World Cup of Hockey 47 || Everything Thread

by **Caribbia** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 12:38 pm

Lacfroid Victorious But Outperformed By Caribbia - TVC SPORTS

"Welcome and greetings to you all joining in to today's TVC broadcast!

We begin with the sport of hockey, as our great nation has played their second game in their group in the World Cup. Devastatingly, we lost 3 - 2 to Lacfroid, who had a terrific comeback after being behind 0 - 2. All the offense that came from Lacfroid came during the third frame, with their third goal coming with only 15 seconds left on the clock.

Caribbeans were dismayed with the result, which was very controversial due to the fact that Caribbia was not awarded a penalty just moments before Lacfroid scored their final goal. After our team of experts reviewed the footage, we have concluded that João Mesa, the Caribbean player in question, was clearly fouled and that Caribbia should have been awarded a penalty. As a result, protests have erupted in the capital city of Yeir, and protestors are calling for the game to be rescheduled and replayed. This, however, is very unlikely to happen.

President Wiremu Kauri of Caribbia has also just recently departed for the Squornshelan Remnant States, the host nation of this edition of the World Cup, and plans to watch the next few games which Caribbia will play in. It is unclear for how long he will be staying, although it is quite probable that the President will return by Christmas.

This game is extremely noteworthy in the history of Caribbean hockey. It was the first game at a competitive tournament that the national team of Caribbia scored a goal in, with both Khalim Terio and Roberto Minitio scoring in the game. The feat of scoring the first goal for our team belongs to Roberto Minitio however, as he scored before Terio.

Before we wrap up, we would also like to share with you all a segment from an exclusive interview that one of our reporters had with the manager of our national team, Romeilanno Bavarädor, following the defeat. Here's what he had to say about our performance:

"A loss is a loss, and we cannot ignore the fact the we have opened the tournament with two consecutive losses, even though they were both decided by just one goal. However, our team performance has given me and I'm sure countless of other fans supporting us here at this tournament hope to exceed all expectations and to do very, very well going forward. Unlike when we played against Valanora, we had plenty of attacking opportunities and got out to an early lead, all whilst our defense was still top-notch. Team chemistry was fantastic, and the energy and effort our team put into this game was otherworldly. I am clearly disappointed that we failed to keep this two-goal lead that we gave ourselves going into the final third, but I think we can and will use this game to build on our overall ability and increase our determination going into tonight's game. I am 100% confident that we will do fantastic, and hopefully, we can come out with the win. I urge our fans and supporters not to lose faith in our team, and come back to support us again at the stadium tonight. We'll need it! Thank you."

That's all for hockey tonight on TVC. We send our best wishes to the Caribbia National Team and hope that Mr. Bavarädor is right about what he's saying. He sure seemed confident, and I'm sure we all hope our whole team is too.

Now, we'll move onto tennis..."

by **Elejamie** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 1:30 pm

Their ice hockey wasn't as good as their rugby.

At least, that's how Alex felt watching Lisander take on his side. After all, for a side ranked 14th in the world, they seemed very sluggish out there. Much like the Arctic Hockey Association in the previous game, the Lisanderian side seemed to be making plenty of errors that his side were able to capitalise on, they didn't seem to have any real hunger taking on their rivals (even if it was for a different sport) and overall they seemed a bit lost. Their defence was a bit better in that they only limited Elejamie to five goals and they even managed to score one of their own but any and all momentum they got from that opening win had pretty much all but vanished.

Ricardo Bejarano was starting this game and had proved why he had earned that two-year extension when he managed to deflect a shot with his stick, a follow-up with his skate and hurling himself forward to freeze the puck, all in ten seconds and all near the beginning of the match. Fortunately, after that, the Ice-a-phants managed to keep the Lisanderian offence at bay for a while. They would even open up the scoring, with a well-timed shot from James Han with 16:05 left in the period making its way over the goalie's glove and into the back of the net; Rafael Espinosa and Neil Cuevas were credited with the assists. Not much happened after that until the clock read 8:00, when Felipe Barajas was given a minor for accidentally slashing an opposing player. While Lisander would have a slight bit more of an advantage than usual even if the Elejamian side were full-strength, they weren't able to trouble Bejarano. On the flipside, Stacy Saunders scored a short-handed goal from close-range, when he received the puck from Cerin Meloten and skated in a better position before he fired it in and it sailed over the goalie's skate. While Lisander would also go down a player, this time a double minor for high-sticking Bill Harrison with 5:07 left, neither side would capitalise on this and it'd end 2-0 in the visitor's favour.

The second period, however, would be a bit more quieter. There was only one goal scored in this period but it was a bit of a doozy. With 13:28 left, Ethan Swinburne and Danilo Barajas made their way up the ice with Danilo's twin brother Felipe in tow. The two of them played a passing game when Danilo got checked and the puck landed in Felipe's path. As he saw he was in a good position, he fired a shot at the Lisanderian net but it bounced off the crossbar. Swinburne fired the rebound but it bounced off the goalie's stick. He fired another rebound and it bounced off the goalie again, except this time it hit the post and into the back of the net. There were a few penalties, like a Lisanderian player getting two minutes for tripping Lupe, Bill Harrison getting a minor for interference due to a poorly-timed hit after a pass, one of their players getting sent to the box for goaltender interference and Diego Pinto receiving a minor for charging, but neither side were able to capitalise on it and, in the end, Elejamie were 3-0 up heading into the final period.

Fortunately the third period saw a bit more action. The score became 4-0 with 18:44 left when Lucas Madgwick received the puck from Carlos Sierra (who in turn intercepted a pass and fired it up the ice in an attempt to clear it), managed to make his way past the Lisanderian defence and deked it into the back of the net to make it 4-0. The joy, however, was short-lived when, in 14:27 Bill Harrison received a two minute minor for cross-checking. Normally this wouldn't be a problem since the Elejamian penalty kill had been doing a valiant job. But for one reason or another, like a player being too out-of-position or Bejarano being a fraction too slow, Lisander was finally able to score a goal with 13:56 left. Yes, after 107 minutes and four seconds, the Elejamian defence were finally beaten. Even when they were down a player, also for cross-checking, the Ice-a-phants were still unable to answer. Eventually, with 4:01 left, Bill Harrison managed to make it 5-1 with a wrist shot that made it over the goalie's skate and into the back of the net, with assistance from Meloten and Neil Cuevas. While Lisander were unable to answer that, at least Elejamie were unable to even when their opposition took their goalie off for an extra attacker.

When the klaxon went, Alex's side were two for two. His fears over whether his side had scored themselves tired after the last match were starting to look unfounded. And he was feeling good. He let his team know that he was proud of the effort they put in, told them not to beat themselves up over allowing that goal and that they should get ready for training third thing tomorrow, right after a hearty breakfast and them getting dressed for the day. He then went to the press conference, did what he needed to do and then left to allow his Lisanderian opposite to speak to the press. After a while, everyone had spoken to the press and everything was being put away for the day as there were no more games left to play at the LutenBank Arena. At least, not for today.

On the team bus back to the hotel, he had a quick look at how the tournament was going so far and was pleased at how everything was going for his side. Two wins out of two was pretty much expected, hell they weren't the only team in that boat. What really surprised him was how he was doing compared to all the other big players so far. After all, twelve goals scored and one allowed giving him a goal differential of +11? That's some good ice hockey right there. Sure Patriotlandia had scored one more goal and were top of their group but they had allowed nine goals to make it a GD of +4. Cordia had scored the most goals so far with fourteen but were third in their group and had allowed eleven goals so far (five from their opening shoot-out loss against TJUN-ia after it ended 5-5 and six from their 9-6 win over Cassadaigua). Ko-oren was the only team to not concede a single goal so far but given that they've only scored two goals so far an OT or shoot-out loss is almost inevitable. Their only real concern was Placely Placington, surprisingly enough, but with any luck Lisander vent their frustrations on the Test Subjects But They're On Ice as a result of the massive loss earlier.

Anyway, new day and it was time for training. As Alex had his usual cup of coffee while his players were doing their drills, he started to do his homework on their next opponent. And, lo and behold, it was St. Saratoga. Something that came as a small relief for him because a) he was finally facing someone that he had a good idea about and b) while they had lost both of their games so far they were only by a goal each and by small amounts; 2-1 and 3-2. They were kind of a weak opponent, sure, but they had enough grit and solidity that they could pose a bit of a threat. Alex had kind of accounted for it going into training but he hadn't come up with a proper plan yet. Maybe one will come to him later on. He didn't know but with time slowly running out he kind of needed one quickly. Still, as there was plenty of time left to come up with one, he could just watch clips of his opponents, ask his assistant coaches or even just take a look at how his team's performed so far and seeing if there were any cracks that needed to be filled up.

The usual stuff, really.

by **Saperetia** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 1:31 pm

Close match ends devastiatingly
Celestial Dancers of Karegnondi Lodge 1-0 Saperetia

Coming off the loss of Huron League, many hoped that our hockeymen could get a win in matchday two against a team which on paper is equal to us. Sadly, a goal in the final minute of the game ended hopes of the first Saperetian victory coming in this game. Goalless and pointless, Blanchard is under a lot of pressure to get the team to perform well. If he doesn't, this tournament might be his last.

The game was close between the two unranked teams with them getting off an equal amount of 25 shots. Many supporters have said that this game could have gone either way and that Saperetia was just 'unlucky' to concede so late. Some have questioned if this could have been prevented with better preperation. Sepp commented that "People underestimate how hard it is to find information on some of the teams. If this would have been a different team, you could have prepared by watching their previous games and find information on their playstyle. Problem is and how other teams have countered it. But if they have played only 1 game before which they barely won, it's hard."

But speaking about a team which has played a lot of matches, Saperetia's next fixture puts them against Nova Anglicana, the highest ranked team in the group, coming in at 6th in the rankings. Not many expect us to win, but with morale low, a close game or even a goal could boost the team's morale.

by **Trolleborg** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 2:20 pm

Greetings, compatriots!
It’s TTV from SRS, where our team was preparing for the third game of Hockey World Cup. Second one was exceptionally hard, and lads, on one hand, lose it, but, on other, lose to the much heavier opponent and only on shootouts.

The national leader appeared on the bench while looking very worried. It was understandable, the team was facing a difficult test: the opponents were one of the favorites of the tournament, a multiple world champion, a team with fixed lines of very good quality and well-established interaction, the players have been playing with each other for a long time and sometimes act as a single person, and in addition, you cannot hope to defeat it for due to a longer bench, since Gyatso-kai has enough skillful hockey players for five to six lines. Nevertheless, the fans had some reason for hope. If the first two games with this opponent ended in heavy defeats for our hockey players, then two years ago the team lost in the quarterfinals with a minimal score. True, the form of our team in the game with the Canadian Dominion, which was won literally by a miracle, did not give much cause for joy.

And when the anthems of the teams ended, the players lined up on the ice and the first face-off passes, it seemed that this game would end with the heavy defeat of our hockey players, so quickly and decisively the Bizons transferred the game to our zone, imposed a power struggle and it was only the experienced Shelburn rescued his partners twice in a row. Most of the game time went in the same spirit – our hockey players defended, trying to compensate for the superiority of their opponents in skill and experience with dedication and diligence, threw themselves under the puck, fought in every episode sparing no effort and themselves. At the end of the first period, Shelburn parried another dangerous shot, but failed to catch a moment in time after a scuffle for it on the patch in front of the net, so it crawled into the net. One could expect then that our team would crumble, but it held out for the remaining two minutes, and in the locker room, apparently, Vladimir Finn gave the right instructions and the good advice, since the hockey players showed their readiness to fight as before in the second period.

In the power struggle and fights for each puck, the second period and most of the third period passed, and it seemed that our team would leave the ice defeated by the score, albeit not in spirit. However, after several line-up changes, in which two or three players from the line being replaced were left on the ice each time, our players suddenly picked up speed and seized the initiative for a few minutes. This was enough to even the score: Torstein Pathmoor cleverly move the puck from his position on the blue line, sending it to the right, Ruud Woldring paused and made a diagonal pass past a whole group of his own and other players, disorienting the goalkeeper of the opponents and Yakob Valgren at the far post made shot at point-blank range. The Bizons almost immediately regained the initiative and again pinned our players to their goal, but, fortunately, they failed to succeed in scoring either in regular time or in overtime.

But their experience and skills were reflected in the “duel of nerves”, as shootouts are sometimes called in our country. It took the multiple champions only three runs to decide the outcome of the game, since our hockey players don’t succeed beat the opponents' goalkeeper in every out of four attempts. Ruud Woldring, who went fourth, was the closest to success, but after his shot, the puck hit the crossbar and flew into the field - on which note the match ended. Despite the defeat, our hockey players can still probably record this match as an asset, holding out against a very difficult opponent, but this will still be seen in the future, since it seems that there will be no easy games at this tournament.

But now lads face a duel that before the start of the tournament seemed relatively simple to many, against Golyna, who stacked claim to be the team-discovery of the tournament. In both games of this team, there was a firework of goals and events: 15 goals, fights and passions from which the ice almost melted. Anyone who still planned some business during the broadcast should probably postpone it - the fight is expected to be difficult for our team, and it needs all possible spiritual support.

by **Eden and Cambersey** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 2:57 pm

Goal glut ends in shootout loss for Mist Knights
Battle of the 8s: Madrinpoor's Kanada prevails over Eden and Cambersey's Rosewarne in ill-tempered clash
Natalie Bowen (@NHBowenUP)
^{Sports | Pompey, Eden and Cambersey}

^{SHARE THIS:}

#PLAYER
8Adrian Rosewarne
10Caspar Begbie
92Tristan Halley
9Axel Begbie
19Francis Brekespear
2Leo Castledine
96Julian MacQueen
XXX
#GOALTENDER
1Anthony Everett
30Derek Barber

#PLAYER
8Aoi Kanada
83Hayai Handa
91Yuno Rishi
32Shoji Sazama
50Shigeru Sugiyama
10Evgeny Ryota
41Yasuhiro Seo
11Kazuhiro Yanagi
#GOALTENDER
30Hideo Soga
31Yuki Konisha

GAP
235
123
123
011
101
011
101
XXX
SASVSV%
2521.840
1513.867
GAP
134
033
202
112
112
011
101
011
SASVSV%
2117.810
1210.833

E&C 6 — 6 MDR
Madrinpoor wins 0—3 in shootout
Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle

ARKINTOOFLE, SQUORNSHELAN REMNANT STATES — Eden and Cambersey suffered the ignominy of a shootout loss following a controversial 6—6 game against Madrinpoor that was as violent as it was enthralling. The ill-tempered affair was marred by an endless stream of chirping, heavy hitting, roughing, and fighting, with the sheer number of penalties racked up by both sides' defensemen (and consequently, their prolonged absences from the ice) perhaps accounting for the game's garish scoreline. As far as the actual hockey itself was concerned, the clash was also notable for spectacular performances from the captains of both teams: in a "battle of the 8s", Adrian Rosewarne and Aoi Kanada stood heads and shoulders above every other player contesting the game, and it would be Madrinpoor's Kanada in the end who would lead his side to victory, despite Eden and Cambersey's Rosewarne accruing a higher points total than his Madri counterpart.

The two teams were very evenly matched: both teams were making their debut in the World Cup of Hockey, and neither side was able to muster more than a one-goal lead at any point throughout the game. Indeed, both sides would remain deadlocked even at the end of an overtime period, with a shootout in which none of the Mist Knights' selectees scored finally granting Madrinpoor two points, and Eden and Cambersey being left with a solitary point to find solace in. Optimists in the Edenocambrian camp will point to a second consecutive night of industrious offensive output as a source of hope: after all, Eden and Cambersey had again put up an impressive 6 goals in one game to make themselves the highest-scoring team in Group E, with the Begbie twins again putting in very respectable performances, youngster Tristan Halley finding his feet after a much quieter first game, and fourth-liner Julian MacQueen finding himself on the scoresheet as well.

Goaltender Anthony Everett was pulled midway through the second after letting in 4 goals on 25 shots — numbers which do leave much to be desired, but the Edenocambrian netminder was effectively thrown to the wolves and left to fend for himself after defensemen Archie Frost, Leo Castledine, and Lucas Rowland all found themselves in the penalty box at the same time. The story was much the same for Madrinpoor: first-choice Hideo Soga was called back to the bench shortly after Eden and Cambersey pulled Everett despite what had been a decent performance in view of the circumstances in which he had found himself — Shigeru Sugiyama, Koichi Okada, and Kane Masato all occupied the other penalty box together, specifically for having gotten into a brawl with the trio of Edenocambrian defensemen mentioned above.

On Friday evening, the Mist Knights will contest their third game of the tournament against Banija, the side with the second-highest rank in Group E (10th overall globally), and even the most confident among Eden and Cambersey's supporters would have to admit that the odds were very firmly stacked against the Mist Knights. Surprisingly, the two sides are currently level on points after two games played: the Banijans walloped New Folgore 7—1 on the opening matchday, but fell 0—1 to the Squornshelan Remnant States in overtime, perhaps a consequence of the Squornshelan side benefitting from home ice advantage. That being said, very little is expected of the Mist Knights, and the sheer level of experience Banija enjoys will most probably carry them through this game with ease.

World Cup of Hockey 47 — Eden and Cambersey

Schedule
MD1: Eden and Cambersey 6—2 Evinea @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD2: Eden and Cambersey 6—6 Madrinpoor (0—3 SO) @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD3: Banija vs Eden and Cambersey @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD4: Eden and Cambersey vs I.A. Quebec @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD5: Mercedini vs Eden and Cambersey @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD6: Eden and Cambersey vs New Folgore @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD7: Squornshelan R.S. vs Eden and Cambersey @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle

XXX

Goals
Adrian Rosewarne - 5
Francis Brekespear - 2
Axel Begbie - 1
Caspar Begbie - 1
Archie Frost - 1
Tristan Halley - 1
Julian MacQueen - 1

XXX

Assists
Caspar Begbie - 5
Adrian Rosewarne - 5
Axel Begbie - 3
Tristan Halley - 3
Francis Brekespear - 1
Moses Byfield - 1
Leo Castledine - 1

XXX

Points
Adrian Rosewarne - 10
Caspar Begbie - 6
Axel Begbie - 4
Tristan Halley - 4
Francis Brekespear - 3
Moses Byfield - 1
Archie Frost - 1
Leo Castledine - 1
Julian MacQueen - 1

by **Mercedini** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 4:40 pm

World Cup of Hockey XLVII
Group Stage: Evinea vs. Mercedini
@ Synesoft Center - Arkintoofle, Squornshelan Remnant States

Good evening everyone and welcome to Arkintoofle in the Squornshelan Remnant States for more premier hockey, as the 47th World Cup of Hockey begins. The hosting baton has moved from the region of Novapax to the nation of SQS, where we will crown yet another champion in less than a month's time. Last time round, the Kingfishers of Mercedini made it to their second successive semi-final, but a second final appearance alludes them as two losses meant they finished in fourth on home ice. Combine that with a bronze medal in the previous edition, and you have a team that is in with a shout of claiming their first senior hockey title.

They come into the tournament as fifth seeds with Pot 1 status, meaning they will simply need to hold their position to guarantee a place in the knockout rounds. Much larger groups compared to last edition, with eight teams fighting it out for up to five spots in the knockouts. With much more margin for error in this group stage compared to last, we could see more experimental playstyles from the top teams as the games go on. Banija, I.A. Quebec and our hosts Squornshelan Remnant States are the sides closest in the rankings to Mercedini, so it's all set up to be a closely fought group.

World Cup Of Hockey: Seventh Heaven In Akintoofle

GROUP STAGE
WCOH | MD2
EVINEA 1
MERCEDINI 7
(1-2) (0-1) (0-4)
Arkintoofle, SRS

The Blue and Yellow Kingfishers of Mercedini have set their stalls out early in the World Cup of Hockey group stages. Following a 3-0 win over the Independent Athletes, they followed that up with a comprehensive dismantling of Evinea to reach double digits goals in just two games. Dini entered top gear in the third and final period to net four goals, completing a 7-1 win against the team from Pot 5. Lustik's intermittent squad rotations kept his team fresh against an Evinea side who conceded six in their first game, but few expected the Kingfishers to run riot inside the Synesoft Centre. The win takes Mercedini clear at the top by two points, with the only perfect record in Group E after two match days. Banija and hosts SRS feature in the top four, with unranked Eden and Cambersey the early surprise package, sitting in third following an opening win over Evinea before earning an extra point by holding Madrinpoor to a 6-6 draw after regulation and overtime.

Over to the action and it was a near capacity crowd in the Synesoft Centre for this one, with thousands of Mercedinian & Squornshelan fans taking their seats for the first match of the day in Arkintoofle. Evinea were looking to bounce back from their opening day defeat, but the odds were stacked against them, with Dini being the team to beat on paper. Lustik began the game with his second line, with the marks of a bruising game versus the IAQ still being felt by many of the players expected to start. Nevertheless, the opening period gave lesser fancied players a chance to impress, and potentially earn another starting spot further down the line. Time ticked away, with no one really creating any threatening chances.

An early shock was on the cards for Evinea, with the team in blue and orange scoring the opening goal of the game through right-forward Caleb Ndur. It was a sustained spell of pressure for Evinea, with passes being traded between the three front-linesmen to draw out the Mercedinian defence. Ultimately, someone had to pull the trigger and that fell to Ndur who a touch to control it before charging up a slap shot from the right hand side. The clean contact and lack of vision left Carter Subnik in a lot of trouble, with the OA Synthesis goaltender left with little time to produce a block. In the end, the puck deflected off the top edge of Subnik's glove and then off the bottom edge of the crossbar before stopping dead on the ice and over the line. There was a delayed reaction from the puck crossing the line and the team celebrating, with the light behind the goal and the horn around the arena the first sign that a goal had been scored.

The first goal conceded by the Kingfishers at the tournament, and the first time that Lustik's team had been behind, they instantly went looking for a response before the first period ended. They found it with interest, with a quick double from Ogdenagorv's Pedro Antic sparing the blushes of the second line. Three minutes after the restart, Antic was found by a scything pass from Santzin. There was a hint of offside as Antic needing to slow before entering the attacking third to allow the puck to slide ahead of him. However, he picked up the speed and had the strength to hold off the tackle to top the puck over the goaltender and into the net. Video review then looked at the replay, with the video referee upholding the decision on the ice, 1-1. As time ticked away in the first period, Dini found the lead through Antic again, with a much more methodical move resulting in a neat finish. It was very similar to Evinea's goal, with Dini working their way around the ice to find an opening. A quick series of passes gave Antic a window to slide the puck over the line, Carpic slid the puck to the back post, where Antic was arriving to tuck it in from close range. Evinea looked deflated following the second goal, but they had no time to react, with the horn sounding out for the end of the first half.

A goal advantage to take into the second period, but it was clear Lustik wanted more with the first line taking to the ice for the first time in the game. The Mercedinian fans upped the volume in the Synestone Centre as Supsai, Kelodon and Dolocic waited for the face-off to start the second period. They took care of the IAQ a couple of days ago, but could they guide their nation to a second victory in two games? Well, it was a slow start to the game as Dini and Evinea traded short spells of posession. It seemed as if both teams could link together a couple of passes, before a poor end product gifted the puck back to their opponents. It was frustrating especially for Lustik, who was probably waiting for a goal or two to kill the game off early. In fact, it was Evinea who had the best chances in the opening exchanges, with Ndur trying to recreate his heriocs from the first period. However, Signale and Gagliano were much more alert to the danger, having stepped onto the ice with fresh legs. The second period would be decided by a converted faceoff by Mercedini to take the score to 3-1. Dolocic won the duel against his opposite number, and managed to shift the puck to Supsai who found the net with a low slap shot on the edge of the penalty circle. With Evinea needing to find two goals as we entered the final period, it seemed as if the game was done and dusted.

In a surprising turn of events, Lustik kept the first line team on the ice, but swapped out Subnik for Ishigori in the goaltending position to see out the remainder of the game. If Lustik wanted to send a statement of intent to the rest of the group, he was certainly laying the groundwork with these decisions. The game was already won for the Kingfishers, but Eviniea had to be the sacrificial lamb to keep Dini at the top of the group both in terms of points and in goal difference. Four further goals were scored by Dini in that final period, with Dolocic completing a hattrick and Supsai adding a second to his earlier goal in the second period. Evinea were throroughly beaten in this game, despite scoring first and providing an overall professional performance against the group's top seeds. The final score finished 7-1 to Mercedini, with the Kingfishers now reaching ten goals for, and one against in their first two games. With Eden and Cambersey being beaten in a shootout, and SRS & Banija taking eachother into overtime, it means the Kingfishers sit at the top of the tree with two regulation time wins and six out of six. Dini face New Folfore on match day three, looking to extend their lead on the rest of the group.

GROUP STAGE MD3
Mercedini vs. New Folgore
@ Synesoft Center - Arkintoofle, Squornshelan Remnant States

We have well and truly started our search for the 47th World Cup of Harmony champions, with everyone still in with a chance of lifting the trophy at the beginning of January. There's nearly a whole month of hockey to enjoy from now until the final, and you can watch every goal in every game as they happen here in Mercedini Sports Daily. New Folgore will be next for Mercedini, and they will have the primetime slot as the final game of the day in Arkintoofle. No need to wake up early to watch the action, but we hope you will be able to join us for all of the action and reaction to that one. From Arkintoofle, we hope you have a good night!

by **Kelssek** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 5:12 pm

KSK 3-0 FUR // Kelssek in control as Donovan shuts out Furilisca

KSK: Stewart (Charron, Mravik) 19:52 1st PP
KSK: Roord (Shaw, Binion) 10:10 2nd
KSK: Hakemi (Halmana) 19:01 3rd EN
Donovan: 20 saves
(1-0, 1-0, 1-0)
Ironworks Arena, Santraginus
(attendance 18,147)

Bradley Donovan recorded a shutout as Kelssek put in another strong performance to record a second win at the World Cup of Hockey against Furilisca. Justin Stewart opened the scoring late in the first period on a powerplay, and Erkka Roord added a second goal midway through the second period.

“While two wins in a row is certainly the minimum expectation having only faced unranked opposition, there’s all kinds of ways it can go wrong and it’s good to see Kelssek show professionalism and discipline over the last two matches,” says G/S analyst Tim Lang.

Furilisca pulled the goalie for an extra attacker but botched their attempt to close the gap. Matej Halmana easily intercepted a misplaced pass across the high slot and sent Jeanne Hakemi in alone to fire the puck into an empty net.

"I'm happy with our discipline and how we controlled the play. It's about showing a high level in everything that we do here, no matter the opponent," said Kelssek head coach Darren Duncan after the match. "Well done to Bradley of course, he earned it with some great saves, but it also reflects well on the team as a whole to play good defence and support our goalie."

Kelssek will face a third unranked opponent in a row next, with an encounter with Depivik next in the schedule in Santraginus.

by **Huron League** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 7:38 pm

Ah, Vogsphere. The sight of the gleaming glass skyscrapers jutting out from crumbling brutalist concrete edifices that formerly housed the old Squornshelan government reminded young Theo Eaton of Ingny, his home city back in Huron League, and the largest in the country. Wandering among the countless high rises, he wondered what one apartment would cost, for a vacation house of sorts. Eaton had been born and raised a big city boy. He lived in one of the famous few remaining Victorian houses near the center of the city. His talent was easily witnessed from a young age, and at 7 he was playing with the 9U AAA Seventeen, a powerhouse magnet team sponsored by automobile manufacturing company Seventeen. He racked up more points than the next highest two players on his team, and 28 more than the next highest in the entire highest level league. He stayed with various iterations of the Seventeen AAA teams for years, playing at the highest level possible and playing up miles ahead of everyone around him. He spent hours daily practicing his shot and puck handling in his small backyard, where the back fence was riddled with holes from his intense shot. At 14, playing with the 17U AAA Seventeen team, he put up 97 points in just 40 games, which set a record that he proceeded to break twice in the next two years. After tearing up every level of hockey in and around the biggest city in Huron League, he has ended up as the number one HHL prospect two years out, and rumors of teams beginning to tank for him have already run abound. Whatever team ends up with Eaton will be a very lucky one, but the consolation lottery prize, some say, is better than the winner’s. More on him, goaltender Louis Harvard, in the next issue.

MD2 Overview

HUElavia 5-4 Huron League
An unfortunate loss, but one that was to be expected.HUElavia, having already taken down the strong team from Vilita and Turori, coincidentally by the same score as this one. Huronian goaltender Adrian Canilo had a weak performance, allowing 5 of his 37 shots faced (32-37, .864) in the full sixty minutes. The consistent HUElavian team frustrated two knockout hopefuls, with great goal scoring and albeit less so goaltending. HUE went up 1-0 10 minutes into the first, with a pretty passing play from their captain and a center.
Huron League scored two in the first, none in the second, and two in the third. The first goal was courtesy of Theo Eaton, from Jackson Brite and Garrett Weaver. It was a beautiful goal, and one that showcased the goalscorer’s silky hands. Next up was a shot from the top of the circle on the power play from sharpshooter Florian Garner, who put up his second in the tournament thus far. He was assisted by linemates Lucas Jonsan and Milo Armstrong. Down 4-2 going into the second and desperately in need of a goal, quickly into the second Arlen Kestrel frankly embarrassed the HUElavian defenseman, went down on a breakaway and put it in in tight. He was assisted by Arlo Archambault. Squashing the momentum, HUElavia put up another goal a few minutes after Kestrel’s. Canilo should have easily saved it, but alas, it went in. To finish off the night, a shot from Wil Antony at the point that sailed over the right shoulder of the HUElavian goaltender made it 5-4 with three minutes left. Huron League pulled Canilo, but it was not enough. Final score, 5-4 HUE.

FIRST
8:34 - Eaton, from Brite, Weaver
13:29 - Garner (2), from Jonsan, Armstrong (2)

THIRD
3:19 - Kestrel, from Archambault (2)
17:10 - Antony, unassisted

Huron League is welcoming the Huron Hockey League, the product of the merger between the eastern and western version of the league. What does this mean for Huronian international hockey? This means that in the upcoming WCoH and Olympics, all Huronian talents will be able to play together on international teams. For the longest time, the Western league did not permit its players to play internationally, even when the event did not coincide with any WHHL events. This will open up new superstars for Huronian teams to play with, like 23 year old left winger of the Broques Kraken Mason Harvey, who consistently puts up 120+ point years in the WHHL’s 82 game seasons. He plays an aggressive style of game, and has a frighteningly accurate and fast shot. A goalie he has yet to beat, however, is 28 year old Freddy Tillinghast, on the Millo Griffins. Seen as an equal to the EHHL’s Barnum Cavalier, Tillinghast has allowed just 2.31 goals per game in his 7-season career thus far, and won goalie of the year four of the seven. Him and Cavalier would battle it out for the 1A spot, or potentially even split the job. Most importantly, a much stronger defense squad in the WHHL would add to a lacking D-corps from the East to complement the powerhouse offense. Assistant captain Bennett Smazing would be pushed down the lineup, with big left defenseman Tobin Randall taking his spot. Randall can easily pick off corners from the point, and probably even the far blue line. His shot is certainly his best asset. The roster overall would become much stronger than it is right now, and Huron League could certainly become a powerhouse in the hockey world.

by **Valanora** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 8:42 pm

"Things aren't looking good for the Calcuttas this time around eh? Nervous bit in that first match despite the overall good performance and then to get done like that against Ko-oren, not a good start in the least is it?"

"No, it is not the sort of start that the staff, players, and fans would have liked to have seen. The talk before the tournament was that this was going to be a team that was truly a team and able to get scoring all throughout the line up. So much criticism of the past teams from the Empire have that they have been too heavily reliant on stars to see the team through the difficult times and that one person or one line was all that was getting the team past their opponents. While there might be some truth to that, the team has looked toothless so far through the first two games and the offense seems to have gone completely missing instead of being a whole team effort. If this is the sort of performances we are to expect with a so called team, I'd rather have the star players or be overly reliant on a line instead."

"While I agree that this is a bit of a shambolic mess considering everything that the team was telling us before the tournament, I am not sure we can throw up our hands and say that it is all over already. We are not going to face another team like Ko-oren the rest of the group stage, not in the apparent skill and not in the way that they are going to play the game. The offense should be allowed a chance to show itself before we call for the complete dismantling of the project and rejection of the team that is participating in the tournament. With a bit of luck and so long as the players do not get too down on themselves after this two poor outings, there is still plenty of time to turn it all around and even win the group. All is not lost yet and we should not act like the sky is falling."

"It is not over but the sort of performances that have been on display by the team are the complete antithesis of what is traditionally acceptable for Vanorian teams. When we have struggled in the past, we at least looked competent in doing so, there was still the thrust of the Vanorian attack that was focused in on the game and sharp to the play. These two games have been as sloppy and as wasteful as we have ever come to see the team and it breeds a sense of doom that the continued slide in skill will continue on and that where we were once proud and elite members of the sport, we will be but become mediocre and legends of the past. Time and time again we have seen this come to be in multiple sports and now it seems to have its grasp on the Calcuttas like a vicegrip and slowly squeezing away what remains of the hope to turn it all around and find ourselves once more."

"Hope is only lost when you decide that you no longer have the will or heart to carry on. We must ride the ebbs and flows of form as one might ride a raging river through her rapids, we can not control the path that we are on but we can adjust to it so that we may not be swept up in its current and thrown against the rocks of the shore or brought under its might current. Have patience, have a bit of belief, stay true that the team will find a way out of the quagmire and will be on the right trek soon enough."

by **Squornshelan Remnant States** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 9:30 pm

MD3 RP Cutoff

Tonight let's pay tribute to the street musicians who keep us entertained on the way into the arena by listening to some of the best of them.

Group A
Texas Jaguarundi 2–5 Juvencus
Canadian Dominion 3–5 Abanhfleft
Gyatso-kai 5–1 The Greater Onvares
Golyna 0–1 Trolleborg

Pos                           Pld   W  L OTW OTL  GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Gyatso-kai                    3   2  0  1   0   13   4  +9    8
2 Trolleborg                    3   2  0  0   1    4   2  +2    7
3 Abanhfleft                    3   2  1  0   0   11   9  +2    6
4 Texas Jaguarundi              3   2  1  0   0    7   8  -1    6
5 Juvencus                      3   1  2  0   0    9  10  −1    3
6 Golyna                        3   1  2  0   0    7   9  −2    3
7 The Greater Onvares           3   1  2  0   0    7  11  -4    3
8 Canadian Dominion             3   0  3  0   0    9  13  −4    0

Group B
Caribbia 2–3 Medzhumoramia
Ko-oren 3–1 Lacfroid
Zelena Planina 6–8 Valanora
Patriotlandia 7–5 Katterimunk

Pos                           Pld   W  L OTW OTL  GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Patriotlandia                 3   3  0  0   0   20  14  +6    9
2 Ko-oren                       3   2  0  1   0    5   1  +4    8
3 Valanora                      3   2  0  0   1    9   7  +2    7
4 Medzhumoramia                 3   2  1  0   0    9  10  -1    6
5 Lacfroid                      3   1  2  0   0    6   8  -2    3
  Katterimunk                   3   1  2  0   0    6   8  -2    3
7 Caribbia                      3   0  3  0   0    4   7  −3    0
  Zelena Planina                3   0  3  0   0   12  16  −4    0

Group C
Arjunnagar 0–3 Atheara
Saperetia 3–2 Nova Anglicana
HUElavia 0–3 C.D. Karegnondi Lodge
Vilita and Turori 2–4 Huron League

Pos                           Pld   W  L OTW OTL  GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 C.D. Karegnondi Lodge         3   2  0  1   0    8   3  +5    8
2 Nova Anglicana                3   2  1  0   0    9   5  +4    6
3 Huron League                  3   2  1  0   0   10   7  +3    6
4 HUElavia                      3   2  1  0   0   10  11  -1    6
5 Atheara                       3   1  1  1   0    5   3  +2    5
5 Saperetia                     3   1  2  0   0    3   5  −2    3
7 Vilita and Turori             3   0  2  0   1    7  11  −4    1
7 Arjunnagar                    3   0  2  0   1    5  11  -6    1

Group D
United Penguin Commonwealth 1–2 Jedinsto
Cordia 3–2 Darkmania
Lorenthia 4–6 Cassadaigua
Kimi-Suomi 3–6 TJUN-ia

Pos                           Pld   W  L OTW OTL  GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Jedinsto                      3   3  0  0   0    7   2  +5    9
2 TJUN-ia                       3   2  0  1   0   17  11  +6    8
3 Cordia                        3   2  0  0   1   17  13  +4    7
4 Cassadaigua                   3   2  1  0   0   18  17  +1    6
5 Darkmania                     3   1  2  0   0    7   7   0    3
6 Kimi-Suomi                    3   1  2  0   0    9  12  -3    3
7 Lorenthia                     3   0  3  0   0   12  17  −5    0
8 United Penguin Commonwealth   3   0  3  0   0    5  12  −7    0

Group E
Madrinpoor 6–4 Evinea
Banija 4–8 Eden and Cambersey
I.A. Quebec 0–1 Squornshelan R.S. (scorinated by Chromatika)
Mercedini 6–2 New Folgore

Pos                           Pld   W  L OTW OTL  GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Mercedini                     3   3  0  0   0   16   3 +13    9
2 Eden and Cambersey            3   2  0  0   1   20  12  +8    7
3 Squornshelan R.S.             3   1  0  2   0    4   1  +3    7
4 Madrinpoor                    3   1  0  1   1   12  11  +1    6
5 Banija                        3   1  1  0   1   12  10  +2    4
6 I.A. Quebec                   3   1  2  0   0    3   4  -1    3
7 Evinea                        3   0  3  0   0    7  19 −12    0
8 New Folgore                   3   0  3  0   0    3  16 −13    0

Group F
Elejamie 6–1 St Saratoga
Placely Placington 1–5 Lisander
Delaclava 0–0 Arctic Hockey Association (1–0 OT)
Huayramarca 3–3 Ile de Richelieu (2–1 SO)

Pos                           Pld   W  L OTW OTL  GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Elejamie                      3   3  0  0   0   18   2 +16    9
2 Huayramarca                   3   2  0  1   0   12   8  +4    8
3 Placely Placington            3   2  1  0   0   14  13  +1    6
4 Lisander                      3   2  1  0   0    8   7  +1    6
5 Delaclava                     3   1  1  1   0    9   9   0    5
6 Ile de Richelieu              3   0  2  0   1   10  14  −4    1
7 Arctic Hockey Association     3   0  2  0   1    5  16 −11    1
8 St Saratoga                   3   0  3  0   0    4  11  −7    0

Group G
Sannyamathland 2–3 Græntfjall
Furilisca 1–2 Tjorl
Depivik 3–6 Kelssek
Oursberg 3–3 Dod Rava (2–1 SO)

Pos                           Pld   W  L OTW OTL  GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kelssek                       3   3  0  0   0   15   5 +10    9
2 Græntfjall                    3   2  1  0   0   12   8  +4    6
3 Tjorl                         3   2  1  0   0    7   6  +1    6
4 Dod Rava                      3   1  0  0   2    7   5  +2    5
5 Sannyamathland                3   1  2  0   0    5   9  −4    3
  Oursberg                      3   0  1  1   1   11  15  −4    3
7 Furilisca                     3   0  2  1   0    2   5  -3    2
  Depivik                       3   0  2  1   0   11  16  -5    2

(OOC: As usual, tables had to be manually updated, please let me know if something doesn't look right to you)

by **Graintfjall** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 9:33 pm

Article posted on the winter sports blog Icy Dead People.

Veteran Quebecois coach tapped for Ice Wolves role

Also in the news:

Historic Neskaufjörður Manor destroyed in blaze, arson not suspected
Human trafficking on the agenda as arrests linked to people smuggling sharply increase
Explosion on orbital asteroid mine leads to questions about viability of the “21st Century Gold Rush”
GCB Chair neutral on impact on deregulation package
Special forces in Mlima Kijani report use of child soldiers by Zambezi Ntekele

* Under the terms of the Act of Restoration, Græntfjall does not recognize any titles of nobility or equestrian rank. While this doesn’t always apply to foreigners, while working in Græntfjall he is likely to find himself frequently referred to as Mr or just Alexander.

by **Canadian Dominion** » Fri Dec 16, 2022 10:18 pm

The Canadian Dominion gander squad crossed up with a 6-5 loss to the The Greater Onvares team, Also the coach being put in an even hotter seat tries to help players get back to working together again.

by **The United Penguin Commonwealth** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 8:16 am

The Huddle Journal

Commonwealth Orcas lose severely to Darkmania
Nikolas Izan | Sports

The Commonwealth Orcas have once again lost in their debut season, this time in a crushing 0-4 game. While their defense blocked many shots, they were ultimately too defensive and made few attempts at scoring. Although it only entered the goal a few times, the puck stayed on the Orcas' side of the rink for most of the match. Fans are pushing for management to make a change of tactics in order to avoid this type of play. Many are uncertain about the odds of recovery, as most teams in the group are much more seasoned and prestigious than the Orcas. Notably, despite being a completely new team, Jedinsto has achieved two upsets in a row, winning their first game 4-1 against a ranked competitor, followed by a wipeout against a hardened team. Jedinsto will be playing the Orcas this week, in a game many fear will be a complete wash, sealing the fate of the Orcas. Only time will tell.

#PLAYER
73Udert Zespa
27Olas Lane
92Anaro Gottlied
1Sadas Duono
46Zinisio Narín
#GOALTENDER
9Yulogio Nags
74Dasilio Wirner

#PLAYER
69Danÿel Nïsejök
23Jäkup Hälsmen
5Gëorg Jülme
3Erÿk Hälsmen
26Frÿdrick Sämena[/tab]
#GOALTENDER
1Ërÿk Kälengöskop
11Thömas Dahlström

GAP
213
123
112
022
011
SASVSV%
2925.862
2721.777
GAP
324
123
112
011
011
SASVSV%
2523.920
1917.895

UPC 0 — 4 DKM
Scolaidh Arena, Han Dold

I stole Eden and Cambersey's format because it looks really slick. sorry.

I rushed this out but still didn't have enough time to post it before the cutoff, so it's here late. it was written before I read the md3 scores.

by **Medzhumoramia** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 9:11 am

КЧС Спорт

Victory over Carribia, All Eyes on Upcoming Katterimunk Game

Medzhumoramia faced off against Carribia in Friday Night’s game of the WCoH. The nation has a very limited history and fanbase in hockey, but showed considerable determination throughout the course of the game. The final score was Carribia 2 - 3 Medzhumoramia. Medzhumoramia’s three goals came courtesy of Alternate Captain Thomas Link, adding a hat trick to the Pomeranian’s record and another game in the W column for the team.

However, while happy about the victory, the minds of the players and coaches look ahead to the Sunday match against Katterimunk. Katterimunk is one of the more open nations about its status as a communist 1-party state, and the recent shooting-down of a filled Medzhumoramian passenger airliner by the ideologically similar Kalmar Council Republic has caused anti-communist sentiment in Medzhumoramia to swell. “Katterimunk is an experienced participant in the WCoH, and some would even go as far as to say that their victory is expected by international experts. However, I know that the entire team is particularly interested in doing everything they can to defeat, and hopefully even crush, the Katteri team." Said Captain Vytali Novyk. "We will Pull no punches."

Medzh goals

Thomas Link (A, #25), P1 16:21
Thomas Link (A, #25), P1 2: 31
Thomas Link (A, #25), P3 9:55

by **Caribbia** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 1:07 pm

Caribbia Still Winless Following Debacle Against Medzhumoramia - TVC SPORTS

"Welcome and greetings to you all joining in to today's TVC broadcast!

We begin with the sport of hockey. Earlier today, Caribbia played its third game at the ongoing World Cup. It marked our third consecutive loss, and we are still winless at the tournament. We currently sit at the bottom of our group alongside Zelena Planina. Even though all three of our games were decided by just one goal, a loss is a loss, and hence, we don't yet have a single point. It's looking less and less likely that we will manage to get out of our group by the day. We now must pull off some heavy upsets against some tremendous and very powerful teams in order to have a chance at advancing onto the next stage.

For those of you who did not get a chance to watch the game, here's a quick recap of what went on. Thomas Link, the Medzh alternate captain, scored all three goals for their side, two in the first period, and one in the third. All of our goals game in the third and final period, with Khalim Terio and Adam Perrello each scoring one a piece. Caribbia underperformed significantly, and we played on defense for nearly the entire game. We found it terribly difficult to keep any sort of possession of the puck, and chance creation was near non-existent. Stadium seats were also entirely filled with Medzhumoramia fans, as only a handful of Caribbia fans bothered to attend. Unfortunately, even less of our loyal fans are predicted to be present at our next game tomorrow against Ko-oren.

Following these three defeats, Caribbean fans are beginning to question and scrutinize the heavily defense-orientated tactics of our head coach, Romeilanno Bavarädor. Due to our nation's short history when it comes to hockey, Bavarädor is our national team's first ever head coach, having coached the Caribbia National Hockey Team for its entire existence of just 12 games. Over that stretch, we have won just two, including none at this World Cup. Fans are already calling for Bavarädor to be replaced by a new head coach. If this losing streak of Caribbia's continues, that might just be the case. Currently, our nation is on a 7-game losing streak in the sport of hockey, with that streak only growing as this competition moves ahead. It is extremely unlikely that such a drastic change in leadership will happen during the duration of this tournament, however.

Here's what Head Coach Bavarädor had to say about tonight's performance looking towards our next game on Sunday against heavily-favorited Ko-oren:

"I am embarrassed and absolutely mortified by our humiliating defeat today against Medzhumoramia! We played like geese running around on a field out there; BLIND GEESE! There is no doubt in my mind we must regroup and play our best hockey out there on the ice tomorrow against Ko-oren. We are by far the underdogs here, and this might just be the most one-sided match played so far in this cup. Let's hope not however. I am confident in our ability to pull off an extraordinary upset against our rivals. We'll use their cockiness and misplaced confidence against them and snap them right back to reality. Even though they are much, much, much better than us, they can indeed lose, and we aim to prove that tomorrow. We cannot afford a fourth defeat in such a crucial game for us, but they can!"

As a side-note before we finish up, we would like to inform our viewers of two injuries to two of our players who'll be unavailable for the next game as a result. Starting goalie Yelo Oramo suffered a minor injury during near the end of our game against Medzhumoramia, making a spectacular stop in the process. Reserve goalie Wiremu Bing also suffered a strain in his leg during training not long ago, so Caribbia will be forced to resort to young 20-year old goalie Unajam Piriamu to start for us against Ko-oren. This will be his first ever appearance for our national hockey team, so he'll really have to play above his paygrade for us to have any chance at success. Both of our other goalies are expected to recover very soon due to the fact that the injuries suffered were relatively minor, in time for the game against Zelena Planina, the one after our upcoming game against Ko-oren.

And that's all for hockey tonight! If you're debating whether or not to attend the game, please do! We'll need all the fan support we can get against Ko-oren tomorrow. Otherwise, we stand no chance against them!

Now, we'll move onto soccer..."

by **Eden and Cambersey** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 4:19 pm

Disbelief in Arkintoofle as Mist Knights defeat Banija
Propelled by an explosive Rosewarne, Eden and Cambersey dispatches Banija 4—8 in massive upset
Natalie Bowen (@NHBowenUP)
^{Sports | Pompey, Eden and Cambersey}

^{SHARE THIS:}

#PLAYER
33Chukwuma Chinasa
40Okeli Uwaezuoke
10Onyango Jow
5Émile Leroux
16Paul Misiani
8Mukasa Ssebanja

XXX
#GOALTENDER
44Trophimus Raila
50Yerga Azim Giday

#PLAYER
8Adrian Rosewarne
10Caspar Begbie
42Archie Frost
19Francis Brekespear
92Tristan Halley
9Axel Begbie
2Leo Castledine
48Timothy Pascoe
91Jude Scarlett
#GOALTENDER
1Anthony Everett
XXX

GAP
123
123
112
022
011
101

XXX
SASVSV%
118.727
2924.828
GAP
336
055
033
213
112
011
011
101
101
SASVSV%
4339.907

BNJ 4 — 8 E&C
Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle

ARKINTOOFLE, SQUORNSHELAN REMNANT STATES — The crowd at Synesoft Center bore witness to a captivating game Friday evening that produced perhaps the most noteworthy result in Group E of the 47th World Cup of Hockey thus far — an unranked Eden and Cambersey, entering its first international tournament following a century of complete diplomatic isolation, came up against Banija, ranked 10th overall across the hockey world, and defeated the sporting powerhouses by a score of 4—8. Very little had been expected of the Mist Knights coming into this tournament — after all, their adversaries had a 100 year headstart on them as far as hockey was concerned — but especially little had been expected of them heading into this clash. Banija are second seed in the group and boast one of the richest sporting pedigrees in the world, with World Cup, World Baseball Classic, AOCAF, International Baseball Championship, and Di Bradini Cup titles among countless other honours under their belt.

Although ice hockey is far from the most popular sport in the Banijan consciousness, they remain a force to be reckoned with by virtue of their vast diasporas in colder countries in which hockey enjoys a greater degree of popularity: they count several among their ranks who received hockey educations in more traditional stomping grounds for the sport such as Quebec & Shingoryeo as well as Siovanija & Teusland. The Banijans made it as far as the quarterfinals last time around, knocking out Valanora before falling only in overtime to a Mercedinian side playing on home ice; Banija will look to exact revenge upon Mercedini on the final matchday of the group stages in this year's tournament.

Adrian Rosewarne continued to impress with yet another hat-trick and three assists to boot for a six point performance, leaving the Banijan blueline scrambling to contain him. The Edenocambrian captain now has 8 goals and 16 points to his name from a mere 3 games, for a whopping 5.33 points-per-game average. Five more Edenocambrians — both Begbie twins, Francis Brekespear, Tristan Halley, and Archie Frost — are all above a point per game as well following last night's proceedings. Caspar Begbie in particular boasts a 3.67 points-per-game average: though the 2nd line center did not find the net against Banija, he racked up 5 assists and boasts 11 points total so far in the tournament. Moreover, Eden and Cambersey have now become the joint-highest scoring nation in the World Cup of Hockey to this point, with their 20 goals matched only by Group B polesitters Patriotlandia.

The team's defense, however, remains a worry — after conceding 6 to Madrinpoor and 4 to Banija, there are those among the Mist Knights' supporters who wonder if Eden and Cambersey's offensive output, as strong as it has been, will be able to continue bailing out the blueline. Banija's Chukwuma Chinasa and Okeli Uwaezuoke were consistently able to get the better of the Edenocambrian defense, and though the Mist Knights managed to maintain their lead throughout the game, there were certainly points when it looked as though the floodgates would open and they would crack under pressure. Going into the second period for instance, with Eden and Cambersey leading only by a score of 1—2, the Mist Knights' penalty kill unit barely avoided a game-tying goal from the Banijans, surviving just long enough to be rescued by a fortuitous shorthanded goal from a hitherto quiet Jude Scarlett before a bit of a collector's item in a Timothy Pascoe goal bolstered Eden and Cambersey's lead to 1—4.

The Mist Knights will go up against Independent Athletes from Quebec in their next game on Sunday evening. Though playing under an independent banner, the IAQ side is not to be taken lightly — their players, after all, do ultimately still hail from the Royal Kingdom of Quebec and Shingoryeo, among the finest of the traditional powerhouses of hockey and one-time champions of the World Cup of Hockey itself. The IAQ team has been a tad slow out the gate, most recently losing in a hard-fought 0—1 clash against the hosting SRS for a 1—2—0—0 record thus far in the tournament. That being said, their only other loss came against tournament contenders Mercedini, and they looked very handy in a 3—0 shutout of New Folgore. As the IAQ side sit 35th in global rankings, they certainly have the know-how and talent necessary to see off the Mist Knights, and Eden and Cambersey will be entering this matchup still very much the underdog looking to pull off an upset.

World Cup of Hockey 47 — Eden and Cambersey

Schedule
MD1: Eden and Cambersey 6—2 Evinea @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD2: Eden and Cambersey 6—6 Madrinpoor (0—3 SO) @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD3: Banija 4—8 Eden and Cambersey @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD4: Eden and Cambersey vs I.A. Quebec @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD5: Mercedini vs Eden and Cambersey @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD6: Eden and Cambersey vs New Folgore @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle
MD7: Squornshelan R.S. vs Eden and Cambersey @Synesoft Center, Arkintoofle

XXX

Goals
Adrian Rosewarne - 8
Francis Brekespear - 4
Tristan Halley - 2
Axel Begbie - 1
Caspar Begbie - 1
Archie Frost - 1
Julian MacQueen - 1
Timothy Pascoe - 1
Jude Scarlett - 1

XXX

Assists
Caspar Begbie - 10
Adrian Rosewarne - 8
Axel Begbie - 4
Tristan Halley - 4
Archie Frost - 3
Francis Brekespear - 2
Leo Castledine - 2
Moses Byfield - 1

XXX

Points
Adrian Rosewarne - 16
Caspar Begbie - 11
Francis Brekespear - 6
Tristan Halley - 6
Axel Begbie - 5
Archie Frost - 4
Leo Castledine - 2
Moses Byfield - 1
Julian MacQueen - 1
Timothy Pascoe - 1
Jude Scarlett - 1

by **Saperetia** » Sat Dec 17, 2022 4:34 pm

Massive win over massive opponent
Saperetia 3-2 Nova Anglicana

Today, Saperetia brought a masive upset by winning their match against Nova Anglicana, the highest-ranked team in Group C. Three goals, two by Everett and one by Albinson secured the nation's first three points in international hockey, jumping Saperetia from 8th to 6th in their group, jumping over Vilita and Turori, and Arjunnagar. This crucial victory has returned hope and morale to hockey fans which hope for a place in the knockout rounds.

The Saperetians definetly increased their professionalism in this game. The team got off to a great start, being the first of the two teams to score. The player to put the puck in goal was Albinson. This put pressure on Nova Anglicana but before the end of the first period, they managed to get one past Everill, ending the period tied 1-1. The second period was not as interesting seeing only 1 goal fall for Nova Anglicana in the middle of the period. But everything changed ~~when the fire nation attacked~~ in the 3rd period. A beautifull combination between Everett and Evered (not a mistake) saw Saperetia tie it 2-2 and a lone counter from Everett late into the period put the deciding blow into the match. The team celebrated their first win in an international tournament and back home, the island of Isleas, where ice hockey is most popular in Saperetia, was celebrating along.

With this win, many hope that the momentum will carry on into the next game against Arjunnagar, another Unranked nation, like Saperetia. The game against Celestial Dancers of Karegnondi Lodge was close, and with them topping the group but Arjunnagar last, many think that Saperetia could win the game. But fans are also held back by the thought if this was a fluke and that a reality check is incoming.

by **TJUN-ia** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 8:14 am

After we dealt with Lorenthia with relative ease, the Ice Jagaurs of TJUN-ia were 2-0 ahead of one of the most anticipated games on this WCoH thus far. Ølson Rasmussen has certainly enjoyed how well this team has played across the opening two games but with the defence seeming a bit leeky, no one really knew what to expect heading into the next game. Chris Jeeves wasn't worried, treating this game as just another game on the schedule...but it can't be, right? Because our opponents live across the border of the Squornshelan Remnant States.

This was the 1st Ice War, or Jääsota I in Finnish, between TJUN-ia and the Leijonat of Kimi-Suomi - a matchup so anticipated that both federations saw it fit for both sides to wear their third jerseys for this contest. That's why they were in mostly red and we were in black and orange...and it certainly fitted the historic nature that everyone was trying to invoke. The game itself was between two teams of varying experience and while the Leijonat certainly showed their stuff for most of the game, we had their number and did what we must. In each period, it was 2-1 to us and the scoreline was like this: Erik Ekman-Larsson countered with a brace from Danil Svengren, goals from Lan Yih-Wen and Saffron Allen being accompanied by a nice strike from Felizia Bouveng and a late strike from Noora Tulus a consolation for a late brace by Yun Pong-chol. It ended 6-3 but it didn't feel like a 6-3 game...and the crowd was certainly a factor in this. We hope we can play another Ice War soon...and I think our AO counterparts could agree.

Now 3-0, we're certainly in a good position right now...but we aren't just going to assume qualification right now. 4 games remain and a bad night could certainly make things very interesting...maybe the next one will? Jedinsto may be an unranked team, but they are the only team right now on maximum points - 9 points from 9 available. Certainly, they have come from nowhere and deserve some respect...but can we beat them? GO ICE JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group D, all games @Scolaidh Arena, Han Dold, Squornshelan Remnant States)
MD1: vs The Cordian Isles (2) W 5-5 [2-1 SO] (4th)
MD2: vs Lorenthia (82) W 5-3 (2nd)
MD3: vs Kimi-Suomi (41) W 6-3 (2nd)
MD4: vs Jedinsto (UR)
MD5: vs Cassadaigua (26)
MD6: vs Darkmania (53)
MD7: vs United Penguin Commonwealth (UR)

by **Jedinsto** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 9:40 am

Jedinsto had claimed its third victory in the tournament, this time against the only other unranked team in the tournament. The team had now only given up two goals in three games, an incredible feat for an unranked team. The team put up two goals in their game against the United Penguin Commonwealth, one by captain Austin Sharrow, his second of the tournament, and one by alternate captain and defenseman Florence Coleman, his first of the tournament.

Up next is one of Jedinsto's toughest challenges remaining in the group stage, which will also be the battle for first place in the group. Their opponent is TJUN-ia, a (so far) undefeated team this tournament, and a force to be reckoned with. Against their goal-scoring prowess, Jedinsto will spend most of the game on the defensive. In order to win this game, Jedinsto will need to pull out all the stops and shut down the TJUN-ia attack. A regulation win tonight will greatly improve the Jedin chances of advancement to their first ever knockout rounds in the World Cup of Hockey.

Excerpt from the Sloboda Sun.

by **Kelssek** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 10:00 am

DEP 3-6 KSK // Duncan wants pedal to the metal as Kelssek clinches third win

KSK: Saranack (Dòmhnallach, Walker) 13:20 1st
KSK: Mravik (Aumann, McCann) PP 18:23 1st
DEP: ? 0:39 2nd
DEP: ? PP 2:53 2nd
KSK: Aumann (Mravik) 15:59 2nd
KSK: Melde (Charron, Halmana) 18:00 2nd
DEP: ? 8:22 3rd
KSK: Lafontaine (Charron, Saranack) 11:48 3rd
KSK: Halmana (unassisted) EN 19:01 3rd
Ironworks Arena, Santraginus
(attendance 19,001)

Kelssek looked to be cruising to a win after 20 minutes as goals from Dylan Saranack and Aaron Mravik. Then they were nearly dragged back as they let their opponents equalize, but recovered to reimpose themselves and claim a 6-3 win over Depivik.

A sloppy start to the second period saw poor giveaways and an undisciplined high sticking call on Justin Stewart, who was trying to win the puck on the boards in the offensive zone. Within three minutes, Depivik were level. Kelssek were rattled and a timely time-out helped to restore composure to the team. Luca Kilkenny rang a shot off the crossbar, before Mravik picked off a poor breakout pass and handed it to Maxime Aumann to restore a lead Kelssek did not relinquish.

Kelssek head coach Darren Duncan is working hard to keep the team focused and accountable, if he does say so himself. But it’s clearly an important message to this relatively inexperienced group. “We’ve already seen results that remind us we’ve got to show up every single period, every single shift, to get the outcome we expect.”

“I wasn’t happy with how we started the second period, obviously. But the team responded well and that’s all you can ask for as a coach.”

Duncan was also asked about the spin-o-rama move by Erkka Roord on a breakaway which was saved by the Depivik goaltender, which sparked a wave of criticism by pundits who deemed it disrespectful. Former Kelssek captain Neville Keanes took to Honkr to criticize Roord for setting a bad example.

Duncan seemed to defend the player, saying, “There’s a place for that, and if Erkka thought that was the best move to get a goal, then I have no problem with it.”

by **Elejamie** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 10:29 am

Everything was still humming along perfectly.

After his side's 6-1 win over St. Saratoga, Alex couldn't be happier. His side still had the best goal differential, they still had the second best goals scored record by a group leader and the defence, while not perfect, were still keeping the opponents' goal tallies low. Elimination Stage Island was pretty much in their sights. Sure there were some possibly tough opposition ahead, Placely Placington had suffered through their first loss and now Huayramanca were now in second place (and even then they were a good amount behind), but it was nothing he was worried about. Just have solid game plans, just make sure his players knew how to enact those game plans and just make sure everyone was energised, whether they be player or staff.

Going into the match he came up with a quick game plan he had made the night before. It was mostly cobbled together from analysing the opposition's 3-2 loss to Huayramanca the night before and the 2-1 loss to Lisander before it, as well as taking what had worked in the previous game and hoping it'd work again, but at least he had others to comment on it. His girlfriend Barbara wasn't as ice hockey-savvy as her boyfriend but she thought it'd work alright with maybe one or two tweaks, even if she didn't say what those tweaks would be. Eduardo and Jon, his assistant coaches, did think that a little bit more defence and a little bit more offence wouldn't go amiss but overall said that it was his call. And none of the players had any issues with what Alex had wanted them to do.

To be fair to St. Saratoga, much like the AHA in that opening game they kept their stronger opposition at bay for a decent amount of time. Indeed, seven minutes and forty-two seconds had passed until a goal was finally scored, albeit by St. Saratoga. Michael Warren won a face-off and passed the puck over to Mikkel Nygaard. Nygaard skated into a better position and fired a shot at Ricardo Bejarano, who managed to deflect it. Matthew Skov fired a rebound but it hit the post. Nygaard had a second attempt on a one-timer but that too hit the post. He then skated into a better position, fired it low and hoped that Bejarano wouldn't be able to make a save in time. He had hoped correctly and his side were the surprising leaders. Their lead and jubilations wouldn't last long, however, as with 6:59 left Stacy Saunders and Cerin Meloten found themselves on a 2-on-1 with the former looking like he was going to score on the left side of the net... only to pass it to Meloten who fired it in off the one-timer. There was a small issue for the Saints when William Green received a two minor minor for slashing Rafinho but fortunately it was a penalty that was killed off fairly easily. Either way, the period ended 1-1 and it looked like it could go either way.

Looked like. In reality, Elejamie had woken up and were more of a dominant force throughout the match. Bejarano had faced nine shots throughout the first period and would only face seven more in the rest of the match. His Saratogan counterpart, David Crawford, had faced seven in the first period and would face fourteen shots in the second. Fortunately a good amount of them were saved and a smaller amount missed, whether it be by pinging off the crossbar or just weren't on target at all. There were, however, two goals that came from this display of offensive power. The first was with 13:09 left in the period. Twenty three seconds ago Christopher Harr was given a two minute minor for tripping Lucas Madgwick and the Ice-a-phants managed to push up before a well-timed screen followed by a simple tap-in from Stacy Saunders (with Cerin Meloten and Lupe getting assists) put his side in the lead. And the second was with 5:36 left when Rafael Espinosa won the face-off and passed it to James Han, who skated into a better position before firing one past Crawford. There were a triage of penalties from Elejamie between the first and second goals, two of which (Ethan Swinburne checking a puckless Noak Zwack and Adam Keane slashing Marc Ekström) would give St. Saratoga a two man advantage due to how near-instantaneous the two incidents were and the third (Diego Pinto getting two in the box for charging) happening sometime after that, but neither side was able to capitalise on it.

And the third period wasn't exactly smooth sailing for St. Saratoga either. A potential second for Mikkel Nygaard with 14:43 left on the clock was ruled out after Matthew Skov had accidentally bumped into Bejarano, netting the second line left-winger a two minute minor for goalie interference. This would lead to another power play goal for the Ice-a-phants and, 59 seconds later, James Han would receive a pass from Rafael Espinosa (who, in turn, got the puck from Rafinho) and fired it in between Crawford's legs to make it 4-1. 5-1 came with 10:11 left when Felipe Barajas intercepted a pass from Marc Ekström (intended for his possible relative and fellow defenceman Owen Ekström and proceeded to fire it from the point. The shot hit the crossbar but Ethan Swinburne skated up to it and tried to move into a better position. When that seemed difficult he fired it in anyway in the vain hope that it'd lead to a face-off and perhaps a better chance, only for it to rattle the post and go in much to his surprise. Crawford did an amicable job keeping the puck out for the rest of the period only to be pulled with one minute left. With 15.7 seconds left Rafael Espinosa, Adam Keane and Lupe played a small passing game between themselves to try and catch the opposing six skaters off-guard before the Edgebaston center simply shovelled it into the empty net for 6-1.

Another game, another display of power. Another day of congratulating his players and wishing them luck for the next game. And another day of speaking to the press and trying to be as vague as possible as to not give anything away. Sure it was an unenviable position to be in but Alex was feeling a bit empty. There were no real challenges so far. The Arctic Hockey Association seemed to be a one-and-done team although he was hoping he'd be wrong there. Lisander may be ranked 14th but since he had no idea of who was playing for them, coupled with them getting lucky in the last competition meant that there wasn't really any real grit going into this game. St. Saratoga were somewhat better prepared than the last two but were still playing like a punching bag. Looking at the schedules so far, there were only two really meaty opponents in his group and maybe a third who could pull something out of their metaphorical hats. Two of them he'd be facing at a later date.

But the third? The one who they'd be facing in the next game? None other than Placely Placington. Of all teams, they were a massive shock and surprise. A nation powered entirely by "Test Subjects" who tend to die in quite bizarre manners, only to be cloned back to life almost as quickly. A nation with a leader who's not only on some sort of narcotics but also spends his country's money on a "secret stash" (despite the country having an entire mountain range made out of the stuff) and gold statues of himself instead of infrastructure. A nation with strange beasties like eagles who drop pianos onto things, giant pugs with jaws that can unhinge themselves to an angle of 359° and venus flytraps but with legs. A nation whose Health Minister is literally a giant virus. And a nation whose WorldVision entries have been, but not limited to, genres like grindcore, black metal, crunkcore, very unconventional a cappella and The Most Unwanted Song.

And yet, despite being 75th in the rankings, they're 2-0-0-1 in the group. They got a decent 5-3 opening win against Île de Richelieu, with a hat-trick from Test Subject 13 and a goal apiece from Test Subject 9 and Test Subject 10. Even if the match itself was marred by a massive brawl going on (with two Test Subjects even fighting each other) and Test Subject 13 getting hit by a zamboni it was still a decent showing. Then there was the 8-5 win against the hapless Arctic Hockey Association, where Test Subject 8 and Test Subject 11 scored a hat-trick each and Test Subject 15 scored two. There was another line-brawl in that game, except it was just the Test Subjects fighting each other. One of them even fought itself and lost, somehow. Of course, in that game, Test Subject 4 somehow managed to get itself trapped under the ice so it wasn't too out of the norm for them. Their only loss so far was 5-1 to Lisander but that was a team who were venting their frustrations after a big loss of their own so it was understandable.

Then again this was a team who, in their inaugural tournament a long time ago, somehow managed to beat the much higher ranked Sarzonia 4-2 which saw their head coach get fired. They had gotten a few decent wins since then but that's pretty much their shining moment (and if Sarzonia's reading this, I sincerely apologise for constantly bringing it up. I can stop if you wish me to). Their secret? Offence. Nothing but offence. Even the goalie would sometimes place itself right near its opposing number to try and score a goal of its own. Sometimes it wouldn't work and more often than not it'd lead to a bench minor. But when it did work, it was still usually saved because Test Subjects 1 and 99 didn't even try to make their shots accurate.

So what was Alex's plan? Defence. After all, there were moments where the best offence is a solid defence. And this would've been one of those moments. Of course they could send a guy or two up front to actually score a goal, since they obvious wanted to win, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a few guys near the goal to prevent the Test Subjects But They're On Ice from scoring. Have them "park the bus", if you will. Sure the Placely Placingtonians were a bunch of idiots which could mean a lot of gaps in their defence to take advantage of. But if their potent forwards were able to get an avalanche of goals going then it'd suddenly turn deadly, even more so since Elejamie are currently ranked #1, so it'd be wise trying to prevent them having any sort of momentum. Even if it'd mean that they'd lose any of their own. It was a game his side could easily win on paper and by a good margin too, but it still made Alex a bit nervous going into it. Still, if everything goes right then maybe it'd just be a small speedbump on the way to the next round and maybe the final result wouldn't be that bad.

On the upside if their massive goal difference suddenly shrinks or their goals allowed tally suddenly goes up then at least everyone all knew the reason why.

by **Lacfroid** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 11:42 am

The next time Lucia met Ema, they ended the night on the latter’s couch in a luxury apartment complex close to downtown. The time after that, they started the night in Lucia’s apartment and didn’t leave. These nights came more than a week apart, conforming to both their schedules, but mostly Lucia’s. She felt a blitz of emotions, but what she felt most of all was giddy; she hadn’t had anything for herself, it seemed, since secondary. She’d dated, sure, but they were always either fellow cadets or teammates, and spending time with them had felt like an extension of those activities.

The season progressed faster than Lucia thought possible. She’d been told that playing professional sports in Lacfroid was a meat grinder, but the description hadn’t resonated until she was in it. Almost all of her teammates worked, only some in jobs related to hockey, and it was only thanks to Lacfroid’s famously lax workplace culture that they could make the morning workouts, evening practices, and weekly away games. The money that playing brought in was nice on top of her lieutenant’s salary from the gendarmerie, but she felt like she spent as much having her meals prepared for her and driving her car all over the back of beyond.

What felt like a few days after they met for the first time but was probably several weeks, Ema asked casually if she had plans for Magic Week. Magic Week in Lacfroid is a period of time bounded by the winter solstice at the beginning and New Year’s at the end, wherein most of the country shuts down and people are expected to spend time with loved ones (that it lasts longer than a week is said to be “part of the magic”). Lucia hadn’t considered it, but she knew there would be no hockey played during that time, only individual workouts. Work would be quiet; there would be no training flights, only the normal medevac and border security flights. For the first time since she’d agreed to try out for the Croises, Lucia would have time off.

To Ema’s question, she answered that no, she had no plans in particular, just a vague sense of visiting her parents in Saint-Laurent. Ema replied that she, too, would be with family, forty minutes away in the Riviera, and asked whether Lucia would like to get together. No meeting the family, Ema was quick to clarify, just a date somewhere in the Riviera. Lucia agreed. She knew Ema had gone to school at Raileigh, but she’d never mentioned where she was from; there weren’t many permanent residents of the Riviera, but there was no reason that Ema shouldn’t be one of them.

The Lacfroidois Riviera in summer is a playground, with bars and clubs literally overflowing into the water and yachts playing music at all times of night. The Riviera in winter is quiet, serene; the lake freezes over, and snow gathers on the roofs of the buildings. Ema’s house was one of these, a tall oaken monstrosity with a three-story deck and an infinity pool, presently covered but with the promise of heated water lurking beneath the cover should they want it. The house was empty when they arrived, and Ema led Lucia through the palatial foyer, up a spiral staircase, and into a small bedroom with a view over the frozen lake.

“Did you bring your skates?” she asked, smiling her giddy smile.

Lucia hadn’t, but Ema disappeared for a few minutes and returned with two ancient pairs of figure skates and a small tin of wax. She sat on the edge of the bed next to Lucia, and they bantered lightly, giggling as they tried to bring the skates into working order again. At some point, a hand brushed a shoulder, and the next thing either of them knew, the house’s automated security system was informing them someone was downstairs, having entered with the code.

“Shit,” Ema hissed, smiling nervously. She was always smiling.

“I thought you said no meeting the parents,” Lucia teased.

by **Kimi-Suomi** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 12:59 pm

After Jedinsto cemented their status as a WCoH dark horse by beating us, the Leijonat of Kimi-Suomi were 1-1 and in a state of flux as this campaign progressed. Sure, finally winning a game at this tournament certainly boosted the confidence within this team, but losing to a debutant just imettiin helvetisti and that was pure and simple. Hannes Lehtonen knew that being a team in their 2nd WCoH comes with limited expectations, but every win and every point mattered in a tournament such as this one and the pain of defeat always stung. But now we had to move on...into Jääsota I.

Jääsota I, or the 1st Ice War in English, was the first-ever international meeting between Kimi-Suomi and JYK-inen, better known as TJUN-ia. The fans were certainly up for this one from the start and in recognition of the occasion, the third jerseys would come out to play - with our opponents in black and orange and us in our red, blue and white. This game was always going to be tough, especially against a Top 15 side like the Ice Jagaurs, but we put in a good effort nonetheless. Our goals came through Erik Ekman-Larsson in the first, Felizia Bouveng in the 2nd and Noora Tulus in the 3rd...but each of those goals were paired up with 2 goals for the Ice Jags as Danil Svengren hit a brace, Lan Yih-Wen and Saffron Allen broke the game wide open and Yun Pong-chol's brace was just the cherry on top. It was fun finally getting to play JYK-inen one on one and I hope we will have another Jääsota in due course...but today belong to JYK-inen and we had now lost 2 straight.

This slide is helping no one...but with 4 games to go, all hope is not yet lost. Up next is Cassadaigua, ranked #26 and at 2-1, so we should hope for a bounceback if we want any chance of getting out of this group. NOSTA KUIN KARHUT!

SCHEDULE/AJOITTAA (Group D, all games @Scolaidh Arena, Han Dold, Squornshelan Jäännösvaltiot [Squornshelan Remnant States])
MD1: vs Lorenthinen [Lorenthia] (82) W 5-4 (3rd)
MD2: vs Jedinsto (UR) L 0-1 (5th)
MD3: vs JYK-inen [TJUN-ia] (13) L 3-6 (5th)
MD4: vs Cassadaigua (26)
MD5: vs Pimeämaninen [Darkmania] (53)
MD6: vs Yhdistyneiden Pingviinien Kansainyhteisö [United Penguin Commonwealth] (UR)
MD7: vs Cordianin Saaret [The Cordian Isles] (2)

by **Golyna** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:42 pm

"I thought they could handle it" said McDrummond. Blue Sun, the nation's first AI coach, has been fired after a major offensive blunder leading to the only goal against Golyna. In other news, Golyna debuts their new uniforms and a new logo from a Gaysto-kai based design firm. "I'm glad we have new uniforms" says Donald Richter, a center on the team. "It really shows we're on the same tier as those ranked nations." "These uniforms look great, shame the first time people see them is a loss." The first uniform worn was the purple uniform, with tonight's game being in purple.
https://imgur.com/J7OvaOp logo
https://imgur.com/fbPjkBx uniform

by **Patriotlandia** » Sun Dec 18, 2022 2:03 pm

7 goals can lift mountains, but 5 nearly made them crumble

Roland Leduc
Han Wavel, Han Dold

On the back of two great offensive showing the Mountaineers were back in action against the United Socialist States of Katterimunk. The Katteri have only conceded a goal and scored a goal in their first two matches. A 1-0 defeat to Ko-oren and a victory against Zelena Planina places them near the bottom of the table but a few good performances could see them climb and challenge the higher placed teams. Patriotlandia on their end looked to solidify their lead in group B having won their first two games. The only cloud raining at the Mountaineers' is their defense which has been lackadaisical since the start of the tournament. Historically, the team has offered strong defensive performances being able to keep top clubs to low scoring games. With the new system under Brent Calhoun, his emphasis on speed and the involvement of defenders in the attacking third has left Renée Latraverse on her own more often than one would like. When asked, Calhoun reiterated his faith in his players and the system he has brought them. He said the lack of training before the event might be the cause and that the new selection has been playing together for the first time at this WCoH.

Today's match started in unusual fashion, as Latraverse moved to take on her first shot of the game, she seemed to tweak something leaving her wincing, but still she tried to carry one. Moments later, the Katteri team would score leaving most to wonder if she would be able to continue. After some good play for the space of a few minutes, a defensive blunder would send a Katteri player on a breakaway who did not need a second invitation. Immediately following the goal, Renée made her way to the bench and was subbed in by Frederic Dagenais. The 22 year old, who plays with the Grand-Ours Bears, has been in the spotlight for a few seasons now but would finally make his international debut. The change in goaltending seemed to inspire the Patriotlandians. Their defense tightened up but they also generated plenty of offense. With momentum shifting, Prunel, Galant and Moran would score to help the Mountaineers surge ahead to 3-2 heading into the intermission.

After the break, Marion Prunel would net her second of the game while on the power play. Katterimunk would then bring the game level at four a piece midway through the period before Janna Friedova's wrister brought the lead back to the Mountaineers. In the third period, the Katteri would tie the game once again in the first few minutes on a shot Dagenais would probably like back. Uemo Akira's shot beat him on the glove side even though there was no traffic out in front of the goal. With desperation once again setting in, the Mountaineers' offensive machine woke up again and Marion Prunel scored her third of the game, fifth of the tournement, and completing the natural hat trick. With minutes left in the game, the Katteri would try to break the one goal deficit by pulling their goaltender in favour of a sixth skater, but Jacques Kirouac would score on the empty net from 180 feet away to seal it at 7-5.

Roland Leduc has been a travelling reporter for the TPW for more than a decade. He started as the liaison in the minor hockey leagues but his writing style and character soon saw him climb the ladder to new heights. Roland strives to redefine what it means to be a sports journalist in Patriotlandia and those that by bringing his readers closer to the action than ever before. When he is not travelling, Roland lives in Boiscomplet with his wife Rolande and his son Roland Jr.

World Cup of Hockey 47 || Everything Thread

WCoH 47 — MD2 RP

WCoH 47 MD3

WCoH 47 — MD3 RP

Puck Watch!: The First Ice War Was Won

Jääsota I Means Back-To-Back Losses

Who is online