- Let's start by giving credit where credit is due: Hogstachio Pistachio. Here's a team that finished dead last in the standings before upsetting the #1 seeded Puck Ewes and giving the two time defending champions a run for their money. Without Tony Horton, Brad Lotocki, and Ryan Odell, the Red Army would have gone out in round one, so if lightning does happen to strike a third time, those three are invited to the party. It will be great to have them back next season, along with newly converted Muscovite Pete Collis. Well done boys, well done.
- On the Red Army front, there is plenty of praise to go around as well, and why not begin with the man who made the shot-block of the season: Scott Hoefer. With less than 10 seconds remaining, after Ryan Odell absolutely froze Mark Hendricks and waltzed in alone on Andy Schram, Hoefer lunged and barely got enough of the puck to deflect it above the goal. If that blocked shot doesn't happen, overtime does.
- Of course, Andy Schram was his usual playoff self, stopping a barrage of shots and only yielding three goals. His record in post season play has now improved to 10-1.
- I'm not sure what is going on with the goal scoring this post season, but there has been a plethora of "half goals". Half goals are always credited in pairs and are awarded when players aren't sure whether or not there was a deflection on the play. In the first game of the playoffs, it was Pat King and Ben Breiterman. Tonight, it was Mark Hendricks and Drew Kelley on a ridiculous deflection that Hendricks may or may not have tipped. Then later it was Steve Hand and Neal Hendricks on a wacky bounce that may or may not have caromed off of Hand's skate and in. I guess it's a good thing when you're getting scoring from everyone, even if the goals are in fraction form.
- Ben Breiterman had a pair goals that counted as two whole integers. One while on the power play courtesy of the buzz bomb and one on the doorstep courtesy of another buzz bomb. With a set of bombs like that don't be surprised to see him hit on himself after a few drinks.
- Mark Hendricks had a quiet night and was shut down for the most part. Though the sniper wasn't able to provide the offense he normally does, he still chipped in with a pair of drawn penalties, either a goal or an assist (depends on if he tipped the shot or not), and a great play to end the game where he dove on the puck in the corner and killed the few remaining seconds. Oh, and wait, this can't be right, can it? It says here on the stat sheet that he was credited with a blocked shot while shorthanded. I suppose hell has frozen over.
- The foursome that did the most damage was Hand, Breiterman, and the twins. Any time they were out there good things were happening for the Comrades. Beege had a solid game and finished with a season high 6 shots, Breiterman finished with a game high +3 rating, and Hand and Neal did work in the corners, the front of the net, and anywhere else that had a blue tiled floor.
- King was limited to few opportunities as well (undoubtedly a integral part of the Hogstachio Pistachio game plan was stopping #57 and #18), but he found other ways to be productive. He was especially potent in the face-off circle which led to several high quality scoring chances. The fact that he won more face-offs than he lost is amazing, considering he plays for a team whose aggregate face-off percentage hovers around 13%.
- Fun fact: In the last three seasons, the Red Army has won 10 playoff games. Their plus/minus in those ten games? Plus 14 (58 goals for, 44 goals against). They have won seven of those games by one goal, two games by two goals, and one game by three goals. Damn.
- Two more wins gets us three... in a row.
I'll post the gamer tomorrow which of course will be replete with quotes, analysis, and puns. For now, rest up, there's still plenty of hockey to be played.
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