Excellent games last night everyone. For those not there the Dark Team (comprised mostly of the A-Team) won 2 out of 3 against the White Team (with mostly B-Teamers).
Game 1 was tied at 2 when Brett stole an errant clearing pass and wristed one past Darrin. Clutch goal. Dark team holds on for the victory 3-2.
Game 2 ended in a tie and when to a shootout. Steve was torched by Scotty and Mark S while Darrin turned back attempts from Mike W and Brett. White Team win.
Brett leaves to see Pink Floyd, and a goalie switch despite an excellent night from Steve in games 1 & 2 to start Game 3. Dark team jumps out to a quick 3-0 lead, only to watch the White team get two of those goals right back. Despite extending the lead to 4-2, the White team battles back to tie it. Just when it looked like we were going to another shootout, an offensive zone steal with under 10 seconds left lead to a quick give an go between John and Joe with the winning goal being scored 3 seconds before the buzzer. The most dramatic Saugus game we've had.
Random thoughts:
1. Outstanding efforts by everyone. Excellent goaltending for both teams. On the White team Scotty and JB were very good as expected, but solid games from Mike D, Bobcat, and Brad. Chris, you were late so you get no mention! Mark continues to show a very good scoring touch (look where he ranks in the stats when Nick posts them...a great start to the year). The Dark team really stepped it up when Brett had to leave. Brendon aside from a couple of gaffes (and overextended shifts where you should have subbed) you played much better defensively. Lenny did a very good job keeping the ball in at the point, and I thought Joe played excellent for his first time this year. Nick & Mike did a pretty good job containing Scotty too.
2. In addition to some nice offensive plays, loved the effort from Billy going up against Scotty. Usually only Griff can annoy Scotty that much!
3. 5-4 lead in games for the Dark Team. Overall, the Dark team has a 27-25 lead in goals scored. Very, very close.
4. I've liked the timed games. From a scoring standpoint we probably have to adjust expectations though. It used to be if you scored 5 goals it was a pretty decent night. Now, it seems like 5 goals will be the exception, not the rule. PPGs have taken a big hit across the board (by at least a whole ppg in many cases). It doesn't mean timed games are bad. We just had to adjust expectations. If you only get 3 points on the night, you might not feel great about it if you're used to more in years past. Yet now, that probably puts you among the leaders for that night.
24 comments:
10-3-10
A Night Of Everything
Could have easily been a week where WPR expanded to 10 spots due to everyone playing great and contributing to the best 3 games in Saugus since WPR has been posting.
5 Brad - No this isn’t déjà vu. Brad played defense last night and looked like he knew what he was doing. Very few times was there a man left open on his side. He stopped Brett and others from entering the zone many times with good stick position and intercepted many passes across the crease and stopped sure goals. Borges has been a great mentor to him. The question now is, is he offense or defense?
4 Steve - Steve, dare I say, outplayed Darrin in game one. Steve was in all the right places at all the right times. I specifically remember a pad save on a turn around cannon from Scotty. Has Steve regained his form from the 2008 season? Last night suggests he did
3 Nick - I’d hate to have to play defense verse the likes of Scott and Borges, never mind going into the corners with them. Nicks board play was out of this world good. And made all the right split second decisions. Still struggles to hit the net consistently, but if he ever does, he’ll be the top d-man by a long shot(no pun intended) Mike W was a nice compliment to Nick in the defensive zone.
2 Darrin - A slight edge over Steve but only cause of the shootout where he was able to stop both shooters from the dark team. Also was able to put one in his win column for the Better Driscoll battle that will be ongoing through the season.
1 Scott F. - Not only was Scott able to enforce his will on the dark team, he did it while subbing on a regular basis. Scott worked great with Borges all night and could be that missing piece for the white team. Scott played great no matter where he played on the ice.
Honorable Mention: Really could go to anyone. Johnny for a buzzer beater. Borges for his leadership and once again great 2 way play. Brett for his puck control and hustle. But this week it goes to Ariel. Not only did she never use the horn(thank goodness), she also kept accurate stats and stood up to Frendon even after he rushed up to her after game 1 to try and get a phantom point on a play he had nothing to do with. Great job!!
oh yeah timed games are terrible. I'm an idiot for suggesting it.
Oh and by the way i think there were only 3 icings all night last night. All by accident.
Brett, they're not terrible...don't be so hard on yourself.
Frendon's Grades:
Offense: B- got back to his forechecking roots
Defense: B- didn't see game three, but first 2 games he got back and even covered for the center a bunch
the games this week were sensational...its going to be very hard to match, never mind top, this coming week.
It seemed like everyone played their butts off...and it showed. Neither team had a real "goat".
Well Done.
Brendon on the last goal bradley tried to clear it by shooting it out in the air. Did you somehow tip it on it's way to me? I didn't see a tip. I knocked his clearing pass out of mid air and turned around and shot with out looking. It was a terrible shot on the ground that just made it in inside the post. Do you think you touched it between when bradley tried to air it out of the zone and me stopping it in mid air? How do you remember the play happening
Two weeks in a row on WPR YA !
on that one i asked borges if he made a play on it he said yes. so it wasn't a deflection, just a clearing attempt that went right to me and i scored. is that the one?
The other goal was me to lenny
brad you deserved it, you really did.
Gotta say, me and johnny have to step up our games. do we even have any goals together this year?
guys we have to have a shootout stat and also a penalty shot one.
I think that was the best I've ever seen Steve play! all i could hear down the other end was the sound of his pads making saves
john is over the hill...he cant step up his game...its all on you brett!!
take that B-team!
stats are up!
Darrin, I'll record the shootout stats and post them as part of the season stats. I'll try to have them ready for next week.
Brendon, I just fixed it for Nick...
Can I exist in career stats and player cards?
Looks like Mark Stevens plays and shows up as 'Mark S' in career stats, so we'd have to differentiate the two of us somehow...
I could be just 'Mark'
Mark, that's a good catch. Despite the fact we have had around 100 people play and be listed in the database, I haven't had a situation where people have the same first name and first initial of the last name. For career it might be combining the stats for you guys.
I will work on fixing that for next week. The stats themselves are safe, it's just how it's displaying the career stats that it combines them with Mark Stevens.
eric is in for Sunday he said. your welcome borges
A Team?
he is on A-Team for Montreal he said. If scotty shows again we get eric i guess
Good idea Brendon..wish I thought of it sooner
has anyone noticed that through 3 weeks now Borges is tied with Frendon?
So for MTL A-Team is:
John Brett Nick
Eric Ron Mike W
Darrin
Sound about right? Not too shabby.
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