Claimed:Oslo Storm Ahead [Final 6/6]

[Alucard 46]

Oslo Storm Ahead

After 11 games of the regular season, the Oslo Storm are sitting pretty at the top of the European Conference. With 8 wins from those 11 games, and the conference's best defence by far, Oslo look all set to storm to a conference title—if they can maintain their current form over the remainder of the season.

 

Giovanni Reuel scored the winner in Oslo's only shootout of the season thus far

 

A feisty affair on opening day saw the Norwegian franchise get off to a winning start in Ottawa, with goals from Hunter Backenbauer (2), LeSean Coutzen, and Giovanni Reuel giving them a 4–2 victory over the Lynx, in a game that saw an incredible 8 fights. Ken Anderson, Zachary Young, and Evgeny Nezhmetdinov were all involved in two bouts each, with the diminutive Kazakh coming out a surprise 2–0 victor.

 

Game 2 saw the revamped Storm pitted against last season's losing finalists, the Brampton Blades. 4 scraps in an explosive 3 minute spell in the third saw the total number of fights come to 8 once again, but more importantly it was Oslo who won the fight for goals; Giovanni Reuel, Hunter Backenbauer, Lucas Galeano, and Matej Križ helped the Storm to a 4–2 win on home ice.

 

Travelling to Bratislava for game 3, Ken Anderson got Oslo off to the perfect start with an early first period goal, and by the time the second period was three minutes old, powerplay goals from Chuck Goody and Evgeny Nezhmetdinov had given the visitors an almost insurmountable lead. The Watchmen retorted before the period's end, however, and goals from Marlon Duke and Doug Glatt made it a one goal game going into the third. Ken Anderson's second of the game made it safe for the Storm, and despite a late goal from Glatt, they hung on to take their third victory of the season.

 

When defeat finally did come for Oslo—in game 4—it did so narrowly. Brampton hosted Oslo in game 4, and just edged it 2–1 with goals from Danger van der Merwe and Jefferson Jackson. The Storm got back to winning ways against Moscow, however, as a Hunter Backenbauer and a brace from Le'Sean Coutzen fired them to a 3–2 victory at home to the Red Wolves.

 

The Saskatoon Wild have been arguably the best team in the league thus far this season, but Oslo pushed them all the way in game 6, before eventually losing out by a score of 3–2. Giovanni Reuel got the home side off to a perfect start with a well-taken goal on 4 minutes, but the Wild struck back through Casper Salomon to tie the game at 1. Wesley Babiy and Max Mølholt both scored in the second, leaving the score tied at 2 heading into the third, where Marcel Faux won it for the visitors with just 2 minutes remaining.

 

Oslo responded by routing last season's champions 4–1 in their next game, though really the score could have—and maybe should have—been higher. Bern were outshot 36–4, but only Reuel, Backenbauer, Goody, and Galeano could find a way past the Royals goalie. If that victory left the Storm on a high, the Watchmen from Bratislava brought them back down to earth in game 8, winning by 3 goals to 1; the only time so far this season that Oslo have lost by more than a goal.

 

Coutzen got the visitors off to an early first period lead, but that was to be as good as it got. Bratislava struck back to level the score in the second period through Alexander Davidson, and Simon Valmount gave the hosts the lead early in the third. Oslo pulled their goalie in search of a late equaliser, but Davidson found the empty net to seal the points for his side, and in the process condemn the Storm to their third defeat of the season.

 

Since that defeat it's been a perfect 3 from 3 for Oslo. Backenbauer's 6th goal of the season gave them a 1–0 victory in Bern, and his side were left wondering how they didn't score more; the shot count at the final buzzer was a dominating 26–1.

 

Against the Yukon Rush in game 10 the Storm had to rely on a shootout to claim an unlikely win. The Rush dominated the first period, but went in 1–0 down at the break courtesy of a fifth goal of the season from Coutzen. Wagner and Nuck put them 2–1 up in the second, but came right back and levelled the score through Backenbauer, just seconds after the visitors had taken the lead. Clegane saved twice in the shootout, and Reuel scored what proved to be the winner, as the Storm edged it 3–2.

 

This dramatic victory was followed up by a 2–0 win away to the Lynx, with goals from Backenbauer and Artemis Fowll giving the Storm their third win in three, and taking them to 8–3–0. The result leaves Oslo top of the European conference, and third overall in the league, just a point behind Yukon, and two behind Saskatoon.

 

Current European Standings

1—Oslo Storm (8–3–0)

2—Bratislava Watchmen (6–4–1)

3—Moscow Red Wolves (2–9–0)

4—Bern Royals (1–9–1)

[BeanSobie 91]

Awesome read. I like the standings at the end.

[Alucard 46]

Awesome read. I like the standings at the end.

 

Of course you do; we're on top!

[Victor 10,940]

Storm puns are coming.

[Sixersfan594 247]

Content 3/3 - Nice article, keep it up. I really like our team I feel we need one or two more difference makers.

Grammar 2/2 - I'm lenient right now on the numbers so it's no big deal to me.

from those 11 games = from 11 games

as a Hunter = as Hunter

in game 10 = in the 10th game

Appearance1/1 - Yup

Final 6/6

[Kendrick 4,741]

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