MAHLEN Struggles to Begin

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The much anticipated amateur hockey league, MAHLEN, has had a difficult go at getting started. Of the chapters that have signed on, only 2 colonies, Marineris and Wendland, have been able to form teams, secure the facilities and actually play the game.

The Marineris chapter of MAHLEN has 3 active teams with a 4th expected to come online before the Christmas holidays.

“It hasn’t been easy figuring things out as the founding members still haven’t finalized the details on intracolony activites.”, says Cab Leonard, of the Europa Chapter, “On our end, we are frustrated because we have the equipment and rink, but haven’t been able to make schedules work, so we’re still reshuffling teams.”

Leonard also admits that Aero Football has been a major distraction, as they haven’t been able to reach quorum in their weekend meetings to make necessary decisions.

For obvious reasons, Marineris hasn’t had the same problem. With the Comets out of contention, even practice games are drawing in local spectators.

Sam Baily, former goaltender of the ISMO Moles, now plays for the Shooting Stars. Happy to be between the pipes again, he shows little concern over the slow start to an official season.

“We are getting out on the ice and getting to play with the Orbiters and yet to be named Canadian team," he says, “I didn’t think we’d have a chance to play again after ISMO disbanded us, so what more can I ask for? “

The rest of the Moles haven’t been fairing as well. Janice Campbell, who has been instrumental in building MAHLEN has reincarnated the Moles club in San Olympus, but with only 1 team so far, they are still in a mode of teaching people to skate.

Novyimir and Korolev have opted out of MALHEN entirely and has, instead, booted up their own Russian Hockey Association. Boasting a total of 10 teams between the two colonies.

So, even though Hockey has been able to stay alive post ISMO, it’s going to be restricted to local colony activities in the near future.

New Face of Hockey

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In an unexpected turn of events, Hockey has found a new kind of home on Mars.

It certainly isn't how things were supposed to turn out according to Fredrick Seulovik. The CEO of Ice Sports Mars Organization was responsible for developing the Martian-flavoured variant, training volunteers to play hockey, and then unleashing it in two back-to-back exhibition rounds across select colonies. 

It didn't rocket to success to become the next professional league on Mars, but neither has it fizzled out.

“I had hoped that hockey would have followed in MAFL’s footsteps to become a legitimate professional sport," said Seulovik, "But it was undone by the perceived lack of skill. I was convinced we could make competent skaters and convincing hockey players in the 3 month program we developed but, clearly, it wasn't enough time."

There was no shortage of awkward moments on the ice, but the players played their guts out and that passion is what generated excitement for the game. After the program ended, the volunteer-players were disbanded and returned to their respective settlements, but many of them continued to long for the game.

Carl Lindberg from the exhibition match against Khimik on Aries 20th - Lindberg plans play in the new found Mahlen league.

"I admit, I felt silly every time we got on the ice and in front of a crowd," says Carl Lindberg, former forward with the Wildcards, "But there hasn't been a day that has gone by where I don't think about lacing up and getting out there again."

Enter the Martian Amateur Hockey League Enthusiast Network, or MAHLEN as they call themselves.

The founding members of MAHLEN are previously volunteer test players from the ISMO training program. Unlike the MAFL, the group is a collective of local chapters. With one in each of the participating settlements, each chapter is responsible for the fundraising and administration of local teams.

Though this may not be what Fredrick Seulovik wanted, he admits he is ‘inspired' by the passion and spirit of his former players, so much so that he has licensed club names, equipment designs and seeded an undisclosed amount of funds to support the initial drive.

With limited budget, however, the chapters will need to get creative. It also promises to be a very challenging lifestyle for organizers and players. All members will keep their respective day-jobs, with practice in the evenings, and matches reserved for the weekends. 

"It will require a lot of dedication," says Janice Campbell, former captain of Wildcards and now head of the Marineris chapter, "We want to give the sport a legitimate go, but none of us want to compromise our professional responsibilities to colony or employers.  It will be a tough balancing act, for sure."

Whether or not this league will get direct support from colonies remains to be seen, but MAHLEN could be eligible for health grants; tight on funds, every little bit will count.

One thing they certainly are not short on is motivation.  Already, 43% of the former ISMO players have either already signed on or express interest to join a team in MAHLEN.  Another 30% remain undecided.  Considering there were over 150 recruits at ISMO training camp, it's a healthy base to build on. 

"This is going to happen," says Vicki Li, former Moles star player, "There's nothing that will stop us from making our little-league a reality."

Just months ago, Moles playes packed up their locker room at the conclusion of ISMO Exhibition Hockey, never knowing if they would play Ice Hockey again.  Now, the 3 tentpole players plan to form a new team in the San Olympus chapter.

What we know so far:

• Team sizes will be similar to ISMO exhibitions... 6-8 players per team, playing a 4v4.
• Some chapters have already started exploring outdoor rink options, where Mareotis, Korolev and Novyimir chapters will be able to rent existing ISMO arenas.
• San Olympus has enough players to potentially host 2 teams; former Moles players plan on sticking together.
• Mareotis has a rink, but not enough players
• Novyimir (Cosmonauts) and Korolev (Khimik) in strongest position to retain original team members.
• Marineris has acquired the club names 'Super Coliders' and 'Cosmic Rays' 
• Wildcards have officially been adopted by Wendland Colony.  
• Schedules have not yet been announced.

Going Nowhere Fast

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Now that the final adrenaline rush for ISMO hockey has come to an close, little is actually known of what is in store for the experimental sport.   

Beyond the drama prior to the championship series, ISMO has been tight lipped regarding next steps, only announcing the training program and exhibition to be a 'success'. With all of the test players now released from their temporary contracts, it is unclear what, if anything, will come of the skills they have developed over the last several months.  And without any follow-up plans for the 75 test players, what does ISMO have to build on?

Vicki Li and Laura Hall clear out their personal effects from their Europa locker room.  Their hockey future is unknown as they return to their respective colonies, San Olympus and Chariton. An emotional Li vows that they will play together again.

Despite a rough start in the first round of exhibitions and the amateur quality of play due to inexperienced players, the sport did capture the imagination of fans.  With no follow through, however, even the initial participating colonies are skeptical that ISMO have the capability of forming a league anytime soon.

"It's a shame," according to Marp Unigeny, a planner at Europa, "We were ready to talk about the future possibilities of hockey, but there isn't a lot of faith in the Ice Sport Organization from a business partner perspective."

Many, including Mr. Unigeny, think this is a byproduct of the 'trust-fund' start-ups and non-profits that come and go across the colonies.  The challenge for the significant ultra-wealthy segment of population is, there's little they can spend on, limited local investment options, and it is incredibly difficult to influence colony policies.

Sports have become a new investment option and play-thing that, it turns out, not only is it proving to be a viable venture, but a back door to shaping Mars culturally, making it that much more enticing for would-be entrepreneurs and investors.

It may not be entirely fair to question the motives of ISMO president, Fredrick Seulovik, and others like him, as their contribution to Martian sports cannot dismissed.  What Seulovik lacks, however, is commitment.  With no outlook for a next stage, no indications on upcoming seasons or exhibitions, the momentum is sure to evaporate.  It's fine for ISMO to concentrate their efforts on research and development and leave it to others to find a way to make it work.  There is nothing wrong with others shepherding the ice sport experiments and take it to the next level. As we've seen with the hockey finals, perhaps it will be the players themselves that will take up the mantle.

After getting our first appetizer of Martian Hockey, we have to accept that there isn't a main course, at least, not yet.  With that said, we all know that things can happen very quickly here on Mars, so anything is possible.

Until then, we can rest assured that Martian Aero Football is sticking and just around the corner with a season 2.

Moles claim the championship!

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Vicky Li once again scored the deciding goal to wrap up the final game of ISMO’s exhibition hockey with a definitive win for the Moles!

The 19 year-old San Olympian fired off the winning goal in overtime after scooping up a stray puck and taking a slapshot from the left circle. The puck ripped by an unprepared Arquette as he belatedly reached to stop it.

“I never would have imagined that I would get this chance!”, exclaimed Li, “I’m thankful to ISMO for bringing us together to experience this incredible game. I’m not entirely sure how to return to normal live on Mars after this.”

The energy from from the fans for the final game in the special championship series was palpable. Fans exploded in cheers from the very start as the players skated down the ramps onto the ice.

The game swung in the Wildcards favor early on, with Marquez converting a backhanded pass from Halvorsen into a goal high into the right corner of the Moles’ net. Moles forwards, Mattila and Bello really put the pressure on the Wildcards tonight as they kept a strong offensive and multiple attempts on the goal.

The Wildcards retaliated by getting physical.

Not long into second period, Phan was penalized for cross-checking after being clipped by Mattila in a scramble for the puck. Within a minute of Phan getting back on the ice, Lehmann took his place in the penalty box for hooking.

Arquette was able to fend off the Moles power plays, making 9 stops over the back-to-back penalties.

“She’s been our rock over all these games,” says defenceman, Brandon Phan, “She held on and kept us in the game even when we weren’t pulling our weight.”

The Moles pour onto the ice to celebrate after Li's winning goal.

The Wildcards, however, couldn’t hold on for the distance.

Taylor was able to finally break through the Wildcard defense and swoop around the back of the net to tip the puck into the goal right at the end of the 3rd period with less than 3 minutes remaining.

“We almost didn’t make it,” grins Taylor after the game, “a hair slower or if the puck missed, that could have been the end for us. It was too close for comfort.”

The Moles returned to the ice for overtime, determined to make up for the first two periods. Moles captain Campbell was pulled from play for tripping and the defense put on a spectacular play as the Hall and Li guarded their house.

At 6 minutes into overtime, Li put her speed to good use as she flew wide around the ramp to gain control of a loose puck and fire it into the net. The entire stadium erupted into a frenzy of cheering as Li’s exuberant teammates poured onto the ice to celebrate the victory.

“This is a groundbreaking moment for Martian history,” said Seulovik, “The desire for sports and recreation on Mars is not just growing, it’s flourishing. ISMO is going to continue with the mission to foster and drive the evolution of sport on Mars.  I almost made the biggest mistake by not supporting the players on their request for a championship match. This incredible series was because of their passion.”

Wildcards strike back!

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In another edge-of-your-seat game, the Wildcards and Moles proved they were worthy adversaries.  Playing to a full house with over 1,200 spectators, it was do or die for the Wildcards as the Moles were hunting for the series sweep after yesterday’s shutout victory in overtime.

2 minutes into the game, the Wildcards had a scare as Kara Okeke plowed into the Wildcard net after a rush, taking down Jules Arquette, the goaltender. Okeke was sent to the box, but for a few moments, Arquette seemed down for the count.  An ISMO medic came on the ice to examine Arquette and, fortunately, giving her the thumbs up to stay in the game. Without a strong back-up player capable of playing goal, the Wildcards averted what could have signaled a quick end to their championship intentions.

Arquette was tested immediately after with a blistering shot from Fredrick Mattila, followed by a dangerous rebound shot by Captain Janice Campbell on the opposite angle.  Arquette prevailed.

This game was, indeed, a battle of the goaltenders.  Despite the aggressive play and numerous scoring chances, both Bailey and  Arquette locked the doors, fending off 15 shots-on-goals apiece over the 3 periods.

The game was to be decided in overtime.

While both teams were evenly matched during regulation play, the Wildcards must have had an epic pep talk over the 5 minute intermission because they absolutely exploded onto the ice.  They controlled possession of the puck forcing the Moles on defence, holding them to only one shot on goal before Okeke was sent to the penalty box for tripping 12 minutes into overtime.

lehmann converts a pass from phan into the winning goal

With the advantage, the Wildcards seized their moment.  After winning the faceoff in the Moles’ zone, the Wildcards sent a volley of shots at Bailey, whose luck eventually ran out. Brandon Phan looped along the left ramp, faked a shot that sent Bailey the wrong way, and connected a cross ice pass to Peter Lehmann who easily tipped it into the wide open net.

Lehmann, a Chariton resident originally from Germany,  said, “I felt like I was playing to a home crowd. I love this colony for making this series possible. I want to thank everyone who supported us, even when it looked like the season was over. Bring on game 3!”

The Wildcard win extends the series to a third game to decide the championship.  As an ‘unofficial’ final to the ISMO exhibition tournament, there won’t be a trophy or cup at stake, though you would hardly notice with the passion and intensity radiating from the teams and fans.

“This is the best thing to happen to ISMO,” said a fan, “This is the first time the games felt like they were for the people instead of a lab experiment on the voluntary players.”

The deciding game will be played next Saturni on Rishabha the 21st.

Moles hit hard to take first win against Wildcards

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The Moles and the Wildcards made history on Mars tonight playing the first match of the Martian Hockey finals!

It’s been hours since Vicky Li of the Moles smashed the puck into the right-corner of the net to win the game 1-0 for the Moles. But Europa is still abuzz with triumphant Moles’ fans and dejected supporters of the Wildcards.

The rink was packed to the roof tonight as the Moles and Wildcards faced off for the first game of the playoffs, where the champion will be decided by a best-of-3 series. Europa officials have coordinated with ISMO organizers to host up to three games as a finale to cap off the 12 weeks of exhibition games.

“ISMO is definitely milking this for all it’s worth, but who wouldn’t? I’m just glad I got a ticket to the second game!” said one excited fan.

vicky li of the moles celebrates after scoring the winning goal in overtime

Game 1 of the finale was a tense, drawn-out affair as the three regulation periods flew by without a single goal scored.

Samuel Marquez of the Wildcards made several breakaways down the ice, but each attempt was thwarted by Moles’ goalie Sam Bailey. Both goalies, Bailey and Arquette were on fire tonight as they shuffled, dived, and snatched pucks out of the air to defend their nets.

Moles forward, Bryan Taylor was sent to the box twice in second period for cross-checking. Vicky Li and Laura Hall really dominated as they took complete control of their zone to kill the two consecutive penalties. The dynamic duo played a tight defense—shutting down attempts by Harris and Lindberg to rush their offense during their powerplays.

“The Moles really wore us down physically. No one was injured, but when you’re taking multiple hits every period, it starts to show,” said Lindberg of the Wildcards.

Even so, the Wildcards gave a good as they got, with Lehmann and Lindberg hitting back hard during the longest overtime of ISMO’s history.

Unfortunately, the Wildcards were not able to kill their penalties as effectively as the Moles. With almost 4 minutes of powerplay in overtime, the Moles were able to wear down the Wildcard’s defense.

The one-man-advantage allowed Vicky Li to breakaway from the defense and slip the puck right between Halvorsen’s legs before flipping the puck past Arquette’s shoulder into the net for the deciding goal.

With game 1 of the finale wrapped-up, the results will be determined tomorrow. Should the Moles be able to snag another victory, the title of ‘champion’ will be theirs for the taking.

Game on! ISMO approves official playoffs in Europa

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ISMO officials have released a statement early today recanting their original decision not to support a finale to tie-break the Wildcards and Moles after the 2nd round of exhibition hockey.

“We value the support fans have shown since ISMO launched this series of exhibition hockey games,” read the official announcement released by ISMO CEO, Seulovik. “We are proud of the community that we have built. And as a sign of respect for our fans and athletes, we will officially participate with a play-off match between the two leaders from Round 2.”

Though this is great news, allowing the players to officially play with the actual team names and regulation equipment owned by ISMO, it is an equally awkward predicament.  The unsanctioned match was already going to happen with or without ISMO's involvement.  Donations from fans had already covered costs for producing equipment and uniforms.  The teams had already come up with alternative team names to avoid copyright infringement. 

When asked about the development, Janice Campbell of the Moles said, “It is a step in the right direction for ISMO. The success of Martian Ice Hockey is dependent on the athletes and the fans after all. They shouldn’t forget that.”

Regardless of whether ISMO was genuinely acquiescing to their fans or not, it was the only move to save face. Seulovik’s original decision had painted him as a “party-pooper”, so this change in heart is a not-too-subtle effort to salvage his own image.  In many ways, the damage has already been done and closing the rift may not come easy.  Europa organizers are said to be 'deflated' as they preferred to run the event independent of ISMO.

Politics aside, this upcoming game is going to be an all-stops-pulled out one-nighter of an event! The match was planned by the respective teams and Europa officials for Rishabha 14.  It has been confirmed that this date will not change with the sudden involvement of ISMO.

To accommodate the massive number of fans, the game will be broadcast live across the settlements, but that won’t stop fans from travelling to Europa to participate in the excitement first-hand. 

“We are expecting a sharp spike in the number of inhabitants we will need to sustain during this time,” explains Europa officials, “We’ll be diverting resources leading up to the event to make sure that we’ll have enough capacity up to 3 days.”

In Europa, public spectator-spaces will include the: The Daedelus Sports Hall, Schiaperelli Centre, Greeley’s and The Dusty Pig. So if you’re planning to be in Europa for the game, these are the places to be!

Ice time at Europa Rink has been equally divided and both teams will be training hard this week as they prepare for their face-off. 

“We’re going to bring everything we’ve got. We’re going to train hard, stay focused, and go for the win,” says Samuel Marquez, captain of the Wildcards.

Moles and Wildcards plan to face-off in Europa

Marquez of the Wilcards and Campbell of the Moles, both attempted to secure a final face-off for their teams.

Earlier this week, team captains, Janice Campbell and Samuel Marquez, failed in their attempt to petition ISMO for a special winner-takes-all match between their respective teams, the Moles and Wildcards.

According to Fredrick Seulovik, president of the RD organization, “The rules of the exhibition and the training program were clear when they signed up. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but this phase is complete and we will not endorse an unsanctioned game that uses our brands, equipment, or facilities.”

“They introduced us to something we love to play!” said Campbell, “I think we owe it to the game, and the fans, to have a definitive closure to the exhibition and not just points on a leaderboard.”

With ISMO’s outright refusal to allow the match, you’d think this would stop it in its tracks. However, nothing bars the teams from playing the sport on their own free time.  

They just can’t do it with anything owned by ISMO.  

It is relatively straightforward to have equipment manufactured, so long as it doesn’t infringe on any of ISMO’s particular patents, so the real barrier is accessing a rink and as fate would have it a back door presented itself.

The temporary rinks that were built in Marineris, Europa and Wendland are not official property of ISMO. Although, the Mariners and Wendland facilities have already been dismantled, the ice in Europa is still installed in Hangar Bay 16.

Barring any complications, the teams plan on traveling to Europa next weekend to have a winner-takes-all unofficial match.  Even though they are paying out of their own pockets, everyone is excited for this opportunity.

“You bet we’re going all in,” says Wildcards goalie, Arquette, “even though we’ll need to cover the cost of our own equipment. It’s worth it!”

For Europa, this may be the hometown game they had hope for, but just didn’t get from their adopted Khimik team.

Word of the unofficial match has been spreading like wildfire amongst hockey fans. After the initial chaos, Europa officials implemented a lottery system to release tickets. There’s been no word so far on where the money will be going—but some fans have suggested diverting some of the ticket sales toward covering the cost of manufacturing new equipment.

“I can’t wait for this!” says a lucky fan after snagging on of the coveted tickets, “I’ve been following hockey since it started in Korolev and I’m so happy to see it take on a life of its own!”

If this were a marketing ploy masterminded by Seulovik, it would be a testament to his brilliance, but sadly this really looks like they’ve taken the eye off the puck on this one.

Moles move into first place tie with Wildcards

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The Moles disposed of Khimik 3 – 0 led by Kara Okeke’s 2 assists and a goal and another Sam Bailey shutout.

For Bailey, it was another brilliant day, as he made 14 saves to record his third shutout in six exhibition games in the second round.

For Okeke, who is mostly known for her defence, it was her best offensive game of the season.

“As the exhibition round progressed, I felt more comfortable in taking more chances in leading the rush and being creative on the offensive,” said the 23-year-old San Olympian.

And that she did as she opened up scoring in the second period with an end to end rush that drew two defenders her way before she deftly dropped the puck to a trailing Aaron Bello who snapped a shot past Khimik goalie Veronica Danilenko.

Just four minutes later, Okeke led another rush down the ice, waited for a few teammates to screen Danilenko, before slapping a shot from the point past a blinded Danilenko to make the score 2 – 0.

In the third period, Okeke played a little give and go with teammate Bryan Taylor who slid the puck between Danilenko’s legs to ice the game 3 – 0.

With the win, the Moles moved into a first place tie with the Wildcards to end the second round of exhibition for ISMO hockey. Both the Wildcards and Moles ended with a 4 – 2 record.

“I’m not sure what happens next but it would be nice to see if we could have a tiebreaker to see who the top team really is,” said Moles Captain Janice Campbell. “I believe we were both the best teams in round 1 and round 2 so I think the fans deserve a definitive champion.”

In his address to the media afterwards, ISMO President Fredrick Seulovik was a bit coy on a potential final match.

“I’ll talk to each of the teams and colonies to see where we go from here but based on the positive feedback we’ve been getting so far, I believe exhibition hockey has been a success. Overall, we’re pleased with the participation.”

However, when asked about the format complaints Khimik issued to ISMO about the Europa colony, Seulovik responded, “We’ll take a look into that and talk with both parties. Lots of lessons learned in this exhibition, but overall the needle is pointing upwards.

For Khimik, that needle was pointing straight back to Korolev as players immediately left after the game.  In a prepared media statement, Khimik expressed discontent with the Exhibition format, “We never should have left Korolev. As the pioneers of hockey, it was a mistake for us to leave such a supportive colony for one that was indifferent.”

Harris leads Wildcards to 2-1 win against Cosmonauts

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Novyimir was teeming with excited crowds as fans made their way to the rink, and those that couldn’t get a seat made their way to their local establishment to watch the last game of this exhibition round.

Tonight the Cosmonauts faced-off against the Wildcards. The two teams were tied in the standings with 3 wins and 2 losses each as of Taurus 22.

The game was a nail-biter as the two teams battled for control of the puck. Anna Fedin tipped a goal into the net 2 minutes into first period for the first goal of the night.

“I think we were on fire tonight!” says Fedin of tonight’s game, “ And knowing that this might be the last game we’d be able to play as a team. Well, we better make it a good one. Right?”

And this is indeed the last game that has been announced by ISMO for their exhibition round of hockey. The past 12 weeks have been an amazing run for the athletes involved and also the fans. The participating settlements have also been pleased and excited with the turnout.

“Being able to host these games have been great for our settlement,” says Wendland city councillor, Verity Nichol, “It really helps Martians to look past the stereotype of Wendland being a bunch of engineers hiding behind machines all day.

Cosmonaut defender, Vitalia Burian was sent to the box for tripping, just a few seconds after Novak had been penalized for holding. Play was stopped and Martinez escorted from the ice after he hit the ice particularly hard and injured a knee.

cosmonauts celebrate with the wildcards post-game 

With a one-man advantage, the Wildcards were able to rush the stunned Cosmonaut defenders and Harris smashed the puck home from the right corner at 10:20 of first period—ending it with a score of 1-1.

The Wildcards really ramped up their offence in second and third period. Opening up scoring chances, and starting plays, but were unable to complete them.

“Fedin and Meyer  was really on the ball tonight,” says Wildcards captain, Marquez, “they coordinated their defensive strategy really well and frustrated a lot of our plays tonight. We have a lot of respect for that.”

As the game spilled into overtime, it was clear that the Cosmonauts were losing steam. 12 minutes of overtime puts tonight’s game at one of the longest times on-ice.

Harris scored the winning goal when the Cosmonauts lost control of puck in their corner and Harris was able to laser it past Hansen to end the game 2-1. The Wildcards rushed onto the ice to celebrate their win and congratulate Harris while fans cheered exuberantly.

The celebration didn’t end on the ice as both teams partied it up to wrap up Round 2 of exhibition hockey. For most of the players, this means an end of their voluntary training contracts with ISMO.

“I can’t believe we're all going back to work,” says Tia Halvorsen, “it’s been a crazy ride and I’m honoured I had this chance to be part of the exhibition, but I guess it time to return to reality now.”

Brawls and Boos—Khimik Loses Again

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Fight Club.

That’s the reputation Khimik has developed.

Fighting with other teams as the losses mount and the frustration grows.

And now fighting with fans outside of the games as relationship between Khimik players and the Europa colony deteriorates.

Local Europa authorities were called in late last night at the Red Moon Pub as a brawl broke out between drunk Khimik players and Europa residents.

“We were just keeping to ourselves until a number of Europa fans started to harass us”, said Khimik player, Mihail Rybar, “We didn’t start it but we will finish it if we have to.”

Europa fans who witnessed the uproar didn’t agree with Rybar’s assessment.

“The Khimik players were loud and boorish,” said one Europan fan. “While my Russian isn’t very good, we could tell the Khimik players were dissing us and our colony so some fans asked them to tone it down and they took offense and before you know it, fists were flying.”

And while authorities continue to investigate the matter, Khimik proceeded to game day against the Cosmonauts as if nothing happened.

Today’s game between the two colonies with deep Russian roots, it was clear there was no love lost between cousins as feisty play and some fighting resulted in six penalties overall.

Fans at Europa jeering at Khimik.

Neither was there any love lost between Khimik and Europa fans.  Freshly aware of the pub brawl the night before, the home crowd was actively cheering for the Cosmonauts all game.

And booing Khimik.

The first instance of jeers occurred with just 2 minutes into the first period.  Khimik’s Alex Yanovna (an alleged participant in the pub brawl) opened up scoring with a quick wrist shot past Cosmonauts goalie, Marius Hansen.

Much to Yanovna’s dismay, he was greeted with a wave of boos, which Yanovna greeted back with an obscene hand gesture.

Sparked by the increasingly enthusiastic chants of  “Go Cosmos Go”, the Cosmonauts responded back at the 9 minute mark as Hugo Milosevic and Anna Fedin played a little give-and-go on a two-on-one rush with Fedin finishing with a shot in the top left corner to tie up the game 1-1.

With less than two minutes left in the 1st period, Cosmonaut’s Yaro Novak deked past a number of Khimik players and put a shot through the pads of Hansen to take the lead with Europa fans erupting into wild applause.

Khimik frustration in the second period continued as the Cosmonauts kept them off the scoreboard while Europa fans goaded Khimik with their taunting.

The Cosmonauts iced the game in the first minute and a half of the third period with their third goal of the game. Katy Fedin delivered a back handed pass from behind the net to Stephen Meyer who slapped a shot past Hansen with the crowd responding with a thunderous ovation.

After the game, Khimik players rushed out of the dressing room and avoided the media throng.

“That was one of the most bizarre and surreal things I’ve ever experienced”, said Cosmonauts Captain Anna Fedin. “The crowd was like an extra attacker for us but I almost feel bad for Khimik. I’m sure this exhibition round can’t end soon enough for them.”

Wildcards defeat Moles 2-1 as fans speculate about the possibility of playoffs

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The last time the Wildcards and Moles met at Wendland, the Wildcards were defeated by a hair with an overtime goal. Today they returned the favour, besting the Moles in overtime as they battled in Marineris.

The turnout in Marineris was magnificent and the fans were enthusiastic as the Moles played in their host stadium.

Vicky Li and Laura Hall moved together like freshly-oiled clockwork today—swooping across ice to defend the goal against the Wildcard’s attempts.

Too bad it wasn’t enough to keep them at bay. Tia Halvorsen smashed the puck from the left circle straight to the back of the net in the last 3 minutes of first period.

“I just had that perfect opening,” says Halvorsen, “ And I knew this was my opportunity.” The 26-year-old defender is one of the speediest skaters on the team, making her a defensive force to be reckoned with. Today she leveraged that speed to break away down to the ice after stripping the puck off Mattila.

Taylor tied up the game 1-1 in third period by tipping the puck into the net after fishing it out of a scramble.

Marquez celebrates the winning overtime goal as the WIldcards defeat the Moles 2-1.

As the second round of exhibition is drawing to a close, teams are eager to face off against each other. But as of publication, there has been no talks of an official playoff, nor any announcement concerning the future of ISMO hockey exhibition games. Fans and players alike have been kept in the dark about what will be happening once the final games of Round 2 are played on Rishabha 1.

“ISMO should be more transparent. It’s only fair to the fans and the players—we all love hockey and would definitely support them even if they’re going through rough patches.” says Gideron Sanderman, an avid hockey fan and Wildcards supporter, “We just want to know what’s going on!”

This isn’t the first time ISMO has been criticized for their organizational gaffs. In Round 1, poor team management and player distribution led to wildly uneven games.

Hockey fans have not been dissuaded by the lack of organization, as every game in Round 2 has been sold out across Mars. Despite what the future of hockey might be, the fans lived completely in the moment tonight as Marquez fired a backhand in overtime that deflected high off of Bailey’s kneepads to tip the victory straight into the Wildcard’s pocket.

This ties up the Moles, Wildcards, and Cosmonauts each at 3 wins and 2 losses apiece. A look at the points standings show that the Moles are ahead slightly with a 2 point lead over the Cosmonauts.

Teams are evenly matched so far and this demands some kind of resolution. Both fans and players alike are clamouring for a final face-off between the top 2 teams. Will ISMO reveal a hidden playoff at the last minute? We can only wait and see.

Chaos with Khimik as they move to bottom of standings

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In front of a raucous home crowd, the Wildcards escaped with a last minute 1 - 0 over Khimik at Wendland rink. And with the win, the Wildcards move to 2 and 2 for the season while Khimik moves to the bottom of the second exhibition round with a 1 – 3 record.

Despite a barrage of scoring chances from Khimik throughout the game, the Wildcards’ Jules Arquette was brilliant in net and steady defensive play from Amelia Harris and Brandon Phan also helped shut down Khimik attempts.

“Very frustrating,” said Khimik Captain, Alex Yanovna. “I feel like we were the better team as we had so many scoring chances but luck was not on our side.”

Luck was clearly not on Khimik’s side but frustration was, as Khimik exhibited wildly aggressive play throughout the game resulting in four penalties – two in the 1st and 2nd periods respectively.

To Khimik’s fortune, the Wildcards were unable to capitalize on the power play opportunities as Khimik goalie Veronica Danilenko matched Arquette’s brilliance with repeated saves.

And just as all signs pointed to overtime, the Wildcards forward, Mateo Martinez was able to provide a spark of magic. With less than a minute to play in the game, Martinez was able to cut through two defenders and fire a wrist shot just over Veronica Danilenko for the winning goal.

For Martinez, it was his 18th goal in 10 games.

martinez breaksaway down the ice to score the only goal of the game

After the goal, a number of Khimik players smashed their sticks on the ice and refused to speak to members of the press.

Yanovna did offer this statement, “No, we are not happy with our record so far and it does not help that the media is focusing so much on our losses. I think this is fueling all the negative comments we are getting from Europa fans. As pioneers of hockey on Mars, we think Europa colony should give us a bit more credit. All I hear are their complaints.”

Europa resident and Khimik player Peter Lehmann tried to defuse the situation upon hearing his teammate’s comments.

“Look, losing sucks period. For all my Korolev teammates, it’s been a hard adjustment for them in a new colony. They take losing hard and don’t feel like being out so it’s not like they are purposefully trying to insulate themselves from the Europa colony,” said Lehmann.

“I tell my teammates that Europa fans are complaining because they are passionate about sports just like they were with their MAFL team, Europa United. They gave it to them so that’s why they’re also giving it to us. I’d rather they say something than nothing because then, that means they don’t care. The best solution to this is just win.”

Regardless of how they feel, Khimik will be playing at their host colony, Europa. Stay tuned  next week as Khimik takes on the Cosmonauts on Taurus 15.

Miller MIA. Moles defeat the Cosmonauts 3-0

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Undeniable team chemistry shines through for the Moles as they overwhelmed the Cosmonauts and defeated them 3-0.

Li and Campbell snagged the first goal of the game at 3:54 into first period when some great offensive maneuvering by Li allowed her to slip the puck past the Cosmonaut defenders to find Campbell open at the left corner. The opportunity was golden, and Campbell efficiently converted the pass into a neat backhand high into the net.

Miller was conspicuously absent from the team benches today despite being cleared to play. While inconclusive, rumours have emerged that the 34-year-old Korolevian has returned to his home-settlement with little warning or explanation.

“He’s been unhappy with the way ISMO organizes the the exhibitions and rounds for a while now,” says an acquaintance of Miller who chose to remain anonymous.

Team morale was low for the Cosmonauts today as they struggled to rally past the abrupt departure of their forward.

“We knew Miller didn’t the decisions Seulovik was making about the exhibition rounds. Especially they way he handled the Phantoms and Sands,” says Cosmonaut captain, Anna Fedin, “but this isn’t like him, and we’ll try to pull through this together.”

Other teammates were not so charitable, “Look, Miller was deadweight. All you have to do is look at his scoring record.”

disappointment all around as the cosmonauts are defeated at novyimir

The Moles were quick to take advantage of the Cosmonaut’s team tension.

Third period opened with a concerted effort by the Cosmonauts to get on the offensive, but their plays were sluggish and lacked the focus and energy needed to get past the Moles defenders.

The second goal by the Moles was claimed by Moles forward Laura Hall. 2 minutes into third period, Hall gained control of the puck after intercepting an airborne puck. The Cosmonaut defenders were caught unprepared as Hall barreled towards the net and sniped it over Hansen’s shoulder.

Cosmonaut forwards attempted to turn the tides in third period with Novak and Fedin setting plays multiple times. But the setups were fruitless as Okeke was right on top of them every time, and not a single play was converted to a goal.

Cosmonaut fans groaned as 13 minutes into third period, Okeke flicked a cross-ice pass to Mattila who snapped it into the left corner as it Hansen made an unsuccessful grab at the puck. With 2 minutes left in the game, the Moles focused on keeping the Cosmonauts at bay as the timer ran down to a 3-0 win for the Moles.

“Obviously the Cosmonauts were hurting today, and we respect that they came out and played their best,” says Moles captain, Janice Campbell of today’s game.

The Cosmonauts still have enough players to participate in the exhibition rounds but the future seems uncertain as they try to sort out their team dynamics.

With today's victory, the Moles grab the lead with a 3-1 standing overall. They will be up against the Wildcards next week at Marineris, while the Cosmonauts will be meeting Khimik in Europa.

Moles shut down Khimik 2-0 at Marineris

Playing in front of their home crowd at Marineris, the Moles provided a balanced attack that blanked Khimik 2 – 0 and moved the Moles to the top of the standings alongside the Cosmonauts.

Despite Khimik having more scoring chances, goalie Sam Bailey was lights out again making 17 saves to record the shutout.  It was his first of the second exhibition round and so far in three matches, Bailey has a sparking goals against average (GAA) of 1.00.

“Bailey is our rock”, said Moles Captain Janice Campbell. “He led the first round with 3 shutouts, so we’re no stranger to his brilliance.”

Asked if he had extra motivation to shine in front of his home colony, Bailey replied, “Actually, I was a bit nervous in the home opener when we lost to the Cosmonauts. So this time, I was able to relax and just play my game. Also props to my teammates for their solid defense once again.”  

sam bailey snatches for a puck as he guards the net for the moles.

That defense was anchored by Kara Okeke, Vicky Li and Laura Hall as they fore-checked, trapped, and steered away a number of Khimik chances to support Bailey’s shutout.

The first goal of the game occurred at 7:28 of the first period as Hall drew two defenders her way and then spun around with a backhanded pass down towards a streaking Campbell for the breakaway. Campbell deked left and then shot right as goalie Veronica Danilenko was caught off guard.  

1 – 0 Moles.

The follow-up was delivered in the second period at 9:40 as Hall skated behind the Khimik net drawing attention from the defenders and then throwing it in front to a ready Campbell who fired the puck past Danilenko.

Moles 2 – Khimik 0.

And with a comfortable lead heading into the third period, the Moles, again, pulled together a brilliant defense to frustrate a pressing Khimik into three straight penalties. Khimik was forced to exhaust all their energy killing the penalties, leaving little else for offensive plays.

“Laura just makes it so easy for me. It’s like she has eyes in the back of her head,” said Campbell. “From her to Bailey’s brilliance to our defenders’ strong play, I’m really proud of everyone’s overall effort. Now we need to bring that against the Cosmonauts next week.”

And it was the Cosmonauts who handed the Moles their only loss in this second exhibition round – in Marineris no less!  Will the Fedin sisters shine again in their home rink at Noviymir? Or will the Dynamic Duo of Hall and Campbell prevail? We’ll find out next week.

Miller sits out Game 3, Cosmonauts win 2-1

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Cosmonaut forward, Stephen Meyer, stepped up his game today as he scored the deciding goal in overtime, winning the Cosmonauts their second game of Round 2.

Wendland hosted again this week, as the two team battled for dominance on the ice—and what a battle it was. The Wildcards played aggressively, drawing the outrage of Cosmonaut players and fans alike.

“Come on, this is a sport, not a brawl,” exclaimed Burien after being on the receiving end of an elbow to side in period 1. Samuel Marquez of the Wildcards was awarded a minute in the box for the infraction.

The first period ended with a stalemate as both teams tested each other’s defenses.

Marquez scored the first goal of the game for the Wildcards after Halvorsen found him at the right-circle with a beautiful cross-ice pass.

Two additional penalties were awarded to the Wildcards in second. Phan was called out on tripping a Cosmonaut forward as she made a race for a loose puck. The whistle was blown at Lehmann as the period was wrapping up for cross-checking Novak sending him careening against the ramped walls.

Outraged fans screamed foul as the downed Cosmonaut was given a quick check by medical staff and Lehmann was awarded 1 minute
“That was clearly deliberate,” said Cosmonaut captain, Anna Fedin of the referee’s decision.

Lehmann pulls Milosevich short and send him tumbling to the ice as Milosevich made a rush for a loose puck.

The frustration only mounted as the Wildcards continued to push the aggression into third period. At 1:02, Lehmann was sent to the box again for holding onto Milosevic's jersey, sending the Cosmonaut defenseman crashing to the ice. Lehmann's second infraction came with a threat of suspension from the rest of the game should he continue.

With three minutes left in third, Meyer was able to snap a wrist shot past Arquette after scooping up a cross-ice pass from Katy Fedin.

Third period ended with a 1-1 tie between the Cosmonauts and Wildcards.

The winning goal was claimed by Meyer again 10 minutes into overtime. He picked up a wide pass from Novak to tip the pick into the corner of the net, nabbing a 2-1 win for the Cosmonauts over the Wildcards.

Miller was absent from the ice as he continued to recover from his upper body injury.

“I’m just focusing on resting and letting my body heal,” says Miller from the Novyimir Medicenter, “there’s no point in rushing the recovery, the best I can do is take care of myself and provide some moral support for my crew!”

The Cosmonauts are doing well this round, having won 2 out of the 3 games so far. They will be travelling to Novyimir next week to take on the Moles on the 15th of Taurus.

Rivalry Renewed. Moles beat out Wildcards 2-1

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The best two teams in Round 1 faced-off today.

The Moles with 5 wins mostly thanks to the powerhouse that was Fredrick Mattila (with 9 goals), and the strong team chemistry led by the San Olympus female trifecta: Janice Campbell, Kara Okeke, and Vicky Li.

Right on their tails, are the Wildcards with 4 wins. Their success was largely powered by the oneman goal-machine, Martinez, who scored a mind-blowing 17 goals in the first exhibition round! That’s double that of his nearest competition – Fredrick Mattila of the Moles.  

“I’ve had this date circled for a while”, said Martinez leading up to this match. “Payback is coming. We’re ready for them”

In this highly anticipated rematch of the two powerhouses, the sold out Wendland crowd was treated to a tense and tightly contested battle with the Moles narrowly edging out the Wildcards in a thrilling 2 to 1 overtime win.

Goalie Sam Bailey was brilliant with 17 saves today. Defenders Kara Okeke and Laura Hall provided the rest as they tag-teamed the defense.

“It’s like they had three goalies out there,” said Wildcards Captain Samuel Marquez.  

martinez's breakaway play down the ice with vicky li in hot pursuit

A loose puck that deflected from the net by Arquette lead to a mad scramble for possession in front of the Wildcard’s net. Laura Hall was able to fish out the puck and rip it into the top corner to give the Moles the lead.

The Moles held on to the lead with air-tight defence. Constantly frustrating the Wildcards’ offensive attempts until Martinez finally broke through after 2 minutes into third period.

Martinez was able to drive in from the red line towards the net, dragging the Moles defender Vicky Li the whole way, as he froze Bailey for a slight moment before firing over Bailey’s outstretched glove to tie up the score.

Moles defenders stayed on top of Martinez for the remainder of the period—he was constantly forchecked by multiple players and what few shots he was able to get off were easily overturned.
As the game spilled into overtime, anticipation rose as both teams battled through quick-fire offensives and plays.

Vicky Li of the Moles was penalized for highsticking, giving the Wildcards a one-man advantage

A Marquez to Martinez one timer almost sent fans home but the shot clanged off the post wide.

The Moles were slapped with their own penalties after Harris was called for tripping Mattila at 7:23 of OT and poor Martinez was taken down by a forceful check from Li again at 11:09.

With seconds remaining in the power play, Martinez rushed the Wildcard net and was met by a stiff set of elbows from defender Kara Okeke. No penalty called.

“That was clearly roughhousing!” explodes Martinez after the match, “I can’t believe the ref didn’t call that.”

With Li exiting the penalty box, Wildcard defender Tia Halvorsen was trapped in an odd person rush. Campbell was able to streak pass Halvorsen after faking her out—and deftly flip the puck over Arquette’s shoulder to claim the game for the Moles!

With the win, both teams joined the entire league at being tied at 1-1 in the standings.

Will the Moles build on this win and streak to dominance as they did in the first exhibition round?  Will the Wildcards recover with Martinez rediscovering his magical scoring touch?

Stay tuned. For now, circle Taurus 22 on your calendar – the rematch at Marineris.







 

Yanovna almost scores a hat trick, Khimik beats Cosmonauts 3-1 in Round 2

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Khimik takes the win in today’s in a 3-1 victory over the Cosmonauts. The two teams battled it out in Europa’s brand new rink in front of a sold-out audience.

Despite a strong offensive push by the Cosmonauts throughout the game, they were only able to get one shot past Khimik goalie, Veronica Danilenko.

Anna Fedin collected a loose puck that slipped past defenseman Rybar and put it high into the net to give Cosmonauts the lead in first period. That lead didn’t last long though.

Alex Yanovna stole the spotlight today with an unexpected play during a two-man advantage while the Cosmonauts were waiting out their double-penalty—scoring two consecutive goals in 4 minutes!

With Novak and Burien in the box and an extra Cosmonaut on the ice, Cosmonaut defender Rybar was able to slip down the left to feed a pass to Yanovna who fired a shot over Hansen’s shoulder

hundreds of fans look on today at europa's sold-out rink

“Alex really blew us away today,” says teammate, Ruslan Vasiliev, “even though he’s our captain, he usually takes a supporting role on the ice. But today he was so dynamic—I’d say he was the best player on the ice today.”

Yanovna flicked a wrist shot clean past Hansen’s left 4 minutes after his first goal.

Cosmonauts forward, Lawrence Miller, received medical attention today after an awkward landing sent him down hard at the end of first period. It’s uncertain exactly how extensive injuries to the 34-year-old Korolevian are, but medical staff have confirmed that his ribs have been fractured.

We can be sure that Miller will be out of the picture for a few weeks as he recovers.

Illya Hryc converted a play from the left circle into a goal-resulting breakaway, bringing the score to 3-1 for Khimik five minutes into second period.

Penalties were awarded to Andrej Petrovyh at 4:13 of the second period for cross checking to Ivan Vasiliev for highsticking at the end of the third period.

Cosmonauts were unable to take advantage of the penalty to close the gap in third period, closing game 2 of Exhibition Hockey Round 2 at Cosmonauts 1-Khimik-3.

Cosmonauts take the game in 2-1 win over Moles

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Despite losing to the Cosmonauts 2-1 today, today’s game tells you something about the Moles’ excellent defensive skill and strategy. Today’s game pitted the Cosmonauts against the Moles, who were playing a game at their new home rink in Marineris. The Moles were the champions of Round 1, having lost only a single game out of 6.

Anna Fedin of the Cosmonauts scored the first goal of the game at the 6 minute mark. Fedin burned past the Moles defenders and was able to intercept an errant pass by Okeke to snap a backhand into the left corner of the net.

“I’m glad to be back on the ice,” says Fedin of the Exhibition’s Round 2, “I’m excited that more rinks are being built and I hope to play in every settlement at least once!”

Katy fedin delivers a slapshot straight down center ice, brings the score to 2-0 for the wildcards

The first period also saw Vitalia Burian of the Cosmonauts sent to the penalty box not once, but twice! She was awarded a penalty for cross-checking a Moles defender during a scramble for the puck. And a second penalty for high-sticking

Bailey worked hard today defending the goal from the Cosmonauts, deflecting shots and snatching pucks as they pressed the attack relentlessly in the first and second period.

Katy Fedin brings the score to 2-0 for the Cosmonauts early in the second period. After fishing the puck out of scramble at mid-rink, the younger Fedin barreled down the center to slap the puck directly past Bailey’s glove.

The Moles’ first goal was scored by their new teammate, Aaron Bello. Previously of the Phantoms, the 31 year-old Marineris native had been added to the Moles as a forward.

Bello’s goal 13 minutes into the second period sent Moles’ fans into a frenzy as they cheered exuberantly.

Third period was a stalemate as the teams battled over control of the game. The Cosmonaut’s doggedly continued to press their attack while the Moles’ rebuffed each attempt.

“We were quite evenly matched out there tonight,” says the Moles Captain, “ but we played defensively for too long this game. We were able to shut down most of their plays, but we needed to get on the attack more.”

Third period wrapped up with no additional goals on either side and a final score of Cosmonauts 2, and Moles 1

Wildcards beat Khimik 2-1 in Europa Debut

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In front of a sold out Europa crowd, the Wildcards came in and beat Khimik 2 to 1, in the opening games of ISMO Exhibition Round 2

To the majority of fans in the new Europa rink, this was their first  experience of ISMO hockey as Exhibition Round 1 was not broadcast aside from news reports. The fan response was positive and enthusiastic.

“I loved it!”, said one fan. “I’m a football gal so I expected this to be somewhat like MAFL but the speed of this game—it felt much faster. Just wished we had won.”

Another fan chimed in after the game, “Some of the moves they did, like going up the ramps were cool. It didn’t always work but admired their guts in trying. I’ll be back to see more.”

And more chances they’ll get, as Round 2 will have five more weeks of play with two more games scheduled in Europa.

This suits Khimik’s new forward, Jessie Andersen (formerly from the Sands), just fine as she’s right at home in Europa.

“I’m really excited to play in front of my family and friends,” said Andersen of her new placement, “I know my new teammates are all from Korolev but I’m happy to show them what a great colony, Europa is.”

The first period saw no goals as both teams tested the waters.

Phan and Lehman celebrate after goal.

The stalemate was broken in second period by a beautiful goal from Lehmann (formerly of the Phantoms), who redirected a short pass from Phan to complete the play.

With less than a minute left before intermission, Phan set up another goal beautifully with a deft backdoor pass to Lindberg from the bottom of the right face-off circle. Lindberg tipped the puck in to give Wildcards a 2-0 lead.

The Europa crowd opened up the third period with a massive surge in support of Khimiks. They responded with a wave of aggressive plays and scoring chances until finally they broke through.

With less than ten minutes remaining in the game, Ilya Hryc narrowed the lead by one goal.  He took a centering feed from Ivashkin and beat Wildcards goalie, Jules Arquette, with a wrist shot to the blocker side.

Khimik aggressively pushed for the remainder of the game, trying to catch up to the Wildcards. But Andersen’s blast from the point clanged off the post wide, allowing the Wildcards to win narrowly with a 2-1 win.

“We’re fortunate to escape with the win,” said Wildcards Captain, Samuel Marquez. “We’re also fortunate for this next exhibition round as interest just keeps building. This new rink is fantastic, the ice was really good, and the fans were really into it today. Look forward to seeing how the other new colonies respond.”