May 30, 2004
Stanley Stick Game 1: Taking creative control
Elvis used his speed and Rudy and Lak Attack used their creativity to take control of the Stanley Stick Championship series with a 20-13 win in Sunday's opening game.
With each of the speedsters rotating through their various line combinations, their attack never relented, wearing down their undermanned opponents over the marathon match that lasted almost three hours.
"We were just trying to make sure we had some wheels out there for every shift, just try to keep moving all the time and throw off their defenders a bit," says Elvis.
By putting a fast player on almost every line, they were able to control the tempo of the game, forcing their opponents to react. With two, or sometimes all three, on the same combination, they dominated.
"We just kept going at them," says Rudy, who consistently outran defenders along the boards and twice initiated consecutive goals with lightning charges up the middle off face-offs. "We wanted to keep some creative players together, keep moving out there, keep dancing around and keep moving the ball."
It was all too much for their opponents, who were overwhelmed after taking a quick 4-1 early in the game.
"It was about hustle and getting outworked, I think we made them look good at the end," says notorious gameshow host gone bad, Wink. "I think we just ran out of steam, we really didn't get any consistent offense."
For the underdogs, the wheels started to fall off when Pig Farming Forward left the game after he slipped on the rain-slicked concrete court, aggravating the injured knee that had kept him out of the lineup most of the season. The added workload quickly took its toll on defenders, as they tried to keep pace with their speedy opponents. And none moreso than the Kid, who still seemed to be feeling the effects of a back injury that had cost him the last two games of the regular season.
"I think we stood around worrying that Kid was hurt instead of stepping up, filling in and kinda picking up the slack," says Wink.
Their fleet foes were quick to take advantage.
"When guys end up being a little flat-footed, a little tired, they start making mental mistakes," says Rudy.
His side scored four straight goals to take their first lead, 5-4. They never looked back.
"We knew we had to switch up our lines a bit or do quicker shifts and just work hard to get a few quick ones of our own," says Elvis.
"The court dried up and that really helps guys battle hard," says Ottoman, who made a number of key saves en route to the first post-season win of his career. "It just goes to show you everyone was doing everything they can."
And that's just what the underdogs will have to do next week, if they want to force a decisive minigame, says Wink. "We've got to make things happen. It's the last game of the season and if we're not winning, we're gonna make sure their guys are going to tired and sore."
The speedsters aren't worried. They think they've found a winning forumula.
"As long as we're all communicating, and we're all covering defensively, then we don't have much to worry about," says Rudy.
"We've got to match up with the right people and try to make sure they don't get the jump on us," says Elvis.
"We have to play smart," says Ottoman.
At almost three hours, Sunday's game was the longest of the season. And the marathon took its toll.
"The game goes on this long, everyone gets tired and the long shifts will kill you," says Elvis. "It's important for us to keep rolling through the lines."
"We've got a couple of guys who hadn't played in a couple of weeks, and that didn't help us," says Wink.
When the Kid missed the last two games of the regular season to rest his injured back, he relinquished his reign as Sunday Morning Road Hockey's leading Ironman, a title he took over from the Living Legend last November when he missed his first game in almost four seasons.
With Pig Farming Forward unlikely to start Sunday's season finale after aggravating his oft-injured knee, his spot is expected to be filled by Wendel, who had previously booked off from the Stanley Stick opener to attend a previously-scheduled social function.
I'm glad that the tone of the board has turned from onanism to vitriolic attacks on everyone. This is better. PaulOne--shut up; Elvis--wear your shin pads because you will be removing splinters from your shins; Rudy-- well, I kinda like you, so keep scoring but don't make me look too bad; BillyIdol--I welcome your vomit..
Onwards to the mini-game!
Leave it to the Colonel to put his unique spin on reality. To bad it ends up sounding a lot like a guy grasping at straws.
By the way, I spoke with Lobsterboy yesterday and he was quite excited about the possibilty of you not making Sunday's game. His comment was, "I like our chances better without him".
Better let your team know if you're going to show up?
Somehow, I doubt it.
Posted by: TheColonel at June 2, 2004 09:54 AMroach may play if he so chooses. I'd still beat ya if my my face was smashed to smithereens
Posted by: rudy at June 1, 2004 11:41 PMNow you've got me thinking. You're right, we don't stand a chance ... unless, of course, I invite Roach out to play for a shift or two. Would you like that Rudy?
Posted by: TheColonel at June 1, 2004 11:34 PMI feel sorry for you colonel, you still have to deal with the Bomber, you cant wait for nibs wind up, Cowboy Bill, heck he knows what hes doin' eh, and yeah, billy's gonna puke in yer crease,
We cant lose.
signed
Our team is stacked,
Rudy
Posted by: rudy at June 1, 2004 11:10 PMLak does have a certain charm about him....
Posted by: Wink at June 1, 2004 10:41 PMThis is turning into a chatroom.
At least Billy Idol's vomit is less likely to leave me with a million bruises or a sprained thumb than did his wildly swinging stick - the great equalizer.
You guys asked for it. Sunday is payback time ... no more Mr. Nice Colonel!
Paul One, keep your head up or you are going to have worse back problems than the Kid ... again.
Ottoman, Gump will be crashing your crease harder than Grandma at the wheel.
Elvis, the Kid told me he was going to drop you like a bad habit.
Rudy, Beetle Boy is coming after you with his wildly flapping tongue.
... and Lak, Wink is secretly in love with you and plans to show you just how much every time you touch the ball.
You guys are a bunch of blowhards!
I'm get'n pissed on friday stoned on saturday and I'll be lucky if I dont puke on Sunday, but if I do I'll do it in Lobsters crease... And maybe a little on Colonel.
By the way Otto played great but he also had a pretty good team in front of him.
Lame imposter posts you goof.
I'm betting you're one of those lonely,loser,internet chatroom geeks who tries to convince all the ladies he's hot. Unfortunately for you, you're just a weak virgin.
By the way, I think it's important for everyone to know that your email address is intedmike@yahoo.ca (i.e. International Education Mike). I wonder who that is?
Bet you didn't realise that all you need to do is to click on the name at the bottom of the post to see the senders email address!
Signed,
The Real Paul One
P.s. I guessing you spend a lot of your time getting your ass kicked in foosball.
Posted by: PaulOne at June 1, 2004 05:00 PMooops, after calling PaulOne i realized it was him after all. I am proud to be his bitch
Posted by: elvis at June 1, 2004 04:23 PMWow -if you're going to write an imposter post -at least make an attempt to sound like the person your pretending to be.... That was the most terribly written impersonation of Paul 1 (or anyone for that matter) that I've ever read.
Such pittiful attempts at ruining our teams' camaraderie are laughable! You suck ghost writer.
Posted by: elvis at June 1, 2004 04:01 PM
Paul One! I can certainly see you stepping up on Sunday. I've always been a big fan of both your athleticism and your desire. But I can see any of your guys stepping up. You guys are loaded.
Don't get me wrong -- I do think we have a chance at pulling off the upset. We've got a bunch of guys with good character, and we're going to work hard. We've got a big-game goalie, too, in Lobster. And we don't have any pressure on us -- with your talent and our injury situation, you guys have to be big-time favourites. Upsets do sometimes happen...maybe we can get ourselves in the road hockey history books.
Wink! I'm the one who will step up my game on Saturday. Afterall they are my team, without me they would suck. I singlehandedly steered them to success. I'm mad that Rudy thinks he's so good and that Lak isn't passing the ball and that Elvis' head is getting bigger by the second. I am sure I can get these litttle men to do my bidding. After all it rightfully belonbgs to me,they are my bitches
Posted by: PaulOne at June 1, 2004 02:32 PMNicely said Lobster.
Wendel, I think you may have confused the terms 'desperation' and 'dedication...understandable though, since you had more important things to do during game 1.
As for the spirit of the game ...or spirits the night before the game, my drinking will be in celebration of my team securing the glory of the Stick victory -after the game.
See you Sunday...
Posted by: elvis at June 1, 2004 11:43 AMBleed in the dojo, so that you can sing on the battlefield..
Posted by: lobsterboy at June 1, 2004 09:30 AMOtto is a rock and he is proving that hard work and determination pay off.
I'm proud to be on his team and I believe that this series is his coming out party as the premier tender in road hockey.
I saw the fire in his eyes on Sun and I'm convinced, he will not be denied.
This Sun play with heart, play with passion, and play your guts out for Otto. He deserves nothing less.
Sorry...I meant, "posted by Wink."
Posted by: Wink at June 1, 2004 02:50 AMColonel's right. Ottoman has to be the early favourite for MVP. He bailed them out time and time again. Then again, they've got Rudy, who's playing great, and Elvis, who checks everything in sight, and Paul One, who is at his best at this time of year. And then there is Lak, who, in my mind, is the best player that's ever played in Sunday Morning Road Hockey. Which one of those guys is going to step it up Sunday? Which one of those guys is going to say, "This is my team"? They've got a lot of talent over there...
Posted by: Ewen at June 1, 2004 02:50 AMI suggest they get together every night this week as they need all the practice they can get. If it wasn't for Ottoman the game would have been over early.
Posted by: TheColonel at May 31, 2004 11:31 PMLooks like I'd better show up ready to play this Sunday. Can't wait!
Elvis, what the hell is this about "practice"??? Surely that goes against the spirit of Sunday Morning Road Hockey. That's almost as shocking as your comment about no drinking on Saturday night. Don't ruin the game in your desperation to win.
Posted by: Wendel at May 31, 2004 10:29 PMooops...604.537.1336
Posted by: elvis at May 31, 2004 11:59 AMPFF -Im not sprised to hear you're considering next week. I hope the knee feels good enough to play ...although part of me knows it'll be a much easier battle without you on the court.
A note to Otto -I know I said it before -but great game man! Your goaltending has been stellar. With another performance like that we'll get you a stanley stick victory for sure.
To everyone else on the Goodguys' team, I say great effort. Its our determination that won us the game. We're also planning a practice. Anyone interested can call me to find out when and where (to deter imposter posts and emails).
Till then -stay focussed -and no big drinking nights next Saturday!
An entertaining and hard-fought first game to this year's Stanley Stick. The goaltending was stellar all round. We'll have to play much tougher next week to force a mini game. They just had too many in-close chances where their larger players backed in our smaller defence. Wendel's grit should help with that.
This afternoon I learned that there is an outside chance that I might have to miss next week's match for family reasons. It will be a close-to game-time decision. I will do everything I can in the hopes of not letting my team-mates down.
Posted by: TheColonel at May 30, 2004 11:43 PMPFF,
We'd love to have you play but don't risk your health man. Knees are a bitch to rehab as you already know.
Paul One is right, either way, our team will fight like crazy. We have to make it interesting by winning it in the mini-Game.
BB
Posted by: Beetle Boy at May 30, 2004 11:35 PMBig Kudos to PFG\PFF,
Great year "P" and it was heartbreaking to see you go down. You're a total gamer.
Hope you're fine and even if you can't play next week come out and the first "after stick beer" is on me.
Posted by: PaulOne at May 30, 2004 10:42 PMOtto,
Your half the way home and one win from the promise land.
Awesome job, keep focused because I can guarantee they won't go down without a fight.
much apologies to my valiant teammates. there wasn't really any way i could keep playing, given how often i have reinjured my knee. i've been playing russian roulette on it, and so far have only been nicked by the bullet, but it's only a matter of time before my ACL totally snaps.
in other words, for next week, i'll be a game time decision. gotta force the mini game...
Pummeling? It took them 3 hours to win, we were a man down..we fought back twice to tie and make it interesting until the final period. I hate Rudy, Elvis, Billy Idol, Lak etc..
Otto-great game, please give me the name of your laser surgeon :)
Posted by: lobsterboy at May 30, 2004 09:25 PM