Snipers win NARCh PRO!

By Jeremy Ellis

Well it was the Snipe Show in the 2018 NARCh Pro Final.  After a quick power play goal by the Black Ice’s KJ Tiefenwerth, the Snipers went on a rampage netting the next 5 goals and 8 of 9 to take home the cash and the Cup with an 8-2 win in front of a packed house here at the Cooler.

Shane Fox and Matt White were the story today with 3 goals apiece, while they were aided by buries from Austin Cangelosi and Brandon Hawkins.  Hawkins goal was the result of a nifty play by Nathan Sigmund who had his man Anthony Koslow beat down the rink and then lifted his stick to receive the outlet pass.  Once on his blade he sauced a beauty back door feed to Hawkins who made no mistake in depositing the puck.

The trouble with playing either one of these teams is coming from behind.  While Black Ice has become accustomed to playing with the lead, the Snipers have made a living of it.  Once they get up by 2 or more, the puck is velcroed to their stick.  The possession game that the Snipers play is second to none and it leaves the door open for odd man rushes as the opponent is forced to take chances.  In doing this tonight, Black Ice was exposed to Sniper odd man rushes.  Matt White had the wrist shot working low stick side against Joel Eisenhower and it resulted in 2 of his 3 goals.

The Snipers have now won 2 of the last 3 Pro championships and along with the Black Ice have formed a stranglehold on the division.  While Alkali RPD took him last years title, it was only by beating the Snipers who missed out on the repeat win with that loss.  Teams continue to be in the mix with The Labeda PAMA Golden Knights and Konixx team stepping up the chase to the top. 

The addition of Troy Redmann to the Snipers net was the catalyst for the recent success.  Meanwhile, Tim McManus had done a nice job of adding pieces that fit the Snipers mold.  Brandon Hawkins, Austin Cangelosi and Charlie Combs are all newer additions who have added additional firepower to an already potent lineup.  The Black Ice vs. Snipers rivalry is the best in the game right now.  While the physicality has always been prevalent, the respect these two teams have for one another is evident, both before and after the game.  Coming into today, the series between these teams was tied at 2-2 in Championship games.  The Snipers will have the bragging rights for now, but I expect to see these two teams to match up again down the road with cash on the line.  In the meantime, it will be the Snipers enjoying slugs from the PRO chalice!