Over 30 Hockey League

Week of November 19 (Game 1) – Desperate times deserve desperate hockey.  This is the playing motto of 11 Guys, 1 Ball as they stayed alive in the playoff chase, with a come from behind solid 7 – 4 win over the Pylons, led by the Portuguese Power Duo.  After starting their season with a 1 – 4 record and heading for an early playoff DNF, 11 Guys, 1 Ball have turned their season and fortunes around with a 2 – 1 – 2 run to keep hope alive!

Things did not start off promising in the first period for 11 Guys, 1 Ball after Tony Medeiros scored four minutes in.  The Pylons then got their attacking fore checking game going, led by their captain John Kelleher who scored thirty seconds later.  Two minutes later, on a power play, it was Nick Romano scoring, set up by Steve Witkus and Shawn Miville.  However, displaying a hustling effort that was a foreshadowing of things to come, Dominic Defrancisco found an open seam in coverage and was set up by Tony re-tying this game a minute later.  Answering right back, saw Joe Mancinelli score a minute later to give his Pylons team the lead and momentum.

Halfway through the second period it was Joe taking a pass from Shawn to give his Pylons team what we thought was a commanding lead and in control of this game.  However, as previously mentioned, the hustle of Dominic paid off as he scored his second goal just over a minute later, which changed this game and the outcome.  Momentum was clearly on the side of 11 Guys, 1 Ball as evidenced by the entire team playing desperate hockey, while the Pylons never matched the intensity level.

The comeback took full effect late in the third period as 11 Guys, 1 Ball tied this game up with just over two minutes to play as Brien Sullivan scored out front, set up by who else but Dominic.  From there, it was left to one half of the Portuguese Power duo, Tony, to score three more goals in just over a minute, as clearly the Pylons had been done in by a much more hungrier team.  Keep hope alive 11 Guys, 1 ball, you are back in the playoff chase!

Week of November 19 (Game 2) – Facing a tie in the league standings from a surging team below them, Shark Attack was also desperate for a win and some points to keep their playoff hopes alive.  Faced with the reality of their playoff chances slowly fading away, it was time for Shark Attack to drop that team motto of “have some fun” and change it to “play desperate hockey.”  Standing in their way was the juggernaut Yellow Submarine team seeking to put an end to their two game losing streak and damage Shark Attack’s playoff chances in the process.  Yellow Submarine pulled out a 3 – 2 win in overtime, allowing both teams to accomplish what they needed this week.

Yellow Submarine came out strong in the first period and continued to do what they have done consistently all season in scoring the game’s first goal.  Only twenty-five seconds in, Walter Maslak was set up out front by Matty Iannello giving his team the early lead.

In the second period, Shark Attack continued to play non-inspired, non-desperate hockey and were lacking a spark in their offense.  That all changed with under a minute to play in the second period with a sudden and emphatic moment.  With twenty seconds to play in the period, Mauro Colucciello was the one who stepped up, scoring off the right wing tying this game up.  Sixteen seconds later with time running down, Mauro struck again out front, shocking Yellow Submarine and giving his Shark Attack the lead and momentum.

Self-suspension

Here is an Over-30 first... The week after Carlos Machado and Johnny Mastrocola together served a major unsportsmanlike 5-minute penalty, they must have made a pact while in the box to "Self-suspend" themselves for the following game.   

We reached out to the League Director and the Players Union Rep and both confirmed that no suspensions or handed down to Johnny or Carlos for their childlike outbursts, so we can only suspect that they suspend themselves for one game.

Almost Famous

After almost 20 years of being in the over 30 league… We are just finding out now that Matty "Mr 1100" Iannello was in Sports Illustrated.   

Today's trivia question was Matty in Sports Illustrated for;

Greatest dek hockey player of all time

Candlepin Bowlers to watch

Championship Dog Walker

Goal-less

The "Greatest Over-30 captain" or a complete fraud and disappointment??

With only two games left to play shark attack Captain Jim Barber has zero goals on the season and to add to his miserable season, he only has two assists.  

Jim is the only forward yet to record a goal this season aside from his teammate Ron Aquino who gets a free pass because he’s new and joined the season late.  

Here is a list of potential defenseman players that can score their first goal of the season before "Mr. Have Some Fun" does;

Lucky 13

With 8-points 11-Guys, 1-Ball can only earn a potential 4-points bringing their potential total to 12-points maximum, and the Pylons currently with 10-points and only one game left to play to reach 12-points... This means that “Lucky 13” is the guarantee that you get a playoff berth.

However with this disappointing season of absentees… It's probably going to come down to the tiebreakers to determine the Playoff Seeding.

Playoff Berth or Bust

With the exception of Yellow Submarine every other team is playing a must win game to keep their playoff hopes alive.

11-Guys, 1-Ball and Shark Attack are currently fighting to stay out the last place... and depending on this week’s games it could come down to the last game of the season for these two teams.., who could play each other in a winner take all playoff berth game.

Disqualifying Points

Assistant League Director Mike Naczas has announced that he would not accept sick days or fictitious business trips to lock up any potential Leading Goalie Award.

Naz has declared that points will be added as a penalty for any questionable absentee to ensure there is no voter fraud and the correct candidate wins the award.  The Over-30 League does not have the budget to issue a recount (or recalculation), so all decisions are final.

Making History (again?)

Matty “The Great One” Iannello is on the verge of making history (again?).  He already set the record for the 1^st player to 1,000 points and has won more scoring titles than any other player in the Over-30 Leagues history.

Next on Matty’s radar… become the “Oldest” player to ever win the League Leading Scoring Award.  At age 47 if Matty can hang on his 3-point lead over Dominic Defrancisco and a 4-point lead over Shawn Miville & Tony Medeiros.

However, today is Matty’s last game of the season and it’s against Dominic and Tony, while Shawn has the Bye.  The last time the race was this close Dominic was robbed by a “phantom assist” that Matty petitioned the league for (weeks after it occurred) … Remember Dominic, when you got screwed and was a “Co-Leader” instead.

If Matty can hang on and win at age 47… there is no doubt the League Director will have to change the name to the “Matty Iannello Leading Scorer Award”…(before) Matty retires, so he can here the League Director announce “This year’s winner of the “Matty Iannello Leading Scorer Award… is Matty Iannello”

DOTYA

Defenseman Of The Year Award… aka “The Mike Hollingsworth Defenseman MVP Award” potential candidates this year could be;

Ray Dow won the inaugural award… Although he’s leading all defenseman in points it’s only fair that everyone gets a blue ribbon.., so sorry Ray

John Colucciello could be a candidate since he’s 2^nd on the leader board… but we ran the nominee by Mike Hollingsworth and he said “I never coughed the ball up that many times in one season…, maybe Cooch can with the Vic’s Coughdrop Award instead.

Jay Carrien… He’s got the height and (2) GWG, plus he’s playing defense on a team that has let up the fewest goals.

John Carey although “technically” still a rookie, John has played stellar defense for Yellow Submarine and he gets an extra vote for being “Bizzaro Dom.”  Check it today when Dominic Defrancisco plays against John or we say “Dom vs Bizzaro Dom”

Mike Naczas might have been a candidate if he wasn't “Clowning” around and “Failing” the Smilin Pete Pink Stick Bag Challenge.  Naz and his “Get that shit out of here” style of defense could have been considered and we might be a league of “Blue Ribbon Givers”.., be we can’t reward failure.

Other Championships

Congratulations to Nick Romano and Jim Barber for their recent Championship win in Chelmsford last weekend.  Apparently Jim was saving himself for Sunday’s Championship game by benching himself last Saturday night when he became Shark Attack’s doorman.   Whatever the reason, Jim added another Championship to his portfolio and hopefully it’s an inspiration for Shark Attack to do the same.