Last Thursday's Puck Ewes and Red Army game marked the fourth consecutive season in which the two teams have met in the division quarterfinals. On this occasion, the Puck Ewes were looking to pull off an upset over a team they've enjoyed recent playoff success against, having won two of the previous three playoff matches, while the Red Army was looking to avenge an early exit last season and continue their winning streak into the postseason.
As the game would unfold, the Soviets showed that they had no plans of packing things up prematurely this go-round. Backed by a stellar performance in net from Kevin Durkin and a Mark Hendricks hat trick, the Red Army defeated the Puck Ewes 4-1 to escape the first round.
"The first one is always the toughest," captain Steve Hand said after the game. "In the past, we've come out flat early on and maybe surrendered a goal or two that we wouldn't like. Then you're playing from behind and it alters your whole attack. We wanted to come out strong and play your game."
Hand, impressed with himself for giving an honest and candid interview, then ruined the moment by accidentally removing his boxer briefs while removing his cup, exposing himself to a team of nearby U12 female soccer players.
It is unclear at this moment if their childhood can be restored.
The Soviets got on the board first thanks to a missed call that came very late in the opening frame. With fifteen seconds remaining, the puck deflected off of a stick and into the mesh above the boards to the left of Durkin. Neither ref saw the puck make contact with the mesh and allowed play to continue. Hendricks retrieved the puck and backhanded a pass to Mike D'Ignazio who raced out of the defensive zone to center with Ryan Odell. D'Ignazio fired a shot that was steered to the side by the Puck Ewe netminder. Odell gathered the rebound and tried to jam the puck to the front, but he puck ricocheted off a stick and out into the slot where Hendricks had just arrived. Hendricks corralled the puck and fired a slow snap shot that snuck through the goaltender's pads a split second before the horn sounded to end the period.
"We got lucky about eight times on that goal," Hendricks said. "But, take what you can get, eh? I mean, she wasn't that big."
The Soviets were awarded a power play in the second period with a chance to build on the lead, but instead squandered it and surrendered the game-tying goal while shorthanded. The puck was mishandled at the point and a Puck Ewe skater was able to skate in all alone on Durkin and slip one past the Red Army goalie.
"Just got a bit too cute there," Odell said.
"Downright adorable," Aaron Duda added.
The Comrades rebounded quickly though, scoring on the ensuing shift after surviving a close call. Tony Horton became tangled up with Durkin while trying to clear the puck and nearly allowed a Puck Ewe forward to strip the puck from him with a gaping net. Horton was able to fire the puck around the boards to Hendricks, who then head-manned a pass to D'Ignazio. D'Ignazio gained the offensive zone and dropped the puck back to Hendricks, who was able to pick his corner and reclaim the lead.
Two minutes later Odell avenged his early misplay when he picked off an outlet pass near center and scored while being pulled down to increase the lead to 3-1.
"It was a pretty sick goal," Horton said.
"Downright adorable," Duda added.
With the two goal bulge going into the third, the Soviets realized the importance of not deviating from their defense-first approach.
"Goals come at a premium in the playoffs," Pat King said. "We had three at that juncture and we knew that with the way we were playing, if we continued playing the same way, three would be enough."
Simek echoed King's sentiments, saying, "Same!"
In the third, the Soviets practiced what they preached, forcing the Puck Ewes to play a 200 foot game. When the Puck Ewes were able to generate shots, they were mostly from the perimeter and easily stopped by Durkin. Hendricks delivered the kill blow with about six minutes remaining, intercepting a clearing pass before walking a defender and finding the roof on the goaltender to complete the hat trick.
The final minutes bled off the clock and the Soviets had advanced to round two.
"Bring on the Shockers," Durkin said. "Oh, by the way...."
THREE STARS:
3: Jason White
2: Tony Horton
1: Kevin Durkin
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