Mustangs parade could be one of many for London

Office workers in button-down shirts and ties rubbed elbows with teenagers wearing championship jerseys as thousands of fans lined downtown streets at lunchtime Tuesday, celebrating the London Mustangs’ Stanley Cup victory.

Mustang players, coaches and staff paraded through city streets in a motorcade, joined by city and county officials.

Team Coach/GM Blake Wilson was the last Mustang in line, hoisting the Stanley Cup high in the air as the crowd roared. His car was surrounded by law enforcement officers and tailed closely by a tactical response team vehicle resembling a navy blue tank.

“This parade could be one of many to come for London,” Wilson said in a victory speech.

With most of their team just barely old enough to legally drink the champagne being chugged in their dressing room following a win over Vancouver that clinched the Cup on Sunday, the Mustangs appear well positioned to take a run at many more championships.

Talented young players under the age of 22 include: Kyle Okposo, Jakub Voracek, Tyler Myers, Michael Del Zotto, Michael Grabner, Brandon Sutter, David Perron, Jamie McBain, and Patrik Berglund. Scoring leaders Zach Parise and Rick Nash are both 24.

“There’s a lot of hard work and building and laying a foundation every year that goes into every year,” said Wilson. “So we’re going to enjoy this one… and come September we’ll start building the foundation again so we can be called the AFHL’s best dynasty team.”

London police Capt. Bob Guidara said there were an estimated 150,000 along the parade route.

Jerone Jackson, an administrative support employee at London Electric Co., stepped outside his office building to join the throngs on his lunch break.

“It’s my way to support the team, what they did for the city and what they did for the AFHL,” Jackson said.

London, an unlikely hockey hotbed, beat the Vancouver Heroes 7-4, wrapping up the title on Sunday night.

As the Mustangs’ players paraded through downtown, celebrating fans waved placards and pennants.

Ann Ebert of London waved a large blue Mustangs’ flag during the parade. The 50-year-old said she’s been a Mustangs fan since day one of the Inaugural Draft last year, and attended the Mustangs’ first opening season game, when they lost to Vancouver 8-3.

When the Mustangs took on the Heroes in this year’s Stanley Cup Finals, Ebert said she was nervous.

“But going into the weekend with such a huge lead in the series, I knew we were going to win (the Stanley Cup),” she said.

As the parade wound down, fans streamed into the parking lot at the Hilton London Ontario hotel for a victory rally.

The crowd erupted in applause for goalies Jonas Hiller, Jaroslav Halak, and Pekka Rinne, who formed the best goaltending trio in the league.

Blake Wilson told the thousands at the rally, “the 23 guys on this hockey team have the greatest heart and the greatest character and the greatest courage. We deserve to be celebrating the Cup.”

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Live Play-by-Play Coverage of the 2010 AFHL Awards Show

September 6th, 2010

Pre-show: Red Carpet Arrivals

The red carpet is a go, the fans turned out in full force and we’re now about 10 minutes from the start of the 2010 AFHL Awards ceremony at Hotel Le St. James in Montreal, Quebec.

Hello everyone. This is Harry Beaver speaking to you from the gondola in my dining room in front of my modest home entertainment center. I’ll be bringing you the action right here at theAFHL.com, award by award, via live blogging. There will be 14 handed out in all tonight.

That said, the red carpet arrivals are about to begin.

6:00 PM: A red carpet is seen leading into the front of the hotel. The carpet is roped off and there’s a crowd a few people deep on each side who are screaming for the first arrival.

6:01 PM: Toronto Red Devils GM Jordan Carbone has arrived.

6:02 PM: Carbone is wearing a black tuxedo with a red bowtie.

6:04 PM: Jeremy Piven aka Ari Gold from Entourage is already inside the hotel, preparing as the Host of the show. He had a few drinks earlier in the day, to calm his nerves.

6:05 PM: Piven wants the show to feel spontaneous, like a party.

6:06 PM: Lexington Leg Hounds GM Garry Megibben has arrived. Megibben cheeses it up with a pair of supermodels during a photo ops.

6:09 PM: Vancouver Heroes GM Ben Rauscher and Washington Power GM Ray Irwin have arrived together.

6:10 PM: Rauscher and Irwin greet St. John’s Red Wings GM Barry Hickey as he arrives.

6:12 PM: Carbone is talking to Garry Megibben about having both Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall on his team. It’s possible Hall and Seguin will play on the same line to start the season.

6:15 PM: Several players have arrived including Alex Ovechkin of the Leafs, Ryan Miller of the Heroes, and Evgeni Malkin of the Giants.

6:17 PM: Ryan Miller just proclaimed in an interview that he wants to purchase a home in Vancouver.

6:18 PM: Calgary Hitmen GM Grahame Booth has arrived. Booth greets his goaltender, Jonathan Quick. Booth acquired Quick in a trade earlier in the off-season.

6:22 PM: Goldsboro Rebels GM Rich Mauch has arrived.

6:23 PM: Mauch will be presenting one of the awards, but won’t specify which one.

6:25 PM: Boston Giants GM Mike Phelan has arrived.

6:26 PM: Ottawa Knights GM Ryan Armstrong has arrived.

6:28 PM: Buffalo Phantoms GM Daryn Beckman, a nominee for GM of the year, has arrived.

6:29 PM: Several London Mustangs players have arrived with the AFHL Stanley Cup.

6:33 PM: Hollywood Stars GM Mike Basset has arrived.

6:34 PM: Bassett tells a reporter that Martin Brodeur should win the Vezina trophy. GM Rauscher overhears and shouts “What world are you living in!?”. Rauscher believes Ryan Miller will win the Vezina.

6:37 PM: Deer Park Chiefs GM Mike Nellany has arrived. Nellany is a nominee for a surprise award tonight.

6:38 PM: Fort Drum Killers GM Steven Stryska has arrived. He’s wearing a classic tuxedo T-shirt that says “Hey I’m formal but I’m also here to party.”

6:40 PM: More players have arrived including Sidney Crosby of the Phantoms and Alex Ovechkin of the Leafs.

6:44 PM: Los Banos Wolves GM Andrew Fiorentino has arrived.

6:46 PM: Fiorentino says he’s “thrilled to be here” in an interview with a news reporter.

6:49 PM: Stanley Cup winning GM Blake Wilson of the London Mustangs has arrived. Wilson shakes hands with GM Irwin and several others.

6:50 PM: Oshawa City Leafs GM Earl McNeill has arrived.

6:51 PM: Rauscher greets McNeill and offers him a trade for one of his prospects. McNeill responds with “Give me Ryan Miller.”

6:53 PM: Victoria Vipers GM Chris Hartley-Romero has arrived. He greets Jack Campbell whom he drafted 3rd overall in the Entry Draft.

6:55 PM: Montreal Xtreme GM Keith Cancilla has arrived.

6:57 PM: North Bay Warriors GM Mike Brunetta has arrived. He greets his good friend Ryan Armstrong.

6:59 PM: Bartender shouts “Last call for borbet at the bar!”

7:00 PM: Manhattan Supermen GM / AFHL Commissioner Anthony Furino has arrived.

7:01 PM: Furino is acknowledging his fans and fellow GMs. He wants them to know how much they mean to him. He knows they are the backbone of the league and without them, he wouldn’t be here.

7:03 PM: Furino is still shaking hands with several fans. The fans are appreciative. And now he is going to shake… woah… we’ve got… a fan is doing the Fake-Out Handshake… and, he’s done it again. Two Fake-Out Handshakes. Not really the time or the place to see something like this. Oh, now they’re going to hug… and apparently he is… no… he’s Faking-Out with the Hug. A clearly rattled Anthony Furino, but wisely, he is moving on from that moment.

7:07 PM: All GMs and players have arrived.

7:08 PM: A man in a crowd of fans has just jumped over the guardrail and onto the red carpet. The man is identified as Don Vincent, former GM of the Hamilton Outlaws. Vincent was fired and kicked out of the league at the beginning of the offseason.

7:10 PM: Several police officers rush Vincent as Commissioner Furino explains to him that he was not invited to the Awards Show.

7:11 PM: Vincent is handcuffed and dragged off of the red carpet and into a police car.

7:15 PM: We see a sneak peak into the staging and seating for the big night.

7:30 PM: Red Carpet draws to a close.

The Main Event – 2010 AFHL Awards Show

8:00 PM: The first ever AFHL Awards show has officially kicked off with a “rousing” performance by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

8:05 PM: Host Jeremy Piven is introduced.

8:07 PM: Commissioner Furino takes the stage alongside Piven to honor the London Mustangs as Blake Wilson, Zach Parise, and Rick Nash carried the Stanley Cup to the stage.

8:08 PM: A video tribute to the Mustangs is shown on the Big Screen. The tribute includes their remarkable playoff run, defeating the Leafs in the 1st round, Phantoms in the 2nd round, and Heroes in the Finals. The tribute closes out with a re-created scene from the movie Slapshot and one of Jeremy Piven’s famous funny lines from his show Entourage.

8:10 PM: Piven introduces hall of fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer, to present the first award of the night.

——

Norris Trophy
For the top defenseman

Nominees – Mike Green (Washington Power), Chris Pronger (Hollywood Stars), Duncan Keith (St. John’s Red Wings), Drew Doughty (Winnipeg Wheat Kings), Dan Boyle (Vancouver Heroes)

And the winner is… Duncan Keith (St. John’s Red Wings)
Duncan Keith scored 14 goals, 55 assists for a total of 69 points. He also boasted a +21 plus/minus rating, scored 16 points on the PP, and 5 points short-handed.

—–

8:20 PM: Piven introduces a surprise guest to present the next award. The audience begins to laugh as Flava Flavv appears on the stage.

—–

Trash-Talker Award
For the best trash-talker

Nominees – Daryn Beckman (Buffalo Phantoms), Jordan Carbone (Toronto Red Devils), Mike Nellany (Deer Park Chiefs), Ben Rauscher (Vancouver Heroes)

The co-winners are… Ben Rauscher (Vancouver Heroes) and Mike Nellany (Deer Park Chiefs)
Ironically, both of these GMs clashed several times throughout the year and currently have one of the biggest rivalries in AFHL History.

—–

8:20 PM: Piven introduces the seven new AFHL GMs to present the next award. Andrew Fiorentino (Los Banos Wolves), Chris Hartley-Romero (Victoria Vipers), Keith Cancilla (Montreal Xtreme), Rich Mauch (Goldsboro Rebels), Grahame Booth (Calgary Hitmen), Ryan Armstrong (Ottawa Knights), and Mike Brunetta (North Bay Warriors). All seven GMs walk out together and take turns speaking into the mic.

—–

Calder Trophy
For best rookie

Nominees – Matt Duchene (Detroit Gladiators), Tuuka Rask (Toronto Red Devils), Jimmy Howard (Chicago Wolves), Tyler Myers (London Mustangs), John Tavares (Winnipeg Wheat Kings)

And the winner is… Tuuka Rask (Toronto Red Devils)
Tuuka Rask posted 22 wins, 5 shutouts, 1.97 GAA, and a .931 SV% in his first full season of pro hockey. Rask calls this “such a great honor,” thanking his coach/GM Jordan Carbone, and his friends and family.

—–

8:30 PM: Hall of famer Steve Yzerman appears on the stage to present the Lady Byng Award.

—–

Lady Byng Award
For best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct

Nominees – Charles Leung (Edmonton Hellstars), Garry Megibben (Lexington Leg Hounds), Blake Wilson (London Mustangs), Earl McNeill (Oshawa City Leafs), Glenn Sunderland (Seattle Bruins)

And the winner is… Glenn Sunderland (Seattle Bruins)
Sunderland was not invited to the Awards Show because he chose to follow in the footsteps of his knucklehead friend, Don Vincent of the Outlaws. Flava Flavv accepts the award on his behalf.

—-

8:43 PM: After Jeremy Piven rips on Alexander Ovechkin’s broken english, hall of fame goaltender Patrick Roy appears on the stage to present the next award.

—-

Vezina Trophy
For best goaltender

Nominees – Martin Brodeur (Hollywood Stars), Ryan Miller (Vancouver Heroes), Evgeni Nabokov (Oshawa City Leafs), Tuuka Rask (Toronto Red Devils)

And the winner is… Ryan Miller (Vancouver Heroes)
Miller posted 41 wins, 5 shutouts, 2.22 GAA, and a .927 SV% in the regular season. He also helped bring the Vancouver Heroes to the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals. Miller thanks the AFHL, saying he is “humbled” and dedicates the award to his teammates, close friends, and family.

—–

9:00 PM: Will Farrell appears on stage wearing full hockey equipment (including the skates) and he presents the next award.

Hart Trophy (Regular Season MVP)
For the player judged most valuable to his team in the regular season

Nominees – Alexander Ovechkin (Oshawa City Leafs), Sidney Crosby (Buffalo Phantoms), Ryan Miller (Vancouver Heroes), Martin Brodeur (Hollywood Stars)

And the winner is… Ryan Miller (Vancouver Heroes)
This is Miller’s second award of the night. His stats during the regular season were the best among all goalies (41 Ws, 5 SOs, 2.22 GAA, .927 SV%). He helped the Heroes win the Canadian Conference at the top of the standings at season’s end. Miller dedicates the award to “everybody who works on a dream everyday.” He also thanks all of his teammates, GM/coach Ben Rauscher, everyone who believed in him, and his parents.

—-

9:15 PM: Hall of fame coach Scotty Bowman is introduced to present the biggest award of the night, Best GM.

—-

Jack Adams Award
For Coach/GM of the Year

Nominees – Blake Wilson (London Mustangs), Daryn Beckman (Buffalo Phantoms), Don Vincent (Hamilton Outlaws), Glenn Sunderland (Seattle Bruins), Ben Rauscher (Vancouver Heroes)

And the winner is… we have a tie here…
The co-winners are… Blake Wilson (London Mustangs) and Ben Rauscher (Vancouver Heroes)
Both Rauscher and Wilson best exemplified the qualities of a successful fantasy hockey GM/coach. Besides winning, these GMs have been recognized and praised for their active participation, (ex: posting messages on board), winning, and having fun. Both GMs are excellent examples of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the AFHL. Both GMs also faced off against each other in the Finals.

After getting a standing ovation, Wilson and Rauscher take turns to thank everyone for their votes, as well as their family and friends for the support throughout the year.

—-

9:25 PM: AFHL Commissioner Anthony Furino appears on the stage to close the show.

“Folks, tonight I stand before you to tell you that the state of the AFHL is very strong. Yes, the A in AFHL stands for Amazing, for good reason. And during the next year it will strive to be even more amazing. Required of all GMs is PARTICIPATION and DEDICATION. With participation and dedication, we can pull together to make this THE BEST fantasy sports keeper league ever. God bless and I thank you.”

9:28 PM: Jeremy Piven thanks everyone for coming out tonight. He says “it was a great show” and “Furino has certainly set a strong tone for the upcoming year in the AFHL.”

9:29 PM: Audience applauds as music plays and screen fades to black.

**ALL Awards will be added to Team pages within the next week or two.

OTHER NOTABLE TROPHIES:

Trader Award
For the GM who made the most trades

Winner… Glenn Sunderland (Seattle Bruins)

Maurice Richard Trophy
For the top goal scorer in the regular season

Co-winners… Sidney Crosby (Buffalo Phantoms) and Steven Stamkos (Manhattan Supermen)
Crosby and Stamkos tied with 51 goals

President’s Trophy
For the teams with the best record at the end of the regular season

Winner… Buffalo Phantoms
The Phantoms record at the end of the regular season was 158-64-30

Art Ross Trophy
For the player who leads the League in scoring points at the end of the regular season

Winner… Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Heroes)
Sedin scored 29 goals and 83 assists for 112 points

All-Star Game Winning Coaches/GMs
For the winning GMs of the AFHL All-Star Game

Winners… Daryn Beckman (Buffalo Phantoms) and Mike Bassett (Hollywood Stars)
Beckman and Bassett teamed up to select the best players in the American Conference and went on to lead the American Conference to a dramatic 7-5 victory over the Canadian Conference.

Conn Smythe Trophy
For the MVP of the Playoffs

Winner… Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Heroes)

Stanley Cup Trophy
For the winner of the AFHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

Winner… London Mustangs
The Mustangs defeated the Heroes by a final score of 7-4 to win the first ever AFHL Stanley Cup.

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New rivalry formed between Heroes and Phantoms

Rauscher and Beckman exchange words
New rivalry is formed between Vancouver and Buffalo

September 16th, 2010

The GMs of the Vancouver Heroes and Buffalo Phantoms are already jawing back and forth.

In analyzing the Buffalo Phantoms team roster, Ben Rauscher (Vancouver Heroes GM) remarked, “When Anderson (Phantoms goalie) falls back down to earth like space junk does every day, this team will crash and burn.”

This didn’t sit well with Daryn Beckman (Buffalo Phantoms GM). The 2010 Presidents’ Trophy winner responded with an attack on Vancouver’s team roster.

“That’s all fine and dandy, but offense is more valuable than goaltending in this league,” Beckman said. “Who’s your number two right winger? Oh yeah, the new Jonathan Cheechoo aka Brad Boyes who apparently forgot how to score last year. I will take my right wingers (Hossa and Eriksson) over him any day. And hopefully Simon Gagne can get a new groin this year to be good enough to call a number two left winger, but odds are he will probably end up pulling his [expletive] like every year.”

Beckman went on to call Rauscher’s team the Vancouver ‘Zeroes’ and then asked him how his ass smelled from being under him in the standings all season last year.

Always one to have the last word, Rauscher responded by calling Beckman an idiot and showing a video of the AFHL Commissioner interviewing GM Beckman on a variety of topics. Both the Commissioner and Beckman in the were fake actors in the video, but it got a lot of laughs from the viewers, mostly because the role of Beckman was played by a woman.

After a pre-season rookie game on Wednesday, reporters asked the outspoken GM what he thought about Beckman’s initial comments.

“Who gives a [expletive] about Beckman and the Phantoms?” Rauscher retorted before signing autographs.

While the Heroes and Phantoms can’t battle until Week 19 of the regular season, the war of words has already begun.

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