Week Eleven – November 28th

- The Tier-2 Trade deadline passed without a move, in part because some of the top teams seemed content with their rosters and partially because other teams seemed to forget that the deadline was upon them and could not come to an agreement at the 11^th hour.  A blockbuster was in the works between two teams but ran out of time to complete.

- The roller coaster season for Sabr continues as they looked on the outs a few weeks ago but a critical win over Ihsan last week has put them in a position where is they defeat Emaan this week then they will grab the last playoff spot.  If Emaan wins or the game ends in a tie then it is Emaan who will move onto the post season. 

- The season series is tied with each team getting a win and tie so hard to predict what will happen in this one.  One would expect Sabr to have the edge with their experience but Emaan has played well and it was their miraculous comeback win over Sabr on November 7^th where they scored three times in the last 100 seconds to take the win that most will remember going into this game. 

- Looking at these two teams, they each have one star who has struggled this season, and we are talking about Yousuf Sowdagar of Sabr and Furqan Salam of Emaan.  Sowdagar has zero points in eight games while Salam has just two assists in nine games.  Much more is expected of both of these players who have had a rough go this season, let's see who can be found first:

- The other Tier-1 game this week features Ihsan and Taqwa, both have clinched a playoff spot already with Ihsan taking first and getting a 1^st Round bye while Taqwa will await the survivor of the Sabr/Emaan tilt.  With all that said there doesn't seem much to play for here, or is there?  Scoring titles are probably the main focus in this one, Sami Choudhry leads the league with 15 points with teammate Shaukat Khan sitting at 14 points.  Meanwhile Sajjad Ayubi leads the league with 7 goals with teammate Usama Mahmood and Taqwa's Mohammad Bilal each have 5.  With team goals already met let's assume the focus will shift here to personal accomplishments so look for a wide open affair as players try to grab some personal glory.

- The Tier-2 Playoff picture is starting to clear up as Haya and Zuhd have already clinched spots while Ikhlas needs just a point from their last three games to grab the third spot.  That leaves Shukr, Ridha and Yaqeen all fighting for the final spot so let's break it down for each:

• Shukr – Two games left against Ikhlas and Ridha, both will be tough games if you go with the glass half full approach with Shukr winless in their last seven games and the glass half full approach isn't much better with undefeated in their last three with three ties. 
• Ridha – A tough loss to Ikhlas last week but they still control their own fate with games against Zuhd, Yaqeen and Shukr left.  This may all boil down to their final game of the season against Shukr which would be a delicious match-up considering the teams traded their stars to each other in an earlier blockbuster deal this season.
• Yaqeen – It's been a tough season for a team many expected to be much better than they have played.  That said they still have a chance to make the playoffs but must win their final three games against Ikhlas, Ridha and Zuhd and get help with Shukr and Ridha losing all their remaining games.  It will not be easy but this is their path to the playoffs.

- Shukr goalie Sadiq Rehman was disappointed in his play for his team last week, an observer noted that his team has tied their last two games by a 1-1 score and he has been the lone bright spot in both.  Shukr has struggled offensively as of late and were it not for the heroics of Rehman would not be holding onto the final playoff spot.

- Haya has been steamrolling teams all season but their last two games both ended in a tie so perhaps some tweaking is required.  That said they have been missing a number of players over the last few weeks yet are still winning so likely nothing to worry about.  Coach K was away for the last two games so when he returns, Haya will likely start blowing opponents out again.

- The Tier-2 scoring race has gotten interesting, Waseem Bangash was head and shoulders ahead of the competition but Naeem Akhtar has come on strong as of late with 9 points in his last 4 games.  The result is that both Bangash and Akhtar have 8 goals and 14 points this season but Akhtar has an extra game so anything can happen.

- In the Haya vs Shukr game last week, Haya was already playing short some of their stars (and star coach) and started the game without a goalie.  Just to make things even more interesting they took a penalty just 7 seconds into the game giving Shukr a power play and shooting onto an empty net.  Yet from all of this, in stepped Haya defenseman Rayhan Taqiuddin who protected the empty net for the first five minutes of the game only allowing a single goal to Nadeem Qureshi.  It's never easy to cover an empty net but Taqiuddin got the job done until Yusuf Kapoor finally arrived.  Taqiuddin then shifted back onto his regular position on defense and helped his team shut down the Shukr forwards.

Week Ten - November 21st

- The Tier-2 Trade deadline is this week but with many trades already having taken place earlier in the season there isn't much activity expected. 

- Two weeks ago Sabr was out of the playoffs but was not in a dire situation, fast-forward to today and strangely they still control their own fate but have little margin for error.  First up is this week against Ihsan where they need at least a point leading to their regular season finale against Emaan which will be a must win game.

- Sabr has baffled observers as the last two weeks have seen them collapse in the final minutes in both games.  Two weeks ago Emaan scored three goals in the final 1:40 turning a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 loss for Sabr.  This past week Sabr held a 1-0 lead but surrendered two goals in the final 57 seconds.  It is hard to imagine this championship veteran team not being able to hold a lead but all the injuries they have suffered have clearly taken their toll.

- We mentioned Ali Wadee and his return to I-Slam Basketball and this past weekend he and Omar Sabri lined up together and showed some great chemistry that Ihsan will hope will transfer to hockey as well.

- Unsurprisingly considering all the offensive talent in their line-up, Taqwa has three of the top five scorers in Tier-1 including Sami Choudhry and Shaukat Khan taking the top two spots.  Sajjid Ayubi has a game in hand over both and with all three players facing off in the regular season finale it will be interesting to see who will finish at the top when the season is done.

- Despite having two games left to play, Ihsan has already clinched first place in Tier-1, it has been season of redemption for the Ihsan GM group after missing the playoffs last season.  To their credit they drafted a well balanced team and the risks that they took with younger players like Omar Husain and Yusuf Ingar have worked out.  Ali Khwaja has also been a rock in net, leading the league in Wins, Goals Against Average, Save Percentage and Shut-outs – basically every category that matters. 

- Taqwa stamped their ticket to the playoffs with their comeback win over Sabr last week, after having lost in the finals last season with an epic collapse of their own, (blowing a 3-0 and later a 4-2 lead) it was sweet redemption to break the hearts of Sabr with two goals in the final 57 seconds to win 2-1.

- For the first time in a while all Tier-2 Teams will be in action this week, some good games are on the docket but the big head-to-head match-ups are later in the season.

- It was billed as a must win game for both teams but it was Ridha who took it as they downed Yaqeen 4-2 last week, Talib Contractor had two goals in his debut and gave Ridha the jump they have been missing most of the season.

- Yaqeen came out of that loss to Ridha hurting but with a chance to still make the playoffs but cannot afford to keep dropping games; that said they were missing a number of players last week that did not help their effort against Ridha in a big game

- Speaking of Ridha, many noticed the extra jump in the game of Farooq Sani last week.  While it was the league's worst kept secret that Sani was desperate to play with his friend Talib Contractor, many were unsure how the two would play together but the results were clear after one game - Contractor with two goals and Sani with a goal and an assist which were his first points of the season.  An observer commented that the trade would turn around the season for Sani and called Ridha's deal with Shukr simply as "How Sani Got His Groove Back"

- Ikhlas has been hot and cold this season, literally as they were hot for their first three games and now cold as they are winless in their last three.  They put up eleven goals in the first three games and five goals in their last three so their offense needs to step it up.

- Haya faces Shukr this week in a game where Shukr will want to show that their late collapse was not a pattern against the top teams in the league.  Haya will reportedly be playing without Arif Khan, Aazar Zafar, Zahid Merchant, Fuzail Thakur and Coach K.  All of them a big loss in any game.  The good news for Haya is that Waseem "The Dream" Bangash will still be there, he reportedly rearranged his travel plans to attend the game.  Cynics may say it is because he wants to win the Scoring Title along with Goal Title but under Coach K, Waseem seemingly has evolved into a leader who wants team to do well.

- Mujeeb Syed turned heads in Shukr's game against Ikhlas, Shukr brass insisted he had to be part of the Contractor deal and it is clear why.  He was Shukr's best forward last week using his speed and tenacity to create chances for his team.  Look for him to make his mark in this week's game against Haya, he'll also be looking to show up Haya's Rayhan Taqiuddin who flattened him when these teams met two weeks ago - Taqiuddin was defending Bangash from Syed's physical play in that game. 

- Ridha needs more production from their 2nd line, a player like Shoaib Bhatti needs to give them some scoring punch and considering he was the Most Improved Player a couple of seasons ago and is tied for the record of most goals in a game with four, he should be doing better than just a goal in five games this season.  

Week Nine - November 14th

- The Tier-1 Trade Deadline is this week and it seems as though it will be a quiet one with all the moves made much earlier in the season but with the Tier-2 Deadline being set for next week be ready for some wild moves with all the trade rumours floating around

- Ali Wadee of Ihsan seems to be trying to turn back the clock as he is playing I-Slam Basketball and will try to recapture his past role as a three point specialist.  The fact that he is playing (both I-Slam Hockey and Basketball) with Omar Sabri is a boost as Sabri is a dominant force in both sports.

- While the final standings may not end up like this, the current standings are a mirror opposite of the final standings from last season with Ihsan and Emaan facing each other in a battle for first whereas last season it was a battle for the last playoff spot

- This season has been a forgettable thus far for Sabr superstar Yousuf Sowdagar. In six games played he has yet to register a point; normally you would find him in the race for the scoring title and one wonders if his shoulder injury is worse than he is letting on

- On a positive note for Sabr, Captain Gehad Al-Hundi has been the lone bright star as the veteran star seems to get better as he ages and last game was no exception as he notched a spectacular shorthanded goal with a great solo effort

- Naeem Akhter is putting some serious heat on Waseem Bangash's claim for the scoring title.  His hat-trick now has him just two points behind Bangash.  Both players have this week off but Akhtar has a game in hand to make up for the shortfall.  That said this race will likely go the distance.

- Is there any debate on who will be the Rookie of the Year in Tier-2? That award will likely go to the "Bosnian Wonder" Mehmed Rizvanovic. In just his first season in a ball hockey league, the centreman has racked 11 points in 7 games, good for 3rd in scoring. Clearly Coach K knew something when he drafted him early and has molded him into a solid forward.

- Speaking of Coach K and his great work this season, observers have noted that while Waseem Bangash was always viewed as an offensive dynamo but he is now a solid two way player who is an even bigger threat in games.  Bangash also has his teammates looking out for him as last week Mujeeb Syed of Shukr was thought to have been taking liberties with Bangash but Rayhan Taqiuddin was quick to let Syed know that Haya's star was not a target as Taqiuddin laid the body on Syed.  While he may have been protecting his star, Taqiuddin took a penalty for his efforts and Shukr was quick to score on the power play.

- Zuhd GM Fahad Mallik appears to be having a difficult time managing social medial. Apparently Mr. Popularity can't manage the multiple WhatsApp groups he's associated with as it drains his battery. This explains why he bailed out of the Tier-2 GM chat group. We believe the battery drain is associated with his love for Candy Crush. Folks, show him some love and send him a Candy Crush invite. He'll be thrilled!

- Emaan has tormented Taqwa all season, taking five of a possible six points in their three games but last week they did Taqwa a huge favour with their last minute comeback win over Sabr.  Has Sabr held on they would now be tied with Taqwa in the standings with a game in hand instead of two points out of the last playoff spot.

- The Emaan comeback last week against Sabr was an amazing one to witness, Sabr up 3-1 with less than two minutes left when Emaan pulled their goalie and Hassan Bedreddine scored with 1:40 left to make it 3-2, Hisham Ali scored with 1:05 left to make it 3-3 and Ahmed Hathout scored with 19 seconds left to make it 4-3 for Emaan.  Sabr just came apart at the end and despite controlling most of the game could not get their defensive coverage together in the final minutes.  A large contributing factor was fatigue as playing with a short bench due to injuries and suspensions it seemed like they just ran out of gas.

- This week's game between Taqwa and Sabr will have a playoff atmosphere as a win by Taqwa would deal a near fatal blow to Sabr's hopes to make the playoffs.  Sabr has dealt with injuries all season but still can make the playoffs with a winning streak to end their season – but they have an uphill climb for sure

- The Bangash goal tally versus Yaqeen and Ridha is still going, he has eight goals while Ridha has eight and Yaqeen has seven.  Some tongue in cheek observers suggested that either of those teams should trade whatever Haya wants for Bangash.

- Ikhlas has struggled lately, missing players and injuries have hurt them but they need to turn things around if they want to secure a playoff spot as they are currently mired in a two game losing streak

- Speaking of locking up a playoff spot, the game between Yaqeen and Ridha this week should be played as though it is one.  Both teams only have a win out of their first five games so whoever wins this one will jump up in the standings, the loser isn't out but has surely made their road to the playoffs much harder.

Week Eight - November 7th

- Sabr's struggles have seen them fall from a tie for first into last in just two weeks and things won't get easier this week against Emaan who are starting to find their stride; Sabr also goes into this game missing various players due to suspension and injury so if their bench doesn't step up their playoff hopes could take a big blow.

- Taqwa will be glad that they don’t have to face Emaan again (regular season that is) as in three games between the teams Taqwa was only able to get a tie and the last game were routed.

- Lack of chemistry seems to be cited for the major reason why 1st rounders Talib Contractor and Nadeem Qureshi were exchanged in a monster trade. Talib, the 1st overall pick, had only 2 points after 5 games played for Shukr while Nadeem had only 1 point in 3 games for Ridha. Both teams are hoping the new players will fit right in and light up their offense.

- How things change. We reported before how we were looking forward to the next showdown between Nadeem Qureshi and Captain Mohammad Hamoud when they exchanged "pleasantries" in their last game. Now the two won't have to wait for the rematch as they can go at it in the locker room as teammates following the big trade. However, we anticipate these two teddy bears will just end up hugging and making up.

- The battle of Emaan was on last Friday when Yaqeen and Haya faced-off. Actually it was more like Maulana Belal Ahmed "The Grey" of Haya versus Imam Abdul-Aziz Rasoul "The White" of Yaqeen. The two wizards called up their most special du'aas so their teams would be victorious. It would be Belal "The Grey" that would be left standing as the victor by the end of the night.

- Speaking of forward Belal Ahmed, he was teased by his team prior to last week's game as he was the only one without any points. Belal responded to the pundits with a stellar game and two points.

- Generating goals seems to be a major problem for the teams in the bottom half of the standings. After 5 games played both Shukr and Yaqeen have scored only 8 goals while Ridha has scored merely 7 goals. It doesn't look good when you realize Waseem Bangash of Haya has scored 8 goals himself. On the other hand, Shukr is doing the job on defense and has a goal differential of just -3 whereas Yaqeen's porous defense has a whopping -14 goal differential

- It was no secret that Ridha wanted to draft Talib Contractor and it seemed as though when they missed out on him in the draft their draft strategy didn't gel so now that they have managed to acquire their coveted piece let's see how their team performs.  Farooq Sani is pointless so far and if he lines up on forward with Contractor then he may finally get his offensive game going because Ridha desperately needs it.

- Nadeem Akhter's bid for MVP continues strong as the "Zdeno Chara" of I-Slam notched another point. He stands now in 2nd place in points; however, the defenseman's presence and contribution on the floor are worth more to the team.

Ikhlas comes into their game in third place and have a tough game against Zuhd who they barely defeated to open the season, Zuhd has been steadily improving while Ikhlas seems to have been regressing

- A point of comedy (for opponents anyhow) is that Ikhlas has taken a Too Many Men penalty in every one of their games this season, what seemed comical at first has turned into a point of frustration with what can only be poor communication on the bench to keep having the same issue each game

- Shukr will get a chance to test out their new line-up in a big game against Haya, the pressure will be on Nadeem Qureshi to make an impact for his team but having played with Coach K and Rayhan Taqiuddin for many years they have a good insight on how to shut him down so if he isn't able to find a way to give Shukr's anemic offense a boost their grip on the final playoff spot could slip further.

- Haya continues their domination of Tier-2 and if it were not for a five-minute collapse at the end of their game with Zuhd they would be undefeated for the season.  Coach K has them demolishing opponents and they are getting good D and even better goaltending from Yusuf Kapoor who shut out Yaqeen in his last game.