Post by Shamrockville on Jul 26, 2022 20:19:05 GMT -7
NNHL 2021-2022 Finals: Shamrockville V Cole Harbor Edition
Game 1 in Shamrockville.
The Butchers of Cole Harbor flew into Shamrockville on Monday for the start of the ’21-’22 season finals. Finishing #1 and #2 in the league and splitting their regular season games, this was heralded as a true clash of mega powers.
The game starts off with some ill will, right off the opening face off with Oshie and Kuraly exchanging words and a couple slashes to start off the affair, both player sent off for 2:00.
Plenty of offense in this period from each squad, with the Butchers holding an edge in play with a hounding forecheck that caused 3 chances, with 2 quality ones in close to go with another 2 quality chances generated by the visitors. The home team followed suit with 3 chances of their own.
The Patriots Niko Sturm solves Fleury mid way through for a 1-0 lead for the home team, but Fleury keeps it close, turning aside the other 2 chances.
Goalie Ned stonewalls the Butchers, stifling all 4 of their chances, 2 in the forecheck.
With Kris Letang trying to force play and circling behind the Patriots net, Ristolainen catches him with a crushing body check that would see Letang seriously hampered for the remainder of the game.
Danault and Tkachuck exchange words shortly after Sturms goal and serve 2 minutes each to cool off. Logan Stanley takes a tripping penalty at 16:00, but the Patriots penalty kill holds the fort. Patriots hold the 1-0 lead into the 2nd period.
The second period is also a closely contested affair with the Patriots firing 5 quality chances at Fleury and the Butchers respond with 3 chances of their own.
Early in the 2nd Travis Sanheim’s stick shatters on a dump in and Ryan O’Reilly capitalizes on the turn over, slotting home the Butchers 1st goal past a surprized goalie Ned. Game tied up at 1-1.
Also in the 2nd, the Butchers take a bench minor, but the Patriots fail to convert on the PP, Fleury turning aside 2 quality chances to preserve the tie.
Ristolainen takes 2 min for roughing, but again the Patriots PK stymies the Butchers PP.
Later in the period Kyle Connor takes a clear holding penalty to send the Patriots on the PP, where they are not to be denied again. Tom Wilson bangs in a shot just outside the paint off a feed from Norris and Oleksiak to stake the home side to a 2-1 lead going into the 3rd.
The 3rd period is a war for every inch of ice, both teams playing careful, heads up hockey.
Another Patriots giveaway sees Connor McDavid undress Sanheim down low and then roof a shot past Goalie Ned to tie the game at 2-2.
Jeff Carter takes a tripping penalty at the 8:00 mark, but despite some heavy pressure by the Patriots, Fleury and the Butchers (with help from2 blocked hard shots) again keep the game tied.
Overtime looms, until 18:24 when Tom Wilson intercept a breakout pass, feeds Vrana who slides the puck across to Eriksson-Ek for an open net on the forecheck.
The Patriots hold on in this tight affair for the 3-2 home victory.
Patriots 30 shots, 3 goals, 11 HS, 1 FCH, 1 FCCG and 1 PPG.
Butchers 29 shots, 2 Goals, 7 HS, 3 FCH, 1FCG.
Nedeljkovic 2 goals on 29, 10 Quality
Fleury 3 goals on 30, 12 Quality
Game 2 In Shamrockville.
Game 2 in Shamrockville again sees sparks fly off the opening faceoff. Joel Edmundson drops the gloves with Jamie Oleksiak to try and stir the Butchers bench.
It seems to work as the Butchers hold the edge in play through most of the 1st.
Jeff Carter pounces on a puck after Zub’s stick breaks on a pass attempt and Carter streaks in on a breakaway, easily beating goalie Ned stick side to put the Butchers up 1-0
Despite the Butchers play, Jakub Vrana takes a crisp pass from Josh Norris, off an outlet feed by Wilson, and puts the puck past Reimer to tie it up at 1-1.
The Butchers have another 3 in close chances, but Goalie Ned holds down the crease and turns them away.
Late in the 1st, the Patriots 4th line goes to work, cycling the puck down low before Oleksiak shoots a slap pass to Sturm who spots Jason Spezza between the hash marks where he makes no mistake and beats Reimer to send the team into the break up 2-1.
The second period sees the Butchers forechecking hard again and are rewarded with a good forechecking shot, but are again denied by Goalie Ned. Shortly after Niko Sturm manages to redirect a shot past Reimer on a tape to tape pass from Jamie Oleksiak who was fed by Alex Forementon, Patriots up 3-1, and Fleury comes on in relief of an exasperated James Reimer.
McNabb get’s caught by a Ristolainen and is crushed hard, requiring some stitches which meant he missed the rest of that period.
After another broken stick by McDavid, the Butchers take a bench minor, but kill off the ensuing PP.
Logan Stanley and Brendan Saad are sent off for roughing at 13:12, but no other penalties in this game, both teams playing disciplined hockey. Period ends with the Patriots still up 3-1.
The 3rd period see’s some major miscues by the Patriots, coughing up ill advised FC shots 4 times in the period, fortunately no damage done on those chances.
It also see’s the Patriots laying bodies on the line to protect the lead, blocking 2 quality chances by Kyle Connor and another by O’Reilly, though they do give up one quality screened shot by Adam Fox, that hits Goalie Ned in the logo, no damage done.
Max Pacioretty finally breaks through the Patriots defense to bring the Butchers back to 3-2 at the 7:12 mark. That’s as close as the visitors would get though as the 2nd line for the Patriots puts 2 more goals past Fleury to cruise to a 5-2 win. Vrana from Norris and Wilson and a Norris marker from Vrana round it out.
Patriots 26 shots, 5 goals, 8 HS.
Butchers 44 shots, 2 Goals, 11 HS, 1 FCH.
Nedeljkovic 2 goals on 44, 12 Quality
Reimer 3 goals on 14, 4 Quality
Fleury 2 goals on 12, 4 Quality
Game 3 in Cole Harbor.
The 2 teams fly back to Canada to resume hostilities, though the 2 coaches are seen having an amicable lunch together before the game.
The first period seems almost tentative compared to the 2 games in Shamrockville both teams seemed to be searching for some offense, as the neutral zone was clogged up and many time consuming scrums along the boards drained a lot of the quality of play.
At 3:12 Jason Robertson takes a slashing penalty, where Max Pacioretty blasts a puck past Hellebuyck for the 1-0 home lead!
Contrary to the norm, this seemed to wake the Patriots up. After the Power Play, Ristolainen lines up Kris Letang for the 2nd time in the series and lays him out with a devastating, board rattling hit that leaves the Butcher defender limping to the bench on a line change (-3).
Moments later Sean Kuraly slides in behind the Butchers defense and takes a feed from Val Nichushkin to tie the game at 1-1. The silence in the Butchers arena is deafening.
Looking to continue some momentum, 2 shifts later Artem Zub closes in on a streaking McDavid and levels him as he carries the puck across the red line. There was a brief consultation as to whether or not McDavid could continue, but he wobbles back to the bench for some smelling salts and stays in it (-3)
Rasmus Asplund has 2 glorious open net chances in the frame only to see Edmundson slide across to take away the chance twice.
The Butchers held a marginal edge in play, but paid dearly for the chances. The period ends 1-1.
The 2nd period sees both teams clamp down on the neutral zone and entry lanes and only a misguided giveaway, leading to a great forechecking opportunity for the Butchers, show any signs of being dangerous.
The Patriots continue to lay on the body and at the 12:24 mark, Ristolainen crushes McNabb near the benches where he needs to be attended to until the end of the period (-2). Period ends 1-1.
The 3rd period play out similar to the 2nd with very limited chances for either team. Sanheim and Tkachuk take matching minors for roughing, but otherwise the game seems destined for OT.
That is until Jason Robertson collects a loose puck shovelled through by Eriksson-Ek at 16:36, and dekes past Fleury to put the Patriots ahead 2-1. The goal holds up and the Patriots escape with an improbable 2-1 win.
A frustrated Coach MacKinnon requests that the Patriots goal tending equipment be measured, but League official Steve Perkins confirms that indeed both goalies are legitimate.
Patriots 23 shots, 2 goals, 2 HS.
Butchers 36 shots, 1 goal, 3 HS, 3 FCH, 1 PPG
Hellebuyck 1 goal on 36, 6 Quality
Fleury 2 goals on 23, 2 Quality.
Game 4 in Cole Harbor.
The Butchers, facing a 4 game sweep, needed to get off to a good start. It couldn’t have gone much worse.
The Patriots came out red hot, firing 2 quality chances on net in the opening shift. Only Fleury was able to keep them in it early, stopping both shots to try and slow down the pace.
Nothing seemed to be going the Butchers way however, and at 8:12 Mason Marchment takes a two line perfect pass from Ristolainen and shelfs a goal past Fleury to stake the Patriots to a 1-0 lead.
Tom Wilson takes a tripping minor at 10:48 and although the Butchers do manage a couple of quality chances, Hellebuyck is equal to the task and keeps the lead intact.
Jason Robertson takes a cross ice feed from Artem Zub and Jamie Oleksiak, calmly goes forehand/backhand and roofs another goal past Fleury for a 2-0 Patriots lead going into the intermission.
Saad takes things into his own hands at the drop of the puck for the 2nd period and buries a TJ Oshie pass at :16 into the frame to pull one goal back for the Butchers.
Adam Fox takes a terrible holding penalty at 2:24 and the arena holds it’s collective breath until the Butchers manage to kill off the man advantage.
Play goes back and forth until Kyle Connor gets called for cross checking at 9:12, sending the lethal Patriots PP back onto the ice. They make no mistake and off the ensuing face off, Eriksson-Ek finishes a nice passing play by Ristolainen and Robertson to push the Patriots lead to 3-1.
Kuraly and McDavid trade blocked quality chances, as each team desperately tries to not give up another goal.
However, not quite 4 minutes later, Eriksson-Ek again finds himself behind the Butchers defense on a nice feed from Ristolainen and Robertson and makes no mistake, blasting a shot past a beleaguered Fleury for a 4-1 lead going into the 3rd.
The Butchers start the 3rd period with some fire, controlling play for the first 4 minutes. McDavid, on a brilliant pass from Fox and Hedman, wrists a perfect shot post and in at 1:36 to make it a 4-2 game. They control play until 9:12 when a crushing bench minor is called for too many men on the ice.
The ensuing PP sparks the Patriots and Jakub Vrana takes a slap pass from Wilson and Zub and blows a puck past Fleury to make it 5-2 Patriots. The Patriots dominate play for the next 3-4 shifts, with another 3 quality chances, including a great chance on the forecheck, but Fleury does everything humanly possible to keep his team in it, turning these aside.
Things are relatively quiet until 16:48 when Pacioretty gets one back on a breakout pass from Letang to make it 5-3.
That’s as close as they’d come however, as the Patriots hold on for a 5-3 win and a 4-0 series sweep, to be crowned the ’21-’22 NNHL Champions.
Patriots 32 shots, 5 goals, 12 HS, 1 FCH, 2 PPG
Butchers 33 shots, 3 goal, 7 HS
Hellebuyck 3 goal on 33, 7 Quality
Fleury 5 goals on 32, 13 Quality.
Thanks to Arron for the games, and for being a gracious friend under such frustrating circumstances. Clearly my goalies were key, in at least 2 of the victories, and they certainly helped in the other 2. Bars were also very key to keeping the passing of the Butchers under control. I obviosuly need more FC since these are also guaranteed 5-6 shots a game.
On to 2022-2023 !!
Game 1 in Shamrockville.
The Butchers of Cole Harbor flew into Shamrockville on Monday for the start of the ’21-’22 season finals. Finishing #1 and #2 in the league and splitting their regular season games, this was heralded as a true clash of mega powers.
The game starts off with some ill will, right off the opening face off with Oshie and Kuraly exchanging words and a couple slashes to start off the affair, both player sent off for 2:00.
Plenty of offense in this period from each squad, with the Butchers holding an edge in play with a hounding forecheck that caused 3 chances, with 2 quality ones in close to go with another 2 quality chances generated by the visitors. The home team followed suit with 3 chances of their own.
The Patriots Niko Sturm solves Fleury mid way through for a 1-0 lead for the home team, but Fleury keeps it close, turning aside the other 2 chances.
Goalie Ned stonewalls the Butchers, stifling all 4 of their chances, 2 in the forecheck.
With Kris Letang trying to force play and circling behind the Patriots net, Ristolainen catches him with a crushing body check that would see Letang seriously hampered for the remainder of the game.
Danault and Tkachuck exchange words shortly after Sturms goal and serve 2 minutes each to cool off. Logan Stanley takes a tripping penalty at 16:00, but the Patriots penalty kill holds the fort. Patriots hold the 1-0 lead into the 2nd period.
The second period is also a closely contested affair with the Patriots firing 5 quality chances at Fleury and the Butchers respond with 3 chances of their own.
Early in the 2nd Travis Sanheim’s stick shatters on a dump in and Ryan O’Reilly capitalizes on the turn over, slotting home the Butchers 1st goal past a surprized goalie Ned. Game tied up at 1-1.
Also in the 2nd, the Butchers take a bench minor, but the Patriots fail to convert on the PP, Fleury turning aside 2 quality chances to preserve the tie.
Ristolainen takes 2 min for roughing, but again the Patriots PK stymies the Butchers PP.
Later in the period Kyle Connor takes a clear holding penalty to send the Patriots on the PP, where they are not to be denied again. Tom Wilson bangs in a shot just outside the paint off a feed from Norris and Oleksiak to stake the home side to a 2-1 lead going into the 3rd.
The 3rd period is a war for every inch of ice, both teams playing careful, heads up hockey.
Another Patriots giveaway sees Connor McDavid undress Sanheim down low and then roof a shot past Goalie Ned to tie the game at 2-2.
Jeff Carter takes a tripping penalty at the 8:00 mark, but despite some heavy pressure by the Patriots, Fleury and the Butchers (with help from2 blocked hard shots) again keep the game tied.
Overtime looms, until 18:24 when Tom Wilson intercept a breakout pass, feeds Vrana who slides the puck across to Eriksson-Ek for an open net on the forecheck.
The Patriots hold on in this tight affair for the 3-2 home victory.
Patriots 30 shots, 3 goals, 11 HS, 1 FCH, 1 FCCG and 1 PPG.
Butchers 29 shots, 2 Goals, 7 HS, 3 FCH, 1FCG.
Nedeljkovic 2 goals on 29, 10 Quality
Fleury 3 goals on 30, 12 Quality
Game 2 In Shamrockville.
Game 2 in Shamrockville again sees sparks fly off the opening faceoff. Joel Edmundson drops the gloves with Jamie Oleksiak to try and stir the Butchers bench.
It seems to work as the Butchers hold the edge in play through most of the 1st.
Jeff Carter pounces on a puck after Zub’s stick breaks on a pass attempt and Carter streaks in on a breakaway, easily beating goalie Ned stick side to put the Butchers up 1-0
Despite the Butchers play, Jakub Vrana takes a crisp pass from Josh Norris, off an outlet feed by Wilson, and puts the puck past Reimer to tie it up at 1-1.
The Butchers have another 3 in close chances, but Goalie Ned holds down the crease and turns them away.
Late in the 1st, the Patriots 4th line goes to work, cycling the puck down low before Oleksiak shoots a slap pass to Sturm who spots Jason Spezza between the hash marks where he makes no mistake and beats Reimer to send the team into the break up 2-1.
The second period sees the Butchers forechecking hard again and are rewarded with a good forechecking shot, but are again denied by Goalie Ned. Shortly after Niko Sturm manages to redirect a shot past Reimer on a tape to tape pass from Jamie Oleksiak who was fed by Alex Forementon, Patriots up 3-1, and Fleury comes on in relief of an exasperated James Reimer.
McNabb get’s caught by a Ristolainen and is crushed hard, requiring some stitches which meant he missed the rest of that period.
After another broken stick by McDavid, the Butchers take a bench minor, but kill off the ensuing PP.
Logan Stanley and Brendan Saad are sent off for roughing at 13:12, but no other penalties in this game, both teams playing disciplined hockey. Period ends with the Patriots still up 3-1.
The 3rd period see’s some major miscues by the Patriots, coughing up ill advised FC shots 4 times in the period, fortunately no damage done on those chances.
It also see’s the Patriots laying bodies on the line to protect the lead, blocking 2 quality chances by Kyle Connor and another by O’Reilly, though they do give up one quality screened shot by Adam Fox, that hits Goalie Ned in the logo, no damage done.
Max Pacioretty finally breaks through the Patriots defense to bring the Butchers back to 3-2 at the 7:12 mark. That’s as close as the visitors would get though as the 2nd line for the Patriots puts 2 more goals past Fleury to cruise to a 5-2 win. Vrana from Norris and Wilson and a Norris marker from Vrana round it out.
Patriots 26 shots, 5 goals, 8 HS.
Butchers 44 shots, 2 Goals, 11 HS, 1 FCH.
Nedeljkovic 2 goals on 44, 12 Quality
Reimer 3 goals on 14, 4 Quality
Fleury 2 goals on 12, 4 Quality
Game 3 in Cole Harbor.
The 2 teams fly back to Canada to resume hostilities, though the 2 coaches are seen having an amicable lunch together before the game.
The first period seems almost tentative compared to the 2 games in Shamrockville both teams seemed to be searching for some offense, as the neutral zone was clogged up and many time consuming scrums along the boards drained a lot of the quality of play.
At 3:12 Jason Robertson takes a slashing penalty, where Max Pacioretty blasts a puck past Hellebuyck for the 1-0 home lead!
Contrary to the norm, this seemed to wake the Patriots up. After the Power Play, Ristolainen lines up Kris Letang for the 2nd time in the series and lays him out with a devastating, board rattling hit that leaves the Butcher defender limping to the bench on a line change (-3).
Moments later Sean Kuraly slides in behind the Butchers defense and takes a feed from Val Nichushkin to tie the game at 1-1. The silence in the Butchers arena is deafening.
Looking to continue some momentum, 2 shifts later Artem Zub closes in on a streaking McDavid and levels him as he carries the puck across the red line. There was a brief consultation as to whether or not McDavid could continue, but he wobbles back to the bench for some smelling salts and stays in it (-3)
Rasmus Asplund has 2 glorious open net chances in the frame only to see Edmundson slide across to take away the chance twice.
The Butchers held a marginal edge in play, but paid dearly for the chances. The period ends 1-1.
The 2nd period sees both teams clamp down on the neutral zone and entry lanes and only a misguided giveaway, leading to a great forechecking opportunity for the Butchers, show any signs of being dangerous.
The Patriots continue to lay on the body and at the 12:24 mark, Ristolainen crushes McNabb near the benches where he needs to be attended to until the end of the period (-2). Period ends 1-1.
The 3rd period play out similar to the 2nd with very limited chances for either team. Sanheim and Tkachuk take matching minors for roughing, but otherwise the game seems destined for OT.
That is until Jason Robertson collects a loose puck shovelled through by Eriksson-Ek at 16:36, and dekes past Fleury to put the Patriots ahead 2-1. The goal holds up and the Patriots escape with an improbable 2-1 win.
A frustrated Coach MacKinnon requests that the Patriots goal tending equipment be measured, but League official Steve Perkins confirms that indeed both goalies are legitimate.
Patriots 23 shots, 2 goals, 2 HS.
Butchers 36 shots, 1 goal, 3 HS, 3 FCH, 1 PPG
Hellebuyck 1 goal on 36, 6 Quality
Fleury 2 goals on 23, 2 Quality.
Game 4 in Cole Harbor.
The Butchers, facing a 4 game sweep, needed to get off to a good start. It couldn’t have gone much worse.
The Patriots came out red hot, firing 2 quality chances on net in the opening shift. Only Fleury was able to keep them in it early, stopping both shots to try and slow down the pace.
Nothing seemed to be going the Butchers way however, and at 8:12 Mason Marchment takes a two line perfect pass from Ristolainen and shelfs a goal past Fleury to stake the Patriots to a 1-0 lead.
Tom Wilson takes a tripping minor at 10:48 and although the Butchers do manage a couple of quality chances, Hellebuyck is equal to the task and keeps the lead intact.
Jason Robertson takes a cross ice feed from Artem Zub and Jamie Oleksiak, calmly goes forehand/backhand and roofs another goal past Fleury for a 2-0 Patriots lead going into the intermission.
Saad takes things into his own hands at the drop of the puck for the 2nd period and buries a TJ Oshie pass at :16 into the frame to pull one goal back for the Butchers.
Adam Fox takes a terrible holding penalty at 2:24 and the arena holds it’s collective breath until the Butchers manage to kill off the man advantage.
Play goes back and forth until Kyle Connor gets called for cross checking at 9:12, sending the lethal Patriots PP back onto the ice. They make no mistake and off the ensuing face off, Eriksson-Ek finishes a nice passing play by Ristolainen and Robertson to push the Patriots lead to 3-1.
Kuraly and McDavid trade blocked quality chances, as each team desperately tries to not give up another goal.
However, not quite 4 minutes later, Eriksson-Ek again finds himself behind the Butchers defense on a nice feed from Ristolainen and Robertson and makes no mistake, blasting a shot past a beleaguered Fleury for a 4-1 lead going into the 3rd.
The Butchers start the 3rd period with some fire, controlling play for the first 4 minutes. McDavid, on a brilliant pass from Fox and Hedman, wrists a perfect shot post and in at 1:36 to make it a 4-2 game. They control play until 9:12 when a crushing bench minor is called for too many men on the ice.
The ensuing PP sparks the Patriots and Jakub Vrana takes a slap pass from Wilson and Zub and blows a puck past Fleury to make it 5-2 Patriots. The Patriots dominate play for the next 3-4 shifts, with another 3 quality chances, including a great chance on the forecheck, but Fleury does everything humanly possible to keep his team in it, turning these aside.
Things are relatively quiet until 16:48 when Pacioretty gets one back on a breakout pass from Letang to make it 5-3.
That’s as close as they’d come however, as the Patriots hold on for a 5-3 win and a 4-0 series sweep, to be crowned the ’21-’22 NNHL Champions.
Patriots 32 shots, 5 goals, 12 HS, 1 FCH, 2 PPG
Butchers 33 shots, 3 goal, 7 HS
Hellebuyck 3 goal on 33, 7 Quality
Fleury 5 goals on 32, 13 Quality.
Thanks to Arron for the games, and for being a gracious friend under such frustrating circumstances. Clearly my goalies were key, in at least 2 of the victories, and they certainly helped in the other 2. Bars were also very key to keeping the passing of the Butchers under control. I obviosuly need more FC since these are also guaranteed 5-6 shots a game.
On to 2022-2023 !!
