Tomorrow's Stars

In lieu of the preseason games I've done in the past, I thought it would be fun to showcase some of my pre-NHL hockey league's up-and-coming talent, so I put together an exhibition game consisting entirely of rookies and prospects. Eligible players included those who were rookies in Season 4, draft picks for the upcoming Season 5, and prospects who could be drafted for Seasons 6 and 7. For captains, I selected this season's top two draft picks, Duke Keats and Frank Foyston. Why not get their rivalry started a little early? I then divvied up the remaining players more or less randomly and got them on the ice!

Team Foyston notched the first goal early in the first period when Dick Irvin (eligible for Season 6 draft) took a pass from his captain and beat Millionaires' rookie Hugh Lehman. Foyston himself would score unassisted on the power play later in the opening frame. Team Keats, meanwhile, couldn't get much going against opposing goaltender Hap Holmes (eligible for Season 7 draft).

In the second, future superstar Newsy Lalonde (eligible for Season 6 draft) got in behind the defense and converted a feed from Keats to get his team on the board. With the score 2-1 in favor of Team Foyston, the squads settled into a lot of chippy back-and-forth with few quality chances. Lehman then stonewalled Irvin at the buzzer to keep his team within one.

Irvin would get revenge in the third, however, when he rifled a wrist shot past Lehman -- his second goal of the game -- to make it 3-1 for Team Foyston. Midway through the period, Keats tallied on a pass from Shorty Green (eligible for Season 7 draft) to make it 3-2, but his team couldn't get the equalizer. 

Who were the standout performers in this contest? Irvin was the MVP with a two-goal performance, and he looked the part of a number-one center. The two captains, Keats and Foyston, each racked up a goal and an assist. Lalonde had just the one goal, but had several good looks and is sure to be a force in this league someday. For the goaltenders, Holmes stopped 27 of 29 shots for Team Foyston and Lehman stopped 23 of 26 for Team Keats. 

Time to get rolling with Season 5. As it happens, Keats and Foyston will be facing off against each other for real when the Comets and Millionaires meet on opening day!