LGAHL FINALS PREVIEW & MANAGEMENT INTERVIEWS

Hi guys, I wanted to bring something to the table to help contribute to the overall atmosphere of the finals, seeing as I can't help out in other ways currently.
I interviewed the AGM's from both Rockford and Hartford to get their thoughts on a variety of topics heading into the finals, and also have a series preview/breakdown for what I think neutral viewers should be looking for in this highly anticipated showdown.

First, I'll start with the series preview/breakdown and we'll look at how these teams stack up statistically in each position.

NOTE: I JUST FINISHED THIS, AND IT ENDED UP BEING A LOT MORE CONTENT THAN I EXPECTED, SO I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY THIS, I TRIED TO COVER AS MUCH AS I COULD THINK TO COVER, SO ENJOY!

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FORWARDS:

Though the gap may not be as big as it looks on paper, Rockford easily had the best forward group in the league throughout the entire season, and so far in the playoffs as well, even after losing @JClaus33 (oops). Rockford had the league's leading scorer in @ryno1354 and the player with the highest PPG in @Kraz18 so clearly the high end scoring is there. Not to be forgotten though, were @fatgillie and @nriney who were 10th and 11th in regular scoring respectively. 4 players from 3 different lines, all in the top 11 of league wide scoring. All of this without even mentioning the playoff scoring leader in @ChyzNasty and someone close behind in @kingofkush16 who forms a formidable duo with Gillie. No team in the league comes close to matching that firepower STATISTICALLY.

However, there's no question that Hartford has plenty of offense as well. They were 2nd in goals for this season, with only the IceHogs scoring more. The Wolfpack GM @Bigbeefy013 led the way in scoring for them this year with a very solid 91 points in 26 games. @Walllle919 put up a whopping 22-3 record in the regular season with 76 points to go with it, and not to be overlooked, additions that came later in the season such as @Ltz_McLovin (32 points in 9 games with the Wolfpack) @Boomer879 (35 points in 9 games) and @The_Blind_Ref (53 points in 16 games after being called up from the CHL) really turned out to be missing puzzle pieces for a team that wasn't struggling, but after the addition of these 3 up front really turned a corner offensively.

Personally, I'm really glad @Ltz_McLovin and @Boomer879 have found success with the Wolfpack, as they were both members of the IceHogs before I traded them to Hartford, so I'm really happy they stepped their respective games up after being traded.

With all that being said, advantage on forwards goes to: ROCKFORD, there's just no group of forwards that can score like the IceHogs can, but the Wolfpack do tend to play a more defensive game anyways, so point totals aren't necessarily indicative of just how solid a forward group the Wolfpack have in their own right.

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DEFENSE:

From my experience this season, I've found sometimes defensemen's stats can be misleading, and numbers can lie from being behind a stellar group of forwards, or playing in front of a great goalie. For both of these teams, I can say that is not true.

For Rockford, their defensive core has been overlooked most of the season, because of the ridiculous numbers that all of the forwards were putting up, and for a while that was understandable, Rockford's defense went through a lot of changes throughout the season, trying to find the pieces that fit, and just waiting for a couple guys to have better availability so they could come up and play full time. The only 2 d men that were on the roster from start to finish were @Goosechuk (The GOAT) and @OSUbucks84 who combined to be a very steady pair almost all season. Neither of them are the flashiest players, but both of them know their roles and play them well. @dpeeezy3 and @kyle were both guys that couldn't be called up all season despite being, in my eyes, elite d men. @saund13 is a forward turned d man for this season and has been a really nice constant for a d core that didn't have many for most of the season, and finall @JNasTy_19 who was a TDL pickup from Bridgeport to help the playoff push, and is currently leading d man scoring by a wide margin in the playoffs, so clearly the change in scenery helped him out.

Hartford the situation is a bit different, most of these guys have been with the team for the long haul, and they've consistently had a top defensive core all season. @xXWeedFarmerXx led the entire league with a ridiculous +69 (after someone got banned) and was a mainstay on their blue line all season, leading both teams in d men scoring this season with 41 points in 27 games. @Blderunner_GT and @Greeno1822 also finished in the top 5 in terms of +/-, which in real life, I don't put much stock into, but in EASHL, you're on the ice for all of the goals, so generally you impact GF/GA, and clearly this defense knows how to keep the puck out of the net. @heinekinz was a TDL pickup for them from the Wolves and has helped fill in on their 3rd pair to round out their d core. Last but certainly not least is @Vikes who was traded to Hartford after 3 very successful weeks with Rockford, this series may as well be the Rockford Wolfpack vs the Hartford IceHogs. Vikes also was someone who improved game by game as he wasn't very experienced in 6v6 play before I picked him up in bidding before the season, and has gotten a lot better as the season has gone along. That being said, this defense as a whole might be the top 6 man unit in the league, and if they're not #1, they're easily top 3. Even if they don't have an offensive gamebreaker or someone who can take over a game from the back end, as a unit you really can't ask for much more.

Advantage on Defense based on the season as a whole, has to go to: HARTFORD
Even though I know what Rockford's defense is capable of, based on statistics and full season performance, advantage goes to Hartford here, but if you want to really see what the Rockford defense can do, just go look at defenseman scoring in the playoffs.

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GOALTENDING:

Man oh man, probably the most important spot on the ice, right there with the center is a position that may make or break this series. If I'd had to do this 2 weeks ago, or 6 weeks ago, or basically any week after week 1, the answer to this would be Hartford, EASILY. However, it's not any of those things anymore, so let's have a look at the goalie match-ups.

For Rockford, after struggling to find 2 consistent goalies all season after @SCHN3ID3RR-24 was called up to the NHL week 2, they found help in @Xx-RASK-xX who was on the TC roster in Milwaukee, and since then posted an absurd 22-2 record in the regular season, and has gone 10-1 in the playoffs, to combine for a ridiculous 32-3 record with the IceHogs, to go with an 80% save percentage in the regular season, and an 81.4 in the playoffs. In addition to Rask, the IceHogs finally got @SCHN3ID3RR-24 back from Chicago after they fell in the playoffs. Schneider posted a combined 30-9-2 record between the AHL and NHL this season, and tied for 3rd in the NHL with a 78.4 save %. So after a full season of looking for 2 goalies, Rockford finally got them last series, en route to a 4-1 series win vs the Condors. On paper, the IceHogs no longer have any goaltending issues, and both goalies should be able to come up with some big timely saves here in the finals.

Hartford, the goaltending situation is a bit more well known. Led by @Biglambers for most of the season with @lx-J-o-n-e-Z-xl coming in later in the season and putting on a show in net. Both of these guys are well above average goalies at worst, and top 5 goalies in the league each at their best. This duo is probably the best in the AHL, and they play in front of a team that values team defense above almost anything else. That makes for a good combination, and it's hard to pick against these 2.

Advantage in goaltending, even with Rockford getting their situation figured out, for the whole season, and even the whole playoffs, still has to go to: HARTFORD. Despite Rask stepping his game up another level, and the return of Schneider, I still have to give it to Hartford just based on the consistency of the goaltending.

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Overview:

I gave the forward advantage to Rockford, but Defense and Goaltending to Hartford. On paper, it's hard to disagree with that, but the real question is, can Hartford's defense keep Rockford from letting games get out of hand. The firepower of Rockford's offense is unmatched by any team in the league, and it really isn't close either, even without @JClaus33.

For Rockford, the question lies in how well the goalies play in net, because odds are that they won't see a ton of shots, so they have to be on their toes when odd man rushes happen, or breakdowns occur. Also a really important factor for both teams is if @ryno1354 and @letsgoblues74 can find the same success they had all season and through round 1. They have both struggled as of late, and they have to be on top of their game for Rockford to win this series.

For Hartford, they'll be looking for a big series from @J_durst-8 and @heinekinz , who each took 2 losses last series-the only losses for Hartford in these playoffs. So for them, it's a question of how their depth matches with Rockford, and if they can match Rockford's scoring.



I'll save my predictions for another time, but hope you guys enjoyed that breakdown, I put a lot of time into giving both teams similar amounts of coverage, and making sure my facts were correct. Also, I tried to stay as un-biased as possible, even though everyone knows that Rockford was my team and I built and shaped the roster to what it is today. Despite that, I wrote this from a neutral perspective, so hopefully no bias shines through or anything like that.

Now, on to the interviews, I asked @ChyzNasty and @Blderunner_GT a series of questions about different topics from throughout the season, and here are their answers!

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CHYZNASTY:


“What is your game plan heading into this final series, you’re facing a team in the Wolfpack that’s been right on your heels on top of the league the whole season, how do you plan on stopping them?”

The Wolfpack are a great team, don’t get me wrong. However, we will keep doing what we have done all season and playoffs, I can’t see us losing. Control the puck, control the play, and control the game.


“What would you say your team’s biggest strength is? How do you plan to use that strength to your advantage?”

Rockford’s biggest strength is our creativity and versatility. Teams spend time watching footage of our past games trying to find a way to stop our offense. We adapt on the fly, and this is what makes us so successful.


“There’s obviously been a bit of an adjustment since I got banned, how have you guys responded to losing the top scorer in the league? Obviously I had faith in you guys to be fine without me, but what adjustments had to be made considering the news broke right before the playoffs.”

Many LG community members thought that our season was done after the ban. Although confused and troubled, our team knew we still had enough firepower to get the job done with or without JClaus33. It has been an interesting process building chemistry due to necessary line alterations but we have always been a team that finds a way to win at the end of the day.


“Everyone has their stereotypes on teams, like Albany just sat in a trap, Rochester was overrated (I disagree) What misconception have you heard commonly about your team, and why do you feel that it’s not true?”

I don’t know how many times I’ve been told that my 3rd line is our weakness. This refers to a Center 2nd in Playoff scoring, a RW with 87 points in the season, and a newly brought up LW who is 9-1 and over 2ppg. If that’s supposedly our weakness, we got great things ahead of us. Also people have commented on how we are a strictly offensive team. Our defense contains some of the top defensemen in the AHL. They base this on the fact that since our TOA is usually dominated, that our offense is the only factor in this. We firmly believe if we control the puck, we control the game.


“Of the teams you’ve played so far throughout the playoffs, who gave you the toughest test, and why?”

Grand Rapids was our toughest matchup in the series. Our first line struggled and their NHL additions helped bolster their line-up. Once we adapted to their style of play, we found a way to get it done.


“3 players on our roster were former members of the Wolfpack. Do you expect fatgillie, kingofkush, and kamagraf to play any differently facing their former team, and how have they impacted Rockford since they were acquired?

Kingofkush and fatgillie have been solid all season and rolling into playoffs so this was no surprise. However, having Kamagraf actually show up to games has been incredibly beneficial. Undefeated with over 3ppg in playoffs, Kamagraf knows how to get the job done when others find struggles.


“If you were to pick 1 player to take this series over, or be the difference maker for your squad, who would it be and why”

There are a couple people that could take the series over for our squad. However, Kamagraf can turn guys inside out and make them look like pylons. If he brings his A+ game like usual, I can count on him for some very important wins.


Before we head into the finals, is there anything you’d like to say to the league or to your team, or to your opponents in anticipation of the matchup many expected to see all season long?

> [2016-07-24, 6:21:35 PM] AAA BEEF: I said I would look past Rockford

> [2016-07-24, 6:21:37 PM] AAA BEEF: And I will

> [2016-07-24, 6:28:42 PM] AAA BEEF: If we make it past Rochester calders ours

> [2016-07-24, 6:31:32 PM] AAA BEEF: I have 0 respect for Rockford


No matter win or lose, you need to have respect for your opponents. Big talk can always come and bite you in the ass. It has been a pleasure being a part of the AHL and the Rockford organization this season. Good luck to the Hartford Wolfpack, may it be a tough and competitive series. Time for Rockford to show the league what they got.


Chyz

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BLDERUNNER


“What is your gameplan heading into this final series, you’re facing the team that’s been on top of the league the whole season, how do you plan on stopping them?”


-Defence, and I mean ALL the defence. Rockford has always had a ton of scoring potential. Team D is going to be the key here. Rockford continue to show that they know how to move the puck in the offensive zone, and I think something we as a team are really good at, is playing defence in our own zone, and getting the puck out fast. The less the puck is in our zone, the better chance we have at pulling in a win.


“What would you say your team’s biggest strength is? How do you plan to use that strength to your advantage?”


- The whole team is comfortable playing with one another. I think the chemistry is strong enough to pair up any forward trio with any defending duo and nobody is going to be confused on what their role in that game is. Defence knows their assignments, forwards know where to position and when to support and collapse and goalies….. Well they stop the puck when all else fails right?


“You and your team have admittedly said that you’ve been disrespected throughout this season, why do you feel this way, and how do you plan on earning that respect?”


- Disrespected. More like ignored. We feel like the underdog when it came to the playoffs. While everyone else was busy scoring multiple points in games, we were busy sitting around waiting for the next series to start. It was kinda like being first in a race, and then the commentators were too busy describing the 10 car pile up that was 2 laps behind to say anything about how you crossed the finish line already. Last I checked sweeping any team in a playoff format, let alone 2 teams, was a bigger feat than someone who was top of the points chart because they were forcing a game 5/6/7. Being in the finals is respect enough though. We played 3 really good teams to get here, and I expect this series in the finals to go deep so all the respect we need to earn is currently in front of us and we know that.


“Everyone has their stereotypes on teams, for example with Rockford, people tend to think they are only a team of 9 forwards. What misconception have you heard commonly about your team?”


- That our offensive side of the game is lacking. So far in these playoffs we haven’t been winning by these “HUGE” margins. Are we a defensive team? Yeah, of course we are. But I think people forget that we are a huge TOA team and even though we might be winning a lot of these games by 1 or 2 goals, our offensive prowess is that of a higher caliber. The whole team however, understands that defense can win you games, and if we can shut it down being up 2-1 we just might have to sacrifice goal scoring.


“Of the teams you’ve played so far throughout the playoffs, who gave you the toughest test, and why?”


- Lehigh Valley. I say this, because to even get that sweep, we had to win 3 OT games in a row. Talk about nail biters. One small bounce, one little missed assignment and we could be looking at a different finals I think. They played well through the whole thing, keeping us tied and always nipping at our heels. That was our wake up call too I think. Nobody was going away without a fight, and we needed to bring our A games or we should just pack it up now.


“3 players on your roster, I traded to you, how have McLovin, Vikes, and Boomer impacted your team since they became members of the Wolfpack?”


- McLovin, Vikes and Boomer. Well Boomer is a gift from the heavens. No really…… without Boomer I wouldn’t have a reason to roll outta bed in the morning. I seem to remember saying something about wanting to drink his bath water at some point. I know I’m going to regret it. McLovin plays extremely well with Beef and Hazee and they all click so well. The offense on that line is astounding with McLovin up there and they see things I wouldn’t in all my time playing NHL. Vikes is a great addition to the team on the back end. He and Heinz play well together, and he is always a team player and looking to lift everyone up. Sidebar with Vikes though, we did have to deprogram him and retrain his brain to hate Rockford after the trade. It was a long, hard road but now the only Hogs he enjoys are BBQ’d ones!


“If you were to pick 1 player to take this series over, or be the difference maker for your squad, who would it be and why”


- J-durst. Sadly his last couple of outings against Rochester netted him a loss. Durst takes losing seriously, as we all do. I think he’s going to rebound in the finals and take his line, and the games he’s in, by storm. Having a chip on his shoulder is going to make his play that much better, and if anyone goes up and beyond it’ll be him in the finals.


Before we head into the finals, is there anything you’d like to say to the league or to your team, or to your opponents in anticipation of the matchup many expected to see all season long?


-I just wanna say that this season has been great. It’s been awhile since I’ve played 6’s, whether it’s been in a league or club setting, and I’ve not had more fun than I have playing with the WolfPack. Between the love/hate relationship that Beefy/Hazee have, sexual tension I swear to god that’s all it is, to Patton sexually harassing EVERYONE it’s been great. I don’t think I’ve been this emotionally invested in a league and to tell you the truth it’s been great. This group of guys continues to show me that they are more than just a team. They’re brothers. I’m happy to stand shoulder to shoulder with this team in the Calder Cup Finals. (Less happy had we not made it, but hell I’d have kept a few people on my friends list). To Rockford. Expect a fight. I’m not talking about a fight where you hear a bell, someone gives you some nice comforting words and you touch gloves. I’m talking a down and dirty bar brawl of a fight. Chairs, pool cues, beer bottles, biting, scratching and Patton running around giving mouth to mouth to people who clearly don’t need it. And at the end of the series, no matter the outcome, thank you for being there to square off with us. Thank you for pushing us to be better at every puck drop, every one timer and every chirp in the chatbox. (Because we know Hazee will just not shut the fuck up .) I would also like to thank all the teams we’ve faced up until this point in the playoffs and the regular season. This community as a whole is wonderful and I wish everyone a safe and happy offseason. We’ll see you all next season!

 

very well done claus!!

 

Good read

 

Finally someone who knows how to tag me, take notes Baris , good read.

 

Thanks

 

Good write-up.

 

10/10 would read again

 

Shit read. Terrible analysis.

 

At least be creative in your trolling efforts