Armchair GM Playoffs- Rd 2- Fighting Fremen of Arrakis (4) vs Thicc Johnsons (5)

[Winger for Hire]

Fighting Fremen of Arrakis

Forwards
Luc Robitialle - Messier D. Alfredsson
Michel Goulet -Dale Hawerchuk -Tony Amonte
Kirk Muller -Jonathan Toews -Justin Williams
Brian Bellows -Rod Brind'Amour -Tim Kerr

Defense
Chris Pronger - Erik Karlsson
Steve Duchesne - Shea Weber
Mark Giordano - Kjell Samuelsson

Goalies
Martin Brodeur
Pekka Rinne
Press Box
Vincent LeCavalier - Ron Hextall - Bob Probert - Mike Ramsey

Powerplay
Robitaille - Hawerchuk - Kerr
Erik Karlsson - Shea Weber

Goulet - Messier - Alfredsson
Pronger - Duchene

Penalty Kill
Messier - Toews
Pronger - Duchesne

Muller - Brind'Amour
Giordano - Samuelsson

vs

Thicc Johnsons

Forwards
Ilya Kovalchuk - Wayne Gretzky - Teemu Selanne
Dany Heatley - Adam Oates - Alex Kovalev
Markus Naslund - Pierre Turgeon - Todd Bertuzzi
Martin Straka - Marc Savard - Milan Hejduk

Defense
Sergei Gonchar - Kris Letang
Mathieu Schneider - John Carlson
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Kimmo Timonen

Goalies
Henrik Lundqvist
Sean Burke

Press Box
Daniel Briere - Robert Lang - Oleg Tverdovsky - Joe Pavelski

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[KIRK]

As I see it, the Fighting Fremen of Arrakis have the advantage in terms of team defensive play and specifically on the blueline and in net. The Thicc Johnsons are better equipped to put the puck in the net, especially with that first line and the puck movers on defense. Classic strength against strength and weakness against weakness type of matchup. Look forward to thinking through all of the variables and reading the takes of others.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I think that combo of Alfie and Mess might be the best duo to try to shut down Greztky's line. And a very capable defensive corps in front of Marty could be exactly what's needed to shut down one of the more potent forwarda group in the league.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Game One starts out as your normal feeling out game. Each team not taking took many risks and playing it safe. Amonte is able to sneak a puck past King Henry and Oates is able to find AK27 for the only 2 goals for the first two periods. In a questionable move by the Johnsons, they decided to roll all four line equally in the third, maybe looking ahead to OT and having gas in the tank, but it comes to bite them when the Savard line gets pinned in by Messier's line and Messier getting the winning goal.

Game Two loosens up quicker than game one, however the Johnsons get too loose and Alfie pounces on some careless passing and gets a goal off the resulting 3-on-1. The Johnsons can't quite tighten it back up and take a holding and high stick penalties giving the Fremen a 45 second 5-on-3. Lucky Luc buries the powerplay goal, after the 5-on-3 expires. Schneider gets Thicc on the board, but that's all they can muster in game two. Karlsson and Muller finish off the scoring.

Game Three is Marty's game. Thicc decides to use Gretzky's line as much as possible, but Brouder shows his worth, not letting a single thing through, barely even a rebound. Goulet give the Fremen their winning goal in the 2nd and Toews gets the empty netter at the end.

Game Four is the Johnson's desperation game. They break Marty's hold on them early with a Selanne goal and a Letang goal as a result of Bertuzzi seemingly bumping Brouder right before the shot got off. Review confirmed the call on the ice. The Fremen are livid and take an unsportsmanlike penalty, which results in a Kovalchuk goal. Up three goals, the Johnson pull it back into a trap and bottle up the frustrated Fremen, giving up only a late consolation goal from Kerr.

Game Five at home re-energizes the Fremen and they take control of the game right away. Luc and Mess hook up for a goal, Brind'Amour finds a crashing Kerr for another, Weber unleashes a cannon shot that Lundvqist is still looking for, and Karlsson goes for a coast-to-coast skate that results in one of the prettier goals of the series. Gretzky finally breaks through in the series and scores his lone goal and OEL makes his participation known, but before they can find that goal to pull within a goal, Hawerchuk finds Goulet for the goals that ices it.

Fighting Fremen advance 4-1