Vikings get some help and then take care of business to secure crucial top three finish

[scoop 3,382]

Going into the final sim of the VHLE season, the Stockholm Vikings were in second place, leading Geneva by two points and Oslo by four. This was an artificial lead, considering the remaining schedules for each of the three teams. Stockholm had just one game, while Geneva and Oslo each had three, including some against the trash teams of the VHLE. Geneva and Oslo each had a game left against Bratislava, while Oslo also had a game against Rome. Assuming those are all wins, the standings effectively looked like this

 

2: Geneva Rush - 98 points; 2 games remaining (IST, STO)

3: Oslo Storm - 98 points; 1 game remaining (VAS)

4: Stockholm Vikings - 98 points; 1 game remaining (GEN)

 

Tiebreaker: OSL > GEN > STO

 

Things weren't looking fantastic for Stockholm. While they did have a game against Geneva, giving them a little bit more control over how their competition fares, they needed some help. Istanbul came through, winning their game against Geneva, giving Stockholm the chance to secure a top three finish. The game between the Vikings and the Rush would determine who finishes in the top three. (An overtime game could have meant that both of them did, but spoiler alert: that didn't happen.)

 

The Vikings won the game by a score of 4-2, with contributions all around. Four different players scored a goal, and nine different players had at least one point. In a match-up of the two favorites for Top Goalie, Stockholm's Travis Clark looked much better.  The Vikings outshot the Rush, slightly, despite a six-to-two penalty kill difference. Stockholm's PK unit has been one of the best in the league, and far too tested, but it paid off in this game. In taking down Geneva, Stockholm clinched at least third, and they were waiting on the results of Oslo's last game to see if they would finish second.

 

Oslo took down Vasteras quite easily, tying Stockholm's 100 points and jumping back into second place, where they were for most of the season, courtesy of the tiebreaker. That means the Storm will have home ice advantage against Stockholm in the semi-finals of the playoffs. With Geneva being bumped down to fourth, they would now have to play in the first round. At this point, their opponent was not yet settled, due to the results two of the previously mentioned games.

 

While those three teams were fighting for seeding, Istanbul and Vasteras were fighting to get into the playoffs. Vasteras had a four point lead coming into the final day, but Istanbul had two games left and would own the tiebreaker if it came down to that. Istanbul took down Geneva not for Stockholm (though it did help them), but for their own sake. They needed that win, and they got it. Oslo beating Vasteras then meant that Istanbul would just need a win their final game of the season in order to make the playoffs.

 

Unfortunately for the Red Wolves, their final game was against Cologne. While the Express did not face any of the two through four teams to affect that playoff race, they did knock Istanbul out of the running. Apart from Oslo, Istanbul was actually the team that gave Cologne the most trouble during the season, so that game was far from a foregone conclusion.

 

That's far more words than I needed to type so I'm done there. Thanks Istanbul. Sorry you couldn't get yourselves into the playoffs.

[Daniel Janser 2,108]

It is almost a meme at this point that Istanbul during my tenure does better against Cologne under @leandrofg than we have any right to do... a pity it did not pan out in the final match of the season. Glad we could be of service to your team though

[leandrofg 1,121]

2 hours ago, Daniel Janser said:

It is almost a meme at this point that Istanbul during my tenure does better against Cologne under @leandrofg than we have any right to do... a pity it did not pan out in the final match of the season. Glad we could be of service to your team though

 

I don't know who's a bigger pain in the ass. You or @Lemorse7