VSN Weekly Review - S71 Week 5

[Erik Summers 451]

 

Welcome to the fifth edition of VSN’s S71 Weekly recap (Games 301-385).  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.
 
Recap

Before we delve fully into the playoff pictures in each conference, I want to mention a couple of non-playoff related things that happened this week. The first is that we will not have any one-hundred point teams this season. The league is at such extreme parity this season that no team will even be able to reach the ninety-eight points Malmo led the league within S68. That makes this the most evenly matched season since the expansion. I also want to highlight a spark of hope for the teams at the bottom of each conference. HC Davos has seen an impressive resurgence this week for a team with nothing to play for but the lottery. It is too little too late, but I am calling it now that they will be one of the top contenders in the coming season. For Toronto, the hopefulness should come from the fact that they are only twelve points out of first place in the league. They may be last in the conference right now, but it was very tight all season. If just a couple things had gone differently for them we could be having a completely different conversation.
 
As we approach the end of the season, playoff seeding couldn’t be more up in the air. The only spot that feels certain is that Riga will be the third seed. With a six-point cushion ahead of them and seven-point buffer behind, it is highly unlikely that they will change position in the next eight games. Somehow, the two-point deficit that Seattle faces seems nearly as insurmountable, as competition has been incredibly tight for those spots this season. The top of the North American Conference currently has Vancouver in the lead by one point, with Calgary and D.C. tied for second. This is the first time in a few weeks that Calgary has fallen from the top spot.
 
In the European Conference, there are two exciting races still going on. At the top of the conference, we have Moscow and Prague fighting for the lead. Moscow currently holds a four-point advantage, but Prague has had some great streaks this season, so they shouldn't feel too comfortable with that spacing. At the opposite end, Malmo and Helsinki are duking it out for the last playoff spot. Malmo currently holds the fourth-place position, but only by a single point. Each team seems to have solved some of the offensive struggles they faced earlier in the season, so it is really anyone's guess who will come out on top in this one.

3-Stars
 
First Star
Mikko Aaltonen (DCD) - 5 G, 10 A
Second Star
Cinnamon Block (PRG) - 3 G, 12 A
Third Star
Brick Wahl (PRG) - .924 SV%, 2.15 GAA
 
Power Rankings

 
European Conference
Moscow Menace - (+1) Back on top for the reigning champs.
Prague Phantoms - (-1) Their first conference title is in sniffing distance.
Riga Reign - The only team going into the post-season who already know their seed.
Helsinki Titans - (+1) A strong week makes me believe they can make up the final point in the standings
Malmo Nighthawks - (-1) A big question remains whether they can live up to their potential.
HC Davos Dynamo - How is the bottom team in the league so exciting?
 
North American Conference
Vancouver Wolves - (+1) I've been on this train all season. They finally proved me right.
Calgary Wranglers - (-1) It feels weird not to have them at number one, but it is just so close.
D.C. Dragons - (+1) They had a good run this week when it was starting to look like they would fall to the fort
Seattle Bears - (-1) After a great mid-season surge, they are trying to find some more of that magic for a final push.
New York Americans - (+1) It is crazy that just a few points feel like such a huge gap.
Toronto Legion - (-1) Could we see a final week tank for the sake of the lottery?

User-Voted Rankings
 
Because of a forum error, my poll went up with only two options. This largely skewed the results, so we will not have user-voted rankings this week.
 
 
Notable Games 

Game 301 - Vancouver Wolves vs. Moscow Menace
It is always exciting when you get a matchup between the top teams in each conference. When this game happened, Vancouver hadn’t quite claimed that spot, but with hindsight, it is easy to see just how important this game really was. This game was pretty uncharacteristic for both teams, as the best defensive team in the league outshot the best offensive team in the league 40-25. A large factor in the unexpected role reversal was the poor play of the otherwise steady Raymond Bernard. Allowing four goals on thirteen shots before being pulled with five minutes to go in the first, Moscow found themselves in a hole they just couldn’t escape. That was when Vancouver’s defensive excellence kicked in and they held Moscow to just three shots in the second period.
 
Game 357 - Helsinki Titans vs. Malmo Nighthawks
The intensity oozed out of this game. Helsinki pushed back up this week to finish just one point behind Malmo for the last playoff spot in the European Conference, but the Nighthawks held their lead with this victory late in the week. For two teams that have been known for their defences earlier in the season, they both have taken a more aggressive approach as the postseason approaches. The shots were 42-35 in Malmo’s favour, but the majority of that deficit was created in the first period as the Nighthawks went up 2-0. However, Helsinki has had an expected secret weapon all season, short-handed specialist Brian Strong leads the league with three short-handed goals. This time, it wasn’t he who put it in the net, instead, he sprung teammate, Ben Hafkey who took the opportunity to put the Titans on the board. Helsinki managed to tie the game early in the third with a goal from Erik Summers, but it was the battle of the defensive defenseman as Condor Adrienne answered with a goal of his own to bring us to the final score of 3-2 Malmo.
 
Game 365 - D.C. Dragons vs. Calgary Wranglers
Calgary has fallen from the top spot in the North American Conference for the first time since very early in the season, and this was likely the most impactful of their losses this week. The Wranglers actually got on the board first with an early goal from Tyler Barabash Jr., but that was followed up quickly by two D.C. goals and they would not regain the lead from there. Jacques Lafontaine had an unusually rough game making just twenty-four saves from twenty-nine shots while JB Rift outplayed him making thirty-one of thirty-four. D.C.’s scoring was remarkably condensed for a five-goal game with Mikko Aaltonen, Luciano Valentino, and Boris the Forest all having three-plus point games.

Events of the Week 

Fights
 

• Game 337 - Stark vs. Gunnar & Jubis
  • Do you think there might be some animosity between these teams? I’m going to guess so when the league’s leading scoring gets into a brawl less than two minutes into the game. Oh, and then gets into another one less than thirty seconds after getting out of the box for the first. Ambrose Stark’s fisticuffs with Sigard Gunnar were a little lack-lustre as the two mostly just drug each other around until the refs split them up. However, when Stark came back for more against RJ Jubis, he got a little more than he asked for. Jubis pummeled Ambrose thoroughly, but, unfortunately, must have made Stark decide to stop fighting and start scoring with a goal coming quickly after he left the box the second time.
• Game 344 - BRAWL!
  • Sometimes line brawls serve no purpose and are just a vent for pent-up aggression, other times they lead to something bigger. This one easily could have been interpreted as the former as Riga had just lost badly to Moscow a couple of games prior and found themselves down again. However, the comeback attempt that followed shows that this fight got some kind of spark going that the Reign bench really needed. This brawl’s combatant included Kyl Oferson and Henrik Zoiderberg fought to a draw, Ryan Busser beat up Jet Jaguar, Shush Nyko and Killy Foilen fought to a draw, and Jagger Philliefan, Lincoln Tate, Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, and Dean Clarke were given minors for their involvement.
• Game 364 - BRAWL!
  • This was a ridiculous first period in every other sense, so why not add in a line-brawl less than two minutes into the game? Just after, Riga opened up the scoring with their first of five goals this period, and all of the goals they’d score this game, both sides decided it was time for some hijinks. In decisive fights, Kristopher McDagg beat up Kyl Oferson, Rusty Shackleford beat up Codrick Past. and Chad Magnum beat up Ryan Busser. Codrick Past was ejected for instigation and Jagger Philliefan, Lincoln Tate, Erik Killinger, and Aron Nielsen each earned a minor for their involvement, putting ten players total in the box.

 

Hat-Tricks

 

• Game 363 - Vladimir Pavlov
  • Hat-Tricks were down this week, but each of them was significant in their own regard. Vladimir Pavlov became the third Menace player to score a hat-trick this season, moving Moscow into the shortlist of teams to accomplish that so far. Entering the game with just nine goals so far this season, Pavlov hit a wicked hot streak starting late in the first period. He scored again in the opening minutes of the second and then finished the hat-trick halfway through the period.
• Game 368 - Erik Draven
  • Erik Draven’s hat-trick was especially notable because it is his second of the season, one of only three players to accomplish that feat so far. One of the other members of that exclusive club is Draven’s teammate, Brian Strong, giving Helsinki the lead for the most hat-tricks this season. Erik actually had a five-point game in this one, finishing his hattrick with under two minutes left in the game.
• Game 377 - Dalton Wilcox
  • Dalton Wilcox is in his fourth VHL season and entering the twilight of his career, but he has successfully earned his first career hat-trick. In a season that he is on pace to best his personal points record, Wilcox’s performance has been one of the few bright spots on an otherwise underachieving New York roster. Despite the fact that they would end up only needing two, Dalton scored the American’s first three goals this game, as he appeared to have Rayz Funk’s number all night.

 
Shutouts
  

• Game 302 - Calgary vs. Prague
  • This one had to feel pretty good for Brick Wahl. After nearly winning the cup with the Wranglers last season, he was replaced by the up and coming Jacques Lafontaine. Now in Prague, Wahl, and the rest of the league, have been chasing Calgary all season. Each goalie in this matchup made thirty-two saves, but Wahl got the shutout and Lafontaine let it four. Revenge must taste sweet.
• Game 309 - Seattle vs. Malmo
  • Malmo was outshot or even in shots every period of this game, but Michael Johnson held fast to lock in the 5-0 shutout with twenty-eight saves. Dan Baillie earned points on four of the Nighthawks five goals and Johnson sits back atop the shutout leaderboard.
• Game 326 - HC Davos vs. Riga
  • Davos continues to look like a new team in the second half of this season. It is highly unlikely that they will dig their way out of the hole they made for themselves in the first half, but if they can continue this form into next season, they will be a true force. Previously a liability at times in his career, Pekka Pouta has looked almost elite the past two weeks earning the shutout in this game with twenty-seven saves. Especially impressive was this third-period performance during an absolute onslaught from the Reign that he shut down completely.
• Game 328 - Vancouver vs. Seattle
  • This was one of the most bizarre games we’ve seen in a while. Entering the game with fifteen goals, Uthred scored the only two of this game, both from Scott Greene assists, but that isn’t so strange. What really caught my attention first was two entirely penalty-free periods to start the game, then, when someone finally gets called for one, it is Finn Davison for one of only two calls this game. Then I noticed the shots. First period, nineteen shots, third period, nineteen shots, but the second had just six shots between the two teams. Well, all of that is to say that Rayz Funk stopped twenty-three shots for his first shutout of the week.
• Game 330 - Malmo vs Helsinki
  • The Titan’s haven’t made things easy on Virgil Ligriv this season, but he has done an excellent job of keeping them afloat. Currently, on pace to face the second-most shots of any goalie in the league, he saw twenty-three in this one and stopped them all. This game also had huge playoff implications as these two teams have been back and forth all week within a point of each other for the last playoff spot in the conference.
• Game 334 - Riga vs. Moscow
  • Speaking of shutouts with big playoff implications in the European Conference, Moscow surged back into sole possession of the first place spot in the conference this week. The ever consistent play of Raymond Bernard was a big factor in that. He stopped twenty-four shots in this statement-win over the Reign.
• Game 375 - Vancouver vs. HC Davos
  • One of many accomplishments for Vancouver this week, who finds themselves in sole possession of the first place for the first time this season, the Wolves held an increasingly put-together Davos team to just nineteen shots and Finn Davison did the rest to hold fast for another shutout.
• Game 378 - Toronto vs. Prague
  • We have had an impressive number of different goalies achieving the shutout this week. This time, it was Jaxx Hextall’s turn to lock one up. It didn’t come easy, as he faced thirty-one shots, but this was probably the best performance we’ve seen from Hextall all season. Hopefully, this is the goalie we will see a lot more in his second season.
• Game 385 - Malmo vs. Prague
  • This game will likely be the deciding factor in who leads the league in shutouts when it is all said and done. Michael Johnson and Brick Wahl have been battling it out all season for that title, but with his thirty saves in this game, Johnson takes a two shutout lead as we head into the final week of the season.

Rookie Spotlight
Ola Vikingstad

 
Joining the VHLM in S69 with the Mississauga Hounds, Ola actually played a much larger role in the playoffs than he did in the regular season as he helped the Hound attempt to take down the juggernaut that was Saskatoon that season. Despite his impressive nine postseason points, they would come up just short and he would be sent off to the Ottawa Lynx in the following draft. There, he would score one-hundred and thirty points and once again turn it on in the playoffs with thirteen goals and eleven assists. However, just as in S69 he would come up just short of the cup as the Minnesota Storm took down the Lynx in six games.
 
This season, Ola was drafted 3rd overall going to the Seattle Bears and immediately earning himself an important spot of the roster. His role for Seattle has been all about offence, with forty-two points and a solid seventeen goals so far in his rookie season. Vikingstad has shied away from contact all year with just twelve hits and fifteen shots blocked, it will be interesting to see if this tentativeness develops out of him as he matures.
 
Ola Vikingstad will likely find himself as an essential cog in a true contender as Seattle enters yet another competitive window over the next few seasons. He has largely been moved to the wing this season in the Bear’s abundance of riches at the centre position, but it will be interesting to watch whether he starts to take more minutes in the leading role of a line next season.

 

 

 

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Players Mentioned: @MMFLEX, @ROOKIE745 @GRZ, @omgitshim, @BladeMaiden, @Mr_Hatter, @Wheaties, @McLovin, @Erik Summers, @OrbitingDeath, @Bushito, @SlapshotDragon, @Devise, @Kekzkrieg, @chillzone, @Banackock, @Big Mac, @Nykonax, @Jubis, @HenrikZoiderberg, @diacope, @gorlab, @SDCore, @Aye my name jeff, @Philliefan, @Tate, @flyersfan1453, @Kyle, @Viperxhawks19, @K1NG LINUS, @Kylrad, @Corco, @Peace, @solas, @Victor, @Jbeezy76, @Dalton Wilcox, @Rayzor_7, @fonziGG, @wcats, @Snussu, @DoktorFunk, @Poptart, @Dil

 

[Viper 530]

7 minutes ago, Erik Summers said:

Kristopher McDagg beat up Kyl Oferson

Thats what I am talking about

[Big Mac 310]

1 hour ago, Erik Summers said:

This one had to feel pretty good for Brick Wahl. After nearly winning the cup with the Wranglers last season, he was replaced by the up and coming Jacques Lafontaine. Now in Prague, Wahl, and the rest of the league, have been chasing Calgary all season. Each goalie in this matchup made thirty-two saves, but Wahl got the shutout and Lafontaine let it four. Revenge must taste sweet.

Wahl wasn’t on that team btw it was JB Rift. 

[diacope 1,696]

Anything for my teammates 

 

Thanks for the mention