The Lynx clinched their first ever first place finish after last week’s 19-5 rout of the Slayers. The Lynx will now attempt to complete only the third unbeaten season in League history and the first by a team other than the Hackers.
There is a feeling around the League that this could be the best chance for the Lynx to win its first championship. With stars Mark Leblanc and Matt Blades reportedly considering offers to sign lucrative contracts with teams south of the border, the window of opportunity could be closing. But whatever happens in the future, there is no doubt that Captain Richard Wanamaker has assembled one of the most talented teams the ADC FHL has seen. In addition to Leblanc, who won the scoring title as a rookie and leads the race again this season, the Lynx boast six of the League’s top 20 scorers, and perhaps the two leading Rookie of the Year candidates in forward Mark Flinn and goalie Martin Kane.
Draft Night did not come without controversy, however, as Kane had not been rated by FHL Central Scouting. There were even rumours that Wanamaker had secretly smuggled Kane from another country to avoid having any other teams see him. “Nonsense”, Wanamaker says, “Martin’s as Canadian as maple syrup. Our scouts did their homework”.
If there is a concern for the Lynx heading into the post-season, it is their lack of playoff experience. Only defenseman Robert Tighe has won a title, and Wanamaker is the lone current Lynx among the Top 20 all-time playoff scorers. But the Captain says his team is hungry to win, especially those who went through last season’s heartbreaking semi-final loss to the Lite-Sabres.