Aug 18 – Week 14 - VDHL Championship Previews

Islanders vs. Grinders

Both matches came to a nail-biting finish as both the Islanders and Grinders were toppled by a late 3^rdperiod goal from the opposition which sent them into this year’s third place bout. However, some may think of it as the battle for next year’s lottery pick. Early reports say that the Islanders may choose to tank as Captain Keith Mitchell decidedly to selfishly have his child the week of the finals. Is this a tactic to guarantee himself next year’s #1 pick? Keith had this to say, “I choose not to comment on what the news is saying. It’s all speculation and rumours. It’s tough finishing first in the season to be eliminating right off the hop. We were the heavy favourites and it feels like we are the Tampa Bay Lightning…The Islanders will learn from this season and I’m going to focus on this last game, but it will be tough to think about what will happen next year. It will be tough to keep the core together, Brietkopf and Luk are having amazing seasons and it will be tough to keep them both under the salary cap. Their 1-year contract expires and they enter their UFA years and I hear they are both wanting 8 x 8 ($8 million per season for 8 years). Our team is going to look really different next year, but I know I’ll be able to lock down at least one of those guys.” Breaking news: A third-party source has just told us that Hu Brietkopf has just booked a surprise family vacation and he’s bringing Jonathan back to China and they leave Saturday night!

 

The captain of the Grouse Grinders, Paul Chong, has a chance to repeat history… and not in a good way. He may become the first captain in VDHL history to hold both back-to-back 1^stoverall picks after this Sunday’s game. This may be the new Edmonton Oilers in the making. “It’s unfortunate that our last game ended the way it did. Some unlucky bounces on our part and we are now playing for our pride and reputation. Even tough I got suspended, this team has really played well and I have even been promoted to doorman and assistant coach on the bench,” Chris Seburn said. Captain Paul Chong has a lot to think about as his draft strategy was to pick as many female players as possible to boost their attendance and season ticket holder’s interest in the team. “Now that we have a loyal following and with our fan interaction app, Grindr, which has really gotten popular, our team will be supported through thick and thin, no matter how messy it gets.”

 

Lions vs. Wizards

What seemed to be a battle of the Chong’s with both Isaac and Paul having significant impacts on the game, the elder brother came out on top. With a 2 goals and an assist, he helped lift his Lions over the Grinders in a 4-3 Win in the late stages of the game. He now has to go through two more Chongs, both Captain Jacob and brother Dan from the West Coast Wizards. Will he be able to lead his pack to the top of Pride Rock and lift that trophy like he once did his newborn son? With every statistical category in the favor of the Lions, they are by far the favourite to win it all in the first inaugural season of the VDHL. The Lions have had a stellar rise near the mid-point of the season all the way to the VDHL Finals. They’ve had it all, stellar offense, defense, goaltending, team jerseys, short-benches, a 1 game ringer, injuries, and of course, the most elusive jock strap in the history of sports.

 

This can be a Cinderella story in the making. With a big surprise upset against the Islanders, the Wizards have booked a date with destiny. Contributions from Sunny Minhas, who has now proved his 4^thpick overall worth, helped his Wizards by performing a beauty “Petronus” spell by putting his team on the board while being short-handed. A huge momentum swing for the Wizards. Darren Young clapped a seeing-eye shot from the point that went post and in which proved to be the game-winner to send the Wizards to the finals. “From about mid June, we were 1-5, no one thought we would have a chance at the dance, but here we are, one game away from lifting the championship.” Captain Jake “Berube” Chong stated in an interview leading up to the final game. News surrounding the team and city have reported a lot of wackos, that are die-hard wizard fans, are now coming out of the woodworks claiming they made sport bets during their horrendous start claiming they have tickets paying out 300:1, similarly to the Vegas Golden Knights. “This just shows that the parity in the league is great and that anyone can win it all. You just have to remain focused and keep your eye on that prize.” Though they may seem like the underdog, you cannot count out the Wizards as they have hushed all their critics and have “Evanesco-ed” the Islanders and will do their best to “Expelliarmus” and  “Stupefy” the Lions to make history.

 

*All spells are trademarked by Harry Potter and owned by Warner Bros.*

Aug 11 – Week 13 Playoff Match-up Previews - Semi-Finals

Islanders  vs Wizards 

Though the Islanders and Wizards split the season series 2 – 2, with every category in the favour of the Islanders, they are the huge favourites to come out of this series playing for the Championship. Both teams have suffered noticeable injuries and absences which can alter the team dynamics drastically.

There are story lines galore in this match up:

Will Kevin Lam score his first goal of the season?

Will Paul Hachey come up clutch again?

What impact will Jason Luk and Jonathan Brietkopf have now that this is the most important game of the season?

From dirt and ashes, will Jacob “Berube” Chong rise to the occasion and take his team to the promised land?

Can the real Carlos Mccallister please stand up?

Is this going to be Manpreet Atwal’s breakout game?

How will the team rebound after the Michael “Goon” show?

 

Lions vs. Grinders

Though the Lions took the season series 3 – 1, the Grinders don’t need to panic as the underlying statistics and corsi stats show that they are an even match-up head to head. 

This could be a toss up, but we will ask ourselves these important questions heading into the semi-finals:

Which Chong will prevail?

Will Trevor Emmerson and Meghan Brooks be able to continue their dominance as offensive leaders?

Does the ringer Karlo Agojo make his second appearance of the season?

Has Jeff Tam found his jock strap yet?

Is Hussein’s back 100% or did the slice of toast get the better of him?

Will 1^stoverall, Eric Chan Wong be a difference maker?

Can Courtney Parker, Jacki Cho, and Michelle Lau be able to contain their female counterpart?

 

Anything can happen once you get to the dance. These are going to be epic match-ups!

 

Aug 4 - Week 12 Preview

Wizards vs. Grinders

The Wizards have given themselves a fighting chance to climb out of the pits of the VDHL standings and eclipse the Grinders in the last game of the regular season. Fresh off a hat-trick performance against the Islanders, Jason Jang met with media, "Everyone counted us out in the first few games but now we have started to gel and give ourselves a chance. Could this really be the St.Louis Blues Cinderella Story in the making? Will Carlos Mccallister continue to be a rock from the backend? There are many questions with this team going into the final stretches of the season. But one thing is for certain, Brett Parker has mad dangles.

The "new Wizards" of the VDHL have put together one of the longest losing streaks of VDHL history. With 4 Losses in July, they are now in jeopardy of becoming the lottery team for next years draft. The measures that this team will go through have no limits. Rumour has it that they are even benching Cousin-duo Brian Lau in the pipes and also impact player Jeff Spackman for their final regular season game, "The optics from the outside may look like we are tanking, but that just isn't it, we are still playing our hearts out. We need to rest to make sure we are fresh for the playoffs and ready for whomever we face." Captain Paul Chong has been the one of the least productive Chong's on the ice (count them, there are 6 in total) and has been a talking point in the news. "I'm not sure where it all started to fall apart. We have been playing well but haven't had the puck luck we needed. We need to keep playing for the people in the room and focus on the final stretch."

Lions vs. Islanders

The Lions have finally gotten past the Islanders in the standings with the come-back win against the Grinders last Sunday. A very dramatic and intense game gave Garson Kwan a time to shine and he didn't disappoint by potting in the game winner from a beauty feed from Trevor Emmerson. Tony Chen held the fort as he carried his Lions undefeated for the month of July giving them the opportunity to seal 1st place in the standings. His performance also earned him 1st Star of the Month. Meghan Brooks also earned 2nd Star of the Month with an impressive play-making month with 1G, 7A. Of course, the final standings would boil down to a final showdown against their rivals, the Islanders. 

The Islanders goaltender, Jonathan Brietkopf, has been battling a recent injury and it has shown. Finally posting Beer League goaltender numbers of a 3.11 Goals Against Average. Though he still holds the number one spot in Wins and Save %. Without their three pillars, Cole Patterson, gone for family reasons, Jonathan Brietkopf, battling injuries, and Jason Luk, missing key games, they risk losing 1st place standings which they have held on to for the majority of the season. Captain Keith Mitchell may have to increase the dose of "Michael's Secret Stuff" (Jameson) if he wants his team firing on all cylinders again. Have the Islanders ran out of "Luk"? Or will they be able to keep their composure and "Rob" the Lions of their glorious climb?

 

July

1st Star	2nd Star	3rd Star
Tony Chen (G) - Lonsdale Lions Games Played - 4 GP Wins - 4 SO - 1 GAA - 2.25 SV% - 0.898 MVP - 2 Tony Chen went undefeated in the month of July posting some sparkling numbers any Beer-League Goalie would be proud of. With 4 Wins, 1 SO, a 2.25 Goals Against Average, and a 0.898 Save %, he helped his Lions climb all the way to the top of the standings and now sit in 1st place.	Meghan Brooks (F) - Lonsdale Lions Games Played - 4 GP Goals - 1 Assists - 7 Points - 8 MVP - 5 Meghan Brooks has represented Girl Power very well in this league. She plays very hard, supports her teammates, and is probably the best puck distributor in the league. Her 7 assists in the month of July has shown that. She has been a continual and consistent offensive threat all season and took her game to the next level for July. Can she reach an even higher ceiling?	Rob Vince (F) - Granville Islanders Games Played - 3 GP Goals - 3 Assists - 2 Points - 5 MVP - 1 Rob Vince could be one of the most underrated goal scorers in the league. He always manages to make the most of his opportunities and has tallied 3 goals and 2 assists for the month of July. His accurate "Boeser-like" shot makes it tough for any goalie to read and he can snipe any corner of the net. The secondary scoring he's provided has proven to be invaluable to the Islanders.

*3 Stars of the Month will receive a pair of G-Funk socks courtesy of G-Funk Apparel* 

July 28 – Week 11 Previews

Grinders vs. Lions

1^st Overall pick Eric Chan Wong and Captain Paul Chong attempted the comeback last week against the Islanders with a 2 goal and 1 assist performance each but was not enough to stop the mighty Paul Hachey in his dominating performance in key moments that really swung the momentum of the game to the Islanders favor. Tendy Brian Lau battled through an in-game leg injury which may have impacted his movements but the team did not comment on the speculation. The Grinders have been sliding down the slipperly slopes of Grouse towards the bottom of the standings. Will they be able to bounce back and gain some momentum against the Lions?

The defence lead the way once again from the Lions. Grant Wang along with Trevor Emmerson both had a very impressive 1 G, 2A performance  in the 7-0 blow out against the struggling Wizards. Kevin Chong was skating all over the ice and contributed with an impressive one-timer that earned him 1^st star honors of the game. Tony Chen earned his first shutout of the season. Something that has been quite rare and an impressive feat as that has only happened twice this season and is now tied with Carlos Mccallister. Currently, the Lions have the greatest goal difference of +9 and are riding a 3 game winning streak. With two regular season games left, can they keep it up?

Wizards vs Islanders

The Wizards fell to the Lions in a massive blow-out of 7-0 that was to be forgotten. Even with a majority of their group playing, the absence of their D-core of Captain Jacob Chong and Brett Parker was enough for the team to falter and give up too many scoring chances. The Wizards need players to step up and work together as a team. They must keep their spirits high as this is still anyone’s game. Anything can happen in the playoffs. “The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” – Molière

Paul Hachey has proven to be a very excellent pick up at the draft for Captain Keith Mitchel. Chosen in the 11^th round, with the 43^rd pick, he leads all players in scoring, goals, assists, games played, time on ice in the +60 age category. Joking aside, Age has now slowed down this legend as he has outplayed the majority of his younger competitors drafted much earlier. Jason Luk had an offensive explosion with 6 points (4G, 2A) as he feasted on the Grinders, giving Brain Lau nightmares and PTSD. The Islanders still came out with the W without their all-star goaltender Jonathan Brietkopf who had decided to retire, but is contemplating coming out of retirement to raise the Cup with his fellow comrades.  The Islanders are still sitting pretty in at #1 in the standings but are losing ground to the hot Lions.

 

July 21 - Week 10 Previews

Islanders vs. Grinders

The Islanders had a reality check last game from a 7-3 shelling from the Lions. A post-game interview had Jonathan Brietkopf reflect on his performance, “Man, after that game, I might consider retirement. It was tough seeing all those pucks go in. But that game is behind me now and I can’t dwell on that now.” A notable grinder performance from Savio Lobo, who finds his spots around the ice, scored a beauty tip from the slot, giving the team some life early in the 2^ndperiod. However, the team couldn’t capitalize on the momentum swing giving up 4 unanswered goals. In other news, VDHL wants to congratulate Cole Paterson on the birth of his new child! Due to family commitments, he will be on a personal leave and will be absent from the team for the remainder of the season. He will be missed greatly, but we can always be reminded of his presence on the top of the PIMS leader board.

Captain Paul Chong, fresh from a crushing defeat against the Wizards, took the loss very seriously and had the whole team attend the mandatory optional skate late Friday night. “Though Kirk and Courtney have their big wedding day coming up this Sunday, we all know that the team is more important than the individuals, and they bag-skated harder than any other players during practice. That just shows their commitment to the team. Our play lately hasn’t been up to my expectation so we ran some skating drills that made the movie scene from “Miracle” look like a walk in the park. Rumours have spread that Hussein Nathani tweaked his back when he was picking up a slice of toast from the ground. “Can you comment on Hussein’s play recently? His play and skating hasn’t looked 100%.” “The team will not comment, nor confirm or deny the rumours of how Hussein hurt his back.”

Lions vs. Wizards

The Brooks Siblings Meghan and Joel had a big time performance with a Sedin-esque dominance to the game with 3 assists from Meghan and 1G, 1A from brother Joel. They carried the majority of the play with Captain Isaac Chong who had a hat-trick and also two helpers. “Despite what the stats say, our Captain doesn’t hog the puck, he does get assists. There’s nothing wrong with a shoot first mentality.” Cousin Chris Chong said after the big win. For the first time this season, Jonathan Brietkopf looked human allowing 7 goals on 39 shots posting a Beer League Save% of 0.821. A supporting cast of forwards stepped up to support Megan’s continual offensive tear with Vince Louie, Chris Chong, and John Yeo all contributing to the offense.  They face the Wizards this week in an important match up that could launch them into first place in the standings.

O’ Captain, my Captain. Jake the Snake Chong had a feast on the Grinders last week with a dominating performance on the ice with a goal and two helpers. “Clearly, from the first shift, we knew he came to play. His intensity on offense and defense really helped push the pace for our team. He’s our leader for a reason.” Michael Yoo said after the 5-2 win. Carlos had a stellar performance in net once again posting a 0.939 save % stopping 31 of 33 shots. Alex Lau had a brilliant performance potting in 2 goals and a helper to earn him first star honours of the game. A very timely goal from Andrew Harbord late in the 2^ndperiod really put a dagger to the Grinders momentum in the 2^ndperiod.  Long, lost Brother Mandeep Barn, returned from his KHL contract to cheer on his brothers from another mother, Sunny Minhas and Manpreet Atwal, who both had impressive performances that helped drive the offense and chase loose pucks during the late stages of the game which helped seal their win against the Grinders.

 

July 14 – Week 9 Previews

Islanders vs. Lions

Despite winning over the Islanders in a 4-1 game, it’s the big guns that stepped up once again. Keith Mitchell, Jason Luk, and Rob Vince all continue their hot streak racking up points. But the real question is, what happens if they get cold? Depth scoring has been an issue with the Islanders despite having the best record so far this season. DJ Paul Hachey had this to say about their depth scoring, “Hey, as long as we got Johnny B back there, and maybe Cole stops taking so many trips to the sin bin, we’ll be okay. Don’t you worry about us. The Islanders are the real deal. We’re going to put the Lions back in their place!”

The Lion King, Isaac Chong, had a very impressive game back after missing last game celebrating his son’s 1^st birthday. “He was very visible on the ice on both offense and defense. He made his presence felt and the team responded in a good way. He was doing whatever it took to win, diving head-first into traffic, blocking shots, clearing garbage in front of the net. This is what pumps the rest of us up.” Tony Chen said after the 4-3 win over the Grinders. The Lions boast one of the best D-core in the league that puts up points while shutting the opponents down. However, as the Lions enter the final stretch before playoffs, will Meghan Brooks still be able to carry the offensive load for the forward group?

Grinders vs. Wizards

With less than a handful of games remaining, the Grinders became the first team to suit a full bench. “We finally are healthy and I really thought we would have the legs to take it to the Lions last game. It was a really tight game with missed chances. Sometimes the bounces just don’t go our way. We’re going to keep at it and focus on the next game,” Jeff Spackman said after the 4-3 loss to the Lions, “We also heard that there was a ringer that suited up for the very first time on their team. Who is this Karlo? Scored on his first shot and first shift? Sounds like a ringer to me!”

Despite a 4-1 loss to the Islanders, it was the Carlos Mccallister Show as he made highlight reel saves all night to make it a very tight game all the way to the end. In the 2^nd period alone, he faced 25 shots. Injuries have plagued the Wizards all season long as they once again, dress a short bench. A satellite post-game interview call was made to Captain Jacob Chong who was vacationing with his family in Whistler, “It’s tough, I mean, losing Scotty early on in the season and also players throughout the year has really hurt us. Carlos can’t bail us out every game. We need to start potting in some goals.” Brett Parker scored the lone goal for the Wizards last game with a beauty of a break away with a backhand 5-hole against the impenetrable Jonathan Brietkopf.

July 7 - Week 8 Preview

Wizards vs. Islanders

All the trade rumours finally lit a fire under the Jacob “Berube” Chong and with Sunny Minhas and Brett Parker, they combined for a 7-point night between the three of them and carried the offensive load to overcome the struggling Lions of Lonsdale. Will they be able to keep the momentum going as they enter the final 5 games of the season? If we learned anything from Playoff Hockey, anything can happen. You just have to get to the dance. “Coach finally tried me on forward. It’s nice to help chip in offensively for a team win. I felt pretty good out there, I mean, I came out injury-free so that’s a good day at the office for me,” Brett Parker answered during a mandatory team workout session. Has Defenseman turned Forward, Brett Parker, now become the reverse Brett Burns of the VDHL?

The 1^stplace Islanders took a hit last game as they struggled to generate offense and keep the puck out of their net while missing their top forward in Jason Luk, who went down with flu-like symptoms, and their all-star goalie . Jon Brietkopf took his talents to China to try out for the National Team and the scouting report came back, “Jon is a very agile goaltender who reads plays very well and has very good rebound control. He’s performed very well so far in the Vancouver Draft Hockey League, putting up great numbers against the best players in the world. However, there’s this one thing. He definitely looks Chinese, but what kind of last name is  B-R-I-E-T-K-O-P-F?!” It looks like both the Islanders and the Wizards will be short-benched this week and may provide opportunities for the game to blow wide open.

Lions vs. Grinders

Now that out-of-town weekend X-Wing tournaments and birthday parties are a thing of the past, Captain Isaac Chong can now focus on his Lions. TSN analyst Pierre McGuire had this to say about their last game, “There were noticeable gaps in the defense of the Lions. The three-defense rotation really hurt them as the game got to the later stages of the game. They just couldn’t sustain enough pressure on the Wizards, Gord. Derek Moore of the Lions has been a Godsend for the Lions. He waited all the way till the 10^thround to be drafted and he’s proving all his critics wrong. The Pavel Datsuk of 2019. He almost carried his team to a comeback. Unreal. That is some unreal drafting by Captain Isaac Chong, really, really good drafting. Also, I’ve really been lovin’ Vincent Louie’s game. He’s definitely been living up to his 4^thround selection. His speed and tenacity on the puck is infectious and is a great leader for his team. He is also tied for 2^ndin team scoring with Meghan Brooks.”

Welcome to the league, Jeff Amanse. Finally living up to his #1 selection potential years back in the Chong Bros. Christmas Invitational Tournament, Jeff Amanse earned 1^ststar of the game honours with a brilliant 5-point performance (2g, 3a). But it didn’t end there, Hussein Nathani, Chris Seburn, and Kirk Boechler all had 3 points in their 7-3 win as they feasted on the Islanders who were missing their #1 goalie, Jon Brietkopf. The Grinders currently are riding a 3-game winning streak and are hoping to keep the streak alive against the hungry Lions. Captain Paul Chong had some time to share his thoughts on the recent team success, “Depth scoring is huge in this league, I was super pleased when Chris and Hussein dropped to round 6 and 8 respectively. I had no idea they were going to contribute and develop so quickly. It’s going to be tough keeping both of them next year while staying under the cap. It looks like the Wizards may throw out an offer-sheet at one of them.”

June

1st Star	2nd Star	3rd Star
Jason Luk(F) - Granville IslandersGames Played - 3 GPGoals - 3Assists - 4Points - 7MVP - 63rd Overall pick and 1st choice for the Granville Islanders, Jason Luk, has proven to be an offensive dynamo racking up an insane 2.33 PTS/GP. The only time the Islanders lost in June was when he was not in the line up.	Jeff Amanse(F) - Grouse GrindersGames Played - 4 GPGoals - 3Assists - 4Points - 7MVP - 3Jeff Amanse had an offensive explosion with 5 pts in his last game giving him 2nd Star Honours for the month of June. Is this the resurgence of the old Jeff Amanse who went 1st Overall in the 2013 Chong Brothers Christmas Invitational Tournament?	Darren Young(D) - Westcoast WizardsGames Played - 3 GPGoals - 3Assists - 1Points - 4MVP - 3Darren Young had a very impressive month of June transitioning back to defense with 3 goals from the back end. He's helped the Wizards drive the offensive play when the the team have been starving for goals.

*3 Stars of the Month will receive a pair of G-Funk socks courtesy of G-Funk Apparel* 

June 23  - Week 7 Preview

Wizards vs Lions

A secret emergency players only meeting took place after another loss. Bob McKenzie had reported that the Wizards were interested in seeking a scoring winger and a shut down defenseman via trade or free agency. It was also rumoured that next year’s draft picks were on the table as well. “Look, the Wizards don’t need to sell the future and hit the panic button just yet. However, they may want to consider looking into trading asset for asset. But who knows what that can look like. A team shake up could be what this team needs.” Sportsnet reporter Iain MacIntyre managed to catch up with veteran Daniel Chong, “No player is safe nowadays. If the Gretzky can be traded, anyone can be traded. Everyone here is playing for a roster spot and even a contract for next year, so we can’t throw in the towel so early into the season.”

The Lions put on a very gutsy performance last Sunday with contributors from Jeff Tam with his first of the season, and John Yeo with a quick short-side wrister. Goalie Tony Chen had a shaky goal go in between the wickets but recovered beautifully and had what seemed to be breakaway save after breakaway save to keep his team in it. “We have sort of lost our style of play over the last few games here. Some games we have our key guys contributing, and other nights we have our important role players stepping up. When our whole line-up is going, we are a very dangerous team. Hopefully we can find a way to get back into the win column against the Wizards."

Islanders vs Grinders

Rob “Lion-Tamer” Vince had himself a game last Sunday against the Lions. With two big goals, including the game-winner, he carried the team offensively and cashed in on his opportunities, “What can I say? The bounces have been going my way. But, it was a team win and I can’t take all the credit. My line-mates have been amazing so far and our whole team is gelling. Everything is coming up Islanders.” With the Grinders coming off their 2nd win in a row and what looks to be a healthy line up, can the Islanders defeat them and achieve the unthinkable 5 wins in a row this season?

Defenseman turned forward Jonathan Lee scored the game-winning goal from a point shot tip against the Wizards in a tight game. A post-game reporter asked him about the play and this is what Jonathan had to say. “We started calling this play “just the tip”. I’m starting to gain more experience and confidence with “just the tip”. It’s a dangerous play because you never know what could happen. Ever since I changed positions, “just the tip” became a lot more natural and easy to perform since I can now face the target. This is going to be my go to move now that I think I’ve mastered it. However, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But when it does, oh boy, does it feel so damn good when it goes in…”

“You’re still talking about hockey right…?”

June 16  - Week 6 Preview

Grinders vs. Wizards

"There's something magical about visting Micky and Minnie at Disneyland. It helped me rediscover my passion on the ice," Jeff Spackman said after the 5-1 win over the Lions. He and captain Paul Chong each chipped in for two goals and got an empty net from Alan Poon to defeat the Lions, giving them their first regulation loss of the season. A huge collision involving winger Jacki Cho gave the team a scare as she was helped off the ice. "It was really tough seeing my girl go down like that. We all know that the girls help stabilize the boys and keep them in check," fellow teammate and close friend Michelle Lau said after the game. The Grinders look to climb into a tie for 2nd place in the standings this weekend.

During the post-media scrum, goaltender Carlos McCallister had this to say about their slow start, "This is clearly not the start we wanted, but if St.Louis can go from worst to first, why can't we? We just need to find our mojo. There isn't going to be a Binnington. It's just me back there so we have to find a way to win games." The Wizards have been extremely short benched the last few games missing key role players creating a mish mash of line combinations. Can they turn it around against the Grinders?

Islanders vs. Lions

Jason Luk and Mike Bui tag teamed a 3pt game each. 9th round and 35th pick overall Mike Bui may have had his breakout game and no longer can hide in the shadows. "He's an impact player that can really use his speed to join rushes. It really helps create offense," Victor Van said after the team practice. "I'm glad I got drafted with with him!" According to the stats, Man of Mystery, VDHL Sponsor, owner of G-funk apparel, Govind Minhas has played 1 game, yet, he is no where to be seen on the ice still. Rumours have it that he is celebrating his 8 weekend wedding in a row and is questionable for this weekend.

The Lions of Lonsdale were not pleased with the team effort last game and captain Isaac Chong decided to keep them back after the game to bag skate them. It was the largest goal differential to date and it was their first loss in regulation. "Winners don't like to lose. So when we lose, it's bag skating time," Isaac explained to reporters. "We are well rested after the bag skate and we are going to be flying against the Islanders, just you watch and see." With a regulation win over the Islanders, the Lions can retake 1st place in the standings.

June 9  - Week 5 Preview

Lions vs. Grinders

No one can argue that the Lions are a force to be reckoned with. With a 3-0-1 start they managed to secure and pull a big victory last week short-benched and without their captain Isaac Chong, "Yeah I had a good time at the tournament beating nerds with plastic figurines and all, but now it's time to get back to business and keep the streak alive." Not only do they lead the league in the standings with points, they also lead the league in team PIMS. Will this eventually bite them in the ass?  Team leader for PIMS Wilson Leung had this to say to the reporters after their team practice, "Well, the league really needs to open their eyes and hire new refs, I mean, they are blatantly trying to send me to the box constantly. I'm a goon in their eyes and that will never change..." Regardless of Wilson's selfish play, the team is still rolling hot. As Mugatu from Zoolander would say, "It's those damn Lions! They're so hot right now!"

The Grinders almost completed the comeback last week as they went into a Shootout against the Islanders. Victor Wong came back with vengeance and carried the Grinders on his back, despite coming off a shoulder injury, "I wanted to prove to Islanders I ain't no *expletive deleted*.  I wanted payback for that hit. It's too bad we couldn't get the two points but we'll take the single." The rumour mill had Jeff Spackman living the life with his family down in Califonia Disneyland trying to find his mojo as he still remains pointless so far this season. Tendy Brian Lau had this to say about his teammate, "He's just too good. As his teammate, and relative, I can say with confidence that the points will come. He's just too good. Maybe if he played more like a 4th forward like Mr. Mitchell, he would be able to get in on the offense." Will this be Spackman's breakout game?

Islanders vs. Wizards

Captain Keith Mitchell continues to lead his Islanders towards the top with another nail-biting Shootout victory against the Grinders last week, "It must be the pre-game Jameson. There's something magical about it. It just feels like we float on the ice when we hit that sweet elixir before the game. It's like Michael's Secret Stuff in Space Jam.. We all get pumped and ready to play." Defenseman turned forward Rey Tan-Ng had this to say about this upcoming rematch after their team practice, "They got some lucky bounces last game against us and this time, they better be ready. We are starting to find our rhythm and groove and we're firing on all cylinders right now."

Captain Jacob Chong sustained a lower body injury days before their game last week due to poor foresight that lifting heavy boxes all day in sandals may not be the best idea after all. As a result, the crippled coach cheered his team from the sidelines almost to have a huge comeback win over the Lions. HBO's 24/7 crew caught Captain Jacob Chong dropping F-bombs in every sentence during the intermissions  making John Tortorella look like an innocent church boy. 9th round pick and 36th overall, Darren Young had a beast performance and carried his team with a 3 point performance (2G, 1A). "It was a battle out there, both teams were short benched, both teams were missing their captains and key players, it was a true test to see what we were made of. At the end of the day, we stack up against any team in the league. Because of the SO point that the Grinders got last week, the Wizards now sit last in the standings and hope to change their fortunes by repeating history and beating the Islanders this coming Sunday.

June 2  - Week 4 Preview

Grinders vs. Islanders

The Grinders are coming off their first win of the season off the backs of Brian Lau with stellar goaltending and the heat-seeking missile from Jonathan Lee that went through 10 bodies the go post and in with only a 1:18 left to go in the third. Can the Grinders rally without their 1st overall pick Eric Chan Wong? Rumour has it that he was given a team ban for an undetermined amount of games for doping. No wonder he went 1st overall. Seburn earned 3rd Star of the Month honours with a solid 1.33 PPG with 2 goals and 2 assists in 3 games.

The Islanders are also coming off a dramatic comeback victory against the Lions with a victory in the Shootout. "When you have a goalie like Brietkopf, as a defenseman, I can rush up knowing that he can handle all the oddman rushes. I mean, look at me last game, I was basically the 4th forward every shift," Captain Keith Mitchell said after the win. Jonathan Brietkopf received 2nd Star of the Month honours with stellar statistics and the top goalie is paying dividends for the Islanders right now.

Wizards vs. Lions

In the month of May, the Wizards got an even spread of contributors up and down their line up and it has resulted positive results moving forward for the group. Carlos McCallister has shown flashes of brilliance thus far and has kept the team in it every game. Brett Parker has managed to closely injure himself every game thus far and may need to have a sit down with Captain Jacob Chong to work on "load management" for the rest of the season. The Wizards will need to conjure some hocus pocus and abra kadabra if they want to climb the standings. 

After the month of May, the Lions are leading the league with 2 W and a SO Loss boasting 5 pts through 3 games. Stud defenseman Trevor Emmerson earned 1st Star of the Month honours for the month of may posting up a 1.66 PPG (1G, 4A) through his first 3 games. Meghan Brooks continues to be the offensive driver for the Lions with an impressive 3 goals and 1 assist through her first 3 games. Tony did not disappoint in his debut as he posted a ridiculous 0.931 Save %. If the Lions continue to move at this pace, they could be the odds on favourite to win it all. An important side note - Captain Isaac Chong will miss this week's game due to more important engagements that involve big, sweaty, stinky men, and plastic Star Wars Miniatures. 

MAY

1st Star	2nd Star	3rd Star
Trevor Emmerson(D) - Lonsdale LionsGames Played - 3 GPGoals - 1Assists - 4Points - 5MVP - 3A solid showing for the first month of May for 1st pick (2nd overall) of the Lions, Trevor Emmerson. He brings stability and offense to the strong D-core of the Lions.	Jonathan Brietkopf(G) - Granville IslandersGames Played - 3 GPWins - 2GAA - 2.00Save % - 0.919MVP - 5Jon Brietkopf boasts solid numbers that any VDHL team would drool over. He gives his team a chance to win every night and leads the league in game MVP selections.	Chris Seburn(F) - Grouse GrindersGames Played - 3 GPGoals - 2Assists - 2Points - 4MVP - 1Where goals seem to be a commodity in the league, Chris Seburn chipped in two goals in his first game and still provided a couple of helpers to help his Grinders stage a last minute comeback in the last game.

*3 Stars of the Month will receive a pair of G-Funk socks courtesy of G-Funk Apparel* 

May 26 - Week 3 Preview

Islanders vs. Lions

The Islanders coming off the unlikely loss will take on the undefeated Lions of Lonsdale this upcoming Sunday. Vancouver’s team will look to rely on their strong offence, stalwart defence and superb goaltending to get back into the win column where they belong. During today’s optional skate Islanders forward Robert Vince quoted that, “We didn’t bring our A game last game, we needed to get more pucks to the net, and next game we will give a 110%.” The Islanders will also be looking to put a stop to the league leading Chong/Emmerson dynamic duo from stealing too many third assists. The Lions on the other hand, will look to keep on rolling while trying to remain out of the sin bin for a second game in a row. During their post-media scrum, Vince Louie quoted that, “Even though a 2 goal lead is the worst in hockey, we kept it simple, we scored goal scorer’s goals, and at the end of the day it is what it is.” Coming back from injury, Tony Chen looks take over his crease once again. Will he crack under the pressure or rise to the occasion and keep his Lions undefeated?

Wizards vs. Grinders

The Wizards and the Grinders, (AKA the Battle of the Bros), will take place in the second game of the day. The Wizards are coming off an unexpected win last week, on the back of one Carlos McAllister. Wizards defenceman Brett Parker mentioned that, “When you throw pucks on net good things happen, and last game was a great team effort. Carlos was a beast back there!" The Grinders on the other hand, are still looking for their first W of the season. During a Grinders emergency players only meeting, Grinders forward Hussein Nathani angrily muttered that, “We need to take it one game at a time, play a full 60 minutes, get more traffic in front of the net, and score some dirty goals." Additionally, captain Paul Chong was asked about the status update of Victor Wong during a phone call interview. "Victor Wong is a guy that stabilizes the line-up. However, we don't want to play him and risk further injury if it's not necessary. He's going to be a game-time decision for us. But we have a lot of players that can step up."

May 12 - Week 2 Preview

Islanders vs. Wizards

The Islanders, or should we say team Patterson and Brietkopf? Wow. Cole Patterson and Jon Brietkopf single handily dominated the first game and carried their team to victory. With a hat trick performance from the backend, Cole is looking like the steal of the draft as he went in the 4th round with the 14th overall pick. Can he keep this production up?

The Wizards almost completed the comeback last week with depth scoring from Dan Chong, Scott Yang, and Darren Young. The game ended up being very close even when top scorers Sunny Minhas and Jacob Chong did not register a goal. This could prove to be huge as the season moves along. If Jason Jang gets in the line up, it could be the offensive boost that can put them over the top against the Islanders.

Grinders Vs. Lions

The Lions are going to be riding the emotional win from last week and take it to the Grinders. The penalty kill did an amazing job killing off a +2 minute 5 Vs 3 in the late stages of the game. Meghan Brooks had a breakout performance in her first game carrying her team to victory with two key goals that swung the momentum in their favour. Regular tendy Tony Chen is still out with an undisclosed lower body injury and backup sub goalie Viv Tan Ng goes between the pipes once again. Can they repeat their stellar team performance? (Also, can Wilson Leung stay out of the box?)

The Grinders had what Brian Lau likes to call a “tune-up” game as they were shelled 6-2 last week against the Islanders thanks to the stellar performance of tendy Jon Brietkopf. Though his shutout was spoiled when Seburn banged in the only two goals for the Grinders. The Grinders need to figure out their game plan to spread the offence and get the whole team to contribute. A needed presence of high draft picks Courtney and Kirk Boechler will be a welcomed addition in the line up as they take their first game.

May 3 - Week 1 Preview

Lions vs. Wizards 

With Lions' regular tendy Tony Chen out with an undisclosed injury, Sub Goalie Backup Viv Tan-Ng goes in between the pipes as relief. Look for the first drafted package in the Brooks Siblings to carry the heavy lifting on the back end as Meghan Brooks looks to be a nice fit in the D-Core. The question is, can the Lions generate their offense from the back end? Well I mean, if the San Jose Sharks can, why can't the Lions? 

The Wizards look forward to suiting up what could be the most racially diverse team in the league. With diversity comes balance, and it looks like they have balance up and down their line up. Look out for Sunny and Manpreet to display their life long chemistry together. Will 5th overall pick Brett Parker's knee hold out? Captain Jake the Snake took a big gamble on him. But high risk can also come with high rewards (just look at his investment portfolio).

Grinders vs. Islanders

When captain Paul Chong took the podium with the first overall selection in the 2019 draft, he did not hesitate to take Eric Chan Wong, who took home the "Top Defenseman" honours in 2018. An award he stole under Brett's nose as he went down with an injury part way through the season. The Grinders also boasts the biggest draft package in "Spackman, B Lau, M Lau, and Cho". Paul will have all season to find balance in his roster which also sports the highest female to male ratio within a team. As Keith said prior to the draft, "We should draft teams based on sexiness"...The Grinders are down right sexy.

No man was probably happier than Mr. Mitchell when the draft ended. "It's over guys...I have the best Goalie, Defenseman, and Forward in the league". - Keith. Now maybe his tie was on too tight, but we all know that team chemistry and balance is much more important than a single individual (or three in this case). The real test will be how Keith will spread his wealth and maximize his returns on his draft picks. All eyes will be on the 11th overall pick, and first goalie chosen, Jonathan Brietkopf. "He that good, he's going to steal us some games down the road" - Keith  

April 28 - Draft Weekend

What a great Draft Party! Thank you to our special guest John and Brendan Carinha representing Canucks Autism Network and speaking at our Draft Party. We are stoked to get this season started! Check out the Media Page for the highlights of our Draft Party.

Team Schedules and Rosters have been updated to reflect the drafted teams.

Home Teams bring a White Jersey

Away Teams bring a Black Jersey

See you all May 5th!

April 22 - Evaluation Skate

With the Evaluation Skate complete, we eagerly await the first ever Draft Party for VDHL. It's going to be a lot of fun that includes food, beer, drinks, a special guest, activities, prizes, and of course, our live draft. =D

We can't wait to see you there!