Claimed: Yukon's tough start [1/2]

[Quik 4,113]

Disappointing start for Rush

Are things really as bad as they seem?

 

Rush GM Xavier Laflamme preaches patience with young group

 

Yukon, CANADA - The Yukon Rush began Season 56 as the worst team in the league. They finished dead last in the previous season, and failed to pick up a win through their first five games. Thus it would stand to reason that they are still the worst team in the league, correct? Not so fast! While the team did find ways to lose very winnable games, including an OT loss in the season opener to the league leading Ottawa Lynx, there very well might be an explanation as to why the team stumbled so mightily out of the gates, including an abysmal 8-1 loss against a not-as-good-as-they-like-to-believe Las Vegas Aces team!

 

Sometimes, you need to take one roster, throw it into the trash, and bring in a better roster to replace them!

 

You see, team General Manager, Xavier @Laflamme, failed to submit his final team rosters to the league in time for the season to begin. This grievous error resulted in league provided scab players to take the ice in the team's first 4 games of the season. With that sub-par roster, and no control over which replacement players played in what situation, the team may as well have forfeited the games and walked out with the pride of not being outscored 24-9 in the process. However, after that 8-1 blow-out at the hands of a not-so-superior Aces group, the GM got his shit together and submitted a Yukon roster that is much stronger and more formidable than that of last season's group, and definitely better than the scabs that played the team's first 4 games!

 

The league forced the Rush to play without their official roster, much to the dismay of GM Laflamme, who had some choice words for Commissioner Higgins

 

Of course, once the team finally hit the ice, they were at a disadvantage, with the actual roster not having played a second of ice-time together, and having to face teams that were now in the full swing of their seasons. The updated group stumbled out of the gates in their unofficial season opener, dropping a 5-1 decision against an Ottawa Lynx squad that provided a balanced attack in front of star goaltender Ike Arkander. The only positive note to come from this game was that 1st overall pick, Chase Keller, recorded his first point in a Rush jersey, picking up an assist on Evgeni Turakov's powerplay marker, mid-way through the first period.

 

Maybe this team isn't as good as we thought they were, as Laflamme was pictued visibly upset in the Yukon pressbox

 

In the group's second game together, things went much more smoothly! Goaltender Norris Kensington stymied a Saskatoon Wild attack that peppered 38 shots on net, Keller recorded not only his first goal, but his first hat-trick of the season, and defender Mats Johnsson picked up 2 assists en route to a 3-2 overtime victory, the team's first of the season! The team followed that up with a high-scoring, run-and-gun, shootout of a game against the Oslo Storm. Keller would notch a whopping FIVE first period markers, Johnsson picked up 5 assists, winger @Phil Bennington notched his first of the seaon, and Kensington turned away 55 of 61 shots as the Rushed stormed on to win 7-6 against Oslo!

 

Other teams better stop writing cheques that their asses can't cash!

 

The team couldn't keep their momentum going, as their last game, against the not-terrible-but-still-overrated Aces was a 6-3 loss where Sergei Komarov proved too much to handle. However, they are optimistic looking forward, with upcoming games including matches against Oslo, Saskatoon, and a quick chance at redemption against the rival Aces all scheduled in the coming days. With a team that looks to be catching fire, the Rush still have a lot of games remaining to show why they were so optimistic coming into the season, and why their 2-7-1 record is not even a thought in their minds at present!

 

All is good in the 'hood!

[Spade18 1,309]

More like the underrated-better-than-anyone-even-themselves-right-now-fore-see Las Vegas Aces.

 

Tho Chase Keller shooting to the top spot in goals in 4 games is making things look real good for The Rush

 

 

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

Review

Las Vegas > All. Nice little piece on the Yukon season so far. Well written as always by you Quik. Im not quite sure why you used those pictures though lol

[Quik 4,113]

1 hour ago, TheLastOlympian07 said:

Review

Las Vegas > All. Nice little piece on the Yukon season so far. Well written as always by you Quik. Im not quite sure why you used those pictures though lol

Hahah I was looking for a specific reaction gif when I found the first picture. After I googled him, I found a bunch of awesome pics so put them in for fun