Azores Express stays focused the entire season and playoffs to this time “finish the job” and avenge a heartbreaking loss in the Winter 2025 Finals when they had that game in their hands late and let it slip away. Not this time, not in this Finals game. They came back from a one-goal deficit halfway through the third period, took the lead, saw the game tied up with minutes remaining, then answered the challenge thirty seconds later as they took the lead and held on to defeat Phoenix Rising by a 3 – 2 score, and deny the “storybook ending” for legendary and iconic player Matty Iannello in his last game played before retirement.
Overshadowing this Finals was the lingering question of would the Hockey Gods smile down on Matty Iannello aka The Great One, letting this game play out and reward him with that “storybook ending” of walking away into retirement with one last championship title added to his incomparable career. The other lingering question just as strong was would Azores Express get the job done this time and finish off a win if they had this in their control and not allow it to slip away.
Headed into this Finals during the regular season, Phoenix Rising had the edge in their head-to-head games against Azores Express with a 2 – 1 record, while outscoring them by a 12 – 8 goal differential. Everyone was anticipating a very close game between two evenly matched teams. Each of which could win this championship. What nobody saw coming was a 0 – 0 scoreless game after two periods, as neither team could generate any consistent offense or generate any quality scoring chances on net. For two periods, the game was played mostly along the boards and in between the white icing lines. No one was standing out, and the spectators were getting restless at the lack of scoring opportunities by either team. What stood out very clearly for both teams that was shutting down the offense and flow to the game was the relentless backchecking by forwards helping out their defense that disrupted any chances for plays to be made. Even when teams managed to get the ball in deep, any forechecking game was negated by both defenses getting the ball out of the zone quickly and smartly. Simple put, there was no open space to be found on the rink. At the end of the second period, it was still a 0 – 0 game between Phoenix Rising and Azores Express, with Azores Express outshooting their opponent by a 16 - 14 shot differential.
As the third period started, one got a sense that the team who scored the game’s first goal could win this Finals by a 1 – 0 score. There really weren’t any scoring chances that were standing out and neither team could not generate any quality scoring chances. Boy did this change quickly early in the third period, as who else but Matty brought the house down with the game’s first goal at 8:05, as he was set down the middle of the offensive zone with a pass from John Kelleher, and with defenders on each side of him managed to find the back of the net. About a minute later, as the game now started to open up with scoring chances by both teams, Gary Goodwin found himself open at the top left of the crease and had an opening that was stuffed at the last minute by goalie A J Larabee’s right foot; a surefire goal that was taken away. With the game slipping away, Gary got another chance at 5:34, and found himself uncovered thirty feet out dead center at the white clearing line off a pass from Tony Bono and Alex Leone, and roofed a snipers shot top shelf that tied this game up. Just over a minute later at 4:23, some hustle board work by Mike Luise and Dave Costa kept the play alive and set up Gino Tammaro who was left open at the right-side white clearing line, who zipped a slapshot top corner short-side past the goalie. Game on now as the spectators were into the game!
Phoenix Rising just got blitzed and stunned by Azores Express, as they had done to their previous two playoff opponents with some quick-strike scoring to grab the momentum and take control of their games. However, those other teams didn’t have Matty Iannello playing for them as the Great One shook the building and scored with 2:25 left in the game, out front off the cycling work of Jose Silva and Mike O’Neill. On the very next shift, the Hockey Gods let everyone know that this would not be Phoenix Rising’s Day, as Nick Romano’s in close shot for the potential go ahead goal clanged off the post. Before the buzz in the air quieted from Matty scoring again in his final game, Gino took a feed from Pedro Fontes and makes the play of the game with his speed, taking the ball around the net wide, then quickly throwing it back out front that the goalie saved, while the rebound went off the defenseman out front then off the goalie again, right onto the waiting stick of Mike Luise, who didn’t miss the open net to shock everyone with a goal scored at 1:51. Phoenix Rising pulled the goalie but never really had any good looks as the smothering team defense of Azores Express took over to clinch the championship celebration. The final score was Azores Express 3 and Phoenix Rising 2. The final shots had Azores Express holding a slight edge of 26 – 24.
On the way to the Finals, 3rd seed Azores Express came back from a 2-goal deficit heading into the third period against Hammertime in their quarterfinal game with a five-goal scoring outburst led by Pedro Fontes’ 2-goals and 2-assists, as well as Gino Tammaro’s 1-goal and 2-assists to win 5 – 3. In the semifinals, Azores again came back from an early deficit to break this game open with four unanswered goals in the second period led by Pedro’s 2-goals and Mike Luise’s 2-goals. For 4th seed Phoenix Rising in their quarterfinal game, they jumped out to a four-goal lead with balanced scoring from four different scorers and held on for a 4 – 2 win over Barney & Friends. In their semifinal game against the perennial favorite and 1st seed Dominions, they shocked everyone with a commanding 3 – 1 win led by Jose Silva’s standout game of 1-goal and 1-assist.
For his scoring consistency throughout the playoffs, Gino Tammaro earned himself the Playoff MVP award. Gino played a big part in his team’s offense with 3-goals and 5-assists, having three straight multi point games.
Congratulations Tony Bono. With his 16th career championship, Tony now stands alone in second place overall, one back from tying Ed Nigro for the most championships won.
Congratulations goalie Jake Deehan, who missed almost 2 years of not playing in the league recovering from surgery and a lower body injury. It took a while back for Jake to find his game, but find it he did when it mattered.
Congratulations to the Azores Express team on winning the Spring 2025 championship of the Over-30 league. Players include: Captain Dave Costa, Alex Leone, Cappy, Steve Medeiros, George Medeiros, Gino Tammaro, Pedro Fontes, Mike Luise, Gary Goodwin, Tony Bono, Ron Aquino and goalie Jake Deehan.
|
