WEDNESDAYS #6 vs. CUTTERS:

(vol. 31W, no. 6; newsletter by h.s.)
It's been nearly a week since this game and I've forgotten most of it, but in the interest in posterity, here goes:

The Pirates were attempting to snap a three-game losing streak. For this outing, we had two subs in our line-up — blueliner Joe Baio and Nick Campanale (who is playing the remainder of the season for the Scott LeMatty). We had a full two lines up front, and manning the defense was the trio of Baio-Gucci-Mike.

Brian was centering the the Miller Bros. at the drop of the puck and the“B-M line” scored quickly in the first :17 seconds. The 1-0 lead that Evan's third goal of the season (a rebound from two shots from his linemates) gave us was short lived, however, as the Cutters scored from a pinpoint pass from deep in our corner for the one-timer just 1:00-minute later. The “NBC line” of Nicks-Brooks-Craig gave the Pirates back the lead on their first shift out when Nick tallied his first of the game (assist Craig). The seesaw battle continued, though, as the Cutters knotted things-up on a great slapshot. They took the lead soon after on a play that I can't fully-explain, other than I was shadowing Gucci (who was shadowing the skater) to prevent the low shot; somehow the puck skipped to the center and the player had essentially an emptynet goal. Fortunately, the “NBC line” stepped-up late in the 1st period to tie it 3-3 before the buzzer (Brooks assist Nick).

In the final period, the “NBC line” was responsible for the only two tallies by either team — both powerplay goals. Even with the victory, there was “good news” and “bad news” about this evening's performance: The “good news” was that the Pirates halted their three-game slide; The “bad news” was that the game was attended by the Pirates most-hated enemy — the ice time hog. A reminder: Shifts are 2:00-minutes max. 'Nuff said.
date of game: 10.24.07