Over 30 Hockey League

Article 368 March 17, 2018

Game results and Player(s) of the Week

Happy St Patrick's Day

Week of March 10 (Game 1) – For the second time this season, Maybe One reminded the defending champs Trojan Horse that the road to the Finals this season may just go through them, as they defeated Trojan horse by a score of 3 – 2.  With the win, Maybe One moved back into a tie for first place overall in the standings.

In an evenly played first period, Maybe One was looking to send a message early to Trojan Horse by scoring the game’s first goal.  They achieved that sooner than expected, thirty seconds into the game, as Matty Iannello took a lead pass from Joe Mancinelli and Ray Nickerson and buried his chance in tight.  Six minutes later, Trojan Horse got back into the game as Cappy scored from the right point on a power play set up by Nick Romano. 

In the second period, five and a half minutes into the period, Matty struck again, this time being sent in by Joe to give Maybe One the lead once again.  One of the key saves in the game took place with eight seconds to play in the period as goalie Jeff Deharo made a positional save robbing Jim Barber in close by flashing out the glove, protecting the one goal lead.

Entering the third period, both teams had some prime scoring chances but the goalies were denying these scoring bids.  Three and a half minutes into the period, saw the first fluky goal scored in this period as Shawn Miville’s dump in shot near his bench somehow eluded the goalie, re-tying this game. With momentum on their side, Trojan Horse pressed for the go ahead goal.  Their best chance came with around three minutes to play as Nick’s rebound shot at the top of the crease was somehow saved by Jeff with a reaction shoulder save keeping the ball out of the net (the second key save of the game by Jeff).  On the ensuing rush up the rink, a shot from Maybe One was saved by Trojan Horse’s Scott Rosato only to watch in stunned shock as he misfired on his clearing attempt and Joe was the benefactor of this good fortune, as his shot found the open net with just over two minutes to play.  The second fluky goal scored in the period!

Week of March 10 (Game 2) – In a must win game for Team Cherry with the team just ahead of them in the standings on their bye week, Team Cherry played a complete team game as they defeated the slumping Blues Brothers team by a

4 – 3 score.  For Blues Brothers they are in freefall, as they now have lost three straight games.

Things started out positive for Blues Brothers as just over four minutes into the game Tim Hickey took a pass from Mike Luise and buried his chance by using his speed to get open.

In the second period, Team Cherry got back into this game as Jason Carrien led the way and scored only fourteen seconds into the period, taking a breakout pass from Matt Farrell, joined the rush and tied this game.  Only thirty-seven seconds thereafter, the flyin Hawaiian Ron Aquino, after missing the previous two weeks, was set up on the right wing by Brian Kehoe and his sniper shot to the top corner far side gave his team the lead.  Sensing that his team needed a spark to get back into this game, captain Dominic Defrancisco stepped up and delivered four minutes later on a brilliant unassisted goal, re-tying this game.

With either team having a chance to win this game, it was Jason again who stepped up to send a message, as he was set up on the point by Matt fifty seconds into the period giving Team Cherry the lead once again.  Before you could say momentum swing, on the ensuing face off Jason Glista’s long shot from inside his defensive zone off a clean faceoff win by Mike Luise, surprised the goalie again re-tying this game.  With two minutes to play in the game, Blues Brothers was called for a penalty and Brian made them pay as he was set up in the high slot by the passing of Matt and Mark Stickney to score his first goal this season (talk about a key time to score his first goal).  The win moved Team Cherry up into a tie for third place in the standings.  

Spelling Retraction

We want to apologize to Referee Ric Aylwin for misspelling his name a few weeks back.  His family wanted to make sure if we were going to poke fun of his refereeing that we at least need to get the spelling right.  

Quick Whistle

Now that we have the spelling correct.., allow us to point out that the newest Over-30 Referee Ric Alywin has a quick whistle.  

Last week there were a few plays in and around the net that resulted in complaints about a quick whistle followed by an apology.

The jury is still out.., but so far so good for the greenhorn.

Ref Groupie

We also noticed that someone had a groupie.., Mrs Alywin was spotted watching her man ref the games last week.

That is the first time in league history that a fan actually came to watch a referee.  

We asked her after the game about Ric's quick whistle.., and she said "he's always had a quick whistle which is why we have 2-kids"

Garbage Man

We don't know what Joe "Turtle" Mancinelli actually does for work.., but if he ever wanted a job in the Saugus Sanitation Department.., he can add last week’s points to his resume.

Last week "Turtle" was hiding in his shell as Jim Barber for unknown reasons was down behind his own net trying to play defense.., and when he went to fire a pass to a wide open Ricky Cassanno.., "Turtle" poked his head out of nowhere, picked off the pass and set his captain Matty Iannello up for a quick one-timer.

However stinky that trashy goal was.., it got worst for Trojan Horse.., as once again Joe was fore-checking more like a hare than a turtle and made Goaltender Scotty Rosato pay for his indecisiveness.

Scotty was deciding between covering it up or playing it.., covering it up or playing it.., covering it up.., or.., "Oh F@#k! He played it".., and as quickly as Scotty decided to play the ball.., Joe Mancinelli shoved it right up his 5-hole for the Game-Winning-Goal.

Kyptonite

Poor Dave Guisti.., he started his Over-30 Career playing like Superman and overpowering his opponents and was leading the in early “Rookie of the Year” voting.., but like Krytonite to Superman… Dave’s weakness is Matty Iannello.

Dave was once again placed on IR after playing against and losing to “The Great One”.  We still haven’t seen an official Doctors note.., which leads us to believe that Dave’s injury might be 10% physical and 90% mental.

Vancampen Part 2

One of Yogi Berra “Yogi-ism's” was just meant to haunt Jeff Deharo.

Yogi once said “It’s deja vu all over again.”.., and for Jeff.., it was “Rick Vancampen all over again”.

For those of you who don't know.., circa 2002 Rick Vancampen once dumped a ball in on Jeff during a line change.., literally Rick had one foot on the dek and the other in the bench box when he flipped a knuckleball on Jeff.., and that seemingly mild dump-in ending up sneaking by Jeff for the Game-Winning-Goal in the playoffs.  

Flash forward 2018 Shawn Miville was calling for a change and shot the ball from the Trojan Horse Bench Door… and before he foot landed onto the bench floor.., his “dump and change” shot ended up tying the game 2-2.

Long Shots

No we are not talking about betting.., or Ray Dow’s chances of passing his current “Pink Stick Bag Challenge”.., were talking about the latest (2) “Long Shots” that resulted in disappointing game tying goals for their team captains.

For Jeff Deharo it was Shawn Miville’s previously discussed “dump-in”… that had his captain Matty Iannello bowing and shaking his head.

For Jake Deehan it was Jason Glista’s from deep in his own zone (off the draw) just 7-seconds after Team Cherry took the lead.  Dan Broderick wondering if this was going to be another 1-goal loss kind of day.

Luckily for both Captains… their goaltender mishaps didn’t result in a loss thanks to both teams burying the next game-winning-goals and breathing a sigh of relief for Matty & Dan.

Any Given Saturday

As we look at the standings coming into Week #11.., it's really coming down to "Any Given Saturday" as no one team is running away with it and 3-teams are all fighting to stay out of the basement which is only a 1-point swing.

Defending Champs Trojan Horse and Maybe One (“who's way ahead of schedule”) can clinch a playoff berth at 14-points (or less as the league losses mount).., while Team Cherry, Blues Brothers and Fools Gold are fighting to stay out of that 5th spot.

Could Jason Carrien's team make good on his playoff guarantee.., or is it Joe "Coke" Carlton's inspirational Coke display?  Whatever the reason, Team Cherry is sitting in the #3 slot and from what we heard last week from Maybe One Captain Matty Iannello saying of their Week #11 opponent.., "For whatever reason this team (Team Cherry) always plays us tough”

This will be a good week to see if the 3 through 5 teams make their moves.

Please Release Me

While talking to Matty Iannello he claims that he can make any player have a career year… and used Umberto “Papa Smurf” Biancardi as an example.., while Matty was tooting his own horn, he turned to Johnny Mastrocola and said “Except you.., I can’t do anything with you… and believe me, I’ve tried and tried”

So while Johnny was left feeling dejected by his “prick” Captain… he said “Fine, release me then”

So this week’s Casey Kasem long distance dedication from “Lil John” to his “Prick” Captain;

Feng Shui

Just when you think you've seen just about everything in the Over-30 League.., something happens that makes you say "What the F@#k is he doing?"

No it wasn't Bob Snyder showing up at 4:00PM running suicides on his BYE week, or Dominic DeFrancisco throwing his stick twice (after the game is over).., but you’re getting close..,  Same team but different “Blues Brother”.

Tony Medeiors gets our "What the F@#k is he doing?" Award this week.

Last week after Tony was called from slashing… he was sentence to 1-minute in the “Sin Bin”.., just a brief 60-second sentence, but Tony decided the “feng shui” was right and decided to redecorate the penalty box by dragging in a bench to sit and rest.

We thought.., "What the F@#k is he doing?"

So Tony… what was the verdict? … Was the loss worth it?

He’s another unique food you might wanna try… let us know if you need a hammock installed in the box after this one;

Saturday Night Live - Taco Town from alyssa sarfity on Vimeo.

Spring Forward

Last Saturday was "Spring Forward" night.., and week took the opportunity to look at who is "Springing Forward" and who is still "Falling Backward" on the 2018 Scoring/GAA Challenge.

So far we have 6-players that have punched their ticket to the lottery with another 8-players within 1 or 2 points of qualifying.

This is going to turn out to be a fun individual comparison contest to measure each player’s performance coming fresh off the summer vs their winter hibernation.

See how you’re doing here:

http://over30hockeyleague.com/scoringgaachallenge.html

My Cousin Vinny

First the Italian wife better cut.., and now Sergio Costa was spotted spending his BYE week out shopping with the family for an Italian "Pussyhound" Dog.