roadhockey.net

Doo's mates can't get it done

Cowboy Bill and his mates didn't just lose some speed when they lost Doo late in Sunday's game. They lost the game 20-16.
For most of the match, the overmatched underdogs had been able to neutralize the speed advantage of their fleet-footed foes, led by the dynamic duo of Kid and Lak Attack. With Gump playing huge between the pipes, and Cowboy Bill, Colonel, Nibs and Living Legend blanketing their checks, it was Doo who sparked the plays at the opposite end.
"Doo adds another dimension to whatever team he plays on," said the Colonel. "He's fast, he's great on the transition and he gets his shot off quickly."
He also makes his teammates better, luring away defenders eager to take up the chase, opening up the court for them to go to the net, where anything can happen. Like six straight goals to give his side an early 7-3 lead and put their overconfident opponents back on their heels.
"A lot of the goals we got were just garbage goals, picking up rebounds in front of the net, lots of screens," said Cowboy Bill. "We weren't pretty, but we went out there and did the job."
But just as quickly, momentum swung the other way as Velma took advantage of the defensive attention being paid his linemates, Kid and Lak Attack.
That's the kind of day it was, said Cowboy Bill, as one or two goals shifted the game's momentum one way or the other.
"I think it was just one of those days when you put in a ton of energy, you get the momentum but you can't maintain it," said Cowboy Bill.
But when Doo had to leave the game early to attend to a personal matter, his teammates seemed unable to once again swing the game their way. They lacked the speed to get to open spots, they lagged on the backcheck.
"Losing him was big," said the Colonel.
"It was just one of those things that we were just starting to crest, just starting to gain some momentum," said Cowboy Bill. "We lose him, that's one more sub we don't have and you could tell in the waning moments of the game that our team just didn't have the legs anymore."