Stir it Up!

Things are getting crazy in the closing weeks: dark horses, upsets, jousting matches, just how will it all end? Probably with me in a skirt . . .

Silverwings (3-3-1) 3
DFW Titans (4-3-0) 0

Sergio Castillo avoids the scapegoat role despite leaving the ice early on a hooking call, the remainder of the Silverwings band together to kill the penalty and preserve the nil-nil tie. In the second their patience pays off when Jason Neal puts the Wings on top on the pass from Corey Howard, just a minute and a half into the game. The Titans match the Wings nearly shot for shot but cannot penetrate Spivey's masterful play, leaving the third open for Castillo to complete his turn around on the night with two goals, the first on the power play. With Sergio finding his rhythmn at the end of the season, the Wings may run the table from here in, only with a lot of help from other clubs will they be able to make a run for greatness. The Titnas an the other hand, are petering off, and could play themselves out of the top four if they are not careful. Spivey holds up a shut-out against the Titan's 34 shots!


Hitmen I (3-4-0) 9
Ice Holes (6-1-0) 2

Talk about peaking at the right time, Catherine Levesque of the Hitmen I had a couple of big games last week, this week she scores four Hitmen goals and two assists . . . at this pace no one stands a chance against the Hitmen. The Holes fall victim to Gallagher's devious plan, exposing their shortcomings, I didn't know they had any. The Hitmen watched the gmae develop for half of the first period, then they poured it on. Goals rained down on Jayson Jones from Gabriel Rivera, followed by Becky Bogle, then Kyle Haman, then Levesque. In the second the HOles entered the eye of the storm and utilized the calm to score two of their own to Andrea Cortinas first, then Mark Johnson. Just like the back side of the Hitmen's hurricane blew in with another goal from Levesque. The third period was all Hitmen as Jones was buffeted about the crease, the pucks rained down. Levesque got her hat trick, Haman got his second, then Levesque got the quad, and to bring it back around, Rivera scores another goal. The Iceholes take a loss in dramatic fashion, will their veteran roster pull it back together in time for the play-offs? The Hitmen will have another opportunity to work in the spoiler role against the Patriots who are clinging to the edge of the bubble right now. David Jackson (if it was him in net) allows only two goals on 37 shots!

Privateers (3-4-0) 2
Brewzers (4-3-0) 3

The 'Teers are really hurting these days, these are days you'll remember, never before and never since will the whole world be warm as this, I promise, and as you feel it you'll know it. If you were complaining last session about the play of this team I hope you're enjoying this ('cause it may not last much longer). They start off almost immediately behind when David Counch socres for the Brewzers just 36 seconds into the game. Brit Broostrom lights the lamp for the first time in a long time to finish the first period's scoring. The rowdy Privateers make a go at it when the stupendous Cody Payne manages to squeeze one past Mike Moore in the second. But in the third Jamil Al Jabri punches it past the Privateer netminder to cancel Payne's effect. In the final minute of the gmae Joel Bush grits his teeth and finally cmoes up with a goal, after meeting two and three Brewzers at the blueline all night, unfortunately the heartbreak falls hardest on Ryan Haley, er Ahlstedt? No . . . Willhoite? Is it Swartzbaugh? I can't remember, the point is, she married somebody on the team and she is really down in the dumps. Maybe their's still time for an annulment? The Brewzers are looking like the dark horse for the Keg.

Puckers (3-4-0) 5
Whalers (0-6-1) 2

Well, it looks like I am one win away from my cheerleading debut, the onnly team that can prevent me from making a fool of my self is the Chiefs . . . Ah, geez! Who am I kidding, I could make a fool out of myself without any help from the Puckers, all the same, if they win one more you might want to bring your cameras. The Puckers strike first at my embroidered arse, with a goal from Rick Gregory on the first shift, but Bryan Hamstra fires one right back in my honor to level the field. The Puckers win the periodWhen Jon Padilla scores off the Casey Jenkins feed, woah, Casey Jenkins? Why does he have such an interest in seeing me cross-dressing? The Puckers run the middle frame with goals from both Davids: Mr. Opalecky first, then Mr. Jmaes. In the third the Hamstra scores again for the rookie Whalers, but it doesn't scare the Puckers, they quench the fire intheir bellies with their fifth goal of the night (a Pucker record?) off the stick of Opalecky shorthanded into an emptynet. It was a relatively pedestrian night for Donaghue who only has to save 21 shots, facing 23.

Grave Diggers (3-3-1) 3
Snipers (3-4-0) 1

The Diggers approach the elusive .500 for the season with a decisive victory over the Snipers. Always entertaining when Ellis and the Snipers meet, the Snipers have to hear it from Ellis when Steve Smith gets the only goal of the first period, putting the Diggers up in shots and goals. In the secondJamil Al Jabri puts it right back in Ellis' face with a shot that bounces off the goal stick and flutters past his swiping glove into the net for the Sniper goal. But the Snipers are silenced when Randy Chappel puts the Diggers back on top before the period ends. Just for affect, Bob Barr charges into the crease and scores his second career goal, standing on the Sniper's throat(s?), that makes two goals in two games, where I come from, that's a streak, maybe he picked up Gloria's mojo. Jen Leonard must be kicking herself today as the tieing goal was on her stick but she fails to lift it over the sprawling body of Jon Ellis, Oh Yeah! The Digers have big hill to climb with the goal of .500, they face the Blue Devils next week, do I smell an upset?

Blue Devils (6-0-1) 1
Chiefs (3-3-1) 2

Speaking of those Blue Devils, their first loss comes at the hands of the Chiefs (maybe these guys can dliver me from my Pucker fate), it was a gritty game that ends with 33 minutes of penalties (incredibly, not the high for the night), but it started slow. The first two periods pass with power plays for each of the teams in each of the periods, but none accunulating any goals. Eventually the third period delivers some offense, when the Blue Devils go on the power play this time Ray Workman scores, only to see it erased by Lee Morgan, who score on the power play also, with less than two minutes left in regulation. The confident Devils play responsibly, saving their energy for OT, and the impemding shoot-out. But it was not to be, of all things the goalies give the game away, Jim DeBaro, sometimes Blue Devil tender, makes the critical, and unadvised, OT penalty that puts the Chiefs up a man, and when David Blubaugh succumbs to Mark Millards shot, David blows-up, collecting 15 minutes of penalties after the horn. I hope for his sake their are no consequences in the next game. For me, I hope the Diggers will be blessed with an easy win.

Patriots (4-3-0) 2
Komets (4-2-1) 1

What a nailbiter this one was! Coach Al was seen pulling out his hair as possibly the best Komet's season of all time hits a bump in the road. The Komets try to shut Ellis up but it's the Pats who find the back of the net first on Jeff Eagle's shot. In the second 'Ol Roy Haenselmann, constantly hovering around the crease, makes use of his quick stick to beat the Komet tender with the back door goal. With a renewed zeal the Komets fire even more pucks at the net, but come away with nothing but a sickening smirk from Ellis in the second period. More of the same in the third, The shots continue to pile-up but still no goals, until finally with nearly two and a half minutes left in the game, Albert Lacaze, waiting on the left post beats the lateral movement of Ellis, tipping the puck onto it's side to squeeze it past the post and deatroy the shut-out. The Komets eventually pull their goaltneder for the extra attacker, and then in a terrible coaching blunder, get called for too many men, negating the advantage. Undaunted the Komets left on the ice continue pounding the puck, until the game tieing goal laid in front of Scotty Baldree, Ellis having already made the first save, thorws the paddle infront of the shot, and barely saves the Pat's season. Baldree could have used that extra man, as the rebound bounced out into the open ice to his left. Time for a coaching change? Ellis saves 35 of 36 shots.

Stickmen (5-2-0) 5
Moose (2-5-0) 0

In the battle to end all, this game was like WWF. The scoring was really secondary to this game, which works out well since it all falls to two players: Peter Sjolin and Steph Trapp. It was the play of Sjolin (hat trick) that set-off one aspect of the drama, finding himself on the receiving end of all sorts of Blue Devil, I mean Moose, resistance, some of which culminated in Stickmen power plays. And, the fifth goal of the night was scored on a prone Blubaugh who refused to reutrn to his feet after the fourth goal. The most intrigueing aspect of the game is no doubt the fiasco betwixt Robert Sirkus and Val Kuntz. The greater number of penalty minutes fall to Val because of the retalitory nature of her actions: Val Kuntz - (Charging Major), 5 min , 5:06 - Val Kuntz - (Charging Game Misconduct), 10 min , 5:06. But, by all accounts (even Bob's) the whole incident is the fault of Robert Sirkus. Robert talked with me today and also sent me an E-mail.

The play of Robert Sirkus has been under a microscope for many people throughout our little league, and I have been one of those people who watches his actions fairly intently. Whether you approve or disapprove of his physical play, Bob has a protocol that he stives to hold himself to concerning receiving and dealing hits. He and I disagree quite frequently about these plays, but over the last couple of sessions I have been impressed by his new direction, trying to avoid penalties altogether. It hasn't always worked out, he still gets penalties (some good, some bad (if you classify)), but he tkaes great pride in returning to the locker room with a clean slate.

Having said all that, what happened with Val was inexcusable, and he knows that. He has offered apologies to Tom Yockey, the League, the Sticks, and especially Val herself. All of these are being delivered by me directly from him in this forum or by phone and personal E-mails. I don't expect everyone to immediately accept this apology and certainly don't want to deny anyone their feelings for being wronged, but Bob has taken a bold step that I commend him for.

Bob has sent a message to Yockey to let him know that whatever the league may decide to do regarding his actions, he has issued himself a suspension for the remainder of the session. From his E-mail to me: "The bottom line is, I expect others to be held to a standard, I should be held to the same standard." Bob is ashamed of how he represented himself on the ice, and is trying to rectify this problem with himself and everyone that he will play with in the future, too.

The good news is that as far as I know no one has any lasting injuries from this incident. Bob will not be at the rink for a while and I hope that everyone else will show the same sort of respect and allow a cooling off period before firing-off an ill-advised comment here.

We're all here to have fun and get a little exercise. So get out there and do your part. And, as Red Green says, "Keep your stick on the ice".

Spell check is failing me, and time is running out. Hope I didn't do too bad.

Laboring in Vain

It was a jam-packed weekend. I couldn't buy a win, Labor Day means more yard work, my good-ole Motorola I-205 was finally replaced, and lotsa exciting I-league hockey.

Hitmen I (2-4-0) 8
Grave Diggers (2-3-1) 3

The Hitmen I made some adjustments, and pulled-off a huge win this weekend, it may have only been the Diggers, but eight goals is a big game on any rink. Ellis knew things were not going his way almost immediately, the pass across the crease from William Kuo of the Hitmen ricocheted off the shate of Digger Ron Edwards directly into the net for the first goal of the game. A couple of minutes later Katherine Levesque stands alone in front of the Digger's goal while Lentz draws the D behind the net, a sweet shot through Ellis' armpit, and the Hitmen went up by two. At the other end Bob Barr pounces on a rebound to salvage the Digger spirits and log his first hockey goal. Gabriel Rivera closes the first with a near buzzer beater on the three on one rush. Hitman, Rich Wojcio, gets two goals to start off the second, then after a long period of scoreless hockey, Danny Grimes puts the second to bed with another Digger goal. The Hitmen were not ready to throttle back, they roar into the third with another goal for the patient shot of Katherine Levesque, one from James "Macho Camacho" Macha, and a second for Rivera. Anthony Edwards tries to preserve some Gravedigger pride with a twine tickler before the period ends, but I don't think he succeeded.

DFW Titans (4-2-0) 6
Privateers (3-3-0) 3

After a blazing hot inaugural season in Euless, the 'Teers are definitely in a sophomore slump. The Titans rebound from last weeks shut-out to the Pats with the first goal of the game, "Hot-Rod" Lincoln Foster takes the honors. The Privateers fire back with goals from Casey Payne and then Cody Payne, to gain the lead. Michael Kirkland of the Titans evens the score with only six seconds left in the period. The second starts off with a couple of doses of Titan hockey from "Big" Mac Miller first, then Foster again. John Haley scores one for the 'Teers to keep the game in reach. In the third the Privateers regroup and hold off the Titans even through a two minute powerplay (Joel Bush shows his frustration, again) but eventually allow the cushion goal to Kirkland. Not losing hope, they gain a powerplay of their own with just over a minute left, then pull the goalie making it six on four but fail to score even one more goal. In fact, in the final seconds, Kirkland springs (I am so Dad) into the open with the puck collecting the hat trick on the empty net.

Silverwings (2-3-1) 3
Moose (2-4-0) 4

The Moose (consisting of a collection of Hitmen and Diggers) take the ice with the limping Silverwings. The first period was all Moose, Ellis sees his best statistical performance of the night with a shut-out (through one period) and the Moose score twice: Steve Daniels on the power play first, then Katherine Levesque increases her tally for the night. After a brief moment of empty net, Chris Gallagher dons the pads in the second period. Gabriel Rivera score another goal for the Moose. The Wings strike back when Jason Neal rips one past Gallagher. Rivera marches to the other end and silences the coup with another Moose goal, but Paul Reid and the Silverwings refuse to die and close the period with another goal to bring the Wings within two. Jason Neal appears again in the third to put the Wings one goal from a tie, but Gallagher channels the still living spirit of Grant Fuhr, and closes off the net for the four three win.

Chiefs (2-3-1) 1
Snipers (3-3-0) 3

The Chiefs recruit Sniper arch enemy Jon Ellis to fill the net and hilarity ensues. In the first period the trash talk was flying while in front of Ellis' net and despite throwing everything they had at him he could not be beaten, could no one shut this guy up? Perhaps the Snipers were having trouble skating through the pile of B.S. around the net. That must have been it, because after switching sides at the intermission, the Snipers started finding the back of the net. Or was it just the talent of Sniper Andrew Rybak? He skated in stealth mode with the only white jersey on the ice (the Snipers served a penalty for too many men, because they lost track of where he was) and finally put the Snipers on the board with two goals. The Chiefs tower of strength, Bill Broad, nets one, bringing the Chiefs within one leaving the third period to battle it out for the tie. But the Chiefs desperation ends in penalties rather than goals, they accumulate eight minutes of offenses in the third alone, and the Snipers capitalize. Sniper guest, Lee Miller makes a deke just inside the blue line making room for the pass to the streaking Jesse "Lunchbox" Henderson who one times it past Ellis' glove. Nearly eight minutes remained in the game, but the Chiefs never challenged the lead, and Jesse wins green rink privileges on Ellis, for now.

Puckers (2-4-0) 0
Blue Devils (6-0-0) 1

The Puckers, predictably, have started counting their chickens before they hatch, assuring me that they have a cheerleading outfit on hand and look forward to posting embarrassing pictures and videos of yours truly fulfilling my end of the bargain on their bench, but what about their end? The Devils continue their march toward the keg with another win. They open scoring with what would prove to be the game winner, on the power play, from Scott Speelman. The goalie duel, already handicapped in favor of the Devils continued throughout the remainder of the game. Blubaugh turns aside the occasional Pucker shot and Pat Donaghue causes everyone's arse to pucker (oh, yeah) as he defuses rush after rush, flopping toward rebounds and all together bailing out the Pucker defense. but, with no offensive support, the Puckers drop one more game below that elusive .500, Casey Jenkins plans to make a return to the Pucker blue line and the schedule will be considerably weaker for Ginger's squad, so who can really say where this soap opera will end. Honestly, I don't think that I can lose.

Donaghue saves 27 of 28, Blubaugh gets the shut-out on 18 shots.

Whalers (0-5-1) 0
Ice Holes (6-0-0) 7

Jayson Jones of the Iceholes gets some relief after last weeks controversial nailbiter. The Whalers fend off all of the Icehole's attempts for one period, a victory of its own for this fledgling team, but the Holes pour it on in the second and third. In the second, Brian Hamstra (possibly the heart and soul of the Whalers) deflates the bench with a hooking infraction, after exhausting themselves killing the ensuing penalty, the Hole's persistent system finally crushes the Whaler opposition. They score four times in the second period: Nicholle Palomar, Lee Jennings, David Base, and Brian Preusser, building not a hill but a mountain for the Whalers in the third. The third would leave not time for the Whalers to climb that mountain however, as the Ice Holes attacked relentlessly, even Bill Clement joins in, leaving the broadcast booth to score one for the Holes. . . oh, wait. That's Bill Clements, anyway, he scores, and then a few more Iceholes do, too: Mike Harrington and Brian Preusser (again). Can anyone stop this Mechanical Marvel that is the Iceholes? Not that anyone really thought the Whalers would. . .

Patriots (3-3-0) 0
Brewzers (3-3-0) 2

In a continuation of the battle between Ellis and the Snipers, the Brewzers call in all of their double agents to assist in the game against the Pats. Jesse Henderson and Jamil and Nidal Al Jabri resume their trash talk with the Pat's netminder, with new ammunition. But, despite all of the action being at the Patriot net (not a single shot on the Sniper goal in the first period), Ellis shows them the hand. He certainly didn't show anyone the puck that Jamil tucked in on the wrap-around, NO GOAL! The Patriot offense continued to build, and all of the Brewzer hopes were dashed, again and again every Ellis save. In the final minutes of the final period, in the cruelest twist of fate, Sniper Goalie, Matt Walker, fires a puck for the Brewzers from the blueline through traffic, and foils Ellis blocker side. With renewed zeal, the Pats collapse on the Brewzer zone but cannot come up with a single goal. Ellis leaves the net with a little more than a minute on the clock, but the Brewzers hold fast, Andrew Thomas steals the puck and sends it the length of the rink for the empty net goal, short handed, no less. Lady Luck, she is a cruel mistress.

Stickmen (4-2-0) 4
Komets (4-1-1) 0

Has the Komet bubble burst? The Sticks were stymied for the first period, but prove that their chemistry is cooking in the rest of the game. With McCollister in net they hold-off twenty one Komet attempts and in the second, score three goals from Peter Sjolin, Jesse Henderson, and Lawrence Wade. In the third Brad Bynum scores one more, leaving the Komets to pick up the pieces of their dream season. After another long tearful, late night phone call to Bruce Frankel, the Komets dust it off, like the veterans they are. With the state of the league, the Komets are actually a favorite to make it to the final four this season. I hope you were taking notes, Wil, you may face this team again.

Sunday adult pickup hockey

Reminder: Sunday morning drop-in hockey lives this week, despite holiday tournaments. We'll be over at NYTEX in North Richland Hills from 8:45-10:45 a.m. We guarantee two goalies.


BC

Better Late Than Never, Right?

Okay, I have finally recovered from my devastating defeat issued by the Komets. I think that I am far enough removed to objectively recount the weekend that was, was so long ago now.

Who are the Moose, exactly? Does anyone really know?

Patriots (3-2-0) 3
DFW Titans (3-2-0) 0

The Pats are back, displaying their former zeal and out right dominance in all aspects of the game. The scoring took place in only the first period, Kendall Bernard scored unassisted, followed by two shorties from Greg Hellenbrook, and Kendall Bernard (again). The second was all defense and goaltending, and the third was just veteran fortitude, the Patriots fought through two rain delays, maintaining their focus despite sitting on their rears for nearly thirty minutes. Perhaps those veterans benefited from a third period nap time? Pats will have to win out to make this season worth it.

Ice Holes (5-0-0) 6
Silverwings (2-2-1) 5

The Holes narrowly avoid their first loss. In a very uncharacteristic game, the Holes opened the game with Chris Pringle's unassisted goal and the Wings closed the period with Bryan Brookman's tying goal. They back and forth continued into the second when, at the hands of Les York, then Chris Pringle again, the Iceholes went up by two, only to see it melt away via Brookman's and Robert Broadwater's goals. In the third Pringle attempts to put his skate onto the Silverwing's throat, completing the hat trick, but Scott Alcon returns fire and makes it even again. Icehole, Greg "Jimmy" Durante and Wing, Jason Neal (on the power play) both score bringing the score to five all. After closing the third on lock down and playing overtime the same way, the shoot-out would be needed to decide the winner.

Joe Picardo can only score from the blue line, no goal Iceholes.
Bryan Brookman misses the net, no goal Silverwings.
Chris Pringle cannot be stopped (tonight), goal Iceholes.
Corey Howard responds to the pressure, goal Silverwings.
Greg Durante seizes the opportunity, goal Iceholes.
Sergio Castillo, with the Silverwing nation hanging in the balance, drives in leans blocker, Jones drops. Sergio pushes glove and shoots for the open top corner . . .

The refs say no goal, that's what it looked like to me, too. banged it right off the top corner and out, but hey, I'm a goalie.

Puckers (2-3-0) 3
Snipers (2-3-0) 0

All right Puckers, if you guys can finish the session with a record of .500 or better, I will show-up at your last game of the play-offs in a Pucker cheerleading outfit and dance all over your bench waving my pom-poms and showing my embroidered panties to all of the rink. Patrick Donaghue delivers a shut-out and the Puckers respond in spades. The first period sees the relative offensive explosion from the Puckers with goals from David Opalecky and David James. In the second the stave off one penalty and David James scores again in the third.

Moose (2-3-0) 8
Privateers (2-3-0) 4

The Moose, or team "X", show-up with a roster of mostly Silverwings, frothing at the mouth from their agonizing loss to the Holes. They score first by way of Corey Howard, but Joel Bush keeps the 'Teers in the game with a score of his own. The second begins with a regular Moose flurry, four consecutive goals: Al Jabri, Brookman, Brookman, Lindley. The 'Teers finish the period, again with one goal, Dan Lowery's. The third was started with another from Jamil Al Jabri, then Bush (who is now, almost acceptable) tries to ignite the Privateer bench with another goal. Brookman gets a hat trick, Bush gets a Hat trick, and Jason Neal puts a fork in it with the Moose' EIGHTH goal of the night. It must suck to be a Privateer about now. What happened to Moose netminder David Jackson? It might have been a little closer.

Chiefs (2-2-1) 3
Hitmen I (1-4-0) 2

The Chiefs fight their way back toward a winning record with a difficult win against, of all teams the Hitmen I (sheesh). Tom Harnitchek leads off with a Chief's goal but in the second Gabby Rivera scores the equalizer. Somehow, Bill Broad scores simultaneously meaning the Chiefs never really lost the lead (Pointstreak is really weird). Rich Wojcio puts the Chiefs up by two in the third, but again Gabby tallies one of her own to cut it to one, with only thirty seconds left in the game, the Hitmen fail to tie the game and concede the game to the always inconsistent Ben Stillwagon. Congratulations! Blubaugh- loses (YES!).

Brewzers (2-3-0) 1
Stickmen (3-2-0) 4

The Sticks are getting comfortable with their old goalie, Steve McCollister. They strike first with a goal from Ken Halford, then double their efforts in the second with goals from Mika Hyytiainen and Lawrence Wade. John Parker breaks the goose egg with the sole Brewzer's goal despite the empty net rush of the closing seconds, which ultimately yields another Stickmen goal (Alex "No Stevie" Eysermans).

Komets (4-0-1) 4
Grave Diggers (2-2-1) 3

Oh the humanity! The Diggers hit the ice running, or skating, whatever, they score one in the first (Ron Edwards). One in the second (Randy Chappel). Allow Scott Baldree to interrupt their flow in the third but put up another from Chappel to cement the two goal lead. Halfway though the third the Komets cut the lead to one with another goal from Baldree and in the final two minutes of regulation give up the lead to Albert Lacaze and the Komets. Overtime was fruitless but in the shoot-out, all three Komets score high blocker, Bryant stops the last Digger and the Komets emerge victorious. See if I ever play for the Heineken cup, again, Wil!

Whalers (0-4-1) 1
Blue Devils (5-0-0) 4

The last game of the night hosts at least fifty players per bench (Whalers sure looked pretty!), pretty impressive for an 11:30 start. Blue Devils make an entrance, two goals in the first from Gloria Buhl and Ray Workman, respectively (I think that's three goals in three games from Gloria, amazing!). Brian Hamstra tries to do the Whalers laundry proud with a goal in the second, but no other Whaler can follow his lead. The Devil's Matt Weinrick scores in the closing minutes of the second and Billy Trull puts the Whalers to bed in the third. I don't know where these Whalers work but their boss must be a heck of a guy (or girl), can you guys get me an application?

I appreciate all of your kind words in these, my darkest times.

No highlights, but video

What, no highlights? Get on the stick, BCIII.
In the meantime, here are some highlights from Blue Devils 4, Whalers 1.

Somebody is having fun with his new video editing software.

Go BDs.

BC

Introducing ...

... From the makers of this blog, a new website to help local folks buy and sell their used hockey and figure skating gear. DFW Skate Swap is a free service. Check it out here.
BC