League News
*phew* Monday night's games were... Something else, eh? We saw some fierce competition, great penalty killing, a few shutouts, and even a bit of old-time hockey. All eight teams are firing on all cylinders, and the action is heating up as the air gets a chill and the leaves have started turning.
Let's get down to what took place in the first games of October...
PowerPro Electric vs Purple Pain - Game Summary
Monday night's action kicked off with a meeting between PowerPro Electric (2-2-0-0) and the Purple Pain (3-0-1-0); the second place team in the southern division versus the top dog in the northern division. The Purple Pain would open the scoring less than a minute into the game via a goal by Forward Nick King, assisted by captain Bear Kirkpatrick. Both teams would head into the locker rooms with a single goal separating them.
The second period would see Purple score another goal early, but PowerPro would find themselves with two opportunities to even things up on the power play. Unfortunately, Purple would stand their ground and keep PowerPro off the board. PowerPro did successfully kill off a penalty to end the second though.
At the start of the final period, Purple would put what would be the eventual backbreaker on the board with a quick goal from Forward Mike Moore. Purple would end up short-handed two more times during the 3rd, but PowerPro simply couldn’t get the bounce they needed to mount a comeback. The Purple Pain would go on to win the game 3-0, giving Purple Goalie Todd's Holway his first shutout of the season.
Grey Squirrels vs Blue Roosters - Game Summary
Game two of the night would see a battle between the Grey Squirrels (3-1-0-0) and the Blue Roosters (2-1-1-0). Grey would kill off a penalty at the mid-way point of the period, and would finally break the ice with a goal from Forward Brad Bickford with just over three minutes left in the 1st.
It wouldn't be until the 3rd period that both teams would put some more goals on the board, with Grey Defenceman Dalton Briggs scoring an early goal via assists from fellow blue-liner Nick Foxlow and Forward Dana Bernier. Blue would finally show signs of life with just over two minutes left on the clock, with Blue Forward Scott MacDonald finding the back of the net. Blue would eventually pull their goalie in an attempt to force a tie in the waning minutes of the game, but with 16 seconds left, Dalton Briggs would score his second of the game in the empty net. That goal would secure a 3-1 victory for the Grey Squirrels.
Black Knights vs NHMS - Game Summary
The contest between the Black Knights (2-2-0-0) and NHMS (1-3-0-0) would prove to be an intense, physical affair that would lead to a lop-sided final score, and several players heading to the locker room before the final buzzer. Black would open the scoring a few minutes into the game with a goal from Forward Jon Harwood, his second of the season. They would go on to score a second goal about three minutes later, giving them a 2-0 lead. White would answer back with their first goal of the night via Defenceman Rob Horton assisted by D-man Dave McGrath, sending the teams into the room with a 2-1 score.
The second period would see Black take a commanding lead off two goals from Forward Greg Allen. White would kill off a penalty late in the period, but wouldn’t be able to put any more goals on the board.
White's bleeding would continue in the third as Black would put two more goals on the board, with Greg Allen completing the natural hat trick and rookie Roland Black scoring his first goal of the season. Late in the period, some contact between players near the blue line would result in some extracurricular activity, and players from both teams would be given game misconducts. The game would ultimately go to the Black Knights, who went on to win the game 6-2.
Dover Gold vs Red Army - Game Summary
The final game of the night would see a late nighter between Dover Gold (0-2-0-2) and the Red Army (2-2-0-0). Gold would be without their regular goalie, so NHMS goalie Andrew Goldman would play his second game of the night and volunteer between the pipes for them.
Red would open the scoring a few minutes into the first period with a goal from Forward Ryan Long, assisted by Forwards Heather Sondrini and Mike Sinkewich. This would be the only goal scored for 2/3's of the game, with neither team scoring until the final frame.
Things would only get worse for Gold in the third period as Red would score two more goals about three minutes apart, taking a commanding 3-0 lead. They would carry this lead to the final buzzer and win the game 3-0, giving Red Goalie Chris Childress his first shutout of the season.