WEDNESDAYS #1 vs. GERIATRICS:

(vol. 8W, no. 1; newsletter by b.n.)
Late as usual, I have elected to go with the "Cliff Notes" version for the newsletter this week.

The first game of the Wednesday season began against the Geriatrics. Many of the Pirates on the roster were coming off a championship winning game on Sunday night and that set up one of the many subplots for the night: It was the "Have vs The Have Nots". It was pretty easy to determine which side of the fence you were on, those of us that happened to "Have" our official Pirate jerseys "Have Not" recently won a championship. But this is the Cliff Notes version, show I will skip over all the usual fluff and cut right to the chase.

The game began with the "Have Not" line of Wildman, Chris and Russ on offense. Suprisingly, the Geriatrics were able to jump out the the early lead when Harris seemed to be suffering "Championship Hangover" when the Gerrys were able to wrist not one, but two shots in from just inside the blueline. (Score that as -2 for the "Have Nots"). The "Have" line of Scott, Allen and #67 stepped up when #67 took the puck near the faceoff circle and fed Miller on the right wing. Scott took the puck down the wing and shot it from such a steep angle that one would think the opposing goalie was suffering from his own "hangover." (Score that as +1 for the "Haves"). Next up was Russ, taking a feed from Chris who tied the game at 2-2. (But that only brought the "Have Nots" to -1). The 1st period ended shortly thereafter.

The 2nd period opened with much excitement! What it was, I don't remember, but the "Have" line was able to give the team the first lead of the night when #67 took the puck over the blueline and passed it to Scott once again. The two passed the puck back and forth, with neither player seeming to want to shoot. Finally, Scott took the initiative and fired the puck into the net. The Gerrys were not done yet when (was it the guy who runs the pro shop?) rocketed a shot from the blueline, that even though Harris got a piece of, was able to find the back of the net. Before the period was out, the "Have"s on D stepped up when Crowley took the puck, skated the length of the floor & scored. The 2nd period ended with the score 4-3 (And the subscore of "Have's" 3 - (-) 2 "Have Nots").

The flood gates opened in the 3rd when the Have/Have Not combo of Chambers feeding a pass to Russ who blasted the shot for the score. Russ followed that up with a pass from Chris which he just squirted the puck through the crease. Russ chased the puck down, & looking to feed Chris -- fired it back into the crease. The puck deflected off a defenseman and gave Russ the hat. The "Have's" were able to jump back on the scoreboard when #67 took the puck to the left of the goalie & fed Allen in front who fired the puck past a shellshocked Depip. Crowley scored another goal off a feed from Russ for the second Have/Have Not combination of the night. The final tally of the night came when Russ came in on Depip, who did not even react when Russpassed the puck to Chris who scored the impressive one timer. ending score: "Have's" 5 -- "Have Nots" 1.

By the way: the two biggest "Have Nots" of the night? Roger and Wildman who were the only players on the team that did not "Have" a point.

WON 9-3

THE
SILVER
SKULLS

1) RUSS NICOLOSI
For the 5-point night and his 6th career Pirate hattrick (from an email: “He was great. Showed the offensive power the team could have if he played forward every week.”)

2) JIM CROWLEY
For 2 goals — back-to-back Skulls! (from an email: “Best play of night when he skated end to end for the goal.”)

3) SCOTT MILLER
A 2-goal outing (from an email: “The King of the off angle shot.”)