(vol.
29W, no.8; newsletter by d.c.)
We are pleased to introduce a special guest newsletter writer ... Doug Collimore! For those of you asleep at the wheel, Doug has been tending net for the Pirates for the Wednesday season and he'll stay planted for the Playoff run as well. Now, without further adeiu, it's Doug's debut on the Pirate site. (Applaud wildly.)
It was the game of the season: Cutters vs. Pirates. Both teams were tied for first place along with the Geriatrics, who had temporarily leapfrogged in front of the two after their Monday night victory. The game, the final one of the regular season, was especially crucial because it would determine the seeding for the three-rounds of Playoffs.
Since I used play goal for the Gerrys (and is still on their mailing list) received the following email on Tuesday from Gerry Captain Steve Shames:
Email from Steve: “Nice win last night. We will finish in first or second place depending on the score of the Pirates/Cutters game on Wednesday. The time slot will be either 7 or 8 next Wednesday. I'll let you know.
Steve”
My Reply: “2nd Place Steve-O cause I'm in goal tomorrow for the Pirates!!!”
So, without telling anyone, the pressure was on. Little did he know there would be no pressure. The Pirates came out fast and gunning to win. After a pretty tough save in the defensive zone, the Brooks (assist Gucci) went end-to-end and planted the puck in the net for a 1-0 lead. But, the flood gates were just opening. Gucci looked like a ballerina dancing around the entire Cutter team to score goal #4 and before you could say RANGERS SUCK-it was 5-0. Scoring was as follows: Joe Baio (assist S. Miller) and two by Tony Toscano (assists Craig and Brooks). A quote from the Cutter's goalie during the post-game handshakes: “I couldn't stop a beach ball tonight!”
I hollered for someone to cover the Cutter in front of the net with about a 1:00-minute to go, to no avail. A crisp Cutter centering pass made it 5-1 at the 1st period. Remembering last week's defensive debacle, I told everyone on the bench to keep up the pressure. A slow start in final period made it 5-2 (another Cutter wide-open in front). But tough defense from Baio and Newcomb (except when he was laying on the ground behind the goal while Brooks took off down the rink) got everyone back on track. Another quick Pirate goal by Tony (assist Brooks) put any idea of a Cutter comeback to rest. The final tally of the evening came off the really tall dude; I made the first save off his skate, but the rebound went right back to him.
A well-deserved and hard fought 6-3 assured the Pirates finished the regular season in 1st place with the Geriatrics in 2nd place as I predicted!!
date of game: 5.02.07
THE
SILVER
SKULLS
1) JOE BAIO
For a goalie, a defensemen is your best friend. And one that scores is even better.
2) ANTHONY TOSCANO
For goal number five on the night. In the words of Doug Collimore: “He went right and the goalie went with him and Tony wristed it in the
left side making the goalie look real bad.” He'd net his second career Pirate hattrick on the next goal.
3) MIKE FARRELL
For making Doug's job in net a little easier.
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