicolas Fomba & Joakim Bruden
  • Taking a glance at this one, it looks like a 4th shutout by a score of 1-0, but this was actually a double shutout from these amazing goaltenders, as the game ended in a shootout, so both goalies are credited with a shutout. We have Nicolas Fomba from Warsaw, who made 29 saves, including all 3 in the shootout and also collecting the win. However, Joakim Bruden must be disappointed as he actually picks up a loss with this shutout, a very rare sight indeed. The 41 saves just weren’t quite enough.

 

• Game 508 - Jimmy Spyro
  • For the 3rd time this week, Davos finds themselves on the wrong end of a shutout. This time it’s Jimmy Spyro who picks up a 2-0 win, after making 33 saves for a clutch win that helped Vancouver in the playoff race. This is Spyro’s 4th shutout of the season, and he has had a solid year indeed.

 

• Game 516 - Rayz Funk
  • A shutout was almost a foregone conclusion in this game. An amazing 9-0 win for the Seattle Bears and a shutout for Rayz Funk to go along with it. He only needed to make 17 saves, but he stood tall for all of them and certainly earned the goose egg.

 

• Game 519 - β-LAS G
  • This has been an amazing storyline to follow all season long. Los Angeles could not find a goalie to play for them so they were forced to use their backup for the whole year. He managed to pick up two shutouts this week, this one being his first. A fine 25 save performance was enough to help his team to a 3-0 win.

 

• Game 521 - A Red Guy
  • His 3rd shutout of the week, and he isn’t even done yet! This time he picks one up against the Riga Reign, after making 35 saves. Another solid performance from A Red Guy that ensured the New York Americans secured a playoff spot in the tight North American conference.

 

• Game 522 - β-LAS G
  • This would be the backup’s final shutout of the season, and he would end with an incredible 5 of them. I’m honestly not sure what they were feeding this guy down in LA but whatever it was, it worked. In this game against the D.C. Dragons, he stopped 39 shots, and stole the game for the Stars in a 1-0 win. What a season from the Stars netminder.

 

• Game 562 - Stone Wolski
  • The Dragons managed to steal one from Helsinki here, managing to win 3-0 after registering just 17 shots. It was the great play of Stone Wolski who helped secure that victory though, as he stopped all 28 shots that Helsinki managed to throw at him. This victory was crucial for the D.C. Dragons and their quest for a playoff spot.

 

• Game 564 - Nicolas Fomba
  • Fomba only picked up 2 shutouts this season, and both of them were in the final week of play. This is a great sign for the Predators and they will be more than happy to see that Fomba has been improving in his play as the year went on. He made 22 saves in this shutout victory over London.

 

• Game 566 - Thorvald Gunnarson
  • Moscow’s young backup Thorvald Gunnarson picked up his 2nd shutout of the season with a solid performance against the Chicago Phoenix. He didn’t face a high amount of shots, but he stopped all 16 and that’s all that matters.

 

• Game 570 - Jaxx Hextall
  • Toronto would grab a 1-0 victory against the D.C. Dragons in this one, speaking of which, there have been way too many 1-0 shutouts this week! This time it was Jaxx Hextall who made 25 saves and earned 1st star of the game. This ended up being his 5th and final shutout of the season, which is something Jaxx can be proud of.

 

• Game 573 - A Red Guy
  • In the final regular season game of A Red Guy’s career, things went perfectly. He picked up a 17 save shutout, and ended the season on the highest of highs. Incredibly, this was his 4th shutout of the week, which capped off a fine season in which he earned 8 total shutouts on the season. He will be looking forward to the playoffs in hopes of winning the elusive Continental Cup.

 

 

Rookie Spotlight

James Rose

Special thanks to @dlamb for coming through on short notice.

 

Few rookies have had a path of the VHL that is as unique as the path that James Rose took. James was a stable two-way defender during his time in the VHLM. He spent 2 seasons in the M, playing for Mexico City and Houston during those seasons. He was set to begin his first VHL season with Helsinki until he got picked by London in the VHL Expansion Draft.

 

 “It feels like you are a part of something that’s going to be great, a bit like you’re on the ground floor of a new business. You just have to put your head down, stay with it and trust the process” Rose was amazing in his rookie year, recording 63 points in 72 games which tied him for 5th for points among rookies in the entire VHL. When asked about his breakout season, Rose tells us a part of it was due to him staying down in Houston last season.

 

“It gave me time to improve. It feels like I can keep up and have more of an impact in the VHL game today. At the start of the season, I did have some doubts, but McWolf and Sonnet reassured me that I was doing well. I want to be first in line to be team captain, but that's not up to me and it isn't the time yet to be thinking about stuff like that.”  Rose had a great season on a London United team that went 18-51-3 through 72 games this season, last in the league and trailing the next best team by 9 points. Rose said even though the team struggled this season, he had an absolute blast.

 

“I think I interact with my teammates well. As far as prospects and new rookies coming, I can help out now. There are A LOT of firsts this season for myself AND the franchise, so we're all going through the experience together, and that's priceless and super exciting. Next season, expect a vastly improved team and it's going to improve even more.” Even though every seemed good for Rose as he was picked in the expansion draft, he explained that there was much more going on during that time than meets the eye.

 

“Oh man.. it was a whirlwind of everything. Was planning on staying in Houston, Helsinki releases me to expansion, I have opportunity in London...chats with Jubo, McWolf and rjfryman, support from my Bulls, it was a crazy few days. The dust settled a few days later when I chose to move up and be a part of something new.” Rose says he hopes he can lead this team to success a few seasons down the road. The potential is there, with some solid pieces to build around and a top draft pick. Rose left us with one last answer for how things will go:

 

“We're going to be competitive, play spoiler, train HARD and stay UNITED. As for how things will actually play out...you'll just have to wait and see.”

 

 

Hey @KODAK, I'm Hylands, GM of the Mexico City Kings in the VHLM. You're more than welcome to join us in our Discord LR where we can help get you acquainted with the league! I'll send you a message with an invite.

Chris Hylands - Rookie Experience

 

ESPN.SE - As the season comes to an end, it’s time we reflect back on an incredible year. The expansion of the league went off without a hitch, and the plan to spread out the talent among the league worked flawlessly. Forwards around the league flourished in this new expansion era, with multiple players hitting the 100 point mark for the first time since Season 68. Among those who enjoyed increased production, was the crop of rookie talent that entered the league this year. This group of rookies produced at an incredible rate all season long, and today we will be hearing from the man who topped them all, Chris Hylands.

 

“I really didn’t even know what to expect coming into this season. I had been watching the rookies last season and saw their point production and kind of just assumed I would be lucky to get near what they had done. But, the league expanded luckily for me, and I think all of the rookies, not just myself, have benefitted from that.” Chris Hylands had an amazing breakout season, leading all rookies with 76 points, and also managing to hit the 30 goal mark. The Nighthawks forward is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year, but he’s not solely focused on individual awards. “Of course I would be happy to win Rookie of the Year. It would validate all of the hard work I have put into my career. But the main goal for me, and all of us on Malmo, is making the playoffs. First and foremost we want to be competing for the Continental Cup, and if we so happen to pick up some individual awards along the way, that would be a bonus.” 

 

     Hylands took little time adjusting to the lifestyle of the VHL. In his first season playing for Malmo, he was voted to be the Assistant Captain by his teammates. “I was honestly shocked when coach told me I would be wearing the A this year. I don’t think of myself as the loud and passionate leader, but more of the guy who leads by example. I bring the best attitude I possibly can every day, and I try to treat others how I want to be treated. I can’t thank my teammates enough, because without them, I wouldn’t be here.” When asked about his goals for next season and the future beyond that, he was very blunt about what he was thinking. “We’re going for a Cup. No doubt about it. I just want to come back next season, contribute in as many ways as I possibly can, and win that damn Cup. As far as personal goals, I just want to improve every season. Maybe go for 40 goals next year?” 

 

    What a whirlwind year it was for Hylands and the Malmo Nighthawks. After being the worst team in the league last year, they welcomed a strong group of rookies to the team who helped propel them to a playoff race. It was a close race down to the very end, but they squeaked into the Wildcard round where they are poised to battle it out with HC Davos. As of right now, we are waiting for the playoffs to begin so who knows what Hylands and the rest of the Malmo Nighthawks have in store for us.

1 hour ago, Duddy said:

 

Sure, why not. Low risk, low reward. I like it.

 

Offer has been sent!