World Cup of Hockey XL - Everything Thread

by **Terre Septentrionale** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 3:58 pm

OOC: I usually do a written article but here's a live broadcast. This happens during the 2nd intermission.

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud (analyst): Welcome back to la soirée du hockey. Terre Septentrionale is leading 4-3 after two period, we actually were leading 4-1 but Sarzonia scored two goals in the 2nd period after Jenny Hockey scored her 2nd goal of the game early in the period.

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet (play by play guy and analyst): Sarzonia is playing well since they called their timeout in the 2nd period, the Nordiques better regroup and make sure they don't allow a goal.

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: So, Bruno... what would you do if you were coach Grondin? You would keep attacking or play defensively?

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Tough question... I believe we have the defense to play defensively and that's what i'd probably do... I think Grondin thinks the same way, Terre Septentrionale is expected to play defensively in the 3rd period rather than keeping attacking.

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Yeah Grondin will probably play defensively but I'd rather play offensively... the best defense is the offense!

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Yeah... By the way I'm a little concerned by the health of Sarzonia's goalie Jacob Parsons... I'm not sure but it appear he suffered a concussion on Jenny Hockey's first goal...

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Yeah.. let's hope the best for Parsons... we don't like to see an opponent being injured...

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: So... in case their 2nd goalie gets injured in the 3rd period, who would be in net for Sarzonia? Do they have to hire our zamboni driver or something?

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: If they have a 3rd goalie and he's in the arena they can use him... but if they don't have a 3rd goalie, no it's not the zamboni driver... it's actually Ostrzeszow Pizza's chef cook who played junior hockey 20 years ago. Ostrzeszow Pizza is a restaurant chain in Terre Septentrionale which operates a restaurant in Oujé-Bougoumou's Colisée.

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Well, a chef cook... that's worse than a zamboni driver...

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Ok... let's make some predctions... we asked our researcher Nathalie to find a fan in the stands who can come in studio to make predictions with us... we asked her to find the most hottest fan ever and we expected to have a cute girl with nice b..bs but instead we have a dude... so what's your name and what you do in life?

Christian Archambault (hockey fan): Yo whuts up! I'm Christian Archambault, I'm back from Valanora where I attended every Terre Septentrionale U-21 soccer games and I'm a male underwear model!

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Oh crap, he's that stupid fan we saw on tv the other day...

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: He was on tv? Well anyway so I'm gonna ask y'all which two nations from each group do you think will advance to the playoffs? Let's start with group A... in group A, I see Québec and Reçueçn advancing to the round of 16. Reçueçn are actually an intriguing country, I think they can do well

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: I believe Québec and St. Saratoga will make it... Québec's rank is a little low but they've always been a good hockey nation and St. Saratoga they're the highest ranked team in the group...

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Your turn Christian...

Christian Archambault: Hmm I like Quack My Bush because I always quack when I have s** with my boyfriend behind the bush! so they will win and in 2nd place I see Tay-shan because they're Tay tay and they shines!

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud (disgusted with what he's hearing): Let's move on with group B... we won't see any surprise here... Neu Engollon and Kelssek will make it... I see Kelssek over Gyatso-Kai because... I don't know... they're slightly bertter I think...

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Neu Engollon and Gyatso-Kai... I htink the Bisons are a good hockey team and they'll pull off a surprise...

Christian Archambault: Trolleborg because I like trolls and Conehead because I like cone heads...

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Let's skip group C... so in group D, I see current champions Cassadaigua and Vilita and Turori.

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: same for me: Cassadaigua and Vilita and Turori.

Christian Archambault: well Logon because they always Log on and Log in and they don't Log off and the 2nd team is The Jovannic because...

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Ok, we don't need your stupid explanations... in group E I see Banija and Fluvannia

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Banija and Equestria...

Christian Archambault: Equestria because I love talking horses, Chromatika because I love Lady Gaga and Poof Mersia because Poof! I like to say Poof! So Poof again!

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: That's three teams dude... well anyway, in group F I see Valanora and Gergary

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Valanora and Devonta

Christian Archambault: Valhalla and Newtonians and Notts because they're awesome names!

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: In group G, I see Abanhfleft and Savojarna

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: same, I see Abanhfleft and Savojarna and I believe TJUN-ia will have a good run and finish 3rd but it's not enough.

Christian Archambault: La Florida because I believe it's a good hockey market and Fafanfleftf because I just love their name...

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Group H, I see Siovanija and Teusland and Adyatin will pull off a surprise...

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Siovanija and Teusland and HUElavia

Christian Archambault: Siovanija and Teusland

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: You can pick a second one

Christian Archambault: I picked two... I picked Siovanija in 1st and Teusland in 2nd!

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: They're the same nation!

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: And now... group C, honestly I see Mercedini and Ko-oren

Bruno Bruneau-Brunet: Mercedini and Ko-oren either

Christian Archambault: Anyone but Karen because Karens are racist... I think I pick Sylestone because it's a good name and Terre Septentrionale because we're the best Go Terre Septentrionale!

Jean-Louis Lavoie-Renaud: Thanks y'all we have a comercial break and the 3rd period will start after the break... It's 4-3 Terre Septentrionale after two periods.

by **Taeshan** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:37 pm

"Pull the goalie."

"What?"

"I said pull the goalie."

"Seriously, coach?"

"Pull the goddamn goalie."

"Coach why did you pull me out?"

"I want to score a goddamn goal here."

"But coach..."

"I know what I'm doing."

"It looks like the Purple Knights are pulling the goalie here. Interesting choice from the Coach, Ryan Appleby. Very interesting choice."

"They move the puck forward. Kordell back to Quarant. He shoots. Rebound picked up by Gagne, Gagne back to Pierre on the point."

"The Receucn defense just kinda sitting their, not really pressing the visitors. "

"I mean fair play to them, it doesn't make any sense they don't need to score."

"Lafayette, the sixth skater on the ice with Williamson pulled saucers it to Quarant, Quarants shot is saved, rebound Kordell. Saved."

"Face off. Kordell win's it over to Drew. The one-timer the Knights score."

"I mean I guess a Pyrrhic victory in the third period for the Knights. Who now look to only lose 5-2. I guess that goal gives them something to move forward with."

"I guess. This is the sort of match they need to win to have a chance with the hosts, and St Saratago the top seeds, losing to the seed behind you...Well we'll see you guys next time...Probably."

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 7:51 pm

Hockey Today Magazine

Ehrenliga’s Finest

The Big Bad Wolf: Wolf Bleich

Hockey Today’s ‘Ehrenliga’s Finest’ section looks back on the long history of hockey in Siovanija & Teusland, focusing on the players, teams, moments and games that have contributed to the culture of the game in our country. Today, we take a look at one of the finest players ever to lace them up in Wolf Bleich.

Born in the mountain village of Bad Liesental, about 25 minutes west of Stahlburg, Bleich grew up on the local pond, learning to skate at just age 2. As he grew up, Bleich continued to be a great sportsman - in addition to his hockey success, becoming quite acquainted with the local mountain climbing scene. Bleich was committed, however, to playing hockey, something he loved more than anything else in the world. He was the star player of Bad Liesental’s youth teams, and by the time he was 15, he was recruited to play for the Stahlberg Miners team in the Teus Senior Hockey League.

Bleich, despite his young age, quickly became a star for the Miners, and that only brought more and more attention to him. At age 16, he signed a C-Form contract with the Stelburg Kaisers. That meant that when Bleich turned professional, he would be obligated to sign with the team. Kaisers scouts saw him as the player that could help them break a bit of a dry spell, and be a star for the club. He then transferred to the local Kaisers junior affiliate team.

This was the era before the draft - the era of the Original 6. The Stelburg Kaisers, Eisbaren Stelburg, the St. Jakob Saints, Olympia Borograd, Kapitala Borograd and Energija Chernovets. The Kaisers were one of the richest, and best-supported clubs in the league. And after being burned losing young players too many times, they built an empire of scouts across the country to identify the best of the best and get them signed up quickly. Bleich represented the first big capture for the club.

And so, when Bleich turned 18, it was expected that he would go into the Kaisers lineup. The club had obtained an exemption for him in the military draft. Bleich, however, saw most of the friends he had grown up with enter the Army for their mandatory service, and told the Kaisers that he did not want any special treatment. The Kaisers were not happy, but they also knew Bleich’s talent, and thus approved his request.

At the time in Siovanija & Teusland, mandatory military service was for two years with an optional one year extension. Bleich thus spent two years serving in the army, while also playing for hockey teams in the various army leagues. Bleich had always been a speedy, skilled player. In the army, however, he was taught toughness. You had to have thick skin to go into the corners against some of the biggest, strongest men in the entire country. Bleich’s famous elbow was developed here, a technique he used to battle against opponents throughout his career. After two years, his service term ended, and Bleich finally joined the Stelburg Kaisers.

Bleich’s first game was the Kaiser’s opener of the 25th Ehrenliga season. The club had finished last placed the year before, all the great legends of the previous dynasty having been retired. It was truly Bleich’s team now, and alongside a few other youth players like his centre, Ernst Braune, and defenceman Rudi Rehn, there were brighter days ahead. The team outperformed all expectations of them that year, finishing 3rd in the league, and taking on hated rivals Olympia Borograd in the first round of the playoffs. The Kaisers would win the series in 6 games, but were swept in the final by the St. Jakob Saints.

The second season was nearly identical - the Kaisers finished second, defeated Olympia in the first round, and lost to the Saints. Real change, however, was seen in Bleich - everything was beginning to fully come together for him. He’d been solid in year one - he was excellent in year two. “I hate battling him in the corners,” said Saints defenceman Bert Habich, “He’s just so strong.”

The Kaisers came back the next season with a vengeance, desperate to capture the elusive Strauss Cup. It had now been 7 years since the club had won the championship, and it was time to change that number. Bleich and Braune formed an exceptional pairing on the top line, joined by Lars Creuzberg, who had been acquired from Eisbaren Stelburg in the offseason. Bleich led the league in goals and points, and the Kaisers finished first overall in the league. In the playoffs, they swept Energija Chernovets in the first round before finally slaying the dragon of the St. Jakob Saints, winning the series in six games.

It was the beginning of a great Ehrenliga dynasty. Until then, the longest run of Cups in a row was 3 - once done by the Kaisers, once done by Olympia Borograd. With Wolf Bleich leading the way, however, the Kaisers would first defend their crown with a big win over Kapitala Borograd in the Cup Final. It was defended again the following year with a resounding sweep of crosstown rivals Eisbaren, and then, fittingly, the Kaisers defeated Olympia Borograd to win their fourth straight Strauss Cup title.

Bleich was the key player of the team. He was quick and skilled - something many great forwards of the era could also say. But few were as tough as Wolf Bleich. He could battle in front of the net, along the boards, behind the net - anywhere, he was willing to fight for the puck. His famous elbow became a legend across the league, causing more than a few players to back off from him in the corner. After one incident where the elbow caused an injury to Eisbaren Stelburg defenceman Leon Ruhl, Bleich earned the nickname that would stick with him for the rest of his career: The Big Bad Wolf.

After those dynasty years of Bleich’s youth, however, the Kaisers would go through a period of change. Ernst Braune was traded to the Saints for a few players, none of whom would have the same impact as Braune. And for all the talk of the Kaisers’ great youth program, few big names were coming through - certainly none as good as Bleich. The Kaisers lost in the finals to Kapitala Borograd the year after their 4th straight Cup, then lost in the first round twice in a row against Olympia Borograd, who were en route to back-to-back titles of their own.

Things started to look up, however, when the team made some moves before the 34th Ehrenliga season. The most promising young goalie in the league - Walter Gebauer - had been property of the St. Jakob Saints. The Saints had offended young Gebauer, however, with a bad contract offer - and traded him to the Kaisers. The Kaisers were more than happy to oblige his demands, and give him the ice time he needed to develop further. That first year, the club made it back to the Strauss Cup Final, losing in 6 games against a surprising Energija Chernovets team who had seemingly come out of nowhere to win the Cup.

The next year, however, was Bleich at his best. He was utterly dominant - and with new linemates in Gerd Nothnagel and Claus Bronner, seemed to click instantly. The Kaisers wouldn’t be stopped in the regular season, finishing first again, before defeating Olympia Borograd and the Saints in the playoffs to win the Cup. They were first again the year after, this time beating the Saints and Eisbaren Stelburg in the Cup Final. After 11 years in the league, Wolf Bleich had won 6 Strauss Cups.

The Kaisers were stymied the next season, however. Wolf Bleich had had the number of Olympia Borograd throughout his career, but it was finally time for the men in green to get some revenge. Olympia shocked the Kaisers by knocking them out in the first round, before the Saints eventually captured the championship. While the Kaisers would avenge their defeat to the eternal rivals next year, they too lost to the Saints in the finals.

Going into season 39, the Kaisers once again pulled out all the stops to take back the Cup. A familiar face in Ernst Braune was re-acquired to play with Bleich again. The Kaisers also acquired one of the league’s better defencemen in Elmer Riesz from Eisbaren Stelburg. Combined with a new generation of young players in the team, the Kaisers were refreshed and ready to go.

What followed was the greatest season in Ehrenliga history. 61 wins, 8 ties, and 7 losses. It’s a record that has never been eclipsed, and likely never will be. It’s hard to state how dominant this team was, other than perhaps through the rules changed because of them. Minor penalties now expired immediately after a goal was scored, rather than continuing to run - this was done after the Kaisers scored three times on a single 2 minute power play. Bleich was great, Braune was great, Riesz, Rehn, Gebauer - there wasn’t a player on the team that had a bad year. The playoffs, too, were a breeze - a sweep of Kapitala Borograd in the first round, and only 5 games to beat the Saints in the Final.

Ernst Braune retired after that season, and a few other veteran players were out the door - but not Wolf Bleich. In addition to his nickname as ‘Big Bad Wolf,’ he was beginning to pick up a new nickname: ‘iron man’. Bleich had never missed a single Ehrenliga game at this point in his career. The Kaisers led by Bleich would still rally to win the Strauss Cup that season, the 8th of his career, after beating Olympia Borograd in the Finals.

The team, however, broke up after that. Elmer Riesz’s play fell off after an early injury the next season, and he would retire later that year, after the Kaisers had lost to Olympia Borograd in the Cup Final. Rupert Rehn was traded to the Saints. Another contract dispute saw Walter Gebauer leave the club - and head to the only Teus team he hadn’t yet tried, Eisbaren Stelburg. Eisbaren would win the next 4 Cups in a row with him in net during his prime, while the Kaisers languished - never bad, never great.

Prior to the 46th Ehrenliga season, Wolf Bleich had been finally considering retirement - he was now 41 years old, and while his smarts and physicality were still present, his speed was falling off. He was a different player than he’d been in his youth, but had managed to change roles quite well. A long talk with Kaisers coach Oskar Bahnsen before training camp convinced him, however, to come back. Bleich would serve as a veteran leader to a team being turned over to a new, younger generation. Quickly, though, it became evident that he could lead the team to something more than that.

They surprised the league by finishing in second place during the regular season, setting up a battle with who else but Olympia Borograd. Future all-star defenceman Stanislav Slezak was in his first season with Olympia, and the rookie was assigned to cover Bleich. While fans at the time didn’t know it yet, it was a clash between the greatest player of the era now coming to an end against the greatest player of the era just beginning. The veteran Bleich, however, would come out on top - the Kaisers prevailing in 6 games, to set up a match against Eisbaren Stelburg in the Final. Eisbaren were the dynasty of the day, dominant all over the ice - but the underdog Kaisers got the best of them here, winning 3 overtime games, including the decisive 6th game, to win the Cup again. It was the 9th and final Strauss Cup title of Wolf Bleich’s career.

Halfway through the next season, Bleich’s iron man streak would come to a halt at 1647 games after an injury to his ankle caused him to miss 16 games. That injury had more lasting effects, however, robbing him even more of his past speed. Bleich finished out the year with the Kaisers, and played the next season as well in a reduced role. His time at the club would come to an end, however, as the Original 6 era came to an end.

After the 48th Ehrenliga season, six new teams were added to the league. These were the Felsenkirchen Jets, Orlovi Stavropol, Seelowe Marlesee, Rudar Trkev, Vrnovo Islanders and the Kaiserhaven Knights. An expansion draft was held to give these teams players - and the legendary Bleich was picked by the Jets. It was a decent fit - the Kaisers and Bleich needed to move on from each other at this stage in his career, and the Jets could use him as a leader for their young players. Bleich would play two seasons in Felsenkirchen, carving out a new role for himself as a defensive forward, before announcing his retirement from the game after season 50.

Bleich retired from the Ehrenliga as its all-time leader in games played, goals and points. He was offered a position in the Kaisers’ front office, one he readily accepted. During the 52nd Ehrenliga season, however, shockwaves resounded throughout the hockey world as a rival league - the Republic Hockey League - was founded. The RHL had 8 teams across the country, including one in Bleich’s hometown of Stahlberg. Attempting to make a big splash, and gain credibility, the Stahlberg Steelers offered Bleich a massive contract to join the club. To the surprise of everyone, even himself, Bleich accepted.

Wolf Bleich was now 45 years old. After two seasons away from the came, few people thought he could still play - especially given how his final two seasons had seen him develop into a role player. The relaxed pace of the RHL, however, plus the opportunity to finally rest that ankle, saw Bleich outperform all possible expectations. He was still quite clearly one of the best players in the RHL, and was a key player for the Steelers. They would win three RHL championships in Bleich’s five seasons in the league, before he eventually retired at age 50. “When I first started playing, I said I’d be happy to play until I’m 30. Then 40 hit, and now 50… I’ve been so, so lucky throughout my career, and I’m eternally grateful. The time has come, however, for me to retire from hockey,” said Bleich after winning his final championship in his final season. Bleich then returned to his job with the Kaisers front office, serving as an advisor to the club for many years.

Wolf Bleich is remembered today as the greatest player of the Original 6 era. His toughness, too, helped define the next era of the league, which saw physical play become more important than ever. He still holds the all-time games played record in the Ehrenliga, and is second in goals and points. The league’s most valuable player award is named the Wolf Bleich Trophy in his honour. Stanislav Slezak called him the toughest player he ever faced. And Anatol Weisz, the only man to date to have broken Bleich’s goal and points markers, saw Bleich as a childhood hero and to this day calls him the greatest player ever. When the RHL eventually merged with the Ehrenliga, the Stahlberg Steelers joined the league, and officially retired Bleich's number - the second club to do so after the Kaisers.

Truly one of the finest players to ever play in the Ehrenliga - and certainly the best player in the storied history of the Stelburg Kaisers - Wolf Bleich is forever a legend.

Wolf Bleich’s Career Highlights

Played for Stelburg Kaisers (Season 25-48), Felsenkirchen Jets (Season 49-50), Stahlberg Steelers (RHL seasons 1-5)
Won 9 Strauss Cup Championships, and 3 RHL championships
Ehrenliga All-Time Games Played Leader (1884)
Ehrenliga All-Time Ironman Streak Holder (1647 games)
Ehrenliga Most Valuable Player x9
Ehrenliga Leading Pointscorer x11
#9 jersey retired by Stelburg Kaisers and Stahlberg Steelers

Total Ehrenliga Statistics: 1884 games played, 721 goals, 1247 assists, 1968 points
RHL Statistics: 243 games played, 111 goals, 140 assists, 251 points

World Cup of Hockey Matchday 1
Siovanija & Teusland vs Graintfjall
@ Stelburg Eispalast, Stelburg, Teusland

Scoring Summary

First Period

5:57: Goldhorns goal scored by Edwin Ranger, assisted by Bohm (1-0)
12:44: Goldhorns goal scored by Vitomir Glaskov, assisted by Pfenning, Schiele (2-0)

Second Period

6:20: Graintfjall goal scored by Jack Jokulsson, assisted by Alexandersson (2-1)
14:06: Goldhorns goal scored by Razvigor Tsvetanov (PP), assisted by Heider, Schlager (3-1)

Third Period

9:14: Goldhorns goal scored by Edwin Ranger (2), assisted by Gottschall, Bohm (4-1)

End of Game: Siovanija & Teusland 4-1 Graintfjall

by **Kayangan** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:37 pm

Cereta 02

Group H
((16)) HUElavia 0–1 Kayangan ((UR))
Goal scorer: Jengking Artaruna Raja

It is unbelievable when the "VVIP sons" team that has no rank can beat their strongest opponent, namely, HUElavia which has the 16th rank. The "VVIP sons" team that is strictly escorted by Special Platoon 21, Presidential Guard Regiment led by Captain Captain Arus Beradik can also provide fierce resistance to HUElavia. Before the match started, the team shaman, Sembah Kebayan had held a sacrifice and the chicken blood was given to all the players to drink so that their spirits would be brave and their cowardice would disappear immediately.

Although known as the Malay states but heaven is not a country that practices Islam fully, they still revered demigods and sculptures as well as trust shaman and black magic. So much so that every sports team has their own official shaman. Sembah Kebayan is one of the most respected old shamans in Kayangan, even though she is 80 years old, her beauty is still unfade until some say she is only in her 40s. So strong is the black magic that she practices. They believe old shamans originally can bred the qarin for the purpose against the enemies. They are powerful, undead creatures who can adopt human form at will.

The second match of "VVIP sons" is against Lorenthia who is ranked 23rd, hopefully they get a second victory.

by **New Waldensia** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:57 pm

NEW WALDENSIAN NATIONAL TEAM -- THE AVALANCHE
Trigram: NWD
Colors: Dark Blue and Gold

An upstart team, the New Waldensian Avalanche are entering the international stage for their first time. Coach Luther Sexton is leading a fast-charging team that leaves it all out on the ice, but lacks depth and needs work on defense.

ROSTER
Coaches
Head Coach: Luther Sexton
Assistant Coach: Blake "Blitzin' Blake" Barnard
Assistant Coach: Johnathon Tanner
Goalie Coach: Franklin McDaniel
Goalies
#6 Jarvis Dunlap (A) -- starter
#22 Stephan Portillo
#14 Connagh Patrick
Defenders
#10 Otto Benitez -- 1st line
#36 Karl Andersen (A) -- 1st line
#20 Harley Blackburn -- 2nd line
#74 Jesse Beltran -- 2nd line
#69 Jarod Murray -- 3rd line
#55 Billy Bull -- 3rd line
#85 Haakon Olsen -- 4th line
#16 Audric Dunlap -- 4th line
Forwards
#8 Bob Sampson -- 1st line
#60 Caspian Estes (C) -- 1st line
#44 Ioan Searle -- 1st line
#12 Igor Duffy -- 2nd line
#30 Piers Handley -- 2nd line
#39 John-Paul Snider -- 2nd line
#81 Patrick Stokes -- 3rd line
#96 Nikola Mackie -- 3rd line
#62 Keanan Frost -- 3rd line
#19 Noel Coates -- 4th line
#38 Tye Gallagher -- 4th line
#3 Mikey Howarth -- 4th line
Reserves
#58 Jeffrey Bolton
#13 Greyson Christie
#22 Herman Gough
#46 Ciaron Potts

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: Yes
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Yes
Godmod Other Events: Yes

Style Modifier: +4

by **Neu Engollon** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:15 pm

“Hello to all our viewers, international and domestic, I'm Karl Demais your host on the NETV 7 Sports Update. Magda, my regular co-host, is still out on assignment...aka drooling over rugby players. As we have been starting out the last couple shows, we'll begin again with the World Cup of Hockey that is happening all over the world. We saw the game, hosted right here in Albertville, and what a game it was. We're coming to you live from Golden Cross Arena.
Before I get any deeper into it though, we'll welcome none other than the lead man himself...He played for a number of teams in the NEHL with his longest stint being with the Albertville Hedgehogs, after being one of the highest scorers in Burgunden University history, He played in countless world cups..."

"Eight. I played in eight."

"Was it eight?"

"I retired after the 29th, then took over coaching the Ibex from Coach Liu."

"Right. Well, since you ruined my intro, Andre...The big man himself, Andre Manon."

"Thank you, Karl. Good to be here. Both on the show and back to the town I spent many years in."

"You started with them back when they were still the Albertville Axemen, is that right?"

"Briefly yes, they were still called that when I joined the organization. There was some controversy, people got all bent out of shape. Went right to horror tropes instead of thinking about the logging history of the area in the canton. It got ridiculous. Now the team is named after little spiny creatures. Go figure."

"I remember that vividly. I think we did a whole special on that. They rerun it sometimes on NETV 19. Anyway...Yes, you're back in the stadium, which before BB and Golden Cross got naming rights, it was just the Albertville Stadium."

"Yes, that's right. Fond memories here."

"Do you think that contributed to the fervor of tonight's game?"

"Well, maybe. I'm not the only on the Ibex who has played or still plays for the Hedgehogs. I think the crowd really gets whipped up to see international level hockey right here in the Confederacy. Some of these folks drove hours from all corners of Neu Engollon to get here in the hopes of scoring tickets. Those that didn't make it in are having a massive tailgate party outside."

"True. It beats the old days, when the games were all played overseas in the host country. At least we get a couple games here at home."

"Yes, but it also takes a toll on the team having to globe hop all around to get to all the group games. It only feels like home when you don't have to hop on a plane the next day to be somewhere else. There is that trade off. It's good for the fans, not so good on the stamina of our boys."

"So, you don't think they should do the travel home and away games?"

"I don't believe it's worth the cost. I don't see the benefit, other than some tourism and ticket sales, I guess...but that does nothing for the players who are pretty road weary before they finally head back to Quebec for the playoffs..."

"Well, I think the tourism is a big part of it, yeah. Both around the country, and from abroad. Albertville has been inundated with Kelssekians, some have been here for days considering this was the big match up of the group. So, let's get into it...the Game."

"The game. Yeah."

"I'm already hearing rumblings that both squads' defenses just walked off...went on strike. Figuratively, of course. What do you say to that?"

"I hear that a lot when it's an unusually high scoring game. We got 7 goals. That's a lot. We let 3 through. That's a lot too for a championship team. These things happen. I think it's easy to focus on the defense, but that dismisses strong offense. Our wingers and centers were on point. Line One got the job done, with extra insurance. Their shooters were top notch, too. They wouldn't be in the top 20 if they weren't. You can't just blame our defense and say they were on vacation for letting players like Lescarbeau and Gilchrist score. Also, can we talk about Mathieu Fabre? Still greenish around the gills, but man, that kid can skate. He's got an incredible future ahead of him and I wouldn't be surprised if the NEHL tries to snatch him up."

"So you're giving credit where credit is due?"

"Karl, our goal was downrange at an artillery practice field. Cal Bassatti and Pascal Soltis took a pounding from all the curtain of pucks raining down on them. I do have some issues with the defense in letting that happen and we'll straighten that out, but a lot of those shots were long range. They were going to the snipers because they couldn't get in close. They got lucky three times. You're bound to get some in that way, but it also showed that they were extremely afraid to cross that red line at some crucial times. We weren't, we put the pressure on and got 4 more goals."

"Come up for air, Andre. We have time to hash this out. But not at the minute. We'll be back folks with more from Coach Manon after this upcoming sponsor break. Keep it on NETV Sports 7 Update..."

by **New Waldensia** » Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:13 pm

World Cup of Hockey Matchday 1
Mercedini vs New Waldensia

"Welcome to the Word Cup of Hockey, it's Matchday 1. I'm Ike Freeman, joining you here in the Royal Kingdom of Quebec for tonight's matchup between third-ranked Mercedini and the New Waldensian Avalanche, entering the World Cup and the international stage as unranked underdogs. Joining me tonight in the booth is none other than "Ox" Lucard. Katrin Hansen will be joining us at the next break with a behind the scenes look at the Avalanche and their first visit to the big stage. Ox, what should we expect tonight?"

"Well Ike, Coach Sexton has a blitzing team put together, but they've got to manage emotions and prepare for a battle tonight. The Mercedini Kingfishers are a force to reckon with, highly ranked and touted on this stage. They've got to make sure they settle in for the long haul, and don't burn out early. They'll need to keep pressure and take advantage of any openings they get. It's gonna be a tough one tonight to break in the World Cup on."

Mercedini defeats New Waldensia 4-0.

Freeman: "And that's the final play of the game. Mercedini 4, New Waldensia 0."
Lucard: "Tough match, but it will be valuable experience for this young team. They went out in too much of a rush at the beginning, and couldn't get their strategy to work against a ferocious onslaught by the Kingfishers. Coach Sexton and Barnard have to do a better job at adjusting to the pressure."
Freeman: "That does it for tonight. For Ox Lucard, Katrin Hansen, I'm Ike Freeman bidding you goodnight. We'll be back with more action tomorrow, here at the World Cup of Hockey."

World Cup of Hockey Matchday 1
Mercedini Kingfishers vs New Waldensia Avalanche

Scoring Summary

First Period

3:20: Kingfishers goal scored by Fabio Kelodon, assisted by Bernard Santo (1-0)
12:44: Kingfishers goal scored by Sergey Dolocic, assisted by Mario Supsai (2-0)

Second Period

16:04: Kingfishers goal scored by Bernard Santo, assisted by Fabio Kelodon (3-0)

Third Period

8:39: Kingfishers goal scored by Bernard Santo (2), assisted by Fabio Kelodon (4-0)

End of Game: Mercedini 4-0 New Waldensia

(OOC: first time doing anything hockey related, so let me know if any of this is unrealistic, lol)

by **Fluvannia** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:36 am

[ARENA SPORTSZONE TRANSCRIPT]

(A pair of men are seated behind a newsdesk in a television studio.)

"Evening everyone, and welcome to Sportszone. Stuart van Pelt with my longtime co-host Taro Tsujimoto -- let's get into it. Big story of the day, the World Cup of Hockey is underway, and our Bears hosted Poafmersia at War Memorial Arena in Rochester. Bears coming off a disappointing hosting of the first Conservative Hockey Cup, looking to get back in the Win column in front of their fans."

(Voice-over continues over replay footage, describing what is seen on-screen. Fluvannia's players are in their blue primary jerseys, Poafmersia in primarily metallic gold with white.)

SVP: "First period, things get off to a good start. Less than five minutes in, Miggy Gutierrez of RIT, recently moved up to the senior team, puts a booming slapshot from the point on net. Poafmersian goalie Hadi Darby ends up in the way despite being screened, but coughs up a juicy rebound that Matt Grabowsky is able to cleanup."

TT, chuckling: "They don't ask how, they just ask how many!"

SVP: "Amen, brother -- after that though, Darby really buttoned down. Teukka Salama down at the other end of the ice, didn't see a whole lot of action as the Bears managed the play for most of the first, and he might have been a little rusty because of it. Two and a half to go in the period, Diogo Aita carries the puck around the net, showing a wrap-around attempt. Teuk goes post-to-post to stop it and Aita passes across the crease to Kwaku Hermansson who buries the one-timer to tie it. Sort of a defensive breakdown by Terry Francis to allow that pass, really."

TT: "Well, you know how it is -- sometimes that tunnel vision sets in and you focus on preventing the shot. Usually Francis is pretty good at remembering where others are on the ice, he has a high 'hockey IQ'. Even the best have those moments, though."

SVP: "That they do, Taro. Second period is lots of back and forth -- not quite rapid back and forth, both these teams play a pretty balanced game -- but plenty of chances resulting in nothing but turnovers and clears. Mark Bradley gets called for a trip, and the visitors go on the advantage. Doesn't last too long before Hulderic Schindler puts a missile in from the blue line to put the Golden Phoenix on top."

TT: "We all know Bradley sometimes lets his antics overshadow his talent -- and make no mistake, he has talent in spades -- but the trip did seem like an honest mistake. The blade of his stick ends up under the blade of his opponent's skate and the other guy goes down; it's unfortunate for him but the rules don't forgive you for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hard to fault him here."

SVP: "Be that as it may, the Bears go into the second intermission down by one. Darby and Salama put on a goaltending clinic for the third period, right until a minute left in regulation; Salama went to the bench for the extra attacker, and Patrick Cleary moves back to the blue line since he's...pretty much the best two-way player the nation has ever seen. He was the one that actually put the shot on goal with 51 seconds left, but after a review, it was David Chekovich with a stellar redirect in front."

(Slow-motion footage of the replay)

SVP: "Puck actually goes down but then bounces off the ice and just up over Darby's left pad into the net. War Memorial goes absolutely nuts, you'd swear the Royals just won the Cup. No one managed to break the ensuing tie, so both teams kick the tournament off with a tie and a point in the Group E standings, tied for third. Taro, what do you think the Bears need to do before tomorrow night's game at Flekkefjord?"

(Back to the two in the studio.)

TT: "Well Stuart, the offense needs to be better. Lots of missed opportunities all over the ice, passes weren't connecting, a lack of physicality didn't help either. Just because international hockey usually sees a bit less of a physical game compared to the FHL doesn't mean you can't lay body on body. The Bears tonight looked hesitant; this was a chance to go out and lay a smack-down on a team new to international competition, get some of their mojo back -- and they missed the boat. They lucked out by having their first two opponents being newcomers, but if they want to switch gears before game number three against #7 Equestria on Saturday then they have one shot to do it."

SVP: "Well said. Alright, after the break, we talk Union Cup playoffs kicking off post-World Cup, the soccer team prepping for their first World Cup, the FOC considering an Olympic delegation, and NHA plans for skipping the season and running an expanded Hurling Open Championship instead."

(Cuts to commercial.)

by **Gyatso-kai** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:55 am

.:: On-board GyatsoAir Flight 3448, In-Bound to Roku Capital International Airport (GKRC)
1400 hours, 30 July 2020.3

The white noise of the Airbus 220 was barely audible through Shu Pianhuo’s headphones; they were supposedly noise-cancelling, however, Shu swore he could never get them to actually be truly quiet. In the last few months, Shu had spent more time in planes flying between the nations of the multi-verse than he had spent over his entire career. ‘The mileage you get on the National Team pays for itself at some point’ his grandfather used to joke with him especially after his selection to the Ice Bisons had been made official. Of course, his grandfather had known about his selection before he had even received the official call…

The benefit of being the grandson to one of the coaches for the National Team…

You see, growing up, Shu Pianhuo never gave any thought to his grandfather’s history. To him, he wasn’t “The Great Wall of Shu”, and he certainly wasn’t one of the first Avatarian hockey players to leave the borders of the Republics and play in a different national league, and he certainly wasn’t the coach who had brought Zhao Hotaka from a unknown upstart from the Republic Capitals into a world-caliber goalie who brought home the only multi-verse trophy the Avatarian teams had until last month’s Hockey Nations League. He wasn’t just a member of the original Ice Bisons; the first Avatarian team to compete on the multi-verse stage. He didn’t just win the Kuruk Cup four times in his career, and even brought home trophies from Cotedelapoms from his time on the Montréal Royals. He was so much more than all of those things.

He was ‘Yeye HG’… The guy who taught him how to skate, the guy who ever winter would bring the younger Pianhuo up to his home in Bingbao to skate on the frozen lake surrounded by maple and vehsok, cooking for him a traditional Earth Kingdom dinner surrounded by Water Tribe splendor in the far north of Gyatso-kai.

And now? He was simply “Coach Shu”… And Pianhuo wished he could go back to just being Yeye.

When he was named the starting goaltender for the Ice Bisons, Pianhuo knew he would get no special treatment. He remembered at the Training Combine how his grandfather did not even look at him in the net; how his grandfather looked through him and saw only another goalie trying to earn the national sweater. How after every drill, instead of receiving the ever-familiar praise he had earned through his twenty years of playing hockey, he simply got a “thank you 84” – his combine number – and a tap on the shoulder by his coach from Omashu. “Don’t take it personally”, Coach Liu Qiang An had told him after they left the ice and sat down together, “He has to treat you like everyone else… maybe a bit harder… so no one accuses him of favoritism should you make the cut.” Even that night of the combine, over dinner, the other Badgermole players tried to comfort Pianhuo: Watang Kouji and Kobushi Kaede told him that even Coach Liu was cold to them, and as a member of the selection committee, he couldn’t show any of them any sort of special treatment. Pianhuo understood the why, but it was still a bit odd for him.

Would rather deal with my own grandfather being cold to me than feeling like my teammates hate me…

It was no secret that the shake-up of the Ice Bisons’ roster between the Coupe Jacques IX and the fortieth World Cup had brought a bit of drama to a usually relaxed tournament cycle. The Omashu Badgermoles had gone from the third-place team in the AHL Regular Season to winning the Kuruk Cup and then travelling to Quebec and delivering a resounding victory in the inaugural HNL, and after such a whirlwind couple weeks, the National Sports Council had brought before Head Coach Ishii Hakoda the idea of simply cancelling the Training Combine and just bringing the Badgermoles to Quebec for the World Cup. Initially, Ishii had resisted the idea of the NSC telling him who he could bring on the team rather than allowing him the option of choosing the players on the Ice Bisons. It took a few weeks, but eventually Ishii agreed to prioritize Badgermole players at the Training Combine and bring independent reviewers who, through the use of advanced analytics, would present to him a statistically stronger roster for considerations. The result was the addition of six Badgermoles onto the National Team, including four on the First Line alone.

Including Shu… Who overjumped the two previous goalies for the team who had been fighting for the starter job before Bao Lin retired.

Not only did Shu cause a bit of drama with his appointment, but both Watang and Kobushi had displaced two long-time Ice Bisons from their first line spots. Watang had displaced Kuang Deniigi, a player who had been wearing the National sweater since before the Silence and one who at 37-years-of-age, was certainly not the happiest with his new role as a third-line duster with another pre-Silence player. Both Ki’an Losow and Kuang had made it known their displeasure of his new role when they took Watang to the board so hard in the first practice of the new team that he had to leave the ice for a few minutes to get checked out by the new team doctor. With Kobushi, the other offensemen had been a bit more accepting; with even Cheung Sepi – who Kobushi had replaced – offering to help him adjust to National Team Life.

Thankfully today I didn’t get replaced…

Four goals. Against Trolleborg, Shu – who had earned the nickname “The Permacrete Brick” during the last year – allowed four goals into the net on just 25 shots from a team that ASPN had rated as -5 in terms of style. Pure defence, yet they were solidly on point with their offence. Thankfully, with Song Unataq and Kil’or Alecyc on point in the game, the Ice Bisons were able to score six goals to win the match before coming back to Gyatso-kai to face Megistos at the Capital Centre. An unranked team, Gyatso-kai was certainly not going to let up on the gas as they prepared to face off against the number-one ranked team in the world, Neu Engollon. Megistos had been a bit of a surprise, keeping Kelssek to a blank game in their opener; Megistos was unranked in their first tournament run, while Kelssek sat in the Top 20. Certainly, Megistos would be a warm-up for the biggest game for the Ice Bisons, facing off against a team that shared quite a bit of history with them. Having faced off for the first time way back in the Twenty-First World Cup, the Ice Bisons and the Ibex were on the same road until the Silence when the Ice Bisons disappeared from multi-verse play. Growing up, Shu remembered the stories his grandfather had told about facing Neu Engollon in the old days, and how his coach at Omashu was once the Head Coach for the Ibex before The Silence.

Now, they were number one, having won the World Cup in the Ice Bisons’ absence, and had managed to become a perennial threat to any team. Granted, ASPN ranked them as a +1.2 in style, and in their game against Kohnhead they had let in a single goal and brought five goals home to win their match confidently. The team had looked strong, and many of the players on the plane were watching the match on their tablets to learn a bit about their opponents tomorrow; Shu was sure that once they landed and got into their hotel, Head Coach Ishii would call a meeting, and they would go over strategy before the evening practice, and then again in the morning.

But for now… It was time to relax on the flight and enjoy the break.

by **Vilita and Turori** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:01 am

AOHC Champions
World Cup of Hockey XXXIV Champions

Vilita & Turori Ice Cat Things
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Avalan Marcraw
Assistant Coach: Colora Boharii
Style Mods: +3.14159

Players shown in Jungle Teal are projected to be in the active lineup during the opening match of competition. Players may be subbed in/out of the active roster in response to performance, injury, quality of opposition or match importance.

Goalkeepers::
[ 80 ] 'Snowman' Avalanski [ - Seraai Icestronauts (VHL) - ]
[ 96 ] Fiko Oreta [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]
[ 92 ] Tommy Finn [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 42 ] Koyo Apen [ - Turoki Islanders (VHL) - ]

Defenders::
[ 37 ] Kevin Diesel [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 06 ] Dolak Vintal-Morta [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 62 ] Hluali Tiik [ - Turoki Islanders (VHL) - ]
[ 56 ] Torren Filiao [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 45 ] Cinnami Vellamoi [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 55 ] Bayyre Provichuk [ - Tivali River Sharks (VHL) -]
[ 74 ] Mike Ice [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 50 ] Rikki Budushield [ - Lopinka Lynx (VHL) -]
[ 57 ] Korus Korney [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]

Left-Wingers::
[ 32 ] Cartai Chiate [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 48 ] Ricky Fike [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 16 ] Vakki Cren [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 22 ] Ieeko Nareta [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]
[ 44 ] Alagre Wilnodstar [ - Lopinka Lynx (VHL) - ]
[ 26 ] Ippolit Entara [ - Turoki Islanders (VHL) - ]
[ 7 ] Fordin Unrangii [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]

Right-Wingers::
[ 4 ] River Suzgar [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 23 ] Eastern Raciani [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 41 ] Lance Blaki [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 21 ] Buffky Oktopi [ - Morata Valley Fog (VHL) - ]
[ 52 ] Malaino Oraziala [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]
[ 33 ] Askol Mastley [ - Morata Valley Fog (VHL) - ]
[ 49 ] Ki||to Orreta [ - Turoki Islanders (VHL) - ]

Centers::
[ 88 ] Ocean Suzgar [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 91 ] Tavren Raparon [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 22 ] Jualiar Fichaud [ - Alikki-Corra Aye-Ayes (VHL) - ]
[ 15 ] Emhaoi Linaozi [ - Vilisorma Yutzies (VHL) - ]
[ 32 ] Akitana Ruta [ - Yeaddin HC (VHL) - ]
[ 17 ] Ataris Filiac [ - Lonngeylin Storm Surge (VHL) - ]
[ 51 ] Denmastre Redfran [ - Lopinka Lynx (VHL) - ]

The Vilita & Turori uniform shirts are dark blue with orange and lighter blue striping. The shoulders are Vilitan Jungle Color while the elbows are highlighted in Eelskin Brown. The numbers match the striping in the lighter shade of blue with orange trim. The two-tone helmets allow the Vilita & Turori players to stand out on the ice.

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

by **HUElavia** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 5:41 am

HUElavia gets Upset in Opening Match Defeat!

HUElavia 0-1 Kayangan
(2nd Period: 5:03 Artaruna Raja)

In the opening match of WCoH 40 for Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos, the team was facing off against Kayangan, a South Asiatic country that were newcomers to Ice Hockey. The stadium was mainly Pro-HUElavia, in what seemed like it would be an easy victory. Unfortunately, that was not the case as the minnows of Kanyagan gave HUElavia a very difficult match where shots were going wide, and great saves by goalie Mambang Di Awan kept HUElavians out of the goal. The lone goal of the match came in a counterattack where Artaruna Raja slid it past Vasilevskiy to make it 0-1 late in the 2nd Period. The score would hold out, despite efforts from all lines that played, and the HUElavians were upset in a shocking defeat.

The next match will be against #5 Sijovana and Teusland, where HUElavians will have to fight for their lives in order to avoid an 0-2 start in the tournament. Fans will be flocking to the arena to support the team, whether it's a win or loss, and back home, millions will be watching the match from watch parties in plazas and parks and restaurants.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **PotatoFarmers** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 6:21 am

Patya Bosco couldn't sleep the previous night. Despite having close to 3 days here in Fluvannia, getting used to the environment and getting some training together as a team, the Phoenixes are still far from being ready. Bosco corrected mistakes after mistakes during training, with the players really prone to panic. This, after all, is not a drill. The players would be playing their first international fixture just 6 years after the first professional ice hockey clubs have been established in Poafmersia. The upcoming Poafmersian Ice Hockey League would only be the league's 4th season, and the players aren't really the most experienced players out there. Even Bosco's experience playing hockey was no professional ice hockey - during his time, playing ice hockey professionally was unthinkable, with players preferring to play field hockey. Most of his experience was playing field hockey, the more established branch of hockey in Poafmersia.
Not to forget how much pressure the ice hockey community gave the team. Following Poafmersia's meteoric rise in football (soccer, if you prefer), where the PFFA became the 32nd ranked association in club football rankings and the nation rose into top 50 in nation football rankings just after 2 World Cup cycles, Poafmers have been interested in watching their favourite sports replicate that level of success. Ice hockey would be the second sport where Poafmersia gets a team into the World Cup, and the pressure to follow the trend must be high.
The whistle blows. Within the first 5 minutes, the napping defence was caught red-handed as Miggy Gutierrez made a slapshot on the net. Despite goaltender Hadi Darby's efforts, Matt Garbowsky catches the rebound and gives the hosts the lead. Throughout the first half, the play was mostly on the Poafmersian half, as the more experienced opposition continued to press further. Poafmersia will not score till the 17th minute, where Diogo Aita made a nice pass to Kwaku Hermansson, allowing the Phoenixes to draw level for the first period.
The second period was where Bosco panicked. Making line changes after line changes, he tried to get another goal in but to no avail. It was not till the 35th minute where Mark Bradley of the hosts made a bad foul, giving Poafmersia the power play. Hulderic Schindler gets in a point really quickly to put Poafmersia up after the second period.
The third half was where Bosco went on full defensive mode, drawing out the heavyweights to stop the opponents from scoring. The players must have been rather careful not to give away a power play, but gave it their all to stop a goal. The Fluvannia Bears threw in a 4th attacker close to the end, and bam, there goes the lead. It was a rather close shot, something that you wouldn't see if you did not look carefully. With less than a minute to go, there was nothing you could really do, so both sides settled for a draw.
For Bosco, he was relieved the first match went quite smoothly. It was better than he thought, as the players did not receive a trashing, but was able to take home a point. The trip to Chromatika would allow Bosco to understand his team's abilities better, and understand how his team fares as compared to others in the multiverse. When he was interviewed by Poafmersian reporters, he tried to maintain a straight face, but everyone knows he felt happy about the result. "The players did relatively well on their international debut. Though they started out on the back foot, the players grew into the game and brought out their abilities. Though we were unlucky not to get the win, it was fair play to the hosts, who made a really nice goal to draw level towards the end." Bosco knew he was smoking that speech. In his heart, he felt really happy to take the point, and got the campaign off to a good start.

Fluvannia 2
Matt Grabowsky 4:53
David Chekovich 59:09

Poafmersia 2
Kwaku Hermansson 17:30
Hulderic Schindler 36:02

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:37 am

Childhood, Traces
PART 10 - All I ask

Spiritair Flight 4, from Salvador to Montreal

Is this by fate or design?

That’s all Asher thought of, as the Aerobus A360 was flying somewhere over the northwestern Esportiva. The Spiritair flight, a nonstop flight from Salvador International to Montreal Charles Merton Regimbault International Airport, was a smooth one, and with a clear blue sky and lots of cotton candy clouds over it, it seemed like a perfectly dreamy flight for an average traveller.

For Asher Chania Lundrigan, however, this flight was yet another part of the job that he was doing. Being a mid-tier journalist for Landslide International and AO Correspondent for Concord Heights Times since obtaining his M.A. at St. Croix had meant that he would most commonly associate himself with three words: Airports, Hotels, and Airport Hotels. Working in two different countries, his living arrangements were never stable, with him staying in his Plibury, Grearia, work-apartment for ten to fifteen weeks a year, and a room with a Queen size bed at chic Tiara Resort at Concord Heights, for just as many. Other times he’d be on the road or also spending time at his room in Quebec City that he rented from a recent St. Croix professor from abroad. So, a concept of home and being out and about has evolved into something else.

This, of course, had meant that he had to deal with unfortunate consequences that he would have avoided, had he decided to just move back to Kingston, nation’s fourth-largest city with notoriously provincial mindset, or Hampden, the college town of ole he cherished but knew he had to go elsewhere to prove something of worth in his life.

The fate, like it or not, was going to come back and bite me at some point.

Perhaps all that mobility issues, and moving around and about, may have played a role in him believing in the unusual. If there’s one thing you have noticed from our dear protagonist, dear reader, it’s that Asher Lundrigan never really discredited the possibility of fate, the karma, or pure coincidences. To him, everything had to make sense at some point, and even though the Lundrigans weren’t the Anglicans as they had written out on governmental census forms every half-decade, there was no denying that he believed in supernatural incidences and beings high above.

That convoluted sense of faith, that is both abstract and mysterious, yet clear and sound, partly came from how he knew something could always happen. Being a grandson of a famous baron-commander on one end, and a Vdaran King on the other, wasn’t something to joke about. No matter what, people would notice whom you are based on your familial background, a decent baseball career, and now his time as a journalist. That did play a huge role in his thought process as well, and he had to make sure to be careful of it and be prepared for almost every surprise in life.

Yet, after several years of a breakup, Asher never thought his ex-girlfriend would come back to his life as if a history book’s prewritten for them. His girlfriend was someone special. To him, she wasn’t just a famous singer-songwriter whose fanbase stretched far across the Commonwealth and the multiverse. She was more than that.

To him, she was more than just a pretty girl from Saint-Richard-upon-Battersea, a small town of 14,000 on the northeastern edge of Lyndhurst Forests, 45km southwest of Saint John-Habpo Twin Cities. She was a lot more than that long-distance relationship that we all had at some point.

To him, she was more than the endless texts and calls exchanged when they were still in high school. They were both busy- him having a darn good high school baseball career and her carving a very promising music career- but the distance made all worth it.

To him, she was certainly more than all the tears they had shed when they broke up, on a lonely night in Montreal. He still remembered how brutal the sight it was, to be there when the candles flickered and other tables rocked inside, as snow flurried outside at their restaurant. They knew that the tears were flowing inside and sooner than later, they spilt outside as they said their toughest words.

She was ‘the one’. The girl who taught him how to love, the one and only person whom he had felt something both special and serious to this day. She came into his life when he was lost and felt something was missing even at his height, and brought him newfound directions he had needed. And then, just like that, he had to let her go suddenly, just like how unexpected she came into his life when he was sixteen.

I did miss that autumn scent. The paintings, the leafy pool, and wild horses in those woods when I came to visit her that summer…

Asher thought to himself, as he slowly closed his eyes, to look back and hoped that all of this would just evaporate in mirage and he’d just have a solid day or two in Montreal. Unfortunately for him, it was still getting clearer and clearer that Asher Lundrigan had to see her again for the first time in five years. When he was alone again and had to prepare himself for college, Asher wished he could just forget about her altogether, and that their relationship was just nonexistent. But Asher also knew then that was impossible, and that proved to be the case. As he slowly rubbed his eyes, Asher remembered how he would sometimes hear a song or two of hers on radio, or find an article about her every once in a while. How her traces were very much there, even as he tried to remind himself that she’s not even in the Gaspesie region, did play a significant psyche over him during college autumns.

Of course, it would be silly to assume that their breakup had a role in him being a degenerate that we had just witnessed bits here and there. Asher had already seen enough in life and was open to trying whatever was out there in life. That's how he lived after all. This, however, manifested in weirder forms that his parents had dreaded and friends cheered, and the breakup may have played a role in it. But who’s to blame? I do not know, dear reader.

Asher questioned himself, as he tried to think about what would be best possible words to say to ‘her’ : Hello, ma’am, or miss. Nice-nice-to-meet you. It is, and always is, my absolute pleasure, to be with you, I meant to interview someone so prolific in the musical industry. I hope this, however awkward or hurtful it may-’

‘OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE ASHER. THIS IS FUCKING AWKWARD. YOU AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BRING IT BACK.’ He heard his other self interrupting him for advice, before engaging in a personal struggle. ‘Listen. The past is the past. All’s done and forgotten. But then, why does this all come back to you?’
‘Listen, Asher 2.0. I-, I-, I-...wish, that all...that all.’
‘Yes? Be clearer and tell me what you need to say.’
‘I just wish I could turn back the clock, and bring the wheels of time to a stop. I could have saved it all….and she could have saved it all...and we all would have...’ He slowly said to himself, stuttering and drowning in his own feelings. Then, just like that, a single teardrop drained down his face, as Asher slowly fell back into the arms of Hypnos in his domain over the international waters….

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:49 am

Here's MD2 Cutoff in Cardigan.

World Cup of Hockey XL - MD2 Results

Group A
Quakmybush 1–2 Taeshan
Wack-i 2–5 Reçueçn
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 4–3 St. Saratoga

Group A                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Reçueçn                        2    2   0   0    10    4   +6     4
2 Royal Kingdom of Quebec        2    2   0   0     9    5   +4     4
3 St. Saratoga                   2    1   0   1     4    4    0     2
4 Taeshan                        2    1   0   1     4    6   −2     2
5 Quakmybush                     2    0   0   2     3    7   −4     0
6 Wack-i                         2    0   0   2     2    6   −4     0

Group B
Kohnhead 2–2 Trolleborg
Megistos 3–6 Gyatso-Kai
Neu Engollon 7–3 Kelssek

Group B                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Neu Engollon                   2    2   0   0    12    4   +8     4
2 Gyatso-Kai                     2    2   0   0    12    7   +5     4
3 Trolleborg                     2    0   1   1     6    8   −2     1
4 Megistos                       2    0   1   1     3    6   −3     1
5 Kelssek                        2    0   1   1     3    7   −4     1
  Kohnhead                       2    0   1   1     3    7   −4     1

Group C
New Waldensia 4–5 Sarzonia
Sylestone 2–4 Terre Septentrionale
Mercedini 1–1 Ko-oren

Group C                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Sarzonia                       2    2   0   0    10    8   +2     4
2 Mercedini                      2    1   1   0     5    1   +4     3
3 Ko-oren                        2    1   1   0     3    1   +2     3
4 Terre Septentrionale           2    1   0   1     8    7   +1     2
5 Sylestone                      2    0   0   2     2    6   −4     0
6 New Waldensia                  2    0   0   2     4    9   −5     0

Group D
Solarampa 4–2 Logon
The Jovannic 0–0 Ranoria
Cassadaigua 1–2 Vilita and Turori

Group D                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Vilita and Turori              2    2   0   0     7    2   +5     4
2 Ranoria                        2    1   1   0     1    0   +1     3
3 Cassadaigua                    2    1   0   1     3    3    0     2
4 Solarampa                      2    1   0   1     5    4   +1     2
5 The Jovannic                   2    0   1   1     1    5   −4     1
6 Logon                          2    0   0   2     2    5   −3     0

Group E
Chromatika 1–2 Poafmersia
Fiekkefjord 4–4 Fluvannia
Equestria 3–3 Banija

Group E                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Banija                         2    1   1   0     7    3   +4     3
2 Equestria                      2    1   1   0     4    3   +1     3
3 Poafmersia                     2    1   1   0     4    3   +1     3
4 Fluvannia                      2    0   2   0     6    6    0     2
5 Fiekkefjord                    2    0   1   1     4    8   −4     1
6 Chromatika                     2    0   0   2     1    3   −2     0

Group F
Natanians and Nosts 0–1 The Sherpa Empire
Delaclava 2–0 Gergary
Valanora 6–3 United States of Devonta

Group F                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Valanora                       2    2   0   0    13    6   +7     4
2 Delaclava                      2    1   1   0     3    1   +2     3
3 Gergary                        2    1   0   1     3    4   −1     2
4 The Sherpa Empire              2    1   0   1     3    3    0     2
5 United States of Devonta       2    0   1   1     4    7   −3     1
6 Natanians and Nosts            2    0   0   2     3    8   −5     0

Group G
Lovisa 1–2 TJUN-ia
Jeckland 1–3 La Florita
Abanhfleft 3–3 Savojarna

Group G                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 TJUN-ia                        2    2   0   0     3    1   +2     4
2 Savojarna                      2    1   1   0     6    3   +3     3
3 Abanhfleft                     2    1   1   0     5    3   +2     3
4 La Florita                     2    1   0   1     3    2   +1     2
5 Lovisa                         2    0   0   2     1    4   −3     0
6 Jeckland                       2    0   0   2     1    6   −5     0

Group H
Graintfjall 0–2 Adyatin
Kayangan 0–0 Lorenthia
Siovanija and Teusland 3–0 HUElavia

Group H                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Siovanija and Teusland         2    2   0   0     7    1   +6     4
2 Adyatin                        2    1   1   0     3    1   +2     3
3 Kayangan                       2    1   1   0     1    0   +1     3
4 Lorenthia                      2    0   2   0     1    1    0     2
5 HUElavia                       2    0   0   2     0    4   −4     0
6 Graintfjall                    2    0   0   2     1    6   −5     0

by **Gyatso-kai** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:32 am

HOME Locker Room, The Capital Centre, Zhongzhou District, Republic City, Gyatso-kai
1233 hours local time, 31 July 2020.3

Another six goal game… but we still let in three…

Head Coach Hakoda Ishii was the last down the tunnel towards the HOME locker room at the Capital Centre, after following the team in from the ice once he finished his initial post-game interview with the ASPN crew; sure, he would still have to do the full interview after he debriefed the team, but the quick two minute blurb about how great the team did, and how competitive the opponents were, and how he’s just taking it ‘one game at a time’ were certainly a fair share better to give them the morose exasperations he had grown used to giving in tournaments past.

Don’t get too comfortable, Hakhak, he thought, the cacophonous sounds of “Shots” by something called “The Boiler Remix” or another blasting down the hall right outside the locker room. It was a victory song, chosen by the team, but Ishii could not help but miss the days when he and his team would simply chant “Vode An” after a victory, gather in the middle of the locker room, and perform that Mandalorian traditional battle dance. Often, Ishii felt he had done the team a disservice by not enforcing the Mandalorian traditions on them; in the Bisons initial runs through the World Cups before The Silence, a shared and unified culture brought the team closer together than otherwise possible. So close, in fact, that nearly twenty jì later nearly all of the team stayed in regular contact with one another despite how distant physically they all were.

Back then, we had a purpose, something to prove… And Kad’ika united us in Mandalorian traditions. This team is too diverse… I tried… and it didn’t work…

As the doors to the locker room opened, Ishii stepped through to a sudden silence. The team all rose to their feet, standing as though they were soldiers whose commanding officer had just walked into the mess. Each of the men were in various states of undress; it was the middle of the afternoon, and most of them wanted to enjoy that free day that was promised to them before the flight to Teremara and the game with Neu Engollon. Ishii held up a single finger, shaking it gently above his head. He smiled, extending a second finger and the men all cheered.

”Today, we took home victory in front of the home crowd, ade,” Ishii said, using the Mandalorian term for “soldiers” to refer to his men. He did not use Mando’a as much in front of the team as former Coach Skirata had, but maybe it was time to change that. ”And a resounding victory at that!”

More cheers.

”We brought a great offense onto the ice, and managed to put that puck into the net six times.”

Hoots and hollers.

”But we sacrificed a bit too much defence in the process. Mestigos was an unranked team, and we gave up three goals to them in the first and second. We must work on the back end of our play.” Ishii emphasized with the team. ”We cannot just win a game by scoring more than the opposition. You have a great goaltender in between the pipes, but he is not a miracle worker. Odd-man rushes and down-a-man goals happen, and if they happen more than we score, we don’t go home with the win.”

The team nodded in agreement, as if they understood what Ishii was referring to. It wasn’t a secret that many of the players bore some sort of animosity towards the young Shu Pianhuo: He came out of nowhere to help the Badgermoles win the Kuruk cup with an impressive six shutouts through the postseason, and then helped them the last time Avatarians played hockey in Quebec during the Hockey Nations League tournament. Many of the players had wanted to see Ming Zhanshi – the veteran Itakawai player who had signed an eight-jì extension right before the AHL Playoffs and the eventual second-place finish for the Lightning – take over when Bao retired. Many had wanted Ming to start and his teammate Dang Mun-Hee to be the backup; a one-two pair that had worked great together in the Regular Season and worked well through the playoffs. Yet no matter how much the players wanted it, Ishii could not ignore the performance given by Shu and he could not pass up the opportunity to shake up the status quo and put in a fresh goalie and see what he could get out of him.

”Obviously, we will go over a bit more tonight at the team meeting before dinner, but just know that I am very pleased with the result today. Tomorrow, we face a much stronger and well-seasoned opponent, and I am excited to see what we can bring to the ice when we face off against the Ibex.” Ishii looked around the team, eyeing making eye contact with those who were laser-focused on him, and wishing he could get the rest of them to make the same commitment.

”Though for now, I want to introduce you all to a bit of tradition the Ice Bisons had back when I was in your skates,” Ishii spoke, removing his suit jacket and placing it on the bench nearest him. ”All those years ago, before most of you had even dreamnt of putting on the National sweater, myself and the other 29 men who made up the Ice Bisons would celebrate each victory with a little show of solidarity with one another.”

Ishii rolled out his shoulder, and took a calming breath.

”You see, our coach back then – and now the Director for Avatarian Hockey – was a bit of a fanatic when it came to the ‘culture of the team’. As I am sure Dag’da there can attest, ol’Kad’buir steeps in the Mandalorian traditions. From his armor, to the words he speaks, to the actions he takes… That man is probably the most Mandalorian man to ever have been born.”

A few of the men laughed, especially Dag’da Skirata – the grandson of Director Kad Skirata – who could just imagine how much more ‘mando’ his grandfather could have been in his younger days.

”It was almost a prerequisite that you be fluent in Mando’a if you were selected for the team. I can remember practices at four in the morning when the only words I heard from Skirata were Mando’a swears and obscenities that made my blood boil that he thought I wasn’t trying hard enough. That I wasn’t good enough to wear the ‘C’ and lead ‘his team’. Haran, there were a few times the old man and I settled his opinion of me with our fists instead of words.”

Ishii could tell that he had every players’ attention at that last sentence. You actually fought your coach? he imagined them thinking.

”Coach isn’t lying there,” Dag’da Skirata spoke up, a smile on his face. ”Ba’buir… I mean, the Director… used to say Coach here had quite an impressive left hook.”

The men all laughed and Ishii smiled, just remembering the times that Skirata would come down on him, give him a good shove, and tell him if he thought he could coach the team better, than he better take out the old Coach ‘true Mandokarla[ style’ and Ishii, being a brave twenty-something man, thought he really could beat Skirata in a fight…

He never won.

”As much as that man beat us down and rode us like pack crawlers through the Great Divide, he earned every ounce of our respect with his devotion to, as he called it “The Old Way”. I want to give you all a glimpse of that way…” Ishii held up a single hand, and spoke loudly.

”Meh gar shekem te'Ruug'Resol'nare, kemi'at.”

Most of the players looked around, unsure of what was said. This team only had eleven players who came from the Mandalorian Autonomous Regions in Gyatso-kai, and some of them came from less-than-traditional homes. Ishii had no idea who followed the Resol’nare – the guiding tenets of Mandalorian culture – and he certainly did not know if anyone knew what he was going to ask of them. Though, just as he began to doubt his plan, Hed Torvik stepped forward. Known by many in the Avatarian hockey community as the “Mandalorian Shield” it did not surprise Ishii that he would understand his coach’s call. Next, came Relicyc Tho-An stepped forward, followed by Kil’or Alecyc and Jastor Kal’oki – a normally reserve player who had stepped in to replace Kuang Deniigi who sat out this game with a lower body strain. The four players all walked to Ishii, who had also been joined by the coaching staff present; Ikeda Kuruk, Ko Piandao, and Shu Huanguo all had done this ritual back when they played for the Ice Bisons, and they certainly understood Ishii when he called for it.

”Ori’vor’e” Ishii bowed slightly as he turned to the other players. ”In the Mandalorian culture, there is a ritual that was performed centuries ago before every battle. A chant, accompanied by a dance, that each warrior would perform with his brothers the night before a battle.

“Obviously, as time wore on and wars changed, the ritual became something you would perform before being deployed, and for many of us, we took the ritual into arenas, onto the ice, onto the pitch, and we would perform this both before a game, and after a victory. We never perform this in front of the aruetiise… the ousiders… so today, you are being given a rare treat that few outside of our culture ever get to see.”

Ishii held his arms wide, took a deep breath, and spoke the two words needed to begin.

"Vode An."

As each of the men formed a circle, Ishii took another breath, letting his eyes dart to each of the seven men he was about to perform with. "Vode An", in Mando'a meaning "Brothers All", was a brisk song, chanted while performing an elaborate series of motions --- hard punches and slaps to the body --- in rhythm. Usually reserved for when under the protection of armour and padding, Ishii remembered how Kad'buir – “Father Kad” as the team back then was so fond of calling him – would often wait for the team to strip down to their base layer before issuing the call; you never held back during “Vode An” and if you did not leave a bruise or two on your brothers during the dance, then it was often said you did not have the ritual in your heart. The words were in Mando’a, so for those who spoke the Mandalorian language, some meaning would be gleemed from the chant; for those who did not, perhaps the ritual would inspire them to learn a few words.

Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an.
Gyast'kaia a'den mhi, Vode an.
Bal kote, darasuum kote,
Jorso'ran kando a tome.
Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an.

Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an.
Gyast'kaia a'den mhi, Vode an.
Bal...
Motir ca'tra nau tracinya.
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a.
Aruetyc runi solus cet o'r.
Motir ca'tra nau tracinya.
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a.
Aruetyc runi trattok'o.
Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an!

After the completion, each of the eight men sore and breathing heavy, yet somewhat invigorated, turned out from the circle and returned to where they were before. The men around the room, who had not performed, were still wide-eyed from what they had witnessed; for some, it was a brief glimpse into a culture they had only lived with, for others it was the first exposure. Ishii, however, held out a single wish.

Maybe this could unify our team. Maybe we failed before because it wasn’t the right time. It’s hard to capture lighting twice, even if you are a firebender… but maybe this time it will stick…

Ishii picked up his jacket, and made his way out of the locker room. He had wanted to say more, try and come up with some inspirational message to give the men after witnessing the ritual, but in reality, anything he would have said would have diminished it.

Now to just wait and see if it does anything…

by **Terre Septentrionale** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 2:41 pm

Terre Septentrionale beats Sylestone

Sylestone - After a disappointing loss against Sarzonia, Terre Septentrionale travelled to Sylestone to play against them on matchday 2. The Sylestonian team is a little particular, it consists in a team full of animals with human qualities. As expected, Fryderyka Krzyszczyk made her debut after giving up her spot on the starting line up to Zofia Stepniewska against Sarzonia. Nico Eggenberger was the starting goalie instead of Jennifer Ciccarelli who allowed 5 goals against the Stars.

Terre Septentrionale scored first, with 12 minutes remaining in the 1st period when Emilia Zyskowska was carrying the puck on a two on one with Jenny Hockey. Zyskowska made a quick pass to Jenny who gave it back to Zyskowska who dribbled and putted it behind Elephant for a goal. Midway in the period, Lion was penalised for roughing when he pushed Günther Schützenauer along the board with his paw and the Nordiques were on a power play. Schützenauer retreated to the locker room. Kévin Beauregard scored with a slap shot from the blue line and the score was 2-0 and this is the score after 20 minutes.

Sylestone atracked with 16 minutes remaining in the 2nd period when Swarm of Bees passed to Caribou in the face off circle and he scored a nice goal with a wristshot, Terre Septentrionale's lead was cut to 2-1. 6 minutes later, Virginie Woodbury increased Terre Septentrionale's lead to 3-1, assisted by Frédérique Lainé and Urszula Zolnierczyk. Before the end of the period, Sylestne was penalized for too many men, I mean too many animals on the ice and it was another power play for the Northmen. With 15 seconds left in the power play, Kasandra Wojcinowicz scored from a rebound and the score was 4-1 after 40 minutes.

The only goal of the 3rd period was scored by Ladybug on a slap shot and the final score was 4-2 Terre Septentrionale.

BOXSCORE

1st period
12:18 - Emilia Zyskowska assisted by Jennifer Gaudreault
9:25 - Kévin Beauregard assisted by Jennifer Gaudreault and Melania Zyskowska (PPG)

2nd period
15:51 - Caribou assisted by Swarm of Bees
10:34 - Virginie Woodbury assisted by Frédérique Lainé and Urszula Zolnierczyk
2:20 - Kasandra Wojcinowicz assisted by Stanislaw Wojciechowski and Pierre Sanschagrin (PPG)

3rd period
14:27 - Ladybug assisted by Wombat and Great White Shark

First win

This is Terre Septentrionale's first win and they're in 4th place with 2 points in 2 games. Sarzonia is first with two wins and both Merdedini and Ko-oren, who drew each other, are tied in 2nd place with a win and a draw. On matchday 3, the Nordiques will receive Mercedini at Le Forum de Longueuil, located in the Longueuil neighborhood of Ville Jacques-Cartier, our capital and largest city. Meanwhile, Ko-oren will recieve New Waldensia and Sarzonia will play at home against Sylestone.We couldn't beat Sarzonia so we may have to expect a loss against Mercedini, the 3rd ranked team.

Germain Coutu,
La tribune Septentrionale

by **Sylestone** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 2:59 pm

Two from two, sounds great, right? Expect... two from two losses. Not so great. Still, Terre Septentrionale and Ko-oren are two very good sides, and Sylestone still has a chance at getting some points on the board (although not against Mercedini). But they have given those two sides a bit of a headache and were even predicted to finish in the top two because they had a good name. You never know, we still could.

The Swarm of Bees has proved a brilliant defender as they have really stopped a lot of possible goals in the past two games. The Caribou has also had some good runs forward, including one in the second period against Terre Septentrionale that resulted in a goal. If they [play ike they have been, Sarzonia might actually be beatable and we'll finally get some points on the board. Mercedini, though? We've just got to stop them scoring and if we somehow get a chance, take it with both hands. Because they're not going to come very often. New Waldensia is also an unranked side, so another victory may come from there, too. We shall see.

by **Kelssek** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:14 pm

“...ahead in this tournament. You’re listening to the post-game show on SportsTalk National, final score was Kelssek 0, Megistos 0. Raffi Mitchell here in the studio with Scott McCain and Amanda Murphy. Let’s go back to the phone lines and we’ve got a caller from Llandewi now. Rachel in Llandewi, what was missing from Kelssek’s performance today?”
“Hi guys. Love the show. It was shockingly poor. Really, really bad. Do these guys know how to run a powerplay? Zero for eight from Team Kelssek? Are you frickin’ kidding me?”
“So what’s missing, Rachel?”
“Energy! Hard work! Get into the dirty areas. Come on, how many shots from the outside did we take? 45 shots,was it? All from the outside. They got into the slot like once. Are these players trying to get the coach fired? Like, actually, we all heard the stories.”
“Well, looking at the heatmap, where the shots come from, I think you’ve got a point. Thanks for the call. Yeah, not a lot of shots coming from close in there. But you think they’d get at least one. Slappers from the point? Kirk Betand was really misfiring out there. Rachel thinks the players are doing, what, some kind of industrial action? Amanda.”
“I’m skeptical just because the players want to win just as much as the coach does. I don’t buy it because we all know, for better or worse, how strong the “code” is, for lack of a better word. You do what you’re told by the coaches and you play for the team, no matter what kind of individual grievances you have.”

“Right. Mark is on the phone from Waterdeep. Mark, what was Kelssek missing today?”
“I think they’re missing grit and they’re missing an instigator. We could have had someone to jump a guy on the other team, get something going.”
“Mark, you wanted Team Kelssek to start a fight?”
“Yeah. Things aren’t clicking, something to wake the guys up, you know? Send a message.”
“I’m not sure there’s any player on the roster who you’d even want fighting, Mark.”
“And that’s exactly the problem. That’s what I said. They’re missing someone who can spark something.”
“Okay, thank you Mark. You know, I get what you’re saying but this is the World Cup, it’s not East Noua Cymru Second Premier Division. But, hey, could do with more grit? I think a lot of the callers are saying that.”
“And that’s a sign of a bad locker room. Whether you blame the coach or the players, I think you can’t argue that morale just isn’t there, the drive just isn’t there. Now I’m not saying they’re going out there and not caring, but at this level you need that mental edge and that’s clearly not there.”

“Trevor is on the line, what was missing for Kelssek today?”
“Hi guys. How are you?”
“Very well, Trevor. For those just tuning in, Kelssek draws 0-0 with Megistos at the World Cup. So Trevor, what was missing today?”
“What’s missing is there’s no character guy. You know who is a character guy? Riley Hesselboe.”
“Here we go. Someone who doesn’t appreciate the management. Go on, what do you make of all these stories? Do you believe them?”
“I think Dennis Emerbly is hopeless. You saw it today but you didn’t need to see that to know that he has no idea what he’s doing. You got eight powerplays and you didn’t score one. Ninety-one seconds of five-on-three, nothing! That’s a complete coaching failure! Did he tell them not to forecheck or something?”
“We do know he favours a trap defence. Where you want to clog up the neutral zone so you do sort of back off when you lose the puck on offence.”
“They’re playing against an unranked team! Go for the damn puck! It’s ridiculous. Anyway, I bet last time out Riley told Dennis just what he thinks of that kind of coaching, and mister big swinging dick couldn’t handle it.”
“Well, at the same time, is it right to undermine the coach’s authority? You can disagree with the choices the coach makes, but they’re the one in charge and you have to play to the team’s game plan, right?”
“You know, people talk about the code this and the code that, who put himself above the team in that situation? It wasn’t Riley. It was Emberly. The coach benched the captain, a top-six forward for any team in the world! Before a playoff game and lost. He shouldn’t be coaching anywhere, let alone the national team.”
“He took a team to the semi-finals this year, though. Not good enough for you?”
“Just cause a guy was good for Burnaby, doesn’t mean his method works everywhere. As Kelssek head coach, he’s deep in the negative column. Different players, different situation, everything.”
“Okay, thanks Trevor. Call again anytime. I mean, some good points there. Scott, you were getting a bit animated there.”
“Yeah, I wanna give Kelssek Hockey benefit of the doubt, but you know, this is an organization that is the definition of an old boys club. It’s not very open to new thinking, and if you’re the guy, you’re the guy, you know? I think they’ve tried to address some of the criticism from last World Cup around player selection but the attitude is very much that we are the ones who know best and all the fans and media should just learn to take what we give them.”

“Alright, we've got Harriet from Neorvins is on the line, Harriet, what was missing from Kelssek’s performance today?”
“I want to know what’s happened to Celestar. Why can’t they close a deal. All these people flying airplanes with funny names. Aerobus. You mean a flying bus? There’s even airplanes called Boing. I don’t wanna sit on a jet that’s gonna be bouncing all the time. Or at all! Why can’t Celestar beat these guys?”
“Uh, okay Harriet. But this is a sports radio station. Thanks for your call, bye.”

by **Kayangan** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:19 pm

Cereta 03

Group H
(UR) Kayangan 0–0 Lorenthia (23)

President, Ice Hockey Association of Kayangan, Megat Mambang Di Awan said there is no partiality in the selection of players for each match. He stressed that his son, Andak Mambang Di Awan needs to prove his ability and compete with other players to grab the position as the main player in the Kayangan hockey squad.

However, Mambang Di Awan described the 16-year-old player as seen as having special talents and a bright chance to shine in the future with the national team.

There is no (family sentiment) ... in choosing players in the team, we should not be partial, the important thing is to follow the merit, their own ability how to place his status in the team.

"I prefer everyone to take this opportunity, we will evaluate and we will choose which one is best to represent Kayangan. In fact, there are some other players who have natural talent, all we need to do is polish and develop that talent, "he said when met by reporters at the Royal Kingdom of Quebec. Andak, his son, is considered the future prospect of the country when he created his own impact after winning a place as Goalkeepers in the national team.

Meanwhile, Andak Mambang Di Awan is determined to prove his potential while admitting that he does not have any privileges in the national squad.

"I feel lucky to be under his training (Mambang Di Awan) and I hope to learn from him. He has given birth to many national champions. So I will try to train under his guidance and learn as much as possible, "explained Andak.

"So far there is nothing left in my mind, but I tried my best in both events. For me for a year or more to see the development and make decisions, "he said. Andak added that his father however advised him to do his best and play for the country because he is still young and energetic.

When asked about the draw when facing Lorenthia, Megat Mambang Di Awan expressed his happiness when his players were able to absorb every attack of the opponent and were able to defend their position until the end of the game.

MD3
vs. Adyatin (44)

by **Natanians and Nosts** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:29 pm

# Name position age
first line

1	João Márius da Silva	goalkeeper	36
3	Carolus Mihai César	defenceman	34
4	Caeso Fábius Souza	defenceman	33
5	Oscar Márius Álvares	right wing	31
11	Sócrates Numa North	centre  	32
7	Iohannis Mihai Brownson	left wing	31

Captain's name is in blue

second line

12	Paulus Ferenc Hagi	goalkeeper	32
2	Ricardus Júnio da Silva	defenceman	32
15	Márcus Ion Tarquínius	defenceman	34
20	Edgardus Silva Castro	right wing	32
10	Márcus Mihai Lambe	centre  	34
6	Ion Gabriel Sternberg	left wing	33

third line

30	Nicolaus Rog Niculae	goalkeeper	34
13	Carolus Mihai Gomes	defenceman	28
17	Jeremy Taylor Silva	defenceman	28
8	Tarquínio Ion Munteanu	right wing	28
9	Albertus Márcus Alencastre	centre	31
21	Públio Ápio César	left wing	28

RP Permissions:

Don't RP my players fighting!!!

Choose my scorers: Yes
godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: No
godmod injuries to my players: No
RP penalties to my players: Yes(only one per match)
RP ejections ro my players: No
godmod other events: No

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:47 pm

Hockey Today Magazine

Ehrenliga’s Finest

The Last Hurrah: Kapitala vs Olympia, and the End of the Original Six

Hockey Today’s ‘Ehrenliga’s Finest’ section looks back on the long history of hockey in Siovanija & Teusland, focusing on the players, teams, moments and games that have contributed to the culture of the game in our country. Today, we take a look at the last great battle in the storied Kapitala Borograd vs Olympia Borograd rivalry in the Original Six era.

Prior to 1919, hockey in this country was contested in a series of regional professional leagues, each seeking their own championship. There was no national title. In 1919, however, the Chancellor at the time, Erwin Strauss, a noted hockey fan, felt the need for change. He approached Hockey Siovanija & Teusland officials, and offered them a new trophy, the Strauss Cup, for a national champion. The Ehrenliga was born.

Six clubs were admitted to the league. The Stelburg Kaisers, the oldest and most successful Teus club, were assured. So were the St. Jakob Saints, and Eisbaren Stelburg. Energija Chernovets earned a spot, as the biggest team from Siovanija outside the capital. The final two spots, naturally, went to the two biggest Borograd clubs - Olympia and Kapitala.

Located at the downtown Olimpski-Ledarena, at the time the largest hockey rink in the country, Olympia Borograd were the biggest club of the day in Siovanija. They attained an almost religious-like devotion within the Republic. At the time, hockey was mostly seen as a game that Siovanijans played, and Teus won. Whenever clubs from the Republics faced each other in friendly games, the result was usually one sided. Olympia Borograd, however, were the exception to the rule - quite capable of competing on their own. They mostly shared a fanbase with the football club of the same name - the teams did, after all, share ownership, something that is still true today. Olympia were very much the ‘it’ team in not just Borograd, but all of Siovanija.

On the other hand, Kapitala Borograd were located in the more lower-class east Borograd neighbourhoods. The team became beloved in their fanbase for their rough edge - the ‘Kapitala Flu’ was a common term in the early years of the new Ehrenliga, referring to players afraid to play the team in purple. While Olympia Borograd had all the glamour, Kapitala had all the grind, and it was only natural that the teams would become rivals immediately in the new league.

In a six team league, playing so many games against the same opponents, you eventually come to hate your opponent very, very quickly. In the Borograd rivalry, this was no different. Olympia Borograd had their rivalry with the Stelburg Kaisers, as well, but that one was different. It was based in culture, history, and performance on the ice - alongside the St. Jakob Saints, Olympia and the Kaisers were the most successful teams of the era. Olympia vs Kapitala, meanwhile, was between two clubs who, despite being only 4.2 kilometers apart, couldn’t be more different from each other if they’d tried.

The early years of the new league were a two horse race, Olympia and the Kaisers battling it out. Olympia actually captured the first two Cups in seasons 1 and 2, but a shock was soon to come in Borograd. Kapitala, led by the tough, gritty forward Teodor Bures, won 3 Cups in 5 years to overtake their city neighbours and establish themselves in the league. Olympia would respond, however, by becoming the first true Ehrenliga dynasty: captain and best scorer of the early era Vlastomil Svec helping them to win 3 Cups in a row.

Fortunes changed for the two clubs after that. By season 47, Olympia Borograd would win 4 more Cups, as they competed at the very top with the Stelburg Kaisers and were regularly in the playoffs and finals. Kapitala, meanwhile, won only 2 Cups, and more often found themselves towards the bottom of the standings, languishing with Energija Chernovets at the bottom. The Borograd rivalry was everything for Kapitala, but had little significance for Olympia: far more concerned with Olympia Borograd.

The glory days were coming to an end, however. The days of the Original 6 are dear to the heart of any hockey fan in this country, but expansion one day was always an inevitability. And before season 47, the Ehrenliga announced that it was going to add 6 more clubs to the league after season 48. There were only two more seasons of Original 6 hockey left to be played - two more battles between the historic giants of hockey, before the game would change forever.

Heading into the season, the Stelburg Kaisers and Wolf Bleich had captured the Strauss Cup. But it was a changing time for the league - the Kaisers were old, Bleich finally beginning to feel the effects of his age. Eisbaren Stelburg, too, were worn out from years of success, and goaltender Walter Gebauer was not what he had used to be as his career wore down. The St. Jakob Saints lacked a bit of an edge, and were inexperienced still, while Energija Chernovets were too young. That left two teams as the top contenders for the final two seasons of the era.

Olympia Borograd’s team at the time was led by the great young defenceman Stanislav Slezak. Slezak would go on to become the most renowned defender in the history of our game, but at this stage in time, there were still questions. Particularly after Wolf Bleich had dominated him so thoroughly in the Olympia-Kaisers match-up last season. With Slezak on the blue line was the big, physical D man Roman Adamec, while up front, Olympia right winger Marian Mares was the league’s top goalscorer. Olympia Borograd was built as a fast, speedy club throughout their lineup - even the ‘energy line’ of RW Karel Havlik, C Evzen Stehlik and LW Jan Stepan could go head to head with some of the best players in the league. And with a great goaltender in the pipes, Jeronym Nemec - who was one of the first goalies in league history to wear a mask, this was a very strong Olympia Borograd club.

While Olympia Borograd’s team was the quick, flashy team, Kapitala Borograd’s was true to their club’s style as well - tough and gritty. They didn’t have any one big name player, and scoring was mostly done by committee: 5 players with 15+ goals, including the veteran captain Vojtech Zdrahal. This was not a team of stars, it was instead a team you hated playing against: no-one wanted to go into the corner against rough, physical defencemen like Ivan Sindelar and Viktor Hosek, or even defensive forwards like LW Erik Brotz. Kapitala Borograd’s team would grind you down, wear you out, and then beat you down.

And so, heading into season 47 of the Ehrenliga, these were the two teams considered favourites to go all the way and win the Strauss Cup. The flashy Olympia Borograd team was the best in the league, Stanislav Slezak silencing all his doubters with a brilliant season. Slezak was one of the first offensive defenceman in the league, jumping up in the rush, and putting up a great number of points from the back end. Marian Mares led the league in goalscoring again, and Olympia finished with a 52-9-15 record for first place in the league. Kapitala Borograd slumped out of the gate, meanwhile, due to some injuries, and while they would recover, it was a third place finish for them.

That set up the playoffs: Olympia Borograd taking on Energija Chernovets, and Kapitala Borograd facing the Stelburg Kaisers. Olympia Borograd had no trouble with the young Chernovets side, dispatching them in a four-game sweep to secure their spot in the Strauss Cup Final. Kapitala Borograd, meanwhile, had much more of a fight on their hands. They went back and forth with the Kaisers, splitting the first 6 games equally. That set up a decisive game 7 in Stelburg, which Kapitala pulled out thanks to a late goal from the captain Zdrahal. The Strauss Cup Final would be an all-Borograd affair.

Game 1 was a bit of a bloodbath, however, as Olympia Borograd ran over Kapitala - 5-1 the final score, and the purple side of the city was left reeling. Game 2 was also a loss, but not as devastating - a much lower-scoring affair, as Olympia took the game 2-1 in overtime. Kapitala were back on home ice, however, with something to prove. They grinded down Olympia all game, not letting Marian Mares get any space whatsoever, and clogging up the neutral zone. At the end of the day, it was a 2-0 win for Kapitala, and new life in the series. The same tactics prevailed in game 4, which was a 1-0 win in overtime.

Olympia Borograd weren’t going to get burned again at home, however, and with a more responsible style - not playing into Kapitala’s hands on the boards, and looking for quick, crisp breakout passes - took game 5 3-1. That meant that Olympia needed just one win to take the Cup, and they would get it - in their rival’s home arena, with Stanislav Slezak scoring the winning goal late in the third period as Olympia won the game and series 4-2. Stanislav Slezak lifted his first Cup title, Olympia had skated circles around Kapitala in the final two games, and it seemed as if Olympia had proven themselves as the dominant club in the city.

That offseason, Olympia made few changes to their squad, while Kapitala Borograd went out and signed winger Siegmund Bechtold from Eisbaren Stelburg. It was an interesting move for a number of reasons. Bechtold wasn’t the grittiest player - more flashy, and a pure goal scorer. Furthermore, he was Teus - at the time, Siovanijan and Teus clubs didn’t sign players from the other side. While this unwritten code would change quickly in the post-expansion era, it was still a controversial move here. Bechtold was heavily booed in Siovanija as the enemy and in Teusland as a traitor - his home fans, however, quickly warmed up to him as he was able to ‘light the light.’

Olympia Borograd raced to first place in the league again that season, with the expected performers doing their jobs - Stanislav Slezak was by now considered certainly the best player in the league. There were cracks in their aura of invincibility, however - some sloppy losses here and there showing a team that perhaps believed it deserved to win every night, and therefore didn’t have to work as hard. Kapitala Borograd, meanwhile, fought their way to second place in the league, after a season in which they had to fight for everything they got. The first round of the playoffs saw Olympia Borograd facing Energija Chernovets again, while Kapitala Borograd would match up against the Stelburg Kaisers for the second year in a row.

This year, Energija Chernovets gave Olympia a series - showing, perhaps, the promise that would eventually be found in their back-to-back Cups two years later. Olympia beat them in 6 games, however, to continue their seemingly unstoppable march to a second straight Strauss Cup. And once again, Kapitala had to battle against the Kaisers. This year, however, the series also finished in 6 - Kapitala dropping game one before taking a 3-1 stranglehold on the series. The Kaisers would push it to 6, but Kapitala would not be denied the chance for another shot at their rivals. In the final year of the Original 6 era, it would once again be an all-Borograd Strauss Cup Final.

The previous year’s game 1 had been a shock - and this year was no different. It was the home Olympia crowd, however, left stunned. Kapitala played a perfect game, shutting down Marian Mares and Stanislav Slezak all night, and pulled out a 2-1 win to take a 1-0 series lead. In game two, Olympia were back to normal - a 3-2 win for them. What was noticeable, however, was that the key players Mares and Slezak had to play reduced roles to avoid the Kapitala smother. At home in game 3, Kapitala beat down on Olympia brutally, finishing every single check. Karel Havlik even fought Slezak at one point, winning handily, showing Kapitala’s intention to beat Olympia both in the alley and on the ice. Kapitala won the game 2-1, and would also win a hard-fought game 4 4-3. Marian Mares commented after that game, “I can’t get any space out there… they are so tough to play against.” Kapitala now headed to the Olimpski-Ledarena with a 3-1 series lead and the chance to win the Strauss Cup.

It wasn’t to be on that night, however. Whereas all the pressure had now been on Olympia before the series, it was now on Kapitala to close it out - and Olympia thrived in that situation, getting back to basics and winning the game 3-1. There was some worry for Kapitala, now - would they really let this great opportunity slip away?

Of course not. Olympia were shut down once again, limited to just 19 shots in the decisive game 6, and Kapitala Borograd skated away with the final Cup victory of the Original 6 era. Siegmund Bechtold had the winning goal to cap off an incredible playoff run in which he had 13 points in 12 games. Olympia were stunned, Kapitala were on cloud 9. It was the perfect way for the club to end the Original 6 era.

The fortunes of each club would change over the next era. Led by Stanislav Slezak, Olympia would take 2 more Cups in season 56 and 57 before a bit of a barren spell. Since expansion, the club have won 6 more Cups, good enough for 16 total and second all-time behind the Kaisers. Kapitala, on the other hand, would win one more Cup in season 58, but in the 45 years since then have failed to lift the Strauss Cup. The club has 7 total, good enough for fourth all-time - but what they would do to win just one more today. Season 48 stands as a glory year for the club, the year in which their identity mixed with destiny to carry them over the eternal rivals and capture the final Cup of the first era of the Ehrenliga.

The Olympia-Kapitala battles to close out the Original 6 era are a time looked back with nostalgia by all hockey fans in this country - looking back on the ‘good old days’, and for Kapitala Borograd, seeing their dreams come true with a victory over the old enemy in the Cup Final.

World Cup of Hockey Matchday 2
Siovanija & Teusland vs HUElavia
@ St. Jakob Forum, St. Jakob

Scoring Summary

First Period

14:06: Goldhorns goal scored by Razvigor Tsvetanov (PP), assisted by Schlager (1-0)

Second Period

No scoring

Third Period

2:24: Goldhorns goal scored by Edwin Ranger, assisted by Gottschall (2-0)
10:03: Goldhorns goal scored by Toni Mihelic, assisted by Herder, Heider (3-0)

End of Game: Siovanija & Teusland 3-0 HUElavia

by **Chromatika** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:07 pm

Chromatik Hockey Team

Style Mod: -3

Home Venue: Rodwan Centre (Cap. 12,040)

Head Coach: Suzanna Marmontm 52

Starters
LW Loren Basalter, 25
C Curtis Isahal, 27
RW Peter Marshall, 26
LD Liara Baselthauser, 27
RD Josephine Galmont, 23
GK Samuel Lomm, 27

Reserves
LW Wiles Roman, 22
C Sharon Mieux, 25
RW Roman Beteguel, 24
LD Mile Pont, 26
RD Lereux Pandoval, 23
GK Wang Yi, 27

by **The Jovannic** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:22 pm

At a local tavern in Jovannica

That was a boring match.

Well, this was only our second match. We still haven't got the hang of international Hockey matches.

So, Merlion Kraken Did really well?

Yes, he controlled the field well. Ranoria could not even get more than a few shots on target.

So, that's good?

Obviously.

by **Delaclava** » Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:30 am

Having one match on the books didn't help at all with the pre-game nerves. Nicolas Mahut was still feeling the pressure as he checked over his skates, as the Delaclava team milled around the locker room post-warmups.

The Delaclava team was in good form. Their most recent tournament, the 7th AO Hockey Championships, ended with a 4-1-1 record and a silver medal. Even though that run ended in defeat, it was a resounding victory for the young crew assembled by former player and now-coach Arthur Lemaire. Now, they say don't mess with success, but Lemaire wanted to make some tweaks. He prided his team on physical play and grit, and they had turned out magnificently in the tournament. But to the surprise of critics, he still wanted to optimise the offense - just enough finesse and efficiency to get the one necessary goal each game. Walk in, score a goal, don't let one in, walk out, all the way to a championship. Easy as can be.

Enter Nicolas Mahut, a 24-year-old left wing. Five-foot-nine, 170 pounds soaking wet, quick but often considered undersized. He had come into his own over the past three years, making all-star teams, racking up goals and leading the Spaulding Sabres to playoff appearances. He had impressed with taking the right next step every single year. Not many would have thought he was an elite Delaclav forward, but Lemaire - a Spaulding man himself - clearly saw something in the Sabres captain.

Now, Mahut knew he'd been brought in to be a top-six forward, and it was a lot of pressure. Despite his hopes for a highly physical style of play, Lemaire was definitely downsizing, slashing bigger wings like Daryl Walmsley and Reggie Voss from the lineup, bringing smaller players like Mahut and Edan Bullard into the fold. Observers were judging Lemaire - was he wavering on his style, or trying to have it all? Or did he not have any idea what he was doing? Harsh speculation for the Phoenixes' miracle man, but it was there nonetheless. And it fell on Mahut himself to execute, to not make himself or his coach look bad.

That had not gone well against Devonta, a team who was "only" ranked 15th. Mahut was lost; the speedy forward was playing at three-quarters speed on the day. Fortunately, it seemed to be a shaking-off-the-rust kind of game for the whole team, whose only saving grace was a power play goal generated by the second unit - Mahut quarterbacking the first unit - that put the Phoenixes on the board, both the scoreboard in the arena and in the points column of the standings. But it wasn't a good look, and it needed to get better fast.

For the first few shifts, Mahut still couldn't figure it out. It's not that the Gergary team was faster, tougher, or better - they just seemed to know what they were doing. With each turnover or broken connection, Mahut was getting more and more frustrated.

Finally, about five minutes into the first period, Mahut had his chance. After an errant pass in the neutral zone from Michael Garrard, Mahut headed back on defense. He saw the left defenseman retrieve the puck, look up across the ice and send the puck across to the Gergarian right winger, just as Mahut strode towards him. Tensing his leg muscles and steeling himself, he rammed into the larger opposing forward and followed through, crushing the wing into the boards.

His teammates whooped and banged their sticks, and even though Mahut could only get the puck back down to the opposing end to reset, this team was now fired up. The hits were coming left and right - big guys like Radovan Nemec, Rhett Hightower, and Kosta Karras laying out bone-splintering checks, and smaller men like Bullard and Liam Davis continuing to be physical and disruptive.

Within two minutes, the Gergarian team was absolutely defeated. Even when the young Drew Ellis on the fourth line got overzealous, they seemed powerless, almost intimidated on the power play, moving the puck around without real intention. That's when Mahut found his next opportunity. As a bad connection rolled onto the stick of Karras, Mahut saw a gap between the two point men and went for it. "Up, up, lead it, lead it!" he screamed, the first time he'd really taken charge the whole tournament.

Karras fired it forward and Mahut met the puck at the center line, With a head of steam and 100 feet of momentum, the Gergarian goalie was powerless to stop Mahut with a quick double deke that left the net open for a short forehand wrister.

The penalty kill unit followed Mahut down to celebrate the school, and Mahut greeted his bench - and coach Lemaire, who'd believed in him, believed in his own system. There it was - walk in, score a goal, don't let one in, walk out. Although they did get a second goal from the skill line, finished off by Evan Sexton. But while that skill line had already the time to prepare, to find their rhythm in the earlier competition, Mahut had come in anew and made the difference.

And even though Mahut was brought in for his agility, his offensive touch, he ended up making his mark on the game by locking into the toughness that the rest of the team projected, before putting his team on the scoresheet when they badly needed a break. It was the kind of presence that was making the Phoenixes start to look really well-rounded - maybe even better than when they torched teams like Quebec, Ko-oren, and Sarzonia left and right. It was coming at just the right time...

Even though there had been a nearly six decade gap in the program's competitive history, they hadn't done a lot of losing in their past few tournaments. Semifinals at World Cup of Hockey, a long layoff, then immediately back with a final at AOHC before running out of steam. Now, despite leaving points on the table against Devonta in their first game back - practically a tune-up - they had a comparatively light schedule to make it back to the playoffs of the World Cup. Even Valanora was a team that the Phoenixes didn't fear - after all, they'd ducked regional competition despite their #2 ranking, perhaps feeling vulnerable to a bunch of young upstarts. Well, that certainly included these Phoenixes, who were ready to spoil the dance for the group's top seeds.

The baseball team had just come out of the "ranks" of the unranked to make the Round of 16, and that wasn't even with a full recruiting process. But this hockey team - it was designed to impose a style of play on their opponents and put away team after team. The baseball team was happy to make the Round of 16 - but the hockey Phoenixes will just be getting started.

Devonta 1-1 Delaclava

1st: None.
2nd: DEV, Where (You, At?) 24:32.
3rd: DEL, Roy 1 (Garrard 1, Bullard 1) (pp) 51:20.

Saves: DEV, Roster 13-8-12--33. DEL, Sutton 10-11-7--20.

Delaclava 2-0 Gergary

1st: DEL, Mahut 1 (Karras 1) (sh) 9:02.
2nd: None.
3rd: DEL, Sexton 1 (Abreu 1, Clement 1) 40:58.

Saves: DEL, Sutton 9-14-7--30. GER, Pyramid of Cans 7-10-7--24.

by **TJUN-ia** » Sat Aug 01, 2020 3:42 am

After a tight victory in La Florita, the Ice Jaguars continued their opening road stretch in the returning nation of Lovisa. Unranked nations can always be unpredictable to deal with but with the history that Lovisa has in U3 sports as a whole, Ølson Rasmussen knew from the off that this team wasn't one to underestimate at all.

This game was certainly more entertaining than the one in La Florita, for many reasons. The home team actually had a good offence who wasn't afraid to try and test Jakob Vaduz and they certainly did that. But the Jaguars brought their own thunder to the ice too, and it made sure that this game will be remembered as a back-and-forth affair. All 3 periods saw a goal and all of them were executed to perfection. The 1st period saw the hosts lead via nice use of the powerplay after Vasil Cherysezsky was sent to the box for checking. The 2nd saw the game tied by Cherysezsky himself, a nice shot to avenge conceding the opposition goal due to his carelessness. The 3rd and final quarter saw the eventual winning goal, with the 5v4 powerplay being used to perfection by Teemu Pukaninen.

So TJUN-ia really likes to turn up in the "American Big 4" sports, doesn't it? The best 3rd-placed team in the WB, we made the playoffs in the WBC and now top of our group after 2 games in the WCoH. I wouldn't be surprised if the IBC saw similar successes, but we can't be complacent right now. We still have 8 gruelling games to play before we can even consider our position and our playoff chances if we were to make it to Quebec. The real test comes in our next game, as we make our debut on TJUN-ian ice. The Rink in The Gardens may be small in capacity, but it will also be fired up to see how good their Jaguars really are. The opponents for the home opener will be Jeckland, currently with no points and unranked. But don't think this will be easy - home crowds can make the difference in both ways. GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group G)
MD1: @La Florita (27) W 1-0
MD2: @Lovisa (UR) W 2-1 (1st)
MD3: vs Jeckland (UR) - The Rink in The Gardens, New Washington
MD4: @Abanhfleft (2)
MD5: vs Savojarna (11) - The Rink in The Gardens, New Washington
------------------------OFF DAY------------------------
MD6: vs La Florita (27) - The Rink in The Gardens, New Washington
MD7: vs Lovisa (UR) - The Rink in The Gardens, New Washington
MD8: @Jeckland (UR)
MD9: vs Abanhfleft (2) - The Rink in The Gardens, New Washington
MD10: @Savojarna (11)

World Cup of Hockey XL - Everything Thread

Puck Watch: TJUN-ia Is The Nation Of Good Starts?!

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