Suds Soak 'Suckas

Schlitz (22) vs Windsuckers
Tuesday March 10th
HinghamA 10:00


4-1 Win

In this long season of peaks and valley’s the Schlitz have seemed to struggle much more than in any season since their creation. A new mix of talent in the division, a few more miles on the odometer, maybe just the way things go, but those valleys have been much more frequent than the peaks. So here we were on a late Tuesday on the South Shore with a full locker room of guys and one girl in Gold ready to go. The Golden Suds had a spectacular win last Thursday? against the Call that represented the end of a very long slide. The question was could the Beercans pull off a second in a row and build on the momentum?
There was an excellent cast in place to answer the question. Lizzy, not before coaching up Moms on the scorekeeping and scoreboard duties, would take to the nets. In front of her the D had a new wrinkle with Campell playing with Chris Fosdick, and Valenti skating with Jeff. CF was clutch to step up and skate the D.
The Cans would then throw a solid group of three lines out on offense. Michigan Mike Daley would center Gregson and Chuck, Larry would pivot for Reynolds and Parker (a late arrival who just happened to bring his equipment… good move), then Matvey would center Capraro and Blake Underhill. This was a nice scrappy lineup and confidence was … well not high, …but in play.
With the mantra from last week repeated on the bench the Gold took the game right to the Windsuckers who were sporting their spiffy new FirebreathingCoyotelookingThing shirts had a solid lineup. A handfull of + guys and then the usual suspects. they would clearly take a quality effort to beat.
That my friend, is just what the Beercans would give. A no joke, no prisoners, short shifting, hard skating, cycling, passing, beat your guy to the puck kind of a game. I’m not kidding. Whatever started last Thursday? indeed carried over as the Gold would cycle hard taking the game right to the Coyotesuckas.
It was second or third shift of the game, just short of 3 minutes in that the Daley line (carryover theme) would strike after holding the play furiously in the White end. That would establish the tempo and the momentum and Chuck Slate would plop one right in on a smart pass from Kevin Parker who had just come on. The Gold would take the lead and have to play with it.
The play would level off, but no question going at a pretty good clip. The Gold played hard surppressing the White attack in the neutral zone with smart backchecking, and would play a good deal in the White end, getting numerous chances.
The line of Capraro, Underhill, and Nikhamik would do excellent checking work, and taking the game right at white. Chris Fosdick had a few anxious moments on D but on the whole played great stepping in seamlessly and doing a good job breaking up plays in our end. Lizzy would be tested several times. She handled everthing thrown at her, benefiting from a break here and there, but a solid performance without question. She was quick to cover loose stuff and clearly handled all the long shots.
The first would see one penalty as Campbell would go for a rough. But that would be it until late in the second. The game would stay 1-0, with both teams close to scoring the next critical goal. That goal would come with 5 minutes left in the second when the ‘Cans would break up a play in our end, Valenti on the play, up to Underhill, who relayed to Capraro who barreled ass down the middle of the ice losing the D and striking with a wrister low on the glove side that would give the Gold a 2-0 lead. Huge. Massive. Titanic are words that came to mind at the time. Reynolds would go for the only penalty of the period but the Suds were solid on the kill.

So thats how it would go 2-0 into the third with the game tightening all the time. You could see the Windsuckers gain some momentum as we tired. But Mike Campbell would come zipping over the 'suckers blue line and would rip a nice shot that found the net (pass from Matvey) and would put the Gold up 3-0. That goal was also Titanic, Huge and Massive.

The Windsuckers wouldn't go quietly and as the tired legs caught up with us not a minute after Mike's goal, White would finnaly get one past Lizzy, but only after a long scramble in our end. So with a 3-1 lead the teams went right after each other for the remaining 6 minutes of the game. Old friend Mike Daley would send a nice pass to Mark Reynolds who drove home the nail in the coffin at just over a minute to play. Thats how this one would end 4-1 and a huge, massive, titanic win for the beleagured Golden Beercans. Nice work by everyone involved.

I'm not even going to mention that no one brought beer and we failed the 4th period completely... sheesh.

Game Stars

3rd Star: Goal scorers Chuck Slate, Mike Campbell and Mark Reynolds, aaand helpers Kevin Parker and Mike Daley. Good contributions, well deserved by all.

2nd Star: Lizzy for having a tremendous night. Keeping the game infront of her and just plain playing clutch when it counted. Great win Liz.

1st Star: The line of Pete Capraro, Blake Underhill and Matvey Nikhamik. Blake and Matvey each had an assist and Pete scores the eventual Game Winner on a terrific breakaway. Great work all night. Blake had a heroic effort in the third at one point to make it to the puck and get it out of our end in a critical situation. Matvey just quietly goes about his business setting people up and contributing every time he plays. Great work, all of you.

DONT FORGET. GAME THURDAY NIGHT 10:30 in West Roxbury.

SCHLITZ vs LAST CALL

Lets keep the winning streak going! The playoffs are around the corner.

Also be sure to get back to management about next week's St.Patrick's Day Doubleheader.