It didn't happen easily and it certainly wasn't pretty, but after 45 minutes of hockey on Thursday night, the Red Army found themselves someplace they had never been before: the third round. Yes folks, after five years of bowing out early in the playoffs, Mother Russia finds herself standing with only three other teams. How did she get there? Well, she scored like a mofo.
Thursday's marquee matchup began worse than expected for the Comrades. They were unable to establish much offense and allowed the Shockers too much time with the puck. The Shockers opened the scoring midway through the first period, and added a second goal minutes later on the power play. With five minutes to play in the opening frame, there was a two goal deficit to overcome.
"We were pretty calm on the bench," Captain Steve Hand said, playing his first game since September. "I think we knew we weren't playing as well as we should have been, but there was still plenty of time left. We had to chip away."
Chip away they did. Mark Hendricks, who played the role of Jesus tonight, brought the Soviets to within one when he dangled the pants off of the Shockers before potting one fivehole. In the waning moments of the first, as time expired, he knotted the score with a power play blast from the point as Ben Breiterman set the screen.
"That was huge," Ryan Odell said. "With the score tied going into the second, we were able to start anew and not play from behind. Not that there's anything wrong with playing from behind, if you know what I mean."
Hendricks completed the hat trick on the first shift of the second period, taking a pass from Pat King and wristing one off the post and in. It was the first Russian lead of the night, though it would be short lived. The Shockers, while shorthanded, fluttered a shot from almost zero angle that eluded the Socialist goalie Matt Kraus.
"It wasn't my best effort tonight," Kraus said. "Come on boys."
After relinquishing the lead, the Red Army stormed back. Hendricks rang a shot off of the post and the rebound found King. King settled the puck and fired it past the sprawled Shocker goaltender.
"Laaaaaaabia!" King yelled as he celebrated with his comrades. "It was huge, our line was clicking tonight. We needed to capitalize on situations like that. If you know it throw it up!" He added, as he made the international sign for the labia.
Still, the lead would not last. The Shockers tallied late in the period to tie the game at 4, again on a goal that Kraus would like to have back. Then, in the dying moments of the second period, as time expired again, Hendricks netted his fourth on a mini breakaway. The tally put the Comrades ahead 5-4 with 15 minutes to play.
"Our gameplan in the second intermission was play smart, don't take penalties, and get the puck to Mark," Breiterman said. "Seriously, that kid was money in the bank. He was awesome, just like his wingmanning skills. Patrick on the other hand, well he is as feminine as they come. I'm pretty sure Richard Simmons would in arm wrestling match against him. Where's Karen? I want to remind her of the feminine qualities of her son."
Despite a good pep talk, the Soviets were unable to put the game away in the third, and instead let the Shockers back into it. They yielded a quick goal against, and again the score was tied, this time at five.
"I'm not sure what the (heck) was going on with us tonight," Tony Horton said. "We were playing like the third Reich on Demorgeunshmorgeunfreiztichnacht (the German equivalent to Groundhog's Day), all lackadaisical and lacking in dasicals. Zis sort ov behaviors vould not heff been tolerated zin my natif country of Deutchland. Ven ve have a chance to vipe our our enemies, ve do! I von't reference history on dis one."
Nazi jokes aside, Breiterman gave the Red Scare the lead again on a snipe that he placed five hole. The goal made the score 6-5. On the ensuing faceoff and defensive breakdown, King and Hendricks hooked up on a pretty 2 on 1 and Hendricks scored his fifth of the night to give the Comrades their first two goal lead.
"Things were looking good," Andy Schram said, who was playing defense tonight. "Still, the way this game was going we couldn't be too lazy. Wait, am I getting interviewed right now or are you (messing) with me? I can't tell if you are serious? Are you really going to print what I say? No (way)!"
The Shockers refused to go easily though, as they quickly made the 7-5 game 7-6 and 7-7... in that order. It was a tie game with five minutes to play. The Red Army couldn't put the nails in the coffin. So Hendricks continued to hammer away.
His sixth of the game was the softest, though the effort may have been his best. After skating through defensemen and getting hooked, Hendricks muffed a soft backhander that somehow managed to squeak by fivehole. The celebration was pure elation, as surely this time the Soviets thought the game was in their control. Breiterman's tally moments later seemed to solidify this, as the Soviets led 9-7 with two minutes to play.
Wrong.
The Shockers scored mere seconds after Breiterman's second goal, and again brought the game to within one. That Shocker's goal, would be their last of the season. Hendricks kicked the extra point to his night by tacking on his seventh, empty net style, and let the Red Army slide by the Shockers at a final score of 10-8.
"It was definitely the most goals I've ever scored in a game," Hendricks said. "And while I'd like to sound cocky and say that's the reason we won, because I scored all those goals, I will say that, because that's what I'd like to do. I'm the Russian Jesus baby, I'll walk on vodka."
So now, the Red Army awaits the results of the other games to see who they play next Sunday at 8:00pm.
"I'm excited, I just like winning," Scott Hoefer said.
THREE STARS:
3: Pat King
2: Ben Breiterman
1: Mark Hendricks
Rock on Comrades, I'll check back with you later.
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