Posts Tagged ‘Weekly Previews’
Week 18 Preview
Thursday, August 20th, 2009This Little Patch Has Turned Around The Rehabs’ Season
GAME OF THE WEEK
Tuques (6-10) vs. Rehabs (8-4-0-3)
Location: Tompkins East, 5:30 PM
All-Time Series: Rehabs lead 6-5
Game Notes: After struggling at various points in the season, both of these teams now seem to be headed in the right direction. Since starting the season 1-8, the Tuques have five of their last seven games and are currently on a three-game winning streak. During this three-game stretch, their offensive attack has exploded, averaging more than seven goals per game. Newcomers Denis Miciletto and Shafiq Perry have led this charge, accounting for seven and six August goals, respectively. After snapping a six-game losing streak two weeks ago with an emphatic 7-2 pasting of Cobra Kai, the Rehabs continued their success last week with a solid 4-3 defeat of the Mighty Squirrels. Although the team features one of the most balanced offenses in the league, forward Dave Fraser stepped up and scored two goals against the Squirrels, including the game-winner. More Rehabs will need to follow Fraser’s lead if they want to knock off the surging Tuques.
Keys To The Game:
1. In addition to the Tuques’ new blood on offense, rookie defenders Adam Robertson and Jason Mandell have been the key cogs to a much improved defense this season.
2. The Rehabs have only allowed 31 goals on the season, ranking them third in BTSH. Anthony Romeo’s goaltending abilities not withstanding, this is a true testament to the skills of their women, as the Rehabs are the only team to use an all-female defense.
3. After tearing a ligament in her right knee, Rehabs defender Chantel Arroyo must wear a cumbersome brace for all games. There’s nothing funny about ligament tears.
Eli’s Pick: Rehabs. The $wagger is back.
Derek’s Pick: Tuques. Captain Dave Ladanyi’s “new superstar iniative” has paid off.
Watchability: 4 Grande-Capones
Week 17 Preview
Thursday, August 13th, 2009Rod Does Not Think Highly Of The Dark Rainbows
GAME OF THE WEEK
What The Puck (12-3) vs. Dark Rainbows (10-3-0-1)
Location: Tompkins West, 3:00 PM
All-Time Series: Dark Rainbows lead 5-4
Game Notes: Despite these teams’ relative proximity in the standings, What The Puck and the Dark Rainbows are heading in opposite directions. After a brief swoon, What The Puck has returned to form in the last two weeks. Following the team’s 7-1 loss to Filthy Gorgeous in week 14, captain Larry “Mad Dog” Zimmer read his team the riot act, demanding more accountability and less complacency from his Orange Juggernaut. The team obviously responded, as it scored 12 goals in wins over two division rivals. Conversely, the Dark Rainbows have allowed 12 goals in their last two games and have struggled to produce any type of real offense. This reversal of fortune has dropped them from sole possession of first place to a tie for fifth. As the Rainbows look to break out of their funk, a win over What The Puck would keep them in the running for first place and go a long way in returning their early season swagger.
Keys To The Game:
1. What The Puck grizzled veteran Tom MacDonald returned to the lineup last week after summering in Nova Scotia. His impact was felt immediately, as he scored his 10th goal of the season in his team’s 2-1 win.
2. John Nielsen leads the Dark Rainbows with 14 goals. He has not scored in his team’s last two games, but What The Puck will still need to guard him closely.
3. In an effort to emulate What The Puck’s winning formula, Rainbows captain Sean Reynolds plans on wheeling goaltender John Meyer to the court in a goalie bag. Reynolds also plans to smile sheepishly while doing so.
Eli’s Pick: What The Puck. Mad Dog’s strong arm tactics seem to be working.
Derek’s Pick: What The Puck. Their high-scoring offense does not bode well for the suddenly sieve-like Rainbows D.
Watchability: 4.5 Doucets
Week 16 Preview
Thursday, August 6th, 2009The Unicorns Are Planning Another Upset
GAME OF THE WEEK
Unicorns (8-6) vs. What The Puck (11-3)
Location: Tompkins West, 2:00 PM
All-Time Series: Tied 7-7
Game Notes: What The Puck captain Larry “Mad Dog” Zimmer has had this game circled on his calendar for a month and a half. Week 11 saw What The Puck swagger into the first matchup between these Woodsworth Divisioin rivals, undefeated and cocky. However, with Adriano “Muscles Marinara” on the disabled list for Larry’s Orange Juggernaut, the Unicorns were victorious 3-2, handing WTP its first loss of the season. Since then, both teams have struggled, as the Unicorns have gone 1-3, and What The Puck has gone 2-2. Each team will look to shake out of the doldrums in this pivotal divisional tilt.
Keys To The Game:
1. After a four-game absence, What The Puck forward Adriano “Muscles Marinara” Bratta returned with a bang, scoring five goals in the team’s 10-2 victory over Mega Touch last week. He is now the league’s second leading scorer with 17 goals on the season.
2. Although it is difficult to tell by just their first names, Unicorns 2009 acquisitions Susanna and Victoria are indeed sisters. Thus, they possess a chemistry on the court that few will ever comprehend.
3. With the Mad Dog out of town, Mike “The X-Factor” Woodsworth took over the reins of captain for What The Puck last week. Is this a sign of a potential power struggle in the future?
Eli’s Pick: What The Puck. Larry will not let his team lose twice to the same opponent.
Derek’s Pick: What The Puck. They looked very impressive last week, and that was with onlyl half the roster present.
Watchability: 4 Ventolieris. It would have been 5, but Ant is playing in this game.
Week 15 Preview
Thursday, July 30th, 2009Karsten’s A Slick One
GAME OF THE WEEK
Dark Rainbows (10-2-0-1) vs. LBS, Inc. (10-3)
Location: Tompkins East, 5:30 PM
All-Time Series: LBS, Inc. leads 6-5-1
Game Notes: This battle of Schloeder Division rivals features two of the league’s three 10-win teams. The Dark Rainbows enter this game in second place in the standings, on the strength of an eleven game stretch without a regulation loss. However, in a minor upset, the Rainbows were stymied by another division foe, the Sky Fighters, last week, in what captain Sean Reynolds deemed one of his “most embarrassing sports moments ever.” LBS, Inc. has little to be embarrassed about as the team has won seven consecutive games and now sits in a three-way tie for third place. The corporation has scored the second most goals in BTSH with 55, with the offesnive tandem of Karsten Pichon and “The Alpha Male” Ken Poulin accounting for 31 of them. The Dark Rainbows, who defeated LBS, Inc. 4-2 in Week 3, will have to clamp down on this explosive scoring attack if they want to sweep the season series.
Keys To The Game:
1. Although LBS, Inc.’s duo of Pichon and Poulin generate more accolades, the Dark Rainbows pair of John Nielsen and P.T. Walkley should not be overlooked. The two have combined for 24 goals on the season.
2. LBS, Inc. has the second best goal differential in the league. Although this is mainly bolstered by their high-octane offense, Seth Wachtell’s zen-like approach to goaltending has been a major factor as well.
3. After reading in the Week 14 News and Notes that LBS, Inc. stuffs a $100 bill into the mouth of every goalie the team beats, Rainbows keeper John Meyer has considered throwing this contest…as times have been real tough.
Eli’s Pick: No Pick. Eli will be reffing this game.
Derek’s Pick: LBS, Inc. Although the Rainbows will be looking to avenge last week’s tough loss, LBS is like Hansel and thus, so hot right now.
Watchability: 5 Pichons
Week 14 Preview
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009Too Close For Comfort
Editors’ Note: We have heard your suggestions loud and clear, so this week, we are proud to debut a new component to our weekly game previews. In addition to the game notes and our picks, we will also include a “watchability” rating to help you decide which games will be the most interesting. Games will be judged on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “unwatchable” and 5 being “can’t miss.”
GAME OF THE WEEK
Denim Demons (8-0-2-2) vs. Rehabs (6-4-0-2)
Location: Tompkins West, 3:00 PM
All-Time Series: Rehabs lead 6-5-1
Game Notes: The media are not above embellishing the intensity of a rivalry to promote a storyline. However, it isn’t hyperbole to say that these teams legitimately do hate each other, and the rift between them continues to grow each time they play. In their 2008 matchup, the Demons outlasted the Rehabs 3-2 in a bitter week 12 struggle that took both teams to the limits. Down, but not out, the Rehabs struck the last blow that day by showering the Demons with a barrage of water balloons. Although the Demons were ready to seek revenge in week 5, forces beyond their control cancelled the game, making this week’s affair their only shot at the Rehabs in 2009. With all this pent up aggression and frustration ready to be released, someone may leave this game in a body bag.
Keys To The Game:
1. The Rehabs have allowed just 23 goals this season, tying them for second in BTSH. Despite their struggles over the last few weeks, the defense has remained one of the top shot blocking units in the league.
2. To counter the returns of Jon “Dinner Plate” Feldman and Stacy Kehoe to the Rehabs, Denim Demons captain Adam “Legend Killer” Rubens is reportedly bringing back one of the Demons’ greatest forwards from the past, “Hacksaw” Jim Dandeneau.
3. In a possible sign of a thaw in relations between these two teams, Mike Pereira of the Demons and Rob Blandi of the Rehabs were spotted having lunch together at an undisclosed (though supposedly trendy) upscale Manhattan eatery. The bill was split 50-50.
Eli’s Pick: Rehabs. They’ve lost each of their last five games by one goal and are due for a huge win.
Derek’s Pick: Denim Demons. They have promised to bring Rubens Rock to this game, so you know they’ll be giving 110%.
Watchability: 5 Hacketts
