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| January 6, 2002
By Phat Plastered
Day Three At The NATS
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We saw three of the top four fall in Banatms. Mite move along as expected. The Pros have a bit of controversy when Tour Team West seems to pick their next opponent by playing and not scoring...
Day Three
January 5, 2002
Saturday
The biggest day of all starts huge.
BANTAMS UPSETS, AGAIN AND AGAIN…
Biggest News of the day were the upsets in Bantams, as three of the top four teams fell.
Red Army, seed 1, was cruising towards a win, playing a defensive game with a 2-1 lead with a few minutes left. Then, the outcasts scored and sent it into OT. In OT, the normally poised and solid Red Army seemed to rush around a bit and shoot wide of the net. Outcasts kept the pressure on till a second OT, and a bouncing puck. The RA goalie made one great save but doing so got down and off to one side. The puck was tapped in and that was that.
Snipers played an uninspiring game until they had to, and suddenly, pulled ahead of a heavily favored Saint Louis team and then Saint Louis forced their way into a loss with the chicken with your head cut off routine. It was also another example of early disciplined play by Saint Louis, and then the chippy crap, followed by the other team catching them. This time, a gritty Snipers took more advantage than other teams and went ahead and stayed their, winning by a goal.
The Bulldogs fell to a Tour team from Ontario Canada in one of the best games of the tournament. Tour played step to step and stride to stride with Anaheim, in a contest that was as tight as a fifty year old rusty screw on a Chrysler. Tour got 2, AMB 1, and that,m as they say, was that.
The only top four team to eek out a victory were the Blades, but the description should be they reeked out a win. I will say that the Blades started to get their heavily leaning offense, jumping up 3-0 in the first period against Oakville. But the Coyotes were experienced, and sectioned off the rink against the quicker Blades, and stopped denying them shots. Oakville had almost all the best opportunities in the second period but OCB Goalie Petersen was outstanding and moved his team along. 3-0 Blades.
Winner: Who knows? Based on today’s play, I thought the Tour team from Ontario,m Canada, looked strongest. No predictions though. This has been a fun but weird division.
College games were:
7:40 am – Missouri Tiger v. Cal Poly Pomona Broncos
8:25 am – Michigan State Spartans v. Iowa State Cyclones
9:10 am – Penn State Altoona Fury v. Colorado State Rams
9:50 am – Ohio State Buckeyes v. Cal Poly SLO Mustangs
10:35 am – Penn State Nittany Lions v. Rhode Island Rams
PRO NEWS AND ABUSE…
OK, so as I understand it, the game was 5-1 Team West. That was after the first period. One or two more goals and then Hyper would have been put into the semi finals and not the Backhanders. Right?
Now, you would think that having beat them once, Team West would not have a worry or concern over Hyper. Right? WRONG.
The Golden Seal Weenie Award goes to Tour West who skated literally in circles for 12 minutes, giving up 2 on 1 breaks, and failing to even shoot at the goalie for the Backhanders except by accident. They were not running the time, one got the sense they were running away. But, from what? They apparently did not want to see Hyper again, so they super chunked out. Boo, hiss…
Boyd Sutton, who last smiled when he was five years old after he saw an injured innocent animal, was seen to smile as he went looking for the Tour West Team Captain. I don’t know what happened, but I understand the Marines were called in… j/k
3:10 pm – Jokers v. Hyper
Hyper won 5-4. Some great action.
4:10 pm – Backhanders v. Tour West
Tour West threw the point spread. West “won” 5-2
5:10 pm – Mudcats v. Hosers
Mudcats win.
6:10 pm – Projoy v. Mission
Mission win.
Juniors start in the evening hours.
35 and over start playing at 11:20 pm and into the wee hours. I like Team Viagra. Don’t know a damn thing about them, but I think the name is funny. I also hear squeeky wheels and quads will be seen…?
Day Four
January 6, 2002
Sunday
Another big morning start.
Pee Wees get going. An early game to watch will be the Rollin Ice Patriots v. Nexed OC Blades 88 at 7:40 am on Rink 2. Patriots may upset the Irish’s unofficial first seeds. Another early game to watch will be the Raiders 87 v. Tour venom 87 from Detroit. The Venom cannot look at the Raider’s recent poor showings in TPC and other tournaments and think this team is a push over. They are not. It will be an important game because one of these two teams may move on to the next round, and it just may be the team that gets a fast start here… Irish’s pick for the final two, OCB 87 and Hyper Empire 87 play at 7:40 am and 9:10 am in games they should win on paper… But the rink ain’t made of paper, so come and see if these two teams get started off right or have to shift to Plan B…
Bantam Semi finals will be played at 9:50 am and 10:35 am.
THE G-A-M-E OF THE DAY…
In Atoms, at 10:35 am on Rink 2, it will be the mighty OC Blades v. Anaheim Mission Bulldogs, the latter of whom have not yet received rabies shots. I love to watch the gromets play. (At 9:50 am the LV Titans atoms square off against Team Excaliber.) The Game (or games) of the Day!
Mite semis are at 11:20 am and 12:05 pm.
Finals Afternoon is set to start…
1:30 pm – D-1 Final
2:35 pm – Bantam Final
3:55 pm – Mite Final
5:00 pm – Women’s Gold Final (aka: Golden Girls)
6:05 pm – Women’s Platinum Final
7:10 pm – Pro Final
Come on out and see how badly Irish did with his picks and projections.
And, if that wasn’t enough, College finishes up from 8:25 pm to 9:50 pm. 35 and over continue. And, the Juniors are also playing late at night so as to not corrupt the younger children. If you can stay up that late, catch the 12 am and after Juniors.
Rumors and Gossip:
Don't expect a decision This Winternationals on the location for Nationals. Informed sources say ...they aren't saying but several sites are still in contention.
PS My promised interveiw with the Michigan State Coach will be in tomorrow's offering.
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