Mississauga Hounds: Halfway There [1/2]

[DoktorFunk 810]

Hounds Success Inspires Mississauga:

 

The Hounds were not expected to do well. But they have.

 

The Mississauga Hounds have played excellent hockey, and continue to play excellent hockey, by any measure of that metric. While not initially pegged by most of the league as a threat, and while many of the roles the players took on at the beginning of the season have changed, the Hounds have really come into their own recently and are hoping for a strong playoff run to cap off their first season. With depth on both offense and defense now, the Hounds look to do well, especially after recent developments and acquisitions.

 

One of the Hounds original problems was the defense leaving goaltender Rayz Funk out to dry in the net. Hulk Hogan, while an intimidating presence, could only do so much on his own. This is why when the Hounds recently acquired defenseman Andreas Sundell from Philadelphia there was quite a bit of excitement in the city. But, while a well rounded player, Andreas is very quiet around his teammates. “We try to talk to him, and he just stares at us blankly,” said forward Scott Greene. “He comes to practice and really lights up when he hits the ice, but I’ve never even heard him make a sound before. He pairs well with a larger than life personality like Hulk Hogan. I’m honestly not even sure he does anything other than play hockey. He might just live in the Paramount Fine Foods Centre!”

 

We sat down with Andreas for an interview at the Mississauga Civic Center.

 

Billy: Andreas! It’s so good to meet you!

 

Andreas: …

 

Billy: So, what made you want to start playing for the Hounds?

 

Andreas: …

 

Billy: Hey, Andreas, are you okay? Did you always dream you’d be playing hockey?

 

Andreas: (drooling lightly) ...

 

Billy: Wonderful, we’ll be in touch.

 

 

This was easily one of the worst interviews I’ve ever done.

 

Andreas stood up and walked out of the interview after this. He declined to comment on any other questions we submitted.

 

The Mississauga Civic Center, where we met Andreas
 

Many other player’s on the team have been improving quite a bit. When we last interview Scott Greene, he was concerned with the fact that he didn’t seem to be producing offensively. Since then, he has started contributing to scoring more and is happier with his gameplay. “It finally started to click for me. It was just a hump that I had to get over, and once I did, my play has gotten much better!” Despite an odd incident in which Greene seemed to be under the influence of narcotics on the rink, he really has started to back up his claims of being one of the best players in the league. While not as dominant a scoring presence as he would like, he is very impressive in the face off circle, usually winning well over half the face offs he takes each game. “You can’t score if you don’t have the puck. Well, you can, but the team has to be really lucky, and I don’t like luck,” says Greene.

 

But hockey is a team game, and Greene says he’s impressed with the rest of the teams depth, as well. “Our second line has been monstrous lately. Berocka Sundqvist has really come into his own and has started contributing. Cody Smith continues to be great, and our amazing Hulk Hogan has shown everybody Hulkamania continuously. This team is one to watch!”

 

Hulk Hogan really has continued to impress, with several of his teammates calling for him to win the Ryan Sullivan Trophy for Best Defensive Player. “He really is unmatched. It’s insane to watch him play how he does. I can’t remember the last time I saw someone hit another player with a lariat that wasn’t Hogan,” says Greene. Hogan has been a dominant scoring presence. He currently sits at 66 points for the season, which is unreal.

 

Hogan’s Mississauga Collector’s Card

 

This scoring depth has really helped the Hounds out in recent days. After being in a slump for several games, the Hounds have gained a number of impressive victories, including a blowout of the Houston Bulls and a very strong game against the Saskatoon Wild, and, despite a close loss against the Mexico City Kings, the Hounds stay optimistic in their ability to beat them. “We’re simply the better expansion team, and that’s all there is to it,” says Scott Green. “Next time we go to Mexico, we’re going to show them.”

 

The Hound have another few games against the Mexico City Kings left this season, and it will be far from easy. Both teams are playing very well and both are all but guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. Depending on how motivated the players are, we could see them face off in the finals. “I love playing against Mexico. I speak a little bit of Spanish, and it gives me and my girlfriend and excuse to explore Mexico City,” said Scott Greene. The weather is getting quite hot, and Mexico City is understandably hot for their new team, as well.

 

Downtown Mexico City

 

That’s also true for Mississauga, which is even hotter for their team, having recently honored their new friends on the Hounds with a Hounds Day in the city. All of the players attended a parade in their honor. “It was an interesting experience. They had all kinds of floats and people dressed in jerseys and Hounds outfits. It was cool seeing the city support us like that,” said Greene. The city continues to be hopeful as the league enters its second half of the season.

 

The playoffs are difficult, and no one is going to deny that. It relies on a lot of skill, teamwork, and a hefty amount of luck for you to be able to get all the way to the finals. While there are some scary teams at the top of the standings, at this point, almost any team could take the championship home. With the most exciting time in the season just around the corner, it’s time to find out if it’s an established team, or a scrappy group of Hounds.

 

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1033 Words, claiming for the weeks of 6/3-6/9 and 6/10-6/16

[Gustav 6,430]

I love everything about this article.

[VisualDarkness 14]

...

[Berocka 2,263]

5 hours ago, VisualDarkness said:

...

A man of many words.

 

You need a better signature now, that storm has long gone.

[DoktorFunk 810]

Claiming for week ending on June 16

[Phil 5,119]

Review:

Absolutely Wonderful article about the steady incline of the Hounds. The Marlins started off looking like the best of the 3 expansion teams but as they slowed down, the Hounds sped up. This article explains, in an amusing way, how the Hounds find themselves where they are. It's a light and fun read with good pictures and diverse ways to engage the reader. Well done and keep it up @DoktorFunk