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***WARNING: Any foul language and behaviour directed towards MMGL referees in the playoffs will NOT be tolerated. Players are reminded to play a clean game and keep a strict adherence towards the rules of the game. Any foul play and/or behaviour will result in an automatic ejection from the game.***
Week 2 Previews
Bruins Vs Jets @ 8:45 pm
The Jets and Bruins face off this week, with one of these teams about to face their first loss of the season. The Jets were on point last week as years of chemistry blossomed into some beautiful play along with the Scarborough talent of Moosa Bhoola and Aziz Patel. There is no doubt Ricky Saili's team is strong, but they will have their hands full this game. The Bruins' first win was a 6 goal comeback that highlighted the skills of Suhaib Shaikh's roster. Expect a lot of good hockey to be played this game folks.
Nordiques Vs Falcons @ 9:45 pm
The Falcons take on the Nordiques, with one of these teams guaranteed their first win of the season. The Falcons crashed hard last week amidst some tough penalties, but hope to show the league what they are made of this week. Expect big plays from goalie Yasir Hussain. As for the Nordiques, there is no doubt the star power is there. It is just a matter of playing the full game and working out all of the kinks. Expect another big game from GM Shoaib Khan who is the Week 1 leader in goals and points.
Sharks Vs Hawks @ 10:45 pm
And finally the Hawks and Sharks face off in what is expected to be the most exciting game of the night. The Hawks are coming off a strong win and goalie Nadir Ahmed has shown he hasn't lost his step. The Sharks will need to defensively lock down on Adil Patel and Yusuf Ingar, the two main threats from this Hawks squad. The Sharks are expecting Abu Hafejee to be in the line up this week, and his presence will definitely make a strong impact on overall play. Hard to call this one, ladies and gentlemen come out and watch!
Week 1 Summaries
Bruins defeat Nordiques 8-6
The first game of the season went to the Nords and Bruins, and what a way to start the season! The first goal of the season went to Abdul Manjra of the Bruins, followed later by Yahya Ingar to tie things up. Arif Hanslod would celebrate his first goal of the season to give the Bruins the lead, while GM Shoaib Khan would tie it up before period end to have both teams going into the half at two goals a piece. The Nordiques came out very strong in the second half and score four straight goals courtesy of Shoaib Khan (2), Shahrukh Shah and Fayaz Kazi. With the 6-2 lead the Nords were feeling good and in control but the #Bruingang GM must have had a hell of an inspirational speech during his timeout as the Bruins fought back with 6 unanswered goals. Yes, you read that right. The Bruins spread scoring across 5 different players and saw a pair of goals from Faizan Kazi. As the clock hit 0, the Nords were left stunned as they lost this one 6-8.
Jets defeat Sharks 8-6
The Sharks and Jets faced off at 10:00 in the most exciting game of the night for the fans. The Jets scored first with magician Moosa Bhoola getting his name on the scoresheet. The Sharks responded with a pair of goals coming from GM Omar Hussain and Sufyaan Shaikh. The Sharks were without superstar Abu Hafejee and goalie Abbas Shaikh was keeping them all in showing no signs of rust. The Jets retook control of the game with a trio of goals coming from Dalvinder Kang, Bhoola, and Arwinder Banwait. Jets lead 4-2 going into the second. The second half saw both teams trade goals back and forth, including the very first for rookie Maaz Panchbhaya but the Jets kept control of this one as long as they could. With the clock winding the last few minutes of the game, goals from Vasim Kagzi and Maaz Panchbhaya would bring the Sharks within two, and with Abbas Shaikh robbing Jason Gogna twice of an open netter the Sharks had the energy. Unfortunately for them it didn't translate into anything and the Jets win this one 8-6.
Hawks defeat Falcons 7-4
And finally the Falcons took on the Hawks in what was easily the most controversial game of the night. The Falcons came out strong and scored a pair of goals to start thanks to Huzaifah Panchbhaya and GM Erfan Bhanapatel. After hitting the crossbar one too many times, Yusuf Ingar would find the back of the net, along with teammates Ismail Patel and GM Adil Patel. The Hawks led 3-2 and at this point in the game, the referees pulled back what would have been a tying goal for the Falcons. With ensuing penalty trouble, the Hawks would take advantage and the offensive tandem of Adil Patel and Yusuf Ingar would effectively shut this game in the second period. Bhanapatel and Huzzy Panchbhaya would have their second goals too late in the game for it to count and the Hawks walked away with their first win of the season 7-4.
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Week 1 Previews
Welcome to the 7th season of the MMGL! With a mix of old and
new returning faces, this season is expected to be the most competitive yet! Every team boasts either a superstar goalie or a dream team first line. The road to the Verdi Cup just doesn't get easier, does it?
Bruins VS Nordiques @ 8:45 PM
The first game of the season goes to the Nordiques and Bruins. GM Shoaib Khan will be looking to revive the Nordique name alongside goalie Mohamed Bashir who will have a shot at redemption. With offensive power in the likes of Shahrukh Shah and Yahya Ingar, expect Khan to fall back. As for the Bruins, GM Suhaib Shaikh will be looking to prove skeptics wrong again this season with a strong defensive presence to support goalie Kaleem Mirza. Too early in the season to call this one.
Jets VS Sharks @ 9:45 PM
Next up the Sharks take on the Jets in what will be a great match up. Some will be looking at the 1v1 of Abu Bakr Hafejee against Moosa Bhoola, while others look towards the skill set the respective GMs bring to the table. The Jets do have the upper hand with goalie Mohammed AK, while the Sharks are strongly advised to warm up goalie Abbas Shaikh well before ball drop. Nonetheless, this game is all about MMGL mystery man, Dave Singh. I'm sure this game will answer a lot of questions.
Falcons VS Hawks @ 10:45 PM
And finally the Hawks take on the Falcons, debuting the return of goalie Yasir Hussain. GM Erfan Bhanapatel has put a lot of faith in this pick and is expecting results. The Hawks will be a formidable physical force as they are notoriously known for it, and the Falcons will have to devise a strategy that won't have them pushed around. Expect big things from GM Adil Patel and strong play from goalie Nadir Ahmed.
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Winter 2015 Team Previews
Shoaib Khan is back at the helm of the Nordiques again, where it seems he feels most comfortable. The Nords will boast a never before seen offensive of Shoaib Khan, Yahya Ingar and Shahrukh Shah. If this power line wasn't enough, Khan has gone forward and drafted Mohammed Kazi and Faiz Vaid for solid shutdown play. Goalie Mohamed Bashir is a Nord again, hopefully this time under better circumstances. There's no doubt this team can score, the question lies in their defense.
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The Hawks led by Adil Patel will be a force to reckon with as it boasts the talents of Yusuf Ingar, Farhan Saleh and the goaltending capabilities of Nadir Ahmed. Ahmed is the goalie of choice for GM Adil Patel, and with a strong defensive squad he is sure he can win it all. The question that comes into play for this team will be historically rough play (lots of penalties) and the attendance of the GM himself when it matters most.
The Sharks under the management of Omar Husain will see a group of players come together that excel individually but have not yet played together in the past. Abu Bakr Hafejee and Vasim Kagzi will be the core of this team, alongside veteran Waseem Kalair. Everyone is looking forward to the mythical Dave Singh and what he has to offer. Goalie Abbas Shaikh has been out of play for quite a while, and it is expected he will require a few games to settle in.
The Bruins, rebranded under GM Suhaib Shaikh, is built around a core group of players that have been consistent and perform day in day out. Abdul Manjra will compliment the offensive efforts of Shoaib Rangrez and Arif Hanslod very well, while the Shaikh brothers take care of things defensively. Goalie Kaleem Mirza can play to his true potential this season knowing there is a strong team in front of him.
The Falcons, being led by Erfan Bhanapatel this season, is a team versatile in its skill. Syed Ahmed and Huzaifah Panchbhaya are expected to take the lead up front, while players like MVP Zahid Panchbhaya and Gurmit Bhatal can interchange roles as needed. Goalie Yasir Hussain makes his return to MMGL this season, and I would not consider him rusty as he's always been one to plan ahead. It will be interesting to see how this group of players meshes on the hardwood.
The Jets and Ricky Saili seem to have a way of finding each other. Saili has gone with what he knows is true and tested and drafted former teammate Moosa Bhoola, along with friends Jason Gogna, Manjot Bhatti and Arwinder Banwait. Vezina winner Mohammed AK Patel will be the netminder for the Jets again, hopefully this season coming out on top. With a group that has seasons of chemistry behind them, it will be tough to knock these Jets off their pedestal.
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Fall 2014 Award Winners
FALL 2014 VERDI CUP CHAMPIONS!
FALCONS DOWN JETS 7-6 IN THRILLER TO BE CROWNED VERDI CUP CHAMPIONS!
The regular season came and went, and within a span of three months GMs Fahad Panchbhaya and Muzammil Khan matured and developed into management stars. Both GMs made huge trades that shook the league and profited their respective teams. Twelve weeks later, here they are in the MMGL Verdi Cup Finals. The Falcons are riddled with injuries and a short bench, yet pushed through and seem resilient in the face of obstacles. The Jets created a strong chemistry that would prove to come clutch in the dying seconds of games to lead them to where they are today. But there can only be one.
The ball dropped at 9:00PM and both teams went at it in what was probably one of the best finals this league has seen to date. The Falcons struck first with a goal from Ricky Saili, who is no stranger to the Finals. Determined not to let this game get away as it has in the past, Abdul Manjra would score for the Jets, tying it up with 18 minutes left in play. The Flacons however would persist as the offensive duo of Shoaib Khan and Ricky Saili would produce a pair of goals, leaving goalie Mohammed AK Patel baffled. Huzzy Pancbhaya would step up and answer the call for the Jets, as he scored his first goal of the night to cut the deficit to one. With 10 minutes left in play, the Jets defense left Shahrukh Shah wide open and he wired home his first goal of the night. Muzammil Khan would keep the Jets within one with a nice set up from veteran Sadik Patel, but not before Ricky Saili would complete his first period hat trick. The Falcons lead this one 5-3 going into the half, and look very comfortable even with only one sub.
The second half was a completely different story as the Jets came out stronger and with a determination not seen before. Abdul Manjra would be their saviour as he netted a pair to tie things up. With the game tied at 5 a piece, Huzzy Panchbhaya would step up and beat goalie Deepinder Brar and give the Jets the 6-5 lead. Both teams were pushing hard, yet playing one of the cleanest Finals to date. The Jets slipped and left Shahrukh Shah open again, giving the Falcons the tying goal with 8 minutes left in play. With the game tied and the whole season on the line, it would be Zahid Panchbhaya who would score the winning goal for the Falcons, claiming his first ever Verdi Cup. The Falcons win this one 7-6 in one of the most exciting games to date.
Congratulations to Fahad Panchbhaya on GM-ing a team through tough times and making smart moves when it counted the most. Special mention goes to GM Muzammil Khan for a great show of leadership and sportsmanship during the whole season.
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Here we are ladies and gentlemen, the MMGL finals! The road to the Verdi Cup was a long one, and for one team on Friday at 9PM, it will have been worth it all. The Falcons, led by GM Fahad Panchbhaya have seen a roller coaster of a season with injuries, trades, and inactive players. That being said, this is by far one of the strongest teams thanks to the Shoaib Khan and Ricky Saili offensive duo. Goalie Deepinder Brar has been thankful for a strong defense that has kept this team in, especially during the semi finals when they had to work with only one sub. The Jets, led by GM Muzammil Khan, have been a solid team since day one. The acquisition of Huzzy Panchbhaya early in the season was a strong move, and playing alongside Abdul Manjra has brought out the best in him. Goalie Mohammed AK Patel is making a strong case to be the strongest goalie in the league, and he will be put to the test this Friday.
Just a few things to remember, the final game is played with two 25 minute halves. Referees will be extra vigilant with chirping and physical play, so players are humbly warned to play the game and let all else be. Awards ceremony will take place after the game, and all silverware will be handed out on the spot. There is also word that Mississauga's new mayor Bonnie Crombie may be making a special drop in...but that's just a rumor for now.
Jets VS Falcons - MMGL Verdi Cup Finals Season 6
