First Round Follies

I am not informed, nor can I figure out who is playing for the Keg (I-league championship), but here's how the scheduled games played-out. If I had more time, I'd do the research but as it happens I left my six year old daughter to be babysat while I was doing some of my work for the blog with a movie. I thought it was "National Velvet", young girl, horses, blah-blah- success. Turns-out I recorded "Blue Velvet". . .

I-league

Grave Diggers (1-5-4) 5
Brewzers (2-8-1) 4

Some roster changes on both teams may have lead to the first Digger victory of the session. The Brewzers put Topher McPherson in their net and the Diggers call for Canadien's netminder A. J. DiBenedetto. No stranger to the Brewzer's boxscore, Steven Collyard establishes a two goal lead for his team mates, but Bruce Davis and late sub Ryan Smith tie the game back up. Tim Rivers drives the pill through Topher for the Digger lead early in the second only to watch it evaporate with another goal from Collyard and a lead change in the Brew Crew's favor with a Tom Buckner tally. In the third Digger rookie, Diana Edwards saves the day sending the game to overtime, her first goal of her hockey career could not of come at a better time. In the extra period, Ryan Smith makes the most of a rare Saturday night appearance winning the game for his dear friend Chilly, while Becky looks on from the crossbar. Topher reportedly has recorded a replacement for the Wilhelm scream.

Shockers (7-3-1) 3
Spiders (6-4-1) 2

The Shockers, fresh off their defeat in the Heineken Cup, unleash their frustrations on the incredibly shorthanded Spiders. Josh Rooker leads the charge but the Spiders counter with a goal from Roger Gray. Free agent acquisition Wil Dobson sets out to earn a long term contract with the Shockers by regaining the lead and Nick McMacken donates another for a comfortable two goal lead into the third. Like sands through the hour glass, the limited quality shifts from the lean Spider bench slip away- the last nepotismic goal comes from Heather Gray. No Jennifer Gray on the roster, and nobody puts baby in the corner.

Whalers (7-4-0) 0
Stickmen (8-2-1) 2

Everything counts in large amounts. . . except scoring. If you like defense and goal tending you have come to the right re-cap. Ken Halford and Glenn Listman in the first for the Sticks. McCollister holds the line against nineteen shots.

The Whalers were spotted crying to Adagio for Strings, Hamstra's hands pleading to the heavens for mercy.

Warriors (6-3-2) 3
Puckers (6-4-1) 1

The first period is a wash- the early Warrior goal from John Erickson is negated by the late goal from Steven Niekamp. The impotent Puckers fail to penetrate the zone, much less the net, watching Donaghue flail about keeping the game tied against thirty Warrior shots. But, Patrick is handcuffed by the patented partnership of pugilism and prestidigitation that is Chris Dolbee, surrendering the lead in the first minute of the third. Dusty Smith compounds his problems with a tripping violation that ends in a power play goal for Derek "Tea for the" Tillemans. The Puckers were sunk.

Mutineers (3-7-1) 1
Snipers (5-4-1) 2

Donaghue would not settle for an ending to the night on those Pucker terms and finds a quantum of solace in the Sniper nest. . . err, "net". He would relinquish the first goal to Mutineer center (and sometimes goalie) Patrick Haley, but he was avenged by Sniper wing (and former goalie) Terry Redmon. Bill Turner suffers the offense in the Mutineer net, leaving all of Euless wondering where the last netminder, Ryan Haley, might be. The two juggernauts lock into a scoreless tussle that must ultimately be decided by a shoot-out. The first shooter, Ed Vogel, gains the advantage for the Snipers and no one else can muster a meritous shot, Snipers win.

LSI (5-5-0) 2
Silverwings (4-7-0) 4

The Wings have discovered a goal scoring machine, Ryan Kelley. Kelley takes responsibility for all of the first period offense with the two-nil lead for the Silverwings. Cameron Bogle cuts the lead in half, but Sergio Castillo cancels his mark with one of his own. Cody Woodward tries to turn the tide for his Imports but he would be the last to mount an assault for LSI and Kelley takes the opportunity to gain the hat trick, his first but not his last of the night.

Soul Patch (7-2-1) 6
Blue Devils I (8-1-2) 5

Terry Redmon tries to play every position on the ice by taking the net for the BDI's, perhaps the burden was too heavy. . . The Devils put their goalie on the spot by spending most of the first in the box, Brian Lochkos collects the first Patch power play goal, Casey Jenkins evens it up. On the man advantage, Brad Aho puts the Patches up again, this time Martin Berryman ties it. The Patches escape the first with the lead, however, when despite being on the kill, Aho gets his second of the night. Mark Millard returns the goal volley with a BDI equalizer but Aho again puts the Patches in front- a hat trick. Casey Jenkins makes it deuce and Jeff Lester finally takes it to advantage BDI but before they can break serve Brian Blake ties the game again. Another shoot-out plays host to twenty shooters and the only score comes from James Paxton for the Soul Patch win.

SND

Ice Bats (4-6-2) 2
Privateers (11-0-1) 3

The Privateers had this one well in hand, whatever the score might suggest to the contrary. Matt Taylor has a goal and a helper to Patrick Haley for the 'Teer lead. The depleted Bat offense finds a spark from Andrew Latham, but the fire refuses to ignite. Brian Zientek finds his way through the squalor to net another Privateer goal and Joey Couch nets a meaningless late game goal for the gasping Bats. As the records make evident, these teams are on the extreme ends of the post season seating and as often happens when there is so much on the line, it got a little messy. . . did anyone expect any less from these two teams? Eighteen minutes in penalties. The 'Teers play for it all next week, against. . . the Komets. As a consolation, Joey Otsuka looked outstanding in the losing effort stopping thirty-three of thirty-six.

Canadiens (4-6-2) 4
Patriots (2-9-1) 5

The fight for last place in the SND original six came down to a battle between the hard luck Patriots and Ryan Kelley. The Pats were on the board first when Kendall Bernard chips the rebound over A. J. in the Kelley's net. Ryan Kelley leaps the lead in a single shift with two goals, but the Patriots lift their spirits with a tying goal from Aaron Smith. To complete the active first period Chris Gallagher puts the Kelley's back on top. Joe Picardo puts the Patriot power play at 100% with his tying goal, but again Kelley takes the lead with his hat trick earning goal. In the third period the Patriots collapse on Kelley limiting his shots and suffering another penalty for it but the survive the Ryan Kelley offense and manage to send it to over time when Jeff Eagle breaks the plane. The shoot-out runs through eight shooters, four from each team, that all score- before the first stop is finally made. The last shooter is Dallas Lehr and he wins the game for the Pats, the Kelley's may have another chance next week as it seems inevitable that the two teams left in the post-season cold will have to play one another by default.

Blue Devils (6-5-1) 0
Komets (9-2-1) 5

With a win against the long reigning Blue Devils, is the Komets rebuilding process complete? Only one game remains. . . Terry Redmon is quickly assuming the role of goalie for hire, abandoned by yours truly, as he takes the place of the vacationing Blubaugh (commitment issues?). The Devils claimed to be shorthanded in post game interviews but the recorded rosters show the Komets to have only one more player than the Blue Devils, nonetheless, the Komets played like there was no one between them and the back of the net. After eleven minutes of skating in circles, practicing break-outs, and cycling in the corners- they turned it on with four goals in five minutes. The first was Graham Dunlap, then Ram Lavani and Billy Ashman, then the diminutive Lavani strikes again on the power play. The Green Giant delivers the Devil humbler.