World Cup of Hockey 43 - Everything thread

by **Ko-oren** » Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:30 pm

Ko-oren 1–0 Le Choix

'   1nd 2rd 3st Final
KOR   0   1   0     1
LCX   0   0   0     0

2nd 5:51 Enibel 1-0

          KOR LCX
Shots      29  11
Faceoffs   23  19
Penalties   5   3
Pen Mins   10   6

A fairly typical game finished to our favour, carrying the win streak to three. Even if the goal production is still not ramped up to tournament speed, the defence is on mid-season form and kept us in this from start to finish - because let's be honest, Le Choix has had more than its fair share of shots. They rarely took a shot without knowing they could get it on goal, which limited them a little bit, but when they actually found a gap they immediately put Alacia to work. Enibel scored the only goal of the evening in the second period, after a great solo action from Groenbloem that only left Enibel with a 'simple' tap in - it certainly looked simple, but more skill went into it than seemed at first. Aegeraial left the ice for slight injury concerns, but it looks like he'll be back in time for next game. Acilea remains unable to find his form, and outside of the first shift of all positions, the Dragonflies are not ready to make a deep run yet.

A small look at... The Frontier

One of the 21 subdivisions created by the last administrative restructuring, The Frontier lies in Ko-oren's northeast, right on the border between densely populated Intermare and the empty lands beyond. At just over a hundred thousand inhabitants, it ranks 30th out of 33 subdivisions, and at a little over 2000 square kilometres, it ranks 29th in area. The people there speak Dutch, mostly, with a handful of languages of the northeast spoken frequently in suburbs of its cities. Well... cities, only one settlement counts as a city: only Ossendal has more than fifty thousand souls (62 607).

Asking what makes the Frontier the Frontier is about 90% asking the question 'what is not the Frontier': it's not Intermare, it's not Sudaefjoll, and it had to be in a subdivision. It's not Intermare, as that has a very neatly defined eastern border and a very tightly knit economic area that Ossendal and the Frontier towns do not fit into, and it's not Sudaefjoll, as the latter is a large subdivision with towns on rivers and a slightly different approach to education and language.

Originally, the Frontier was established as a region beyond the City States for economic exploitation. Furs and ores (the former more than the latter) came from here. Inland, hunters and trappers lived a rough life, while gritty harbour towns popped up on the coast. Several well-known bandits made the Frontier their home, until Ko-oren unified all parts of the archipelago. Over time, a profitable fishing industry was set up as well. Despite the area's mining and trapping sectors shutting down in the last century, the Frontier remains an above-average economically liberal subdivision.

The Frontier's governor is Iwein van den Heuvel, a dignified gentleman who looks at the Frontier as the perfect financial centre between logistically useful Intermare and technologically advanced Sudaefjoll. Van den Heuvel has a history in raising funds for projects in and around the Frontier - as long as they were economically viable.

by **Eshialand** » Fri Aug 06, 2021 9:55 pm

A Win?
Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland 2-4 Eshialand

Coach Maran had to make some pretty big changes ahead of the Owls' game against Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland if he was going to get them out of this rut they had been in for the first two games.

Chief among these changes was replacing Carter Buisa in net with Dustin Banks. The reason why isn't super hard to see, after all. Carter allowed 5 goals in each game whereas Dustin had only allowed 2 in each with about the same amount of time in net. Looking at the second game against Delaclava, Carter's goals per game statistic was 8.44 with an abysmal save percentage of .762, whereas those same numbers were a much better 4.91 and .867 for Dustin. Still not great, but Eshialand was already in a tailspin in that game anyway, so the numbers would probably be better if the team wasn't desperate.

This change, among other changes geared towards motivating the team, seemed to prove their worth in this game, as Eshialand jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with goals from Jason Mentee and Jessica Lambeau at 4:36 and 8:12, respectively, into the first period. For once, things seemed to be breaking the Owls' way! Sure, Flori Rathenau made it 2-1 at 16:28 into the period, but at least Eshialand was holding on to the lead, a lead which they hopefully wouldn't let go of.

The second period was relatively quiet, at least by the standards of the rest of the tournament so far, with only one goal from Devon St. John (assisted by the Mentee twins) at 5:43 to speak of on the goalscoring front. The third period also wasn't a wild one, but it sure was a cause for celebration.

The first twelve minutes and sixteen seconds of the period passed without any scoring, but when Radomir Perko scored to make it 3-2, Jonas Degle responded within 74 seconds, widening the lead to 4-2 with six and a half minutes to go.

And that was the final score. A 4-2 Eshian win. Finally, something to celebrate after everything they had been through... even if they lost their next 8, at least they could say they won one.

by **Atheara** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 2:18 am

To Bite The Dust With A Rival

Type: Game Review
Time: -

Well what do you know? Atheara lost to the United States of Devonta, or you can just call them Devonta for short. And we didn't score a single goal, great. Who the hell? As far as i know, their roster isn't even announced, which does make me pissed, because how are we supposed to do a review without at least roster information? Anyway, a single blast of a stick in the first period, and a power play gave Devonta those two goals. And because of that, Atheara are slounged at 9th place with one win and two losses. No overtime results yet, what a surprise.

Anyway, for those who wanted to know, second line played a full 40 minutes, with the rest of those 20 minutes given to the first line. Afterall, the juniors need to learn from the seniors. But that went horribly wrong. Midervon Lesinkch, the head coach of the team, will be trusting the third line for the next match, which is against hockey giants Ko-oren. Whatever everybody else thinks will not matter, as you know, Atheara tends to not go down without a big fight. And they will show this in their game.

FULL TIME RESULTS
Devonta 2 - 0 Atheara
(1st, 19') Unknown
(3rd, 5') Unknown

Georgey Istella, a hockey tactician, decided to help reform the tactics of the third line up. It was basically confirmed that they would play slow, grinding defense, and let Tohan lead the fast quick counter attacks. This plan will require good coordination, communication, and most of all, teamwork. I think we should cower, as you know, i don't want ourselves to get demoralized once we lose again.

I don't know if i can see you next time, but i think i can.

by **Vilita and Turori** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 2:23 am

World Cup of Hockey XXXIV Champions

Vilita & Turori Ice Cat Things
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Colora Boharii
Assistant Coach: Agaggagii'o "AA" Amphlanza
Style Mods: +3.14159

Goalkeepers::
[ 92 ] Tommy Finn [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 60 ] 'Snowman' Avalaski [ - Seraai Icestronauts (VHL) - ]
[ 82 ] Ukanlora Imfagarziiz [ - Eelandii Explorers (VHL) - ]

Defenders::
[ 37 ] Kevin Diesel [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 63 ] Spekkio Turazi [ - Eelandii Explorers (VHL) - ]
[ 06 ] Dolak Vintal-Morta [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 62 ] Hluali Tiik [ - Turoki Islanders (VHL) - ]
[ 56 ] Torren Filiao [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 45 ] Cinnami Vellamoi [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 55 ] Bayyre Provichuk [ - Tivali River Sharks (VHL) -]

Forwards::
[ 32 ] Cartai Chiate [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 48 ] Ricky Fike [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 4 ] River Suzgar [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 23 ] Eastern Raciani [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 88 ] Ocean Suzgar [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 22 ] Jualiar Fichaud [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 17 ] Ataris Filiac [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 21 ] Buffky Oktopi [ - Morata Valley Fog (VHL) - ]
[ 15 ] Emhaoi Linaozi [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 32 ] Akitana Ruta [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]
[ 52 ] Malaino Oraziala [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]
[ 33 ] Askol Mastley [ - Morata Valley Fog (VHL) - ]
[ 7 ] Fordin Unrangii [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]
[ 22 ] Ieeko Naret [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]

Starting Lineup
[ G ] Goalkeepers Alternate
[ D ] Cinnami Vellamoi [VIL]
[ D ] Spekkio Turazi [TUR]
[ RW ] Jualiar Fichaud [VIL]
[ C ] Eastern Raciani [VIL]
[ LW ] Malaino Oraziala [TUR]
--
Shootout / Penalty Shot
Buffky Oktopi [VIL], Ieeko Naret [TUR]

RP Permissions:
Choose my Goalscorers: Yes
Godmod my Scores: Yes
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes, Duration of Group / Current Stage only
Godmod injuries to my Players: Sure.
Hand out penalties to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

by **Kelssek** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 9:33 am

Post-match reactions: Overtime loss against S&T nothing to celebrate, says Hesselboe
SPORTS | INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY

Kelssek captain Riley Hesselboe pushed back at media who asked if Kelssek could take heart from getting a point off a Siovanija & Teusland team who have won three straight World Cups and looked in form to secure a fourth.

“I think you want me to say that yeah, we can take something from this, but it’s not about being happy to just be here anymore, we are here to win and we have to beat teams like that if we’re going to reach our goals as a team,” Hesselboe said after a match that saw Kelssek fight back from two-goal deficits twice and take the lead in the third period, only to fall behind, score with the goalie pulled, and then lose in the extra period.

“It was a good effort, okay. It clearly wasn’t our best effort, and I’m not going to sit here and say it was.”

Whether or not this was simply bravado from the captain, the fact is that Kelssek did look the match of their powerhouse opponents over 60 minutes and this does mark significant progress for a team that has been mediocre in recent years. And pundits like KBC Sports’s Jordan Kelley have argued the very different kind of play that prevails in three-on-three hockey has less bearing on assessing performances.

Asked if this gives the team confidence or whether Kelssek felt they should have won the match, head coach Peter Dalton was cagey in response and took a more balanced tack.

“Riley’s a competitor and a very driven leader, and that’s the kind of mentality players need to have. I think we had a chance to win this match and frustration at being so close to what would’ve been a big result, I can understand it. There’s a lot more hockey to be played and as a team we expect a lot more wins.”

READ MORE: Kelssek shows grit in back-and-forth OT loss against Siovanija and Teusland

by **Bollonich** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 12:10 pm

Bollonischians looking in form following victory over Chromatika
We had won our first game against Neu Engollon which was an incredibly lose encounter we came on top of. Chromatika meanwhile having lost their first game had won a close game against Valanora which was decided in the shootouts. Things were looking to be set up for a close encounter between the both sides as both sides were coming off close victories. Being ranked 27th, Chromatika had the advantage of past experience which we lacked but as we had already shown against Neu Engollon, experience mattered very little.
Starting the game, the Chromatik players immediately pushed on the pedal clearly overpowering the Bollonischians as we seemed underprepared. And the Chromatik players didn’t waste or kill time scoring their first goal in the first quarter itself as the 25 year old De Villiers put the puck past Bollonischian Keeper Kaiden Foster. Having scored the first goal, the Bollonischian side looked shook up as they had been caught unprepared but the game was not over yet as with one quarter done we trailed 1-0. We had a good chance to make a comeback in the next two quarters. Having started the second quarter slowly we got back into it pretty quickly with a crucial equalising goal scored by Katla Steinsson. The Chromatik players were slowly going into panic mode with the equalising goal. However no team managed to take the lead before the third quarter. Entering the third quarter, Chromatika’s struggles were visible as we took the lead in the beginning pot the third quarter as Guørún Jóhannsson managed to convert giving us the lead against Chromatika. The game however was still not sealed, however it didn’t take us long to seal the game as just minutes after scoring the second goal we scored our third putting us firmly in front and securing the victory.
This victory against Chromatika put us in fourth place and a qualifying berth with two wins out of our three matches and facing Banija the 12th ranked side in the world we would be likely to suffer a defeat but given pur recent performances, writing us off would be a huge error.

by **Valanora** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 1:47 pm

For the first time in the tournament, the Calcuttas actually looked worthy of their lofty ranking with a demolition job.of neighbors Banija. It is far from a fair match-up though despite the best efforts of Banija to cultivate the sport in their nation, with no natural ice formation in their nation and a lack of history that would come with such advantageous geography. The Calcuttas on the other hand have players from the recognized best domestic league in the sport as well as a long history in the competition as well as in the sport prior to the formation of the World Cup. Nevertheless, the Banija side put up a solid effort for a period before the Calcuttas turned a dominant second period into a blowout victory.

The Calcuttas once again got an excellent game from Eva, as the young lady continues to show why she is considered the best player in the Empire right now. It would also not be a far stretch to call her one of the best current players in the game, though the collective and individual efforts from the stars of the United Republics likely keep her out of the contention for the very best player. All the same she is a lead off and on the ice and the way that she has gone is usually a good indicator of how the team is going to go. With the starlet having aged fairly well, it is no surprise that despite a few rough games, the Calcuttas on the whole have played well themselves. If the team can continue to keep their starlet on a hot streak, the team is liable to continue to get better and play well themselves.

The team will be taking on newcomers Malandrin in their next contest and will be looking to keep the offensive flow going. A defensive battle with Chromatika where the offense looked a little lost at times did make some concerned, but putting five goals past Banija has been a definite morale boost. Malandrin has looked vulnerable inside their own blue line, averaging over four goals against per game at the moment. It is a weak point where the team can look to exploit the skill difference. Yet for their defensive woes, Malandrin has been formidable when on the attack. After a difficult outing to start against Neu Engollon, the defense corps has looked solid since, but this will be a different kind of test. A win however keeps spirits high and the side churning towards a group title and the expected destination of the knockout stages.

by **Chromatika** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 2:07 pm

World Cup of Hockey 43 Matchday 3: Chromatika 1-3 Bollonich

"Belmont!"

Dorothy Belmont winced. Their transition play had just folded in the latter two periods, De Villiers had put them up front, and then Bollonich had just outpaced them, outmuscled them, out spirited them. It had been the worst game that they'd played so far.

She turned around and saw the figure of Dustin Mast, her counterpart.

He came up and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Long group stage, right? We have plenty of games to go, and we'll bounce back. You'll bounce back. We'll be fine."

Dorothy turned around and weakly smiled at Dustin. He was a good friend.

"Thanks," she replied back, "It just sucks to drop points against unranked teams when we know we have teams ranked way ahead of us to contend with later."

"You got Valanora," he stated firmly, "You did. Without you'd we would've lost that game. Sure, you had a rough one against Bollonich - everyone has rough games here and there. All we can do is focus and go for the next one."

Before she could reply, he continued jokingly, "Or I'll come in and take over, and nobody wants that."

She punched him back. "Don't sell yourself short - you'd have made a few of those saves out there."

"Perhaps, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, Elejamie next, right? Nowhere to go but up," he turned the subject.

Sitting at last in the group with the least amount of goals scored (tied with two other nations), they had some work do to.

Dorothy Belmont picked herself up off the ground as the two of them went to watch some film. There was no time to waste.

by **Le Choix** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 2:29 pm

Key Moments of the Game, WCoH MD3, Ko-oren 1–0 Le Choix

Moment 1: 05:31 1st Period, Ko-oren 0-0 Le Choix
First real chance for La Lumière to test Aiane Alacia, as Myriam Magnier shoots from midrange. The Ko-orenite handles it with ease, no problem. Both sides are playing excellent defense, though it's apparent that Le Choix is playing a bit scared given the quality of their opponent.

Moment 2: 12:29 2nd Period, Ko-oren 0-0 Le Choix
Nice save by Matthias Adnet! With Ko-oren on the power play, Aiane Alacia hits a nice slap shot to the left corner, but the Le Choix netminder is able to palm it without a problem. Good going for the young keeper.

Moment 3: 05:23 2nd Period, Ko-oren 1-0 Le Choix
GOAL! Aorale Enibel, the veteran center for the Dragonflies, converts on the beautiful pass from Torsten Groenbloem, and Ko-oren leads! Le Choix will need to start opening up their play a bit to try to equalize.

Moment 4: 14:38 3rd Period, Ko-oren 1-0 Le Choix
Wow, Alaine Alacia is good. Le Choix has three great opportunities on this attack - a shot and two rebounds - but Alacia takes care of it without any issues. Le Choix is starting to run out of time.

Moment 5: 00:31 3rd Period, Ko-oren 1-0 Le Choix
Oh so close! Prewitt Forton gets one last chance at the net, but the shot bounced off the left post! Ko-oren holds on for the victory.

Next Opponent: HUElavia (7)
They have to go from strength to strength, but with the way that they kept the Ko-oren game to just a goal, there is a chance for an upset here.

by **Squornshelan Remnant States** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 3:11 pm

Grinding it Out
Salwan Mynhier

When the 32nd-ranked Ranoria Krauts skated out for warmups at Newham Wharf in Burnaby, there were a few questioning glances thrown their way from their opponents. Dorina Bradaigh and Tegan Kelley were seen to pause briefly and exchange a few words with each other before being herded back away from the red line by Pinter, the captain. Likely, they were wondering where the rest of the Ranorian team was. Indeed, only 15 players emerged from the Krauts' locker room to take the ice, three of those being goalkeepers. Even the Squornshelan press had assumed that the announced lineup was simply in error, omitting the additional five players one would normally expect. With 8 forward and 4 defense, the Krauts had just 12 skaters to the Confederates' 18. Further, top line winger Frederick Vrabel reportedly missed the morning skate, which sources close to the team suggested was due to a hangover of all things. Perhaps the Ranorian style is more suited to the long shifts and high time on ice such a limited lineup necessitates, but tonight at least, the Squornshelans imposed their game on their opponents.

The tone for the game was set early on. Isenbrand sent out his top line, Khan, Weidman, and Vrabel while the Confederates sent out the third line of speedy youngster Tam Dubgall, two-way forward Milenko Alfson, and the imposing bulk of Vsevolod Poplawski. Gathering the puck in their own end off the opening faceoff, the Krauts began a careful breakout, with Huber sending Khan up the wing. With Ilic looking ready to make a stand at the blue line, Khan made to cut across the center of the ice and split the defense, but was caught shoulder to shoulder by Poplawski, who was on the backcheck. Only an inch shorter than Poplawski, Khan nonetheless was at about a 40 pound disadvantage and unsuspecting to boot. He was sent sprawling, and though he was promptly back on his skates, it was very clear from those first moments that this game was neither going to be pleasant nor easy for the Krauts.

While few of the Confederate players cut quite the same figure as Poplawski, the power forward's big hit clearly fired up the bench, and his example was followed up and down the lineup. Eventually, something had to give. The Squornshelans were staying out of the box, if only just in some cases, and the frustration was mounting for the Ranorians. The spark that set things off was Stark, cross-checking Pinter in the back as she tried to establish position in front of Burnett, then hitting her again as she was rising to her knees. The referees either didn't notice or didn't care, and Olofsson took matters into his own hands. The initial shoving match quickly broke off into a few pairings, as Khan and Vrabel had grievances of their own, and enthusiastically took up with Wyrzik and Lowry while Olofsson and Stark traded punches behind the net. When it was all sorted out, 32 penalty minutes were handed out, and the Krauts were on the power play, albeit with two of their best scorers sitting in the box. With only nine players to cycle through, the ensuing power play lost momentum quickly as fatigue began to set in, and on the first shift after returning to full strength, Bradaigh struck, coming off the bench to join the rush and slicing through the defense with fresh legs to tip a cross crease pass into the net five hole.

The physical play calmed down a bit following the goal, even after the perpetrators emerged from the box shortly before intermission. Both teams seemed, fortunately, more focused on playing solid fundamental hockey than inflicting pain on their opponents. That's not to say skating through the neutral zone staring at the puck would have been a good idea for anyone though, as hard fought puck battles were still very much a factor. The second, as you might expect, saw a determined fightback from the Ranorians, marked by some really excellent defense of the blue line. The Krauts forced turnover after turnover, and with the long change, the Confederates were less able to make the most of their advantage in numbers. Eventually it was Vrabel, whose constant movement was creating serious problems for the defensive coverage. He found a soft spot in the low slot where Weidman was able to find him with a pass for a one timer that zipped just under Rinne's glove hand.

Inexplicably though, just when the time seemed right to pour it on, the Krauts seemed to have little urgency in their game, playing as if they were holding a lead, rather than still in need of a goal to secure two points. During the last five of the second period, and again to open the third, the Confederates resumed their physical style of play. Between that, Vrabel's reported hangover, and their own lack of desperation, the Krauts looked distinctly off their game, with passes going astray, shots being wasted, and the puck turned over in the neutral zone again and again when it should have just been dumped in. Eventually, they were made to pay for it. Ilic neatly stood up Vrabel at the blue line, then picked out Kelley behind the defense with a sharp pass. The pint-size winger skated in alone against Burnett, and beat the Ranorian with a quick release, shooting just past his ear on the blocker side. Behind the play, Vrabel had again dropped his gloves, though Ilic wanted no part of it. The two traded words around the intervening linesmen, but not fists. Asked postgame about the confrontation, Ilic confessed to a little gamesmanship. "I told him to go cry into his rum if he was upset. I don't think he liked that very much."

At this point, Ranoria were up against it, and the run of play did not favor them at all. With the Confederates shifting from their high-pressure forecheck into a neutral zone trap to close out the game, Ranoria needed the perfect play to find the tying goal. Fatigued, bruised, and out of focus, perfection was just not in the realm of possibility for them, and they were fortunate not to give up an empty netter late, as both Devine and Zyma hit the post.

This first victory is a great milestone for the Confederate team, and comes early enough that building on this for a decent finish doesn't seem quite so farfetched as it might have. Advancement is still a big stretch though, and the road doesn't get any easier up ahead. Next on the schedule is Group C's top-placed and second-ranked team, multiversal number eights, Savojarna. The Savojars have won their three games by some garish margins so far, and many will expect the same when they meet up with us.

MD01 - SRS 2-6 Kelssek
MD02 - SRS 2-3 Reçueçn
MD03 - Ranoria 1-2 SRS
MD04 - SRS  v  Savojarna
MD05 - Behetij  v  SRS
MD06 - SRS  v  Nova Anglicana
MD07 - Siovanija & Teusland  v  SRS
MD08 - SRS  v  Placely Placington
MD09 - Sarzonia  v  SRS
MD10 - SRS  v  Sannyamathland
MD11 - Magnecia  v  SRS

by **Elejamie** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 4:27 pm

Alex Sorenson was in a bit of a tough spot.

He thought that things were looking good going into the match against Neu Engollon. After all, they had performed back-to-back giant slayings and were up against a two-time winner. A two-time winner who may have fallen off a bit but still had that spark and that drive that made them a formidable opponent. But since the Ice-a-phants beat Gyatso-kai 3-2 with two goals in the last two minutes and managed to hold off Græntfjall to win 2-1 (which also saw them top the group), they could afford to be a little bit cocky for their third game.

Even during the match, they were still confident. They were leading 1-0 at the end of the first period thanks to a well-timed shot by Bill Harrison (assisted by Cerin Meloten and Neil Cuevas) that just sailed over the blocker with 12:11. The second period saw them both score two each to give Elejamie a 3-2 lead by the end. His side's first goal of the period was a simple wrist shot that the Neu Engollonian goalie was just too slow to get, simply scored by James Han with 13:19 left. The second, scored exactly seven minutes later, was a simple snap shot from the point by Lucas Madgwick (who was the sole assist to Han's goal earlier) that ricocheted off the crossbar and into the back of the net; not only did Han repay the favour with an assist of his own but Carlos Sierra received a point for it as well? The two Neu Engollonian goals? A power play goal with 16:12 left and an easy shot through Lambert's five hole with 10:54 left.

But then something seemed off and his side ended up throwing away a 3-2 lead to lose 5-3. Absolutely disappointing. A far cry from the hungry team willing to prove themselves in the first two games and the team from the previous World Cup of Hockey. Instead they seemed like a team from the dark age but without the possible red flags from outsider interference. He couldn't afford to let that happen again. Furthermore, he decided to make an ultimatum, not just with himself but with the EIHB as well: Should the team fail to make the next round then he will be stepping down as head coach. A bit extreme, yes, but he desperately wanted this team to return to its former glory and he figured that this could've been motivation.

They had a break, which was ample time to fit in some more training. After all, maybe switching it up with new tactics, new regimens, new anything might work. They also had a look at how the other teams in their group was doing, not necessarily to steal signs but rather to prepare themselves for what they were up against. And to see if that guide that Alex received early on was still correct. Unsurprisingly, Valanora, Gyatso-kai and Græntfjall were above them. Surprisingly, Bollonich were in fourth place followed by the Ice-a-phants themselves. Alex thought to himself about what the legendary Michael Madgwick, who had led them to glory in the 29th and 31st World Cups of Hockey, would do in this situation before trying his best to come up with a good game plan.

Then came the big day. The fourth game, this time against Chromatika. For this match, Alex made a few changes. Adrian Lambert was starting in goal, with Bejerano being benched. Harrison Blackburn was replaced on the fourth line by Mike Keller. The entire third defensive pairing (Neil Cuevas and Rafinho) was swapped out for Alex Martin and Paul Sinclair. And Alex [Sorenson] wasn't going to rule out the possibility of replacing Bill Judge on the fourth line with Charlie Spreitzer. He also planned for a slightly more defensive approach in this match. After all, while Chromatika were dead last with only two points from an OT win, he definitely didn't want to take any chances.

He went through the game plan he had for that day. He went through it in as much detail as he could, although naturally he didn't want to waste too much time or else they'd have no time to actually get things done. Not to mention the possibility of overloading them with too much information and making them flop. Fortunately, he just condensed it to an overall plan, a few sentences of what they had to do with emphasis when necessary and what exact role each player should play. Once he was done, he had his team do a few more stretches to warm up before they finished suiting up. Once they were ready they were called up and everyone took their places. They headed out onto the ice to warm up, maybe get the crowd pumped up as well, before they eventually went to centre ice for the anthems. Apart from Lambert (as well as his Chromatik counterpart in Dorothy Belmont), each first defensive pair and each first line, all the players headed to their benches and simply waited while the players left on the ice got into position.

It was face-off. The referee eyed both players as he slowly put the puck down onto the ice. He moved his hand away and both Cerin Meloten and Jared Dumond battled it out to try and win the puck. As the match officially began, Coach Alex looked up at the clock. While he wanted to concentrate on the match before him, there was only one thing on his mind. A song that had been playing in a supermarket while he bought a few things, which ended up becoming an apt wish for him and his team:

"Don't Come Home Too Soon."

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 5:05 pm

Hockey Today Magazine

Siovanija & Teusland’s Top Hockey News Source!

The History of Hockey in Siovanija & Teusland - Part III: The War

On June 13, 1888, the Imperial Stelburg Hockey Club defeated the St. Jakob Hockey Club to win the Teus Imperial Championship. The game, played at the Stelburg Eispalast (the first edition of such, at least) was in front of a sold-out crowd, and the Stelburger Zeitung proudly declared the next morning: “Stelburg boys hockey Champions of the Empire.”

Just two months later, the Stelburger Zeitung had a much different cover page: “War declared with Siovanija!” The conflict between the Siovanijan Republic and the Teus Empire in the late 1800s is far too complex to explain in such an article, but for the basic facts: in 1808, Siovanija gained its independence from Teusland after a long revolution. Over the next 80 years, the two nations fought over various disputed territories, particularly the Pomorie/Marzig region. And so, on August 13, 1888, war broke out between the territories.

We won’t focus too much on how the war took shape - that is, of course, quite well known - in the end, the Siovanijan Republic and Teus Empire could both not withstand the brutal conflict, and by 1895, both sides sought a ceasefire. In 1896, with both sides crippled from the years of war, they signed a unification agreement, becoming the United Republics of Siovanija & Teusland. Our focus will instead be on how sport was affected by the conflict, particularly hockey.

Cricket was perhaps the most devastated of all major sports by the conflict - an upper-class sport, many of its prominent players became officers in the military, and as the war dragged on, it began to be seen as a privileged sport - the average Stelburg citizen could barely afford bread in the darkest days of the war, by 1894, while the upper-class citizens of the city gathered still at the Imperial Oval all the way until the middle of 1895, when all sporting competition was banned with the worsening situation. As a result, cricket, which had already been slipping in terms of popularity in the Teus Empire, became a minor sport in the aftermath of the war.

Football had been popular in both Siovanija and Teusland before the war, and it for the most part retained such status. In Siovanija, football was suspended in 1890, as all males over 18 were required to sign up for military service due to the great losses suffered in the first years of the war and the population deficit compared to Teusland. In Teusland, football continued until 1894, before the Teusliga suspended its operations. Football in Teusland was able to maintain a popularity within the lower class, however, because many of its most popular figures - such as FC Teussen Stelburg legend Franz Gorz - signed up to fight in the conflict. Football, as a result, was seen as one of the people’s sports.

Hockey, meanwhile, had about the same level of popularity as the other two before the war - and the war situation allowed it to take the outright lead in popularity. The hockey clubs were immediately some of the first to volunteer for the conflict, on both sides of the border - in Siovanija, 76 of the 80 members of the Olympia Athletic Club signed up for the Siovanijan Army within the first month of hostilities, and all of the starting 6 skaters on the Imperial Stelburg Hockey Club’s roster signed up for the Teus Army as well - as did 87% of the entire club.

Hockey also became a popular recreation activity within both armies - the war was mainly fought in the harsh, cold mountains that split Siovanija and Teusland down the middle, meaning plenty of opportunities to play the sport amongst the soldiers. It was encouraged by military brass as a method of maintaining physical fitness and toughness. This arrangement lasted until Christmas 1889, when Siovanijan and Teus troops on different sections of the frontline often played hockey against each other for that one day. Some regiments forbid the game after that, but of course, those rules were rarely followed.

Hockey games were often played back home as charity benefits as well - in Stelburg, on New Years’ Day 1892, there was a hockey game played at the Eispalast between civilians and soldiers on leave, in order to raise money for the local food bank. Hockey play at the time was entirely amateur, and as a result, there was no club championships in Teusland at the time - however, hockey remained a popular way for the home front to enjoy some recreation, as it had for decades.

A similar situation was true in Siovanija, where hockey was also valued by the military as a means for physical fitness. The sport had also not been professionalized in the Republic yet, and as a result, almost all of the players had made it into the conflict. Many would end up dying at the front lines - the Olympia Athletic Club lost its entire second forward line in two weeks in 1894. Hockey-playing soldiers also managed to distinguish themselves, however, in war.

We mentioned the Imperial Stelburg Hockey Club and its strong commitment to the war effort - the ISHC’s members were absorbed into the 2nd Stelburg Infantry division, which quickly distinguished itself in combat, including a decisive victory at the Battle of Draijagrad and leading the campaign at the Battle of Chernovets. The group gradually became known as the ‘Kaisers’ Own’ as a result of their heroic exploits. When the soldiers from the ISHC returned in the post war years, they found a club that no longer existed - imperial patronage meant nothing when there was no Emperor. So, they renamed themselves to the Stelburg Kaisers Hockey Club - you may have heard of them, the 25-time Strauss Cup champions and home to several of the players on Siovanija & Teusland’s national team.

As we can see, during the Great War, hockey was affected in various ways, and as a result of its ease of access to all populations on all sides of the front lines, it sky rocketed in popularity. The aftermath of the war, too, would see a boom - which we will cover next time.

by **Graintfjall** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 5:11 pm

Article posted on the winter sports blog Icy Dead People.

Slow start at World Cup as Ice Wolves struggle for relevance

de facto

by **Kelssek** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 5:19 pm

Group A
Malandrin 0–1 Valanora
Bollonich 6–3 Banija
Elejamie 3–2 Chromatika
Snow and Ice Caps 1–3 Neu Engollon
Nephara 0–3 Græntfjall
Lorenthia 2–7 Gyatso-kai

   Group A                                   Pld   W OW OL  L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Valanora                                    4   3  0  1  0    10    6   +4    10
 2 Gyatso-kai                                  4   3  0  0  1    25    9  +16     9
 3 Græntfjall                                  4   3  0  0  1     8    3   +5     9
 4 Bollonich                                   4   3  0  0  1    14   10   +4     9
 5 Elejamie                                    4   3  0  0  1    11   10   +1     9
 6 Neu Engollon                                4   2  0  0  2    14   12   +2     6
 7 Banija                                      4   1  0  1  2    10   16   −6     4
 8 Lorenthia                                   4   0  2  0  2    13   19   −6     4
 9 Nephara                                     4   1  0  1  2     6   13   −7     4
10 Snow and Ice Caps                           4   1  0  0  3    10   17   −7     3
11 Malandrin                                   4   0  1  1  2    12   15   −3     3
12 Chromatika                                  4   0  1  0  3     4    7   −3     2

Group B
Eshialand 5–0 The Jovannic
Lisander 0–5 Delaclava
Fluvannia 3–3 Cassadaigua (2–3 SO)
Vilita and Turori 1–2 Srednjaci
Abanhfleft 4–1 Mercedini
Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland 3–3 TJUN-ia (2–0 SO)

   Group B                                   Pld   W OW OL  L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Delaclava                                   4   3  0  1  0    17    9   +8    10
 2 Abanhfleft                                  4   3  0  0  1    18   11   +7     9
 3 Mercedini                                   4   2  1  0  1    15   10   +5     8
 4 Cassadaigua                                 4   2  1  0  1    10    7   +2     8
 5 Fluvannia                                   4   2  0  1  1     9   11   −2     7
 6 Srednjaci                                   4   2  0  1  1    11   10   +1     7
 7 Vilita and Turori                           4   2  0  1  1    10    9   +1     7
 8 Eshialand                                   4   2  0  0  2    18   17   +1     6
 9 TJUN-ia                                     4   1  0  1  2     8   10   −2     4
10 The Jovannic                                4   0  2  0  2     5   10   −5     4
11 Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland    4   0  1  0  3     9   13   −4     2
12 Lisander                                    4   0  0  0  4     5   17  −12     0

Group C
Kelssek 3–0 Placely Placington
Sarzonia 3–4 Siovanija and Teusland
Sannyamathland 4–4 Nova Anglicana (0–1 SO)
Magnecia 1–2 Behetij
Squornshelan Remnant States 7–1 Savojarna
Reçueçn 0–1 Ranoria

   Group C                                   Pld   W OW OL  L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Siovanija and Teusland                      4   3  1  0  0    21   14   +7    11
 2 Savojarna                                   4   3  0  0  1    18   12   +6     9
 3 Kelssek                                     4   2  0  2  0    15    9   +6     8
 4 Reçueçn                                     4   2  1  0  1     7    4   +3     8
 5 Ranoria                                     4   2  0  1  1    10    6   +5     7
 6 Squornshelan Remnant States                 4   2  0  0  2    13   11   +2     6
 7 Sarzonia                                    4   2  0  0  2    14   15   −1     6
 8 Sannyamathland                              4   1  1  1  1     9   11   −2     6
 9 Nova Anglicana                              4   1  1  0  2    21   14   +7     5
10 Behetij                                     4   1  1  0  2     6    9   −3     5
11 Placely Placington                          4   0  0  1  3    11   26  −15     1
12 Magnecia                                    4   0  0  0  4     3   17  −14     0

Group D
Quebec & Shingoryeo 10–4 Equestria
Le Choix 0–2 Huelavia
Atheara 0–1 Ko-oren
Poafmersia 0–3 United States of Devonta
Gergary 2–3 Raspotochje
Gatchingerrak Union 2–1 Brentboro

   Group D                                   Pld   W OW OL  L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Ko-oren                                     4   4  0  0  0     5    1   +4    12
 2 Huelavia                                    4   3  0  1  0    17   10   +7    10
 3 Gergary                                     4   3  0  0  1    13    9   +4     9
 4 United States of Devonta                    4   3  0  0  1     9    5   +4     9
 5 Quebec & Shingoryeo                         4   2  0  0  2    30   21   +9     6
 6 Le Choix                                    4   2  0  0  2     6    4   +2     6
 7 Poafmersia                                  4   1  1  1  1    12   13   −1     6
 8 Brentboro                                   4   1  1  0  2     7    7    0     5
 9 Raspotochje                                 4   1  0  1  2     7   11   −4     4
10 Atheara                                     4   1  0  0  3     2    4   −2     3
11 Gatchingerrak Union                         4   1  0  0  3     8   19  −11     3
12 Equestria                                   4   0  0  0  4     9   21  −12     0

by **Gyatso-kai** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 8:23 pm

An ASPN Production, Brought to you on ASPN.co.gki

KELSSEK --- Aaron Yitsune

Ice Bisons DEFEAT Lorenthia! 7-2 Puts GKI in SECOND PLACE!

In what was the Ice Bisons' second match against a Top 50 team, the Avatar Ian National Ice Hockey team came out strong, putting away Lorenthia 7-2 and securing second place in the group with a +16 goal differential. Even with the points tied at 9, three other nations share second place, though thanks to that massive goal differential, Græntfjall (+5), Bollonich (+4), as well as Elejamie (+1) are far behind the Ice Bisons.

With Valanora just one point ahead in Group A, Gyatso-kai must continue to push through their opponents with commanding leads. After a single-goal defeat to 30th-ranked Elejamie, the Ice Bisons seem to have found their groove; although, with facing so many lower and even unranked opponents in the first part of the Group Stage, the back end of the schedule is sure to be heavily loaded. After the next matchday's game against unranked Malandrin, the tournament heats up with the Ice Bisons facing 16th-ranked Græntfjall on MD6, followed by a break before facing off against Neu Engollon₂₁, Chromatids₂₇, Banija₁₂ and then the toughest opponent of the group...

Third-Ranked Valanora... The Calcuttas.

While we have faced them quite a few times in the past, and usually emerge on top for our battles, it is always a bit nerve-raking to face such a powerhouse team. Not to mention the similar play style this campaign (Valanora is rated a +2.0 by ASPN, while the Ice Bisons are rated +2.5) as compared to other campaigns when the Ice Bisons were much more offensively-minded; last World Cup of Hockey saw the Ice Bisons rated at +4.0. This change may end up favoring the Calcuttas, who have been known to push games to Overtime more often than not with the Ice Bisons thanks to late-game equalizers and momentum-changing plays late in the game. However, of note in this regard, Valanora's only loss this tournament so far has been a shootout loss to currently-last-place Chromatika on Matchday 02, so it is fair to say Margaret has truly been at work this tournament.

Considering the third-best team in the multiverse just beat unranked and second-from-the-bottom Malandrin by a lone goal...

The same Malandrin we face on our next match day...

Hopefully we can beat them by more than one goal...

Copyright 2021.3 Avatarian Sports Programming Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.aspn.com.gk/articles/wcoh/05477432
© 2021 Avatarian Sports Programming Network

by **TJUN-ia** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 6:50 am

With two losses kicking off our WCoH campaign, both the Ice Jaguars and Ølson Rasmussen needed to become clutch, and quickly, if they still wanted a chance of qualification in this tournament. While IHT may be less aggressive on Rasmussen's ass due to the whole "Miracle on Ice" thing, the expectations upon this man's shoulders were still pretty big and so, with that in mind, let's see how the next two games went, shall we?

Up first was Top 10 Abanhfleft in Laneux for the first time this tournament and the Jardins de Carée-Boudoin would be witnesses to a cracking game of hockey. The battle for control of this contest in the first two periods was tight as all hell, with both teams scoring thrice in half an hour. TJUN-ia's goals were through Julian Visipils (twice, of course) and Ryan Pericic while the Fleftics scored through Sal de Ocampo, Tate Manaloto and Shayne Dimaculangan. The 3rd and final period would decide everything and in the end, the final blow would come with 2 minutes to go through Ki Hwa-Na of all people, a 2nd-line defenseman. It was him who won TJUN-ia's first game of the tournament in a cracking game for the neutrals.

After the duck was broken in Laneux, we returned to the Eolienne Dome in Mazinaw to take on our first unranked team: Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland, a nation-best known for racing driver Lukas Fichter lead by coach Friedrich Riederer. Our opponents were both winless and pointless entering this contest, but they didn't look like that at all in this game as they went toe-to-toe with the Ice Jags like they were a more competent unit than expected. If 2 Quarters against Abanhfleft was chaotic enough, the 3 Quarters here would be just like that and then some. Visipils was equalised by Radomir Perko in both the 1st and 2nd before Viktor Orban's potential game-winner was equalised by Tai Krajnik to send us to OT. Both teams then pushed on for some sort of winner but with nothing getting past the goalies, both teams would have to play a shootout for the first time in their histories in order to decide this game. Jakob Vaduz was a rock in OT but in the SO, he was a bit iffy as his counterpart in Ben Frankenberger brought the Blue Men to glory. TJUN-ia got a point for taking this one this far but considering our ranking, we should've won this one. GGs go out to the Blue Men, of course.

At 1-3, our situation is looking bleaker by the game and no one can really understand what the cause of this is. Another UR in the form of Eshialand is up next and if we can't beat them...then what would be the point of playing on anymore? GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group B, all matches in Kelssek)
MD1: vs Fluvannia (14) - Great Northern Coliseum, Ulyanof L 0-1 (9th)
MD2: vs Vilita and Turori (25) - Eolienne Dome, Mazinaw L 1-2 (9th)
MD3: vs Abanhfleft (10) - Jardins de Carée-Boudoin, Laneux W 4-3 (9th)
MD4: vs Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland (UR) - Eolienne Dome, Mazinaw L 3-3 (0-2 SO) (9th)
MD5: vs Eshialand (UR) - Jardins de Carée-Boudoin, Laneux
MD6: vs Mercedini (5) - Eolienne Dome, Mazinaw
MD7: vs Srednjaci (44) - Jardins de Carée-Boudoin, Laneux
MD8: vs Cassadaigua (4) - Eolienne Dome, Mazinaw
MD9: vs Delaclava (28) - Great Northern Coliseum, Ulyanof
MD10: vs The Jovannic (71) - Great Northern Coliseum, Ulyanof
MD11: vs Lisander (UR) - Great Northern Coliseum, Ulyanof

by **Bollonich** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:07 am

Hockey team looking like serious contender for qualification with win over Banija
We were sitting in 4th, in a qualification berth as we had won our last two games after losing to Græntfjall in our first game in the World Cup of Hockey. Having registered wins over solid teams like Neu Engollon and Chromatika we were confident heading into an incredibly difficult game against 12th ranked Banija. This game was going to be a tight one however we had shown that we were capable of defeating ranked opposition. Coming into the game with two wins behind us we were at the height of confidence while the Banijans hadn’t gotten off to the best start as they were sitting in 7th place with only 1 win.
With the beginning of the match it was clear that Bollonich had again committed to an aggressive approach which had worked wonders on match day 2 against Neu Engollong as Sigrún opted for the same strategy again to try to surprise the Banija team and score early goals before attempting to solidify our defense. The strategy didn’t work as we would’ve hoped as despite our aggressive mindset we managed to score two quick goals courtesy of Hilmarsson and Tómasdóttir in the first quarter. However the Banijans also responded with two goals of their own, scored by Hairte and Bairley, they levelled the score at 2-2 following the end of the first quarter. Fans from both sides and neutrals from Kelseek were all very engrossed in this tight encounters as it was very clear that no team was clearly better than the other. The second quarter started relatively well for the Banijan players as they managed to take a narrow one goal lead, after Somayina Chee scored a wonderful goal dribbling past the Bollonischian defense. However from this point on, the match was in simple words a Bollonischian masterclass as Sigrún and Jósef formulated a brilliant plan which caught the Banijans well off guard. Bringing on a completely different line of forwards, the forwards shone as they equalised and put us ahead in the second quarter with the 18 year old Stefánsdóttir scoring both goals. And going into the third quarter we held a tight 1 goal lead in what was set up to be thrilling third quarter. But it wasn’t such, the third quarter was not thrilling at all as Banija seemed to have run out of steam. We managed to dominate the third quarter continuing our tradition of scoring 2 goals per quarter in the game as Guørún Jóhannsson and Anneka scored our 5th and 6th goal sealing the game against Banija and also putting us in a competitive position with 3 wins from 4 games. Our next game is against Valanora the pot 1 side in our group as we must manage our expectations against a side of such caliber however we should not be surprised if your boys and gals managed to pull another surprise out of their helmets.

by **Delaclava** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:24 am

DSGN.com Hockey

Phoenixes rebound from fiasco to dominate Lisander

Junior standout Zoltan Bondra recorded his first two-goal game in senior international play, and Delaclava defeated Lisander 5-0 at the World Cup of Hockey in Laneux, Kelssek to put their campaign back on the winning track.

Last time in action, the Phoenixes bizarrely lost to The Jovannic after a teamwide bout of food poisoning and after coach Arthur Lemaire instructed his team to not contest the shootout. Lemaire was reprimanded by the Delaclava Hockey Federation for his coaching decision, with the DHF stating "it is the responsibility of the head coach, his coaching staff, his players, and all personnel to be knowledgeable of the rules and regulations, and to honor them at all times. We trust that this will be the last time we must remind our delegation of this duty."

Regardless, the Phoenixes showed no vestiges of illness or mental infirmity in their return to the ice, constantly pressing forward and disrupting Lisander possession or chances at will. The unranked opposition played a clean game throughout and did not give the Phoenixes any opportunities to strike on the power play, but it wasn't enough to stop the Delaclava offense once they got going. It took them 13:02 for Jehiel Abreu to record the opening goal, but the Phoenixes had a characteristically strong second period, scoring three goals in less than five minutes, with Vadim Milekhin scoring in his second straight game in the middle. Max Devane completed the scoring early in the third period.

It was a breakout game for Zoltan Bondra, who admitted he was struggling with his increased role on the senior team. "The speed, the size, the experience is all a little different. I never had any doubt I would eventually get it, but I wasn't expecting this call to the senior team. I'm honored, absolutely, but I felt this urgency to figure it out quickly and not let the squad down. Today was very comfortable and a big relief that I think I'm at the level I'm needed at."

In addition to Bondra, the game represented a breakout of sorts for a few other players: Max Devane, the 23-year-old defenseman and Salem Ice Lasers teammate of Ted Malone, backed up his usage as first-pair defenseman with his first goal and assist, and appearing much less tentative and more willing to play physically; and two-time WJHC silver medalists Bohdan Kirilenko and Peter Požgaj, who each recorded two assists. Kirilenko in particular showcased his ability to run the offense from the point with multiple different lines, assisting on Bondra's first goal with the third line and providing the helper to Milekhin on the fourth line just moments later. Kirilenko has also entrusted with power play and penalty kill duties, and is emerging as a player who can handle the load well.

The adaptation of Delaclava's junior stars to the senior game comes at a fitting time, with Delaclava's next matchup coming against 14th-ranked Fluvannia. The Ashlings defeated the Cubs 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the WJHC, and players from both sides hope to have an influence on the Phoenixes-Bears clash.

"We think we're in great form for this game," Kirilenko said. "The junior game was close, but we really were the better team for most of it. We know what it takes to beat that kind of program and this older team is too experienced to have the same mental lapses... I think, just like we did against Cassadaigua, we'll show what happens when the top teams stop putting in the work to beat teams like us."

The Phoenixes' regulation win momentarily puts them on top of Group B with 10 points (3-0-1-0), with previous leaders Mercedini (2-1-0-1) failing to keep pace in a 4-1 loss to Abanhfleft (3-1), and Cassadaigua (2-1-0-1) moving into the fourth spot with a 4-3 shootout win over Fluvannia (2-0-1-1). Fifth-placed Fluvannia would equal Delaclava on points with a regulation win, demonstrating that the upcoming game will have major repercussions for the group. A Fluvannia win would practically turn the group upside-down and leave most of the group firmly in the race for the Round of 16; a Delaclava win would nearly doom the hopes of a pre-tournament chalk pick and cement their unexpected status as the team to beat.

Lisander     0 - 0 - 0 -- 0
Delaclava    1 - 3 - 1 -- 5
1️⃣ Zoltan Bondra (DEL) - 2 goals
2️⃣ Max Devane (DEL) - 1 goal, 1 assist
3️⃣ Bohdan Kirilenko (DEL) - 2 assists

1st Period
DEL, Abreu (Bullard, Devane) 13:02.
2nd Period
DEL, Z. Bondra (Požgaj, Kirilenko) 4:57.
DEL, Milekhin (Schlesinger, Kirilenko) 6:29.
DEL, Z. Bondra (Dunn, Požgaj) 9:13.
3rd Period
DEL, Devane (Clement, Wynne) 2:04.

Saves: DEL, Sutton 9-5-7--21.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:40 am

Hockey Today Magazine

Siovanija & Teusland’s Top Hockey News Source!

Fifty (50): Reflecting on Hockey’s Greatest-Ever Unbeaten Run

When the final buzzer sounded on Siovanija & Teusland’s 4-3 win over Sarzonia, the Goldhorns celebrated a win that takes them to the top of Group C following the shocking 7-1 win for the Squornshelan Remnant States over Savojarna. But fans of the Goldhorns could also celebrate one other thing - the Goldhorns’ undefeated run at the World Cup of Hockey has now reached 50 games.

Yes, fifty - the Goldhorns have not lost a hockey game at the World Cup of Hockey in 4 years, with the last loss coming in the 2-1 defeat to Mercedini at the World Cup of Hockey 39 Quarterfinal. In the time since then, the Goldhorns have captured 3 WCoH titles. The team have played a total of 99 World Cup of Hockey matches - meaning that they have been undefeated for over half of their participation in the tournament.

All good things must come to an end, however, and of course, that will be true for the Goldhorns as well - it could be another 50 games, it could be later on this evening when the team takes on Sannyamathland. So, while we have the opportunity, let’s take a moment to reflect on a, frankly, incredible achievement by this team.

It is fitting that the Goldhorns should reach #50 in Kelssek - because the origins of the streak lie in World Cup of Hockey 39, a tournament also hosted in Kelssek. It was a difficult ending to that tournament for the team. After a successful run in WCoH 38, in Savojarna, that saw the team earn a fourth-place finish, there was a hope that the team could come in and take the tournament by storm and challenge for a championship. However, on the final matchday of the group, the Goldhorns’ biggest rivals, Savojarna, handed them a defeat. The sides would rematch in the Round of 16, and while the Goldhorns would win the game 1-0, they would be dispatched from the tournament in the next round, a 2-1 loss to Mercedini.

“It’s never a good feeling,” said Gunter Pfenning after the loss. “Losing is never fun, especially when you lose your last game… but we intend to come back next time around and we’ll have some unfinished business for sure.” Heading into World Cup of Hockey 40, it was a crucial moment for this team: could they finally take the next step? Or would it be a slower, rockier road to glory?

The Goldhorns opened World Cup of Hockey 40 at home at the Stelburger Eispalast taking on Graintfjall. It was for the most part a fairly standard home game early in the tournament against a lower seeded side - Edwin Ranger would score first, only a few minutes into the game, before Vitomir Glaskov doubled the tally in his first international game. A goal from the visitors Jack Jokulsson, however, would make things a bit trickier for the Goldhorns - they’d need a Razvigor Tsvetanov goal on the power play and a second marker from the hometown hero Ranger to end up with a final score of 4-1. Game 1 in the books - although no-one would’ve quite known the history this game would play at that point.

The group stage campaign was mostly straight forward for the team. There were 8-2 and 5-0 wins over Lorenthia, and a tricky 4-3 win on the road against rising powers HUElavia, but overall it was pretty much smooth sailing for the Goldhorns heading into the playoff round. On the final day of the tournament, a squad without Ranger, Schlager, Pfenning or many of the big stars drew with unranked Kayangan 2-2 - that was actually the closest the Goldhorns would come to a loss in the tournament. In the Round of 16, Delaclava were dispatched 3-1, while a rematch with HUElavia saw the Goldhorns take the Quarterfinal 2-0, setting up a semifinal with who else but Savojarna.

The Savojarna rivalry was perhaps not yet as significant as it would become - the teams had met 4 times before, splitting the games 2-2, with all of the games at WCoH 37 and 39. The game was a battle of two nations on the verge of the Finals and a shot at their first-ever titles, and you knew from the moment the puck dropped it was going to be an incredible matchup.

Things started off ok for the Goldhorns at Calania Place in downtown Montreal, Quebec for the game - Razvigor Tsvetanov opened the scoring 5 minutes in, and the Goldhorns looked assured. But Savojarna had a squad matching them in skill, and on this occasion, both teams were equal on heart, too. 3 goals from the Northlights to end the first period and open up the second seemed to be a dagger for the Goldhorns - a 3-1 deficit against one of the finest teams in the world. But they fought back, quickly scoring two unanswered to tie the game, and even when the Northlights regained the lead, Gunter Pfenning would score with just seconds remaining in the second period.

Entering the third period, the game was tied at 4 - and the Goldhorns just seemed to have a little bit more in them, a little bit more left in the tank. Both sides played hard, and goals from Timo Schlager and Tuomas Jaskinen meant that the score was tied 5-5 with just under two minutes remaining - we seemed destined for overtime. But the Goldhorns would take advantage of a clever faceoff play to get the puck to Edwin Ranger, who rifled a shot into the top right corner and sent the Goldhorns to the World Cup of Hockey Final. 6-5 the final, one of the greatest games you will ever see, and a turning point for this team.

In the final, perhaps buoyed by the big win over their rivals, the Goldhorns came out of the gate flying. They were able to carry over that momentum into a 4-2 win over Valanora in game 1 of the three-game set, but in game two, the Calcuttas were more than a match for the team in gold - they led the game 2-1 going into the third period. But it was some magic from the Goldhorns that would see the team capture their first World Cup of Hockey triumph - Ranger scoring just 3 minutes into the period to set up the showdown in the third, the Goldhorns desperate to take the Cup and Valanora desperate to force a game 3. In the end, who else but legendary captain Gunter Pfenning would score the goal to secure the trophy. 14 wins, 1 tie - the streak had just begun.

World Cup of Hockey 41 marked the Goldhorns’ first opportunity to defend their championship, and the tournament featured a rare double-elimination format in the playoffs which meant you could afford 1 loss in that stage. The Goldhorns raised the championship banner on night one and secured a 4-0 win over United Hemand Istria, but then faced a bit of a rocky road: two straight draws, with rivals Quebec and Terre Septentrionale, had some in the media questioning the Goldhorns’ ability to defend their title.

They would respond to those criticisms by winning the remaining 7 games of the group stage by strong margins, including defeating Quebec (8-4) and Terre Septentrionale (4-0) to make up for the earlier draws. Other wins included 6-2 over Austrakia and 7-3 in the rematch with United Hemand Istria. That set up a playoff first-round date with hosts Taeshan, who played the Goldhorns close but fell 4-3. Gyatso-kai, former champions, were up next, and while the game would not be solved in regulation, the Goldhorns would win the shootout and advance again where regional rivals Banija were waiting for them.

It was only the third time, and the first since the Goldhorns’ debut in WCoH 35, that the two countries had faced each other - and while the Banijan hockey program is certainly on the rise, on this occasion it was the Goldhorns coming out on top. Siovanija & Teusland led 2-0 after quick goals in the second period, but Banija fought back with a power play goal in the third to tie the game. It was another late winner, then, for the Goldhorns as Timo Schlager found the net, setting up a date with Savojarna, with the winner going directly to the Final. Savojarna would have a lead in the third period, up 2-1, but the Goldhorns rallied again, with Vitomir Glaskov getting the winner to set up a Final against Ko-oren.

Ko-oren were the underdog story of the tournament, playing a brand of defensive hockey that shut down many of the world’s top teams. It was clear that they intended to do the same thing to the Goldhorns - but due to the nature of the format, the Goldhorns had to be beaten twice, while only needing to win once. In game one, Ko-oren put up a stellar fight, and the two teams played one of the best games of defensive hockey you will ever see. 60 minutes without a goal, and then two full overtime periods sending the game into a third OT period. Finally, however, Timo Schlager was able to score arguably the most famous goal in Siovanija & Teusland hockey history, giving the Goldhorns the 1-0 overtime win and their second straight cup. 13 wins, 2 draws - it was now 30 games unbeaten for the team in blue and gold.

The title defence at World Cup of Hockey 42, in Graintfjall, would face new challenges. By this time, however, the Goldhorns were a well-oiled machine. The group stage lasted twelve games, including matches with rivals Quebec and Banija. The Goldhorns would win all 12, opening the tournament with a 5-3 win over Quebec and defeated Banija 2-1. The game against St Saratoga was an example of how the Goldhorns managed to achieve such a run: in the end it was a 6-1 win, but it didn’t quite feel that way. The Goldhorns broke their rivals down through constant physical play, tiring them out and out-muscling them. When it’s 1-0, you still think you’re in it - all of a sudden, it’s 5-0 and here comes big Christian Hasselberger on the forecheck again. You think you’re in the game, until you aren’t. After this game, the Stelburger Zeitung labelled the Goldhorns the ‘Big Gold Machine’ - referring to the teamwork and relentlessness of the squad.

In the playoffs, the Goldhorns faced a difficult challenge from Kelssek in the Round of 16, as well as HUElavia again in the Quarterfinals - both were close games, but in both the Goldhorns emerged. That set up a semi-final date with rivals Quebec - the first team the Goldhorns ever faced in international hockey, and considered their ‘friendly rivals’ due to the positive relationship between the teams.

It seems impossible, however, that the Goldhorns can play an uninteresting semifinal game - the 6-5 with Savojarna, the 3-2 comeback with Savojarna and this one - a ridiculous 8-7 final score that saw the Goldhorns rally from a 4-2 deficit in the first period to come back and win it. Discipline was an issue for both teams, as was goaltending - but in the end, you have to fight through, and the Goldhorns pulled it off again. You need luck and skill to win a game like that - and with all of the comebacks this team has pulled off over the course of the streak, you have to wonder if somewhere Oskar Kirsche has a collection of horseshoes.

The final was a rematch with Valanora, with the Calcuttas eager to avenge their loss in the WCoH 40 Final - but it was the Big Gold Machine at work again, as they grinded down a Valanora team who fought hard. In the end, the Goldhorns would win 4-1 to capture their third straight triumph - a feat that had only ever been achieved one other time, by Havl in tournaments 20-22, exactly 20 tournaments apart. 16-0 at World Cup of Hockey 42, and the streak reached 46 games.

Opening WCoH 43, the Goldhorns faced Nova Anglicana - and it was a typical Goldhorns performance, with a Nova Anglicana media source describing their 3-0 loss as “like being suffocated by a pillow; slow, but relentless.” The machine seemed to be in full force to kick off the next title defence. We mentioned the need of luck in games like this - and that has been on display so far at WCoH 43 as well, with the Goldhorns needing every bit of it to get past hosts Kelssek in the second game of the tournament, winning 6-5 in overtime - one of those games where the bounces just seemed to be in their favour when it mattered most. Game #49 against Placely Placington was one where the Goldhorns struggled against a lower-ranked team - up 4-0 at one point, but the underdogs fought back hard and it was 6-5 in the third before the Goldhorns finally pulled away to win 8-6. And Robert Shock’s saves in the final moments of this one when Sarzonia had the goalie pulled will also be remembered - those wins allowed the team to hit the big number of 50. Of course, the tournament is not over yet, and surely the Goldhorns will be hoping to extend the streak longer. Let’s take a look at some of the key statistics of the streak so far.

The Goldhorns have played 99 games at the World Cup of Hockey, scoring 393 goals and shipping 219. That’s on average about 3.96 goals per game and 2.2 goals against per game. Over the course of the streak, the team have scored 201 and given up 96 - a slight improvement on goals for, up to 4.02 and a big improvement defensively, down to 1.92. There have been several big-name defenders who joined the squad during this time - Toni Mihelic, Evgeni Tomic and Ladislav Hlavac all big names who have made their debuts during the course of the streak. In addition, the solid goaltending of both David Wagner and Robert Schock has played a major part in the run. Of course, when you score 4 goals a game it’s a lot easier to win hockey games, and the blossoming of Timo Schlager and Edwin Ranger from Ehrenliga stars into some of the best players in the world at the moment probably has something to do with that as well.

The most frequent victim of the Goldhorns’ through the course of the streak has been HUElavia, who have been defeated 4 times by the Goldhorns - twice in the group stages of WCoH 40, the Quarterfinal of that tournament and the QF again at WCoH 42. Quebec have been defeated 3 times as well, but also fought the Goldhorns to a 0-0 stalemate during the course of the streak. Valanora have also been defeated thrice, each game coming in the World Cup of Hockey Final. Rivals Savojarna and Banija have faced the Goldhorns and lost twice each.

What of the teams who held the Goldhorns to a draw? There are three - Kayangan (MD10 of WCoH 40), Quebec (MD2 of WCoH 41) and Terre Septentrionale (MD3 of WCoH 41). Quebec have been defeated twice since - including 8-4 in the rematch of that game, while Terre Septentrionale were defeated 4-0 in the WCoH 41 rematch in that nation’s final international tournament. While Kayangan were beaten 5-3 earlier in WCoH 40, the nation ceased to exist after the tournament - the Goldhorns will likely never have the chance to avenge that 2-2 draw.

50 games unbeaten, a 47-3-0 record, and a 32 game winning streak within that run. A 94% win rate for the team since WCoH 40, and an 82% win rate overall. It’s a remarkable run - although any Goldhorns player will tell you that the trophies from the tournament wins are more important than ‘silly records,’ as Timo Schlager put it in a press conference before the tournament began. How does this record compare to other great international hockey teams?

The obvious benchmark for dominance in international hockey has always been Havl. Three-time winners in WCoH 20, 21 and 22, those Havl teams have gone down in legend as one of the most dominant hockey teams of all time. The longest unbeaten run by Havl, however, was 22 games, between WCoH 21 and 22, ending in a defeat by Torisakia in the first game of the playoffs. Havl would turn that series around to win it 2-1 and eventually take the championship trophy again. Havl also held a 17-game winning run between WCoH 20 and 21.

Going further back into history, however, there was a longer unbeaten run than Havl’s. Plutoni were a force in the early days of the World Cup of Hockey, and have 5 titles, second to only Valanora in the competition’s history. The team from Plutoni reached four straight finals between WCoH 14 and 17. In the WCoH 14 Final, they would be defeated by this edition’s hosts, Kelssek, who captured their first WCoH title. But Plutoni recovered from that defeat to go undefeated in WCoH 15 and 16, taking both championship titles - it was only Valanora beating them in the WCoH 17 Final that ended their unbeaten run at 26 games. Plutoni also held a 23 game unbeaten run from WCoH 9 until 11.

Other incredible teams of WCoH history, such as mid-30s Valanora and Elejamie, were not afforded the opportunity for such a long unbeaten run, because they kept running into each other - 3 straight finals between the pair, 2 going to Valanora and 1 to Elejamie. That’s not to say, however, that the Goldhorns have not faced quality opposition - they have defeated Valanora twice in the championship final, including at WCoH 40 when both teams were unbeaten going into the final series. Quebec, Gyatso-kai and Kelssek are each former WCoH champions, and Banija, Savojarna and Ko-oren would each be high on the list to be the next first-time winners. Of the current top 10 teams in the world, subtracting the Goldhorns themselves of course, the team have played and beaten 6 of the 9, including numbers 2 and 3.

Are these Goldhorns, then, the most dominant team in World Cup of Hockey history? Their current unbeaten run is nearly double the second-longest, and the team are one of only two in history to capture 3 WCoH titles in a row. Of course, there are going to be arguments for and against them - as there always are in any sporting debate. But that is what makes discussing sports so enjoyable. Probably the answer for most people will depend on what era you are from, if you remember those Havl teams of the early 20s, the Plutoni teams of the 10s, the dominant teams from Valanora and Elejamie of the 30s, or whether you were brought up on the Big Gold Machine that has made the 40s their own so far.

But in the end, the answer doesn’t really matter - we are certainly watching one of the finest teams to ever play the sport, and they are wearing our colours. Let’s just sit back and enjoy the show. Of course, now that this article has been published, the chances of losing game #51 have gone up by about a billion percent. But what matters in the end is winning your last game. Going into this tournament, there were two numbers on the mind of every Goldhorns fan - #50, and #4. 50 is out of the way - it’s time to focus on bringing home #4.

by **Ko-oren** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 9:38 am

Atheara 0–1 Ko-oren

'   1nd 2rd 3st Final
ATH   0   0   0     0
KOR   1   0   0     1

1st 18:31 Aeniva 0-1

          ATH KOR
Shots       8  19
Faceoffs   10  19
Penalties   9   6
Pen Mins   21  18

The offensive production still isn't where we'd like to see it. Luckily, we played the only other team in Group D with similar (if not larger) scoring issues. Atheara has so far scored only two goals in four games (fewest of all 48 teams) and they didn't look like they'd score even if this game was six periods long. That isn't to say there's no talent on the Athearan team - they'll get there, one day - but they have a long way to go. That said, the Athearans promised a fight, and that's exactly what we got. A single fight, in fact, but also a spearing penalty for Nyan, for instance. On the other hand, our opponents flew off the handle a few times with slashing, elbowing, hooking, and several fouls not caught by the referee (as far as I can judge from Aegarial's indignant facial expressions every single time he skated to someone in black and white to loudly complain about missed calls). For the rest, it was a fairly safe game with lockdown defence played by all three lines, and a decent attacking game set up by the various combinations of wingers and centres. Aeniva's goal came early, followed by some 40 minutes of physical, yet unthreatening, ice hockey.

The Le Choix team looked forward to their game against HUElavia saying that "they kept the Ko-oren game to just a goal"... who tells them that the Dragonflies never score more than one goal?

A small look at... Sudaefjoll

Sudaefjoll is one of the 12 original subdivisions of Ko-oren - existing since before the restructuring and then some. At 35509 km², it's the fourth largest subdivision - even larger than Intermare, which we normally think of 'that big northern one' - but as 'only' 859704 people call it home (making it 11th out of 33), it makes sense. Sudaefjoll ranks 27th in population density. Its people live on the state's coast, in towns named Straudum, Lamau, Dartha, and others, thinning out quickly as you go inland and almost disappearing completely once you get to the icy hills and mountains.

Culturally, Sudaefjoll benefits from the inclusive policies announced recently: while its population speaks Dutch, the spread out population uses far more than just that one language, including a range of native 'dialects' related to Gehrennan, Aviansolan, and Aerellen (but then again, who knows what the difference between a dialect and a language is). With these new policies, education policies can now include the local variants rather than having to choose between Dutch and Aerellen. The area's burgeoning IT industry also helped draw eyes to the northeast.

Sudaefjoll was considered to be outside of the grasp of the historic City States and was populated by a handful of nomadic peoples until it was eventually incorporated into Ko-oren. From that moment, traders settled its coast, but because the trading posts never encroached on Sudaefjoll's nature too much (with the exception of extremely wealthy Straudum, sometimes nicknamed "the City State that wasn't"), both ways of living continued to coexist. In recent decades, Sudaefjoll has been at the forefront of technological innovation: Lamau was Ko-oren's first electrified city, and Dartha is now leading the country in IT innovation.

by **Sarzonia** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 10:54 am

The first match for the Sarzonian national ice hockey team at the 43rd World Cup of Hockey was one that Sarzonia would have liked to forget.

They lost by a wide margin to Savorjarna, the eighth ranked team in the multiverse and played like a team that had little ice time together. They got victories over an unranked team and a Nova Anglicana side that was lower ranked, but they had a date next with the top ranked team in the multiverse and an acknowledged juggernaut in the sport.

Sarzonia don't do moral victories, as manager Paul Bremerton said, but if they did, tonight's 4-3 defeat to Siovanija & Teusland might have qualified. The Stars never allowed S & T to extend beyond a one-goal lead and actually won the faceoff battle 23-20 and outshot their opponents 30-27. However, Bremerton walked to the press room with a glum expression.

"I'm proud of how hard our team fought out there tonight," he said. "Facing one of the most dominant teams in the sport is no easy task and we played arguably as well as I've ever seen this team play."

S & T completely shut down Sarzonia winger Brett Tanguay, Jr. who was the focus of the team coming in after he dominated for the Junior Stars in the 14th World Junior Hockey Championships there. It opened the door for Alyssa Hannigan, who scored twice, including a power play goal that leveled the score with 6:18 remaining in the third period.

However, with 78 seconds remaining and a possible overtime looming, the defending champions stole a pass from Tanguay intended for Hannigan and skated down the ice, beating Jacob Parsons glove side with a rising writer. After Sarzonia won the ensuing faceoff and dumped the puck into the opposing zone, Parsons skated off the ice for a sixth attacker. The Stars (2-0-0-2) managed to pressure the opposition goalie, but we're unable to force an overtime period.

"We fought hard, buy they showed why they're arguably the best team in hockey," Tanguay said. "I need to make some adjustments because I expect other teams are going to look at tape and see what they did to me."

by **Eshialand** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 12:05 pm

Departure
Eshialand 5-0 The Jovannic

"Okay everybody, we have to pack for the trip to Burnaby!" Coach Maran yelled to his team in their hotel.

The Owls had just finished their four-game stint in Laneux with a 5-0 annihilation of The Jovannic, something that was far beyond their wildest expectations at the time, putting their record in those four games at 2-0-0-2, a.k.a. average as all get out. Still, average was absolutely amazing for this unranked team playing their first four international games in this World Cup of Hockey.

After Jonas Degle was done packing his things, defender and fellow member of the former junior team Penelope Raleigh decided to strike up a conversation with him.

"Hey Jonas!"
"Oh, uh, hey Penny..."
"So, that was a pretty wild game, huh..."
"Yeah, it kinda was..."
"Hey, nice job with those two goals!"
"Uh, thanks..."

The two couldn't really figure out what to say to each other. They knew they had things they wanted to say, but they just couldn't say them.

Penelope broke the awkward silence with "Well, I guess we should get going then..."
"Yeah, we probably should..." Jonas replied.

They both knew what the other didn't say, and they knew what it meant, but they couldn't do anything about it.

by **Chromatika** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 2:47 pm

World Cup of Hockey 43 Matchday 4: Elejamie 3-2 Chromatika

Despite fighting tooth and nail, Chromatika fell in the last minute to Elejamie as Stacy Saunders scored with five minutes left to hand the The Ice-a-phants a hard-earned victory over Chromatika in Ulyanof.

Ludovic Blanc, the speedster from the Chromia Lancers, scored both goals for the Ice Storm as they actually had a one goal lead in the middle of the second period before the turn at the end that gave Elejamie the victory.

The loss puts Chromatika at the bottom of the twelve-team group with only two points, but there's plenty of points to grab from the rest of the schedule, with Snow and Ice Caps and Nephara coming forward.

"We are definitely not where we want to be," admitted Suzanna Marmont, the Coach of the Ice Storm, "We've had some rough defeats but choose to believe that the best days are still ahead for the squad."

They will have to soon, or the Ice Storm will find themselves halfway through the group stage with no chance to qualify for the playoffs.

by **Atheara** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:14 pm

For I Must Give Mercy

Type: -
Time: -

Hockey is a sport, filled with rewards you resort.
From medals to trophies i spurt, "That we just keep getting hurt."
A journey filled with pain, anger, sorrow, maybe it's just all the same.
But one thing that never did, was how did we got here again?

The 16th juniors arrived, Atheara barely survived.
Cornered just in the knockouts, went out like starting the lockdown.
They had fought with tooth and nail, but even then they had still failed.
One thing that they confide to agree, "We will return with a fightm you will see!"

The 17th had then arrived, not expecting Atheara to die.
A group that showed no mercy, and gave no one true leniency.
Ended with little consistency, elimination was a certainty.
But once again they say, "We fought down our own way."

The 43rd in the seniors in time, just when we wanted to shine.
Yet our group seeks no remorse, we will fight with all of our force.
And i confirm the rinks of ice, that you do need some dice.
But as always once they say, "Continue the fight and lead the way!"

by **Le Choix** » Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:34 pm

Key Moments of the Game, WCoH MD4, Le Choix 0-2 HUElavia

Moment 1: 15:31 1st Period, Le Choix 0-1 HUElavia
Four minutes and thirty seconds into the match, it's HUElavia that strike first! Vítor Castilho de Salles taps one in from close range, and Adnet is not quite ready for the strike. HUElavia will strike first, and put La Lumière on the back foot early.

Moment 2: 01:39 1st Period, Le Choix 0-1 HUElavia
There's the best look early for Le Choix, as Heloise Tourigny's shot from range is just off the mark, Inka Caipa Mayhuasca getting his glove on it in the last second. It's a great sequence of play for Le Choix, but they're not able to capitalize. La Lumière are looking great at the end of this period, though.

Moment 3: 11:29 2nd Period, Le Choix 0-2 HUElavia
GOAL! Pablo Tarragona makes Le Choix pay in the transition play as Cécile Lamar's pass to Prewitt Forton is intercepted, and the HUElavian puts it away on the one-on-one! The margin is doubled, and Le Choix will really need to put something special together now.

Moment 4: 04:11 2nd Period, Le Choix 0-2 HUElavia
Wow! What a save! Mathias Adnet makes sure that the lead doesn't extend to three goals, making three saves in a minute-long sequence of attacks! Once again, Cécile Lamar has shown herself to be a bit of a hole in this match, but the young netminder is brilliant, taking care of all the rebounds. Great going there.

Moment 5: 09:38 3rd Period, Le Choix 0-2 HUElavia
It's the power play for Le Choix, and Myriam Magnier's shot bounces off the left post, to be taken by HUElavia! What a chance Le Choix had to get some momentum, and it's lost as La Lumière seem headed to their second straight victory after their great start.

Next Opponent: (13) Equestrian States
Le Choix continues to play teams ranked ahead of them as the Ponies are next. Will they be able to break their streak?

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