Well, we have now managed to find ourselves at the Conference Finals and while there were some surprises in the last round it can hardly be said that the results were earth shattering.
[Result] [5] Vancouver vs [1] Minnesota -- Minnesota advances 4-3 on aggregate
Game #1 Vancouver 3-0 -- Game #2 Minnesota 4-0
Then again some of us aren't Vancouver fans right now. You have to feel bad for the 86ers but at the same time you have to give them credit. They took the defending champs to the wire but unfortunately they got hung with said wire at the Sports Complex after the Thunder won 4-0 in the second leg. After ending regulation with a 3-0 victory Minnesota and Vancouver went into extra time to decide who would get the privilege of facing the Rampage in the Conference Finals. Zeba added the tie-winning goal in the 94th minute after goals from Gentile, Adair, and Winters got them into OT. Unfortunately this meant that the goals from Sulentic (2) and Valente from the first leg went wanting after Minnesota proudly declared themselves disgusted with how difficult the Canadians had been.
[Result] [3] Milwaukee vs [2] Seattle -- Milwaukee advances 4-2 on aggregate
Game #1 Milwaukee 2-1 -- Game #2 Milwaukee 2-1
The Rampage decided that they were going to beat up on another team from the Great Northwest and defeated Seattle 4-2 on aggregate after taken consecutive 2-1 decisions. So much for the strength of the Pacific versus the lack thereof by the Central Division this season. Takawira and Willan provided the goals for Milwaukee at home as Gregor stole an away goal to give the Sounders some hope to overturn the tie as they headed into the second leg. Greg Howes scored ten minutes in to level up the tie but then Lavrinenko and Loftin put paid to the Sounders' effort.
[Result] [7] Toronto vs [3] Richmond -- Toronto advances 2-0 on aggregate
Game #1 Toronto 1-0 -- Game #2 Toronto 1-0
In the East, Toronto is getting a lot of use out of their glass slippers as they ended any hopes that the Atlantic Division had of seeing one of their teams grace the stage of the A-League Championship Final. The Lynx got the win in the first leg on a PK from Vignjevic as the Kickers were apparently doing their best impression of the U.S. Olympic team in relinquishing a penalty in an otherwise completely winnable game. In the second leg Toronto won through on an identical score as the Lynx won this week's Eastern European named goal-scorers as Vignjevic had the helper on Kojic's game-winning goal. It was tough luck for the Kickers who had the majority of shots as they pressed to get the goals they so sorely needed. In the end, though, Richmond will be headed into the off-season wondering what might have been had they not had that PK in the first leg. C'est la vie and the Lynx will vie for a shot at the league title against their Northeast Division nemesis Rochester.
[Result] [1] Charleston vs [4] Rochester -- Rochester advances 3-0 on aggregate
Game #1 Rochester 2-0 -- Game #2 Rochester 1-0
Rochester won their tie in convincing fashion against the Battery with a 3-0 aggregate total. Yari Allnut provided one of my very few accurate predictions from the last round as he scored in the first leg in Rochester. His goal combined with Onandi Lowe's strike had the Rhinos two to the good as they headed down to Blackbaud. Both teams looked tired and determined not to concede goals as they struggled to get off any clear chances at goal and it did not help that the tie was effectively over after the 28th minute saw Dan Stebbins extend their lead to 3-0 in the series. What had been shaping up to be a fairy tale season for the Battery caught a harsh lesson in reality at the hands of perennial power Rochester.
So that sets up our Conference Finals which should be more fun than an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini or at least more fun than a barrel of monkeys, hopefully. Seeing as how I have no fear of being proven wrong yet again or at least jinxing clubs with genuine title aspirations I hereby present to you my next horrendously wrong predictions.
[Prediction] [3] Milwaukee vs [1] Minnesota -- Minnesota advances 5-3 on aggregate
Game #1 Draw 2-2 -- Game #2 Minnesota 3-1
In the West we get the showdown than the folks in Milwaukee have been craving all year long and that's a chance to knock out Minnesota, get into the Final, and do it in front of the home folks. Well, I honestly wish them all the best as it appears that Minnesota has a bit of luck on their side as well as the fact that they're getting the right players on the right track at the right time. I look for Menyongar to have a decent game in the first leg at Milwaukee while Digital keeps on ticking for the Rampage. Looking into the Magic 8-Ball it says "not a chance", wait, now it says "check back later" so I'll go out on a limb and say 2-2 in Milwaukee with the Thunder escaping with a late equalizer. In the second leg the almighty 8-Ball has betrayed me once again so I'll go with the casting of rune stones and they say… "you will experience a period of cloudiness". Looking outside I notice it's about to rain so I'll say Minnesota 3-1 over the Rampage as someone finally puts a stop to Digital. As things stand I see the Thunder showing up in the final again with an aggregate score of 5-3.
[Prediction] [7] Toronto vs [4] Rochester -- Rochester advances 4-1 on aggregate
Game #1 Rochester 2-1 -- Game #2 Rochester 2-0
Now let us level our gaze upon the East where Toronto takes on Rochester to see who gets the right to face the Thunder for the League trophy. In the first leg in Toronto I expect the Rhinos to show up about 30 minutes late as the Lynx jump out to a 1-0 lead on an unsuspecting Rochester bunch. Then I see the Rhinos grabbing two goals in the second half to take a 2-1 lead home to Frontier Field. Once at the Double F the Rhinos should consolidate their holdings, look across the field, and take a 2-0 win at home to give them the 4-1 decision on aggregate. The major issue for the Rhinos is to not take Toronto lightly. The Lynx have made lunch of just about everybody who has lightly regarded this squad and I don't expect that to change in this tie. If Rochester doesn't work for it for 180 minutes they could be found sitting in armchairs watching the Final from home as Toronto tries to become the first Canadian team to win the league championship since the USL/A-League merger.
That's just how I think it might happen and, as always, good luck to all the teams, fans, and clubs.
