Seattle Still Holding On

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

 

Seattle -- The Seattle Bears started out the VHL season hot, winning 10 of the team's first 12 games. Then started a cool down that saw the Bears fall to the rest of the pack, particularly the Chicago Phoenix and Los Angeles Stars.

 

And yet, with 30 games now down and the league nearing the halfway point of the season, the Bears have still been able to hold onto that first place slot. With 44 points in 30 games, the Bears hold the highest point total in North America by 2 over Chicago and 6 over Los Angeles. They're also just one point off the league lead behind Helsinki, with two extra games in hand.

 

To goalie Xavier Booberry, it's exactly the type of start he wanted to see. "You generally think you have a good shot at these things, but you never know until you hit the ice. But now over a long stretch, the winning mentality has played out," Booberry said. "I think we've solidified that we're a real contender here?"

 

So would Booberry call Seattle a favorite? Not quite yet - and the randomness of the VHL playoffs plays a big role in that. In fact, Booberry is keeping his goals modest for the rest of the season, similar to past years in Helsinki and Davos.

 

"Honestly? I just want to be top three in North America," Booberry said. "Sure, it'd be nice to be top of the conference. But we see that anything happens in the playoffs. And as long as we're missing that play-in round, I think we've got just as good of a shot as anybody else in this league."

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