Claimed:Rebuilding Cologne Stumbles Into Playoff Position

[Doomsday 4,041]

Rebuilding Cologne Stumbles Into Playoff Position

 

COLOGNE - With the trading deadline having come and gone, the Cologne Express began their expected rebuilding phase, with the biggest move being the departure of star LW Reggie Dunlop to the Toronto Legion. However, despite the clear direction taken by the Express, they have continued to chug along, overtaking the Vasteras Iron Eagles in the standings. With just twelve games left to play, the Cologne Express currently hold the final playoff berth in the European Conference. If you are like the rest of the VHL community, you're probably thinking, "What in the name of Sam Hill?"

 

"Just our luck," said Cologne's general manager, Joey Kendrick. "I try to get us back on track to gear up for the future, THEN we end up pushing past Vasteras. How predictable."

 

 

With no Davey Jones, no Reggie Dunlop and with his team having seemingly thrown in the towel on the season, team captain and center Kameron Taylor seemingly has to carry the Express on his back. It's a role that he has embraced with full gusto.

 

"I don't care if I have to pull the team bus to the arena every game, I'm going to do everything in my power to the playoffs," said Taylor after a recent game. "As captain, it's my job to make sure this team goes places, to give 100% every night. I don't care if I'm the only one playing, I'm taking this team to the postseason whether they like it or not!"

 

 

Regardless of Taylor's mindset, there still are other players on the team fully capable of making the push for a repeat visit to the playoffs. Goalie Evgeni Chekhov remains in net, keeping the Express in contention for every game. Malcolm Spud leads the team's defensive unit, an ever-reliable presence. Cologne also boasts a reliable pair of wingers in David Collier and Jamie Shetler, giving Taylor some toys to work with. However, twelve games is plenty of time to lose a one point lead in the standings over a team in the Vasteras Iron Eagles that is ready to stop being a league laughingstock.

 

"There's plenty of time to right the ship, I'll just leave it at that," said Kendrick.

 

While no playoff berths have been officially secured yet in the European Conference, both the Davos HC Dynamo and the Helsinki Titans are neck-and-neck in the standings. Davos holds the advantage by ten points, currently with the best record in the VHL. However, both Davos and Helsinki are all but locks to make the playoffs at this point. It all comes down to these last two weeks of the regular season. Will Cologne bumble their way into the playoffs and mess with Kendrick's plans to rebuild or will the Iron Eagles finally overcome their mediocrity by overcoming an opponent that wants to lose?

 

 

When asked for comment about the standings, Vasteras general manager Thomas Corcoran only had one thing to add:

 

"Just our luck."

 

Jethro Novacek writes for the MSFL Times, who are better than you (and you know it). He enjoys destroying evil with a whip, throwing holy water onto the non-believers and using Snapchat with Richard Sherman.

[Doomsday 4,041]

This will be claimed for last week.

[Seth 92]

Content 3/3 - The Express making a run at the playoffs is quite surprising, it will be interesting to see if they hold on, or stumble down the stretch. You used a Miles Edgeworth GIF., this is an automatic 3/3.

 

Grammar 2/2 - Couldn't find a thing.

 

​Appearance 1/1 - Sure...........TAKE THAT!

 

Overall 6/6

 

OBJECTION! 

[Smarch 2,948]

Claimed