It's Looking Good at NYTEX

So, we finally made it over to the NYTEX complex. Things are really shaping up over there. (However, all the new paint raises a good question: How much purple is too much purple?)

Hockey honcho Knute Anderson offered the nickel tour, and we paid 20 bucks for their weekly hockey lesson-and-pickup combo. It's the deal of the week. Brahmas coach Dan Wildfong put about 10-15 of us through the paces in an hourlong lesson. The focus was pretty basic -- proper stance, stride, stickhandling. Lots of individual attention. The class is 15 bucks if you don't want to do the pickup game afterward.

The pickup was a mite crowded but fast and fun. Lots of youngsters. The ice was on the soft side, but we're told they're working to get the humidity under control in there.

Knute says pickup at NYTEX will be every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 p.m. The classes (for which you can just show up) will continue every Thursday at 8 p.m. The website, www.nytexsports.com, should be up and running soon.

Other tidbits: A slew of I-league teams are said to have signed up, and D-, C-, and B-leagues are already underway. The pro-shop is open. Looks like nothing real fancy, but it's nice. And like all the others, you get to pay $215 for a stick if yours breaks.

And, there's news on the fate of the former Olympic-sized rink over there: It will be a massive volleyball arena. A local volleyball club has agreed to rent it. The sand floor will be paved and covered with an all-sport surface that can be used for v-ball, rollerhockey or whatever else.

We're not shilling for these guys (promise), but it's obvious they have their sh*t together. We predict a real drain on the Euless StarCenter, or at least a need for the Stars to step up and compete for our business. Any way you look at it, that's a good thing.

BC

Preview: Week 8

Hope everyone's 4th of July was a wild, crazy and somewhat safe holiday...
this weekend will be as follows...

6:30pm Gold Spiders- Plat. vs. Brewzers
There will be a record about of chicks playing in this game. Enough said.

7:30pm Green Stingers vs Patriots
First game of the Gold Playoffs has one of the greatest rivalries in the league. Briscoe vs Vaughan: A Battle of Titans.

7:45pm Gold Fugaweez vs Komets
Komets have clinched a spot in the keg game, Fugs are playing for pride and sparta. Mark Gragg looks to show up his old comrades.

8:45pm Green Spiders vs Mayhem
The second gold playoff game will be a classic, From Coach Bobby Sirkis, "We will have the game in hand by the first period, and run time by the second period".

9:00pm Gold Shockers vs Leftovers
Battle of last place teams, can the leftovers get their first win?
Jeff Vaughan says push a nerd in a trashcan and watch this game...

10pm Green Borrachos vs Stickmen
The spectacular goaltending of David Blubaugh meets the scoring might of Jim Stuckeman. This is the first game since the Borracho/Warrior brawl. No idea who will be playing still...

10:15pm Gold Puckers vs Blue Devils
This is a playoff game in every way. Winner will go to the Keg to challenge the Komets. Blue Devils threw away their birthright for a bowl of stew last week. Puckers are playing great hockey...Todd Smith Goonery needs to make a comeback, or the Blue Devils are doomed.

11:15pm Green Warriors vs Ice Holes
The "best of the rest" in the gold playoffs continues. Dallas Lehr will battle against many of his Spartans teammates in this defensive struggle of might.

11:30pm Gold Snipers - Practice
Sniper should come out of this one victorious.

Gold Division Playoffs Set/Silver Division Recap

Playoff Seedings for the Gold Division have been announced, while the Sliver Division goes into their last week of regular season play.


#1 Stingers vs #4 Patriots: 7:30pm

#2 Spiders vs #3 Mayhem: 8:45

Consolation:

#5 Borrachos vs #8 Stickmen: 10pm

#6 Warriors vs #7 Ice Holes: 11:15pm





On to the silver division...


3 Stars
1. Mark Gragg: Fugaweez- 1 Goal, 3 Assists (GWG). Fugs 8-2 win
2. Sergio Castillo: Komets- 1 goal, 2 Assists. Komets 4-2 win.
3. Jeff Vaughan: Snipers- 1 goal, champion defensive play/shut down Whitney Freeman. Snipers 5-0 win.

Honorable Mention: Jesse Henderson: Snipers- 1 goal, 1 Assists (GWG) and he’s (Expletive) Jesse Henderson! Snipers 5-0 win.


Goalie of the week: Chris Duran: Shockers- 27 saves on 29 Shots. Shockers 1-2 OT loss.

Brewzers 2 Shockers 1 (OT)
This one was all Brewzers, except for in the scoring/shooting department. Brewzers threw 29 shots at shockers’ goalie Chris Duran, who managed only to let a couple in. On the flip side, Brewzers’ goalie Greg Nata faced the gargantuan total of 4 shots. The great Chris Conner scored the lone shockers goal, while Paul Thruston scored in regulation for the brewzers. In OT, it would be Steve Sepeda on a Ken Thomas feed for the game winner as the brewzers get their 9th point of the season. Rumor has it that the shockers have been renamed “Dain Bramage”…confirmation?

Fugaweez 8 Leftovers 2
Once again the New Orleans Saints defeated the Dallas Cowboys in complete devastation. (Trust us, there are underlying football rivalries here). What many consider the most underrated player in the Silver Division, Mark Gragg, was nearly unstoppable as he rattles off a goal and three helpers in the winning cause. Also scoring was Patrick “Captain Picard” Steward, Mike Garcia (who had two strikes), Glenn Englehart, John Rassmussen, Nick “Spawn of Dan Grimes” Grimes and Matt Osbourne. Leftovers tried, but just clearly couldn’t compete, though the leftovers got their two goals from David Monfroy and A.J. Ferreiro. Talk from the Leftovers’ locker room indicated that if the leftovers lose two of their next three, Scott “Mindo” Dolbee will have his hair shaved in shame by Stone Cold. Please don’t let this inhumane act to transpire.

Komets 4 Blue Devils 2
Inspired by the Patriots glorious and overcoming win over Mayhem earlier this season, The komets finally shake off and defeat their demons (no pun intended). In what many are calling the biggest win in Los Komets history, a great back and forth battle ensued. Rich Duval and the great Chris “Former Holy Cross Forward” Gallagher opened up an early 2-0 lead for komet nation. In the 2nd, the evil empire rallied on a Chris Zolle goal. The komets would get the momentum they needed on a glorious one timer from Melissa Ross to regain a two goal lead, now up 3-1. Blue Devils would get one half way through the third on a Dave Loggins goal to trim the deficit to a single goal. However with the goalie pulled, the Sergio “Mexi-CAN” Castillo ices the game on the empty net tally. This will be a glorious keg game if it comes into being. From Ray “Prancing Poodle” Workman, “We underestimated the komets, but it will be the last time they beat us for another 4 years.”


Snipers 5 Spiders Plat 0
Inspired by their hired-mercenary-leader-guy Jeff “Han Solo” Vaughan, the Snipers had their biggest win of the season. On pretty much every shift, the snipers outmatched the spiders, even Nina Bonifez was baffled in net by spectacular snipers play. Jesse Henderson and Vaughan’s goals built a 2-0 lead after the first. It was added upon by Joe Tomme in the 2nd while Greg Martinez and Ken “Goon” Halford added their own goals in the third. We must compliment snipers coach Stephen Frye, who despite having his legs all but removed from his body, showed up and coached his boys to an excellent win.