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jumpSeat · 11-03-2022, 02:12 AM

Table of Contents:

Episode One: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!

Episode Two: It's all about the Feels!

Episode Three: She sells Seesaws by the seashore!

[Image: Daniel_Swift_Signature-3_Carpy48.png]

[Image: Daniel_Swift_Signature-3_Carpy48.png]

Episode Four: The Four Star Cup! [Image: 4star.png]

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The game was tied 2-2 with 14:25 left in the second...

While both teams had been in similar situations many times throughout the course of the season, tonight was a night like no other. It was a night where heroes were made, legends were born and childhood dreams hung in the balance. Tonight was the night where a long grueling season reached it's ultimate crescendo, with the crowning of a brand new champion in the biggest and final game of the year!

The Four Star Cup was in the building, freshly polished and shimmering like a beacon calling weary sailors home. By it's sheer presence, it lent a magical air to game seven proceedings, as both the Quebec Citadelles and Maine Timber knew for certain that someone would lay claim to the golden chalice tonight and etch their names in glorious immortality!

With such incredibly high stakes riding on just a single contest, every play, every miscue and every bounce became far more magnified than normal. The fans, and to a slightly lesser extent, the players found their emotions rising and sinking with every turn and every shift of momentum in what was clearly the epitome of a final and deciding game. There would be no mulligans, no do overs and no second chances. It was all or nothing, right here and right now.

With all that pressure on his back, Daniel Swift started a solo rush through the neutral zone on his off wing. There were two Citadelles back, so the situation appeared well in hand, even as Swift used his speed to back the closest defender up inside their own blue line. As Swift entered the zone, both teams started a change, and the Quebec defender marking the puck carrier closed aggressively. What followed was a physical battle for possession as Swift bounced off the initial contact and continued to muscle his way through to the top of the circle.

The Quebec defender leaned on Daniel as heavily as he could, (without taking a penalty), but Swift persevered in his outward drive and progressively gained additional ice toward the net. More jostling for positions ensued, and after a couple more bumps and a failed stick check, Swift (who was still alone on the rush), fired a hard wrister that the defender got his stick on sending it high up into the crowd.

If nothing else, the rush had ensured an offensive zone faceoff, for which Maine was chomping at the bit. As the two teams lined up in the left faceoff circle, the Quebec center won the draw cleanly back to his goal front defenseman. From there the Citadelle rearguard surveyed the situation and made a nice break out pass to his right winger.

And then, on what looked like a routine play that Quebec had executed thousands of times throughout the season, the fickle hand of fate decided to intervene. We may never know why, but for some inexplicable reason the puck fluttered up on edge and took a decided Timber bounce off the Quebec Winger's stick. With the puck rolling just out of reach toward the blue line, it was quickly pounced on by Timber defenseman Nathaniel Barca, who whistled a high drive right on, thereby handcuffing the goaltender and forcing a juicy rebound out the back side.

With the goalie still reeling to get across the crease and back into position, Barefoot Sugars hopped on the rebound and one timed what would turn out to be the Cup winning goal into the open side!! The Timber bench leapt for joy, with even the normally stoic coaching staff breaking into wide, congratulatory smiles. No one knew it at the time, but this would prove to be the biggest goal by any team in any game all year!

From there Maine only grew in confidence while Quebec unraveled. After a hard fought series in which Quebec played well enough to force a seventh game on home ice, tonight was simply not their night. The final score in game seven was a resounding 9-2 victory for the Maine Timber, but after the final whistle, there was only one goal that everyone was talking about. And I think it safe to say, Barefoot Sugars is probably still smiling today!

The official scoring play on the Cup winning goal was: Barefoot Sugars (5 ES), from Nathaniel Barca (11) and Daniel Swift (10) at 6:17.

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The three stars of the Cup winning game, as announced by FHM Central were:

1) Daniel Swift *****| G 1 | A 3 | Timber

2) Perry Theplatypus | G 2 | A 2 | Timber

3) Pawter Meowski | G 0 | A 2 | Timber

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And the players having strong games for both teams:

Citadelles

Hunter Havok!

Timber

Daniel Swift
Emil Egli
Perry Theplatypus
Pawter Meowski
Nibbles The Squirrel
Brent Turnerson
Heath Nicol
Iam Downski
Matthew Mayhem
and
Gravy Train!

[Image: Timber_Cards-1.png]

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All good things must come to an end, but no matter how you slice it, it's been a magical season capped off with the Maine Timber capturing the highly coveted Four Star Cup! Congratulations to Quebec for coming so far and to every Timber player for pulling together to become a true championship team!!

[Image: 4star.png]