WEDNESDAYS #5 vs. RED STARS:

(vol. 31W, no. 5; newsletter by b.n.)
It's one thing to not be able to beat the “A” teams, but it's quite another to not be able to beat the former-“A” teams. That's the lesson the the Pirates learned when they came up against the Red Stars — now the Andy Balas-less Red Stars.

Maybe it was because the game was so late (it was scheduled to start at 11:00pm); or maybe it was the fact that three games earlier in the evening went into overtime (which meant that our game started even later than 11:00pm); or perhaps it was the fact that we had a rare light bench — we were so short that we all dressed in one locker room ... well, other than Harris, of course. Whatever the reason (or excuse), the Pirates couldn't seem to get things going.

Trailing after the 1st period 1-0. The Pirates were able to score on a great headman pass from Russ to Evan who put on a nifty deke in front of the goalie to tie the game, 1-1. (After the goal, Gucci came to the bench and admitted that the puck actually deflected off his hand and should have been blown dead on a handpass ... I don't know why he told me that. Dave Kurasz was standing right behind Gucci at the time and, knowing Dave, he would likely have waived off the goal had he overheard Gucci's admission.)

Unfortunately the Red Stars would put in a pair of goals in the final period and put the game just about out of reach. The Pirates couldn't convert on a few great powerplay opportunities — including including one to start off the period. In the waning moments, a late goal from a patient Russ (assist Wildman) with the extra skater pulled us back within one, but it was just too late to make a final play (there was :03 seconds remaining).
date of game: 10.17.07