VHLM Playoffs Review

[McWolf 3,111]

 

Season 69 VHLM Playoffs Review

 

We wanted to get a series of previews for the VHLM the same way we did for the VHL -- the first round at least, then that went south too -- but found ourselves lacking the staff to actually do all of that. We still could not not talk about the minor league postseason, so I'll try to talk about every series quickly, as we make our way from the first round to the Founders' Cup Finals, the conclusion of this historic season.

 

 

First Round

 

5 Halifax 21st vs 4 Philadelphia Reapers

The series between the 5th-seeded Halifax 21st and the 4th-seeded Philadelphia Reapers was expected to be the closest of all first-round series and it definitely didn’t disappoint. The Reapers looked like they were in total control after Kyle Andersen carried the team to a 5-1 win right out the gate with a four-point night, but Ben Storm answered with 3 goals and an assist in game 2 to tie the series. Halifax then took full advantage of the home-ice advantage, winning two one-goal games on their own rink, including a game 4 overtime win in which Leon Gutzwiler played the hero, scoring the overtime game-winning goal and adding two assists. With their backs against the wall, the Reapers gave themselves one more game by winning game 5, but couldn’t find a way to get past Jaxx Hextall, who earned a 24-save shutout to seal the series in game 6.

 

The Halifax 21st wins the series in 6.

 

6 San Diego Marlins vs 3 Mexico City Kings

The Mexico City Kings entered this first-round series as the favourites after they finished 3rd in the VHLM and 43 points ahead of the San Diego Marlins. The two Season 66 expansion teams were looking to get their first-ever series win. The Marlins looked like they could be the one to achieve it this season, as they won the opening game of the series in Mexico, thanks to five different goalscorers and Toppi Attakallio holding the fort. This was, however, the only game the Marlins managed to win in this whole series, as the Kings ran the table from this point forward. Oskar Lagesson, Jaxon Walker, Shush Nyko and Erik Summers combined for 26 points in the 5 games of the series as they unknowingly write a new page in the franchise’s history book. For this San Diego, this represents a fourth straight first-round exit in as many seasons of history.

 

The Mexico City Kings win the series in 5.

 

7 Ottawa Lynx vs 2 Mississauga Hounds

Just like the Marlins and the Kings, the Mississauga Hounds were the third team added to the minor league in Season 66 and they were also still looking for their first series win up until this year. They were the overwhelming favourites in this first-round matchup against the 7th-seeded Ottawa Lynx, making them hopeful they’d finally reach the semi-finals, which is exactly what they did. The Hounds outscored their opponents 19 to 5, letting them score two goals only once. Jimmy Spyro held a .931 save percentage throughout the 4 games, while Kris Rice led the team with 8 assists and 9 points. He was mainly supported by Patrik Tallinder, Finnegan MacBurn and Kyl Oferson. Joakim Sakic had a great series for the losing team, scoring 4 of their 5 goals, but he couldn't stop the Hounds by himself.

 

The Mississauga Hounds win the series in 4.

 

8 Yukon Rush vs 1 Saskatoon Wild

The Saskatoon Wild were back in the playoffs for the first time since Season 66 and they were ready to make everyone forget that they’ve spent 2 seasons retooling for this. They finished the regular season with an absolutely ridiculous record of 68 and 4 losses, giving them a point percentage of .944. I could go through their first-round matchup with the Yukon Rush in details, but there’s really not much to say, except for the fact that the Wild displayed the same insane level of play in the playoffs than they did in the regular season, destroying the Rush by a combined score of 30 to 5, capping it off with a convincing 10-1 win in game 4. Mikko Lahtinen was the team’s star in this first round as he paced all forwards with 5 goals and 10 points. Jesse Nyman notched 10 points as well, while Edwin THE Encarnacion, David OQuinn and Danny DeYeeto finished the four-game series with 9, 9 and 8 points, respectively. The Saskatoon show continues.

 

The Saskatoon Wild wins the series in 4.

 

Semi-Finals

 

3 Mexico City Kings vs 2 Mississauga Hounds

Both the Mexico City Kings and the Mississauga Hounds are just coming off the first series win in their respective franchise history and they get to dance with each other in the semi-finals, meaning the winner of this series will get to continue writing new chapters in the book of their history by reaching their first-ever Founders’ Cup Finals. The Hounds quickly took a two-game lead as Jimmy Spyro continued his strong play, giving a chance to his team in these two home games. The Kings took advantage of the next two games being played south of the border, as Odin Omdahl and Jaxon Walker both scored twice to help their team win twice and tie the series up at 2 games apiece. Back in Mississauga, Kyl Oferson scored his 5th and 6th of the playoffs to put the Kings' back against the wall. They had to win game 6 to force a game 7, but a strangely slow-paced game in which Oferson scored yet again and Spyro only needed to stop 10 pucks to earn the shutout ended up being their downfall. The Hounds advance to the Founders' Cup for the first time since they joined the league four seasons ago.

 

The Mississauga Hounds win the series in 6.

 

5 Halifax 21st vs 1 Saskatoon Wild

The Halifax 21st were the only teams to win their first-round matchup as the underdogs, giving them the opportunity to faceoff with a Saskatoon Wild team that won 72 of the 76 games they played up to this point, season and playoffs combined. After beating a Reapers squad that looked better on paper, the 21st were hopeful that they’d be able to upset the Wild and carry on to their fourth Founders’ Cup Finals in 8 seasons of existence. A game 1 in which Erik Killinger played the hero with two goals, including the game-winning goal, as the Wild came on top in a very close 6-5 overtime win kept the hopes up for Halifax. The hopeful were quickly dismissed after the favourites won the next two, putting Halifax down 3-0. The 21st were finally able to steal a game from Saskatoon in game 4, knocking their 16-game winning streak, but it only took the Wild one more game, in which Danny DeYeeto, Edwin THE Encarnacion and David OQuinn combined for 9 points, to close the books and make their way to the Finals of the Founders’ Cup. The Saskatoon show continues, yet again.

 

The Saskatoon Wild wins the series in 5.

 

Founders' Cup Finals

 

2 Mississauga Hounds vs 1 Saskatoon Wild

From the very start of the season, I expected the Saskatoon Wild to make it to the Founders' Cup Finals. Their opponent's spot was a bit more up in the air, with the Mexico City Kings and the Mississauga Hounds alternating as the Wild's most competitive opponents throughout the season. It was fitting that the two faced off in the semi-finals that decided which team would get to play the Wild in the finals and when all was said and done, it was the Hounds that got to play in the first finals of their short history. The Hounds quickly showed that they weren’t the 2nd-seeded team in the league for nothing, upsetting the Wild in Saskatoon in game 1, thanks to a 3rd-period rally, coming from the sticks of Kyl Oferson and Patrik Tallinder. Sadly for them, it was the only bright spot in otherwise a tough series for the Ontarian team. From this point forward, the Saskatoon Wild ran the table, winning four straight, thanks to Danny DeYeeto’s 8 points, Edwin THE Encarnacion’s and Damien Wolfe’s 7 points, Uhtred’s 5 points, Jacques Lafontaine’s respectable .873 save percentage and Jesse Nyman’s Cup-clinching goal. It was the Wild’s toughest competition yet in these playoffs and still, even they couldn’t do much against them. Following strong performances in all 3 series, THE Encarnacion finished the playoffs as the leading scorer with a haul of 6 goals, 18 assists, 24 points.

 

The Saskatoon Wild wins the finals in 5 and lifted their 9th Founders' Cup, their first since Season 63.

 

 

This playoffs pretty much went down the way everyone expected them to. The Saskatoon Wild waltzed throughout the season, scoring double digits on numerous occasions, and they came into the playoffs with that same energy, disposing of the Yukon Rush, the Halifax 21st and the Mississauga Hounds in the finals in a total of 14 games, the least from any team since the VHLM adopted the 8-team playoff formats. Night after night, General Manager Rylan Peace has dressed one of the most dangerous rosters in the history of the minor league and deservedly capped it off with his second Founders’ Cup since he’s at the helm. So, congratulations to you, to your team, and to everyone involved in these playoffs. Good luck with your new team, next season.

     

Players mentioned: @Cusemode @BigBallerFromDownUnder @Gwdjohnson @ROOKIE745 @Bobby Bummhole @fever95 @hewasajazzman @SDCore @Erik Summers @Spyro @Krice13 @Patrik Tallinder @DizzyWithLogic @Nykonax @Gscx420 @Beketov @Jesse Nyman @Tagger @JohnOQuinn @Cran @zepheter @Peace @Laflamme @leafsman @SlapshotDragon

     

VSN Writer McWolf

[ROOKIE745 570]

Good read, I didn't exactly keep up with what happened in the other series so nice to have a little review of it.