WEDNESDAYS #9 vs. BIG SLICK:

(vol. 44W, no. 9; newsletter by b.n..)
editor's note: The No.4-seeded Pirates faced the No.1-seed Big Slick in the Semifinals. Here's what happened (according to #67) ...
The Pirates opened the first round of the Playoffs against the Big Slick. And people have been asking me ever since “What Happened?” or “Why did Eddie get suspended” or (and this one is always my favorite) “ETA?” followed by “Are you going to write this one?” before finally “Can you write the freakin' newsletter so Wildman will stop texting me from Indiana?”

And its a funny thing, I have been accused over the years about not writing about the game when I write the newsletter ... so why would I start now? (Well truth be known, sometimes I run out of things to write ... after having my lawnmower destroyed by Kevin ... chased off the road (by Kevin) ... and abducted by aliens (no doubt put up to it by Kevin) ... sometimes I have to write about the game because there is nothing left to say) ... (or it could be I am laying low on the whole Kevin thing because it it currently hunting season and I don't want to set the guy off for something he never did in the first place). It's actually too bad Mike is not on the team this season 'cause I can usually write some stuff about him ... but when he is not on the team I feel it is wrong to write about him when there are so many other people to write about.

And since I am on the subject of Mike ... There was a guy on the rink wearing his jersey. (I am really not certain about that whole Marty-Mike relationship and why Marty feels inclined to wear Mike's jersey. But since I vowed not to write about Mike, I won't say anything more. Other than the fact Marty must be trying to hide in the witness protection program because Marty is not even his real name). Anyway, I think the score was 1-0 Big Slick when “Marty” skated down the left wing and scored to knot the score. (As you can tell, I have run out of other things to write about, so it is game time). That goal was followed by a nice feed to the point by LeMatty and and an even better shot by Troch for the goal. And then — did I mention that the “Deuces Wild” line was re-united for the Playoffs? (Well, maybe not for the Playoffs, but at least for the start of the game because Scott Miller was late and #67 slid in to the unfamiliar slot in right wing.) ... And this is the point at which Russ would say, “Hey how come you only write about the game in your newsletters when you score?” To which I would say, “I have no idea what you are talking about — stop ruining the build-up ... but now it's too late. Anyway, Kenny's head had to be on a swivel as the first shot came from the right wing from Marty which #67 corralled and buried to make it 3-2. Follow that up with a 2-on-1 break where #67 slid the puck up to Kenny who deked the goalie and buried it to make it 4-2 and the “Deuces Wild” line was halfway there as each had a goal.

The final period began much as the 1st had ended ... Kenny got a nice juicy rebound on a shot from Marty to make it 5-2, followed shortly thereafter by a goal from Eddie from Marty (and as Russ would be quick to tell you, there is not much detail on that goal because #67 wasn't involved ... but that is not the real reason, it was mostly because I don't remember the goal). And while we are on the subject of the “Deuces Wild” and before Russ renames it something like the “Douches Wild.” I must say that if I was a betting man I would have to say that I would bet it would be Kenny or Marty that would be the first to hit the deuce and, of course, I would have been right. And of course, with Kenny out of the picture, you would naturally assume that Marty would be the most likely next in line to convert the deuce, but since this build-up has been so extensive you must know that you are wrong. It turns out #67 was able to pull off the feat on a feed from Marty to close out the scoring for the Pirates — but not the excitement.

As almost everyone must know by now, Ed was ejected from the game and issued a 5:00-minute fight penalty, which also lead to a 1-one-week suspension. What also must be noted what a great sport he was about it. Instead of pouting about it, he constructed a full-size, restaurant-quality, outdoor propane heater in the parking lot (it was 22° after all) and fired it up to keep the post-gamers from freezing to death. What lead to that suspension? Just a little altercation with Rizzo. And far be it from me to pretend to know the thoughts and feelings that run through someone's head (and forget all the newsletters that I have written where I have done — or pretended to have done — just that), but let's just say it went like this ... Rizzo and Ed had some type of collision in the past game where Rizzo — if he were a Mack truck — would had literally rolled-up and over Ed who ended-up like a flattened Mazda Miata. In this game the tussles continued until something happened in the closing minutes. I didn't see it, but according to Ed (and LeMatty who saw it), Rizzo gave him a crosscheck to the back. According to Ed, he felt pins and needles (and for those of you that now Ed) he kind of went off a little. Unfortunately for Tony Toscano, he happened to be the guy with the puck when Eddie recovered from the check; fortunately though, Tony was able to sidestep most of the oncoming freight train and escaped mostly unhurt. Ed and Rizzo ended-up tangled-up, but fortunately nothing too crazy happened after that.

The Big Slick were able to put a little scare in the Pirates though, scoring a pair of goals in the closing minutes, but the Pirates were able to hang on for the win 7-4.


FOR THE RECORD
Attendance (players): Genalo, Gesior, LeMatty, Maccanico, McLaughlin, Miller, Newcomb, Nicolosi, Nigro (sub), R.Trochiano (sub). Net: Barnett.
Scratches: Cassens, Gucci.
Scoring: 1st period: 4-2 Pirates: Goals by Maccanico (none); Trochiano (LeMatty); Newcomb (Maccanico); Genalo (Newcomb). 3rd period: 7-4 Pirates: Goals by Genalo (none); Gesior (Maccanico); Newcomb (Genalo).
date of game: 12.15.10