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Ottawa Sun: Centaurs Clinch Playoff Berth With Win 1-0 Against Chicago
By Paul Monroe
Posted March 27th, 2022
CHICAGO – The Ottawa Centaurs are heading back to the playoffs for the second year in a row after shutting out the Chicago Hawks 1-0 at the Frontier Center.
Goalie Wyatt Hayes was the hero of the night, stopping an impressive 37 shots on goal – twelve more than the Centaurs had across the game. The Centaurs’ sole goal was scored by Captain Ilya Rozanov on a power play, assisted by Shane Hollander and Luca Haas, after Hawks defenseman Jony Nilsson was called for holding Troy Barrett. Post-game, Rozanov deflected praise for his goal back to Hayes, saying “the game would not have gone our way if Hazy hadn’t been in the net.”
The Centaurs locker room was celebratory post game, but Hollander said the team remains focused on the future. “Obviously it’s great to clinch playoffs already, but we’re determined to be the top team in the Atlantic division. And we’re determined to have a deep run in the playoffs.”
Currently, the Centaurs are on top of the Atlantic Division, although it’s a tight race between them and the Boston Raiders in second. The Detroit Autos sit further back in third. The Centaurs face the Raiders on March 31st, in what is sure to be a key game as the regular season begins to wind down.
Struggling in this year's playoff race? Both the Montreal Metros and Toronto Guardians, currently sitting at 5th and 6th in the division, respectively. The Guardians have faced a difficult season of rebuilding since their star center Dallas Kent was arrested for sexual assault last year. The Metros, meanwhile, have struggled to put together a new team identity after losing Hollander at the end of last season. Rumors of discord in the locker room, including players actively seeking trades, have plagued Montreal all season. While neither team is officially out of playoff contention as of yet, both have large hills to climb if they want to see the bracket, with their most likely option being a wild card slot. Both would need to have excellent runs as the season winds down – and would need to hope for other teams to falter in that same spread of games. For the Metros, this would be the first playoffs they’ve missed since the 2009-2010 season – coincidentally the year they drafted Hollander.
When asked, Hollander deflected questions on the Metros performance. “I’d prefer to talk about my current team, if that’s alright,” he said.
Rozanov, however, had no qualms about discussing the Metros. “They are weak in the center, now,” he said. “Hard to make playoffs without your best player, I guess.”
The Centaurs play next in Philadelphia on the 29th, then in Boston, before heading back home to take on the Admirals at the start of next month.
—
@CentaursGirlie1995: i’m sorry but ilya taking every possible moment to shit on the metros for not re signing shane is sooooooo funny
@ilyasgirl814ever: THREAD: Comparing photos of Ilya during the Centaurs season last year and this year. You can really see that he is so much happier now that he’s on the same team with his husband. (1/28)
@GraceMadsenMTL: The Metros are approaching a critical junction in the season as Detroit and Boston edge towards clinching playoffs. Every game from now on is a must-win. But sources tell me the locker room is fractured beyond repair, and that the owners are losing faith in Coach Theriault. My story here: bit.ly/mtls09022snsg
—
Post by @TROITOI
Posted April 1st, 2022
[Description: A poorly lit but recognizable shot of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov outside a Boston nightclub, late at night. Both look slightly drunk. Shane is wearing dark jeans and a tight-fitting black t-shirt; Ilya is wearing dark jeans and red silk button down, half-way unbuttoned. Ilya has an arm around Shane’s waist; Shane is whispering something in his year. Ilya is grinning widely.]
Caption: SPOTTED! Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander leave Boston-area nightclub days after clinching playoff berth. A celebration, perhaps?
COMMENTS:
@jordanabananafofanana: Ilya Rozanov Please Button Your Shirt Up. It Is 9 In the Morning And I Am Trying To Work. I Beg Of You.
@ilyarozanov81: sorry to your boss. will write you sick note
@jordanabananafofanana: OH MY GOD????????????
@percyjacksonstan: Okay I saw a post on Twitter the other day about how much happier Ilya looks this season and now I can’t stop seeing it? Like he’s CHEESING here. He truly loves this man.
@ilyarozanov81: yes. my soulmate. makes my life better.
@percyjacksonstan: Captain Ilya please don’t make me cry this early in the morning
Post by @shanehollanderhockeyplayer
Posted April 2nd, 2022
[Description: Photo 1: A picture of Ilya Rozanov on a dock by a lake at sunset, in side profile.
Photo 2: Ilya with Anya, curled together on the couch.
Photo 3: A professional shot of Ilya celebrating a goal in a Centaurs game, hands raised in triumph.
Photo 4: A selfie of Shane and Ilya on an airplane; Ilya is asleep on Shane’s shoulder.
Photo 5: A professional photo of Shane and Ilya dancing at their wedding. Both are smiling softly.]
Caption: You’re my soulmate too, obviously. @ilyarozanov81
COMMENTS:
@ilyarozanov81: Я люблю тебя больше жизни. Я люблю тебя во всех вселенных, навсегда.
@ilyarozanovupdates: google translate has informed me this says “I love you more than life itself. I love you in all universes, forever” so please excuse me while i sob on the floor about never finding love ever
@TroyBarrettHockey: I might actually vomit
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Wow. Homophobic, Troy.
@TroyBarrettHockey: I MEANT FROM CUTENESS! SHANE I AM ALSO GAY
@HarrisCentaurs: Omg Shane LOL
@TroyBarrettHockey: Babe please stop teaching him how to be good at the internet we don’t need two of them like this
@ilyarozanov81: yes you do ❤️
—
@ManintheCreasePod: NEW EPISODE: We chat with Roger Crowell about the upcoming playoffs, potential expansion cities, and more!
@rajskatez: @ManintheCreasePod so you guys got actual roger crowell on the pod and didn’t ask him one question about #mlhracism or the rumors he’s got beef with hollander? what the hell
@MikePortSports: Crowell on Man In The Crease answered just one question about the All-Star Game, claiming issues with the plumbing in San Jose caused the cancellation. Notably, San Jose cancelled no games prior to or post the All-Star Game period and no construction was reported at the venue.
@MikePortSports: Man In The Crease is obviously more entertainment than journalism, but odd that they didn’t push the issue here. It seems like a very transparent lie. At the very least, shouldn’t every hockey “news” source be looking for honesty from the front office?
@CentaursGirlie1995: feeling vindicated that i’ve hated man in the crease since 2012
@brooklynbex: @CentaursGirlie1995 i’ve hated them since they started random beef with scott hunter years ago but this is a new low
@CherylYamataESPN: Worth noting my team has asked Crowell for an interview several times and gotten no response. I suppose it’s at least in part because I wouldn’t have agreed to make it a puff piece.
@NateWhatThePuck: Crowell man come on our pod I promise we’ll be nice
@marquishamilton99: @natewhatthepuck last week you called crowell a “bitch ass loser”
@NateWhatThePuck: @marquishamilton99 shhhhhhhhhhhh
—
Montreal Times: Metros to Miss Playoffs For First Season In Over Ten Years
By Grace Madsen
Posted April 10th, 2022
With a win over Tampa Bay last night, Columbus officially clinched the second wild card position in the Eastern Conference. With that, the Metros hopes of another year of playoffs have been officially dashed.
The Metros have had scrappy years before, but it’s been over a decade since they missed playoffs altogether. The last time the Metros weren’t present in the postseason was the 2009-2010 season. Notably, that was also the last season prior to this one that they played without Shane Hollander.
Over the summer many in Montreal, including key members of the Metros organization, were adamant that not re-signing Shane Hollander was the right move for the team. Now some are questioning if that was the correct decision after all.
The Metros had a slow start to the season, with a string of losses that included a disastrous bench-clearing brawl with the Ottawa Centaurs. Following that game, they rebounded slightly, but they never quite got their footing – their longest win streak across the whole season was only three games. They also ended the season with the lowest amount of shut-outs in five years, and the highest points allowed in ten, thanks in part to a notably flagging performance by starting goalie Patrice Drapeau in the second half of the season.
Metros Coach Jacques Theriault described the results as “disappointing” but stated he believed the team would recover next season. “It was always going to be a bit of a rebuilding season with a new first line center, with a new captain. It was a slower rebuild than we would have liked, but that’s not shocking.”
This is a notable change of tone from Theriault, who spent much of the preseason claiming that the team would be better without Hollander on it, and wouldn’t need rebuilding at all. When asked for clarification on his statements and why they differ from his point of view earlier in the season, he declined to comment. When asked for more specificity on how the team planned to rebuild, he indicated he was standing behind Drapeau as the starting goalie, and that the team was hoping to acquire a strong center in the upcoming draft class.
Meanwhile, sources inside the Metros organization tell me that ownership is extremely upset with the results. “Theriault told them Hollander was a distraction and needed to go, and they believed him. Now Hollander is in the playoffs with another team, and the Metros aren’t going at all. They’re mad they placed their trust in Theriault. That trust is really gone now.” Indeed, rumors have been brewing that the Metros plan to make an offer over the summer to reacquire Hollander from Ottawa. As one Metros insider said to me, “they want him back. The fans want him back. People are wearing his jersey to the stadium again, people are holding up signs that say BRING SHANE BACK. #SorryShane trended on Twitter three, four times this year. It’s been a total sea change. Very much you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”
Of course, the odds that Hollander would return to Montreal seem low, particularly if Ottawa makes a deep playoff run this year. Hollander signed a multi-year contract with the Centaurs; while he took a pay cut to remain under salary cap, it seems unlikely that money would be enough to sway him back to the Metros. A different source informed me “there’s no way [Hollander] wants back in this city. He’s got a good thing going in Ottawa now. They’re favorites to win the Cup. It doesn’t make sense to go backwards.” On top of that, it seems unlikely that Montreal has any players Ottawa would consider more valuable than Hollander, making trade options slim.
The Metros will have to hope for a good pull in this year’s draft lottery, while fans watch the remainder of the playoffs from their couches. The last Metros home game of the year will be against Boston on April 17th; their last game overall will be in Toronto on the 21st.
—
Post by @shanehollanderhockeyplayer
Posted April 11th, 2022
[Description: Photo 1: A group picture of the Centaurs. All are in practice jerseys, with no helmets, standing on the ice. It’s clearly an outtake of a more formal team photo – several of the guys are making ridiculous faces. In the middle stand Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander. Ilya has an arm around Shane’s shoulder. Neither are looking at the camera – they are looking at each other, smiling.
Photo 2: A shot of Yuna and David Hollander and Ilya sitting together around a table in a backyard.
Photo 3: A candid photo of Ilya cooking something in a large pot, wearing a black tank top and sweats.
All photos are geotagged “Ottawa, Ontario”]
Caption: Home.
—
PuckingAround.com: Did Shane Hollander Just Throw Shade at Montreal Via Instagram?
Montreal Reporter: Metros Say Rumours They Were Looking To Re-Sign Hollander “Untrue”
Free Skate Hockey Blog: RUMOR: Jacques Theriault In Hot Water In Montreal; Owners Say Playoffs Next Year “Must Happen” Or He’ll Be Axed
—
MLH.com: PLAYOFF BRACKETS ANNOUNCED! See Round One Matchups!
Ottawa Sun: Centaurs to Face Pittsburgh Puffins In First Round of Playoffs
The Pitt Sports: Puffins Captain Robby Langdon Says He’s “Looking Forward” To Match Up Against Ottawa: “Should Be A Hard Fought Series”
Ottawa Sun: Centaurs Sweep Puffins, Move To Next Round Of Playoffs
Boston Post: Raiders Beat Autos In Game 7, Setting Up Clash With Ottawa In Second Round
—
YOUTUBE
Ottawa Centaurs: Rapid Fire! With the Centaurs!
Posted May 5th, 2022
TRANSCRIPT:
[A shot of Harris Drover sitting in his office, perched on the edge of his desk. He is wearing a Hollanov Pride Jersey.]
Harris Drover: Hi Centaurs Fans! We’re back with a brand new edition of Rapid Fire! The Playoff Special! Now that the first round is done, we thought we’d lighten the mood ahead of our games against Boston and have the boys answer some of your most frequently asked playoff questions. Let’s go!
[CUT TO: White text on a black screen reading “What’s The Stupidest Playoff Superstition?"
The video cuts between players as they answer. Every player is by themselves in a hallway, in street clothes, having clearly just entered the practice rink, except for Hollander and Rozanov, who have clearly entered the rink together and give their answers standing side-by-side.]
Zane Boodram: Oh, not touching the conference trophy. I know that’s, like, one of the big ones, but I’ve never understood it. Like, it’s a totally separate trophy!
[CUT]
Evan Dykstra: I used to play with a guy who wouldn’t call his wife on gameday because one time he sprained his ankle during a game after he called her. That’s crazy. Like, one, I love talking to my wife. And two, she would absolutely divorce me if I blamed her for getting myself injured in a room she was not even in. Come on.
[CUT]
Wyatt Hayes: Probably that you should miss your first shot in practice on purpose. I get the idea of a lot of rituals, but thinking you’ll never miss again because you’ve missed once is really bizarre.
[CUT]
Troy Barrett: I respect the guys who do the whole “drink the same thing and eat the same thing” every day routine, but I think I would go absolutely crazy doing that every day.
[CUT]
Shane Hollander: Playoff beard.
Ilya Rozanov: That’s just because you can’t grow one!
Shane Hollander: Yeah. 100%. Obviously. I don’t even bother trying anymore and I’ve still won three Cups, so.
Ilya Rozanov: But you like my playoff beard.
Shane Hollander: [directly into camera, deadpan] No comment.
[CUT TO: White text on a black screen reading “What’s Your Playoff Game Day Tradition?”]
Ilya Rozanov: I like to take a nap.
Shane Hollander: He’s not even kidding about that.
Ilya Rozanov: It’s important to be well-rested, Shane!
[CUT]
Evan Dykstra: I have a hype-up playlist. It’s really good. I can send you the link, actually–
Harris Drover: [offscreen] Oh! No, no thanks, that’s not necessary at all.
[CUT]
Luca Haas: I call my mother and sister in the morning and then turn my phone off for the whole day. Looking at the internet too much really stresses me out.
[CUT]
Nick Chouinard: My kids choreographed a very elaborate dance last year, and now I plan to make them do it every time. Even on FaceTime. It’s a good luck charm! And it’s very funny to watch them try to remember how it goes.
[CUT]
Ilya Rozanov: Playoffs are not so different from regular games. Most of our traditions are for home games. We say hi to our neighbors before every home game.
Shane Hollander: Yeah, and we have lunch with my parents. Those are all-year traditions.
Ilya Rozanov: Yuna Hollander is the best good luck charm, because I am deeply terrified of disappointing her.
Shane Hollander: Tell me about it.
[CUT TO: White text on a black screen reading “Who’s The Centaurs Playoff MVP So Far?”]
Zane Boodram: Holly.
[CUT]
Wyatt Hayes: Holly.
[CUT]
Luca Haas: Oh! Uh. Probably Roz or Shane?
[CUT]
Evan Dykstra: Hollander.
[CUT]
Nick Chouinard: Hollander.
[CUT]
Troy Barrett: Shane. 100%.
[CUT to Ilya and Shane. Ilya looks scandalized, having obviously been told the results of this question, while Shane looks absolutely delighted.]
Ilya Rozanov: Betrayal! I am your Captain for years, I take you to playoffs two years in a row, and then Shane joins for one season and suddenly he is MVP of team?
Harris Drover: [offscreen] Yeah, sounds like it.
Ilya Rozanov: No loyalty. None! [to Shane] At least you cannot say yourself. I know I am your favorite.
Shane Hollander: Oh, I was gonna say Hazy.
Ilya Rozanov: You liar!
[Ilya pulls Shane into a playful headlock. Shane laughs while Ilya kisses the top of his head.]
Shane Hollander: Okay, okay, I give up! You’re the MVP. Jeeze.
Ilya Rozanov: Aha! I win! [to camera] My answer is Haas.
Shane Hollander: Oh you fu–
[CUT TO: White text on a black screen reading THE END.]
—
@CherylYamataESPN: Tonight on The Shootout, former Boston defenseman Cliff Marleau stops by to chat about tomorrow’s Boston-Ottawa playoffs game, his favorites for the Cup, and just what is up with the Commissioners' Office these days. Tune in at 8/7 central.
@CentaursGirlie1995: Cheryl Yamata ESPN keeping her FOOT on crowell’s NECK we love to see it
@MontrealMeg: @CentaursGirlie1995 not you capitalizing her name and not crowell’s lmao
@CentaursGirlie1995: @MontrealMeg well i respect Cheryl Yamata ESPN duh
@AllstonRatBarbie: omgggg not Cliff on espn tonight saying he thinks Ilya’s gonna win the whole Cup!!!! Take me back to Raiders Glory Days I miss my boys
@beanpotchampionshipseries: @AllstonRatBarbie he’s a fukin traitor like rozanov man boston is literally in it and he’s saying they’re not gonna win what the fuck
@AllstonRatBarbie: @beanpotchampionshipseries i mean . . . they’re not. i still love the team but we’re so injured rn
—
Post by @OttawaCentaurs
Posted May 10th, 2022
[Description: A recent in-game action shot of Shane Hollander, skating quickly down the ice with the puck, a look of determination and focus on his face.]
Caption: Happy 31st birthday to @shanehollanderhockeyplayer ! A win against Boston would be a good birthday gift, right?
COMMENTS:
@ilyarozanov81: @GenCentaurs gen we need to work out deal where you send me these photos once you take them
@EvanDykstra: what man you building a shrine or something
@BoodMEISTER: you’ve been to his house dude, it’s ALREADY a shrine
@ilyarozanov81: i am being cyberbullied :(
@GenCentaurs: It’s unorthodox but I think I can make it happen
@ilyarozanov81: @GenCentaurs I will buy you a car in thanks
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Ilya, no.
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Thanks guys! Let’s go kick Boston’s ass!
Post by @yunahollander
Posted May 10th, 2022
[Description: Photo 1: A young Shane Hollander, about six years old, grinning widely in front of a birthday cake with lit candles. He is missing a tooth, and he is wearing a too-big Ottawa Centaurs jersey.
Description 2: A more recent candid photo of Shane. He is sitting at a table with David Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, glasses of red wine in front of them. Shane is smiling happily and watching as David and Ilya talk with one another. He is wearing an Ottawa Centaurs hoodie.]
Caption: Can’t believe this little kid is 31. @shanehollanderhockeyplayer Love you. Proud of you every single day. Now go kill Boston.
COMMENTS
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Love you Mom. I’ll beat ‘em for you.
@ilyarozanov81: tiny shane 😭
Post by @HaydenPike35
Posted May 10th, 2022
[Description: Shane and Hayden with their arms around each other in a non-descript, outdoor location.]
Caption: Happy birthday @shanehollanderhockeyplayer ! Can’t wait to see you beat Boston tonight.
COMMENTS
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Love you man!
@ilyarozanov81: is cute photo except part where you are in it pike
@HaydenPike35: man fuck you
@metrosnumberone: rooting for ottawa????? fucking traitor behavior when are we getting rid of this asshole
Post by @ilyarozanov81
Posted May 10th, 2022
[Description: A photo of Shane sitting outside by a bonfire. He is wearing a slightly too-large black hoodie and running shorts. He looks very soft. He’s smiling fondly at whoever is holding the camera.]
Caption: Happy birthday моя любовь. Every day with you is the best day of my life. Thank you @yunahollander and David Who Does Not Use Instagram for having a perfect son who makes my life better. And thank you @shanehollanderhockeyplayer for being you. Thank you for putting up with me, even when I am grumpy and strange and sad. Thank you for seeing all the bad parts of me and deciding to love me anyway. I love you always.
COMMENTS
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Ilya we have a game in two hours you’re not allowed to make me cry
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Я тоже тебя люблю.
@sunshine_____rainbowz777: shane has the cyrillic alphabet on his phone and is learning russian and i can’t even get a guy to text me back within three business days wtf. the epitome of “if he wanted to he would” smhhhhhhhh
@yunahollander: ❤️ You both make our lives better too.
@TroyBarrettHockey: I want everyone to know the entire Centaurs locker room is valiantly attempting to hold back tears at this post and failing very badly.
@BoodMIESTER: a room of grown men sitting and crying at the power of love. it’s a beautiful thing.
@blossompower: okay but every other birthday post for shane mentioning the boston game tonight except ilya what does it mean
@ilyarozanov81: shane puts lots of pressure on himself. he does not need more from me. i know we will win, but will be a day to celebrate either way. i love him win or lose.
@blossompower: okay well now i’m crying too damn i don’t even know y’all like that
—
@OttawaCentaurs: A win for the birthday boy! @shanehollanderhockeyplayer scores the tie-breaker in the third! Ottawa beats Boston 4-3. Onto Game 5!
—
Boston Post: Raiders Lose Game 6 In Triple Overtime, Ending Playoff Run
Ottawa Sun: Centaurs Win After Troy Barrett Scores Heroic Goal In Triple Overtime
—
Post by @HarrisCentaurs
Posted May 17th, 2022
[Description: A sweat-drenched Troy Barrett in the Centaurs locker room, sheepishly holding up the game winning puck. He is flanked by Ilya Rozanov on his left and Zane Boodram on his right, both grinning manically.]
Caption: MY mvp!!!!! @TroyBarrettHockey
COMMENTS:
@WyattHayesGoalie: ALL of our MVPs!!!
@ilyarozanov81: thank you for ending this at third overtime troy i think fourth overtime might have killed my husband
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Please, you looked like you were gonna pass out the whole time
@ilyarozanov81: LIES!
@BoodMEISTER: I am buying you drinks for the rest of your life dude!!!!
@CassieBood: Zane baby please remember I would like to send Milo to college one day
@BoodMEISTER: I am buying you drinks for the rest of the night dude!!!!
@OttoFromOttawa: I don’t know that I’ve ever felt so nervous watching a playoff game. Truly Troy, you’re the hero of Ottawa!
—
New York Gazette: Admirals Defeat Washington Presidents in Game 7 to Head to Conference Finals
MLH.com: Conference finals are set! Ottawa faces New York and Los Angeles battles Chicago!
—
@CentaursGirlie1995: about to have the single gayest series in all of MLH history i simply love being alive in the modern day
@CentaursGirlie1995: i need illegal substances and cell phone and four gay hockey players on ice at the same time like god intended when she wrote the bible
@CentaursGirlie1995: sorry three gay and one bisexual hockey players
@ilyasgirl814ever: this is going to be so fun because obviously the hockey will be good and obviously the hockey will be gay but also because ilya famously does NOT respect his queer elders
@ilyasgirl814ever: he is going to break scott hunters barely functioning kneecaps on the ice because he CAN
@brooklynbex: i know it was time for bennett to retire and i am really happy he did but if he’d stuck around we could have five queer players in one seven game series. . . it’d be iconic
@gigiontheclock: @brooklynbex wait zack bennett is gay??? and retired????
@brooklynbex: @gigiontheclock omg no no ERIC bennett who used to be the admirals goalie omg that’s so confusing sorry
@gigiontheclock: @brooklynbex ohhhhhhhh. white people need more last names smh
@MikePortSports: Honestly, if the rumors about Crowell wanting an “apolitical” hockey league are true this is possibly a worst-case playoff scenario for him.
@MikePortSports: The Admirals and Ottawa both have openly queer players, LA’s Ramirez, Ottawa’s Hollander, and New York’s Vaughn spoke openly about #MLHRacism, Chicago Hawks Captain Peter Tremblay has joined up with Team USA Women’s Captain Jessica Young to address pay disparity between men and women’s sports, and several members of all four teams have begun putting pride tape on their sticks year round since the rumors about Crowell’s desire to ban Pride Nights began.
@MikePortSports: Outside of the Admiral’s Scott Hunter, most of these players were not nearly as outspoken last year. It seems that by potentially trying to silence his league, Crowell might have created a monster.
@CentaursGirlie1995: @MikePortSports Troy Barrett also posted a lot about sexual assault when the Dallas Kent accusations dropped!! Mr. Hockey says Crowell told him to shut up!
@MikePortSports: @CentaursGirlie1995 Yes, an interesting accusation from before the blog blew up this year. It’s impossible to say how accurate the unconfirmed Mr. Hockey stories are but the stuff he gets right is certainly a bad look for the league.
@FreeSkateHockeyBlog: My Latest Post – rumor has it Crowell will skip both the Eastern and Western Conference Final openers, in a break from his usual attendance record. No word as to why, but the MLH Front Office has been facing a lot of phone calls this week. . . bit.ly/mhpl029243
@rajskatez: @FreeSkateHockeyBlog mr. hockey tell your uncle who works at nintendo that he’s awesome
@ChicagoDot: Hawks Captain Peter Tremblay on Activism In Sports: “Everyone Wins When You Get More People On the Ice and In the Stands.” Full story here: bit.ly/cahak90s
@queenofthebean: @ChicagoDot PETER TREMBLAY CONFIRMING HIS WIFE IS BISEXUAL I KNEW THAT MOTHERFUCKER HAD BI WIFE ENERGY I JUST KNEW IT
@jacobcotton: @ChicagoDot @queenofthebean bi wife energy? what the fuck is that
@lizzylezzie: @ChicagoDot @queenofthebean @jacobcotton it’s when straight guys wear patterned button up short sleeve shirts
@OttawaSunzzzz: Centaurs Captain Ilya Rozanov on Upcoming Games Against New York: “We Will Beat That 1000 Year Old Man To Death With Our Hockey Sticks”
@CentaursGirlie1995: this is so in tone with roz normally it took me a long minute to realize it’s from a parody account
@CentaursGirlie1995: wait i just realized. . . .if this series goes to game 7 it will end on june 1st. . . . . . the start of pride month
@CentaursGirlie1995: pepe silvia dot gif
@CentaursGirlie1995: I’M CONNECTING THE DOTS!!!!!!!!
@ilyasgirl814ever: @CentaursGirlie1995 writing “pepe silvia dot gif” instead of just attaching the actual image. . . your mind. . .
@MontrealMeg: @CentaursGirlie1995 the gayest and second gayest team in the league fighting for the cup on actual pride month day one will ideally create enough Gay Energy to permanently freeze roger crowell into stone!!!!
—
New York Gazette: Admirals Fall in Overtime In Game 7
Ottawa Sun: The Ottawa Centaurs Head to Cup Finals For the First Time In Franchise History
—
@ilyasgirl814ever: CENTAURS GOING TO THE CUP FINALS EVERYONE SAY THANK YOU ILYA ROZANOV THANK YOU SHANE HOLLANDER THANK YOU TROY BARRETT THANK YOU POWER OF GAY SEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY MOTHERFUCKING PRIDE!!!!!!!!
@brooklynbex: you simply can’t deny that the technically gayer team won. on the start of pride month no less! @scotthunteradmirals i expect you to recruit AT LEAST three to four new young twinks in the off season to up our playoff chances
@CentaursGirlie1995: @brooklynbex not knocking your strategy but i think you need to be looking at bears. . . defense weak
@brooklynbex: @CentaursGirlie1995 kick a girl while she’s down!!!!!!
—
Post by @kingfisherNYC
Posted June 2nd, 2022
[Description: A group photo in front of Kingfisher Bar. The bar is decked out in pride flags. All of the people in the photo look a little more than slightly tipsy. Pictured, from left to right, are Scott Hunter, Kip Grady, Eric Bennett, Kyle Smith, Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Troy Barrett, Harris Drover, and Luca Haas]
Caption: Pride Month is kicking off at the Kingfisher! Obviously bummed our boys @AdmiralsNY couldn’t take it home, but we had an awesome watch party celebrating the gayest and second gayest teams in MLH, and a great cross-team celebration afterwards. Proud of our very own @ScottHunterAdmirals, and super proud of everyone who chooses to live authentically as themselves in the world. @OttawaCentaurs go kick some ass for us!
COMMENTS:
@ilyarozanov81: kip and kyle thank you for having us and for stocking good vodka. you are my favorite HAGs.
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Baby I don’t think HAGs really works. For several reasons.
@HarrisCentaurs: WHABGs is too wordy. PALs?
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: PALs?
@HarrisCentaurs: Partners and Lovers!
@ilyarozanov81: shane is NOT a fan of lovers
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: 👎
@HarrisCentaurs: What a fun night! Thanks for being such good sports and having us.
@KyleKingfisher: Thanks for coming!! Come back for trivia sometime!!
@HarrisCentaurs: Of course!!
@KyleKingfisher: Missed you @RyanPriceMLH and @RealFabianSalah ! See ya next time!
@RealFabianSalah: I’m never COMPLAINING about a European Tour but I’m SORT OF complaining about a European Tour! FOMO!!! We’ll be there next time for SURE!
@ScottHunterAdmirals: On the one hand, I guess I’d rather lose to the other gayest team in the league than anyone else. On the other hand, losing to Rozanov fills me with shame.
@ilyarozanov81: shut up old man
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Ilya.
@ilyarozanov81: Sorry, Scott.
@Elena_Rygg: ilya rozanov you let that man walk you like a dog smh
@manicpixiehockeybitch: wait wait wait this photo is basically every famous gay player and their partner (minus ryan and fabian but that makes sense) and then also???? luca haas?????????? luca do you have something to say
@CentaursGirlie1995: @manicpixiehockeybitch we have all learned a valuable lesson from the shaydens and the fanmail incident about speculating on the sexualities of real people and we will simply ASSUME that luca was the only other one who could go out until told otherwise
@ilyarozanov81: 😜
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: ILYA.
@CentaursGirlie1995: @manicpixiehockeybitch or uhhhh not!
—
Los Angeles Star: LA Emperors Win In Overtime Against Chicago Hawks; Set to Play Ottawa Centaurs in Cup Finals
—
Renegade Sports: There’s Something About Ottawa (Or, How Shane Hollander Got His Groove Back)
By Drew Martins
Posted June 4th, 2022
In a few days the MLH Cup Finals will start, signaling the culmination of a historic and, frankly, drama-filled MLH season. Many aspects of the past year of hockey have felt ripped straight from a soap opera or a romance novel. There was an unintentional and shocking outing, accusations of cheating (at sports), a dramatic move of one of the league’s golden boys from the team we all thought he’d retire on, and an off-season gay wedding. There were sticks to the face, hundreds of trips, all-out brawls, lackluster suspensions, Twitter hashtags, and lots and lots of troll comments. And, more seriously, there were conversations about racism and homophobia, and the league’s apparent attempts to stifle those conversations – but, of course, these were all told through the lens of a Lady Whistledown-esque anonymous hockey blog that no one had ever heard of last year, just to make sure we didn’t get too far away from the drama. To say this season has been a wild one would be an absolute understatement.
And the wildest part? In the middle of all the mess, the hockey has been really, really good. From a number of teams, yes – LA’s been electric at home, Chicago had an unbelievably amazing comeback after a rough season start, the Admirals, as always, looked impressive. But, of course, the best team to watch so far has been the one everyone had to watch, the one everyone’s been talking about – the Ottawa Centaurs. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov together on one team would have been the hockey story of the year even before the two were wed over the summer. But now that they’re a couple, it seems like everyone felt the urge to follow Ottawa and see how it came together on the ice.
Hollander and Rozanov are both, obviously, extremely talented. Having them together on one team seems almost unfair to everyone else in the league – but Montreal’s apparent inability to get over their captain’s personal relationship caused it to happen (presumably to their now-dismay – the Metros got nowhere near the playoffs this year). But it’s more than just two individually good players coming onto one team. There’s chemistry there – which, perhaps, shouldn’t be shocking knowing what we now know about their relationship. We all saw a glimpse of it first at the All-Stars Game in 2017, what two players with the power and knowledge those two had could do together; now we get to see it multiple times a week.
Still, when I watch the Centaurs on the ice now, I can’t help but feel that their success is more than just the combined efforts of Hollander and Rozanov on one team – the inevitable result of putting the two best players in the league on a roster together. Indeed, for several seasons Ottawa has seemed to bring out the best in people who were otherwise middling members of teams across the board.
Start with their coach, Brandon Wiebe. Wiebe played professional hockey for a long time, but you'd be forgiven for forgetting him. He never made a significant impact on ice; when he was signed as a rookie coach last year after a decade of retirement, most found the move baffling. That he got his team to the playoffs on his first shot is nothing short of impressive. Then there's goalie Wyatt Hayes. Hayes was a benchwarmer on Toronto for years until shifting to starting in Ottawa – where he’s been responsible for the highest amount of shutouts in the league this season, including a pivotal playoff clinching one against the Chicago Hawks. Speaking of Toronto, there’s also Troy Barrett. Now, Barrett was by no means bad on Toronto, but he certainly wasn’t playing at the level he is now, snagging triple overtime wins on near-perfect shots, a serious contender for playoff MVP.
When Rozanov moved to Ottawa a couple seasons ago, there was a lot of speculation on what the move would do to his overall claim that he was “the best player in the league.” Historically, a good hockey player is only ever as good as the team around him. Rozanov himself felt this in Boston – despite regularly topping league scoring for the season and breaking several MLH records, Boston only ever managed a singular Cup in the years Rozanov was there, hampered often by injuries, middling goalkeeping, or simply running into slightly better teams. But there was no argument that overall the talent on Boston vastly outweighed the talent on Ottawa – and that Rozanov’s chances of seeing a playoff season again seemed minimal, at least for a couple of years. Most thought we’d see a serious dip from the Russian in terms of performance metrics.
Yet, Rozanov, too, flourished on Ottawa. His individual performance made games closer than they’d ever been, yes, and he scored as much (if not more) than he did on Boston. But it was more than that. He pulled less penalties. He matured as a player – got better at reading the ice and other opponents. And, most impressively, as Captain he somehow rallied a group of seemingly disparate misfits into a playoff contending team. Wiebe himself is quick to give credit to Rozanov in this regard. "He's got an infectious energy," the coach said. "He's fun to play with. He brings out the best in his teammates."
And now there’s Shane Hollander. I’d be crazy to suggest that Shane Hollander wasn’t good prior to this season. He was, in many ways, among the best the league has ever had to offer. He was, to many, a posterboy for what hockey should be – a team player, a boy-next-door Canadian icon who was regularly spotted having dinner with his parents, a hard-working determinator who was constantly attempting to improve his own game, never settling for good enough. That’s part of what made his secret relationship so shocking – there were a lot of players you expect to be hiding secrets behind closed doors. He just wasn’t one of them.
So it’s not to say I didn’t expect Shane Hollander to be just as good on Ottawa. What I didn’t expect, though, was for him to be better. As his time on Ottawa has unfolded it’s become clear to many that the Shane Hollander we knew was, in fact, a Shane Hollander who was holding something back. Even just personally, it’s been obvious that a weight has lifted off of his shoulders. He smiles broader in interviews; he jokes more. He feels less like a media-trained machine reading out the perfect soundbites, and more like – well, like a thirty-one year old superstar who loves the sport he plays.
And while I’m sure some of this – maybe most of it – is the simple joy of not having to be in the closet anymore, I also think some of it might just be that Ottawa magic. If the Metros had kept Hollander around, it’s hard to think he’d be like this – magnetic and electric and grinning broadly, pulling off mid-game trick shots for the hell of it. He’d probably still be the old Hollander. It’s whatever the Centaurs have happening in the Ottawa Palladium that’s allowed Shane Hollander to let loose. And whatever that magic is, it’s made him a better player. Him and Rozanov and Hayes and Barrett all have come into themselves on the ice – and they’re giving us some of the best hockey we’ve ever seen.
Indeed, more than ever it seems Ottawa has captured the public imagination as well. People who never watched hockey before the drama are buying jerseys. Partially because Hollander and Rozanov are stars – but also because the team is just so damn fun that it makes it easy to root for them – to want them to win. And isn’t that what professional sports is supposed to be about?
—
Posted by @OttawaCentaurs
Posted June 15th, 2022
[Description: A recent in-game shot of Ilya Rozanov celebrating a goal. He’s grinning widely and pumping a fist into the air.]
Caption: Oh Captain Our Captain! Happy birthday @ilyarozanov81 ! Good luck in Game 4 tonight! Let’s tie this series up!
COMMENTS:
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Smash.
@ilyarozanov81: WHO TAUGHT YOU THAT?
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: I don’t live under a rock, you know.
@ilyarozanov81: harris, then
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: See if I ever do anything nice for your birthday again, asshole.
@WyattHayesGoalie: happy birthday cap!!! the boys and i have gotten together and promised a big win just for you
@BoodMIESTER: we also promised no one else would score but you though. so good luck bud!
Posted by @yunahollander
Posted June 15th, 2022
[Description: Photo 1: A childhood photo of Ilya Rozanov. He is on a beach with his mother; the wind is blowing their hair around. Both are grinning happily at the camera.
Photo 2: A candid photo of Ilya, Shane, and David watching something on TV. Ilya has clearly just said something funny – David and Shane are laughing, and Ilya looks proud of himself.]
Caption: Happy birthday @ilyarozanov81. Every day I am so thankful you’re in our lives. LA won’t know what him ‘em.
COMMENTS:
@ilyarozanov81: I love being part of your family, Yuna. Every day is a gift.
@ilyarozanov81: which is not to say i don’t expect other gifts
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: There it is.
@yunahollander: Oh, there might be something waiting back in Ottawa for you! 😉
Post by @TroyBarrettHockey
Posted June 15th, 2022
[Description: Troy and Ilya at the Drover Family Farm. Ilya is on the ground, surrounded by dogs. Troy is standing up and looking at him with a mix of fondness and exasperation.]
Caption: Happy birthday @ilyarozanov81. Moving to Ottawa was awkward for me, to say the least, but you helped a lot with getting me on my feet. Posting this to say I would be your foot soldier in the battle to convince @shanehollanderhockeyplayer to let you get a second dog any day.
COMMENTS:
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: This is a conspiracy against me ever having a clean house again at this point.
@ilyarozanov81: awwwww puppies!! troy you should have edited yourself out of photo to focus on real stars
@ilyarozanov81: also @shanehollanderhockeyplayer will lose this war. the other day i saw him looking at unlikely animal friend videos again. he’s getting weak.
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: I signed myself up for this by marrying you, didn’t I?
@ilyarozanov81: yes!
@HarrisCentaurs: one of my fave photos ever!
Post by @Sveta_Vetrova
Posted June 15th, 2022
[Description: A photo of a teenaged Svetlana and Ilya. Both are flipping off the camera; Ilya is sticking his tongue out and Svetlana is winking. In Ilya’s other hand there is a cigarette; in Svetlana’s other hand is a bottle of vodka.]
Caption: Happy birthday @ilyarozanov81 here is a picture from when you were young and cool before you got old and fell in love and became super fucking boring. Boston will kill you tonight, I promise. 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
COMMENTS:
@ilyarozanov81: пошел на хуй
@shanehollanderhockeyplayer: Is it legal for fourteen year olds to buy cigarettes and vodka in Russia?
@Sveta_Vetrova: we were sixteen in this picture and also this is hugely boring response hollander
@ilyarozanov81: sveta only i get to call him boring 😡
Post by @shanehollanderhockeyplayer
Posted June 15th, 2022
[Description: Photo 1: A CCM branded helmet sitting on a bench in a locker room.
Photo 2: A bottle of fancy Russian vodka, sitting alone on a marble countertop.
Photo 3: A tuna melt on a white plate, a can of Canada Dry ginger ale, and a can of Coke, on the same marble countertop.
Photo 4: A beach at sunset. The photo is geotagged Tampa Bay.
Photo 5: The view from the deck of Shane and Ilya’s cottage.
Photo 6: Two plastic rings, sitting on a dresser. It is a slightly different version of a photo posted by Ilya previously.
Photo 7: A single electric candle, sitting on a table.
Photo 8: A stuffed alligator resting on a couch.
Photo 9: A hockey stick, wrapped in pride tape.
Photo 10: The back of the Ottawa Pride Night Hollanov Jersey, hanging in Shane Hollander's locker room stall.]
Caption: Я тебя люблю @ilyarozanov81
COMMENTS:
@ilyarozanov81: Я тебя люблю. Больше всего на свете.
@BoodMEISTER: man wrote you an essay for your birthday and you post this insanely cryptic bullshit for his?
@BoodMEISTER: it must mean something though because roz just actually teared up and left the room mid mario kart game to – and i am quoting here – “find my husband in this awful fucking hotel and ravish him”
@BoodMEISTER: tmi, btw.
@ilyarozanov81: hush bood
@HarrisCentaurs: getting flashbacks to when ilya’s instagram was just weird no context photos every day
@HarrisCentaurs: WAIT
@JackiePike35: You know the kids still insist that they hosted your “real” wedding.
@ilyarozanov81: they did. and they did excellent job. would let them host wedding again any day. or do vow renewal, because we are never getting divorced.
Post by @OttawaCentaurs
Posted June 15th, 2022
[Description: A simple graphic, black text on a red background. It reads OTTAWA 1 - LA 3. The Centaurs logo is in the bottom left corner.]
Caption: No luck tonight in Game 4. Back to Ottawa for a must-win game 5!
COMMENTS:
@OttoFromOttawa: Down in the series 3-1 . . . trying not to lose hope!
@manicpixiehockeybitch: feeling a bit sick about them winning on shane’s birthday and then losing on ilya’s i can’t explain it
@manicpixiehockeybitch: like i just realzied these two are always in the fucking playoffs on their birthdays basically and thought about the pressure they must feel and then actually teared up wtf i don’t even know them???
Story Post by @shanehollanderhockeyplayer
Posted June 15th, 2022
[Description: A photo of Shane’s and Ilya’s hands, entwined and resting on Shane’s thigh. Both of their wedding rings are visible. Text in the top right corner reads “Win or lose ❤️”]
—
Ottawa Sun: Cup Finals Head Back to Ottawa For Game 7
Posted June 21st, 2022
By Paul Monroe
It’s official: the Centaurs are coming back to Ottawa for a deciding Game 7 of the Cup Championship.
The Centaurs have spent much of this Cup run playing from behind – after a shut out victory against LA at home in Game 1, they lost the next 3 in a row. While they returned to home ice for game four and won handily, consensus was that winning in LA territory would be tough. The Emperors had the best home-ice record in hockey this year, and seemed poised to end the series – and Ottawa’s hope for their first ever Cup – back at the Coinbase Arena.
But it was not to be, thanks to a massive effort by the Centaurs. Ilya Rozanov, Will LaPointe, and Luca Haas all scored off of assists from Shane Hollander – while Hollander racked up no goals himself, he topped the overall points for the game and was named its first star. Wyatt Hayes, meanwhile, added another shutout to his already impressive season record, stopping two separate breakaways from Emperors star Antony Ramirez, among another 34 shots on goal.
Speaking after the game, Coach Brandon Wiebe said he never doubted that the Centaurs could win it in LA. “This is a great team – just an excellent group of players. They know what it’s like to be underdogs, they know what it’s like to face impossible odds. They never let that sort of thing get them down. They’re always ready to get on the ice and leave it all out there.”
The mood in the locker room was celebratory post-game, but the team knows it’s not over yet – now they get on a plane and head back to Ottawa to face a daunting Game 7 matchup.
Still, many Centaurs players expressed excitement to end the series at home, one way or another. Zane Boodram, who’s been a Centaur his entire career, was particularly effusive. “I love Ottawa. I love playing for this team and I love living in that city. And I love those fans. The great thing is that I know, win or lose, they love us back – but obviously we’d all really, really like to win.”
Hometown hero Hollander agreed. “There can be a lot of pressure when you’re playing for a team that hasn’t seen a Cup in awhile,” he said, likely referencing the championship drought of his former team, the Montreal Metros, which he helped to break. “When they’ve never won a cup, it’s something different. It’s less like pressure and more like – like there’s just a lot of hope and a lot of excitement. People keep stopping me and Ilya in the street with our dog and wishing us good luck. Everyone’s always grinning and waving and cheering when they see us. It’s wild.”
Rozanov, too, seemed excited about the prospect of winning on home ice and bringing the Cup to a city full of fans who’ve never seen it. “I owe everything to Ottawa,” he said. “Greatest city on Earth. They made Shane Hollander, of course, so already massive points for that. But the fans are great. Everyone was very welcoming – very understanding. On team, of course, but everywhere too. I felt so much love and respect from this city. I want to do this for them. I want them to have something to celebrate.” Then, after a pause, “and would be nice to win with my husband too, of course.”
The Centaurs play Game 7 at the Ottawa Palladium on June 24th. Tickets are sold out, but watch parties are happening all over the city – find a list of the best bars to tune in here: bit.ly/otosge00
—
@CentaursGirlie1995: everyone be normal i’m normal i’m SO normal i’m feeling very good and normal and i am NOT PANICKING AT ALL AT MY BIG GIRL JOB!!!!!!!!
@MontrealMeg: @CentaursGirlie1995 we all believe you girl don’t worry
@CentaursGirlie1995: @MontrealMeg i am truly so proud of these guys either way but my heart is hammering out of my chest and the puck doesn’t drop for six more hours how the hell does yuna hollander do this every year
@MontrealMeg: @CentaursGirlie1995 bc yuna is best of wives and best of women
@rajskatez: everything else aside the gay pride team losing or winning at an arena named for cryptocurrency would have felt like a hate crime, so glad they get to go back to ottawa tn
@CherylYamataESPN: Tune in for a special Game 7 edition of The Shootout tonight, an hour before puck drop, live from Ottawa. Me and special guests @MikePortSports, Cliff Marleau, and @ScottHunterAdmirals will discuss the series so far, our bets on who wins it all, and what the historical nature of the Centaurs roster means for the future of hockey.
@FreeSkateHockeyBlog: Got word Crowell has entered the Palladium. He won’t do anything before the game, but he’ll present the Cup to whoever wins. Unclear how fans in Ottawa might react – I’ve seen more than one RESIGN CROWELL sign already.
@rajskatez: @FreeSkateHockeyBlog mr. hockey you’re at game 7???? did they give you a press pass or are you just rich as fuck
@marquishamilton99: @rajskatez @freeskatehockeyblog plot twist mr hockey has been shane hollander the whole time playing the longest game ever
@CentaursGirlie1995: ENTIRE PANEL OF THE SHOOTOUT WITH CHERYL YAMATA ESPN SAYS THE CENTAURS ARE GOING TO WIN I CAN’T TELL IF THAT’S A GOOD OMEN OR A FUCKING JINX MAN!!!!!
@brooklynbex: awww scott saying he’s proud of hollander rozanov and barrett and how much they’ve helped change the league is so sweet. scott baby YOU changed the league!!!
@gigiontheclock: @brooklynbex you’re really burying the funniest part of the story here by not quoting scott directly when he said “i’m so proud of shane, troy. . . . even rozanov, i guess”
@CentaursGirlie1995: mlh spent a decade trying to convince us two queer men who were in love actually hated each other when ilya rozanov and scott hunter were right there being queer and hating each others fucking guts, ripe for the picking
@ilyagirl814ever: @CentaursGirlie1995 There Must Always Be One Queer Rivalry In The League – the first commandment of the mlh rulebook i guess
@RogerCrowellMLH: Puck drop coming up! Congratulations to @LAEmperors and @OttawaCentaurs on making it this far. Game 7 is sure to be an amazing one. May the best team win!
@HollanderHo99: @RogerCrowell once again: resign ugly
@emohockeybabe: @RogerCrowell @HollanderHo99 the way i still think this is ilya rozanov’s burner lmao
—
Transcript of Booth Commentary: MLH Cup Championships Game 7, June 24th, 2022
Start Transcript:
Eddie Osbourn: Well gosh, Wayne, these teams have sure kept it close.
Wayne Gillis: You’re not wrong Eddie – less than two minutes left on the clock in the third and we’re all tied up. Overtime seems almost inevitable.
EO: The fans have gone very quiet here. This is normally a raucous crowd, I’ve never heard such a hush.
WG: They want to win. They want it bad.
EO: One minute left and LA has the puck, stolen off Boodram in their territory. Good defense by Ottawa keeps them off the goal and – that’s Chouinard there with the pressure, LA ices, we’re back to the faceoff.
WG: Bit of a break for Ottawa, back to the bench – and Wiebe appears to be making a line swap.
EO: He’s sending Hollander out there, I guess for Roz– or, no, sorry for Boodram it looks like. Rozanov is playing wing.
WG: Not traditional, I’ll tell you that. But when is this team ever?
EO: And we know how strong Rozanov and Hollander are on the power play. Some of the LA guys looking nervous on the bench right now.
WG: I’d be. Hell, Hollander’s grinning – Rozanov, too. That’s got to be the scariest sight in all of major league hockey.
EO: Hollander wins the faceoff – passes to Barrett. Barrett and Rozanov down the ice, Hollander not far behind. Barrett caught up by the defense against the boards, passes to Hollander. Hollander heading to the net – passes to Rozanov and – HE SCORES!
WG: My god! This crowd has just erupted!
EO: Every single person is on their feet.
WG: Ten seconds left in the deciding game and the Ottawa Centaurs have just pulled ahead by one thanks to Ilya Rozanov. All they have to do is win the faceoff and play keepaway.
EO: Not even enough time for LA to go empty net. Wow.
WG: The Centaurs bench looks like they’ve already won. Barrett, Rozanov, and Hollander are staying out on the ice, and we’re back to the faceoff.
EO: Must-win faceoff for LA. They have one shot at this. Puck drops and – and it’s Hollander again, to win it, my god – he kicks the puck out and keeps it and he’s down the ice–
WG: Fastest skater in the league, no one can catch him–
EO: And that’s the horn, it’s official, the Ottawa Centaurs have won their first ever Cup!
WG: The team are going wild – everyone’s off the bench. Hollander and Rozanov are, uh, embracing on the ice–
EO: Oh Wayne, just say kissing. They’re married.
WG: I’ve never had to say kissing in a professional setting before!
EO: Well get used to it. I’m pretty sure those two kids just started the next great hockey dynasty. I expect we’ll see a lot of kissing in the future.
—
@MontrealMeg: @CentaursGirlie1995 OH MY GOD??? ARE YOU ALIVE????
@CentaursGirlie1995: @MontrealMeg alive but weeping inconsolably with joy at the bar with my dad rn
@MontrealMeg: @CentaursGirlie1995 awwww omg!! congrats to you and pops on the win!!!!!
@MontrealMeg: watching shane and ilya embrace openly on the ice after winning a cup together. . . . i can’t believe i ever stuck by the m*tros past me was so stupid how could you hate your captain for being this fucking in love
@ilyasgirl814ever: holy shit this kiss
@ilyasgirl814ever: feeling like i’m gonna die alone because the only real love in the world is between these gay hockey players my god
@CherylYamataESPN: It’s likely to start another round of discourse tomorrow, but no doubting the celebration kiss between Hollander and Rozanov will be one of the most iconic photos of the year.
@MikePortSports: Five years after the first ever MLH player came out, three queer MLH players – two of whom are married to each other – just won it themselves. Feels like an appropriate bookend on the year. Like it or not, hockey’s changed.
@CentaursGirlie1995: i know this is my stupid hockey shitpost account but genuinely this team means so fucking much to me. i remember going to games as a kid with my dad and being so heartbroken when we lost but still having so much fun. we bonded so much over the team when i was young and it made us so close.
@CentaursGirlie1995: this team will never not make me think of my hometown and everything i love about ottawa. this team will never not make me think of my dad. and seeing them so openly embrace their queer players this season was truly the cherry on top
@CentaursGirlie1195: @OttawaCentaurs i love you thank you for bringing us the cup while my dad is still alive to see it and thank you for being so good and so supportive and the best team in the world thank you for everything
@OttawaCentaurs: @CentaursGirlie1995 WE love YOU! And your dad! This team would be nothing without the fans who believed in us all these years!
@CentaursGirlie1995: @OttawaCentaurs oh god now i’m crying again omg
@CherylYamataESPN: The Cup ceremony is about to begin. Will be curious to see Crowell interact with the Centaurs after all the rumored animosity between them.
@FreeSkateHockeyBlog: Not sure if TVs will pick it up, but the crowd here is chanting FUCK YOU CROWELL pretty loudly as he steps on the ice.
@MikePortSports: They’ve announced that the Cup MVP is Ilya Rozanov. Well deserved – he had an amazing run of games and kept the team together under very intense pressure.
@CentaursGirlie1995: holy shit ilya’s fucking smirk as crowell handed him the cup LMAOOOOO
@ilyasgirl814ever: @CentaursGirlie1995 he’s so SMUG!!!! like “yes me and my man won the cup and we will NOT shut up about how much we’re in GAY LOVE you homophobic BITCH!”
@CherylYamataESPN: Crowell off the ice quickly. Not necessarily out of the norm, but he probably beat a quicker retreat than usual as mocking chants against him started back up. Ottawa has not forgotten the rumors, that’s for sure.
@MikePortSports: Families coming down to the ice now as the team celebrates.
@ilyagirl814ever: shane and ilya have not stopped touching each other in some manner since they held the cup together it’s so fucking sweet omg
@wannabepuckdaddy: Troy Barrett and Harris Drover I am repeating my interest in being your unicorn. . . I’m free on Tuesday if you are. . . .
@ScottHunterAdmirals: Five years ago I won my first Cup and saw my teammates with loved ones celebrating, while my love sat in the stands. I took a risk and decided to stop being afraid and kissed @KipGradyArt on the ice. Watching two different queer couples embrace on ice tonight felt like something special. It felt a long time coming. Congrats @OttawaCentaurs you guys deserve it.
@gigiontheclock: @ScottHunterAdmirals even rozoanov?
@ScottHunterAdmirals: @gigiontheclock Even Rozanov.
—
Post by @OttawaCentaurs
Posted June 24th, 2022
[Description: Photo 1: A graphic reading CENS WIN in black text over a red background. The graphic shows the final score of the game: OTTAWA 3 - LA 2
Photo 2: A group shot of the Centaurs on the ice celebrating. In the center, Ilya Rozanov holds one end of the cup and Zane Boodram holds the other. Rozanov’s unoccupied arm is draped around the shoulders of Shane Hollander, standing next to him.
Photo 3: Luca Haas and Shane Hollander celebrating a goal in period 1.
Photo 4: Troy Barrett tossing his gloves into the air in triumph.
Photo 5: A video of the team dousing each other in champagne in the locker room. Partway through the video, the camera catches Ilya pressing an obnoxious kiss into Shane’s cheek.]
Caption: Champions.
Story post by @ilyarozanov81
Posted June 24th, 2022
[Description: A photo of Shane in a dark room with neon lights – probably a bar. He’s smiling fondly at the camera, obviously a little drunk – he’s hiding half of his grin behind the back of one hand. In the top left corner, small white text reads Всё, что я делаю, я делаю для тебя.]