Week of September 24 (Game 1) – Four games into the season and two teams still trying to establish their team identity faced each other for the first time. For the second game in a row, 11 Guys, 1 Ball was playing short-handed, while their goalie was banged up and dealing with some lower body injuries. Shark Attack took advantage of this, breaking a scoreless tie open in the second period to defeat 11 Guys, 1 Ball by the score of 4 – 2.
After a scoreless first period that saw 11 Guys, 1 Ball carry most of the play but failed to score, Shark Attack turned this game around early in the second period to take control of this game. Less than two minutes into the period, Joe Shannon was set up on the point by Mark Stickney and Joe Carlton’s fore checking, that resulted in one of Joe’s patented slap shot goals from the point. Locked in a back and forth game played mostly between the white lines and center area of the rink, Mark Stickney was set up by the hustle of Joe Carlton out front with a minute to play in the period. The way this game was being played out, that would be more than enough for Shark Attack to win this game.
In the third period, Shark Attack repeated what they did at the start of the second period, putting pressure on their opponents defense deep in the offensive zone, which paid off as Joe Carlton was set up by Jim Barber as his off speed knuckleball of a shot moving across the slot fooled the goalie, throwing off his timing, to put his team up by a commanding three goals. Three minutes later before you could say game over, Tony Medeiros bulled his way to the front of the net using a physical style of play to score a much needed goal by his team, set up by John Leite and Carlos Machado. On a resulting two minute power play, Joe Shannon put an end to any sense of momentum swing for 11 Guys, 1 Ball, to score his second goal of the game, set up by Mauro Colucciello and give Shark Attack a commanding lead once again. Desperate for some offense, 11 Guys, 1 Ball moved defenseman Brien Sullivan up front to center and this resulted in Brien scoring on a set up by Carlos and Dominic Defrancisco. However, it was too little too late.
Week of September 24 (Game 2) – Four games into the season and Sour Grapes continues to struggle to score goals, remaining winless as a result. One of the best defensive teams in the league is having difficulty getting production out of their first line and scoring goals to break games open. Such was the case again as the Pylons scored a third period goal to hold off Sour Grapes by the score of 2 – 1.
In a back and forth first period where both teams were generating offense and landing shots on net, it was George Medeiros who scored first for Sour Grapes, set up by Rick Cassano halfway through the period. For George, he has gotten off to a strong start, surprisingly leading his team in scoring as well as leading the league in goals with his 5th goal of the season. Two minutes later, the Pylons tied the game as defenseman Jamie Kehoe made a heads up play reading the play down low to sneak down from the point uncovered and scored the tying goal, set up by Shawn Miville and Joe Mancinelli.
After a scoreless second period that saw both teams generate scoring chances but the goalies stop everything thrown at them, this was anyone’s game to take. And that someone who made the difference turned out to be a fill-in defenseman returning after a prolonged absence from the Over-30 league in Dave Costa. One of the premier left wings to ever play in the league now finds himself playing defense. Three minutes into the period, Dave made a key heads up read of the play with a game changing result, coming down the left wing off the point, froze the goalie as if he was taking a shot, and fired a slap-pass right onto the stick of a covered Shawn Miville at the top of the crease for the go ahead goal. It was a vintage smart veteran heads up game changing play by Dave. That goal would hold up giving the Pylons their second straight win after starting the season 0 – 2.
League negotiators are currently talking to Dave Costa’s agent about making a full time return to the Over-30 league.
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