The IHHL lost two of its owners in the final days of the regular season, putting the fate of both teams into doubt. The loss of two team owners combined with the lack of a TV deal for the 2014/2015 season are casting a serious pall over the playoffs and putting the leagues viability into doubt.
Richmond Prexies Owner, Dom Prudente, passed away on Sunday after his teams’ crushing defeat at the hands of the Washington Winter Warriors. Hospital officials report that complications arose from Mr. Prudente’s long stint in a coma this season. Team sources say that the life just seemed to slip out of Mr. Prudente over the past week as the team took a beating in its matchup. Commissioner Heilmann, was by his friends side on Sunday rather than watch his team finish their matchup against the Saskatoon Sasquatches.
In addition to the bombshell of Mr. Prudente’s passing, IHHL League Officials confirmed this morning that Mark Moran, owner of Team Moran, has begun the process of selling the team back to the league. Sources close to other team owners are telling Game Misconduct that talk of legal action against Mr. Moran and his film.
Matchup of the Week
In a knockdown, drag out fight, the Barrel Riders of Buffalo traveled to take on the Boston Benders this week. The Benders’ owner, Samantha Waters, was actively tinkering with lines as she kept her team firmly focused on entering the playoffs with the leagues best win streak (8 games). In what ended up being the match of the week, it all came down to a nail biting finale with less than a point separating the two teams. Final Score: Benders (17 and 5) 308 to Barrel Riders (16 and 6) 308.4.
After a slow start, the Cleveland Blackjacks surged back in their matchup against Team Moran and by midweek, only one point now separating the two teams. Unfortunately, that rally exhausted the Blackjacks and Team Moran was went on to put an exclamation point on their last game of the regular season. Final Score: Blackjacks (3 and 19) 186.5 to Team Moran (6 and 16) 240.8.
The Denver Demon Donkeys took the Seattle Wolves to task last week. As the Donkeys’ prepared for the upcoming playoffs, team owner Cody Wright kept his team focused on disciplined play and finishing their shifts. The Wolves rallied once early on in the week, but the Donkeys were quick to shut that down. Final Score: Donkeys (18 and 4) 301.4 to Wolves (6 and 16) 161.2.
With playoff positioning on the line, the Saskatoon Sasquatches came out strong on the opening night versus the Milwaukee Monarchs. The Monarchs paid dearly for resting players at the start of the week and spent too much time and energy trying to catch up to the Sasquatches, all for naught. Whether or not the Monarchs overtaxed their players in the run up to the playoffs, only time will tell. Final Score: Sasquatches (13 and 9) 270.9 to Monarchs (12 and 10) 237.
In a regional grudge match, the Washington Winter Warriors hosted the Richmond Prexies, in what would be Prexies’ owner, Dom Prudente, final game. The Prexies, already crippled with injuries, were never in a position to seriously challenge the Warriors as the season closed out. Earlier in the week, Warriors’ owner, Mac Cannon, was asked why his team was taking such a hard line with the Prexies. Mr. Cannon replied, “It is called running through the finish line - not slowing down to cross it”. Final Score: Warriors (19 and 3) 278.8 to the Prexies (0 and 22) 139.
Gif of the Week:
This week's gif goes out to all the IHHL fans celebrating the start of the 2014 playoffs.
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