Suds fried by Shock

Schlitz (15) vs Shock

Tuesday December 23rd

Dedham 10:10pm

6-1 Loss

Woah. No shortage of ice time out there last night as a weary Schlitz team would hit it with only 6 to start with, and a full complement of 8 to run the rest of the game. You can imagine there are some tired puppies out there in Holidayland this morning. The blogger is going with the 50 gallon drum of caffeine this morning in hopes that he'll make it to St.Nicholas time later on... fat chance... fat like a bowl full of jelly if you take my meaning... anyway.

We were thin last night (and we'll all be a lot thinner if we play with 8 every week...) but there was no shortage of Gold courage, or spirit on display. We took on a Shock team that really... I mean really... we should have been able to handle, a few bounces here and there, and perhaps a full complement of skaters... and this evening would have looked much different. At least that was the thought that i used to keep me warm on my way home last night.

This is how the game began. The hearty souls, wearing their courage on their sleeves were Mike Campbell, Jeff Fosdick, Mark Reynolds, Mike Jasse, Chuck Slate, Matt Elliot to start the game. Marc Valenti dressed as the game began and joined the D rotation about 6 minutes into the game. Mike Hammitt would show during the first and make it to the ice after the start of the 2nd to give the forwards another body (now 2 subs) to work with.

But back to the beginning again for a second. The puck was dropped to start the game and the Shock center (a guy who would then play D the rest of the game) would win the draw cleanly and immediately slapped the puck at the net, hard. The puck took a few bounces but essentially went straight at the net bipped and bopped and went right over Brian's stick and into the net with like 3 seconds gone on the clock. Merde.

Now... the Gold didn't collapse. It did the Blogger's Grinch sized heart good to see the guys in Gold respond and really we played pretty well for the next few minutes. We took the game back to the Shock and about 6-7 minutes later Mike Jasse would put one in off of a Valenti shot from the point and a touch from Matt Elliot. Tie game, still only 7 skaters... but not bad.

Then the Shock took a nifty break into the zone and fired and... we were back down a goal 2-1. Worse yet only moments later in a scramble in our end the puck came off the back boards from a Shock forward, hit Brian's stick and ricocheted right into the net. Down 3-1 after 1.

We were in it talent wise, the addition of Hammitt early in the second helped, but this ship was already taking on water. The bleeding would indeed not stop at all as the Shock would put another one in during the back and forth second.

The Gold had a few chances, Mark Reynolds, Jeff, Jasse, and Chuck just to name a few would get decent shots, all to be gobbled up by the Shock keeper like so much Who Roast Beast. So after 2 it was 4-1.

Wish I could tell you the third saw a big turn around and things went back our way... but that wouldn't be true. We continued to get chances here and there but ultimately were squelched out by the Shock who would throw another two goals in just for good measure.

There is an old expression from somewhere regarding our game, our goaltending, and our general attendance last night.... Sometimes you eat the Bahr, sometimes the Bahr... well you get the picture.

Major kudos to Reynolds and the Doctor of the 4th period ... Jasse M.D. for bringing beer and keeping our literary intellects stimulated. Also to WonderGirl Lizzie who stopped by for a sip in the chilly postgame lot.

That's all from here hope the Fat man in the Red Suit brings you all a new stick, new blades or whatever else you might be needin.... see you all next week (Tuesday) for the Schlidaveur.

Merry Christmas.

Left to right... Lizzie bundled up, Hammitt, Jasse and Mark Reynolds braving the cold the night before, the night before.... good work everyone.