Hey everyone, I'm here relaxing in the white sandy beaches of Kona, Hawaii catching up on some much needed relaxing time. With the web traffic I've generated, or rather, the team generated, I was able to finance a nice little trip to the coastal Hawaiian town for a week long surfing excursion.
But this post isn't about me, it's about the players. A lot of fans have expressed interest in learning about how the players spend their offseasons. Where they travel? What they do? If there is any strict training or dieting regimen they go on? So, I was able to convince a few of the comrades to keep journals during their offseason and email me their entries for me to post here. I'll continue posting them as I get them. For now, here are a few of the ones I have:
Steve Hand
April 23, 2010:
Just enjoyed another day in Burke. I slept in kind of late, hitting the snooze button until 3:30 PM, but my body is still sore from the season so I figured I deserved the extra rest. It's nice hanging out at the townhouse and forgetting about hockey for a little while. I have to do a photo shoot with Mayor Fenty later this evening, but other than that, I plan on relaxing. Probably won't start skating again for a few days.
Pat King
April 21, 2010
Wow! Hungover city, population me! Was at a big party in London last night. Went there with my girlfriend to do some traveling between seasons and I had no clue that London was so awesome. I ended up mooning one of those guards that stands by Buckhingham Palace while yelling at them about the Revolutionary War. Funny story too, we started drinking at a pub called "The Tower" and I ran into Ben there. Had no clue he was even traveling this offseason, let alone to the same place. We met up for drinks, then I used the bathroom and I never saw him again the rest of the night. He hasn't returned my texts but I wrote him on Facebook. Oh, have to go, flying to Amsterdam now! Catch up with you in a few!
Andy Schram
April 23, 2010
Spent all day in bed watching Mulan. Great movie.
Ben Breiterman
April 24, 2010
I ran into Pat a few days ago on the east side of Londontown. I didn't have any idea he was going to be there, so it was cool to see a familiar face. He went to use the bathroom at one point and I was led away by a stunning lady in white. Right away I knew she was the most beautiful girl in the world, so for one night I abandoned my comrade in the search for a more tender love. She took me to her home, a wonderful estate near the Thames, and showed me her chamber. It was decorated lavishly, with portraits of princes and explorers lining the walls. As she lit candles around her room, I began to realize her intentions, yet they did not faze me. She threw me down on her bed and did things that I would not dream possible. Even as I type this, my body still shakes with the remnants of passion that pass through my veins. The way her body heaved, the way her moan echoed off the acoustics of the room, the way her wig continued to shift around on her head- all so lustful. At one point I believed I heard Pat yelling something about the Revolutionary War outside, and this startled me, momentarily making me lose my focus. This lady, whose name I cannot recall, told me that her guards would seek to the matter. Oh, to swim in her channel for one more day would be heavenly!
Steve Hand
April 26, 2010
Went out to DC last night with Hendricks and Hoefer. Can't remember much.
Mark Hendricks
April 26, 2010
Was watching CNN this morning while recovering from last night and just read on the news feed that the queen of England is pregnant. Pretty crazy.
Pat King
April 26, 2010
I'm hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Andy Schram
As a token of appreciation to the players that laced them up for the Jenkins Cup Champion Red Army team this late fall and early winter, the blog will be highlighting each player's season and doing a brief recap of a few defining moments that the player made to help Mother Russia dance her way to greatness.
Andy Schram
Regular Season: 11 GP: 8-2-1 Record, 6.34 GAA, .872 SVP
Post Season: 4 GP: 4-0, 3.75 GAA, .913 SVP
It is funny, or rather appropriate, that Schram's name fall last alphabetically among his fellow comrades. Why? Because never in the history of man has the term "save the best for last" been so aptly applied. Make no mistake about it people, Andy Schram was not only the best player for the Red Army in the fall season playoffs, he was the best player in the league.
Let's start with the expectations. With every player on the roster, there were certain things you could expect. Hand and Horton would chip in with 10-20 goals, Hendricks and King would score a majority of the goals, and the defense would provide a solid protective unit for the rookie goalie. But the goalie himself? Well, let's examine three facts:
1) He was a rookie. History dictates that rookie goalies not named Patrick Roy do not perform well in the playoffs. Sure, maybe they can survive a round or two (see: Varlamov, Simeon) but when the pressure mounts, they wilt, and the team dies. The players in front of Schram knew that even though the regular season was great, everything could be dashed with one poor effort handed in by the masked man.
2) Not only was he a rookie, it was also his first season ever playing the position. I could elaborate on this, but I think that sentence adequately surmises the extent of how irrational winning the championship would be.
3) Slow starts. It was no secret that even in the regular season, Schram had a penchant for giving up early goals. Early goals in the playoffs could prove to be lethal.
Okay, reading that, maybe one win in the playoffs could be expected, and even that might be much. But four? And by scores of 5-2, 7-6, 4-3, and 5-4? That's only allowing 15 goals in four games, or 3.75 a game. In the championship series that dropped to a 3.50 goals against average. And yes, people will say the defense was great. It was. And yes, people will say the other teams hit the post twenty times in the playoffs, and that is also true (though the number may be closer to 30). But shots did get through. There were rebounds, and second and third chance opportunities. But there was also Schram: the kid who started his career on defense and had an average stat line of 0G, 0A, 6 PIM per night, ended up being not only the savior of a few games, or a season, but the savior of a franchise.
To that, Andy Schram, Russia is eternally grateful.
Regular Season: A
Post Season Rounds 1 & 2: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Championship Series: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Andy Schram
Regular Season: 11 GP: 8-2-1 Record, 6.34 GAA, .872 SVP
Post Season: 4 GP: 4-0, 3.75 GAA, .913 SVP
It is funny, or rather appropriate, that Schram's name fall last alphabetically among his fellow comrades. Why? Because never in the history of man has the term "save the best for last" been so aptly applied. Make no mistake about it people, Andy Schram was not only the best player for the Red Army in the fall season playoffs, he was the best player in the league.
Let's start with the expectations. With every player on the roster, there were certain things you could expect. Hand and Horton would chip in with 10-20 goals, Hendricks and King would score a majority of the goals, and the defense would provide a solid protective unit for the rookie goalie. But the goalie himself? Well, let's examine three facts:
1) He was a rookie. History dictates that rookie goalies not named Patrick Roy do not perform well in the playoffs. Sure, maybe they can survive a round or two (see: Varlamov, Simeon) but when the pressure mounts, they wilt, and the team dies. The players in front of Schram knew that even though the regular season was great, everything could be dashed with one poor effort handed in by the masked man.
2) Not only was he a rookie, it was also his first season ever playing the position. I could elaborate on this, but I think that sentence adequately surmises the extent of how irrational winning the championship would be.
3) Slow starts. It was no secret that even in the regular season, Schram had a penchant for giving up early goals. Early goals in the playoffs could prove to be lethal.
Okay, reading that, maybe one win in the playoffs could be expected, and even that might be much. But four? And by scores of 5-2, 7-6, 4-3, and 5-4? That's only allowing 15 goals in four games, or 3.75 a game. In the championship series that dropped to a 3.50 goals against average. And yes, people will say the defense was great. It was. And yes, people will say the other teams hit the post twenty times in the playoffs, and that is also true (though the number may be closer to 30). But shots did get through. There were rebounds, and second and third chance opportunities. But there was also Schram: the kid who started his career on defense and had an average stat line of 0G, 0A, 6 PIM per night, ended up being not only the savior of a few games, or a season, but the savior of a franchise.
To that, Andy Schram, Russia is eternally grateful.
Regular Season: A
Post Season Rounds 1 & 2: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Championship Series: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Ryan Odell
As a token of appreciation to the players that laced them up for the Jenkins Cup Champion Red Army team this late fall and early winter, the blog will be highlighting each player's season and doing a brief recap of a few defining moments that the player made to help Mother Russia dance her way to greatness.
Ryan Odell:
Regular Season: 14 GP: 13 G, 16 A, 29 P
Post Season: 4 GP: 2 G, 3 A, 5 P
(All stats per Hendricksmemoryability)
No sport places such great value on seasoned veterans as does the sport of hockey. It seems that any team that enters the post season, no matter how pristine a record they boast, can survive the rigors of the playoffs unless they have a guy that has "been there before" to show them the way. Ryan Odell was that guy.
Having won a few championships in his day, Odell was able to share his knowledge from past winners to make the Red Army a winner. Whether it was positive reinforcement, a stern tongue lashing, or just a pat on the back, Odell was there every step of the way to make sure that the steps the Soviets were taking, were forward ones.
And leadership? How many shots did Odell block? How many times did Odell simplify things by simply throwing it on goal? How many times did Odell communicate with Schram little things that made the two a functioning duo? They are immeasurable.
Still, the greatest gift that Odell brought to the Comrades was something else. Sure, his booming shot was a sight for sore eyes for anyone who has seen Hendricks fan on one timers again and again. And his spin-o-rama, though dangerous, when executed effectively was jaw dropping. But what Odell did most, that other players have yet to do, is he set examples on how to properly play playoff hockey. Shifts were short. Pucks went to the net. Changes were made at smart times. Players played within the confines of the rules, but physically. Odell set the standards, and others followed.
And as a result, they followed him to greatness.
Regular Season: B+
Post Season Rounds 1 & 2: A+
Championship Series: A+++++
Ryan Odell:
Regular Season: 14 GP: 13 G, 16 A, 29 P
Post Season: 4 GP: 2 G, 3 A, 5 P
(All stats per Hendricksmemoryability)
No sport places such great value on seasoned veterans as does the sport of hockey. It seems that any team that enters the post season, no matter how pristine a record they boast, can survive the rigors of the playoffs unless they have a guy that has "been there before" to show them the way. Ryan Odell was that guy.
Having won a few championships in his day, Odell was able to share his knowledge from past winners to make the Red Army a winner. Whether it was positive reinforcement, a stern tongue lashing, or just a pat on the back, Odell was there every step of the way to make sure that the steps the Soviets were taking, were forward ones.
And leadership? How many shots did Odell block? How many times did Odell simplify things by simply throwing it on goal? How many times did Odell communicate with Schram little things that made the two a functioning duo? They are immeasurable.
Still, the greatest gift that Odell brought to the Comrades was something else. Sure, his booming shot was a sight for sore eyes for anyone who has seen Hendricks fan on one timers again and again. And his spin-o-rama, though dangerous, when executed effectively was jaw dropping. But what Odell did most, that other players have yet to do, is he set examples on how to properly play playoff hockey. Shifts were short. Pucks went to the net. Changes were made at smart times. Players played within the confines of the rules, but physically. Odell set the standards, and others followed.
And as a result, they followed him to greatness.
Regular Season: B+
Post Season Rounds 1 & 2: A+
Championship Series: A+++++
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Team Splits for Spring Season
With so many players returning for the spring season, the Red Army, faced with a surplus of players, took a page out of Biology 301's textbook and divided into two. For now, not much is known about the details of the divide other than the fact that Mark Hendricks' message inbox on his phone is full.
Here is how the team that will be retaining the name "Red Army" looks:
Goalie: Andy Schram
Defense: Ben Breiterman, Brian "Beege" Hendricks, Scott Hoefer, Jamie Simek
Offense: Steve Hand, Mark Hendricks, Neal Hendricks, Pat King
As you can see there are a few names missing. Brad Lotocki, Brian Lynch, and Tony Horton, all of whom were members of the winter championship (with Lotocki and Horton also earning t-shirts in the fall), will be siding up with old members of Nightman (Ryan Odell's old team) to form a new team.
And the results of these changes? Anger? Frustration? Blinded, uncontrollable rage? Surprisingly, no. I was able to have a brief chat with Mark Hendricks, who negotiated the conditions of the divide, and here is what he had to say:
"We had talked about it for a few days, about becoming two teams that is. Obviously some people didn't want it, and wanted to have one big team with 12 or 13 players, and maybe that would have worked. But I got a few messages from other guys too saying they wanted back on, where the number of skaters became 14, 15, and 16, and it became obvious that we needed to divide. Plus, we took a vote among players whether to do one or two teams, and by one vote, two teams won the vote.
"The thought process behind who to put where was tough. I think everyone was afraid they were going to be put somewhere they didn't want to be put, and the texts I was getting reflected that. I didn't want to come across as the villain, so I was just throwing out ideas of picking names out of a hat, or anything where I could not be accused of stacking one team. Then people didn't like that idea, so I just made it simple. Brad and Lynch know Pete (one of the players on Nightman) and they know Ryan too, so they go to that team. Then we still had five on offense, so I just had to pick someone to join them. It wasn't anything personal, and there were no hard feelings. Both teams know they are going to compete for a championship."
Hendricks wouldn't confirm reports that he had originally offered Breiterman and King in a package deal for John Carlson, but he did say "We looked over all of our options" when presented the question.
For now, the Red Army's roster is set for the spring. Sure, allegiances to certain players will cause some divides in the fan base, but at the end of the day there is a good chance that a handful of players will three-peat. Who ya got?
Here is how the team that will be retaining the name "Red Army" looks:
Goalie: Andy Schram
Defense: Ben Breiterman, Brian "Beege" Hendricks, Scott Hoefer, Jamie Simek
Offense: Steve Hand, Mark Hendricks, Neal Hendricks, Pat King
As you can see there are a few names missing. Brad Lotocki, Brian Lynch, and Tony Horton, all of whom were members of the winter championship (with Lotocki and Horton also earning t-shirts in the fall), will be siding up with old members of Nightman (Ryan Odell's old team) to form a new team.
And the results of these changes? Anger? Frustration? Blinded, uncontrollable rage? Surprisingly, no. I was able to have a brief chat with Mark Hendricks, who negotiated the conditions of the divide, and here is what he had to say:
"We had talked about it for a few days, about becoming two teams that is. Obviously some people didn't want it, and wanted to have one big team with 12 or 13 players, and maybe that would have worked. But I got a few messages from other guys too saying they wanted back on, where the number of skaters became 14, 15, and 16, and it became obvious that we needed to divide. Plus, we took a vote among players whether to do one or two teams, and by one vote, two teams won the vote.
"The thought process behind who to put where was tough. I think everyone was afraid they were going to be put somewhere they didn't want to be put, and the texts I was getting reflected that. I didn't want to come across as the villain, so I was just throwing out ideas of picking names out of a hat, or anything where I could not be accused of stacking one team. Then people didn't like that idea, so I just made it simple. Brad and Lynch know Pete (one of the players on Nightman) and they know Ryan too, so they go to that team. Then we still had five on offense, so I just had to pick someone to join them. It wasn't anything personal, and there were no hard feelings. Both teams know they are going to compete for a championship."
Hendricks wouldn't confirm reports that he had originally offered Breiterman and King in a package deal for John Carlson, but he did say "We looked over all of our options" when presented the question.
For now, the Red Army's roster is set for the spring. Sure, allegiances to certain players will cause some divides in the fan base, but at the end of the day there is a good chance that a handful of players will three-peat. Who ya got?
Things to Come
Here is a promise: there will be two updates a day from here until a find a full time job. The brief list of topics to be touched on include the following:
- Ryan Odell's season wrap up of the fall
- Andy Schram's season wrap up of the fall
- All comrades season wrap up of the winter
- Off season plans of the comrades
- Coming season and the things that need to happen
- Parade in Moscow for the championship
Obviously there is more, but I thought you would want to get a glimpse.
- Ryan Odell's season wrap up of the fall
- Andy Schram's season wrap up of the fall
- All comrades season wrap up of the winter
- Off season plans of the comrades
- Coming season and the things that need to happen
- Parade in Moscow for the championship
Obviously there is more, but I thought you would want to get a glimpse.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Red Reign
Mark Hendricks stood behind his own goal line to Andy Schram's left, idly stick handling the puck back and forth while he watched the final ten seconds bleed off the clock. The Grenades, trailing by two goals as well as shorthanded, knew that their hopes, dreams, and season were ending, and did not apply any pressure to the Soviet winger. The clock read three, then two, then one, and it had happened again.
With a decisive game three final score of 5-3, the Red Army defeated the Grenades 2-1 in the series, and successfully defended their throne, winning their second consecutive championship.
"No doubt about it," said Captain Steve Hand when asked if this title meant as much as the first one. "Some people may have thought that since we won last season, it wasn't going to mean as much and we might get lazy. But we like winning; we wanted to defend it. I think last season was kind of a relief as well as a state of euphoria when we won, but this season, it was about pride. It was about proving that last season wasn't a fluke, and if a team wants to win, they have to go through us. We take pride in that."
Hand, who had another solid playoffs despite not tallying a goal in the series, was quick to hand out praise to his teammates. "Andy played out of his mind again, and Ben and Mark really helped the offense get going, and the defense looked a lot like our defense of last season. I think we came together at the right time. It was great."
Great indeed. The championship clinching game itself was no cake walk though. The Comrades kept consistent with all of their playoff games, and made it a nail biter. Hendricks opened the scoring early in the game after stuffing home a rebound in front. The sniper found the puck as his feet and began jamming away, and would have scored on his first attempt had Pat King not blocked his shot. King, who had effectively crashed the crease and jostled the goalie out of position, accidentally blocked Hendricks' first and second swats at the puck before allowing the friendly fire to squeak through his five hole.
"It was a pretty crazy play," King said. "I'm obviously not trying to block the puck, and he isn't trying to hit me, but we couldn't get it right. [Hendricks] had at least three feet of net to shoot at, but every time he would shoot, I would get shoved and my legs would close, and the puck would hit me in the shin guards. I just hope the stat guys give me a few blocked shots."
The Grenades rallied though, and knotted the score on a questionable play. After a centering pass went awry, a forward for the Grenades tried to salvage the errant pass by kicking the puck to his stick. His stick never met the puck though, and the puck slid through the pads of Schram and into the net. Despite the protests of the Soviet skaters, the referees, as well as Toronto, concluded that it was a goal. The score, just like the series, was tied 1-1.
"The important thing was not unraveling. We've had some pretty strange goals scored against us these playoffs," Tony Horton said. "We had that goal that came well after the buzzer went off that counted in the first round, then Bradsy put one in on our own goal last game, and now this kicking one. But, we are resilient, so we just kept working.
Working they did, and they got another goal from the Comrade who has put in the most hours for the franchise. Hendricks finished off a pretty goal after an aggressive forecheck by him and King. King forced a defender to make an ill advised drop pass, and Hendricks swooped in. Cutting in on a mini breakaway from just above the right faceoff circle, Hendricks deked forehand before finishing on the backhand into the now vacated crease.
"I know their goalie has a really active poke check, and I was thinking about just shooting to make sure I got a scoring chance," Hendricks said. "But when I went to shoot, I saw him slide his hand to the top of his stick like he was getting ready to throw out the poke check, so I called an audible. I sold the shot, then moved quickly to the backhand and avoided the poke check. With him already extended, I just skated past his reach and I had the whole net to shoot at."
The Comrades looked poised to enter the first intermission ahead by one, but a late goal against foiled those plans. A long shot from the point slipped past Schram when Scott Hoefer tried to bat the puck down with his glove but redirected it to the top part of the goal.
"It was tough to track that one," Schram said. "But even so, I was pretty confident in the game even when we were tied. They had two lucky goals and we had two hard working goals. We were owning the play. All the symptoms pointed to a repeat."
The game was broken open with about nine minutes remaining in the middle stanza. After wearing down the defenders with a long cycle, Hendricks retrieved a rebound off of a Hoefer shot, and cycled back toward the blue line before cutting into the middle of the slot. With Hoefer setting a screen, the goalie was unable to track Hendricks' shot, and the puck slipped into the net just inside the near post.
"That cycle we had going was really working," Lotocki said. "They had the faster skaters and really wanted to open things up, but we kept forcing them to play our game. I don't know if it's a system or not, but when we play that way, we're tough to beat."
The past two seasons make it seem that when the Red Army plays that way, it's downright impossible to beat them.
Later in the same shift, after another long cycle in the offensive zone for the Soviets, the Grenades finally retrieved the puck and began their breakout. It was read by Breiterman however, and the Norris candidate finalist chipped the puck ahead to Hendricks. Without looking at the goal, Hendricks took the pass, turned, and fired. The goalie, who had not yet readied himself for the shot, was off of his post, and the puck snuck in on the short side.
"I think that's when we started to all believe. We had a two goal lead and they were getting frustrated. It felt good. I had never been part of a Red Army championship, so it was new to me," Jamie Simek said. "I had to dig up my old pair of champagne goggles from CYA soccer of 1995!"
Perhaps the two goal lead made the Comrades complacent, because they allowed a goal on the next shift. After three consecutive battles for loose pucks were won by the Grenades, they brought the deficit to within one after an offenseman batted home a rebound right on the doorstep.
The period would end with that score, and with fifteen minutes to play, the Red Army was leading in game 3 of the championship series 4-3.
Those fifteen minutes seemed to last an eternity. The Red Army dominated the play, but could not score the insurance goal, and the heart rates continued to climb. On the rare turnover that occurred, the Grenades were quick to push the puck up and get a scoring chance. They were met however, by the Iron Curtain. Schram had several highlight reel saves on the night, including a goal line desperation Varlamov-on-Crosby-esque save, but his best plays were the simple ones. In traffic with the puck careening around, he always seemed to find it and cover. He seldom looked out of position and when he did, his athleticism and determination shone brightly, or, Hoefer was there. After a defensive lapse left a Grenade in the slot with the puck on his stick, Hoefer dove in front of the puck like a madman, and blocked the slap shot with his leg, deflecting the puck well out of play into the rafters.
"I don't like losing," Hoefer said, shaking his fist angrily at people passing by. "I wan't black shirts," he would later add, though no one would hear him.
With a little over three minutes to go, the insurance marker came courtesy of Breiterman. The defender took a snap shot from just outside the circles, and the puck beat the goalie. There wasn't a screen, there wasn't a deke, it was a shot that probably should have been saved. But then again, maybe, just maybe, it was the aggregate effect of a goalie scrambling around with Soviets in his crease for forty plus minutes that made him a bit slower in the third period.
"I was a bit surprised when it went in," Breiterman said. "But when it did, I think that's when it sunk in. We were repeating it. I saw Mark come up and he, as always, gave me a painful celebration by jumping on me."
The Grenades shot themselves in the foot, or rather, imploded on themselves, by taking a penalty with 90 seconds remaining, nullifying any chance they had at mounting a late comeback. The clock ticked down and the Russian sticks and gloves went up.
Champions, again.
OTHER NOTES:
- After a team party last night, it was decided that the Georgian moonshine known as "Ch-ch" is more preferable to Burnett's
- Schram again, for the millionth time this season, did not allow a goal in the 3rd period
- Hendricks' four goals were the most he has ever scored in a championship series game (he has now played in 5)
- Simek received a pie to the face after the game for winning his first ever championship, those his bright red face was still visible behind the whipped cream
- The only face brighter than Jamie's belonged to Steve, whose cheeks resembled Yosemite Sam after the amount of yelling he had done
- Lotocki informed reporters after the game that he will be returning for another season with his Comrades, and as a result, the Bear Cavalry jokes will continue
- Ryan Odell was effectively peer pressured into coming out to party with the players last night, there was lots of hugging
- King, Horton, Breiterman, and Hoefer all awoke this morning in Moscow, which is strange, because last night they drank in Burke
THREE STARS:
3: Mr. and Mrs. King
2: Jessica Rohrer
1: Ben Breiterman, Steve Hand, Mark Hendricks, Scott Hoefer, Tony Horton, Pat King, Brad Lotocki, Brian Lynch, Andy Schram, Jamie Simek
I guess you could say we're good.
Just saying.
With a decisive game three final score of 5-3, the Red Army defeated the Grenades 2-1 in the series, and successfully defended their throne, winning their second consecutive championship.
"No doubt about it," said Captain Steve Hand when asked if this title meant as much as the first one. "Some people may have thought that since we won last season, it wasn't going to mean as much and we might get lazy. But we like winning; we wanted to defend it. I think last season was kind of a relief as well as a state of euphoria when we won, but this season, it was about pride. It was about proving that last season wasn't a fluke, and if a team wants to win, they have to go through us. We take pride in that."
Hand, who had another solid playoffs despite not tallying a goal in the series, was quick to hand out praise to his teammates. "Andy played out of his mind again, and Ben and Mark really helped the offense get going, and the defense looked a lot like our defense of last season. I think we came together at the right time. It was great."
Great indeed. The championship clinching game itself was no cake walk though. The Comrades kept consistent with all of their playoff games, and made it a nail biter. Hendricks opened the scoring early in the game after stuffing home a rebound in front. The sniper found the puck as his feet and began jamming away, and would have scored on his first attempt had Pat King not blocked his shot. King, who had effectively crashed the crease and jostled the goalie out of position, accidentally blocked Hendricks' first and second swats at the puck before allowing the friendly fire to squeak through his five hole.
"It was a pretty crazy play," King said. "I'm obviously not trying to block the puck, and he isn't trying to hit me, but we couldn't get it right. [Hendricks] had at least three feet of net to shoot at, but every time he would shoot, I would get shoved and my legs would close, and the puck would hit me in the shin guards. I just hope the stat guys give me a few blocked shots."
The Grenades rallied though, and knotted the score on a questionable play. After a centering pass went awry, a forward for the Grenades tried to salvage the errant pass by kicking the puck to his stick. His stick never met the puck though, and the puck slid through the pads of Schram and into the net. Despite the protests of the Soviet skaters, the referees, as well as Toronto, concluded that it was a goal. The score, just like the series, was tied 1-1.
"The important thing was not unraveling. We've had some pretty strange goals scored against us these playoffs," Tony Horton said. "We had that goal that came well after the buzzer went off that counted in the first round, then Bradsy put one in on our own goal last game, and now this kicking one. But, we are resilient, so we just kept working.
Working they did, and they got another goal from the Comrade who has put in the most hours for the franchise. Hendricks finished off a pretty goal after an aggressive forecheck by him and King. King forced a defender to make an ill advised drop pass, and Hendricks swooped in. Cutting in on a mini breakaway from just above the right faceoff circle, Hendricks deked forehand before finishing on the backhand into the now vacated crease.
"I know their goalie has a really active poke check, and I was thinking about just shooting to make sure I got a scoring chance," Hendricks said. "But when I went to shoot, I saw him slide his hand to the top of his stick like he was getting ready to throw out the poke check, so I called an audible. I sold the shot, then moved quickly to the backhand and avoided the poke check. With him already extended, I just skated past his reach and I had the whole net to shoot at."
The Comrades looked poised to enter the first intermission ahead by one, but a late goal against foiled those plans. A long shot from the point slipped past Schram when Scott Hoefer tried to bat the puck down with his glove but redirected it to the top part of the goal.
"It was tough to track that one," Schram said. "But even so, I was pretty confident in the game even when we were tied. They had two lucky goals and we had two hard working goals. We were owning the play. All the symptoms pointed to a repeat."
The game was broken open with about nine minutes remaining in the middle stanza. After wearing down the defenders with a long cycle, Hendricks retrieved a rebound off of a Hoefer shot, and cycled back toward the blue line before cutting into the middle of the slot. With Hoefer setting a screen, the goalie was unable to track Hendricks' shot, and the puck slipped into the net just inside the near post.
"That cycle we had going was really working," Lotocki said. "They had the faster skaters and really wanted to open things up, but we kept forcing them to play our game. I don't know if it's a system or not, but when we play that way, we're tough to beat."
The past two seasons make it seem that when the Red Army plays that way, it's downright impossible to beat them.
Later in the same shift, after another long cycle in the offensive zone for the Soviets, the Grenades finally retrieved the puck and began their breakout. It was read by Breiterman however, and the Norris candidate finalist chipped the puck ahead to Hendricks. Without looking at the goal, Hendricks took the pass, turned, and fired. The goalie, who had not yet readied himself for the shot, was off of his post, and the puck snuck in on the short side.
"I think that's when we started to all believe. We had a two goal lead and they were getting frustrated. It felt good. I had never been part of a Red Army championship, so it was new to me," Jamie Simek said. "I had to dig up my old pair of champagne goggles from CYA soccer of 1995!"
Perhaps the two goal lead made the Comrades complacent, because they allowed a goal on the next shift. After three consecutive battles for loose pucks were won by the Grenades, they brought the deficit to within one after an offenseman batted home a rebound right on the doorstep.
The period would end with that score, and with fifteen minutes to play, the Red Army was leading in game 3 of the championship series 4-3.
Those fifteen minutes seemed to last an eternity. The Red Army dominated the play, but could not score the insurance goal, and the heart rates continued to climb. On the rare turnover that occurred, the Grenades were quick to push the puck up and get a scoring chance. They were met however, by the Iron Curtain. Schram had several highlight reel saves on the night, including a goal line desperation Varlamov-on-Crosby-esque save, but his best plays were the simple ones. In traffic with the puck careening around, he always seemed to find it and cover. He seldom looked out of position and when he did, his athleticism and determination shone brightly, or, Hoefer was there. After a defensive lapse left a Grenade in the slot with the puck on his stick, Hoefer dove in front of the puck like a madman, and blocked the slap shot with his leg, deflecting the puck well out of play into the rafters.
"I don't like losing," Hoefer said, shaking his fist angrily at people passing by. "I wan't black shirts," he would later add, though no one would hear him.
With a little over three minutes to go, the insurance marker came courtesy of Breiterman. The defender took a snap shot from just outside the circles, and the puck beat the goalie. There wasn't a screen, there wasn't a deke, it was a shot that probably should have been saved. But then again, maybe, just maybe, it was the aggregate effect of a goalie scrambling around with Soviets in his crease for forty plus minutes that made him a bit slower in the third period.
"I was a bit surprised when it went in," Breiterman said. "But when it did, I think that's when it sunk in. We were repeating it. I saw Mark come up and he, as always, gave me a painful celebration by jumping on me."
The Grenades shot themselves in the foot, or rather, imploded on themselves, by taking a penalty with 90 seconds remaining, nullifying any chance they had at mounting a late comeback. The clock ticked down and the Russian sticks and gloves went up.
Champions, again.
OTHER NOTES:
- After a team party last night, it was decided that the Georgian moonshine known as "Ch-ch" is more preferable to Burnett's
- Schram again, for the millionth time this season, did not allow a goal in the 3rd period
- Hendricks' four goals were the most he has ever scored in a championship series game (he has now played in 5)
- Simek received a pie to the face after the game for winning his first ever championship, those his bright red face was still visible behind the whipped cream
- The only face brighter than Jamie's belonged to Steve, whose cheeks resembled Yosemite Sam after the amount of yelling he had done
- Lotocki informed reporters after the game that he will be returning for another season with his Comrades, and as a result, the Bear Cavalry jokes will continue
- Ryan Odell was effectively peer pressured into coming out to party with the players last night, there was lots of hugging
- King, Horton, Breiterman, and Hoefer all awoke this morning in Moscow, which is strange, because last night they drank in Burke
THREE STARS:
3: Mr. and Mrs. King
2: Jessica Rohrer
1: Ben Breiterman, Steve Hand, Mark Hendricks, Scott Hoefer, Tony Horton, Pat King, Brad Lotocki, Brian Lynch, Andy Schram, Jamie Simek
I guess you could say we're good.
Just saying.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
CHAMPIONS AGAIN!
The Red Army was victorious tonight, winning their second consecutive championship by the score of 5-3 over the Grenades.
There is much more to come, but first- CH CH CH CH CH CH
There is much more to come, but first- CH CH CH CH CH CH
Sunday, April 18, 2010
It's Necessary
Sunday night's game was a perfect example of what the Red Army has to do if they want any chance at repeating as champions. They threw a lot of pucks on net, created traffic, and ultimately wore down the tired Grenades with constant forechecking, backchecking, and grinding cycles. And the result? A saved season and a handful of nervous guys dressed in yellow.
TEN NOTES ON THE GAME:
- Let's start with Andy Schram. Does this guy have ice in his veins or what? This is back to back seasons where he has single handidly kept the Comrades in it for long stretches of the game. Tonight was no exception. While trailing 3-2 in the second period, Schram stopped three or four point blank shots from the slot when his skaters refused to find a man. The Iron Curtain is the primary reason the season did not end tonight.
- Pat King's goal to tie the game was nothing short of sensational. Not only did he win the faceoff to himself, he also took the puck straight up the gut of the best defensive team in the league and won every single one on one battle. Of course, the finish wasn't bad either. Let's hope the snake bite wounds have healed.
- For as much as fans are going to get on the second line of Tony Horton and Steve Hand for not finishing a few chances tonight, it should be noted that even if they did miss a few golden opportunities on the doorstep, they still were creating the chances. If they pot one or two early next game, you better believe the Grenades start spreading out their defense.
- He may not score as much as some of his defensive counterparts, but when Scott Hoefer does score, it's a big goal. How about a game winning goal for the self declared loser hater? Not bad, guy.
- Sticking with the defense, Jamie Simek continued his strong play as of late by turning in another solid outing. He may not be the flashiest player on the back end, or the swiftest skater, or possess the hardest shot, but he has asserted himself as the most consistent. It's one and done for the opposition when they go against the SAMEurai.
- It's pretty clear that the Grenades game plan includes a playercheapshotting shadowing Hendricks throughout the whole game. It's working, kind of.
- Staying with Hendricks, he played the way he had to tonight if he is going to be hounded all game. He consistently outworked the defensemen in the corners, disrupted several shot attempts by the Grenades, was paramount in killing the only power play, scored an ugly goal, registered a gorgeous assist, and had a modest +3 rating. But what he really showed is that he knows that there is more than one way to win a hockey game.
- The other star of the Red Army also shone brightly tonight. Ben Breiterman scored a goal and was a breakout machine tonight, turning defense into offense with his patented rushes up the rink. The only concern? A lot of misses from the slot tonight. He must have caught the bug that was going around the locker room.
- I'd be remiss if I did not mention the absolutely incredible turn around that Brad Lotocki experienced tonight. After taking a penalty and scoring an own goal in the first period, the Mountain Man responded with two goals (into the Grenade net) and a solid shut down peformance the rest of the way.
- And lastly, the Red Army is now one win away from repeating as Division Champions. But you already knew that. It's just fun to type.
THREE STARS:
3: Ben Breiterman
2: Brad Lotocki
1: Andy Schram
TEN NOTES ON THE GAME:
- Let's start with Andy Schram. Does this guy have ice in his veins or what? This is back to back seasons where he has single handidly kept the Comrades in it for long stretches of the game. Tonight was no exception. While trailing 3-2 in the second period, Schram stopped three or four point blank shots from the slot when his skaters refused to find a man. The Iron Curtain is the primary reason the season did not end tonight.
- Pat King's goal to tie the game was nothing short of sensational. Not only did he win the faceoff to himself, he also took the puck straight up the gut of the best defensive team in the league and won every single one on one battle. Of course, the finish wasn't bad either. Let's hope the snake bite wounds have healed.
- For as much as fans are going to get on the second line of Tony Horton and Steve Hand for not finishing a few chances tonight, it should be noted that even if they did miss a few golden opportunities on the doorstep, they still were creating the chances. If they pot one or two early next game, you better believe the Grenades start spreading out their defense.
- He may not score as much as some of his defensive counterparts, but when Scott Hoefer does score, it's a big goal. How about a game winning goal for the self declared loser hater? Not bad, guy.
- Sticking with the defense, Jamie Simek continued his strong play as of late by turning in another solid outing. He may not be the flashiest player on the back end, or the swiftest skater, or possess the hardest shot, but he has asserted himself as the most consistent. It's one and done for the opposition when they go against the SAMEurai.
- It's pretty clear that the Grenades game plan includes a player
- Staying with Hendricks, he played the way he had to tonight if he is going to be hounded all game. He consistently outworked the defensemen in the corners, disrupted several shot attempts by the Grenades, was paramount in killing the only power play, scored an ugly goal, registered a gorgeous assist, and had a modest +3 rating. But what he really showed is that he knows that there is more than one way to win a hockey game.
- The other star of the Red Army also shone brightly tonight. Ben Breiterman scored a goal and was a breakout machine tonight, turning defense into offense with his patented rushes up the rink. The only concern? A lot of misses from the slot tonight. He must have caught the bug that was going around the locker room.
- I'd be remiss if I did not mention the absolutely incredible turn around that Brad Lotocki experienced tonight. After taking a penalty and scoring an own goal in the first period, the Mountain Man responded with two goals (into the Grenade net) and a solid shut down peformance the rest of the way.
- And lastly, the Red Army is now one win away from repeating as Division Champions. But you already knew that. It's just fun to type.
THREE STARS:
3: Ben Breiterman
2: Brad Lotocki
1: Andy Schram
Saturday, April 17, 2010
We're Down, Not Out
All of the talking heads in the media are claiming it's the end of the road for the Red Army. "Red Death", "End of an Era?", and "Communism Falling" were the headlines of three major news syndicates on Saturday morning, all of which seemed certain that not only will the series be short, it won't even be close. So old Comrades, is it time to hit the panic button?
Yes.
Hit it. Swat at it. Stomp on it. Do whatever it takes to make sure the alarms sound off like the Bunker level in Goldeneye. Let everyone know that we sweat, we shake in our boots, and we fear. We don't want to lose, we don't like losing, and now that we are loss from losing the season, we are afraid.
And that's bad news for the Grenades.
No team in recent history has been so nonchalant when staring Death in the face as the Red Army has. It's as though every game they toy with the cloaked angel, lighting a cigarette before politely postponing their date. "Sorry, I'm busy this Tuesday. But my friends the Cryptic Stench, Shockers, Puck Ewes, Strangers, Daggermouth, and Prestige Worldwide have freed up their schedules." Unfazed by adversity, the scrappy group from Moscow do what they are best at when the pressure mounts: they win hockey games.
Down 1-0 in a best of three series? Bah. It wouldn't be in true fascist fashion if there wasn't drama. Outmatched by a system that seems to be keyed in on keeping Hendricks and friends from creating offense, let alone getting shots? Ha! Soviet style dictates that the puzzle must be solved in the eleventh hour while church bells toll and widows cry.
Yes, there is a mountain to climb. Actually, two. But that's the beauty of it. The Grenades also have to climb two, and though one is more than zero, it is not two. That's math. So where does that leave us? Well, we're at the bottom. We're low.
We're down, but not out.
Yes.
Hit it. Swat at it. Stomp on it. Do whatever it takes to make sure the alarms sound off like the Bunker level in Goldeneye. Let everyone know that we sweat, we shake in our boots, and we fear. We don't want to lose, we don't like losing, and now that we are loss from losing the season, we are afraid.
And that's bad news for the Grenades.
No team in recent history has been so nonchalant when staring Death in the face as the Red Army has. It's as though every game they toy with the cloaked angel, lighting a cigarette before politely postponing their date. "Sorry, I'm busy this Tuesday. But my friends the Cryptic Stench, Shockers, Puck Ewes, Strangers, Daggermouth, and Prestige Worldwide have freed up their schedules." Unfazed by adversity, the scrappy group from Moscow do what they are best at when the pressure mounts: they win hockey games.
Down 1-0 in a best of three series? Bah. It wouldn't be in true fascist fashion if there wasn't drama. Outmatched by a system that seems to be keyed in on keeping Hendricks and friends from creating offense, let alone getting shots? Ha! Soviet style dictates that the puzzle must be solved in the eleventh hour while church bells toll and widows cry.
Yes, there is a mountain to climb. Actually, two. But that's the beauty of it. The Grenades also have to climb two, and though one is more than zero, it is not two. That's math. So where does that leave us? Well, we're at the bottom. We're low.
We're down, but not out.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Game One
The teams are set, the schedule has been made, and the players are ready. Tonight, game one of the Jenkins Cup Finals takes place at 9:00 pm. I have to keep this preview short, but here are a few things to note for the match up.
- For the Red Army, it's all about composure. They seem to thrive under adversity. Don't start sweating now, stay cool, stay calm, stay comeback-able.
- Andy Schram needs to exorcise his first period demons. With the Grenades goalie, goals are not going to come easily for the Comrades. Can't let them come easy for the Grenades.
-Oh Captain my Captain. How about the Hand-man continues his solid play and continues to chip in offensively.
-Defense! The Grenades have the better defense, the Soviets have the better offense. If the Soviets can tighten up the back end, we may have a series here.
-Mark Hendricks is questionable tonight. He may be out with English 458.
- For the Red Army, it's all about composure. They seem to thrive under adversity. Don't start sweating now, stay cool, stay calm, stay comeback-able.
- Andy Schram needs to exorcise his first period demons. With the Grenades goalie, goals are not going to come easily for the Comrades. Can't let them come easy for the Grenades.
-Oh Captain my Captain. How about the Hand-man continues his solid play and continues to chip in offensively.
-Defense! The Grenades have the better defense, the Soviets have the better offense. If the Soviets can tighten up the back end, we may have a series here.
-Mark Hendricks is questionable tonight. He may be out with English 458.
Red Army Now Poised to Repeat
It's official. What we thought was true for so long now has been confirmed. Just hours ago, the Surgeon General of the United States of America released a statement informing citizens that the Red Army is allergic to death.
Well, not really, but holy smokes how hard have the Soviets become to eliminate? The last team to send Mother Russia packing was Prestige Worldwide, and it took them a shot at the buzzer while on the power play to slay her. That was half a year ago. Since then, five other teams have tried. All have failed.
Tonight, bar none, was the closest any team has come to derailing the Red Army. The Shockers jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and seemed to be dominating every facet of the game. Unfortunately for the Shockers, the game was three periods long, and not one.
"Make no mistake about it," Captain Steve Hand said after the game. "We played [terribly] in the first period. We were scrambling around and sure, Andy would like to make some of those saves, but the first two or three were total defensive lapses. We know we can comeback, we came back from two goals the last game, but five goals? I'm not sure if everyone on the bench in that period wasn't thinking this was our last game of the season."
The Shockers did open up the scoring by converting on odd man rush opportunities. The first goal of the game came when a forward deked Tony Horton, skated in alone on Andy Schram, and fired one past the glove. Moments later, Hendricks was the only man back defending a two on one, and the league leading scorer was unable to stop a cross crease pass that set up a wide open net shot to make it 2-0.
"I told [Schram] after that went in that it wasn't his fault," Hendricks said. "It's frustrating because we know he tends to struggle in the opening minutes, and we're not doing ourselves or him any favors when we don't provide any defense for him."
Before long the two goal deficit became three, then four, and then five. Change was coming.
"We had started with Ben on offense and me on defense," Horton said. "It obviously didn't work, so Mark called the switch. Things were a bit scrambled to readjust the lines, but the adjustment needed to happen. We had to stop the bleeding."
Salvation came in the form of a high stick. With just over two minutes to play in the frame, Hendricks drew a penalty after taking a stick up high on his cage. The forward threw his arms in the air to draw the attention of the official. The arm went up, and the Red Army went to the man advantage.
"It was a must score. No doubt about it," said Scott Hoefer, who would go on to score his first goal of the playoffs later in the game.
Off of the face-off, Hendricks corralled the puck at the blue line and fed a pass to Breiterman. Breiterman fired a low snap shot that hit some of the bodies in front of the net and landed on the stick of Pat King. King stuffed home the rebound to put the Soviets on the board.
There was a faint heartbeat on the season.
"We just wanted to get something going, so that was a positive we could take out of the period. We just needed something, anything."
With the score 5-1 after the first period, the panic that might have been expected form past teams was not present. This was a team that had just won a championship, a team that had proved it belong in the postseason, and a team with the intent on defending the throne.
"Skate hard, get off, get water, get out, and skate hard again," Hand said. "That's what we said on the bench. If you're not skating your [butt] off, get to the bench."
The Comrades skated hard, and the comeback was on. At the tail end of the first shift of the period, Brad Lotocki made an inside out move after receiving a pass from Horton, and fired a shot that squeaked over the goal line to cut the lead to three.
On the ensuing face-off, the puck was pushed ahead to Hendricks and the forward raced in wide on the goal. After faking a backhander, Hendricks skated around the net and stuffed the puck just inside the post before the goalie was able to get over.
Then, later in the same shift, just after being denied on a breakaway, Hendricks stuffed home a bouncing puck that had taken a lively carom off the end boards and bounced right back in front after being shot by Hoefer.
"Both teams could sense it," Lotocki said. "We had all the momentum in the world and they were fading. Momentum is a funny thing. Sometimes you think you have everything going for you, then a pack of grizzly bear-riding lumberjacks attack your village and you realize you have nothing. Yes, the Bear Cavalry is real my friend, and if you don't believe in it, then it's already too late."
The Soviets didn't waste much time to tie it. Hoefer, on an innocent looking play, sent a pass intended for Hendricks to the front of the net. The goalie, expecting Hendricks to catch the pass, followed Hendricks. The puck though, missed Hendricks, as well as the goalie, and found the back the net.
"I'm not sure how that one went in," Hoefer said. "I'll take it. The old pass shot. I have mastered it."
Hendricks completed his hat trick on the same shift when he was the beneficiary of King's hard work to create a two on one. King stripped a Shocker near center, then beat a defender to create a scoring opportunity. After the remaining defender lunged for the poke check, King put the puck on the backhand and sauced a pass on to Hendricks' tape. Hendricks, with the puck on his forehand and the goalie down and out, made no mistake about it, and roofed the puck top shelf where Aunt Gabrielle insists there is brownie mix because she just went to the store last week.
Finally, the goal run ended and the Shockers scored to knot the score at six. It would remain that way going into the third period.
"They won the first period 5-1, we won the second 5-1, I think we liked our chances," Bryan Lynch said. "As long as we didn't give up five goals, we liked our chances, I mean."
Unlike the first two periods, there were no goals early in the third period. In fact, half way through the final stanza, it remained tied at six. Then the Captain created. After engaging in a pretty give and go, Hand fanned on a one timer in the slot and shanked his shot wide. The puck hit the backboards and banked back to the front of the net where Breiterman was poaching. The man who scored five goals in round one scored the biggest goal of round two, giving the Comrades a lead with just over five minutes to play.
"It's all about the Benjamin, baby," Breiterman said as he threw a fistful of dollar bills with his face imprinted on the center into the air. "Those are actually legal tender in parts of Israel," he added, stooping down to collect the dollars.
The Shockers called a time out, regrouped, and came at the Comrades with everything they had.
Schram had more.
The goalie rebounded from his slow start by making kick saves, blocker saves, and glove saves. With an active poke check, the Iron Curtain steered everything aside and, as he has done time and time again this season, shut the door in the third.
"I owed to the team, and once they got back into it I knew I was going to play better. I just have to figure out a way to get past that first period. Maybe we'll just refer to them from now on as quarters. The first quarter probably will treat me better."
With exactly two minutes remaining, arch nemesis Stefan Loges was tangled up with Lynch, and the two were assessed roughing penalties. With Loges in the box, the Shockers threat to score was halved.
"Veteran play by Lynch right there," said Simek. "They don't teach that in any hockey schools."
Simek, who again played outstanding tonight, was praised by his teammates after the game.
"[Simek] has really stepped up his game," Hendricks said. "He's breaking it out and getting shots on and doing all the little things that make the team successful. He's added another element to this team. If this were a balance sheet, let's just say he is an asset."
With a minute remaining the Shockers pulled their goalie. Not surprisingly, the Hand/Horton line was the line out there to seal the deal. Continuing their consistent defensive play throughout the night, they limited the Shockers to only one shot in the final minute, and it was flashy toe save by Schram.
The clinching play came in the final seconds. After losing his stick, Hoefer kicked the puck to the boards to try and eat away some of the clock. With three Shockers on him, he battled for ten seconds along the boards before kicking it over to Breiterman. Breiterman skated the puck up, passed it to Hand, and Hand netted his first of the game and third of the post season as time expired.
The Comrades were moving on to the Championship series, and the heartbeat that once was a murmur, was now pounding out of the collective chests of the Soviets.
"No doubt about it, we made it hard on ourselves tonight," Hoefer said. "But in the end, it's all about winning. You have to do whatever it takes, and when you like winning as much as I do, sometimes you don't even need a [freaking] stick."
OTHER NOTES:
-The Red Army will face the Grenades in the Championship Series
-The Red Army went 1-1 versus the Grenades this year, losing the first game 7-6 and winning the second game by the same score of 7-6
-The start time for Thursday's game 1 is 9:00 pm but is subject to change
THREE STARS:
3: Pat King
2: Scott Hoefer
1: Steve Hand
Well, not really, but holy smokes how hard have the Soviets become to eliminate? The last team to send Mother Russia packing was Prestige Worldwide, and it took them a shot at the buzzer while on the power play to slay her. That was half a year ago. Since then, five other teams have tried. All have failed.
Tonight, bar none, was the closest any team has come to derailing the Red Army. The Shockers jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and seemed to be dominating every facet of the game. Unfortunately for the Shockers, the game was three periods long, and not one.
"Make no mistake about it," Captain Steve Hand said after the game. "We played [terribly] in the first period. We were scrambling around and sure, Andy would like to make some of those saves, but the first two or three were total defensive lapses. We know we can comeback, we came back from two goals the last game, but five goals? I'm not sure if everyone on the bench in that period wasn't thinking this was our last game of the season."
The Shockers did open up the scoring by converting on odd man rush opportunities. The first goal of the game came when a forward deked Tony Horton, skated in alone on Andy Schram, and fired one past the glove. Moments later, Hendricks was the only man back defending a two on one, and the league leading scorer was unable to stop a cross crease pass that set up a wide open net shot to make it 2-0.
"I told [Schram] after that went in that it wasn't his fault," Hendricks said. "It's frustrating because we know he tends to struggle in the opening minutes, and we're not doing ourselves or him any favors when we don't provide any defense for him."
Before long the two goal deficit became three, then four, and then five. Change was coming.
"We had started with Ben on offense and me on defense," Horton said. "It obviously didn't work, so Mark called the switch. Things were a bit scrambled to readjust the lines, but the adjustment needed to happen. We had to stop the bleeding."
Salvation came in the form of a high stick. With just over two minutes to play in the frame, Hendricks drew a penalty after taking a stick up high on his cage. The forward threw his arms in the air to draw the attention of the official. The arm went up, and the Red Army went to the man advantage.
"It was a must score. No doubt about it," said Scott Hoefer, who would go on to score his first goal of the playoffs later in the game.
Off of the face-off, Hendricks corralled the puck at the blue line and fed a pass to Breiterman. Breiterman fired a low snap shot that hit some of the bodies in front of the net and landed on the stick of Pat King. King stuffed home the rebound to put the Soviets on the board.
There was a faint heartbeat on the season.
"We just wanted to get something going, so that was a positive we could take out of the period. We just needed something, anything."
With the score 5-1 after the first period, the panic that might have been expected form past teams was not present. This was a team that had just won a championship, a team that had proved it belong in the postseason, and a team with the intent on defending the throne.
"Skate hard, get off, get water, get out, and skate hard again," Hand said. "That's what we said on the bench. If you're not skating your [butt] off, get to the bench."
The Comrades skated hard, and the comeback was on. At the tail end of the first shift of the period, Brad Lotocki made an inside out move after receiving a pass from Horton, and fired a shot that squeaked over the goal line to cut the lead to three.
On the ensuing face-off, the puck was pushed ahead to Hendricks and the forward raced in wide on the goal. After faking a backhander, Hendricks skated around the net and stuffed the puck just inside the post before the goalie was able to get over.
Then, later in the same shift, just after being denied on a breakaway, Hendricks stuffed home a bouncing puck that had taken a lively carom off the end boards and bounced right back in front after being shot by Hoefer.
"Both teams could sense it," Lotocki said. "We had all the momentum in the world and they were fading. Momentum is a funny thing. Sometimes you think you have everything going for you, then a pack of grizzly bear-riding lumberjacks attack your village and you realize you have nothing. Yes, the Bear Cavalry is real my friend, and if you don't believe in it, then it's already too late."
The Soviets didn't waste much time to tie it. Hoefer, on an innocent looking play, sent a pass intended for Hendricks to the front of the net. The goalie, expecting Hendricks to catch the pass, followed Hendricks. The puck though, missed Hendricks, as well as the goalie, and found the back the net.
"I'm not sure how that one went in," Hoefer said. "I'll take it. The old pass shot. I have mastered it."
Hendricks completed his hat trick on the same shift when he was the beneficiary of King's hard work to create a two on one. King stripped a Shocker near center, then beat a defender to create a scoring opportunity. After the remaining defender lunged for the poke check, King put the puck on the backhand and sauced a pass on to Hendricks' tape. Hendricks, with the puck on his forehand and the goalie down and out, made no mistake about it, and roofed the puck top shelf where Aunt Gabrielle insists there is brownie mix because she just went to the store last week.
Finally, the goal run ended and the Shockers scored to knot the score at six. It would remain that way going into the third period.
"They won the first period 5-1, we won the second 5-1, I think we liked our chances," Bryan Lynch said. "As long as we didn't give up five goals, we liked our chances, I mean."
Unlike the first two periods, there were no goals early in the third period. In fact, half way through the final stanza, it remained tied at six. Then the Captain created. After engaging in a pretty give and go, Hand fanned on a one timer in the slot and shanked his shot wide. The puck hit the backboards and banked back to the front of the net where Breiterman was poaching. The man who scored five goals in round one scored the biggest goal of round two, giving the Comrades a lead with just over five minutes to play.
"It's all about the Benjamin, baby," Breiterman said as he threw a fistful of dollar bills with his face imprinted on the center into the air. "Those are actually legal tender in parts of Israel," he added, stooping down to collect the dollars.
The Shockers called a time out, regrouped, and came at the Comrades with everything they had.
Schram had more.
The goalie rebounded from his slow start by making kick saves, blocker saves, and glove saves. With an active poke check, the Iron Curtain steered everything aside and, as he has done time and time again this season, shut the door in the third.
"I owed to the team, and once they got back into it I knew I was going to play better. I just have to figure out a way to get past that first period. Maybe we'll just refer to them from now on as quarters. The first quarter probably will treat me better."
With exactly two minutes remaining, arch nemesis Stefan Loges was tangled up with Lynch, and the two were assessed roughing penalties. With Loges in the box, the Shockers threat to score was halved.
"Veteran play by Lynch right there," said Simek. "They don't teach that in any hockey schools."
Simek, who again played outstanding tonight, was praised by his teammates after the game.
"[Simek] has really stepped up his game," Hendricks said. "He's breaking it out and getting shots on and doing all the little things that make the team successful. He's added another element to this team. If this were a balance sheet, let's just say he is an asset."
With a minute remaining the Shockers pulled their goalie. Not surprisingly, the Hand/Horton line was the line out there to seal the deal. Continuing their consistent defensive play throughout the night, they limited the Shockers to only one shot in the final minute, and it was flashy toe save by Schram.
The clinching play came in the final seconds. After losing his stick, Hoefer kicked the puck to the boards to try and eat away some of the clock. With three Shockers on him, he battled for ten seconds along the boards before kicking it over to Breiterman. Breiterman skated the puck up, passed it to Hand, and Hand netted his first of the game and third of the post season as time expired.
The Comrades were moving on to the Championship series, and the heartbeat that once was a murmur, was now pounding out of the collective chests of the Soviets.
"No doubt about it, we made it hard on ourselves tonight," Hoefer said. "But in the end, it's all about winning. You have to do whatever it takes, and when you like winning as much as I do, sometimes you don't even need a [freaking] stick."
OTHER NOTES:
-The Red Army will face the Grenades in the Championship Series
-The Red Army went 1-1 versus the Grenades this year, losing the first game 7-6 and winning the second game by the same score of 7-6
-The start time for Thursday's game 1 is 9:00 pm but is subject to change
THREE STARS:
3: Pat King
2: Scott Hoefer
1: Steve Hand
Monday, April 12, 2010
Round 2: #5 Red Army vs #8 Shockers
"It's quiet in here. A little... too quiet."
That's a quote that I feel aptly sums up this postseason so far. The dangerous teams that were expected to be, well, dangerous, have vanquished at the hands of "lesser" opponents. But the road so far isn't all that much different from last season's championship run. After defeating the #5 seeded Cryptic Stench, the Soviets faced the #6 seeded Prestige Worldwide. Of course, eventually the Comrades swept the #1 seeded Puck Ewes in the championship series and that obviously can't occur again, but as far as the first two playoff games, the seeds are similar.
But back to the original quote, is there danger out there? Who will derail the Red Army? Sure, the team itself could be its worst enemy. There have been countless turnovers and boneheaded plays that more often than not have been resulting in goals against, but for every error the team makes there seems to be two finishes at the other end.
The Shockers? Historically, well, there's no way to sugar coat it: the Red Army has done whatever it wants with the Shockers in recent past. Yes, games like this often result in an upset, but with the Shockers there is never a question about the Soviets rising to the occasion. Plus, the supporting cast Hendricks has is far superior to that of Loges. If Hendricks can isolate Loges, or simply go goal for goal with him, you have to figure Breiterman, King, or Hand, will outscore the lot.
I won't touch on the Grenades or Daggermouth yet, in fear of jinxing the potential meetings on Thursday and Sunday (and maybe Tuesday), and for now thing on the minds of the Soviets should be tonight's matchup against the Shockers. But what the Comrades should realize about the postseason and think about when they lace up the skates tonight is this: the dangerous team this postseason wears red.
That's a quote that I feel aptly sums up this postseason so far. The dangerous teams that were expected to be, well, dangerous, have vanquished at the hands of "lesser" opponents. But the road so far isn't all that much different from last season's championship run. After defeating the #5 seeded Cryptic Stench, the Soviets faced the #6 seeded Prestige Worldwide. Of course, eventually the Comrades swept the #1 seeded Puck Ewes in the championship series and that obviously can't occur again, but as far as the first two playoff games, the seeds are similar.
But back to the original quote, is there danger out there? Who will derail the Red Army? Sure, the team itself could be its worst enemy. There have been countless turnovers and boneheaded plays that more often than not have been resulting in goals against, but for every error the team makes there seems to be two finishes at the other end.
The Shockers? Historically, well, there's no way to sugar coat it: the Red Army has done whatever it wants with the Shockers in recent past. Yes, games like this often result in an upset, but with the Shockers there is never a question about the Soviets rising to the occasion. Plus, the supporting cast Hendricks has is far superior to that of Loges. If Hendricks can isolate Loges, or simply go goal for goal with him, you have to figure Breiterman, King, or Hand, will outscore the lot.
I won't touch on the Grenades or Daggermouth yet, in fear of jinxing the potential meetings on Thursday and Sunday (and maybe Tuesday), and for now thing on the minds of the Soviets should be tonight's matchup against the Shockers. But what the Comrades should realize about the postseason and think about when they lace up the skates tonight is this: the dangerous team this postseason wears red.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
It's All About The Benjamin: Defensman's 5 Goal Performance Vaults Comrades to Second Round
It was far from the style of playoff hockey that the Red Army played last postseason, but it was effective. In a back and forth, run and gun game on Sunday night, the Soviets narrowly escaped the Cryptic Stench, edging their rivals by the score of 9-8 thanks in large part to the defenseman-turned-offenseman's offensive explosion.
"We knew he was capable of scoring," Jamie Simek, who led the team in playing time with 28:31, said. "But we didn't know he could score like that."
Simek was referring to Breiterman, a player normally renown for his work on the other end of the rink. Tonight though, it was all about playing in the other team's end.
"It was one of those nights where everything I shot went in," a modest Breiterman said after the game. "I think a lot of it was them covering Mark and leaving me alone. Maybe they didn't know that I was just as dangerous. Though, I mean, who doesn't check the statistics? You think they would have seen me on there. That's pretty poor scouting."
For all of the offense that the pair of Hendricks and Breiterman created, they did find themselves behind the eight ball early in the game. After surrendering an early goal, the deficit was increased to two on the ensuing shift.
"It's no secret that my biggest enemy is the first period," Andy Schram said. "I don't think there is panic because I know the guys can get it back, but one of these days I'm going to stop that first shot, and second. The third? Well, I have give them something."
Hendricks started the scoring for the Soviets on a nifty no-look backhander. After being denied on back to back chances down low, Hendricks corralled a pass from Breiterman in the slot, faked a wrist shot on the forehand, and then turned and fired a backhander that beat the surprised goalie. A minute later, after a fantastic forecheck by Brian Lynch, Hendricks intercepted an outlet pass and fed Breiterman. Breiterman one timed the puck home to knot the score at two.
"I just went in there like a heat-seeking missile," Lynch said. "I work for Orbital, so I know a lot about rocket science. I apply the same physics to my skating as I do to thrusters designed to lift satellites into space."
Hendricks would give the Comrades their first lead of the game later in the period, when he used a defender as a screen and fired a snap shot just inside the post on the blocker side.
"I wasn't getting many one on one chances, so when I did, I had to convert," Hendricks said. "Also, I felt relaxed with my favorite song in my head." Hendricks then began to sing "I got a quarter, I got a quarter, I got a quarter, Hey! Hey! Hey! I got a quarter, I got a quarter, I got a quarter, and it's all mine!"
If Hendricks and Breiterman dominated the end of the first period, then Tony Horton and Steve Hand owned and operated the start of the second. Hand deflected a pass to make the lead 4-2 and moments later scored on a nearly-zero angle shot to make it 5-2.
"We were pretty pumped up at that point," the captain said. "We know if we're going to go anywhere this postseason we're going to need to contribute. It was big for us, and our confidence. I might go ask out that Cara girl now."
But a problem that has persisted all year reared its ugly ahead again, as a team stocked full of nice guys lacks a killer instinct, and the Cryptic Stench, like an accidental fart that escapes even the hardest clenched of buttcheeks, lingered far too long. The lead that was three goals, became two, and then one.
"We had a few let downs in our own end," Horton said. "We may not have been backchecking hard enough, or we may not have been talking enough, but we had letdowns, and they capitalized."
With the score close again, Breiterman joined countrymen Hand and Hendricks in the two goal club. After Hendricks jostled for the puck along the far boards, Breiterman scooped the loose puck and fired a wrist shot that beat the goalie high glove side.
The two goal lead that should have been carried into the third period was halvedwell after the buzzer just before the buzzer when a Stench skater intercepted an errant pass and fired one past Schram as time expired. The referees convened to decide what had transpired, and after a brief phone call to Toronto, the decision on the rink stood, it was a goal.
"That was a pretty [bogus] call if you ask me," Brad Lotocki said. "I mean, Scott was saying he saw the puck on the guy's stick with 0.2 seconds left. Unless you're taking a slap shot and you play in the NHL, that puck isn't going thirty something feet in one-fifth of a second. He took a wrister and to me, it wasn't even close."
Despite Lotocki's wishes, the cold hard facts were this: going into the final period, it was a one goal game.
"I think I just tried to keep everyone level-headed," Hendricks said. "The third period has been our period for as long as I can remember, and no matter what happened at the end of the second, we were still winning. It was our game to win or our game to lose."
It was evident how Breiterman felt on the matter. On the first shift of the period, Breiterman took the puck in from the half boards and fired a low wrister that beat the goalie to the post, giving him a hat trick and the Soviets a 7-5 lead.
Then, in predictable fashion, the Stench scored.
Not to be outdone, Breiterman scored again. Hendricks drove to the net hoping for a pass, but was taken down in the crease. With him and a defenseman tangled up, Breiterman opted for the wraparound and successfully tucked the puck under the goalie. The Stench argued that there had been goaltender interference on the play, but it was to no avail. With five minutes to play, the Red Army had opened up an 8-6 lead.
After a poor backchecking effort made the lead 8-7, Breiterman added one for the thumb, as he took a pass from Horton and raced the length of the rink to fire a snap shot over the goalie's shoulder again. It all but added the final nail in the coffin.
The Stench would bring it to within one with 18 seconds remaining, but they would not muster another shot after the ensuing faceoff. The puck was iced, the final seconds bled off the clock, and the Red Army was advancing.
"When that buzzer sounded I was feeling jacked," Scott Hoefer said. "Not only had I found a quarter earlier in the day, but we had also won. Best...day...ever?!?"
Now that the first round is completely done and the dust has settled, here is what the playoff picture looks like right now:
#5 Red Army vs #8 Shockers
#6 Daggermouth vs #7 Grenades
Yes, for the first time in the league's 134 year history, all four favored teams were upset in the first round. The Red Army's record versus the remaining three teams? It's 4-2, including being 2-0 against the Shockers. Of course it doesn't mean much, but it's still nice.
OTHER NOTES:
-This is the Soviets' 5th consecutive win in the postseason
-Four of the last five playoff games have been decided by one goal, with the Red Army winning all of them
-Breiterman's five goal performance was the most goals scored by a Comrade in a playoff game in the new sickle and hammer jersey era
-The Red Army has now won at least one playoff game in three consecutive seasons, which is a franchise record.
-The team is off tomorrow, but expect a light update
THREE STARS:
3: Steve Hand
2: Jamie Simek
1: Ben Breiterman
"We knew he was capable of scoring," Jamie Simek, who led the team in playing time with 28:31, said. "But we didn't know he could score like that."
Simek was referring to Breiterman, a player normally renown for his work on the other end of the rink. Tonight though, it was all about playing in the other team's end.
"It was one of those nights where everything I shot went in," a modest Breiterman said after the game. "I think a lot of it was them covering Mark and leaving me alone. Maybe they didn't know that I was just as dangerous. Though, I mean, who doesn't check the statistics? You think they would have seen me on there. That's pretty poor scouting."
For all of the offense that the pair of Hendricks and Breiterman created, they did find themselves behind the eight ball early in the game. After surrendering an early goal, the deficit was increased to two on the ensuing shift.
"It's no secret that my biggest enemy is the first period," Andy Schram said. "I don't think there is panic because I know the guys can get it back, but one of these days I'm going to stop that first shot, and second. The third? Well, I have give them something."
Hendricks started the scoring for the Soviets on a nifty no-look backhander. After being denied on back to back chances down low, Hendricks corralled a pass from Breiterman in the slot, faked a wrist shot on the forehand, and then turned and fired a backhander that beat the surprised goalie. A minute later, after a fantastic forecheck by Brian Lynch, Hendricks intercepted an outlet pass and fed Breiterman. Breiterman one timed the puck home to knot the score at two.
"I just went in there like a heat-seeking missile," Lynch said. "I work for Orbital, so I know a lot about rocket science. I apply the same physics to my skating as I do to thrusters designed to lift satellites into space."
Hendricks would give the Comrades their first lead of the game later in the period, when he used a defender as a screen and fired a snap shot just inside the post on the blocker side.
"I wasn't getting many one on one chances, so when I did, I had to convert," Hendricks said. "Also, I felt relaxed with my favorite song in my head." Hendricks then began to sing "I got a quarter, I got a quarter, I got a quarter, Hey! Hey! Hey! I got a quarter, I got a quarter, I got a quarter, and it's all mine!"
If Hendricks and Breiterman dominated the end of the first period, then Tony Horton and Steve Hand owned and operated the start of the second. Hand deflected a pass to make the lead 4-2 and moments later scored on a nearly-zero angle shot to make it 5-2.
"We were pretty pumped up at that point," the captain said. "We know if we're going to go anywhere this postseason we're going to need to contribute. It was big for us, and our confidence. I might go ask out that Cara girl now."
But a problem that has persisted all year reared its ugly ahead again, as a team stocked full of nice guys lacks a killer instinct, and the Cryptic Stench, like an accidental fart that escapes even the hardest clenched of buttcheeks, lingered far too long. The lead that was three goals, became two, and then one.
"We had a few let downs in our own end," Horton said. "We may not have been backchecking hard enough, or we may not have been talking enough, but we had letdowns, and they capitalized."
With the score close again, Breiterman joined countrymen Hand and Hendricks in the two goal club. After Hendricks jostled for the puck along the far boards, Breiterman scooped the loose puck and fired a wrist shot that beat the goalie high glove side.
The two goal lead that should have been carried into the third period was halved
"That was a pretty [bogus] call if you ask me," Brad Lotocki said. "I mean, Scott was saying he saw the puck on the guy's stick with 0.2 seconds left. Unless you're taking a slap shot and you play in the NHL, that puck isn't going thirty something feet in one-fifth of a second. He took a wrister and to me, it wasn't even close."
Despite Lotocki's wishes, the cold hard facts were this: going into the final period, it was a one goal game.
"I think I just tried to keep everyone level-headed," Hendricks said. "The third period has been our period for as long as I can remember, and no matter what happened at the end of the second, we were still winning. It was our game to win or our game to lose."
It was evident how Breiterman felt on the matter. On the first shift of the period, Breiterman took the puck in from the half boards and fired a low wrister that beat the goalie to the post, giving him a hat trick and the Soviets a 7-5 lead.
Then, in predictable fashion, the Stench scored.
Not to be outdone, Breiterman scored again. Hendricks drove to the net hoping for a pass, but was taken down in the crease. With him and a defenseman tangled up, Breiterman opted for the wraparound and successfully tucked the puck under the goalie. The Stench argued that there had been goaltender interference on the play, but it was to no avail. With five minutes to play, the Red Army had opened up an 8-6 lead.
After a poor backchecking effort made the lead 8-7, Breiterman added one for the thumb, as he took a pass from Horton and raced the length of the rink to fire a snap shot over the goalie's shoulder again. It all but added the final nail in the coffin.
The Stench would bring it to within one with 18 seconds remaining, but they would not muster another shot after the ensuing faceoff. The puck was iced, the final seconds bled off the clock, and the Red Army was advancing.
"When that buzzer sounded I was feeling jacked," Scott Hoefer said. "Not only had I found a quarter earlier in the day, but we had also won. Best...day...ever?!?"
Now that the first round is completely done and the dust has settled, here is what the playoff picture looks like right now:
#5 Red Army vs #8 Shockers
#6 Daggermouth vs #7 Grenades
Yes, for the first time in the league's 134 year history, all four favored teams were upset in the first round. The Red Army's record versus the remaining three teams? It's 4-2, including being 2-0 against the Shockers. Of course it doesn't mean much, but it's still nice.
OTHER NOTES:
-This is the Soviets' 5th consecutive win in the postseason
-Four of the last five playoff games have been decided by one goal, with the Red Army winning all of them
-Breiterman's five goal performance was the most goals scored by a Comrade in a playoff game in the new sickle and hammer jersey era
-The Red Army has now won at least one playoff game in three consecutive seasons, which is a franchise record.
-The team is off tomorrow, but expect a light update
THREE STARS:
3: Steve Hand
2: Jamie Simek
1: Ben Breiterman
Saturday, April 10, 2010
A Drunken Post
Yes folks, I, Barry Melrose, am intoxicated. Now some of you out there in comrade-land may find this unbelievable. "How could our trusted journalist, a man whom we owe so much, if not all, of our coverage of our favorite roller hockey team, drink at a time like this? How could he do this when there is so much at stake?" Well, put frankly, Seven, eleven, and doubles.
But mostly eleven.
I should preface this blog post by saying that though Prestige Worldwide has fallen early in this playoffs, it does not, I repeat, does not, give us unrelenting privaledges to mock them. Only after we win one playoff game this winter do we earn those rights.
Also, I am jealous of the comment section at PW's website. Post comments here too. If you don't, the British troops will again begin to sleep in your houses.
Finally, to wrap up this drunken, albeit well written post, I shall make a top ten list of things I've noticed this season. The list's category? Well, who do you think I am, David Letterman? No category. Just ten things I have noticed.
10: No one ever thinks they committed a penalty (this comes from my reffing perspective, not playing)
9: We're 2-0 in overtime this season. Boom.
8: Loges and I don't get along when we play, but I feel like we could both agree that Journey to the Center of the Earth was a bad movie. Maybe there is hope yet.
6: Fuck number 7.
5: Have you ever been so sexually frustrated that you dream about watching a porno?
4: Me neither.
3: If we repeat this year (Andy knocks on wood), I'm going to need some more Georgian (the country) moonshine... stat.
2: How about 2 Soviets in the top 10 in scoring? Raise your glasses, cheers them, and drink. Now dance. That's right, dance. Now go hit on that girl. No no no no, not her, her friend. Yeah, the one with the tattoo.
1: Scott doesn't like losing. Let's not lose.
So there it is. A drunken post brought to you by BB&T (no lie, they paid me to do this).
But mostly eleven.
I should preface this blog post by saying that though Prestige Worldwide has fallen early in this playoffs, it does not, I repeat, does not, give us unrelenting privaledges to mock them. Only after we win one playoff game this winter do we earn those rights.
Also, I am jealous of the comment section at PW's website. Post comments here too. If you don't, the British troops will again begin to sleep in your houses.
Finally, to wrap up this drunken, albeit well written post, I shall make a top ten list of things I've noticed this season. The list's category? Well, who do you think I am, David Letterman? No category. Just ten things I have noticed.
10: No one ever thinks they committed a penalty (this comes from my reffing perspective, not playing)
9: We're 2-0 in overtime this season. Boom.
8: Loges and I don't get along when we play, but I feel like we could both agree that Journey to the Center of the Earth was a bad movie. Maybe there is hope yet.
6: Fuck number 7.
5: Have you ever been so sexually frustrated that you dream about watching a porno?
4: Me neither.
3: If we repeat this year (Andy knocks on wood), I'm going to need some more Georgian (the country) moonshine... stat.
2: How about 2 Soviets in the top 10 in scoring? Raise your glasses, cheers them, and drink. Now dance. That's right, dance. Now go hit on that girl. No no no no, not her, her friend. Yeah, the one with the tattoo.
1: Scott doesn't like losing. Let's not lose.
So there it is. A drunken post brought to you by BB&T (no lie, they paid me to do this).
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Two Teams Slayed, Six Remain
In what proved to be the best April Fool's joke of the season, the #8 and #7 seeds upset and eliminated the #1 and #2 seeds respectively Tuesday night, creating a playoff situation that could most aptly be described as a clusterfuck.
That's right, the oft maligned Shockers, the bottom seed this postseason, doubled up the President's trophy winning team Prestige Worldwide and sent the tuxedos to their tomb early. Meanwhile, the Puck Ewes were upset by the Grenades.
So what does this mean for those of us interested in the fate of the Motherland? Well, based on the standings, the Red Army went from being the 5th best team to now being the 3rd best team. Also, while the Soviets would have enjoyed another crack at PW, it's nice to know a team that easily defeated the Comrades twice this season is no longer playing. In fact, the Russian's record versus the other remaining 5 teams is a respectable 6-4, including a 2-0 against the team they are slated to play on Sunday: the Cryptic Stench.
But, everyone is 0-0, and looking past opponents to future rounds can be disastrous (See: PW and Puck Ewes). For now, it's nice to still be around... and I say we hang around for another ten days or so, shall we?
That's right, the oft maligned Shockers, the bottom seed this postseason, doubled up the President's trophy winning team Prestige Worldwide and sent the tuxedos to their tomb early. Meanwhile, the Puck Ewes were upset by the Grenades.
So what does this mean for those of us interested in the fate of the Motherland? Well, based on the standings, the Red Army went from being the 5th best team to now being the 3rd best team. Also, while the Soviets would have enjoyed another crack at PW, it's nice to know a team that easily defeated the Comrades twice this season is no longer playing. In fact, the Russian's record versus the other remaining 5 teams is a respectable 6-4, including a 2-0 against the team they are slated to play on Sunday: the Cryptic Stench.
But, everyone is 0-0, and looking past opponents to future rounds can be disastrous (See: PW and Puck Ewes). For now, it's nice to still be around... and I say we hang around for another ten days or so, shall we?
Monday, April 5, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Comrades Hope to End Regular Season with Win Over PW
How appropriate. Red Army and Prestige Worldwide, the fiercest, arguably most evenly matched rivals in the league, meet this Sunday for what should prove to be an exciting season finale with much on the line. Yes, nothing in the Silver Division standings is set yet, save for the Shocker's dominance of that highly coveted 8 spot, so Sunday's outcome will be monitored closely by all. Adding to the drama though, is the sour taste of a rivalry turned bitter the last time these two teams met. There was fighting, there was wrestling, and there was at least one arm bar. So what is in store for Sunday?
Well, put frankly, both teams need the two points. Desperately. Prestige Worldwide must win and receive help if they want to have any chance of earning the #1 seed, which all but guarantees a second round appearance. Mother Russia on the other hand, wants to remain in the 4 or 5 spot so that they can play, most likely, the Cryptic Stench, a team that the Comrades have enjoyed playoff success against in recent seasons.
But playoff scenarios aside, the driving force behind this game being entertaining is the constant desire for each team to out do the other. The Prestigious Ones would like nothing more to hand the Soviets another disheartening loss right before the playoffs, adding doubt to the postseason dreams of the Motherland. The Red Army would like to prove that the game earlier in the season was a fluke, affected mostly, if not entirely, but the collective hangover of the six skaters in the lineup that night.
It should be a good one, and expect the ratings to be indicative of that. PW has been hot all season and want to take that #1 seed, and on paper they are the favorite. Then again, the Soviets have risen from the dead this season and Sunday is Easter.
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED R.A.D. PREDICTION: 6-4 Red Army
Well, put frankly, both teams need the two points. Desperately. Prestige Worldwide must win and receive help if they want to have any chance of earning the #1 seed, which all but guarantees a second round appearance. Mother Russia on the other hand, wants to remain in the 4 or 5 spot so that they can play, most likely, the Cryptic Stench, a team that the Comrades have enjoyed playoff success against in recent seasons.
But playoff scenarios aside, the driving force behind this game being entertaining is the constant desire for each team to out do the other. The Prestigious Ones would like nothing more to hand the Soviets another disheartening loss right before the playoffs, adding doubt to the postseason dreams of the Motherland. The Red Army would like to prove that the game earlier in the season was a fluke, affected mostly, if not entirely, but the collective hangover of the six skaters in the lineup that night.
It should be a good one, and expect the ratings to be indicative of that. PW has been hot all season and want to take that #1 seed, and on paper they are the favorite. Then again, the Soviets have risen from the dead this season and Sunday is Easter.
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED R.A.D. PREDICTION: 6-4 Red Army
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Third Period Heroics: Good Band Name; Better Habit to Develop for the Upcoming Playoffs
Stop me if you've heard this before: The Soviets entered the third period on Tuesday trailing on the scoreboard, but thanks to solid defensive play, a phenomenal final frame by Andy Schram, and an offensive clinic headed by Hendricks and friends, the Red Army came back to tie it then win it in regulation, leap frogging another team in the standings.
Oh, I'm repeating myself?
Yes, during this winning streak, now 5 games long, it seems that every post game article could be copy and pasted with the only necessary edit being the changing of opponent's names. As bizarre, unstable, and heart-palpitation-inducing it is, the Red Army seems to have found their recipe for success: Hang around, stay within striking distance, then play their collective asses off in the third period to steal the game. It defies logic, that a team could make a habit of late comebacks and routinely come out on top, but it's happening. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Tuesday's tilt with the Grenades started slowly for the Comrades, as it not only seemed that the winning streak would end, but that the slaughter rule would need to be applied. The Grenades struck early and often, vaulting to a 4-0 lead before the game was ten minutes old. The players, especially Schram, were not happy.
"I knew I didn't have my best period in the first," Schram said. "Sometimes pucks squeak by and find holes, but I'm glad the offense rallied. We just needed more shots. Shots, shots, shots, shots.... shots!"
The shots, and consequent goals, came from the stick of the maestro orchestrating the offense, Mark Hendricks. The winger scored a natural hat trick in the final five minutes of the first period to close the gap to one. His goals varied in style but were constant in that he simply threw it on net.
"I can yell at the guys on the bench about shots all I want," Hendricks said as he pulled his reffing jersey over his head. "But if I'm a leader on this team and they see me dipsy doo, dangle mcstrangle, whoop there it is, hop on the train next stop funky town, toe drag queen, to backhand fiddler on the roof top cheesy gordita crunch, then they aren't going to shoot either. Sure sometimes there's a pass open, but throw it on the net and good things happen."
Good things did happen at the end of that period, things that won't show up on the scoresheet. On two of Hendricks goals, ones coming from his patented wrist shot, Steve Hand and Pat King set screens on the goalie. If a goalie is more worried about who is in his crease than who has the puck, more often than not there are going to be fist pumps on the Soviet bench in a matter of seconds.
"When you're as big as I am," Tony Horton said, "it's tough for goalies to see around me when I go to the net. It's also tough for them to look their wives in the eyes because they know they will never be as much man as me."
Whatever momentum people thought would carry over into the second period must have been lost during the one minute intermission. The Grenades were the only team to strike in the middle frame, beating Schram twice to take a 6-3 lead into the third.
"We weren't happy with our play at all," Scott Hoefer said about his team's second period play. "But instead of getting mad and reflecting on missed plays, we talked about what we had to do to dig our way out of the hole. I did not intend to lose this game. I don't lose games anymore, I gave it up for Lent". Hoefer, who is a licensed Minister in the state of Virginia then blessed his Fruit Punch Gatorade, turning into Holy Water Propel.
Hendricks continued to be a scoring machine in the third, blasting a one timer home early in the period to close the deficit to two. Ben Breiterman fed the goal scorer on a long pass from center. Hendricks, realizing the goalie would not be expecting a shot from long range, one timed the shot from just inside the blue line and, despite King's claims, connected on the one timer. The puck hit the back of the net before the goalie could scramble to his post.
"It was a decent shot," Breiterman said. "But the real play was that assist. That tape to tape pass? That's how babies are born."
King scored on the ensuing shift, taking a pass from Hendricks and turning and firing a backhander past the goalie. In a matter of seconds the 6-3 lead was a 6-5 one.
"I know it goes against everything I stand for to score a goal that slides along the surface and not go top shelf, but in these tough economic times it's okay to aim low sometimes. Backhander along the ground? I call that one the Steel Reserve."
Across the rink, Schram made sure the Grenades would not tack on an extra point. He kicked away shots, controlled rebounds, and played like a man possessed.
"It was a big difference seeing him play late in the game versus early in the game," Jamie Simek said. "He was like a cat out there. Or a sponge. Or a brick wall. He was a lot of things, but he was mostly a catty, spongy, brick wall."
The Comrades would strike again to tie the score a few shifts after King's tally. The goal was scored by Hendricks again, but much of the work was done by the defense to find Hendricks. Hendricks took a pass and took it one on one against a winded Grenade. After deking past him, Hendricks went in on the goalie on a mini breakaway and fired a top shelf shot glove side. This morning the goal already has over 9,000 views on Youtube.
The best goal of the game however, came from the Captain. Steve Hand fired home a cross crease pass from Horton, and gave the Comrades their first lead of the game.
"I'd been getting chances all game long, but it was nice to finally get one. A big one too," Hand said, looking relieved. The captain then paused, smiled, and said, "Cara gonna get it tonight."
The final minutes would play out as the Grenades tried to muster a comeback of their own, but the waning moments revealed they are not the Red Army. Few teams can create chances like Mother Russia can, and the fact of the matter is, when the Soviets come back on you, they diminish your morale and break your reserve, so when the moment comes that you do trail and need a comeback, and that moment will come, you just don't have anything left in the tank. It's just not possible.
I'll end on an interesting note. Two days ago we reflected on the season of the Soviets. Which version of the team will we see in the playoffs? The lazy team that gives up bunches of goals or the team that rallies around each other and can win games. Well, this game was a microcosm of the season. The Soviets surrendered a few goals early (losing games in the season early), then stormed back (small winning streak brought team to .500), then surrendered more in a row, (were 2-6 at one point), before storming back again with a string of goals in a row to win (5 game winning streak).
So a 7-6 win to become 7-6. Not bad. Not bad at all.
THREE STARS:
3: Jamie Simek
2: Steve Hand
1: Mark Hendricks
Oh, I'm repeating myself?
Yes, during this winning streak, now 5 games long, it seems that every post game article could be copy and pasted with the only necessary edit being the changing of opponent's names. As bizarre, unstable, and heart-palpitation-inducing it is, the Red Army seems to have found their recipe for success: Hang around, stay within striking distance, then play their collective asses off in the third period to steal the game. It defies logic, that a team could make a habit of late comebacks and routinely come out on top, but it's happening. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Tuesday's tilt with the Grenades started slowly for the Comrades, as it not only seemed that the winning streak would end, but that the slaughter rule would need to be applied. The Grenades struck early and often, vaulting to a 4-0 lead before the game was ten minutes old. The players, especially Schram, were not happy.
"I knew I didn't have my best period in the first," Schram said. "Sometimes pucks squeak by and find holes, but I'm glad the offense rallied. We just needed more shots. Shots, shots, shots, shots.... shots!"
The shots, and consequent goals, came from the stick of the maestro orchestrating the offense, Mark Hendricks. The winger scored a natural hat trick in the final five minutes of the first period to close the gap to one. His goals varied in style but were constant in that he simply threw it on net.
"I can yell at the guys on the bench about shots all I want," Hendricks said as he pulled his reffing jersey over his head. "But if I'm a leader on this team and they see me dipsy doo, dangle mcstrangle, whoop there it is, hop on the train next stop funky town, toe drag queen, to backhand fiddler on the roof top cheesy gordita crunch, then they aren't going to shoot either. Sure sometimes there's a pass open, but throw it on the net and good things happen."
Good things did happen at the end of that period, things that won't show up on the scoresheet. On two of Hendricks goals, ones coming from his patented wrist shot, Steve Hand and Pat King set screens on the goalie. If a goalie is more worried about who is in his crease than who has the puck, more often than not there are going to be fist pumps on the Soviet bench in a matter of seconds.
"When you're as big as I am," Tony Horton said, "it's tough for goalies to see around me when I go to the net. It's also tough for them to look their wives in the eyes because they know they will never be as much man as me."
Whatever momentum people thought would carry over into the second period must have been lost during the one minute intermission. The Grenades were the only team to strike in the middle frame, beating Schram twice to take a 6-3 lead into the third.
"We weren't happy with our play at all," Scott Hoefer said about his team's second period play. "But instead of getting mad and reflecting on missed plays, we talked about what we had to do to dig our way out of the hole. I did not intend to lose this game. I don't lose games anymore, I gave it up for Lent". Hoefer, who is a licensed Minister in the state of Virginia then blessed his Fruit Punch Gatorade, turning into Holy Water Propel.
Hendricks continued to be a scoring machine in the third, blasting a one timer home early in the period to close the deficit to two. Ben Breiterman fed the goal scorer on a long pass from center. Hendricks, realizing the goalie would not be expecting a shot from long range, one timed the shot from just inside the blue line and, despite King's claims, connected on the one timer. The puck hit the back of the net before the goalie could scramble to his post.
"It was a decent shot," Breiterman said. "But the real play was that assist. That tape to tape pass? That's how babies are born."
King scored on the ensuing shift, taking a pass from Hendricks and turning and firing a backhander past the goalie. In a matter of seconds the 6-3 lead was a 6-5 one.
"I know it goes against everything I stand for to score a goal that slides along the surface and not go top shelf, but in these tough economic times it's okay to aim low sometimes. Backhander along the ground? I call that one the Steel Reserve."
Across the rink, Schram made sure the Grenades would not tack on an extra point. He kicked away shots, controlled rebounds, and played like a man possessed.
"It was a big difference seeing him play late in the game versus early in the game," Jamie Simek said. "He was like a cat out there. Or a sponge. Or a brick wall. He was a lot of things, but he was mostly a catty, spongy, brick wall."
The Comrades would strike again to tie the score a few shifts after King's tally. The goal was scored by Hendricks again, but much of the work was done by the defense to find Hendricks. Hendricks took a pass and took it one on one against a winded Grenade. After deking past him, Hendricks went in on the goalie on a mini breakaway and fired a top shelf shot glove side. This morning the goal already has over 9,000 views on Youtube.
The best goal of the game however, came from the Captain. Steve Hand fired home a cross crease pass from Horton, and gave the Comrades their first lead of the game.
"I'd been getting chances all game long, but it was nice to finally get one. A big one too," Hand said, looking relieved. The captain then paused, smiled, and said, "Cara gonna get it tonight."
The final minutes would play out as the Grenades tried to muster a comeback of their own, but the waning moments revealed they are not the Red Army. Few teams can create chances like Mother Russia can, and the fact of the matter is, when the Soviets come back on you, they diminish your morale and break your reserve, so when the moment comes that you do trail and need a comeback, and that moment will come, you just don't have anything left in the tank. It's just not possible.
I'll end on an interesting note. Two days ago we reflected on the season of the Soviets. Which version of the team will we see in the playoffs? The lazy team that gives up bunches of goals or the team that rallies around each other and can win games. Well, this game was a microcosm of the season. The Soviets surrendered a few goals early (losing games in the season early), then stormed back (small winning streak brought team to .500), then surrendered more in a row, (were 2-6 at one point), before storming back again with a string of goals in a row to win (5 game winning streak).
So a 7-6 win to become 7-6. Not bad. Not bad at all.
THREE STARS:
3: Jamie Simek
2: Steve Hand
1: Mark Hendricks
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