Playoff Showdown with Les Blues

Cadavers (3) vs Blues (2)
Thursday 9/15
BU 10:00pm
Coyote Division Semifinal


5-2 WIN!


The Dead in Red took the ice at storied Walter Brown Arena against long time rival The Blues for a semi-final playoff match up. The two teams skated to a 1-1 draw not long ago and the familiarity between the squads meant this game was sure to be close as well. We have a long history of battles with the guys in Blue and everyone on Team Zombie was anxious to get the win and knock those guys out of the "tournament".
Here's how things would work out.
First off the Blogger wants to thank the rowdy members of the Betley Lab for setting Jeff's night off on the right foot. Thanks go out to The Mexican Tom Cruise and his special Fresca enhanced Margaritas and Dave Harris for his booming pep-talk toast that got the blood flowing. Suffice to say Jeff was well lubricated before he made it across the river to BU.
That was fine as he was slated as the 14th man on a full roster and apparently it suited him fine as he got early results when the puck dropped.

But first... lets have the lineups.
Jay McNamara in NET
D: George, Bauer; Campbell, and Parker with Jeff rotating in.
O1: Baker, Daley, Elliot
O2: Larry, Sully, Gregson
O3: Roman, Matvey, Doc Pounds

 It was clear that the Blues had their regulars as well as the talent they've picked up in the last few seasons. In particular number 6 a forward with black and green socks, and number 43 wearing a dark blue league jersey would clearly need minding all night as they were able to make plays with their legs and hands at any time.
The Blogger is happy to report that the energy level was great on the Cadaver bench and Red took the game right at the Blues right from the start. No hard to do with the lineup we had. The Baker-Daley experience would get shots immediately and it was clear Baker was into it from the start. Funny... for the first time he was seen with beer in hand in the pregame locker room. When asked he told the team he wasn't missing out on the Shipyard Pumpkin Head ale this year like last. "I went back to the store and it was all gone!" Apparently he stocked up and has been drinking nothing else all week.
We waded into the game and there was plenty of give and take between the sides to get things warmed right up in a hurry. Mike Campbell would barrel through someone less than four minutes in and Blue would go on the power play. Red fought hard and played well on the PK and just as it ended good things started to happen.
Jeff would make a outlet pass to Doc Pounds up on the left side. Jeff had a head of steam and was hollering to the good Doctor to send it back. He did just that and laid a perfect pass across the blue line right to Jeff as he turned the crossed up defender and streaked to the net to bury a shot over the keepers far shoulder. Red up 1-0 and Jeff banging his stick on the ice on his way back.
Campbell would go again to the box for his second penalty of the night on an iffy call that no one seemed to see. Suddenly the extra defender was looking good as chances were Mike wasn't going to make the whole game (3 penalties and you are out). Again, good work by Red on the PK meant the Blues got not much going and the first would end 1-0.
The Second would open with more good things for the Cads. Kevin Parker would headman the puck up to Steve Baker who would make a nice play to Matt Elliot who was parked on the right side of the crease. Matty would score from the short side on a fast shot and the good guys had a 2 goal lead. Couple of things here... nice to see Matt score in the playoffs as he had a very productive regular season, and also there couldn't have been a better time for high scorer Steve Baker to pick up his FIRST assist of the year. Now how you score 12 goals with no assists the Blogger doesn't know... or care. Now hes got at least one helper and those are just as good.
About halfway through the period Parker and a Blue would go for matching roughing calls and the teams played 5 on 5. Other than that the period was a full on grind and the Red never let up. After 2... 2-0 good guys.
Now you know it couldn't be easy. You know we couldn't go the whole night without some drama and anxious times... right? Of course. Five minutes into the third period the Blues would start to get thier momentum going. The play went around the Red end and we started to scramble. If not for the very steady hand of Jay McNamara in net the lead would have been gone in a flash. Instead the Blues kept knocking on the door and Jay kept turning them aside. That is... until this happened. Jeff would try to take down number 43 who was winding up and driving to the net. The ref's arm went up as he hauled him down but the puck went to a Blue behind our net who passed to a guy right in front and he put it past Jay to cut the lead to one. No penalty after the goal saved Jeff a trip to the box... but the Red bench was already on edge.
Another 5 minutes of playing time, a lot of it with Red on their heels went by. Then Mike Daley would make a great play. The puck would come up from Mike Campbell then to Elliot in the neutral zone. He would spring Daley with a nice pass and Mike was off on a breakaway to the Blue net. Daley's shot was wicked and the Red bench cheered when the puck went in giving us back a two goal lead, now with 7 minutes left in the game.
Blue was desperate. Six and 43 were all over the place trying to make something happen. It was only a minute after Daley's goal that they did just that. Another scramble in our end and the loose puck ended up with 43 who rifled one into the net to cut the lead back to 1, 3-2, now with 5 and a half minutes left.
Another minute of tense playing time later a strange play gave great results. George tried a clearing pass to Doc Pounds that missed the mark but hit the Good Doctor off the helmet and bounced back to George. The ranging defense man then barreled up ice hell bent for glory and he found it, burying the puck for a nice finish and some insurance.
Now with time winding down and the Blues in full desperation they would pull their keeper in the final minute and Red would do a good job squashing the play. Roman would hustle down and grab a loose clearing play and would pot the empty netter for the nail in the coffin.
Great work by all the Cadavers and a very sweet win.

This means we advance to the Division Championship Game next week. Stay tuned... its always exciting to play for hardware.


Game Stars
3rd Star: Jay McNamara for some great work in the pipes. He didn't think he worked that hard, but he made covers and eliminated rebounds at critical times all night. Nice job
2nd Star: Matt Elliot for a goal and an assist and some hard work all night.
1st Star: The other goal scorers... George, Daley, Roman and Jeff. 

Really... everyone played really well. There was great energy and focus on the bench and this one was a nice victory to have against a well know... and ill regarded... opponent.


Beerman Honor Roll: Bauer and Fosdick.
Always nice to enjoy post-game beverages in the BU parking lot... thankfully no sign of malicious meter maids or BUPD...