CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: #1 PUCK EWES VS #4 RED ARMY

Game 1: Tuesday 8:00 pm @ the Plex
Game 2: Thursday 8:00 pm @ the Plex
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday 8:00 pm @ the Plex

#1 Puck Ewes 12-2-0 24 points
#4 Red Army 10-3-1 21 points

Season Series
1-0 Puck Ewes, 9-5 game.

Other Important Stats
60-69 point scorers: Red Army 1, Puck Ewes 0
50-59 point scorers: Red Army 0, Puck Ewes 0
40-49 point scorers: Red Army 0, Puck Ewes 0
30-39 point scorers: Red Army 0, Puck Ewes 3
20-29 point scorers: Red Army 2, Puck Ewes 1
10-19 point scorers: Red Army 5, Puck Ewes 4
0-9 point scorers: Red Army 0, Puck Ewes 0

Goals For: Puck Ewes 103, Red Army 107
Goals Against: Puck Ewes 53, Red Army 70
Goals For Per Game Average: Puck Ewes 7.36, Red Army 7.64
Goals Against Per Game Average: Puck Ewes 3.79, Red Army 5.00

Playoffs
Puck Ewes 2-0 (#8 Shockers, #7 The Jeff Schultz Experience)
Red Army 2-0 (#5 Cryptic Stench, #4 Prestige Worldwide)

Goals Scored in Playoffs
Puck Ewes 13, Red Army 12

Goals Allowed in Playoffs
Puck Ewes 7, Red Army 8


Well, well, well... Game 1 is in 24 hours and I am cautiously optimistic about Mother Russia's chances. For one, the season finale doesn't scare me. There was a clear lack of effort in that game and I think the Soviet team we've seen the past two games is a different, more mature team.

That being said, Puck Ewes speed does scare me. The Red Army must find a way to slow down their skaters and not be tempted into a run and gun game. They will lose that game. At the same time, Hendricks is going to need to produce at a high rate and he does score a bulk of his goals on the rush. Still, the #1 scorer is not going to outscore the entire #1 team. Thus the paradox.

The solution? Exactly what happened in the PW game. Team generated goals. Moving the puck around, getting everyone involved, and skating. Hendricks will create his own opportunities. Tomorrow, everyone forechecks and everyone backchecks.

Oh, and one more thing to note: the power play. It was fantastic yesterday, so it needs to be a factor again. Last time the Puck Ewes faced the Soviets, the Puck Ewes played keep away and killed the penalties. Can't let that happen again. As Lil Jon says, "Ah skate skate skate skate skate skate".

So, with that, I will make my highly anticipated guess for tomorrow's championship series game 1 between the #1 seeded Puck Ewes, and Mother Russia's favorite Comrades, the #4 seeded Red Army.

8-6 Red Army