Halifax Floor Hockey LeagueIt's Friday and Mondays coming...so I better get this weeks news uo and going.
This is Billy Concarney and if you are reading this and play in the league, you know by now whether the dance is over, or just beginning. So first of all hope you had or are having fun!
Let's delve into this week's first round play off games. It was a shocker...of sorts.
Let's start with the league regular season top dog Chill.
They had a dominant season this year and were heading into the play offs poised to take no prisoners. On the other side, the Titans. A team that clearly were under achievers this season only mustering two wins. On paper these guys were a force but they had attendance issues and gelling' issues and well...they just had issues.
The first period saw both teams come out with a flurry of shots. The Chill ripped 14 at Mike Degrace while the Titans fired 19 at Tom Wynn. Both keepers stood their ground but its was the extra push by the Titans that paid off and they scored the only two goals of the period.
Second period saw much of the same as both keepers were kept busy with a barrage of activity in each end. The Titans once again were the only team rewarded as Gill Momborquette scored the periods only goal giving the Titans a 3 zip lead after two.
Enter the third, with all the chips down and their season looking like a bust, the Chill came out heavy firing 20 shots on Degrace. But the Titans added to heir lead early and took a commanding 4-0 lead. The Chill managed to find the back of the net twice, but the Titans added one more and when the siren went to end this contest, the Titans were looking like the team they should have been. A tough first round match up for the Chill. Add Mike Degrace best game of the season hands down, and it was just too much for the Chill to get through.
Notables were Gill Momborquette who had 2 goals and 2 assists. Also worth noting that Wynn played a great game and gave his boys a chance to win this one...but top honours go to Mike Degrace who's performance earned him this weeks Eastside mario's Player of the Week honours. Great job Mike!
Titans advance 5-2
Next up...Slayers vs the Sabres.
So this is the story of another band of misfits in the Slayers. A good team on paper, but paper didn't win any games for them this season. They only grabbed two wins as well. They were up against the leagues top two scorers and and regular season's best keeper. A tall order for sure.
The Slayers had a full roster except for one of the leagues finest defensemen Jenna Briggs, who was out with an undisclosed injury. The Sabres were bringing the same roster that saw them win by a stupid amount in the last game of the season.
So lets see what transpired...
Ball drops...Caines scores from Deadder...looks like this is going to be the same story line as always...not.
JD and company took control from then on as they scored the next three. after the first it was 3-1 for the Slayers.
The second started with Bryce "Baby Face" Keating scoring the first goal of the period off a feed from Matty Monk but JD and Gale scored the next two keeping their lead. Caines and Milligan traded goals to finish the second out and after two, the score was 7-3...not looking good for the 2nd place Sabres!
The third saw total domination by the Slayers as their special teams grabbed a power play goal and two short handed ones and the proverbial fat lady started singing her head off as the Slayers added 6 goals in the third to the Sabres 1.
This was another surprise based on regular season standings...but on paper it could have gone either way.
The Slayers take the Sabres out by a whopping score of 13-4
Notables in this game were Alex Gale who recorded 5 goals and 2 helpers followed by JD who had a hatty and 4 helpers.
Two game changers for sure.
Ok so now let's see what happened between the 3rd place finishing Fire and the Bulldogs.
The Dogs were missing their leading offence provider in Trevor Wadden. A pretty poor time to have him off on some wild exploits...er I mean out with a lower body injury.
The Fire had their full squad out and saw the opportunity to take control of their destiny with the top two seeds eliminated...but destiny was pulled right out of their hands in two words...Paul Highmore.
This crafty old goalie has settled in quite well this season and has played some upstanding games, but none more obvious as tonight.
The game started with Rob "the rhino" Tyrrell hitting the score sheet first but Mark Mcguigan had an answer and he evened it up off a feed from Wade Mullen. Score tied 1-1 after the first.
The second saw the Dogs grab the lead early as Jarrett Erb found the back of the net early, but the Fire answered back quickly with two of their own grabbing their first lead of the game. Could this be it? Could this be their break out moment? Nope yelled Mike Gellinas. As he streaked in and ripped one top shelf with a mighty war cry that made all those around him cringe in fear and shame! (ok that might be a bit over board but this week's news has been full of surprises but a little bit lack lustre you know what I mean)
Ok Mike Gelinas scored to tie it up and then his partner if crime Wade Mullen added one so after two the Fire were down by one. Score being 4-3 for the Dogs.
The third saw Highmore do what he does best...and thats stop balls...lots of them. he faced a barrage from the Fire as they fired 19 shots on net...and good ones as well. The Fire managed to tie it up as their captains grabbed his second of the game...but with 29 seconds left....
There came from the bowels of the earth a yelling blood curdling fear mongering vicious vengeful cry such as never heard in this world before! Yup, Mile gellinask again...this time from John Visser and that was all she wrote folks! The Fire fall from grace as the Dogs play their best game of the season backed by Highmore's best game of the season.
Also wanted to note that Bobby Zwicker played an awesome game as well. He gave the Fire a chance to win this one but they just couldn't solve Highmore when it was needed.
Dogs advance by a score of 5-4
Last game of the night saw the 4th seed Hackers square off against the 5th seeded Lynx.
The Lynx came on in the latter part of the season thanks to a trade that saw their team get stronger.
The ball dropped and we were off to the races. And race the Hackers did coming out fast a furious, firing shot after shot on the hapless Jason "Boom Boom" Boudreau as he face 26 shots in the first! That would turn out to match the entire game totals that Kane faced.
the problem was that the Hackers scored the first two in the first...then the next six...and then the lynx scored on. But at the end of the second it was 8-1.
Game over and lights out...
The Lynx managed to score two more in the third and kept the Hackers to only 2 in the third, but this one was over early and the Hackers dominated winning this one by a score of 10-3
The Hackers were led by Cooper who scored a hat trick and had an assist and also league rookie Kyle Bayern who grabbed 3 goals and 2 helpers.
Worthy of mention was Boudreau who faced 65 shots and in spite of giving up 10 goals, he made some TSN worthy saves time after time.
But when it all was said and done, the Hackers move on!
So thats the news this week.
The semis will see the now number one seeded Hackers play the Titans. This happens on the Big Floor at 830 this week.
The Other semi will see the Bulldogs in deep with the Slayers.
This could prove to be interesting as it could see the two teams with the lowest point totals during the regular season move into the finals. But time will tell.
A final note, we are sad to say that the league will be missing one of our strongest goalies if not the strongest goalie in the history of the league in one Chris Mackinnon who has played his last game. He has to relocate and we wish him all the best.
Over his league history of 13 seasons, he has won a championship and been there 4 other times.
he has always been a positive part of our league and brings an A game overtime he steps on the floor. We want to thank Chris for being a part of our league and wish him and his family all the best as he moves on to other things.
Thanks Chris!
So that's your story for this week.
Tune in sometimes next week as we see who makes it and who drops.
This is Billy Concarney saying so long and be well folks!