A look into Toronto's shootouts! [1/2]

[Peace 1,518]

TORONTO, CANADA -- There is a common term on the internet - 'name a better duo' - and we've finally found the answer to the challenge. That particular answer is the Toronto Legion and their shootout record during the ongoing sixty seventh season of the Victory Hockey League. Toronto has played ten games that went into the shootout, and we're going to break down each and every single one of them in a fairly basic sense - nothing in depth, just a recap really. 

G4: TOR vs. VAN; 4-3 SO win for TOR [1-0]

The first game of the season for Toronto was, perhaps, a revealing sign that Toronto would have a tendency to enter the shootout as the season progressed; during regulation time, Toronto would lead Vancouver 1-0 and 2-1 during the first period thanks to Dragomir and Baxter, but the Legion would eventually trail Vancouver 3-2 midway through the second period. Rylan Peace would tie the game at three a few minutes later, and the game would remain tied at three after overtime.  

Toronto would win the shootout 2-1 over Vancouver thanks to goals from Arroyo and Peace in the second and third rounds, respectively, while Vancouver would earn their tally in the second round when Scott was able to tie the score at one a piece. JB Rift made two saves during the skill competition to secure the victory for Toronto, and earned the 'clutch performance' nomination after making a save on Louth's shot that could have given Vancouver a 1-0 edge after Dragomir missed the net in the first round.  

Rylan Peace scored the shootout winner.

GM20: NYA @ TOR; 4-3 SO win for TOR [2-0]

Toronto lead the Americans 2-1 and 3-2 through twenty and forty minutes, but the Americans were able to shut down Toronto in the third while managing to tally a goal of their own to tie the game at three a piece. Garrop, King and Arroyo would score for Toronto during regulation time, and Tzuyu and Peace would earn two assists each, but the game would move into a shootout after a solid game from the Americans' Nixon and his forty six save performance.

Toronto would win the shootout 3-2 over the Americans with goals from Dragomir, Peace and Tzuyu in the first, third and forth rounds. The Americans would receive goals from Wilinsky and Forest in the first and third rounds, but Rift would stop Laughton in the forth round allowing Toronto's goal to win the game. Tzuyu's game winning shootout goal earns the clutch performance of the night. 

Tzuyu scored the shootout winner. 

GM39: SEA @ TOR; 4-3 SO win for TOR [3-0] 

Seattle and Toronto battled during the first half of the first period, but after Seattle's first goal, the Bears simply took control of the period and went into the intermission up 2-0 on the Legion. The Bears enjoyed a 2-0 lead until Peace cut into it at 8:14, and roughly six minutes later, their lead had vanished when Toronto's King tied the game. Although the score was 2-2 after two periods of play, the Bears would get on top again after their power play converted on a goal, but Peace's second of the game would tie it at three a piece - also on the power play - and the game would remain tied after sixty five minutes of playtime.

Toronto would defeat Seattle 1-0 in the shootout, where Toronto's lone scorer - Arroyo - found twine in the second round. TOR G, a rink-side backup goaltender for Toronto, made three saves off of Bears' forwards Ylonen, Zoiderberg and Burn to seal the game. The clutch performance of the shootout belongs to TOR G for making three saves to lead Toronto to their third SO win.

Arroyo would score the shootout winner. 

GM51: MOS @ TOR; 6-5 SO defeat for TOR [3-1]

The first game on this list not ending 3-3 after regulation time also produced the highest offensive totals for and individual Toronto Legion player this season. Moscow and Toronto were tied at two after the first period of play, where the Legion lead 1-0 from King's early goal and Peace's tying marker in the final minute of player. Toronto would lead Moscow 4-3 after two periods of play, where Boucher and Tzuyu would pot the markers Toronto needed to lead the Menace heading into the third period. Rylan Peace would score his second goal, and earn his fifth point, to extend Toronto's lead to 5-3 four minutes and twenty four seconds into the third. Unfortunately, Moscow would score two - including a late power play goal - and force a shootout against Toronto. 

Moscow would defeat Toronto in the shootout 2-1. Arroyo would score Toronto's lone tally in the second, while Weyed and Baillie would score for Moscow in the third and forth rounds. Sterling stopped Peace, Tzuyu and Dragomir in the forth, third and first rounds respectively to secure the victory. Sterling wins the shootout's clutch performance nod. 

Baillie scored the shootout winner. 

GM57: DAV @ TOR; 4-3 SO win for TOR [4-1]

Unsurprisingly... Toronto wins another shootout when overtime ends at 3-3 a piece. The Toronto Legion lead the Dynamo 2-1 after the first period, where Garrop and Peace would pot markers, but the Dynamo would come back during the second and enter the intermission leading the Legion 3-2. Early in the third Arroyo would tie the game at three and it would finish without any further goals from either teams. 

Toronto would defeat Davos in the shootout 2-1. Davis would be the only shooter during the first five individuals to make shot attempts to score a goal, with Madden - having an opportunity to end the game - firing the puck wide during the third round of the skill competition. The atmosphere exploded when Peace's do-or-die shot sailed past Davison to tie the shootout at one to end the third round. JB Rift would make his first save off of Warren, followed by Davison making a save off Tzuyu's shot, but Rift won the goaltending battle in the final round when he saved Scoringsonn's shot while King found the back of the net. Rylan Peace's tying shootout goal is the clutch performance of the night, it saved Toronto's shootout effort. 

King scored the shootout winner. 

GM73: NYA @ TOR; 4-3 SO win for TOR [5-1]

There's a saying out there, 'were it so easy', and apparently it is for the Legion... as long as the game ends 3-3 after regulation and overtime. Surprisingly the Americans were able to dominate most of the first period, taking a respectable 1-0 lead into the intermission, and extending that lead just 1:46 into the second on a power play goal. Toronto, less than a minute later, took over the game and exploded in the second period. Arroyo scored a goal and Dragomir added two of his own to give the Legion a 3-2 lead heading into the third frame. Toronto would heavily outplay the Americans, but they were able to tie the game up early and keep it tied to force an overtime and eventually - obviously - a shootout. 

Toronto was able to defeat New York 2-1 in the shootout. With the Americans shooting first, they had an opportunity to start with a lead, but JB Rift stopped Wilinsky's shot attempt while Dragomir was able to give the Legion a 1-0 lead heading into the second round of shooters. The Americans' rookie, Dissanayake, was able to slip the puck past the Legion goaltender to tie the game while Arroyo missed the net on his opportunity. Forest - with a chance to give the Americans a 2-1 lead - missed the net, but Peace made no mistakes when he fired the puck past Iseult to win the game. Rylan Peace earns the clutch performance nod for his game winner in the third round. 

Rylan Peace scored the shootout winner. 

GM84: TOR @ NYA; 5-4 SO win for TOR [6-1]

The first game on this list Toronto wins when the regulation finishes at 4-4, their previous attempt thwarted by the Menace, and it was a hard fought game. The first period saw the Legion nearly effortlessly climb to a 3-1 lead to end the first period, Garrop scored for Toronto and Dragomir added two during the frame. However, unfortunately for Toronto, the Americans started the second period with a burning passion. Although they were unable to tie the game at 3, the Americans had clawed into the lead and Toronto lead 3-2 heading into the final period. New York startled Toronto by scoring two back to back goals just before the final five minutes of the third period, and with Toronto now on the burners trailing 4-3, Peace was able to tie the game with a power play marker with just under three minutes left in regulation - the game would head to the shootout (duh). 

Toronto would defeat New York 3-2 in the shootout. Every player scored back to back, it was a thrilling but anxious series of events that New York fans endured during the first two rounds. Dragomir found the back of the net only to see Wilinsky respond, meanwhile Arroyo would tally a goal only for Americans' rookie Dissanayake to earn one of his own. Peace would score for Toronto, but the game ended when Forest fired the puck wide of the net. Rylan Peace earns the clutch performance of the night for scoring the game winner in the third round. 

Rylan Peace scored the shootout winner. 

GM89: SEA @ TOR; 5-4 SO win for TOR [7-1]

Toronto and Seattle would meet in the shootout again, and Toronto would earn it's second straight 5-4 shootout victory since loosing to Moscow in a prior game. The Bears, similar to their above listed game, dominated Toronto during the first period. The Legion were out shot 22-5 and trailed the Bears 2-1 heading into the second period, TOR G was putting up a fight for his team early. The Legion were able to recover in the second period and played moderately, although they still trailed Seattle 3-2 after forty minutes of hockey. The Legion would - thankfully - play a strong third period to tie the game at four, sending it into overtime, and eventually the shootout. Rylan Peace would score Toronto's first goal before Seattle took over the first period, while Arroyo would tie the game in the second. Tzuyu carried the Legion offensively in the third with two goals. 

Toronto would defeat Seattle 2-1 in the shootout. The first round saw each team exchange goals, as both Ylonen and Dragomir found the back of the net. In a flip, the next two rounds of shooters were saved by Funk and G until the forth round. Mars had a chance to end it, but TOR G was able to make the safe, and Tzuyu would slam a puck past Seattle's goaltender to win the game. Tzuyu gets the clutch performance nod for her game winner in the forth round. 

Tzuyu scored the shootout winner. 

GM105: TOR @ SEA; 4-3 SO win for TOR [8-1]  

Earlier in the article we said Toronto and shootouts were the best duo on the internet, but in reality it should be Toronto and games being tied 3-3 after regulation. Although it entirely favors the Legion, and will continue to do so as of this articles writing, the Legion's nine shootout games so far are a concern. Toronto and Seattle were tied at one after the first twenty minutes, with Low scoring his first VHL goal to give the Bears a lead midway through the first, and Sullivan Jr scoring his first of the season to tie the game. Toronto would take control in the second period when Peace and Dragomir extended Toronto's lead to 2-1 and 3-1 respectively, but Seattle would fight back in the third to tie the game at three to force an overtime... and eventually a shootout; Morozov scored his first of the season, while Ylonon tied the game for the Bears.

Toronto defeated Seattle 1-0 in the shootout. Dragomir was stopped by Funk while Ylonen missed the net, perhaps solidifying his stats as a bust, despite trying the game in the third period to force this shootout. Arroyo would give Toronto a 1-0 lead in the second round, and TOR G would make an excellent save off Zoiderberg's shot. Peace would be defeated by Funk, and Burn shot the puck wide in the third round. Arroyo earns the clutch performance for applying mid-round pressure and getting the eventual game winner. 

Arroyo scored the shootout winner. 

2216 words. Claiming for the next month.

[Speed 126]

Review: In depth, easy to read, and stands out to the eye. Perfect.

[Peace 1,518]

Thanks! 

Also, second claim. 

[Peace 1,518]

Third claim.

 

[Peace 1,518]

Final claim