WEDNESDAYS #4 vs. MARLINS:

(vol. 11W, no. 4; newsletter by b.n.)
People often ask me “Hey Wednesday Night Newsletter Author, how do you come up with your ideas for the newsletter?” Well, to be honest, usually I get those ideas from the game. Other times though, I am not so lucky. Some nights I am forced to to draw on my participation in the “meeting” after the game for inspiration. This is one of those nights.

After coming off consecutive games where the Pirates scored 10 goals, it was probably too much to expect that the Pirates could score even half that much against a higher caliber opponent such as the Marlins. Of course, if we had scored even one tenth of that, it probably would have made the meeting in the parking lot a little happier. So with that in mind, the game went something like this: The Pirates had a full contingent of ten skaters when the game began, while the refs delayed the start of the game so that the Marlins fifth skater could finish getting dressed and jump onto the floor. This was just the first of many calls that did not go our way during the evening.

The 1st period was a strongly-played affair with the Pirates showing good hustle, but not getting on the scoreboard. Some of the excitement in the period was when Harris made a spectacular save on a Marlin who was camped out in front of the goal. I don't really remember the goals, but according to Roger, he failed to clear the puck and that gave the Marlins their second one score, which would end the period with the Marlins having the 2-0 advantage.

The 2nd period was much like the 1st — the Pirates continued to have chances, but couldn't get one in the twine. One such play was a blast by Russ from the blueline that #67 was able to redirect out of midair, but the Marlin goalie John Arena (who was on top of his game) was able to keep the puck out of the net. Later in the period, it was Russ hitting Chris with a perfect headman pass as he split the “D” and looked to have a clear path to the net; Chris, however, was pulled down by one of their defensemen, but the Pirates were rewarded with “just” a 2:00-minute powerplay and not the Penalty Shot that should have been called. The Marlins successfully killed-off the penalty and the 2nd period ended with the Pirates still trailing 2-0.

Trailing by just a pair and going into the 3rd, it seemed that the Pirates were going to be able to get back in to it. After getting another powerplay, it was now or never time; unfortunately it was not the “now” time, but in fact the “never” time when Mark Andras of the Marlins spun around and fell behind the Pirate net which caused the refs to call a penalty (and Mark confirmed after the game that he fell on his own) to nullify our man-advantage. So with the teams skating four-aside, it was Mark Andras picking-up a loose puck in front of the Pirates net and then putting the Marlins up by a 3-0 lead; there was some confusion when Wildman jumped out of the box, but since it was an even-strength goal, the Pirates did not get a player back. As the Marlins' penalty expired, it was then suddenly a Marlins' powerplay and once again it was Mark Andras who was able to get the puck past Harris to make it 4-0 game. The Pirates did not give up, however; Keith had a great chance when he picked up the puck in the Pirate zone and carried it all the way up the boards before unleashing a blast that Arena was just barely able to corral. Later, it was Glenn Farkas laying sprawled out in front of the crease with the puck just sitting there, but he was unable to come up with the goal. With just abut 3;00 minutes remaining, Russ pulled our goalie and the Marlins were able to add an emptynetter to give them a 5-0 victory.

Perhaps the greatest “play” of the night, however, occurred in the Parking lot during the
“meeting.” In an incident that was eerily reminiscent of the night the owner of GoodSports pulled up and chewed us all out, the Pirates found themselves in yet another uncomfortable position. It all started innocently enough ... Chris and Russ were just a couple of tired, wide bodies looking for a place to sit down. They spotted a pickup truck with its tailgate down that seemed to be an open invitation for them to sit. So there they sat. Did they make room for #67 when he asked them to? No, they didn't. Like a magnet, the meeting was convened around the two as the cooler was opened and the beverages were dispensed. Did anyone stop to wonder whose pickup truck it was? No of course not. As the meeting got going, the Pirates watched as one of the Marlins approached. Perhaps he was looking to join in the festivities I thought to myself ... but no, as he approached (and everyone had gotten kind of quiet since there was no other cars near us in the parking lot) he just said “Comfy?” We all looked a bit confused and then he said, “Excuse me” and he put his equipment into the back of the truck. Whoops! You've never seen a more embarrassed group of Pirates. Chris was the first to blurt out “Oh, I thought this was Brian's truck.” Well, no Chris, it wasn't. Fortunately our Marlin opponent did not hold much of a grudge and was easily swayed by the offer of a beer.

And just like that, another classic chapter is written into the colorful history of the Coastal Pirates.