Lynx force Game 7

[scoop 3,386]

Looking at the regular season, you wouldn't be expecting the VHLM playoffs to come down to a Game 7 between Saskatoon and Ottawa, but that's where we are. While it's not a huge upset to see the Lynx in the finals over the Storm, the fact that they are one win from being Founder's Cup Champions is a bit unexpected. Or rather, seeing the Wild just one loss away from not being the champions is the real shocker. That's not to say that Saskatoon was so dominant that this is the biggest upset ever, but other than Oslo's +3 differential, they were the only team that scored more goals than they allowed (+106). We've certainly seen teams with better records, but Saskatoon's 56-13-3 is very good. The vast majority of those losses came at the beginning of the season as well, so they had been playing phenomenally in the weeks leading up to the playoffs. In the first 20 games, the Wild wee 8-10-2, while they closed out the season winning 32 of their final 33 games.

 

Ottawa, meanwhile, won just three of their final 13 games. Late in the season they did make a trade for Varis Tribuncovs and Billy Pilgrim, two very good players, but in the three regular season games they played with the Lynx, they were unable to find a win. Even in the playoffs, it would appear that Tribuncovs and Pilgrim are not making a huge difference, both under a point-per-game and sitting at an even plus-minus rating. However, their insertion into the top line has moved Mikhail Vega and Sebastian Ironside down to the second line, where the two of them have been tearing it up. They were the first and second stars in Ottawa's 5-0 victory in Game 6, each racking up three points. With nine goals and 19 points in 12 games, Ironside could very well be the playoff MVP even if the Lynx end up losing the deciding game.

 

 

Edited June 5, 2018 by street

[Beketov 8,961]

9 hours ago, street said:

However, their insertion into the top line has moved Mikhail Vega and Sebastian Ironside down to the second line, where the two of them have been tearing it up.

I think that really was the key for us. Our top line is being stopped more or less the same amount it was before but sliding Ironside and Vega down to the 2nd line gives us a lot of potential scoring depth which is really showing up in the playoffs.

 

Win or lose we've had a hell of a run, especially in the finals, when no one really expected it.

[DollarAndADream 3,356]

I think the move of Ironside and then the acquisition of Leph Twinger late in the season is what helped a ton. Although honestly, I'm not surprised at all at what's been happening. I've been saying it in the LR all season, we can do this.