WEEK 4 Summaries
Nordiques defeat Kings 7-2
Week 4 of MMGL action and this was a very lopsided week. First off we had the winless Nordiques taking on the Kings, just days after Faiz Vaid was traded to the Kings for Dalvinder Kang. First period was all Nordiques, something I haven't been able to say since last season. The first goal of the game was scored by, ironically, Dalvinder Kang. Asim Malik added a second for his team, with both goals being set up by defenseman Farhan Saleh. And just so we didn't forget whose team this is, Shoaib Khan added one in to have his team up 3-0 before the half. The second period was no different, as the Nordiques continued their onslaught, showing that they had the better end of the trade. Zakaria Manjra and Jason Gogna had the only goals for their team, as Nordique's goaltender Uzair Baig finally looked like the goalie from last season. Shakir Shaikh and Asim Malik ran into some penalty trouble, but the damage was done and the Kings could not capitalize to turn the tide in their favour. Final score is 7-2 Nordiques, as they grab their first win of the season. The Kings will need to go back to the drawing board and address their recent slide to 1-3.
- Captain Maverick
Sharks defeat Bruins 13-4
Next up we had the Sharks and Bruins. The Sharks were proud to present their new addition to the team, Syed Ahmed, who was on fire in his first game. The Bruins were without GM Rizwan Hassan, and boy oh boy did it show. Syed Ahmed capitalized on his absence and finished the night with 4 goals and 4 assists. Suhaib Shaikh scored two goals for his team, but his efforts were in vain as the Bruins were crushed 13-4. Goalie Amer Shaikh will need to re-evaluate his game plan, and the Bruins definitely need to fill in defensive gaps that were evident this game. A notable mention also goes to Sadik Patel, who finished the night with a hat trick and 3 assists. The Sharks may not have a veteran experienced goalie in Mohammed Bashir, but a well-balanced scoring tenacity and hustle is proving to be more than enough to win games. That being said, I must emphasize the Bruins were without Rizwan Hassan. Perhaps the most notable aspect of this game was an instant chemistry between new GM Syed Ahmed and Zahid Panchbhaya. If they can keep this up, the Sharks may just be making another run for the President's Trophy. 13-4 was the final.
-Captain Maverick
Hawks defeat Jets 9-5
And our game of the night looked like a close game until we hit the last 10 minutes. The Jets took on the Hawks, and managed to go up 2-0 15 minutes into the half. Hawks' Adil Patel responded with a goal of his own only to have Sufyaan Shaikh tap one in with 20 seconds left on the clock. Jets are up 3-1 going into the second. Adamant on overcoming last season's playoff disappointment, Ricky Saili has been on fire to say the least. He finished the night with a hat trick and managed to keep his team relative. After his last goal, the momentum seemed to shift and the Jets were running out of fuel (perhaps due to their short bench). The Hawks played unbelievable in the last 10 minutes with Adil Patel taking complete control of the game. He finished the night with 5 goals and 2 assists. The Hawks scored 6 straight unanswered to finish the game and rout the Jets to give them their first loss of the season. Riaz Parekh faced an onslaught of 36 shots, but managed to remain calm and focused to give his team the confidence to finish hard. Final score 9-5 Hawks.
- Captain Maverick
WEEK 4 Previews
Nordiques Vs Kings @ 8:45pm
Assuming there isn't another cancellation, the MMGL will be up and running this week. First up we've got the Kings and Nordiques, who just recently had the first trade of the season. GMs Shakir Shaikh and Shoaib Khan said farewell to Faiz Vaid and welcomes Dalvinder Kang. Who received the better end of this trade will be evident this week as the winless Nordiques look for a W. The Kings fell short on a rally last week and one can bet GMs Abdul Manjra and Jason Gogna will be fighting hard to get one back. Under the radar is Nordiques goalie Uzair Baig who has been playing subpar compared to last season. Considering both teams are at the bottom of the standings and the Kings only win coming in SO, I am gonna leave the results of this game to Lady Luck.
- Captain Maverick
Sharks Vs Bruins @ 9:45pm
Next up on HNIM (Hockey Night in Malton) we've got the Sharks taking on the Bruins. The Bruins are feeling good beating the Falcons and showing goalie Amer Shaikh has what it takes. The Sharks are coming off a disappointing loss, but can smile in their new acquisition Syed Ahmed to replace Yusuf Ingar. Syed is no stranger to MMGL and will be a great fit alongside Zahid Panchbhaya. The Bruins have a strong offense that can be relied upon in the dying minutes, while the Sharks are still a team that runs on all cylinders. My inner Maverick is going to give the slight edge to the Bruins as Amer Shaikh seems to be on a temporary high, compounded on Syed Ahmed's delayed entry into the league.
- Captain Pessimistic
Hawks Vs Jets @ 10:45pm
And the game of the night goes to the Hawks and Jets. The Jets are 2-0 on the season under some highly surprising play of goalie Yasir Hussain. The Hawks are coming off a dominant performance over the Sharks and will look to GMs Adil Patel and Nawaz Shaikh to get it done. However the Jets are showing extreme resilience and may prove to be the team to beat this season. GMs Ricky and Vikram Saili have stopped short of moving mountains to motivate this squad. Key things the Hawks need to lookout for is a pinching defense that may be vulnerable to an odd man rush and increasing reliance on Adil Patel as the lead scoring option. For the Jets they will need to shut down the two offensive threats of the Hawks and play a balanced game to ensure all players are on the same page. Gonna be a good one folks!
- Captain Optimistic
