Just wanted to get one quick article in before the new season started. There was certainly a lot of turnover this past off season. After a disappointing and all too abrupt end to the summer season, Mother Russia had a fire sale to shed some salary for the upcoming salary cap. Under the new agreement, Team's have a ceiling of 120 million dollars. After Ben Breiterman signed with the Florida Cougars and Chris Duhaime signed with the New England Energy Bars, the Red Army was hovering right around that 120 mark. Then, General Manager John Stamos placed both Hendricks twins on waivers to ensure the Red Army would not have a cap hit. With 65 million dollars freed up, Stamos brought in Scott Hoefer, Ryan Odell, and Jerrod Funk back into the mix. As of today, on the eve of the season opener, the Red Army is just below the ceiling at 119 million. Here is a breakdown of the contracts.
Jerrod Funk 2.5 million 2 year contract
Steve Hand 26 million 9 year contract
Mark Hendricks 48 million 32 year contract
Scott Hoefer 1 million 1 year contract
Tony Horton 9.5 million 5 year contract
Pat King 9 million 2 year contract
Matt Kraus 1.955 million 8 year contract
Ryan Odell 19 million 1 year contract
Brian Robinson 11 million 3 year contract
Andy Schram 5 thousand 100 year contract
As you can see, both Hoefer and Odell are in contract years. Odell is notorious for turning it on in a contract year and has routinely put up big numbers when the time came. Hoefer on the other hand, is notorious for sleeping with GM's wives, which is why Stamos only offered him a 1 million dollar contract. Hendricks continues to be the highest paid player in the league, though there are rumors circulating that if Breiterman scores 25 goals this season in Florida, his bonuses would earn him 200 million dollars and four older women.
That's it for now, the season starts tomorrow. A few goals for the season, you ask? Sure, why not.
1: A Winning Record
-Sure, last season with nearly an all star cast, the Red Army narrowly squeaked out an 8-6 record. But why not again? Let's see the smaller guys step up big.
2: Puck Possession
-A mantra for the season. It will be tempting to rush the puck every time, but let's see a few cycles and puck movement from time to time. It makes everyone better and wears teams out.
3: Faceoffs
-How many times do we see a faceoff taken at center, and 6 seconds later Kraus fishing the puck out of his net? Easily 4 or 5 times a season. Let's have a few guys emerge as true centers and win some key draws.
4: 5 Ten Goal Scorers
-Last season we saw the emergence of Tony, as he shot out of the gate with 6 goals in the first 5 games, only to taper off. How about he finds his game again (while not totally forgetting about defense) and someone else emerges? Hand is coming off a career year, can he make it two in a row? Does Hoefer have some of that top shelf magic left in the tank?
5: Third Round or Bust
-Two wins in the playoffs. That simple.
Make it happen Comrades.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Red Army Wins Nailbiter, Advances to Round 2
It was not the game that many expected Thursday night. The heavily favored Soviets played relatively well, yet barely escaped with a victory as the Thrashers nearly tied the score in the games waning moments. Thanks to a referee error and retracted goal, the Comrades were able to skate away with a 6-5 victory before a capacity crowd at the Plex.
The first period had only one goal, scored on the power play by Ben Breiterman. After Mother Russia had the puck in the zone for nearly a minute, Mark Hendricks fired a shot on goal. The rebound trickled behind the sprawling goaltender and Ben tapped it home.
"Absolutely huge." Ben said. "Any goal is important, but the first goal of the game is always big. Throw in the fact that it is the very first game of the playoffs, well I may have scored the biggest goal in the Red Army's history. Seriously, retire my jersey... right fucking now."
Kraus kept the Thrashers at bay in the first despite facing a barrage of shots from in tight. Early in the second frame, with the Red Army shorthanded, Mark Hendricks proved that he can still be a threat at any man power. The winger stripped the puck at center and skated in on a breakaway. He faked left and muffed a shot that somehow found its way home. Moments later in the shift, Mark and company would capitalize again. Mark circled the net and found Ben through the seam. Ben dished it off to Neal Hendricks, and Neal potted home his first of the playoffs. It was 3-0 Red Army and things were going well.
"I knew then that we were skating and taking it to them." Mark told reporters afterward. "The problem is complacency. Once you get a lead you stop skating because you think you are too good. You should never take your foot off a snake. We took our foot off the snake and it bit us. Luckily for us, Chris Duhaime is anti-venom."
Before Chris would provide his late heroics, the Thrashers would storm back and tie with three straight tallies. Brian "Beege" Hendricks gave the advantage to Mother Russia once more with a zero angle shot that deflected off the goalie's helmet and into the goal.
"Beeeeeeeege!" An elated Beege yelled.
The Thrashers would again even things up at four with a few minutes to play in the third, yet despite a plethora of power play opportunities they were unable to take the lead.
Enter CD 2.
Chris Duhaime, a god amongst men, scored on the doorstep with 90 seconds to play. Off the ensuing face-off at center, he finagled his way through the defense and scored again on a breakaway.
"Call me the Messiah of the season." An angelic Chris said as he levitated on his cloud.
The Thrashers would score with 7 seconds to play to bring it to within one, but that's as close as they would come as Kraus steered away their final shot (the one that came as the clock was running). The horn sounded, and #6 advanced to round #2.
The Soviets will play Arrr on Sunday at 9:00 pm. They one meeting the two teams had this season ended in a Communist victory with the score 5-1.
THREE STARS
#3: Andy Schram
#2: Mark Hendricks
#1: Chris Duhaime
The first period had only one goal, scored on the power play by Ben Breiterman. After Mother Russia had the puck in the zone for nearly a minute, Mark Hendricks fired a shot on goal. The rebound trickled behind the sprawling goaltender and Ben tapped it home.
"Absolutely huge." Ben said. "Any goal is important, but the first goal of the game is always big. Throw in the fact that it is the very first game of the playoffs, well I may have scored the biggest goal in the Red Army's history. Seriously, retire my jersey... right fucking now."
Kraus kept the Thrashers at bay in the first despite facing a barrage of shots from in tight. Early in the second frame, with the Red Army shorthanded, Mark Hendricks proved that he can still be a threat at any man power. The winger stripped the puck at center and skated in on a breakaway. He faked left and muffed a shot that somehow found its way home. Moments later in the shift, Mark and company would capitalize again. Mark circled the net and found Ben through the seam. Ben dished it off to Neal Hendricks, and Neal potted home his first of the playoffs. It was 3-0 Red Army and things were going well.
"I knew then that we were skating and taking it to them." Mark told reporters afterward. "The problem is complacency. Once you get a lead you stop skating because you think you are too good. You should never take your foot off a snake. We took our foot off the snake and it bit us. Luckily for us, Chris Duhaime is anti-venom."
Before Chris would provide his late heroics, the Thrashers would storm back and tie with three straight tallies. Brian "Beege" Hendricks gave the advantage to Mother Russia once more with a zero angle shot that deflected off the goalie's helmet and into the goal.
"Beeeeeeeege!" An elated Beege yelled.
The Thrashers would again even things up at four with a few minutes to play in the third, yet despite a plethora of power play opportunities they were unable to take the lead.
Enter CD 2.
Chris Duhaime, a god amongst men, scored on the doorstep with 90 seconds to play. Off the ensuing face-off at center, he finagled his way through the defense and scored again on a breakaway.
"Call me the Messiah of the season." An angelic Chris said as he levitated on his cloud.
The Thrashers would score with 7 seconds to play to bring it to within one, but that's as close as they would come as Kraus steered away their final shot (the one that came as the clock was running). The horn sounded, and #6 advanced to round #2.
The Soviets will play Arrr on Sunday at 9:00 pm. They one meeting the two teams had this season ended in a Communist victory with the score 5-1.
THREE STARS
#3: Andy Schram
#2: Mark Hendricks
#1: Chris Duhaime
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
ROUND ONE: #11 Thrashers @ #6 Red Army
"Maybe this is the year." We've said it a lot in seasons past. Always on the eve of the first playoff game. You know, the first round game where the 3-11 Red Army faces the 9-5 Cryptic Stench? It's the same story each year. Maybe the scrappy group of comrades can pull of an upset. Maybe, just maybe, the bounces go their way. Yet, something feels different tonight, a mere 18 hours before face-off. What could it be? Is it because the Red Army is a completely different team from years past? Is it because they no longer endure losing streaks that span weeks? Is it because the Red Army is actually favored tomorrow? Put simply, it is because they are good.
Mother Russia has to play her style and take the game to the competition. No more playing scared. Loose pucks need to be chased down and rebounds fought for. To keep things brief, there are three simple keys to tomorrow's game.
1: Skate hard every shift.
-Simple, generic advice. Keep your shifts short and you'll have legs. Keep the pressure up and good things will happen.
2: Shots, shots shots.
-Throw things on goal and good things tend to happen.
3: Stay out of the box.
-We're a much better team when we have four skaters out on the rink.
So there it is. The Red Army has a legitimate shot at winning tomorrow. They have a legitimate shot at winning on Sunday. They have a legitimate shot at winning on Tuesday. And they have a legitimate shot of winning two of the next three games that week. They could win five more games this season. For now, one at a time. Go out and get it done, Comrades. Cause maybe, just maybe, this is the year.
Mother Russia has to play her style and take the game to the competition. No more playing scared. Loose pucks need to be chased down and rebounds fought for. To keep things brief, there are three simple keys to tomorrow's game.
1: Skate hard every shift.
-Simple, generic advice. Keep your shifts short and you'll have legs. Keep the pressure up and good things will happen.
2: Shots, shots shots.
-Throw things on goal and good things tend to happen.
3: Stay out of the box.
-We're a much better team when we have four skaters out on the rink.
So there it is. The Red Army has a legitimate shot at winning tomorrow. They have a legitimate shot at winning on Sunday. They have a legitimate shot at winning on Tuesday. And they have a legitimate shot of winning two of the next three games that week. They could win five more games this season. For now, one at a time. Go out and get it done, Comrades. Cause maybe, just maybe, this is the year.
Regular Season Final Grades (Playoff Preview Part I Continued)
Tony Horton: B+
END OF SEASON WRAPUP: Tony certainly refined his offensive game this season and because of it, his goal total increased dramatically. With six goals, Tony was 5th on the team in goals, and even lead the team early in the season. As a versatile player, he was able to skate on both offense and defense depending on the game. He played the majority of games on the blue line, and he still has to pick and choose when to join the rush, but that is something that is easily correctable going into this playoffs.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Tony clears the crease for Kraus, chips in with a few goals in the postseason, and focuses more on the defensive aspect of his game. Opposing forwards shy away from the net and Mother Russia leaves the competition seeing red.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Tony gets on his horse too much and joins the rush at inopportune times, leading to too many odd man rushes, and goals against. Mother Russia can't stop the bleeding.
Pat King: B
END OF SEASON WRAPUP: Pat was bit by the summer class bug and missed many games this season. As a result he struggled to mesh well with line mates and never had a chance to generate much chemistry. There are glimpses of hope for #57's future though, as he did record four of his five goals playing on a line with Mark, and there seemed to be a spark there (no homo of course). Pat's speed and absolute howitzer make many scouts confident that he will continue to blossom under the system that Mother Russia plays.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Pat shows up, chips in with a goal a game, and uses his speed to back check and force turnovers.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Pat doesn't show up, no goals are scored, and other teams have a field day skating around unmolested (totally homo).
Matt Kraus: B+
Season Wrapup: Kraus came into this season with more confidence than a drunk wolf at an injured sheep convention... he was going to clean house. With the revamped defense Kraus has seen less shots this season but has certainly made the saves when called on. His poise in net has improved and seldom do pucks hail out from the net towards the heads of referees at center. Though the Red Army does play a high risk/high reward game and surrender many odd man rushes, Kraus has done his part to make sure that Mother Russia has a chance for victory each night.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Kraus plays the way he can in early rounds and plays exceptional deep into the playoffs. He keeps his composure regardless of the situation.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Kraus becomes flustered and allows more goals than the Soviets score.
Andy Schram: B+
Season Wrapup: Andy has come a long way since his first season with the Red Army. He no longer passes the puck as soon as he gets it, and allows himself more time to create. It is a direct result of his 10 assists, which was good for 3rd on the team. He still has the knack for taking roughing penalties, though lately they have been smarter and less frequent. If he can get shots off sooner and put them on goal, he could see a tally in the goal column this post season.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Andy plays a simple game in the playoffs. Pucks get out of the zone quick and opposing players back's hurt when they want to set a screen. He chips in with a couple of assists, but focuses mostly on maintaining the other team's offense to the outside.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Penalty trouble and poor positioning do Andy and Mother Russia in.
Jameson Simek: B+
SEASON WRAPUP: Jamie has solidified himself as a top defenseman on the team. His skating has made great strides in recent years and his confidence with the puck has grown with it. He is able to skate it out of the zone by himself and absolutely loves a good breakout. He still needs some persuasion on when to shoot the puck, but 'baaaaah dude' when he shoots it is 'silly'.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Jamie plays defense allowing Beege to play offense. Jamie is fast enough to skate up and down with the other team's players and even chips in offensively with a few rockets from the point. At least once, him and Mark hookup (no homo) with a seam pass.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Jamie becomes flustered and every object is destroyed in a 3 mile radius with the patented Simek Wrath (see Nagasaki... too soon? Still not homo though.)
END OF SEASON WRAPUP: Tony certainly refined his offensive game this season and because of it, his goal total increased dramatically. With six goals, Tony was 5th on the team in goals, and even lead the team early in the season. As a versatile player, he was able to skate on both offense and defense depending on the game. He played the majority of games on the blue line, and he still has to pick and choose when to join the rush, but that is something that is easily correctable going into this playoffs.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Tony clears the crease for Kraus, chips in with a few goals in the postseason, and focuses more on the defensive aspect of his game. Opposing forwards shy away from the net and Mother Russia leaves the competition seeing red.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Tony gets on his horse too much and joins the rush at inopportune times, leading to too many odd man rushes, and goals against. Mother Russia can't stop the bleeding.
Pat King: B
END OF SEASON WRAPUP: Pat was bit by the summer class bug and missed many games this season. As a result he struggled to mesh well with line mates and never had a chance to generate much chemistry. There are glimpses of hope for #57's future though, as he did record four of his five goals playing on a line with Mark, and there seemed to be a spark there (no homo of course). Pat's speed and absolute howitzer make many scouts confident that he will continue to blossom under the system that Mother Russia plays.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Pat shows up, chips in with a goal a game, and uses his speed to back check and force turnovers.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Pat doesn't show up, no goals are scored, and other teams have a field day skating around unmolested (totally homo).
Matt Kraus: B+
Season Wrapup: Kraus came into this season with more confidence than a drunk wolf at an injured sheep convention... he was going to clean house. With the revamped defense Kraus has seen less shots this season but has certainly made the saves when called on. His poise in net has improved and seldom do pucks hail out from the net towards the heads of referees at center. Though the Red Army does play a high risk/high reward game and surrender many odd man rushes, Kraus has done his part to make sure that Mother Russia has a chance for victory each night.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Kraus plays the way he can in early rounds and plays exceptional deep into the playoffs. He keeps his composure regardless of the situation.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Kraus becomes flustered and allows more goals than the Soviets score.
Andy Schram: B+
Season Wrapup: Andy has come a long way since his first season with the Red Army. He no longer passes the puck as soon as he gets it, and allows himself more time to create. It is a direct result of his 10 assists, which was good for 3rd on the team. He still has the knack for taking roughing penalties, though lately they have been smarter and less frequent. If he can get shots off sooner and put them on goal, he could see a tally in the goal column this post season.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Andy plays a simple game in the playoffs. Pucks get out of the zone quick and opposing players back's hurt when they want to set a screen. He chips in with a couple of assists, but focuses mostly on maintaining the other team's offense to the outside.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Penalty trouble and poor positioning do Andy and Mother Russia in.
Jameson Simek: B+
SEASON WRAPUP: Jamie has solidified himself as a top defenseman on the team. His skating has made great strides in recent years and his confidence with the puck has grown with it. He is able to skate it out of the zone by himself and absolutely loves a good breakout. He still needs some persuasion on when to shoot the puck, but 'baaaaah dude' when he shoots it is 'silly'.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Jamie plays defense allowing Beege to play offense. Jamie is fast enough to skate up and down with the other team's players and even chips in offensively with a few rockets from the point. At least once, him and Mark hookup (no homo) with a seam pass.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Jamie becomes flustered and every object is destroyed in a 3 mile radius with the patented Simek Wrath (see Nagasaki... too soon? Still not homo though.)
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
First Round Matchup Set
The Red Army will face the Thrashers this Thursday at 8:00 pm EST. More to come in the playoff previews in the days to come.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
End of Season Report Cards (Playoff Preview, Part 1)
Okay folks, now that game #14 is in the books and the 8-6 regular season is over we can talk about final grades for the players. The players will be graded on how they played compared to the expectations that fans had for them entering the season. Let us begin, in alphabetical order of course.
Ben Breiterman: A+
SEASON WRAPUP: Undoubtedly the best offseason acquisition that Mother Russia has ever made. Ben being in the lineup gives the Red Army a chance to win every night. He distributes the puck with Nikky B like precision and his poise on defense allows some of the offenders to ditch the zone early looking for a spring pass.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Ben plays his same style and hits the net with more of his shots. He keeps oncoming rushes to the outside and lets Kraus see the puck. Mother Russia cruises through a few rounds and plays very well against the better teams.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Ben lets his emotions best him and punchasizes a guys face into a wall. Other players panic, also fight. Red Army loses by 9 in a penalty filled romping.
Chris Duhaime: B
SEASON WRAPUP: Chris proved to be an elite power forward in the league this season. He averaged 2 points a game and seemed to gel well with Captain Steve Hand at the end of the season. His defensive game still needs some refining, but Chris more than makes up with his breakaway speed and wrist shot.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Chris continues his 2 points-a-game pace and plays more of a puck possession style, limiting the oppositions chances. He backchecks and helps out the Soviet defense, earning a positive number in the +/- column.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Chris is unable to capitalize on his opportunities and continues to be snake bitten, wringing shot after shot off of the iron.
Steve Hand: B+
SEASON WRAPUP: At the start of the season if it would be known that Steve would be the only ironman to play all 14 games, score a career high 17 goals, and tack on 7 assists, people would think was a sin to not give Steve an "A". But after five or six games the expectations changed, and more was asked of the Captain. Steve still commits untimely turnovers and floats around on defense, but he also has more than showed his willingness to go hard to the net. It comes down to which Captain we see this playoffs.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Steve drives to the net, makes it difficult for defensemen to clear him out, and opens up space for other forwards. He chips on the score sheet and doesn't shy away from digging out loose pucks in the corners. He shows why he wears the "C" and skates hard every shift.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Steve can't finish his chances and goals that came easier in the regular season don't appear on the scoreboard anymore. Frustration leads to longer shifts which lead to goals against.
Brian Hendricks: B+
SEASON WRAPUP: "Beege" played defense for the majority of the season and provided stability on the backline. His speed is one of his strongest assets and allows him to get back quicker than most of his teammates. A problem late in the season was his lack of offense from the blue line. Whether it was becoming gun shy or being forced to stay back because of his partner joining the rush every time is unknown, but there is no use in keeping a cannon in the warehouse. The few games he did skate up front, he scored in bunches. Many think Beege is better suited up front, and that may be the case for these playoffs.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Regardless of where he plays, Beege is offensively and defensively sound and makes smart plays. He gets shots on goal, gets back on defense, and uses his frame to out muscle opposing players in front.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Beege can't convert offensively and folds under the pressure of facing the top forwards.
Mark Hendricks: B
SEASON WRAPUP: Mark's point production was interesting this season. He suffered a career low in goals but enjoyed a career high in assists. When inspired, he can play defense on anyone and skate back, but commitment to defense has always been a weak spot in his game and he is often guilty at poaching at center waiting for a pass.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Mark shoots first and asks questions later. Mark gets back to his basics and shows why he can be the most dominant forward in the league. He backchecks hard, forechecks hard, and shoots hard. He cuts the curling and dragging in half and doubles the buzz bombs. Shifts are short and goals (for) are plentiful.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Mark gets too cute and tries to do too much.
Neal Hendricks: B
SEASON WRAPUP: Neal struggled early in the season with finding his shot, but in the past few games been lighting the lamp. He still panics at times and forces plays that aren't there, but his progress is coming along. His vision is his best attribute. He can see plays develop before others and can serve the puck on a silver platter. For him this playoffs, it is a matter of choosing when to deliver that pass or when to deliver the goal horn himself.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Neal uses his speed to create time and space when he has the puck. He is smart when creating plays and isn't afraid to drive to the net for rebounds. His defense is superb as opposing forwards can't get find open room to create.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Neal passes too much and shoots too little. He shies away from contact and doesn't skate hard.
Ben Breiterman: A+
SEASON WRAPUP: Undoubtedly the best offseason acquisition that Mother Russia has ever made. Ben being in the lineup gives the Red Army a chance to win every night. He distributes the puck with Nikky B like precision and his poise on defense allows some of the offenders to ditch the zone early looking for a spring pass.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Ben plays his same style and hits the net with more of his shots. He keeps oncoming rushes to the outside and lets Kraus see the puck. Mother Russia cruises through a few rounds and plays very well against the better teams.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Ben lets his emotions best him and punchasizes a guys face into a wall. Other players panic, also fight. Red Army loses by 9 in a penalty filled romping.
Chris Duhaime: B
SEASON WRAPUP: Chris proved to be an elite power forward in the league this season. He averaged 2 points a game and seemed to gel well with Captain Steve Hand at the end of the season. His defensive game still needs some refining, but Chris more than makes up with his breakaway speed and wrist shot.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Chris continues his 2 points-a-game pace and plays more of a puck possession style, limiting the oppositions chances. He backchecks and helps out the Soviet defense, earning a positive number in the +/- column.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Chris is unable to capitalize on his opportunities and continues to be snake bitten, wringing shot after shot off of the iron.
Steve Hand: B+
SEASON WRAPUP: At the start of the season if it would be known that Steve would be the only ironman to play all 14 games, score a career high 17 goals, and tack on 7 assists, people would think was a sin to not give Steve an "A". But after five or six games the expectations changed, and more was asked of the Captain. Steve still commits untimely turnovers and floats around on defense, but he also has more than showed his willingness to go hard to the net. It comes down to which Captain we see this playoffs.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Steve drives to the net, makes it difficult for defensemen to clear him out, and opens up space for other forwards. He chips on the score sheet and doesn't shy away from digging out loose pucks in the corners. He shows why he wears the "C" and skates hard every shift.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Steve can't finish his chances and goals that came easier in the regular season don't appear on the scoreboard anymore. Frustration leads to longer shifts which lead to goals against.
Brian Hendricks: B+
SEASON WRAPUP: "Beege" played defense for the majority of the season and provided stability on the backline. His speed is one of his strongest assets and allows him to get back quicker than most of his teammates. A problem late in the season was his lack of offense from the blue line. Whether it was becoming gun shy or being forced to stay back because of his partner joining the rush every time is unknown, but there is no use in keeping a cannon in the warehouse. The few games he did skate up front, he scored in bunches. Many think Beege is better suited up front, and that may be the case for these playoffs.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Regardless of where he plays, Beege is offensively and defensively sound and makes smart plays. He gets shots on goal, gets back on defense, and uses his frame to out muscle opposing players in front.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Beege can't convert offensively and folds under the pressure of facing the top forwards.
Mark Hendricks: B
SEASON WRAPUP: Mark's point production was interesting this season. He suffered a career low in goals but enjoyed a career high in assists. When inspired, he can play defense on anyone and skate back, but commitment to defense has always been a weak spot in his game and he is often guilty at poaching at center waiting for a pass.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Mark shoots first and asks questions later. Mark gets back to his basics and shows why he can be the most dominant forward in the league. He backchecks hard, forechecks hard, and shoots hard. He cuts the curling and dragging in half and doubles the buzz bombs. Shifts are short and goals (for) are plentiful.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Mark gets too cute and tries to do too much.
Neal Hendricks: B
SEASON WRAPUP: Neal struggled early in the season with finding his shot, but in the past few games been lighting the lamp. He still panics at times and forces plays that aren't there, but his progress is coming along. His vision is his best attribute. He can see plays develop before others and can serve the puck on a silver platter. For him this playoffs, it is a matter of choosing when to deliver that pass or when to deliver the goal horn himself.
WHY THE RED ARMY WINS: Neal uses his speed to create time and space when he has the puck. He is smart when creating plays and isn't afraid to drive to the net for rebounds. His defense is superb as opposing forwards can't get find open room to create.
WHY THE RED ARMY LOSES: Neal passes too much and shoots too little. He shies away from contact and doesn't skate hard.
Red Army Loses Season Finale, First Round Bye
Mother Russia played a tight game against the Ill Tempered Sea Bass on Tuesday, but a late third period collapse did the Soviets in as they were unable to mount a late comeback. I'll be brief with this game's updates because my editors are getting on me about the playoff preview.
-Steve Hand and Mark Hendricks each scored a pair of goals in the game and tied for goals in the season.
-Neal Hendricks continued his solid play with a 3 point night.
-Chris Duhaime chipped in with a tally.
-Matt Kraus's backup, Matt Dixon, played a frantic game, making jaw dropping saves on one rush and allowing soft serve ice cream goals on another.
With the loss, the Red Army is no longer in contention for a top 4 spot and will have to play a playoff game on Thursday. More to come in the playoff preview.
-Steve Hand and Mark Hendricks each scored a pair of goals in the game and tied for goals in the season.
-Neal Hendricks continued his solid play with a 3 point night.
-Chris Duhaime chipped in with a tally.
-Matt Kraus's backup, Matt Dixon, played a frantic game, making jaw dropping saves on one rush and allowing soft serve ice cream goals on another.
With the loss, the Red Army is no longer in contention for a top 4 spot and will have to play a playoff game on Thursday. More to come in the playoff preview.
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