btsh.org

By Cat

To celebrate having my Sundays back, I volunteered to do the stars. And by “volunteered” I mean I made the mistake of asking in the BTSH media thread, “who is writing the stars?” And by “having my Sundays back” I mean being completely devoted to winning the Schlitz.

It was a great week for the beef beat. People yelling at refs. Arguing about rules. Goal or hand pass. Is that win even an upset. Nothing like the playoffs to bring out the worst in everyone!

I really believe that this is one of the more evenly matched years. We have low division teams that completely hold their own against upper division teams – see: WTP’s applause-worthy win streak, Mega Touch holding it scoreless for more than half their game against Rehabs, the Rainbows pulling a repeat upset over the Butchers. We have historically meh teams at the top of their game (most notably Anklebiters) and historically impressive teams starting to sweat as they hold onto their crowns (Fresh Kills, Hookers, Filthier – I’ll add Cobra Kai and Fuzz to that list, as they both had A+ seasons in 2018). The median skill level of the league is soaring.

So I guess what I’m saying is… don’t we all deserve stars?

THIRD STARS

Ironwomen of BTSH

Fielding enough players for the playoffs is tough. October is wedding season, football season, holiday season. We’re working off of pre-approved rosters, limiting the use of subs.

A lot of teams as a result had girls playing the whole game: Sam for Karma defense, Ryann and Andrea on Fuzz both played the whole game, me!, Nico from Poutine played defense the whole game, a position she had never even played before… probably more that I don’t know about because I’m not omniscient…

My number one fan, Rich, likes to give shit for giving stars to girls just for playing but honestly boys are douchebaggy and girls make 78 cents on the dollar so I do what I want.

(more…)

After a handful of upsets, shootouts, and empty netters to ice (should it be “pave” since it’s black top?) a few close games, the Elite 8 matchups are now set.

On to the box scores from the Round of 16…

Cobra Kai 2 @ Demons 1 F/SO

CK – Dani (1)

Goalie Shootout Win – Max M via FA

Shootout Winner – Liam M

Demons – Brian M (1)

Goalie Shootout Loss – Casca (0-1)

Game Notes: I’d place a confidence score of 15 that Casca helps Cobra Kai win another game next week (as their goalie this time).

Fuzz 4 @ Filthier 1

Fuzz – Teets McGee (1), Miles (1), Jeff x2 (2)

Goalie Win – Tim Bwn (1-0)

Filthier – Sunny (1)

Goalie Loss – Tim K (0-1)

Game Notes: The first of two Fuzz wins on the day!

Fresh Kills 4 @ Hookers 3 F/SO

FK – Sheena (1), Meg (1), Eugene (1)

Goalie Shootout Win – Barch (2-0, 2.00 GAA)

Shootout Winner – Gabe

Hookers – Pigozzi (1), Phil O’d (1), Wolff (1)

Goalie Shootout Loss – Dustin O (0-1)

Game Notes: After an amazing season, Hookers fall victim to a hot start by Fresh Kills but managed to white claw their way back into things forcing OT and a Shootout.

Advanced Analytics: All 6 goals (and 7 including the shootout) went in the same net.

Mega 0 @ Rehabs 2

Goalie Loss – Eric D (0-1, 1.00 GAA)

Rehabs – Cherie (1), Hicks (EN, 1)

Goalie Shutout Win – Eric R (1-0)

Game Notes: Mega puts up a great fight but falls to a great individual effort from Cherie on the game winner.

Poutine 1 @ Karma 3

Poutine – Russo (1)

Goalie Loss – RJ (0-1, 2.00 GAA)

Karma – Sara Sleh (1), Derek Zed (1), Creed (EN, 1)

Goalie Win – Steve F (1-0)

Game Notes: Bill got the goalie jump this time.

Sky Fighters 1 @ Anklebiters 7

Sky – Emily (1)

Goalie Loss – Stein (1-1, 1 Shutout)

Anklebiters – Sarah M (1), Shannon (1), Jason Bourne (1), Jared x3 (3), Chris B (1)

Goalie Win – Craig LaC

Pounds 3 @ Rainbows 0

Pounds – Karsten (1), Scotty K (1), Florian (1)

Goalie Shutout Win – Jeff G via Fake Zog

Goalie Loss – David G (1-1)

Gremlins 4 @ WTP 0

Gremlins – Erich x3 (3), Marcella (1)

Goalie Shutout Win – Jamie B (1-0)

Goalie Loss – Goalie Ed (0-1)

Game Notes: After their loss in week 2, Fuzz finds a way to vanquish WTP from the PBR playoffs, re-routing them on a journey for the Schlitz.

Fresh Kills was up 3-0 at the half and then went soft as they allowed the Hookers to score 3 unanswered. This one needed a shootout with Fresh Kills moving on to the next round.

The Demons dream season came to a fitting end in a shootout loss to Cobra Kai.

Fuzz certainly has her groove back as they handed Filthier an early playoff exit.

Mega’s game strategy against the Rehabs nearly worked as they held the Habs scoreless for an entire half. In the other half the Habs scored two goals and Mega had none.

Big Mad Thor made an appearance during the Karma v Poutine game. He would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Scotty and Lee. Karma avenged last year’s playoff loss to Poutine.

The Biters tested out the Ewing theory against the Sky Fighters and proved it correct. Probie is expected back for the next game. We think.

Scotty v J-E-S-S (Jess! Jess! Jess!) was the game that was promised. LBS’s back-up goalie earned a clean sheet against the sharp-shooting Rainbows.

Defeating a team three times in a season is hard to do as the Pucks found out against a hungry Gremlins team.

Elite Eight Match-ups

Fresh Kills v LBS, Inc.

Gremlins v Biters.

Cobra Kai v Instant Karma

Fuzz v Rehabs (Round III).

Schlitz Cup is coming! – Stay tuned!

11. Fuzz at 6. Filthier

By Charlotte

Fuzz: 10W, 7L, 1OTL  // 21Points, 48GF, 42GA, 6diff

• Losses: WTP, Rehabs, CKai, Lbs, Butchers, Filthy, Biters, Lbs

Filthy: 13W, 5L, 0 OTL // 26Points, 53GF, 31GA, 22diff

• Losses: Fuzz, Lbs, Rehabs, Lbs, Rehabs

In this corner:

Fuzz – defending champions, sitting in seat #11 this year. They have scored a lot but have also let in near as many goals.

Filthy – their goals for and goals against differential evidences why they’re sitting where they are in the rankings.

Fuzz and Filthy have faced off twice these year and each took away a win making this a very exciting match up. Filthy has put up an impressive number of goals and their defense, and most notably, Tim K have done their job to keep their goals against and number of losses low. Fuzz, despite being in seat #11 has put up a total number of goals consistent with the teams who finished in the top half (which Fuzz almost made, but got seated at #11 just behind Cobra-Kai due to a head-to-head tiebreaker rule). Fuzz’s scoring power will keep them in this game.

Players to watch:

Fuzz: Ryan – strong defensive player.

Filthy: Tim K – arguable one of the top goalies in the league. He will be difficult to score against!

Bandwagonability:

Fuzz – nobody wants to see that championship celebration again.

Filthy – 100%.

Prediction: Fuzz: 1, Filthy: 2

(more…)

12. Gremlins at 5. What The Puck

by Isaac

In this corner: What The Puck

Dominant narrative: the obvious choice is the winning streak the Pucks went on over the course of three months. However, the correct one is the Pucks dominance over the Gremlins.  This season the Pucks were the only division team to sweep the Gremlins and historically Justin has owned Jamie (you might want to accept that friend request before Sunday’s game). 

Player to watch: Annie, the human evolution of the force of field hockey.  The asphalt rink tilts in the Pucks’ favor when she’s out there doing work.

Bandwagonability: 7/10.  What’s not to like about a team ascending from division 4 to 3 one year and then 3 to 2 the following year? 

In this corner: Gremlins

Dominant narrative: After starting the season off at a promising 6-3-0 things quickly turned sour as they went into a tailspin.  While the Pucks were enjoying success for three months the Gremlins were absolutely frustrated and miserable.  The only win over that span came against 20^th ranked Gut Rot.  However, the two wins they picked up on the last day of the season are encouraging.

Player to watch: Erich.  He’s the bingo this team rides to the bank. 

Bandwagonability: 1/10.  Beat the Pucks.  Then we’ll talk.

Prediction: If Erich shows up with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove then we’ll be treated to a hell of game.  Having said that, it takes a team effort against Emily, Mike Mc, and Susie.  I’m predicting a tight game with the Pucks pulling away near the end 4-2.

(more…)