Final Showdown Interviews

Today I have reached out to each of the top teams GMs to talk about their biggest match up this week. As Each division will have a final showdown for the current No. 1 and No. 2 seeded teams. I took the time to reach out to all the top 2 teams in each division to hear what they had to say about their upcoming opponent. Some were very cordial, one pairing was a little hostile towards each other but with what seems to be good merit, and the final pair... Well let's just say that one team isn't even concerned about the opponent. I'm PoZ and let's get these Interviews rollin'

EASTERN ATLANTIC
Hershey Bears VS WBS Penguins
GM's @KittyKing69 and @JLott0910
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PoZ: Thanks for taking the time out of each of your days to come speak to me about your final upcoming match up. How do you each feel about this showdown between you two?

KittyKing: For the match-up this week I think we have to calm it down in our heads a bit. We had a rough week last week and we got some games this upcoming week that we need to win if we wanna stay on top. For playing a team like the Penguins we are gonna have to put out a good line if we are hoping to win. But I don't think JLott will be going easy on us

JLott: Definitely a big game, but I'm not solely focusing on this one game more than the others. Winning against them but losing the other 9 won't put us in any better of a position. So right now we are more focused on putting the best line out there every night, but the Hershey game is definitely on the top of our list this week. No matter who plays, it should be a great game between both teams.


PoZ: How do each of you feel about the other teams' roster? Are they a team with depth across the board or do you think they are pretty much carried by one or two players on each line?

JL: I think their roster is a lot like ours in my eyes. A lot of depth. I think they are a little deeper offensively if you look at stats, and we are a little deeper on the defensive end. They are one of the tougher teams to play against this whole season but not impossible to beat. Also, we are 3-1 against them this season.

KK: I feel like the penguins roster is definitely well balanced. I know @B00gie_man--- is a pretty filthy player to play with. They also have very good defense with @Tylee @Moofang and @Vows_ofvengence No doubt this team is gonna be hard to beat in 7 games.


PoZ: So you don’t count yourself out in the slightest, that’s good to hear. On their team who would you consider to be the single player to watch for? Or a line if you can’t narrow it down. Same for your team, who would you consider to be your go to guys that you can rely on to take anyone down? JLott same for you?

KK: I'm not to sure about a single player but by looks I think a deadly line for them would be @Guccimane50 , @Purtuzzi and B00gie as their front three. Tylee andn @PatEthic on defense and @DaBears182 in net. For us people are gonna be rattled probably but @HJHF14 has a projected line with @Rantallion34 and @PoopinSince95 that will shake some people cages up. Cant wait for that.

JL: Poopin without a doubt. He was on the Pens TC last season and played for us a lot. He's a great guy skill-wise and personality-wise. He can put the puck in the net with ease while also being a good team player. If they are going to make a run for the cup, he will be their MVP. As far as our team, I would say it is a toss up between b00gie and @NjDevil08 on offense. But at the same time we are going to rely a lot on our goalies as well, Hershey can put up points just like we can....everyone needs to be at the top of their game.


PoZ: Alright, final two questions for you two... Who is gonna win Wednesday @ 9:30 PM EST? And are you happy that I'm not on the Pens anymore? XP

JL: Between us and the Bears I say we do. Cup wise out of every team if we don't make it I would say Crunch and Gulls in the final with the Gulls taking it in 6. And yeah it's kinda quiet without you around but I'd say we miss ya, but you are up in the NHL where you should be. (Thanks JLott! )

KK: Yea I'm feelin a really good groove for myself and even with the bad week i think our team is gonna pull together for the playoffs. Our guys are real competitive so its gonna be a good week. Yea I'm glad your not on the team cause if you beat us none of us would hear the end of it probably haha. Gonna give one final good luck to JL, his team and all other teams shooting for playoffs this week!


PoZ: Thanks you too, good luck to each of you going into next week.

Both: Thanks Zeus!

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EASTERN NORTH
Syracuse Crunch VS Albany Devils
GM's @jmm420 and @BigFreeze064

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PoZ: Thanks for coming out you two I know there is a little bad blood between the two of you but let's get through this with no blood shall we?

Jmm: Sure.

Bigfreeze: Of course.


PoZ: Jmm with you guys well ahead of the Devils, do you feel like there is a lot riding on this game especially with what happened in your last meeting? Same for you Freeze

Jmm: I feel like the Devils have a strong team. They have beaten us a couple times this season. Neither time I have been able to put my top line out there. This week I'm going to try to throw out a better line depending on avail abilities.

BF: I really don't think there is anything riding on this game. We won't move up ahead of the Crunch this week with them having a 13 point lead and there should be no way we fall a spot in our division with us having an 8 point lead on Utica. I just don't see that happening. I feel good about the match-up this week but I'm not placing to much importance on it. Our goal this week is to hold 2nd place in the eastern conference.


PoZ: Alright looks like attention is elsewhere for both of you guys, not a bad thing since it's more likely that you two will eventually meet up in the playoffs. How do each of you stack up against one another and who do you think would win a potential game 7 series?

BF: Syracuse obviously has a lot of depth on their roster and they play a very good team game. I feel like the only true superstar on that roster offensively anyway is jmm420 the call up of pure hurt them in that aspect. Defensively they have a very solid 6 with a top pair that is one of the best in the league. Obviously @TheRealGrimlax is a sick goalie and is one of the best in the AHL. As for the playoffs... With the current playoff format I have no doubt in my mind that we will end up having to play the crunch round 2. I believe it's going to be a hard fought series with lots of right defense. Outcome I'll take us in a 6 or 7 game series.

Jmm: I haven't seen many different players on the devils but from what I see is there not as deep as some other teams and I feel like they may go 2nd round but that's about it . Maybe if the top 2 lines can win 4 they can go to the Semi's but I just can't see enough depth on their team to say they win it all. Maybe a lot of 7 game series in their future. I honestly think our depth would take the Devils in a 7 game series. Line matching is key and I just think our roster top to bottom is deeper in the end. But we will see what happens when the playoffs start.


PoZ: Fair enough looks, like you both kinda have the same idea of the road it will take to get to those finals that's for sure. Out of each of your two teams, who are you most wary of on the other side of the bench and who do you look to most on your own?

Jmm: I would say @II-Amazing-ll I've heard good thing about the guy and some bad obviously. I will make sure to match appropriately player to player. Honestly I can't say I depend on anyone to take these guys down. All season we have played a team game. What I am counting on to win is team play. When we play our game we win a lot. We have beaten a lot of teams top lines and will continue to do so. Whether I think 1 line will do better against certain guys etc.. strategy is key not 1 player.

BF: I think the player to watch for on their roster is @DCorleon as he's been great offensively for them in his 12 games and if the Crunch want to be a dominant playoff team they are going to need someone other than jmm to be a big difference maker upfront. The guy I can count on most to take them down if his availability is good is my star defender @King__Ramon I had him at the start of the season and moved him then got him back at the trade deadline. I won't go into details on the reason he was moved but getting him was the biggest piece I needed to add and I didn't really have to give up a lot to get him. I needed a star defender to go with the rest of my good defenders to give us a little more attack from the back end. Ramon gives me exactly that as you can see he's been undefeated while a devil this season.


PoZ: Alright and final question for you both. Who wins this Thursday @ 9:30 PM EST?

BF: I never go into a game even thinking about losing so I'll take us in Thursdays game obviously.

Jmm: Like I said the Devils are good team they don't get enough respect, but they have yet to see a ful line of ours. We always have an ECU or a mixed line. I will show them what we got Thursday and we will just see what happens then.


PoZ: Thanks guys, good luck in the match at the end of the week!

Both: No problem bud and thanks!

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WESTERN PACIFIC
San Diego Gulls VS Bakersfield Condors
GM's @WateryDolphin77 and @Bobby_Goggles12

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PoZ: Thanks you guys for coming out, and thanks Bobby for putting up with my inability to copy and paste correctly! Haha.

WateryDolphin: No problem.

BobbyGoggles: All good man.


PoZ: So WateryDolphin, with you guys a few games ahead of the Condors but with them still in reach. How important do you see this game for you guys?

WD: I think the match-up this week means a lot, should be battle. Would see who's the better team coming into playoffs.

BG: I like our team in any match up. I mean, I don't know who they'll throw out there in that game but I know we'll be ready to go. We have a winning record vs them thus far and plan on keeping it that way.


PoZ: I see, so Bobby are you that confident in your roster from top to bottom against theirs? How do you think they are molded, with solid depth all the way around or just one guy playing Hero? Same to you Dolphin...

BG: They've got some depth there but have a great top line. I know early in the year teams weren't sending out top lines vs them out of respect for their talent. They've come back down to earth a bit lately and appear to be more top heavy than they were early on.

WD: I think they have a very good roster top to bottom, I still believe they only have 2 good lines. Like most teams in this league.


PoZ: I see, who do you think would win in a 7 game series as it does seem to be inevitable at this current point in time. Who do you look to, to secure a win and who do you look at to shut down?

WD: I think we could take it in 6 games. Not easily though, 1 goal games the way through. Who I would say I keep a close eye one, @OG_KJ is the one that pops out the most. He's a very good shut down d-man barley letting anything get by him. Than there Goalie @TheBulgingTwine, very good. Can keep them in a game easily. As for who I can look to, well I think our first line and more likely our second on a good night can take them down.

BG: I think we'd beat them in 6. Their top line is legit but not unbeatable. We have a lot of underrated/unknown guys that are looking to make a name for themselves. I'm gonna say Dolphin himself. Not necessarily as a player but as a manager. Playoffs are completely different than the regular season. We know they're having some issues over there and have some personalities, he's got his hands full and a target on his back. As far as who I look to, we're a deep team with 3 lines but we'll need @Rickchel98 to be at his best to get where we want to go. We have a tight group, if I could I'd mention them all because it will take 1 through 17 to get it done.


PoZ: Fair enough, who wins the battle on Wednesday @ 9:30 PM EST?

BG: Does anyone actually pick against their own team? I'll say 6-5 us since that was the outcome of the last game. No matter who wins, it'll be a well played game.

WD: Hard to say, it will be a close one.


PoZ: Short and Sweet. If only that's how the play will be on the ice, good luck gentlemen.

Both: Thank you

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WESTERN CENTRAL
Chicago Wolves VS Iowa Wild
GM's @bNYCe83 and @Sfic16
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PoZ: Alright you two, you guys aside from the Bears and Penguins have the tightest race for that number 1 seed. How do you feel going into this match up?

NYC: I'm pumped, I love playing in games like this with a lot on the line with a playoff atmosphere. My Team is made up of guys and girls who relish on the opportunity to play in big games.

SFic: We don't take any opponent lightly. We have 3 complete lines and they're all hungry for that top spot.

PoZ: How do you feel about their roster? Are they a team with a lot of depth at each position or do you think they are a 3 line team with superstars carrying the line itself?

Sfic: They have some pretty good depth. I like the addition of xiPassuscorex midway through the season. They win some pretty scrappy games. They have phenomenal defense anchored by the likes of SlimPickens, Bo-Dangles and Lunchboxhero. I really feel like Bnyce is the trure MVP of the team. Dudes got 47 games played????? He's a workhorse.

NYC: The Wild are deep. They have a lot of talent there. I personally am a big fan of @Kingbling647 he is a lot of fun to watch and to play against. I enjoy playing against the best and he for sure is one of them. But aside from him and @Krok-o-dill I really haven't seen the rest of there team first hand but given that they haven been right behind us virtually all year, the respect for them as a team is there.


PoZ: KB is one of those thrillers I can agree with you there. Leads the league in points still, let's see if he finishes that. If you two were to meet in the playoffs what do you think the outcome would be?

NYC: Wolves in 7, it would be a long series for sure. But come on , who did you think I would pick? Lol

Sfic: Iowa Wild wins a hard fought series

PoZ: I guess not, no one thinks they will lose which is always a good thing in my eyes. Who on their team are you most concerned about and who do you look to on your side to bail you out of a sticky situation?

Sfic: Crippin_Allday and Live_by_Sin. No Disrespect to the other great players they have. on Defense the dynamic duo of Angry_Dangler17 and Ryanwashere78. On Offense Kingbling and Krokodill. Since we acquired Krok from the Wolves he's been the perfect compliment to the style we play. Total team player and he's 10-0...

NYC: KingBling for sure. I think there goalie @quick_scope_14 is very solid. I mean 8 Shut Outs, (Deleted Expletive: THINK OF THE CHILDREN) Means that they have solid D and goal tending to compliment their scoring. As for our team, Well to win in the playoffs it's gonna have to be a team effort to win. But some players I'm counting on to shine are @TrapHouseLegend- @XipassuscoreX @playmaker x 7 @Crippin_Allday @Bo-Dangles10 and @Chigurh_Soze Those guys have been big for us since I traded for them so I expect them to continue that going into the playoffs. But I also put the most pressure on myself to be ready and focused for the games I am playing. Having a G on his shit is very important, especially in the playoffs cause there are no soft teams come playoff time.


PoZ: Final thoughts. Who wins Monday @ 10:30 PM EST?

NYC: Um Wolves win , Duhh!

Sfic: I feel confident our team can pull out the win.

PoZ: Haha, thanks for comin' out you two!

NYC: No worries

Sfic: Sorry about the delay, moving into a new house and stuff.



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Alright ladies and gentlemen if you made it this far, I'd like to thank all the GM's that took the time out of their Saturday Night to answer my pesky questions and hope you all enjoyed it! Take care and good luck to all teams that are in the running and fighting to get into playoffs! Also thank you Sfic and the Wild organization for shooting me those answers early on in the morning! =D

 

@KittyKing69
I am honored by your mention

 

Nice Job Prince!

 

Good work POZ.

 

Nice idea and well executed. Would be cool to see this come playoffs.

Only nitpick I have is maybe color coding and bolded names to make it easier to read but other than its perfect

 

#BearPride

 

Thanks for the mention @KittyKing69

 

I wouldn't count out springfield just yet vs WBS, i mean we beat em 7-0

Edit: Nvm, realized it wasn't a playoff thread

 

I was actually doing that, and thought it was a little too much XD noted for next week!

 

only false thing is.

- I didn't say thank you


just playin, well done

 

And did everyone individually

 

Nice job poz​