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Frosty freezes out foes

The chill is finally over for Frosty.

The rookie rearguard registered his first win in his Sunday Morning career Sunday, leading his undermanned team to an upset 15-11 victory over a side stacked with speedsters and an extra player to spell off tired teammates.

For the neophyte netminder, the win was affirmation that he'd finally made the adjustment from the afternoon game. For his team, it was the reward for hard work and determination.

Facing a lineup featuring fleet-footed give-and-go specialists Kid and Bones, and without a substitute to spell off his weary defensemen, Frosty knew his first taste of victory would be a tall order. But perseverance paid off, his defenders delivered.

"We knew we just had to work really hard, grind the boards, get in there, get all those loose balls," said the cool creaseminder.

"Going against a team with Bones and Kid, plus they've got the sub, you're a bit of an underdog," said Bird, of his team's formidable challenge. "We knew we were going to have to play some good defense and capitalize on our chances when we got them."

They did just that. Another rookie, Smith, crashed the boards and owned the corners, creating opportunities for Lak Attack, who swooped through center court, and Bird, who patrolled the crease seeking loose rebounds and sloppy clearing attempts.

"We got a lot of garbage goals," said Frosty. "We had a lot of bounces go our way. It was just a good effort overall."

And when they were pushed back deep into the defensive zone, Frosty and his oversized equipment loomed large.

"He held us in there," said Bird of his side's shotstopper. "When you're down a man, goaltending is probably the most important. We know we're going to be tired and we're not going to be able to get back defensively all the time."

"I know I've got to be there, in case they make one little mistake," said Frosty. "I've got to be able to save their asses, basically."

Which is what he did, time and again, allowing his team to forge a lead they never relinquished, pulling away in the final frame when their fores expected them to fade.

"We thought they'd tire out as the game went on," said Cowboy Bill of his diehard rivals, who scored four straight goals in the final period to win the game, going away. "You'd think they'd run out of gas, but they pushing and pushing, and we never responded."

"We were really putting in a good effort today," said Frosty. "We dug down in the last period and we were able to win it."

Posted by jaysuburb at November 6, 2006 07:42 PM