OblivionWalker

The blood was still thundering in Slava Kovalenko's ears as he made his way into the locker room. He still wasn't sure, even now, what the hell had happened out on the ice but a line brawl had broken out just a mere 15 seconds into the second period of the game against the Halifax 21st and while he wasn't usually one to throw a punch, there had just been something about the way that Ty Duke had gotten into his face and given how much taller Slava was (a good eight inches or so), he had definitely gotten the better of Duke in their little throw down. The rest of the game had been chippy too, with Shot Blocker finally getting ejected from the game outright in the third period but given how things had been going, Slava hadn't exactly been shocked by that. But as he had a chance to change out of his gear and shower and take a breath, he couldn't help feeling like he'd let the team down. He was the captain, he should know better than to allow someone to bait him into something so stupid as a fight. It was something of a joke among his family and people that knew him who were following him to see just how low his penalty minutes were compared to everyone else in the league. But with his long reach and ability to poke the puck out of where he wanted it. Slava didn't really have to get up in anyone's face to get the puck. He was currently ranked 86th in the VHLM in penalty minutes which had prompted his sister Anya to start calling him "Mr. Congeniality" which had made the entire family laugh. But he'd managed to add five on to his total today and as he got himself settled onto the team bus to begin their travels to their next games, Slava knew he was going to need to take a closer look at all of this, figure out where things had gone wrong and what he could do as the captain to make damn sure it didn't happen again. The Hounds were third in the standings right now and they didn't need to be giving their opponents any free power plays that they could potentially score on. They had a good group, though and Slava was inclined to chalk this one up to just a weird day. Even though they played a physical game, he was certain Halifax wasn't necessarily known for that kind of thing either and hopefully when they faced each other for the last time this season, it would just be a normal game and nothing like today. Heaving a soundless sigh, Slava opened his phone, idly flicking through some pictures. Even though he loved to play, he also hated to be apart from River and seeing pictures that they'd taken together during the World Juniors tournament just made him miss the other even more. But they just had to get through the playoffs and during the off-season, they could be together in one place again. It wouldn't be long now. (word count: 523)

1. Not getting into line brawls would be a good start, pfffft. 2. I think it comes down to a combination of bad luck and draft choices. 3. I know we can catch them, they’re within reach. 4. I probably won’t reach 100 points like I was hoping but I think 80’s could be more realistic. 5. As I’m only a few tpe away from 400, I’ll be in the VHL with the Warsaw Predators! 6. As I tend to run on the warm side, anything from 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect to me.

A rare occurrence took place during the Halifax-Mississauga game today, with a large fight breaking out in the second period. More than 12 penalties were handed out. Shot Blocker, Hater Tottingham, Nikita Yolishev, Xhekajs middletoe, Slava Kovalenko and Ty Duke were assessed major penalties for fighting with Sidney Sheppard and Cardinal Copia picking up minor penalties for cross checking. Cysteine got a penalty for roughing, Mikko Tuomala received one for high sticking while Cardinal Copia picked up their second penalty for holding and Xhekajs middletoe got one more for their troubles for roughing. "I've never seen anything like that." One fan confided after the game. "Both teams were scrapping it out like the other owed them some money." When asked for comment, Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko remained tight lipped about what had transpired on the ice. "Sometimes the adrenaline gets going and when someone gets in your face, you're not going to back down." Kovalenko definitely didn't back down from his matchup with Ty Duke, with the 6 foot tall center getting the worst of it from 6 foot 8 Kovalenko. The Hounds and the 21st will face each other one more time during the regular season and it may prove to be another for the books. (word count: 207)

With the VHLM season a little more than halfway over, we here at VHL.com checked in with Mississauga Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko to get some of his thoughts on how his second full season in the M has gone. VLC: Slava, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. How does it feel to be in the M another year? SK: Honestly, I was excited. I thought I was going to the E this year and I'd even told my gm that I wished I could be with the Hounds longer and I got my wish! Things are tight this year, which has made things exciting. VLC: Slava, you were the Ryan Sullivan trophy winner last year. Who might be your successor this year? SK: I would be really surprised if River Harrington doesn't pull it off. He was disappointed in himself last year but as I told him, things can change on a dime. He's been playing like a beast this year and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for that for him. He definitely deserves it, but sometimes he doesn't believe that. VLC: Sounds like you two are pretty close . . . SK: We've been friends since we were in juniors and of course we've played together here and there. He's probably the most important person in the world to me besides my immediate family. VLC: We'll hope for his continued success as well as your own! Again, thanks for your time! SK: Always a pleasure! (word count: 250)

Lore as defined by Dictionary.com is "a particular body of knowledge or tradition" and in the VHL, there are many people here who share in this tradition of simulations, ones and zeroes and so on. There are some who have been here since the first simulations and have had the chance to watch the league grow, see teams come and go and weather all of the changes that have happened since then, especially recently with the VHLE coming and going. There are others who have been around for a little while but haven't been here as long as the others, but they still provide valuable knowledges because they can truly empathize with those who are brand new and attempting to find their legs in the league since the memory of being there themselves is still fairly fresh. Of course, there are the first-generation users, such as me! I came into the league at the recommendation of a good friend ( @kirbithan ), and I wasn't quite sure what I could find. I'm not someone who's very good with graphics (even though I love visual art as a medium) but when I was told that I could write things, I figured that was something that I could handle well enough. I've always been a writer, even from the time I was a very little kid and there's been characters wandering around in my head so fleshing someone out would be a breeze. The hard part for me would be the stats but there is lore for the positions, and I was able to use a guide to build Slava. I think things have turned out well there thus far and I'm excited to see where he ends up by the end of his career in many ways. I like to try and give glimpses into his family, such as his brother coming to see a game of his when he could as well as his family giving him a little surprise party after he won an award, but I want to do some more things like that and see what other sides of Slava I can tease out and show to my fellow VHLers. One way that I've been able to become more fully immersed in the substantial lore of the VHL is through everyone's favorite thing to joke about: trivia. It was very daunting at first and I was constantly having to ask Kirby for help on where to look or if I was on the right track or not. But now I'm getting to the point where I know where to go, what spreadsheet I might need to track down and it's gotten so much easier. Plus, I truly have been enjoying becoming more familiar with the VHL, question by question and week by week. I haven't learned much lore personally yet but as Slava is the captain of the Hounds, I do try my best to help my teammates out and answer questions as I can, continuing the tradition of passing the body of knowledge down. A body cannot survive without all of its parts and while I'm not necessarily a strong part of the VHL body yet, I want to do my best to see the VHL thrive and grow and continue on for many years to come. I'm actually looking forward to maybe one day being considered a wise elder of the VHL and I'm also glad that in his own small way, as an award winner, Slava is technically a part of the VHL lore. We'll see if he can expand on that and become a greater part of the body of knowledge. (word count: 605)

After a slower start to the season than they might have wanted, the Mississauga Hounds took a bite out of the Mexico City Kings, winning in an emphatic 7-2 game. First star of the game and Hounds Captain Slava Kovalenko had a four point outing, tallying two goals and two assists in his team's take down of their opponent. "Things were really clicking for us today." Kovalenko said after the match had concluded. "We scored twice on the power play and at even strength we were doing well too. Not every game will be like this one but it's a nice confidence boost. We've got two great goalies and Sam really came through for us today. Nikita and Filip were making some noise too and it seems like we're really gelling well with each other right now. Sometimes that might take a little longer than you'd want but as long as it happens at all, I'm pleased with that." The Hounds are currently third in the Eastern Conference as well as third in the VHLM and if they can retain this kind of form heading into the end of the season as well as the playoffs, they could very well position themselves to make quite a bit of noise. (word count: 209)

For the second in our series of VHLM fan chants, we move within the province of Ontario to its capitol city, Ottawa. A rich melting pot which sees over 11 million visitors to the city each year, Ottawa was originally founded as Bytown in 1826 and in 1855, was named Ottawa. The name comes from the Algonquin language from the word adawe, which ironically means "to trade" and for a city that is home to a hockey team, it's more than apt. One of the oldest teams in the VHLM, Ottawa has a long and storied history in the league and their fan chants reflect both their longevity as well as the quirky spirit that could only be found in Ottawa. The Lynx are currently managed by the enigmatic Grape and with the team struggling last season, fans took to expressing themselves in a rather unique fashion. Whenever Grape was shown on the Jumbotron, the fans would call out "RAI-SIN! RAI-SIN!" which of course is a jab as a raisin is a dried grape, perhaps implying that Grape's management style or moves were dried up. But given how much better Ottawa has been doing this season, the "RAI-SIN" chant has yet to make an appearance which may signal the fans' acknowledgement that they were incorrect in their previous assessment. One of the more unique chants in the VHLM, this makes direct reference to the animal that the lynx traditionally likes to hunt: the snowshoe hare. Chanted at the opposing team during blowout games, one can see the confusion on the faces of the other team as the fans all chant in unison. "RUN RABBIT, RUN (clap)" Lynx star Brandon Petan Jr. has been very popular and when a game goes to overtime or a shootout, there's one person that the Lynx faithful believe can seal the win for them. "PE-TAN CAN, PE-TAN CAN" Another very popular member of the Lynx is Defenseman River Harrington and bilingual fans decided on a chant in French for him. The direct translation is "River is the best" and with how River is pronounced in French, it makes a pleasing rhyme to the ear. "RIVIÈRE EST LA MEILLEURE!" One of the newest chants as well as the catchiest, Victor Von Doom has become well beloved by the fans and given his last name, it made it easy for supporters of the Lynx to have some fun with a certain Vengaboys song. "DOOM, DOOM, DOOM, DOOM. YOUR TEAM'S GONNA GO BOOM. NO HOPE OF YOU GUYS WINNING YOUR FORWARDS NEED A TRADE IN" In reaching out to Grape for the purposes of this article, we asked if there was anything that should be included and we were simply told "Matt Bailey". Our requests for further information on this went unanswered and if there need to be any further addendums to this article, we will naturally provide them. Next week, we will be visiting the Maritimes and the beautiful city of Halifax to bring you the chants of the Halifax 21st and we hope that you will continue to join us for this journey through the fan culture of the VHLM. (word count: 524) VHLM Fan Chant #1: Mississauga Hounds

Really glad to see you creeping around more often! Hopefully the path in front of you gets smoother.

The Mississauga Hounds have been off to a slower start this season than the last. They are currently 5-5-2, which has them sitting third in the Eastern Conference and seventh in the league overall. Defenseman Slava Kovalenko had this to say when asked about where the Hounds were currently sitting. "It's frustrating, but I'm mostly frustrated with myself to be honest. I know I can be playing better, and I know I need to step things up, really examine my game closely so I can fine tune and tweak things. There's no reason we should be here, and we've got the guys to move up in the standings but all of us are going to have to dig deep. I'm confident we can do that, though." The winner of the Sullivan trophy for last season, one can reasonably expect Kovalenko to stick to his word when it comes to looking at where he can improve. This is only the defenseman's second full season in the VHL as he came into the league during the season 94 trade deadline, playing just 12 games for Ottawa. He's come a long way in a short period of time, and we wish him and his teammates all the best. (word count: 205)

1. I like the outline of the logo, I might play with some colors, I'm a big fan of turquoise to be honest. 2. I'd rather take 10 points and get the cup. Individual achievements are nice and all but I'm much more of a team player. 3. I think that they should at least get a look. If they're first in points, even on a team not doing well, then clearly they're a hell of a player. Questions: 1. What, in your opinion, is a seriously overrated piece of media? 2. What places would an expansion team do well in? 3. If you could assign your VHL/VHLM team a mascot, what would their name and vibe be?

I’m a soccer fan in the real world and i just thought that the VHLM and VHL needed some fan chants!

As any hockey fan can attest, going to the games in person is much of the appeal of the sport. Being able to support your team and boo and hiss at their opponents is a tradition as time honored as any in the word currently. In the spirit of being able to bring more of the VHL and VHLM experience to those who may live farther away and cannot attend these games in person, our historians will be working to compile and bring to our readers the most important part of any game: the fan chants. These are designed to not only pump up the players, but also get into the heads of those playing against them and provide amusement and consternation, depending on the target of said chants. For the first in our series of fan chants, we travel to the city of Mississauga in Ontario. Bordering Lake Ontario to the west, it is a part of the greater Toronto area and with the Toronto Legion as the main VHL team in the area as well as having both the Hounds as well as the Ottawa Lynx in the province, hockey and the love of it runs deep here. The Hounds first season was VHLM season 66 and they have been going strong since. Their fans are loyal, as anyone who has played against them can attest. The atmosphere in their arena is always high octane and has been since their entrance to the VHLM. The Mississauga Fight Song, written by Jerry Salk for the Hounds inaugural season, remains in rotation as one of the most enduring pieces of the Hounds legacy. Sung or chanted before the players walk out onto the ice, every fan knows the words and if those who are new to the team don't know the words, they can always be found on the programs. Hard as ice and cold as stone, This is where the Hounds were born. At the river's mouth we stand, Skates on feet and sticks in hand. Hear our howls on the wind, See our toothy, wicked grins. This is where the Hounds call home, Far and wide we'll always roam. The next chant is simple, but always remains a fan favorite for a reason. Also in use since the first season that the Hounds began to play, its simplicity is such that even the newest fan can come away from the arena with it firmly implanted into their brain. After the last word, the fans always bark like dogs, making a cacophony of noise that can never be fully expressed in words. MISSIS! SAUGA! MISSIS! SAUGA! HOUNDS, HOUNDS, HOUNDS! One of the newer chants, this particular chant came into fashion during Season 95 when Hounds captain Slava Kovalenko made his mark in the M by winning the Ryan Sullivan trophy. The fans always enjoyed seeing the 6 foot 8 defenseman wind up for a blistering slapshot and with the alliteration of his first name as well as his favorite shot to take, it quickly came to prominence when the fans wanted to see him tee one up. SLAP SHOT SLAVA (clap, clap, clap clap clap) SLAP SHOT SLAVA (clap, clap, clap clap clap) Of course, the fans love when someone on the opposing team has to serve a penalty and as they make their way over, they are almost always greeted with the next little ditty. Sung to the tune of "The Addams Family", this is another fan chant that even newer fans can catch onto quickly and feel like they're a part of the action. GET IN THE BIN! (clap, clap) GET IN THE BIN! (clap, clap) GET IN THE BIN, GET IN THE BIN, GET IN THE BIN! (clap, clap) The last of our chants for this installment, this is another fan chant for one of the players. Laimdots Sarkanis is prolific in his own right and whenever he has the puck with him, it's almost certain he will make the other team pay and what better way for the fans to show their appreciation than with a pun? Thumping on the glass or anything else they can lay hands on, this chant is one for the ages. SARK ATTACK! SARK ATTACK! As always, there as many we may have missed but the fans are clever and always coming up with new things to show their dedication to their team. Should we need to make any significant additions in the future, we will naturally keep everyone apprised. Our next stop will be with the Lynx. (word count: 758 words)

KY Jelly: making even the hardest of trades or situations easier to take.