World Cup of Hockey 23 - Everything Thread

[Cassadaigua]

It was an impressive list of foreign leaders and other international representatives that made their way to Concord Heights for this ceremony. They knew that such a changeover of power was rare in this country and wanted to be a part of it. While Cassadaigua may make some nations roll their eyes because of their unique cultural lifestyle, the nation’s never been one to cause a stir or meddle unnecessarily in international affairs. That has been Queen Cassie’s philosophy, and she hopes as though her firstborn daughter will follow suit. Each representative was announced by name and had a chance to go up to the Queen and wish her well, while in the background, the national anthem of the nation played as the leader walked up the aisle. A group of younger adults, to the side, proudly held the flags of all the nations which had brought a dignitary.

It was an impressive list, in national alphabetical order, including:
From nearby Darmen, please welcome Duke Francisco Lyons XX.

From the Equestrian States, someone who’s become a very well-respected name here, Princess Cadence.

Now please welcome, from Felix, President Tamara Van Der Ven and her traveling party.

From Filopines, please welcome President Luke Croydon.

From the Free Republics, we are honored to welcome Consul Venicio Piazza, it is great to have you here!

From the great hockey nation of Havl, we are honored to have President Tresa Jane Adams with us, along with her assistant, Sylvester Jones. Hopefully they’ve brought us some good luck!

From HopNation, one of our newest friends, please welcome ruler Winston Churschmidt.

From New Wolfopolis, the President Rose Cho is with us.

From Polar Islandstates, President Johanna Iversen-Eklund and her husband Captain Bjarne Iversen-Eklund. We thank them very much for attending. We know you're happy with what you won in this city not too long ago!

It is with great pleasure to welcome, from Saintland, Prince Ioannes, attending on behalf of King Petrus XX. We’re very happy that you have made the trip, especially given the recent tragedy back home.

From our eastern neighbors Sicoutimont, we are honored to have Emperor Jean III making the trip across the border. He has brought his two children, who may in the future be having a lot of dealings with our new Queen. Also please welcome a great ally (In the past Queen Cassie has been vocal of her support of him), Mr. Niles Coaches, and their traveling party. It is always an honor to have to with us.

From Super-Llamaland, please welcome President Christopher O'Reilly.

From Svengarda, we are honored to have both Queen Saara II and the young Princess Emilia with us, and are sure that the young Princess will enjoy this day.

From Taxachusettes, please welcome President Warren Elizabeth.

Please welcome President Kris Strong and his Secretary State Rasmus Bjordal from our friends from Vaugania.

From Vettrera, please welcome former President Marshall Tadlock

From one of our newest friends, Emperor Professor Herman Delano Proctor of Zenic.

Finally, Zwangzug’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gabe Atchery.


After such a wonderful gathering, and briefly speaking to each of the above individuals, it would be time for Queen Cassie to make her official speech of stepping down. She had prepared a longer speech initially, but wanted to make this about her daughter, and not her.

“I am honored that all of you have come to be a part of this moment. May you be blessed and may your nations prosper. Today is a great day, not because I am stepping down, but because a new Queen is taking ownership of the crown. I want to make this about her, I have had many chances to speak to all of you, and I will always still be available to you for as long as I live. Thank you. And now, everyone, please welcome my daughter, Princess Courtney.”

The Princess walks up the same aisle, in an extremely expensive though elegant dress. Style has always been important to her, and she had planned exactly what her dress would look like for this occasion for years. As she approached her mother, she was in awe of the great leaders she was walking past and smiling at her. It was a slow walk, as she sought to enjoy every moment of this. After all, she knew that this would also mean greater challenges that she would face, but with so many friendly faces watching, she knew she could do it. Eventually, she reached her mother, standing next to her, looking at one another.

Queen Cassie smiled and nodded, “Raise your right hand.” Princess Courtney smiled, with a tear beginning to run down her right eye as her mother continued. “Repeat after me, I, your name, promise to uphold and defend the matriarchy of Cassadaigua.... I Promise to keep it true to its tradition, while always looking to be progressive with the times.... I Promise to hold the position of Queen with great dignity.... I will be fair to all of the Cassadagan people and always keep their interests above my own... I will keep Cassadaigua out of international conflict except only where such a response is a necessity... Finally, I will never abuse this position of power.” Princess Courtney repeats the oath. “Hear me now, that on this day, and at this time, you are now declared Queen of Cassadaigua. (Queen Cassie removed the crown from her head and places it on her daughter). May God bless you today and everyday.”

The newly crowned Queen Courtney takes a moment to soak in the applause and waits for it to die down before beginning, “Thank you, everyone. I want to thank my mother, who will always be my queen for everything she has done for me. She has done an amazing job leading this country and has taught me some very important virtues in which I will continue to uphold. Right now with us, are a lot of people who I have grown up respecting a ton, and I look forward to working with you more frequently. While Cassadaigua may have a new queen, I promise that we still be the same country and do things, our way. At the same time, I will always be open to new ideas for things which can improve our way of life. I won’t make this a long speech, soon enough you’ll probably be tired of hearing me talk. So thank you, and let’s make the future bright, for all of us.”

Queen Courtney steps down, and shakes the hands of all the national leaders, engaging in small talk with many. It was a great historic day for the nation.

[Vilita and Turori]

It was already a super-tight Group in Group 1 of the 23rd World Cup of Hockey as Vilita & Turori looked to track down Gallund for the top spot and pass through directly to the later rounds of the competition. Then, the penultimate matchday happened.

Gallund fell from the top after an unexpected draw letting the Vilita & Turori Ice Cat Things climb to the top spot in the group, level on points with Valanora who had also climbed back to the top of the standings after and unexpectedly slow start to the campaign.

On the surface, it appeared that things were back to the status quo, with the two highest ranked nations in Group 1 sitting in the top two spots, level for the group lead as the final matchday approached.

However, the two top-10 ranked nations were far from assured their place beyond the group stage. A pair of hopeful upset-capable nations sat just 1 point behind, waiting to pounce and steal that spot should either of the top nations fumble on Matchday 9.

Cassadaigua were out in full force, fighting for every last point and looking to re-discover themselves after falling in the rankings over recent campaigns. The Dagans feel they are better than their ranking would suggest and they are playing like it as well, looking set to extend their World Cup of Hockey 23 experience. However, Gallund will be looking to sneak in as well, despite their disappointing draw on Matchday 8 they are still level with Cassadaigua and just one point behind Valanora and Vilita & Turori.

Vilita & Turori coaches Avalan Marcraw and Colora Boharii will need to preach professionalism as their side squares off against 46th ranked Aquitayne. It will truly be dependent on whether the Aquitayne side have already checked out with one eye on their flight home having long since been eliminated from the tournament - or, whether they possess any level of personal pride that would motivate them to fight hard for the upset result against the 9th ranked nation.

A victory for the Eel-Cat things would ensure them a top-seeded position for the Playoffs, as Vilita & Turori still search for their first World Cup of Hockey title

[Gregoryisgodistan]

Slave Beater LZ013ANZBAB Legal Status Update

Slave Beater LZ013ANZBAB has been sentenced to serve time in a Sanctii prison for assault until Gregoryisgodistan is eliminated from the tournament, at which time he will be deported to Gregoryisgodistan and banned from ever entering the country again. Slave Beater LZ013ANZBAB attacked a penalty box attendant two days ago at the World Cup of Hockey and has been in jail ever since. Ordinarily, the punishment for assault would be a lengthy prison sentence, but the Sanctii authorities do not wish to keep Gregoryisgoditanis in their prisons for lengthy periods of time.

Lord Almighty Gregory told the press, "I am proud of Slave Beater LZ013ANZBAB. He is a true hero for his country, fighting back against the oppression of the penalty box attendant. It is a shame the attendant didn't die. He deserved to. I will be giving Slave Beater LZ013ANZBAB the medal of honor upon his arrival home in this country. He is brave and noble."

Ice Slaves beat Oralana 1-0

The Gregoryisgodistan Ice Slaves defeated Oralana 1-0 last night in the World Cup of Hockey to clinch advancement beyond the group stage. With a win tonight over Soviet Canuckistan, the Ice Slaves will win their group for the second straight tournament. The hero of the game was Pervert Chaser JDJJ8138, who scored the game-winning goal with 19.2 seconds left in the third period and was immediately mobbed by his teammates. The team then bowed down again to the statue of Lord Almighty Gregory that was held up behind the goal but this time, the officiating crew did not give them a delay of game because they weren't corrupt Sanctii officials.

Enemy Crusher Franky "Fatso" McFattel was fantastic in goal again, saving all 41 shots he faced. He has only allowed three goals all tournament. Gregoryisgodistan has allowed the second-fewest goals of any team in the tournament, trailing only Ko-oren who has allowed just one. This has been yet another remarkable run for the Ice Slaves, who face very little funding back home.

However, Lord Almighty Gregory announced that the country was now looking to secure funding to build a larger ice rink rather than the 800 seat arena in District 2 that is shared with the community at large. He unveiled a diagram for a 12,000 seat arena in the Capital District. This will be the exclusive home of the Ice Slaves, though it may occasionally host other ice-based events. However, the national team will get top priority for ice time and any other events will have to rent the building from them. If enough funding can be secured, the nation will build several other smaller rinks throughout the country, with the hopes of making it easier to train new players and possibly even start a national recreational league.

The Royal Kingdom of Quebec is known for funding hockey arenas in other countries, and the Gregoryisgodistani Hockey Federation is reportedly planning to reach out to them for financial assistance. In addition to building the 12,000 seat arena in the Capital District, the master plan calls for building 5,000 seat arenas in Districts 8, 11, 21, and 31, which will serve the north, west, east, and south of the country respectively. Meanwhile, the 800 seat arena in District 2 will be renovated to seat 6,000 and serve the center of the country. Specific plans for the league are still pending. Lord Almighty Gregory is hopeful that the nation will be able to secure funding for these new venues.

[Qazox]

QOXSPORTS.com/Hockey

SIC 2-2-1--5
QZX 1-2-0--3

Well, it wasn't Jack Roger's fault this time, right? Instead it was 11 penalties called on Qazox, leading to 4 powerplay goals by group 2 winners Sicoutimont. Granted the Sicoutimontians had 9 penalties of their own, but Qazox didn't take advantage scoring just 1 powerplay goal. The referees allowed the chippy play between the two teams throughout, despite the 20 penalties called. Just 1:33 into the game, Thomas Varner was called for boarding on Alex Savard, leading to Savard's goal 45 seconds later. After trading roughing calls, Qazox tied the game after Seamus Sinclair was called for high sticking Carlos Branch. Mike Loupido provided the tying goal at 12:13, and just under 3 minutes later Loupido was called for interference, leading to Savard's second goal of the game at 16:43.

Qazox re-tied it at 2-all, on a 3-on-1 breakaway as Ryan Allister slammed home a goal just 2:41 into the 2nd. But Sicoutimont took the lead for good on Lucien Beliveau's powerplay goal at 7:13, after penalty by Brian Allen for slashing. At 14:29, Zach Marion was whistled for a double-minor, after a deliberate tripping of Beliveau. During the 4 minute advantage, Alexandre St. Laurier squeezed home a rebound to make it 4-2. Qazox did manage it's first shorthanded goal in almost 8 years, as Nathan Bradley outraced Elso Kekkonen to a bouncing clearout and top shelved Etienne Bouchard at 18:02 to make it 4-3.

After the rough first two periods, both teams came out thuggish in the third, trading 2 roughing calls and a boarding call in the first 8 minutes. But the high intensity grinded the offense to a halt, with only Guy Labaie's empty net goal with 29 seconds left the lone highlight. Qazox finishes against Perlasilangan and a win or tie would assure a playoff berth, while a loss could see Qazox finish as low as 5th.

[HopNation]

Day | Oppenent (rank) 		| Their Record
MD1 | Valanora (3)		(5-2-1)
MD2 | Vilita & Turori (9)	(5-2-1)
MD3 | New Wolfopolis (UR)	(1-4-3)
MD4 | Aquitayne (46)		(1-4-3)
MD5 | Vaugania (23)		(2-4-2)
MD6 | New Koln (UR)		(0-3-5)
MD7 | Cassadaigua (29)		(4-4-0)
MD8 | Gallund (78)		(5-1-2)
MD9 | Caek of the Wolfen (UR)	(0-3-5)
Mashers Record (1-5-2)
Won | Lost | Tied

Hockey Special by Ringwald Griffinsmith and Orpheus Diomedes
Are You Kidding
Another tie, we’ll take it. Coming into the World Cup of Hockey Griffinsmith and myself weren’t sure what to expect. We’ve both watched many games here in HopNation and enjoy going to the HHL games as they are so much fun live. Even though the Mashers are eliminated they came out and played like champions and even turned the tables a bit with their efforts. They actually helped knock Gallund from the top spot by playing them to a draw. We can only image what Gallund was thinking after the game was over and they dropped from first to forth in one smooth motion, their were probably some choice words in the locker room after the game. As for the Mashers they really did look good again and are showing the world that they are capable with playing any team at any time. They did have a questionable game here and there against the fellow unranked teams, but being unranked doesn’t mean you don’t know what you’re doing on the ice, in most cases at least. Perhaps that’s what got them draws against those other unranked teams and those teams do have good hockey programs, they just haven’t been in anything yet to gain or prove they deserve a rank. One thing is for sure, ranked or unranked the Mashers need to be ready for their last game of this World Cup of Hockey, they need to end on a high note by going out with a win. Not a damn tie or worse a loss. As for the game with Gallund, like we mentioned it was a good game and maybe Gallund didn’t take the Mashers serious enough, what ever it was HopNation and Gallund gained a point in their overall points column but HopNation stayed relatively in the same spot they were in and Gallund sank. The Mashers took an early lead in the first period but before the buzzer could signal the end of that period it was 2-1 in favor of Gallund. The second period ended scoreless and both teams looked somewhat tired heading into the locker rooms. That second period was probably the most physical play we’ve seen out of the mashers as they tried to keep pace with the Gallund side. Even with all the checking that took place there were only two penalties, one for Holding on Christian Sergeant for hooking and one on Leos Kramr for interference. But true to form the penalty kill of HopNation was better than the Gallund power play unit and no goals were scored. In the third Gallund opened things up early and made it 3-1 just a couple minutes in. However, play started to swing in favor of the Mashers as the period wore on and at around the thirteen minute mark Knutsen knocked in a centering pass from Matveev to get the Mashers within one, and they had plenty of time to get a third. Play continued to be in favor of our Mashers and with four minutes left it was all tied up and that is where the game would end, at 3-3.

Goal scorers for Gallund:
Jamlikin at 14:12 of the first
Naremo at 17:10 of the second
Anders at 1:45 of the third
Goal scorers for HopNation:
Kolar at 7:10 of the first
Knutsen at 13:02 of the third
Nylund at 15:55 of the third


Well there you have it, now onto the last pairing we have the 4v4 line.

Line Highlights – 4v4
It’s only fitting that the captain and alternate captain are on this line, they both play well when on the ice together and they should have more space to do what it is they do best, dominate play. This line is known as the Earth Line and the two defensemen of this line are Emeric Michael Masson and Leopold Valentin Moreau. Then we have Havel Marian Kolar and Robert Knutsen for the attacking end. These four have been shown to work very well together and perhaps in the future we might even find them on normal lines together. It also looks like Coach Howe switched this line from its original set up, which we see as a good thing.

Howe’s Howl
Well we made it interesting now didn’t we? No one expected us to play with some of these teams, they expected us to go down without a fight, to surrender and let those teams with supposed ranks pass with no trouble. Well our guys have shown we can play with anyone, anyone I say. The only thing I think we need to work on now is winning, ha, no kidding right, work on winning. No seriously we don’t need to work on much, just perhaps playing more together. The guys have played with class; they’ve played with heart and resolve, now we just need to play from the first puck drop to that last buzzer as a complete unit. We’ve got one more game here to show we can do that and who knows maybe some changes in the lines are needed too, but I think we got those just about right if you ask me, then again I made them so I am right in their pairings. Alright, one more game, one more chance to show the world the Masher are a hockey team to respect.

Match Preview – Game 9 vs. Ceak of the Wolfen (UR)
This is simply a game of pride for both sides as they have both been previously eliminated; one more so than the other but still both eliminated all the same. We don’t know anything about this Ceak of the Wolfen side other than they have three draws and four losses. HopNation will look to hand them their sixth loss, but they just need to respect this team and not take them lightly even with them currently in ninth position in the group. It should still be a good game to end with and then head back to their respective nations.

Score Prediction – 4-1 in favor of the our Mashers.

Well that’s it for us today, wishing the Mashers best of luck in their second game. Brew on! Brew well Hoptonians!

[Anditia]

In and Win for Wolverines
Jonas Jameson III--SAINTLAND

Facing one of the most defensive teams in the World Cup of Hockey is always a frightening feat and the Wolverines were up to it as they faced Group 3's leader - the Greenblues of Ko-oren.There are ways of defeating the neutral zone trap, but the boring style that seems to persist in defensive minded juggernauts is effective at slowing down speedy teams that rely upon alternative methods of puck cycling. With one of their forecheckers staying high, the Greenblues are able to employ a system that will ensure a slower game with a simple dump-and-chase offense... low scoring without the explosiveness that can exist in some other games (like the Wolverines previous 4-4 tie with Florgania). The game was a snorefest with not much offense coming from either side of the ice.
"The quality shots were lacking and if you can't see the net, then how can you score. Their defense was impeccable and their willingness to throw themselves in front of a slap shot is unheard of. We've been pretty solid as well." Assistant captain Samm D'Aura commented during the second period intermission. With minimal shots on goal and only a total of three scoring chances between the two teams, its no wonder that the final of the game was 1-0 with the Greenblues on top.
But now...

It all comes down to this.


The Anditon Wolverines have been desperately trying to pump themselves up for their final game of group play of the 23rd World Cup of Hockey. Following a disappointing tie with Florgania and an encouraging loss to Ko-oren, the Wolverines find themselves knowing that they need to win to advance to the next round of the "Big Shiny Cup." They currently find themselves tied (in record) with their opponent and host country Saintland and apparently behind in the standings, but with a better record than their most recent opponent Florgania. If only one of the three nations win, that team will advance, if none of the teams win, we don't know what will happen as we tied Florgania and it may come down to goal differential.

So like the training montage of a lousy sports movie the Wolverines have been pumping iron, running behind sleighs of horses, dragging logs and passing eggs back and forth across the ice in an effort to pump themselves up for their game against the hometown heroes who have been hopelessly listing. With sound defensive mechanics and a return to the open style of hockey that they've used up until recently, the Wolverines are ready to face off.

[Nova Anglicana]

Lions On the Cusp

Martin Granger, Staff Reporter

It all comes down to this. It's the moment we didn't think we'd see at the beginning of the tournament, but the one we've been looking forward to ever since the tie with San José Guayabal. With a whopping one point after four games, we knew it would take winning out to qualify, barring some sort of epic collapse by the teams above us. And that's just what has happened. The Lions have won four consecutive games and propelled themselves into third place in the group, just barely enough to qualify. But their journey isn't over yet. With the Lions at 13 points, Quebec at 12, and Hicana at 11, there are three teams who are vying for that coveted final spot. Let's break down the situation: The Lions will face Hicana and Quebec will face mighty Havl. Havl KO'd Yttribia in impressive fashion, winning 9-2, and they have now scored 37 goals, the most by far of anyone in the tournament. One might think that Havl would take it easy and that the Ice Knights will be able to pick up at least a point, but they need a win to give them their best chance of advancement and Havl is not likely to lost twice in the group stage. Havl will want to grab the #1 seed over Ko-oren, who hold a 1-point advantage on this final matchday.

For the Lions, the objective is simple. Win and they're in. Captain René Robinson said yesterday, "That's been our motto ever since we tied SJG. We were so frustrated, and I said to the boys, 'You know, we need to win. If we win out, we're in. Lose, and we're out. Every game's an elimination game from now on, so let's win.' And that's what we've done so far. We're determined and we really want to prove that we belong in the ranks of top hockey nations."

Should the Lions draw, they would need Quebec to draw as well. A loss, and just as Robinson said, they're out, and Hicana, an unranked team that has blatantly lied to its country about the results of its earlier games, is in, unless of course Quebec also wins. But the main focus is victory. The Lions are playing much better defensively and have recorded two consecutive shutouts, the most recent coming 1-0 over 36th-ranked Quakmybush. Jay Schwartz notched the only goal at 7:28 of the second period, and the Lions held on in a tightly contested game. Fortune and momentum favor the Lions, but whatever happens, we will honor the valiant effort of our hockey players.

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[Florgania]

FlorganiaSport
End of the Road as Florgania Falls 4-0

Florgania was eliminated from the action of the 23rd World Cup of Hockey after suffering a 4-0 loss to Equestrian States. Nothing went well in this match after an exciting draw with Anditia the previous day. Poor defensive play and lack of opportunities on offense were the causes of the humiliation.

When looking at Florgania's team in this tournament, you cannot overlook the historic significance for Florgania sports. We have witnessed the first win over a ranked opponent when Florgania stunned Saintland in the opener. Things are looking bright for the new kids on the block who are looking to finish the tournament strong.

This will most likely be the team that heads to Saugeais for the Olympic Games. The nation of Florgania is hooked on these kids and will welcome them home in time to send them off again to the Olympics and hoping for the best. Talks are already underway to add domestic teams to the Florgania Hockey Association in order to complete the number needed to start competing.

Despite the outcome, things look bright as Florgania enters into the international hockey scene. The team will compete in it's final match tomorrow against the 33rd team in the world and first place, Ko-oren.

[Saintland]

Results for MD9

Group 1
New Wolfopolis 1–0 New Koln
Aquitayne 0–0 Vilita & Turori
Vaugania 1–1 Valanora
HopNation 0–1 Caek of the Wolfen
Cassadaigua 3–1 Gallund

   Group 1                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
 1 Cassadaigua                      9   5  4  0   23  16  +7   19
 2 Vilita & Turori                  9   5  3  1   27  19  +8   18
 3 Valanora                         9   5  3  1   29  17 +12   18
 4 Gallund                          9   5  1  3   15  13  +2   16
 5 Vaugania                         9   2  5  2   17  17   0   11
 6 New Wolfopolis                   9   2  4  3   12  16  −4   10
 7 Aquitayne                        9   1  5  3   14  17  −3    8
   HopNation                        9   1  5  3   14  17  −3    8
 9 Caek of the Wolfen               9   1  3  5    9  17  −8    6
10 New Koln                         9   0  3  6   11  22 −11    3

Group 2
Qazox 7–3 Perlasilangan
Frusennia 4–2 Sicoutimont
Jeckland 0–1 The Royal Barangay
New North Aqmuland 7–4 Levivania
Swibia 3–3 Torisakia

   Group 2                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
 1 Sicoutimont                      9   6  1  2   32  22 +10   19
 2 Qazox                            9   6  0  3   27  24  +3   18
 3 Torisakia                        9   4  3  2   18  14  +4   15
 4 The Royal Barangay               9   3  4  2   10   9  +1   13
 5 Perlasilangan                    9   4  1  4   29  30  −1   13
 6 Frusennia                        9   4  1  4   22  23  −1   13
 7 New North Aqmuland               9   4  1  4   29  26  +3   13
 8 Levivania                        9   4  1  4   19  20  −1   13
 9 Swibia                           9   1  3  5   14  25 −11    6
10 Jeckland                         9   1  1  7   15  22  −7    4

Group 3
Estope 1–2 Equestrian States
Westbridge 3–2 Kinzar
Sel Appa 4–4 Howdeellow
Anditia 3–1 Saintland
Florgania 1–0 Ko-oren

   Group 3                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
 1 Ko-oren                          9   7  1  1   11   2  +9   22
 2 Equestrian States                9   7  0  2   20   9 +11   21
 3 Estope                           9   5  2  2   15   9  +6   17
 4 Anditia                          9   4  1  4   24  21  +3   13
 5 Florgania                        9   3  4  2   15  16  −1   13
 6 Westbridge                       9   4  0  5   21  23  −2   12
 7 Saintland                        9   3  1  5   18  23  −5   10
 8 Howdeellow                       9   2  3  4   21  22  −1    9
 9 Sel Appa                         9   2  2  5   12  17  −5    8
10 Kinzar                           9   0  2  7    8  23 −15    2

Group 4
Neu Engollon 0–0 Super-Llamaland
Gyatso-Kai 2–1 The Fair Republic
Nassau-Hessen 1–2 Transalpine Republic
Crystal Empire 4–3 Middleton Valley
Falcus 2–1 Mohawk Clans

   Group 4                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
 1 Gyatso-Kai                       9   5  3  1   20  12  +8   18
 2 Neu Engollon                     9   5  3  1   23  19  +4   18
 3 The Fair Republic                9   5  2  2   14   9  +5   17
 4 Falcus                           9   3  5  1   17  15  +2   14
 5 Mohawk Clans                     9   4  1  4   17  15  +2   13
 6 Middleton Valley                 9   3  1  5   19  20  −1   10
 7 Transalpine Republic             9   2  3  4   13  18  −5    9
 8 Nassau-Hessen                    9   2  3  4   13  15  −2    9
 9 Super-Llamaland                  9   1  4  4    1   6  −5    7
10 Crystal Empire                   9   1  3  5   19  27  −8    6

Group 5
Soviet Canuckistan 1–3 Gregoryisgodistan
Vettrera 5–5 The United Regions
Northern Sunrise Islands 5–1 Cosumar
Darmen 1–0 Free Republics
Oralana 1–2 Arkiasis

   Group 5                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
 1 Gregoryisgodistan                9   6  3  0   13   4  +9   21
 2 Soviet Canuckistan               9   6  1  2   22  16  +6   19
 3 Northern Sunrise Islands         9   6  1  2   27  15 +12   19
 4 Darmen                           9   6  0  3   19  14  +5   18
 5 Cosumar                          9   5  0  4   16  16   0   15
 6 Vettrera                         9   2  4  3   18  19  −1   10
 7 Arkiasis                         9   2  3  4   14  18  −4    9
 8 Oralana                          9   3  0  6    8  10  −2    9
 9 The United Regions               9   1  2  6   20  30 −10    5
10 Free Republics                   9   1  0  8    4  19 −15    3

Group 6
Quakmybush 1–2 Maineiacs
Hicana 2–0 Nova Anglicana
Havl 5–4 The Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Lzherusskia 1–2 Yttribia
Svengarda 3–1 San Jose Guayabal

   Group 6                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
 1 Havl                             9   8  0  1   42  16 +26   24
 2 Svengarda                        9   6  1  2   21  11 +10   19
 3 Hicana                           9   4  2  3   13  15  −2   14
 4 Nova Anglicana                   9   4  1  4   16  19  −3   13
 5 The Royal Kingdom of Quebec      9   3  3  3   28  24  +4   12
 6 Maineiacs                        9   3  3  3   24  29  −5   12
 7 Yttribia                         9   2  4  3   14  20  −6   10
 8 Lzherusskia                      9   3  0  6   21  26  −5    9
 9 Quakmybush                       9   2  2  5    7  16  −9    8
10 San Jose Guayabal                9   0  4  5   12  22 −10    4

   1st Place                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
 1 Havl                             9   8  0  1   42  16 +26   24
 2 Ko-oren                          9   7  1  1   11   2  +9   22
 3 Gregoryisgodistan                9   6  3  0   13   4  +9   21
 4 Sicoutimont                      9   6  1  2   32  22 +10   19
 5 Cassadaigua                      9   5  4  0   23  16  +7   19
 6 Gyatso-Kai                       9   5  3  1   20  12  +8   18

   2nd Place                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
 7 Equestrian States                9   7  0  2   20   9 +11   21
 8 Svengarda                        9   6  1  2   21  11 +10   19
 9 Soviet Canuckistan               9   6  1  2   22  16  +6   19
10 Vilita & Turori                  9   5  3  1   27  19  +8   18
11 Neu Engollon                     9   5  3  1   23  19  +4   18
12 Qazox                            9   6  0  3   27  24  +3   18

   3rd Place                      Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
13 Northern Sunrise Islands         9   6  1  2   27  15 +12   19
14 Valanora                         9   5  3  1   29  17 +12   18
15 Estope                           9   5  2  2   15   9  +6   17
16 The Fair Republic                9   5  2  2   14   9  +5   17
17 Torisakia                        9   4  3  2   18  14  +4   15
18 Hicana                           9   4  2  3   13  15  −2   14

Key

Clinched spot in Upper Bracket
Playing for spot in Upper Bracket
Clinched spot in Lower Bracket
Playing for spot in Lower Bracket
Eliminated from World Cup of Hockey 23

Tiebreakers

Group 1: Vilita & Turori finishes second instead of Valanora due to a 3 to 1 HTH victory on MD6.
Group 4: Gyatso-Kai and Neu Engollon played to a 2-2 tie on MD1. Gyatso-Kai wins group +8 to +4 on goal difference.
Group 5: Soviet Canuckistan finishes second ahead of Northern Sunrise Islands due to a 2 to 1 HTH victory on MD2.

---

Play-In Round Draw

For Spot in the Upper Bracket

#7 Equestrian States vs. #10 Vilita & Turori @ Royal Stadium Rink 1, St. Petrus
#8 Svengarda vs. #9 Soviet Canuckistan @ Royal Square Garden, St. Petrus

For Spot in the Lower Bracket

#15 Estope vs. #18 Hicana @ Apostolic Arena, St. Paulus
#16 The Fair Republic vs. #17 Torisakia @ Civitate Dei Arena, St. Augustinus

[Gyatso-kai]

Wrote this earlier, just didn't get a chance to post it.

Should Kad Skirata Get The Boot?

ONLINE EDITION

13 FEBRUARY 2014.1

TOURNAMENT - WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY

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Written by Shang Keilu'ek

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Here the Ice Bisons sit, set to be eliminated from their first World Cup of Hockey since World Cup XVI, and many are wondering; does Kad Skirata deserve to be our head coach.

We have to let the statistics speak for themselves.

• The Ice Bisons hold a 65-11-18 record in multiverse play.
• The Ice Bisons have taken Third Place twice, and Second Place once.
• At the Coupe Pomme D'Or, the Ice Bisons won easily over the likes of Polar Islandstates, Cotdelapoms, and Valanora.
• The Ice Bisons have scored a combined 228 goals in multiverse play[/i]

Is this slump reason to put Kad'buir on the chopping block?

We simply have to look back to our other bad years an realise this is just the nature of the sport. In World Cup XVI, we were 1-3-2 in Group Stage, our only win coming on a 3-nil game from Carasatoga. Next came World Cup XIX, in which Birolika --- a relative newcomer to the hockey world --- brought us to our knees 5-nil and 1-nil in the Quarterfinals. In World Cup XX, we swept our group with a combined 18 goals scored versus only being scored on 7 times. Yet, against Michael VII, we bit a hard 2-nil loss at home to be eliminated in the Round of Sixteen.

We still stuck by Skirata.

Just because we have taken a rough start into our first multivers game since allowing Havl their second World Cup victory doesn't mean we should abandon our captain. Instead, we should stand firmly by his side, chanting ever louder Kad'buir!, singing the Vode An and take our losses like we take our victories; with the respect and honour of an Avatarian! Who cares if we are knocked out of World Cup XXIII?!? Who cares if he got our balls kicked in by unranked nobodies?!?

Let's Go Ice Bisons!!!

---

Copyright 2014.1 Avatarian Sports Programming Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.aspn.com.gk/articles/ahl/21000186
© 2014 Avatarian Sportts Programming Network

[Qazox]

QOXSPORTS.com/Hockey

QZX 2-4-1--7
PER 2-1-0--3

We're in the playoffs. In the lower bracket. Whatever that is supposed to be. But we're in regardless. The offense finally showed up, scoring 7 goals tonight against Perlasilangan in a 7-3 win that assured the playoff berth. Unlike yesterday's loss to Sicoutimont, this was a wide open run-n-gun style that saw 68 shots on net (Qazox 39, Perlasilangan 29) on the night.

Perlasilangan opened the game with two goals in the first 7:43, as Samrey and Samdio each put shots past Brian Allen. But Qazox turned it on, as Victor Chalmette (15:32) and Peter Bauer (17:10) tied it back up at 2 before the end of the period. Chalmette would leave the game after the 1st period with back spasms and not return.

After a goal from Leomer just 2:54 into the 2nd period, Qazox rolled off 4 goals in the next 7:32, starting with Carlos Branch's goal at 6:14. Issac VanDerJoy made it 4-3 just 40 seconds later, as Perlasilangan misplayed the puck while attempting to clear it out from behind their net. Bauer scored his 2nd goal of the night at the 9:25 mark of the period and assisted on Nathan Bradley's goal that made it 6-3 just 1:01 later. Sean Halverson added the final goal of the night with 2:08 left in the game.

Based on projections, Qazox will likely play Northern Sunrise Islands in the playoff opener. And to no one's surprise, Havl is the #1 seed and the target of all the other 17 playoff teams. No real surprise teams in the playoffs, other than Hicana getting in over Quebec and Gregoryisgodistan getting the #3 seed. If someone can take out Havl, then this might be a very interesting playoffs. If not, expect another Havl title.

[Estope]

"Hello Estope. Our show is finally back on the air after numerous difficulties. We hope you enjoyed the reruns of classic Estope baseball games during our absence. Now, you're probably wondering what happened. This is a long story but once it was decided to broadcast our show live from Saintland rather than from at home in our nice warm studio in Twin Brooks just about everything that could go wrong did. Our flight was delayed 7 hours during a lay over in some random island country about halfway between Estope and Saintland, I have no idea of it's name but they were not very friendly. Once arriving in Saintland, we went through rigorous security checks. For all you you think the Estope airport security guards are tough, they got nothing on these guys over here. They went through all my belonging and happened to find a pocket knife in there. You would never image the amount of chaos the small little knife caused. I was detained overnight and questioned as if I were a terrorist. Then finally I was released the next and met up with Cindy who has already been over here covering the earlier games. I'll let her tell about what happened next."

"Thanks Bob. As you may recall, me and a camera man.."

"A camera man and I you mean."

"Umm right. We came over early about a week and a half ago. We were not as fortunate as to fly over here. Instead we took a boat. On that boat we also had a TV van that we used for our broadcasts. I'm not sure how we got it in earlier but we did and were using it for broadcasts and even to sleep in one night. The police though informed us just a few days ago that cars are actually illegal to use here in Saintland. Somehow we were not informed of this law when we were sent over here. They confiscated the van and sent it back to Estope when they realized it was not a licensed taxi. Anyways there was a piece of equipment that broke and our only spare was on that van. So that delayed the broadcast for yet another couple of days."

"Yes well enough about that. I'm sure all of you are wondering about the games. Spoiler alert, they were all incredibly boring. First a 1–0 victory over Howdeellow, I'm glad I missed that one. Unfortunately that game had severe consequences. It secure out advancement to the play-in round. This meant more games for me to cover. Great. Then against Kinzar we had a 2–2 tie. Yay more goals. Boo it was a tie. Oh well. Finally we lost 2-1 against Equestrian States. Speaking of them we have a great story about them."

"Can we finish hockey first before we talk about our lead story?"

"Ok fine. We play next against Hicana at Apostolic Arena in St. Paulus. I can't wait. That was sarcasm in case you couldn't catch it. That is all of our hockey coverage for tonight. Aren't we all glad they sent me all the way out here so that I can talk for five minutes about a sport no one cares about and then freeze out here for the remaining hour and twenty five minutes while we talk about stuff we really care about. But now about our developing story involving Equestrian States, who happen to be the hosts of the WBC. Estope has announced a planned investigation to get more information on the alleged corruption that awarded the rights to the tournament to Equestrian States over Estope. More on that after this break."

[Ko-oren]

Most scoring:
1. Havl (42), 2. Sicoutimont (32), 3. Valanora/Perlasilangan/New North Aqmuland (29)
Least condeding:
1. Ko-oren (2), 2. Gregoryisgodistan (4), 3. Super-Llamaland (6)
Record:
1. Havl 8-0-1 42-16 +26
2. Ko-oren 7-1-1 11-2 +9
60. Kinzar 0-2-7 8-23 -15

Group: 7-1-1
vs. higher-seeded play-in winner (upper bracket)
vs. ?

And that's the end to the group stage! Ko-oren eventually dropped one game to Florgania, which is a shame. The Greenblues already knew they would finish first in the group, and with a near-flawless defense it is just a shame that nothing could be done to end the group stage without a loss. Gregoryisgodistan, the second best defense, qualifies as group winner over Soviet Canuckistan, Northern Sunrise Islands and Darmen with just 4 goals allowed and no losses. That leaves them with 5-4-0 Cassadaigua as the only teams with no losses in this tournament.

Havl stepped up their scoring in the last two games, totaling to 42 goals in 9 games. Second is Sicoutimont, who even were first for a short while, but now they fell back to 10 goals behind Havl (so 32). Valanora, the eternal third in the list, allowed Perlasilangan and New North Aqmuland to catch up with their 29 goals. Valanora finished third in the group and are just allowed into the next round, while the other two on 29 goals are all eliminated. Ko-oren ends the group stage as the best defending team despite the screw-up to Florgania. Gregoryisgodistan is second, and Super-Llamaland is third: conceding just 6 goals. On the other hand, they just produced one goal and that leaves them ninth in the group!

Kinzar is the winner of the wooden spoon with two points. This team, New Koln and San Jose Guayabal are the only teams out of all 60 to leave Saintland with no victories at all.

All that is left for the remaining 18 is to decide which is the best. The six group winners, Havl, Ko-oren, Gregoryisgodistan, Sicoutimont (that we all know from the top-scoring/least-conceding list) and Cassadaigua and Gyatso-Kai, will not have to play in the playoffs which earns them some well-deserved rest. The best four runners-up, Equestrian States (with a record that most group winners would be jealous of), Svengarda (unlucky to be drawn into a group with Havl), Soviet Canuckistan (who lost the incredible winner-takes-it-all last-day game between Soviet Canuckistan and Gregoryisgodistan) and Vilita & Turori, play for a spot in the upper bracket. The next four teams, of which two are runners-up (Neu Engollon and Qazox) and two are third-placed teams (Northern Sunrise Islanes and Valanora) have a spot in the lower bracket, and the last four will even have to play their way into the lower bracket. Estope, the Fair Republic, Torisakia and Hicana have their participation hanging by a thread.

This means we have some planning in front of us: the hosts have put up the schedule for the rest of the tournament. A lot of the weird what-ifs and possibilities are not applicable to us because we are already in the upper bracket, but we will play a higher-seeded play-in winner from the upper bracket (which, according to our 'calculations', should be Equestrian States, Svengarda, Soviet Canuckistan or Vilita & Turori). Which means that the next game is going to be tough, but had we been seeded any lower, we would have had to take on another group winner. With a win, Ko-oren will advance to the quarterfinals, with a loss, the Greenblues will have to win a second round game against a team like Neu Engollon, Valanora, or two other teams that happen to win their play-in. We think we understand what is going on here, but suffice it to say that we can lose one more game, but the more we win, the easier our opponents get on paper. The Sanctii could not have made a more difficult schedule, but this makes it much more interesting and let's hope there is going to be a team that completely misunderstands the schedule and prepares for the wrong teams.

[Sicoutimont]

The Lac-Drouin Sentinel
Big Games Move Sicoutimont to Border Battle In Play-Offs

ST. PAULUS, SAINTLAND -- Sicoutimont are going to the Play-Offs at the 23rd World Cup of Hockey. After a 5-3 battle victory over Qazox and a 4-2 loss to Frusennia, Sicoutimont ensured qualification to the play-off rounds. As the 4th highest seeded team, the Sicoutians are entered into Bracket A. The good news is, we won't have to face Havl unless we reach the Semifinals, if both teams make it. The bad news is, we'd have to face Havl. Anyways, moving on, we'll quickly re-cap the final 2 games of the World Cup of Hockey Group Stage, before looking ahead to the one-game match-up for a spot in the Quarter-Finals.

The game with Qazox was a strange game. It was a game that most fans watching even casually would know everything about the referee; his name, voice and appearance. This was because of the 20 penalties called in the game. It seemed the ref got more screen time than the players by the end of the game. But in the end, this important game between 2 great hockey nations was decided by who could score with a man advantage. Spending, roughly, over 40 minutes in the sin bin made sure both team's special-teams unit got a lot of chances to play. The game was reminiscent of another game played by teams from Sicoutimont and Qazox. Almost 4 years ago at the first NSCAA Hockey Tournament, if you can remember, Universite-Centrale took on the Joehio State Jackrabbits. While the first 23 seconds of that game were fine, the rest of the game Joehio played down a man. Then-18 year old Vai Kamakanov, now-22 year old player for the Lac-Drouin Tigres, scored 5 goals that game. That game set UC's tone for the tournament, leading them in the next game to a 4-1 victory to reach the final four, before eventually winning the tournament over the Cassadaiguan university Concord Heights Beauty School. Now, back to this game. While it didn't quite reach the 24 penalties in total the Jackrabbits took in that game, it was up there. This game would come down to the better special teams, and how both teams played with the man advantage.

Sicoutimont dominated on the man advantage, scoring 4 goals. Qazox, on the other hand, was only able to get 1. Alex Savard scored the first powerplay goal just over 2 minutes into the game. But Qazox would tie the game on a powerplay soon after, with top penalty killer Seamus Sinclair going to the box. Because of this, Mike Loupido and the Qazox powerplay line took advantage and tied the game. But Alex Savard would not stay quiet, and had his second goal of the game only 3 minutes later. Qazox brought the game to a tie in the early second period, but power-play goals from Lucien Beliveau and Alexandre St. Laurier would put Sicoutimont up 4-2. Qazox would get a shorthanded goal, that nation's first in 8 years. Still, the chippy game would finish in Sicoutimont's favour, with Guy Labaie putting the game away with an empty net goal with 29 seconds left in the game. The win guaranteed Sicoutimont's qualification to the next round. There was, however, still one game left in the Group Stage, with Frusennia.

That game did not go as the Sicoutians had planned. It was a game that perhaps Sicoutimont did not take as seriously as they should, already knowing they were going to the play-offs. Obviously, they did not want to get hurt, but with a win they could have got a better seed. Coach Michel Nilonier was upset after the game, stating that "We'll have to play better....this is the World Cup of Hockey. Every single game matters. You can't take one team lightly just because we've already done our job. You always play your hardest, show the other team respect. Today, we didn't respect the game like we should have." Louis Lefay got the start, which is, unless Etienne Bouchard is injured, probably his last of the tournament. Sicoutimont did not get the start they would have liked, and fell behind 1-0 after the first period. It was 3-0 after the second period, with Sicoutimont trailing badly in the game. Just a minute into the 3rd period, Frusennia scored again, taking a 4-0 lead. Sicoutimont tried for a comeback, but it would not be enough. Jean-Luc Desjardins had a goal, and Guy Labaie got his 3rd of the tournament with just over a minute left in the game that made the score 4-2. The Group Stage was now complete. Michel Nilonier said after the game to the media, "That was our last loss of the tournament." Nilonier is quite confident his boys can get the job done.

Due to the results of other games, Sicoutimont now gets a day off. On this day, 8 teams will compete for the final spots in the play-off round. And then, Sicoutimont will take to the ice once again at the Via Damascus Stadium, in St. Paulus. The team does not have to travel to meet their First Round opponent. That opponent is one Sicoutian hockey fans are quite familiar with. Our western neighbour Cassadaigua. They have a World Cup of Hockey (11) title to their name, and are currently ranked 29th in the world. They finished the group stage with a record of 5-4-0, 19 points and 23 goals. Sicoutimont prepare now for the winner-take-all single-game First Round match. Both teams have the benefit of playing in the upper bracket. Should they lose, it's not the end; they will get another chance in the Second Round. With a win, though, the winner heads straight to the Quarterfinal. Niles Coaches, just returned from Cassadaigua for the coronation of Queen Courtney, said that "This just shows that great hockey is played here in southern Rushmore. I'll be watching the game, and I'm sure the new Queen will be doing the same, and I hope for a great game between our teams." So, with the entire nation watching, can Sicoutimont ensure a place in the Quarterfinals? Find out with us, as we cheer on the violet et bleu in the 23rd World Cup of Hockey, from Saintland.

[Havl]

World Cup of Hockey XXIII - Havl 5, Royal Kingdom of Quebec 4

St. Paulus – For the fifth time in a row, Havl is heading to the playoff round of the World Cup of Hockey. The three-time defending champions earned the top seed with a win over 10th-ranked Royal Kingdom of Quebec. Since the team's debut in World Cup of Hockey 19, Havl has not failed to miss the playoffs. "It's a great feeling," said team captain Justin Donndelinger. "Even after all of our success, it still feels exciting to earn a spot in the next round."

In a group filled with newer and unranked teams, the defending champions were looking forward to some familiarity in their closeout match against the Ice Knights. That all changed when head coach Guy Aronnax decided to send the national team back to Quebec in favor of the U-20s. "Their national players were plagued by injuries," said Havl head coach Patricia Donofrio. "It'll be a unique challenge playing the U-20 team. We've had a chance to see them play in the last few matches, and the future of [Quebec's] hockey program looks strong."


Jason State scored his third game-winning goal of the tournament.

Strong may have been an understatement as Quebec's U-20 squad looked capable of upsetting the world's #1-ranked team. After Donndelinger and Andrey Pasternak scored in the first half of the opening period to put Havl ahead by two, teammates Alexei and Nikolai Barbashev scored within a minute of each other to time the game. In the second, Quebec pulled ahead on a goal from Rodolphe Gong. Goals from Adam Fleer and Andrei Petrov put Havl in the lead again after Petrov's goal passed a video review. Quebecois goaltender Igor Tretiak had flashes of brilliance in the net, creating a highlight-worthy save on Jason State late in the second. However, the young netminder nearly stormed off the ice in the third period when he allowed State's dump-in shot to bounce past him for the eventual game-winner. With less than a minute in the game, Andrei Draisaitl scored to bring Quebec within one, but it wasn't enough to topple the defending champions.

With the win, Havl clinched the #1 seed in the playoff round ahead of 33rd-ranked Ko-oren. The two teams have taken very different approaches to the tournament; Havl leads all teams with 42 goals while Ko-oren leads with just two allowed goals. "It's funny," said Donndelinger. "[Havl] used to be a very defensive team. We focused on limiting shots and keeping the other team out of our zone, almost at the cost of offense. I think we've had a gradual shift to more offense over the years, and [Havl goaltender Davis Rich] has kept us in the fight."

With the win, Havl clinches the #1 seed in the playoffs. Havl will meet the lower-seeded winner of the play-in game on Sunday evening. Coverage of World Cup of Hockey XXIII continues on HTVM Saturday with all games from the play-in round.

Box Score

	1st	2nd	3rd	Final
Havl	2	2	1	5
The Royal Kingdom of Quebec	2	1	1	4

Team Leaders
Num	Name			G	A	Pts
17	Justin Donndelinger	4	14	18
19	Jason State		9	7	16
11	Adam Fleer		6	7	13
2	Brian Beierle		2	8	10
13	Andrei Petrov		6	3	9
15	Martin Klerx		3	6	9
8	Andrey Pasternak	2	7	9
6	Sergei Skrbinski	1	7	8
18	Juna Mossil		2	5	7
9	Brian Demerson		3	3	6
16	Cooper Sullivan		1	5	6
3	Petr Zaradnik		0	4	4
14	Brady Anderson		1	2	3
10	Joey Kaminski		1	2	3
12	Taro Tsujimoto		1	1	2
7	Trevor Ventham		0	2	2 
36	Jay Marshall		0	1	1
77	Tomas Holicek		0	0	0
 
Num	Name		GP	W	L	T	GA	SA	GAA	S%	SO
29	Davis Rich	9	8	1	0	16	165	1.78	90.3	0 
30	Ty McLaren	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Scores and Schedule
Thursday, February 6		1Havl 6 @ 44Nova Anglicana 1 [Progress Stadium]	
Friday, February 7		36Quakmybush 1 @ 1Havl 6 [Via Damascus Stadium]
Saturday, February 8		1Havl 3 @ URHicana 2 [Civitate Dei Arena]
Sunday, February 9		1Havl 5 @ URMaineiacs 2 [Royal Stadium]
Monday, February 10		96Lzherusskia 1 @ 1Havl 5 [Civitate Dei Arena]
Tuesday, February 11		1Havl 0 @ 21Svengarda 2 [Via Damascus Stadium]
Wednesday, February 12		URSan Jose Guayabal 21@ 1Havl 3 [Progress Stadium]	
Thursday, February 13		1Havl 9 @ URYttribia 2 [Apostolic Arena]
Fridaym February 14		10The Royal Kingdom of Quebec 4 @ 1Havl 5 [Apostolic Arena]

[Svengarda]

Svengarda: 3
San Jose Guayabal: 1

Svengarda sealed their place in the play-offs (we think) of the 23rd World Cup of Hockey with a comfortable win over also-rans San Jose Guayabal. Fielding a second-string side, the Ice Hawks rushed to a quick lead, through Tahvo Ruotio, who outmuscled Luis Martinez before firing a fierce shot to the top right of the net, beating keeper Björn Olsson.

Svengarda added their second shortly into the second period, when a slick passing move started by defenseman Mathias Jacobson was rounded off by Ruotio again, this time dummying a shot to Martinez, which left the SJG keeper on the ice and Ruotio just had to tap it in. SJG came back with a goal of their own, when a breakdown in communication in the Svenga defence allowed Xavier Lasãna to pounce on the puck and net past Kristofer Taala to make it 2-1.

Svengarda all but shut down the game with 7 minutes to go in the final third when Akseli Lukassen's shot was deflected into the path of Emeli Nurminen, whose strike wrong-footed Martinez and ended up in the goal.

In the Play-off for the Upper Bracket of the competition, Svengarda will play 9th seed Soviet Canuckistan.

[Cassadaigua]

Last day scenarios go in ideal manner; Dagans win group
by Rachel Sharper- Concord Heights Times, Senior Editor

While most of Cassadaigua had their attention on the coronation ceremonies, the hockey team had some business to take care of. Heading in to the last day, there were a number of different scenarios that could have seen the team finish anywhere between first and fourth in Group 1. Winning the game against Gallund would, at minimum earn the team another game, and for the better scenarios to play out, the team would need help. If they could end up getting two upsets in their favor, and for Vaugania and Aquitayne to salvage a point in their game, Cassadaigua could actually win the group. That, however, seemed quite unlikely.

Ever since it was announced that there would be a new Queen back home, we have seen coach Julie O’Connell try hard to instill in her team that this tournament would always be remembered as the sporting the tournament that took place at the same time, and that one day they would tell that to their kids. That would be a special thing to say, but as O’Connell always mentioned, the kids would then ask you, “and how did you do in that tournament?” Being eliminated by Gallund in the final matchday would not be an acceptable answer to that question, and when you saw the team on the ice immediately, you could see that extra jump in their skates. You would always want to see that in such an important game, but on this day the ladies in pink and black had clearly made up their mind that there was no way they were going to lose this game. Gallund’s goalkeeper, Mr. Don’t call me Sergei, Bob Rovsky was strong in net early and stopped a flurry of twelve Dagan shots over the first six minutes, but the thirteenth shot was unlucky, as Courtney Goulet lifted a wrister just over his blocker to give Cassadaigua the 1-0 lead, but the biggest goal of the game was likely the second score. With time winding down, and with Cassadaigua holding a 21-4 shots advantage for the period, Gallund would likely consider a 1-0 score to be a moral victory as they tried to regroup. So, with 3.7 seconds left in the period when a Kelsey Petersen slapper from the point deflected off the skate of Gallund defensemen Benerals Miklis, the goalkeeper Rovsky could not adjust, and Cassadaigua would take a huge two goal lead. Gallund was much better in the second period, but Dagan goalie Rachel McGrath was up to the task and stopped all ten of their second period shots. In the third, Cassadaigua added some padding to their lead with Brianne MacNeill working a 2-on-1 break efficiently with Caitlyn Lafontaine, and the Dagans were on their way to victory. The only bad spot was a Gallund score with 2:55 remaining in the contest (Andy Kleckin). After outshooting Gallund 22-4 in the first period, the total shots on goal ended up leveling within that range, as the Dagans outshot their opponents 42-25 for the game.

The win ensured Cassadaigua at least another game. Then some other scored starting becoming known to the team: “Aquitayne 0–0 Vilita & Turori”. Wow, one upset comes through. “Vaugania 1–1 Valanora”. The other one did too?! After so many ties throughout qualifying, on this day, ties were the friend of Cassadaigua for those other games as the Dagans picked up the win. The best but most improbable scenario of the day plays out: Cassadaigua wins Group 1.

Now, we can look ahead to further action, and Cassadaigua will now take on their neighbors to the east, Sicoutimont, in an “upper bracket” game between the 4 & 5 seeds. The playoff system itself is an uncommon one (but would you expect anything less from Saintland?), and the loser of this game is not eliminated. However, both Cassadaigua and Sicoutimont will be more interested in what happens for the winner, because it’s always easier when you win.

An interesting footnote for this game: The last time we played our neighbors with a lot on the line, it was the championship game of the inaugural college hockey tournament, in a match between Concord Heights Beauty School and Universite-Centrale of Sicoutimont. Queen Courtney, you will recall, is a graduate of the Beauty School and had served on its Board of Directors, including during the time that these schools met in college hockey. Even as she gets accustomed to her new role, the Queen was asked if she was going to watch the game. “Of course, I could never miss it. We have a ton of respect for Sicoutimont hockey, and it should be a great game.”

[Maineiacs]

From MSPN--

Well, the World Cup of Hockey is over for us, and although it could certainly have gone better, it could have gone a great deal worse. The Tie-Dyeds finished the round-robin with a 2-1 victory over Quakmybush to give them a record of 3-3-3. C Mike Foster scored the game winner with 2 minutes left in the 3rd and had an assist in the earlier goal by Stefan Lerner. LAst season's MHL MVP finished the tournament with an impressive 9 goals and 6 assists. The national team will not be disbanding just yet. They will be competing in the IX Winter Olympics. Be sure to tune your vidscreens into our Olympic coverage, and to our coverage of tomorrow's "At Least We Beat Lzherusskia" parade.

told you I'd throw a parade when I beat you.

[Hicana]

This was it.

Nova Anglicana. After scoring one point in the first four games, only a 5-0-0 record would tide them to the next round. And they'd won four straight to take third place. One more win and they'd be in.

The Royal Kingdom of Quebec. Up against world number one Havl, Quebec, one of the top teams in the world, needed a pair of miracles for advancement.

And the Hicana Flyers. The plucky unranked whose government had lied about their results. But here they were, fifth place, a win and a Quebec loss away from the next round.

It began early on. Quebec faced off with Havl, but Hicana's coach, Carlos Sanchez, encouraged them to do it. So they ran onto the ice, skated about their warmups, and got ready.

On the bulky red hockey jerseys of the Hicana Flyers were brand new patches on each right shoulder, reading 18: TRUE FLYER, in honor of the recently deceased Peter Volcker, A.K.A. Greg-God? LOL. In honor of their deceased teammate, the Flyers were out with more passion than ever, fighting for their chance to see the Round of Eighteen.

Things began slowly, with very few opportunities. Both goalies, knowing the stakes, were sharp, with Andres Kelly and Ryan Reagan both playing their A-games. But the Flyers continued firing away, and things finally started to go for them. It began with great luck on defense, late in the first.

Only 4:33 left, and there's Kermit Lea, the Frog, skating up the right, and nobody is stopping him, this is going to be trouble. That was a nice spacing pass and caught the defense on the wrong side of the rink, and Lea's still pushing. Uh oh. Jeff Wu is chasing, but he's not going to make it, Lea draws back and WU DIVES IN FOR THE STEAL! The puck spins off and wow, what a play! Rene Robinson recovers it, but the dive gives John Zhang a chance to get in there. Robinson tries to juke out Zhang, passes to Grier, Grier skates in, slaps one to the right side and Reagan makes the save! They clear it out and the Flyers avoid trouble!

After that play, the first period ended with the Hicana Flyers on top momentum-wise. It would continue as the team capitalized in the second.

11:20 left in the second period, we're about halfway through and the Flyers are playing a lot better than they were in the first. That drive by Nova Anglicana really changed things up, and it's still zero-zero. Josh Carlson skates up and darts through Zach McCoy and Josh Russell, the pass from Stanton straight to him and he shoots, deflected by Kelly, bounces to Barnett and THAT'S A GOAL! Bennett Barnett puts Hicana up 1-0! Wow!

With Hicana up 1-0, a few chances were missed out on, and the goalies continued their hot streaks. It was tightly contested on both ends, but the defense kept ahead and the score stayed 1-0. Nova Anglicana whittled away at the Flyers' defense and momentum to set up a pulse-pounding final five minutes. We have large sections of the transcript.

4:55 left in the third, and Nova Anglicana's Rene Robinson passes THROUGH Jim Drevin's legs and straight to Kermit Lea! Not the best way to go. Wow. Jim Drevin is going to get all over the internet for letting that puck go between his legs. The puck's taken from Lea and the pass up is right back to the backtracking Robinson. Robinson skates to the right and passes back to Lea with a short pass there, and Lea makes a short run and back to Robinson. Nova Anglicana is not playing the urgency they need. 4:22 left. They're just passing back and forth, but the defense on the Flyer side is not holding up well. They're extremely vulnerable right now. Pass to Matt Grier who SHOOTS AND DEFLECTED OVER THE GOAL BY RYAN REAGAN! Darting back to get it is Brad Leubermann and he slaps it over, wow.

2:59 left in the third, and Robinson takes the puck, he's skating up the rink, zooms through and passes hard upfield to Lea. That's going to be a problem, Lea gets in and shoots and scores! It's one-all, and it looks like Hicana will need to score again, and-wait, that's the whistle, and the SANCTII REFS ARE CALLING THAT OFFSIDES! KERMIT LEA IS WHISTLED FOR OFFSIDES AFTER SCORING THE TYING GOAL! EXHALE, HICANA FANS! WOW!

1:55 left in the third period. You know, Kermit Lea was not offsides. We played it through and he was clearly behind the line. He was not offsides, so Hicana catches an extremely lucky break. Here we go, Rene Robinson is at it again, passes to Grier on the left, Grier skates up and shoots from the awkward angle, it's off the post, Reagan really gets out of the box to pounce for it and Robinson takes control of it. Uh oh. Robinson skates past Reagan and it's stolen by Luebermann! Luebermann! Brad Luebermann saves the day! It's still 1-0 and Hicana's skating up now. The pass to Jim Drevin, and Drevin takes it to the offense. They're really surprising the Anglican D, and McCoy arrives just in time to stop Drevin! The pass to Harry Stanton and Stanton fires one, just high, off the side of the goal, Barnett deflects it to Drevin. The Flyers are very vulnerable should they lose control, and Drevin passes to Allen Stanton, he takes a shot AND THAT'S GOOD! THE HICANA FLYERS TAKE THE TWO NOTHING LEAD AND SEAL THE DEAL!

They're counting down now, ten, nine, eight, seven, six...what a group stage for the Hicana Flyers! They're moving on, THEY'RE MOVING...(buzzer)...ONNNNNNNNN! HICANA WINS! YESSSSSSS! WE BEAT THE ANGLICANS! WE'RE GETTING NEWS FROM SAINTLAND THAT HAVL WON 5-4, SO HICANA IS MOVING ON!

Next up is fifteen-seed Estope. Hicana will need three straight wins to make it to the quarterfinals. It's a daunting challenge, but we're better than Havl and we're up to the challenge.

[Valanora]

Valanora Times
Calcuttas Rue Missed Chances

Coming into this tournament, the Calcuttas were riding high on optimism, self belief, and a certain amount of confidence in the knowledge that they were the second best team in the entire tournament. The players and staff had been the week and a half of practice time before the beginning of the tournament preparing the side physically for the rigors of the elongated tournament as well as mentally to deal with the status as favorites for their group but also as the best contender to knock off Havl from their pedestal. It was as if the group stage was going to be nothing but a mere formality for the side, and perhaps it should have been.

Yet now the side is going to have to do things the hard way if they are indeed going to live up to such lofty expectations, as a series of draws, or ties depending upon your local and preference of semantics, left the side in third place and barely clinging to a knockout/playoff round slot. Given that the side was hoping to end up as group winners even going into the last game, being on equal points with group leaders Vilita & Turori despite a loss to them as well as the pair of draws, it is especially disappointing that the side was unable to perform well enough to secure the victory and once again had to settle for a draw. With the group leaders also drawing, it allowed none other than Cassadaigua to leap frog the pair of them with their elimination victory over previous table toppers Gallund and straight into first place.

The reward for them is ample, as they get to be part of the so called "upper bracket" in the knockout stages. While the exact rules of the system being used here in Saintland is still vastly unusual and even a bit perplex, it is easy to see on paper the benefit for them, with the advantage of getting a spare loss to have without being eliminated. Compare that to the fate of our side, third place in the group and in this "lower bracket", where we are afforded only the single loss that begets elimination, and the advantage if very clear. Yet not all the news is bad, as the side was one of the two best third placed teams and avoids a "play-in" match as was the unfortunate fate for the other four third place finishers. Or so this is how we believe the tournament is set up, though once again the complexities of this system are leaving many baffled and frustrated.

Having the extra day to prepare is hopefully going to serve the side well, though it would be pointless to rehash the issues surrounding the side. It is not right to simply sound like a broken old record, with the defensive problems and under performing players. At some point you just have to wonder if the talent has been squandered and the team is simply not responding or putting out all of their effort for the side. These players may no longer have the pride of the national team as their first priority but instead are thinking about how not to get injured for the domestic side. Whatever the reason, be it overconfidence or a lack of want to, this side while mostly unchanged from the last tournament is simply not playing the way Vanorians are expected to.

All the same, the Calcuttas do have the the path before them to regain the respect and admiration of their fans, plus whatever might be ailing them personally. Their first round match up is with Neu Engollon, who had the very same record as the Calcuttas and seemingly the same issues. High powered offense but a defense that was leaky at times. As has been the case since the first two games of this tournament, they will have to outplay and outscore the opposition in order to achieve victory. Putting pressure on their defense with an aggressive fore check and keeping a solid defense themselves, most notably keeping out of the penalty box. Execute that to a tee and the Calcuttas should be able to come up as victors. It would be a small but significant step towards getting things back on track for this vastly underwhelming side.

[Saintland]

Results for the Play-In Round

For a spot in the Upper Bracket

Equestrian States 1–1 Vilita & Turori (1–2 OT)
Svengarda 2–2 Soviet Canuckistan (2–3 OT)

This means that both Vilita & Turori and Soviet Canuckistan will advance to the Upper Bracket. Svengarda and the Equestrian States will be placed in the Lower Bracket.

For a spot in the Lower Bracket

Estope 2–0 Hicana
The Fair Republic 3–6 Torisakia

This means that Estope and Torisakia are the final 2 qualifiers for the Lower Bracket. Hicana and The Fair Republic have been eliminated from World Cup of Hockey 23.

---

First Round Draw

Upper Bracket A

#1 Havl vs. #8 Vilita & Turori @ Royal Square Garden, St. Petrus
#4 Sicoutimont vs. #5 Cassadaigua @ Via Damascus Stadium Rink 1, St. Paulus

Lower Bracket A

#9 Equestrian States vs. #16 Torisakia @ Progress Stadium, St. Ioannes
#12 Qazox vs. #13 Northern Sunrise Islands @ Civitate Dei Arena, St. Augustinus

Upper Bracket B

#2 Ko-oren vs. #7 Soviet Canuckistan @ Royal Stadium Rink 1, St. Petrus
#3 Gregoryisgodistan vs. #6 Gyatso-Kai @ Royal Park, St. Petrus

Lower Bracket B

#10 Svengarda vs. #15 Estope @ Amphitheatrum Confessiones, St. Augustinus
#11 Neu Engollon vs. #14 Valanora @ Apostolic Arena, St. Paulus

[Gregoryisgodistan]

Gregoryisgodistan In Top Bracket for Round of 16, to face Gyatso-Kai

As a result of their first place finish in their group, Gregoryisgodistan has received the #3 overall seed in the World Cup of Hockey round of 16 and will face Gyatso-Kai at Royal Park. The Ice Slaves were enthusiastic about their high seed, reportedly celebrating with extra rations of gruel and prune juice. As the team is in the top half of the bracket, they will need to lose twice to be eliminated. A loss to the Ice Bison would mean the Ice Slaves face a winning team from the bottom half of the bracket, while a win would give them an off day followed by another matchup. Gyatso-Kai got here by winning Group 4 by the skin of their teeth, and only because Neu Engellon shockingly failed to defeat lowly Super-Llamaland on on the last day, playing to a scoreless draw.

In fact, if the seeding were done by record alone, and the top 16 moved on to the knockout stage, Gyatso-Kai would wind up with the 12 seed. The Ice Slaves would drop down one spot to the 4 seed while the Equestrian States would move up to the 3 spot. Whether this was because Gyatso-Kai was in a tough group or because they are a weak team remains to be seen. However, there are no three game series until the final. They are all one game playoffs. However, as we mentioned earlier, Gregoryisgodistan needs to lose twice to go home because they are one of the top 8 seeds.

Many international observers believe the Ice Slaves are one of the surprise teams this tournament, but captain Loyal Friend of Lord Almighty Gregory Harry Rupertson disagrees. "You just have to look at what we did last cycle, after just three days training together coming in, and now we have a lot more experience. I knew we would do well," he said. "I thank Lord Almighty Gregory every day for giving me the opportunity to play here and humiliate the Sanctii. Lord Almighty Gregory is God, not this "Iesus" character. Besides, I'm pretty sure their false God's name is "Jesus" with a J. If they ever talk about "Iesus" in Gregoryisgodistan, they will get a 28 day stint in a spelling reeducation camp, then the death penalty for blasphemy. Unelss they're renouncing their faith in "Iesus" in which case they'd only get the former sentence. Maybe they wouldn't get even that, since they did worship "Iesus" and "Iesus" is also not God, whoever he is. I'll let the spelling reeducation authorities work that one out if need be."

Meanwhile, Lord Almighty Gregory announced he was also very proud of the team and said their strong performance reaffirmed his decision not to boycott the tournament. "We could have stayed home," he said. "However, that would prevent the Sanctii people from seeing our sheer dominance. Gregoryisgodistan is the greatest country in the world and we are proving it on the ice right now. I would like to invite all Sanctii to convert to the Church of Gregoryisgodistan and accept me as Lord Almighty. If they do so, we will forgive all their past sins and allow them to live a great life in Gregoryisgodistan, praising me day and night just as any decent human being would. Rest assured, we will make sure none of them intend to betray their alleged faith before we let them in."

In other news, a man was arrested at Lord Almighty Gregory International Airport today and later executed for attempting to bring in a copy of The Saint (a blasphemous contraption from Saintland) in his luggage. The man claimed he was returning home from the World Cup of Hockey and transiting Gregoryisgodistan on his way to Nova Anglicana. However, the Gregoryisgodistan authorities claim that the man was a Sanctii spy attempting to import The Saint to spread lies and do evil. Furthermore, no ticket from LGI (OOC: the airport code for Lord Almighty Gregory International Airport) to Nova Anglicana was found on the man, who has not been identified. According to a security official who requested anonymity, "It is clear the man had no plans to head to a further destination. Gregoryisgodistan was his final stop." Worship Leader of the Captial District Louis Ronald, who coincidentally was also in the airport at the time after arriving home from a mission in Gregory Llamaland, added "He has now received an all-expenses paid trip to the Land of Eternal Torture, where all wicked people go after they die. In the Land of Eternal Torture, he will be slowly sliced repeatedly with The Eternal Punisher slowly slicing him into little pieces with an instrument that resembles a very sharp, very large, very painful brownie cutter, similar to the ones we use on this mortal coil for those who humiliate the nation. However, since those in the land of Eternal Torture are already dead, they cannot die again, and so as soon as he is sliced all the way through, he will regenerate and the punishment will begin again, and repeat forever." Indeed, the man will face eternal punishment at the hands of the torture instrument. It is officially known as the "Supreme Execution Cutter" but it has several nicknames, including the "Brownie Cutter of Death" and the "Human Cube Maker." Several athletes have been killed by the BCoD, including former soccer goalkeeper Gruelmaker 28589A and former baseball pitcher Slavecatcher 948313. No hockey players have yet fallen victim to it, a testament to their strong skill. For the record, conventional slow slicing executions are done with a single, very sharp sword down the middle of the body. Only those who shame or embarrass the nation face the far more painful Brownie Cutter of Death.

[Gyatso-kai]

.:: Royal Square Garden, St. Petrus, Saintland ::.
1840 hours local time, 15 February 2014.1

Head Coach of the Ice Bisons Kad Skirata sat in the seats of Royal Square Garden. He was there, not as a coach or a fan, but as a man looking for an escape. He had given his team the day off after a rather grueling practice in the morning, and here he was simply trying to relax.

To his right sat the Assistant Coach of the Ice Bisons Kio Huangshun, and to his left, the Goalie Coach and former Ice Bison Shu Huannguo. All three of the men were wearing very plain clothes, considering their surroundings, and each was trying his best to simply blend in.

"So we made it through," spoke Kio as he took a sip from his drink. The action down on the ice --- The Upper Bracket play-in game of Svengarda vs Soviet Canuckistan --- was less-than-entertaining for the three men, given their current situation.

"That we did," Skirata stated, his eyes focused on the ice. "Though I honestly thought we were in some trouble there."

"Of course we were," Shu interjected. "I mean, we took two goals against TFR, and allowed them to get the first goal."

"That seems to be the trend with Zhao this tournie," Kio laughed. "I mean, in the games we have drew or loss, we allowed the opponents to score first."

"Is it really Zhao's fault?" Shu was quick to defend his starting netminder. "Should we not look to the defence in this matter?"

"That we should, Shu. I mean, in our one loss this tournie, Middleton managed to get a breakaway thanks to Feng being caught off-guard and Ko tied up by that Middleton forward."

"Damn shame too. That started our almost-not advancing."

Both men looked to Skirata, who had been silent since starting the topic of the Ice Bisons' near elimination. It had been a tough last three games; even the most conservative experts had the team winning two and losing one. However, things went drastically different than planned: First game of three, the Ice Bisons blew it against Middleton Valley 1-nil and you could hear Skirata's rant from outside the locker room. The next game saw the Ice Bisons' third draw of the tournament against second-to-last Transalpine Republic, which was then followed by another spirited speech by Skirata and an all-night practice before the final game of the Group Stage. Many thought the 2-all draw against Transalpine would have spelled the end for the Ice Bisons, seeing as they fell down to third with just fifteen points.

Thank the Spirits that TFR would only score a single goal.

"Kad, you alright over there?" Shu inquired as he took a bite out of Saintland's attempt at Rink Food. It looked like a pizza, but based on Shu's facial expression, it didn't exactly taste like one.

Skirata was slow to respond, his eyes glazed over slightly as he sat in deep thought. "Huh? Yes, I am fine... Just thinking of our next game."

"Against the lunatics?" quipped Shu as he drank. "It shouldn't be too bad, I mean, as long as they do not try to murder us for blasphemy."

"Thankfully," Kio laughed, "We do not have any one on our team named 'Gregory'."

Yes, but we do have people who see the Avatar as a Living God, remember?" Skirata spoke up with some concern. "What do you think their Slaves will do should during an interview Hakoda thanks the Avatar for his blessing? Or if Hiteki shows his thanks for the Avatar granting him a chance to play?"

"It isn't like they have firearms."

"Yes, but they could still suicide bomb our fans."

Shu and Kio were both shocked. It was finally Shu who spoke up.

"Do you really think they would do that?!"

"Who knows... Any nation whose team is comprised of Slaves with serial codes for names, coached by a man named 'Horse Beater LAL9120' and is actually called 'Gregoryisgodistan' is an absolute and utterly laughable joke."

The three men all laughed as they went back to watching the game, which was shaping up to be a more interesting affair than it was at the beginning of the conversation.

[Qazox]

QOXSPORTS.com/Hockey

As predicted, Qazox and Northern Sunrise Islands will meet in a lower bracket match, the winner to face someone in the next round. This usual playoff format will see teams not knowing whom they might face.

Here is the simplest way to figure it out: win. Just win.

[Ko-oren]

Group: 7-1-1
vs. Soviet Canuckistan (6-1-2)
vs. Estope/Valanora/Neu Engollon/Svengarda OR those 4/Gregoryisgodistan/Gyatso-Kai

The 8 teams in our half of the WCoH must be happy with us. Not being in Havl's half must be one thing, but your half's highest seeded team being 33rd in the world is another good thing. Even if the draw is being hard on your team, and you have to face the tournament's second seed, at least know that the team you'll play is going to be ranked, well, low. From here on out, winning and losing will pretty much just decide which bracket you end up in rather than the opponent you will play next. The next game against Soviet Canuckistan has the following consequences:
win
Go directly to quarterfinals. Do not pass Second Round, do not collect $200. Play the winner of a second round game.*
loss
Go directly to second round. Play the winner of Svengarda-Estope or Neu Engollon-Valanora.

*lower-seeded Bracket B Second Round Winner

There is only one certainty in deciding the schedule: whenever it says 'higher-seeded', at least we know we will be that team. For teams like Soviet Canuckistan, chances you are the lowest seeded team are there, chances you are the highest seeded are just slightly bigger.

The eight teams in our bracket, by seed #:
Ko-oren (33rd ranked, 2nd seeded, 7-1-1, 11-2 +9)
Gregoryisgodistan (27th ranked, 3rd seeded, 6-3-0, 13-4 +9)
Gyatso-Kai (19th ranked, 6th seeded, 5-3-1, 20-12 +8)
Soviet Canuckistan (4th ranked, 7th seeded, 6-1-2, 22-6 +6)
Svengarda (21st ranked, 10th seeded, 6-1-2, 21-11 +10)
Neu Engollon (32nd ranked, 11th seeded, 5-3-1, 23-19 +4)
Valanora (3rd ranked, 14th seeded, 5-3-1, 29-17 +12)
Estope (22nd ranked, 15th seeded, 5-2-2, 15-9 +6)

The first thing that catches the eye is that while you would expect the top 16 nations to make the final 16, only two teams ranked 1st to 16th made it. This number is slightly bigger in the other bracket (Havl 1st, Torisakia 5th, Qazox 8th, Vilita & Turori 9th, Northern Sunrise Islands 11th, Equestrian States 13th, Sicoutimont 14th) with 7 out of 8 teams coming from the top 16 ranked teams. That offers opportunities to the B bracket teams (and all of a sudden having 'A' and 'B' makes sense: A seems actually to be somewhat better at the game than B!), who largely entered the knock-out rounds based on enthusiasm rather than excellent play. Ko-oren and Gregoryisgodistan, 2nd and 3rd seeded, are 33rd and 27th ranked. Moreover, the Greenblues are the highest seeded and the lowest ranked of bracket B. Soviet Canuckistan, 4th ranked, 7th seeded, is the only team to have a seed number close to rank number. Another way of putting it: Bracket B has two Pot 1 teams, three Pot 3 teams and three Pot 4 teams. Bracket A has three Pot 1 teams, four Pot 2 teams, and one Pot 3 team.

In other words, this might be our season.

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Ko-orenite Sports Encyclopedia - 9th Winter Olympics edition
Appendix I - Favorite sport per Linguistic Community