Kirkenport Captains
Still so confused about the traditional/hard-nosed Kirk Boys wearing such a modern/trendy set. That being said, the cream change has actually made the lighter blue look even better. This is great news considering they added a very sharp alt jersey!

Dosa City Snappers
The color combo is great, but feels a little drab because of how dark the teal is. They sure were bold stepping on the Herons toes, that is for sure. Little buddy being shaped like a "D" in the logo is a great idea! His "DC" shell does seem a little forced, though. Their thin striping feels 2000s, but I can buy into it. A solid looking team overall. I hope they do very poorly.

Alko Barbarians
Crazy move that resulted in a shift in identity that definitely made a point that the Barbarians are now in Alko. I think both looks have high and low points, but I like Alko's go at a Barbarians identity slightly more. The balance on the home is perfect. I am so happy that they kept the red pants, and I am on board with the white centric striping. The away reminds me of reebok Panthers, but I always appreciated that jersey when there was no piping paired with it. 

Yubay Glaciers win the "Hockey on the Mount" uniform competition. The logo looks so clean on that teal jersey!

The other Yubay wins in general. This offseason hints at an expedited rebuild. I could see the Falcons competing very soon. 

We may not have Geno anymore, but I can't wait to see what the Sallee brothers can do in Yubay, not to mention my new favorite player Bazooka!

 

Did I really forget to post when we won the Championship? I could’ve sworn I posted something celebratory. Either way, Let’s Go Whalesssss. It’s been a long time coming and it’s good that we finally brought the crown back to town. Let’s party like it’s 1960!

Also, Guilden’s move to Alko. A bit surprising to be honest, but I’m sure they’ll make great rivals to the Wizards. The city’s got a bit of theming going on too, not sure what it is, but the Barbarians vs Wizards sounds like something straight out of a fantasy novel. I think the A logos might be a bit too similar, but then again, if NYC and LA teams can share the abbreviations then it shouldn’t be too much of a problem, seeing as Alko is just as big as them. Great work on that map by the way. And great work on those Mount jerseys! They all look really good!

1988 REGULAR SEASON



Willard Division: As expected, the Whales cruised to the top of the division and the league yet again as Bronko won Best Forward and defenseman Eli Priestley was an All-Gold selection. The Pioneers solidly took second place as they rode a scoring spree to 119 points. Jonathan Walker and Co have been spotty over the years but this was a high-scoring year, as they placed just behind the high-powered Whales. The Serpents were expected to do better but they couldn't gain any traction in a tough division and sank back to the bottom of the league. The Anchors couldn't build on their success last season and missed the playoffs by a wide margin in a disappointing year. The Rockets were ready to get back into the playoffs but they found themselves in a close race for a wildcard and despite tying Kirkenport, they missed out based on fewer wins. To underscore the blow, Pat Ossola made All-Star in vintage play for the 34-year-old.

Hatch Division: Nobody was quite sure how the Hatch would go and indeed it was an unexpected surge from the Wizards who quickly took control behind stellar play from “Large” Arlie Lozano in the net, who won Best Goalie and a League MVP trophy for his efforts. With the Swans and Blazers both stuck in neutral, the Wizards got all the way up to 3-seed and will host a playoff series for their first appearance. Just behind them, the Herons got back on track and back into the playoffs with solid team play. The Neptunes rode young Jarkko Bergstrom in the net and timely scoring from Luke Wisniewski into a playoff berth. The Swans and Blazers both inexplicably couldn't get going, an especially frustrating season for Vensessor who wanted to return to the Semi-Finals. The Kodiaks improved, especially offensively, in a decent showing for a growing young team.

Elam Division: The Crusaders picked up where they left off and took control of the division. Forward David Suvak played well, notching an All-Star. The new-look Barbarians, now playing in Alko and with D Frankie Albertelli on the roster, found themselves back in playoff contention as Albertelli helped carry the team. After their earlier-than-expected success, the Snappers regressed to the mean and missed the playoffs, but played well despite their struggles scoring. The Heralds, hoping to still contend, dropped off a cliff as losing Albertelli proved to be a much bigger deal than they'd made it out to be. Opposing teams keyed off on Gian Guiliano who was battered and bruised all year as the Heralds fell to the bottom of the division. In a surprise, the young Captains surged into contention and narrowly nabbed a playoff berth after tying Fort Bevin. They aren't expected to win, but it will be valuable playoff experience for John Roszak, Davi Martikainen and Len Rutkowski.

Rankin Division: Finally getting a taste of the Best Defenseman last season seemed to recharge Darren Cain, who cruised to another one as he and Leo Stendahl led the Kavs back to the top of the Rankin and second overall. Just behind them, the Kings kept pace as Pete Lentini upped his scoring with the Sallee brothers back in Yubay. Harmaajarvi struggled with injuries in the net but the Kings hope to have him back for the playoffs. The Killers and Bucks, two teams who've been unable to return to the playoffs after success a few years ago, both struggled again and couldn't crack 100 points. The offseason will bring plenty of questions about two talented rosters. The two sides of Yubay are in rebuilding but the Falcons saw a jolt of energy from the Sallee brothers and a pack of rookies. The Glaciers struggled to put wins together but played better than anticipated.


Hockey on the Mount

With assistant commissioner Donovan Marroquin heading it up, the inaugural Hockey on the Mount held in Monmount, Lismane was a raging success. Fans loved the retro uniforms and bought a record number of jerseys. Both games were exciting and the Icebox was packed out with spectators who made the special trip to the Mount.

The Whales and Anchors waged a classic rendition of the Old Rivalry in a high-scoring game. Bronkowski scored two early goals but the outclassed Anchors fought back with a highlight-reel goal from Jack Kovak. The action went back and forth until Portarra put it away late in the 3rd period but it was a game with fast-paced action with a raucous sold-out crowd.

The game between the two sides of Yubay was an all-out slugfest as the violent rivalry between the two teams resurfaced. The game had more hits than shots and was an old-school brawl. The Sava and Niko fans got into it themselves on several occasions and event security escorted quite a few people out of the arena. Now back in the black and silver, it was Bobby Sallee Jr who scored the only goal for the Falcons.


Playoff Preview

Herons vs Captains
The veteran Herons welcome the young Captains to the playoff show.

Barbarians vs Neptunes
These teams are fairly closely matched and this one could go down to the final period.

Wizards vs Pioneers
A Pioneers squad who've remembered how to score greets the expansion team tasting the playoffs for the first time.

Crusaders vs Kings
The Kings lost via sweep to these same Crusaders last season and want to avenge their loss.

Byes: Whales, Electrics


C&C always appreciated!
Up next: 1988 Playoffs

Good year for the Crusaders; I hope that they go far in the playoffs