GoldenZombies take D-Minus.

Cadavers (14) vs D-Minus
Monday August 24
Quincy 7:10pm


8-1 Win


Another good night by the swamp for Team Zombie as the summer season begins to wind down. We have collectively had good luck with this new team, who has struggled through their first year in our division. The Tenured ‘daveurs will recall when we looked just like that team, for many years, just scratching for a tie or a win. We’ve been where they are now, many times for sure. They have a lot to like about them in the Blogger’s opinion. Excellent unis. First rate logo for said unis. Good turnout and thanks to their keeper a good effort against the skating Zombies. The Cads wore the Schlitz colors as the D-minus jerseys were red.

The roster for the Dead in Yellow looked like this. Captain Mark Reynolds wasted no time assigning the positions in the pregame room
D1: Mark, Steve Baker
D2: Jeff, Roman
O1: Larry, Jasse, and Neil
O2: Goody, Parker, Scott and Nelson showed late to make the “rotation”

The game would go pretty much as expected but thanks to the D Minus goalie it stayed very close for a very long time.The Red in Gold would get lots of chances and the Minus Keep would be more than up to the task turning all kinds of junk aside. The Zombies wouldn’t break through until just under 3 minutes left in the first when Neil would bury a pass from Mike Jasse for the first of the night. This was followed not more than minute later by a classic breakdown in our own end that would tie the game.

This particular play was one of a handful where Roman and Jeff tried to show textbook examples of how NOT to play Defense. Holding the puck too long (Roman), not passing cleanly out of the zone and turning it over (Jeff)..the result… a wraparound goal on Matt and exchanged angry stares between Jeff and Roman.

Larry and Jasse would prop up the Dead though just before the end of the first when Larry would score courtesy of a Jasse rebound and the Zombies would have the lead back, 2-1 after 1.

The second period would stay close and scoreless for nearly the duration. Both keepers played very well, and Matty continues to round into a very nice keep in his own right, showing genuine talent and cool in the appropriate situations.

The Zombies would take a penalty, Larry for a check, but the kill would be no problem. Then the Gold would knock hard on the Minus doorstep getting bunches of chances. Kevin Parker would finally answer the multiple calls from the bench to “lift it” and would score on a wobbly floater that would find its way home. Mike “Goody” Goodwin would help close out the period on a play from Roman and Nelson and would finish the play nicely for a cozy 4-1 lead after two.

Those last two goals took the wind out of the Minus, who had really played pretty well up to that point. Again the Tenured ‘daveurs will be familiar with the feeling that once it goes… it goes hard. That’s the way it went for the Minus as the Zombies would have their way for 4 goals in the third. Neil from Larry at about 8 minutes. Then Larry from Neil and Nelson at about 3 minutes. Nelson would get his own hard work goal (what else does he score?) from Neil and Jeff with 2 minutes left. Things were in full decline and slide at this point. Goody would wrap things up with his second, with a helper from Steve Baker just 30 seconds later.

At this point the Blogger needs to mention that the Zombies in Gold were clearly taking advantage of a wounded team at this point. Piling on came to mind, but there was really no malicious intent. Again, we’ve been there, we’ve had another squad feed on us like sharks with blood in the water when we were down, that’s just the way it goes. One exception however. Steve Baker has quite a shot… a cannon really… and Steve was clearly anxious to get on the board as he unleashed said cannon from about 10 feet away in the slot as time was winding down. That was probably unnecessary. In fact one of the Zeebs even mentioned to one of the Gold that if someone had done that to us up 8-1 there would have been a scene… and the Zeeb is right.

Just for future reference lets try to keep things on the “good sport” side of things. The D-Minus were a bunch of good guys that were trying hard and didn’t really need to have their noses rubbed in it too much. … in that vein… The Coon of Shame kicked open the locker room door during the post game. Steve had already left but the Coon went sniffing around for his bag, asking for him, dropping cigarette butts and hiccuping around the room… mumbling something about being called “George” for the rest of the season and something about ‘Where the bleep the Tuna guy went”… just a word to the wise… lets keep the old Coon at bay and play smart.

So that aside… lets give out some Stars and awards.

3^rd Star: Nelson “late to the show’ Sharfman. One goal and 2 helpers and all the hard work you can watch…

2^nd Star: Larry SW Bell for a pair of goals, and an assist

1^st Star: Another great night for Neil “R.O.Y.” Shah, with a nice round 2 goals, 2 assists. Great work.

Honorable Mention1: Goody for a pair of goals and a nice all around night.

Honorable Mention2: Roman Bleeping Kurin. That’s right. Roman played D all night, as Jeff’s partner no less, and had a helper. He not only survived the night with Jeff, despite glares and comments, and had an all around solid effort. This capped off with the fact that ROMAN BROUGHT BEER for the 4^th period. A very nice clutch of BL Limeys on ice. So nice for an early night by the Swamp. Thanks Roman, for the beer and for skating D with Jeff all night.