Mantis Finally Wins D2 as 9th Different Champion in 9 Seasons
The Division 2 playoffs started off with the first ever play in game between 8th place Shock and Awe and 9th place Metropolitan Events in a battle of the league's 2 new teams. SNA stormed out to what seemed to be a commanding 3-1 lead on goals by D. Jacobeen (2) and another by Matthew Jacobeen and a goal from ME by Flaherty. ME's stormed back in the 3rd period with goals from Flaherty again as well as Colaluca to tie the game up. Boersma scored for SNA late in the 3rd to ruin the comeback attempt and move his team onto the quarters. The next game had 2nd seeded Group Therapy facing off against 7th seeded Iced Out. This game was a defensive battle from the get go and IO's Shea scored from Fasani in what proved to be the game winner and only goal of the contest as goalies Fabina from GT and Smith from IO kept everything else out of the back of the net. Top seeded Mantis faced off against Shock and Awe in what proved to be too much for the new SNA team to handle in their first season. Mantis jumped on SNA early in this contest with goals from Ulner and Bass and followed that up with goals from Sherman and Skiavo for a 4-0 victory. The next game featured 4th place Top Shelf vs. 5th place Buy Caps Tix in what was a physical game. Goals by Greeney and Keeney, no I didn't make that rhyme on purpose, propelled BCT past TS as well as a shutout by sub goalie Long. In the last game of the evening we had the 3rd seeded Fury up against 6th seeded Blues Brothers. The game was tied at 1 on goals from Fury by Byrd and BB's by Long until Agostinelli (aka Gusto) scored the game winner followed by another goal from Leadston for the 3-1 victory. Overall the 5th, 6th and 7th seeds all scored upsets in what is usually the case in the 1st round of the D2 playoffs.
The semi's had top seeded Mantis squaring off with rival Iced Out in what was sure to be a defensive battle. Mantis jumped on the board early on a goal by Ulner. The game was back and forth with goalies Freudberg from M and Petron from IO turning away save after save. IO couldn't get the equalizer and the game was sealed on an EN goal from Bass for the 2-0 victory that put Mantis in the finals. Freudberg posted back to back shutouts in the playoffs to send Mantis into the finals. The next game was a match up between Buy Caps Tix and Blues Brothers. BB's wasted little time getting started in this one as Gregg scored on the very 1st shift of the game. BCT's Greeney scored to tie the game up and the teams battled back and forth before BB's veteran Podolsky scored the GW on a blast that sent BB's into the finals against Mantis. Cuccineeli was solid in net for BB's in the victory. Top seeded Mantis and 6th seeded Blues Brothers had met twice during the regular season with Mantis winning both time by the same 1-0 score. BB's jumped on the board 1st with a goal from Leadston that had Mantis caught off guard. The game changed on a controversial 5 minute major for boarding call against BB's Gregg and Mantis took full advantage. They scored 2 goals on this PP and another at 4 on 4 while it was still going on. Mantis' goals were scored by Fay, Skiavo and Bass to take control of this game with the help of the call. BB's were not able to regroup with one of their top players out for the game and Mantis maintained the 3-1 score to finally win the Cup after so many disappointing playoff showings and get Ginevan his 1st Cup as captain. Now Mantis just has to sit and wait to hear their verdict on whether or not they have to move up to the top division. Congrats guys...
Congrats to postseason MVP Geremy Bass from Mantis, MVP Dave Leadston from Blues Brothers and MVG Mike Freudberg from Mantis. Regular season awards go to Mitch Boersma and Daniel Jacobeen, both from Shock and Awe, for leading the league with 13 points, Boersma and Geremy Bass for leading the league in goals with 9 each, Doug Fabina from Group Therapy for leading goalies in wins with 7 and Mike Freudberg for leading goalies with a 1.OO GAA. Mantis was the 9th different D2 Champion in 9 seasons which is insane so enjoy the Cup. Congrats also to Mantis captain Ginevan who now has his hands on both the D1 and D2 Cups. The new Sunday season is set to start Sunday, March 7th in the chase for another champ winner. Thanks to everyone for another great season.
Commish Barrett
The semi's had top seeded Mantis squaring off with rival Iced Out in what was sure to be a defensive battle. Mantis jumped on the board early on a goal by Ulner. The game was back and forth with goalies Freudberg from M and Petron from IO turning away save after save. IO couldn't get the equalizer and the game was sealed on an EN goal from Bass for the 2-0 victory that put Mantis in the finals. Freudberg posted back to back shutouts in the playoffs to send Mantis into the finals. The next game was a match up between Buy Caps Tix and Blues Brothers. BB's wasted little time getting started in this one as Gregg scored on the very 1st shift of the game. BCT's Greeney scored to tie the game up and the teams battled back and forth before BB's veteran Podolsky scored the GW on a blast that sent BB's into the finals against Mantis. Cuccineeli was solid in net for BB's in the victory. Top seeded Mantis and 6th seeded Blues Brothers had met twice during the regular season with Mantis winning both time by the same 1-0 score. BB's jumped on the board 1st with a goal from Leadston that had Mantis caught off guard. The game changed on a controversial 5 minute major for boarding call against BB's Gregg and Mantis took full advantage. They scored 2 goals on this PP and another at 4 on 4 while it was still going on. Mantis' goals were scored by Fay, Skiavo and Bass to take control of this game with the help of the call. BB's were not able to regroup with one of their top players out for the game and Mantis maintained the 3-1 score to finally win the Cup after so many disappointing playoff showings and get Ginevan his 1st Cup as captain. Now Mantis just has to sit and wait to hear their verdict on whether or not they have to move up to the top division. Congrats guys...
Congrats to postseason MVP Geremy Bass from Mantis, MVP Dave Leadston from Blues Brothers and MVG Mike Freudberg from Mantis. Regular season awards go to Mitch Boersma and Daniel Jacobeen, both from Shock and Awe, for leading the league with 13 points, Boersma and Geremy Bass for leading the league in goals with 9 each, Doug Fabina from Group Therapy for leading goalies in wins with 7 and Mike Freudberg for leading goalies with a 1.OO GAA. Mantis was the 9th different D2 Champion in 9 seasons which is insane so enjoy the Cup. Congrats also to Mantis captain Ginevan who now has his hands on both the D1 and D2 Cups. The new Sunday season is set to start Sunday, March 7th in the chase for another champ winner. Thanks to everyone for another great season.
Commish Barrett
