Monday, August 18, 2008

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

Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Powers are Emerging

Stickmen (2-2-0) 4
DFW Titans (3-1-0) 1

Stickmen goalie Steven McCollister is hitting his I-league stride as tonight he earns his first win for the new look Sticks. But, it was the DFW Titans who tickled the twine first, and at his expense. Justin Mason scores just past the minute mark, putting the Titans on track for a perfect record. . . Not according to Lunchbox, Jesse Henderson rebuts with a goal of his own in the first and then again in the second. The third was a continuation of the assault with Damon Flores and Peter Sjolin piling-on two more Stickmen goals. Don't forget about Mr. McCollister, though, he turns aside all of the remaining Titan Shots totalling twenty three saves, a .958 save percentage. A great bounce back for the Sticks against a worthy adversary.

Patriots (2-2-0) 6
Moose (1-3-0) 1

The Pats, too, get their bounce back victory, only it's against the Moose, and their is some debate about the roster, and Jeff Vaughn, jeez. It was the venerable Roy Haenselmann who opened the scoring for the Patriots, only twenty one seconds later, sometimes goalie, Doug Phillips beats David Jackson single handed leaving Jackson not knowing whether to cry or wind his watch. The Pats capped-off the first with Jeff Eagles first tally of the night. The second was a grinder with no one gaining any advantage. It would take half of the third before anyone else could find their way onto the board, and that someone would be Danny Grimes. Ellis taunted his arch nemesis throughout the opening frames, heckling his attempts at the empty net, etc. . . But Danny gets the last laugh squeezing the puck between Ellis' right leg and the post to spoil the goose egg. Now wait just a minute, the games the thing, right? What's with this individual stat junk? Right! Jeff Vaughn agrees and to demonstrate he cruises coast to coast and scores a bona fide I-league goal. Then Jeff Eagle completes his hat trick. . . Man, that's harsh. Les York is out of town and the Patriots go crazy.

Privateers (2-2-0) 2
Ice Holes (4-0-0) 6

Ryan Haley, er Ryan Willhoite, makes her return to the net for the 'Teers but she quickly learned the honeymoon is over (ZING!). The Holes start it off with a goal from Chris Pringle, but less than a minute later Joel Bush releases an angst ridden shot on net that makes it past Jones to even the score. In the second Icehole, Joe Picardo scores practically off the opening face-off and the last half of the period bears witness to the patient Hole's dominance with a power play goal from Brian Harbison. In the third, constant offensive threat, Cody Payne, logs a Privateer goal to keep hope alive, but somehow Icehole goalie Jayson Jones answers this directly by scoring his self, I know he has an impressive reach but is this even possible? Chris Pringle puts the game out of reach for the 'Teers and Harbison scores again before the Holes put the defensive lock on the Privateers (no small task) and ride home the win. Thanks for the wedding cake, Ryan.

Anyone other than the goalie covering the puck in the crease will give-up a goal for the offense.

Hitmen I (1-3-0) 3
Puckers (1-3-0) 4

Hooray for the Puckers, as they deal another one point loss out to the Hitmen. Two Puckers in particular carried this game David "Rick" James, and as always Patrick Donaghue. The Hitmen deliver the first blow, Catherine Levesque befuddles Pat's glove hand but he drags his conciousness from the flashbacks of last week's Lady's Night and holds fast until Rick Gregory evens the score. In the second Rich Wojcio carries on with the tete a tete, putting the Hitmen up. That's when David James found his stride, finishing the period with the Puckers back at level. Again the Hitmen take the lead with a shot from the chaos eventually laying at the feet of a prone Donaghue where Ken Lentz is able to sweep it in. David James puts in another for the tie and then completes the hat trick for the win late in the period. The Hitmen compile 35 shots on net and pull their goalie, and even put seven players on the ice but still fall short, where was their coach tonight?

Snipers (2-2-0) 1
Blue Devils (4-0-0) 5

The Blue Devils are winning the games their supposed to win and they have a perfect record to show for it so far, but this team is not quite the juggernaut that the Iceholes are (is?). The first was all goal tending with neither Matt Walker or David Blubaugh showing a weakness, but in the second things were very different. Blubaugh blinks first, giving-up the shorty to Jamil Al Jabri, then it was Walkers turn. When Matt blinks he really BLINKS, the Devils score on the power play off the stick of Josh Davis, then Matt Weinrick, then Chris Zoll. Matt takes a quick breather between periods then allows Josh Davis to score again. To top it all off, in an effort to aid in the desperation offense of the Sniper's third period, Matt makes an errant pass that finds its way on to Gloria Buell's stick, giving her two goals in two games. I still love you, Matt. David Blubaugh stops 24 of 25, that's a .960 save percentage.

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

The Komets are on a tear right now, not a single loss in regulation, does this have anything to do with the constant presence of Coach Al or the loss of locker room cancer Bruce Frankel? Nonetheless, according to Pointstink, Sometimes SNH commenter "Little a" scored the first goal for the Komets, what would hold-up as the game winner until the closing minutes of the second. In the second Dustin Nation adds to the Komet total and a good thing, too as the Chiefs score one of their own just over a minute later via Nolan Brett. The third was after the second. What do you want? Score some more goals.

Whalers (0-3-1) 1
Silverwings (2-2-0) 3

The Whalers are making strides toward their first win, but take solace my I-league comrades, in the fact that the first goal against you tonight came from Silverwing Troy Ramsey, who couldn't even skate this time last year, now he his a regular goal scorer in Euless, and beyond. Chris Arendall adds to the Wing's lead, but in the third the Whalers make a counter punch with Joshua Monaco's goal, cutting the lead to one. The Silverwings show their veteran (they did all used to be phantoms, right?) fortitude and take advantage of the Whalers desperation, Sergio Castillo scores on the power play with less than a minute remaining, leaving the Whalers beached.

Brewzers (2-2-0) 1
Grave Diggers (2-2-0) 3

The Diggers were hungry tonight, hungry enough to call Mike Drago back to I-league (it's like some kind of reunion: Jeff Vaughn, Drago, what's next Nate Hodges? Oh, that is funny). The first goal of the game would fall at the feet of MacKenzie Funai, she triumphs over the crease confusion, and all alone on the left post lifts the puck over a sprawling Ellis. At this time Ellis was spotted tapping the goal posts with a chicken foot, causing Al Jabri, and Henderson to cry out in frustration throughout the second period. While every Brewzer shot seemed to find some piece of Ellis' equipment (somehow), at the other end, the Digger frenzy was yielding goal after goal. Greg Helenbrook ties the game, then Anthony Edwards takes the lead. Then Drago swipes at the puck and is credited with the phantom goal that no one saw cross the line, except Olson. Heck he was probably flirting with some girl in the stands at the time and his pointing at her was just accidentally interpreted as a goal, anyway, the Diggers are at .500.