Episode XXVI a New Hope

Just last week in an ice rink in Euless the champions were crowned for both the I-league and the thinly veiled SND. We all had a pretty decent time, I even got the opportunity to do the introductions and sing the anthem for the Keg game, much to the chagrin of the referees on watch. The pictures. . .





There are more on my Facebook. You may also notice on my "wall" that Frank Casperson is recovering well from Joey's follow-through.

So this week things got underway for the new session with its two I-league divisions and SND in tow, some were only practices. I know that no one believes me that I won't be playing on Saturdays, and I did play this weekend, true, but that's it. I will be harder to find than a pair of Team Zissou Adidas Rom's from now on. Here's a good-bye pic from this weekend-er. . .

On to the games. . .

I-league

Blue Devils I (1-0-0) 6
Patriots (0-1-0) 1

Jacob Fulghan receives a rude welcome to the ice, his first time to play on the slick surface, replacing me in the Pat's net. He allows his first to Ed Vogel on the power play his next a shorty to Clint Tippett. Tippett gets another before Aaron Smith finally puts the Pats on the board. That would conclude the Patriots' offensive output as the Devils tack-on another three: two from Daryl Weiland and one from Matt Weinrich. Things are looking bumpy for the Patriots, again.

Shockers (1-0-0) 2
Puckers (0-1-0) 1

Patrick Donaghue is, once again, the force to be reckoned with in Pucker red, but the Shockers have a weapon of their own: Wil Dobson. Dobson drills home the first Shocker goal, late in the first and it happened in the third. . . Ginger Parker ties the game. Is this an error? Anyway, it goes for naught as the Puckers fail to contain the wiry Dobson who scores the crushing blow.

Whalers (0-1-0) 2
Spiders (1-0-0) 4

The Whalers salute themselves when Hamstra drains the first goal of the game, but the lead is relinquished when Bill Wessel and Evan Callahan both collect Spider goals. Dave Svoboda rallies with a Whaler equalizer but the Spiders have found a league they can play in, Mike Reeves wins the game and the Spiderweb defense holds-on allowing an empty net opportunity for Wessel.

SND

Privateers (1-0-0) 6
Ice Bats (0-1-0) 3

The Bats build on their last victory with the opening goal from, eh hmm. . . Hong Kong Kim, the 'Teers tie the period with a Patrick Haley goal (I guess beating me in Friday night D-league wasn't enough). Randy Perry takes the 'Teer lead for a moment, Chris Dolbee evens it up. Then the Privateers open the throttle- Chris Perkins and Tony Finazzo score. Ice Bat, Bruce Davis, interrupts with his tally and the 'Teers finish off with Joel Bush and another Perkins.

Komets (0-1-0) 2
Canadiens (1-0-0) 5

The Canadiens ruled the first frame, more specifically, Gabe Rivera did, with four goals. The second, however, was all Komets with goals from A. J. DiBenedetto and. . . well, that's it, just the one. Wil Dobson looked to be turning the momentum in the first minute of the third, cutting the Can lead in half, but Rivera snaps in another, whilst snapping the Komet nation beneath his skates. Gallagher blames a new stick on his lack of production.

Blue Devils (0-0-1) 1
Warriors D (1-0-0) 2

In the end of the first period, Clark Sandlin claims the tentative Warrior lead, it holds-up for the remainder of the frame and all of the second, but in the early third the Warriors' anemic offense sees its lead vanish with stickwork of Jake Reynolds, and the game would rest with the goaltenders from then on. Thirty shooters later Chris Dolbee makes it through the exhibition again and scores the winner for the Warriors. Michaelides survives the marathon puck-stopping experience making 37 stops in play and 14 more in the shoot-out.