World Cup of Hockey 42: Life, the Universe & Everything

by **New Waldensia** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 1:57 pm

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

The New Waldensian Avalanche are returning to the World Cup of Hockey for the third time. Their surprising showing in the WCoH XLI has resulted in additional funding and interest in the sport, and hopes are high for another run at the playoffs.

ROSTER
Coaches

Position	Name				Age		Years With		Info	
Head		Luther Sexton			58		14		NW Sports Hall of Fame
Assistant	"Blitzin' Blake" Barnard	47		9		Hall of Fame, Goals record
Assistant	Johnathon Tanner		53		7		
Assistant	Remington Wirth			32		2		WJHC Assistant Coach
Goalies		Lloyd Meier			59		5		WJHC Goalie Coach

Goalies

Number	Name			Age		Info	
#6	Jarvis Dunlap		28		Starter/Alt Captain/3rd WCOH		
#14	Connagh Patrick		26		3rd WCOH
#22	Anders Dunkel		30		1st WCOH

Defenders

Number	Name			Age		Info	
#36	Karl Andersen		29		Alt Captain/1st Line/3rd WCOH
#10	Otto Benitez		30		1st Line/3rd WCOH
#13	Blake Ketchum		27		2nd Line/2nd WCOH
#74	Jesse Beltran		31		2nd Line/3rd WCOH
#85	Haakon Olsen		20		3rd Line/3rd WCOH/1x WJHC
#55	Billy Bull		34		3rd Line/3rd WCOH
#16	Audric Dunlap		25		4th Line/3rd WCOH
#69	Burton Norris		28		4th Line/1st WCOH

Forwards

Number	Name			Age		Info	
#60	Caspian Estes		27		Captain/1st Line/3rd WCOH
#44	Ioan Searle		31		1st Line/3rd WCOH
#12	Igor Duffy		33		1st Line/3rd WCOH
#30	Piers Handley		29		2nd Line/3rd WCOH
#7	Bard Perot		21		2nd Line/2nd WCOH/1x WJHC
#19	Noel Coates		28		2nd Line/3rd WCOH
#81	Patrick Stokes		25		3rd Line/3rd WCOH
#39	Roy Amundsen		27		3rd Line/1st WCOH
#8	Cason Fertig		25		3rd Line/1st WCOH
#3	Mikey Howarth		23		4th Line/3rd WCOH
#13	Greyson Christie	24		4th Line/3rd WCOH
#96	Murray Forney		28		4th Line/1st WCOH

Reserves

Number	Name			Age		Info	
#35	Marlon Bowler		28		Defender/3rd WCOH
#58	Viggo Göransson		31		Utility/1st WCOH
#38	Tye Gallagher		30		Utility/3rd WCOH
#26	Herman Dunn		20		Goalie/2nd WCOH/1x WJHC
#42	Dag Wilton		20		Forward/2nd WCOH/1x WJHC

Jersey:

MEDICAL
Chief team doctor: Dr. Tom McIntosh
Chief team surgeon: Dr. Alex Bonesteel
Chief nurse: Susan Reynolds
Team doctors: Dr. Viktor Blinkovich, Dr. Julius Thompson, Dr. Kasimir Gladwyn, Dr. Henrik Zetterberg, Dr. Alice Cooper, Dr. Beatrice Simmons

MEDIA
Waldensian Times: Henrik Larsson
Valdenton Daily Press: Kari Byron
Waldensian Broadcast Service (TV): Philip Morrison (broacast), Andre Labri (reporter), Ike Freeman (play-by-play), "Ox" Lucard (play-by-play), Katrin Hansen (sideline)
Waldensian Radio News (101.3FM out of Valdenton): Douglas Machen (broadcast), Cindy Traynor (reporter)
Waldensia Sports Talk 96.3FM, "The Ice House Show": Henrik Vardner, Charles "Chaz" Bass, Luke Eckard, Cynthia Adams

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: +2.1

by **Delaclava** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:53 pm

Delaclava national hockey team
World Cup of Hockey 42

This team has achieved 3rd Place, World Cup of Hockey 16, and 2nd Place, Atlantian Oceania Hockey Championship 7.
The U20 also recently achieved 2nd Place at World Junior Hockey Championship 16; some of these players are included as reserves.

Overview

Nation: The United Republic of Delaclava
Demonym: Delaclav
Trigramme: DEL
Team Name: Phoenixes
Kit: Primary, gold with red sleeves and numbering and white trim; Secondary, white with red sleeves and numbering and gold trim.

The Phoenixes national team typically plays a tough, gritty style with a lot of physicality and emphasis on red-line play and forechecking. Due to the increasing diversity and talent of hockey across Delaclav, some regional styles of play are much quicker and offensive-minded, so this version of the team is slightly more offensively aggressive than iterations past.

Roster

Head Coach: Arthur Lemaire
Assistant Coach: Mark McDevitt
Assistant Coach: Gerard MacLeod
Goaltending Coach: Roland Haase
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Aron Jankovic

---Active Squad---
#	Pos	Name	                Age	Height	Weight	Shoots	Team
2	LW	Jaroslav Hlaváček	33	6-1	185	R	Kalinin Silver Knights
3	LD	Evan Ryan	        22	6-6	185	R	Crystal Lake Cavaliers
4	C	Edan Bullard	        20	5-9	160	R	Stockton Snipers
7	RW	Evan Sexton	        25	6-1	170	L	Novick Wranglers
8	LW	Radomír Blažek	        29	6-2	170	R	Tirana Mountaineers
9	C	Michael Garrard (A)	27	6-1	185	R	Spaulding Sabres
10	C	Alex Coburn	        25	5-11	170	L	Novick Wranglers
11	LW	Logan Wynne	        21	5-11	170	R	St. Ivor Blades
12	LW	Calum Dunn	        22	5-9	145	R	Stockton Snipers
15	RW	Medard Strnad	        33	6-0	160	L	Cleopatrana Owls
19	LW	Jehiel Abreu (C)	25	5-11	175	R	Cleopatrana Owls
20	LD	Sam Robertson	        26	6-6	200	R	Novick Wranglers
24	RW	Brody Callaghan	        22	6-4	185	L	Stockton Snipers
28	LD	Antoine Clement (A)	24	6-3	195	R	Stockton Snipers
30	G	Jonathan Bagley	        32	6-2	200	R	Mariana Pirates
31	G	Tom Sutton	        30	6-3	190	R	Breton Valley Panthers
35	RD	Sage Woodard	        27	5-11	145	L	Crystal Lake Cavaliers
43	RD	Svyatoslav Gerasimov	26	6-0	170	L	Narkyla Norsemen
44	RD	Radovan Němec	        33	6-4	190	R	Valhalla Kamikaze Yeti
47	C	Blahoslav Pavlík	21	5-10	145	R	Kalinin Silver Knights
---Reserves---
1	G	Janne Laaksonen	        27	6-5	210	L	Narkyla Norsemen
5	LD	Marco Van Houten	27	6-2	185	L	St. Ivor Blades
6	RD	Kosta Karras	        29	6-5	220	L	St. Ivor Blades
13	RW	Maxim Sevanov	        17	6-1	170	L	Finran Polytechnic Sharks (DUSA)
14	LW	Vadim Milekhin	        27	5-8	135	R	Narkyla Norsemen
33	LD	David Breland	        19	6-4	170	R	Stockton Snipers
34	C	Peter Požgaj	        19	6-1	180	R	Hveranes JHC (VJHL)
41	RW	Zoltan Bondra	        17	5-9	145	R	Breton Valley Panthers
42	C	Tomas Bondra	        17	5-11	180	L	Breton Valley Panthers

Roster Notes:
- Leagues:

DUSA = Delaclava University Sport Association
USL = United Super League (premier professional league. All players in this league unless otherwise noted)
VJHL = Valhalla Junior Hockey League

Lines

Forward Lines
1) Abreu -- Coburn -- Strnad
2) Wynne -- Garrard -- Sexton
3) Dunn -- Bullard -- Callaghan
4) Blažek -- Pavlík -- Hlaváček

Defensive Pairings
1) Clement -- Němec
2) Ryan -- Woodard
3) Robertson -- Gerasimov

Goaltender Depth Chart
1) Sutton
2) Bagley
(3) Laaksonen)

Power Play 1: Abreu, Coburn, Sexton; Clement, Strnad
Power Play 2: Wynne, Bullard, Dunn; Garrard, Ryan
Penalty Kill/5-on-3 1: Garrard, Callaghan, Němec, (Robertson)
Penalty Kill/5-on-3 2: Abreu, (Hlaváček), Němec, Robertson

Hero Line 1: Abreu, Coburn, Sexton; Clement, Garrard
Extra Skaters: Abreu, Wynn, Bullard, Dunn
Protect the Lead: Abreu, Garrard, Bullard, Clement, Němec

RP Permissions, Other Info

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: Message first
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Message first
Godmod Other Events: Message first
Style Modifier: -2
Other Notes: Delaclava hockey has a zero-tolerance policy on fighting; under no circumstances will players drop the gloves during the competition, and any attempt an opponent makes to fight a Phoenix is only going to return in a two-minute instigator penalty - grow up and go to the box. Similarly, Phoenixes will not commit reckless or excessive penalties, although they certainly will pick up the usual penalties like hooking, holding, tripping, etc. as a part of genuine attempts to defend the play.

by **HUElavia** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 1:53 pm

HUElavia Arrives to WCoH with Momentum and Optimism!

Once again, HUElavia participates in another edition of the World Cup of Hockey, for the 42nd edition of the tournament, this time in Graentfjall. In just a little over a decade, HUElavia has become from up and coming minnows of ice hockey to one of the dark horses in the WCoH. The previous edition had a unique take on the knockouts with a winners and losers bracket, with Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos reaching as far as among the Last 8 of the tournament, going out in the Losers Bracket.

Regardless, HUElavia has moved up to 7th in the rankings and is seen as a solid favorite to make a deep run in the WCoH once again. Despite these prospects, as well as being put in the Pot of Queens, it will not be a cakewalk to achieve this. HUElavia (7) was placed in The Group of Cups, and will play against the following nations: New Waldensia (19), St. Saratoga (28), BohemiaIV (UR), Banija (9), Siovanija & Teusland (1), Waisnor (UR), Srednjaci (UR), Kriegiersien (UR), Flekkefjord (30), Quebec & Shingoryeo (13), Omerica (UR), and Ranoria (21). 13 teams are in each group, where the Top 4 of each group will advance directly to the Round-of-16, where it will be a traditional knockout stage.

For HUElavia, this tournament will open up with a very volatile set of matches: Matchday 1 will be against Banija and Matchday 2 will be against the reigning back-to-back champion and the No. 1 team in the Multiverse, Siovanija & Teusland. They will then follow up with the following games: Waisnor, Srednjaci, Kriegiersien, Flekkefjord, Quebec & Shingoryeo, Omerica, Ranoria, New Waldensia, St. Saratoga, and BogemiaIV. The matches will be played at Háttmark-South, with the arenas being as follows: WMM Arena (16,000) in Ilsburg, Valhalla Hockey Arena (15,000) in Kangasdorf, Hämeenvalta Super Arena (10,000) in Molding, IceBank Arena (17,000) in Hinteram, Forum Harmersgrunn (4,000) in Harmersgrunn, and ACE MultiArena (10,000) in Mokofen.

Some of the players from the back-to-back Quarter-Final runs in WCoH 40 and 41 have retired from National Team duty, and has given space for some of the youngsters from the U20 World Cup of Hockey to have their spot in the National Hockey Team. Regardless, Dominguez-Garcia is playing as captain for the team, in what many speculate is his final participation in the WCoH for the team. The likes of Ovetchkin and Giroux is also speculated to be in their final tournament for the team. Regardless, they look to put in their part to bring success to the team. Young players like Bourgeois, Kim, Brousseau and Obee look to make a statement and show that they are the future of not only the HUElavia National Hockey Team, but for the image of Hockey in HUElavia as part of the new generation of players.

HUElavian Hockey Fans are arriving in droves to Graentfjall, as they look to cheer on the team in these matches. They are bringing plenty of festivities and passion to the country, looking to have a fun time in this cold country, as the popular Retail and Fashion industry of HUElavia has allowed the thousands of HUElavians purchase plenty of clothes to help deal with the cold weather. The team trains in the region, doing daily practices and studying their opponents through film, while also enjoying some meet-and-greets with the fans, taking expeditions in the region and enjoying quality time with family at the hotel they team is staying at.

Here's to what can be an entertaining and passionate edition of the World Cup of Hockey, where everyone hopes and prays will be one to remember!

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Le Choix** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:10 pm

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: No
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes (I will determine severity)
Godmod Injuries to my Players: No
Assign Penalties to my Players: Yes
Eject my Players: Yes (max 1)
Godmod Other Events: No
Note: Le Choix is a theocratic dictatorship. Any attempts to interfere with the goings-on with "L'Élu" (The Chosen) or the country should be communicated with me directly. Any attempts made otherwise will be ignored.

Style Modifier: -5

Nation Info
Name: La Théocratie Éclairée du Choix/The Enlightened Theocracy of The Chosen
Head of State: Grand Évêque Jacques du Crépuscule
Head of the Church: Pontifax Jacqueline de Feu
Capital: Espoir du Ciel (Hope of Heaven)

Ice Hockey in Le Choix: Like all sports in the Theocracy, players were chosen from a pool of citizens who showed an aptitude for the sport from a young age. Ice hockey has been one of the newest sports in the Theocracy, with the Ligue de Glace having run for only ten editions. As the Theocracy isn't a particularly cold nation, all play within the Theocracy are done in indoor arenas, with most of the facilities being in the Capital city of Espoir du Ciel. Four clubs call the city their home, while two are in the nearby city of Lumière, two in the city of Gelée, and one each in the small towns of Gardienne and Jardin. The Ligue de Glace has been dominated by two of the Capital clubs, Les Loups d'Hiver (The Winter Wolves) and Les Ours Polaires (The Polar Bears). The Chosen play more of a suffocating defensive style, electing to use counterattacks to score just enough goals to be relevant; nobody in the Ligue de Glace play offensive hockey. (OOC: Nobody has a style mod greater than -2.)

Team Info:
Nickname: La Lumière/The Light

Hockey History

Yr   #    Table Champions          Coupe de Glace Champions
523  01   Les Loups d'Hiver (1)    Les Loups d'Hiver (1)
524  02   Les Renards (1)          Les Loups d'Hiver (2)
525  03   L'Avalanche (1)          L'Avalanche (1)
526  04   Les Loups d'Hiver (2)    Les Loups d'Hiver (3)
527  05   Les Pingouins (1)        Les Ours Polaires (1)
528  06   L'Avlaanche (2)          Les Ours Polaires (2)
529  07   Les Loups d'Hiver (3)    L'Avalanche (2)
530  08   Les Loups d'Hiver (4)    Les Ours Polaires (3)
531  09   Les Ours Polaires (1)    Les Loups d'Hiver (4)
532  10   Les Ours Polaires (2)    L'Avalanche (3)

Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Aaron Alarie, 48, Les Loups d'Hiver
Assistant Coach: Jocelyn Vaillancourt, 43, Les Ours Polaires
Overseeer: Grand Évêque/Grand Bishop Lydia Poulin, 31

The Players
Goalkeepers
GK Mathias Adnet, 23, Les Ours Polaires
GK Florent Boudreaux, 25, Les Loups d’Hiver
GK Napoleon Arthur, 21, L’Avalanche

Mathias Adnet is the biggest reason that the Ours Polaires, or Polar Bears, have been atop the table the last two seasons after winning their most recent title. The heir apparent of longtime Ours Polaires player Justin Foix, Adnet has some issues in big-game situations (two Game 7 defeats in the semifinals of the Coupe de Glace that led to the eventual champion win proves that) but is proficient enough in regular play.

Florent Boudreaux is a one-time Coupe de Glace MVP after being the main keeper on Les Loups d'Hiver's run to the Season 9 title in Year 531 Post-Jump. Florent is a more aggressive keeper who likes to meet would-be scorers head on, using his size to stop their advances. Napoleon Arthur has been playing ice hockey since he was 11, one of the citizens that were chosen for the sport from such a young age, leading to his knowledge and instinct of the sport being very formed.

Defensemen
RD Cécile Lamar, 23, Les Renards
RD Régine Tailler, 24, Les Pingouins
RD Diahann Loiselle, 21, Les Ours Polaires
LD Clarita Carton, 28, Les Ours Polaires
LD Lotya Hedin, 20, Les Loups d’Hiver
LD Andree Breaux, 28, Les Pingouins
Cécile Lamar is the Captain of Les Renards, and is one of the shrewdest in the sport in the Theocracy, weaving in and out between attack and defense with ease, while Clarita Carton is more of a pure defender, doing not much more than pushing the puck to the center.

Régine Tailler is a solid second-choice right defenseman, providing a physical presence when needed and one of the best when it comes to Penalty Kills, while Lotya Hedin is more of a hybrid type that can also play on the attack on penalty plays. Diahann Loiselle is more of a raw prospect, having been chosen for ice hockey only for the last three years and here to gain valuable experience; Andree Breaux provides good locker room presence.

Centers
C Heloise Tourigny, 30, L’Avalanche CAPITAINE
C Susanne Guiton, 18, Les Ours Polaires
C Michelle Burdin, 25, Les Loups d’Hiver
Heloise Tourigny is the heart and soul of this squad, and one of the oldest players at thirty years of age. Most Chosen retire from sport around 32, so she is nearing the twilight of her career and enjoying being a member of L'Avalanche, traditionally one of the most offensive teams in the Ligue de Glace. Tourigny is a solid distributor of the puck and can surprise opponents with shots from range. Susanne Guiton is more of a pure defensive center despite being only eighteen; Michelle Burdin provides a solid body, not really specializing on anything but decent at everything.

Forwards
RW Prewitt Forton, 24, L’Avalanche VICE CAPITAINE
RW Josette Mousseau, 22, Les Ours Polaires
RW Suzanne Dauphin, 19, Les Loups d’Hiver
LW Myriam Magnier, 22, Les Pingouins
LW Rayder Valliere, 26, L’Avalanche
LW Carla Moreau, 31, Les Mammouths
Prewitt Forton will likely be the leading scorer for La Lumière, possessing great skills on his feet and a decent short-range shot to boot. Myriam Magnier is the Captain of Les Pinguoins and more of a passer.

On the bench, Josette Mousseau and Suzanne Dauphin are here to just gain some experience, Mousseau better in transition and Dauphin being more of a player working off of plans; Rayder Valliere is a good hybrid winger who can play far back if needed and Carla Moreau provides solid minutes off the bench.

PP Unit 1:
Forton-Guiton-Magnier; Lamar-Hedin.

PP Unit 2:
Forton-Guiton-Valliere; Lamar-Carton.

PK Unit 1:
Tourigny-Valliere; Lamar-Carton.

PK Unit 2
Forton-Guiton; Loiselle-Guiton.

by **Waisnor** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:55 am

Leading up to the start

Waisnorian fans have a pretty good hopes regarding Waisnorian hockey team, taking into account their previous results. Waisnorian men's hockey team won gold medal at the first NS Olympics for them without losing even one match, which is certainly worth commending)
Talking about team, it's almost the same team that was to Kelssek in NS Olympics, although a bit shortened and with addition of Stanisłav Bednarek in 1st line, who is very promising young player. Other players in 1st line are mostly established players, who showed their skills at the Olympics. Among them, it is worth noting Denis Dementyev, who skillfully defended his goal, and David Bloch with Artur Mamaev, who perfectly performed their role as attackers. The defenders of this line, Mikhail Belov and Vladislav Faskhutdinov, also coped well with their duties.
Among the players in the second row, Ignat Tarlikovsky should be noted, who scored at the Olympics and, in general, showed himself worthy and also goalkeeper Ilya Udodov, who defends the goal quite well. The third line in this situation looks the weakest, however, it also has a trump card in the sleeve - David Afanasevich, who at the Olympics was noted for his ability to score decisive shootouts and thus snatch victories from the hands of opponents.
Talking about rivals of Waisnor, it was seeded in Group of Cups, which would hold their matches in Háttmark-South. Hardest rival of this group would definitely be Siovanija and Teusland, 1st seeded team, against which Waisnorian team most certainly would have hard time playing. Banija and HUElavia also could pose threat to Waisnor in the group stage. Among other teams there are Srednjaci, New Waldensia and Kriegiersien, who were present in last NS Olympics and other Waisnorian athletes could met them at the competitions (although not hockey team), and St. Saratoga, BohemiaIV, Flekkefjord, Quebec & Shingoryeo, Omerica and Ranoria, which are not very well known to Waisnorian sport fans.
Now all we can do is to wish luck to Waisnorian hockey team and hope that they will do well at their first World Cup of Hockey)

by **Recuecn** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 4:22 pm

Reçueçn's World Cup of Hockey Team

Reçueçn has always been a hockey-loving nation; its snowy mountains and frozen alpine lakes provide the perfect breeding ground for the sport's lovers and players. Yet until a few years ago, no team from the allied states ever tested its mettle against anyone from outside the country. It was only at the XIVth Winter Olympics that Reçueçn finally sent representatives to find out where it ranked against the other nations of the multiverse, and was pleasantly surprised; a quarterfinal finish for the men's team was fairly decent, but the women won gold. Inspired by this success, Reçueçn has elected to simply send that same women's team to the WCoH. However, facing the stiffer competition of the world cup, Reçueçn was only mediocre and finished second-to-last in its group, beating only Taeshan. Since then (as evidenced in WCoHs XL and 41) the team has been slowly improving. What awaits them this time?

Style mod: +2.333
#1 | First Goalie | Elea Lörtscher [Captain]
#2 | Reserve Goalie | Émilie Fresnel
#3 | Reserve Goalie | Dietlind Frank

First Line
#4 | Center | Berthe Arceneaux [Alternate Captain]
#5 | Left Wing | Marleen Heilbronn
#6 | Right Wing | Caroline Pernet
#7 | Defense | Audrey Lecerfe
#8 | Defense | Lynn Kern

Second Line
#9 | Center | Seraina Bichsel
#10 | Left Wing | Sarah Essig
#11 | Right Wing | Marilen Rieder [Alternate Captain]
#12 | Defense | Inja Kammacher
#13 | Defense | Liv Jucker

Third Line
#14 | Center | Marei Zurflüh
#15 | Left Wing | Sylviane Mignard
#16 | Right Wing | Bella Gehrig
#17 | Defense | Abby Beaudouin
#18 | Defense | Ramona Grasshoff [Alternate Captain]

Reserves
#19 | Center | Sandrine De Villiers
#20 | Center | Amandine Bombelles
#21 | Left Wing | Alessia Schwarz
#22 | Right Wing | Eugénie Dubuisson
#23 | Defense | Eva Herig
#24 | Defense | Nicola Fürstenberg
#25 | Defense | Maeva Pasteur

Three-Skater Overtime Lines
OT First Line:
#7 | Audrey Lecerfe
#8 | Lynn Kern
#4 | Berthe Arceneaux

OT Second Line:
#6  | Caroline Pernet
#15 | Sylviane Mignard
#17 | Abby Beaudouin

OT Third Line:
#16 | Bella Gehrig
#18 | Ramona Grasshoff
#5  | Marleen Heilbronn

OT Fourth Line:
#14 | Marei Zurflüh
#11 | Marilen Rieder
#12 | Inja Kammacher

RP permissions: knock yourself out.

by **PotatoFarmers** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:57 pm

Poafmersia National Hockey Team for WCoH 42

Nickname: Golden Phoenix
Colors: Metallic Gold, White
Domestic League: Poafmersian Ice Hockey League (PIHL)

About Hockey in Poafmersia: Hockey isn't the most popular sport in Poafmersia, greatly losing out to football/soccer (the most popular) and basketball in terms of team sports. Even with regards to hockey, the group of hockey players are unable to agree on what type of hockey to play, with some preferring field hockey, while others prefer ice hockey.

Roster
Line 1
LW - #12 - Diogo Aita, 29 y/o (Mancodas Athletic HC)
C - #36 - Jada Esposito, 31 y/o (Mancodas Athletic HC)
RW - #14 - Kwaku Hermansson, 30 y/o (Mancodas Athletic HC)

Line 2
LW - #20 - Simon Pesti, 32 y/o (Dalaris Sports HC)
C - #17 - Soner Elzinga, 30 y/o (Dalaris Sports HC)
RW - #15 - Yuriy Sokoll, 31 y/o (Dalaris Sports HC)

When these 2 lines were decided, they were not arranged based on any form of overall skill, but rather, due to the chemistry that these 2 sets of players have shown in the PIHL. Both right wingers are the joint top-scorers in the PIHL for 2 consecutive seasons now, and are very excellent players. But both sides have very different strengths which contributed to the order of the line.
Line 1, known to Mancodas Athletic fans as the AEH line, is a very explosive frontline that can score like nothing against weaker sides. Diogo Aita is known for his skills with the puck, being able to pull off very nice shots and passes, utilising the field and players to make calculated shots that bounce off the other players. Kwaku Hermansson is known for his high accuracy in making shots, understanding when to slide the puck across the field and when to go for goal. On the other hand, Jada Esposito is the natural leader, who also presents high-powered shots The three players have small physique, so they zip around the field really quickly and move into very good spots to get to goal.
However, Line 2 presents a very different picture. Coming from title rivals Dalaris Sports HC, these players are the traditional ice hockey players, having big physique and being able to muscle their way to get to positions that they desire. Yuriy Sokoll is the "battlemaster", willing to go forward to pick a battle for the puck in the corners. Soner Elzinga is the bridge between defence and offence, the creative playmaker that dictates the tempo of the game. Simon Pesti, on the other hand, is more of a grinder, but he is the player that presents some offensive capabilities to be placed on the second line.

Line 3
LW - #33 - Pierce Acker, 34 y/o (Fiskadaha Bears)
CW - #28 - Kellan Lorenz, 36 y/o (Trimidau HC)
RW - #32 - Cóemgein Baird, 28 y/o (Fiskadaha Bears)
A traditional checking line, this line is made up of defensive-minded players who are capable of getting passes and checks to achieve their goal of time stalling. Cóemgein Baird is a surprise on this line, as he typically plays on the 2nd line for his club. Baird is a player who is also capable of getting in front of goal to bash the puck. However, his capabilities to be both defensive and offensive has allowed him to play here with 2 really physical linemates.

Line 4
LW - #13 - Sabri Colquhoun, 30 y/o (Madaris Hornets)
C - #23 - Boreas McGee, 31 y/o (Dalaris Sports HC)
RW - #11 - Rama McDevitt - 30 y/o (Trimidau HC)
The true "energy line", it comprises of 3 heavyweights who are very good at stopping top opposition lines. Boreas McGee is one of the best grinders in Poafmersia, very good at backchecking. Sabri Colquhoun is that big guy who tends to muscle his way to get back the puck, and is also the kind of player you expect to start fights. Rama McDevitt is a player who has lots of stamina, being able to remain full of energy even when the opposition is weak.

Defence Pair 1
D - #3 - Hulderic Schindler, 32 y/o (Mancodas Athletic HC)
D - #4 - Pan Baghdasaryan, 32 y/o (Dalaris Sports HC)
The best defenders in the PIHL, both players are the offensive-minded defenders, known in Poafmersia as "power quarterback", a reference to quaterbacks in Rugby or Gridiron Football. Both players love to trend the blue line, making sure that the puck stay within the offensive and neutral zones. More often then not, their eagle-eye sight prevents the puck from making runaways behind them, keeping the goaltender free. There used to be a joke that whenever they play in the Mancodas-Dalaris derby in PIHL, the points scored will start to decrease, because they will help their respective sides get the puck away. When the both of them play together, sparks would certainly fly, and surely this is good news for the defence?

Defence Pair 2
D - #5 - Bartholomaios Dempsey - 38 y/o (Mancodas Athletic HC)
D - #6 - Dan Sharma, 37 y/o (Trimidau HC)
Veterans at the play, they may have moved away from their peak, but that doesn't mean their agility has become weaker in anyway. Dempsey and Sharma are friends who are now playing for opposing clubs, so they have very good understanding of each other. Unlike the first defensive pairing, they prefer to stay further behind, pushing the puck forward for the offence to pick up, or to get powerful shots straight into the offensive zone.

Defence Pair 3
D - #7 - Wodan Hanegan - 28 y/o (Madaris Hornets)
D - #9 - Mehrab Roncalli - 32 y/o (Trimidau HC)
2 stay-home defenders, you rarely see them near the offensive blue line. Time wasters at heart, coming from weaker clubs in the league, they are very good at time-stalling. They would much rather play long shots to the front than to risk the opposition getting the ball.

Goaltenders
G - #1 - Hadi Darby - 35 y/o (Mancodas Athletic HC)
G - #8 - Noach Salamanca - 30 y/o (Fiskadaha Bears)
With Dalaris Sports HC's 3 time goaltender-of-the-season injured, Noach Salamanca got into the list. Hadi Darby would be the better and more experienced goaltender. Meanwhile, Noach is known to perform in high-pressure situations, allowing Fiskadaha Bears to make really surprising runs in the league.

Seventh Player
#93 - Gerbern Wallace - 30 y/o (Fiskadaha Bears)
Can play anywhere and everywhere. A typical defensive offenceman, he is experienced in playing both defence and offence. A very good two-way player.

Powerplay Unit: Aita - Elzinga - Hermansson; Schindler - Baghdasaryan
Penalty Kill:Colquhoun - Baird; Dempsey - Sharma

Coaching Team
Team Manager - Patya Bosco, 52 y/o
Assistant Coach - Ernestas Rey, 59 y/o
Managing the pack here at the WCoH is Patya Bosco, a former Ice hockey player, as well as Ernestas Rey, former manager of Fiskadaha Bears. The two of them know their tactics really well and intends to utilise tactical switches to ensure victories.

Style Modifier: -0.052
This team is ageing real hard, and it is particularly interesting to see that some players who are doing well in the normal season are all injured once again. With not many younger players capable, Bosco and Rey has decided to go for a slightly defensive strategy, aimed at conserving the stamina of the players.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Players/Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: If it can happen IRL.
Penalise/Eject Players: Yes
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes, I determine length/severity
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Yes, though the way the injuries occur must be realistic. As above, I determine length/severity.
Godmod Other Events: Yes, though they must be realistic.*

*Note: Pandemic-related RPs are not permitted, and will be hit with the ignore canon.

by **Le Choix** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:03 pm

Partie 1

La Porte de la Récompense (The Gate of Recompense)
Portail Vers l'Enfer #6 (Portal to Hell), Le Choix

"Que les morts glorieux se souviennent de toi. - Le Livre de la Pureté, Chapitre 3, Verset 26 "
(May the glorious dead remember you. - The Book of Purity, Chapter 3, Verse 26)

It was a cloudless night at the last day of the sixth month of the 532nd year in the Theocracy of the Chosen.

Grand Évéque (Grand Bishop) Caterine Chaudoir smiled. It was a grim smile that didn't meet the ears, a smile of understanding on what had to happen. It was the day that they recommitted to the cause at hand, after all. Every last day of every month was a fresh chance to see just how strong the resolve of the Chosen was. The number of volunteers and the number of those that were committed to the portal were solid numbers that The Five really kept track of.

Last month, twenty had volunteered to go into Portail Vers l'Enfer, or the Portal to Hell, where the demons that stalked the lands of the Chosen dwelt. It was only due to their sacrifice that the demons were kept at bay instead of overtaking the Chosen countryside, and their sacrifice was honored. Alongside the thirty criminals that had been exiled to the fate within the Portal, it had been one of the higher numbers of the year.

They were really trying to hit about seventy, though, without making it seem too obvious what they were doing. There were ten portals of the same size across the lands of the Chosen, and they were averaging about a thousand people being sent through per month. It was culling dissidents and creating martyrs, maintaining heroes and containing the narrative to be within the five Grand Bishops' control.

As one of the guards came by to inform her that they were ready, Caterine made sure that her robes were in place, her pin showing five stars put into the form of a circle on her left breast, her spectacles being atop her pointed noise. She was a wizened woman of fifty-one, and had been in the faith from the beginning, rising through the ranks through her zeal and her wholehearted devotion to the cause. This had become even more focused once she'd learned about The Truth. In fact, everything made even more sense to her, and she was a firm believer that everything had to be exactly as it was in order for peace and justice to prevail over the land.

She double checked the list of names. There were twenty-eight criminals that had been given the sentence of being sent to the Portal, with the usual rights read that if they were to survive thirty days in the Portal, they would be welcomed back as heroes. Of course, Caterine Chaudoir knew that the chances of that were not likely, given everything. Of the twenty-eight, there were murderers, rapists, thieves, and two very annoying dissenters that had tried to spread some interesting propaganda. They would be judged first by the demons of the portal, she knew. The fact that they were book types and knew nothing about the weapons that they would be sent in with would work against them as well.

That was justice, she told herself. Thankfully, there were also forty-three people who had volunteered to go into the Portal. A few of them had been trained by Grand Évéque Julian Burdette from a young age, destined to be survivors, entering to bolster morale. However, a staggering twenty-eight people were volunteering to enter the portal for different reasons. Eighteen of them were taking advantage of the fact that the Theocracy granted ten years' worth of food, drink, and lodging to the families of those that volunteered, while ten of them were actual zealots.

A few of those ten were quite mad. Three thought that they were actually chosen by God, an absurd notion that the Chosen were more than happy to reinforce. Such people were the most easily directed to suit their needs.

But she was letting her thoughts get away from herself. It was time.

* * * * * * * * * *

"-Esther Dupreaux," Caterine Chaudoir read the final name on the list, and a blonde woman of no more than twenty years of age stepped forward dejectedly. She had been one of those dissenters. A total softy. Chaudoir guessed two days before Esther would be a casualty in the Portal.

"We, of The Chosen, have honored the sacrifice of our people from the 61st year Post-Jump. For nearly five hundred years, we have kept the demons at bay in the Portal to Hell due to this sacrifice. We will put your names on the Wall of Remembrance. We bid you the best of luck in the Portal fighting the evils that lie within," she enunciated.

The gathered crowd of 2,400 peoples, neatly in rows and columns, all took one step to the right and then raised their right hand to the side. This was the symbol of The Chosen, a bit crude yet effective - they would stop evil directly in front of them at any cost, even at the cost of their own lives.

"Que les morts glorieux se souviennent de toi!" exclaimed the Grand Bishop.

"Que les morts glorieux se souviennent de toi!" shouted the voices of 2,400 Chosen gathered.

One by one, the seventy-one people were given military equipment and gear and then prodded toward the Gate of Remembrance. There it stood, thirty feet high and ten feet across, a marvel of modern engineering.

The door creaked, and then opened.

One by one, they walked through or were prodded through, the echoes of that sentence behind them.

Que les morts glorieux se souviennent de toi! May the glorious dead remember you.

by **Fluvannia** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:10 pm

Fluvannia National Ice Hockey Team -- "The Bears"

INFO
Trigram: FLV
Team Colors: Fluvannia Blue (officially "Lacustrine", colloquially "FluBlu"), White, Gold (alt), Red (alt)
National Anthem: O Triune Realm
Style Modifier: +1

##  Name                    Pos.           Hometown            FHL Team                                  Age
73  Patrick Cleary (C)      Center         Kaukauna            Charlottesville Chargers                   36
13  Chuck O'Doyle           Center         Scottsville         Scottsville Pistons                        29
 9  Matt Grabowski (A)      Center         Green Bay           Rochester Tigers                           31
95  Teimo Peräjärvi (A)     Center         Kaukauna            Manitowoc College (FIAA)                   19
36  Mark Bradley            Left Wing      Green Bay           Charlottesville Chargers                   33
16  Alberto Barrett         Left Wing      Brighton            Rochester Royals                           30
63  Henry Ingram            Left Wing      Chilton             Piedmont Univ. (FIAA)                      21
33  Ritchie Breton          Left Wing      Henrietta           Rochester Tigers                           30
 8  David Chekovich         Right Wing     Denmark             Charlottesville Chargers                   25
44  Julio Hamilton          Right Wing     Appleton            Palmyra Cannons                            32
17  Frank Wells             Right Wing     Oshkosh             Harrisonburg Highlanders                   31
31  Austin Stephens         Right Wing     Lake Monticello     Green Bay Tundra                           24
18  Terry Francis           Defense        Columbia            Harrisonburg Highlanders                   27
28  Harvey Todd             Defense        Palymra             Scottsville Pistons                        33
47  Bert Cooper             Defense        Fork Union          Charlottesville Chargers                   30
42  Miggy Gutierrez         Defense        Staunton            Royal Inst. of Tech. (FIAA)                21
25  Iehira Tanaka           Defense        Palmyra             Univ. of Oshkosh (FIAA)                    18
66  Caleb Gill              Defense        Palmyra             Royal Fluvannian Military Academy (FIAA)   19
40  Teukka Salama           Goaltender     Oconto              Charlottesville Chargers                   34
 1  Dale Knight             Goaltender     Palmyra             Rochester Tigers                           31
70  Casey Snyder            Goaltender     Oshkosh             Rochester Royals                           26

RESERVES:
Tyrone Robinson    (# 6, LW, 29yo)
Ron Burgess        (# 4,  C, 25yo)
Elmer Franklin     (#91,  D, 27yo)
Marshall Wilkerson (#30,  G, 21yo)

Forward lines, defense pairings, and goaltending order can be found here.

The schedule for Fluvannia's group play is as follows, with opponents and location TBD:

Fri, Mar 26:  @  Gergary
Sat, Mar 27: vs. Anthor
Sun, Mar 28:  @  Devonta
Mon, Mar 29: vs. Salzcovia
Tue, Mar 30:  @  Mercedini
~OFF DAY~
Thu, Apr  1: vs. Gyatso-Kai
Fri, Apr  2:  @  Nova Anglicana
Sat, Apr  3: vs. Islands of Ventro
Sun, Apr  4:  @  Abanhfleft
Mon, Apr  5: vs. Le Choix
Tue, Apr  6:  @  Grey County
Wed, Apr  7: vs. Suimede

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: No
RP Injuries to my Players: Ask first
Godmod Injuries to my Players: No
Godmod Other Events: Ask first

by **North Alezia** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:16 am

Written by Maqqa Nursalim, Hibrisiana Haruni, and Yashelnev Kaleinkoskovky

GRAINTFJALL- North Alezia has a lot to do lately. Independent Cup, Worldvision Song Contest, World Hit Festival, and a decision by North Alezian Hockey Team to participate internationally for the first time. This decision is supported by Sagan Merichenski who is the Minister of Culture and Sports who said in an interview: "North Alezia can definitely expand its ability in an hockey competition. North Alezian hockey team has trained so hard for this, if I heard." North Alezia is put to the Group of Wands after decided through pot and draw. North Alezia's first match is scheduled to be against Pluvie.

This decision is met with similiar applaud and approval with the football team that is currently in Almuzahara for the Independent Associations Cup. The Manager of the National Team Alif Maqqayaddin stated in an interview few weeks ago that: "North Alezia's plan to participate in the 42nd World Cup of Hockey is going well. We are currently on our last practice session before going to Graintfjall. And while it's not flawless, the team has shown significant interest and the amounts of preparation are satisfactory. North Alezia has a good chance I think."

North Alezian Team is also happy for this decision as well, where the ABA got the chance to talk with Eren Mavidesh, North Alezia's "C" for the 2nd Line: "I can't wait to well, see how others played. Other countries like Elejamie, which we only met in the Worldvision Song Contest, Ko-oren, and many others can be a great source of inspiration and information on how us as a hockey team should be." Others are estatic about other things such as the fact that Asmam Darul-Hikmah liked the design of the Kit they'll use for the competition

The public are once again much more approving, where the hockey team's twitter account got met with hopes of success such as from @Madalliel who wrote: I can't wait to see @HockeyNAZ play on the world stage, I wonder how will it turn out? I myself am pretty optimistic. Another account named @Severine2271 wrote: @HockeyNAZ has practiced so hard. Its members are gathered in from the best teams. So, I'm pretty happy about the decision.

The first North Alezian game will be broadcasted at 9/10 PM at ABA Channel 1, where supposedly, there are more than 1500 North Alezians who are members of The Bear Club which is a fanclub for the North Alezian hockey team team. And there are more North Alezians who are not part of the club but would still depart to watch the games directly sitting in a stadium in Graintfjell. And there are WAY more North Alezians watching at home soil at the comforts of their homes. All of them who has an ABA account can sign in to http://www.ABA.co.az/ontv/WCoh42 and watch the competition from there and participate in chat box prepared specifically for this match where they can discuss the match and other things, and there will be a poll which will be available to ABA interactive users as well.

by **Suimede** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:35 am

Suimeder National Hockey Team

Trigram: SMD
Nickname: Eneshęge am-Gieloge (Ice Jaguars)

Jerseys
- Home
Front: https://imgur.com/0OKy1si
Back: https://imgur.com/kLe0SHc
- Away
Front: https://imgur.com/5uPygdt
Back: https://imgur.com/Z5STzX6

Isshockey Eměvt Nasional am-Suimede
Equipa Nacional Suimedês de Hóquei
Equipo Nacional de Hockey Masculino de Suimede
منتخب شمواه للهوكي الوطني

Coaching Staff
Coach: Ignac Vlašić (M, age 48)
Assistant Coaches: Feliks Heshejl (M, age 39), Tatiana am-Gělies (F, age 37), Katerin Resage (F, age 44)
Captain: Hepej Bulkę
Vice Captain: Aarón Ibarra

Roster

Goaltenders
Jage Ozellgage - #33 (Kec̦igh, Shicig) [age 23]
Dominik Shǫgh -#1 (Zeng, Stěhm Porte) [age 22]
Braian del Bosque - #29 (Lokris, Mokǫgede) [age 25]

1st Line
LD: Aarón Ibarra - #4 (Sąu Agustin, Sąu Agustin) [age 27]
RD: Kevin Resacede - #2 (Capolel, Puavekh) [age 19]
LW: Denis Yenlej - #9 (Ekhege Eces, Mokǫgede) [age 29]
RW: Draža Vuković - #7 (Nashitze, Serbograd) [age 24]
C: Hepej Bulkę - #18 (Detěk, Luvę) [age 34]

2nd Line
LD: Elisie Popovski - #55 (Tzvec̦e, Serbograd) [age 26]
RD: Hayat el-Mufti - #32 (Dadęm, Raștakhe) [age 24]
LW: Laliș am-Apana - #17 (Fuapę, Tjeno) [age 30]
RW: Rashto am-Apana - #71 (Fuapę, Tjeno) [age 19]
C: Kapuej am-Ofamlok - #93 (Klei, Stěhm Porte) [age 16]

3rd Line
LD: Cristiano Pinheiro Teixeira - #8 (Pessoa, Filipia) [age 20]
RD: Bondi Davidović-Resage - #23 (Moc̦vara, Serbograd) [age 23]
LW: Pentri Neshę - #20 (Jaakaho, Filipia) [age 22]
RW: Jonatan Ujakede - #24 (Guakǐ, Tjeno) [age 21]
C: Kaps Fuefǒm-Heshejl - #34 (Eakhe Eces, Pęshis) [age 23]

Reserves
LD: Agustin Lusǐtąn - #84 (Gielogakh, Stěhm Porte) [age 28]
RD: Jǫgele Buįksakh - #6 (Capolel, Puavekh) [age 21]
LW: Farouk el-Ghazzawi - #10 (Sąu Pauli, Shicig) [age 28]
RW: Ciǫgo am-Bloky̌ - #13 (Dadęm, Raștakhe) [age 23]
C: Zokhaǎ am-Elihsh - #26 (Zerakh, Ivaugakh) [age 22]

Storylines
- This is Suimede's first entry into the WCH following an overachieving performance at the under-20 edition not too long ago. Traditionally dominated by a plethora of other sports, the mid-Atlantic island will be hoping to see the investment in hockey over the past 15 years pay off. We've already seen a push in foreign countries' domestic leagues to get the game into warmer climates, will we see a similar accomplishment with the Red-Violet in this cup?
- Returning from the World Juniors are three players; Rashto am-Apana, Kapuej am-Ofamlok, and Jonatan Ujakede. Starring the show for the U-20 side, Rashto (alongside his elder brother Laliș) and Jonatan are returning members of the team, albeit sparingly, while Kapuej is looking to make his debut with the Suimeder senior team.
- Ciǫgo am-Bloky̌ while a reserve, may just be the most famous player on this team, being a rising star in the Suimeder football scene, as well as having a very active social media presence.
- Denis Yenlej is often regarded to be the best player in Suimede right now, but has historically been plagued by injury and behavioral issues throughout his career. Can Yenlej stay healthy and level-headed in the biggest games of his life?
- Speaking of injury, returning from injuries that kept them out of the U-20 World Cup are Kevin Resacede and Cristiano Pinheiro Texeira. Now that their punch is back on the squad, how much can they help the Jags?

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: No
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes
Godmod Injuries to my Players: TG me
Assign Penalties to my Players: TG me
Eject my Players: No
Godmod Other Events: TG me

Style Modifier: +3

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:53 am

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ABANHFLEFT
NATIONAL MEN'S ICE HOCKEY TEAM

This will be Abanhfleft's nth time participating in the World Cup of Hockey. Abanhfleft is going through a bad patch of form sports-wise so no one really expects much from this team this time around. Hockey has also experienced a bit of a decline in popularity so that also means that less people would be watching the national hockey team this time around. The ice hockey craze bubble has burst, and Fleftic ice hockey fans aren't taking it too well so they'll support the team no matter what but even they aren't getting their hopes up. That's how far expectations have fallen for this team. It's kind of sad, really. And then they went to the final of WCoH 35 where they lost to Elejamie so apparently interest in hockey has been revived.

BASIC INFORMATION
Nation name: Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft
Demonym: Fleftic
Team colors: Blue, orange, and green
Style modifier: +2.25
Head coach: Sigmund Giese (Island of the Lost, 71 y/o)

STARTERS
Goaltender: Jeremy Gonzalez (34 y/o)

1st Defensive Pair:
Venkata Phadanis (32 y/o)
Nuri Hamina (31 y/o)

2nd Defensive Pair:
Lance Valencia (26 y/o)
Steven Malapitan (28 y/o)

3rd Defensive Pair:
Tomas Agafonov (24 y/o, defense)
Miles McGonagall (29 y/o, defense)

1st Offensive Line:
RW: Bobby Gahol (27 y/o)
C: Brandon Weyandt (34 y/o, captain)
LW: Emmanuel Macalipay (30 y/o)

2nd Offensive Line:
RW: Shayne Dimaculangan (25 y/o)
C: Patrick Lewis (33 y/o)
LW: Jordan Pursley (33 y/o)

3rd Offensive Line:
RW: Dennis Dulay (27 y/o)
C: Sal de Ocampo (29 y/o)
LW: Jamir Escalante (32 y/o)

4th Offensive Line:
RW: Julio de Ocampo (24 y/o, offense)
C: Brandon Gainer (32 y/o, defense)
LW: Tate Manaloto (28 y/o)

RESERVES
Billy Ryan (32 y/o, goaltender)
Xavier Alarie (27 y/o, goaltender)
Gayle Graham II (27 y/o, goaltender)
Manetto Lo Sacco (31 y/o, defense)
Jamar Clyburn (26 y/o, defense)
Jamie Dibbert (24 y/o, defense)
Tristan Good (26 y/o, defense)
Seamus McGuire (23 y/o, defense)
Ezekiel Walton (28 y/o, defense)
Hippolyte Lémery (26 y/o, offense)
Gilbert Bourgeois (30 y/o, offense)
Mustafa Nakache (25 y/o, offense)
Rocco Sarno (23 y/o, offense)
Colt Francis (24 y/o, offense)
Jensen Evans (25 y/o, offense)

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Anything except killing is fair game.

by **Cassadaigua** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:01 am

Time to drop the puck!
By Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

A long but very important qualifying session is set to begin in the World Cup of Hockey as 52 teams have been divided not into thirteen groups of four, but four groups of thirteen. Yes, my friends, that means twelve games of group stage play, all of which take place in Graintfjall. It’s a single round robin, so it is not really as long as it seems like it would be. It may just feel that way as we play new opponent after new opponent. A lot of people may like that. This is a very important period, as only sixteen teams will qualify for the playoffs, and you must finish in the top four of the group.

So, let’s talk about that group! Wait, no! I can’t do that! I have been informed that it is bad luck to preview groups that are hosted by Graintfjall. Or maybe, it is just because there are an “unlucky” 13 groups. Others may also say that the number 42 is cursed, so we should all tread carefully. Cassadaigua is in Group D. Wait, make that the Group of Swords. Yeah, I guess that sounds a lot better and at least it is not a corporate sponsor. Group of Swords it is! Though, there is also a Group of Cups, and in the World Cup of Hockey that would seem to be the ideal group to have been in. Regardless, it beats Pentacles. What this format allows for is some very competitive group stage matches, as the Fillies (ranked #8 in the world) will have to go against #3 Savojarna, #12 Recuecn, #14 Taeshan, and the equally formidable #18 TJUN-ia. Never, ever, sleep on TJUN-ia. Oh, by the way, we also have the hosts in Graintfjall, plus Kohnhead and Chromatika, and only four teams from this group will advance. If the organizers were hoping to create a highly intense group stage where every game and every point will matter, then they have accomplished their goal a lot better than thirteen groups of four would have.

Leading the way will be our new head coach Rachel Belmont, as the long time assistant takes over after the retirement of Katherine Gardner. Belmont is 63 herself, so she might not be the long term solution but at least she is being rewarded for her tenure underneath Gardner with this great opportunity. She knows the players which is also something that is important. The team sees some turnover as former captain Abby Dayton is no longer part of the team. The 33 year old suffered a high ankle sprain during the playoffs, and it has been slow to heal. While Dayton could have probably been back at some point for the team, coach Belmont decided she would give the opportunity to other players if Abby could not be 100%. This will likely mean that her international career is over. Abby was allowed the option to travel with the team, but she decided to not to do so. Brittany Gomes, now 25, moves up from the fourth line to the top line alongside Cassidy Conti and Samantha Dryden. On the World Cup roster for us, a fourth liner is not your conventional club team fourth liner, but usually a young prospect capable of playing more minutes in the future. Gomes now gets that chance. This move will allow the #2 line of Meghann Carmello, Lauren Potvin, and Danielle Turnbull to remain in tact.

Other new forwards getting a chance to play more regularly are defensive forward Shelby Coufal, and 21-year old Ashley LaPointe, a highly regarded player within Cassadaigua. Defensively, we don’t see any anticipated changes with our top six defensemen, and Courtney Burnett will get the distinction of being the new captain. The 35-year old blueliner has not missed a beat at home, and will certainly be a great leader for this team as one of several players who are still here from our championship team in #39. Burnett also seems to know that this will be her last World Cup of Hockey, but told reporters that “I have been blessed to have been able to stay in this game so long and to be playing at this level. During the tournament, I am not going to be thinking about this being my last such World Cup, because it will be all about the games and we know we have a lot of them and they are all important. But I do realize that is likely that it will be my last one, but then again, who really knows. Look at Kelsey Morgan.” For those not knowing the Kelsey Morgan reference, she is a soccer goalkeeper, who at 37 appeared on that World Cup roster (as a reserve, but at least she was there), after being a long time starter.

Speaking of goalies, Travis Anderson will again be between the pipes, but with the long group stage, it is very possible that Sarah Blaine will get a start or two just to keep Anderson fresh. In theory, it is logical that Blaine, for example, in our match against unranked Xabia, which comes between our games against Recuecn and Savojarna. Cassadaigua also has their off day very early, on MD2, so that is not really going to be useful in terms of a rest day. As normal, we have also seen several other players coming with the team that might not have typically been dressed for action. With the longer group stage, don’t be surprised if coach Belmont also plays many of them in games such as that Xabia match to keep the top players fresh. In regards to general roster decisions, I asked coach Belmont about it, and she replied, “The scenarios that you bring up are good ones and the possible solutions for them make sense. We are just going to take things day by day. It will be a feel thing based on how we are playing, who is hot and who is not, because there is not a lot of room for error. This group stage period may be like none other that we have dealt with when you factor in the quality of opponents that we will be facing. Early on, in having the off day so early, we will go with our primary plan and lineup. We got Chromatika to start, and even though they are not one of the top ranked teams, they are Chromatika. You don’t take Chromatika lightly in anything, and they will do much better than that rank, I am sure. Then, the off day. So, the grinding part of our schedule really begins on matchday three. I don’t think we start to worry about fatigue for a little while. But eventually, it will be important to keep people fresh.”

As coach Belmont stated, Chromatika is the first opponent, then the bye, then games against two unranked sides: Xanneria and Lu Shan. Then, comes the grind with four of the next five games against most of the top ranked teams within the group. Cassadaigua will be expected to make the playoffs, and we like to say, they see Cassadaigua on their schedule. We need to make that more intimidating than us seeing their names on our schedule.

by **Nova Anglicana** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 10:09 am

Lion's Roar

A SportsWorld Weblog

WCoH 42: Who's in the Lions' group?
by Omega Lion

How I imagine my readers are eagerly waiting for my articles.

In honor of the tarot-inspired group draw, I've divided the teams in the Lions' massive 13-team group, the Group of Pentacles, into subgroups based on how much luck they will need to make the playoffs. And no, I didn't just put three teams in three groups and four in one and sort them by rank, that would be lazy. I considered doing that, but I decided that you all expect better. So appreciate it, ya filthy animals!

No luck needed
Gyatso-Kai (4)
Mercedini (6)
Abanhfleft (10)

This is a bit self-explanatory. Gyatso-Kai are, have been, and will presumably continue to be hockey juggernauts. In the last WCoH, they finished in the top 8, which is, I'm sure, a bit disappointing. However, that will probably give them added motivation in this edition. Nobody tangles with the Ice Bison and comes away unscathed. Mercedini are ranked 6th, and finished 4th in the last WCoH (and the previous one too), so I'm not betting against the Kingfishers. They also have unrivaled stamina due to their practice of changing lines much less frequently, so they will likely just be able to outlast teams even if their superior talent is somehow muzzled. Abanhfleft finished first in their group in the last WCoH and went out in the final 12, ironically to now-groupmate Gyatso-Kai. Although they're the weakest of the top-10 teams in this group, you can never count out a Fleftic team. Their MD11 tie with the Ice Bison should be one to watch.

Need a bit of luck
Fluvannia (16)

Only one team hangs out in this section, 16th-ranked Fluvannia. I might have swapped them and Abanhfleft, given how the Bears are a rising star in international hockey, but they failed to make the playoffs last time. Still, they have to be the odds-on favorite to claim the fourth spot behind the three top-10 teams. Everyone else is a little too low in the rankings or doesn't have enough momentum. I'd be surprised if they don't move on.

Need a lot of luck
United States of Devonta (20)
Anthor (24)
Gergary (27)
Nova Anglicana (35)
Suimede (UR)
Le Choix (UR)

Here's the largest group, a group that ranges from teams just outside of a playoff berth, to teams hoping for a couple of upsets to really catapult them into competition, to teams that you just can't overlook, even if by rights they shouldn't be great competitors. United States of Devonta are ranked the highest, which indicates that they are at least going to be competitive, but so much of Devontan sports in international competition can be characterized as "listless." A team that should have a shot on paper, but will need to wake up from their funk to really live up to their ranking.

Anthor, Gergary, and Nova Anglicana are in the same boat. They're mid-ranked and have experienced some level of success, but will need dominoes to fall if they expect to have a chance. Anthor was a good sight better than three teams in their WCoH 41 group, but they were similarly worse than Valanora and Gyatso-Kai, the top two teams in their group. You can't count them out, and defeating them will be key to the Lions' hopes. I would have higher hopes for Gergary if they hadn't finished 3-0-7 and in last place in their group in WCoH 41. They did defeat the Lions in the first half, but the Lions finished on a 4-1-1 stretch that included a 2-1 victory over the White Vultures. I like the Lions to carry that momentum into WCoH 42 against Gergary. As for the Lions, who's the real team? The one that went 0-0-4 to start, or the 4-1-1 finishers? I lean more towards the 4-1-1 side of things, but it's undeniable that it will be an uphill climb for them. Three top-10 teams don't just stand aside for you. Best-case scenario, they sneak in with the #4 slot. But that's unlikely, so finishing 5th or 6th with a good battle against the top four teams in the group would be excellent progress.

As for Suimede and Le Choix, they are both unranked, but they make it into this group because they can't be overlooked. Suimede's junior team made it to the Round of 16 of the World Junior Hockey Championship, even defeating Abanhfleft along the way. Even if the junior and senior teams are not the same thing, this bodes well for their future success. Other nations overlook them at their peril. As for Le Choix, they are religious zealots who play an extremely defensive style. Remind you of anyone? Astute observers will know that before South Covello was South Covello, it was Gregoryisgodistan, a totalitarian dictatorship based on the idea that their leader was a literal god. They had a lot of success playing defensive hockey. Now, I'm not making a 1-to-1 comparison here, but total devotion to an idea and to defense means they will be tough to beat, if nothing else.

Better luck next time
Grey County (UR)
Salzcovia (UR)
Islands of Ventro (UR)

The three teams in this group are all unranked, but they don't share the same chances. Grey County showed at least some aptitude for ice hockey, going 3-2-2 at the World Junior Hockey Championship and making the Round of 20. Once there, though, they lost 5-3 to Siovanija & Teusland. That loss, coupled with the fact that we haven't ever seen the senior team play, means there's just not a lot of hope here in their first WCoH. As for Salzcovia, they haven't released a roster or ever played before, but that's still better than Islands of Ventro's twelve-person roster, consisting of two defensive pairs and two lines. Apparently it's due to "lack of interest", which is what IoV's players are going to have in moving after playing as many games as they have players.

Lions' Schedule

MD1: Grey County
MD2: Suimede
MD3: Gergary
MD4: Anthor
MD5: United States of Devonta
MD6: Salzcovia
MD7: Mercedini
MD8: Fluvannia
MD9: Gyatso-Kai
MD10: Off
MD11: Islands of Ventro
MD12: Abanhfleft
MD13: Le Choix

Looking at the Lions' schedule, it appears favorable, as they open with two unranked teams, then don't face one of the top four teams until MD7. The Lions have a real chance to build momentum by defeating Grey County and Suimede early on, then charging through the mid-ranked gauntlet of Gergary, Anthor, and Devonta, and then getting a palate cleanser in Salzcovia before moving on to face Mercedini. In my wildest dreams, the Lions open 6-0-0, but I would settle for four wins and no more than one defeat. Mercedini, Fluvannia, and Gyatso-Kai on MDs 7-9 will likely determine the Lions' fate. Going 0-0-3 will mean them falling too far behind. A pair of draws is necessary at the very least. A 1-1-1 record would be a dream come true. Hopefully, they've rounded into form by MD7. The Lions finish with two unrankeds and Abanhfleft, which could be a loss sandwiched around two wins. If the Lions are in contention, drawing Abanhfleft is a must at least. Even if they're not, they need to not suffer a lack of motivation and drop points to either of the unrankeds. To qualify, the Lions will need five wins against the unranked teams, at least three wins against the mid-ranked teams, and taking some points, any points, off the top four. Whether they can do that remains to be seen, but we'll all be behind them. It will be good to see Nova Anglicana engaged in competitive international hockey again.

More from Lion's Roar
WBC 51: What do the Lions' chances look like?
Lions hope to stay alive in Campionato
Interview with Rick McDonald

(OOC: Logo at top shamelessly cribbed from Pride of Detroit, Detroit Lions blog. The opinions expressed above are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily indicative of the opinions of Nova Anglicans or the user behind Nova Anglicana.)

by **Banija** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 10:49 am

Banija National Men's Ice Hockey Team
Head Coach: Martial Odongo

The Banijan Hockey Federation, as the national governing body for ice hockey in Banija, is the governing body for this squad.

All teams listed are in the Greater Banijan Hockey League, or post-secondary education institutions competing in the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group competition, unless otherwise specified. Players who are making their international debut at the senior level are in orange.

Goalie
Starter: #50 Dewa Bangè. Age 37. Plays for Olympique de Marianopolis in the Donnacona National Hockey League. Captain.
Backup: #35 Adama Singateh. Age 29. St. Jakob Crusaders.
Third-String: #44 Demba Jobateh. Age 33. Shakmir Whalers.

Defenders
Partnership 1
Left Defender- #7 Kausu Faye. Age 32. Shakmir Whalers.
Right Defender- #17 Antou Sene. Age 24. Plays in the Ehrenliga(Siovanija & Teusland's top hockey league).

Partnership 2
Left Defender- #13 Alan Ceesay. Age 20. Plays for the Giesenau Bearcats in the Teus Major Junior Hockey League(Teusland).
Right Defender- #22 Abdou Ouattara. Age 29. Jaromirgrad GBHL team(Savojarna, yet unnamed). Graduate of University of Loyola-Istria.

Partnership 3
Left Defender- #19 Buba Colley. Age 25. Plays for the Cascadia Lions.
Right Defender- #18 Biran Mansaray. Age 24. Cascadia Lions.

Forwards
Line 1
Center- # 40 Alanso Hairte. Age 31. St. Jakob Crusaders. Graduate of Northern Moravica University. First Alternate Captain. Handles captain responsibilities even if not the formal captain.
Left Wing- #5 Edrissa Sonko. Age 33. Kapetägien Kestrels
Right Wing- #16 Kutubo Gaye. Age 30. Jaromirgrad GBHL team(Savojarna, yet unnamed)

Line 2
Center- #8 Yakuba Tiyana. Age 33. Goldstaff Cocodragons.
Left Wing- #10 Wassa Bah. Age 33. Goldstaff Cocodragons.
Right Wing- #4 Kebba Corr. Age 25. New Istria Eagles.

Line 3
Center- #1 Saikou Suso. Age 28. Plays for the yet unnamed Gold Coast GBHL team. Second Alternate Captain.
Left Wing - #33 Laita Bairley. Age 24. Mansfield Warriors.
Right Wing- #14 Banta Soley. Age 25. Maal Pioneers.

Line 4
Center- #13 Kamara Senghore. Age 27. Plays for the Rosaria Knights.
Left Wing- #2 Isa Singh. Age 24. Plays for the Islamic University of Busoga.
Right Wing- #6 Malick Tiyan. Age 27. Plays for the Little Istria Tigersharks.

Notes:
The team's special teams tend to struggle, as they are more likely to score goals when it's 5 v 5.

Group of Cups Schedule (Must finish Top 4 in this group of 13 to advance to Life Stage. Banija is ranked #9)
Matchday 1: Banija v. HUElavia(11) @ Hämeenvalta Super Arena (cap.: 10,000) in Molding, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 2: Banija v. Omerica(UR) @ IceBank Arena(cap.: c. 17,000) in Hinteram, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 3: Banija v. Ranoria(21) @ Valhalla Hockey Arena(cap.: c. 15,000) in Kangasdorf, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 4: Banija v. New Waldensia(19) @ Forum Harmersgrunn (cap.: c. 4,000) in Harmersgrunn, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 5: Banija v. St. Saratoga (28) @ WMM Arena (cap.: c. 16,000) in Ilsburg, Græntfjall
Matchday 6: Banija v. BohemiaIV (UR) @ ACE MultiArena (cap.: c. 10,000) in Mokofen, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 7: BYE
Matchday 8: Baniija v. Siovanija & Teusland(1) @ ACE MultiArena (cap.: c. 10,000) in Mokofen, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 9: Banija v. Waisnor(UR) @ WMM Arena (cap.: c. 16,000) in Ilsburg, Græntfjall
Matchday 10: Banija v. Srednjaci(UR) @ Forum Harmersgrunn (cap.: c. 4,000) in Harmersgrunn, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 11: Banija v. Kriegiersien(UR) @ Valhalla Hockey Arena(cap.: c. 15,000) in Kangasdorf, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 12: Banija v. Flekkefjord(30) @ IceBank Arena(cap.: c. 17,000) in Hinteram, Háttmark, Græntfjall
Matchday 13: Banija v. Quebec & Shingoryeo(13) @ Hämeenvalta Super Arena (cap.: 10,000) in Molding, Háttmark, Græntfjall

Style Mod: -3
RP Permissions: Anything is game, although you need my permission to kill anyone. No pandemics of any kind allowed. Hockey's not that big in country, so expect Banija's fanbase at each game to be much smaller than our opponent's. If you injure somebody, please specify what the injury is and how many games they will be expected to miss.

by **Delaclava** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:53 pm

DSGN.com Hockey

The five most exciting debutants of the Ice Phoenixes

Back so soon? Yes indeed! Just weeks after wrapping up hosting the 16th World Junior Hockey Championships, and seeing the Ashlings take the silver medal, the senior Phoenixes now make the trip to Græntfjall to contest the 42nd World Cup of Hockey. The Phoenixes entered the 40th edition unranked and fought their way to the Round of 16 before losing to now two-time defending champions Siovanija and Teusland. They missed the 41st edition due to some lost paperwork at the Delaclav Hockey Federation, so we’re glad to see the Phoenixes back on the ice!

The format: single round-robin, four groups of 13, top four move on to the Round of 16. It’s a fantastic format, ensuring a whole bunch of fresh matchups while ensuring that the most skilled and well-conditioned teams will rise to the top. It also means that there are twelve teams the Phoenixes will play - and it’s hard to cover all of them! Most notably, the Group of Wands is headlined by Ko-oren, Valanora, and WJHC champions Kelssek, so the Phoenixes will have their work cut out.

For now, let’s focus on the players. A ton of familiar faces return - captain and left winger Jehiel Abreu, goaltender Tom Sutton, center Alex Coburn, and defensemen Antoine Clement and Radovan Němec headline the squad. How about some of the newer talents? Let’s take a look at the five players we’re most curious to see make their international debuts.

5. RW Zoltan Bondra - This should be quite a familiar name, as Bondra was the leading scorer of the Ashlings who achieved a second-place finish in the home WJHC. Bondra is one of four players - along with twin brother Tomas, junior captain Peter Požgaj, and Maxim Sevanov - who will be making the quick turnaround from the junior competition to the World Cup. All four are currently listed on the reserve squad and will not dress at the start of this tournament, but they’re all in great shape and ready to go if their elder counterparts struggle. Zoltan Bondra is the most intriguing prospect of the four. He has the biggest upside, given the talent he has shown, but his small size at 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds already was a source of concern in the WJHC - with the big bruisers of the senior game, it could be a real problem. We’re curious to see how Zoltan handles the increased stakes and more imposing opposition.

4. LW Calum Dunn - Dunn is a similarly undersized - listed with the same specs as Zoltan Bondra - yet immensely gifted stickhandler and scorer who hails from the Stockton Snipers, whose depth of youth and senior talent has taken the United SuperLeague by storm. And Dunn will have the benefit of playing on the third line with Edan Bullard and fellow debutant Brody Callaghan - which comprises the Snipers’ first line. The emergence of Dunn the past two seasons has made Bullard even more of a threat, as opponents couldn’t fully commit to containing any individual on that line. It’s a proven recipe for success that Dunn will now help put to the test on the world stage.

3. D David Breland - So much was made of the baby Phoenixes’ miracle run in the WJHC that there wasn’t much attention paid to the under-20 players who didn’t even get the opportunity to compete. Meet David Breland, the 19-year-old top-pair defenseman on the Snipers who had to be left off the roster while recovering from a broken ankle. At 6-foot-4, Breland is a speedy skater as well as an effective passer and puck defender, who operates well in the Snipers’ defensive zone scheme. Breland will also not dress to begin the tournament, but as he finishes healing and gets stronger, he may well be a secret weapon for the team at the business end of the tournament.

2. D Evan Ryan - Ryan enters his first World Cup of Hockey in an ideal setup. He’s big, at 6-foot-6, and employs a ferocious body check and an even more fearsome slapshot. He’s a two-way player who is truly a defenseman first, not just a forward who technically plays defense. He’s entering his physical and hockey prime now, and gets to pair up with his Crystal Lake Cavaliers partner Sage Woodard on the second pair. He’ll be utilized heavily in all situations to take the pressure off the top pair of Clement and Němec - although his chemistry with Woodard may earn the Cavaliers pair that distinction. Ryan faces perhaps the highest long-term expectations of any of the first-time World Cup players, but is well up to the task.

1. RW Medard Strnad - Strnad plays opposite Jehiel Abreu on the Cleopatrana Owls, and he’ll do the same here. Strnad should work well with Abreu and Alex Coburn to head up the Phoenixes’ offense, and the defending USL scoring champion should be well up to the task. Strnad works well in space, setting himself up for his deadly wrist shot from the side, or drawing away defensemen and finding a teammate coming through the slot. There’s not much question about his scoring ability - what makes him so intriguing is his career situation. Strnad’s not a young gun - he’s 33 years old. He’s playing better than ever now, but Father Time always wins, and you never get notice on how quickly he’ll take control. Strnad’s well aware that this could be the only time he wears the red and gold, and he does it on the top scoring line. When there’s a championship on the line, there’s hardly anyone more dangerous than a talented player who knows he’s on his last chance.

Delaclava opens play against unranked Iba Dwa. Three of their first four games are against unranked teams, with the second game against a familiar opponent in Valanora. This should allow the Phoenixes an opportunity to get to a strong start, and face the tougher teams with some momentum. The Delaclava-Iba Dwa fixture will be held at the Bedeskov Garden in Altendalur, one of the nicest venues in Græntfjall.

by **Valanora** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:23 pm

I hope everyone is ready for a marathon that will be the upcoming World Cup of Hockey because boy is the opening group stage going to be quite an endurance affair, as hosts Græntfjall have opted to use a four group of thirteen teams system for the opening stage of this tournament. This long group stage will definitely be a battle of attrition and it is perhaps then fitting that the Calcutta roster for this World Cup of Hockey has had some massive turnover with most of the elders of the squad being dropped and replaced with younger players. While some of the old guard from the previous team has been retained, most of the team was replaced by the more youthful players and that could be a boon for the Calcuttas when the tournament hits the stretch run of the group stage where qualification for the knockout playoffs are more than likely going to be determined. With a more youthful squad, head coach Zelda Hellström will be banking on their youthful exuberance being enough to have energy to burn while the rest of the teams in the group will be struggling with exhaustion.

For the Calcuttas, they will be looking to bounce back from a weird and frustrating tournament two years ago, one where they had a very successful group stage but were upset in the first stage of the playoffs. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Calcuttas who had been looking to strengthen their position and attempt a run at the championship once more, but instead were sent back to the Eternal Empire early. A certain overconfidence or lack of respect for the opposition that were in front of them were the major criticisms and excuses that the fans were making in attempting to make sense of what was an unthinkable early exit for what had been one of the favorites for the tournament prior to its start. While they are not quite true, there was the look of players that were not quite all there in the playoff round and that may be what lead into the large amount of changes that Zelda implemented to this roster, as the coaching staff believes that the veterans were not overconfident in their playoff games but were rather exhausted and had been worn thin, with many of the players having played in the Hockey Champions' League with their domestic clubs.

The key to the Calcuttas getting back to the winning ways and being a true contender for the crown of the sport is left winger Eva Strömberg from the Raynor City Raptors. An expert goal scoring machine, Eva is the best player by some comparison on the roster and every time she is on the ice, the Calcuttas should be a threat to scoring a goal. While the winger is also very adept at defensive coverage, Zelda has decided not to try and stretch Eva out too much and kept her off the penalty kill units, though she would likely be the first one off the bench should one of the regular penalty killers is in the box themselves. A lot of faith is being put into Noel Norberg in between the pipes as his backup is a very young and not well tested in the international scene, meaning the Norberg is going to have to hit the ground running in his new position as the starting goalie. He had a great season with the Sabers, with Longview having the fourth best goals against in the entirety of the league and Zelda will be hoping that Noel will be able to channel that form and ability from the domestic league and into the national team.

The Calcuttas are the second seed in the group, contending with the runners' up of last edition and second in the rankings Ko-oren as the first seed of the group. With such a large group stage, the top four teams in each group will be advancing out of it and the team has all the talent they need to definitely be among the four best teams in the group, although ambition and pride will have them gunning for Ko-oren as well as the top spot in the group, looking to reassert their claim that the Empire is the best nation in the ice hockey world, with the domestic league having long dominated the Hockey Champions' League and the six WCoH titles that the side has their to their name. It is not about making history, it is about preserving a legacy of excellence and adding to that history that makes the Calcuttas such a revered and feared side to be faced with by many in the sport. It will not just be Ko-oren that the side will have to contend with though, as Sarzonia, Delaclava, Kelssek, and Elejamie are all in the group as well, with the latter two being rivals of the side in the sport. While it has been some time since the Calcuttas and Icy Elephants did battle for control of the sport, those battles were legendary and shaped an era of the sport that will long live in the memories of those from the Empire. With Equestria and Poafmersia also in the group, as well as a few up and coming nations, nothing is guaranteed in the group and the fight for those four spots will be intense. For the Calcuttas it starts against Poafmersia and it will be a good gauge to see how focused this young team of Zelda's is.

by **Mercedini** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:52 pm

World Cup of Hockey Group Stage Preview
@ Westfjall Arena - Laafjörður, Graintfjall

Good evening everyone and welcome back to the World Cup of Hockey. This time we are in the very special 42nd edition of the tournament, with the action being bought to you from Graintfjall. It is a stacked tournament, in more ways than one, with all of your usual favourites beginning their campaigns in thirteen (yes, thirteen) nation groups which will certainly divide the true challengers from the wannabe pretenders. In World Cup of Hockey, stamina and endurance often play major factors in the fortunes of teams up and down the world rankings; and those effects will be magnified as progress through this tournament.

Mercedini come is as the sixth ranked team in the multiverse for this tournament, meaning they will come into the group as second seeds, but one of the firm favourites for the title if their back-to-back fourth place finishes can be improved upon this time round. Last time round in Taeshan, the Kingfisher's resurgence blossomed further, as they on their group and traversed an extended knockout format. Knocked for the Upper Bracket by Equestria, Mercedini held onto their final life, beating nation after nation before running into the brick wall of Ko-oren in the Lower Bracket Semifinal. A fourth place finish meant Dini improved upon their previous performances, and punched above their weight as the then tenth seeds.

Queen's Gambit

The Queen's Gambit refers to a move in chess, the oldest opening move in its history. It dates back to the 15th century, and sees white move their Queen's pawn to the middle of the board, then sacrificing its adjacent pawn in the next move. The “gambit” refers to trading a piece for control of the centre of the board. While that may be a copy and paste from a random website to tie a well known Netflix series in with Mercedini's group placement in the Pot Of Queens, it reveals the many small sacrifices that Dini may need to make in order to go far in the tournament. Don't tell us that Mercedini Sports Daily can't do sophistication.

With twelve matches standing between the Kingfisher's and the end of the group stages, a perfect run as the second seed is highly unlikely, so Selignsky will have to choose his battles wisely, with squad rotations the plat du jour in many of the games against Unranked nations. A slip up will likely not be fatal, even two or three, but it will be crucial that Dini wins the games against the lower reaches of the world rankings, while also at least challenging for points against teams around them. Gyatso-Kai is the top seed in the group, which, on paper, is the best possible result when it comes to the world rankings. Looking at the rest of the Kings, it features, the back-to-back champion, the team that knocked us out, the perennial performers, and Gyatso-Kai, which is handy. A win in that match is attainable, but isn't necessary for success as long as other results go in their favour.

World Cup of Hockey XLII • Group of Pentacles
Abanhfleft (10)
Le Choix (UR)
Grey County (UR)
Suimede (UR)
Gergary (27)
Anthor (24)
United States of Devonta (20)
Salzcovia (UR)
Mercedini (6)
Fluvannia (16)
Gyatso-Kai (4)
Nova Anglicana (31)
Islands of Ventro (UR)
Group of Pentacles • MD1
Anthor vs. Mercedini @Róska-Friðrún-Íþróttshús - Laafjörður, Graintfjall

Looking through the rest of the pot, it's easy to see why this group stage is a difficult one to pick will all of the moving parts. Abanhfleft come in as third seed, and the tenth ranked side in the world. Recent performances have not lit the world on fire, but they are a solid team and a solid bet to make it through to the knockout rounds. The draw has often been cruel to Abanhfleft, often being paired with either the favourites or eventual champions, but Sigmund Giese will be hoping to take his team to the next level of international hockey. You can also add Fluvannia to that list too, and given the chance to spread their wings, the Bears will certainly. As the fourth ranked side in a group of thirteen, they have plenty of runway to build a campaign, and they will be certainly be one to watch as an early dark horse in the group.

Going down the group, you still come across previous Mercedinian opponents, and new up and comers which could pose a threat on their day. The universe could be destroyed, but Devonta will still be there lurking in the mid-pots, thirsting for an upset and a deep run. Gregary are a new name on the world stage, and a new experience for Mercedini, but the mid ranks have always been difficult to anticipate, are they a rising nation or are they barely treading water? How do you treat a first time game against a team like that?

Anthor will be the first opponent in the campaign, and will be a good gauge for the Kingfisher's to base their early plans on. It's not against one of the main challengers, and it's not against an unranked debutant. Instead, an already established hockey-playing nation, and a previous host, will be the testing ground to get some early points on the board and set their stall out early. However, the big name that was drawn out, from a Mercedinian perspective, will be Nova Anglicana. The former champions return to the fray as the World #31, and it will be a repeat of the tournament's 37th final, where Dini took N.A. to a Game 5 before the Lions won it all in Dini's only appearance in the World Cup of Hockey final. While Nova Anglicana have been on a hiatus for the past couple of edition's, causing their rank to tumble, they will still have that spice to their game which made them so formidable in the past. They have the potential to squeak through, although their early games will be a good indication of that.

Finally, we come to the group of unranked teams which will be looking for a scalp or two, and if things go their way, a look in at the knockout rounds. There are five of them this time around, and while we don't know enough about them to make a judgement call on their games, it will give the group a big sense of the unknown, and it could bother be a benefit and a detriment to the Mercedinian campaign. On paper, it should be five comprehensive wins on the board for the Kingfishers, and if they can convert a majority of those, they could turn into banana peel for the rest of the teams in the group. Points lost to unranked teams could give Mercedini indirect advantages in the group, but the banana peel could work against Mercedini if the World #6 inexplicably drops points. It shouldn't happen, but it can happen and has happened in the past. Selignsky will be wary not to take games for granted, but in a twelve game group stage, something has to give.

In the end, it will be a tournament of push and pull. No roster will be able to go full throttle for twelve games in a row, so it will be a game of attrition as players are rotated in and out depending on the calibre of opponent and the circumstances surrounding the game. Will Dini win all twelve? Probably not. Can they qualify? Definitely. They will begin their campaign here in Laafjordur, against Anthor. A win will definitely get the ball rolling for what it hoped to be a magical tournament for Mercedini here in Graintfjall.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:06 pm

Siovanija & Teusland National Hockey Team

World Cup of Hockey 40 & 41 Champions

Facts

Nation Name: United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland
Short Names: Siovanija and Teusland, the United Republics
Demonyms: Siovanijan, Teuslander/Teus
Governing Body: Hockey Siovanija and Teusland
Colours: Blue, gold, white
Anthem: ‘High Mountain Skies’
Highest Domestic League: Ehrenliga
Nicknames: The Goldhorns
Style Modifier: +3

Coach: Aaron Kuhn (Stelburg Kaisers)

Aaron Kuhn’s name will live long in the memory as one of the greatest coaches Siovanija & Teusland has ever produced: multiple Strauss Cup titles with the Stelburg Kaisers, and, of course, his crowning achievement, the two World Cup of Hockey titles. For his part, however, Kuhn isn’t done quite yet: “The best trophy to win is the next one,” he said at the press conference announcing the roster for World Cup of Hockey 42. Kuhn’s style has, at the international level, built the Goldhorns into a force, undefeated in their last 30 games and bringing home the world title. It’s a game that is based on playing quick, able to keep the pace with any opponent, while also making sure there’s a physical edge in the game and being capable of running the other team down. The team are returning a great number of players from the last two championship winning teams, but there is also some new blood driven to continue the incredible record the team has had. Only one team in the history of international hockey has won 3 world titles in a row, and the Goldhorns are coming to Graintfjall with only one goal: expanding that club.

Forward Units

Forward Line 1

RW -- Razvigor Tsvetanov -- Admirala Pomorie -- 29y/o -- #19
C -- Timo Schlager -- Seelowe Marlesee -- 27y/o -- #97
LW -- Frank Heider -- Seelowe Marlesee -- 28y/o -- #16

This line has been the most dangerous for the Goldhorns over the last two World Cup of Hockey tournaments, with Timo Schlager getting the infamous winning goal in the World Cup of Hockey 41 Final and Razvigor Tsvetanov being the Goldhorns’ leading scorer over those last two tournaments. A speedy, dynamic centre, Schlager is an explosive skater who uses incredible puck skill and hockey IQ to dominate the game. Tsvetanov is a big-bodied power forward, capable of using his body, and a menace in front of the net. Watch out for his one-timer on the power play. Joining these two on the left wing is Frank Heider. Heider is an excellent playmaker who seems at times like he has eyes in the back of his head - especially when on the ice with his Marlesee teammate Schlager, with whom he has an excellent partnership. Expect the Goldhorns’ top talent to lead the way again.

Forward Line 2

RW -- Aleksej Knejz -- Felsenkirchen Jets -- 21y/o -- #93
C -- Edwin Ranger -- Stelburg Kaisers -- 26y/o -- #34
LW -- Vitomir Glaskov -- Energija Chernovets -- 24y/o -- #20

This line was put together at the start of the last tournament, and despite being somewhat patched together - Vitomir Glaskov plays centre for his club - they had a great deal of chemistry right away. Expect them to be stronger than before this season. Edwin Ranger looked on a mission in the Ehrenliga this past season, scoring 52 goals as the Kaisers reached the Finals. But Vitomir Glaskov beside him might be more on form at the moment, having just won the Strauss Cup after leading his Energija Chernovets team on an underdog run through the playoffs. Aleksej Knejz had a strong year with the Jets again as they improved, scoring 30 goals, and continues to have the chance to make things happen for his country. Knejz has been called by many ‘the next Razvigor Tsvetanov,’ and is a big-bodied power forward as well. Knejz is somewhat faster than Tsvetanov, however, and is a big threat down the right side as it doesn’t take him long to get going. Probably the fastest line on the team, this group will be relied on for plenty of scoring.

Forward Line 3

RW -- Frank Keric -- Raketa Bukovets -- 24y/o -- #44
C -- Erhard Lasker -- Eisbaren Stelburg -- 29y/o -- #37
LW -- Leon Goss -- Marzig Wolves -- 22y/o -- #61

Here’s another new line for this team. The Goldhorns third unit has traditionally been a more grit-and-grinding line, but with the excellent performances of each of these players in the Ehrenliga last season, it’s hard to keep them on the bench. Erhard Lasker was the league’s MVP last season with an incredible year for Eisbaren, as they finished first place, and he put up 101 points in the league. Frank Keric was the lone bright spot on a Bukovets team that really struggled, but Keric’s speed and skill will make him a good addition to this line. Leon Goss is a big, strong player who normally plays at C for his club, but is another example of this team simply having too many centres for the 4 positions available. Lasker was the best defensive forward in the league last season, and you can expect this line to share in some of the defensive responsibilities as well as being perhaps a unit that can catch opposing teams sleeping - all three of these men are capable of putting up the points if required.

Forward Line 4

RW -- Christian Hasselberger -- Pinguine Ternau -- 31y/o -- #24
C -- Gunter Pfenning -- St. Jakob Saints -- 36y/o -- #9
LW -- Vincent Schell -- Eisbaren Stelburg -- 30y/o -- #21

It just wouldn’t be the Goldhorns without Gunter Pfenning in the team somewhere - and even though he’s 36 and coming near the end of a storied career, he still has a role to play. This line for the Goldhorns will be quite energizing - Christian Hasselberger, of course, one of the grittiest players in the Ehrenliga today and has always had a big role for the national team. The thing about Hasselberger is that he’s more than just the big hits - he can score, too, and has put up 20 for Ternau in the past. He has good chemistry with Pfenning, the star centre who these days is a bit slower, but hasn’t lost any of the hockey IQ that has made him one of the all-time greats. Vincent Schell is one of the best players in transition on this team, and can catch opposing defenders off guard with just how quickly they can flip the script on the ice. It’s another mix of lines, with parts from the 3rd and 4th units last time found here, but undeniably a strong mix.

Defensive Pairings

Defence Pair 1

D -- Toni Mihelic -- Olympia Borograd -- 26y/o -- #5
D -- Evgeni Tomic -- Energija Chernovets -- 22y/o -- #2

The Goldhorns’ top defence pairing sees Toni Mihelic, the reigning Stanimir Slezak Trophy winner as best defenseman of the Ehrenliga, hoping to pick up right where he left off last time around. Mihelic led all Goldhorns defencemen in points at WCoH 41, and the smooth skating defender was clearly the Goldhorns’ best puck mover. He’s an excellent passer, who will be vital in the set-up play for this team, but also can surprise with a strong shot from the point. Lining up beside him is Evgeni Tomic, one of the best young defencemen in the Ehrenliga. Tomic is a mean, brutal defender who hits hard and isn’t afraid to throw around his size. At 6’6, 225 pounds, he’s a hard hitter and beware if you have your head down coming over the blue line. What’s even more terrifying about Tomic is how quickly he can move around despite it - an excellent skater. Tomic also has a cannon of a slapshot, officially now the hardest in the Ehrenliga, which he isn’t afraid to use from the point, and it can lead to opportunities for deflections for his team-mates - if not already in the back of the net itself. Tomic added a Strauss Cup to his resume last season, making him one of a few players on this team who have a world and domestic title in their resume.

Defence Pair 2

D -- Jorg Gottschall -- Seelowe Marlesee -- 30y/o -- #3
D -- Stefan Schiele -- Marzig Wolves -- 23y/o -- #8

Jorg Gottschall has consistently been one of the best defencemen in the Ehrenliga during his career - as a key player for the Seelowe Marlesee team that won the Strauss Cup three seasons ago. He’s adept at knowing when to jump up in the rush, but is well-rounded and quite capable in his own zone as well. He generates a great deal of offence for this team, and can be counted on as a skilled puck-mover. This time, he’s paired up with Stefan Schiele, the Marzig Wolves defenceman who has such a good reputation at a young age. He has great vision on the ice, seeming at times as if he can see the entire rink when he moves the puck. Skilled and quick, Schiele is a great powerplay quarterback as well. He’s creative, and this duo is one that can generate plenty of offence. When they are on the ice with Edwin Ranger and the second line, look for them to try to pin the opposing team in their own zone for the entire shift.

Defence Pair 3

Defensive Pair 3

D -- Volen Atanasov -- Olympia Borograd -- 25y/o -- #26
D -- Ladislav Hlavac -- Vrnovo Islanders -- 27y/o -- #66

Volen Atanasov is Toni Mihelic’s partner at Olympia Borograd, and is another point-producing, puck-moving defencemen. He’s quite quick, and is perhaps a bit more willing to shoot than Mihelic - a powerful wrist shot that is rarely off target. One thing Atanasov is excellent at is leading the rush - he always seems to know when to hang on to it, or when to send a pass to a teammate. Ladislav Hlavac is making his debut for his country here, he was part of a Vrnovo Islanders squad that overperformed expectations last season. He’s strong in front of his own net, but he can also move the puck a bit too, making him a solid two-way defender that will be valuable in a role with Atanasov, who is a bit more forward-thinking. The two actually made a pair for one season in junior with the Borograd Bulls, and the reunification here should see more well-rounded players coming together.

Extra Skaters

RW -- Torsten Bohm -- Seelowe Marlesee -- 29y/o -- #12
C -- Erhart Kuhn -- Stahlberg Steelers -- 20y/o -- #74
LW -- Rafael Werner -- Felsenkirchen Jets -- 22y/o -- #40
D -- Svetozar Lizjak -- Energija Chernovets -- 25y/o -- #45
D -- Niclas Engel -- Felsenkirchen Jets -- 30y/o -- #28

Torsten Bohm struggled in the Ehrenliga this season, and so he loses his spot in the main roster for this tournament - but he’ll be one of the first options Aaron Kuhn has for the team to come out of the press box. Erhart Kuhn - no relation to the coach - was the Rookie of the Year, and might see minor minutes later in the tournament’s group stage. Rafael Werner is a strong young winger, quick on the puck, who won World Junior gold at WJHC 14, and has been solid for Felsenkirchen, while Lizjak and Engel provide larger options at the back end. With 12 group stage games to be played, these reserves will be quite valuable to this squad to perhaps give one of the bigger names a night off.

Goalies

G -- Robert Schock -- Stelburg Kaisers -- 25y/o -- #29
G -- Volker Seiden -- Eisbaren Stelburg -- 29y/o -- #30
G -- Jozef Prijatelj -- Olympia Borograd -- 29y/o -- #31

When David Wagner announced he would retire from international hockey after WCoH 41, it was thought that the succession in the crease wouldn’t be too difficult to figure out: Robert Schock was the clear heir apparent, starting in the WCoH 41 Final - and posting a shutout. There’s also Volker Seiden, too, who has been excellent for Eisbaren Stelburg. And then, Jozef Prijatelj posted a 0.927 save percentage in the Ehrenliga season, won the Sebastian Seitz Trophy for best goaltender, and put his name directly into the conversation. It’s going to be a real battle for the crease, here, and while Robert Schock is the starter on the team sheet, each of these goalies will get their chances at the starting job. Who has the advantage? Schock has the history with the national team, Prijatelj is the hot hand, and Seiden is the underdog. It will take game action to figure out just who will be the choice.

Special Teams Units

Powerplay 1: Tsvetanov - Schlager - Heider; Mihelic - Tomic
Powerplay 2: Knejz - Ranger - Glaskov; Gottschall - Schiele
Penalty Kill 1: Lasker - Schell; Atanasov - Hlavac
Penalty Kill 2: Pfenning - Hasselberger; Mihelic - Tomic

Leadership Group

Captain: Gunter Pfenning
Alternates: Timo Schlager, Toni Mihelic

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: Yes, as long as it could realistically happen in a hockey game
RP Injuries to my Players: Yes, I determine length/severity
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Yes as long as it could realistically happen in a hockey game
Godmod Other Events: Yes, as long as it could realistically happen in a hockey game

Schedule

Matchday 1: Siovanija & Teusland vs Quebec & Shingoryeo
Matchday 2: Siovanija & Teusland vs Huelavia
Matchday 3: Siovanija & Teusland vs Omerica
Matchday 4: Siovanija & Teusland vs Ranoria
Matchday 5: Siovanija & Teusland vs New Waldensia
Matchday 6: Siovanija & Teusland vs St Saratoga
Matchday 7: Siovanija & Teusland vs BohemiaIV
Matchday 8: Siovanija & Teusland vs Banija
Matchday 9: Bye
Matchday 10: Siovanija & Teusland vs Waisnor
Matchday 11: Siovanija & Teusland vs Srednjaci
Matchday 12: Siovanija & Teusland vs Kriegiersien
Matchday 13: Siovanija & Teusland vs Flekkefjord

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:18 pm

Hockey Today Magazine

Hockey History

The Heavyweight Champions of Hockey
Part I - Explanation, and the Earliest Days

’Hockey Today’ magazine is excited to bring a new feature series on the history of hockey in Siovanija & Teusland, with a focus on one of the most controversial sides of the game: fighting. We have poured over historical reports and data to determine a lineal championship belt for fighters in the Ehrenliga, as well as piece together the history - and future - of fighting in the Ehrenliga.

The National Hockey Hall of Fame in Stelburg still has the newspaper article from the morning of December 7, 1870, inviting ‘all citizens of Stelburg’ to come down to the frozen River Drai, beside the Kaiser-Ferdinand-Brucke at noon to ‘watch the first-ever organized game of ice hockey.’ The game had taken hold on the frozen ponds of what was at the time the Teus Empire, and in Siovanija as well, and now in Stelburg, the first organized game was held.

There is still debate over the origins of the game in the country - introduced from abroad, or refined over the years on those ponds? The newspaper article mentions the ‘Stelburg rules,’ however, and at the time, with ice hockey quickly growing in popularity as a recreational activity in the Empire, it was beneficial to promote the idea of a home-grown game - whereas cricket and football came from over the seas, hockey was ours.

That same news article described the rules of the game - some of them which might seem very strange to hockey fans now, including the addition of a 6th skater, the ‘rover’, or a rule banning forward passes. Either way, the players of the Imperial Stelburg Cricket Club defeated the members of the 3rd Stelburg Infantry Division, and a new national passion was born. Within weeks, there were hockey clubs in every major city of the Teus Empire, and by 1875 the game had become extremely popular in Siovanija as well.

It would be nearly 50 years, however - October 5, 1917 - when the professional game was established. By this point, some of those original rules had gone away - the rover position had been abandoned by the turn of the century, as had the no-forward-pass rule. When the Stelburg Kaisers faced off against Olympia Borograd in the first-ever Ehrenliga game on that chilly fall evening in Stelburg, they played under the first-ever rulebook. Hidden deep inside was the following line:

“45. Fighting shall not be permitted, and any player who starts a fight with an opponent will be ejected from the game.”

Fighting had been very much a part of the amateur game, mostly played between village teams with scores to settle. Many teams, also, were made up of former Siovanijan and Teus soldiers from the Great War, and in some cases the Peace of Borograd did not apply to on-ice cross-nation encounters. But at the time, the prevailing thought was that this was to be kept in those run-down arenas in the countryside. The professional game was too glamorous, it was thought, to be ruined by such activities.

Things changed, however, quite quickly. The Original 6 Ehrenliga clubs were the Stelburg Kaisers, Olympia Borograd, St. Jakob Saints, Kapitala Borograd, Eisbaren Stelburg and Energija Chernovets. In the first 3 seasons of the league, every single Strauss Cup Final was played between the Stelburg Kaisers and Olympia Borograd as the big city clubs dominated the league. Chernovets had yet to make the playoffs in a 6 team league. The smaller clubs were beginning to suffer declining attendance.

Take, for example, a person living in Chernovets. You could pay a day’s wage to go watch Energija Chernovets likely lose to a bigger club. Or, right down the street, for half the price, you could watch Atomska Chernovets, playing in the Eastern Siovanijan league. A team made up of local talent, taking on neighbouring towns, and games in which anything could happen - including big brawls. After this third season, the owners of some of the outsider clubs pushed hard for making fighting legal in the Ehrenliga. And, after a heated debate, the rule was passed. Penalties, Article 45 was updated to read the following: “Fighting will be permitted, with a 5 minute major penalty for both players involved.” A massive moment in the history of the Ehrenliga.

When the next season began, however, the players weren’t exactly quick to start fights. Many of the players at the professional level had not fought in many years, and were unwilling to start a fight. The credit for sparking the first-ever fight in Ehrenliga history, then, goes to Energija Chernovets owner of the day Vadim Sybachov, and it’s a story well-known in Ehrenliga lore.

On night one of the season, Chernovets were beaten 6-0 by the Stelburg Kaisers. On night two, they lost 4-1 to Kapitala Borograd, and on night three, in front of a dreadful attendance at home, they lost 3-1 to the St. Jakob Saints. Sensing the need to make something happen, Sybachov paid a visit to local amateur club Atomska and asked for their ‘best fighter’ to prove himself as the team practiced. After a series of fights between the teammates to prove who was better, ultimately, Ladislav Kresniac was the winner, and was signed to a 1-week professional contract.

Kresniac was well-known in Chernovets as a strong fighter, and as the team prepared for a back-to-back series against Olympia Borograd, there was a buzz around town. On the first night of the back-to-back, Chernovets were blown out again, 6-2 the final. But Kresniac made an impression with some big hits, and literally chased Olympia forward Denis Stanev around the rink at one point when Stanev refused to fight him. Incensed by this, Olympia coach Tomas Skelic made the same walk down to the arena of Atomska Chernovets, and asked if any of their players would want to challenge Kresniac the next evening. Signing on was Fyodor Petrov, a bit of an up-and-coming player who may have lied about his pugilistic skills to get an opportunity on the professional circuit. The talk in Chernovets for the entire day was clear: Kresniac vs Petrov. Despite a terrible hockey team, the arena in Chernovets was sold out for the game.

4:43 into the first period, with Olympia Borograd leading 1-0, Kresniac and Petrov dropped the gloves. It was a typical standard classical fight - both men throwing punches as hard as possible, attempting to knock the other down, with little technique. Ladislav Kresniac won the fight quite handedly, and to a roar of approval from the home fans, skated to the penalty box. This was a monumentous moment in Ehrenliga history.

Our goal, then, is to start from this very moment in time. Just as how real fighting awards a belt for its champions, or how recently in the world of football Audioslavian journalist Jeremy Jaffacake has compiled a list of unofficial world champions, we will find the unofficial Ehrenliga heavyweight kings throughout history. And, through this manner, we’ll explore the history of our game and fighting within it.

So, how long would Ladislav Kresniac hold the title for? Who would be the first to challenge him? You’ll just have to find out next time.

by **Kelssek** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:05 pm

Riley Hesselboe wandered to the buffet. The formal reception to celebrate the gold medal win in the World Junior Championship was in full swing but it seemed much more for the executives in suits than for the players. He'd made a point of trying to mingle with them but it had turned out a bit more awkward than expected. Their talents made it easy to forget that they were still mostly teenagers, and Riley, at the other end of his playing career, came away feeling very aware of the age gap. Some of them were even a bit intimidated by him.

If something was "pogg" that meant awesome, or cool, maybe? Was there more nuance to this word? He didn't want to ask. But then he was intercepted by a couple of suits who served to remind him that he wasn't really "old".

"Ah, Riley, I wanted to introduce Moonbeam Infantino, Football Kelssek's High Performance Director. We're very pleased to have him as our guest here," said someone on the Hockey Kelssek committee whose name he'd forgotten.

It would have been more accurate for Moonbeam Infantino to have said that he was a member of the Football Kelssek board of directors who had been recognized for "a high level of performance in maintaining outreach with various stakeholders" at one of its interminable meetings. But he was never one to bother with such bureaucratic technicalities.
Riley shook hands and wasn't paying a lot of attention as Moonbeam effusively flattered the Kelssek captain for about 80 seconds. Moonbeam smiled for the camera, before departing for an absurdly expensive dinner with various wealthy and/or powerful persons to be charged to his expense account.

by **Kohnhead** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:30 pm

Kohnhead National Hockey Team

Nation Name: The Galactic Empire of Kohnhead
Shorter Name: Kohnhead
Denoym: Kohnheadian
Trigramme: KHD
Nickname: The Brains (duh)

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 nothing with the pandemic and please no killing of my players. Anything else I don't care.
Style Mod: +3.5

Info: Hockey despite the fact that Kohnhead Competed at the last two WCoH is stll not popular whatsoever in Kohnhead and the team is just the same as last year's team because they've been training a little bit.

Head Coach: Marshall Chu (49) (M)

Roster (First Line in Bold)
Players listed going down by preference.

Goalies:
(C) #1: (M) Nelson Calhoun (34 Years Old)
#22: (F) Liberty Justice (30 Years Old)
#2: (M) Paris Chambers (21 Years Old)

Defenders:
#5: (F) Amanda Davie (35 Years Old)
#8: (M) Brendon Sears (23 Years Old)
#45: (M) Brennan Odom (27 Years Old)
#19: (M) Adam Witt (38 Years Old)
#90: (F) Aurelia Betts (29 Years Old)
#67: (M) Brook Watson (24 Years Old)
#12: Nikola Davis (25 Years Old)

Attackers:
#99: (F) Elsie Doyle (22 Years Old)
#28: (F) Judy Duncan (32 Years Old)
#16: (M) Tyler Swift(26 Years Old)
#71: (F) Iona Dudley (25 Years Old)
#18: (M) Spencer Fleming (19 Years Old)
#66: (F) Charlotte Pittman (30 Years Old)
#69: (M) Gavin Horne (40 Years Old)
#00: (F) Deborah Olson (28 Years Old)
#21: (M) Jevon Halliday (22 Years Old)
#47: (F) Miriam Robertson (31 Years Old)

Arena: Kohnhead City Arena (3500)

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:47 pm

Now And Forever

PART 4.1 (61.1) - Tether

The Archangelion Cinema was nearly empty on a Thursday evening, a rarity at the heart of the West End of the city in which Asher and Eileen were the lucky beneficiaries. The film they chose to watch, Une barque sur l'océan, was an art film that was hitting the Multiverse’s theatres with success- the receptions it received on every musical magazine, where they be located in Hattmark, Istria or the home soil, were evident and remarkable.

The crowd, both excited and aware of their settings in a barely-occupied Theatre 3, did their part with casual chats and whispers undoubtedly and gently. In the middle section, three old ladies were keeping their eyes at a pair of high schoolers, while at the front there were several couples, aged anywhere between their twenties (without kids) and forties (their kids off to a hockey or basketball practice). The conversations, at times lewd and at other times consisted of curiosities, rarely paused, and by the halfway point the projectionist too was distracted on his phone to notice that the film had paused on the certain scene, where Kenneca and Catacombe, two emeritus agents now in their seventies, reflects into the Komodo Channel from their seaside cottage in Altendur.

High into the Maytime and fuelled by the Tequilian hallucinogens and hachílotl, they were slowly watching the time flow into The Hallucinogenic Toreador, except Asher and Eileen. Quietly enjoying the veils of darkness, they had a conversation of their own, yet not a conversation, in that they were rather reflecting into an artificial loop that also served as mirrors to themselves with another person on the cinema happening to just play the soundtrack from their Spotivy Premium. It was as if they were stuck communicating to each other, feeling closer to the core of their shared thoughts, and stirred the wave of emotions into signing agreements.

At first Asher, answering Eileen’s question about what was the hardest time in college, told Eileen how the moment after lights turned off were the hardest, and he’d see the shadows.

‘You know, Hanyang is always gonna be Hanyang. Nobody’s gonna deny that. But it’s lonely when you...knew you didn’t have much to live for the time. I remember it was around eleven in night- you were still with your ex and travelling a bit- after practice. I was heading back home, wearing my shades for reasons I do not know, and couldn’t see anything from my home to the station. It was a ten minute walk yet all I could see were flashes, and I thought I saw you, almost as if I was feeling you were there, on the other side of this park I crisscrossed!’ he said, wondering how ridiculous he was at the time. ‘I remember standing there for about half an hour, talking to nowhere...and it was one of the most crushing moments.’

‘So you just stared into the thin air, hoping that I were going to come, as if a form of mirage?’ She asked, feeling amused that Asher, carrying his equipment bag in the middle of the night, would casually do so as a wandering freshman. ‘Why does this sound so familiar…’

‘I’m not kidding, woman!’ chuckled Asher, staring back into her eyes. ‘But not everybody knows that. I’d rather keep it that way, and you know you’re the one who I’d keep these words to.’

‘Speaking of which, what were you going to say about Pomme Prud’homme’s Fetch the Jailbreakers?’ asked Eileen, hoping she had remembered the right artist. ‘You said you were going to write a review on them, no?’

‘Uh….I don’t know how to feel about them, if I have to be fair with you.’ Asher responded, feeling somewhat troubled into the distance. For whatever reason, this conversation reminded him of when they were younger, only except that they were slightly older, he lost the physical weight, replaced by symbolic weight. ‘Not sure if I want to write it, if I have to be honest.’

‘Weary? Everybody’s saying that she’s authentic, weaving into decades of layers of a career as a whole. A classic.’ Eileen said. 'There's something...unbelievable about how everything had transcended into one, n'est-ce pas?'

‘In some ways, yes…’

‘Then what would it be? If the brilliance is not the reason why you'd not want to say much about it.’

‘The emotional weight...does not comfort me no more,’ said Asher. ‘I know I’m far too uncultured and will never really fit into the world you live in, don’t get me wrong. But while the attempt to prove the ‘refusal to be silenced’, is good for solitary confinement...it is simply far too uncomfortable for me to listen twice.’

‘Fair enough. Not sure if it’s because you are feeling discomfort due to external factors surrounding us though,’ Eileen responded, with a sharp turn in her voice from normalcy to whisper. ‘There is something compelling about it, in its endless layers, going into the darkness of trauma and all that.’

‘And I don’t know if I want that. After the years in darkness, and nearly losing you far too many times, all I know is that it’s not worth to llive briefly and then spend the remaining fifty years of despair like an Emile Nelligan,’ said Asher, glancing towards a couple in their forties, who were chatting about World Cup of Hockey bid votes, set to be announced in a couple of hours. Being aware of the likely outcome, Asher looked back at her and wondered how long it had come around for them to have an important conversation about their lives. ‘If we've only got this life and if I have to make my choice, then I want to share it with you.’

'Ah. No need to go over with the words then. It's just...you’re not feeling, I don’t know, comfortable with it all, at this point in time.’ Eileen was fully paying attention, but she was still somewhat confused on how life had suddenly caused their ways to change, almost as if the shadow of said man she had once known was replacing him. ‘You know, this reminds me when I was younger, and me and my brother used to have pigeons on our backyard. They would almost always travel…’

Then he couldn’t hear anymore. Asher was watching her mouth move in lunar shapes of smile, the small gestures she’d make, and just enjoyed the time. Being lucky comes with being ignorant at right time. he thought with misty eyes and smiled with dry tongue. He had the urge to fall into her arms and just watch the night pass by. Was this what it means to be hopeless, yet boundless? If so, he was going to be the first and foremost in line to embrace the mediocrity that would come with happiness.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:49 pm

Quebec and Shingoryeo National Hockey Team

Basic Facts and Whatnot

Nation Name:Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Short Names:Quebec
Demonyms: Quebecois, Quebecers
Governing Body: Hockey Quebec
Colours: Blue, White and Red
Anthem: Valour and Servitude
Highest Domestic League: Quebec Hockey League
Nicknames: The Ice Knights
Style Modifier: +5

Head Coach: Sir. Alexandre Browne-Hahm, 56, Kingston Knights
Assistant Coaches: Jeanne-Luce Vaelin, 38, Northwestern University (QIS-B1G)
George Thorpe-Chun, 54, CSKA Quebec

Roster

Player information will be listed in the following manner: position, number, name, biological sex, age, club.

Goaltenders
#30 - Brianne Kigatilik - 23 - F - 6'5", 258 lb - Kenora Thunderwolves -
#33 - Bridget-Anne Heeney - 30 - F - 6'1", 210 lb - Sept-Iles Quadricentennials - STARTER
#45 - Kim Kyeong-Hoon - 23 - M - 6'0", 196 lb - Fort Huron Admirals

Forwards and Defencemen

Line 1A:
LW - #54 - Eloise Cha-Meunier - 28 - F - 6'1", 198 lb - CSKA Quebec
C - #29 - Hong Deok-Seon - 26 - F - 6'0", 201 lb - CSKA Quebec
RW - #47 - Joakim Brackenbury-Lindauer - 28 - M - 6'4", 232 lb - Val d'Or Wanderers

LD - #44 - Dannick Nam - M - 28 - 5'11", 198 lb - 22 - Attawapiskat Avalanche
RD - #23 - Benoit Starmer-Jodoin - 23 - M - 6'9", 268 lb - Kingston Knights

Line 1B:
LW - #11 - Eileen Pellan - 30 - F - 6'2", 208 lb - Kingston Knights
C - #19 - Jean-Gabriel Talon - 21 - M - 6'4", 230 lb - Halifax Tempest
RW - #77 - Hwang Jeong-Hyeon - 20 - F - 5'11", 180 lb - Jeongju Huskies

LD - #4 - Henri-Michael Yi - 24 - M - 6'0", 198 lb - Saint John Acadiens
RD - #6 - Sonja Pettersson - 28 - F - 6'2", 217 lb - Goose Bay Flames

Line 2:
LW - #12 - Michael McKenna - 24 - M - 6'5", 221 lb - Goose Bay Flames
C - #15 - Hwang Dong-Joon - M - 18 - 6'2", 219 lb - Montreal Koreana
RW - #29 - Renee-Georgina Park - 26 - F - 6'0", 193 lb - Winnipeg Giants

LD - #5 - Nikos Aravossitas - 20 - M - 6'2", 228 lb - Chicoutimi Caribou
RD - #28 - Chandler Amarilla - M - 19 - 6'5", 231 lb - Nunavut State University (QIS-QW)

Line 3:

LW - #14 - Gabrielle Clements - 30 - F - 6'2", 201 lb - Ottawa Senators
C - #10 - Hong Deok-Joon - 24 - M - 6'2", 212 lb - Gaspe Oilers
RW - # 7 - Benedict Fraser - 21 - M - 6'0", 201 lb - Halifax Tempest

Special Team Units

PP1: Han - McMillan - Hwang | Yi - Park-Rodriguez
PP2: Pellan - Joseph - Kedildahld-Nisgidikok | Gibson - Petterson

PK1: Pellan - McQuaid | Gibson - Starmer-Jodoin
PK2: McMillan - Han | Nam - Park-Rodriguez

RP Permissions:
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, but please TG or contact me on discord.
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Yes
Godmod Other Events: Yes, but please TG or contact me on discord.

by **Elejamie** » Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:57 pm

Alex Sorenson had finalised his selection for the upcoming 42nd World Cup of Hockey, this time in Graintfjell. It was a mixture of players from the silver generation, fresh faces and a junior squad member or two for a bridge. They were the same team that had played and sucked in Taeshan but with more wear and more experience. And they had also come off of a couple of pre-tournament friendlies that may have been played behind closed doors but were streamed online for free to more than make up for it. The first was against a select group of players from the ENIHL2, the second tier of Elejamian ice hockey. With gold medal winning players such as Jay Bailey (no relation to Andy), Marcus Mateuski, Mical Olinar and Veni Motorin (in what'll undoubtedly be one of his last games before his retirement at the end of the season) making up the opposition, it seemed like it'd be a whitewash. It somewhat was, as the A-team won 6-1, but the B-team played quite hard and prevented a number of goals while at the same time letting the opposition drawing a lot of penalties. Their second game, against the best foreign talent in the ENIHL, was a much closer affair with Elejamie leading 3-1 going into the third period before a couple of lucky goals levelled the score and forced overtime. There, Stacy Saunders would get the winning goal for his side thanks to a well-timed blocker-side snap shot and some assistance from line-mate Cerin Meloten as well as defenceman Adam Keane. Despite both games having their flaws, they were still good showings and gave Alex ideas of what to keep and what to improve on.

However, on the club side of things, there were a number of players whose contracts would be expiring in the off-season. A couple of them were fortunate enough to have them renewed early; the Barajas twins got a three-year extension by the Zoloroni City Icers, Cerin Meloten was able to get four more years with the Rosetta Royals and Lucas Madgwick can stay with his club for a few more years. A couple of players were picked up by other teams but they'll be playing there next season; Ethan Swinburne will leave Metallurg Matochkingrad and head over to Edgebaston following the end of the NZEL season and . But there are six players whose statuses are currently up in the air. Fittingly, it's one goalie, two defencemen and three forwards, so there's a full ice-worth of players there ripe for the taking. Who are they and why should they be picked up? Let's find out.

Goalies

Ricardo Bejerano: Ricardo Bejerano is a great example of what a little time and effort can do to a player's skills. He started off as a reliable back-up during his stint in the University League, where he grabbed a number of starts and even a couple of shut-outs for the Midland University Clovers but was unable to prove himself worthy of a full-time top spot. Following his graduation he played abroad for a couple of years in the second tier of ice hockey in Quebec and it was there where he started to really beef up his skills. From improving his shot blocking to upgrading his stamina, he soon developed into a player that was good enough for the top level of the spot. However, before he had the chance to, he was sent back home and traded to the Elejamie City Ice Elephants. He spent a couple of years there and made quite a name for himself before he was traded over to Ángeles de la Playa de Rocas as a backup for Pedro Cervantes, nephew of the legendary Antonio "Toni" Cervantes. However, his contract will be expiring at the end of the season and it's currently unknown if Ángeles will retain his services during the off-season.

However, he doesn't end up being the starter for the national team for no reason at all. The odds of a goal going in through the five hole are slim to none and he's a formidable opponent when it comes to odd man rushes. He's also a fairly athletic person and every one of his training regimens begins with some lengthy sprints and exercises, a skill you'd probably need when the opposition are closing down and trying their hardest to shoot the puck into the net but you're unable to freeze it. He has a good amount of awareness and decision making which could prove helpful with one-on-ones, although they're not strong enough to make him fully reliable and it'd be worth keeping a defenceman with him in the event this happens. However, not all players are perfect and, indeed, Bejerano has his flaws. His stick work's a bit wonky and the majority of goals conceded came from that side. He's one of the rare stand-up goalies in the ENIHL, compared to the vast majority of hybrids and even the less rare butterfly, so chances are that the opposition can work that against him. And he does need to improve when it comes to stopping dekes, although it's not enough to make him a liability. Regardless, he should be a solid player for any teams looking for a goalie.

Defencemen

Adam Keane: Adam Keane is a offensive defenseman with a number of cups to his name. From a couple of Royal Inaetar Cups and a League Leaders Shield courtest of his time with the Davenport Dockers to his work with the national team where he won three World Cups of Hockey (29, 31 and 35). He was also known for his work with Partizan Belushya Guba in the NZEL, where he helped his team to a couple of appearances in the playoff finals but sadly no trophy, no awards (but a nomination or two) and no all-star team appearances. His contract is to expire at the end of the season and it seems unlikely that Partizan will renew it (because they CTE'd a while back), so he is setting his sights on another team. Although his old team in Davenport and the Mainsborough Icemen are the current front-runners for his services, he hasn't ruled out the possibility of another stint abroad.

So why should he be considered for another couple of seasons abroad? As previously mentioned, he's an offensive defenceman with a flair for assists and isn't shy on scoring a goal or two. He may not be elegant and flashy when it comes to it but he gets the job done and he does it well. While it does mean that sometimes he forgets to actually defend about 15% of the time, which could make or break a team, he also has a good amount of speed and uses it to his advantage to retreat. He's not afraid to get physical and he has been penalised for hitting too hard and even getting into the odd fight or two but he's careful enough to avoid interference penalties.
Neil Cuevas: Neil Cuevas is our last jetsetter for the moment. He began his career with the Donham College Blaze in the Educational League, where he managed to get a number of "Player of the Month" awards and even help his side in the play-offs but was sadly unable to win any major trophies. He turned down the opportunity to play for the University League and even the ENJIHL and instead set his sights for the Pracib League (another nation that CTE'd but this was years ago), given that his father came from there. He played for Krisþisinam Járnisarn, located in the city where he was born, where he was able to thrive thanks to the excellent youth services there and even helped them to a number of playoff spots, even if again he was unable to lift any major silverware for the side. His stint at the side came to an end when, with a year before his contract was to expire and renewal seemed likely, he was traded to the Elejamie City Ice Elephants. It was there where he was able to keep showing off his skills and even help his side to the play-offs three years in a row, even if they were unable to make it past the first round. However, he isn't synonymous with "legacy of failure" as he has played in a number of games during Elejamie's runs at the 29th, 31st and 35th World Cup of Hockey and has received a number of silver and bronze medals from his work with the team as well. It's unknown if Elejamie City will keep him on following the end of the season so if any team wishes to have him it's recommended to work something out as soon as possible.

Those who want to pick him up will be receiving a two-day defensive player who may spend more time on his side of the ice but won't be afraid to get up close and personal if it means having a chance. He's a fluid player who, while not exactly the fastest player on the ice, has shown to be incredibly nimble and can use that to his advantage when it comes to clearing the puck or closing down the opposition's advantage. Furthermore his stick and poke checks are worth trying to avoid and, instead, it'd be worth trying to coax him into a body check, where he lacks the same strength and finesse as his fellow defencemen. Despite this, he's a hard target to knock down or keep down for long and can be a bit of a frustrating force for attacking players.

Forwards

Francisco Solano: When you think of contemporary Elejamian enforcers, Francisco "Franny" Solano is the first name that problably comes to mind. The 32-year-old has had quite an illustrious career. After a somewhat successful trial, he was signed to the Ángeles de la Playa de Rocas junior squad. While he wasn't a fast scorer or a solid playmaker, he more than made up for it with his grinding abilities and overall toughness. This continued when he made it onto the senior team, except more fights ensued. However, it wouldn't be until he was traded to the Rosetta Royals that he would become the feared enforcer he became today. After half a season on the fourth line he was surprisingly moved up to the first due to him being a bodyguard of sorts to Cerin Meloten, the gentle giant of ice hockey who seemed to be a target for the opposing teams due to his playmaking abilities and close-up scoring. This came about after he delivered a number of hard hits and even had fisticuffs with players who had hit or seemed to go after him. He was also kept on the first line when he was on the national team for this same reason, as well as to protect then-captain Anatoly Kasputin. Fortunately, he was still able to help contribute to wins in 29, 31 and 35 despite spending more time in the box than on the scoresheet. However, at the age of 32 and retirement looming on the horizon, the Royals have shown little interest in keeping him on board due to the possibility of him getting on, so they have mutually agreed to part ways at the end of the season.

While he is somewhat lacking in the technical and the scoring aspects of the sport, he more than makes up for it with his physical style of play. He's able to deliver solid checks, punishing hits and can block a shot like it was nothing. He has also dropped the gloves on numerous occasions and very rarely shys away from a fight, with a series of wins under his belt due to his love of boxing. Regardless, he's a team player and he prefers short, quick passes to keep the rhythm and flow going. He can still score and assist without too much hassle but don't expect him to do the former often and expect lengthy gaps between each goal.
Bill Judge: Bill Judge is one of the few members of the 8th WJHC team to make it onto the senior team. Much like Solano, he was put up front as a way of complimenting Stacy Saunders and to ensure his survival. While he didn't get a whole lot done during the tournament, having been sent to the box a couple of times for fighting, he did manage to nab a goal during the opener and was still a tough opponent for the opposition. While he was too old for the following competition, he was able to make a return for the 29th edition as a backup. While he didn't play a whole heap of games and he only made a real impact at in Quebec, he was still able to be a part of a squad that won three trophies even if he's had middling results for the Edgebaston Shamrocks. Indeed, his average stats for the past couple of seasons are why he might not have his contract renewed and why he might have to seek employment elsewhere.

Despite being around five years younger than him Bill Judge can be consdered a successor to Franny Solano. They're both tough intimidating players who have dropped the gloves a number of times and can be quite tough opponents to best in a fight. Judge can deliver quite a hard check but has enough awareness and discipline to not make it a boarding, charging or interference call. He displays good hand skills in more than one way but he doesn't have much going for him in the way of vision. He's a force to be reckoned with offensively but defensively he's a bit lacking in parts. However, he does display enough skills to make it into the top flight but he might thrive more heartily in a minor or lower league.
Mike Keller: Mike Keller is an Autumnia boy born and bred. After a stint in the Educational League, he attended Longford University where he would make his way onto the Lightning, albeit as a left-winger. While he wasn't anything groundbreaking and considered a regen of Ethan Swinburne, his speed and his power were still things to be feared and would often send the opposing goalie ducking for cover or hoping to hear the solid "clunk" of vulcanised rubber hitting the boards. Regardless, he was able to hit the back of the net sometimes and was even able to lead his side deep into the playoffs at some point, only being stopped thanks to a sweeping by the University of Avon. Regardless, the Mainsborough Icemen were impressed by this and, after a trial, he was able to join there squad. Although he didn't put up a huge amount of goals, "Mike's Drops" as the fans called them impressed the crowd and made him a fan favourite, especially when a miss then lead to a teammate taking advantage of the situation and scoring a goal. He also has been a part of the 3-time World Cup of Hockey winning squad, although he has also got a gold medal in the sole Multiverse Games as part of the inline hockey team. Contract-wise, there hasn't been any news yet on whether or not Mainsborough will keep his services so, as far as everyone knows, he'll be on the chopping block.

Being a power forward, Keller displays a good amount of strength in both the physical and the shooting sense, with his main detriment being his accuracy. His slappers could petrify any defending player but unless it's heading directly for the net they've got nothing to fear. It's also handy for clearing the puck but it might be worth reminding him to make it past the blue line before doing so as he has been called for icing a number of times because of it. He isn't afraid to drop the gloves, although not to the extent of the above two forwards, but he prefers to separate body from puck and leave the fisticuffs to a better fighter. He's a solid deker and has a good amount of agility which could frustrate the opposing goalie but he works much better from afar than he does close up.

World Cup of Hockey 42: Life, the Universe & Everything

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