(vol.
26W, no. 5; newsletter by h.s.)
After achieving .500 on the season, the Coastal Pirates played to a sellout crowd on Wednesday (two people including my father). When warm-ups ended, only five Pirates were on the ice but by the end of the first shift four more stragglers had arrived thereby avoiding any fines. The only absentees on the night were Nick (who is officially scratched until his knee surgery in mid-July) and Russ who was AWOL and compiled six more beers in fines for his effort. (This was somewhat ironic since Gucci had just paid 18 cans of Russ' fines the previous week). Last season's Norris Trophy winner, Joe Baio, was also subbing for the Men In Black.
The Brooks-led Jamokes/Condors (or whatever they're called since they were all wearing different jerseys)
drew first blood during their second shift off a slam-dunk one-timer in front. The Pirates stormed back though and #67 netted his second of the season (assist to Dave) to tie things up 1-1. Unfortunately on the following shift a blast from the blueline — that for my ego's sake I'll say deflected off a few sticks en route to the net — gave the Jamokes back the lead, 2-1. The Pirates applied pressure however, and it wasn't long after that #67 fed Craig for a goal that knotted things up 2-2 late in the 1st period. With less than 1:00-minute remaining before the break it looked like the Pirates would take the tie into the final frame, but the Jamokes capitalized off a defensive-zone face-off; on the play the Jamokes moved the puck to an open man who rocketed it top shelf with only :06 on the clock to send a stunned Pirates squad to the bench down 3-2.
Although the Jamokes clearly had the momentum after their Late Goal™ (editor's note: the Pirates have trademarked the term “late goal” since we seem to have cornered the market on giving them up), the teams remained locked in a scoreless battle for the opening 9:00 minutes of the next period. The first face-off of the period featured a shot from Brooks that he was apparently trying to shoot through my chest and into the net (it hit me in the so hard it nearly knocked me over); during the ensuing stoppage I had to remind Brooks that I was his goalie on Sunday nights now and he should take it a little easier on me.
Though people oftentimes say there is no such as a “good penalty,” Scott Miller was called for a hooking when he brought down a Jamoke breaking-in deep all alone at the 14:39-mark; from my perspective it seemed like a pretty good penalty to take, but :18 seconds later after the Jamokes added a PPG i wasn't so sure. The Pirates had their own powerplay opportunity on the next shift, but the Jamokes were able to tally a shorthanded goal to make it 5-2 instead. Two more Jamoke goals within the final 2:00 minutes would make what was once a close game into a shellacking. Although most of the Pirates were bummed, Evan was upbeat saying how he “felt five pounds lighter” after the skate. He wasn't talking about sweating it out though; no, during the game Ev found a bathroom and he was able to relieve the “rumbling in his stomach” he arrived with.
date of game: 6.21.06
Perhaps the only thing worse than the Late Goal™ at the end of the 1st period is this new Anaheim Ducks logo that was unveiled this week. (They're no longer “Mighty” in case you missed the press conference.)
