Mashy

TPE TIME!
Thank you to all of these member for helping us improve the VHLs recruitment.
If you are pinged you may claim 1 Uncapped TPE

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If you are not on this list you either didn't submit or your 1-3 word answers didn't cut it. And again thank you everybody, I'll be coming out with another post later answering or just showcasing some questions asked and concerns raised in the form. So if that sort of thing interests you keep an eye out on the writers discussion in the VHL discord.

-Z 

 
 

1. I loved it, I thought it looked super dope!
2. My favourite was probably Stockholm Vikings logo, loved the colours on it! 
3. I think if we keep going in the right direction we could easily steal that last playoff spot. 
4. Smoked Ham, Bacon, Cucumber, lettuce, onions, olives, salt & pepper, and spicy mayo. 
5. Mcdavids speed, Sabrina Williams strength.
6. My favourite team is the Preds but I got the Avs winning it all.

I did it again, except this time with the Riga Reign. Added some rough text to see how that looked - text was a maybe (font was giving me issues), but I really like how the lion came out!

THE RIGA REIGN

 
 

What is up VHL! Welcome back to another article of Under 250, where we cover everything VHLM. Make sure you're caught up with all the recent VSN news updates, articles, and podcasts here:
 
S77 VHLM Awards | S77 VHL Awards | S78 VHL Mock Draft
 
 
S77 VHLM Playoffs Review
 
 
In this volume of Under 250, we’ll be looking at the S77 VHLM Playoffs. I’ll be summarizing the quarters and semis, then go into a full breakdown of the finals. It was a fun write-up, so I hope y’all enjoy.
 
 While this postseason didn’t necessarily provide the exciting, edge-or-your-set action we have come to expect, that doesn’t mean it didn’t give us a championship to remember. The Mississauga Hounds, led by general manager of the year Zetterberg, steamrolled the competition and held a very strong case for a Founder’s Cup, while the entire Western Conference was lacking in truly playoff caliber teams. It made for an interesting first few matchups, which carried through the rest of the playoffs.
 
 
Quarter Finals
 
This was another one of those seasons where we could tell what the seeds were even at midway through the season. The VHLM is not a league abundant with parity, so we could even tell which teams would probably be going far in the playoffs soon after the draft. This season, those teams were the Mississauga Hounds, the Saskatoon Wild, and the Miami Marauders. They quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the pack in the regular season, and secured optimal positions in the playoffs. The other 5 teams may not have had as battle-ready rosters, but managed to confirm playoff berths nonetheless.

 
In the first series, the top seeded Hounds faced off against a barren Houston Bulls squad that took advantage of an unusually weak Western Conference to sneak into the postseason. On contrary to the widely predicted sweep, the Bulls stole game 1 but were manhandled by the dominant force that was the S77 Mississauga Hounds. The series ended 4-1, with Mississauga maintaining the primary spot in the next rounds’ reseeding
 
 
The second sequence was between the second seed Saskatoon Wild and the sneaky good Las Vegas Aces. The Wild had been riding a confusingly strong season despite a very strong team, and the Aces, with the help of their key deadline pickups Kjell Nilsson and Shaggy Tipton, exploited their weaknesses en route to a jaw-dropping 4-1 victory for the Sin City players. It was the first major upset of the playoff.
 
 
The third matchup pitted the Miami Marauders, who had mapped out their success throughout their last few seasons, against the San Diego Marlins, who were still reeling from past pick deficits. In an astonishingly narrow finish, the Marauders emerged victorious from an exhilarating game seven triumph. It proved the gritty and resilient mindset the Floridians would operate for the duration of the playoffs.
 
 
The fourth and final series was initially bound to be the tightest series of them all. However, a slight turn of events proved otherwise. The Halifax 21st and the Minnesota Storm had similar teams and similar situations during the S77 season. The Storm had established themselves as perennial contenders and were looking to pull off some miracle work in S77, while the 21st made clear that they wanted a cup sooner rather than later with their deadline acquisitions. After going down 3-0 in the first 3 games, the Storm roared back with two straight elimination wins before the boat gang finished them off in game 6.


 
Semi Finals
 
With the Aces the only real underdog heading into the semi finals, the results of the postseason were relatively uncertain, with all of the squads still alive having winning qualities. The Hounds remained the odds-on favourite for most, but the Marauders presented a strong case as a battle tested team from the previous few seasons.

 
Following the realignment of the seeds, the Hounds ended up opposed to the 21st in their semi final matchup. Once again, Mississauga was the heavy favourite and a quick and quiet series was expected. It was a back and forth tussle, with each team trading 2 wins in a row until the Hounds pulled off a critical blow in game 6 to send the Nova Scotians home. 
 
The second series had the Marauders countering the Aces. The Aces, coming off a massive upset of the Wild, may have been unprepared for a tougher, more talented opponent. The Marauders won the first two games by a combined score of 9-4, setting the pace of the series. The Aces held on to force the next two games into overtime but Delving Mackey in game 3 and Alexander The Great in game 4 came in clutch for the South Beach boys, clinching the sweep and their advancement to the Founder’s Cup finals.


 
Founder’s Cup Finals
 
Mississauga Hounds vs. Miami Marauders
 
 
                                                    


 
This was it. The two dominant pillars of the Eastern Conference  meet again, with the stakes higher than ever before. Their head to head in the regular season is mind-blowing, with the Hounds winning 7 out of their 8 clashes. However, the Marauders were flying high with the nail-biter of a series with the Marlins to the confidence-building demolition of the Aces. For VHL onlookers, a tense, fight-till-the-end hell of a series was anticipated. But what derived from the finals was nothing short of incredible.
 
Game 1
 
Guy Lambert for Mississauga and Trevor Wallace for Miami (Noah Mashford was ejected from the draw) faced off at center ice to commence the S77 Founder’s Cup finals. Lambert got his stick under Wallace’s, cut him off, and kicked the puck back to Hard Markinson. Markinson took a few strides up ice, then lofted the puck into the Marauders’ corner. Jan Hlozek retrieved the puck, and what followed was what had worked for the Marauders the last eleven games. 
By moving the puck quickly and effectively, they took control of the Hounds’ defensive zone and set up their lethal offensive drive. It was only a matter of time before the puck found mesh. Napoleon Bonaparte finished the slick passing play with a rocket of a slapshot from the half wall to put the Marauders up 1-0 less than two minutes into the game. Roughly 3 minutes later, hotshot rookie sensation Tyler Reinhart fired a wrist shot off the blocker of ClapbombsRUs off of an offensive zone faceoff, then busted his butt to the front of the net where he tapped in his own rebound. 5 minutes into the first frame, and it was already tied at 1. 
For the ensuing 7 minutes or so, the game played out, with both teams generating around an equal amount of scoring chances. It wasn’t until 13 minutes into the first that, after regaining the puck in the offensive zone, 4 consecutive Marauders missed the net in rapidfire fashion. They just kept getting the puck back until, after a shot from Alexander The Great was blocked, Damien Salducci reached into the slot and wired a snapshot over the shoulder of Luke Spinelli. 2-1, Marauders, 
The second frame also started out with a bang. This time around, it was the Hounds who were all over their opponents from the get-go, dominating the faceoff circle and pummeling Clapbombs with a barrage of shots until Jonny Pacheco was able to find a loose puck off a wild one timer from the point and tuck it under the goaltender’s left pad to once again make the game even. Following that goal, there was an unnerving quiet in the arena as the teams traded chances. It wasn’t until Markinson let go a booming slapshot from the point that was blocked by a very brave Vasiliy Grigorev, but bounced right back to Markinson, who took advantage of the fast moving play to slide a low wrister into the bottom corner of the net, giving the Hounds the lead. The Marauders once again gained total control of the play, looking for a marker to not go into the third down a goal. They shelled Spinelli with shot after shot, still managing to miss the net a large chunk of the time, but they got a lucky bounce after Jah Coon, on the receiving end of a thundering hit from Chris P Bacon, took a whack at the puck, which sailed over Spinelli’s right shoulder and into the net. Thirty seconds before the end of the period, with one player from each team returning from the penalty box, the Marauders lost an offensive zone faceoff but their ferocious forecheck regained it, and it was Coon threading it through the slot to find the wide open Delving Mackey for an easy tap in. The South Beach boys went into the room full of adrenaline and the ice was tilted their way.
The third period carried the momentum attained by Miami with Mackey’s goal in the second. It was a relatively uneventful frame, with both sides exchanging offensive attacks. It was 7 minutes in when penalties from Miks Sunish and Joe Madison had the Marauders on a 5 on 3 power play, where they had a significant scoring advantage, and it was Declan Wolf who capitalized, putting the final nail in the Hounds’ coffin. The Marauders would hold on to take game 1 by a score of 5-3.
 
Game 2
 
Game 2 of the series had fans on the edge of their seats from less than a minute in. Owen Taylor was penalized for hooking a mere 3 seconds into the game, and on the power play, Hlozek’s blistering point shot that rang off the post was the only sign of offensive threats for a good portion of the first. Spinelli expertly fended off the initial man advantage, and Clapbombs showed off his striking ability to absorb pucks without a rebound, stifling all attempts to gain momentum. Later, when it was the Hounds’ turn to buzz around the O zone, Clapbombs was a rock wall in net until he was caught off guard by a Pacheco shot off of a brilliant royal road pass from Miles Johnson. Pacheco fanned on the one timer, but it hit a skate of a Marauder defenceman and trickled through the five hole of the goalie. 1-0, Hounds.
The rest of the period was also dictated by the netminders, who faced a total of 18 shots. In the second frame, the pace of the game was at its peak, with players streaking down the ice at full speed and the puck going from end to end to end faster than it had all game. A critical point in the game was when Noah Mashford was cruising into the Hounds zone when he lost control of the puck, only for it to be picked up by Alexander The Great, who used his teammate as a screen to nestle a shot in the top right corner of the net. The subsequent celebration from the Marauders bench was louder than all the fans in the building as the line went to high five their teammates. It showed what kind of team Miami was, and their fierce determination to capture a championship. 
Slightly over a minute later, the hyped up Marauders were flying around the Hounds’ zone, exchanging the puck at a VHL level. This time, Wallace was the star, as he received a drop pass, took a stride through the extended stick of his defender, and flung the puck at the net. A screened Spinelli was unable to track the puck, and it bounced off his pad and right back onto the tape of Wallace, who flicked it top shelf to score the eventual winning goal of the game to put the Marauders up 2-1. 
The remainder of the period was largely controlled by the Hounds, who outshot the Marauders 15-9 in those 20 minutes. In the final frame, Miami was able to wrestle back the momentum and successfully repel the Hounds’ attacks until, with just over a minute remaining, Grigorev was boxed for hooking. The Hounds pulled Spinelli, and it was a 6 on 4 for the rest of regulation. Unfortunately for Mississauga, they were unable to find a tying goal, and the Marauders went back to their home rink with a 2-0 lead in the series. 
 
Game 3
 
The air inside the rink was electric. The hometown Miami Marauders had a chance to take a chokehold on the Hounds, which is going up 3-0 in a best of seven series. It’s one of the most coveted positions in sports history, and almost always spells doom for the victimized franchise. As always, Mashford and Lambert met in the faceoff circle to commence game 3 of the Founder’s Cup finals. 
The first five minutes of the contest went without a major turning point, until Coon was boxed for tripping, putting the Hounds on the man advantage. After some scrambling which even involved Madison icing it on the power play, the Hounds finally managed to set up their PP system, which resulted in a Miles Johnson snap shot from the top of the circle, in a similar style to Nick Suzuki. 
A few minutes later, something very strange took place. With a delayed penalty to Mackey for tripping, Owen Taylor flipped it over the boards in his own end, signaling a delay of game penalty. A four on four occurred, with two completely different penalties happening at the same time. One important faceoff and a zone entry later, Wolf deflects a shot from Alexander The Great and it’s all tied up. 3 minutes later, The Great picks off a pass, dishes it to Wolf, then to Sportsboy57, back to The Great, who unleashes a wrister that finds twine behind Spinelli. Suddenly, Miami is leading 2-1. The first ended without any more goal scoring action.
Fast forward to 4 minutes into the second. Gustislav Nasherov of the Hounds is serving a two minute minor for hooking, and the Marauders are on the power play. Hlozek is rushing the puck up through the neutral zone, but loses control. Sportsboy is there to tap it back to him, so he glides into the zone and unloads a clapper from the blueline. Amazingly, it wedges in between the blocker and chest of Spinelli, and the score is 3-1 Miami. 
The rest of the stretch was a replay of game 2, with Clapbombs and Spinelli both being extremely solid in between the pipes. The third period began and continued with players from both sides being sent to the sin bin, and both power play units having nothing to show for it. That was before Jah Coon took a fateful trip to the box for high-sticking. Lambert won a crucial faceoff, and the puck was cycled around the O zone before Hounds defenceman Joakim Lund saw Lambert loitering in the slot, so he purposefully missed the net. The puck bounced off the boards beside the net and into Lambert’s area. He took a swing at it, and it skidded through Spinelli and into the back of the net to lower the lead to one goal. The Hounds played out the final few minutes in desperation, pulling Spinelli for an extra attacker, but it once again failed as the Marauders came away with a narrow victory. 
 
Game 4
 
Game 4. The Marauders had a chance to finish it off right here, inside their home rink, in only 4 games. When they stepped on the ice, they were greeted by a sea of pink in the stands. I could only imagine what was going through the minds of the poor Mississauga players. The vibe was tense among everyone in the building. This was true playoff hockey!
The Hounds had brought their best game, that was clear from the moment they stepped on the ice. They were up against a wall, and they had no choice but to fight until they couldn’t anymore. They peppered Clapbombs with shot after shot, looking for cracks. Ultimately, after a long minute of moving the puck around the outside of the Marauders’ zone, Gaspar Zakrevsky received a feed from JaredN Jr. and rifled it on the ice through the five hole of Clapbombs to break the ice and give the Hounds the push they needed. Unfortunately for them, the ecstasy didn’t last long. Miami roared back, poking and prodding the Hounds’ defense when Mackey fired a wrister wide of the net, only to be picked up by Coon, who danced behind Spinelli for a moment before stepping out and roofing it to make the game even. 
The time remaining went by quickly, with no real dangerous scoring chances or rushes. In the second, it carried on that way, with Tynan Sylvester of the Hounds and Declan Wolf of Miami coming close but not being able to breach the netminders. Then, it happened. With Salducci in the box for tripping, there was a faceoff in the Hounds’ end because of an icing. The Great knocked it back to the point, where it was fed to a winding-up Trevor Wallace, who fired a slapshot that rang off the right post before dribbling in. A shorthanded goal is the last thing you want to give up while tied in an elimination game, yet the Hounds managed to accomplish just that. It seemed to motivate the Hounds, however, who pounced on the Marauders but could not finish the play. The period ended with a dominant effort from the Hounds, who doubled the Marauders’ shot totals.
In the third, the period felt like it went by in an instant. Both teams were playing with crazy levels of adrenaline and desperation, and they traded scoring chances frequently. It wasn’t until 3 minutes left in the contest when, on the man advantage, Zakrevsky tipped a wayward puck around Clapbombs to tie the game up. What followed was one of the biggest heartbreaks for the Hounds maybe ever. Paralysed with happiness, perhaps too focused on not letting them score instead of scoring themselves, they allowed themselves to fall shorthanded; needless to say Alexander The Great ended their championship hopes with slightly more than a minute left in the final game. The Miami Marauders had won the Founder’s Cup!


 
That brings this edition of Under 250 to a finale. Thank you for reading, and make sure you’re all caught up with all the latest VSN coverage.
 
 
 
Players mentioned:
 

Congrats to all the winners! Very well deserved!

Playoff MVP Award "Skylar Rift Trophy"
 
The Skylar Rift Trophy is awarded to the player who was most valuable to their team during the postseason. Getting to the playoffs is hard enough, but succeeding and finding postseason success is another battle entirely. Some players disappear in the playoffs while others thrive and seize the moment. Let’s take a look at who stepped up the most when their team needed them!
 
Our runner-up goes to the man in between the pipes. While @ClapbombsRus had a largely average regular season, he undoubtedly elevated his level of play for the postseason. In 15 playoff contests, ClapbombsRUs went 12-2-1 with a .907 save percentage and a 2.67 goals against average. You don’t win titles if you can’t keep the puck out of your own net, and this man managed to do just that. He was a brick wall for Miami en route to their 2nd Founder’s Cup Championship. Clapbombs has already earned over 300 TPE and will be off to serve as a backup in Calgary next season in the VHL. Best of luck!
 
 
As good as the goaltending was for Miami, the true X factor for the Marauders on their playoff run was none other than @Mashy. Noah Mashford was instrumental in guiding his team to the promised land this postseason. Mashford is a true career VHLM’er, having spent 5 seasons in the league after this year. He found a lot of success when he arrived in Miami in Season 76, and decided to re-up for another season this year. Needless to say the decision paid off. In 15 playoff games, Mashford put up 19 points (10 goals, 9 assists) and time after time he was coming up with clutch goals for his team. Now with a Playoff MVP under his belt, he is off to Riga next season to enjoy his first season as a pro! Best of luck and congrats Noah!

 
 
Lastly - Top Executive  - Jack Reilly Trophy!

TEAM WORLD ROSTER 
 
 
Ladies and Gentlemen  @Mashy and I are very excited to announcement the roster representing Team World at this years World Junior hockey championships! 
 


Forwards
 
Asher Reinhart - @rjfryman
 
Kid Frost - @TownBizness
 
The Great - @Jake Sumner
 
Alexander The Great - @Shiny
 
Noah Mashford - @Mashy
 
Bradley Senjo - @Senjo1706
 
Joshooo - @Joshothegreat
 
Napoleon Bonaparte - @CptSquall
 
Tyler Reinhart - @Zetterberg
 
 
 
Defence
 
Reylynn Reinhart - @Ricer13
 
Zeedayno Chara - @Jubis
 
Clinton Giftopoulos - @Thranduil
 
Joe Madison - @Brewins15
 
 
 
Goalies
 
ClapbombsRUs - @ClapbombsRus
 
Tobias Reinhart - @Spaz
 
 
 
Here is the Link to the discord channel where I will give you all your roles once in the channel! 
 
https://discord.gg/YbMuFT3y
 
 
Time to win the gold! 
 
-Tina Out

MIAMI, May 8 (Miami Herald), Adam Carlson - At the midway point of the season, the VHLM’s Miami Marauders were on the outside of the playoff race looking in. Optimism within the team was low, and it looked like a team that appeared to have all it needed on paper to mount a title challenge would, in the end, flatter to deceive.
 
However, a remarkable run of form that saw the team lose a handful of their remaining 25 games in the regular season left the Marauders in second place in the minor league’s Eastern Conference.
 
In the first round of the playoffs, the Marauders faced off against the San Diego Marlins, in what turned out to be a dramatically close contest. Both teams traded wins over the first four games of the series, before the Marauders took a 6-4 victory in Game 5 to put them within one win of a place in the Semi-Finals.
 
The California club roared back with an impressive 4-2 victory in Game 6 to set up a do-or-die Game 7. In the series decider, @Sportsboy57 put in a performance to remember on the backend, racking up three assists, as Noah Mashford @Mashy netted the series clinching goal to send the Marauders into the next round.
 
“The Marlins gave us a really tough series. They came to play every night, and they created a whole load of problems for us. I think Mashy had eight goals in that series alone, and he was amazing for us throughout all seven games. It felt really good to get that win in the final game and it gave us a lot of confidence going forward,” Jan Hlozek, defenseman for the Marauders, said in a interview with the Czech hockey portal Hockey.cz.
 
The Marauders were expecting to play the Saskatoon Wild in the Semi-Finals, although the Saskatoon-based club shockingly bowed out of the playoffs at the first stage. As a result, the Marauders had a date with the Las Vegas Aces to decide who would get to play for the Founder’s Cup.
 
After struggling to put together a string of consistent performances against the Marlins, few could have expected what happened next.
 
Miami opened the series on home ice with a 4-3 victory in Game 1. In the next game, Mashford racked up four points as the Marauders stormed to a 5-1 win.
 
The series headed to the desert with the Marauders needing just two more wins to book their place in the final. The Aces outshot the Marauders in Game 3, but @ClapbombsRus stood tall. Delving Mackey @Jurell Yurki, who burst into form late in the season, eventually scored the overtime winner in a 3-2 victory.
 
Game 4 of the Semi-Finals would also go to overtime after the Aces tied up a back-and-forth game midway through the final period. However, Alexander The Great @Shiny netted on the powerplay early in the extra frame to send the South Beach club to the Finals on the back of a historic sweep.
 
“The Aces are a great franchise and all the games, apart from Game 2, were super close. I mean, the final two games went to overtime, and the games could have gone either way. I think we got some good bounces in this series, but that doesn’t mean that we didn’t deserve to make the Finals. We knew we were playing well, and the guys were truly dialled in,” Hlozek said.
 
The Mississauga Hounds were a force to be reckoned with throughout the VHLM regular season. Boasting a 62-10-0 record, many bookmakers had stopped taking bets on who would lift the Founder’s Cup given the strength of the Ontarian team’s roster, and few thought that the Marauders stood a chance.
 
“We struggled against Mississauga all season, that’s definitely true. They had such a strong, deep roster, that they really posed us a lot of problems. Thankfully, management @InstantRockstar @tinafrombobsburgers put in a lot of work with us, showing us video, giving us a blueprint that they thought could beat the Hounds,” Hlozek remarked.
 
It took the Marauders all of 97 seconds to find the back of the net in Game 1, with Napoleon Bonaparte scoring the first goal of the S77 Founder’s Cup Finals.
 
The Hounds ended up taking the lead midway through the second period, but a pair of goals from Jah Coon @denns and Delving Mackey gave the Marauders a one-goal lead going into the final frame, before Declan Wolf @MrShark buried the insurance marker early in the third to give the Marauders a 1-0 series lead.
 
Game 2 was a much tighter affair, in part thanks to a 38-save performance by Marauders goaltender ClapbombsRUs. In the end, a pair of goals from Alexander The Great and Trevor Wallace @LilHCorny less than 90 seconds apart in the second period were enough to give the Miami club a 2-1 victory, putting them in the drivers’ seat as the series headed to Florida.
 
“Everyone played their hearts out in Mississauga. I can’t say enough about how good Clapper was in net for us, especially in Game 2. He stole us that game. Despite how confident we were, I don’t think we could have imagined that we would be going back to Miami with a 2-0 series lead. It was simply incredible,” Hlozek stated.
 
On home ice, the Marauders took the game to the Hounds in Game 3, outshooting them 38-24. Despite going behind early, Declan Wolf and Alexander The Great scored in the first frame to put the Marauders ahead after 20. Jan Hlozek added another marker in the second as the Marauders won 3-2, putting them within one victory of the title.
 
The Founder’s Cup was in the building as the Marauders took to the ice against the Hounds in Game 4. Once again, the Hounds took an early lead only to be pegged back. Trevor Wallace netted on a shorthanded break late in the second period to give the Marauders a 2-1 lead going into the third, and potentially final, period of the VHLM season.
 
“The dressing room was calm in that period break. I think the guys knew that we just had to stick to what we had done throughout the series and the playoffs to date. If we did that, we knew that the Hounds were getting frustrated, that they were nervous. Our coaching staff didn’t say much, nor did the guys in the room, although Napoleon Bonaparte @CptSquall, as he always does, really got us going. We had all the motivation we needed,” Hlozek said.
 
The third period of Game 4 was littered with penalties, and despite some heroic defending from both sides, something had to give. It looked like the Hounds had found some life late in the third period as Gaspar Zakrevsky eventually scored with just three minutes left on the clock to tie the game at 2 apiece.
 
Ill-discipline would eventually cost Mississauga though, as Joakim Lund went to the box for a hooking minor with just two minutes left in the third period, and the Marauders once again made the Hounds pay on the powerplay.
 
As the pressure built, both Damien Salducci @Deee.Geee and Declan Wolf missed the net on a pair of grade A opportunities, but Alexander The Great lived up to his name, as the Marauders forward corralled the puck and beat Luke Spinelli in the Mississauga net to send the Marauders players, coaches, and fans into raptures.
 
As the final seconds of Game 4 wound down, some players pointed to the sky to remember loved ones no longer with us, while others hugged each other on the bench.
 
Gloves, sticks and helmets went flying as the timer hit zero and the buzzer sounded, as the Marauders players rushed onto the ice to mob ClampbombsRUs who put in another stellar performance in net to lead the South Beach club to a historic Founder’s Cup victory.
 
“Moments like that are why you play hockey. We play to win. We play for glory. To be able to share that moment with guys that you grow to love throughout the season is something special. You always have to be thankful for these moments because some guys go through their whole career without winning anything. The celebrations were truly amazing,” Hlozek said.
 
Hlozek has now completed two full VHLM seasons after he was drafted by the Riga Reign in the S77 VHL Entry Draft. After two full campaigns in North America honing his trade, the Czech blueliner is set to move back to Europe to take his place in the topflight with the Latvian club.
 
“Maybe I didn’t have the season that I wanted from a personal point of view, but I think this year was really important to teach me about adversity, about never giving up, and keeping faith with the program. I had my concerns, as all players did, but I think this season showed what you can achieve if you buy in,” Hlozek said.
 
The Topolna native said that he would spend a couple of days back home with his family celebrating the title win before getting into a committed offseason practice regimen to get himself mentally and physically ready for playing hockey at the highest level.
 
“I’ve still got a long way to go. I need to improve my skating, and I definitely need to get bigger. However, I’ll remember this season for the rest of my life, and I’m truly grateful,” Hlozek concluded.
 
 

Dear Team World/ WJC fans.. Today we will be releasing Team Worlds Logo for this years tournament!!!! Are u excited? Because I am! Super proud to be the AGM of this years Team World and couldn’t have anyone better of a GM then @tinafrombobsburgers.

We had the most winningest record in the second half of the season, and while San Diego gave us a run for our money, we went 8-0 after the 1st round. I don't think it's a fluke, we just had a very shitty start to the season. I truly believe we would've been ahead of Mississauga had we started the way we finished the season. 
 
Stats matter

No disrespect to the marauders, I'm a firm believer that Miami sweeping them is a huge fluke and robs the Hounds of truly accomplishing what their capable of. I've spent the last few days in pure disbelief and it just doesn't make sense to me. I've spent the entire regular season watching the Hawks play great hockey it's just not fair.
 
If the Hounds lose again I will face that the Marauders deserved the win, but I am just 100% sure it was a fluke and does a big disservice to the Hounds and the VHL.

Sorry I am a bit late on this one, I was a little busy but anyways, here is a quick recap of round 2 of the VHLM playoffs.
 
21ST VS HOUNDS
 
Game 1: Oh baby what a game. High scoring and overtime to open a series! What more can you ask for out of a game 1? Mississauga jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first. But Halifax would not quit. They stormed all the way back and forced overtime. Three unanswered goals were scored by Halifax in the third would force the overtime. But it was all for not. Just over a minute in, Davey Jones Jr. would score the winner and a truly epic game came to an end.
 
Game 2: Wow. Another amazing game decided in overtime. Two spectacular goaltending performances would force yet another overtime. This time, there weren't as many goals scored in this one with both teams combining for just 5 goals on 83 shots. 5 minutes into overtime, Gustislav Nasherov would score the winner to give Mississauga a 2-0 series lead. Another gut-wrenching loss for the 21st. They are now tasked with coming back down 2-0 against the best team in the VHLM.
 
Game 3: A huge win for Halifax. They are back in this series after a 6-4 victory here in game number 3. 3 point games from Germano Henchoz and Kikko Moskinen helped tremendously. There has been an abundance of shots in this game. It has been an offensive battle so far. This is really shaping up to be an epic series. 124 points for the Hounds in the regular season. I know they’re still trailing in the series, but this is a tough Halifax team that nobody should take lightly.  
 
Game 4: Halifax refuses to quit. A 4-3 win to even the series. After 2, the score was 4-0 Halifax. But Mississauga came roaring back. You look away and all of a sudden boom! It’s 4-3. But Halifax was able to hang on and level the series at 2 a piece.
 
Game 5: Mississauga responds with a dominant 4-2 victory helped by a pair of goals from Jonny Pacheco to take a 3-2 series lead as it heads back to Halifax for game 6. Can Halifax complete the comeback and the upset? Find out in game 6 of this epic battle.
 
Game 6: The answer to my last question is no. Mississauga wins game 6 and the series with a dominant 6-3 victory. Halifax put up a good fight, but in the end Mississauga prevails and advances to the Founder’s cup final.
 
ACES VS MARAUDERS
 
Game 1: this was an interesting game, we had 6 goals in the first but only one the rest of the way. At 7:47 of the 3rd period, Napoleon Bonaparte would score on the power play, a goal that would stand as the game winner. A disappointed Aces team now has to try and come out strong in game 2 because nobody wants to go down 2-0 in a series.
 
Game 2: The aces would fall flat. Giving up 3 goals in the 3rd and losing 5-1. A 4 point night from Noah Mashford helped the Marauders take a commanding 2-0 series lead. Panic has to be setting in for Las Vegas. They pulled off a shocking upset of Saskatoon in round 1, they are going to need a little more magic to complete the comeback and challenge the Hounds for the Founder’s Cup. The series heads to Vegas with Miami taking both games at home.
 
Game 3: In a must-win game for the Aces, they would come oh so close to winning it, falling in overtime by a score of 3-2. Miami’s overtime hero would be Delving Mackey, who would score on the power play to give his team a commanding 3-0 series lead. With their backs against the wall, can the Aces hold off the Marauders? Or will Miami prove too strong and advance with a sweep?
 
Game 4: In a game where the Aces outshot Miami 36-23, Miami would prevail in overtime, with Alexander The Great scoring the series winner, sending thousands of Vegas fans home unhappy. Again, the overtime winner would be scored on the power play. A pair of overtime penalties cost the Aces the series. You have to wonder: could the Aces have taken both games if it wasn’t for the penalties? We will never know.
 
In my round 1 recap, I predicted Mississauga to go all the way. While I do believe that this is an excellent Miami team, the Hounds have been so dominant throughout the regular season and playoffs, it would be ridiculous for me not to pick them. Hounds in 6.
 
 

Dear Team World/ WJC fans.. Today we will be releasing Team Worlds Logo for this years tournament!!!! Are u excited? Because I am! Super proud to be the AGM of this years Team World and couldn’t have anyone better of a GM then @tinafrombobsburgers.

Dear Team World/ WJC fans.. Today we will be releasing Team Worlds Logo for this years tournament!!!! Are u excited? Because I am! Super proud to be the AGM of this years Team World and couldn’t have anyone better of a GM then @tinafrombobsburgers.

Dear Team World/ WJC fans.. Today we will be releasing Team Worlds Logo for this years tournament!!!! Are u excited? Because I am! Super proud to be the AGM of this years Team World and couldn’t have anyone better of a GM then @tinafrombobsburgers.

Dear Team World/ WJC fans.. Today we will be releasing Team Worlds Logo for this years tournament!!!! Are u excited? Because I am! Super proud to be the AGM of this years Team World and couldn’t have anyone better of a GM then @tinafrombobsburgers.

Dear Team World/ WJC fans.. Today we will be releasing Team Worlds Logo for this years tournament!!!! Are u excited? Because I am! Super proud to be the AGM of this years Team World and couldn’t have anyone better of a GM then @tinafrombobsburgers.

Dear Team World/ WJC fans.. Today we will be releasing Team Worlds Logo for this years tournament!!!! Are u excited? Because I am! Super proud to be the AGM of this years Team World and couldn’t have anyone better of a GM then @tinafrombobsburgers.

Team Asia is here with a brand new logo for this coming WJC!
I'm really proud to be the GM for this team as we plan on improving from last season!
For now here is our redesigned logo!
 

1. Absolutely. The boys are buzzing not only on the ice but also in the locker room. We have so much confidence right now and going into the finals I think we will be a force to be reckoned with. 
 
2. Honestly, I don’t really care who we play. I would like to see us play Halifax as they are the underdog in their series against the hounds right now. I also wanna play Halifax so that I have something to chirp Z with other than his favourite NHL team. Lol.
 
3. I wouldn’t have these stats if it weren’t for my teammates.
 
4. Ever since I joined Miami last year ive been super happy here. All the boys will be life long friends for me and it’s sad to say that it will be my last season in Miami. Tina @tinafrombobsburgers, Ricer @Ricer13, and Rockstar have all been a super big help in the player I am today and I will forever be grateful for them. On the four teams I’ve played for they are by far the most helpful and friendliest gm's I’ve had.
 
5. The Walking Dead. It has so much hype built around it. It started off great but in the later seasons gets super cheesy. 
 
6. McDonalds 100%. If you would call Tims a fast food place then them.

Miami Marauders Press conference for week ending 5/9/21: 
 
1. After the sweeping the Aces in the semi finals, Miami is Final bound!!! Do we take home the title??
 
2. Who do you want to play in the finals and why? (Hounds or 21st) 
 
3. In 11 games @Mashyleads the Marauders with 10 goals and 17 points!! Has he been the teams mvp so far? 
 
4. What can you take from this years Mararuders experience for your player and as a user in this league?! 
 
get to know you questions: 
 
5. what is one tv show you find overrated?
 
6. Go to Fast food restaurant? 
 

 
 

The first round of the VHLM Playoffs have finally wound down and we had some high-level drama in the late stages of the Quarter-Finals. The fact that no series ended in a sweep really is a testament to the current state of the league and how much parity there is between the teams. While some teams performed as expected, other teams certainly went above and beyond and showed they belong in the postseason. The top seed and perennial favourite Mississauga Hounds faced off against the eighth seed Houston Bulls in a true David versus Goliath type series. Meanwhile the top team in the West was the Saskatoon Wild, and they squared off against their conference rivals, the Las Vegas Aces. The third seeded Miami Marauders drew the sixth seeded up-and-coming San Diego Marlins team that seemed poised and eager to prove themselves. Finally the Minnesota Storm would clash with the Halifax 21st in an all-East matchup to round out the first round. Without further ado, let's dive into it and see how it all went down!
 
 

(1) Mississauga Hounds vs (8) Houston Bulls
MIS wins in 5
 
The reigning  Prime Minister's Cup champs began their title hunt in a quarter-final matchup with the Houston Bulls. The series began in a raucous arena packed full of Hounds fans excited to see their team make another run at the Founder's Cup. Just a minute into the first game of the series the fans were sent into a frenzy as @jpach Johnny Pacheco would open the scoring. Before the period was over though the Bulls had answered with a tally of their own and the teams went into the first intermission tied. The rest of the game was a dogfight, back and forth the entire way. Many say this game was one of the most exciting of the series. Going into the third period the Hounds were down one, until the Bulls top line center @Senjo1706 Bradley Senjo potted a pair of goals to put the game out of reach and silence the crowd. When the buzzer sounded it was a 5-3 shocker that nobody saw coming. 
 
However, in the face of adversity the Hounds did not back down. In Game 2, they came out confident and made the necessary adjustments. @Spartakiller2 Guy Lambert opened the scoring halfway through the first and Hounds never looked back. They peppered Houston netminder @enigmatic Aike van Giersbergen with 48 shots in Game 2, and despite his best efforts, the Hounds came away with a very clean 4-2 win. With that the series would shift to Texas for two games south of the border. Despite the change in scenery, the results would remain the same as the story really started to become the Hounds' shut down defense. In Game 3 the Bulls were only able to muster 18 shots on goaltender @Lspinelli Luke Spinelli. Despite that, the game still was relatively close, but unfortunately for Houston fans the game ended by a score of 4-3 for the Hounds. In Game 4 things went from bad to worse as again, Houston was held to just 19 shots on goal. On top of that, Mississauga's lethal offense was beginning to click and they erupted for six goals. Leading the way were wingers @Pythonic Gaspar Yakrevsky and @Vat Gustislav Nasherov who tallied two goals apiece. With a stranglehold on the series, the scene shifted back to the GTA for Game 5. The theme of smothering defense continued in this contest where for the third consecutive game Houston was held to under 20 shots, and with their playoff lives on the line they only would come up with 16 shots on net. Just like in Game 3, Game 5 would end with Mississauga doubling up Houston 4-2 and thus elminating them in five games. Houston did well to make the playoffs, but it was known that it would take a Herculean effort to knock of the best team in the league. They will regroup and look to the offseason while Mississauga would enjoy a couple extra days rest and prepare for the semi-finals.
 
 

(2) Saskatoon Wild vs (7) Las Vegas Aces
LVA wins in 5
 
In a clash between two Western Conference rivals, the Sasky Bois drew the Las Vegas Aces first their first round opponents. The Wild enjoyed a very successful regular season campaign that saw them claim top spot in the West with an impressive 50 win season.  Fans of the franchise were getting flashbacks of their Season 68 and 69 glory days when the team was at it's all time best. Sadly though, the fan's optimism was quickly snuffed out when this series got underway.  The SaskTel Centre was rocking for Game 1 but just a minute and a half into the game, the Aces would open the scoring on a power play marker by @Giles Rigel Giles Sweeney. The American winger took cross-seam pass and blasted a one-timer top shelf from the half-boards to give  Las Vegas the lead. Two minutes later rookie sensation @Seabass The Seabasstard would even things up. The scoring kept coming though as the Aces would add two more power play goals back-to-back. When the dust cleared, the Aces came out of the first period with a 3-2 lead. They sealed the deal in the second period with yet another power play marker, giving them 4 power play goals total in the game. It was a balanced attack with 5 different players scoring goals, and what was even more impressive was the fact they held the Wild to just 14 shots the entire game! 
 
Game 2 the Wild came out with much more purpose and determination. In a high-scoring affair, young guns @Zakary Delisle and @124715 Duncan Montana both buried two goals each as Saskatoon managed to pull out a 6-4 victory. The Wild were happy to at least salvage a split during their home games 1-1 before heading to the Sin City for the next two tilts. In series shifted to Vegas for a pair of games in the desert. Game 3 would go down as the best game in the series, and perhaps one of the most memorable games of the entire VHLM playoffs. Going into the third period, the Wild trailed 2-1. After trading goals, and less than five minutes to play in regulation, Duncan Montana buried a wrist shot under the glove of @Erik Morgan Karlsson and tied the game. In overtime though Karlsson redeemed himself as the Wild would pour 11 shots on net but none would get by the keeper. The first overtime would solve nothing, so we were off to a second extra frame. Less than halfway through the second overtime, defenseman @TXC Tanky would take a high-sticking minor. And in what is undoubtedly the key trend of this series, the Aces capitalized on their power play opportunity.  The Aces maintained a relentless cycle and eventually d-man @Jakefufu hammered a seeing-eye slapshot from the point that the screened goaltender @BrutalBoost Andrew Bowman had no chance on. 
 
To me, Game 3 was the game that really decided the fate of this series. Losing in double overtime is a draining, demoralizing feeling and sometimes you can't bounce back from those kinds of games. Game 4 saw Vegas really assert their offensive will. Going into the playoffs, it was widely known that the Aces lacked some offensive punch. They went out and got one of the most prolific scorers our league has seen in recent memory by trading for @glass Kjell Nilsson. Game 4 saw that trade pay dividends as Nilsson connected on four scoring plays, posting a goal and three assists. Vegas scored two more goals on the man advantage this game, and with the 6-4 victory, they took a stranglehold on the series going back to Saskatoon. Back on Canadian soil, the Wild fed off their home crowd in Game 5, and for half the game they actually enjoyed the lead. But yet again, undisciplined penalties spelt their doom as Las Vegas would score all three of their tallies on the man advantage and take the game 3-2, thus eliminating the Wild from the playoffs. Saskatoon was a truculent and scrappy team to play against night in and night out, but perhaps in the end, that was what cost them the series as they had no answer for the blazing hot Aces power play. For the Wild management team it's back to the drawing board, while the Aces will look to double down in the Semi-Finals and keep their playoff dreams alive.
 

(3) Miami Marauders vs (6) San Diego Marlins
MIA wins in 7
 
Heading into the playoffs, the San Diego Marlins were the team nobody wanted to be matched up with in the first round. They ended the season red hot and they were finally enjoying some of the fruits of their labour as many of their young developing talent were starting to see results, and the top end players that were already developed were making a serious impact. While the Marauders were clicking at the right time and surging up the standings in the finals weeks of the season, the Marauders were in sort of a tough spot. They were basically locked in at number two in the Eastern Conference. They weren't going to overtake the Hounds for first, and they also had quite a cushion beneath them so they weren't likely to fall either. This is a dangerous place to be as it can be very easy to grow complacent when there is nothing to play for. 
 
The series opened in Miami for two games, the Marlins came flying out of the gates. In the opening frame of Game 1, center @KC15 Luc Tessier potted two quick goals and got the Marlins a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.  Miami would tie it up in the second, and despite both teams getting solid chances, the third period remained scoreless so it was off to overtime. Late in the frame, blueliner @Sportsboy57 took an undisciplined double minor for slashing.  On the man advantage, left winger @Lochlan Chisholm banged in a rebound in tight and won the game for the Marlins. Game 2 was a much different story as Miami came back much more focused and determined. The game started off as a back and forth affair. Tessier sniped his third goal of the series to open the scoring but @LilHCorny Trevor Wallace answered with his second to evaporate the San Diego lead. And that would be the last lead they had as Miami went on to score four more unanswered goals including a natural hat trick by journeyman center @Mashy Noah Mashford. The emphatic 5-1 victory helped regain morale for Miami as the series shifted to San Diego. 
 
After an off-day, the series shifted back to #MarlinsTerritory for Games 3 and 4. Unfortunately for the Marlins faithful, the Marauders had different plans as they promptly crashed the party with four unanswered goals in the first period, including two from @CptSquall Napoleon Dynamite. The capacity crowd was stunned as the skaters head off the ice after the first frame. However, despite digging themselves a massive hole, the Marlins never quit. After Russian forward @qripll Bogdan Trunov scored a pair to cut the deficit in half,  Luc Tessier notched a power play marker with just under eight minutes to play. Unfortunately it was too little, too late for San Diego as they fell 4-3, but the attempted comeback certainly did lift spirits going into Game 4. In a game that saw more swings then your neighborhood playground, the Marlins came out swinging in Game 4 and took a high scoring affair by a score of 6-4. The hero in Game 4 for the Marlins had to be @Mistxh J Nicky Mariani who exploded for two goals and two assists. With the series split two games apiece, it was back to Miami for Game 5.
 
The scene may have changed for Game 5, but the result did not as it was the Marauders coming out on the right side of a 6-4 win. Mashford got the ball rolling for Miami in the first period with goals six and seven of his playoffs. Carrying a 3-1 lead into the second, the Marauders never looked back. @MrShark Declan Wolf also added two goals of his own, including what would be the game winner and we would be remiss if we didn't mention Bonaparte finding his aforementioned teammates on most of these plays, as he earned himself a big four assist game. It was back to San Diego for a pivotal Game 6. With their backs up against the ropes, the Marlins came out swinging.  One of the teams main leaders, @Eldredman Aldwin Craig, came out flying to start the game and incredibly scored two goals within the first two minutes of the game! The fans were in a full blown frenzy as some faith had been restored in Marlins Territory.  San Diego added to their lead in the second with two more unanswered goals and from there on it was academic as they took the game by a score of 4-2. That set the stage for a winner-take-all Game 7 back in Miami. Game 7 was a back and forth affair, just as the whole series had been up to this point. The tension was palpable and this one went down to the wire. After the lead flip-flopped seven times, the game winner came in the dying minutes of the second period when none other than Noah Mashford buried his eigth goal of the series to put the Marauders up 4-3.  The third period saw the Marlins pour it on with everything they had. They outshot Miami 15-8, alas it was not enough. Goaltender @ClapbombsRus stood his ground and with that, the Marlins were off to the semi-finals, albeit by the skin of their teeth. This series was an absolute thriller and the Marlins should hold their heads high. They have a bright future ahead of them and will surely be a force next season.
 


(4) Minnesota Storm vs (5) Halifax 21st
HFX wins in 6
 
Finally, we have the classic 4vs5 matchup, which is traditionally the hardest one to prognosticate. This one was no exception as both teams were evenly matched throughout the season and only one point separated them in the standings at the end of the season. While Minnesota opted to stand pat and develop the talent they drafted at the start of the season, Halifax was fairly aggressive on the trade market, making numerous deals throughout the season to help fortify their team for the postseason. The series kicked off in Minneapolis, but sadly the Storm stumbled out the gate early and lost their home ice advantage. Halifax would lay a 5-1 shellacking on Minnesota in Game 1. After a goal in the first, the 21st followed it up with an four goal barrage in the second to go up 5-0. Though the Storm got one back, it was not nearly enough. Leading the charge in Game 1 was @GlowyGoat Baldur Poulsen and @Jake Sumner The Great, both of whom had 3 point nights. It should be noted both these players were brought in from aforementioned trades that manager @rory made throughout the season. From first glance, it seemed as though they trades were paying off.
 
Game 2 was a much closer affair, yet it was a similar result as the 21st would take a 2-0 stranglehold on the series. Poulsen maintained their hot hand and notched their third of the series as Halifax would win the game 3-2.  Riding a wave of momentum, the Boat Gang headed back home looking to sweep the series in four games. The momentum train kept on chugging along in Game 3 as Halifax would win 4-3. Poulsen opened the scoring in the first with their fourth goal in three games. Minnesota did manage to Storm back with two goals of their own in the second to tie the game. With less than a minute left in the second period, defenseman @KingMortie Big Mortie blasted a one-timer from the point to score a power play marker. This would end up being the game winner. Though it was a 4-3 win, the 21st really did dominate this game from start to finish. They doubled the Storm in shots 40-20 and looked in control the whole way through.
 
Game 4 Halifax had a chance to break out the brooms and win on home ice. This game was exciting all the way through. The Great would open the scoring for Halifax but the lead didn't last for long. Winger @Kyle01 Sean Ramirez would score two for the Storm in short succession, but Halifax simply would not go down. After clawing back, the 21st carried a 3-2 lead into the third frame. @tylerwest Tyler Steel padded their lead further with his second marker of the series to make it 4-2. Minnesota would get one back on the power play, cutting their deficit back down to one goal. With their backs up against the wall, winger @Gaudette Caleb Gaudette took a pass off the rush and tied the game with a hard wrister over the glove of Halifax netminder Johnathan Bustard. The period ended at a stalemate, so we went to overtime.  Just seven minutes into OT, it was none other than Gaudette coming up clutch yet again. He burred his second of the game and sent the series back to Minnesota for Game 5. The Storm would live to fight another day.
 
The series shifted back to Minnesota for a crucial game 5. This one was a low scoring affair all the way through. Credit to both goaltenders, especially Storm tender @Flames1Fan Dexter Vaughn who would make 39 saves on 40 shots to lead his team to a 2-1 overtime win. The teams traded goals in the second and the third period remained scoreless. Young rookie phenom @Patrik Tallinder Nils Tallinder scored his first career playoff goal 8 minutes and 26 seconds into OT.  For the second straight game, Minnesota refused to die and pulled off overtime magic. It was back to Nova Scotia for Game 6. The magic finally ran out when things came back out East. In another low-scoring game, Halifax really tightened up their defensive game, only allowing 19 shots on goal all game. All the scoring came in the opening period. The game winner ended up on the stick of veteran winger @MikkoKoskinensMistress Kikko Moskinen when he slipped one five-hold on Dexter Vaughan.  Down the stretch the 21st deployed the 2-1-2 neutral zone trap to perfection and the Storm were unable to respond. It's a tough loss for Minnesota but they did well to force the series to six games. Meanwhile the boys and girls in Halifax all went out for donairs after their big Game 6 victory at a local shop in Nova Scotia. 
 
What a fantastic first round we had this season! Even the 1 vs 8 matchup had a bit of intrigue to it, and the rest of the matchups were equally as fun to watch! With all the series decided, the semi-finals are as follows.  The first semi-finals features an all-Canadian matchup with the powerhouse Mississauga Hounds taking on the Halfifax 21st. Meanwhile south of the border, the high scoring Las Vegas Aces will look to go all in on their playoff hopes when they face the Miami Marauders! If the first round was any indication, we are in for some great hockey down the stretch here in the VHLM. Until next time, thanks for reading and take care!