North America (Pt. 1/2)

[Smarch 3,194]

North American Rat Race

As Season Fifty-Two started to get under way, the place to be for unforgettable hockey was looking to be the VHLs’ North American Conference.  The conference saw four of the five franchises making moves in the off-season to better their rosters in hopes of playing in the VHL playoffs in Season Fifty-Two, but with only three playoff positions available the league was going to be treated to a playoff race for the ages. Currently the teams haven’t disappointed as only twenty points separate first place from fourth place in the North American Conference, so today we’ll look at what may happen in the stretch run with four North American teams still fighting it out for those playoff positions.

Seattle Bears (1^st Place- 95 Points):

Not many outside Seattle expected the Bears to make the jump all the way to first place in North America and the entire VHL, but here they sit fifty-six games into Season Fifty-Two. The Bears lead the league in both total offense and defense, with a mix of homegrown and new players combining to lead the way for Seattle. The offense is led by the first line combination of Joel Järvi, Bogdan Podarok, and Sven Wolf. Who have combined for 237 of the Bears points on the season. As we switch focus to the defensive side of the game for Seattle, everyone points to the play of the Bears goaltender Jakab Holik and rightfully so. Holik is playing behind a improved defense core that includes Biggu Kyanon, Felipe Rodriquez, and Guntis Pentis, but Holik himself is the biggest reason the Bears are second in the league with eight-seven goals against. With five games remaining against the teams chasing them in the conference and a eight point lead over the current second place team, the Bears could easily clinch the conference on their own terms in the next couple of days.

Calgary Wranglers (2^nd Place- 87 Points):

After finishing last season in one of the most disappointing possible ways, no team in the VHL would like more than to find themselves in the Continental Cup this season than the Calgary Wranglers. After re-signing a few of the pieces they brought in first in the Season Fifty-One off-season, the Wranglers came into the season as a team many thought should challenge for top spot in the Conference. Although they are only eight points out of first place at the moment, time seems to be slowly slipping away for the Alberta based club with under twenty games remaining in the VHL regular season. The Wranglers have been led offensively this season by Tyson Kohler and Aleksi Koponen with have combined for 160 of the Wranglers points on the season. Patrolling the blue-line for the second season with the Wranglers and leading the way is Black Velvet, who is having another all-star and potential Labatte winning season putting up eighteen goals and fifty-three assists in fifty-five games so far. With seventeen games remaining for the Wranglers to make some moves in the standings, we wonder if it will be enough time to overcome the powerhouse Bears.

*For Christmas Doubles*

[FacePuncher 1,343]

5 hours ago, Smarch said:

Not many outside Seattle expected the Bears to make the jump all the way to first place in North America and the entire VHL

I don't think many inside Seattle did either