SUNDAYS #3 vs. RINK RATS:

(vol. 10S, no. 3; newsletter by c.g.)
The Coastal Pirates actually played two games this past Sunday: an unscheduled 5:00 p.m. start and the regularly scheduled 6:00 p.m. game against the Rink Rats. As you may imagine, (for me at least) both games have blurred into one hot incoherent jumble, but I do remember a few things -- the timing of which would be only a guess on my part. So this will be a jumbled, babbling sort of newsletter, mixing a little of both games....

The attendance for the games was good considering it was early and hot. The Pirates started out the first game with eight skaters, but by the 2nd period we were up to ten, and by games end we had eleven. This game was a tight affair against the Flukes which, as per usual for a Flukes/Pirates contest, contained a lot of physical-spirited play. Harris played a strong game throughout, and held a pretty powerful offensive team to five goals. The Pirates closed to within one goal (4 3) with the extra attacker with 3:00 minutes remaining, but just couldn't get the tying goal before the Flukes added the backbreaker. Scott LeMatty also added to his goal-scoring total with a beautiful end-to-end jaunt that beat a sprawling John Arena for one of the prettiest plays of the night. Believe it or not, that is about all I am sure happened in the first game. I apologize to anyone who felt they had their own Kodak moments during game one, but two games and 24 hours tends to cloud things up a bit.

In game two, the Pirates faced-off against the Rink Rats, with a few guys remaining from the Flukes to fill out the Rats' roster (it's a practice season after all). The Pirate bench stood at ten, with only Dave Matthews and Jim Ferraro not in attendance. Russ tallied both of the Pirate goals on well set up plays from Scott LeMatty. There was a little more snarl in this game as LeMatty tangled with at least two of the Rats, with one skirmish resulting in a double minor to both combatants. Opportunities were plentiful as Ralz, Farkas and Wildman each barraged the net, only to find Arena standing on his head. The defensive line pairings of Russ-Richardson and Scooby Weiss, gave Harris plenty of support and contributed to the offense with outlet passes or rushes up ice. Harris played his second strong game of the evening, allowing only one clean Rat goal (the second was a total screen, as not one but two Pirate players provided his visual obstruction). On the offensive side, the lines of Goione-LeMatty-Wildman and Farkas-DiPierro-Ralz kept the pressure on with many a close call.

Unfortunately, as is becoming common place in Pirate land, this game was to end in a tie. A lot of good hustle by all, but I think we were wearing down by the sixth straight period.