Glad to see the Falcons back on the right track, now let's go do it for Leo!

Last edited by Section30 (2/22/2020 1:43 am)

1975 THL PLAYOFFS QUARTERFINALS

Willard Division


1 Port Alrene Anchors vs 4 Kirkenport Captains
A 7-3 spanking by the Anchors right off the bat seemed to indicate a short series but Kirkenport, showing their old Kirk resolve, bounced right back with a bruising 3-4 victory in overtime. Both teams slugged it out and the Captains found themselves on top with a Game 7 victory in Port Alrene as their updated heavy style paid dividends. (KRK wins 4-3)


2 Portarra Whales vs 3 Yubay Glaciers
A confident Whales squad found themselves in a dogfight against a Glaciers squad remembering how to win. Three straight overtime games to extend the series to seven games provided the fireworks and the Whales came up just short while the Glaciers were elated to head to the Semi-Finals. (YBG wins 4-3)

Hatch Division


1 Kirlow Kodiaks vs 4 Kavalos Electrics
In a high-scoring series, the Electrics played hard but weren't able to top the scoring of the Kodiaks. Brian Mahaffey, inconsistent in his sophomore season, found a way to post a shutout in Game 6 to help Kirlow advance. (KIR wins 4-2)


2 Narva Neptunes vs 3 Yubay Falcons
In an emotional series for the Falcons after an arduous season, the Sava Side played loose against a tough Neptunes squad. Five of the games were a 1-goal difference in a close-contested affair. But it was the Falcons who found success in Game 6 at home to punch their ticket to the Semis in an upset. (YUB wins 4-2)


SEMI-FINALS

Willard Division


3 Yubay Glaciers vs 4 Kirkenport Captains
An injury to forward Peter Isaksson in Game 1 put an immediate damper on the Glaciers' hopes and young rookie Pekka Jokinen struggled mightily with all the pressure on his shoulders. The Captains, meanwhile, showed no mercy as their style continued to evolve into brutal, decisively relentless heavy play and dispatched Niko Side in five games. (KRK wins 4-1)

Hatch Division


1 Kirlow Kodiaks vs 3 Yubay Falcons
In a highly-rated series, the Falcons and Kodiaks played inspired hockey in what turned into a thrilling 7-game series. Both teams traded blows and fantastic scores until a scorcher in overtime from Keenan Draper secured a hard-fought series for the Sava Side as they proved their uncanny ability for upset playoff victories yet again. (YUB wins 4-3)

Up next: 1975 Marcotte Cup

C'mon you Kirk Boys, let's beat them Birds!

1975 MARCOTTE CUP CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS


3 Yubay Falcons vs 4 Kirkenport Captains
For the second straight year, the 6th and 9th overall seeds collide in the Marcotte Cup, this time pitting a team playing beyond their talent but with an incredible amount of chemistry born from tragedy, against a team that lost many key players but have found ways to adapt their entire play style to suit the strengths of the team. Expected to be perennial contenders until the roster went through a changeover, the Captains return to the Cup after a down year proceeding their 1973 Cup win. The Falcons, infamously grueling through the Barry Boyle saga after Leo Rankin's tragic health collapse, are now playing for Leo after his passing before the season started. The Falcons have rallied behind “For Leo!” which has caught on in Sava Side into an anthem for the city while Leo's wife Lynette has been a stable rock. On paper, the Captains are a better team but are relying on heavy defense with Lauri Rikhard and clutch scoring from Keenan Draper. The Falcons meanwhile, have an invigorated Claude Dohms in the net and a deep frontline behind Vince Van Swedden and rookie Kazlauskas. The Sava Side will have home ice advantage due to their slightly better record.

Game 1: KRK 0 @ YUB 1 – In an intense first game, both teams came in heavy and continued that way for three periods. It was a chess match back and forth but Claude Dohms couldn't be solved in the net and Van Swedden found a home for the winning goal in the third.

Game 2: KRK 1 @ YUB 0 – In a continuation of Game 1, the intensity amped up as players from both sides racked up penalty minutes. But a spectacular short-handed goal from Keenan Draper while defending the power play was enough for the equalizer.

Game 3: YUB 0 @ KRK 1 – With play shifting to the Isle of Kirk, the game sped up just slightly in a faster paced version of the intense bar that has been set by these teams. A little wrist flicker from Lauri Rikhard during a scramble in front of the net that blocked Dohm's vision just enough to go in stood up as the winner as the Captains took a 2-1 lead.

Game 4: YUB 0 @ KRK 4 – The slow pace from the previous games suddenly went out the window as the skating turned into a blur as the Captains pummeled a hapless Dohms to four goals, including a magnificent one-timer from Keenan Draper who also assisted on the the three others, to put the Falcons on the brink.

Game 5: KRK 0 @ YUB 5 – Back in Sava Side, it was the Falcons' turn to do the scorching as they posted 5 goals and sent Gerry McKnight to the showers early while his backup fared no better. Van Swedden and Kazlauskas teamed up for three of the goals while a usually quiet Ryan Devlin scored two from the blue line.

Game 6: YUB 0 @ KRK 3 – With their Cup hopes on the line, the Falcons were unable to break through an incredible performance by defenseman Lauri Rikhard who played nearly the entire third period as he refused to come off the ice, all while he scored twice and assisted on the third goal and essentially single-handedly won the game for the Captains. Before Kirkenport hoisted their third Marcotte Cup the entire team and staff paid their respects to Lynette Rankin and her late husband Leo in a token of appreciation as both teams played the whole series with a high level of mutual respect, even in the intensity. It was a tough loss for the Falcons but the entire nation rallied around them and the city felt they had re-established themselves in this season. Lynette congratulated the Kirk Boys for the hard-fought victory and in an impromptu speech, thanked the league and players for their support and promised the Isle they'd be back for the Cup soon. Rikhard's masterful series earned him the Cup MVP. It is Kirkenport's third Cup in six seasons, one every-other year.

1975 Marcotte Cup Champions: Kirkenport Captains (3)

What do you do with a drunken sailor
What do you do with a drunken sailor
What do you do with a drunken sailor
Earl-eye in the morning!

You call him Aaron. I’m the drunken sailor. The mile is back. Lights out.