Login

DaftRaincloud · 08-01-2019, 08:52 AM

4.852 words.

Jonas Larsen

S48 Season in Review

Coming off of a disappointing rookie season playing for the Anchorage Armada wherein Jonas Larsen only put up twelve points – five goals; seven assists and a first round loss against the Vancouver Whalers in a sweep, he wanted his sophomore campaign to put the league on notice and prove to the San Francisco Pride why they made the right choice in drafting him – and other teams why they made a mistake passing on him.

Jonas started the season on the second line alongside Armada captain Olivier Cloutier and rookie Jake Primeau. The transition from bottom six to top six minutes started off rough for the Norwegian forward, who in the first game against the Detroit Falcons only recorded two shots and one hit in almost eighteen minutes of ice time. After an off-season where he spent time in the gym and in the practice arena working mostly on both his skating ability and defense (which had both been exposed by rival teams through his rookie season) he was eager to show his improvements to the team and more importantly the fans in Anchorage. He would get the perfect opportunity just days later against the Kelowna Knights. In just the third minute of the game rookie Elijah Jones commits an interference penalty giving the Knights an early man advantage. They capitalized and caught a still cold Peter Larson out of position giving them an early one goal lead. Four minutes later and Larsen would get his stick on a puck shot towards net by Cloutier and deflect it in behind Kelowna’s Malcolm Weekes. This goal gave the Alaskan hockey team a boost of confidence and they would go on to open the floodgates against the Knights, ending the game with five goals to Kelowna’s one. For his role in the effort Jonas would earn the third star of the game, his first of eight such three star honors. Jonas was named the third star of the game three times and first star of the game five times, more times than any other second year player on the Armada roster.

Jonas had his best game of the season against the Anaheim Outlaws while paired with the two rookie forwards Jake Primeau and Elijah Jones on the third line. In the waning minutes of a brutal first period wherein both teams fired off ten shots Jonas set up a picture perfect deflection goal for Primeau to get him his second goal and Jonas’ fourth assist for the season. The Outlaws responded by coming out and scoring a goal within the opening minutes of the second period, evening the score and letting the Armada know that they weren’t going down without a fight. Two minutes later Anthony Banthony for Anaheim would bowl over Peter Larson in the Anchorage net, giving the Armada their first power play of the contest. Jonas took the ice along with the rest of the power play unit. Fellow S47 draftee Gabriel Johnson and Tony Ford who was having an outstanding season were the two blue liners. Spencer MacLean centered the forward group and Joe Kerr was the winger opposite Jonas. Jonas and Gabriel had a great on ice chemistry and with a knowing glance and a nod they both understood what play they were going to run. The puck dropped and MacLean got his stick on it and won it clean. MacLean clocked Johnson wheeling back to the point and slid the puck over to him. Johnson stick handled the puck for a few moments buying Jonas time to skate around the back of the net and come across to Johnson’s left side. Johnson deftly passed the puck to his right just out of reach of defenseman Gunnar Petrov’s stick and onto Tony Ford’s stick tape who was in dangerous scoring position. After the puck left Johnson’s stick he moved over to screen Jonas from the goalie just as the pass from Ford met his stick. Jonas got the timing on the one-timer perfect and the puck sailed just over Anaheim goalie Patrick Niederreiter’s left shoulder and into the net. Jonas would go on to record an assist on the next and final two goals of the contest, one from Jake Primeau and one from Elijah Jones.

This single game performance would be impressive as a standalone feat, but Jonas followed it up with another first star performance the next night. Anaheim was game one of a back to back, and the Detroit Falcons were licking their chops to get after an exhausted Armada team who had just played a physical game the night before. It would have been easy for the team to lay down and be sluggish, after all these are the games that teams mark on their calendars as “scheduled losses” and live with them. Jonas had other plans however and after enduring a first period where backup goalie Colt Beckett was peppered by ten shots from Detroit (three in just the first fifteen seconds) he opened the scoring for the game by securing Jake Primeau’s rebound and sending it through Emiko Spector’s five hole and into the back of the net. In the second period Raino Kyllonen would score two goals within two minutes of each other to give the Falcons the lead, with his first goal coming thirty seconds into the period. However with just three seconds to go in the second period Detroit player Savoli Tankovic would commit a roughing penalty, giving Anchorage the opportunity to start the third period with a man advantage. Eighteen seconds into the third period and Larsen would give the puck to Gabriel Johnson who put an absolute rocket of a slapper past the Detroit goalie. Three minutes after that Jonas would scoop up yet another rebound, this time by Elijah Jones, and for the second time that evening send it between the legs of Spector for a goal. Jonas had given his team the one goal lead and the confidence after a scoreless second period but it was short lived as not even a full minute later Raino Kyllonen would score his hat trick goal to even the game at three a piece. With just eighteen seconds left in the third period Gabriel Johnson would commit a high stick penalty. After a tense game this was the spark that the powder keg needed and Miikka Salo would react to Gabriel Johnson’s penalty and earn a roughing penalty of his own. This started a line brawl between the two teams that resulted in three fights. One in which Jake Primeau and Raino Kyllonen beat each other to a pulp, one where Karhunen beat down Espen Knutsen Jr., and finally Jonas got himself into a scrap against Josh Driver and won handily. Both Jake Primeau and Kalevi Karhunen would be ejected from the game for instigating their fights, meaning that Detroit got to start the overtime period with a power play, and they capitalized quickly with Savoli Tankovic scoring in just sixteen seconds. The game may not have ended the way the Armada wanted it to, but during the two back to back games Larsen scored seven points, securing himself a spot on the first forward line for the remainder of the season.

At the end of the regular season Jonas Larsen lead the league in shot percentage at 24.64%. Up until the final two games of the season he was maintaining a shot percentage of almost 30%, but poor performances to close out the year cut into this number. Statistically he was ranked as the eighth best left winger in the SMJHL. His contributions along with strong showings across the board for the Anchorage Armada earned them twenty-six wins across fifty games.

The Armada got matched up against the Detroit Falcons in the first round of the SMJHL playoffs. During the regular season the Armada had only won three of the seven matchups against the Falcons, so fans and players alike were rightfully nervous heading into game one of the series. Those fears would be actualized after a grueling 4-6 loss to the Falcons where the Armada got off ten fewer shots than Detroit. Jonas was almost completely shut down by the Detroit defense, getting off only two shots in the entire game. The locker room was a solemn place after the loss and everyone was reliving the memories of last year’s sweep. A rousing locker room speech by captain Cloutier rallied the team for game two however and the Armada managed to even the series on the backs of MacLean, Ford, and Kerr. They were heading back to Alaska with the series tied and looking to take two more games. However, once again Larsen was shut down and only managed two shots, far below the team’s expectations of him. The Armada would gain even more momentum after taking the third game of the series in front of their home crowd, but one game later the Falcons would send the fans home early with a seven to nothing win. Once again the series was tied, and now the Falcons had all the momentum heading back to their nest. Anchorage sent a message of their own to Detroit by winning the next game with five goals to the Falcons’ single goal. Jonas finally recorded his first point of the series with an assist to line mate Stavros Halkias in the latter part of the third period. The next game the Norwegian sniper would record his first goal of the post-season and open the scoring for game six, but the Falcons would tie the game up and eventually go on to win off of a power play goal in overtime. The Armada and the Falcons were going to game seven. The first game seven of Jonas’ career. And unfortunately for him he was unable to rise to the occasion, this time allowing the Detroit defense to hold him to zero shots. Despite his lackluster showing the Armada would prevail in overtime – Joe Kerr getting his third goal of the playoffs.

The team came together in celebration. There was definitely a weight off the shoulders of everyone in the room, especially the younger players who so far in their careers had never experienced a series win. The entire roster was acutely aware of the window of time they currently were in. Cloutier was getting called up for next season and that was public knowledge. Peter Larson, the goalie phenom and backbone of the team both on the ice and in the locker room had an imminent call up on the way as well. Tony Ford was also on his way out of town and Brock Emmerton had one foot out the door with an uncertainty of whether or not he would be on the roster next season. Kaleni Karhunen and Spencer MacLean were also in limbo. These losses would be felt in the locker room and throughout the fan base for sure, and everyone was trying to savor the moment without dwelling too much on the future as best as they could. With the veteran leadership all due to leave it would fall on the shoulders of the younger players to step up and try to fill their shoes. Times like this, going into the second round of the playoffs against the hated Whalers squad that sent them to the golf course ahead of schedule last year was where that leadership could be developed.

After a promising first game against the Whalers in which the Armada won with five goals to one the team was buzzing. The lines all seemed to finally be clicking and even the rookies were producing in the playoffs. Fans in Anchorage were filling the bars and restaurants to watch the team on television and the entire town had boat fever. You couldn’t go more than one block without seeing a building flying an Armada flag or passing by someone wearing a jersey or team shirt. Of course the most popular jersey was the captain himself, Olivier Cloutier, but Jonas had some fans wearing his number twenty-five on their back peppered in amongst the crowd. With all the excitement around the city the team had opened up practices to the general public and they were filling to max capacity every single day. Some players such as Gabriel and Darnell Johnson would hang around after practice and sign shirts, trading cards, pucks, and other such things for fans. Sometimes they were there for an hour or more just writing their signature over and over again.

The party would unfortunately be short lived for the Anchorage Armada. Game two they suffered a three to one loss. Followed up by a three to two loss the next game in Vancouver. Jonas would score his first and only goal for the Vancouver series in game two. For the final game in Vancouver the Armada would get routed and lose by five goals. The team boarded the plane for a very silent and introspective flight back to Anchorage from Vancouver. Whatever conversation there was between people was done in hushed tones. Most players sat in their seats with their headphones on. They were looking out the windows absentmindedly or getting overly absorbed in their in-flight snacks. The outlook was grim and everyone on that plane knew it. The flashbacks had started.

The locker room ahead of game five had a heavy atmosphere. Jonas met eyes with Cloutier from across the room and the two shared a knowing nod. He knew it wasn’t on his shoulders but Jonas couldn’t help but feel a certain ping of sadness at the thought that he wouldn’t be able to help the captain get his name etched onto the cup before he departed for the Tampa Bay Barracudas. Jonas approached the locker of Gabriel Johnson who had yet to score in the post-season. Johnson had struggled early in the season with putting his name on the stat sheet, but in the second half of the season had started to turn things around for the better. Unfortunately for him it seemed he was snake bitten again.

“You’re gonna get one tonight,” Jonas started in with his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “I can feel it.”

The teams took to the ice. The Armada started sluggish and never really picked up the pace. They only shot five times in the first period, nineteen for the entire game. Vancouver shot twelve times in the first period and ended the game with thirty-eight shots. Vancouver potted their first goal six minutes into the game, and would follow it up with a second ten minutes later. Spencer MacLean would score early into the second period hoping to give Anchorage a shot in the arm, but the Whalers would score thrice more before the end of the period, giving them a five to one advantage going into the final twenty minutes of the game. Just over a minute into the third period and the onslaught continued with Jax Duggan scoring a power play goal for the Whalers. Six to one. If the Duggan goal wasn’t the final nail in the coffin already Bobby Bobcalf, who coincidentally was also drafted to the San Francisco Pride alongside Jonas Larsen gave Vancouver their final goal. Seven to one. Most assumed that the scoring would stop there, but Jonas’ prediction earlier would prove to be accurate as Gabriel Johnson got a beautiful snap shot up over the glove of the Vancouver net minder. Johnson’s goal wouldn’t change the tide of the game however and seven minutes after the goal the final horn mercifully rang. The Whalers huddled in celebration, jumping over each other and cheering. One could assume that the Anchorage stands would be filled with solemn and quiet fans. Sad people who stayed behind to jeer the team that disappointed them instead of leaving to beat traffic twenty minutes ago. Instead there was a crowd of clapping and happy people cheering on their favorite hockey team and thanking them for a fun season. Cheering on captain Cloutier on his way out the door. Showing appreciation to the fan favorites who might not be around anymore. It was a bittersweet moment, but this moment was one of the first times that Jonas gained a perspective that in hockey and all sports some things are bigger than just winning. The Armada had become a part of the community in Anchorage, a city-wide identity. They were family.

The Armada players made their way back to the locker room to change out of their hockey uniforms and get ready to conduct exit interviews with the local and national media. The Whalers and their fans who made the trip from Vancouver were celebrating on the ice while Jonas and crew cleared their lockers and went out to the podium to answer questions.

“Is there anything that you could have done differently to change the outcome of this series?” the question came from a faceless shape somewhere in the sea of outstretched microphones. If there was any way Jonas could have differentiated the person asking the question from the rest of his peers the large video lights blasting into his retinas eliminated that possibility.

“Of course there was. I have no problem talking about my struggles. In the playoffs at large but especially in this series. I only recorded one goal and it was in a game that we lost. I definitely could have done more, we all could have.”

“Jonas you got bounced around to a couple different lines throughout the season. Do you think that the lack of consistency had an effect on your or anyone else’s play?”

“I can’t speak for anyone but myself. I have full faith in my coach and my front office. Some times the cards don’t fall the way you want them to and you have to live with the result. Remember also that for the last third of the season and through the playoffs I was never moved off that top line and I wouldn’t expect to be for next season either.”

“Jonas many of the veterans on this team are making their way to the SHL next season. Do you expect a call up yourself? Do you want one?”

“Yeah, a lot of guys aren’t going to be around any more and that’s going to be felt for sure. And I don’t really expect to be going up there myself, no. San Francisco has a lot of depth especially at my position and I don’t see myself being needed. Of course the goal is to play there eventually and I am looking forward to the day I am able to do so, but for next season you will see me here in Anchorage I can say that confidently.”

Ten more minutes and Jonas was out of his interview and Elijah Jones had gone up to be the next to be hounded. Jonas made his way out the back door of the arena and to his car. He popped the trunk and tossed his bag full of clothes and equipment inside before opening the driver’s side door and sinking down into the seat. He sat with the engine turned off for a few moments. He sat in the quiet and the darkness with his thoughts reflecting on everything that had happening tonight. This week. This season. He slammed his fists into his steering wheel once, then again. A few more times he bashed his hands down onto the steering wheel to release his anger and frustration. As he was doing so Jonas heard a soft tapping on his driver’s side window. He stopped what he was doing suddenly and looked over to see Tony Ford at the window who offered him a thumbs up and a wave. Jonas waved back before starting his car and leaving the parking lot. It would be the final time for many months that he made the familiar drive to his apartment from the arena. A drive he would look forward to being able to do again soon.

After two days of bumming around the house playing video games, eating food he can’t eat during the season, and of course practicing and going to the gym Jonas received a series of two phone calls. The first was from Team World who would be playing in the world juniors. Jonas had been on the team, albeit in a small role due to his inexperience, the year prior and had the time of his life. When he was promised sixteen minutes a night by the general manager it did nothing but make his decision even easier. Only an hour or two later and his phone would ring again, this time it was the general manager of the Norwegian team for the IIHF. Since Jonas would be playing alongside players much older and more experienced than himself – mostly SHL veterans – he would be playing on the fourth line for only about seven minutes per game, but he didn’t care. Ever since he was a child Jonas had dreamed of being able to represent his country on the ice and now he had been given the opportunity to do so.

First was world juniors. Jonas was nervous going into the locker room. The locker room was full of other international players who Jonas had never played alongside of before. However the Armada was well represented within the locker room. Elijah Jones was there with Larsen in the forward group, but so was Cloutier. Larsen knew this tournament would be the final time him and Olivier took the ice together as team mates. Peter Larson, fellow Norwegian and boat, was in the net for Team World as well. First up was the exhibition round. These games were more friendly than anything else and allowed the teams to build some chemistry before the round robin and medal rounds. Team World ended up with the highest point total of the round, recording seven wins in seven games – a perfect record. Jonas’ contribution to the team was four goals on nineteen shots and six assists. Jonas earned the distinction of being the second best left wing player of the round and having the longest goal streak at four goals.

After the exhibition round it was time to get more serious with the round robin play. Jonas maintained his high level of play in this round, bringing the same ten point total from the exhibition play with him. He scored one fewer goal than he did in exhibition play, but his passing was on point and lead to him earning seven assists. Throughout the first two rounds of the tournament Jonas had recorded twenty points across twenty-one games, a pace of 0.95 points per game. Now it was time for the medal round, and Jonas was about to have his best game of the tournament exactly when it was the most needed. World struck early – Juulius Smonk sneaking a puck past Alexander Thorstrom in the Sweden net off of a beautiful pass by Cloutier. Six minutes later Jonas was cycling down the open ice towards the Sweden net with Espen Knutsen Jr. on his right for the two on one rush. Jonas pulled back and launched a heavy slapper towards Thorstrom who was able to get his stick on it. The goalie lurched forward to cover the puck with his glove hand and secure the rebound, but Knutsen Jr. was faster, snatching up the puck with his stick mere moments before the goalies glove touched down onto empty ice, then bringing the puck through his legs to avoid the stick of the Swedish defenseman that then came down futily in front of him. Knutsen Jr. directed the puck around just past the useless glove hand of the Swedish goalie and into the net. Jonas and Espen, who had earlier in the season been involved in a nasty brawl against each other’s teams, now embraced in celebration as the goal horn filled the arena, barely covering the roar of the electric Team World fans. Jonas would assist on the next goal of the contest as well, also to Knutsen Jr. almost fourteen minutes into the second period. Going into the third period Team World had a three to one lead. Espen would get Jonas back for helping him on his two goals seven minutes into the contest after Cloutier had scored six minutes prior. World was on the power play after a frustrated Ricky Spanish committed a hooking penalty and Espen was puck handling at the right circle. He was surveying the ice and noticed Jonas in perfect position on the right side of the goal, being completely ignored by the goalie. Knutsen Jr. rocketed the shot towards Jonas who deflected the puck in just behind the goalie’s back and into the net. Thirteen minutes later the game would end and Team World was in to the final four to play DACH.

The game against DACH was a grueling back and forth contest. By the end the two teams would combine for seventy-six shots. World struck first with a power play goal towards the end of the first period by Espen Knutsen Jr. Espen would then score his second goal of the game right around twelve minute in to the second period. DACH was down, but certainly not out and fellow Anchorage Armada player and good friend of Jonas’ Darnell Johnson helped assist on the goal by Nicolaj Muller.

“Nice pass. It was a fluke.” Jonas gave Darnell a wink as he skated past him to line up and get ready for puck drop.

Three minutes later the period would end. Team World came out for the third with a cautious optimism. One goal lead and they had to maintain it for twenty minutes. Not impossible, but DACH was a good team with a strong roster. Unfortunately not even ninety seconds into the third period their caution was proven to be correct as Tah Puhcheese snuck a quick puck through Peter Larson’s legs to even the score. The remainder of the third period was a grind fest, with players throwing heavy hits on both sides and the two goalies getting absolutely riddled with shots. Neither team was able to break through the other’s defenses however and the third period came to an end with Team World and Team DACH having two goals a piece. It was time for overtime.

Overtime was another grueling twenty minutes for Jonas who wasn’t accustomed to such a physical game. His play had always been focused on getting into proper position and waiting for the goal scoring opportunities to come to him, but now he was a warrior in the field of open combat. The teams did more hitting than shooting and the first overtime ended with the teams combining for less than ten total shots in twenty minutes. Back in the locker room players were feeling the physicality. Jonas had bruises on both sides of his rib cage and some blood had been mixed in with his spit when he rinsed his mouth at the sink. Hopefully he wouldn’t need to make a dentist appointment this evening. About halfway in to the second overtime and Darnell Johnson would assist on his second goal of the evening, this one ending the game and handing the victory to Team DACH.

“Not much of a fluke, eh?” Darnell gave Jonas a playful punch on the shoulder.

“Where was that a couple weeks ago?” Jonas chirped back.

It was the second time that month Jonas had come close to yet fallen just short of earning some hardware, and there was a pattern forming that he was not happy about. He started to question himself internally. Will I ever win anything? Jonas was feeling more unsure than ever about his status in the world of professional hockey and just how good he actually was.

In the IIHF Jonas continued his unlucky streak, putting no points on the stat board in the tournament. Three failures were definitely weighing heavy as he boarded the flight back to Anchorage. He landed and was met by groups of adoring fans wanting to take selfies, get autographs or what have you, but Jonas wasn’t feeling the same level of excitement as he usually would. His first year was one thing, he was young and inexperienced. But to fail two years in a row? Jonas resolved that he would not lose out on next season. It might be his last chance in Anchorage and he owed it himself, his team mates, and the fans to do right by them and reward their support with a cup. If he was unable to do that he would no doubt question himself and his abilities even more than he already had been. It was time for him to use that chip on his shoulder as motivation and head into the practice arena night in and night out and work on his game so he could make an impact on the ice and in the locker room and make Anchorage, Alaska a city of champions.