Same Old, Same Old for Malmo - but is that a good thing?

[tcookie 931]

Riding a 10-game winning streak to a 20-4-2 record, the Malmo Nighthawks are at it again.

 

The off-season acquisition of Randy Bobandy has paid dividends: the star centre has 36 points in 26 games to lead the team, while mainstays Viktor Jensen (33 points), Jacob Stone (29 points, 62 hits, 43 blocks) and Ash Sparks (18-3-2, .923 SV%, 2.37 GAA) have been their usual highly productive selves.

 

The Nighthawks have been a beacon of consistency over the past two and one-third regular seasons. They've won two Victory Cups in a row and are leading the league in S94. They have 123 wins and 258 points during that timeframe - the next closest teams have 105 wins and 226 points.

 

And it all sounds great up until there, but "same old, same old" simply won't do for Malmo - because that dominant regular season force is 1-8 in their last two playoff series, and all the regular season success in the world doesn't count for anything if you don't show up when the chips are down.

 

When the Nighthawks won their first Victory Cup in S92, they were a highly talented but fairly young, inexperienced group - the lack of immediate post-season success was not ideal, but perhaps explainable. The same group said all the right things heading into the S93 playoffs before promptly being tossed aside while offering the same amount of resistance they did the first time around.

 

They're more experienced now. Their goaltender is in the final season of his career. Bobandy has seen a couple of long playoff runs in his VHL tenure, and his leadership is a big addition to the locker room. The Nighthawks have established themselves as a contender again, but they have earned a reputation that nobody wants to carry around.

 

So regardless of whether or not the Nighthawks win a third-straight Victory Cup, the only thing that will matter in Malmo this season is this: have they done enough to be ready for what the playoffs demand of them this time around?

[LucyXpher 1,588]

This is really well written!  And I really hope the Nighthawks can make a strong playoff run this season— maybe even with another Victory Cup!  Unless you’re playing Riga, of course.

 

But with the recent regular season success you’ve had, Malmo definitely deserves better this season. Just don’t let AJ know I’m rooting for him!

[tcookie 931]

8 hours ago, LucyXpher said:

But with the recent regular season success you’ve had, Malmo definitely deserves better this season. Just don’t let AJ know I’m rooting for him!

 

hahaha your secret is safe with me