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hylands
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Posts posted by hylands
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Add me to the list please! Don't hesitate to ask for any information you may need.
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Whilst a set time every day for sims is probably a bit unrealistic, I think having some sort of a deadline would be the perfect middle ground solution.
- DMaximus and Motzaburger
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New AGM, new press conference questions.
Let's get the week started off right!
1. Esso pulled off another trade, acquiring Acyd Burn from Davos. Is this the final piece we need to make a Cup run?
2. We have finally started to play like the team we knew we could be. What do you think the reason for that is?
3. What do you think we should focus on as a team to solidify a playoff spot for this season?
4. Are you happy with how you are performing just past the half way mark of the season?
5. What's your favourite way to relieve some stress on your off days?
6. Have you picked up any new skills and/or hobbies during this isolation period?
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1. The WJC have started, what country do you think is going to win?
I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but I would have said Team Europe anyways!
2. Mexico City just can't seem to gain solid traction, what do you think we need to change in our game?
Seems to be our special teams letting us down, we just gotta start playing for each other out there and really put the team first.
3. Houston seems to be gunning to beat our 60 lose record from last year, what do you think is the main cause of this?
The fact that they barely have a full roster has something to do with it. We did 60 losses with a FULL roster!
4. What VHL team do you think is going to win the cup this season?
Mexico baby!
5. What VHL team do you want to eventually play for?
I've been drafted by the Malmo Nighthawks so I would like to win a cup there, but I wouldn't mind playing for one of the expansion franchises.
6. What is your go to snack during the season?
Sour patch kids are my guilty pleasure.
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I'm not sure if this is an option but I wouldn't mind transitioning to graphics work if possible.
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Thank you for the opportunity to GM Team Europe! It was an amazing experience from top to bottom.
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Welcome back to another season of the World Junior Championship; as such, it is time for another Daily Review! These series are about best players, surprises, and let downs from the most recent games. Stick around and follow us, as VSN is here to be the media outlet for you and your entertainment!
Also, don’t forget to check out other cool VSN Content produced weekly for your entertainment.
S72: Early Standouts | Deep Rewind | Ringless: Stockholm Vikings | VHL Weekly | Under 250: VHLM Review
What a wonderful tournament these five amazing teams put on this season. Team Europe have come out on top, earning themselves the Gold Medal as back to back champions. Team USA came up short in the finals after a stellar tournament, and are awarded the Silver Medal. Meanwhile, Team Canada were able to dispatch Team World for the Bronze Medal, and Team Asia ended the tournament in 5th place. This recap will take on a slightly different format as I analyze each game of this incredible medal round.
Team Asia (4) vs. Team World (6)
This playoff game decided who would go on to the Semi-Finals to play against the top-seeded Team USA. Team World had managed to scrape home-ice advantage on the last day of the Round Robin despite actually losing to Team Asia on the final day of action. This set us up for an amazing playoff round between two hungry teams that were eager to play for a medal. Unfortunately for Team Asia, Team World was determined to be the ones that advanced by jumping out to an early 3-0 lead just 10 minutes into the game, after goals from Xavier leFlamant, Micah Adrienne, and Aleelee Kiak. Team World actually had a 4-0 lead heading into the 2nd period after a late tally by Gary Neal. Team Asia attempted to rally back behind top scorer Jungkok but Team World cut down any hopes of that by adding another two goals, another one from Adrienne and one from DeFenz Mann. Late in the game, Viktor Mjers cut Team World’s lead back to two goals but that was all Team Asia was able to do. Team World would come out on top, winning 6-4 in regulation and booking themselves a ticket to the Semi-Finals.
Team World (0) vs. Team United States of America (6)
Continuing their dominant performance in the tournament, Team USA easily dispatched Team World by a score of 6-0, which also happened to be the first shutout of the tournament as well. Team USA had an incredible 61 shots on goal as they showed no mercy to their opponents. Robin Winter and Jack Feriancek scored in the 1st period, followed by a couple of goals from Mickey Dickson. Things were all but said and done before Vin Calia scored the 6th and final goal in an absolute rout of Team World.
Team Canada (3) vs. Team Europe (5)
In the second Semi-Final game, we had a much tighter contest between two great teams in Team Europe and Team Canada. Both of these teams were pegged to be favourites to play for Gold, but as is often the case with these tournaments, only one of them can make it. Special teams played an important role in this game and it was Team Canada who got off to an early lead through Tyler Walker after capitalizing on an early power play. Not to be discouraged, Team Europe answered with a goal of their own from Richard Penisson and then a late marker by Marshall James Frostbeard allowed them to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Gabriel Gutzwiler added to Team Europe’s lead before Michael Mac showed Team Canada had some grit and got one back right after. Perhaps gaining some confidence from Mac’s goal, SS Hornet scored a late equalizer with 49 seconds to play in the 2nd, tying this game at 3 heading into the 3rd period. Team Canada got into some penalty trouble of their own in the 3rd, and it ultimately spelt their demise, after G. Gutzwiler scored the 2nd goal, and Chris Hylands added some insurance on a late power play. Team Europe was able to see out the game and get a shot at winning back to back Gold Medals.
Team World (3) vs. Team Canada (4)
What a game this Bronze Medal contest turned out to be. Two teams that really put out their best efforts in an attempt to acquire some hardware. SS Hornet scored a lone goal for Team Canada in the 1st and they took that lead into the 2nd period. SS Hornet added another goal for its team before Aleelee Kiak finally got Team World on the board. However, just 32 seconds after that goal, Team Canada added another one from Joe Exotic which restored their two-goal cushion. Latrell Mitchell then rounded off the scoring of an action-packed 2nd period and had Team World within touching distance heading into the final frame. It wasn’t until 17:16 of the 3rd period before Timothy Brown scored what ended up being the game-winner on the power play for Team Canada. Aleelee Kiak scored a power-play goal of his own to make things interesting in the last couple of minutes but Team Canada was able to hold on for the win and were rewarded with the Bronze Medal.
Team Europe (6) vs. Team United States of America (2)
The tournament’s top two teams met in the Gold Medal game of this season’s tournament. It’s not often you get to see the top-seeded teams battling it out to prove who is truly the best. Team USA won both Round Robin games so they had the slight mental edge coming into this game. Having said that, it was Team Europe who started on the front foot through Leon Gutzwiler and Chris Hylands. Trailing 2-0 heading into the 2nd period, Team USA regrouped and cut the deficit to one after a goal from Jeff Blaze. The Gutzwiler twins then linked up for a goal of their own and restored the two-goal lead for Team Europe. The very next shift, however, Lucas Brandt erased that advantage with a beautiful goal only 16 seconds later. Sadly, that was all the scoring that Team USA would be able to find. Team Europe starting goaltender, Zamboni Driver, made 29 saves in the victory, and our hats are off to Team USA goalie, John Poremba, who faced a whopping 63 shots, and made 57 saves! Bob Helminen, Empty, and Richard Penisson scored the rest of the goals for Team Europe who cruised to victory, and back to back Gold Medals.
This concludes our coverage of the Season 72 World Junior Championships. Please join us again next season where VSN will be host to all of your WJC action.
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BACK TO BACK CHAMPS!
Great games everybody! Tournament was a blast.
- Zetterberg and fonziGG
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Welcome back to another season of the World Junior Championship; as such, it is time for another Daily Review! These series are about best players, surprises, and let downs from the most recent games. Stick around and follow us, as VSN is here to be the media outlet for you and your entertainment!
Also, don’t forget to check out other cool VSN Content produced weekly for your entertainment.
WJC Update #1|Under 250|Ringless|VHL Weekly
Day 2 of the World Junior Championships provided us with some intense games that were vital in determining how the standings look right now. Team USA has shaken off their shock loss to Team Asia and are perched firmly atop the standings with 16 points and a 6 point lead over 2nd placed Team Europe, who has a game in hand on them. Middle of the pack Team Canada appears to be struggling, unable to find any consistency. Team Asia went on the biggest slide today, falling all the way from 1st to 4th after losing all 3 games they played. Rounding up the teams are Team World, still looking for their first win, they have only a single point through 5 games.
Team United States of America
Team USA has shown to the world that they are a force to be reckoned with. This team’s offence is firing on all cylinders and they are dismantling opponents on sheer offensive prowess alone. Sporting the top three point-getters in the tournament in Jack Feriancek, Mickey Dickson, and Adam Syreck it’s no secret what the game plan for Team USA is. Perhaps fuelled by revenge, they marched out as 5-1 victors against Team Asia in a game that they dominated from start to finish. Two quick goals early in the game from Dickson and Feriancek really put Team Asia on their heels and they never really got into the game. Not quite as dominant of performance but their game against arch-rivals Team Canada was one for the ages. A back and forth contest which had each team giving everything they had until the very last whistle. This game had five lead changes and Team USA had the last laugh as Vin Calia potted the game-winner on the power play midway through the 3rd period. Next, in what we can probably safely label as the game of the tournament, Team USA knocked off Team Europe 8-7 in an absolutely insane contest. 53 shots to 48 for the Americans in another back and forth game had everybody clamouring for more. As is usual in these tournament games, special teams played a big factor as Lucas Brandt scored the game-winning goal short-handed.
Team Europe
Another solid day from the Europeans and they will be sleeping happily knowing they are in 2nd place. After being taken to a shootout by Team World earlier in the tournament, Team Europe set out to crush any doubts of their abilities in their second game. Gregg Stallion had a solid game, scoring two goals and earning the first star as he helped Team Europe see off Team World 5-1. They lost a heartbreaking game to Team USA after putting up 7 goals, so they definitely have some work to do on the defensive side of things. Valtteri Vaakanainen had 4 helpers and he is tied for 3rd place in tournament scoring, so it looks like they can count on their star man to produce going forward which could very well be their key to success. Their final game against Team Asia didn’t look to be going their way until a remarkable 3rd-period comeback. A great never say die attitude was on display and they were able to secure the comeback victory after Richard Penisson linked up with Chris Hylands with under two minutes to go in the game.
Team Canada
Consistency is hard to come by for Team Canada this year. Another average day for the Canadians as they lose one and win one, and they are planted firmly in the middle of the pack. Having said that it’s not all doom and gloom for this squad. All of their losses have been by one goal and one would think that the puck luck will have to go their way soon. However, with this being such a short tournament they have got to make some luck of their own. SS Hornet and Alex Letang led the way for Team Canada in a tough 5-4 loss to Team USA. They showed great tenacity to tie the game up on three separate occasions but the offensive juggernauts in Team USA were too much to handle. Their game against the surprise of the tournament so far, Team Asia, was a much better result and they wound up on the right side of a 3-1 game in which Joe Exotic had two goals including the game-winner. With three games remaining for Team Canada they have to be targeting three wins, as anything less will have them on a tough path to the finals.
Team Asia
After starting off the tournament on the highest of highs, Team Asia finds themselves on day 2, experiencing the lowest of lows. They never really got going in their game against Team USA and were in a 3-0 hole very quickly. Jeremy Lin picked up his first goal of the tournament in this 5-1 loss. It seems to be goalscoring that is Team Asia’s Achilles heel, they have a solid defensive core and are fine on that end, but the bulk of their goal scoring has come from three main players in Shaposhnikov, Jungkok, and Komarov. They are going to need their second and third line players to step up and put some points on the board if they want to find any long term success at this tournament. They found that scoring touch against Team Europe, but their defensive play took a hit as they eventually lost this one 6-5. James Rose and Viktor Mjers got their first goals which is a sign that maybe Team Asia is trending in the right direction and they may still surprise some folks after being written off by many.
Team World
The window is nearly shut for Team World already. With just a single point and not a win to their name, you can pretty much count this team out. It’s clear to see this team just hasn’t scored enough and has conceded way too many. Outside of their top 3 players, there just hasn’t been enough contribution to winning games. When they have their secondary scorers contributing, they will find much more success, as was on display in their game against Team USA. Jeffrey Pines will be happy to have scored his first goal and point of the tournament and likewise for Cassius Gardner who also scored his first of the tournament. They still came up short, however, as Team USA managed to pepper their goal with 65 shots. Team World just can’t seem to get the balance right and they are cemented firmly at the bottom of the standings as we wrap up day 2.
That will be all for today’s World Junior’s update. Please join us tomorrow with @Mr_Hatter recapping the day's action.
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Lines for Team Europe are in!
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Welcome to the second edition of VSN’s S72 Weekly recap (Games 120-202). 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.
But first, 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 Review | Trade Alerts | Ringless: The S54 Stockholm Vikings
Recap
Welcome to Week 2 of VSN’s ongoing weekly coverage of the VHL. I would just like to preface this week’s article to say a thank you to the staff here as they have made my transition to full time writer seamless, and I am immensely proud to be representing the VSN here. Without further ado, let’s get into this week’s action.
What a whirlwind the VHL turned out to be this week! Some major trades happened early in the week, and to everybody’s surprise, it was some of the league's most dangerous talent on the trading block. Seemingly entering rebuild mode, the Vancouver Wolves traded away their crown jewel and captain Julius Freeman along with a couple of 4th round picks in a three-way trade. In the European Conference, we had Moscow join the rebuild party by also trading away their captain and star forward, Jet Jaguar.
Looking at what happened on the ice, some interesting trends are starting to appear. We have seen an increase in scoring across the league, with 12 skaters currently on pace to breach the 80 point plateau, while last season only had 3 players reach that same mark. With a strong last 10 games, going 7-3-0, the Riga Reign sit atop the European Conference tied on points with HC Davos, but ahead on goal difference. Meanwhile, in the North American Conference the top two teams, Calgary and Seattle are in a close and heated battle for the top spot, while the other teams battle it out for the final two playoff spots.
3-Stars
First Star
Lincoln Tate (RIG) - 5 G, 16 A, 41 Hits
Second Star
Julius Freeman (NYA) - 9 G, 10 A, +8
Third Star
Raymond Bernard (MOS) - .905 SV%, 2.67 GAA, 1 SO
Power Rankings
@Pengu with the incredible power rankings graphic
European Conference
The story of the European Conference is very consistent with that of last week. The gap between first and last in the conference has widened by just one point, from six to seven. While they have yet to achieve sole possession of first at any point, the Riga Reign are the clear number one as the only team in the conference with a positive goal differential. The HC Davos Dynamo and Helsinki Titans have both struggled to put together back to back wins all week, but that has been even worse for the Titans as they are not only a point back, but the Reign and Dynamo each have a game in hand. While I expect some stratification of the conference eventually, I would not be surprised if these teams stay close throughout the rest of the season. At the bottom half of the conference, you once again have three teams separated by only a point. However, my money is solidly on the Moscow Menace at the moment. Raymond Bernard has put the team on his back, and I find it hard to believe that their scoring drought will last forever. Conversely to Moscow’s league-leading defence, we have the Prague Phantoms. Despite leading the conference in goals, their one hundred and eleven goals against is the highest in the league. Somehow, Virgil Ligriv has four points already this season, and if the Phantoms can figure out what is going on in front of him it will be interesting to see if he can return to his form from last season. Finally, the Malmo Nighthawks are being single-handedly carried by Condor Adrienne. Without him, I shudder to think where this team would be. With him, however, they are certainly in the running for the last playoff spot in the conference.
North American Conference
Completely inverse to the EC is the North American Conference. Twenty-one points separate first and last as well as a goal differential of fifty-five goals. At the beginning of the week, it looked as though the Calgary Wranglers may have been running away with the conference, but as the week went on, the Seattle Bears drew within a point. Beyond the point advantage, Calgary also has the slight bonus of having played their backup goalie more than Seattle so far this season. The Toronto Legion fell back to eight points behind, but they maintained a decent cushion from fourth and fifth at their backs. Among the biggest news of the week, The Vancouver Wolves appeared to be throwing in the towel, trading their best player, Julius Freeman, away to the New York Americans, their closest competitor. However, at the end of the week, they still sit one point ahead of the Americans, acting as gatekeepers of the playoff race. With the addition of Freeman, I expect New York to overtake them, but it will be interesting to watch just how long that takes. There is also always a chance that Vancouver has plans for the roughly four million in cap space they now have in order to make another push to the top. At the bottom, we have the D.C. Dragons. Coming into this season, it was obvious that the North American Conference would be a slugfest, but I for one did not see D.C. suffering this much. At this point, it would be hard to argue against a Boris the Forest curse.
Notable Games
Game 123 - Seattle Bears vs. Calgary Wrangles
In a rematch of one of last week’s featured games, the top two teams in the league found themselves facing off yet again. Seattle would come out on top this time after a fantastic team performance in which all but two of their contracted skaters contributed with at least a point. A fantastic back and forth game where Calgary showed some signs of a fight, but came up short in the end and had fans at the edges of their seats from puck drop to the final buzzer. A fine First Star performance from Ray Sheilds along with help from the usual suspects in Ambrose Stark and Berocka Sundqvist was enough to keep these two amazing teams neck and neck at the top of the standings. Also, let’s not forget leading points getter and goal scorer for the Wranglers, Mikko Lahtinen, notched 2 tallies and his total at the end of the week landed him tied for first in the league with 23 goals.
Game 167 - Riga Reign vs. Toronto Legion
What a dominant performance by the Riga Reign, in all aspects of the game, this was. Phenomenal goaltending, solid and responsible defensive work, along with amazing offensive prowess was on display as Riga brushed aside the Legion. The Reign’s offence was firing on all cylinders and was spearheaded by Season 71’s first overall pick, Kyl Oferson, who scored a tremendous hat trick. Toronto kept the Reign’s goaltender, Greg Eagles, busy all game as they put up 33 shots, but they just weren’t quality enough to really threaten Riga’s strong performance. Kristopher McDagg of the Legion ended the game with 2 assists and logged the most time on the ice in the entire game playing a whopping 32 minutes and 39 seconds.
Game 173 HC Davos vs. Helsinki Titans
In this European Conference battle, we had two teams right in the thick of a playoff race looking to shore up on points and cement their berth in the postseason. Many people expected fireworks in this one but instead, we got more of a chess match. Neither team managed to muster up much of any momentum in this close-fought battle and overtime was needed to decide a winner. Only allowing one goal and coming up with big saves when Helsinki needed them most, Michael Johnson had a great game with 23 saves. However, it was Ben Hafkey who played the role of hero on this night as he scored a wonderful goal just 1:26 into the overtime period to seal a victory for Helsinki. Acyd Burn scored the lone goal for HC Davos.
Events of the Week
Fights
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Game 134 - FULL LINE BRAWL!
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Wow! This action-packed game between Calgary and Moscow culminated in a huge line brawl shortly after Moscow had brought the game to within one midway through the 3rd period. Jacob Perry and Mikko Lahtinen fought to an inconclusive draw, Sigard Gunnar got the best of Nate Telker and Aleelee Kiak scuffled with RJ Jubis but neither landed any finishing blows.
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Game 172 - BRAWL!
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Another brawl, but this time in a cross-conference game. Markus Nygren got himself ejected for instigating a fight with Codrick Past and his linemate Randy Marsh got into a shakeup with Pengu with nobody coming out on top in either fight.
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Game 199 - HHH Fights Twice
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Hunter Hearst Helmsley won’t be extremely proud of these two fights. He got laid out by Sigard Gunnar in the 1st period, and maybe his ego took a bit of a hit because he sought out to gain redemption and this time took up a fight with Tyler Barabash Jr. He will have done himself no good here as the fight resulted in the two grappling awkwardly before the refs broke them up.
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Hat-Tricks
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Game 133 - ACL TEAR
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This young Davos side sure is an exciting team to watch, but it was one of the old guards that was at the forefront of this game. ACL TEAR put on a show of his own against the D.C. Dragons where he scored a hat trick, including the eventual game-winner, and even added one more for good measure bringing his tally on the night up to four. Also of note, ACL TEAR did not need the power play to help him out as all four goals were scored at even strength.
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Game 165 - Ola Vikingstad
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In a match between two of the recent powerhouses of the league, it was Ola Vikingstad of the Seattle Bears who had the last laugh. It was a pretty dominant game for the Bears, easily overcoming their opponents, and they have Vikingstad to thank for that. Ola scored a natural hat trick that was split between the 2nd and 3rd period which helped lead his team to a 4-1 win.
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Game 167 - Kyl Oferson
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This match between two teams right in the middle of an intense playoff battle was one to remember for Kyl Oferson. He scored half of his team's goals with a wonderful hat trick and is showing that he is ready to be a consistent contributor in his sophomore season. Nearly equalling his goal total from last season in 40 fewer games the sky really is the limit for this great young talent.
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Shutouts
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Game 124 - D.C. vs. Riga
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Earning the first shutout of week 2, we had Stone Wolski of the D.C. Dragons who came up with a 14 save effort, for his second shutout of the season, against Riga Reign in a close game that ended 1-0. Perhaps a fire was lit underneath the Dragons’ bellies after stumbling out of the starting blocks to begin the season.
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Game 141 - Malmo vs. D.C.
- In what will probably turn out to be the weirdest shutout of the season, D.C. were shutout by the Nighthawks, which seems pretty normal when you look at it on paper. However, this shutout was recorded by Malmo’s emergency backup! Yes, that’s right folks, Malmo does not have a proper backup goaltender and their emergency backup managed eight saves, for a shutout, in a game which was dominated by the Nighthawks.
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Game 144 - Moscow vs. Helsinki
- I’m not sure what Helsinki did to anger Raymond Bernard so much, because this is now the third time this season that he has shutout the Titans. After a 41 save performance in Week 1, Bernard is back at it again, this time with 37 saves en route to his third shutout of the season, all of which have come against Helsinki. A lone goal in the 3rd period by Mat Tocco was enough to seal the victory.
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Game 150 - Moscow vs. D.C.
- Back to back shutouts from the goaltending duo in Moscow must have you thinking the Menace are on a tear up the standings! Look for yourself, however, and you will find them anchored at the bottom. A 31 save game from backup Clayton Park and a couple of points from Mat Tocco helped them to a 2-0 win.
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Game 170 - Malmo vs. Toronto
- Recently acquired Malmo goaltender Solomon Crawford stopped all 34 shots in a tough game against Toronto. His first appearance for the team will be one to remember and General Manager John Frostbeard must be happy with the instant impact.
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Game 180 - Prague vs. Malmo
- It wasn’t the most eventful shutout of the season, but Virgil Ligriv will be happy nonetheless after making 20 saves in a 2-0 victory against Malmo for his first shutout of the season. Furthermore, Virgil was traded from Malmo earlier this week and will undoubtedly be extremely happy to shut out his former employer in his first game against them.
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Game 198 - Toronto vs. Moscow
- Picking up his second shutout of the season, Jaxx Hextall had a solid game where he made 23 saves in Toronto’s victory over Moscow. Not the toughest shutout of his career, but one that he will be proud of nonetheless. Toronto walked out as 3-0 winners with Teemu Lehtinen Jr snagging two points.
Rookie Spotlight
Vladimir Shaposhnikov
Thank you @Pengu for this awesome banner as well
Vladimir Shaposhnikov spent some extra time in the VHLM, bouncing from team to team. He picked up a cup in his first season with the Saskatoon Wild. He was then drafted late in the second round by the Houston Bulls. He proved to be quite the steal for them, scoring fifty-eight points and helping them make it into the second round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, he was drafted by the Helsinki Titans in the VHL. In the offseason that followed, Shaposhnikov was traded by the Bulls to the Las Vegas Aces. There, he became a centrepiece of that team, scoring one hundred and two points and another ten points in the postseason.
Entering S72, the Titans were strapped for cap space and Vladimir was due to be called up. They traded his rights away to the Toronto Legion where he joined the squad immediately. Since then, he has had a solid play, with sixteen points in thirty-four games. Arguably, it is the unexpected play from skaters like Vladimir that has allowed the Legion to rise so far above what everyone expected of them this season. After their disappointing recent history, it is exciting to see surprising young players like this be such a big part of their return.
Going forward, I would like to see Shaposhnikov get back to what he did best. Given his goal-scoring capabilities in the VHLM, I think his shooting percentage should come up over the course of the season. If the pucks begin to bounce in his favour, Vlad could make a big impact in the weeks to come. I think improvements also need to be made to his defensive game. Shaposhnikov can be invisible at times in his own zone, but that is common with young players. He has the size, I expect we will start seeing him throw his weight around as he becomes more comfortable playing at this level.
SpoilerPlayers mentioned: @rjfryman, @gorlab, @Tate, @Mr_Hatter, @MMFLEX, @OrbitingDeath, @chillzone, @Banackock, @Berocka, @Beketov, @Zetterberg, @Greg_Di, @Nykonax, @Viperxhawks19, @fonziGG, @McLovin, @Acydburn, @Grant, @Liberty_Cabbage, @Telkster, @Big Mac, @Jubis, @Devise, @oilmandan, @Kylrad, @Pengu, @Beaviss, @Bushito, @Quik, @Dil, @DollarAndADream, @Matmenzinger, @leafssteen, @AW13, @ROOKIE745, @Sixersfan549, @ng1291
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Thank you @Zetterberg for the lovely logo
Today, I am proud to introduce to you, the Season 72 World Junior Championship Team Europe! Please do not feel discouraged if you were not selected, there were some very tough decisions to be made with such a talented pool of players to select from.
Team Europe S72
F - Alek Andreshnikov - @PuckPushers SLO
F - Big Chungus - @Ferda SWI
G - Zamboni Driver - @Tape-to-Tape ISL
D - Spencer Elsby - @Spence King FIN
F - Empty - @StamkosFan SWE
F - Marshall James Frostbeard - @FrostBeard LVA
G - Nils Friedriksen - @Biggreen10 NOR
D - Gabriel Gutzwiler - @DaftRaincloud SWI
D - Leon Gutzwiler - @Gwdjohnson SWI
F - Bob Helminen - @Big Bob FIN
F - Chris Hylands - Myself GBR
F - Richard Penisson - @bluesfan55 ISL
F - Gregg Stallion - @SweatyBeaver BEL
F - Valtteri Vaakanainen - @Jubo07 FIN
D - Zyrok12 - @Zyrok ESP
Please check your messages and join the Discord we have set up for the tournament as it will be the best way of communicating with the rest of the team and fellow competitors.
- SweatyBeaver, Jubo, Zetterberg and 3 others
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- Transaction ID: 3UF32735LT987740H
- So happy to see the goal being hit already before I could even make it home from work to donate!
- Confirmed. -sterling
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1. We've made some big trades recently, who do you think's going to make the biggest impact for us?
I am really excited to see Viktor Mjers in a Kings jersey. He's gonna be a huge presence on the blue line for us.
2. What do you think is going to be your best stat this season?
Goals baby! Jeffrey Pines can hit your tape from anywhere on the ice and we're trying to form a deadly partnership this season.
3. We've had a lot of Kings getting jobs recently, what would your ideal VHL job be?
I'm hoping to one day become a VHL GM!
4. What VHLM team do you think is just going to slip into the playoffs?
It's really hard to call, everything is so close and a couple wins in a row can see everything turned upside down.
5. Who's the most underrated player on the Kings?
Arthur Dayne. Maybe not right now since he's leading the team in points, but he definitely deserves to be up there.
6. Have you picked up any new hobbies or dove deeper into one during this isolation period.
I have gotten in to sim racing! It's a great way to block everything out and just focus on one thing and clear the mind.
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37 minutes ago, rory said:
Hey Cole, I'll apply. I'm active in the Mexico City locker room and can dedicate a consistent amount of time of week for the foreseeable future. Would love the opportunity to work with you.
I can vouch for rory, he's an excellent candidate for the position!
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Proud to be leading Team Europe at this seasons WJC!
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VSN Weekly Review - S72 Week 4
in VSN - Victory Sports News
Posted · Edited by Hylands33
Welcome to the fourth edition of VSN’s S72 Weekly recap (Games 288-370). 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: Week 4 | Deep Rewind: WJC | Ringless: S21 Seattle Bears | S72 Future Watch: EU
Recap
The trade deadline came and went this season without so much as a whimper. With so many blockbuster deals made in the week leading up to the deadline, it’s not hard to see why we didn’t have any trades made on deadline day. This week we had both the Calgary Wranglers and Seattle Bears clinch playoff spots, becoming the first teams to do so. Elsewhere in the playoff race, things are still very much up for grabs. The offensive surge we saw last week came to a halt, as goalies and defences were able to find their feet again. With playoffs right around the corner, they would have been working hard in practice to correct any flaws in their game to ensure success.
As the regular season winds down, and we approach the final 10 games, we are really in for a heated battle. Having only two playoff spots accounted for out of 8, teams on the outside looking in will be doing their utmost to make sure they are in that top 8 come to the end of the season. With the European conference as tight as it is right now, there will undoubtedly be some disappointed players when it all comes to an end.
3-Stars
First Star
RJ Jubis (CGY) - 7 G, 9 A, +7
Second Star
Berocka Sundqvist (SEA) - 7 G, 16 A, 19 Hits
Third Star
Michael Johnson (HSK) - 2.84 GAA, .914 SV%, 6 W
Power Rankings
@Pengu again with the amazing power rankings graphic
European Conference
It was a big shake-up in the European Conference this week. The Riga Reign have finally pulled away from the pack far enough that it is hard to see them losing the top spot. But elsewhere in the conference, things have gotten very interesting. The Helsinki Titans had a down week, winning just half of their games and allowing the HC Davos Dynamo to catch back up with them. The really interesting change, however, is the Moscow Menace. At times this season, it looked questionable whether the Menace would even make the playoffs, and they are now within a couple of points of the second seed. There is still enough hockey to be played that we could end up with a surprising playoff picture. The final piece of that picture is the Prague Phantoms. While Moscow surged, the Phantoms quietly kept pace. They are still a few points back, but the next three teams are close enough that any one of them could drop below Prague with a bad enough slide. I will mention the Malmo Nighthawks just to say that they are only holding onto last in the league by a point and need to tank harder to maximize their chances of first overall.
North American Conference
In contrast, the North American Conference was fairly stable this week. The Calgary Wranglers still hold their fate in their own hands with a relatively comfortable lead of the conference. The only team that can realistically challenge them for the top spot are the Seattle Bears. While they are six points back in the standings, most of those points are from Calgary’s overtime losses, and Seattle only trails them by two in goal differential. These two are so closely matched it is impossible to say there is a clear favourite to win the conference championship. Behind that, the New York Americans have the third seed almost locked in; they are twelve points back from second and six points ahead of fourth, putting them in the unenviable position of having to face Calgary or Seattle in the first round. The last playoff spot is held by the Toronto Legion. They have a five-point lead on the Vancouver Wolves, but it is important to remember that the Wolves have been on a steady decline since selling off assets earlier in the season. I don’t foresee a close racing for the last playoff spot in this conference. The D.C. Dragons are just battling Malmo for the bottom spot in the league, hoping for the best possible draft odds.
Notable Games
Game 305 - Riga Reign vs. Helsinki Titans
In this battle between the top two teams in the European conference, we saw tempers flare and maybe even a glimpse at a potential Conference Finals matchup. There were 19 penalties handed out between both teams, with Riga picking up an absurd 12 minors. Helsinki took full advantage of their power plays and scored 3 of their goals while having a man advantage, with the eventual game-winner being one of them. Erik Summers led the way for Helsinki with 2 goals and an assist, while it must be noted that Greg Eagles had a magnificent performance in net for Riga, making 43 saves in a tough loss. This win for Helsinki has allowed them to remain within striking distance of that coveted top spot in the conference, which Riga currently holds.
Game 314 - Moscow Menace vs. New York Americans
This was a great hockey game between the 3rd placed teams in each conference. A very even battle that came down to goaltending at the end of the day. This game started out with a fight just 2 minutes in between Acyd Burn and Jacob Perry which set the tone for an intensely fought game. Both teams were pretty even on shots taken and if not for an empty-net goal by Oskar Lagesson, this was close right down to the wire. Raymond Bernard stole the show for Moscow, putting up 37 saves to secure the win, and it was Aleelee Kiak who scored the winning goal midway through the 3rd period. Owen Nolan was the lone source of offence for the Americans, as their top guys couldn’t solve Bernard’s stellar goaltending.
Game 320 - Calgary Wranglers vs. Seattle Bears
These juggernauts of the North American conference were at it once again this week, this time in a low scoring affair which had Seattle once again coming out on top. Shots were dead even for both teams and just like the other games, an amazing goalie performance, this time from Rayz Funk, was what propelled Seattle to the victory. Calgary’s power play struggled in this game, going 0 for 6 and that definitely contributed to their demise. Ray Sheilds potted two goals for Seattle and earned the first star, while RJ Jubis scored the only goal for Calgary. Seattle will have been happy to have won this game, but their inconsistent play throughout the week sees them now 8 points behind Calgary for the top spot.
Events of the Week
Fights
Hat-Tricks
Shutouts
Rookie Spotlight
Pengu
Amazing graphic for himself done by @Pengu
Pengu spent his first season in the VHLM as a mid-season signing by the Halifax 21st and was an instant success. Putting up sixty-two points in fifty-four games, Pengu’s performance wasn’t enough to lift the 21st into the postseason. In the offseason that followed, he was drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in the VHLM and the Riga Reign in the VHL. The Reign decided Pengu wasn’t quite ready to be called up, so he spent his second season in the minors. On the Aces, Pengu continued to be a major factor in every game with one hundred and seventeen points.
This season, Pengu joined the Reign as a rookie and got right to work. He currently sits in the top three among rookies in points with thirty-five. Riga currently leads the European conference and looks like a solid contender for the cup as they have nearly clinched the top seed. Pengu has some great veterans on the roster to learn from with Codrick Past and Phil Marleau bringing a depth of knowledge for the younger players. And, as those players age out of the team soon, it looks like Pengu could have the spot of top-line centre on the Reign in the next couple years if he decides to stick around.
Pengu has always been an offensively minded player, but this season has really highlighted that. He has shown that he can compete in the offensive zone with players who have been in the league much longer than he has. However, he has struggled to keep up in his own end. With only fifty-six hits and eight shots blocked, I would like to see a level of physicality added to Pengu’s game as he matures. With the amount of raw talent this player has when it comes to scoring, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him leading the league in points just a couple seasons from now.
Players Mentioned: @Jubis@Berocka@fonziGG@Erik Summers@Greg_Di@Acydburn@Liberty_Cabbage@fever95@Mr_Hatter@Grant@studentized@Rayzor_7@Zetterberg@gorlab@Bushito@VinCal@Speed@Ricer13@Beketov@Beaviss@Grape@HenrikZoiderberg@11 Eleven@McLovin@STZ@Brrbisbrr@AW13@DarkSpyro@DollarAndADream@Pengu