S50 Four Star Cup Finals Game 3: COL @ CAR

Julio Tokolosh · 11-09-2019, 12:48 AM

game link: https://simulationhockey.com/games/smjhl...39134.html (edited to working link)

You’ve tuned into the official pregame show of the SMJHL’s Four Star Cup Finals. Hosted by IZZ.TV, I’m Julio Tokolosh and I’ll be walking you through what to expect after the 9:30 AM puck drop in the Spectrum Center.

They say a playoff series doesn’t begin until an away team wins, well, this one’s begun twice, as Carolina holds a 2-0 lead in the series and are heading to home ice.

The proud Kraken have 6 championships to their franchise, 3 as the Impact, and 3 as the Militia, a seventh would certainly be impressive. Parade route planning in a third city is a problem that every ownership group lusts after. The fanbases be damned.

Leaving their comfortable InGEN arena, are the Colorado Raptors. Coached to a league-best record by Anatoli Terrorov, and assembled by means of a full rebuild by Johnny Hamilton, they look to reverse 5 seasons of bottom-two finishes since their last place sprint to the finals as the S45 Meme Team.

A quick dive into what has brought the Raptors to this current level begins in s44, when Cassius Darrow was selected in the first round of the entry draft. Darrow’s selection enticed aspiring general manager, Johnny Hamilton, to help out upstairs. Downstairs, in the locker room, Jules Watt was selected a year later, sparking the culture shift in the locker room that has echoed throughout the halls. Attracting talents like Kane, Crudelli, Finn-Rhys, Valentine-Okoli, Last-Name, Urawa, Osterman, Bone, and Spector, they still perform their daily “elephant walk” (named for the fun bonding game, made popular in the Mammoth’s franchise) in Watt’s memory.

Tonight’s projected starting lineup:
Raptors

Colorado Raptors Raptors

C - Bo Kane
LW - Calogero Crudelli
RW - Emeka Valentine Okoli
LD - Denver Wolfe
RD - FR Finn-Rhys

Kraken

Carolina Kraken Kraken

C - Ravyn Tedisko
LW - Bobby Lane
RW - Herry Morris IV
LD - Kaspars Claude
RD - Hans Schweinsteiger

Goalie Matchup:
COL - Emiko Spector
CAR - Nolan McMahon

To make things a little juicier, my producers and I were going to write up a betting sheet, but seeing as a handful of people have already seen the outcome of the game, we have opted for a different route to drive interaction.

The most active commenter during the game (as decided by my hidden metrics) will win a custom original signature in memory of your efforts and fandom. Disclaimer: If any bullshit happens I reserve the right to cancel your prize.

if you skipped all of the above, im going to start the PBP at 9:30 AM EST. I ran into some technical troubles with my computer, so the pbp will be pretty standard.

ImASurvivor · 11-09-2019, 01:20 AM

I'm ready to have a sig that pictures my beautiful ricky bobby with you, you beautiful cow.

ProjectSaint · 11-09-2019, 02:43 AM

11-09-2019, 01:20 AMImASurvivor Wrote: I'm ready to have a sig that pictures my beautiful ricky bobby with you, you beautiful cow.

Hey, he's taken

Julio Tokolosh · 11-09-2019, 10:30 AM

Welcome to Charlotte, North Carolina, where game 3 of the Four Star Cup Finals is set to begin!

The series is 2-0 Carolina, and the Kraken are set to host their first-ever four-star cup finals game. Its a familiar feeling for the players, participating in back-to-back championship rounds, but the new fanbase has been rewarded in just their second month.

The Raptors and Kraken look to use the same starting lineups as previously announced, although Emiko Spector did roll his ankle playing two-touch before the game. We’ll see if that holds him back at all and if Shiqa Vitalievich will be ready.

Julio Tokolosh · 11-09-2019, 10:36 AM

We had the privilege of speaking with Emiko Valentine-Okoli before the game who was very receptive to our questions and offered a bit of insight into the Raptor’s efforts.

Q: At this stage on the power play, anything you guys can do differently personnel-wise, strategy-wise, or just go out there and execute?
Emiko Valentine-Okoli: Whoever goes out there has to execute. We know it has to be better.
At a time like this, I think it's just getting pucks to the net, taking their outsides away. I think we're doing a decent job of getting in the zone. We have to get more bodies to get on the same page.

Q. How do you do that when they're boxing you out?
Emiko Valentine-Okoli: I think getting the pucks through to start the power play is good. Get them running around a little bit, just execute. Making tape-to-tape passes, moving, getting guys low, moving it high again. I think when we're stagnant, standing still and passing it, we're not really moving their box around.

Q. At what point do you embrace a Game 3, Four-Star Cup?
Emiko Valentine-Okoli I don't think we really have to say much. I know everyone is very, very excited, anxious to get there. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or twice if you’re on the other team. This is something you dream about.

Q. Obviously you still have to do it, but can you draw some confidence out of the fact you guys have been so good on the road?
Emiko Valentine-Okoli: Yeah, we're in the Cup Final for a reason. We got a lot of confidence in our game, in ourselves. Just comes down to one game. Like I said, everyone is excited. We still have that belief. We never lost it.

Wow. he certainly sounded confident.

Shortly after, we were able to catch up with Ricky Bobby, leaving an Applebees, in a joke of an advertisement that has continued to keep them relevant for a decade, despite the efforts of millennials.

Q. Coach said that he's anticipating them to put the Atreides line against yours. What have you seen in the first two games against them? How do you believe your line has handled the first two games of the series?
Ricky Bobby: I think they're a really good line. They play well together, good at forechecking, turning pucks over. We need to capitalize. For us, it's about being better. We've dealt with this the whole Playoffs against different lines. It's no different. We know how we can play. It's about taking care of the puck in the zone.

What a wonderful collection of cookie-cutter answers. Boring answers and exciting games has been the trend of the sport, let’s see if that continues after this break!

Julio Tokolosh · 11-09-2019, 10:40 AM

The lines are set, the players are ready, and the fans are on their feet for some four-star hockey. The handsome and charming Bo Kane takes one last lap before gliding to the faceoff dot at center ice. Phineas Gold crouches to play the opening faceoff as Kane glides in. The puck is dropped, and Kane has won it cleanly back to his defenseman, Finn-Rhys, and the game is underway.

ACapitalChicago · 11-09-2019, 10:45 AM

Let's go Kraken! Kraken

S66 Damian Littleton

||

||

|

|

Julio Tokolosh · 11-09-2019, 10:46 AM

The two teams trade dumps like some randy Space-docking teenagers.

A few checks are exchanged between the Centers, Gold and Kane, as defensemen, Claude, and Finn-Rhys ping pong the puck from blue line to blue line.

Some minutes go by and Simothy Drunkebird heads towards the bench for a line change. On his way there, he gives Zbignew Pokrywka a firm slash across the laces. Z-Poke swings back, but can’t get much as Drunkebird escapes to his bench to throw chirps. Kane finishes Drunkebird’s aggressions with a heavy shoulder to Pokrywka’s sternum.

Colorado’s first line heads to the bench as the two’s start to come on. Continuing the theme, Vorian Atreides skates right for Zbignew Pokrywka, but is met with a glove shimmy and a stick drop. Atreides obliges and drops his mitts! We have our first fight of the series!

Pokrywka = 2002 JR, Atreides = Krivokrasov

The two skate off to the box to serve their time. Atreides makes use of the ice packs.

ACapitalChicago · 11-09-2019, 10:48 AM

HELL HEAH BOYS WE PLAY HARD WE DON'T PUT UP WITH THAT SHIT Kraken

S66 Damian Littleton

||

|

trella · 11-09-2019, 10:51 AM

Big Z is a STONE COLD KILLER

Thanks to @karey and @jss for the sigs!

Former USA Fed Head, Carolina Kraken Co-GM, Tampa Bay Barracuda GM

Julio Tokolosh · 11-09-2019, 10:51 AM

With the lines in a jumble from the fighting major, the Raptors are able to get off a barrage of shots, although none of them reach the cage. Kane, Crudellie, Urawa, Finn-Rhys, and a few more efforts by Urawa all sail wide. The Raptor’s offense is getting frustrated. They know that Corsi doesn’t matter in the finals.

Another push has the Raptors’ third line and pairing on the ice, and the soft-kneed Georgy Gorbachenko has gotten tired at the blue line and fails to coral a loose puck. Herry Morris IV makes a play and flattens Gorbachenko against the boards. Heat Siecker, backchecks effectively and slows the rush. Morris pushes the puck behind the net, but is mugged by Gorbanchenko. Sensing the rising tensions, the well-compensated refs swoop in to break things up as words are being exchanged.

A hand goes up and Gorbachenko and Morris IV are separated.

“A 2-minute minor has been assessed to Gorbachenko for roughing”

And the Kraken are off to their first power play of the game.