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SUNDAYS #10 vs. JAGUARS B:

(vol. 5S, no. 10; newsletter by c.g.)
Last Sunday evening saw the Western Championship re-match between the defending champion Coastal Pirates, and the Jaguars B.

The 1st period started out strongly for us as we had many scoring opportunities; in the first several shifts Glenn, Scott LeMatty and I (Chris) almost converted. It appeared it was going to be our night, as the puck in spent much more time in the attack zone than in our defensive zone. Defensively we were also up to the task, easily thwarting each Jaguar rush (Dave-Russ-Roger played exceptionally well throughout). Offensively the lines of Chris-Tim-Wildman and Glenn-Scooby-LeMatty were getting it done by passing well and setting each other up for some good chances — only to run into a hot (young) goaltender. Injuries began to take a toll as both Russ (neck/back) and myself (ankle) sustained injuries in the 2nd.

As the game wore on the Jags started to get more chances, but Harris (having been a spectator for much of the early periods) was well up to the challenge, and made some brilliant saves late -- stopping several Gucci slapshots and batting one out of the air from Alfano, while sprawled on the ice during overtime. The teams battled for 45:00 minutes straight with neither able to put the puck in the net, so regulation time ended knotted at 0-0.

Although we had our chances in the 5:00-minute O.T. (chances from Scooby, Lematty, Tim, Farkas and Russ), it was the Jags who came closest to ending it. About halfway through the overtime period the Jags rang one off the post after a defensive zone faceoff, and swore the game had ended; but the Refs were right on top of it, and made the correct call, NO GOAL. A short while later the Jags had another good chance as Scooby accidentally deflected one on net, but Harris alertly covered it to preserve the 0-0 status (I shudder to think if it were Roger, instead ofScooby, deflecting it :) just kidding).

So overtime ends and still no score... we go to the shootout (Pirate shooters were Scooby, Russ & Roger). Scooby shot first and put a nice wrister on net, but was stopped; the Jags went next and nearly converted — if not for a toe-save to keep it at 0-0. Russ goes next and couldn't get quite the wood on the shot he wanted and was stopped; the Jags second shooter came down ice, Harris played it perfectly (correctly reading the Jag players deke), yet the puck had eyes as they say, and snuck through the tiniest space under his arm. The pressure was on Roger (our last shooter), and he sailed one wide right as the goalie came out and took away any sort of angle. It's a shame that someone has to lose that sort of a game, and it's even more of a shame it had to be us.

I leave you with a quote from Outlaw Josey Whales (inspired from my first Sunday season as a member of the Pirates): “I rode with them, and I got no complaints.”