VSN Presents: S89 VHLE Playoff Preview

[Baby Boomer 567]

Welcome to the S89 VHLE playoffs preview!

 

@leandrofg

 

Playoffs time people!! Once again, we had a really competitive regular season in the VHLE and each team that made the playoffs have a good chance of winning the Renaissance Cup. Today I will make my predictions for the S89 VHLE’s playoffs, but like I said all the teams can win the Cup, so anything is possible. P.S. the article was made before Rome won the series...

 

Wildcard series

 

(4) vs (5)

 

Regular season series: Rome = 5-3-2

Best offense: Rome

Best defense: Oslo

Best goalie: Oslo

 

We are starting with the Wildcard series opposing the Oslo Storm to the Rome Gladiators. These teams have a big history in the playoffs as they faced each other two times in the last three finals of the Renaissance Cup and each time Oslo won the series. Just like their matchups in the regular season showed, the series is going to be really close. In the regular season, the Gladiators won the series 5-3-2, but on paper the Storm is supposed to be a little bit better team. This is why I give Oslo the advantage in this series.

 

Prediction: Oslo in 3 games

 

Semi-Final

 

(1) vs (4)

 

Regular season series: Istanbul = 6-4-0

Best offense: Istanbul

Best defense: Istanbul

Best goalie: Istanbul

 

The Istanbul Red Wolves finished in the top 4 of the league, for the first time since S84 they really have the team to go all the way. On paper Oslo and Istanbul are pretty similar, a really good goalie, a good defense and forwards that can score, but when you look at the season that each team had, Istanbul’s offense, defense and goalie had a better season in almost each category. It should be an easy win for Istanbul, but the playoffs are a completely different season, so Oslo could cause a surprise just like they did in the previous season. However, I still give the advantage to Istanbul.

 

Prediction: Istanbul in 6 games

Semi-Final

 

(2) vs (3)

 

Regular season series: Cologne = 6-2-2

Best offense: Tie

Best defense: Cologne

Best goalie: Cologne

 

This series is without a doubt going to be close and can easily go either way if you only look at the standings. However, in the ten games they played against each other, Geneva only won two games in regulation and two more in shootout. Plus, if you look at each team’s rosters, you can clearly see that Cologne has an advantage. However, Geneva did not end the season 2^nd in the standings with a bad team, so the series is going to be a long one. Indeed, I believe that this series is going to see a seventh game and Cologne is going to win this really important game and series.

 

Prediction: Cologne in 7 games

Renaissance Cup Final

 

(1) vs (3)

 

Regular season series: Cologne = 5-3-2

Best offense: Istanbul

Best defense: Cologne

Best goalie: Istanbul

 

Just like all the other ones, I can not say without a doubt who is going to win this ultimate series, but if I look at each team’s roster and at each team’s season, I can have a pretty good idea. Indeed, Istanbul had a much better offense compared to Cologne in the regular season and since Istanbul also has the best goalie, they clearly have an advantage there. If Cologne wants to win this final series, their defense will have to play their best hockey of the season and be everywhere on the ice. However, I still think that at the end of the season Istanbul is going to be the team that will drink with the Renaissance Cup.

 

Prediction: Istanbul in 6 games

 

Thanks everyone for reading, it was my first VSN article and I hope you liked it. If you also have some predictions for the VHLE’s playoffs, you can write them in the comments.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Alex

[dstevensonjr 258]

I picked Istanbul in my Bracket Challenge submission as well!