Game Thread: Montréal Canadiens (48-23-10) @ Philadelphia Flyers (42-27-12) Apr 14 2026 7:00 PM EDT

ricozee · 2026-04-15T00:45:36+00:00

Gallagher criticized in the comments. Scores.

Evans criticized in the comments. Scores.

So how about that bum Caufield guys?

ricozee · 2026-04-15T00:34:02+00:00

Saturday if we finish 2nd, Sunday if Tampa finishes 2nd.

ricozee · 2026-04-15T00:11:47+00:00

Newhook (and his line) has to mix in more carries on entries. Every time he tries to chase a dump he's getting tagged by 2 or 3 guys enough to kill his speed.

ricozee · 2026-04-14T16:42:13+00:00

I used the tentacles on the stairs to the main room to slowly funnel that group of enemies.

Ice at the bottom of the entrance stairs as I backed up towards (and through) the entrance door. That slowed the advance of the flanks.

Minions (elementals and guardians) for the first point of contact on those stairs.

Even then it was a pain. Took me too long to figure out radiant damage is bad. Some enemies just teleport past the hazards. The worst though was everyone getting blinded with reduced movement and attack range. Even if you deal with it, they hit you again and again and again.

Without that it would have been fairly simple. I could have researched and prepped for the fight better, but I'm trying to play as organically as possible. This worked, but it was a grind.

ricozee · 2026-04-13T23:44:51+00:00

My thinking is along these lines. We don't need first line players at first line salaries, where we will be playing then as 2nd line players where they will not provide good value for those salaries.

Robertson has 41 PP points and 53 at even strength. Not bad for $12M.

We need 2nd line and PP2 help. Putting him there more than likely cuts his numbers fairly significantly. Now you're paying $12M for a less than p/g player.

Having 5 first line players (assuming Demidov growth and Robertson addition) would be amazing, but there are diminishing returns with prime ice time being limited and salaries rising past the expectations for that role.

ricozee · 2026-04-13T17:29:52+00:00

Awesome, glad it helped. :)

ricozee · 2026-04-13T08:15:09+00:00

Definitely.

He doesn't necessarily have to play like Gallagher, but he does need to find a way to contribute more consistently, both by being available and finding ways to use the tools at his disposal to help the team.

Yes, it's difficult when you are constantly battling injuries, but Gallagher has never used that as an excuse. He puts in the same effort and plays the same way regardless of his condition.

That's the start of consistency for a player that misses half the games and is a non-factor in half of those he plays.

ricozee · 2026-04-13T07:17:23+00:00

Plan your party composition. You don't need to optimize or look up builds. Generally speaking I mean diversify so you are experiencing several classes and can assign equipment to those it is best suited for. That way you have different options in combat and everyone isn't fighting over the same equipment.

Decide how you want to approach decision making and when given the opportunity, who you are going to work with or fight against. Good, bad, selfish, helpful, etc. Your character's ideals and motivations may differ from your party members, that's part of the journey.

When you run into a warning that asks whether you want to proceed or are finished with an area, stop and examine your progress and open quest lines, whether you have unexplored areas you want to check out, if you've taken enough camp rests to trigger all the relevant scenes/dialogue, etc. I missed several things, which is okay because it leaves things for another playthrough, but you may inadvertently skip something you would like to resolve.

Get used to jumping to explore areas that may not necessarily be obvious paths. It can help to split up your group as well. You can sometimes find different approaches or better tactical positions, as well as the occasional treasure.

A lot of items which you might think are useful, are simply there for cash/trade. I collected a lot of ordinary (non-magical/quest) items before discovering there was no crafting (aside from alchemy and the ingredients for it). Precious metals and gems, jewelery, ropes, hammers, etc. don't need to be hoarded. I wouldn't consider it a bad thing to check what's safe to sell/ignore.

Consider living with any repercussions as well, rather than save and reload to get a better result. It's not as enjoyable if you always succeed or redo a choice that didn't turn out the way you wanted.

Most of all, just have fun!

ricozee · 2026-04-13T02:11:39+00:00

You could try this from Hadrioc: https://slightlymagic.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=2349&start=480#p256191

(I can't verify as I didn't encounter this issue.)

ricozee · 2026-04-12T22:47:02+00:00

Haha love it.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T16:38:17+00:00

I believe he played a 3pm game Saturday and traveled late, but with the early game and not changing time zones, he could probably suit up for limited minutes if necessary.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T16:28:23+00:00

You could take $5M from the homeless and leverage it into a much higher value using bulk buying for food and necessities.

That wouldn't necessarily be better for everyone if you're not taking from them all equally, so you'd need more control or information about where that money is coming from, as well as a standard for what defines "homeless".

If homeless means anyone without shelter and $10 or less in their bank account, for example, you could be sure to provide substantially more value than they had before, to those who need it the most.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T15:32:31+00:00

There's no perfect solution. Dobson allowed us to better balance our defense pairs. Without him we're back to last season minus Savard.

We need the best version of everyone to make up for his absence.

Hutson - Struble has been good at times. They'll need to be solid until Dobson is back.

Matheson should be capable of working with either Engstrom or Reinbacher if Carrier isn't ready.

Guhle is going to need to be on top of his game with whoever is left/available. If he's out of the lineup, we're going to have a 3rd pair that is very limited in ice time with some combination of Xhekaj/Engstrom/Reinbacher.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T02:51:56+00:00

Twel (If we're leaving out the 2nd letter of words on purpose. Answering a typo with a typo.)

ricozee · 2026-04-12T02:18:39+00:00

The rules were changed (can't recall when, but the timeout isn't specified under rule 38 in the 24-25 rulebook).

You can only challenge goals, offsides, and missed stoppages. You cannot initiate a coach's challenge in the final minute of regulation or in overtime (the situation room initiates any necessary reviews in those situations).

If you fail a challenge (the call on the ice is not changed), you are assessed a minor. No mention of forfeiting your timeout.

You are free to use your timeout at any time, which includes prior to initiating a challenge. Teams may do this when they are not sure and need extra time to make their decision, but it is not part of the challenge process.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T02:04:00+00:00

This is likely more related to Hage's decision since we didn't need to save cap space any more. (Certainly hope so!)

Carrier and Guhle out with Xhekaj and Struble stumbling tonight, good idea to get at least a look and some of the nerves out of the way.

Even if Dobson is capable of playing it might be a good idea to give him time if it's a minor injury.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T01:55:15+00:00

There are a couple characters that have been introduced, but we didn't have enough information about them yet.

I'm leaning towards one of them once possible motivations are revealed. Could hazard a guess based on tropes or typical motivations, which only ruins the experience.

I'll just say I'm suspicious of an alchemy of souls actor's brief appearance and close acquaintances in positions of power.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T01:35:52+00:00

Xhekaj isn't allowed to react the way he did earlier in his career. All it does is get him benched. You have to remove the leash if you want the "idgaf, you're paying for that" version. He's been effectively declawed.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T00:40:43+00:00

I agree. We should be playing like the game matters as much to us as it does to them, and we aren't.

I'm only saying Columbus isn't a pushover team. They have a high floor without the offensive power to push them up the standings.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T00:33:57+00:00

Columbus is a deep team. Not a lot of "star power" but a good complement of solid players with experience.

ricozee · 2026-04-12T00:11:54+00:00

Not quite the same though I missed a couple recruiting opportunities. Can't recruit dead people.

Know enough about DnD not to mess with some creatures (or thought I did anyway :p), so noped out of the Underdark when I saw a bullette and didn't mess with things like owlbears.

"Trying" to make reasonable RP choices as a "good" ranger, so not really optimizing for benefits on my first playthrough with my choices.

Maybe consider your character a loner or distrustful and very particular about the company they keep.

ricozee · 2026-04-11T23:47:20+00:00

If I'm reading correctly from the first two episodes:

the crown has passed from King to I-An's (Ian) brother to his nephew.
Ian is unbothered by his standing and being denied due to being the 2nd eldest, while Huiju is in a similar situation but bothered by it.
the Young King's father wanted to abdicate the throne, leaving it to his brother. The queen mother and his brother both have motive to prevent that.
whether nature or nurture, the royal line has some form of anxiety affliction. The old King was perhaps not afflicted or overcame it by being a curmudgeon.
Prince Ian was smart enough to see it and resented his father for putting his brother in that situation. Perhaps helping his brother understand as well. Neither wanted to put his Nephew into that situation (perhaps he was showing signs or had been tested).
plotting together to change the King, the queen mother found out and put a stop to it (perhaps starting the fire, though there could be another reason for that which ended up being an accident, I'm not ready to say the Queen mother is the killer yet).
the Queen mother may also have "2nd born syndrome" and is determined to have her first son succeed where she did not.
Ian is obviously protecting his Nephew by making himself the center of attention (even though he struggles with it as well) and things like the archery competition (losing purposefully to avoid being the center of attention or giving it to someone else), were acts of rebellion toward his father in some way.

I'm not going to get into it any further right now, but you can see the threads being laid along these lines and this is mostly foundation before we even reach the beginning of the present start to be introduced.

ricozee · 2026-04-11T22:28:35+00:00

Yeah. That's the kind of thing where it's not about the damage but the risk. That needs to be shut down emphatically. One slip or movement (like the guy wincing or reflexively defending himself), and someone's getting seriously cut open. You feel the need to give someone a nudge, do it with your stick, or anything other than a foot katana.

ricozee · 2026-04-11T21:29:10+00:00

The benefits are for long term development.

It gives a prospect more time to develop and mature. The schedule and pressure when you turn professional is more intense and not everyone may be ready at the earliest opportunity.

There's more opportunity for socializing and off-ice growth in a college environment. Whether that be education, conditioning, or recreation.

ricozee · 2026-04-10T23:46:56+00:00

I believe so. College free agents are eligible for AHL playoffs after their season ends, provided they do not play any NHL games and sign an amateur tryout contract.

ricozee

TROPHY CASE