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| July 27, 2004
By Irish #19
Day Eleven
|  Cubbies Go To Sudden Death O.T. - Atoms and Mites Crown Platinum Champions - Mini-Special on the New York Mission Snipers - Midgets go to Final Four as Honeybaked Melts Down - Pee Wees Play On
“Confidence, not arrogance, makes the best athlete. More importantly, it makes the best person.” John Wooden.
As we wrap up the Platinum it is always good to remember that the talent you have, depending on your beliefs, is either a gift of God, or a gift of genes from your parents. While you can take credit for refining it, be humble because you are not the author of it. In fact, the most talented owe back to the sport, and owe an example to the younger players.
Jerry Osterkamp and Joaquin Chivara are examples of young men who are at the top of their game. Former members of Team USA, and yearly playing visitors to NARCh, you can now see them on the bench teaching and coaching others. An excellent example of very talented players who are giving back to the game.
Cubbies:
The Six and under final was one of the most exciting yet of any final at NARCh.
With six minutes to go in the final half of play, #94 of the OC Blades gave us a Gibo quality backhand high goal to extend the lead to 5-2. But it was the Bordercats Cubbies turn to be heard from. Two successive goals cut the Blades’ lead to 1. Less than a minute to go, the Bordercats tie the game. Then, #13 of the Bordercats let fly a wrister from the face off circle and the Bordercats go ahead, 6-5, capping a remarkable come back.
But OC Blades were not done, as #96 of the Blades let his own wrister fly with 14.9 seconds to go, bringing it back even at 6-6.
At the end of regulation, the OC Blades pick up a bench minor for too many cubbies on the floor and they go into O.T. a mini-man down. It was a penalty, but with the noise of the music and the typical confusion of the young players, some only five years old on the floor, the bench was unable to get their fifth skater off before the drop of the puck.
They overtime action was furious. OC gets the first two scoring chances, but they are turned away. When the Bordercats advance the puck OC keeps them at bay until one second is left on their penalty kill and at 10:13 of the O.T., when the Bordercats score and take home their back to back Cubbie Championship.
Atom Platinum Final:
This game found the OC Blades battling the Tour Smoke, and it was a game of contrasting styles. On one side was the Nike OC Blades run and gun type action, and the Tour Smoke used puck movement and tight zone defense.
The Blades opened up a small lead and seemed to control the game most of the first half of play.
In the second half of play, the game was close at 4-2 when young Brian Williams of the Blades broke it open to 5-2. It appeared the game was in the refrigerator, when the Tour answered back with two goals, getting close. The Blades scored again, however, and extended the lead to 6-4.
The last few minutes of play saw multiple scoring chances by the Smoke while the Blades’ defense struggled to keep their lead. The Blades’ goalie was up to the task, turning away several shots, and the Blades win it, 6-4.
Squirt Platinum Final:
This game was also a classic final. With the Anaheim Mission Bulldogs and York Mission Triumph playing it close to the vest for the first period of play, York had the advantage with 11 minutes to go in the game, 2-1. It appeared that Triumph had the advantage as they made several runs and had several solid scoring chances, but the Anaheim goalie turned them away. He also got some help from the post on three occasions.
At 6:31, a Triumph penalty put AMB on the power play, and the Dawgs tied it up at 6:25, 2-2.
The pace of the game picked up, and stayed that way until 9.9 seconds to go when the Triumph let fly a blister of a slap shot from the Center line, finding its way in low glove side.
Triumph 3-2.
With 2.6 seconds left, AMB advances the puck and taps in a bouncing puck to send the game into overtime and to rally their players and goalie. In the Overtime, however, it was York that got the initial chances to put the puck away but then the puck bounced free, AMB picked it up and was off to the races on a break. A second and one deke later, and the Dawgs won the Squirt Platinum Championship, 4-3.
Midget Platinum:
Cobras took on Black Ice, jumped up quick and cruised to the finish line 3-0 behind solid goal tending by Kris Kransky.
Molson Cold shots were down 7-2 with six minutes to play and won the game over Honeybaked 10-7, capping one of the most amazing comebacks and meltdowns in NARCh history.
Mudcats went into their game as small underdogs to a surging Mission Sniper team, but took control early and slowly extended their lead. The game ended 4-1 in favor of the Mudcats.
Team Tour met a feisty TMD 86, but they had too much firepower as they cruised to their finish line, 5-2.
Pairings tomorrow are: Mudcats v. Cold Shots and Cobras v. Team Tour.
The final is tomorrow at 3:15pm. Who looked strongest? Cold Shots.
Mite Platinum Update:
Mighty mites going string now, and after initial play the undefeated teams are: Orlando Outlaws, Blast 93/94 and Tour Smoke. Orlando looks strongest right now.
Pee Wee Platinum Update:
St Louis Blast 89ers, OC Blades 89, Primal Black and Flames are quick out of the gates and establishing themselves as the teams to beat.
Division 1 Update:
Division 1 is underway and you find Team Tour right now ahead of the pack, so to speak, but lots of hockey to go.
Mission Empire Snipers:
Last night, a surging Mission Snipers fell to the Mudcats, but it didn’t distract from their fine play or the fact that the organization has been dominant this year. It also puts Tim the Man as the man when it comes to total NARCh titles. You will remember Tim McManus as the guy in the State Wars booth…
Anyway, Mission Snipers won their two Championships in classic fashion.
Squirt Gold:
The Mission Snipers came into the final, an underdog to the Anaheim Mission Bulldogs Yellow, and the game did not start as predicted by pundits. Half way through the first, the Snipers jumped out first behind goals from Sly Kull (Bellares) and Anthony Petakawitz (unassisted). Then, Anaheim stormed back to tie it before the second period, with unassisted goals from Adam Siegman.
Anaheim went ahead early in the second period when A.J. Hatch picked up a pass from Casey Escarega and Anaheim was up, 3-2.
Half way through the second, however, Snipers took control and the title 6-3.
With four unanswered goals, Danny West (Kull), 2 goals from Kyle Novak (Petakawitz), and the coffin nail by Jaylen Krogman (unassisted), put the Snipers up 6-3 and the final was in the books. Game winning goal went to Kyle Novak. Goalie Brandon Morgenstern turned away 19 of 22.
Junior Platinum:
After an exciting division, where many top teams fell, there was still a quality final as two of the best remained. The Mission Snipers would take on the Tour Bordercats.
This game started and ended a defensive battle, wit the Bordercats Joel Mille turning away 21 of 22, and Susco of the Snipes going perfect at 28 saves of 28 shots. Sniper and Cats picked up a penalty each, so the action was on the rink and not in the penalty box this game.
Snipers Josh Matteu (Kull) scored with 4:21 left in the first. It proved to be the gwg. In the second period of play, John Lehmanski added the insurance goal.
Snipers had their second Championship of the tournament.
With the Midget Snipers falling in quarters, it is now up to Division 1 to see if the organization can earn their third title.
To read Irish #19's previous articles on NARCh 2004 see the Latest News section.
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