Season in review

The Beefs season started off with quite a few questions. For the pro team there was questions on if they could improve on last years performance and if they made it back to the playoffs, would anyone else step up after a shocking performance last year that saw Alex Kovalev valiantly attempt to carry the team before retiring. He scored 6 of the teams total 14 goals. Then in the farm there were the questions on who would fill Oscar Mollers shoes as he earned a full time promotion to the pro league along with defender David Rundblad.

Although the season ended without any silverware the team can largely call this year a success as all the above questions were answered. The Beefs ended the regular season with 105 points and the number 2 seed, topping the division by the skin of their teeth. In the end only 2 points seperated 4 of the division with the Buttercups cruelly missing out on a playoff spot.

In the playoffs the Beefs had a very strong performance seeing off the rival Chatham Victory in 6 intensely fought games before being knocked out by the heavily favoured Shamrocks. Even that series had its promising side as the team refused to die when 3-0 down fighting back to make it to game 6 before bowing out.

This year also saw the emergence of young superstar goalie Howie Hole who steadied the team after a shaky start and carried them all the way to the conference final and will be representing the team at the annual all star game. Loui Eriksson also exploded in the playoffs scoring 20 points in just 12 games, good for 4th overall in the playoffs despite playing less games than those around him.

In the farm there were many critics as after an almost unbeatable season that saw the Baby Beefs top the league with 64 wins and 132 points they were dumped out in the 2nd round by the Matlock Leprechauns who would go on to claim the Queens cup. This after a first round exit the year before and with Oscar Moller and David Rundblad departing for the big league many people felt the prime of the Baby Beefs was over.

A hard fought season later and the Baby Beefs had been knocked off their perch atop the league in the regular season however they did not give up and had the second highest wins in the league with 61 while finishing 3rd in the overall standings behind two former Queens cup winners. The Playoffs started and after an unexpected tough series against the Turku Terrors the Baby Beefs were surprised to see themselves facing not the defending champs but the rival Banshees. Another extremely tough 7 game series later and the Baby Beefs had finally returned to the final to face the team that had beaten them in the same spot 3 seasons prior. Unfortunately the outcome was the same with the Brian Dinosaurs coming out on top in 6 games.

Both teams can hold their heads high after this season as both had playoff runs that improved on last year and both won their divisions in the regular season. Not many other teams have managed that. The team now looks forward to a new division with new challenges along with some familiar faces as the Victory follow into the new layout. Given this seasons defeat in the first round you can be sure the Victory will be out for blood next season.