WC S46 - Week Two Review

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Game of the Week

GAME 11 - TEAM MERCENARIES (4) VS TEAM WESTERN EUROPE (5) - OT

 

Team Mercenaries were keen to avenge their loss to Team Western Europe in the Semi Final stage last tournament, and that was evident early on in this game as they took a two goal lead halfway through the first period after goals from Tyler Cote and Rami Jakobssen. Physical winger Christoph Klose managed to pull a goal back with six minutes to go in the first period, however former Playoff MVP Brady Stropko extended the lead back to two goals just a minute later. Hopes that Team Mercenaries would enter the second period with a two goal lead were dashed after defenseman Phil Hamilton scored for Team Western Europe with less than a minute remaining in the period. Team Western Europe were able to equalise a quarter of the way through the second period courtesy of tournament top goalscorer Wolfgang Strauss, and Strauss was also on hand to give Team Western Europe the lead with just seconds remaining in the second period after a late penalty on Brady Stropko gave Team Western Europe a one man advantage. Stropko was able to make up for that error by scoring his second goal of the game. While both teams had opportunities to finish the game in regular time, none of them were converted so the game went into Overtime. Team Western Europe came close to sealing the win after two minutes of overtime, however Bismarck Koenig (who had an incredible four assists in this game) saw his shot hit the post. Team Western Europe's fans must have been fearing another penalty shootout just a week after losing in one to Team Scandinavia, however Phil Hamilton was able to send his team's fans into jubilation after he managed to get the winning goal with a minute left of overtime.

 

Team of the Week

 

CENTER- BISMARCK KOENIG

 

Eight assists. Eight fucking assists in the space of two games! He assisted all but one of Team Western Europe's goals against Team World and Team Mercenaries! So far this tournament, he's got more assists than all but one player managed in THE ENTIRE ROUND ROBIN PHASE LAST TOURNAMENT!

 

WHAT?!

 

LEFT WING - CHRISTOPH KLOSE

 

This was the one position that I was looking at thinking "I really need to acknowledge a forward that isn't from Team Western Europe" but it's not my fault they did so well this week, so screw it! Christoph Klose was a consistent help for Team Western Europe this week, picking up two assists against Team World along with picking up a goal and an assist against Team Mercenaries in addition to seven hits to complete the typically physical performances we've come to expect from Klose

 

RIGHT WING - E'TWAUN DELICIOUS

 

While I would rather save my praise for more active players than Delicious, it would be difficult to ignore the only player to score a hat-trick to this point of the campaign. A goal in each period against Team World was the key to their 4-3 victory. 

 

DEFENSEMAN - SOORYU KAMINOGI

 

One of the topics of discussion for Team World prior to the tournament was whether Kaminogi would be better playing at his original position of Winger, but a two goal performance against the previously unbeaten Team USA silenced the doubters. 

 

DEFENSEMAN - PHIL HAMILTON

 

The fourth and final player from Team Western Europe to make the Team of the Week, Phil Hamilton put up a good performance both offensively and defensively. His best performance of the week was against Team World, where he scored two goals (One being the Overtime winner) and also supplying an assist along with blocking four shots. 

 

GOALIE - ARIEL WEINSTEIN

 

While Callum Sinclair was the better performer statistically across the course of the week, I'm gonna give the nod to Weinstein after he managed to shutout a Team USA side that had previously been unbeaten. 

[BOOM 8,745]

Your write-ups are really keeping me interested. Props for the work and commitment this WC.