Champs of Winter/Spring 24

 Wednesday night Champs of Winter/Spring 24' 

Good looking crew on 3/6/24

Xmas Daver? Champs of fall comes to an end...

The bitter chill of the winter's eve hung in the air as the Schlidavers annual pre-Christmas hockey game commenced at the Canton Ice House. Among the myriad players on the frosty rink, one family stood out—the Sharfmans of Foxboro, Massachusetts, a dynasty in the world of hockey.

Nelson Sharfman, the versatile patriarch of the family, was a force to be reckoned with. Equally adept at playing forward and goalie, his skill set was as unpredictable as the New England weather. Taylor, the dynamic son, played defense with the finesse of a forward, dazzling spectators with his lightning-fast moves and pinpoint accuracy. Skylar, the athletic daughter, brought a different kind of energy to the ice, her agility and determination setting her apart. And overseeing it all was Gretchen, the matriarch, whose strategic mind and unyielding support held the family together.

For years, the Sharfmans had dreamt of taking the ice together as a family, and on the evening of December 20, 2023, that dream became a reality. Clad in their dark jerseys, they formed a formidable lineup against the opposing white team.

The first two periods were a whirlwind of fast-paced action, with neither side giving an inch. The score stood deadlocked at 2-2, and that's when Nelson and Gretchen, the anchors of the family, decided it was time to assert their dominance.

"We're a better family than this," declared Nelson, a glint of determination in his eyes.

The third period began, and the Sharfmans unleashed their secret weapon—Skylar. The athletic daughter, whose skills surpassed even her family's high expectations, took the game by storm. She maneuvered through the opposition with finesse, leaving defenders in her wake.

The goals came in rapid succession—top shelf, a wicked wrist shot from the slot, and an insurance goal that added icing to the proverbial cake. The dark team's offensive onslaught left the white team dazed and confused, their heads spinning in disbelief.

Coach Moorachian, the frustrated coach of the white team, tried to motivate his players with a mix of encouragement and fervent yelling, but nothing could stem the Sharfman tide.

In the end, the final buzzer sounded with the dark team emerging victorious with a score of 5-2. The Sharfmans had not only won the game but had created a spectacle that would go down in history as one of the greatest displays of family bonding on the ice.

As they skated off the rink, the Sharfmans embraced, their smiles shining through the frosty air. It wasn't just a victory on the scoreboard; it was a triumph of family unity, determination, and the unbreakable bonds forged on the icy battleground of the Canton Ice House. The Schlidavers annual pre-Christmas game of 2023 would forever be etched in the memories of the Sharfman family and all who witnessed the extraordinary display of teamwork and familial love.

Champs of Fall - WinterDaveurs A tale of Wednesday night

In the frosty halls of the Schlidavers men's D-level hockey league, a team of seasoned warriors took to the ice. With their robust bellies, shining bald heads, and a collection of skaters whose ankles defied conventional wisdom, the Schlidavers were a sight to behold.

In a game where strategy was as elusive as their youthful days, the players had mastered the art of slapping the puck up the ice, hoping for the sweet sound of an icing call that signaled a merciful change in the lineup. Shift lengths varied wildly, with some players clinging to the ice for a marathon 5 minutes, fueled by sheer determination—or perhaps forgetfulness.

The glory days of skilled players had become distant memories, as they departed for the allure of the greener pastures known as the Ice Holes. A bitter rivalry brewed between the Schlidavers and their former stars, culminating in a heated brawl during their last encounter.

Passing was a foreign concept, deemed unnecessary in the grand scheme of their strategic masterpiece. Instead, the puck met the brute force of slaps, careening up the ice like a runaway train. Goals were scarce, precious gems in a sea of missed opportunities. Savoring a goal became an art form, with celebrations echoing the triumphs of ages past.

The Schlidavers' journey through the D-level hockey league was a testament to resilience, camaraderie, and the sheer joy of the game—played with a unique flair that only this ragtag team could muster.

- Eric Bauer

Ode to the Cheese Ball

An acrostic celebrating the world's most perfect food

C - crunchy, post-game goodness
H - hand full of balls makes me happy
E - everything is better with cheese balls
E - enjoy them before they’re all gone
S - SO. DAMN. GOOD
E - expiration date? Nope

B - beers and cheese balls
A - absence really did make the heart grow fonder
L - licking the cheese residue off my fingers
L - last one, then I’ll drive home
S - Summer of Schlidavers staple

Nelson Sharfman - GOAT SLAYER!

Photo credit: Michael Leykin

Great Job Nelson

Official Stat Line from League office:
7 saves on 22 shots. (.772) 0-0-1 record for 2019.

Epic stand-in goalie performance by Nelson Sharfman helps Schlitz earn tie with Scape-Douches!

Not photoshopped picture of Sharfman after tonight's 5-5 stand-in victory

CANTON — The Schlidavers aren't done with Nelson Sharfman just yet.
Sharfman, a 51-year-old Zamboni driver, was forced to be Schlitz's emergency goalie for its road game Tuesday night against the Scape-Douches. Sharfman, of Foxboro, MA., stopped eight of 13 shots he faced in his NHL debut, helping the Schlitz capture a 5-5 victory.
Afterward, he was named the game's first, second, and third star. Sharfman came into the game in the first period after injuries to regular netminders Joe Jarck and Randy Dudek.
After the game, the Schlidavers announced Sharfman will attend their next game against the Street Cones.
"See you Monday, Sharfman!" the club said on its Twitter account. "Sharfman will be in the building on Monday and will be our @VectorSecurity Siren Sounder!"
For Sharfman, it's another opportunity for him to hang out with his new teammates.
"They're flying me down to Brockton for their game on Monday so I'll get to spend more time with the guys, which is good," he told reporters in Canton on Tuesday at the 'davers practice facility. "They're a great team, great organization."
It was also announced that Sharfman will be making rounds on American talk shows on Wednesday as well, including The Today Show on NBC, Fox and Friends and CNN World Sport.
After the win over ‘douches, the Schlitz posted a video of Sharfman being showered by ‘davers players with water when he came into the team's locker room. Head coach George Moorachian praised both Sharfman and his team for their efforts.
"It's not often in a game that you get tied to a great memory," he said. "All you have is the memories you've got and you guys just gave me one, you gave each other one.
"But it's a memory I'm going to have forever, the way you guys played in that third period for you (pointing to Sharfman) and the way you (Sharfman) played for us."
What's more, the stick Sharfman used in the game is going to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Canton Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin also announced Wednesday will be "Nelson Sharfman Day" in the city.
The Schlitz started selling shirts with Sharfman's name and No. 14 after the game. The team says Sharfman will get royalties and a portion of the proceeds will go to a kidney foundation in honour of the goaltender, who underwent a kidney transplant in 2004.
Predictably, Sharfman was inundated with congratulations and well wishes for his accomplishment following the game. And the high of the incident resulted in precious little sleep that night.
"I got off the ice (Tuesday) and I think I had 160 text messages," said Sharfman, who has worked as a Zamboni driver for the Canton Jr. Huskies and also has served as a goalie in workouts and practices for the Cadavers and Schlitz. "My phone was blowing up and hasn't stopped.
"(Schlidavers GM Jeff Fosdick) texted me (Wednesday) morning just to say congratulations, which was awesome. I got a text from former ‘Davers coach Matt Kilroy. I spoke to Campbell (PTC head coach Mike Campbell) . . . obviously it was a tough loss for them but he was happy for me as well. It's been great."
Sharfman admitted he was surprised to have received the game's first, second, and third star.
"I got off the ice and I was going back to the change room and the guy stopped me and said, 'You're going nowhere. You're going back on the ice.' " Sharfman said. "I thought I was getting the third star.
"It (first, second, third stars) was really cool. I was surprised how many people stuck around in the arena afterwards. The ovation I got from the Canton fan, even though I wasn't on the Scape-douches team was fantastic."
Sharfman said Lizzie, a former ‘davers goalie, was very supportive of him during and after the game.
"Lizzie actually sat with me in the second intermission," Sharfman said. "He said, 'Have fun, this is your time. This isn't your full-time job but you're out here, you know what you're doing. Just be a goalie and make saves.'
"I settled down in the third period and he came in after and he was pretty pumped up."
Sharfman admitted he was surprised to have not faced more shots from the Douches but credited the Schlitz for that.
"You figure they (Douches) would've been shooting from everywhere," he said. "But Schlitz did a great job of blocking everything and keeping everything to the outside.
"They didn't really give them much of a chance to shoot from everywhere, really."
This report by The Canton Press was first published March 3, 2020.