- Week Five saw Sabr pummel Ihsan by a 5-1 score and Yaqeen dominate Haya for their first win of the season by a 5-1 score.
Reminder that the Glove Rule goes in to effect for this week’s games. Hockey gloves and lacrosse gloves will only be allowed. Players without this equipment will not be allowed to participate similar to the visor/cage rule.
- With one week left before the break, Sabr looks to be like the team to beat. Yaqeen seems to be a rejuvenated team with the addition of Luqman Arshad. Ihsan and Haya both are trending downwards after strong starts to the season.
- Yaqeen looks to have found its spark plug with the addition of Luqman Arshad. As his stability on defence has allowed GM Mohammad Hamoud to move up into the centre position. Stomping on Haya 5-1 and Hamoud earning 3rd star of the week honours with 1 goal and 1 assist. This veteran team is the OG I-slam team with an average age of 37 years old. Can the veteran savviness help propel this team to a top2 finish? One caveat is they need Arshad to stay out of the penalty box - a place where he tends to visit often over the years.
- Haya looks to have gained much needed speed this team dearly lacks, grabbing Rizwan Malik as compensation from Yaqeen. Haya is a team built on snipers with no speed at all. They are big, they are slow. But what they lack in speed, they make up in goal scoring ability. Leading the league in goals scored. GM Dawood Ciombar does not have Humza Ali to burn through opponents, as he did the past few seasons. Expect Dawood to pull the trigger and give up one of his snipers for a speedy forward.
- Ihsan, whom analysts predicted would be the top offensive team and who would walk into an easy championship game have seem to struggle. Posting only one win. GM Ajmal Esmatyar has built this team on young, fast forwards who can score at will. Led by superstar Yusuf Ingar, who seems to be the only offensive spark that has been consistent. But with the attendance issues affecting this team, Ingar literally has no one to play with. Last season’s Rookie of the Year runner up Abraar Gangat has been ghosting, making only 2 games. For this team to win, attendance must be crucial every week.
- Sabr is probably the deepest team in this season. Boasting two solid lines of scoring. GM Arslan Mian drafted a great mix of veterans and young guns. This was on display last week as they demolished Ihsan 5-1. Finally having a full squad, this team has shown that it cant be beat. But can this continue? Arslan Mian needs its players to stay focused on playing solid hockey.
- Farhan Saleh has once again shown that he is a top defenceman in this league, shutting opponents down while also helping out on the offensive side. I believe we have an early Defenseman of the Year candidate here. He helped out huge last week as he notched 1 goal and 1 assist, and was instrumental in shutting fellow friend Yusuf Ingar down.
- Vasim Kagzi or “Coco” as he is known, has been a disappointment this season. As he has yet to show anything on the offensive side of things. He has been missing simple passes and defensive assignments, as if it weren’t for his mishap last week, Mobin would have had his shutout. He will get his chance for revenge this week against Haya, as the last time they played he scored a buzzer beating goal at the end of the game, but the referees blew it off.
- Ahmad Mobin is quietly posting some of his best career numbers as his GAA is a stunning 1.81. Far better than the 3.42 he posted last season, which was the second lowest. If it weren’t for key mistakes from the defence, Mobin would be looking at 2 straight shutouts. Mobin is known as a second half coaster, will this be the season he turns it around ?
- Meanwhile Imran Alvi is posting the worst numbers of his career. He posted a crazy 1.73 GAA last season, which was filled with superstars. Earning the top goalie honors. So far this year he is deadlocked for last place with a 3.50 GAA. Is it the marriage blues? Is it his defence?? Sophomore jinx?
- Arif Khan had himself a game for the ages as he picked up 2 goals, with a 3rd getting waved off due to a penalty. His nasty hands made for some unforgettable sights as he went into classic Arif mode, scoring a dirty backhand goal. One Which he has been practicing for 20 years now.
- Ammal Esmatyar was a no show last week and it showed as brother Ajmal looked lost out there without him. Ammal has been a head turner this season as the 14th overall pick looks to be a steal, as he has some crazy hands and control the game down with ease.
- Farrukh Khan, whom is coming off a disappointing fall season, and who has only registered 1 point needs to get it together as soon as possible. Once a top level defenseman in this league, he has struggled on both sides of the ball. Will the addition of Luqman Arshad allow Farrukh to take more risks ?
- Imran LocknLoad Lakhanpal is playing defence this season? In one of the more odd moves this season, Imran is a bonafide sharpshooter, but he has nothing to show for this season. The former Tier-2 scoring champ needs to get it going, playing defence should allow for more sniping opportunities but he has exactly zero. The Hanger is made for someone like him to succeed, expect him to have a strong finish to the season.
- Umer Buksh makes his return to the rink this week, as he left his team to go party in Vegas. Looks like he took an early vacation to celebrate the reputation hes built up this season. The “Bone Crusher” has left a victim injured in every game he has played this season. One player has had to drop out, another player failed to make to it their next game. Haya has won every game that Umer has played. Will this success continue?? There has been chatter that players do not want to play the ball on the defensive side Buksh mans. Lets see what happens this week.
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