Dung in by a Beetle

In his first game of the calendar year, Beetle Boy shone as brightly as the golden sun that brought him out to play in the first place.

The veteran fair-weather roadster scored his team's first three goals, and four of their first five, to fuel an 18-15 victory in which his side never trailed.

Never a stranger to the opportunities that come to his stick, Beetle Boy took full advantage of his opponents' inattention to his presence as an offensive threat to cash in early and often.

"We looked around and we decided we were going to cue on Beckenbauer today," said Chico of his side's early lapse that ultimately paved the way to their demise. "That's how we started to play the game and we paid for it when Beetle Boy got hot."

The early outburst not only buoyed Beetle's confidence, it also sparked his mates.

"It seemed like he was the only one of us ready to play, and once he had the magic stick going we just kept feeding him the passes," said Bam Bam. "It was good that he gave us the lead because the rest of us were slow coming out of the gate."

Seemingly incapable of doing anything wrong in the offensive zone, Beetle Boy played like a bug on a mission, driving hard to the crease, digging for rebounds, spinning off checks with aplomb.

"He's a big body, but he showed some deft hands out there," said Chico of his nemesis.

"It's important to get that confidence," said the veteran winger. "I'm normally not that much of a scorer, but to get out early and contribute to the team was really good for me, it set a good pace."

That momentum rarely relented, although a couple of lulls through the middle part of the game may have made the score closer than it should have been. But timely gaols by Franz Beckenbauer and Holt Renfrew, who returned to the courts after an extended absence to travel to faraway lands, snuffed any hopes of a comeback.

"They hurt," said Chico of those momentum-sucking markers. "The guys had great effort, but we just started to run out of gas because we were constantly playing catch up."

Beetle Boy also took advantage of their man advantage, although the contribution of the Living Legend was minimal as he struggled coming off a week-long illness and played only a handful of shifts to spell tired teammates.

"We were finally able to take advantage of the extra man," said Bam Bam. "We were able to cycle the ball a bit more, tire them out a little bit."

(Dis)avantage

Sometimes a disadvantage can be an advantage.

Despite playing without the advantage of an extra man to spell off tired teammates, Franz Beckenbauer and his mates were able to control the tempo of Sunday's soggy game and roll to a 10-6 win.

The sophomore centreman said the manpower disadvantage forced them to play smarter, more responsibly, minimizing the opportunities they gave up to their more rested opponents.

"You have to play smart and let the ball do the work," said Beckenbauer. "I thought we did a good job passing in triangles, setting plays up without doing too much running."

The constant combination of Beckenbauer, Weeble and Pistol cashed in on their apparent chemistry early and often, building a lead their floundering foes couldn't overcome.

"I think not having a sub helped us establish some rhythm out there," said Chico, who played another strong game that allowed his team to concentrate on sustaining pressure in the offensive zone. "When you're not subbing a guy off, players start to play a little more conservatively, preserve their energy and they're thinking ahead. You need to play smart."

At the other end of the court, their opponents never seemed to get on track as players slipped on an off the court to catch their breath or chase balls that had flown out of the court.

"We just weren't able to build any momentum going into any of our shifts," said Bam Bam, who was further hobbled by the rainsoaked, slippery concrete that sent him tumbling to the hard surface on a few occasions.

"That took a toll later in the game," he said. "You've got to make sure every step is on good footing."

But the conditions were equally bad for both teams, said Beckenbauer. "It becomes very frustrating very quickly."

Even the goalies struggled at times, especially when they tried to play passes behind the net, where deep puddles soaked their feet and stopped the ball.

"I think both teams expected the ball to have a little more go," said Chico.

The slippery, wet court may have been a factor in a flubbed penalty shot by rookie speedster Pistol, who was awarded the opportunity when a breakaway was thwarted by Bam Bam's hurtled stick. As the lanky winger streaked in on Lak Attack, he seemed tentative with his footing and fanned on his attempt to find the five hole as the ball skittered through a puddle.

The game was also the debut of another Living Legend protégé, Bing, who set the senior founding father up for the game's first goal and made a number of solid defensive plays.

"Bing's a bit of a battering ram out there," said Beckenbauer. "You have to take that into account and play him a little more flexibly."

Icy triumph

Chico's team prevailed in Sunday's game 15-7, but there was no loser.

That's because the fact there was a game at all was a triumph of all the roadsters. A week of snow and frosty temperatures followed by a soggy thaw had left the court a moonscape of semi-frozen slush and ice.

But unlike last week, when a poor turnout and feeble resolve scuttled the game in the face of a similarly slicked challenge, a brigade of shovels, bags of rock salt and even some intrepid chopping with sticks pummelled, scraped and cleared the court in a little over an hour. It was a heroic, but exhausting effort.

"It was nice toes the community pull together to clear off the court and play some hockey today," said Beckenbauer. "It was a real feeling of triumph. I think we were all winners out there today."

"It's kind of a nice feeling to take a look at your massive obstacle and then pull together as a group to take care of it," said Yak. "Any bad conditions you've just got to push through."

"It really shows the guys are committed to playing," said Chico. "We worked hard just to get a surface to play on, and that speaks volumes about the quality of the guys we have playing."

In fact, many of the players endured blisters, stiff fingers and soggy cold feet as a result of their pre-game work detail.

"Gripping the shovel your hands get pretty mashed up," said Yak. "You don't feel the ball as well, gripping the stick hurts, you get tired, you get frustrated."
Remnants of frozen slush also made foot precarious.

"When you're turning and stopping you definitely have to keep that in mind," said Beckenbauer. "You've got to set yourself and accelerate more gradually."
Even the goalies struggled.

"You keep things very simple," said Chico. "You expect guys to get the pass in and shoot more rather than stickhandle their way in as much as they might in better conditions."

And while it was cold and wet, and the roadsters sagged by their toil, everyone was smiling at the end of the game.

"It doesn't matter what the result is," said Yak. "You get to enjoy the rewards of your labor. It's just fun to play."

Sn'o shows scuttle game

A cold snap and overnight snowfall achieved what indifferent attendance hadn't yet been able to achieve this season. Sunday's game was cancelled when only a handful of players negotiated slippery streets in hopes the traditional pre-game shovel brigade would ensure a timely face-off.

But, said Lak Attack, the new generation of players seems to lack the same fire of the past that saved so many games in defiance of court and weather conditions.

"A lot of the young guys, they just don't have the same work ethic or commitment to the game and what it means to them," said the veteran sniper. "It's a different time now."

But that's their own loss, said speedy sophomore Franz Beckenbauer, the only roadster to show up Sunday wielding a shovel.

"It definitely brings the group together," said Beckenbauer. "It's a good old-fashioned Canadian experience to shovel off the rink and I'm going to miss that."

In fact, it was days like Sunday that, in the past, were often the most memorable, said Lak Attack. Not for the quality of game played, but for the fortitude and tenacity of the players to ensure it was played at all.

"These are the focal points that really defined the spirit of the game. They recalled what it was like to play as a kid and just have fun and I think that's been lost a bit."

It was just such an experience Beckenbauer was hoping to replicate. "It would have been nice to enjoy the sunny winter weather."

But he and the other players who presented themselves were philosophical about their disappointment.

"This is a minor setback," said Lak Attack. "We still do have a lot of good players and it's still a wonderful game."

Special Report: Going 24-7

It's the most revered position in Sunday Morning Road Hockey. It's also the most feared.
This week, roadhockey.net goes behind the mask and inside the head of those with the fortitude and courage to strap on the big leg pads and pull on the protective helmet to face the sting of the evil orange plastic ball.
On the way to road hockey infamy or ignominy, they'll also endure crease-crashing forwards, indifferent defenders, sizzling snapshots and looping backhanders. They'll have to outfox the dekes of Lak Attack and stand strong against the rapier blasts of the Colonel. They'll stare into the face death off Unabomber's stick.
And the following week, they'll come back for more. Hopefully.
To celebrate the monumental contribution of these crease gladiators, roadhockey.net present a special HOBO Films production of Sunday Morning Road Hockey 24-7:

Sunday's game was a double celebration. Not only was it the annual Shrimp Ring Bowl, held to commemorate the first game of the new year, but it was also the Living Legend's birthday. The league's founding father and most senior player became the first roadster with a career touching four decades; he started playing while still in his 20's, played through his 30's and 40's and Sunday he played his first game in his 50's.
Too bad there weren't more roadsters to mark the occasion as only six players reported. But with two of them goalies, the paltry posse played a spirited game of two-on-two.
Backed by some spectacular goaltending by Twizzler, Lak Attack and his teammate Weeble jumped to an early advantage over the Living Legend and a hobbled Yak. But the underdogs found their scoring touch late in the game to make it close 10-5.

Triumph of the wile

School may be out for the Christmas break, but for the third time this season, road hockey's ageing veterans gave their younger opponents and education in perseverance.

Led by the Living Legend's five goals, including a natural hat trick, the senior squad stormed back from an early 3-0 defect to win Sunday's game 15-7.

The string of veteran victories show the game is all about wile and experience, said the Colonel, who returned to action after missing last week's game.

"Younger guys typically have that conditioning more than the older guys, but the older guys tend to be able to pick their spots a bit more," said the senior centerman.

"We may be older, we may be slower, but we're a little bit wiser," said the Living Legend, the league's most senior player.

Storming to a hard-fought 3-0 advantage, the younger upstarts seemed well in control, but as the veterans found their scoring touch, the game's momentum shifted dramatically.

"Once they got one, and then two and then the third one, momentum just kinda swung their way and we weren't able to get it back," said Bam Bam, who's yet to taste victory when playing with his junior teammates.

The veterans owned the middle of the court, using a quick and effective transition game to launch lightning attacks that caught the young defenders off guard and often out of position. The Legend's hat trick put them in front to stay.

"The ball just seemed to have eyes today," said the league's founding father of his goal scoring spree that included an incredible solo effort of the face-off, bouncing the ball twice off defenders legs before ripping a shot past a confounded Twizzler. "Where we beat them though the middle part of this game was in the middle of the court."

"The veterans have experience and they take advantage of the bounces," said Bam Bam. "They don't let anything phase them."

Including the loss of their extra man, after journeyman Giebelhaus had to leave the game after he took a sizzling shot to his eye.

"A game like this is all about managing our energy," said the Legend of his team's adjustment to playing without a substitute for the latter half of the game.

With Chico seemingly invincible in the net, and Lak Attack showing his usual two-way hustle, that allowed the Legend and Colonel to conserve their efforts in the defensive zone and push the play back up court at every opportunity.

"When you've got a goaltender who's playing well then you can take a few liberties and try to get chances going the other way," said the Colonel. "I had a lot of faith in the people who were defending."

For the youngsters, Sunday's outcome was confirmation they still have a lot to learn.

"It's definitely frustrating," said Bam Bam. "You'd think the young guys would have the advantage with our speed and endurance, but Colonel and the boys seemed to have control of the ball the entire game and we were playing catch up most of the way."

"I think the youngsters have got a lot to atone for," said the Legend. "They've got to step up their game."

Sunday's game was the last of the year, as the league takes a two-week break for Christmas and New Year's. The next game is Jan. 8, which will also be the gala Shrimp Ring Bowl.

Though he's only seen limited action this season, Scooby dropped by the courts Sunday to announce he'll be missing the remainder of the campaign to travel in faraway lands. Giebelhaus will also be missing a number of weeks as he also adopts the jetsetter lifestyle.
But there is at least a glimmer of hope Gump may be able to return to action before the end of the season as he underwent successful knee surgery and is on the road to rehabilitation.

Veterans wait out win

They may be old and a step behind, but in a half-court game against their younger opponents Sunday they never trailed en route to a decisive 12-8 win.

It was, said Beetle Boy, a case of experienced players knowing they had to take full advantage of their opportunities.

"We weren't trying to play pretty, we knew we couldn't do that," said the senior fair-weather player, who teamed up with Lak Attack, the Living Legend and occasionally Giebelhaus to open up an 8-3 lead before coasting to the win. "We were shooting like crazy and that made a difference."

It was the kind of barrage that caught Chico off guard a number of times, especially when his inexperienced defenders kept trying to deflect shots away from harm but instead tipped them past their beleaguered backstop.

"We had guys who were trying to do too much by getting in front of the net and trying to tip it away," said the sophomore shotstopper, who returned after missing the past two weeks.
"You've got to play the other team honest."

It was an especially difficult game for Bam Bam, the youngsters' senior player in only his second season at the courts; time and again his frantic efforts to control the defensive end went awry, catching his own teammates out of position to push the transition.

"You play on a court like this enough times, it's not just that you know the strategies, you know which plays work and which ones don't," said Yak. "You make less mistakes and wait for the other guys to choke."

Though down by as many as five goals, the youngsters didn't give up as they tried to run their way back into the game. But the veterans didn't panic. Instead they bided their time until their opponents again started making mistakes, especially in the transition from defence to offence.

"The dump-in is the most important thing in this game," said Beetle Boy. "If you can control that really well, then that's the big difference."

Which is just what Lak Attack did, especially as his teammates tired.

"They were a little bit better at staying coordinated with each other," said Yak.
"We were often too close to another guy on our team or too far apart."

"(The veterans) did a good job of keeping a handle on it," said Chico. "They recognized what they had to do."

Acrimonious ending

It's not the first it's happened, it likely won't be the last.

Sunday's game ended abruptly in acrimony after a heated conflict between the Colonel and the Living Legend prompted Holt Renfrew to walk off the court, fearing the violence could escalate. His team was leading at the time 12-5.

Last season Chico twice left the court after a series of run-ins with the Colonel.

The incidents which led to the premature end of Sunday's game left some of the roadsters at loose ends.

"You don't want to lose, but some people take it too seriously," said Bam Bam, who earned his first career victory as a goalie. "The game was going so well but at certain times certain people let their tempers flare."

"It's not a good thing to have happen," said Beetle Boy. "Emotions get high, but we're just all out there trying to have a fun day."

The progression of passions which led to Holt Renfrew's walkout weren't new, which made the game's demise all the more frustrating.

"This has happened before," said Beetle Boy. "Things that are inadvertent get blow up out of proportion and it gets a little out of hand."

"You're never going to win all the games," said Bam Bam. "Just live with it and come back next time."

Despite the animosity, most roadsters are confident the hurt feelings will heal.

"You've got a good group of guys," said Beetle Boy. "I don't think it will have a longterm effect on the game."

"We just hope it doesn't keep happening," said Bam Bam. "We want everyone to keep coming out, we want more people to come out."

Before the demise of Sunday's game, Bam Bam and his mates had pretty much had their way on the scoreboard. Living Legend led the way, with five goals.
But it was the rookie rearguard's stellar play between the pipes that gave his mates the confidence to press the play deep into the offensive zone.
"He was playing lights out for us, and once we saw that we were comfortable," said Beetle Boy.
Bam Bam's approach to stopping the evil orange plastic ball was pragmatic.
"If I take care of my job we'll be fine," said the neophyte netminder. "As a goalie you never have to deviate far from the original plan which is to stop the ball."
Bam Bam was pressed into shotstopping service when Twizzler was a late scratch. And with Chico already absent, the hunt was on for emergency backups.
Lak Attack filled in admirably but was defenceless against the potent chemistry of his playmaking opponents.
"We just really seemed to click well together," said Beetle Boy."It was really a case that we always seemed to know where each other was."

Whole-hearted effort

Sometimes a half game is better than no game at all.

A driving rain storm that didn't let up until moments before game time and a flood that swamped one end of the court in four inches of water didn't deter the hardiest of the roadsters Sunday.

All seven of them.

Not enough for a full game, but certainly a quorum for the half-court game, devised last season for just such occasions. While not as competitive as the usual weekly showdowns, it keeps the players sharp and the goalie on his toes.

"It can be difficult to figure out where the offence and defence is at times," says Lak Attack, who strapped on the pads after he missed last week's game. "You might make a great save off one guy and then your defenders are coming back at you the next moment. You have to be sharp and stay alert."

The format also demands some unique strategy, says Franz Beckenbauer.

"You try to frustrate the other team as much as you can," says the shifty sophomore. "You essentially need to set up a rover at the far end to collect those dump out. It's a real different game out there."

The constant changes of possession that has players switching from offence to defence as the ball is moved up court can be confusing, especially for the goalie.

"You have to when to cover it up and when not to," says Lak Attack.

"Sometimes you have to remind (the goalie) to cover the ball, but when you're on offence you just try to keep getting balls on him," says Franz Beckenbauer.

And while some roadsters may complain the half-court game is half-baked, it's more important it go on.

"The game is always alive," says Lak Attack. "Rain or shine or snow or whatever it's going to be, it's always a good collective effort."

"We have to keep reminding ourselves of that," says Franz Beckenbauer.

Shorthanded goals salt away victory

There may not have been enough salt to de-ice the slicked court to Colonel's liking on Sunday, but his team lacked the pepper to overcome the game's first shorthanded goal en route to a decisive 20-10 loss.

With the cold weather and slippery conditions keeping most of the roadsters inside warm and dry, the teams played a modified game in which the sides alternated shorthanded shifts with the Living Legend as the swing man. That meant the team best able to withstand the power play shifts would like prevail.

Through the first period, the teams played according to script, each capitalizing on their man advantage shifts. But a defensive miscue and some lazy backchecking caught up with the Colonel and his mates, Yak and Living Legend as Franz Beckenbauer scored the first shorthanded goal of the game, giving his side the advantage into their power play shift.

"You're going goal for goal, goal for goal, but when you give one up like that you feel like you've got to get two back," said Yak. "It's a bit of a letdown."

"You feel like you're down a serve and you want to get that back as quickly as possible," said the Colonel.

Trying to swing the momentum back their way, the Colonel's side stalled, throwing the frozen orange ball around the perimeter, trying to catch their undermanned opponents out of position or tire them out from the chase. The strategy backfired, as their younger foes maintained their defensive discipline.

"It never felt like we had a man advantage," said the Colonel. "It felt like we played even strength and dow a man most of the time."

Fleet-footed Franz Beckenbauer and Holt Renfrew also played an effective transition game, taking the game to their slower, more cautious opponents.

"When you're playing short in that kind of game, you can surprise the other team by committing hard to the ball," said Yak. "They did a way better job of that."

The icy conditions presented a challenge to the players and especially the goaltenders, who also had to control the hard, bouncing orange plastic ball.
"You just want to be soft on the ball so there isn't a rebound," said Chico. "You try to absorb it as it comes in and as a goalie that's a serious adjustment to make."
The players also had to adjust, ternderfooting it across the slicked surface.
"You've just got to watch your step and you've got to make sure you don't commit when you shouldn't," said Yak. "You've got to be a little more careful, play a space game, cover the zone a bit better."
"You run a little slower," said the Colonel. "Even the people who already run slow will run a little slower. You're just apprehensive all over the place."

Red-faced mistake costs Colonel and mates

Giebelhaus may have been sporting a shiner, but it was the Colonel who had egg on his face after the revived veteran stripped the feisty forward and scored the goal that sparked his side to a 15-12 win in Sunday's game.

With the Colonel trying to take advantage of Giebelhaus' lumbering gait by deking his way out of the defensive zone, the slow-motion forward reached in to steal the ball then ripped a shot past a bewildered Twizzler to restore his side's advantage late in the game. It was that kind of commitment to strong checking that forged his team's victory said his line mate Bam Bam.

"We had some good defence that lead to strong counterattacks," said the speedy sophomore.

It also allowed his team to shake off three surefire goals that rang off the post and crossbar.

"If the guys were putting the ball off the crossbar and off the post, you know you're getting your chances," said Chico, who had to overcome a painful rifle shot off his toe to earn the victory. "You've just got to stay focused on the next goal in front of you rather than worrying about the goal you could have had behind you."

"You just have to brush those plays off," said Bam Bam of the missed markers. "If you keep working hard, you know the goals are going to come."

After fighting to take their first lead of the game midway through, the Colonel and his mates just seemed to run our of steam, struggling to maintain the backcheck, giving up repeated odd-man rushes.

"We went for our chances, but it hurt us in the end," said the Colonel. "The other team was taking it us in the second half of the game."

Taking advantage to win

It's a good thing the roadsters got an extra hour of sleep Saturday night.

Colonel buried a centring pass from Giebelhaus to score the winner in a marathon 10-9 sudden death victory Sunday that tested the fortitude and fitness of both teams.

After giving up the first four goals of the game to their undermanned opponents, who were playing without the benefit of an extra man to spell off tired teammates, Colonel and his mates began chipping away, eventually getting back on even terms.

"It was huge that we had the extra player," said Beetle Boy, who made his first start of the season after missing the preseason and first two weeks of the regular season with an injury.

But the underdogs weren't about to fold up their tents. With Lak Attack holding down the fort in net, stifling scoring opportunities with his lightning glove hand, his mates worked their transition game into a startling series of odd man rushes that eventually paid off with the go-ahead goal at the break.

"The guys did a really good job moving the ball," said Lak Attack.

"With guys like Legend and Franz (Beckenbauer), you know they're in shape and they don't wear down that easily," said Beetle Boy, whose side came out firing in the second period, hoping to regain their momentum.

"We knew that if we just kept working that hard, it would eventually happen," said Beetle Boy.

With Colonel and Bam Bam working the give-and-go passes, Giebelhaus plugging in the corner and Beetle Boy hovering to scoop the garbage rebounds, they were able to finally open up their first lead, 7-5. Their opponents were huffing and puffing; the final assault seemed inevitable.

But Beckenbauer's boundless determination and the Legend's seeing eye shot were not to be denied, as they led the underdogs' furious comeback that put them up 9-8. Their drive for the game winner fell just short, though, smothered time and again by the solid goaltending of Chico.

"We had lots of opportunities to finish the game, but Chico played really well at the other end," said Lak Attack of his foe at the far end.

Turning the tide

Taking advantage of a green goaltender, Doo and his mates rolled to an easy 16-10 lead, then almost let it slip away. But a timely goal by the skilled speedster with the margin down to two propelled his side to a decisive 20-14 win in Sunday's game.

Led by Franz Beckenbauer's adept touch around the net and knack for knocking bouncing balls out of mid air, the favourites seemed to have the first rainy game of the season well in hand. The Colonel, making his first start between the pipes last year, replacing the absent Chico, seemed bamboozled by rebounds rolling at his feet, overwhelmed by the shots raining in on him. Lapses by his defense frustrated him.

"We got a lot of friendly bounces early on," said Beckenbauer, who scored a handful of seemingly improbable goals to stake his side to an enormous edge on the scoreboard, including a 5-1 run in the second period. "We got lots of shots, got traffic in front of the net, and just banged it around at the goalie's feet."

"We were getting to the loose balls real quick," said Bam Bam, of his team's total control of the game's early periods. "With a new goalie you just try to get as many shots early, and I think we did that pretty well."

But just as his side was starting to think of a possible road hockey shutout for their goalie, Twizzler, who has yet to lose in three starts this season, the wheels started to come off. Four straight goals swung the momentum to the underdogs, and they were hungry for more, pressing in the offensive zone relentlessly.

"We saw it coming," said Doo. "They started playing harder, they started coming on."

"Once we got the scoring advantage, I think we just let up," said Bam Bam. "We weren't running, we weren't going for loose balls, we were using our teammates as passing options, we were all trying to do it ourselves."

But it was a determined solo effort by Doo that reversed the trend, as he chopped a breakaway goal past Colonel's glove, to spark four unanswered goals to close out the victory.

"We really needed a big goal to get our heads back in the game, " said Doo of his determined effort. "We had to step it up a bit, but we couldn't get anything done because of our sense of panic. That goal calmed us down a bit."

"They had a run going on and the first thing you have to do is put an end to it, dampen their spirits," said Beckenbauer.

"Obviously we didn't play our A game,"' said Bam Bam. "Doo kinda rallied us back into it."

Doo-bleheader victories

Doo just wanted to ease himself into his first game after a summer of sloth. Instead, he may have established himself as the go-to back up goaltender.

The diminutive substitute, who strapped on the pads when Twizzler scratched with the flu, won both games in Sunday's regular season opening doubleheader, 15-5 and 10-8. It wasn't the script the offensive speedster had anticipated for his debut. Normally a play-making dynamo with a knack for timely goals, Doo conceded his lack of fitness motivated him to climb between the pipes.

"My cardio was way down in the dumps," said Doo. "You don't have to be in as good shape playing goal."

But in the close confines of the road hockey courts, you do have to be sharp. And Doo was, making a few key stops to win the confidence of his teammates, who went on to easily win Sunday's first game.

"After a few shots, it was pretty clear he was on top of his game," said Yak, making his second career Sunday Morning start. "If you have faith in your goalie you put three guys on the ball and get aggressive in the offensive zone. You know if you give one up, you've got a good chance you'll get a save and get the ball back."

The quick start was key said Doo. It allowed him to find his rhythm.

"After the first goal gets by you, you start doubting yourself," said the substitute shotstopper. "Fortunately our team put a few up before they could get one by me, so we could coast to the end."

The second game proved a little tougher. After the Living Legend put his side up early, the Colonel found his range and his mates Franz Beckenbauer, Holt Renfrew and Giebelhaus found their scoring touch. A three-goal run put Doo down for the first time.

"I was facing Franz and that was the game-changer," said Doo. "When he's on the other team you've really got to watch out for him."

In fact, Beckenbauer was a force in both games, bringing out the best in his linemates. He was unfazed when those linemates changed for Sunday's second game.

"When you play in the league for a couple of years, you get to know people's strengths, you know if you have a running team or a shooting team," said Beckenbauer. "You just have to understand your teammates."

But his side couldn't hang on, as Yak combined with Bam Bam to spark a late comeback, capped by the Living Legend's game winner on a scramble in front of a sprawling Chico.

"You've got to stick to the game plan, stick to your man, work hard and hopefully you get a few bounces come your way," said Yak.

"It was good that my team played well in front of me," said Doo.

Chico announced he'll miss next week's game as he's going to be out of town. It will also give him another week to recover from an apparent concussion he suffered when he took a Unabomber snapshot off the mask in last Sunday's Wink Classic.
The sophomore shotstopper said he was afflicted with a severe headache and nausea after last week's game. When it persisted into Monday, he stopped by a hospital where he was diagnosed with a low-grade concussion. The symptoms subsided as the week progressed, allowing him to play in Sunday's regular season opener.

A Classic goaltenders' duel

During his 18 year road hockey career, Wink never shied away from the rough stuff. His stalwart defensive play was often punctuated by pile drive hits into the boards, or two-armed muggings at the top of the crease.

So it was fitting that Sunday's Wink Classic ended in thuggery and acrimony.

Moments after Chico ended up under a pile of players in his goal crease put there by the Colonel, he stormed out of the game to protest the feisty forward's apparent cross check of his teammate Franz Beckenbauer. It's the second time the shotstopping sophomore has emphatically protested his arch-nemisis' aggressive play.

It all brought back memories back for Wink, who watched Sunday's game from a chair in his driveway.

"My career was kinda embroiled in controversy and bodies strewn on the court," said Wink of the special game, which was played on the road in front of his to honour his career and difficult retirement which has been punctuated by health issues. "I felt it was kind of an ode to me and that was pretty exciting."

The Wink Classic was old time road hockey in every sense. Away from the enclosed confines of the court, the roadsters were free to roam the wide street and flanking sidewalks and lawns. They battled rough and potholed pavement, paused for passing cars and tempered their shots so the game wouldn't be delayed by long waits to fetch wayward balls.

"It's right back to where you started, it's why you play the game," said Chico. "I think the first time the guys yelled car, it gave you a little shiver. It was very sentimental."

"It took me back to elementary school, playing on the sidewalk, trying to get around guys," said Scooby.

"It reminds you that we're here to have fun," said Unabomber. "It brings out the spirit of the game, that we're all here to get some exercise, some fresh air and have some fun."

"It's old school to get out there and see where the sticks come out," said Wink. "The guy you like this week might be the guy you hate next week and you think all week about how much you hate that guy. It really felt like an old-time game."

As forwards stubbled to control the evil orange plastic ball on the rough road, the goalies controlled the game. Twizzler prevailed in a 4-3 win, the lowest scoring game in Sunday Morning history.

"Twzzler is a great goalie and a big guy, so he didn't need much movement," said Scooby. "There was no space in the net to shoot at."

"You couldn't see any net when you were in close," said Unabomber. "We had to rely on rebounds and garbage goals and a whole lot of bounces."

"The ball was bouncing all over the place, but I think the goalies were a bit ahead of the curve," said Chico. "Twizzler robbed us point blank six, seven, eight times, he made great glove hand stops, a couple of desperation saves."

The Wink Classic also marked the 20th anniversary of Sunday Morning Road Hockey. Playing on the open road was a fitting tribute to the game's roots, said the day's guest of honour, Wink.
"Back when men were men and Wendel was nervous, guys played like it mattered," said the notorious gameshow host gone bad.
It also rekindled his own passion that had fuelled his career for 18 seasons.
"I didn't realize who tough it was to be away from the game until today," said Wink. "A couple of times guys came by and I whacked 'em with my cane just like the old days. It brought back memories."

Three rookies suited up for Sunday's Wink Classic. But the turnout from the game's alumni was woefully disappointing as only Wendel made it to the special game.

Classic honors anniversary and founding father

There won't be any end boards to keep in play shots that go wide of the net. If Unabomber misses one of his patented wild boomers, it might take a week for the roadsters to chase down the ball.

Traffic will be a hazard. And so will indignant neighbours.

Sunday Morning Road Hockey is going back to its roots, the road.

The Wink Classic will be played Sunday at Edinburgh and Henley Streets in New West to mark the league's 20th anniversary and to honour one of its founding fathers, Notorious Gameshow Host Gone Bad Wink.

The irascible defenseman, who retired more than two years ago, has been battling health problems for much of the past year. But his dedication, commitment and passion that marked his career continue to be a driving force in the weekly battles for control of the evil orange plastic ball. So much so, the league minted a trophy, the Wink Award, that is presented to the player recognized for his dedication and perseverance.

The roadster will gather 10:15 a.m. at Edinburgh and 10th Streets on Sunday, then move en masse to play the special game in front of Wink's house.

The early advantage

Shaking off the rust of a languid off-season is easier for some players than others.

Sunday, in the first exhibition game of the season, the goalies held the early advantage until the skilled speedsters were able to find their legs and their touch around the net.

Franz Beckenbauer picked up where he left off last season, Bam Bam showed no lingering effects of the injuries that kept him from last Spring's Stanley Stick finale, and retread roadster Giebelhaus had a deft touch around the crease to power their undermanned squad to a 15-11 win.

But it took some time for them to get on track.

Early on, it was the goalies who dictated the pace, shutting down the few offensive plays that actually clicked as players struggled to find their timing.

"The timing takes a little while to come back," said sophomore shotstopper Chico. "I think the goalies have a bit of an advantage as the rest of the players haven't quite go their legs yet."

Some of the players were also hobbled by their lack of game fitness.

"I think the major thing the players lose in the off season is the card," said Franz Beckenbauer. "The goalies don't need that as much, their reflexes come back a lot quicker so they definitely have the upper hand."

But it didn't last.

The scorers took over as Lak Attack found his wheels, Bam Bam, refreshed and rehabbed, battled the boards, Scooby swooped through the middle of the court with mid-season determination.

"Fitness is a big factor in terms of coming into the season in shape and ready to go," said Lak Attack. "You have to be ready to go so you can run with these guys, but more importantly, you've got to understand where to be positionally, how to set up your guys and make sure you play as a team."

"The players have a lot of skill, their hand-eye co-ordination hasn't left them," said Chico, last year's rookie of the year.

Pacing was the key, said Franz Beckenbauer, as players adjusted to the game's speed and the rapid transitions from defence to offence.

"You're really got to be strategic, look for the counter attack," said the second-year forward. "You don't want to blow a gasket so early in the season."

It's also important to keep expectations realistic this early on, said Chico.
"We're not going to play at the same pace we did at the Stanley Stick. It's going to take the teams a little while to gel, and it's going to take the goalies a while to adjust to the pace."

roadhockey.net has learned veteran utility player Gump may be lost for most of the season as he prepares to undergo surgery to his damaged knee. The yeoman forward and backup goaltender was hoping to rehab his sore knee into game shape through the summer, but a further medical assessment recommended more extensive repairs would be needed.

Preseason opens Sunday

Training camp for Sunday Morning Road Hockey's 20th anniversary year opens Sunday at the courts.
Energized by the infusion of new players like Chico, Bam Bam and Franz Beckenbauer, it was the league's wiliest veteran and fellow founding father, the Living Legend, who put the exclamation mark on its 19th season by leading his squad to a two-game sweep of the Stanley Stick championship series.
He'll be back, vying to become the first roadster to have his career span four decades. But a disappointing turnout at the annual Midsummer Scrimmage and an otherwise quiet off-season have left lingering questions about the league's on-going viability. Hopefully some of those will start to get answered at Sunday's first exhibition game.

Mid-Summer Scrimmage set for Thursday

It's not played on Sunday, or even in the morning, but a Sunday Morning Road Hockey tradition will be renewed on Thursday with the annual Mid-Summer Scrimmage.

The easy, lightly-contested game is held every August to reacquaint the roadsters with their hockey legs and prepare them for the upcoming season, which will open with a one-game exhibition schedule on Sunday, Oct. 9.

Face-off for the Mid-Summer Scrimmage will be at 6:30 p.m. and the game will go on until it's deemed to dark to see the evil orange plastic ball.

Legend-ary victory

It may have been a game 21 seasons in the making. Defying age, the Living Legend scored seven goals Sunday to lead his team to a 20-14 win and a two-game sweep of the Stanley Stick championship series.

The founding father's offensive outburst followed up a three-goal performance in last week's opener, including the game winner. That was enough to earn him votes as the series' most valuable player, his first Conn Stick award.

But while the Legend reaped the rewards, his side's sweep of the season's climactic showdown was forged by an all-around team effort to which every player was fully committed said Scrappy.

"That was a full team effort," said the fleet forward, who was kept off the scoresheet Sunday, but contributed a huge effort on the forecheck and backcheck. "Everyone was checking along the boards, playing tight to the man, not giving them much."

It was a game plan executed pretty much to perfection said Unabomber, as his side looked to put their opponents away after winning last week's opener 20-16.

"We wanted to keep our shifts shorter and keep everyone involved in the game," said the hard-shooting defenceman. "We needed to play a patient game, work a little harder, bide our time and it would work out for us."

Even as his side fell behind in the game's earliest stages, trailing 4-2 at one point, they refused to panic.

"We just kept coming back," said Lak Attack. "That's when we knew if we stuck to our plan we were eventually going to take over."

It took a while though. Combatting a sticky, bouncing ball on the warmest day of the spring, the margin for the favorites was a slim single goal, 10-9, half way and almost two hours into the game. But their opponent's resolve was showing signs of fracturing as their line juggling that was necessitated by the unexpected scratch of veteran defender Nibs began to take its toll.

"I think we were hurt through the second half of the game by not having that sixth guy," said the Colonel. "It was a warm day and we wore down a bit."

And the Legend was quick to take advantage, as he scored a pair of goals on his first shift after the break, chipping a backhander over Pig Farming Goalie's outstretched pad at the corner of the crease and sweeping home another off a furious rush out of the corner by Lak Attack.

"We came out with a bit more jump and Legend got behind their coverage," said Scrappy. "Once you get a big lead like that after such a tight game for so long, it's demoralizing for the other team."

"The hard part for us was the backbreaking goals that resulted from opportunistic plays," said the Colonel.

Still, with the score 15-9, the underdogs showed signs of renewed life, as they took advantage of some defensive lapses to score three straight and close the gap to 15-12. But that was as close as they got, as Chico smothered every ball that rolled his way and his teammates renewed their commitment to defence.

"It was important not to let any one goal swing the tide," said the rookie rearguard. "We knew what we needed to do."

And when Kid swooped down the wing and lifted a seeing-eye shot past Pig Farming Goalie, they'd accomplished what they'd set out to do.

"We all had confidence in each other and we knew if we just played our game, it would come around in our favor," said Unabomber.

"I think it all comes down to discipline," said Scrappy. "We just had to keep it simple."

"We had the team effort you need to win the Stick," said Chico.

While the Legend's scoring touch was unmatched on Sunday, it wasn't without precedent, as he netted eight in a game just three weeks ago. Time and again he was able to take advantage of defenders focusing on his linemates to evade coverage and convert his opportunities.
"I think we really benefitted from the opposition focusing on other players and letting Legend work his magic," said Chico.
"He got behind their coverage and they didn't take care of him clearly," said Scrappy.
But the Legend's contribution was greater than just goals, said the Colonel.
"(He) showed people he's got quite a bit of knowledge about the game," said the irascible veteran. "He was opportunistic to jump on a lot of his chances, but he did a lot of little things well. I think he raised his game."

Another player who raised his game was Chico, who was unflappable and mostly unbeatable throughout the championship series. After a difficult start to his road hockey career in which the rookie rearguard failed to win in his first five games, he was steady and surehanded when it most counted.
"Chico was just solid for us," said Lak Attack. "He really kept us in the game and that gave us a lot of confidence. we were never worried about having to push up in the offensive zone."
"We knew if we could keep them to the outside that Chico could handle the shots," said Unabomber.
"We were tentative those first few shifts and he made some big saves early," said Scrappy.
"He did everything his team could have asked from him," said the Colonel.

In fact, all season Chico did everything the league could have asked from him, including playing through his weeks of impending fatherhood. His arrival at the beginning of the season and commitment to the league through his difficult debut and all kinds of weather resolved a potentially crippling goalie crisis as erstwhile starter Gump battled injury much of the season.
Which is why Chico was awarded the second Wink Award for dedication and perseverance, named after the retired founding father, Notorious Gameshow Host Gone Bad Wink.

The 2010-11 Stanley Stick champions are: Chico, Living Legend, Scrappy, Scooby, Lak Attack, Unabomber, Kid.

Series advantage slips away

As Colonel berated his mates in frustration, Velma couldn't help but feel an opportunity to take charge of the Stanley Stick championship series had slipped away from his team. Literally.

His five goals had helped his squad close to within a pair of goals, 15-13. But a light shower had slicked the concrete court. Velma never scored again, and his team succumbed 20-16.

"The game really seemed to turn for us when the court got wet," said the feisty forward who seemed unstoppable in the game's early moments. "You can' t stop on a dime anymore and you have to plan your moves ahead."

That hesitation was all their speedy opponents needed to pounce on opportunities. Three straight goals, one of the disallowed for goaltender interference, snuffed any hope of a comeback.

"We just came back and scored to stop their momentum," said Scooby of his side's knack for timely goals to turn the game back to their advantage. "We just capitalized on those chances."

In fact, his side, a potent combination of young speedsters and wily veterans, never trailed. But the final result was far from a runaway, something Unabomber said they were conscious of whenever they managed to stretch their advantage.

"I think time has shown anyone can win or lose, it's all who wants it the most in the end," said the hard-shooting defender, who felled Beetle Boy with one of rapier blasts late in the game. "At the end we proved we wanted it more."

No one more so than Scooby, who time and again stormed around flat-footed defenders as he charged out of the corner and across the crease to create scoring opportunities. And those plays wouldn't have happened without aggressive forechecking.

"Once we had possession of the ball, we were able to get it to guys to get away those shots before the goalie gets set in his butterfly," said Scooby.

"It's a deadly combo when you have Scooby and Lak and Kid up front," said Velma.

And when the offense did falter, Chico stood tall in his first Stanley Stick start.

"Once that first shot hits you, you settle down," said the rookie rearguard. "The intensity is unbelieveable, everyone is amped up."

With his team down a game, Velma says his team is ready for the challenge of winning next week's rematch to set up a decisive mini game.
"Some of our team is going to use the hack and slash and maim, and some of team is going to propel the goals."
But their opponents aren't taking anything for granted.
"We know the Colonel is going to have them regroup and they'll come out very hard with a new game plan," said Unabomber. "We fully expect it to be an all-out battle again, and we're going to have to bring our A game."

Dog tired

Belligerent and bellicose at the best of times, Colonel was nearly apoplectic Sunday following his team's lackadaisical 20-7 loss. It's not the way he wanted to end the regular season. It's not the way he wanted to prepare for next week's start of the Stanley Stick championship series.

After taking his frustration out on the media looking for scathing post-game comment, the feisty veteran expressed his disgust and disappointment at his team's all-around effort, or rather the lack of it.

Linemate Scooby had little reason to disagree.

"We didn't have a lot of energy and we didn't get great goaltending," said the speedy centerman who managed to bring some jump to most of his shifts.

The latter was especially disheartening, as Twizzler struggled all day to get a handle of quick-release long shots that frequently eluded his flapping glove hand.

"It wasn't the best goaltending show," said Scooby.

And nobody cashed in more than Franz Beckenbauer, who had his best, most productive game in weeks, including a dramatic goal on a penalty shot late in the game that stuck a dagger in any hopes their opponents were harboring about a possible comeback.

"It's all about the effort," said the Teutonic rookie. "You see how the goalies play and then you make adjustments. I think I proved a few things to people today."

That confidence will serve him well going into his first Stanley Stick championships series.

"It's pretty crucial," said Beckenbauer. "I feel ready for next week, ready to get started."

Scooby and his mates are also confident they'll be able to put their weak effort behind them in time for the charged atmosphere of the Stick.

"If anything, it motivates you to play better," said Scooby. "If you take something from this game, it's that you can't play like this in the Stick."