Season Ends With 3-1 Loss to Division Winning Young Guns

With first and second place wrapped up the previous game night, this game had nothing on the line except completing the season. For the Greenbirds, the lack of worth in the game, resulted in a game where players did not seem to care at the final result and that turned into a 3-1 Loss.

The team was again missing some key players form the lineup including Taha Ali, Rizwan Kalair, Dilawar Alvi and Bilal Buttar, so an excuse was there, but not so when there seems to be a lack of effort and desire to win a game and go into the playoffs with some momentum.

The Young Guns got two quick goals and then sat back to defend the lead. The Greenbirds did create some very good scoring opportunities and seemed to dominate the play the entire second half, however it was too late and the finishing was simply not there.

Mohammad Bilal was the lone goal scorer in the game for the ‘Birds after placing a nice wrist shot from the slot. Bilal has put together a good season offensively playing Tier II Full time for the first time in his career. He still needs to fine tune his defensive game and continue with the dump and chase team style. But if and when he can put together all the tools, Bilal will be a very dangerous complete player as he already has the speed, finishing and desire.

And so another season ends with the ‘Birds missing the top spot by three points and get a much needed first round bye. The team will face the winner of the Blue and White – Devils first round match up, two teams they faced up well against during the regular season. Game #1 on Tuesday July 20^th will be the key as a win in the pivotal first game can go a long way for confidence and to put the opposition on its’ heels.

NEXT GAME: Tuesday July 20th vs Winner of Blue & White vs Devils @ Cawthra Arena - 7:00pm.

Greenbirds Hold On For Tie Versus Red Army

The outcome of this game ended up as a mute point as since the Young Guns were able to win, the Greenbirds had no chance for first place. However it was still a rivalry game the team did not want to lose and they came out running and showing intensity. They dominated possession and created the most chances in the first five minutes of the game, hemming the opposing defenseman in their own while peppering the goalie with numerous shots. Taha Ali would eventually open the scoring on a tap in on the powerplay. Ali has made it quite a trend to show his knack for the front of the net where many of his goals this season have come.

The Greenbirds looked like they would completely dominate the game if they simply continued their running style, however for some odd reason, the forwards stopped their aggressive forecheck and decided to try and “create” more fancy and visually appealing plays, which allowed the Red Army to gather their composure and gave them the opportunity to be back in the game. Eventually Jude Antony, a former Greenbird himself,  would score on a poor defensive play to tie the game at 1-1.

Rizwan Kalair, who was playing in only his third game of the season and who has been nicknamed “Desert Storm” due to living in Doha, Qatar for the last year, has brought rejuvenated legs and more depth at center to the team. His team-first mentality and focus on defense have allowed his linemates to be more aggressive. He was able to win a clean faceoff to Omar Choudhry to simply unleashed a rocket of a slapshot that found the back of the net.

However without the constant pressure and lack of forecheck the ‘Birds kept the Army in the game and they would eventually equalize after a nice play and one-timer from Salman Syed, a player the ‘Birds know very well.

Goaltender Mohammad Sibtain played another solid game stepping in for the regular Nayyar Razvi who could not make the game due to personal reasons. Sibtain completes three games on the season giving up a total of three goals and finishing with three wins and one tie.

In the end the game was meaningless in terms of the standings, but the team do need to turn it up a notch with the playoffs looming and only four wins away from another run at the provincial title.

It is noteworthy to mention that the team was without many regulars including Aadil Khan who was unavailable and Dilawar Alvi who is resting from an injury. Also brothers Ijaz and Ahmed Chaudhry who were stuck out at a previous engagement (Pizza Hut!). Osman Buttar filled in very admirably on defense using his speed and vision to do his best and emulate the absence of the big three stalwarts on the back end.

Big First Half Propels Greenbirds Over Nordiques

The Greenbirds seem to be picking up momentum at absolutely the perfect time. With a big scoring outburst in the first half, the team was able to hold on for a 5-3 victory over the Nordiques to clinch a playoff spot and close in on first overall. After smoking the Young Guns a few nights earlier, the team was able to continue with their offense fire power and it was the big guns that kept on scoring. Bilal Buttar supplied two, while Sajjid Ayubi, Rizwan Kalair and Safi Ahmed potted the singles.

Kalair netted his first goal of the season after a solid feed from Usama Mahmood that allowed him to one time a blistering slapshot. Buttar would then add the second of the game from a rebound, after a nice pass and play from defenceman Ali Wadee and Ayubi. Buttar added his second with a sweet deflection from a hard slap shot by Osman Buttar. After the three goals, it seemed the 'Birds thought the second half would be a cake walk and that the Nordiques would give up and want to go home early. However it was not the case. Fueled by Piero Petti's playmaking abilities and his three assists, the Nordiques stormed back and tied the game at three with under five minutes to play, which was also helped with two power play goals.

A timeout and calming words from Captain Ijaz Chaudhry, the team seemed to immediately reply with a goal from Ayubi, who seemed to pot a goal while falling and tapping it in behind his back. Quickly after that, Safi Ahmed would one time a fantastic pass from Bilal Mohammad which put the icing on the caked and stopped any chance of the Nordiques of sharing the points or winning.

It has been two good games for the team's offence to get on track and at the best time as there are only two regular season games remaining and the playoffs right around the corner. Two more wins and a drop of one point by the Young Guns would give the Greenbirds the President's Trophy and the League Regular Season title.

Bilal Buttar scored two goals, while Sajjid Ayubi scored 

Huge Offensive Outburst Thrusts 'Birds Into Second Place Outright

It was bound to happen soon, as the Greenbirds simply needed one or two breaks in order to break out of their offensive slump. Who would have thought it would be the league leading Young Guns that would be the opposition. The entire team was awaiting this match up, in order to gauge themselves versus the best team in the division, who have been on top since game number one. However there wasn't much to compare as the Young Guns only showed up with six players and the 'Birds blew them out 7-0, finally making use of their running game, causing defensive zone errors while actually capitalizing on their chances.

The Greenbirds actually made short work of a short bench and put this game away very early. After only three minutes played, the 'Birds were up 3-0 with goals by Osman Buttar, Sajjid Ayubi and Nomi Choudhry. Both Ayubi and Buttar would use this gimme as a chance to get out of their goal scoring slumps and build some confidence going into the playoffs. Taha Ali and Ijaza Chaudhry would add two more before the end of the half, propelling the team's lead to 5-0 and all but secured the important two points.

With the clock running and being totally out of gas, the Young Guns simply wanted to get out of Cawthra, using any chance to ice the ball and get faceoffs. However before the final whistle, both Sajjid Ayubi and Taha Ali would add their second goals of the night. All in all it was a good night for many forwards to get their "monkeys" off their backs in terms of offensive output, but with the Young Guns turnout, the final result and scoreboard should not hold much merit, as the team was missing a few important regulars from their lineup. The team currently sits all alone in second place, and if they are capable of winning their next three games, including a rematch vs the Young Guns, there is an outside chance of finishing in first place before the end of the regular season.

Greenbirds Drop Additional Point in 0-0 Draw vs Dragons

It could have been the perfect matchup for the Greenbirds to get out of their offensive slump and begin a winning streak before heading into the playoffs. But the stingy Dragons put up a good effort and put pressure on the 'Birds defense, limiting chances and finally culminating to a 0-0 draw. The 'Birds out chanced their opponents and for moments seemed to dominate the play, but once again their lack of finishing and goal scoring as of late has harmed their ability to lockup second spot or even perhaps make a play for first.tree 

It was an uptempo game, the teams went back and forth on the counter attack and although the Dragons didn't create many clearcut opportunities at goal, goaltender Mohammad Sibtain did make a couple big stops to keep the goose egg on the board. Neither team seemed to want to take control of the game and the referees also didn't want to side with the Greenbirds, where questionable plays against the 'Birds turned into penalties, while clear cut offences didn't materialize into powerplays the other way.

In the end it was a well earned draw, but a crucial point dropped for the Greenbirds as on the same night the Young Guns lost their first game of the season. The Birds could have closed the gap to four points with two games still pending vs the first place club. Instead the distance is five points with four total games to play.

NEXT GAME: Sunday June 27 vs Young Guns @ Cawthra Arena - 10:00pm.

Extremely Poor Effort Results in Early Tournament Exit

Flat. Lacklustre. No intensity. These are just some adjectives to describe the way the Greenbirds played in what pretty much was a playoff game. They dropped a 4-1 decision to the NY Leafs in the Tier II Tournament elimination game, taking away a very good chance to advance to the next round and closer to an automatic provincial spot. The ‘Birds have simply not looked like themselves in recent form, not running throughout the game, not bringing intensity on every shift, not wanting to do what it takes to win every game.

The game began promising, with the Leafs only having a handful of players to start the contest. But sometimes such promise becomes misleading, as they simply couldn’t convert their chances and the opposing goalkeeper seem to gain momentum after a few flurries of chances.  At the half the game was tied 1-1, a poor defensive zone faceoff and coverage lead to the Leaf’s first goal, while hard work from Aadil Khan and Ijaz Chaudhry led to a powerplay equalizer from the Greenbirds.

The second half saw the Greenbirds simply not create enough chances to win the game, while a fluky goal from close to center allowed the Leafs to sit back on their lead and clog up the neutral zone. In the end the ‘Birds just couldn’t or were unable to do anything offensively. The were only able to muster a total of eight shots on net, not nearly enough in a playoff game to win.

The team certainly needs to do something, whether it be change the lines, sit some players or do something different strategically to get themselves out of this funk.  The team has actually played decent defensively, however their offense has become invisible. The veteran leaders offensively, Osman Buttar, Sajjid Ayubi and Usama Mahmood have only been able to score 1 goal in the last four games, a trend which does not bode well moving forward, and one that needs to be looked at for the team to gather any momentum going into the playoffs.

'Birds Settle For Tie in Playoff-Type Game Versus Blue & White
 
After coming off of their first loss in over three weeks, you would think the team would run their legs off and be amped for a pivotal game against a quality opponent. It simply wasn't the case. Although the birds did in fact create numerous scoring chances and had some great shifts, it was inconsistency, lack of finishing and a total lack of true emotion and grit that was their undoing. The birds didn't match or exceed their opponents’ desire to win this game.
 
The game began with the Blue & White dictating the flow of play while owning much of the possession. The first half also saw the Greenbirds create a few very good chances in front of the net, but nothing would transpire for either team. The second half would see the Birds’ be more aggressive on offence, but it would be their recent poor form in penalty killing that would give BW the first goal of the game. Special teams did not help the team at all on this night, as their powerplay didn't help either. In eight minutes of PP time, there were no real scoring chances and to top it off, the team seemed to play more defense than offense, with poor passing and turnovers. On a brighter note, newcomer Taha Ali continues his great form and goal scoring touch as he notched another one after great passing by his linemates Azhar Kalair and Aadil khan who feathered over a nice final pass for Ali to make no mistake with.
 
The game would end in a 1-1 tie, with the ‘Birds out shooting BW 13 to 7 in the final half.

Rival Islanders Sweep Season Series and Snap 'Birds Win Streak

One of the Greenbirds major rivals, the Islanders, were able to sweep the two game season series while snapping the team's six game winning streak. The Islanders simply wanted this game more and their celebration after a simply regular season victory spoke volumes in terms of what it meant to them.

Once again the 'Birds waited to be shaken to get into this one. They were lethargic at the beginning of the contest and it didn't help when players were lining up and coming to the bench as the game was getting underway. The Islanders opened the scoring on the powerplay on what seemed to be a routine shot from the point, but one that was tipped directly in front of the Greenbird goalkeeper Nayyar Razvi. The score line would stay 1-0 into the second half until Bilal Buttar evened the game on a nifty bank shot off of the Islander keeper. However once again penalty trouble would cause the Greenbirds grief against the Islanders as they would score the game's eventual winner on a five on three advantage, taking the Islanders powerplay goal total to five versus the Greenbirds, with no even strength markers. It seems that all the Greenbirds have to do versus their rivals is stay out of the box and they should come away with a victory.

The game would end with a 2-1 victory for the Islanders and another question mark beside the Greenbirds' recent poor starts to games. The team needs to find a way to get ready and prepared to every game. Energy and enthusiasm on the floor is what seems to be missing lately, and the team needs to address the problem ASAP, as the season winds down and team's begin to focus on playoff positioning and the ever important playoff mindset.

Strong Second Half Secures Win for Greenbirds

The Greenbirds were able to avenge an early season loss vs the Devils as they got out to a quick lead and then held on in the second half, winning with a 4-2 scoreline. The Devils are a very confident bunch, relying on ball possession, quick stretch passes and body strength to pull off victories with a small bench. However the Greenbirds were able to use their powerplay and depth to outlast their opponents and take the season tiebreaker.

Sajjid Ayubi opened the scoring for the 'Birds as he finished a very nice pass from linemate Osman Buttar, who simply laid it on a plate for Ayubi. Ayubi has gotten off to a slow start, however he seems to be picking up the pace and looks to once again to be one of the offensive leaders of the team. Ahmed Chaudhry would make it 2-0 on a powerplay, however the two goal margin was quickly taken away as the Devils replied in only 12 seconds and then tied the game less than two minutes later to go into the half 2-2. Both goals were defensive lapses, one on a blatant giveaway, the other springing a forward directly out of the penalty box and on a breakaway.

The Greenbirds rallied after the half, making the game simple and going back to their bread and buttar: the dump and chase. The strategy worked as the team had three successful shifts where they outworked, outhustled and outchanced the opposition which seemed to tire them out an burst any chance of a comeback. Aadil Khan would score the eventual game winner, after a nice cycling shift with linemates Safi Ahmed and Mohammed Bilal. Taha Ali would score the insurance marker with less than two minutes left in the game, looking off his teammate on a two on one and then sniping a wrist shot top shelf.

After the game the veterans were not satisfied with the victory, even though it pushed their winning streak to six games. The team as a whole simply was too laid back at the beginning of the game, getting out played by an opposition that had only three or four substitutions on the bench. The team cannot wait to be woken up time and time again in order to be given a chance to get into the game. They need to have quicker starts and play their run and gun style from the get go.

‘Birds Stretch Winning Streak to Five Games, Inch Closer to First Place

With a 5-3 victory over the St. Michael’s Nordiques, the Greenbirds extended their total win streak to five games. The team has put together a very nice run, versus opponents they should beat, especially with a full bench and lots of energy. The Nordiques roster consists of friends that played with the Greenbirds during last year’s run in Tier 1. The team is very skilled and talented and simply lacks depth in numbers. So the ‘Birds strategy was very easy, make them run!

The running game proved to be very successful, causing the Nordiques to come back into their own zone and play defence, but the ‘Birds had to avoid being caught on the counter, which is St. Michael’s bread and butter. Taha Ali who has been on an offensive tear as of late, opened the scoring after a great pass from fellow newcomer Aadil Khan. Ali has showed great promise scoring goals and his nose for the net, now his focus should be within his own zone and becoming a dangerous two-way player. Bilal Buttar would then score goal number two, which redirected off his body and into the open net, the marker would come with the man advantage. Buttar would tally another goal and brother Osman would score another with a slapshot on the powerplay putting the lead to 4-1 at the end of the half.

The game was still 4-1 with less than 8 mins to play in the game, and it should have been a comfortable win. However with the big lead and not having to push the forecheck, the Greenbird forwards sat back and the Nordiques began to push the offensive. Goaltender Nayyar Razvi played a great game turning away 20 shots, many of them in close and dangerous. But the Nordiques would score two late goals, both which were defensive miscues, nothing Razvi could do to stop them. Usama Mahmood also scored the empty net goal.

In the end the team was able to hold on for the victory, but “sloppy” was a key word thrown around in the dressing room afterwards. The ‘Birds have to be able to play with a lead and put teams away when in similar circumstances, especially during the playoffs where teams that stick around, often are given enough daylight to steal victories. Lesson learned.

Greenbirds Dominate Dragons in Overhyped Affair

In what was being hyped as a big rivalry game, the Greenbirds displayed their dominance over newcomers the Rexdale Dragons. The Birds pretty much owned the first half, limiting the Dragons to only 4 shots, none of which were remotely going to stifle the young goalie Mohammad Sibtain. Their ball possession and stifling defence resulted in three first half goals, two from Taha Ali and the other from Bilal Buttar. Buttar scored on a nice rush around the defender and then a sweet top shelf wrist shot. Ali scored his first goal on a very nice deke in front after a beautiful pass and setup from Safi Ahmed.

Going into the second with a big lead, the Greenbirds seemed to let off their guard for some reason, which resulted in a few poor decisions and obvious penalty calls. However the Dragons still could not capitalize or render a comeback, their only goal coming from what was clearly a ball that was kicked in. Safi Ahmed would score the ‘Birds fourth goal from a blistering running wrist shot.

With the win the Greenbirds climbed up to third in the division, sitting only three points behind the leaders the Young Guns and pushing their current win streak to four games. The game also showed the team’s depth with an abundance of talented young forwards coming aboard to match the Championship experience of the veterans.  

NEXT GAME: Thursday June 3 vs Nordiques @ Greenbriar Recreation Centre - 8:00pm.

Greenbirds Show the Difference With Full Lineup, Extend Win Streak to Three Games

The Greenbirds truly showed what they are capable of once they have three full forward lines in a game, putting together a pretty good offensive output and shooting past the Blue and White 5-2. The majority of the forward corps was present, and it paid dividends in terms of ball possession, scoring chances and finishing.

On an early offensive faceoff, Captain Ijaz Chaudhry would finish off the infamous “Faceoff” play, as Osman Buttar won it clean back to him, and he made no mistake. Following the goal, it seemed as though the Blue and White team simply imploded, taking numerous penalties and got on the refs who made them pay. The powerplay was clicking on all fronts as the ‘Birds were able to score 3 times with the man advantage. Nomi Choudhry would score with his blistering slap shot, Taha Ali would bang home a loose ball in front and Sajjid Ayubi would complete a nice offensive zone possession. Before the end of the first half it was 4-1 Greenbirds.

The game at that point, the game was in hand, and it was simply a matter of playing out the second half without going to the box and limiting the opponents chances, both of which were easily done. On this night the forwards did the bulk of the running and made the job of the defensemen very easy. Osman Buttar would add the last marker for the Greenbirds and the game would end 5-2.

Buttar along with Taha Ali would both finish the contest with 1G and 2A for 3 points each.

Goaltender Nayyar Razvi did not have to face many scoring opportunities, but when challenged, was able to backstop the team another victory and help extend the team's winning streak.

No Defence and All Offence, Greenbirds Fly to 7-4 Victory

With a short bench and many important players missing due to various reasons, the Greenbirds were able to escape with a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Sharks in the first game of the GTA Tier II Provincial Playdown. The victor of this tournament will be given an automatic spot to this year’s provincial championships.

Greenbirds Notch First Win of Regular Season

The Greenbirds got their first win of the regular season after facing off against friendly faces versus the Red Army. The Birds pretty much dominated many parts of this affair, but the game was far from picture perfect, as many chances were squandered and a few defensive lapses kept the Army within arm’s reach.

The Birds outshot their opponent 11-6 in the first half, keeping possession in the offensive zone and peppering the opposing goalie with a myriad of shots. Finally on a powerplay newcomer Taha Ali secured the lead, after banging in the rebound and working hard in front of the net. Ali is expected to grow this year into a player the team will rely on for hard forechecking and some offensive punch. His addition to the team, adds to the young corps of forwards that the team will look upon for years to come.

In the second half, the Red Army simply would not go away and the Birds simply kept them in the game by slowing down to their pace and not creating as many chances as in the first. On a broken odd man rush, Junaid Mohammad would make a sweet move on the opposing blue line, lay off a nice pass for Osman Buttar who would rifle a slap shot on net and then Ali Wadee who joined the rush, put home the rebound into an open cage. The insurance goal all but secured the win and got the Greenbirds their first points of the season.

Goaltender Nayyar Razvi was solid between the pipes, making a few solid saves in securing the shutout and not letting the Army forwards back into the contest. The team will expect such outings on a night to night basis in order to have any chance at the league title, as well as a run at the Provincials.

Bad Penalties Cost Greenbirds a Chance for the Win

Another great effort, but another loss for the Greenbirds vs the Islanders. The 'Birds faced the Islanders for the first time since being crowned the 2008 Tier 2 Champions and both teams were ready for an upbeat affair. However three poor penalties led to two powerplay goals for the Islanders which eventually was the turning point of the game.

From an observer, the Birds dominated this game apart form the penalty-kill and took the forecheck to the Islanders defence. The team played a simple dump and chase style, cycled the ball effectively and had many scoring chance opportunities. Mohammed Bilal put the Greenbirds up 1-0 with a nice finish off of a perfect pass from Bilal Buttar. But then the wheels came off with three poor decisions leading to trips to the sin bin. The Islanders would capitalize scoring three straight goals, two with the man advantage. Once again being down, the 'Birds turned up to another level and completely dominated the offensive zone for the last ten minutes of the game, created chance after chance, but not being able to beat the Isles goaltender. 

Finally, Emmad Khawaja was able to find the back of the net on the powerplay after a nice shot and follow up, where he put in the rebound out of mid air. With the score 3-2, the Greenbirds threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Islanders, and even hit a couple irons, but simply could not find the equalizer. 

With the loss, the Greenbirds have zero points after two games played. The team has played two pretty good games, but more is required to finish alone as this year's Tier 2 Champion.

'Birds Drop Season Opener Even With Dominant Second Half 

The Greenbirds started the 2010 Tier 2 season with a loss against the Folkway Devils. The Devils are a new team to Tier 2, but many faces looked familiar from various other teams from the past, and their play was proof that they belonged. 

The Devils struck first on a low wrist shot which came on an odd man rush vs the 'Birds. It was indicative of the play to come from the Devils, who would not run very much, but use ball control and possession to counter-attack the Greenbirds on every turnover. The 'Birds were able to even the score on a two man advantage and Emmad Khawaja was the goal scorer. Khawaja was a beast on this night, forechecking at will and putting everything on net with his vicious snap shot. It is something more the the Greenbirds forwards need to do, put shots on net at every opportunity. The Devils would add another marker to go up 2-1 from an innocent floater from the blue line which went through almost three sets of bodies and one that netminder Nayyar Razvi probably did not see at all. 

Being down a goal at the half seemed to spark the Greenbirds who seemed to completely dominate possession in the second half, outrunning and out cycling the opposing defense. However luck was not on their side as the Devils' netminder made some miraculous saves, some of which he had no reason to make. The hot goalie was the final nail in the coffin as the 'Birds simply could not put one past him to even the score.  A penalty late in the game and a defensive miscue would lead to the third goal with under a minute left in the game.

Although the score did not go the team's way, the Greenbirds can say they played a pretty good first game of the season, which has not always traditionally been the case. We hope there is more of an urgency on Thursday night, as the Greenbirds play a well known rival in the Islanders, last year's Tier 2 champions.

Greenbirds Choose Tier 2, Set Sights on Provincial Title

With a lack of commitment from key players in a very ultra-competitive Tier 1 landscape, the Greenbirds organization has decided to drop back down to Tier 2 in hopes of once again winning the Championship and getting another chance at the provincial title. The decision was very difficult to make, but management had to put the team first, and allow the players to get back to their winning ways and add another silverware to their very crowded mantle.

The team has made a few changes since their last Tier 2 title, however the core remains intact allowing for a very familiar dressing room and keeping with the "family" team environment:

Captain Ijaz Chaudhry will once again be called upon to lead the team both on and off the floor. Outsiders may think that due to his age and recent injuries Chaudhry may not be an effective contributor the team anymore. However the entire team knows that the Captain is the team's General on the floor: barking out orders, doing the dirty work that at times needs to be done and also being emotionally its' most valuable player. He also has lots of game left and with his new off-season workout regime, the team will quickly find out how important he is on the floor and with the game on the line, which defenseman will not be left on the bench.

Along with Ijaz, Assistant captaion and brother Ahmed Chaudhry will called upon to lead by example and bring back the memories of glory years, where his hard-nosed intensity, blistering slap shot and key offensive plays all were vital contributions to the team's success. The tandem will be needed if the team has any hopes of a provincial title. Dilawar Alvi could easily be the team's best defensive defenseman and maybe its' most conditioned athlete. His long reach, ability to win the battles in the corners and defense-first mentality, always makes him a shut down defender, while never being a liability on the floor. Bilal Buttar, the very skilled two-way offensive defenseman round out the key cogs on defense that will be the anchor in shutting down opposing offenses. Buttar had a few offers to play up in Tier 1, but turned them down to stay loyal with the Greenbirds with intentions of moving up together as a team next season. Buttar can be the team's most gifted and talented player, but only when healthy and only when he's motivated to play the game. His skill allows the team to play a different game and opens up the floor for the forwards to get into open spaces and make plays. Nomi Choudhry has also signed on as a full time defenceman for the upcoming season. Choudhry brings his physical presence to the team, which allows him dictate play in the corners, causing forwards to turnover the ball. He also has a tremendous slapshot from the point which will give many goalies problems, and hopefully allow him to rack up some points during the season. To round out the defense, defensively minded Tariq Ayubi and veteran Ali Wadee create a very formidable iron curtain that has all the elements for the backbone of any team's success. Ayubi brings relentless effort, dedication and a team-first attitude, while Wadee brings years of experience which include a hard shot from the point along with keeping a very simple game plan in the defensive zone.

On the offensive side, the team has a very good mix of youth, experience and veteran leadership. Assistant captain Osman Buttar leads the pack with his years of service in the game, playing at all levels and experiencing the game from various different perspectives. His dedication to the team cause can never be questioned by any, and he is still at the peak of his career. His hard shot, speed and gritty effort is what will be needed to lead this assault night in and night out. Alongside Osman will be wingers Usama Mahmood and Sajjid Ayubi. All three forwards also turned down Tier 1 offers in order to put the Greenbirds ahead of everyone else, looking toward the future and a Tier 1 return. Ayubi will be coming back to Tier 2 as the league's leading scorer the last time the team played. He has evolved into a very complete player, fighting off defensemen in the corners, unleashing his shot at all angles and playing a full complete 2-way game in both zones. He has also arguably become the team's best penalty killer, putting body in the way of shots and using his speed and stick to thwart passes and establishing the offensive zone. Mahmood is the teams fastest player with the ball, at times going from defensive to offensive zone in what seems only a few strides. His speed and quick ball movement puts opposing defensemen on their heels and creates a very formidable counter-attack for the 'Birds. The two put together are a very lethal and menacing offensive force, one that will be heavily leaned upon during the season. Mohammed Bilal, or BJ to most and Safi Ahmed bring in more youth and speed to the offensive core. Both are small in stature but have the skill to be at this level and progress beyond. BJ brings a high energy game and will work in the corners if need be. He is at his most effective in the slot area and working against defenders one on one. Safi is a dangler to describe him the easiest. He loves to have the ball on his stick, loves to makes moves and loves to undress defensemen when on the rush. Hopefully the dangling does fool you, because if you fall asleep his hard wrist shot will get past goaltenders and find the back of the net. Adding to the youth movement are newcomers Taha and Hisham Ali. The brothers will help solidify the Greenbirds offensive depth and add to their overall team speed and skill. Taha seems like the more tenacious and grinding forward, a player that never gives up on the ball, can play either wing position, while having the skills to get by the opposition on one or two deke moves and then finish on the goalie. Taha is also not shy to play within his own zone, playing good man to man coverage and sacrificing his body when the time calls for it. Hisham is a more defensively minded center, that has flairs of offensive giftedness. He plays the game like a thinker, waiting for the opposition to make mistakes, and then pounding on them and creating a scoring chance with his wingers. He is a very responsible player on the floor and rarely looses his man in transition. Emmad Khawaja also returns for another run at the Tier 2 Championship. Khawaja brings the physical presence needed in the corners, but also has the speed to run past and out work many defenders. His ability to work down low and out in front of the net will definitely be an asset the team will look to. Finally we turn to the veterans on offence, which include Rizwan Kalair, Junaid Mohammad, Camran Baig and Azhar Kalair. Kalair is a two-way center that is used to scoring big goals in big games, but is most known for his defensive presence down the middle, that has speed, stamina and smarts. Mohammad is a left handed shot that has played at all the highest levels including Tier 1, the World Championships and various league in and around the GTA. His main weapon is his accurate slap shot and ability to get off a one-timer in quick fashion. Baig is a smart defensive center that is in good shape and can be as fast as anyone else on the floor. His commitment to the team and defense first mentality never hurts the squad. Kalair is the ultimate Greenbird. There from the beginning, his fast legs and grinding forechecks gives opposing d-men fits, as he never gives up in the offensive zone and plays a gritty style along the boards.

In net, the team will rely on friendly faces, as the trend of "family" has a recurring theme throughout the roster. Brothers Nayyar and Yasar Razvi will man the pipes for the Greenbirds, goaltenders the team have played with in the past, and two solid netminders that all opposition should fear. Nayyar and Yasar have also played at all levels throughout their career. They have always been a consistent presence in goal and always give their team a chance from the opening faceoff to final buzzer. They have won numerous championships and the 'Birds will expect nothing less but the same expectations.

The team is ready. The strategy deployed. Its just a simple matter of following through with instructions and playing the game right. The team has set the bar high this year, and nothing but a Championship will make the season successful.

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