Week of November 3, (Game 1) – All those visions and thoughts that the Wanna Be’s had of an undefeated season and only allowing 1 goal against for each game were quickly blown out of the water last week by On My Own. The experts knew it would be just a matter of time before the Wanna Be’s finally lost and came back to the pack. Playing without captain Gary Goodwin and Mike Fleming didn’t help either as On My Own simply routed the Wanna Be’s in blowing them out by the lopsided score of 10 – 3.
For one period, the short-handed Wanna Be’s team stayed close in this game, only trailing by a goal, as the duo of Nick Romano and John Kelleher set up both of their team’s goals. However, goals by Ray Dow, Paul Castinguay (his first of the season) and John Mastrocola put On My Own in the lead for good. It also helped that On My Own generated 14 shots in the first period alone. The rout was on in the second period, led by the killer goal of defenseman Mike Delorey, as he scored his first goal of the season from the point to give his On My Own team a two goal cushion. Padding the score sheet with goals scored in the second period were captain Dave Curcio, John Masrtrocola and Tony Bono.
In the third period, it was the John Colucciello show who scored a natural hat trick to complete the blowout, as he was set up by Anthony Lauletta and Joe Mancinelli. Speaking of Anthony, the rookie continued to show no fear of the living legends of the Over-30 league, setting up 6 goals, to increase his hold on the top spot in the scoring race. After losing their first three games of the season, On My Own has now won three of their last four games to move into a share of second place overall, as well as dominate the leading scorers race with the top four scorers. It looks like captain Dave Curcio finally has his team playing consistent winning hockey.
Week of November 3, (Game 2) – In a close game that either team could have won, In Shannon We Trust and Midas Touch played to a 3 – 3 tie. The game featured a lot of shots taken by both teams, as each team generated some prime scoring chances. However, the play of both goalies, especially Jeff Deharo of Midas Touch (the best save of the season so far late in the third period) as well as Alby Luise of In Shannon We Trust, kept this game deadlocked so that each team salvaged a point in the standings.
The first period was played wide open with both defenses being left to fend for themselves as In Shannon We Trust threw 14 shots on net while Midas Touch generated 12 shots on net. Rick Cassano opened up the scoring early for his team, scoring 2 ½ minutes into the game. However, two minutes later, Tony Mastrocola scored his second goal in as many games since being shifted onto the first line, scoring off a rebound out front during a scramble. Late in the first period, captain Matty Iannello took a feed from Ray Nickerson to put his In Shannon We Trust team into the lead.
In the second period, it was all Midas Touch as they pressed the attack which resulted in scoring two goals. Only two minutes into the period, fill-in player Nick Romano was set up out front by Rick Cassano. Two minutes later, defenseman Mike Florentino drifted down from the point where Angelo DeLuca found him open in the high slot to put Midas Touch back into the lead. Needing an offensive boost in the third period, Joe Shannon was moved back up front and the move paid immediate dividends as Joe scored on a shot from out near the point that was perfectly placed into the lower far corner of the net.
For In Shannon We Trust, the point they earned was a moral victory for the team, as this was their first point earned in their last four games, keeping them close to the other teams ahead of them in the standings. For Midas Touch, they continue to play five hundred hockey, but, they continue to struggle scoring goals, even though they have plenty of talent.