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***WARNING: Any foul language and behavior directed towards MMGL referees in 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 behavior will result in an automatic ejection from the game.***
WINTER 2016 GM PREVIEWS
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FALL 2015 VERDI CUP CHAMPIONS!
JETS DOWN HAWKS 7-5 IN THRILLER TO BE CROWNED VERDI CUP CHAMPIONS!
The Hawks and Jets faced off in one of the most exciting Finals to date. With the Verdi Cup hanging in the balance of it all, both teams gave it their all in a performance of a lifetime. Musa Bhoola's squad struck first, scoring three straight thanks to Zabir Khannat and Aziz Patel (2). The Jets regrouped and fought back with four straight of their own thanks to Ricky Saili (2), Adil and Abu Patel. With two minutes to go in the first period, Zakaria Manjra would tie things up for the Hawks while Aziz Patel would complete his hat trick with 36 seconds left on the clock to give his squad the 5-4 lead. The second period brought out some of the best hockey seen in a long time with a stalemate in scoring until the 13 minute mark when Fahim Limbada would tie the game with a pass from Adil Patel. The Hawks tried all they could but Yasir Hussain was impenetrable in the second half while the Jets capitalized and added two more to the tally thanks to Gurmit Bathal and Fahim Limbada. The Jets win yet another Verdi Cup, 7-5 in performance appluaded by all. Congratulations to GM Ricky Saili on his 5th championship.
The MMGL Winter Finals are finally here! After an arduous 12 week journey that saw many highs and lows, strong emotions, amazing skill sets, and a series of trades...the Finals are back. At 8:45PM Malton time, the Hawks and Jets will face off for Verdi Cup glory. Both teams finished the season strong receiving a bye week in the playoffs and absolutely dominated against their semi-finals opponents. The Hawks are coming off of a very strong win with enough momentum to carry over into the new year. Strong leadership and play from GM Musa Bhoola has propelled this team to high levels of success all while developing young raw talent. Be on the lookout for a big game from the GM himself, Zabir Khannat, and goalie Faizan Khannat. The Jets on the other hand seem to be riding a wave of great fortune for the last few seasons thanks to the skill and leadership of GM Ricky Saili. This Finals appearance will be no different as they will play to win it all yet again. Expect no mercy from GM Ricky Saili, Adil Patel, and goalie Yasir Hussain who seem to have an unquenchable thirst for winning. The Hawks will need to lock down on key players if they want to win this one, while the Jets will need to have a backup plan to target the Hawks' relentless speedy approach. May the best team win.
Semi Finals
Jets defeat Falcons 11-6
The Jets and Falcons faced off at 8:45 to determine which of the two would have a shot at the elusive Verdi Cup. Bringing a veteran goalie and a confident squad to the hardwood, Ricky Saili's team got right down to it with a trifecta of goals comng from Sadik Patel and Fahim Limbada (2). The Falcons struck back with a goal of their own thanks to Muddy Hussain, but the Jets kept on pounding away with a hat trick from Adil Patel before GM Abdul Manjra could score his team's second of the night. The Jets led 6-2 after one and were determined to keep on going. Manjra would score his second to start the new half only to have Fahim Limbada complete his hat trick minutes later. Limbada came up big this night with a six goal performance. When all was said and done, the Jets had effectively routed the Falcons for the 11-6 win and will be moving on to yet another MMGL Finals appearance. As for the Falcons, it was a quality playoff run that could not have gone any further without a miracle.
Hawks defeat Nordiques 10-2
The Hawks and Nordiques faced off in a game that will definitely go down in MMGL history as one of the most unexpected. Both teams came into this strong and determined to win it all. The Hawks showed absolutely no mercy in their thirst for a win as they started the game off with three straight goals courtesy of GM Musa Bhoola (2) and Shahrukh Shah. The Nords finally got one in at the halfway mark with a goal from Huzeifa Patel. That goal didn't do much for the Nords as the Hawks recollected and continued their onslaught with another pair of goals from Bhoola for the 5-1 first period. The break may have reviatalized the Nords as they came out strong with a goal from Muzammil Khan, but that energy died down real quick as the Hawks would regroup and dominated the remainder of the game with 5 unanswered goals. Bhoola had yet another pair to total six on the night, while Zakaria Manjra, Zabir Khannat, and Aziz Patel chipped in for brownie points. Backup goalie Mohammed AK Patel could not keep it together for the Nords who exit the playoffs in a manner inconceivable. As for the Hawks, smiles all around as they go on to face the Jets in the MMGL Finals!
Jets vs Falcons @ 8:45 pm
The Jets and Falcons face off in the first of two semifinal games this week at 8:45. It has been a long and dreary season for the Falcons who saw their offensive capabilities thwarted after a blockbuster trade. Luckily for them, they're still here and are keen to prove they can go head to head with the best. Speaking of the best, the first place Jets will be the team to beat. Goalie Yasir Hussain has been commendable between the pipes while offensive duo Adil Patel and GM Ricky Saili have secured the team's fate thus far. That being said, the Falcons will not make this easy for them as they are determined to block shots and support goalie Abbas Shaikh to the end. Expect big plays from GM Abdul Manjra and forward Shahzad Rana, and perhaps some old time skill from veteran Sadik Patel.
Hawks Vs Nordiques @ 9:45 pm
The final game of the night will go to the Hawks and Nordiques who will have to fight it out till the very end. There is no denying the skill set the Hawks bring to this game, with lightning speed and a one-for-all all-for-one mentality that landed them in second place. As for the Nordiques, they will hustle until the buzzer goes off and will capitalize on any powerplays thrown their way. Be on the lookout for the battle of goalies between Khannat and Ingar, as both have been instrumental in each team's recent successes. As for offensive firepower, expect the bigger guns to be on for the majority of this game.
Quarter Finals
Falcons defeat Sharks 10-7
In the first leg of the MMGL playoffs the Sharks and Falcons went at it at 8:45. The Sharks were heavily purported to be the winners but the Falcons played like they wanted to change destiny. They struck first with four goals coming from Muddy Hussain (2), Shahzad Rana, and Abdul Manjra. Fighting to stay alive, the Sharks finally got on board with a goal from Zahid Panchbhaya, former MVP. Unfortunately for the Sharks, the Falcons struck again with a pair of goals coming from Hussain taking the 6-1 lead shocking the league. With a minute left in the first, Karan Bagga and Syed Ahmed scored in a rush to stay within reach of a win.
To start the second period, Abu Hafejee would cut the lead down to one with a pair of goals. The Falcons finally got the memo with 12 minutes left in the game, with GM Abdul Manjra scoring a pair to keep the Sharks just out of reach. With the clock dying down, both teams traded goals back and forth but the Falcons held on for a very surprising win. Sharks win 10-7 to face the Jets.
Nordiques defeat Bruins 7-4
Next up the Bruins and Nordiques faced off in a game that will be infamous for years to come. The Nords struck first with a pair of goals from Huzeifa Patel and a single from Sufyaan Shaikh. With a 3-0 lead 10 minutes into the first, the daunting task of rallying back dawned on the Bruins. Sufyan Kazi would score the first for the Bruins to update the score to 3-1. Goalie Mohammed Ingar of the Nords was rock solid and gave the Bruins a very hard time with dramatic glove saves and highlight reel steals. The Nords netted two more with goals from brothers Shoaib and Moose Khan. With a last second goal from Arif Billa, the tally for this one would be 5-2.
Starting the second period, the Bruins capitalized on an opportunity with Erfan Bhanapatel cutting the lead down to two. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the Nords kept pushing at it. A series of back to back penalties put the Bruins at a disadvantage and the Nords did not let up. The Nords capitalized on the poor display of sportsmanship and won this one 7-4 go on to face the Hawks.
Quarter Finals
Sharks vs Falcons @ 8:45 pm
The Jets and Hawks will be enjoying a week off as the remaining four teams go to war in the first week of the MMGL playoffs! It's all or nothing now as each team will have to bring out the best in a do or die situation. At 8:45 we have the Sharks taking on the Falcons in a game that is very heavily tilted in the Sharks' favour according to imaginary MMGL pundits. Abdul Manjra's team has been on a downfall since their illustrious trade earlier this season, with offensive firepower only coming from himself and Shahzad Rana for the most part. As for the Sharks, distributed scoring has been the secret to their success and they will be leveraging that all night. That being said, the Falcons really only need to pull a Hail Mary to move on to the next round and can achieve it by locking down on the Sharks' offense and blocking everything before it makes way to goalie Abbas Shaikh.
Bruins Vs Nordiques @ 9:45 pm
At 9:45, the Bruins and Nordiques will face off in a game that puts raw young and perhaps undisciplined talent against the veteran over-sized team that fell short of its potential. Expect big plays from GM Suhaib Shaikh who will be looked upon this night for direction and important decisions. From the Nords end, it is quite clear GM Shoaib Khan is a completely different player come playoff time, and his team will be expecting that energy to serve them well. Hard to call which way this game is going to go and I would not be surprised if it comes down to one very painful goal to determine it all.
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