Flash Back to Forward Attack. MAFL Season 2 Predictions

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Everyone is wondering how things will shape up for this season of MAFL  What clues can we get from last season's performance?

Let's flash back to some key Season 1 trends to see how Season 2 might play out as we countdown to the MAFL opening weekend.

As runners-up of Season 1, the Titans started strong. They roared in with a 12 game winning streak after week 3, ending with the best overall record—16 and 5. However, many wonder if the Titans peaked too soon as they limped to the playoffs with only one win in their last four matches.

“We might have tried too hard to impress early on, and we suffered a number of injuries down the stretch,” said Titans manager, Pablo Salgado. “Captain Raenia Ware went down mid-season, then our leading scorer Readale Nash, and then the list kept growing. We were definitely not at full strength at the end.”

Ware elaborated on adjustments for Season 2, “This off-season, we stepped up our endurance training and Pablo will be managing the minutes of our key players more carefully this season. That means all of us will need to step up and provide more balanced play.”

Balanced play was key to the Comets’ championship run.

They did not experience the same peaks and valleys as the Titans and ended the season with strong. Going into the playoffs 4-2. The Comets were also far less reliant on a few star players, with more balanced play on both the defensive and offensive end.

“Coach made sure we stayed even throughout the season,” said Comets Captain, Liddell Bradley. “Even after all three losses to the Titans, Coach wouldn’t let us get too down having us just focus on fixing our mistakes. We’ll need to keep that kind of focus throughout Season 2 if we are to defend our title.”

Defending that title will not only mean fending off the Titans, but also the offensive fury of Amrita (with leading scorer Uday Lanka), and Al’amal’s trio of Musaddiq Baddour, Arwa Farra, and Hamad Fayad.

Based on off-season rumblings, both teams have been busy. Amrita is looking to add complementary players to Lanka while Al’amal is reportedly dangling either Fayad or Farra to get some high level defenders back.  

And what are the other teams up to?   

Europa is hoping that Darkeem Dennis to help enhance their anemic offence. However, Dennis was relatively quiet after Week 4 having scored only one goal for the remainder of the season.

Tiangong is hoping the subtraction of manager Bobby Chung will help add a new winning culture and enable growth such as the type that forward Vygintas Respsas started to show at the end of Season 1.  

Huacheng is hoping additional training, player growth and potential new players will help their Season 2.

They can hope but new additions are unlikely to come. If anything, there is a trend towards players leaving MAFL as at least 8 players have confirmed they will opt out of their pro-sporting career.

While most of these players are from the larger squads (Europa, Comets and Titans), this will have a ripple effect across the league as teams will look to aggressively poach and recruit from others.

For now though, barring any injuries, the Comets and Titans are still the front-runners for Season 2. However, if Al’amal can engineer a deal to shore up their defence, they would be our dark horse pick.

Can Comets Defend Their Title?

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To defend one’s championship title requires one’s defence to be just as good if not better than in the previous year.  And balanced defence was a calling card for the Marineris Comets led by Defender of the year Stephen Liu. 

Yet Liu will be tasked to take on more as the Comets will return this year losing significant defensive depth as Meghana Singh and Vitor Medina have confirmed their withdrawal from Season 2 MAFL play. 

“We’ll miss them [Meg and Vitor] as they were unsung heroes in our championship run. They ate a ton of minutes for us, shut down opponents consistently, and were first class citizens for team chemistry,” said Liu. 

And to add to manager Gordan J Pryce’s troubles, forward Ellis Black has also made the decision to return to his career in the space sciences.  Black, who is 31 years old, accepted a role with Tyconika Gam, a contractor for Earth space agencies.

“The grind of the season and gruelling demands of being a full-time athlete isn't for everyone,” said Pryce. “Even when you are talented, it doesn't mean it is your calling.  We thank all of them for their contributions to not only our championship, but to the 2 years they invested to make MAFL a reality.”

The Comet's unique gradient colour scheme is out.  Bradley and team appeared in the their new uniforms during pre-season training session.

Even with a the loss of 3 players, the Comets will still have one of the largest rosters in the league with 22 members.   A bigger issue may be the club's lax off-season approach compared with many other clubs that have had little or no break..   

“Truth be told, I haven’t thought about Season 2 a whole lot,” confessed Liu. “I’ve been trying to enjoy some down time out with friends – we caught the Pathfinder sprint rounds in the mobile settlements and made it to a few hockey games."

This raised concerns with Captain Liddell Bradley upon hearing how his teammates have utilized their off season. 

“I don’t want any complacency sinking in,” said Bradley. “Look, we earned our fan base at home, and thus more expectations for season 2. We will need to work harder. The road to repeat starts now.”
 

Owners Contribute to Relief Effort

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Unprecedented devastation rocks the Earth with submerged landmass and dozens of cities left in ruins.  

The crisis continues to unfold on Earth after last week's cataclysmic events.  The series of earthquakes have taken a global toll affecting countries that straddle the boundaries of the Ring of Fire.  Japan and the West American Quadrant were the hardest hit.  The exact loss of life is still unknown after the initial wave of tectonic activity began 6 days ago, but hundreds of thousands are thought to have perished.

Following protocol, Martian Councils convened late on Martis, shortly after receiving reports of the incident.  A key part to the Martian response, confirmed by the United Council of Mars and the Immigration Council, will include a mass evacuation of all pre-approved, waitlisted applicants from the affected regions. This effectively means expediting off-world relocation of more than 35,000 people, many of which have already been airlifted from the disaster zones to makeshift camps near launch centres around the world.

There is an attempt to move 5,000 of these survivors and rendezvous with the next immediate passing craft. It's a very narrow window as significant preparations are required to transport such a large number of human passangers.

The circuit between Earth and Mars currently has 12  freighter crafts that perpetually circle the two planets, making cargo transfers every 2 Martian months.  Moving the remaining 30,000 would take at least 1/2 an Earth Year according to specialists, however, mission planners are looking at ways to accelerating the program.

Colonies have less than 7 months to prepare for the staged population influx.  Osumi colony has committed to receive all of the first inbound evacuants, largely coming from affected regions in Japan.  This number represents 5 time the current capacity of the colony.

Receiving the evacuees will be a massive undertaking and this initiative is largely possible due to the financial and resource contributions of Martian organizations, most notably the MAFL.  

"Luckily we were all in Europa for a meeting when we caught wind of the crisis," said Aiger Masing, commissioner of the MAFL, "All club owners, including Kamden Lewis (San Olympus Titans) , Vijya Pandey (Amrita Immortals) , and Jubair Muhammad (Al'amal S.C.) have signed on to support the UCM in these efforts."

The United Council of Mars, representing all settlements, have approved resurrecting the former British colony mission that was abandoned in late 2067.  Key members of the original operation, who ended up in other colonies, will be reactivated to lead the operation and administration. By leveraging the existing infrastructure and construction, it is conceivable a new colony can be established to house between 8 to 10 thousand people.  Growing the organics components required for life support for this population size will be the biggest challenge for environmental engineers.

Additionally, integration of new colonists is also a concern, especially due to the traumatic circumstances.  Transition programs are typically 24-40 weeks (depending on the host colony); pre-colonists are required to live in replica facilities on Earth that resemble their target colony. On average 15% wash out for one reason or another, so this safety net won't be there to filter cold-feet or screening unfit individuals.  

Kamden Lewis, who continues to operate multiple businesses on Earth, is said to have lost at least one of his California-based facilities and headquarters.  In a statement, he stated, "Mars resources will be put to the test both in terms of infrastructure and the social impact.  Our part to welcome these new colonists will be easy compared to the ongoing recovery efforts back on Earth. We will work tirelessly on both planets to help in any way we can."

In the near-term, MAFL and other sport organizations will play an important role in helping keep colony morale up.  

“We’ve never assimilated new migrants under these extenuating circumstances before,” said Rjek Someni, head of Martian Immigration Control Council, “We are asking everyone to support this mission, including the burgeoning sport community.  It's going to be culture shock on a massive scale, so sports may be one way to ease the transition.  It's going to affect all of our lives.”

Outfits and Upgrades for Al'amal

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MAFL clubs have been upgrading equipment to meet new specifications and updates for safety, but some clubs have taken the opportunity to come back for season 2 in style.

In a recent outdoor training session, Al'amal players were seen sporting completely new EV suits.  The reported capacity increases for life support are not significantly noticeable against the new design and colours .  Style-wise, Al'amal has definitely stepped up their game.

Abandoning their previously green and gold palette, the club has added grey and introduced handsome Teal accents. 

"These [uniforms] make us feel powerful," said team captain Musaddiq Baddour, "A number of issues we had with the previous equipment has largely been addressed, so this is a huge improvement that will contribute to performance across the league."

Tech pack components extend life support capacity and will include newer safety countermeasures.  The packs are reverse compatible with the propulsion systems integrated into previous generation EV suits.

Al'amal Sport Club has proudly announced they are returning with 100% of their original roster from season 1.  After rumours from Marineris earlier in the week that the championship team will be losing multiple players, this was welcome news for Al'amal fans.

"Trades were just not interesting to us.  If we learned anything, it is how our team embodies and represents our great colony," said club manager, Haajid Nasr, "We did spend a lot of time looking at local recruits over the break.  Though we won't be adding anyone to the lineup, we intend on investing in top candidates to grow the talent pool for the future."

Al'amal SC will officially fund a junior club program starting in parallel with season 2.  An inter-colony junior league remains unlikely due to the tremendous costs and time commitments associated with cross-Mars transport, so actual benefits of a local junior program will have the same limitations as recreational sports clubs. 

MAFL Countdown

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Same Teams and almost all of the players from season 1 will be returning to the pitch in the much awaited 2nd Season of the MAFL.

In just 4 weeks, the MAFL will kick off season 2.

The league and the club owners have been quiet during the break, sharing little news or updates while training camp has been underway for weeks.  Mr. Aiger, President of the MAFL, broke silence today to officially announced Mithuna the 7th to be the opening weekend of play.

He confirmed that the original 8 teams will be returning for season 2, but revealed that Wendland and Columbia Hills will be joining in the league expansion for season 3.

He called out a number of key points related to "build on the learnings" and making changes that will make the game "even better" than than the first season.

Restricted team changes

In the spirit of growing talent, clubs have agreed to limited player changes, including no more than 1 trade and a maximum of 2 new recruitments.

Club owners will be sharing final roster in the upcoming weeks as they continue to make adjustments.  Several players have bowed out during the off season for personal reasons, but otherwise, virtually all of the familiar faces will be returning.

"Not all teams were made equal, but none of us wanted to see drastic changes.", said Matthäus Reinmann, manager of Europa United, "This seasons is about continuity and refinement.  I expect that it is going to be different than the inaugural season as every club has had time to reflect and work out issues."

Though Tiangong Wuji restructured their management team and said good-bye to head coach Bobby Chung after finishing in last place last season, the club expressed support on the team change restrictions, ironically saying:  "You never give up on your people.  That isn't the  Martian-way."

Rules Refinements

Aiger has implied that minor 'tweaks' have been made to the rule book, but here are a few notable outcomes:

• An actual referee on the pitch. The official will be supported by 2 members in the control room and the same distribution of robot officials.

• Ball deceleration – this one is a bit controversial among the clubs as this season's balls will be adjusted for programatic deceleration. The league claims this will improve safety, however, it seems counter intuitive considering boost propellent capacity will also be increasing this year.

• Life support requirement have also been upped after multiple incidents in season 1. In addition to a number of EV suit specifications updates to address safety concerns, tech packs must support greater oxygen supply and helmets have new requirements. Some clubs have have taken this opportunity for equipment redesign and branding.

• The Penalty Kick shootout will be replaced with Extra Time (AET) to resolve tied matches.

Spectator Seating

5 colonies have approved and have retrofit stadiums to support new outdoor seating, including Europa, Amrita, Marineris, Al'amal, and Tiangong.  There will continue to be pitch-side viewing in the safety of the spectator vehicle, but  these stadiums are provided covered bleachers where spectators will be able to enjoy the games in consumer-grade EV Suits that they can rent or buy.  The canopies are required to provide additional radiation protection and the suits are also designed to plug-in to a the stadium seating which both augments the suits life support and provides a direct feed of programmed in-came content.

Where's the Beef?

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Where's the beef?  Well, apparently, it's on its way!

Huacheng, Tiangong and Osumi will become the first colonies to introduce Organic Dairy products at significant volume.  

Duke Riddlestone, owner of Riddle Farms Texas Company, is one of the primary suppliers of genetically engineered livestock.  He and his team arrived on a temporary work visa early in Mesha and have been working with local operators to ensure a smooth transition when the cattle arrives.  All 3 colonies will have dedicated massive underground facilities for the venture.

we won't see cows on the surface of Mars anytime soon, rather, they will inhabit dedicated facilities in Huacheng, Tiangong and Osumi.  Other colonies will be eagerly observing the outcome of this  new program. Suppliers of the genetically engineered bovine claim the load on resources fall within the same parameters as other adapted livestock.

The livestock is en route and a large portion of the test-tube calves will be 'born' on the final approach to Mars, after a 250 day gestation period.   The total herd size will be 120 cows and is expected to produce in excess of 200,000 litres of milk each year.

Riddlestone, formerly an all-star NNFBL player (and later in his career, a coach), praised the consortium responsible for opening up the market for his livestock and the achievements of Martian colonization.

“It’s a remarkable thing to come to this world and witness how people live here,” Riddlestone said in a recent interview, “I’m impressed with how far you’ve been able to push agriculture and how it has afforded colonists with a relatively diverse diet.  I'm happy that my cows are a new milestone.”

How this will affect the synthetic milk sector remains to be seen, but many are eager to welcome cow milk over the low-volume from human milk sharing programs available in some colonies.

When asked of what he thinks of Martian sports, he said, “It’s great to see a budding sporting culture, especially with the decline back home.  I still can’t get over how tall everyone is.  I am looking forward to seeing how that translates into actual play.  I want to see it with my own eyes, so I plan on being at the Dong Ji opening game.”

Riddlestone has been welcomed as a sport celebrity and multiple MAFL clubs have extended invitations for him to visit, however, he has, so far, declined due to his immediate business obligations.

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.”

Tales from the Pitch: Fanatical

While everyone is hyped about the emergence of ice hockey on Mars, I wanted to inform our readers of what has been going on during the off-season of the Mars Aero Football League. Of course, there has been some trading of players, and some new acquisitions, but I’m more fascinated by the emergence of local fan organizations throughout the settlements.

Every team has its fans, but what we saw in its infancy last season was the coming together of like minds who wished to support their team with incredible passion and overwhelming zeal. These ad-hoc groups met infrequently last season, but still enough to recognize a shared vision and during the past few months we’ve seen a solidification of club rules and the creation of local fan support groups. Wishing to know more, I decided to visit the supporters of my team, The San Olympus Titans.

Calling themselves the Cronus’s Crew, these superfans make sure that every game they are present and loudly supporting their team. The local establishment in Sans Olympus broadcasts every game and fills up with the Crew whenever they can get a ticket to one of the games. I head there to see for myself and raucous debate between fans fills the room. If I didn’t know better, I would have never suspected that MAFL was off season.

I’m greeted by three men and two women who in turn introduce me to Amzi Jones, the current President of Cronus’s Crew. They are quite the sight. Their bodies and faces are painted with Titans purple. On their heads sit a comically oversized laurel wreath in Titans gold. I was later told that they normally only dress in that fashion for a game but had wanted to give me a real feel of what the Crew can do.

Amzi tells me that they started with five or six of them meeting up to watch a game, but has quickly grown into a little under fifty card-carrying members. Whenever they attend a game, they make sure that they are the loudest, rowdiest group and that their team can hear every cheer through the spectator bus speaker systems.

It doesn’t take long for the heartache of last year’s final to come up in conversation. There are a few murmurs of how we were robbed, but the reality is that the Titans were simply too hurt, and bad luck ended an amazing inaugural season. Wanting to lighten the mood, I mention that we’ll get them this year to which the group cheered loudly and told me I was welcome back any time.

Cronus’s Crew is joined by the Golden Dragons in Huacheng, the Novyimir Dynamaniacs, and the Cometeers in Marineris. I expect more fan clubs will be popping up soon. History is filled with disturbing tales of football hooliganism, but, while Cronus’s Crew aren’t teetotallers, I didn’t get the sense that these were people out looking for a fight or would pose any concern to Mars’s security forces. These are just a bunch of fans who love their teams and who want to show it in the craziest, loudest way possible.

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.