World Cup of Ice Hockey 31 [Rosters/RPs/Results]

by **Gregoryisgodistan** » Thu Sep 01, 2016 3:47 pm

World Cup of Hockey Knockout Stage Preview

Join us as we predict the results of the World Cup of Hockey knockout stage.

#1 Elejamie vs. #16 Anthor Elejamie is one of the best teams in the Multiverse. Anthor isn't. Anthor has a stupid name. Elejamie doesn't. Elejamie is one of the few teams to have beaten the Ice Slaves at their best. Anthor isn't. Sorry, this isn't much of a contest. Prediction: Elejamie 5-0 Anthor[/b[

[b]#8 Unified Sunrise Islands vs. #9 Nephara This is one of the more intriguing matchups of the Round of 16. The Pokemon friends and the Nephromaners. This should be an interesting matchup. But the Pokemon friends are better, plus they have Pokemon on their side. They'll win. Prediction: Unified Sunrise Islands 2-1 Nephara

#4 Kaboomlandia vs. #13 Ficisia This is a terrible matchup. Both of these teams are terrible. Who really cares? Someone has to win. I flipped a coin and it came up heads, so Kaboom goes kaboom and Ficisia wins. Prediction: Kaboomlandia 0-1 Ficisia

#5 Royal Kingdom of Quebec vs. #12 United States of Devonta Long names, bad matchup. The Quebecois are one of the best teams in the Multiverse. Devonta is terrible and likes making threatening gestures to ducks. Nobody likes them. Quebec wins easily. Prediction: Quebec 3-0 Devonta

#3 Nova Anglicana vs. #14 Vilita and Turori Great matchup. Nova against V&T. But the Ice Lions will win because they are superior. And also because they will eat the Vilitians and Turorians. Prediction: Nova Anglicana 2-1 V&T

#6 Abanhfleft vs. #11 Novaya Zemlya Novaya Zemlya is better. Abanhfleft is weird. Nobody likes them. That's why they're on the Enemy List. Nobody likes them. Like I said, nobody likes them. Novaya Zemlya is a very good team. And they'll win. Prediction: Abanhfleft 0-4 Novaya Zemlya

#7 Gregoryisgodistan vs. #10 Valanora Why do we have to get the stupid little elves? Nobody likes elves and our Enemy Crushers can't crush them. So we'll have to crush random fans and win anyway. Prediction: Gregoryisgodistan 1-0 Valanora

#2 Esparmuran vs. #15 Nassau-Hessen The final Round of 16 matchup, and another blowout. Esparmuran is one of the greatest teams in the Multiverse, though not as great as us, and Nassau-Hessen is a bunch of clowns. The Red and White wins easily. Prediction: Esparmuran 7-0 Nassau-Hessen

Quarterfinals:

#1 Elejamie vs. #8 Unified Sunrise Islands And now the Pokefriends take on the Pajamas of Elejamie. And it will be interesting. The Pajamas are favorites, but perhaps the Pokefriends will pull off an upset. Will they? We think they will and then feed the Pajamas to a Snorlax and a Pikachu. Or something like that. Prediction: Elejamie 1-2 Unified Sunrise Islands

#13 Ficisia vs. #5 Royal Kingdom of Quebec Sorry, Ficisia, you make me physically ill. You will lose to the Quebblingtons or whatever they're called. The Quebbopotomi will beat the physicians easily and move on to the semifinals. Prediction: Ficisia (-4)-93 Royal Kingdom of Quebec

#3 Nova Anglicana vs. #11 Novaya Zemlya In the most confusing quarterfinal matchup, either Nova or Novaya wins. Who will it be? The Ice Lions'luck will run out as Novaya is just too good. Prediction: Nova Anglicana 0-1 Novaya Zemlya

#7 Gregoryisgodistan vs. #2 Esparmuran It's silly season, folks. So let's make another silly prediction. The Enemy Crushers crush the entire Esparmuran team before the game. But the refs say they can't forfeit so the game must be played. But Esparmuran has no players so Gregoryisgodistan repeatedly scores on an empty net while Enemy Crushers crush random fans, run them over with a Zamboni, and do a lot of other fun stuff. And then they burn the arena down with a flamethrower. Possible? Sure. Probable? Maybe. Awesome? Heck yeah! Prediction: Gregoryisgodistan 1093-0 Esparmuran

Semifinals:

#8 Untitled Schnitzel Ireland vs. #5 Regal King Dome of Quibbles Well, now let's start mocking nations' names. Schnitzel and Frogger. Or Quibbles or whatever. Fried chicken versus King Dome. Who knows? Prediction: Fried chicken 0-1 Kibbies

#11 Novaya Zemlya vs. #7 Gregoryisgodistan This time, the Enemy Crushers just burn the whole arena down ahead of time with Novaya Zemlya inside. So they win by forfeit. Why not? Prediction: Were you reading?

Third Place Game:

#8 Friends of Squirtle vs. #11 Nutty Zambonis Well, I guess Pikachu wins because the Zambonis are dead. Prediction: Who cares?

Championship:

#5 Royal Kingdom of Quebec vs. #7 Gregoryisgodistan Longtime friends and allies, so no crushing here. They'll have to win fair and square. But the Quebecois players will probably be high on weed, so they'll lose. We win, we win, winner winner, prune juice and gruel dinner. We are the champions! Prediction: Quebec 0-3 Ice Slaves

by **Elejamie** » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:31 pm

The WCoH31 Round(of 16)-up: Sorry for the Poor Title Edition

Before I start, I'd like to say that this isn't my Analyses and Predictions report. That's where I look at the eight remaining teams, look at how well they did in their past few contests and see who'd be winner using that. This is just me taking a look at all of the 16 teams left and how they did in the group stages. Besides, since we've got a single elimination thing going on here, expect two articles in a row from me.

Also, I would give you a long and detailed opening paragraph but, to be fair, there's not really much to say, nothing really to explain in any great detail that I can't cover in the main body. So I'll just get started. Here we go.

Elejamie vs Anthor

Yes, we're up against them again. Besides, I could go in-depth with our performances but, since I'm guessing we've all seen the matches, I'll just tell you them straight: 4-1, 3-0, 4-1 and 2-1. 13 goals for, 3 against, +10 goal difference. In fact, the only other team in the tournament with a goal difference in double figures was the Second Ndakene Federation although, in their defence, that wasn't something to be proud of as it was a -11. Anatoly Kasputin's currently our highest point-scorer with 6 points (3G, 3A), shortly followed by Cerin Meloten with 5 (4G, 1A). Stacy Saunders isn't doing too badly, with two goals, but he said that he's hoping to improve on his performance and, not only is he hoping to get himself on the scoring sheet a bit more but he's also saying that he's hoping to get his first assist in the tournament.

Apart from the 4-1 loss, Anthor didn't do too badly in their group. A massive improvement over their first two competitions, where they were in the bottom half of the table. Seems like coach Horn will be keeping his job after all. They opened up with their a 1-1 draw against Tobiasia, which wasn't really anything to write home about. Of course, this was followed by the 4-1 defeat to us but they bounced back from that with a 3-1 win over Cosumar, which was enough to move them out of second-to-last place. And then, to cap it off, they grabbed a 1-0 win over the Greater Vakolicci Haven (who, alongside the hosts, were the only teams to lose all of their games), which gave them a second place finish. Not bad.

Stacy Saunders, being interviewed just before practice.
With two goals in five games, he's hoping to up his
game and get more points to his name.

Esparmuran vs Nassau-Hessen

Esparmuran also had a whale of a time, winning all of their games. For a start, they were lucky enough to brave the smell of alcohol in the Guild of Brewers rink place by winning 3-1 in their opener against Northi Arabia, the first match of the group that wasn't a draw (there were the two 0-0 draws on the first day and the 1-1 draw between Cheongji and Qasden before the Espar-NA game). The next day, they carried on their winning streak as they beat Qasden 4-2. They followed this up with another 3-1 win, this time against Nassau-Hessen. And, to top things off, Team Espar beat Cheongji 3-0 to cement their spot in the Round of 16.

Since they were also in the same group, I'm not going to talk about Nassau-Hessen's first game against Esparmuran. Nor am I going to go into much detail with the 0-0 opening draw against Qasden. I will, however, mention that after their disappointing goalless game they came back with style as they beat Cheongji 2-0. And, after the 3-1 loss to Esparmuran, they came back with a 3-2 win over Northi Arabia who would've gone through instead had they won the match. So, as they now face-off against Esparmuran for the second time this tournament, with the winner going to the quarters and the loser going home, Nassau-Hessen are hoping that they can pull off that all-important shock defeat to stay in the game.

Nova Anglicana vs Vilita and Turori

Nova Anglicana were the third and final team to get a complete group sweep. They began things with a 4-1 victory over Sjovenia, which was then followed with a simple 2-1 win over Mercedini. Another 2-1 win came the day after, this time over main rivals Ficiscia (who eventually came second but more on them later. Literally, scroll down to the next thing, I talk about them there). And then they capped things off with a 1-0 win over the hosts. Much like us, they didn't have to play a game on match day five, meaning that, while the rail strike was going on, the Ice Lions had a lot more time to get some practice in. Let's just hope that, if they did, it pays off.

Vilita and Turori, on the other hand, are a team that managed to get their way out of the group stage by the skin of their teeth. They didn't have a great opener, where they lost 3-2 to The Serbian Empire, although they managed to bounce back in style when they beat New Jarwel 3-1 (who were still reeling from a 5-1 defeat handed to them by Valanora). In fact, speaking of the Calcuttas, they drew 0-0 to the Ice Cat Things (yes, that's what the Vilita and Turori ice hockey team's called). All seemed bleak and it didn't really help that, after the Valanora game, they had a bye day. Fortunately, luck seemed to be on their side as they managed to squeeze out a 4-3 win over the Republic of Arkan which, along with Valanora's 3-1 over the Serbian Empire, was enough to see them through. Luck seems to be on their side, at the minute, it's now just a question of how long it will last.

Kaboomlandia vs Ficiscia

Kaboomlandia had a bit of a slow start to the tournament, having their bye day on the first match day and their opener against Novaya Zemlya end in a 2-2 draw. Fortunately for the Phoenix, things really picked up when they beat the Second Ndakene Federation 4-0 which was followed by a 2-0 win over Parah. And then came the big one, the final game against Aquitayne, the team that had been dominating the group up until that game. In fact, everyone was predicting that it would be a close one. So imagine their surprise when Kaboomlandia thrashed Aquitayne 5-1. Novaya Zemlya's surprise was even greater, but more on them later.

As for Ficiscia? They had the greatest start of them all when they thrashed the hosts Hannasea 6-1. Yes, 6-1. However, things took a sudden turn down when they lost 2-1 to eventual group winners Nova Anglicana. Fortunately, they managed to shake off that loss when they shut out Sjovenia, 3-0. And, finally, there was their game against Mercedini. Much like the Nassau-Hessen/Northi Arabia game I explained earlier, it was a make-or-break game, where the winner would be the one advancing to the next round, whereas the loser would have an early exit. However, like the Aquitayne-Kaboomlandia game, it also ended rather anti-climactically, being yet another goalless draw. However, it was enough to send the Lynxes (Lynces? Lynci? Flurbydurbs?) through to the next round thanks to the power of goal difference.

Royal Kingdom of Quebec vs the United States of Devonta

The Royal Kingdom of Quebec is one of the best teams in the multiverse, being ranked third in the world (although they've only got one WCoH trophy to their name, which came from the 26th edition). So, being placed in a group where your biggest rival is ranked joint 19th means you can easily dominate each game, right? Wrong, apparently. The opener seemed promising, a 2-0 win against Quaniva. Nothing interesting there, although the 1-0 win against Norsara probably made people realise things were a little bit off. And then came the 1-1 draw with the United States of Devonta, which was the only match in the tournament so far where the Ice Knights conceded a goal. They came back with a 2-0 win against the Letwinist States, which was enough to keep them at the top.

Seeing as I've already brought it up in the above paragraph, I'm not going to talk much against the RKQ-USD 1-1 draw. So, instead, I'm going to cover the other Devontan games. Like the goalless opener against Narsora. No, let's not. How about the MD3 2-1 win over the Letwinist States, which was a more exciting game? Or the 2-0 win over Quaniva on the last day? Either way, two wins, two draws, eight points. Enough said.

Abanhfleft vs Novaya Zemlya

Abanhfleft's campaign didn't exactly get off to a flying start, with a 1-1 draw against the Unified Sunrise Islands. However, the Fleftics managed to grab a 2-1 win over the Reprezentacja Pruski, which managed to fix things up a bit. Then came a 1-0 win over Anglatia and, to round things off, there was the 2-0 win over Islana Lunigo. Three wins, one draw, ten points. Nothing majorly exciting, I know, but they share the same problem as the Devonta team, in that they never really stood out for me. Apologies to any Fleftics or Devontans reading this, by the way.

Novaya Zemlya's group run was a little bit bleak, to put it lightly. To begin with, their first two games, against Aquitayne and Kaboomlandia, ended in 2-2 draws. In fact, things had gotten so bad that a Novozemlyan hockey analyst suggested that the U-20 team should play the remaining games instead. Fortunately, they had a bit of a break after their game against the Phoenix, which coach Bobr used to get his team into shape. It seemed to have worked as they won their game against the Second Ndakene Federation 4-0. And then came their game against Parah, which ended in a 1-0 win for the Novozemlyans. Normally it wouldn't have been enough but they managed to make it through, thanks to Kaboomlandia winning 5-1 in their match against Aquitayne.

Gregoryisgodistan vs Valanora

The Ice Slaves sailed through their group thanks to a sturdy defence, good saves and crushing. Lots and lots of crushing. Again, the offence could do with a bit of improvement (5 goals in four games) but, seeing as they've managed to find their niche (doubled with the fact that I'm not really going to piss them off), I'm going to let it slide. But still, let's talk Guild of Mercers Group. Gregoryisgodistan began with a couple of 1-0 victories, first against Tumbra and then against Beaverriver. Their next match was a different story, a 2-1 victory against new enemies Nephara which was pretty much what you'd expect. And then, to cap everything off, they had their last game against Ilyseum... which ended in a 1-1 draw. No matter, as it was still enough for them to end top of their group with ten points.

The Calcuttas, who are also the reigning world champions, had a bit of a mixed bag at the tournament. They had an opening 5-1 blowout of New Jarwel which shot them straight to the top of the group. Not that bad, right? After taking a day off, they were the favourites going into their match against Vilita and Turori, a match that ended up being a dull, goalless affair. The following game against the Republic of Arkan (who eventually finished the group in last place) was a more exciting affair but it was still another draw, 2-2. After the rail delays forced everyone to take another break, they returned to the ice to bag a second win, 3-1 against The Serbian Empire. Over all, two wins and two draws... Could do better, lads. Or was that part of that plan and you're going to go all-out in the knockout stages?

Unified Sunrise Islands vs Nephara

The Unified Sunrise Islands began with the aforementioned 1-1 draw with Abahnfleft, although fortunately they had a day off afterwards so they could presumably get some practice in. They probably did, as their next couple of matches were 1-0 wins, first over Prusy Krolewskie then over Anglatia and, finally, over Islana Lunigo. Out of our remaining sixteen, they've scored the fewest amount of goals (4) but, much like Quebec, they've only let one in. So, again, they could just use their strong defence to their advantage. Whether or not it'll work is anyone's guess.

The Gulls, who are the latest addition to the Gregoryisgodistani enemy list, had an excellent first game of the tournament. Why's that, you may ask? 5-0 against Ilyseum. Yeah. Impressive. Of course, what happened next was the game against Gregoryisgodistan which went as well as you would expect. Indeed, I brought it up earlier so there's no need to repeat myself. Then came a 2-0 win over Tumbra, which was topped off by a 1-0 finale win over Beaverriver, yet another team that would've gone had they won their last game. So yes, they're not doing that badly and I could imagine them doing quite well.

Predictions?

Fine. Here are the eight teams who I think will be making it through: Elejamie (obviously), Esparmuran, Nova Anglicana, Ficiscia, the Royal Kingdom of Quebec, Novaya Zemlya, Gregoryisgodistan (just) and Nephara. There are probably reasons behind these but, to be fair, this is probably long enough, so I'll just end it here. Either way, it's going to be an exciting few days, so stay tuned.

by **-Anthor-** » Thu Sep 01, 2016 9:37 pm

Battle for Bullions
Ducks have to face up against Elejamie again to go any further - can they continue their magic?

^{SHARE THIS:}

Gnaeus Tanicius Vopiscus (@Gnaeus Tanicius Vopiscus)(TH)
^{Gavrach 36, 600AE 11:15 AM | Vaumort, Anthor}

Second and third liners celebrating on the bench as the final seconds of the game against GVH runTH photo

Vaumort, Anthor(Herald) — Gnaeus coming back to you, bringing you up to date on our latest coverage of the Ducks, our resurging national hockey team, who won a thrilling one to nothing match up against Great Vakolic Haven, the final game in the group stage and with Tobisia losing out, the Ducks are making the finest run in three Cups so far, progressing to the Round of 16 for the first time in six years.

But of course, this couldn't come easy. We won't be going up against a middle weight ranker, or someone lower, no, we have to draw the team that handed us the worst loss of the competition of our team yet, Elejamie. The Ice Elephants, as they call them, defeated the Ducks on the second game of the group stage, really taking them down a peg with the final score of 4-1, but somehow, Coach Lucius Horn is remaining optimistic of their chances, as is Graham Robertson, both of who were interviewed following the advancement into the knockout stage.

Speaking to Horn, he mentioned "Yes, we may have badly lost to them earlier in, but you know, the winds of changed of late. We've won two thrilling victories, I haven't seen the guys pumped this much since I earned my rings with the Knights two decades ago, and now we have the energy surging in us, that morale boost, in addition to that, we've played them. Sure, we had film before but now we have film of them against us, get to see how our tactics do against there's, how their players match up against ours, where they have any flaws, how can we exploit, I truly think it's going to be a different tale this time around."

When pressed on that comment if he meant he'd be switching up his tactics, which of late have been a tad more aggressive then previous Duck sides, having garnered 35% more penalties then in the last 5 international competitions and scoring 3 more goals on average, he declined to answer, but did state he's going to continue to utilize the full depth of his roster, and if he is truly destined to lose tomorrow, he's going to make the Ice Elephants fight for every goal.

Graham Roberston was a little more upbeat, the late thirties captain seemed to sound more then a few years younger with the emotion in his voice declaring that this was the year if not any year to go and win it all - a broad aspiration to be sure, we game in as underdogs, we very nearly clinched the advancement from the group stage, but you know, I agree with him. Blast the pundits, and string up the naysayers, I think it is the Duck's year. Never before have they performed as they are right now; they've scored more goals, done a bit better on defense barring the lapse of form from Deschamps, they've brewed up a magnificent cauldron of team chemistry, I truly think they can take it in.

Elejamie is probably going to use their star Stacy Saunders, who has scored two goals in just a little more then double that amount of games, to try and lead an explosive offensive early in, probably set up a demoralizing score before half time and play some mental games with the Ducks - but Kenneth Thorpe and Tony Pearson are going to be there to stop it, and even the second liners with Gustave Rounds and Deschamps who have reportedly established quite the rapport together, are going to blunt that attack, they are going to focus on the domination of possession and just keep feeding that slab over to the front end, either to Robertson, Hunter, Poindexter, whomever is open, and they'll keep lighting up the Ice Elephants net until they've had so many shots, they start slipping in like water through cracks on a dam.

All in all, the game is set to be exciting for sure, a guaranteed 6,500 Anthoran fans have already bought pre-sold tickets and hundreds if not thousands more are sure to show up, Duck fever has gripped the nation as their sale of merchandise has jumped; we're behind you Ducks, now led us all the way.

Gnaeus Tanicus Vopiscus contributed to this article.

MORE FROM TH

RITS Legislation to sit in Review this week, MP Whittler as sponsor [ 54136 ]
Terrier 5 returns to earth, astronauts picked up by the Navy and on the way home [ 911546 ]
Healthcare, defense spending and public debts all in question over budget dilemma [ 413587 ]

Comments

45687

E-mail

103458 comments

^{FAVORITE THIS DISCUSSION}

Flakes455 · 8 minutes ago
DUCKS DOMINATE, DUCKS DOMINATE!!! TAKE THEM DOWN!!!
8940759 up · 114 down
REPLY · UPVOTE · DOWNVOTE

DingusWingus · 3 hours ago
Light up their boards, slam them into the ice, completely send these guys off the ice!
75641 up · 13 down
REPLY · UPVOTE · DOWNVOTE

Casimir · 4 hours ago
Third time is the charm, for our third win, against the team that embarressed us earlier. Time to go out there, play with so much passion, it'll make the other guys drop like dead flies. #DucksOrDeath
57913 up · 41 down
REPLY · UPVOTE · DOWNVOTE

by **Valanora** » Thu Sep 01, 2016 10:42 pm

Valanora Times
Calcuttas Sputtering Forward

The Calcuttas came into this tournament as the reigning champions and looking to retain their crown, despite having some uneasy feelings about the format that the tournament hosts had planned to implement. A single elimination tournament seemed to many inside Valanora, the national team included, to go against the spirit of the tournament which has customarily used a best of three series once the playoffs/knockout stages had ensued. Several of the tournament winners would have not have had that opportunity had the Hannesea format been used in previous editions and the pull away from tradition worried the team, though it was considered a minor issue. After all, the Calcuttas were the best national team in the world and all of their players were playing in the EHL, the best domestic hockey league in the world. A small change in format was not going to be a major stumbling block to the teams' attempt to retain the crown and add on to their lead as the most decorated team in the history of the tournament.

The group stage however saw that unravel as the Calcuttas were forced into a must win situation against a sturdy team from The Serbian Empire in the last match of the group, where a loss would have jeopardized their chances at progressing. This was a result of the seemingly tradition of being drawn with the representative of the Vilitan Union and then coming up with but a tie in the match between them, despite having had the better of the play. However one match where the squad under performed against a team that had a small history of being a bogey team would not be an overt cause for concern, the rest of the group was still one that the team would have had relatively no problem defeating, especially when you consider that they opened up the group with a five to one victory.

Concern and frailty was made when the Calcuttas were unable to overcome The Republic of Arkan, a team who finished dead last in the group, as they were held to another tie by these upstarts with little history in the sport. For a team that was looking to retain their title, the pressure brought on by this lackluster pair of results was intense and sent great worry through all of the Eternal Empire that perhaps the team had become overconfident in themselves and had read their press clippings too much. The desire for success was seemingly absent from a team that had gone through the previous three World Cup of Hockeys like a predator chasing their prey across the savanna, with the scent of blood pressing on their pursuit. Such intensity was apparently absent, save for that opening game against New Jarwel.

With the rumors swelling that the manager's job was on the line if the Calcuttas failed to find a victory in their last group stage game and advance into the knockout rounds, which would have been a danger themselves with the format and potential seeding. With that fire lit underneath them, a team that resembled the one that had come up victorious in the last tournament showed up for the first time in the entire tournament, as the captain put in a pair of goals in the first period to quiet the crowd that was seemingly backing the would be upset driven Serbian Empire squad. A power play goal six minutes into the second period erased all doubts that the Calcuttas would not find their way out of the group, as the blue liners were stepping up their game. It did get slightly nervy when the Serbian side grabbed a goal just three minutes into the third, but the defense held strong and the team saw out the victory like the champions they are.

After all the stress and strife, the Calcuttas wound up winning their group with an undefeated record, though the tie with Arkan will most definitely feel like a loss to the team as well as the supporters. It serves as a stern reminder that laurels themselves do not win games no matter how obscure a team may or may not be, that you still have to play the game and not take it for granted. A lesson that will be needed as the Calcuttas move into the knockout phase of the tournament, where it is the win or go home single elimination style that sees even the best of teams fall by the wayside early if they are not on their game. It is the fine edge of a knife that all the teams that enter into the playoffs balance themselves upon, where one false move is the end of all that you have trained and hoped for, with all of your work made to waste and you are made to wait another two years for another opportunity.

Despite winning their group, the Calcuttas fell into the poor seeding and get the difficult road if they are to retain the title that they fought so hard for two years ago. The first step on that difficult path is the black listed nation whose slave population is such a sad and sorry state that one can not help but feel a certain amount of pity for them. The team has championship pedigree, though rumors fly that they are forced to undergo physical augmentations and take drug enhancements to reach the state that they are in. The sheer size of the athletes that come from the black listed nation no doubt is the cause of the rumors, nor is it helped that one of their monikers is the Crushers.

It is a battle of grit versus finesse in its most basic format, where our squad is filled with talented individuals who in general favor the more skilled side of the game, being great skaters and technically sound. That does not mean though that the fourth line is not prepared to dish out punishment as needs be, for even a group of skilled players like our team needs their own muscle to prevent the sort of goon tactics that some squads would look to employ against more skilled opposition. The opponents like to grind out the results, being infamous for their low scoring affairs, much akin to the System Karela that you might see in football. With only two goals conceded in their group, they have proven they are still among the best at that grind it out style and the forwards for the Calcuttas will have their work cut out for them, needing to create and capitalize on the chances that are provided. It easier said than done, especially against a team as skill as the one they are going up against, however if they are to retain the crown, no foe is to be a step to far and not situation too difficult. Perhaps this gauntlet that they look to have will just make the victory all the sweeter, should they come through on the promise of their talent.

by **Hannasea** » Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:01 am

RP cutoff for Ro16

Round of 16 Results:

Elejamie 0–0 Anthor (1–0 OT)
Esparmuran 8–0 Nassau-Hessen
Nova Anglicana 1–3 Vilita and Turori
Kaboomlandia 1–4 Ficiscia
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 3–0 United States of Devonta
Abanhfleft 0–1 Novaya Zemlya
Gregoryisgodistan 0–1 Valanora
Unified Sunrise Islands 2–1 Nephara

Quarterfinals:

(1) Elejamie v (8) Unified Sunrise Islands @ Guild of Brewers
(2) Esparmuran v (10) Valanora @ Guilds of Skinners/Tailors
(14) Vilita and Turori v (11) Novaya Zemlaya @ Guild of Mongers
(13) Ficiscia v (5) Royal Kingdom of Quebec @ Guild of Apothecaries

by **Elejamie** » Fri Sep 02, 2016 3:37 pm

Analyses and Predictions: The "I Can't Think of a Witty Title" Edition

After a match that could be easily described as "boring", "tedious", "not up to our standard" and "what in several everliving fucks was that?", we managed to beat old groupmates Anthor 1-0. In overtime. Either they managed to get really good between our last match and this one or our guys just stopped caring a little bit. Still, the only real highlight was Toni returning to the ice and keeping every single Anthoran shot out of the net and, with a little help from Lupe and Adam Keane, Cerin Meloten scoring the Elejamian winner in overtime. It wasn't a bad goal, a nice little backhander that caught Aric Langley off-guard, but it still doesn't improve what was honestly one of the most boring Icy Elephants matches ever.

OK, I'll stop complaining about it now. Because, yes, it's that time again. Time for me to go back, look at some history and use that to decide who'll be advancing. It's time for another Analyses and Predictions post, because from all the feedback I've received this tends to be my most popular and most requested feature. I can kind of see why, seeing as it's fun to see if I get proven wrong or anything like that but also it's handy if you need a little advice on who to go for or anything along those lines. Either way, I'll stop babbling now and get onto it. Here goes!

Quarter-finals

Elejamie vs Unified Sunrise Islands

I've already explained our group stage bouts and the last competition in previous articles. Hell, I've even talked about our last game against Anthor in the last bit. So I'm not really going to expand on this. I'll just sum it up briefly. In Norrehavn, we won all but our last two games, which were games two and three against Valanora in the final. And here, we won all of our group stage games before scraping by with a 1-0 OT win against Anthor in the Round of 16. And now we're up against the Unified Sunrise Islands, a team we last faced back in Valanora in the 28th edition. We beat them 2-0, with goals coming from Lucas Madgwick and Anatoly Kasputin. With any luck, we'll be able to expand on this performance and finally get things going again.

The Unified Sunrise Islands, however, are a team I will comment on, although again I'll leave out the bits about their Group Stage run a few days ago. In the last edition over in Norrehavn, they failed to make it out of the group stages despite an impressive 7-1 win over Mapletish, finishing in third with two wins, two losses and a draw making up five points. A massive improvement over their run in Quebec, where they not only finished second to last with three points but were the only team in their group to go without a win (three draws, two losses). That, in turn, was an improvement over their run in the abysmally dull group stages at the 28th World Cup of Hockey over in Valanora. That being said, not all their group stages ended poorly. They made the Round of 16 in the 24th edition, winning their series against Falcus 2-1, before being swept by the Royal Kingdom of Quebec in the quarter-finals. So, whilst they do have some experience in the knock-out stages, there's been too large a gap and chances are it won't really work out for them.

Winner: Elejamie. Natch. With any luck, it'd be by at least two goals, 2-0 or 3-1, maybe? I'm going to say 3-1.

Esparmuran vs Valanora

In the last competition, Esparmuran managed to sweep their group, finishing with 21 goals for, 6 against and a goal difference of +15. Seems like the rest of the tournament would be a breeze, right? Well, they did have a bit of a struggle in their series against Abanhfleft, winning game one 6-5, losing game two 3-2 but coming back to win game three 4-3. And then came the series against Kaboomlandia, which should've been another couple of easy wins. And, indeed, that looked like that it would be the case when they won game one 3-2. But the Phoenix managed to rise out of the ashes and take game two 4-3, followed by a 4-2 win in the third game to seal the deal. Of course, Team Espar managed to sweep their Guild of Brewers Group, which is another point for them, but they managed to top that off with an 8-0 demolition of Nassau-Hessen. Eight. Nil. Really. Let's just hope that they'll keep this up for their game against Valanora instead of fizzling out.

Valanora, on the other hand, are the reigning world champions. They topped their group, winning all but one game - a 2-2 draw against Vilita and Turori. They then swept their series against Ontorisa, with a 4-3 OT win in the first game and a 5-3 RT win in the second. The Calcuttas then had a good start to their series against Neu Engollon, winning the first game 5-3. Although the Ibexes managed to bounce back with a 3-2 OT win, Valanora came back with a 1-0 game three win. Then they won their SF series against Quebec 2-1, which was then followed by a 2-1 series win against us to take home their fifth World Cup of Hockey trophy. And now, we fast-forward to the present. After just making out of their group with, they managed to squeeze by with a 1-0 win over the Ice Slaves. Not a bad result, since they're both good teams, although the Calcuttas have seemed a bit lacking throughout the tournament.

Winner: It's going to be a tough one, maybe a game to be settled in overtime or a shootout, but I think that Esparmuran's going to go through to the next round. Valanora really need to up their game if they're to stand a chance.

Vilita and Turori vs Novaya Zemlya

Wow, they managed to beat Nova Anglicana. Didn't see that coming. Anyhoo, the Ice Cat Things, fresh from the Fracas of Frozen Felines, beat the Ice Lions 3-1 to make it to their first quarter-finals since the 26th edition, where they topped their group. They then swept their series against Soviet Canuckistan in the Round of 16, swept their series against Zenic in the quarter-finals and were then swept themselves by Gyatso-kai in the semi-finals. They were then swept again in the 3PPO by Valanora to finish fourth. Not bad although, that was a long time ago and, since then they've been dumped out at the group stage three times (27th, fourth place with twelve points; no appearance at the 28th; 29th, third place with six points; 30th, fourth place with 5 points) so they need to do a whole load of catching up.

Novaya Zemlya, meanwhile, had a great time in the last tournament, winning all five of their games, with 20 goals for, 9 against and a point difference of +11. Not bad. However, they did have a little bit of a fumble in their first Round of 16 game against Ficiscia when they were shut-out 2-0. Fortunately for them, they turned things around and took the second game 5-3 and the third 2-0. And then came Quebec, which was where everything came crashing down. The Ice Knights took the first game 1-0 and the second 3-2, but we'll talk about them later Unfortunately, when it came to the group stage here in Hannasea, Novaya Zemlya didn't do so hot thanks to the two 2-2 draws, although they managed to bounce back with a couple of wins, followed by a 1-0 victory over Abanhfleft in the Round of 16. So now it's just a question of whether coach Bobr's boys can keep things going or if their luck has run out. We can only wait...

Winner: Novaya Zemlya. Although Vilita and Turori are getting back into the swing of things, I don't think it'll be enough to upset the Novozemlyans. 2-1.

Ficiscia vs the Royal Kingdom of Quebec

Say what you want about Ficiscia but you can't doubt the fact that they're actually quite good at what they do. Three WCoH appearances, three straight Round of 16 appearances. In their first World Cup of Hockey, they came second in Group G, with two wins, three draws and a higher goal difference than The Sword Bloke (+6 as opposed to +2). Then came the Round of 16 and their series against Quebec... where they were swept 2-0, losing the first game 3-1 and the second 5-1. They came back for the next tournament in Norrehavn where, again, they finished second in their group, this time with a 3-1-1 record. Although they had better luck in their series against Novaya Zemlya, even winning a game, it was still a Ro16 exit for the Lynxes. And now, here they are, with a third group runner-up spot but, this time, they managed to edge out Kaboomlandia 4-1 to make it to their first quarter-final stage.

And, of course, we've got Quebec. They came fourth on home ice a couple of contests ago, having lost their series to us and then to Valanora. So, when the tournament came to Norrehavn, they were expected to top their group. However, a shock 5-4 loss to Nephara put an end to that, with the Gulls moving into first place and the Ice Knights dropping into second. However, they managed to shrug things off when they swept their series against Gregoryisgodistan, winning their first game 2-1 and the second 1-0. There was the sweep against Novaya Zemlya in the quarter-finals but I've already talked about that. And, then there was the series against Valanora, where they went down 2-0 in the first game but came back with a 6-3 win to force a game three, which they then lost 2-1. Fortunately for them, they came back with a 3PPO series sweep over Kaboomlandia, winning games one and two by the same score, 6-3. And now, here they are, with 9 goals for and 1 against (6 from the group stage plus the 3-0 win over the United States of Devonta), it's fair to say that they've got a slight edge in this game.

Winner: Quebec. While I won't say it'll be a high scoring affair, I'm pretty sure that Quebec will take the lead at some point and never let go. 4-1?

Semi-finals

Elejamie vs Novaya Zemlya

We all remember the last time we played against these guys. We had a great group stage going (with only one game not ending in a win, a 4-4 draw against Prusy Krolewskie) and a series sweep against Arkiasis. They, on the other hand, had four wins and two draws which was enough to top their group. Then, in their bout against co-hosts Ko-oren, they won their first game 1-0, lost their second game 3-2 and won their third game 1-0. Since we were ranked a couple of places below them (we were 39th, they were 37th), a close match was expected. And, indeed, the first two games were quite close, a 1-0 Novozemlyan win in game one and a 1-0 Elejamian win in game two. However, it was Novaya Zemlya who would emerge the winners, taking the third game 2-0. Although a lot's changed since then, we'll probably see a repeat of that if we don't kick things into high gear.

Winner: As I'm not sure if we'll improve our squad by then, I'm going to hand this one to the Novozemlyans. 2-1's the most likely score I can think of.

Esparmuran vs the Royal Kingdom of Quebec

As far as I know, this will be the first time the two teams will meet, so obiovusly that doesn't leave me with much to go on. Maybe there was a friendly between the two but I'm not so sure myself. I can't seem to find anything. But, either way, it should be an interesting match-up. That's all I can say, really, so onto the prediction!

Winner: Quebec. It'll be close, maybe a 3-2 scoreline. But it'll be close.

Final and 3PPO

Quebec vs Novaya Zemlya

I've already covered their last meeting so I won't be repeating myself here. Either way, this will be the Ice Knights' third World Cup of Hockey final appearance. Their first appearance was in the 24th edition over in the Royal Barangay, where they were swept in all three games by Gregoryisgodistan. Then came their second final in the 26th edition, where they were up against Gyatso-Kai; although they won the first two games of the series, the Ice Knights managed to get themselves together and win their remaining three games. Compare that to the Novozemlyans, who made it to the semi-finals in the 27th edition... and were swept by Esparmuran, losing the first game 1-0 and the second 6-4 (although Novaya Zemlya got their revenge in the 29th edition, that's another story for another day). And then came the third-placed play-off against the Equestrian States, who had lost their series against co-hosts Gregoryisgodistan, who would later win the tournament on home ice. It ended in a 3-1 win for the ponies. So yeah, huge advantage.

Winner: Quebec to take home their second trophy. 4-2.

Elejamie vs Esparmuran

The last time we faced these guys was in the 28th World Cup of Hockey over in Valanora, where we got our asses into gear and won the first game 3-1. Although they fought back valiantly, we still took the second game 5-3. Hell, at the end of the second period, we were leading 5-1. However, that series was also the first time they faced us and, before the first match, Espar press predicted that they would get a sweep over us. Oh, how wrong they were. Still, will they get revenge or will we be 3-0 against them? We'll have to wait and find out if we ever get there.

Winner: We've done it before and we'll do it again. Elejamie to win 3-1 and their second bronze medal.

And so there we have it. I've gotten a whole nother list of predictions out there, although as always take them with a grain of salt. If you must put money on them - and I don't recommend this - don't go mad with it. Besides, the final might be the Unified Sunrise Islands vs Ficiscia. Who knows? Either way, I'm just going to sit down, lie back and watch some hockey, hoping for a much more exciting bout than last night's match against Anthor. Best of luck, guys.

by **Valanora** » Fri Sep 02, 2016 5:01 pm

Valanora Times
Another One Bites The Dust

Suffice to say that it is a difficult prospect to become a nation who is black listed from Valanora, so that even the mention of your nation is forbidden in the press, as we elves tend to be quite forgiving of trespasses in the usual course. That the opponents that the Calcuttas faced in the Round of Sixteen are among that exclusive membership should give you a good indication as to the depravity and morally abhorrent practices of the nation in question. While far be it for me to compare the competition of sport to that of actual warfare, there is a certain amount of grit when facing off against one of these nations in the arena of sport, as the squads seem to take on the persona of good versus evil for however long the competition might go on. So that when the side does when, there is a certain amount of greater triumph, though the perception of good and evil is all relative, but it does make for a good narrative and inspiration for the players in question.

The Calcuttas had that to go on, as well as all the doubts from the foreign and domestic press about the actual quality of the team this tournament, with even the likes of Elejamie picking the Calcuttas to fall by the wayside. Even after the victory against their foes, the Calcuttas are still being doubted by that same media machine, the tie against Arkan holding a giant amount of sway in the minds of the analysts and experts when it comes to what they think is the true mettle of the team. It is hard to blame them for having doubts about the side, our own media and sporting council was having a good amount of doubt and consternation at the results from the side through the first three games here in Hannasea. That being said, defeating a reputable team like they faced in the Round of Sixteen and dealing with the Serbian threat in a cool, calm manner should have built up some of the assurances.

The team knew what they were getting into in their opening knockout game, the way that they were going to have to find a way to win against a team that was quite content in grinding a game completely out, taking it to overtime if need be. The gauntlet had been thrown before them and it was up to the Calcuttas to overcome the task, much as they had done four years ago when presented with the same foe that was standing in their way. It was not an easy start to the game as the opponents were definitely keen on lining up the team for hip and body checks, making the Calcuttas constantly aware of their presence and up ice pressure. That pressure could have easily turned into mental errors and turnovers in their own zone as they tried to escape it, however the team remained calm and kept plowing away, trying to get the advantage. It would come with a minute and a half left to go in the second period, as Rindiruionion Naragalal sprung Laerbelidon Taltauré on a breakaway, with the winger putting the shot top shelf. That breakaway would be the only clear cut chance either team could produce and the only goal between them.

A single goal in the game does not look to be on the cards as the Calcuttas move into the Quarterfinals, as they will be vying against the highly talented and touted squad from Esparmuran. They will be flying high after their last game as they routed a solid side from Nassau-Hessen by an astounding eight to nil scoreline, with the prospects of goals galore when they take on the Calcuttas. Where the Calcuttas had to face off against a side that was completely counter to their own style in the last round with the grit and grind it out style, they will now be put to the task of finding a way to keep up and slow down the Esparmuran forwards. The eight goals is hardly an aberration either, as they put up thirteen goals in the group stage, while only conceding four, proving they know how to score easily while also limiting their opponents to few chances to score themselves. It is a type of total hockey that is very similar to the Calcuttas philosophy, as they choke away the will and chances from their opposition.

The leadership of the Calcuttas has come through in a resounding fashion in the last two games as the team had their backs pushed up against a wall, needing the victory to qualify out of the group and then against a very formidable opponent. Sustaining that leadership when facing down an adversary that plays a nearly identical game and with as good of skill players as you have is going to be one of the keys in the game between these two powers in the sport. With Elejamie and the Royal Kingdom of Quebec likely to make quick work of their quarterfinal foes, it leaves two of the big four of the hockey scene likely secure in their progression to the Semifinals while the other two face off in a winner take all and joining them. Dynasties are made and broken in these moments and that is exactly what the Calcuttas are looking to create, a true dynasty, as well as retaining the crown for the second time. Strong leadership from those who have already demonstrated it shall be the key to that coming to fruition or it remaining a distant dream.

by **Vilita and Turori** » Fri Sep 02, 2016 10:49 pm

Yutzie Power Leads Ice-Cat Things

After winning their first Vilaye Domestic Hockey League championship, the players of the Vilisorma Yutzies have been playing with an added boost throughout the World Cup of Ice Hockey 31, with Yutize winger #23 Eastern Raciiani leading all Vilita & Turori goalscorers with 6 including a pair of goals in an exciting 3-1 Round of 16 victory over Nova Anglicana.

As a result of the victory, Vilita and Turori will advance to the Quarter Finals for the first time since the 26th World Cup of Hockey and will face Novaya Zemlya at the Guild of Mongers. Novaya Zemlya struggled to overcome Abanhfleft in the Round of 16 and the Ice-Cat things will certainly be hoping that they will have entered the Quarter Finals as the fresher team as they chase their first World Cup of Hockey Title.

Other than Raciiani, the Vilisorma Yutzies are represented on the Vilita & Turori Ice Cat Things team by defensive trio of Kevin Diesel, Korus Korney and Mike Ice as well as Cartai Chiate on Right Wing and Center Emhaoi Linaozi. While many of the Yutzie's stars are classically trained, Emhaoi Linaozi is widely credited as the face of the modern play in Vilita along with defender Cinnami Vellamoi.

In order to win the Vilaye Domestic Hockey League title, the Vilisorma Yutzies had to overcome Yeaddin HC, the two-time defending champions of the competition. After splitting the first two matches of the championship series, the Yutzies hunkered down and won the final three games to claim the title. The championship series was a relatively low scoring affair, particularly when compared with the high-flying, tit for tat Inter-Conference Playoff fixtures that preceded it. While Yeaddin HC may lack the individual star power of other Vilitan clubs - and thereby have less representation on the Vilita & Turori national team, they have always prided themselves on team camaraderie and performance as a cohesive unit which is why their coach is also the coach of the Vilita & Turori National Team.

A Summary of the results of the most recent Vilita & Turori Domestic Hockey Competition is included below:

Vilaye Domestic Hockey League :: Season 3

Western Conference        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Vilisorma Yutzies        16    9   2   5    44   39   +5    20
2 Lonngeylin Storm Surge   16    9   0   7    45   40   +5    18
3 Seraai Icestronauts      16    7   3   6    32   27   +5    17
4 Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes    16    5   3   8    28   39  −11    13
5 Tivali River Sharks      16    5   2   9    41   45   −4    12

Eastern Conference        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Yeaddin HC               16   10   2   4    16    8   +8    22
2 Turoki Islanders         16    6   4   6    24   23   +1    16
3 Eelandii Explorers       16    5   5   6     7   10   −3    15
4 Morata Valley Fog        16    6   3   7    23   21   +2    15
5 Lopinka Lynx             16    4   4   8    13   21   −8    12

Inter-Conference Playoffs:

Vilisorma Yutzies 4–2 Turoki Islanders
Turoki Islanders 1–2 Vilisorma Yutzies
Vilisorma Yutzies 6–5 Turoki Islanders
Turoki Islanders 5–4 Vilisorma Yutzies
Vilisorma Yutzies 3–3 Turoki Islanders (4–3 OT)

:: Vilisorma Yutzies Advance 4-1 ::

Yeaddin HC 2–2 Lonngeylin Storm Surge (3–2 OT)
Lonngeylin Storm Surge 3–1 Yeaddin HC
Yeaddin HC 6–4 Lonngeylin Storm Surge
Lonngeylin Storm Surge 4–3 Yeaddin HC
Yeaddin HC 1–0 Lonngeylin Storm Surge
Lonngeylin Storm Surge 2–3 Yeaddin HC

:: Yeaddin HC Advance 4-2 ::

Vilitan Hockey Championship

Yeaddin HC 0–1 Vilisorma Yutzies
Vilisorma Yutzies 2–3 Yeaddin HC
Yeaddin HC 0–2 Vilisorma Yutzies
Vilisorma Yutzies 1–0 Yeaddin HC
Yeaddin HC 1–2 Vilisorma Yutzies

:: Vilisorma Yutzies Win 4-1 ::

VDHL History
Season 1: Yeaddin HC def. Turoki Islanders (4-2)
Season 2: Yeaddin HC def. Turoki Islanders (4-3)
Season 3: Vilisorma Yutzies def. Yeaddin HC (4-1)

by **Hannasea** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 2:00 am

RP cutoff for QFs.

News

Guild of Launderers wins bidding to host final.
Team of the Tournament to be announced at Guild of Alchemists ahead of 3PPO game.
Guild of Baristas builds ice hockey arena, immediately chips up ice for frapuccinos.
World Assembly office investigated for structural soundness of fourth wall.

Quarterfinal results:

Elejamie 4–2 Unified Sunrise Islands
Esparmuran 1–3 Valanora
Vilita and Turori 1–2 Novaya Zemlya
Ficiscia 1–0 Royal Kingdom of Quebec

Semifinal draw:

(1) Elejamie v (13) Ficiscia @ Guild of Mercers
(10) Valanora v (11) Novaya Zemlya @ Guild of Pepperers

by **Ficiscia** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:03 am

Ficiscia among the Top 4 of the World

Hadrianus Ninnius from Hannasea - It is not often that one of our sports teams leave a whole nation, and probably quite a few more in the world, in shock. But this first quarterfinal in our ice hockey history was such an opportunity. Not only were the Quebecois completely stunned after a narrow 1-0 loss to our boys, Ficiscia's team themselves seemed overwhelmed by their achievement. And it was a spectacular one as well, one that hardly anyone could complain about. A display of solidarity, team work and skill that was certainly matched by the Royal Kingdom of Quebec, but could not be surpassed by one of the big favourites for the title. Even though the Quebecois were stronger in front of both goals for 60 minutes and had more shots in every period, it was our boys who managed to score the sole goal of the game in the third period.

Most of the team had been present in that famous RO16 series two years ago in Quebec, when they took us back to the ground roughly after euphoria took off in Ficiscia faced with the first KO-qualification in the first attempt. But then, a brutal 1-3, 1-5 defeat meant that the adventure was over a lot quicker than we had hoped. Of course, the squad had grown since then, but it was still largely the same team that competed, and they all remembered that fateful nights in Quebec. But then, this also made sure everyone in this team did not only want to advance, but also wanted revenge for what was and may forever be the worst defeat in Ficiscian hockey history. In a pre game interview with TF2, Sergius Marcantor stated that this kind of task would bring the team closer together, and it did indeed seem like he was right. Ficiscia has often shone in its hardest moments and toughest games rather than being great when it was not required, which may be why we never managed to win a group so far. Today was no different.

It was a delight for any viewer from this nation to watch the fire with which Ficiscia's defense checked, worked and skated, but the offense ran into a solid Quebecois wall for most of the time. Only towards the end of the first period, more chances could be created but not converted, and the Ficiscian team failed to break through this tough defense. It would need a fast counter attack to do that, and a penalty against the own team. Nobody expected Marcus Vaccarius to be a nation's hero when the center had to face a two minute slashing penalty in the third period. But Minor could play the pass right onto Vaccarius's stick when he got out of the penalty box, and suddenly there was a breakaway. A Quebec defender could still hold Vaccarius back, but then the center went down - and the referee decided instantly that it would be a penalty shot. This decision, which the replay - in my opinion - confirmed, was the turning point of the game as Vaccarius managed to score it and Ficiscia's solidarity in defense would be enough to shut out the Quebecois. The decision of coach Muratus to let Aedificor play this match after two shutouts against Sjovenia and Mercedini was perfect as the Carinha goalkeeper managed another shutout and now still has not received a goal in three games.

Now, Elejamie is waiting for us. The highest seeded team of the KO round had paid us a pre-tournament visit resulting in a 3-1 victory thanks to what many, including me, called the best game of a Ficiscian team so far. But this score was reversed on the return game in Elejamie, where the Ice Elephants were the ones to win 3-1. Elejamie will still go into this semifinal as the favourites thanks to their history and experience, and Ficiscia has a bad track record in hockey semifinals (two losses in the WJHC semifinals), but we have done it before and will be able to beat Elejamie again. If everything goes our way, that is.

In the second semifinal, reigning champions Valanora who beat Esparmuran 3-1 will face Novaya Zemlya, imposing themselves on Vilita and Turori with 2-1. Both of them only scraped through with a 2-2-0 record, even though Valanora's group was so equal that it was enough to let them win it anyway. The Novozemlyans somehow made it without ever shining and even had to consider replacing their coach at one point, but I assume that this semifinal qualification will convince the Novozemlyan federation to keep Bogdan Bobr in charge. I feel like it would be a loss to lose this man. Valanora kind of flew under our radar despite their great opening game win, but then won a make-or-break game against the so far surprisingly well-doing Serbian Empire to secure group victory. Since then, their matches have again not been stunning, but the record world champion was up to the task whenever it was needed. And they were not facing easy opponents, with Gregoryisgodistan and Esparmuran. I see a slight advantage for Valanora here. Anyway, we are looking forward to two awesome games that you can both catch live, as always, on TF2!

by **Elejamie** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 4:17 pm

"... Sports now and we turn to John Daverson who has the news on Elejamie's quarter-final match against the Unified Sunrise Islands. John?"

That's right, Steve! Good morning, Elejamie! The Icy Elephants are now through to the semi-finals of the World Cup of Hockey following a 4-2 win over the Unified Sunrise Islands. Elejamie, who had came back from a disappointing 1-0 overtime win over Anthor, were hoping to bounce back from their previous two games, both of which were seen by fans as "dismal". And they managed to do it in style in a hard-fought game where it looked like things could go either way. As always, here are the highlights:

The first period saw both teams try their hardest to get one over their opponents. In fact, Elejamie came the closest when Cerin Meloten's snap shot just struck the post, with Marty Svelber catching Anatoly Kasputin's rebound. However, they would also be the first team of the match to score a goal. Just under four minutes after the start of the period, Stacy Saunders opened up the scoring with this beatiful snapshot that just made its way past Svelber's glove; Paul Morton and Greg Warren were credited with the assists. However, Elejamie's luck didn't last long as, with five minutes left in the period, Paul Morton received a two minute minor for high-sticking Sigmund Riber and, thirty seconds later, Gabriel Jørgenson managed to score on the breakaway, thanks to a bit of clever deking and assistance from line-mates Phillip Lee and Tyson Sharp. Although the Icy Elephants would try valiantly to regain their lead it was no use and, at the end of the first period, it was a 1-1 draw, with things looking like they could go either way.

The second period saw things slow down a little bit, but Elejamie were still getting plenty of good shots on target. Anatoly Kasputin's slap shot was saved by Svelber; Cerin Meloten's wrist shot hit the post with Hinata Suzuka clearing the puck; William Matterberg accidentally moved the net just as Paul Morton was lining up his shot. Even when Sten-Svante Bernhardsson had to be ejected from the game for a horrific boarding attempt on Felipe Barajas, the Icy Elephants were unable to put any more past Svelber. However, it was Elejamie who'd end up breaking the deadlock. Roughly eight minutes left before the end of the period, Stacy Saunders - who received the puck from Mike Cruickshank - passed it to Bill Harrison, who put the puck past Svelber thanks to a wrist shot that scraped the crossbar before hitting the back of the end. After that, it was pretty much smooth sailing for Elejamie, even when Danilo Barajas received a double minor for high-sticking Brian Skinner. Eventually, when the second period came to a close, Elejamie were ahead by two goals to one.

The third period was where all the action was. Five minutes in, Ethan Swinburne extended Elejamie's lead with a wrist shot and assistance from Aaron Andrews and Adam Keane. However, it didn't take long for the Unified Sunrise Islanders to reply back, with Albert Johnsson scoring the Islanders' second goal of the night three minutes later - a backhander, which was assisted by Brian Skinner and Christer Göransson, that just slipped under Antonio Cervantes' stick and into the back of the net. After that, the Icy Elephants tried their hardest to answer that last goal, with several good shots from Andrews, Morton, Saunders, Kasputin and even Francisco Solano either missing their target or getting caught or deflected by Marty Svelber. But, near the end, they finally managed to answer back with that all-important goal. Eventually, with a minute left to go, Svelber was pulled by coach Blessed and replaced by an extra attacker. This allowed Saunders to score his second goal of the night, where he simply stole the puck from Hao Lan and simply tapped into the net. Although neither side was to score afterwards it didn't really matter that much as, at the end of the third period, the score was 4-2 to the Icy Elephants, who had made their fourth consecutive semi-final. In fact, all three of tonight's stars were Elejamian players: Stacy Saunders, Antonio Cervantes and Bill Harrison.

In a post-match interview, head coach Michael Madgwick said "Some definite improvement there from the boys. Toni had a good night and I don't really blame him for letting in those two goals. Stacy had an excellent night, with two goals an assist and a well-deserved star. Ethan and Bill also had a great night. Everyone else did very well tonight, as they normally do. Hopefully we can keep this good momentum going for the next couple of matches."

"Who do you think you'll be playing next?"

"Hmm... To be honest, I don't really have a clue. Just as long as it's not Valanora, shall we say?" (After a brief chuckle, he continues) "But if I had to pick, I'd say Ficiscia or Novaya Zemlya. Ficiscia because they're a good team and they could definitely be a challenge. After all, they did beat us 3-1 in that friendly and they're proving themselves to be a formidable foe. And Novaya Zemlya, because they're also a good team and they've beaten us before, if any of you remember the Gofrerazo back in Ko-oren. But, if I had to pick one out of the two... I'm going to say that we'll probably be up against Ficiscia."

In a different post-match interview, Stacy Saunders said "I'm going to be honest: As cocky and brash as I was in my earlier interviews, I actually had some doubts about myself. After all, I was replacing Lucas Madgwick and I was joining a whole bunch of guys who had made it to the last couple of finals. But now, I'm getting there. I'm proving myself. Those two couple of goals, plus that assist, shows that I'm feeling a lot more confident. Who knows? I might bag a couple more points in the semis, even the finals if we get there or the third-placers if we don't. Either way, better get some more practice in before I have to worry about any of that."

In the other quarter-final matches, Valanora proved their nay-sayers wrong when they managed to beat Esparmuran 3-1; Novaya Zemlya managed to edge out Vilita and Turori 2-1; and Ficiscia managed to pull off a shock win when they beat the Royal Kingdom of Quebec 1-0, thanks to a goal from Marcus Vaccarius. So, as we now move towards the semi-finals, we can see that we've got two matches remaining: Elejamie vs Ficiscia and Valanora vs Novaya Zemlya. Will it be another Elejamie-Valanora final? Will Ficiscia manage to pull off another giant killing? Or will Novaya Zemlya beat the odds and make it to their first World Cup of Hockey final? Find out tonight on Puck Drop!

Meanwhile, over in the Werenth Regional Football Tournament, Elejamie got off to a great start when they beat Yuzhnyy 4-2. The Soccerphants, who were invited to the tournament as part of their allience with Praciba...

Period			P1	P2	P3	FS
Elejamie		1	1	2	4
USI			1	0	1	2

by **Valanora** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 11:45 pm

Valanora Times
What Was Old Is New

Remember how a week ago there was total consternation and concern that the Calcuttas were not among the best teams in the world of hockey despite being the reigning champions in the sport? Remember all the rumors going around that the manager and coaching staff was going to be replaced and the roster turnover in the next tournament was going to be so extensive that no one would be able to recognize the squad? Remember all the fans who were outraged and confused by the tie against a team that few of them had ever heard before, how the entire fanbase felt like it was in frenzy looking for anyone and anything to blame for that apparent failure? It sure is strange how all of that seems as if it was a an entire lifetime ago despite it just being a week ago, as the Calcuttas have churned out three straight wins against respectable opponents and now find themselves in the Semifinals of the World Cup of Hockey once again.

We have touched on it before but you can not give enough credit to the captain and the vice captains for the role that they have played since that tie against Arkan and the roll that the squad has been on since then. Not only have they lead emotionally as you would expect from the leaders on the team, but they have been putting in the performances on the ice as well, leading by example instead of just through words. It is the sort of response from your leadership that books and movies are later made from, though in order for it to become a fairy tale ending there is still a pair of games that the Calucttas will have to win and that is by no means a given. However that there is now two games guaranteed for the team is a big change from how it all looked a week ago and the prospects that are on the table for the side.

Esparmuran was supposed to be the biggest teams for the Calcuttas before a potential matchup against Elejamie, and everyone remembers the titanic clashes that those two teams have had in recent memory, with their high flying forwards and stickly defense. It was supposed to be as if playing a mirror of each other for the Calcuttas but instead of being intimidated by the fact, they seemed to relish it, as if the opportunity to show who played the style the best was something that they had been quite looking forward to. Fast out of the gate, the Calcuttas were beating Esparmuran to every fifty-fifty puck and avoiding the forecheck of their talented forwards with crisp and smart passing, such as they displayed in the Round of Sixteen against the high pressing opposition there. It was obvious from the opening faceoff that this was not going to be a game in which the Calcuttas were going to pushed around or give it their all.

A goal in every period is just about as good as it gets for a team, as it shows a level of consistency and talent that you want from a top tier team that is looking to capture another title and against the highest level of competition as well. Better than that was that it was goals from each of the scoring lines, showing a level of depth that a few naysayers have said that they squad has lacked, that they relied too heavily on their first two lines to carry the load, especially against the better teams in the tournament. Esparmuran's forwards were not going to be denied their chances though and they made it a tense game with six and half minutes left in the second as they managed to grab a goal and cut the Calcuttas' lead in half, giving them hope going into the third. But as we have mentioned, the side was ready and nabbed a goal four minutes into the third to restore their two goal cushion and then played solid defensively to see out the rest of the game and secure their spot in the Semifinals.

They expected to see Elejamie and Quebec in the Semifinals along with them, as they make the rest of the "Big Four" of Hockey, alongside the Calcuttas and Esparmuran, however only Elejamie is there as Quebec was subject to a monumental upset. Ficiscia, whom some of the fans back in the Eternal Empire might recognize from their shows in the Hockey Champions' League, stunned Quebec and the entire Hockey world as the edged out the favorites by a one to nil scoreline, suffocating that amazing attack of Quebec in the process. With Novaya Zemlya upsetting the Vilitan Union in the other Quarterfinal result, Elejamie and our squad have been spared a match up in the Semifinals and instead have a possible rematch in the championship game to look forward to, if each team can avoid the upset bug that was present in the previous round.

On a club level, Vanorians have dominated the teams from Novaya Zemlya, though that is not saying much as the EHL has won all but one of the rebooted Champions' League and mostly in an impressive fashion. However the history on the national team level is too sparse to really give a good gage as to how they will matchup against the Calcuttas and you have to rely on the club results to show you the matchups. Typically the games are high scoring in which we win and that seems likely again as the two meet for a chance to move on to the Championship game. While I am not expecting any ten goal thrillers, a three to two win does not seem that far out of the question as the Novaya Zemlya side has demonstrated a good but not great offense as well as defense. Everything points to the Calcuttas having the edge, so it is then up to them and that leadership that has been hyped up so much this week to go out and perform as they are expected to and then see if it has proven to be enough.

by **Hannasea** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 2:00 am

RP cutoff for SFs.

SF results:

Elejamie 3–2 Ficiscia
Valanora 4–0 Novaya Zemlya

3PPO (5 September)
(13) Ficiscia v (11) Novaya Zemlya @ Guild of Alchemists

Final (6 September)
(1) Elejamie v (10) Valanora @ Guild of Launderers

by **Elejamie** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 7:44 pm

Elejamie vs Valanora: A Second Head-To-Head Comparison Because, Yup, We're Up Against These Guys Again

And so, after a tough game against Ficiscia, we've now made it to the finals. The last time we played these guys, it was a pre-tourney friendly over at the Declan Madgwick Memorial Stadium over in Davenport, WYKN, which is pretty much the home of the Dockers and the national team. We had returned home from Ficiscia after a 3-1 defeat and wanted to make sure that we do better on the return leg. And we did, since we beat them 3-1. Baldur Hejman opened up the Ficiscian scoring with a good slapshot roughly a quarter of the way the first period, although Cerin Meloten managed to quickly respond on the powerplay. The second period didn't see any action, although Anatoly Kasputin scored our second less than a minute after the period started and, with only a few minutes left on the clock, Stacy Saunders set up a nice shot for Paul Morton to make it 3-1.

But where was I? Oh, yes, last night's Elejamie-Ficiscia game. Since I'm sure Breakfast News over on ETV1 has a better summary of last night's game, I'm going to keep it brief. Cerin Meloten scored the first goal of the game eight minutes, ten seconds into the period. However, in the second period, the Lynxes managed to get two on us, with goals from Hejman and Sergius Marcantor meaning that we were down 2-1 going into the third period. Fortunately, we managed to turn things round when, just under three and a third minutes into the period, Stacy Saunders equalised us and, nine minutes and one Francisco Solano boarding minor later, Anatoly Kasputin put us back in front on the breakaway. Eventually, when that klaxon went off for the final time, we all celebrated. Why wouldn't we? After all, we were hoping to rebound from that pitiful loss in the last World Cup and hopefully bring home another trophy. And now it looks like it could happen.

The bad news is that we're up against Valanora, who had managed to defeat Novaya Zemlya in convincing fashion. 4-0. Yeah, they're on the rebound and we're their last target in their line of fire. But, then again, we might get lucky and might turn things round in our favour. Either way, I've decided to go back to my Elejamie vs Valanora head-to-head article from a few months and pretty much update it. I've cut my "winning" section out of fear of jinxing our chances. I've also cut out the Group Stage section, seeing as I've already brought it up in a previous article and like hell am I going to plagiarise myself. In other words, we've got a best of seven thing going up. So let's get to it.

Also, before I start, I'm not sure if I've already explained this but the difference between "Defence" and "Goaltending" is that "Defence" talks about how many goals were let in, seeing as a solid defence is a good way to not let any in, whereas "Goaltending" talks about each individual goaltender and how well they did during the tournament. OK, I'll start my article now.

Best Result

Elejamie 3-0 Greater Vakolicci Haven: Our only group-stage shut-out victory came against the Greater Vakolicci Haven, a team whose last game ended in a narrow 4-3 defeat to Tobiasia. But it was still a great match. After a goalless first period, the Icy Elephants scored two in quick succession; Anatoly Kasputin scoring a goal after the puck rebounded off the goalie's stick (a classic manoeuvre) and, about 20 or so seconds later, Meloten himself stealing the puck from a pass and blasting it into the net. Then the third and final goal from Paul Morton sealed the deal. I would've also put the 4-1 win against Cosumar or the other 4-1 win here (maybe even the 4-2 QF win against the USI) but, to be fair, this was a better result. I think you can all agree.

New Jarwel 1-5 Valanora: What a way to start a tournament, eh? A convincing 5-1 win that shot them straight to the top of the Guild of Launderers Group. Although I can't find much info about this match (or even who New Jarwel sent out onto the ice), not to mention that Ficiscia's 6-1 thrashing of the hosts the next day was an even better result, I will still admit that the Vanorians' opener would've been a pretty great one to see.

Winner: Valanora. Because five is a bigger number than three. (0-1)

Worst Result

Elejamie 1-0 Anthor: The first time we faced them, we got a convincing 4-1 win. The second time... a 1-0 win. In overtime. My god. What the hell happened? Did the offence just themselves off? Did we think that we were so obviously going to win that they just didn't bother to show up. Whatever the reason was, it lead to a boring game where most of the time I had more fun counting the pixels on my TV. On the upside, at least Cerin Meloten's goal was actually pretty cool. So well done to him. And well done to Lupe and Adam [Keane] for setting him up. At least there was that.

Valanora 0-0 Vilita and Turori: After that 5-1 win I mentioned not four paragraphs ago, it was Valanora's bye day, meaning they didn't have to play any games. I'm guessing that coach Litheth didn't schedule any training that day or that the players got completely wasted some point before the match. Why do I say that? Because they blew an easy game against a team twenty placed below them. In a game that the Calcuttas could've easily won by a couple of goals, the Ice Cat Things managed to completely shut out their opponents. However, it wasn't all bad for Valanora as Suiadan Lasséseth still managed to keep the puck out of the net and I guess the Vanorian defence still managed to do their job alright. But still. Come on, lads.

Winner (or, in this case, least worst result): Elejamie. Mostly because we actually scored. (1-1)

Finals Experience

This is Elejamie's third final in a row. In the 29th edition over in Quebec, they made it there by winning a hard-fought series against the hosts, with plenty of good fights and a few good goals scored from both teams. Eventually we were up against the Ice Slaves who had been taking a slow, steady and more defensive game, as the lack of goals from them showed. We managed to defy the odds and take home our first World Cup of Hockey trophy. In the 30th edition in Norrehavn, we had played two games where our defence simply weren't there, the semi-final series against Kaboomlandia. This probably bit us in the ass as the first and second games against Valanora in the final were both high-scoring games that were decided in overtime, with Valanora winning the decider 3-2.

Valanora, on the other hand, won the tournament five times. They won WCoHs 7, 8, 17, 28 and 30. They even made it to the final of the first competition, although they lost the final. Sadly, I don't have any info on that match or even the tournament but I'm pretty sure the Calcuttas felt bummed about it. Oh, well, they managed to rebound eventually.

Winner: Valanora. The five wins they have is a testament to that. Let's just hope that we manage to band together and make sure they don't get a sixth. (1-2)

Offence

Elejamie's goal-scorers have been, shall we say, a bit underwhelming this time round. In fact, there were two games where we clearly had several chances to put more goals on the board (Tobiasia and game two against Anthor), yet we didn't for whatever reason. But, to be fair, we also had a couple of games where they were actually in their zone. The 4-1 opener against Cosumar and our first game against Anthor, which was also a 4-1 victory. The 4-2 win over the Unified Sunrise Islands the other night. The 3-0 win over the Greater Vakolicci Haven, that was another one. Still, at least it leaves us with 21 goals in 7 games, meaning that on average we've scored exactly three goals a game. Not bad but it could be better.

Valanora, meanwhile, have also scored a fair amount. Ten in four group stage games, followed by a 1-0 win over the Ice Slaves. Not bad, right. Of course, they followed it up with a 3-1 win over Esparmuran and a very convincing 4-0 victory over Novaya Zemlya (which was very nearly my pick for their best game). Overall, with 18 goals in seven games... On average, about 2.57 goals per game. Also a bit underwhelming but they've been managing to improve on that, as their last two games have proved.

Winner: Elejamie. A couple of mis-steps, yes, but hopefully they'll manage to be awake enough to get some past Lasséseth (or whoever the Calcuttas have got in goal). (2-2)

Defence

Elejamie's defence has also been quite solid. For a start, they let in three goals which, combined with the thirteen goals from the group stage, meant we were the first seed thanks to a GD of +10. Then there was the shutout win over Anthor (again) which could've been great if it wasn't such a boring match. And, finally, there were the quarter-final and semi-final games against the Unified Sunrise Islands and Ficiscia respectively. Either way, with seven goals allowed in seven games, leaving us with a GAA of exactly 1, I think it's fair to say that we've got a pretty solid defence.

Valanora's also got a solid defence. They finished top of their group with a GD of +6 (10 goals for and 4 against). Then came the knockout stages were they managed to turn things round. They had one shutout (1-0) against Gregoryisgodistan, one goal let in (3-1 against Esparmuran) and another shutout to boot (4-0 against Novaya Zemlya). Impressive. In the end, with five from seven, that leaves the Calcuttas with a GAA of 0.71.

Winner: Valanora. Two goals don't seem like much but it makes a whole lot of difference when it comes to these sorts of things. (2-3)

Goaltending

Elejamie's goaltending have been pretty solid this time here. Toni Cervantes has had a couple of shutouts, like the match against the Greater Vakolicci Haven and the second game against Anthor. In fact, he's never let in any more than two goals (4-2 against the Unified Sunrise Islands and 3-2 against Ficiscia). Hell, even Peter Berg did quite well in goal, letting in only one, which came from that 2-1 win over Tobiasia. Pedro Cervantes hasn't started yet and probably won't be starting (or even benched) in tonight's big game, which is a pity.

Valanora's also had a whale of a time, with three shutouts. Whilst I'm not sure if Mabrinrin's started instead of Lasséseth at any point in the tournament, I can say that - whoever's been in goal - the Calcuttas had three amount of shut-outs (against Vilita and Turori, Gregoryisgodistan and Novaya Zemlya). And they too haven't let in too many goals; again the most they've let in two (2-2 against the Republic of Arkan, another game they clearly should've won). So clearly they're doing a good job.

Winner: It was close but, by virtue of having more shut-outs, I'm giving this one to the Calcuttas. (2-4)

Fighting

Elejamie may have a few good fighters in their squad but, strangely, only Franny Solano has dropped the gloves for us during the tournament, when he and that Vakolicci player started going at it. And we probably won't see another fight during the final, see below for why. Oh well, if you're into that sort of thing, there's always the next tournament. Hopefully.

Once again, the Calcuttas don't like fighting. Either because they're frail, they prefer playing a good clean game or because they're super-powerful and it's not worth trying it out on mere mortals. Or it could just be an elf thing. Either way, no points for them there although, as you can guess by the score and that there's no categories after this one, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Winner: Elejamie, natch. (3-4)

And the winner is: Valanora. But, let's face it, they were going to win this anyway. However, will they win tonight's big game? Although you can probably guess what my answer will be, I will still admit that it should still be an exciting game. After all, Valanora's a good team, they've got some star players and they're #1 for a good reason. I wouldn't say it's a rivalry, though, seeing as there isn't much history between us (compared to Quebec, which spans 50+ years) and they might not feel that strongly about us. But, either way, I'll still sit down and watch it, cheering on coach Madgwick and his boys.

Besides, if I do get annoyed with the score, I can always get a couple of beers and just watch game three against Gregoryisgodistan again. That was a great game, wasn't it?

by **Hannasea** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 2:01 am

RP cutoff for the 3PPO.

3PPO result:

Ficiscia 4–1 Novaya Zemlya

by **Valanora** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:47 am

Valanora Times
Here We Go Again

In the end, everything seems to work out if you give yourself enough time and patience to allow events to unfold rather than overreacting to what happens during the moment. It is quite against our nature though to allow for that process to take hold, as our lives and existence feel more important if we judge everything in the moment and that every single thing that transpires is of great importance so that it must be immediately reacted to. Even for immortals, it is hard to go against this innate sense of wanting everything to be of relevance in the grand scheme of the cosmos, forgetting that in that scheme that a single individual and their goals, desires, and events in their life is so often minuscule. All of us desire for our lives to be relevant and important and yet in the biggest of pictures, they are not, but it does not keep us from trying to make them so, even for those of us that are but the smallest imprints on the world around us.

Such was the overreaction to a pair of bad results that the Calcuttas had in the group stage such that their advancement out of the group had been in jeopardy, it was a natural but ultimately pointless exercise which so often leads to more frustration than there ought to be. Had everyone remained calm and assured that the team would bounce back from the disappointment, then perhaps we would have been able to better appreciate the display of the team since rather than just now having that small measure of respect and appreciation for the team's performance. They have progressed like a rolling stone that began the tournament at the apex of a tall mountain and though initially having found great speed, hit a few obstacles that slowed its momentum but ultimately was dashing down the mountain with purpose and nothing but the most resolute and immovable of objects was going to stop it in its path.

This is found in truth as the Calcuttas' best performance in the tournament came last round, in the semifinals where you expect all the games to be tight and quite difficult as the teams that reach this stage are in theory the best in the world at the moment. Novaya Zemlya had had a growing and respectable history in the tournament and sport, as their clubs are up there alongside the Vanorian and Quebecois as the best in all of the world. This was going to be a stern test of the Calcuttas' mettle and determination, could they overcome a team that seemed to want the chance for the title more than the Vanorians who were too accustomed to success did. However what transpired was the biggest single sided affair in the knockouts save for Esparmuran's eight to nil demolition of Nassau-Hessen in the first round of the knockouts as the Calcuttas' ran away with a four to nil victory and securing their spot in the Championship game for the third time in four tournaments.

On the other side, Elejamie finally had a major test in their path to the Championship as Ficiscia showed all the quality that you would have expected from the team that knocked off Quebec in the previous round as they nearly did the same to the Icy Elephants. Instead Elejamie found a way to emerge victorious against the strenuous that Ficiscia had posed to them, setting up a rematch of last tournament's Championship series in this tournament, and as the nations from where the President and Vice President of the World Cup of Hockey Federation come from. There is a reason why Elejamie and Valanora are considered two of the big four nations currently in the sport and it is only fitting that the two sides should once again meet to decide who the champion of the World should be.

Last tournament, the Elejamie media hyped up their team as the ultimate favorite against the Calcuttas' and it seems that two years later they have decided to take a less abrasive approach in their evaluation of the two teams. Perhaps it is their belief that the war of words in the press somehow played mind games between the two teams and lifted our side to find themselves able to resist what was supposed to be an avalanche of talent that they were going to throw at us. They are quite talented it is true, as they have not lost a single competitive match since losing to the Calcuttas in the Championship series, rolling over nearly all those who would stand in their way in the expected dominant fashion of the second best team in all of the land.

Where do the Calcuttas' have the edge against the Icy Elephants, where can we hope to find a weakness that the team can exploit in order to find their way to a sixth title in their history? Ultimately, there is no edge beyond the fact that the Calcuttas have more title in the tournament than their foes do, which while a great feather in the cap and morale booster for the team, it does absolutely nothing to better the teams' chance of winning this game. This is a game of two very even squads who both know how to score goals for fun but also play a lock down defense against the high caliber and offensive teams. Each are flexible enough in their approach that no one style or tactic can be used against them and find sustained success. The coaches and players on these two teams are too talented to be bested but by some average tinkering and hopes of winning.

What there is to be the difference is the effort and want to that each team will be willing to put out in order to achieve what they have set out to achieve. The leadership of both teams has seen them through stressful situations in this tournament and their forwards have found the net at times as if it was for fun. The question is who really wants it the most, who is going to put it all on the line in order to win, who is going to put their body out there in the shooting lanes with no regard to their health if the play dictates it. That was the difference two years ago and it once again will be the difference here in Hannesea, which perhaps is the best way to see out what has been quite the memorable tournament. Vanorians will be hoping to see the trophy lifted for a sixth time, further cementing their place as the best in the sport, while Elejamie wants the trophy to try and bring themselves into the conversation. However the result goes, it should be a hell of a game.

by **Hannasea** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 2:01 am

RP cutoff for the final.

Final result:

Elejamie 3–1 Valanora

World Cup of Ice Hockey 31 [Rosters/RPs/Results]

Who is online