Halifax Floor Hockey League
Another chapter was added to the brief history of the Lynx-Chill rivalry Thursday night, as the two expansion teams squared off in the first semi-final match of the season. The Lynx, with only two days rest after their quarter-final victory over the Sunnydale Slayers, took an early 5-2 first intermission lead. Jason "Mr. Playoffs" Fitzgerald, scored 2 goals and 3 assists on the Lynx' 5 first period goals.
Fitzgerald, who led the league in playoff scoring last season, finished with 7 points to vault him into this season's playoff scoring lead.
The Lynx appeared to have the game in hand until late in the third period. Leading by two, and with less than a minute to play, Lynx captain Richard Wannamaker drew a roughing penalty while trying to stall for time. The Chill immediately capitalized, scoring less than 10 seconds after the penalty was assessed.
The Chill, now down by only one with 40 seconds to go, looked to their new leader, scoring champ Rob Tyrrell, who came through in the clutch. Tyrrell potted his 6th goal of the game with a mere 10 seconds left to send the game into a sudden-death shootout.
The shootout pitted Lynx goaltender Tony McCarthy against Chill goalie Michael Griffiths. Tony Joyce was first to shoot for the Chill, and was promptly denied by McCarthy, who led the league in save percentage during the regular season.
Fitzgerald shot next for the Lynx. He beat Griffiths off the post, stick-side, to give the Lynx the advantage. Both teams traded misses before Tyrrell was also stymied by McCarthy. Craig Mercer then found the five-hole on Griffiths to give the Lynx a two-goal cushion. The Chill needed Glen Gerard to score to stay alive, but McCarthy was up to the challenge, stopping the shot and sending the Lynx into their second-ever final.
[ Hackers 4 Lite-Sabres 3 ]
For the fifth time in six seasons, the Hackers and the Lite-Sabres faced off in the playoffs last Tuesday night, in the second semi-final match-up. The Hackers, who went through the regular season undefeated, were looking to avenge last season's defeat to the Sabres in the championship game.
On paper, this was a mismatch. This season's Hackers were the best defensive team ever, while the Sabres were the second lowest scoring team in history. The Hackers had trounced the Sabres 11-2 and 10-4 in their regular season battles. Also working against the Sabres, was the absence of their superstar forward Dave MacKenzie, who was called up by the Sabres' Boston affiliate.
But as the saying goes, "anything can happen in the ADCFHL, and it usually does".
The Hackers started their game missing their top two players, John Price and Matt Monk. The Sabres were not able to take advantage, as the Hackers jumped out to a 1-0 lead by the time the dynamic duo had arrived. Jamie Bowden then scored his second straight goal on a pass from John Price, to give the Hackers a 2-0 lead. Hackers defenseman Peter Rowe, scored through traffic to give the Hackers a commanding 3-0 first intermission lead.
With momentum against them, the Sabres needed a quick second period goal to get back in the game. And that's what happened when Jason Royal intercepted a John Price pass and fired it past John Dulong to close the gap to 3-1.
The Sabres, fighting for their lives on defense, left the offensive up to the brothers Griffin. Chad Griffin picked the top corner on Dulong before Chris Griffin knocked home the game-tying goal. Remarkably the game was tied at three entering the third period.
The Hackers, realizing their playoff lives were in jeopardy, turned it up a notch in the third period, limiting the Sabres to only 5 shots on goal. The Sabres managed to parry the Hackers furious attacks for the first 10 minutes of the third, leaving observers to wonder if there would be a shootout for a second straight semi-final.
But it was with 5 minutes left when, during a mad scramble in front of the Sabres net, Hackers forward and ex-Sabre Virag "Vee" Pandya beat a screened Chris McMaster stick-side to give the Hackers a 4-3 lead.
It was desperation time for the Sabres, who even pulled their goalie in a futile attempt to tie the game. Pandya, the game's third star, was playing his first game since a scary high-stick incident which left him with one-and-a-half less teeth, and nine stitches.
The game was by far the lowest scoring game in the 6-season history of the ADCFHL. The previous record of 11 goals was smashed by this 7 goal performance. It was the sixth time in both goalies' careers that they had broken the magical 90% Save Percentage mark.
In McMaster's three career playoff games against the Hackers, he has managed to chalk up a .901 save percentage, and a 4.67 GAA.
The Sabres move on to play the Chill in the consolation game, while the Hackers look to win their fifth title in six season when they play the Lynx at 9pm on Thursday.