Red Army Opens Season With a Win

Last season, the Comrades earned their first victory in their fifth game. This season, it took 45 minutes. Thanks to five unanswered goals to end the game, the Red Army started the 2011 Fall season off on the right foot, with a convincing 6-2 victory over the Easton Fections.

"It was definitely an all-around, gutsy effort," Captain Steve Hand said. "From the get go we were skating a lot and battling. Granted, we wouldn't have had to do as much skating and as much battling if someone... cough cough, hint hint, Ryan Odell Ryan Odell, hadn't assumed the game started at 9:30."

Continued Hand, "Man, I tell ya... [expletive] rookies."

Odell arrived near the midway mark of the first, with the Easton Fections ahead 1-0. The Soviets had controlled the puck more and had the better quality chances, but just couldn't capitalize in the early stages of the game.

"I rang one off the iron there," Mark Hendricks said, speaking about his team's performance in the first period. "I know [Hand] set me up in front and the goalie made a good save. I had two high snappers that the goalie fought off as well. It was one of those periods where you can't be mad at yourself for not scoring, you just have to dig deeper. The puck was going where I wanted it too, their guy was just making the saves. You just have to reload and keep firing."

If Hendricks didn't appear to be frustrated, the other bona fide goal scorer for the Soviets certainly did. Mike D'Ignazio struggled in the first period, missing passes, over-skating the puck, and fanning on shots. His frustration was evident.

"35-7?!? How can we lose 35-7?!?" D'Ignazio said. "Joe Flacco went to Delaware! The only thing that state has is a tollbooth!"

D'Ignazio found his groove in the middle stanza though, as he fired a wrist shot from a severe angle that caught the goalie off guard to tie the score at one.

After the Easton Fections had scored to retake the lead, D'Ignazio would strike again, this time on the power play. After taking a feed from Odell, D'Ignazio crept in to near the tops of the circle and released a high wrist shot that beat the goalie.

"We never score on the power play, so that was big," Pete Collis said. "Plus, it was our only power play of the game. Did you guys know if you spear someone in the gut, it isn't a penalty? Yeah, no lie, it's legal."

With the game tied at two, it was Hendricks' turn to get involved. In the final few minutes of the period, Hendricks took a long stretch pass from D'Ignazio, and raced into the offensive zone one on two. Liking his match up, the forward faked a shot, went around the defensemen, and tucked a nifty backhander past the frozen goaltender.

The Comrades had seized all control of the game, but an ill-timed act of vengeance on the part of D'Ignazio breathed life into the Easton Fections.

The forward delivered a hit from behind on Mike Barone in the final seconds of the middle frame. The hit was retribution for a hit Barone had delivered to D'Ignazio two seasons ago. Regardless of mens rea, the result was a man advantage for the Easton Fections to start the 3rd.

"Not this again," Hand said, referring to Hendricks and D'Ignazio's disagreement over the hit.

The penalty kill was able to stave off the Easton Fections attacks thanks to a commitment to shot blocking. Pat King and Odell led the team in shot blocks, with 13 and 9 respectively.

"I don't always play defense," King said. "But when I do, I drink Dos Equis."

Speaking of booze and hockey, King was joking around with reporters after the game about how, though it is only one game, this was the brand of hockey that the Red Army played during their championship era. King had this gem to say:

"I know [Hendricks] always has some European moonshine, so should the situation present itself that something great did happen this season, we would be well prepared to celebrate. And really, there is nothing that could motivate us more than the prospect of trying to hold down shots of what I'm sure is some kind of urine."

Pat King, ladies and gentlemen.

Hendricks scored his second of the game after D'Ignazio and King were both denied on the doorstep. The goalie had made sprawling saves on the first two attempts, but was unable to stop the third as Hendricks swooped in and deposited the puck into the gaping cage.

A few minutes later, Hendricks came in on a mini-breakaway and fired a shot that the goaltender was able to block. D'Ignazio followed the rebound and fired it past the goalie to give the Soviets a 5-2 lead.

Hand would tack on another insurance marker with four minutes to go. It was his first goal in four years a long time.

"It felt good." Hand said. "Really, 'It felt good'... that's a good enough quote to make the blog. Wow, the content being put on this thing has really gone down hill."

"I for one, will always defend the content of this blog," Odell said. "This is Down Goes Brown we're talking about, right?"

GOALS:

First Period

None

Second Period

1: D'Ignazio (unassisted)

2: PPG D'Ignazio (Odell)

3: Hendricks (D'Ignazio)

Third Period

4: Hendricks (King, D'Ignazio)

5: D'Ignazio (Hendricks)

6: Hand (D'Ignazio, Collis)

PENALTIES:

1: D'Ignazio (Boarding) 2 minutes

THREE STARS:

3: Ryan Odell

2: Pat King

1: Mike D'Ignazio