Mutha's Day

It has been a difficult time for me recently. . . lit-up by the 'Teers for nine, followed by another circus against the Canadiens, I even forgot about Mother's day. Next week I don't think I'll be able to muster the courage to even show my face in the place. Here's the belated news from the weekend.

I-league

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

The Brew crew suffers another week starting from the drop of the puck. Brian Couture holds his spot on the team, normally, by sleeping with the coordinator- but tonight he gets the first Spider goal and an assist on the goal from Mike Reeves. "Ready" Freddy Gilbert makes a comfortable three goal Spider lead before five minutes have ticked off the clock. After more than a period of resting on their laurels, Andrew Patti delivers the Spiders parting shot. One moral victory the Brewzers can take from this one is the strength of their penalty kill, flawless through ten minutes, oh, and certainly better than me.

Silverwings (1-2-0) 0
Stickmen (3-0-0) 5

The first period was shaping up well, both teams hitting each other about the face for minutes on end with no resolution, save a bunch of winded old men, but late in the frame a Lunchbox goal breaks the stalemate, Clint Tippet doubles the offense soon after. Kyle Rybak carries-on with the onslaught with two more Stickmen goals. And, to finish things off, Henderson gets another- first and last word for the Sticks. McCollister mocks me with his twenty-two shot shut-out.

Shockers (2-1-0) 4
Mutineers (1-2-0) 3

A more competitive game breaks-out on the gold rink. Jeremy Boyd's goal puts the Mutineers out front but the lead is stolen by the Shocker's four goal run. Wil "William" Dobson ties it, Thomas Mathias takes the lead, Joe King scores on the power play, and Matt Russell does his best to put the game out of reach for the Mutes. The Mutineers weren't ready to give it up yet though- Erick Ahlstedt and Patrick Haley score in quick succession to bring their squad within one, and although they had more than four minutes and another power play opportunity, if you hadn't noticed by the score at the heading, they fail.

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

Your appetite for competition whetted, the main course is served. Pucker Matt Roberts puts Michaelides behind the eight ball with the first goal of the game and Bobby responds by shutting down the Red Menace for the remainder of regulation. Jamil Jabri bails-out his netminder in the third with the tying goal. Overtime is not enough. In the shoot-out, the Puckers and Snipers are sent away two at a time, but the third Pucker shooter, Rick Shelby, drains his bid. Donaghue proves himself in the clutch with the final save for the victory.

Grave Diggers (0-2-0) 2
LSI (1-1-0) 7

Things started out in ordinary fashion, Randy Chappel scores for the Diggers beating Topher McPherson on the first shot against. . . Then things got weird. Topher goes end to end and ties the game. Mel Knourek beats him back to the net to restore the Digger lead, but Topher again ties the game. With one more rush up the rink, Topher takes the LSI lead and gets himself a hat trick. Mike Bierwiler plants the flag for the Imports and there was still a full period left to play. Matt Dever, Cam Bogle, and the prodigal Jeff Vaughn cap-off the night for a big LSI win.

Soul Patch (0-2-0) 3
Whalers (3-0-0) 4

The Hamster scores the opening Whaler goal and assists on Richard Walters' tally and that would begin a twenty-three minute dry spell for both offenses. When the levee breaks it brings with it a dramatic lead change. Soul Patcher Brian Lochkos goes first, the tongue twister Nick McMacken ties the game, and Rich Weller delivers the SP lead. The Whalers put the razor to the Soul Patch with Junior Honeycutt's equalizer and who else but the Hamster should secure the Whaler lead? Uh, I guess nobody, since he did. . . sure.

Warriors (1-2-0) 2
Blue Devils I (2-1-0) 3

The Devils farm team scores first on the shot from Matt Weinrich, kill-off two penalties and score again, this one belongs to D.A.R.Y.L. Wieland. The B.D.I. power play ends in disaster as the Warriors get a shorty first from Sean Griffin then again from Bobby Michaelides on his second game with a skinny stick- lifetime stats. The amateur Devils fight back to destroy any meaning that might be attached to that goal by winning the game in regulation with a wrister from Todd Smith in the meat of the third. This was Bobby's second game of the night, perhaps his new found vigor would have been better served between the pipes.

SND

Canadiens (2-1-0) 7
Patriots (1-2-0) 3

“May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human enough hope to make you happy.” I have certainly assured my humanity. Gabe Rivera picks up the first of many juicy rebounds to put the Canadiens out front. Cam Bogle puts in another one on the power play. Chris Gallagher cleans-up the garbage for the third Can goal. Rivera strikes again ending the run for the Canadiens with a four nil score. Butch Hutchinson gets the Pats on the board. Mike Crook's quick hands put in another puck for the Habs, and the Pats respond with a Jeff Vaughn goal. The Pat momentum is arrested when Gallagher scores on the final second of the power play, I couldn't cover the puck fast enough. Kendall Bernard tries to right the Patriot ship but his goal is the last for his team. The only goal of the third period is Bogle's second. Last week's biggest losers: A. J. DiBenedetto and myself. This week. . . just me.

Komets (3-0-0) 9
Ice Bats (0-2-1) 5

Take a look at these Komets. The first nine minutes of the game were the sole property of those Komets goals from Brian Panice, the Green Giant, and Ram Lavani set Dobson at ease. The Bats bring it within one when Chuck Dolbee and Stanley Kim find the twine, but the Komets quash their attempts with a string of six unanswered tallies including Kelly Harris, Jeremy Hill, Brian Panice's second, and the completion of a Giant hat trick. Michael Davenport nibbles at the Komet lead and David Trantham takes a couple swipes at it, but the rally sputters and the only goal left for the stat sheet belongs to Komet forward Scott "Mindo" Dolbee.

Privateers (2-0-1) 4
Blue Devils (1-1-1) 3

Tony Finazzo, fresh off his hat trick last week, opens Privateer scoring again, tonight. Charlie Heine responds in the second to tie the game. The Devils go on the power play in the third and capitalize with a shot from Chase Hannah. Raul Gilbreath records the rare goal for himself and the 'Teers to tie the game again, but the Devils pull ahead again when John Parker befuddles Sexton. Late in regulation the 'Teers send Young Kim to the front of the net and he emerges with the tying goal, sending ti to overtime. Three shooters are chosen to end the contest and all of them score. . . except for Blue Devil Val Kuntz, the Privateers win.


I will see you all in a couple weeks after my sabbatical. Some of you may suggest that I have already been on sabbatical for a couple weeks and to you I say, well played.

Would anyone out there be interested in a goal stick signed by Eddie Belfour? It is not a game used stick, but an unused Christian, in a box. This could be a raffle item if there is enough interest. Let me hear from ya'.

Don't forget to set your Tivo for Wednesday's Caps/Pens game seven!