Claimed:Yukon Dominates Playoffs, Salvador Changes Approach

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Yukon Dominates Playoffs, Salvador Changes Approach

 

While the playoffs are supposed to be a grind and a real test of a team's true ability to face off against the top teams in the league, the Yukon Rush have made these Season 38 VHLM Playoffs a cakewalk.   In seven games, they have all but swept their competition and find themselves one win away from having a perfect playoff run.  After a first round bye, the Rush took on the Ottawa Lynx in the second round.  The match-up was not even close.  After four blow out games, the Ottawa Lynx players were left stunned and were sent packing up their lockers much earlier than they had hoped for.  The Rush crushed the opposition both offensively and defensively with a combined score of 14-5 throughout the four game series.

 

FW Bennett Wahl (left) and D Don Draper (right) may have had

a little too much fun versus the Ottawa Lynx.

 

After the convincing victory over the Lynx, the Rush had a couple days to wait while the Moscow Red Wolves and the Turku Outlaws went a full seven games to finish out their series.  Some questions circulated about whether the long wait could take the Rush out of their groove.  Could the victorious Turku Outlaws find a way to give the Rush a run for their money?  So far it does not look like that is the case.  After three games, the Yukon Rush have all but swept the Outlaws.  Goaltender Brock Waldron has stood on his head this series and made the Rush skaters have a much easier time dealing with the Outlaw's stout defense.  Holding an astounding 94.5% save percentage in the playoffs, Waldron has stepped up his game even more in the Finals this season.  Dexter Morgan and Thomas O'Malley, two of the Outlaw's biggest threats, have given Brock a test after test these finals, but the goalie has been on his A-game and stopped almost every puck sent his way.  Game Four is tonight at 7PM EST, and we will see if the Outlaws can hold out to win one game in the series.

 

Brock Waldron has been a monster in net this playoffs,

and especially in these Finals.

 

One interesting player this playoffs has been Rush's new defenseman Salvador.  While he was highly surprising during the season with his scoring ability for someone so early in their career, it has been his ability to assist his teammates without the puck that has opened people's eyes.  In his seven games, Salvador only has one goal in the playoffs.  What is impressive is that he has helped out with five assists.  Not only has he helped out differently offensively, Salvador has stepped up his game defensively.  He has tallied 16 shot blocks in seven games with 13 hits added on.  His physical play the past couple weeks has really helped the team keep Waldron's vision lanes clear.

 

Salvador has been doing everything he can

to keep Waldron clear of opponents.

 

 

Salvador: "Coach told us before the playoffs that he knew we had another level that we could play at.  He wanted us to get physical for the next couple weeks and that  doing so would guarantee another Founder's Cup for Yukon.  I guess I took it to heart looking at the stat sheets."

[eaglesfan036 4,603]

Really good write up. Salvador may not be showing up as a super contributor in the goals column, but your shot blocking and assists are the little things that go unnoticed on a stacked team.

[Molholt 2,185]

Content: 3/3 - Great stuff. I can't believe a team is just waltzing through the playoffs.

Grammar: 2/2 - Was fine, but it bothers me that you use two spaces in between sentences.

Appearance: 1/1 - Looks good.

Overall: 6/6

 

Final: 6

[Ball 453]

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