#they were the underdog against vancouver. against dallas. and against florida

[wizardclown]

the way one series has made me dislike the pan thers as much as the flames 😭😭😭

[xiaolongpunch]

Thoughts on every owl team v2

Now that stage 2 is over, here are my thoughts on every owl team in order of their current season ranking.

1. Vancouver Titans (14-0)

I still do not like the titans. They still have massive ego issues and its only increasing the more they win. Yes, they are undefeated, but I guarantee that as soon as they lose, they will fall into a downward spiral because they wont know how to deal with it.

2. New-York Excelsior (12-2)

Relying on one player seems to be a theme for these two top teams, but, nyxl is currently failing at being the top now. They have lost twice against the Reign, this should be a wake up call for the nyxl.

3. San-Fransisco Shock (11-3)

Wow, you did it, the golden stage, 28-0 map record. That's impressive, but please for the love of everything don't let that get to your head. Today's match against the dragons was a tight one, learn from your mistakes and come back in the stage playoffs even stronger.

4. London Spitfire (9-5)

They are looking much better then last stage, but they still have some work to do if they want to reach the golden trio. They are set for the playoffs imo, but they work to do to come out on top.

5. Los-Angeles Gladiators (9-5)

Decay is probably the best acquisition this league has seen so far. Find what works for you and keep doing what you do, and you'll keep on improving and hopefully win a stage playoff when metas change.

6. Dallas Fuel (9-5)

Your homestead game really did you well, OGE looks like he loves to play for his home crowd and you should forward to when geolocolization comes into play. The trade that got you note was surprising amazing for you, so keep on burning fuel.

7. Philadelphia Fusion(8-6)

Lets be honest, that positive record is mostly from stage 1. Fusion isn't looking too good, or too bad right now. Maybe try a certain scandinavian main tank? Who knows, might do you good.

8. Seoul Dynasty (7-6)

They are still playing spark for me as im writing this, and this match will determine if you make playoffs or not. I honestly have no idea why you've stopped palying fissure, but hey, if you believe marve1 is better for ya then what can I say.

9. Shanghai dragons (7-7)

You went from the worst to being a middle of the pack team and thats an amazing accomplishment for your team. You he just made stage 2 playoffs, keep on improving and you might take stage 4 playoffs.

10. Hangzhou Sparks (7-6)

After quite honestly deflating last stage, you're looking to maybe clinch the eight seed to the playoffs. Keep calm, use your ults wisely and you might be able to do this.

11. Atlanta Reign (7-7)

Losing Dafran was harsh in the beginning, but you're slowly improving. Babybay is finally getting some play time and he's looking like to be a good acquisition for youm beating nyxl proves you can be in the top ten, keep on moving forward.

12. Toronto Defiant (7-7)

Last stage you were the underdogs, this stage you kinda just suck. Please keep Ivy on zarya and im37 on brig, you got your first 4-0 today because of this choice, come back as the underdogs.

13. Boston Uprising (7-7)

Honestly not much to say about this team other then apparently you love giving the bottom teams a wins. First it was the dragons, and now its the justice? Get it together, come on.

14. Chengdu Hunters (6-8)

Probably the boldest team in the league. They don't give a shit about the meta and thats what makes them so much fun to watch. Hopefully they'll be able to win more though.

15. Changzhou Charge (5-9)

You have a stacked team, whats going wrong? Maybe stop switching your lineup and get a stable starting 6. Find out whats wrong before playoffs slip away from you.

16. Paris Eternal (5-9)

"Best 3-3 team in the league" remember those days? Yeah, me too. Please put benbest back on main tank, get a real dva player on, stop trying to put soon and shadowburn together, it aint working.

17. Los-Angeles Valiant (3-11)

Finally you're turning these map 5s into win. You can still make the playoffs, put your mind to it and work on what is going wrong. Keep kariv on zen, keep custa on the starting roster, please.

18. Houston Outlaws (3-11)

Last season, they had trouble because they couldn't find a good tracer player, this season they have a good tracer player....in the goats meta. You can clearly see whats wrong so what in the fuck is taking so long to change things?

19. Washington Justice (2-12)

Sleepy gets ice cream when sleepy do good. Memes aside, hopefully this win today isnt boston throwing or having a mental fart.

20. Florida Mayhem (1-13)

*stares into the camera like in the office*

[tysonbearie]

this weeks newsletter is here!! this week the spotlight shines on the underdogs

Weekly Recap:

Last Man In voting has concluded, and the winners are forward Jeff Skinner (Atlantic), forward Gabriel Landeskog (Central), defenceman Kris Letang (Metropolitan), and forward Leon Draisaitl (Pacific).

The IIHF World Junior Championship ended with a 3-2 regulation gold medal victory for Team Finland. Team USA was awarded silver; Team Russia took home bronze.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Kings hosted “90’s Night,” during which they used glowing pucks. The glowing pucks originally debuted in 1996, but were later discontinued at the end of the 1997-98 season.

The Montreal Canadiens announced on Monday that goalie Carey Price would be opting out of All-Star Weekend. Price is currently recovering from a lower-body injury and the organization felt he should take the time to rest instead. He will be replaced by goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

All-Star Weekend will be hosted by the San Jose Sharks January 25-26. The NHL has partnered with Adidas to produce eco-friendly jerseys made from marine plastic waste materials. The jerseys will feature team logos for the first time.  

On Tuesday, Mike McKenna became the seventh goaltender to start for the Philadelphia Flyers this season. McKenna was claimed from waivers last week from the Ottawa Senators, after being previously acquired (by Ottawa) in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Blue Jackets have issued a statement as to why they opted to sit goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky; Bobrovsky apparently acted in a way that the organization did not agree with that is unrelated to his upcoming free agent status and they will not be saying anymore about the incident. Bobrovsky and the organization have since ‘cleared the air,’ and Bobrovsky may start against the Capitals on Saturday.

Rick Nash will be retiring from professional hockey after 15 seasons. Nash’s agent released a statement on Friday that cited lingering concussion symptoms and post-concussion syndrome as the reason for his sudden departure.  

Play of the Week:

On Sunday, forward Jesse Puljujarvi of the Edmonton Oilers beat out goaltender John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks with an absolutely astounding no-look backhand pass. It was by no means a pretty play, but it was impressive in its execution. The Oilers went on to shutout the Ducks 4-0 in their own arena.

Players to Watch:

Goalie Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings recently became the 5th American born goalie to tally his 300th career win. Quick has 300 wins and 58 overtime (OT) losses in 576 games played so far in his career. He has started in 30 games this season, winning 7.

Defenceman Robert Bortuzzo of the St. Louis Blues has tallied 1 goal and 5 points in 24 games played this season. He has a career total of 13 goals and 47 points in 300 games played. Bortuzzo recently signed a three-year contract extension with the Blues.

Forward Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers has 11 goals and 24 points in 44 games played this season. He has a career total of 46 goals and 99 points in 195 games played. He was selected in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft (24th overall). In his rookie season (2015-16) Konecny was awarded the E.J. McGuire Award of excellence by the NHL; this award goes to the prospect who “best exemplifies the commitment to excellence.” He is the first recipient of this award.

Prospect Watch:

Forward Alexandre Fortin, who went undrafted in 2015, has 2 goals and 5 points in 14 games played this season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League; he has 3 goals and 6 points in 24 games played this season with the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL. Fortin played for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2014-17, during which he accumulated 52 goals and 135 points in 173 games played.

Defenceman Philippe Myers, who went undrafted in 2015, has 7 goals and 24 points in 36 games played this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League. Myers played for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2013-17, during which he accumulated 29 goals and 92 points in 203 games played. Myers was also a part of Team Canada during the 2016-17 World Junior Championship, though he was taken out early due to a concussion; the team went on to place second and bring home silver.

Defenceman Jeremy Lauzon, drafted 52nd overall by the Boston Bruins, has 1 goal and 6 points in 18 games played with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League this season; he has 1 goal in 15 games with the Boston Bruins of the NHL. Lauzon played for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2013-17, during which he accumulated 35 goals and 130 points in 200 games played. Lauzon was also a member of Team Canada during the 2016-17 World Junior Championship; he tallied 2 goals and 1 assist in 7 games played.

Team of the Week:

The Detroit Red Wings, an Original Six team founded in 1926, who are currently 8th overall in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference and play out of Little Caesars Arena. The team was originally known as the Detroit Cougars form 1926-30; they were the Detroit Falcons from 1930-32. In 1932, they changed their name to the Red Wings. The Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cups (11) of any NHL franchise in the United States, most recently in 2008. The Wings previously played in the historic Joe Louis Arena from 1979-2017. They have the very distinct and recognizable tradition of throwing an octopus on the ice for luck during playoff games. The NHL has yet to successfully prevent this from occurring. Notable alumni include Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, Ted Lindsay, Sergei Fedorov, Gordie Howe, and Nicklas Lidstrom.

Outside the NHL:

The National Women’s Hockey League All-Star Weekend will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville February 9-10.

The Canadian Women’s Hockey League All-Star Game will take place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on January 20.

The American Hockey League All-Star Classic will be hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds January 27-28.

Weekly Thoughts:

From fistfights between teammates, to frankly dangerous slashes aimed at opposing players, to players yelling at coaching staff during games, to CEOs taking cheap shots at top performers, frustrations are piling up this season. Perhaps after All-Star Weekend teams will be rested and ready to go.

The St. Louis Blues can’t seem to catch a break this season. The Blues are currently 6th in the Central Division of the Western Conference and it’s taken its toll on the team. On December 10, defenceman Robert Bortuzzo and forward Zach Sanford exchanged blows at practice.

On January 11, Florida’s Keith Yandle delivered a horrifying slash to the stick of Calgary’s Sean Monahan, barely missing his arm/hand. Monahan had just released the puck for what became the game winning empty net goal.

On January 9, forward Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche took his frustration out on coach Jared Bednar on the bench. MacKinnon later apologized and Bednar said that it hadn’t bothered him at all.

In December, Dallas Stars CEO Jim Lites had some choice words about the Stars top scorers Tyler Seguin and captain Jamie Benn. Lites called their performance ‘f-cking horsesh-t.’ When asked Benn responded “I don’t play for him. I play for every player in this room, the coaching staff.”

It’s clear that struggling teams are becoming increasingly frustrated as the season continues. Every team wants to compete for the Stanley Cup, but not every team has had the season they hoped for. With the trade deadline fast approaching, we might see some big moves from the teams at the bottom of the league. There have already been some big names appearing in trade rumors this season, and it’s going to be interesting to see how accurate those rumors are. It’s also going to be fun watching teams start to prepare for next year with new acquisitions.

Hopefully these teams will hit their stride and start performing better this season, but if they don’t there’s always next year.

Weekly Vocabulary:

Man-Advantage: When one team is penalized, and one of its players is sent to the penalty box, the second team maintains a man advantage for the duration of the penalty (major penalty) or until a goal is scored (minor penalty). If two penalties are called on one team there will be a two-man advantage. If more than two penalties are called on one team the man advantage is limited to two men. If both teams are penalized, there is no man advantage; it becomes a four-on-four.

Empty Net: When a team pulls their goalie in order to have six skaters (a man advantage).

Extra Attacker: A player who has been substituted for the team's goaltender on the ice.

Too Many Men: When one team has too many men on the ice during a shift change.

Own Goal: The act of a team unintentionally shooting the puck into their own net instead of their opponent's. For statistical purposes, the last player on the opposing team to touch the puck is awarded the goal.

Scrum: When players from both teams are piled up against the boards/goal posts, shoving and hitting at each other.

Delay of Game: Deliberately causing a stoppage of play; player is penalized with a minor penalty.

Coach’s Challenge: If a coach disagrees with a call on ice, he is able to challenge the call. This results in a video review of the play; if the coach was right and the call on ice was wrong, the goal is overturned, if the coach is wrong and the goal stands, that coach loses the ability to call a time-out.

Turnover: When the team in possession of the puck gives it up to the opponent; alternatively, the team who does not control the puck can force a turnover by ‘stealing’ the puck mid pass, or by taking it directly from the opposing player’s stick.

Face-Off: The two teams line up in opposition to each other. One player from each team attempts to gain control of the puck after it is dropped by an official between their sticks onto a face-off spot on the ice. A face-off starts every game and occurs throughout the game after every stoppage of play.

Weekly Trivia:

The Calder Memorial Trophy (not to be confused with Calder Cup of the American Hockey League) is awarded annually to "the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The winner is selected by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association at the end of the regular season. Players are eligible for the Calder only if they are no more than 26 years old by September 15 of their rookie (first) season. The Calder Memorial is dedicated in memory of former NHL President Frank Calder, who bought a trophy every year to present permanently to the outstanding rookie of the season. The award is now kept in perpetuity. The Toronto Maple Leafs lead all teams with 10 players who have won the Calder.

Weekly Standings:

Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division

Washington Capitals -- 58 points

Pittsburgh Penguins -- 56 points

Columbus Blue Jackets -- 53 points

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning -- 70 points

Toronto Maple Leafs -- 58 points

Boston Bruins -- 54 points

Western Conference

Central Division

Winnipeg Jets -- 58 points

Nashville Predators -- 58 points

Dallas Stars -- 50 points

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames -- 62 points

San Jose Sharks -- 59 points

Las Vegas Golden Knights -- 58 points

*Note: Information was obtained prior to 12pm on Saturday January 12. Information occurring after the 12pm deadline will feature next week.

[xiaolongpunch]

Thoughts on every owl team

Alright, now that two weeks have passed (currently the match between Vancouver and San Francisco is going on) I want to give my thoughts on every team, and their current performance.

 1. New-York Excelsior. (4-0)

Not much to be said about this team, they are still the best team in the overwatch league. Their team synergy is unmatched, and they are already looking to go undefeated. Nenne was a great addition to be the Zarya in this goats meta. This team is looking to win this stage 1.

2. Vancouver Titans (3-0)

Former Runaway that joined the owl this season. The team itself is good, but as the Charge showed, they have weaknesses. What I do not like about this team are their ego and cocky attitude. I never enjoyed watching any team acting like they are hot shit and that they are the best. Having confidence is one thing, treating your opponents with disrespect is heinous and unsportsmanlike. Will this team is looking good, their very attitude will be their downfall.

3. Paris Eternal (2-0)

This European team is proving that they are one of the strongest when it comes to this meta. Their teamwork well together, and we still need to see if they go head to head against the best of the best of this league. 

4. Atlanta Reign (2-1)

The Reign is an interesting one for me. I previously thought that with the inclusion of Dafran, that this team would suffer from one of two things. Either Dafran becomes the XQC of season 2, or they have a similar ego problem to other teams who are currently underperforming. But, seeing a lot of their games, I’ll say this, the Reign, as good as they are, seem to be there for the ride, they are having fun and are great at what they do, So, they are definitely a team to be reckoned with.

5. Seoul Dynasty (2-1)

The Dynasty are looking much better then they did last season. The acquisition of Fissure is a game changer for them, and they might be living up to the hype they had at the start of last season. But, seeing their lost against Fuel, it still feels like this team needs to come together.

6. Toronto Defiant (2-1)

This team is living up to their branding release, everyone is treating them like a subpar team that won’t get to playoffs. While it is still early, Toronto has shown that they are more than capable of being playoff worthy, and they are looking to live up to their name.

7. Chengdu Hunters (2-1)

Just like Toronto, Hunters have been pushed down by casters and analysts for being a subpar team, but they have shown that they are willing to break the meta to rise to the top. They have a long way to go, but, no one should underestimate this team any longer.

8. San-Francisco Shock (1-2)

This team suffers the Titan’s ego. But, contrary to the Titans, the Shock play fairly, they are all about acting like they are the best and look to prove it by treating their opponents fairly. They are looking better than last season, but they are far from being the best.

9. Philadelphia Fusion (2-2)

The runner up to the championship title last year aren’t looking too good, well they never really did until it really mattered. Remember, this was the team that Shanghai brought to map 5 a few times. And just like Jayne said, their goats is bad, and so I do not predict this team to be any good this stage.

10. London Spitfire (2-2)

The championship winners, oh how far you have fallen. You looked horrible at the start of the season, and your goats is....questionable. But, the last two matches have proven they are slowly coming back, but they have a lot of work to do to get into the playoffs.

11. Hangzhou Spark (2-2)

The Spark is interesting to me, they have flair and charisma, and while it might look like the Titan’s ego, it is more confidence in their synergy. They are scrappy and bring their own unique style to overwatch. But, they have a lot of work to do to fix some of their mistake, notably ult management. 

12. Dallas Fuel (2-2)

Inconsistent. Both match you lost, you got wiped, and both match you won, you went 3-1. But, they acquisition you’ve made during off season are showing to be amazing. You have the potential to be in the playoffs, and if AKM and Effect’s attitude are anything to go by, you are just looking to have fun and improve, good luck Fuel.

13. Guangzhou Charge. (1-2)

I haven’t watched much of this team, but I know they are one of the two that actually try to go out of the meta. Unfortunately, they didn’t have much success like the Hunters.

14. Boston Uprising (1-2)

This team is...bad. Trading/Transferring a bunch of your players is fine and all, but so far your decisions haven’t really brought results. Hell, your ex main tank gave shanghai it’s first, ever win against YOUR team. Congrats Boston, you will be forever known to be the ultimate fuck up.

15. LA Gladiators. (1-2)

See Boston Uprising. Trading Fissure might have been his wish, but it came to bite you in the ass so fucking badly. And so your team is back to where it was before Fissure.

16. Florida Mayhem (1-2)

Florida is looking much better this season, but they still need to work on some issues before being taken seriously. 

17. Shanghai Dragons (1-2)

HOLY SHIT YOU’VE WON!!!

In all seriousness though, Gamsu was a godsend to your team, his second game and he gave your team the first ever Shanghai win. It’s a sweet, sweet victory, and Gamsu looks so much happier with you than he ever did in his time in Boston. You have a lot of work ahead of you, but you can only go up from here.

18. Washington Justice (0-2)

I don’t know how to feel about this team, their main tank looks good...I think? There must be a reason NYXL was willing to let him go. I’m going to be honest, I have no faith in this team, they...don’t look good.

19. Houston Outlaws. (1-3)

This is the third, and worst team that has the Titan’s ego. Except, they can’t prove jack shit. From Jake apparently taunting the enemy in the chat during matches, to Muma screaming he is the best main tank in the world on stream, only to get his cheeks’ clapped, Houston is fucking horrible. The reason why I’m so fucking mad at this team is that they can’t recognize how bad they are, and neither can their fans. Let Danteh play sombra and tracer, let Spree play Zarya, and for fuck’s sake fire Rawkus and his endless feeding ass already! 

20. (0-3)

The once underdogs of the league are not what they were once were, they... well bad. However, their match against the Spark and Defiant show that they can be at the top, and really, their score don’t do them justice. There is...one glaring issue with this team, Fate. Fate and Space were one of the best tank duos last season, what happened? Fate looks like he’s throwing all the time, he’s always the first to die, he almost wastes his shatter every time he has it. I’m...disapointed, Valiant used to be my team last season, and it’s heartbreaking to see VALLA fall so quickly.