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Welcome to the home of the
Keystone Table Hockey League
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Teams Selected for the 2010 KTHL
Anyone interested in playing in the 2010 Keystone Table Hockey League please send an e-mail to: raiderman110@hotmail.com and reserve your team. At this point I have the following teams selected by the following coaches.
New Jersey Devils: Raiderman
New York Rangers: Steve Dowell
Pittsburgh Penguins: Joe Gurney
Washington Capitals: Mike Peters
Ottowa Senators: Mike Wellman
Philadelphia Flyers: Jeff Lau
Anaheim Ducks: Corbyn Bartels
Minnesota Wild: Dale Cogan
Chicago Blackhawks: Brett Burnell (also the NEW League stats guy)
St. Louis Blues: TJ Dietsche
Edmonton Oilers: Craig Sierak
Detroit Red Wings: Al Ploppa
Coaches that have not told me teams:
Karmyn Bartels
Jake Dietsche
Rodney Barrick
Anyone else interested in the 2010 KTHL reserve your team now. The 2010 KTHL will faceoff in June of 2010.
2009 KTHL Playoff Series Recap
Round One: (Best of 5 series)
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers: NY Islanders (3-0)
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: Toronto Maple Leafs (3-0)
Chicago Blackhawks vs. San Jose Sharks: San Jose Sharks (3-1)
Edmonton Oilers vs. St. Louis Blues: Edmonton Oilers (3-1)
Round Two: (Best of 7 series)
New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: Toronto Maple Leafs (4-1)
Ottowa Senators vs. New York Islanders: New York Islanders (4-2)
Minnesota Wild vs. Edmonton Oilers: Minnesota Wild (4-1)
Anaheim Ducks vs. San Jose Sharks: Anaheim Ducks (4-3)
Conference Finals: (Best of 7 series)
New York Islanders vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: New York Islanders (4-3)
Anaheim Ducks vs. Minnesota Wild: Minnesota Wild (4-0)
2009 Keystone Cup Finals: (Best of 7 series)
Minnesota Wild vs. New York Islanders: New York Islanders (4-2)
League MVP: Bryan Trottier (New York Islanders)
Coach of the Year: Dale Cogan
Rookie of the Year: Mike Wellman
2009 KTHL Keystone Cup Finals
What started out as (20) teams back in early June was now down to two. The final two teams that were left to play in the 2009 Keystone Cup Finals were not the number one seeds in their conferences but somehow we just knew that these two table hockey warriors would be tough to defeat in the playoffs. Steve Dowell is an icon in the hobby and tyically when he shows up he wins. Dale Cogan was the road warrior of the League traveling from Allentown each time the League gathered (about an hour and half drive each way).
Game one would be in Minnesota where the Wild were well rested after sweeping their Western Conference Final series 4-0. The Islanders seemed fatigued after a grueling seven game series with the Maple Leafs. Game one showed that fatigue as the Wild scored a playoff record 17 goals in a 17-5 beat down of the Islanders. The Islanders jumped all over the Wild 4-0 in that game before Minnesota went on a 17-1 tear to take game one.
Game two featured a huge defensive adjustment by the Islanders as they slowed down the Wild's offense. The Isles had to stage off a ralleying Wild team in the third period but when the final buzzer sounded the Islanders had taken game two to tie the series 1-1.
Game three took the series to New York where the Islanders were perfect at home all through the playoffs. These two went back and forth all game. By the end of the third period the game was tied as the Islanders blew a lead in the thrid. At the end of 3:00 overtime period still no one had scored and it was time for a shootout. The Islanders failed to score on their shootout attempts and the Wild scored the game winner to take a 2-1 series lead. The Wild were able to rebound from the game two loss and take game three giving the Isles their first home loss in the playoffs.
When game four rolled around the Wild had a 2-1 series lead and the analysts were sure the Islanders would start to show signs of fatigue. Everytime they expected Dowell to fold he answered the call including the game four win in New York to even the series at 2-2.
There was a slight delay after game four because the pizza place closed at 10:00. Not to mention that there were equipment problems and the Wild locker room was locked with the keys inside. After an hour delay the series resumed in Minnesota for game five.
By this time the tides seemed to turn. Instead of the Islanders looking tired it was now the Wild who seemed to suffer from fatigue. Game five began with the Islanders scoring four goals in the opening 45 seconds of the game. The Wild did come back to later tie the game but in the end the Islanders offense and League MVP Bryan Trottier was too much for the Minnesota defense to handle. The New York Islanders took game five in Minnesota and they were on their way back home for game six.
After a tough series in the Eastern Conference Finals and a game one blowout in the Keystone Cup Finals the Islanders really bounced back and looked to be in complete control. Game six was no exception. The Islanders took control of the game early going up 3-0 within the first minute of the game. They never looked back and by the end of the third period it was all Islanders and Steve Dowell won the first Keystone Cup as the Islanders won the series 4-2.
Congratualtions to Steve Dowell on winning the 2009 Keystone Cup. Death, taxes and Steve Dowell in table hockey! Three things that you can't avoid in life. It seemed to take Steve a little time to adjust to the style of the Stiga but by the end of the season he was cruising on all cylinders. Special congratualtions also to Dale Cogan who was also the 2009 KTHL Coach of the Year.
Special thanks to all of you who made the 2009 KTHL a success. Many great coaches and many great games this year. The Eastern Conference Finals was the best series I think I will ever see (until next year anyway). Overall the League was a huge success and many of the coaches already talked about coming back next year. Before that though we have (2) Buzzball Leagues to play! Trade in your skates for cleats and let's getting ready to pop some plastic!
2009 KTHL Conference Championships
The night began with the best of seven series in the Conference Finals. The Islanders would host the Maple Leafs and Ducks would host the Wild in the first two games.
We'll start in the west because it was an easy recap. The best of seven series only went four games as the Wild took care of the Ducks 4-0 in the series. Anaheim couldn't seem to get it going as Minnesota cruised to the Keystone Cup with a high powered offense and a stiff defense.
In the east it looked like the Islanders would have an easy time of it too as they went up 2-0 winning the first two games at home. The Maple Leafs were not to be denied though as they bounced back winning the next two at home. Game five was back on Long Island where the Islander jumped all over the Leafs early and went on to win game five and take a 3-2 series lead. The Islanders had a hard time adjusting to Canada time though as game six was all Maple Leafs and the series was knotted at three games each forcing a game seven back in New York.
The Maple Leafs came out in game seven on fire and took a commanding 7-2 lead in the second period. The third period began with the Maple leafs winning 7-3 and it looked like Joe Gurney was on his way to the first Keystone Cup to face the Wild. Someone forgot to tell Dowell that scoring (7) goals in one period is absolute insanity. League MVP Bryan Trottier put the team on his back and scored a hat trick in the third period. The other four players added goals as well and when the third period ended the game was tied 10-10. Game seven overtime! It doesn't get any better than that! Less than a minute into overtime it was Bryan Trottier again for the game winning shot that won the series for the Islanders 4-3 with the home team winning every game.
So the Islanders earned a trip to the 2009 Keystone Cup to face the Western Champion Minnesota Wild.
2009 KTHL Playoff Recap
What a wacky night of playoff action in the KTHL Playoffs. Round one went almost as expected with two sweeps across board. The Blues held tough against the Oilers but in the end the Oilers won it in four games. The Maple Leafs and Islanders cruised through round one with sweeps against their opponents. The Sharks dropped game one of their series and rallied to win the last three of which two went to overtime!
Round two is where it all began! The Wild hosted the Oilers, the Ducks hosted the Sharks, the Devils hosted the Maple Leafs and the Senators hosted the Islanders.
The Wild played tough all series in round two and although they dropped one game to the Oilers they had enough to pull away in game five in the closing seconds to secure the win and the 4-1 series win over the Oilers.
In the East the Devils and Senators had first round byes and it seemed to hurt them both. The #1 seed Devils came out flat in a game one loss to Toronto 4-1. THey rebounded well in game 2 with a 4-0 win but it was all down hill from there as the Leafs took control of the series and won three straight games to win the series 4-1 knocking the Devils out of the playoffs.
In the other game in the East the Senators hosted the Islanders. The Islanders routed the Senators in game one but the Senators adjusted in game two and tied the series at 1-1. The rest of the games would be close hard fought battles but in the end the experience of the Islanders coach Steve Dowell would be more than Mike Wellman could handle. The Islanders went on to win 4-1.
The last series of the night was an instant classic. The Ducks coming into the playoffs as the overall #1 seed found themselves in trouble quick. THe Sharks proved that they were the superior animal in water and after jumping out to a 3-0 series lead it looked as though the third top seed of the night would fall. Game 4 went to overtime and the Ducks were holding on for their webbed feet lives. With just 8 seconds left in overtime it looked as though we were headed for a shootout to decide the winner but the Ducks left defenseman scored the winning goal!! Trailing 1-3 in the series the Ducks went to work. They managed to win game five by a score of 6-4. Then in game six it was all Anaheim in a 11-4 beat down. So now it's game seven! After being down 0-3 and almost losing in overtime of game four the Ducks battled back to tie the series at 3-3. Now it was game seven. The Sharks were showing signs of fatigue in game six and in game seven the Ducks were too much to handle. Anaheim took the series 4-3 and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
So the Western Conference Finals feature Corbyn Bartels and her #1 seeded Anaheim Ducks vs. Dale Cogan and his Minnesota Wild. Dale was the best player in the League (by record) leading up the last week of the regular season. A small trip up in week 5 lost him the top seed in the west but he still won his division. For the playoffs he switched cars to drive in from Allentown, Pa where he lives. In week 5 he drove a differnt car and it proved to be the difference. For the playoffs he went back to what worked and it worked for sure. Now he's just one series away from the Keystone Cup. In his way is Corbyn Bartels and the Ducks. Dale dismantled the Ducks back in week two and beat them by the mercy rule after just one period. Can they have the same success?
In the East it's two long time veteran Table Hockey players. Steve Dowell has proven himself in this hobby time after time. This is nothing new to ageless veteran. His opponent is Joe Gurney who is also a table hockey veteran. Steve beat Joe in week two of the regular season. After a tough fought battle with the Senators the Islanders have proven that they are the team to beat in the east but Joe hasother ideas. Can the Leafs slow down the League's MVP Bryan Trottier? Can they outscore the high powered offense of Steve Dowell? Only one more week and we'll know.
2009 KTHL Playoffs
The following teams have made the 2009 KTHL playoffs. All teams with the higher seed will be considered the team with home ice for the series. For the five game series the home ice schedule will be 2-2-1 with the higher seed playing games 1, 2 & 5 at home. For the seven game series the home ice schedule will be 2-2-1-1-1 with the highter seed playing game 1, 2, 5 & 7 at home.
EAST:
#3 Islanders (Steve Dowell) vs. #6 Rangers (Rodney Barrick)
#4 Maple Leafs (Joe Gurney) vs. #5 Penguins (Mike Peters)
#1 Devils (Raiderman) will host the lowest seed after round one.
#2 Senators (Mike Wellman) will host the other team after round one.
WEST:
#3 Oilers (Craig Sirek) vs. #6 Blues (TJ Dietsche)
#4 Blackhawks (Brett Burnell) vs. #5 Sharks (Jeff Lau)
#1 Ducks (Corbyn Bartels) will host the lowest seed after round one.
#2 Wild (Dale Cogan) will host the other team after round one.
Round one Playoff Preview
As the 2009 KTHL playoffs approach it’s like preparing for a whole new season. The first (20) games were to see which twelve of the twenty teams would qualify for the post season. Now that we’re past that point now it comes down to which one of the twelve team will be skating away with their name on the Keystone Cup trophy.
We’ll begin the playoff preview out in the Western Conference. The number one seed Ducks are possibly the most consistent team in the West. They never went one week with more than one loss. The #2 seeded Wild are a very good team as well and they actually beat the Ducks by the mercy rule when they played.
Before we talk about the Ducks and Wild playoffs first we have to find out who they will play. Four teams will be fighting for the rights to play the Ducks and Wild. The Oilers who are a very good team sit at the #3 seed in the west. Their opponent is the high octane mouth of TJ Dietsche and his St. Louis Blues. When they played in the regular season the Blues allowed (8) goals to the Oilers in an 8-4 beating…….. I mean meeting. This series should be no different on the scoreboard. Look for St. Louis to be “Crying the Blues” after three quick games.
The other match up in the west is a very interesting series. Only one game separates the Sharks and Blackhawks. Chicago Blackhawks coach Brett “I got robbed” Burnell led the Hawks to a 5-3 win in the regular season. That win gave them the home ice advantage for this critical five game series. The Sharks have played up and down all season long. They shocked the League with wins over the Islanders and Ducks but lost two games to the Blues in the regular season. The Sharks seem to struggle to focus for three straight periods but when they are one look out. Stamina could play a huge part in this playoff series as it will go more than three and maybe even to five games before a winner is known.
League Leaders
The following is a list of League leaders for each Conference after week five. These are the players that will play in the All-Star game if they do not make it to the Keystone Cup.
EAST
Center: Trottier (Islanders) 97 goals
Right Wing: Bathgate (Leafs) 33 goals
Left Wing: Giles (Islanders) 9 goals
Left Defenseman: Niedermayer (Devils) 19 goals
Right Defenseman: Stevens (Devils) 7 goals
Goalie: Brodeur (Devils) 51 goals allowed - 17-3 record
WEST
Center: Koivu (Wild) 65 goals
Right Wing: Gare (Oilers) 24 goals
Left Wing: Brunette (Wild) 9 goals
Left Defense: Niedermayer (Ducks) 23 goals
Right Defense: Burns (Wild) 10 goals
Goalie: Backstrom (Wild) 45 goals allowed - 16-3-1 record
Week 5 Recap
Well at the beginning of week 5 it seemed the 2009 KTHL playoffs were all but set and we just needed to go through the motions but some teams stepped up and other dropped off and all of this created on wacky final week!
At the beginning of the night the Minnesota Wild were the team to beat. They sat at 15-1 on the season and looked to be headed for a Western Conference #1 seed. By the end of the night they were holding on for dear life to this Northwest Division lead and they kissed the #1 seed in the west goodbye too. The Wild were wiltered in week 5 going 1-2-1 in their final four games giving them a 16-3-1 record. The tie enabled them to barely hang on to the division leads as the Oilers surged after them in week 5 going 4-0 and pulled within a half game of the Wild for the division lead.
Meanwhile out West the Ducks were quacking on all cylinders as they went 4-0 in week 5 to capture the Southwest Division title and the #1 seed in the West with a 17-3 record on the year.
The Sharks tried to give their playoff spot away ending the season with a 1-2-1 record. That was enough to put them ahead of the Blues by a 1/2 game in the final standings though. The Blues did go 5-3 in their final (8) games to capture the 6th and final playoff spot. Their reward? A trip to Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs. Good luck with that! Remember to stick around and ref a second round playoff game TJ!
In the east it looked like the Devils were slumping and it was just a matter of time before the Islanders past them for the division lead. Martin Brodeur had other ideas as he led the Devils to a 3-1 record in week 5 capturing the Northeast Division title and the #1 seed in the East. The Islanders secured the #3 playoff spot going 2-2 in the final week. Devils coach Paulo Bartocolis says the Islanders were sandbagging in the final week so they can warm up in the first round of the playoffs on their way to the Keystone Cup. Only time will tell just what Dowell has in store for the KTHL playoffs.
In the Southeast there is the hottest team in the KTHL. The Ottowa Senators are on an (11) game win streak. Their last loss was the first game of week 3 to the Wild. Since then they ran off (11) straight wins and won the Southeast Conference and the #2 seed in the East. Look for a huge showdown in round two of the playoffs if the Islanders win in round one. The Senators and Islanders never played in the regular season but this could be one heck of a series!
The regular season is over and the playoffs are in front of us. Twelve teams, one cup. Who wins it? Stay tuned to find out. More to come.
Week 5 Preview
With one final week to go the two divisions out west seem to be all locked up with the Wild and Ducks needing to win just one of their final four games to wrap up their divisions. The western teams are already set for the playoffs as well it's just a matter of the final seedings.
In the East it's a whole different story. The New Jersey Devils have been the king of the east since week one. However, their new theme song in the locker room is "Slip Sliding Away" as the New York Islanders have showed up with water to put out the Devils fire. These two are tied at 14-2 on the season with four games to go. They split their regular season game with each team winning a blow out. Then they both took one on the chin again a Southwest team. Now it's the final week with four games to go! Among those four games are the Minnesota Wild who are the best team in the League with a 15-1 record. Two potential KTHL Championship previews will take place in the final week when the Islanders and Devils try to detrhone the Wild. If the Devils and Islanders finish the season with the same record the Devils will win the tie breaker because they've allowed less points in the division (as per the tiebreaker rules). First things first and in the way is the Northwest Division. Don't look past the Edmonton Oilers either who are capable of winning any game they play.
The other great division in the East takes place in the Southeast where the Maple Leafs and Senators will battle it out down the stretch for that Division title. Currently both teams have three losses and they still have to face each other in a makeup game in the final week. The winner of that division gets a first round bye and most likely a number two seed but a number one seed isn't out of the question yet either.
Meanwhile in other playoff action the Capitals took huge steps in securing the 6th and final playoff slot in the east but the Rangers are just two games back with four to go and the Rangers have the tie breaker of the Capitals should they finish with the same record. Week five will be the best week yet as all the playoff seeding are determined! Hang in there! It's almost time!
Week 4 Recap
Again, sorry for the delay kids. Very busy week.
Week four had all kinds of excitement. The Islanders are starting to seperate themselves from the rest of the League while the Wild prove they are the team to beat out west and maybe even in the entire League. As the Devils coach assured everyone early on that he's not that good he still managed to go 3-1 in week 4 but that loss was a BIG one to the Islanders who are now tied with the Devils for first in the Northeast.
The Blackhawks seem to be playing a lot better down the stretch including a big win over Edmonton in week 4. The Sharks looked like they would make a legitimate run at the Ducks for the Southwest Division with a 5-4 overtime win over them early on in week four but the Sharks then lost to the Blues later that night.
Be very, very quiet. The Senators are at work and if you think that team isn't for real you better look again! A huge makeup game in week 5 between the Senators and Maple Leafs could decide the division for them and who gets a first round bye.
As week 5 approaches the intensity will high and we'll see who will win the four divisions in the 2009 KTHL! Stay Tuned!
Week 3 recap
What a night! After the conclusion of week 3 we no longer have any teams left that are undefeated.
The night started an hour early as the Maple Leafs had some games to make up and so did the Flames and Kings. While the Flames and Kings continue to struggle the Maple Leafs did manage to go 2-2 from their week 2 games. They lost a close one to New Jersey in the battle of unbeatens 2-1. The Leafs also dropped one to the Islanders but did manage to beat the Flyers and Penguins.
Once 7:00 came it was time for week 3. The night started off when the Maple Leafs headed to Edmonton to battle the Oilers. These two square off often in the CPTHL so this would be a great matchup between two division leaders (at the time). In the end the Leafs had too much for the Oilers in a 7-1 game. The Senators and Wild also faced off at 7:00 in a great matchup. The Wild continued their winning ways beat the Senators 7-2.
Another great game at 7:20 was when the Ducks went to Long Island to battle the Islanders. In an 11-7 shootout the Islanders prevailed and kept pace with the Devils.
The Minnesota Wild continued to take names and hand out beatings last night. Although the Maple Leafs did take them to overtime but the Wild prevailed. At the end of the night they went 4-0 building their record to 11-1 on the year. The Wild currently have the longest win streak in the League with 9 straight wins. That combined with two Oilers losses last nigth puts the Wild in first place in the Northwest Division and they sit 1-1/2 games ahead of the Ducks in the Western Conference.
Well the NJ Devils came out of the gate 11-0 but the final game of the night bit them. The Ducks managed to hand the Devils their first loss of the year with a 4-3 win. Three defensive goals by Scott Neidermayer made the difference for the Ducks. They led the game 4-0 at one point before the Devils adjusted. Then in the third the Devils scored three fast goals to pull within one goal of a tie but the Ducks defense held on. The Devils coach had no words for the media afterwards.
Worthy of mentioning is the NY Rangers who after starting the season 0-4 have won 4 of their last 7 games. The Rangers currently sit in the 6th and final playoff spot in the east. The Penguins continue to win two and lose two every week but they are alive in the playoff hunt as well. The Sharks had a great week 3 going 3-1 on the night and pulled into the #4 spot in the Western Conference Playoffs. The Senators are keeping up with the Maple Leafs in the Southeast and a key week 4 matchup between these two could be for the division! Speaking of the division, with their loss to Anaheim the Devils have a key game on Long Island in week four against the Islanders which could be for the Northeast Division. The Blackhawks continue to stuggle here and there but sit at 6-6 and in the final playoff spot in the west. The Blues took some lumps in week 3 going 1-3 on the night but are currently in the #5 spot in the west. The Capitals sit just a 1/2 game back of the Rangers in the east. Their playoff hopes are very much alive. The Flyers have started playing a lot better in week 3 and they still have a small chance of playoff hopes but they'll need a good week 4 for that to happen.
Week 3 preview
Week three is rapidly approaching and while some teams are no surprise of their success others are looking to lock down playoff spots over the next three League nights. Let’s a take a walk through the upcoming match ups and see what week three has to offer……..
The night will begin before 7:00 when the anticipated week two match up of Toronto and New Jersey will take place. Both teams are still unbeaten and these are two of the most intense coaches in the League. All things show that this will be a great game.
Then once 7:00 comes another great match up is scheduled between Toronto and Edmonton. Edmonton is currently in a three-way tie for first place in the Western Conference. Toronto is tied for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. These two also face each other in the winter when they battle in the Central Pennsylvania Table Hockey League (CPTHL). Also at 7:00 will be an awesome game when the Senators head to Minnesota to battle the Wild. Both teams are in second place in their divisions (although the Wild are in a 3-way tie for first in the West) and every game is important to keep pace with the leaders.
At 7:20 the Ducks of Anaheim will face the NY Islanders in a battle of 6-1 teams. The Islanders have a lot of experience and the Ducks are just good with no competitive experience. Also at 7:20 is the Wild taking their 7-1 record to Toronto in another great game to watch.
The war of the evening happens at 8:40 pm. Lock up the kids and clear the floor because the Ducks go to NJ to battle the Devils. Husband and wife and both are in first place in their divisions. The Ducks coach typically beats the Raiderman but this is now League play and truth be known, Raiderman can handle losing to anyone else EXCEPT the Ducks!! Don’t be alarmed if you hear yelling it’s all perfectly normal between these two. Just stay clear and be thankful you’re not Steve Dowell (who will be the ref for this game).
Week 2 Recap
Well week 2 is behind us now and let me tell this was one wild week. Steve "ironman" Dowell played seven games in week 2 to catch up from his week one absense. In those seven games he went 6-1 and moved right into second place in the Northeast Division.
Week two saw two of the unbeatens fall and another one come real close to losing twice! The game of the night lived up to the hype when the Ducks went to Edmonton to battle the Oilers. Both teams were 4-0. It looked like a blowout was on hand when Edmonton went up 2-0. The Oilers fans started a chant of, "OVER RATED!!" But as they say, don't count your Ducks before they hatch (ok so no one really says that but stay with me). The Ducks rally back to tie the game at 2-2 at the end of one. Each goalie allowed three goals in the second and the game was 5-5 going into the final period. Joe Niedermyer scored his 4th goal of the game in the third and that was the winner. The Ducks went to 5-0. Later in the evening the red hot Wild would hand the Ducks their first loss of the season but Anaheim still sits at 6-1 all alone in first place in the Southwest and in a first place three-way tie in the West (with the Wild and Oilers).
The Devils had a good night in week two but they were not as dominant as in week one. The Capitals took them to overtime before Holik (Devils center) shot the game winner. In Ottowa the Senators gave the Devils all they could handle before New Jersey pulled away 5-3 late in the third period. They sit all alone on top of the east. In week three they'll have a make-up game against Toronto to determine the final undefeated team in the 2009 KTHL.
The Rangers bounced back from their week one disasterous 0-4 start. They won two games in week two putting them very much alive in the playoff hunt.
The team of the night was the Minnesota Wild. They went 4-0 including a 6-0 shallacking of the Ducks. They currently sit in a three way tie for first place in the west and just a half game back of the Oilers in the Northwest Division. The Ducks, Oilers and Wild are all in that three-way tie.
The Flyers seemed to play worse in week 2 then in week 1 but their schedule was tougher. The Lightning need some help too although they did beat the Flyers 4-1. The Capitals play good teams tough and lose to the average teams. I can't explain it. The Stars are another struggling team but their coach is in it for fun and she's having a great time playing with the boys. The Penguins are quietly at 4-3 on the year and in good shape for a playoff spot. The Blues are the comeback kids of the League. Never count them out in the third period. They performed some more last second heroics again this week to win a tough game. If the Blackhawks can manage to play 3 complete periods of hockey they'd be a tough team. Look for them to start to win those close games as the season goes on. The Sharks. Who knows what goes on in that coaches head! Just two wins in two weeks could see their coach driving the zamboni machine in San Jose if they don't get their act together!
That's a week 2 wrap! Thanks to all who participated and to those who did not make plans to get your games played.
A Look at Week 2
As week 2 approaches there are some great inter-conference games that will take place. Let's take a look around the KTHL..........
The night begins early when the NY Islanders catch up from their week off. They should be able to play at least three of their four games in time before the start of the week 2 schedule begins at 7:00. Look for the Islanders to be in first place in the Northeast by 7:00 with an undefeated record. Steve Dowell has more experience playing this game than most of us are old!
Once 7:00 comes it's on to week 2 and we face-off the night with a HUGE matchup in Anaheim when the 4-0 Ducks hosts the 4-0 Oilers. This could be for home ice throughout the Western Conference Playoffs. This will be one of the best games of the night (at least on paper it looks good).
Throughout the night there will be many key matchups including the game between the Islanders and Maple Leafs. This early season matchup could decide who has the home ice throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
There will also be great matchups when the Wild face the Blues, the Devils play the Senators and someone has to win a game when the Stars host the Flames!
Meanwhile the Sharks will look to get past .500, the Blackhawks look to continue their two game win streak, the Flyers try to get their act together after an 0-2 start, the Rangers, Flames, Stars and Lightning attempt to get their first win, the Red Wings, Kings and Bruins look for win #2 on the year. Can the Penguins live up to their real life legacy and make a run in week two? Will the Capitals adjust to the Stiga style of game play? Will the Kings take out two family members in week 2 and be the KING of the Brown house?
Only time will tell and week 2 is right around the corner.........
Week one recap
What an awesome night and an even better group of people. It's an honor to run the KTHL with this group of class individuals. We have talent on all levels and everyone works with each other.
Week one featured Divisional matchups with all four divisions producing (4) undefeated teams, (4) one loss teams and four winless teams. The Maple Leafs looked very tough in the south east. The Ducks took care of business in the southwest while the Oilers look to be the team to beat out in the north west. Don't count out the Wild just yet. They showed some glimpse of hope in their games and will be a force this year. One of the best players in the League couldn't make it on opening night but look for the Islanders to be a major force in the east. Speaking of force the Senators will not be an easy out in the weeks to come either.
It was a very busy night and it went extremely well. We were within 5 minutes of the overall schedule all night. Thanks to all of you who make the KTHL a success. For those that struggled in week one hang in there. It's a long season. You'll do fine.
Special Thanks to Lynn Schmidt for our Leagues Logo
I would like to thank Lynn "Weird Wolf" Schmidt for his work on our League's logo. Lynn does an awesome job on our logos that we need. He has created many League logos for electric football leagues throughout the country and time after time he outdoes himself. If you would like Lynn to create a logo for your League drop him an e-mail at: weirdwolf@weirdwolf.net and he can do the same for you. His prices are very reasonable for the quality of work that he does. When you drop him a line tell him that Raiderman sent you and he'll be happy to hook you up!
For all of your Stiga Hockey needs (and wants)
If you browse the web there are certainly places out there to get your Stiga hockey gear. I recommend Len Mecca at: www.rodwarriors.com
Click onto his web site and even though the teams say OUT OF STOCK he probably has them. (His web guy doesn't keep up with the latest shipments). Drop him an e-mail and tell him that the RAIDERMAN sent you to his store. He'll hook you up. I've ordered items from him and he's great to deal with.
I also recommend www.tablehockeypro.com for their AWESOME puck deflectors and puck return devices. They have graciously donated a couple defelctors to the KTHL (sorry, they're going on my games :P) and they work really good. They are also required on all games used in the KTHL so order yours soon!
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Keystone Table Hockey League
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