Righty Suds win Awesome Playoff-daveur!

Schlitz 1-1 vs Cadavers 1-1

Thursday September 24

Canton 10:50pm

Suds 5

Cads 3

Final. Overtime. Shootout.

A playoff daveur for the ages saw the Righty Suds win a tense shootout battle to advance to the final game of the 1 loss bracket in the Islanders Division Playoffs. Its been a while since our squads have met in the playoffs given that we've been in separate divisions, but thanks to some resiliant play by both squads earlier in the week this playoff showdown was finally made possible. The assembled daveurs would take to the ice in Canton just before 11pm for some late night action. Here are your rosters.

Schlitz (righties)

Nelson, Neil, Capraro, Parker, George, Ken/Mitch, Dave Di, Chuck, AK, and Greg

Matty CEOBMF in the pipes.

Cadavers (lefties)

Larry, Howard, Steve, Roman, Matvey, iJosh, Scott, Mark, Campbell, Jeff, and Hammitt.

Lizzy in the pipes.

The game was as tight and tense as you would expect in the first period. Both teams would get chances, both goalies would get into the game nicely making solid stops. The Cadavers would actually jump out in front in the early going when iJosh would bury a feed from Roman that would beat Matty and the Red would go up 1-0. This just stoked the fires in the Beercans and they seemed to go a little harder as the period went on.

The teams were definitly going after each other and there was no shortage of incidental or not so incidental contact going on. This would culminate in Hammitt taking a penatly for an open ice take-down of George... not his first infraction but the first one that gave him the gate. This came just at the end of the period.

The Zebras would have a quick word with the benches during the intermission basically saying Hammitt needed to be cool and we all needed to be quiet, and just play the game. Advice noted... not necessarily heeded.. the game would go to the second... 1-0 Red.

The Second would see a significant change in the game when Chuck Slate would tie the game just under the 15 minute mark on a helper from point man Greg James. The game tied and fiesty Mark Reynolds would go off at 12:42 and as the ensuing power play wound down Chuck would score again, this time from Dave Diloretto. This put the Gold on top with 10:40 in the second and clearly the Red were back on their heels. It wasn't long after that, that the hard working Beercans would get another one. This one credited to Pete Capraro but all I remember is Nelson practically standing on top of Lizzy and pleading with the ref that the puck had crossed the line during the melee in front. Red defender Mike Campbell after the game would confirm that it was a goal and that's how the Zebra's took it, and with 8 minutes left in the second it was 3-1 Gold.

The Gold would then take a pair of calls before the end of the period, with Nelson going for a hook at 5:39 and Pete going for an Unsportsmanlike at 4:16... I dont remember what Pete did but it must have been good. Anyway 3-1 Gold end of two.

The Third would be no less exciting and tightly played than the first two periods, and again the game would take a dramatic change. Mike Campbell would take a call at 13:19 that the Red would successfully kill off. Just after the kill, Steve Baker would connect on a beautiful shot that came from now point man Mike Hammitt. (it should be noted Hammitt did a good job staying in the game after his first period bumper pool). This came at ten and a half minutes to play.

Campbell would go one more time to the box at the 8 minute mark but again the Red would do a nice job killing the penalty and would again use the kill to maintain, even gather momentum.

The Red, down a goal, would press the play as the game entered the final five minutes.

Steve Baker, you may recall if you've played with him, has a wicked slapshot. He would put it on display as he would take a pass from Matvey down low on the goal line and would RIFLE a shot at an oblique angle that went like a laser into the net with exactly 2 minutes to play.

Tie game.

The last two minutes would see both teams in a frenzy to make something happen... but nothing did. The game would go to overtime. The five minute overtime would see some great chances from both clubs, in particular the blogger remembers a great chance that iJosh just couldnt get the handle on. Both keepers played extremely well in the overtime making critical stops on quality shots. Alas... there would be no blood in the short overtime period and the game would have to be decided on Penatly shots.

Both teams picked 5 shooters, and the Red went first. Larry Bell wound up and laid a fairly weak offering into the pads of Matty. The Gold would send Dave Diloretto down who would score on Lizzy and the Gold were up 4-3. The next shooter for the Red was Jeff Fosdick who offered an equally weak attempt that Matty would snuff out without any trouble. Things weren't looking good for Team Zombie.

Neil Shah was up next and would have no trouble buring his effort and the Gold were up 5-3. Steve Baker would take the next shot for Red and Matt once again would have none of it and turned aside the attempt. Kevin Parker would go next for Gold and Lizzy would make a nice stop to hold back the Beercan tide.

Now in a score or lose situation Mark Reynolds would try out his luck on Matt. The shot was good but Matt was just not to be denied and as he turned away Mark's chance he was mobbed by his Gold teammates who celebrated a very hard fought win.

The Gold would now get a chance to play the Last Call on Monday night for a chance to play for the title. A nice little run the Schlitz have had in these playoffs, which has been a nice end to a kind of so-so season.

Game Stars:

3rd Star: Steve "slapshot" Baker who was all over the place and did a great job generating the offence the Red needed to stay in the game.

2nd Star: Chuck "2 goal" Slate for a great effort and nice finish to help his team to victory. Good work.

1st Star: Who else can it be but the Shootout King. CEOBMF, Don't bring that weak shtuff here, Matt Kilroy. A great performance, particualarly in OT and the shootout to bring home a nice victory for the Gold. Great work.