Week 3 Previews
Bruins vs Sharks @ 8:45 pm
The Bruins are flying high undefeated on the season, same as their opponent Sharks. Something’s gotta give this week as one of the powerhouses is going to faulter. The Sharks will be playing their first of two and are advised not to hold back against a Bruins team that knows how to pack a punch.
Jets vs Kings @ 9:45 pm
The Jets and Kings will both be looking to grab their first win of the season. If there is any indication of how this game is going to go, consider the Kings having the lowest goal output of any team this season by a wide margin. Expect a big push from both teams as they work tirelessly for that first W.
Nordiques vs Sharks @ 10:45 pm
The Sharks will be going at it again against the Nordiques who have a shot that claiming the #2 spot. Expect the Nords to come out firing on all cylinders, taking advantage of what are likely to be tired Shark legs. That being said, do not count out the Sharks’ netminder who has been absolutely stellar thus far this season.
Week 2 Summaries
Bruins defeat Nordiques 9-4
The Bruins took on the Nords who were without their netminder, and had Mohammad Khandwala of the Sharks graciously jump in. He was pivotal in keeping the Bruin gang at bay, who were playing their first of the win and pushing for a win early on. Bruins led 2-1 at the half thanks to Indy Pabla and Abdullah Panchbhaya. The second half saw an overwhelming push from the Bruins who took control thanks to late a flurry of goals coming from Matinder Dulku and Indy Pabla. Shoaib Khan would net a pair of his own and rack up two assists as well, while netminder Mohammed AK saw his squad cruise to an easy 9-4 win.
Sharks defeat Kings 7-5
Netminder Mohammad Khandwala of the Sharks was playing his second game of the night, but that did not slow him down as the Sharks took on the Kings. The Kings struck first with a goal from Saajid Bhayat, but the Sharks equalized minutes later thanks to Shoaib Rangrez. The Sharks held the slim 3-2 lead at the half thanks to a goal from Farhan Saleh. The second period saw Rizwan Hassan display what the Kings were missing as he completed his hat trick but the Sharks defence was able to keep the rest of the team in check. A solid defence and goaltending duo led to the 7-5 win for the Sharks.
Bruins defeat Jets 6-5
On the second leg of the night, the Bruins went up against a Jets team that was ready to play. Netminder Harvey Notay was the first to faulter as Matiner Dulku netted the first goal of the game. The Jets struck twice thanks to Prateek Johal befoore Indy Pabla would equalize. Jets led 3-2 at the half thanks to a Johal shorthanded goal for the complete hat trick. The second period saw yet another hat trick, this time courtesy of Arif Billa who capitalized on the powerplay. With the atmosphere like that of a playoff game, the Bruins held the lead and managed to grab their second win of the night, 6-5. The only team to do so thus far!
Week 2 Previews
Bruins vs Nordiques @ 8:45 pm
The Bruin Gang will be picking up right where they left off. This will be a chance for redemption for the Nords as they dropped their last game heavily fatigued. All eyes will be on the Nords firepower as they look to push through the Bruins' netminder. The challenge for the Bruins will be pacing themselves as they host the double header for the night.
Kings vs Sharks @ 9:45 pm
The Sharks and Kings will face off in what is expected to be a one-sided game if the Kings do not bring a different strategy this week. All eyes will be on Kings' GM Azhar Hussain to make some radical changes and protect older brother netminder Yasir. As for the Sharks, squeaking by on a shootout is not something they want to make a habit of.
Bruins vs Jets @ 10:45 pm
Expect the Jets to take advantage of a depleted Bruins squad as they work for their first win of the season. Being denied a win last game in shootout, they will be pushing extra hard to make sure the W is theirs. That being said, you can never discount the Bruins, who will be pushing just as hard.
Week 1 Summaries
Nordiques defeat Kings 8-2
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Winter 2020 season of the MMGL! With 5 teams this season, this will set us up for a series of double header games which is sure to impact the race to the top.
The defending champion Nords would kick off the season's first game against the newly introduced Kings. The Nords took control of the game early, with a 4-0 first period score thanks to distributed scoring. Netminder Ridwaan Khanji was rock solid while Yasir Hussain was still trying to get warm. The second period saw a potential for a Kings comeback, but the Nords D-line was in check. Nords won their first of two comfortable 8-2 while leaving Kings' GM Azhar Hussain looking for answers.
Sharks defeat Jets 12-11 SO
This game was without a doubt the game of the night. Both teams brought forth goaltenders who made their MMGL debuts. Baba Khan would net the first goal of the game fairly quickly, followed by a tug of war as both teams traded goals back and forth in the first. Prateek Johal would net the first Jets goal of the season. The second period saw more of the same as the teams played clean coordinated hockey, constantly trying to one-up the other. Razi Ahmed led by example, netting goal after goal to keep up with counterpart Syed Ahmed. Tied at 11 each at final buzzer, this game would go to the season's very first shootout, with Farhan Saleh winning it for the Sharks in the fourth round.
Bruins defeat Nordiques 10-2
The Bruin Gang was ready and waiting as the Nords came into their second game of the night. Indy Pabla would net the first goal of the game, while Zaheer Kazi and Anant Kaushal would push back with goals of their own. The fatigue was setting in for the Nords and the Bruins could sense it. That point on, it was a straight Bruins game with all legs firing and a rock solid defense in the Khan brothers. GM Suhaib Shaikh has definitely lived up to the preseason Bruin hype with a 10-2 win.
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Winter 2020 Team Previews
Azhar Hussain will be leading the Kings as GM this season, making an infamous return to the MMGL. Despite the years away, he was ready to rumble, drafting Emmad Khawaja as his first overall pick. As predicted, Hussain went on to draft his old teammates in Rizwan Hassan, Saajid Bhayat, and brothers Mazhar and Yassir. The Kings' netminder will be none other than Yassir Hussain, who is no stranger to the league. The addition of Zahid Panchbhaya is anticipated to bring energy to the squad with a no-rest attitude. Despite what some may think, these veterans of the league can play some good hockey and will be ready to put up a fight.
The Nords will be led once again by defending champ Divesh Sharma. The Nords story is quickly becoming that of a dynasty, with Sharma winning the last 3 of 5 seasons at the helm of the team. Anant Kaushal and Pavan Dulai were the expected picks for this squad, however, Sharma lost out on drafting Prateek Johal who was integral to past successes. That being said, young star Zaheer Kazi can aim to fill in the gap while Ridwaan Khanji will man the pipes. Sadiq Patel will be expected to provide veteran support as the defending champs aim to build bigger this season.
Returning to the league this season after a long break is GM Razi Ahmed, who will be aiming to breathe new life into the Jets team. In his first ever MMGL leadership role, he did not disappoint in drafting big man Prateek Johal, along with Nidaan Natt and young star Abdullah Khalil Patel for support. The netminder making his debut will be Harvey Notay, who has many pundits wondering if the fate of the team rests on his shoulders. Will this team of semi-strangers be able to mesh well enough in time to become a dominant force in the league?
Syed Ahmed returns as GM of the Sharks and with pride, as he was the first GM of this franchise 17 seasons ago. Ahmed's first pick is none other than Shaukat Baba Khan, who is anticipated to support offensive capabilities while newbie Mohammad Khandwala will make his MMGL goalie debut. Supporting this core will be Muddy Hussain, Farhan Saleh, and Belal Hafeez. All looks good on paper, but will this team be able to translate that to results on the hardwood?
The Bruin Gang is back and will be led by none other than GM Suhaib Shaikh. His typical crew of underdogs with a never say no attitude has been given a bit of makeover. Drafting both Khan brothers (Shoaib and Moose), Shaikh has gone for the defense first strategy. Atop that, Mohammed AK Patel will be manning the pipes as this team looks impenetrable with support from Indy Pabla and Arif Billa Hanslod. Will this be the year that all the pieces of the puzzle have finally come together? Stay tuned for more!
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