Claimed:Rush to the Playoffs

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Rush to the Playoffs

 

     It’s official ladies and gentlemen, the Yukon Rush have already clinched a spot in the Season 37 VHLM playoffs. After only 40 games, the Rush are guaranteed at least the third spot in the North American Conference. Barring a drastic meltdown, Yukon should have the first spot in their conference locked down for the rest of the year. This article will be highlighting why Yukon has had so much success so far.

 

 

 

Chemistry

 

     The primary objective of hockey is to score more goals than your opponent. Yukon has had no problem scoring goals this year, as their 203 goals are only behind Minot and Bern for the season. The Rush use two balanced lines which both have excellent passers and scorers. Yukon’s first line features Russian-born Konstantin Azhishchenkov at center, Kai Randal at left wing, and Queen Latifa at right wing. This first line has a lot of chemistry due to each player’s strengths complimenting each other well. Randal is the natural-born passer of the group, KJA is arguably the most well-rounded offensive player on the team, and Queen Latifa has the best shot on the team. Yukon’s second line also features excellent chemistry, but is different from the first line in that they have more defensive and physical ability. While all three players on the second line have great offensive ability, their play in the defensive zone is what makes them stand out. Lars Strummer centers the second line, and is arguable the best two-way forward on the Rush. Jeevan Samuelson brings solid defensive ability along with some ferocious physicality. Lastly, Bennett Wahl is a jack-of-all-trades forward who also is an excellent pest and draws a lot of penalties.

 

 From left to right: Kai Randal, KJA, Queen Latifa

 

Stopping Goals

 

     When Yukon drafted goaltender Kimmo Salo with the first pick of the draft, they held lofty expectations for him. So far, Salo has exceeded expectation as he has the best goals against average (1.65) and save percentage (0.195%) in the league. However, it must be noted that Salo only has faced 739 shots this season, which is less than any other full-time starting goalie this season. These low shot totals can be attributed to the excellent defensive work in front of Salo. Yukon’s first pairing defensive unit features Triton Jackson and Don Draper. Jackson is a VHLM veteran who possesses the best offensive skills of all Yukon defenseman along with excellent defensive skills. Draper is Yukon’s defenseman with the most potential but is currently a raw player. Management has decided that Draper needs as much playing time as possible to maximize his potential, and roughly half way through the season Draper has already made a lot of strides since the beginning of the season. Currently, Draper has excellent defensive abilities along with a great slap shot, but his passing needs a lot of work as he often turns the puck over. Yukon’s second pairing features two VHLM veterans who are both excellent two-way defenseman. Gabrial Johnson is a great clear the porch defenseman who can hold his own in front of the net while also giving some excellent breakout passes. Frederick Ernst is playing out of position for Yukon, as his natural position is center. However, Yukon’s forward depth was already too deep, and Ernst has enough defensive ability to become a full-time defenseman.

 

 

Gabrial Johnson "clearing the porch"

 

 

 

[Guest Svoboda_3]

Content: 3/3

564 words. Not a bad Media Spot at all. You focused on the areas in which Yukon thrives in. It flowed well and has excellent structure.

Grammar: 2/2

Just some minor things to keep track of.

 

arguable = arguably

expectation = expectations

save percentage (.195%) = assuming you meant .915%

Frederick = Frederik

 

Appearance: 1/1

Center alignment, color etc.

Overall: 6/6

Edited April 2, 2014 by Svoboda_3

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