Round 1 Scoring Matchup: Saskatoon Wild vs. The Mexico City Kings

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Round 1 Scoring Matchup: Saskatoon Wild vs. The Mexico City Kings

 

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Saskatoon's Top Six Scorers:

 

Rocky LaGarza:

With an intimidating 94 points and an even more intimidating +42 on the season, LaGarza is a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the ice. While his underlying stats don't quite reflect the absolutely insane numbers he's put up this year, its been suggested that LaGarza's success is by virtue of his team rather than the other way around. The Kings would be smart to employ Stef Curry tactics this season and attempt to shut down LaGarza's support rather than LaGarza himself.

 

Milan Griffin:

The PIMS leader for Saskatoon must be getting frustrated, it being his third season in the VHLM and only now realizing first-line potential. With Houston missing the playoffs last year, its possible Griffin's legs will not be ready for the big ice in time for his return. The Kings can only hope.

 

Brian Strong:

Several GM's had high hopes for Strong coming into this season as a breakout star after his 64 point outing last season. Unfortunately, Strong has come up short, with only a ten-point growth, while at the same time managing to score four fewer goals than the '65 season. The one saving grace for Strong is his physical game has improved this season, so hopefully he can begin to live up to his namesake.

 

Lucas Nygren:

In his sophomore year in the VHLM, Nygren has shown impressive growth, absolutely peppering the net over the season to reach a Filip Forsbergian 30-36-66 on the season with a respectable +23 over the year. He should prove to be a competent second-liner across the series.

 

Anthony Amberback:

Shoring up the blueline for Saskatoon, Amberback's strength is stripping the puck from the opposing team and caryring it in himself. These big-body moves are perfectly suited against the Kings, who play more of a European/Mexican hybrid style. Amberback is going to have big minutes to fill across this series. Expect to see him on the ice for 30+ minutes per game.

 

Rusty Shackleford:

 

 

Mexico's Top Six Scorers:

 

Aleksander Rodriguez:

Rodriguez is the heart and soul of this team. Leading the kings in points and plus/minus. this defensively responsible young man displays shades of Bergeron whenever he's out on the ice. Look for him to be competing with LaGarza for the scoring lead this entire series.

 

Michael Gary Scott:

One of the breakout stars of the VHLM this season, Scott's abnormally high shot percentage (17.36% in regular season play) has made him the Kings' leading trigger-man this season. Scott exemplifies the quote, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky - Michael Scott

 

Guillaume Fontenette:

This 30th Overall pick to the VHL has seen his stock drop slightly since his 16 OA entry into the VHLM, but this frenchman is ready to tag it and baguette.  Able to both move the puck and quarterback the powerplay, when played with the right finishers, Fonette's passing game is unparalleled. (Author's prediction for most assists this series).

 

Boris the Forest:

At 33-33-66 on the season, theForest believes his stats are perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Look for the Kings' second-line center to have a goal and an assist in a game, or nothing at all. theForest's strength is putting up points while not taking a lot of penalties, shoring up his spot on the Zoiderberg-Takahashi line.

 

Derek England:

An absolute unit of physicality on the Fontenette/England first-pairing, Derek is best known as the defensive half. The Vlasic for Fontenette's Burns, the Hamhuis to Fontenette's Bieksa, the Karlsson to Fontenette's Karlsson. England also leads the team in PIM's, so look out for a few extra hooks and trips as he gets that big body between his opponents and the net.

 

Henrik Zoiderberg:

When Zoids joined the league he looked to model his game after Mark Stone, and it shows. While not the team leader in assists, goals, plus/minus, PIM's, hits, blocks, or game winning goals, Zoiderberg makes up for all of this in his elite shot percentage. As the only player in the VHLM with a 13.37% through the season, Zoiderberg has proven to be the league's only elite player. Hopefully this success carries through to the playoffs.

 

700 words

TPE for week ending June 23

Edited June 18, 2019 by HenrikZoiderberg