VSN Weekly Review - S71 Week 4

[Erik Summers 451]

Welcome to the fourth edition of VSN’s S71 Weekly recap (Games 217-300).  We’ll cover a host of things in this recap each week including highlights of important VSN happenings, three stars of the week, power rankings, rookie profiles, and anything else of importance.

 

Also, make sure to check out the wide variety of content here at VSN. There are in-depth weekly updates and an award tracker for the VHL, a great podcast, and daily WJC coverage when it starts up, among other informative articles. Check out our latest installments here:

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Recap

 
We had several more trades this week as the trade deadline loomed. Hiroshi Okada made a splash with a hat-trick in one of his first games as a Titan and John Frostbeard announced his retirement just days after being traded to the Americans. Malmo appeared to be selling it all for the future and then immediately turned around and grabbed up Shawn Glade Jr and ACL TEAR. By the end of the week, it looks like the dust might finally be settling and it will just be a matter of time before we know how these trades will be remembered.
 
In the European Conference, acquisitions by Helsinki and Malmo added an extra level of excitement to their tight race for the final playoff spot. At the start of the week, it looked like the Titans might pull away with it, but the Nighthawks now wold a five-point lead. At the top of the conference, Moscow, Prague, and Riga all sit within two points, so the number one seed is open for anyone to grab. If their goaltending continues to hold, my current favourite to win the conference is the Phantoms, but the margins are extremely narrow.
 
In the North American Conference, the field has begun to pull away from their European counterparts as well as from the teams not currently in playoff spots. While it appears that we know who to expect in the playoffs out of North America, the seeding is way up in the air. Just three points separate first and forth and I can’t say I even have a  good guess who will win it. Vancouver has been the team I thought was a sleeper all season, but Calgary has maintained their lead throughout the week despite some adversity.

 
3-Stars
 
First Star
Brick Wahl (PRG) - .956 SV%, 1.64 GAA, 5 SO
Second Star
Scott Greene (SEA) - 10 G, 8 A
Third Star
Erik Summers (HSK) - 13 A, 28 SB
 
Power Rankings

 
European Conference
Prague Phantoms - (+2) On the back of great goaltending, they made an outstanding surge this week.
Moscow Menace - (-1) I had told myself that I wouldn’t demote the reigning champs until they gave up first, but tied will have to do.
Riga Reign -  (-1) They captured some real magic for a while, but I’m not sure it is sustainable.
Malmo Nighthawks - (+1) Their trades seem to have paid off handsomely. They have a chance to look up a playoff spot
Helsinki Titans - (-1) It was a great start to the week and they got exactly what they wanted on the trade market, but will it be enough?
HC Davos Dynamo - They might be in last, but this team is becoming more and more respectable by the day.
 
North American Conference
Calgary Wranglers - They have fiercely defended first place all week. I just don’t know who is going to beat them.
Vancouver Wolves - Their goalie announced his retirement this week. This is the season for them to make a move.
Seattle Bears - One of the most well-rounded teams and even more so after this week’s trade.
D.C. Dragons - It feels wrong having this team in fourth, but the top four are just so close.
Toronto Legion - It is a shame that they don’t have much of a shot at the playoffs this season. They were very exciting to watch this week.
New York Americans - Their trade this week might help them this season, but is going to be rough in the long term.

User-Voted Rankings

 
European Conference
Moscow Menace - First in the European Conference, fifth in the league.
Riga Reign - (+4) Finally the recognition they deserve.
HC Davos Dynamo - Is this meme going to die?
Prague Phantoms/Helsinki Titans - (-1/0) I sure hope people aren’t still sleeping on Prague
Malmo Nighthawks - (-4) Roller coaster central over here.
 
North American Conference
Vancouver Wolves - (+5) I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way.
Calgary Wranglers/Seattle Bears - (-1/+1) It is just so close here at the top.
D.C. Dragons - (-2) Exhibit A. How is a team this good in fourth in these rankings?
New York Americans - (-1) I’m interested to see if this will change at all this week.
Toronto Legion - (-1) At least it isn’t lonely down here.

Notable Games 

Game 263 Prague Phantoms vs. Moscow Menace
The Phantoms have been on a roll this week, especially on defence, and, at the end of the week, they are sitting tied for first place in the European Conference. The Cinnamon Block and Seabass Perrin combo on defence has been smothering and Brick Wahl has lived up to his name. This was put on full display in this shutout against Moscow. Despite giving up thirty-eight shots to possibly the best offence in the league, Prague held on and, with two goals from Roll Fizzlebeaf, ended it 2-0.
 
Game 286 - Riga Reign vs. Calgary Wranglers
Calgary finished the week on top of the standing again this week, and this game was a prime example of what they are capable of. It was actually the third in a series of games these two teams played this week and Calgary won them all. Since acquiring Greg Eagles, Acyd Burn, and Phil Marleau Riga has jumped up into the position of being a real contender. However, the North American Conference just looks significantly better at the moment. Calgary did an excellent job of wrangling in the star players of the Reign roster, with the only one of those big-name signings that appeared on the score-sheet being Greg Eagles.
 
Game 288 - Vancouver Wolves vs. Seattle Bears
The battle for first place in the North American Conference and, by extension, the league, was very tight all week. At the end of the season, we will look back on these rivalry games with extra importance as they will each be huge in determining playoff seeding. Scott Greene and Will Clark each had multi-point games, but the goaltending was the real story of this match as each goalie stopped thirty or more shots. In the end, Rayz Funk and Finn Davison combined for an SV% of .941.

Events of the Week 

Fights
 

• Game 222 - BRAWL!
  • Fights have been way down this season from last, but Helsinki and Davos set out to begin fixing that problem, though the Titan’s certain came out the worse for it. After Anthony Matthews scored just seconds into the third period, Kronos Bailey sought revenge with his fists. This sparked a line-brawl that included Erik Draven, Chico Smeb, Guillaume Fontenett, Derek Eriksson, and Cody Smith. Then, later that period Kronos Bailey started another fight, this time with Milos Slavik. The resulting ejection and powerplay would lead to the final nail in the Titan’s coffin this game.
• Game 270 - Brawl…?
  • This was considered a line brawl, but somehow only two players received fighting majors. Kris Rice and Hunter Hearst Helmsley fought to a draw and were penalized the full five minutes while Mikko Lahtinen, Jeff Downey, and Sigard Gunnar only got minors for their involvement.
• Game 285 - Forest beats up Laughton
  • Sometimes a fight can be used to kill an opponent’s momentum as much as it can be to fuel your own. That was the case when Boris the Forest laid a brutal beat-down on Blake Laughton late in the second period. Helsinki had just come within one goal and seemed to have a good deal of momentum. However, after the fight, D.C. regained control and closed out the game without another goal.
• Game 294 - BRAWL!
  • Helsinki has been a very physical team this season and you will not find a fiercer rivalry in the VHL than Titans vs. Reign, so this was to be expected. A high-stick from Cody Smith started it all when Guy Sasakamoose took umbrage with it and started swinging. He would end up getting the additional instigation penalty as he beat up Ben Hafkey. Jim Bob won one for Helsinki as well in his fight against Patrick Tallinder and Erik Draven and Apollo Hackett fought to a draw. Guillaume Fontenette and Phil Marleau also got involved with some pushing and shoving but were only called for minors.

 
Hat-Tricks
 

• Game 241 - Brian Strong and Hiroshi Okada
  • Helsinki showed everyone that they got exactly what they wanted in their trade for Hiroshi Okada. In his first week with the Titans, he has already nearly doubled his point total for the season. He was going criminally underutilized on Calgary’s third line, so I’m sure this is a breath of fresh air for the up and comer.
    
    Another effect of having Okada on the team is that it has open up space on the ice for his teammates. Brian Strong was one of the main beneficiaries of that in this game with a hat-trick of his own. Erik Summers also had a career-best game with five assists in this 8-4 score-fest.
• Game 248 - Soren Jensen
  • Soren Jensen, MGS, and Fredick Elembeck combined for a lightning-fast start. With three points apiece, Jensen did the majority of the scoring with his first hat-trick of the season. The Americans spent the rest of the game just holding off the Wolves so cling to a 4-3 victory.
• Game 251 - Ambrose Stark
  • This has been a great season for individual efforts, and hat-tricks are way up from last season. Ambrose Stark spaced this one out, scoring his first goal to give the Bears a two-goal lead early in the first. We didn’t see him again until after Toronto had done some scoring of their own when he once again gave Seattle a two-goal lead at the start of the third. He then increased it to a three-goal lead to complete his first hat-trick of the season.
• Game 254 - Mikko Aaltonen
  • This has to be the worst-feeling hat-trick of the season. Mikko Aaltonen carrier his team into overtime scoring all three of their goals. Then, after extra time went scoreless, it was the Wranglers who one as Aaltonen’s shootout shot sailed wide of the net.
• Game 280 - Pat Svoboda
  • Back with his old team this season, Pat Svoboda has slowed down a bit in his final season, but he is still a great leader in Davos. Currently, he is the only player on the Dynamo roster with a positive +/-. He did everything he could to help them win this one, scoring once in each period, but it came up just short. Regardless, it is exciting to watch the veteran still put up highlight-reel performances.
• Game 284 - Mat Tocco
  • The first period was action-packed with a final score of 3-2, and Moscow was deadly on the powerplay, scoring on both of their opportunities. But from there, it was all Mat Tocco. He scored again in the second and third periods to finish out his hat-trick.
• Game 289 - Zeno Miniti
  • When the last-place team in the North American Conference faces the reigning champs, you don’t expect to get a great game. That expectation was smashed when Zeno Miniti led the Legion to an impressive victory with his first career hat-trick.
• Game 292 - Benny Graves
  • Some people discount hat-tricks that include an empty-netter, but not here. This is especially true when no one could have deserved one more than Benny Graves did in this game. Graves’s first two goals kept the Dragons in this game while the rest of the team struggled. But, late in the second, his teammates turned it on to make the comeback and lead the game 5-4. That was what gave Benny the opportunity at the empty netter for his first hat-trick of the season.
• Game 295 - Jeff Downey
  • Jeff Downey scored the opening goal and the one that would go on to be the game-winner in the first period for his initial two goals. After that, he waited until the third to finish his hat-trick and chase Seattle goalie Rayz Funk in the process. With an assist as well, he had himself a four-point game.

 
Shutouts
  

• Game 217 - Toronto vs. New York
  • The battle to stay out of last place in the North American Conference got off to a big start this week. Shots were fairly even throughout with New York actually out-shooting Toronto in the second and third periods, but nothing could get past Jaxx Hextall. Despite being only his second shutout of the season, I would say he is playing pretty well considering the struggles Toronto has had so far.
• Game 230 - H.C. Davos vs. Vancouver
  • One of the few predictions I’ve gotten right, I was on the Jimmy Spyro train very early and this kid continues to amaze. Davos actually managed to get off quite a few shots, but Spyro stoped all twenty-nine of them. He was especially brilliant in the third, facing thirteen shots as his opponents tried desperately to find a hole.
• Game 231 - Prague vs. Riga
  • Sometimes experience beats the hottest new thing, and that’s what happened here. Brick Wahl has announced that he will be retiring at the end of this season, but he still has a few lessons to teach the new guard. This game had extra meaning because it is extremely close at the top of the European Conference right now and any of these games could be the one that decides it.
• Game 250 - D.C. vs. Malmo
  • The Dragons were a mess in this game. JB Rift had one of the worst games of his career, letting in two of the first six shots he face and getting pulled just over five minutes into the first period. Once they had the lead, Malmo did what Malmo does best, shut it down. After an amazing first period, Michael Johnson had a much easier time in the second and third, facing just eight shots in each to close out another great shutout.
• Game 252 - Prague vs. H.C. Davos
  • For a team that has spent most of the season in a pretty distant last place, Davos still manages to look very competitive in short bursts. They absolutely dominated this game, outshooting the Phantoms 37-13 and handing Samuel Ross one of the calmer shutouts of his career.
• Game 253 - Prague vs. Vancouver
  • Prague's goaltending has been on a streak of its own as well, besting both sides of the Davison/Eagles trade this week. Brick Wahl benefited from a team in front of him that control the momentum for much of the game, forcing Finn Davison to make thirty saves. Both goalies had an excellent night, but it was Wahl who walked away with the shutout.
• Game 255 - Malmo vs. Seattle
  • Word to the wise, don’t let Malmo go up 2-0 on you in the first period. It will almost always end with a shutout. However, when Hulk Hogan is ejected for head-butting and Ambrose Stark is sitting for a fight, it is kinda hard to stop them. Seattle made a good effort with eleven shots in the third, but Michael Johnson held them off to climb back atop the shutout leaderboard.
• Game 262 - Toronto vs. D.C.
  • D.C. had pretty good control for most of this game. There were a few moments in the first period where things could have gone the other way, but once they got to the second they really shut things down. JB Rift and Jaxx Hextall were each excellent this game, but it was Rift who sealed it off and earned his fourth shutout of the season.
• Game 263 - Moscow vs. Prague
  • This is another major battle for dominance in the European Conference and Brick Wahl delivered again. Moscow maintained a high level of pressure throughout, forcing Wahl to make thirty-eight stops, but he kept them all out. This also moved Brick back into a tie for first for shutouts this season.
• Game 267 D.C. vs. New York
  • What a game for A Red Guy! Thirty-nine saves against one of the best teams in the league right now. The rest of the Americans’ roster owes him a big one for this performance. Guy continues to be able to stand on his head to bail out his team when the occasion necessitates it.
• Game 277 - Seattle vs. D.C.
  • D.C. had a bit of a slide in the middle of this week and this beatdown delivered by the bears capped it off. JB Rift topped himself from earlier in the week having the new worst game of his career, getting pulled after stopping just two of the first four shots against him. At the other end of the ice, Rayz Funk was flawless, securing the shutout with twenty-five saves.
• Game 281 - Riga vs. Calgary
  • This was billed as one of the most exciting games of the week; two incredibly hot teams vying for position in their perspective conferences. But, for a game that could realistically be a preview of the cup final, this was incredibly one-sided. Calgary dominated with forty shots while Jacques Lafontaine only faced sixteen in this shutout.
• Game 287 - Malmo vs. Prague
  • The battle for the top spot on the shutouts leader board has been very contentious and it came to a head in this game. Michael Johnson and Brick Wahl faced off for a chance to take the lead. Malmo had an absolutely smothering first period, giving up just two shots, but it looked like Prague might breakthrough in the second. Johnson was able to hold them off and Malmo regained control in the third, once again allowing almost no shots. With that, it was Michael Johnson who would claim the shutout title, for now at least.
• Game 290 - HC Davos vs. Vancouver
  • You won’t find Samuel Ross on the many of the goalie leaderboards, but he just quietly earned his fourth shutout of the season while starting ten fewer games than most other starting goalies. Ross, and the entire Dynamo roster to some extent, have been very all or nothing this season and, unfortunately, it has been more nothing than all. However, the sparks of greatness like we saw in this game give a fair amount of hope for the future.

Rookie Spotlight
Roque Davis 

If the season ended today, I think Roque Davis would be the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year. Not only does he lead the league in scoring among rookies, but he has done it on an HC Davos squad that is the only team in the league to score under one hundred goals. That means that Davis has a point on nearly half of Dynamo goals this season. This is all from a defenseman who is also very noticeable at his own end of the ice with eighty-two shots blocked.
 
This should come as no surprise to anyone who followed Davis’ VHLM career. Joining Mississauga at the cutoff for his first season, buy the playoffs, he was already a central figure of that roster, scoring twelve points in fifteen playoff games. The following season he was drafted by San Diego where he scored over two points per game and had over a hundred shots blocked.
 
It is really going to take a major upheaval to shake Roque’s grip on rookie of the year, but there are a couple of candidates who could still accomplish it. We’ll look at one of those rookies next week.

 

 

Spoiler

Players Mentioned: @enigmatic, @FrostBeard, @ShawnGlade, @Quik, @DoktorFunk, @BladeMaiden, @Erik Summers, @omgitshim, @Sebster03, @TacticalHammer, @Greg_Di, @Acydburn, @Phil, @Will, @Poptart, @Rayzor_7, @xDParK, @DirtyDerek, @Frank, @McLovin, @Grape, @Wheaties, @cody73, @Jbeezy76, @okochastar, @jRuutu, @Ricer13, @Beketov, @Beaviss, @JeffD, @chillzone. @Big Mac, @Cxsquared, @Patrik Tallinder, @Renomitsu, @Velevra, @Motzaburger, @Elmebeck, @Banackock, @Matt_O, @StamkosFan, @STZ, @Zeno, @ROOKIE745, @DarkSpyro, @Devise, @fonziGG, @Brrbisbrr, @SlapshotDragon. @.sniffuM, @Josh

 

Edited April 20, 2020 by Erik Summers

[Big Mac 310]

Pay the refs and stick up for boys!

[Doomsday 4,143]

Roque Davis was with the San Diego Marlins last season. 

 

Great article!

[Victor 11,009]

Is the top poll meant to just be Prague vs Moscow?

[Erik Summers 451]

5 hours ago, Victor said:

Is the top poll meant to just be Prague vs Moscow?

 

It was not. Apparently, when you accidentally close the window while typing your post it recovers the post but not the poll.