Birds and the Beez Triumph Twice In Game Five

By Stax

Much like Veloce Esports on the European side, Birds and the Beez faced three difficult matches between Friday and Saturday in week two of the North American Rival Series. When all was said and done, Hockser, Mist, and Roll Dizz had passed every test to establish themselves as the only undefeated team in North America.

Friday night's broadcast began with a highly anticipated showdown between Birds and the Beez, and Plot Twist. Fans expected a long series following wins by both teams in week one, but instead were treated to a defensive clinic as Plot Twist were denied a single goal in any of the three games, twice being held to just one shot on goal or zero, as was the case in the first game. Birds and the Beez summarily dismissed their challengers by outscoring them 8-0, and outshooting Plot Twist 28-9 in the series. The only resistance came in game two, when Plot Twist managed eight of its nine total shots but could not answer the lone goal from Roll Dizz.

The match that followed delivered infinitely more excitement, as Upper90 Esports battled The D00ds. The second series of the night saw three overtimes in four games, and a combined 64 shots on target between the two teams. This series also marked the turn of Shadow for Upper90, who missed last Saturday's loss to Plot Twist.

In the first game, the teams traded goals right down to the wire with Radoko providing a pair of goals for Upper90. But the tandem of Skillz and JoeFreshness of The D00ds was too much, and in the second minute of overtime Skillz found the first of his three overtime winning goals on the night. The next game followed the same format, with neither team able to pull away and establish a big lead. When the clock hit zeroes, the teams were again locked on a 2-2 tie and headed to overtime. And at almost the same point as in game one, Skillz was able to conclude the second game with his second game-winner of the evening. Facing a sweep and the threat of taking its second loss of the season, Upper90 fought back with a dominant game three performance, winning 3-0 and only allowing three shots on target from The D00ds. But history would once again repeat itself in the fourth and final game of the series - tied 2-2 in the second minute of overtime, it was Skillz again who sealed the deal for the D00ds, and improving his team to 1-1 on the season.

Tasked with following all of those overtimes was the return of Plot Twist and the debut of RBG Esports. RBG had previously played as The Compadres last season, but were signed by RBG Esports when RBG's prior team disbanded after failing to qualify for this season. Rapid joined Aeon and Astroh after a disappointing season with Vince and Halcyon on The Magicians. Rapid replaced Moses, who played last season with the Compadres to a fourth place finish.

You wouldn't have known Plot Twist were embarrassed earlier in the evening by the way they played against RBG. Finally, the offense was on display as Pirates, formerly of The Peeps last season, and Taroco, one-third of the reigning WorldGaming Canadian National Champions, got on the board to take a 2-1 decision in game one. Taroco tallied two more in another 2-1 decision in the second game, while Pirates provided the only goal almost two minutes into overtime to break a scoreless tie in game three. Only five goals in the series was enough, as Plot Twist outscored RBG 5-2 in the series to earn a measure of redemption for what had transpired just an hour before.

All that remained on Friday night was The Peeps against The Birds and the Beez. The Peeps had recovered from an ugly sweep at the hands of Upper90 last week with a win over the Pittsburgh Embers last Saturday morning on the Rival Esports stream.

The show's conclusion was everything fans expected and more, with all but one game being decided by one goal, and a thrilling overtime in game five. Mist provided the difference in regulation as Birds and the Beez took the opener 1-0. The defensive battle was highlighted by four saves each from Hockser and his counterpart Gyro. In the second game, Arsenal and his new Peeps teammate Retals combined for ten of their team's 12 shots, and snagged a 2-1 win to tie the series.

The Rival Series frontrunners countered with a 2-1 victory of their own, limiting The Peeps to just four shots which Roll Dizz matched on his own. From there The Peeps sprung to life. Gyro and Retals each notched a pair of goals as The Peeps survived a shootout with Birds and the Beez to win 4-2 and force a decisive game to close out the night. Game five proved top be the most exciting game of the season thus far, with multiple goal line saves and back-and-forth action providing for an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. In the end it was Roll Dizz's long range effort, aided by interference from Hockser, that brought the series to an end and put Birds and the Beez on a pedestal above everyone else at 3-0. Both teams finished with identical goal (9), assist (8), and shot (41) totals in the series.

North American Rival Series action resumed on Saturday with two more game five finishes. Up first was Plot Twist looking to improve on its 2-1 record taking on Afterthought. Mectos proved to be the breakout star for Plot Twist, having by far his biggest performance of the season. After falling behind 2-1 following an overtime defeat in game three, Mectos led Plot Twist with a hat trick in game four, and his sixth goal of the series in game five as his team outscored Afterthought by scores of 4-1 and 4-0 and apply some pressure to Birds and the Beez at the top of the league.

The final match of week two saw yet another game five, and more heroics from Mist as Birds and the Beez took on the Pittsburgh Embers. Embers proved to be unfazed by their opponent's undefeated record and took a thrilling first game in overtime, 2-1. Sosa and DEMoNATOR were able to keep Hockser off the board despite him accounting for five of his team's eight attempts on net.

Every game in the series shared the same scoreline, with Birds and the Beez taking games two and three while the Embers extended the match with a win in game four. But with six shots in the deciding game, Mist was bound to put some shots into the net and his two goals lifted Birds and the Beez to a perfect 4-0 record approaching the midway point of the season.

With Birds and the Beez sitting at 4-0, the rest of the league is likely turning its attention towards Plot Twist, which sits at 3-1. Nobody else has won two series, as The D00ds hold third place at 1-1 above a three way tie for fourth.

Between Afterthought, The Peeps, and Pittsburgh Embers, there really is no clear favorite to break away from the pack and challenge Plot Twist. Upper90 Esports comes in at seventh place at 1-3, while RBG has only the single result from Friday night and rests at 0-1.

The leading striker in North America is Mist with 18 goals, averaging exactly one goal per game. That ties him with Upper90's Shadow and Skillz of The D00ds who are also averaging one per game. The leading setup man in the league is Mist's teammate, Roll Dizz, who added five of his 14 assists in the match against Plot Twist.

Upper90's Demokat, Afterthought's Shock, and Gyro of The Peeps are locked in a three way tie at 28 saves each.

The Observer's Player and Rookie of the Week honors belong to Mist. With twelve goals and five assists to lead Birds ABC's the Beez to 4-0 on the season, Mist has made a strong case for the season's Most Valuable Player as the team prepares for the second half of its season.

In week three The Peeps are in action against Plot Twist and Afterthought as all three teams remain in the hunt for a shot at the Promotion Tournament. The Pittsburgh Embers are in action as well against Afterthought, and Upper90 takes on RBG Esports with both teams hoping to avoid the cellar at the bottom of the standings.

Saturday's Rival Esports stream features a doubleheader for The D00ds, who face Afterthought and RBG Esports. Birds and the Beez will be off next week, before a pair of matches in week four.