So this is it, after wondering for months if we were even going to have a season, the time has come to play the final week and crown a champion. This season really flew by for obvious reasons, but I must say this might be the strongest this league has ever been. Every team is so close (as we saw with how many close weeks we had, and how crazy the playoff race was). I for one look forward to next year, to see how each team grows individually and how this league continues to grow as a whole. Great season all around, but now it's time to take a look at the last two teams vying for the coveted TOFHL Championship Cup.
A side note before we jump into that. I won't be previewing the 3rd place match-up as we all know Dru is just going to choke and finish in 4th like he always does. Congrats ZD. Now, without further adieu:
A side note before we jump into that. I won't be previewing the 3rd place match-up as we all know Dru is just going to choke and finish in 4th like he always does. Congrats ZD. Now, without further adieu:
1) Minority Report (70-43-8) vs. 2) No Boundaries (63-47-11)
It seems that the Curse of El Presidente is truly finally lifted. For the second year in a row, after Team Shake 'n Bake made the finals and ultimately won the cup, Minority Report finds himself with a chance to repeat the feat accomplished by Team Shake 'n Bake. This is Minority Reports first trip to the finals, as he has never finished higher than 5th place prior to this year. Waiting for him is a team that knows all about the Curse, as No Boundaries became El Presidente in back to back years (2009 and 2010) only to lose out in the semifinals and finals respectively. Three teams have made the finals twice over the years in the TOFHL, and two of them went on to win it in their second attempt (Gorilla Warfare in 2009 and Team Shake 'n Bake in 2011). The only team to make it to the finals twice and come away empty handed is The Good Sirs'. No Boundaries will be looking to be more like Lynch and Dru, and less like Cole in his second kick at the can. Also for only the second time in Finals history, the 1st and 2nd place teams will be meeting to battle for the cup. The last time this happened was all the way back in 2011. Yup, just last year. Is this a trend? For so many years it was considered bad luck to finish high in the standings, now for the second time in as many years the top two teams from the regular season are battling for the championship. Maybe I should change my strategy and actually try to finish in the top two next year...
Minority Report and No Boundaries met once this year for drinks and casual conversation. They would have had more dates, but No Boundaries decided it would be better if him and Minority Report just stayed in the friend zone. The one time they met in fantasy hockey this year, No Boundaries won a tight fought battle 6-4-1. I expect pretty much the same results this time as both teams are fairly evenly matched. Looking farther back into their past, these two teams have met 9 times (including this year) with No Boundaries winning H2H 5-4, despite losing overall categories 40-49-11.
I've talked extensively about each teams strengths in their semifinals preview last week, so I'd like to focus on what I feel will sway the victory in each teams directions. For Minority Report to win, he'll have to hope his offense has a week exactly like they had in the semis where they put up the most points they had all season with 23G, 31A, and 54pts. If Minority Report can get offense output in the high 40s-low 50s range I think he'll be able to hoist the cup and become the second El Presidente to do it in as many years. If he doesn't, well at least he can say he choked like so many of the President winners before him, but this time he got money for it.
For No Boundaries to realize his dream and be able to make sweet sweet love to the TOFHL Cup, he'll have to have his goalies, particularly B. Elliot and S. Bobrovsky continue to play out of their minds like they have been. During their bye week, Minority Report and No Boundaries kept track of how they would match-up if they met. That was the week B. Elliot had 3 shutouts. Needless to say Minority Report didn't stand a chance. I feel that if No Boundaries can get goaltending like he has been than the cup is his to lose. The trade for B. Elliot could also go down as one of the best/most important in the franchise history, as it'll be a main reason why they could potentially lift the cup.
With all that said, and all the history between the two teams, this is the first time they have met in the playoffs. I predict a very very close match-up (which probably means it'll be a blowout). I look forward to seeing who blinks first, and to both teams victory speeches, regardless of who wins. Another great season is coming to a close. Here's hoping the ending is as exciting as the beginning was.
Minority Report and No Boundaries met once this year for drinks and casual conversation. They would have had more dates, but No Boundaries decided it would be better if him and Minority Report just stayed in the friend zone. The one time they met in fantasy hockey this year, No Boundaries won a tight fought battle 6-4-1. I expect pretty much the same results this time as both teams are fairly evenly matched. Looking farther back into their past, these two teams have met 9 times (including this year) with No Boundaries winning H2H 5-4, despite losing overall categories 40-49-11.
I've talked extensively about each teams strengths in their semifinals preview last week, so I'd like to focus on what I feel will sway the victory in each teams directions. For Minority Report to win, he'll have to hope his offense has a week exactly like they had in the semis where they put up the most points they had all season with 23G, 31A, and 54pts. If Minority Report can get offense output in the high 40s-low 50s range I think he'll be able to hoist the cup and become the second El Presidente to do it in as many years. If he doesn't, well at least he can say he choked like so many of the President winners before him, but this time he got money for it.
For No Boundaries to realize his dream and be able to make sweet sweet love to the TOFHL Cup, he'll have to have his goalies, particularly B. Elliot and S. Bobrovsky continue to play out of their minds like they have been. During their bye week, Minority Report and No Boundaries kept track of how they would match-up if they met. That was the week B. Elliot had 3 shutouts. Needless to say Minority Report didn't stand a chance. I feel that if No Boundaries can get goaltending like he has been than the cup is his to lose. The trade for B. Elliot could also go down as one of the best/most important in the franchise history, as it'll be a main reason why they could potentially lift the cup.
With all that said, and all the history between the two teams, this is the first time they have met in the playoffs. I predict a very very close match-up (which probably means it'll be a blowout). I look forward to seeing who blinks first, and to both teams victory speeches, regardless of who wins. Another great season is coming to a close. Here's hoping the ending is as exciting as the beginning was.