A big week in the majors, the Blue Devils continue their downward slide, the Warriors put on a new face, and the Komets are executing their game plan. In the "lower than I-league" minors, hilarity abounds, I witnessed score keepers and refs alike giggling at one game.
Minority Report
Puckers (1-1-0) 0
LSI (3-0-0) 4
LSI, team ringers?In Karen "Sparrow" Powell's return to the I-league net, the Ports do her proud, they open the scoring with Gabe Rivera's goal halfway through the first, and open up the can in the second. Goals from Mike Bierwiler, Rivera, and Katherine Levesque went unanswered to finish the period. In the third, the storm subsided, only a penalty from the frustrated Billy Kuo. For his part, Patrick Donaghue, turns away thirty-one shots, just missing the 90% save percentage. Just who are these Lone Star Import-ers, my sources say they won a D-league championship this summer. . .
Grave Diggers (0-2-0) 1
Whalers (1-2-0) 2
Whalers finally winThe Diggers prepared themselves to put up a "W" in the pre-game locker room, but as game time approached the roster appeared to be surprisingly short, seven players and a goalie. The winless Whalers had no aspirations before the game, only to play to the best of their ability. . . In the first period the shots rained down on the Whaler net but rookie net minder Greg Mata, turned them all away. In the final minute, Whaler new recruit, Andy Thomas, draws out the defense and beats Ellis on the break-away. A few seconds later, Whaler MVP Brian "Hamster" Hamstra, looks Ellis off and sets-up Paul Thurston with a sweet pass to the post to put the Whalers up by two. The second was a draw, with more shots coming from the Diggers, but nothing could penetrate the incredible play of Mata, until Steven Culps arrived at his doorstep, knocking home the one timer cutting the lead to one, with nearly three minutes left. . . The Diggers run out of gas, and the Whalers get heir first win- ever? Congratulations, maybe one day you'll be able to score on me yourself, Brian.
Chiefs (1-1-0) 5
Silverwings (1-1-0) 0
The Chiefs rebound in a big wayGoal tender Eric Spivey was bested three times before the halfway point of the second by Chief, Ryan Brett, not a natural hat trick. The Chiefs added to their three goal lead with a goal from Tony Davis in the second and finished the third with their fifth goal of the night from Thomas Harnitchek on the power play just thirty-nine seconds into the period. New Chief tender, Josh Ayala, faced few scoring attempts but deft stickhandling and rebound control proved the wings on his back stronger than the Wings storming down the ice, a shut-out on eleven shots. Brookman, coach of the Silverwings, says, "we just suck!"
Privateers (2-0-0) 10
Team Euless (0-2-0) 2
Euless stumbles in game twoAfter making a mockery of the Silverwings in their premiere game last week,
instant karma comes via the Privateers. Team Euless strikes first beating Ryan Haley (keeping her career on her maiden name) in the 'Teer's net only thirty-four minutes in to the first period. Her forwards strike back quickly, Cody Payne less than a minute later ties it, then takes the lead a few minutes later. Joel Bush puts his on the scoreboard next followed by two from Patrick Haley, both in the last minute. . . of the FIRST PERIOD! Rick Gregory scores own for Euless on the power play to start the second but the 'Teers pour it on with three more: Eric Ahlstedt, Jeremy Boyd, and Ahlstedt again. Randy Shipp scores one for the Privateers late in the third and Patrick Haley gets his hat trick in the final minute of the game. Cody Payne and Patrick Haley both finish with three point games, a stat that may be tarnished by the fact that Team Euless had NO GOALIE. In week two (sort of) this game and all of its details will be lost to history by the time the session ends, get it while you can, right?
The Simple Majority
DFW Titans (1-1-0) 2
Komets (2-0-0) 3
Komet Nation domination? In the first period on the first Komet shot, Dustin Nation comes up with the first goal, just over a couple of minutes later on the second Komet shot, Nation gets the second goal. In the second Michael Crook scores another for the Komets to put the game away, or so it would seem. But the Titans would not go down so easily, before the second ended, they score one from Kenneth Rawson and one from Brittany Boisvert, putting the pressure squarely on Brent Bryant and the Komets for the remaining eleven minutes. Brent faces twenty-two shots for the night and Ram Lavani puts the Titans on the power play with his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty but the Komets survive. Coach Al says this is the Komet M.O., "we win most of our games by one goal, 2-1 or 3-2. We don't score much. . ."
Blue Devils (0-1-0) 2
Brewzers (1-1-0) 3
Blue Devils lose in regulation for the first time since. . . The returning back-to-back champs open the scoring before the first minute passes via Todd Smith. But, the fortunes were reversed before the period ended. Jen Leonard (undergoing a hockey renaissance) finds an open Jamil Al Jabri on the opposite post for the go ahead goal. And, Jabri pays it forward with an assist to Ken Thomas. In the second the Devils show their championship gumption and tie the game with a goal from Danny Flinn. In a tight third period, the Brewzers look Nate Hodges square in the eye and show him the loss in the opening round of last session's play-offs was only a fluke, Jamil Al Jabri scores the game winner four minutes into the frame and Mike Moore clamps down the goal mouth for the win. Blubaugh is going through a tough spell here lately, in this game he allows three goals on eleven shots. Gloria Buell takes the only penalty of the game, holding. . . some lucky guy on the end of that one.
Ice Bats (1-1-0) 4
Stickmen (0-2-0) 0
The Bats are warriors The Sticks have taken a few steps back this session, they hang Blubaugh out for thirty-six shots. The Bats on the other hand, are on the attack. They lost last week but right the ship this week with a goal from father son team Chuck "Hanson" Dolbee scores on the Scott "Mindo" Dolbee pass. Although this would prove to be the game winner, the Bats keep swinging. And, they get more production in the second from the visiting Hamster, Brian Hamstra, and Danny Grimes, putting them up three to nil. In the third, Derek
"Tea for the" Tillemans pounds the walk-off home run. The Sticks find themselves in the hole early, alot of things will have to happen if they want to rescue this season. A positive, they did kill-off the penalty.
Patriots (2-0-0) 4
Snipers (0-1-0) 1
Snipers have talent, tough schedulePretty good headline, eh, BC? The first period comes and goes, Mike Moore puts on a goaltending clinic at his end, but the Pats just keep coming. In the second, their hard work finally pays off with a Pat goal from Kendall Bernard. A little more than a minute later chaos on the boards culminates in a one on one between Alex Eysermans and Jon Ellis, a shoulder fake from Alex and the five hole opens wide for the tieing goal, and some tasteful trash talk ensues. After twenty-two minutes, Mike's goaltending clinic concludes leaving the third period open for Patriot scoring, which they do: Roy "Soft Hands" Haenselmann, Travis "Smells like a Brewery" Lehr, and Doug "*insert nickname before posting*" Phillips (on a sweet one-timer) bury the Snipers. After last week's performance against the Blood Evils, er Blue Devils, it's hard to say if the talent is with the Snipers or abandoning the Devils.
