30-19
"Bin Laden v Sin Subbing"
The PM winners will have to drop the mitts with the Elephant Hunters, the Brahmas.  The Brahmas unseated one of the hottest teams in the SCHL 25-19 after over coming a four point head start.  the Brahmas will now start the correct goalie and will be not be taken lightly by the Flash.  The Flash, having been knocked out last year in th 2nd round by the 79ers, will be looking to get to the Frozen Four for the 1st time...the 2004 Champs are back in the saddle and will be a team to be reckoned with .  Until they're eliminated, the Flash will be one of three heavy favourites left in the tourney.

..and it begins: Round 1
Updated int Day 7, though all games except the Canucks' game


As requested by the Jawas..bye teams: Flash 27, Gryphons 27, Bullets 30, Tycoons 43
 

22-26

Both teams enter their 4^th campaign for the Snipers Cup. The Jawas (3^rd in points), having never won in the post season, enter this post season one of the hottest clubs in the league rattling off 8 straight wins to end the season. The Brahmas (8^th in points) on the other hand locked horns with the Tycoons and lost 30-29 in the final week of the post season after some spotty subbing (Aucoin over Zidlicky?). Because of that they'll be in tough this week and will have to face the Jawas. How far can Savard take the Brahmas and can the Jawas finally get over the hump and move on to the second round?
 

24-19

This is truly a classic battle. Clash of the 1999 finalists. Now it's 9 years later and it is two Bronze division foes. This will be both teams first appearance since the 2003-2004 season. The Heartbreakers had to go 4-0-1 in their last 5 just to squeak into the post season as a wild card. Having only lost twice and sporting an overall post season record of 13-2, the Heartbreakers will be the focus of many fans. Can they capture their old magic and unseat the Bronze division champions? The Shrubdogs, marred in slumps, had the bye in their grasp and let it slip. St Louis and Spezza are due to bust out; however, but that bye would be a relief and now they must go up against the historic Heartbreakers.

 

  29-22

I bet no one would have predicted this first round match up. A rematch of last year's finals. We all know how that played out. The 79ers enter this post season a hospital room with injuries to Gagne, Sid, Lidstrom..etc. They have gotten Sakic back and he's been names their new goal man. The Kilts have all their team together after running through their own rough patch of injuries. This should be interesting to watch, but the 79ers will need a miracle if they hope to repeat

16-25

The Barracudas (13^th in points) closed out the season with 7 straight wins, while the Vanguard (6^th in points) closed out the seasons with 6 straight wins. For much of the season the Barracudas were considered an easy opponent on the schedule. They had a slumping goal man, a spotty assist man and two goalies battling for the same net. Fast forward, Vanek has emerged as a quality goal man, Richards is on a high flying Stars team and Price and Huet are no longer on the same team. The Vanguard hope to build off their 2^nd round advancement from last season. Their team is slowly coming together; guys like Staal and Lecavs are some of the best young bucks to have in the game. The Barracudas will need to get monster productions fro their big guns, as the Vanguard have the depth tilted in their direction. Both teams are very inconsistent, but can get on a hot streak and can knock off any team in the playoffs.

---

The Snipers Cup Playoffs..What's all the Fuss?

I wrote it quick and I guarantee it's riddled with grammar errors and spelling errors, but it's better than a kick in the face. Here's a look back from what I remember over the years in each playoffs and a look towards this year's SCHL post season finale!

Well another season is pretty much complete, seems like only yesterday we were drafting. Does time ever fly? This will be our ninth SCHL playoff and third with the new format. So who will join the ranks as the SCHL Champions?

Let's look back before setting the table on this year's run to the Holy Grail.

1999 Playoffs: The favoured Tycoons laid one of the biggest eggs in SCHL history by posting 18 points in two weeks, as the Heartbreakers cruised to victory. No one knew this was a sign of the times. Roy was incredible down the stretch earning himself the Patrick Roy Award. (Odd that the name of the award is after himself.)

The Shrubs, came in second, but had to battle in one of the best matches ever that year in SCHL post season history…it was against the Goon Snipers (now Barracudas). With an Osgood SO on the final night, and with the help of home ice, the Shrubs were propelled to victory. The Shrubs believe it or not were a hot commodity back then. Coming of a convincing SC victory in 1998 and a 2^nd place showing, they were unstoppable.

I'll never forget the fit the Stunners had when they lost to the Millionaires. The Millionaires were stacked with Stars (Dallas that is). Hull, Belfour, Zubov...and in round 1 the Stunners had the home ice advantage, but faced the Millionaires and the Dallas Stars 4 times! They got their lunch served to them and wrote a full out essay why "this is bullshit!"

And this was the only year the Kilts did not qualify for the post season.

2000 Playoffs: In convincing fashion once again the Heartbreakers cruised to victory. These playoffs will always be foggy to me, as Ashley and I were in Australia and we both barely followed it. All I knew was Pavel Bure turned into god and knocked out the Tycoons (stupid Yashin holding out). I do remember this being a coming out party for the Storm. The Gryphons came outa the gates that year like a house on fire and won the PM Award; however, sputtered as only the Gryphons can do and stumbled into the post season. They made it to the finals, but shit the bed posting 12 points.

2001 Playoffs: The league's third post season produced a new Champion, the Johnston Tycoons. The Tycoons became the first team to have won both the WG and the SC. The Tycoons slumped for most of the season, but when Mario Lemieux returned to the Pens Jagr went ballistic and in the final 2 months the Tycoons went ape shit, scorching up the WG race and posting a record 63 points in a 10 day finals.

I remember an overall sigh of relief when the Bullets knocked out the Heartbreakers in round 2. Finally they had lost in the post season. Up to that point they were 7-0! I mean we put this league together to have fun and spread it around, yet two seasons in and the same champ.� Needless to say, I was glad to see them lose.

Pavel Bure has a monumental week against the Kilts, posting 20 points; as the Bullets went on to win and then beat the Heartbreakers before heading to the finals. The Hammerheads made it to the finals and can thank two home ice wins, they beat the Blitzkrieg 27-28 and the Stunners 33-34.

�

2002 Playoffs: The Heartbreakers were once again crowned the Champs. Unreal. 3 times in 4 years...yawn. They also won the WG, becoming the first team to win both major awards in the same season.� It was really a remarkable season for the HB Sauce. All the wispers about the Heartbreaks 1^st and 2^nd rings being a fluke were validated on this run.� The WG and SC, but more importantly a SC after a year where they didn't win...it truly squashed all the doubters out there about the Heartbreakers dominance.� In other words, had the Heartbreakers stopped here, their dynasty would have still been born.� Patty Roy once again was the difference in the finals against the Kilts and Hitmen.

This was also the 1^st year that the Kilts were a team to be reckoned with...the old guard, the Tycoons really had a SC Hang over and were killed in the second round by the Kilts 34-22.� The Hitmen finally getting their act together made their way to the finals...at the time they were a great young team.

After taking over the gong show in Road Runner ville, the Coyotes made their 2^nd appearance in the post season…but they didn't get far.� Gone first round though.� The Stunners (an SCHL legend) did squat, getting the boot in round 1 as well.� The Flash (known then as the Ferrari Flash) made their first ever playoff appearance..gone as well in the 1^st round to the Shrubdogs, just too inexperienced.

2003 Playoffs: This was one of the best overall seasons...still my favourite draft at Ashley's house.� Linda knows how to put on a great spread. Anyway, this would also be the last draft Tony Roy would make an appearance at and oddly enough his final Snipers Cup ring, becoming the lowest team to date in the WG race to win it all (5^th place).� Led by Patty Roy and Demitra, the Heartbreakers cementing themselves as the first ever SCHL Dynasty.� Not to mention won without an goal man...Bure was injured!

The Kilts again got to the finals, along with the Storm (their second appearance).� It was a great final.� All three teams battled and in the end the Heartbreakers narrowly beat out the Storm.

Barracudas, in their inaugural season, bounced the Flash in the 1^st round, but were to meet the mighty HB and lose.� There's a real trend with the same teams appearing here.

2004 Playoffs: Back in 2001, the Flash were a unorganized team.� A bit bush league and not very good, they came to the 2001 draft knowing change was needed.� The Flash then made three trades securing the 2^nd overall pick and 4^th overall picks.� Going down 3 men in three two for one deals (thank god that's out of the league) to get Kovalchuk and Nabokov...The core was then changed and the Flash, because of those two studs, would hoist the Snipers Cup in 2004.

The Rowdy Kilts, on their way to their 3 straight final, had a monstrous season at 20-1-1 and bounced the Heartbreakers for only the second time in the post season.� The Heartbreakers record to that point was 13-1 in the post season and that would be there last post season matchup.� The Blitzkrieg, after years of ridicule, finally put all the pieces together for a run...Bert, Big Swede, Luongo made it as the third member of the finals.

These playoffs would be bittersweet; however, everyone knew doomsday was coming with the lockout and this would be the final time we'd see the Hitmen, Storm, Hammerheads, Stunners and the Blitzkrieg.� Thank God.

2006 Playoffs: I really don't know how we all made it through the lockout.� Think about how much we follow the SCHL and then think how the Christ did we make it through over 365 days of no NHL?� Nearly a year and half. It got to the point where I simply forgot about hockey.� Nuts.

Back from the lockout we also changed the SCHL playoffs...it still featured 12 teams, but now we had new divisions, bye teams, and most importantly a two team final.� And this year it was the Tycoons v the Rowdy Kilts in the finals. The two biggest rivals and two of the most hated teams faced off in the, Battle of Eagle Heights.� It was epic alright...you can read the play by play under season review in the history section, but needless to say it was the closest we've ever seen it.� The Kilts, in their fourth straight finals finally did it.� Brian fucking Gionta!

The Frozen four included the Rowdy Kilts, Tycoons, 79ers and Brahmas.� Had the Kilts not knocked out the Brahmas, they would have gone on to win it all...thank god they didn't.� It was the Jawas first time back to the post season since season 1!

2007 Playoffs: The 79ers picked up the championship last year...obviously.� Joe Sakic when nuts at the end in another dramatic final with none other than the Kilts, the 79ers got the job done.� Off the hop the 79ers were up mega, but didn't step on the throat of the competition and the Kilts clawed back...but it wasn't enough.� This championship is a controversial one with the addition of Crosby on the 79ers; however, no one can question the great acquisitions in Sakic and Lidstrom which threw the 79ers over the top.

The frozen four features the Tycoons, Rowdy Kilts, 79ers and Gryphons.� The Kilts knocked out the Tycoons once more with a late Saturday Brodeur assist and the Tycoons absence of a MM...god damn Pronger, I woulda won too if I had beat the Kilts.� In the other semi, the 79ers almost blew another match against the Gryphons, by only winning 42-41…what a thriller right to the end.

This was the 1^st time the Coyotes had won a match in the post season, the Jawas made it again for the 2^nd straight season.� It's still pretty fresh in everyone's mind.

2008 Playoffs: Now a look to this year...I just spent the last 10 minutes talking about the Kilts, Heartbreakers, Tycoons and so on...is this the year we finally see some new blood in the big matches?�

The Bullets have risen from the dead and have a bye, but it could be all for not with no goalie.

The Shrubdogs are back in the saddle, poised to make great strides, but do they have the horses to go the distance with a slumping goalie?

What about the Vanguard? For years they've been the fodder for the top teams...can they finally push back and make a stance?

The Gryphons a staple in recent memory have stumbled down the stretch after owning the SCHL for much of the season...unwilling to better their team, they're once again caught up in the perfect storm...are they ready to take home the hardware?

The Brahmas once again will be at the dance; will they make a mark or just become splat on the windshield to a top team?

The Barracudas DNQ last year, but rattled of six straight wins to end the season.� Do the they have the horses to the go distance? Price, Richards, Vanek will have to be sharp down the stretch for them to have a shot.

The defending champs?� Wow..without Sid, or Lidstrom, Gagne...they'll be more a bye than an opponent.

There's still some uncertainty about who will be the final few spots, but the Assassins have a chance to back up their talk and all their trades, likely won't happen, but the chance it there.

And finally the real contenders: the Flash, Tycoons, Jawas and Kilts. In my opinion the champion will come from one of these 4 teams. They've all got one thing in common; they've got no real weaknesses. All teams start 10 players and 10 good players. They've got the horse power to blow any team of the planet. So, if we see one of these teams falls prior to the Frozen Four, it'll be an upset.

I love the Snipers Cup more than anything. The WG is nice, but there's nothing more exciting then everyone having shot at it all...hoisting it up. The attention from the entire league...the chatter, all eyes on your..that sorta thing.� All the hard work, the roster subs, the draft snipes all about translating that into some hardware. Because 5 years from now, no one will care that you scooped so and so in the 4^th round, they'll just ask? "Did you win the cup that year then?" "Naw, my goalie got benched and I didn't bother to get a back up so I flushed the season down the toilet... figured next year was a better year to go for it.""

For Sportscenter I'm Blake Mackenzie.

�Week 21 - Matches