Claimed: Character in Saskatoon

[MD9 139]

Character in Saskatoon

 

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

 

With today’s win over the Las Vegas Aces, the Saskatoon Wild have moved back into second place in the VHLM. Handing the Aces their third loss in thirty games, the team showed tremendous character matching up to perhaps the strongest team up and down the line-up that the VHLM has ever seen. The win was narrow, with the Wild hanging on to a one goal lead after a pair of early goals put them ahead early into the third. Although outshot by the Aces, they went nearly hit for hit with the team in what turned out to be a surprisingly rough game, with numerous calls for cross-checking, interference, roughing, slashing, and even a fight in the second. Although one win is hardly a blemish on the spectacular season Las Vegas has had, the importance of this win for the Saskatoon locker room should not understated: with this win, they have proven themselves as a team that can play with heart and a bit of grit, and grind out a win against even the behemoth of the league.

 

Credit for the win has to go up and down the line-up, with only one player on the team recording a minus on the game, but some familiar names come to mind as stars in the Wild victory: Emiya Shirou, Bo Boeser, Daring Do, and Carlo Capitulo key among them, along with goaltender Chet Manley. Recreate God can also be given some credit, as it may have been his fight that helped spark the team to play harder after being heavily outshot in the first and second periods - before carrying play come the third. With both teams relying heavily upon their top players, with forwards clocking in well over 20 to 25 minutes, the ability of those same players to come to life after already being played to exhaustion is a good sign for Saskatoon.

 

A good sign for post-season hockey, to be specific. 

 

The Wild will never be viewed as the strongest team in the league while the Aces are running wild. However, if they can continue to display tenacity and go blow for blow with a team like the Aces, which in many ways has the cards stacked in its favour at this point, they may be a dark horse for success. It’s always been said that regular season hockey and post season hockey are two different things. Granted, nobody expects a team to win ten games for every one loss, so the Aces may well be the exception to that rule -- but if the adage holds true, and anything can happen in the postseason, it may be the Wild finding their footing and going all the way.

 

It’s a lofty prediction, to be sure -- but they’re a team with no expectations and nothing to lose. Stranger things have happened in hockey, and on the back of a solid core, a few key midseason acquisitions, and character up and down the line-up, a startling upset could be in the works. It just takes a few good bounces, good coaching, and maybe another few fights from Recreate God.