Editor’s Note: We’re heading back to Prague! For the first time, LaxAllStars.com will have three of our members on the ground in Radotin for the Ales Hrebesky Memorial 2018 to give you the most in-depth coverage and behind the scenes views of the week. Thanks to the support of MaxLax, the world leader in box lacrosse gear for goalies and players, we’ll be showing off the AHM like never before! Make sure you peep the new MaxLax player gloves – super protective, super comfortable, old school inspired beauties!
22 games make for a long day, but that’s the beauty of a 24-team, 4 day, 2 venue tournament in the Czech Republic. Our third day has set us up for a thriller of a fourth and final day, and I can’t honestly wait to see what the leaderboard will look like when the dust settles.
It will take roughly 12 more hours of action to crown a champion of the Ales Hrebesky Memorial 2018. Tune in tomorrow night for the finals at 20.00 local time, 2:00AM eastern.
We have teams that have surprised and teams that will be coming back in 2019 with a vengeance. What we’re seeing is an overall rise in the overall average talent. Even in my five years, teams have had to improve tenfold or risk seeing themselves relegated. We’ve talked extensively about this new tournament format, and the results have been fantastic so far.
The semifinals have given us two finalists that have never been in the show before.
Day 3 Results
- (33) Green QF1: Helan GAR 8 – NOAFE 4
- (34) Green QF2: London Knights 7 – Adler Lacrosse 3
- (35) Green QF3 : Chocolax 4 – Polish Eagles 1
- (36) Green QF4: LCC Wolves 3 – Old Dogs Plzen 2
- (37) Blue QF1: TJ Malesice 4 – Vienna Monarchs 2
- (38) Blue QF2: SK Jizni Mesto 3 – Megamen 6
- (40) Blue QF3: Jagged Mountain 4 – Bundeswehr 10
- (42) Blue QF4: Istanbul Sultans 2 – Glasgow Clydesiders 6
- (44) QF1: Alberta Warriors 6 – Turku Titans 5
- (46) QF2: Goldstar Tel Aviv 7 – Bratislava Bats 4
- (48) QF3: Green Gaels 3 – LC Custodes 7
- (50) QF4: Nova Scotia Privateers 6 – Dublin Riggers 5
- (51) Blue SF1: TJ Malesice 1 – Megamen 9
- (52) Blue SF2: Bundeswehr 3 – Glasgow Clydesiders 10
- (53) SF1: Alberta Warriors 1 – Goldstar Tel Aviv 7
- (54) SF2: LC Custodes 5 – Nova Scotia Privateers 6
ČERNOŠICE Arena
- (39) Green LSF1: NOAFE 4 – Adler Lacrosse 5
- (41) Green LSF2: Polish Eagles 0 – Old Dogs Plzen 6
- (43) Green SF1: Helan GAR 0 – London Knights 5
- (45) Green SF2: Chocolax 4 – LCC Wolves 5
- (47) 23rd Place Game: NOAFE 8 – Polish Eagles 1
- (49) 21st Place Game: Adler Lacrosse 6 – Old Dogs Plzen 4
Day 4 Schedule
- (55) 9.10 CEST / 3:10PM EST Blue LSF1: Vienna Monarchs – SK Jizni Mesto
- (56) 10.00 CEST / 4:00PM EST Blue LSF2: Jagged Mountain – Istabul Sultans
- (57 ) 10.50 CEST / 4:50PM EST LSF1: Turku Titans – Bratislava Bats
- (58) 11.40 CEST / 5:40PM EST LSF2: Green Gaels – Dublin Riggers
- (59) 12.30 CEST / 6:30PM EST 19th Place Game: Helan GAR – Chocolax
- (60) 13.20 CEST / 7:20PM EST 17th Place Game: London Knights – LCC Wolves
- (61) 14.10 CEST / 8:10PM EST 15th Place Game: SK Jizni Mesto – Jagegd Mountain
- (62) 15.00 CEST / 9:00PM EST 13th Place Game: Vienna Monarchs – Istanbul Sultans
- (63) 15.50 CEST / 9:50PM EST 11th Place Game: TJ Malesice – Bundeswehr
- (64) 16.40 CEST / 10:40PM EST 9th Place Game: Megamen – Glasgow Clydesiders
- (65) 17.30 CEST / 11:30PM EST 7th Place Game: Bratislava Bats – Green Gales
- (66) 18.20CEST / 12:20AM EST 5th Place Game: Turku Titans – Dublin Riggers
- (67) 19.10 CEST / 1:10AM EST 3rd Place Game: Alberta Warriors – LC Custodes
- (68) 20.00CEST / 2:00AM EST Final Game: Goldstar Tel Aviv – Nova Scotia Privateers
Brian’s Worthy Watchs
Goldstar Tel-Aviv – 7
Alberta Warriors – 1
This was an upset, and a dominant one. The Alberta Warriors are one-time (2016) champions of the tournament, and to suffer such a heavy loss is unexpected to say the least. Tel-Aviv was dominant from the start, with rock solid defense and unstoppable offense from the left side of Kyle Bergman, Chad Culp, and Ryan Hunter.
Tel-Aviv will head into the finals with a perfect record so far, and dominant wins over veteran clubs like the Megamen and the Istanbul Sultans. The finals will be an uphill struggle, with Goldstar combatting injuries accrued over the Israeli National team’s strenuous spring schedule, as well as a match ejection to goaltender Bailey Brown in the win over Alberta.
LCC Radotin – 5
Nova Scotia Privateers – 6
This might be one of my favorite games in (my) AHM history. I had the distinct pleasure of doing color commentary with Stephen Stamp for the game, having the best seat in the house to see these two familiar favorites duke it out.
Nova Scotia has finished as high as third, but the heavy favorite were the Custodes heading into this one. A couple of uncharacteristic simple breakdowns on defense by the Custodes allowed Nova Scotia to get the net and bury their opportunities. Privateer defense wins the day, however. Holding LCC to five goals is a respectable accomplishment.
This final will see a new champion, whether it be Nova Scotia or Goldstar. We can’t wait!
Photo Blast!
All photo credit to Marek Stor / ShutterLax.com
