Post by Belfast on Dec 23, 2021 1:30:06 GMT -7
Belfast V Chelsea TLDR
Belfast 4 @ Chelsea 2
Chelsea 2 @ Belfast 3
Some fun……
Belfast and Chelsea got the overseas action going with a tilt in Belfast on Wednesday.
The home team wastes no time in asserting their dominance over the dreaded colonial imperialist Daggers, absolutely peppering Robin Lehner in the opening 20. Artem "I am Zub" Zub gets a gift PP goal when Nick “The Forehead” Jensen screens in a slap pass meant for Jakub Vrana. Alex Ovochicken takes the long skate of shame back to his bench via the Belfast Burrito Bar while the home team celebrates.
Things could have been MUCH worse as an exasperated Coach O’Sheigh rolls his eyes at yet another sub-par goalies outstanding play. (JK Lehner's actually above average but still....1 on 5...gah) Lehner weathers an 18 shot, 5 quality chance, onslaught before leading his team off the ice only down 1 goal after 20. Jakub Vrana's goal monkey is about as large as King Kong now, and he notably smashes every single stick he brought to the game after being denied on 4 hard shots in the first period alone. He would continue to play the rest of the game with a makeshift shillelagh instead.
The shell shocked Daggers can only muster a pitiful 6 shots on net with one chance that Goalie Ned turns aside.
Dominik Kubalik then skates to the box at 4:48 of the 2nd period, after getting caught embellishing a non-existent trip, and the home team again makes the Daggers pay with Jason Robertson finishing a perfect tic-tac-goal from Josh Norris and Valeri McChushkin. Seems like the Pat’s are on cruise control.
Queue the Monty Python music. The Daggers big line has 2 huge shifts in a row, making the Pat’s fall all over the ice like a bad rendition of Keystone Cops before Alex “I will crush this Gretzky guy” Ovechkin smashes a patented one timer from his office on a crisp pass from Sid “I ain’t no kid” Crosby to bring the Daggers back within one, and send his team into the 2nd intermission on a roll.
The teams were evenly matched with the Pat’s firing another 12 shots, 3quality at Lehner and the Daggers finding their stride with 10 shots and 4! Quality chances.
The teams have barley broken the fresh ice when a repentant Kubalik draws the Daggers level on a break out pass from the ageless 10th wonder of the world Zdeno Chara. Chara, not realizing he was being recorded, gave us an insight into how he’s managed to dominate 25 years of NHL play. When asked the key to his longevity, He replied “For sure I make sure to be eating at least one baby per day, they are very nutritious!”
The Patriots have seen this scenario before, starting out hot, then blowing leads and losing in 3rd periods seems to be their calling card, and they are poised to surrender the lead as the Daggers pepper Goalie Ned with shots from left and right. Team assistant captains Jamie Oleksiak and Rasmus Ristolainen, the Two Towers, calmly quell the on setting panic and weather the storm, holding things together until Jason “The Living Legend” Spezza solves Lehner at 14:00 of the third to post the Pat’s to a one goal lead.
Newly acquired Phillip Danault, with Sean Kuraly and Rudolph Balcers get plenty of time after that to solidify the lead, stifling and choking the life out of the Daggers………until……..Spezza takes 2 minutes for “looking so good” at 16:48, and the nail biting ensues.
The Daggers pull Lehner for a 2 man advantage and chaos ensues as some rules mongering and debate mar the ensuing Daggers Power Play, but to no avail. The Patriots hold on for the 3-2 win.
1st Star: Goalie Ned 2 GA on 6 quality chances, 1 PP goal.
2nd Star: Lehner 3 GA on 9 quality chances, 2 PP goals.
3rd Star: Jakub Vrana 8 shots, 6 quality…0 fucking goals.
Patriots were 3 goals on 39 shots, 9 quality chances with 2 PP goals. Daggers were 2 goals on 33 shots 6 quality, 1 PP goal.
Game 2 in Chelsea!
The return affair, in hostile Daggers territory, starts off very evenly. Both teams getting good looks and decent shot totals to start the game. Both goalies, again, are in good form and are keeping the lid on a pressure cooker of an atmosphere. Despite 2 glorious chances and another quality chance blocked by Chris Tanev, the Patriots can’t solve Lehner in the first period.
A spirited, if unwise, fight between Chris Tanev and Tom Wilson, brings the crowd to their feet, even as Tanev gets pummelled mercilessly.
Finding himself all alone on a dubious, phantom injury whistle, Jujhar “Who is this guy?” Khaira, tucks a puck past Hellebuyck while he’s down after tweaking a hamstring, thinking that there had been an injury stoppage. The Pat’s argue the play is clearly blown dead, to no avail. Review claims no whistle had been blown and play continues, with a distraught Pat’s team down by one after the first period. Hellebuyck shakes off the cramp and avoids being replaced, much to Coach O’Sheigh’s chagrin.
The second period see’s some renewed spirit from the Pat’s and a debilitating breakdown of the Daggers offense. Hellebuyck, still steamed by Khaira’s unsportsmanlike puck digging in the 1st, takes a 2 minute minor for spearing Khaira in a most unsportsmanlike area. The Daggers do nothing with the ensuing PP and that seems to take the wind out of whatever sails they may have had. Colton Paryko goes to the box at 14:00 in the frame for voicing his displeasure over the Queen’s lovely fascinator at the game. Jason “The Living Legend” Spezza is in dominant PP form and he powers a one timer past Lehner on a nice set up from Jakub “Can’t hit a barn door” Vrana. That levels the scores at 1 apiece.
Newly acquired Patriots forward Rasmus “Not Ristolainen” Asplund stakes the Patriots to a lead on some excellent work on the boards by Artem “The Real Deal” Zub, who feeds him a perfect pass for the go ahead. An altercation by Phillip Danault and the Ref, after the final whistle sends the Patriots to the break with an upcoming penalty to start the 3rd period.
Starting the 3rd period down a man, the Patriots aren’t pressed too terribly by a Daggers team that can’t seem to find that extra gear. Right after killing Danaults penalty, Logan Stanley is sent off to reconsider his life choices, putting the Pat’s down a man once again, at 4:24. Again, the PP shows no signs of life and the Pat’s escape unscathed. In a seemingly obvious attempt to get the home team going, the Pat’s Jason Spezza is cited for an instigating minor at 9:36, even though he wasn’t on the ice. Clearly, more ref purchasing than the NY Stock Exhange. This time, however, Nico Sturm makes the Daggers PP unit pay. An uncleared puck after a furious rebound sequence see’s him snap a quick SH wrister past a sprawling Lehner to put the Pat’s up 3-1. Assist again to Artem Zub for creating the havoc in front to keep the play alive.
Chris Tanev, clearly trying to spark his team, at 14:00 takes a single 2 minutes for trying to entice Tom Wilson to the dance floor again. Leaving nothing to chance, the lethal PP assassin, Jason Spezza quickly buries his second PP marker on a tape to tape to back of Nick Jensens face, pass from….you guessed it…Artem “Kneel before Zub!” Zub. Putting the Pat’s in a commanding 4-1 lead. Jensen is benched for screening in the 2nd goal in as many games, and Coach Emment is seen passing an envelope to a shady character in a Brooks Solar Bears jersey?
Nik Ehlers, the do it all, utility forward for the Daggers pounces on an outlet pass from Ovechkin, and buries a goal 5 hole on Hellebuyck at 17:12 to get the Daggers within 2, and then Ristolainen takes 2 minutes at 18:00 for taunting the linesman, to set up a dramatic final 2 minutes!
Despite having the 2 man advantage for the final 2 minutes, the Daggers can’t seem to catch a break having NONE of their turnovers converted to passing, and failing to find any real offense amongst their star studded forwards.
Hellebuyck holds the fort for a 4-2 win.
Coach Emment, is heard muttering something about “being beaten by a bunch of marginal, fringe Pat’s players, who got too good of cards”… ;-)
1st Star: Jason “The Living Legend” Spezza. 2 PP goals, 8 shots, 5 quality.
2nd Star: Connor “9-Hole” Hellebuyck. 2 GA on 26 shots, 8 Quality
3rd Star: Robin “I Can’t do it ALL myself” Lehner. 4 Goals on 34 shots 10 quality 2 PP, 1 SH.
Patriots were 4 goals on 34 shots, 10 quality chances with 2 PP goals, 1 SH goal. Daggers were 2 goals on 26 shots 8 quality.
Both games saw the goalies play slightly above average, but the Daggers couldn’t find a consistent rhythm. Those bars and team defense made a big difference cutting down on any marginal shooting chances.
Patriots now 6-2, 28 GF and 13 GA
2 games to go with sitting players, then it’s the full line up every game after that.
Belfast 4 @ Chelsea 2
Chelsea 2 @ Belfast 3
Some fun……
Belfast and Chelsea got the overseas action going with a tilt in Belfast on Wednesday.
The home team wastes no time in asserting their dominance over the dreaded colonial imperialist Daggers, absolutely peppering Robin Lehner in the opening 20. Artem "I am Zub" Zub gets a gift PP goal when Nick “The Forehead” Jensen screens in a slap pass meant for Jakub Vrana. Alex Ovochicken takes the long skate of shame back to his bench via the Belfast Burrito Bar while the home team celebrates.
Things could have been MUCH worse as an exasperated Coach O’Sheigh rolls his eyes at yet another sub-par goalies outstanding play. (JK Lehner's actually above average but still....1 on 5...gah) Lehner weathers an 18 shot, 5 quality chance, onslaught before leading his team off the ice only down 1 goal after 20. Jakub Vrana's goal monkey is about as large as King Kong now, and he notably smashes every single stick he brought to the game after being denied on 4 hard shots in the first period alone. He would continue to play the rest of the game with a makeshift shillelagh instead.
The shell shocked Daggers can only muster a pitiful 6 shots on net with one chance that Goalie Ned turns aside.
Dominik Kubalik then skates to the box at 4:48 of the 2nd period, after getting caught embellishing a non-existent trip, and the home team again makes the Daggers pay with Jason Robertson finishing a perfect tic-tac-goal from Josh Norris and Valeri McChushkin. Seems like the Pat’s are on cruise control.
Queue the Monty Python music. The Daggers big line has 2 huge shifts in a row, making the Pat’s fall all over the ice like a bad rendition of Keystone Cops before Alex “I will crush this Gretzky guy” Ovechkin smashes a patented one timer from his office on a crisp pass from Sid “I ain’t no kid” Crosby to bring the Daggers back within one, and send his team into the 2nd intermission on a roll.
The teams were evenly matched with the Pat’s firing another 12 shots, 3quality at Lehner and the Daggers finding their stride with 10 shots and 4! Quality chances.
The teams have barley broken the fresh ice when a repentant Kubalik draws the Daggers level on a break out pass from the ageless 10th wonder of the world Zdeno Chara. Chara, not realizing he was being recorded, gave us an insight into how he’s managed to dominate 25 years of NHL play. When asked the key to his longevity, He replied “For sure I make sure to be eating at least one baby per day, they are very nutritious!”
The Patriots have seen this scenario before, starting out hot, then blowing leads and losing in 3rd periods seems to be their calling card, and they are poised to surrender the lead as the Daggers pepper Goalie Ned with shots from left and right. Team assistant captains Jamie Oleksiak and Rasmus Ristolainen, the Two Towers, calmly quell the on setting panic and weather the storm, holding things together until Jason “The Living Legend” Spezza solves Lehner at 14:00 of the third to post the Pat’s to a one goal lead.
Newly acquired Phillip Danault, with Sean Kuraly and Rudolph Balcers get plenty of time after that to solidify the lead, stifling and choking the life out of the Daggers………until……..Spezza takes 2 minutes for “looking so good” at 16:48, and the nail biting ensues.
The Daggers pull Lehner for a 2 man advantage and chaos ensues as some rules mongering and debate mar the ensuing Daggers Power Play, but to no avail. The Patriots hold on for the 3-2 win.
1st Star: Goalie Ned 2 GA on 6 quality chances, 1 PP goal.
2nd Star: Lehner 3 GA on 9 quality chances, 2 PP goals.
3rd Star: Jakub Vrana 8 shots, 6 quality…0 fucking goals.
Patriots were 3 goals on 39 shots, 9 quality chances with 2 PP goals. Daggers were 2 goals on 33 shots 6 quality, 1 PP goal.
Game 2 in Chelsea!
The return affair, in hostile Daggers territory, starts off very evenly. Both teams getting good looks and decent shot totals to start the game. Both goalies, again, are in good form and are keeping the lid on a pressure cooker of an atmosphere. Despite 2 glorious chances and another quality chance blocked by Chris Tanev, the Patriots can’t solve Lehner in the first period.
A spirited, if unwise, fight between Chris Tanev and Tom Wilson, brings the crowd to their feet, even as Tanev gets pummelled mercilessly.
Finding himself all alone on a dubious, phantom injury whistle, Jujhar “Who is this guy?” Khaira, tucks a puck past Hellebuyck while he’s down after tweaking a hamstring, thinking that there had been an injury stoppage. The Pat’s argue the play is clearly blown dead, to no avail. Review claims no whistle had been blown and play continues, with a distraught Pat’s team down by one after the first period. Hellebuyck shakes off the cramp and avoids being replaced, much to Coach O’Sheigh’s chagrin.
The second period see’s some renewed spirit from the Pat’s and a debilitating breakdown of the Daggers offense. Hellebuyck, still steamed by Khaira’s unsportsmanlike puck digging in the 1st, takes a 2 minute minor for spearing Khaira in a most unsportsmanlike area. The Daggers do nothing with the ensuing PP and that seems to take the wind out of whatever sails they may have had. Colton Paryko goes to the box at 14:00 in the frame for voicing his displeasure over the Queen’s lovely fascinator at the game. Jason “The Living Legend” Spezza is in dominant PP form and he powers a one timer past Lehner on a nice set up from Jakub “Can’t hit a barn door” Vrana. That levels the scores at 1 apiece.
Newly acquired Patriots forward Rasmus “Not Ristolainen” Asplund stakes the Patriots to a lead on some excellent work on the boards by Artem “The Real Deal” Zub, who feeds him a perfect pass for the go ahead. An altercation by Phillip Danault and the Ref, after the final whistle sends the Patriots to the break with an upcoming penalty to start the 3rd period.
Starting the 3rd period down a man, the Patriots aren’t pressed too terribly by a Daggers team that can’t seem to find that extra gear. Right after killing Danaults penalty, Logan Stanley is sent off to reconsider his life choices, putting the Pat’s down a man once again, at 4:24. Again, the PP shows no signs of life and the Pat’s escape unscathed. In a seemingly obvious attempt to get the home team going, the Pat’s Jason Spezza is cited for an instigating minor at 9:36, even though he wasn’t on the ice. Clearly, more ref purchasing than the NY Stock Exhange. This time, however, Nico Sturm makes the Daggers PP unit pay. An uncleared puck after a furious rebound sequence see’s him snap a quick SH wrister past a sprawling Lehner to put the Pat’s up 3-1. Assist again to Artem Zub for creating the havoc in front to keep the play alive.
Chris Tanev, clearly trying to spark his team, at 14:00 takes a single 2 minutes for trying to entice Tom Wilson to the dance floor again. Leaving nothing to chance, the lethal PP assassin, Jason Spezza quickly buries his second PP marker on a tape to tape to back of Nick Jensens face, pass from….you guessed it…Artem “Kneel before Zub!” Zub. Putting the Pat’s in a commanding 4-1 lead. Jensen is benched for screening in the 2nd goal in as many games, and Coach Emment is seen passing an envelope to a shady character in a Brooks Solar Bears jersey?
Nik Ehlers, the do it all, utility forward for the Daggers pounces on an outlet pass from Ovechkin, and buries a goal 5 hole on Hellebuyck at 17:12 to get the Daggers within 2, and then Ristolainen takes 2 minutes at 18:00 for taunting the linesman, to set up a dramatic final 2 minutes!
Despite having the 2 man advantage for the final 2 minutes, the Daggers can’t seem to catch a break having NONE of their turnovers converted to passing, and failing to find any real offense amongst their star studded forwards.
Hellebuyck holds the fort for a 4-2 win.
Coach Emment, is heard muttering something about “being beaten by a bunch of marginal, fringe Pat’s players, who got too good of cards”… ;-)
1st Star: Jason “The Living Legend” Spezza. 2 PP goals, 8 shots, 5 quality.
2nd Star: Connor “9-Hole” Hellebuyck. 2 GA on 26 shots, 8 Quality
3rd Star: Robin “I Can’t do it ALL myself” Lehner. 4 Goals on 34 shots 10 quality 2 PP, 1 SH.
Patriots were 4 goals on 34 shots, 10 quality chances with 2 PP goals, 1 SH goal. Daggers were 2 goals on 26 shots 8 quality.
Both games saw the goalies play slightly above average, but the Daggers couldn’t find a consistent rhythm. Those bars and team defense made a big difference cutting down on any marginal shooting chances.
Patriots now 6-2, 28 GF and 13 GA
2 games to go with sitting players, then it’s the full line up every game after that.