Monday March 27

Knights offence firing on all cylinders as they sweep the United Arms

The Knights have been fielding different line-ups lately and still yielding the same results.  With so many offensive weapons at their disposal, they usually score by committee and tonight was no different as eight different goal scorers found the back of the net.  The United Arms were still searching for their first points of the season and managed to hold the fort for the majority of the first game, only losing by a goal.  Game 2 was a different story as the Knights stormed out to a six goal first period and never looked back, as the flood gates opened, with D.Guarnieri leading the charge with a five point performance, which included a hat trick. The United Arms did all they could to stop the relentless offence the Knights possess, but to no avail.

 (4) RCGT Knights vs United Arms (3)

 (9) RCGT Knights vs United Arms (2)

Hotly contested games between Brodie Boys & The Diabetoz Angels end in split

As the regular season winds down, and with every team fighting for playoff positioning, every game, every shift, every goal becomes that much more crucial as points become harder to come by.  In what proved to be a stingy low scoring affair, this match-up featured stellar goaltending, high intensity, and timely goal scoring. With plenty of back-and-forth action and with both teams fighting and scraping for every inch, it became that much more important to get on the board first.  Brodie boys captured game 1 on a late tally by L.Velenosi to break the deadlock, with P.Stroubakis adding an insurance marker.  Game 2 featured more drama as the teams were tied late and headed for a shootout until J.Zervakos provided the heroics by scoring with 4 seconds remaining sealing the victory.  There was no love lost between these 2 teams, as both teams gave everything they had. 

 (2) Brodie Boys vs Diabetoz Angels (0)

 (1) Brodie Boys vs Diabetoz Angels (2)

Dragons prove too much to handle as they sweep both encounters

As they have shown on numerous occasions, Country Club will always be ready for any challenge.  They knew they’d be in tough and would have to play a flawless system, to compete with the firepower the Dragons have.  Defending a team like the Dragons is extremely tough as you can’t really focus on 1 or 2 players, since they come at you in waves, with many weapons at their disposal.  Transition play is the Dragon’s specialty, and it was on full display. Game 1 was dictated by their ball possession and high level passing resulting in a 7-1 rout, with A.Mirolla, & J.Mandracchia combining for 9 points. In game 2, the goalies were left high and dry as defense was an afterthought. Credit the Country Club for showing their character and grit, by providing a better effort and narrowing the gap, even if it was in a losing cause.    

(7) Dragons vs Country Club (1)

 (9) Dragons vs Country Club (6)

Strong forecheck and short bench sinks Assadi

The Snipers are a tough team to play against, since they will chase down every ball, and apply constant forechecking pressure by grinding out balls in the corners.  Assadi knew they had to keep it simple and stick to playing a defensive minded game since their line-up was depleted.  Game 1 was a close affair, settled in a shootout, with A. Sayed getting the game winner and M.St-Laurent stopping all 3 shooters for the Snipers.  Game 2 was a different story and with their short bench, the Snipers took full advantage.  Assadi had a hard time being first on the ball and were forced to chase rather than dictate, with fatigue being a major factor.  It was only a regular season game and key elements were missing, but the Snipers showed they can compete and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

(2) Assadi Consulting Inc vs Snipers (3) S.O.

 (2) Assadi Consulting Inc vs Snipers (6)

 Match-up between division leaders favors the Classics

Bragging rights were on the line in this highly anticipated match-up between the 2 division leaders.  This contest did not disappoint, as ETNA held their own vs the reigning champs.  Missing a few key pieces, ETNA had to rely on playing a boring style of hockey if they wanted to contain the Classics.  Game 1 had ETNA grab an early lead only to relinquish it quickly after, with the Classics deploying their usual brand of up tempo, run and gun style lead by the usual suspects.  Captain M.Stoico had a only a few minutes to rally his troops and adjust his game plan.  Game 2 was a much closer contest, with both teams tied heading into the late stages, until M.Mavroudis rescued his club by scoring what proved to be the game winning goal.  Despite missing some valuable resources, ETNA managed to give the Classics a run for their money and will be a formidable opponent in the playoffs.

(2) ETNA vs Classics (5)

 (1) ETNA vs Classics (2)

 SalumiVino: Player of the week: M. St-Laurent, who put on a clinic and stood on his head with his superb goaltending, allowing The Snipers to pick up some valuable points vs a tough opponent

Sunday March 26

Canadiens show resiliency to battle back, but fall short to Blackhawks

(8)Blackhawks vs Canadiens(5)

The Canadiens didn’t get off to the start they want, falling behind early 3-0 by the fifteen minute mark of the period. Three different players had scored for the Blackhawks, and A.Zardarian kept a clean sheet in net until T.Nardelli finally put the Canadiens on board. The lead shrank to only one when L.Bucci converted only minutes later. All of a sudden, this contest appeared to be up for grabs, at least for a few minutes until E.Capalbo and J.Teresi struck only seconds apart to create enough of a reasonable gap. If not for the slow start, the Canadiens would at the very least been neck and neck for the duration of the game. Instead, the Blackhawks came out ready on three big goals that kept them in the drivers seat for the entire time. E.Colella and J.Teresi each scored twice in the win while F.Decoster did the same, but in a losing cause.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to A.Zardarian of the Blackhawks. At the right moments during the game, A.Zardarain was always able to make the timely saves which enabled his side to build off their lead.

D.Galloro comeback bid falls short despite scoring all 4 goals for Flyers

(7)Panthers vs Flyers(4)

D.Galloro didn’t seem to care much that his side went into a deep slide giving up three consecutive goals by the thirteen minute mark. Confident in his abilities to turn a hockey game like flicking a light switch, the crafty forward took matters into his own hands hitting the target three straight times in only a span of a minute and a half. Talk about a turn of events that came almost instantaneously. While its always a sign of things headed into the right direction, the question becomes how long can you sustain a strong momentum swing ? Unfortunately for the Flyers, it got cut short with the Panthers regaining their confidence by getting that next big tally. M.Kardum was able to snap the 3-3 tie, and J-C.Mansour along with P.Stroubakis provided some breathing room by widening the gap by three. It may have felt by that point everything was going to sail just fine for the Panthers. That being said, it took only a couple of minutes later for the very same D.Galloro to score his fourth. If it was any other player, the Panthers may not have been to concerned, but not in this case with D.Galloro looking like a force that couldn’t be contained. The Panthers did make it a point to recognize the obvious threat which limited the Flyers in their comeback attempt. The game was eventually put to rest when M.Kardum fed a yawing cage.

The Allo Mon Coco player Ste-Dorothee of the game goes to Frederick Debs of the Panthers. By collecting the games first two goals along with an assist , F.Debs was able to set the tone for the Panthers in a hard fought battle with the Flyers.

Kraken use last of momentum swings on M.Barone’s OT winner

(6)Kraken vs Red Wings(5) O.T

Both teams will take the good and the bad for how this thing tilted back and forth. The Kraken looked like they could do no wrong for about twenty six minutes where they took command on a 3-0 lead. Then, and in the span of six minutes, the Kraken looked like they forgot how to play hockey giving up five straight goals in such a short span. For sure you have to credit the Red Wings for overturning such a deficit into a lead in no time. Z.St-Martin helped ignite it on two goals and a pair of assists while many others contributed as well. Now that the momentum swung into the Red Wings favour, the onus fell on the Kraken to figure out a way to return the favour. Things were looking very bleak for the Kraken with time winding down while down by a pair. Trailing by two with less than a minute remaining, the odds only suggested that the Red Wings would hang on with the luxury of giving up one goal. Instead, it went-from bad to worse, and finally ugly when they gave up two in regulation time which was followed with the eventual dagger in overtime by M.Barone. It was one of those games that it was fun to be part of if you like back and forth action along with some late dramatics. The problem is that the Red Wings felt that they let this one get away unable to close out the game that somehow slipped out of their hands.

The Allo Mon Coco player Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Mickey Barone of the Kraken. While there were many big goals during this contest, M.Barone arguably provided the biggest of them all by deciding the outcome in overtime.

V.Romero rescues Predators late avoiding epic meltdown

(6)Predators vs Islanders(5)

The Islanders fell in a valiant effort on Sunday night losing a heartbreaker to the Predators. Despite being down 5-2 with nine minutes left, the Islanders had a second wind rattling off three straight goals that saw R.Tannous even the score on a penalty shot. His tally came with just less than a minute remaining in regulation time. And while everything pointed to a sudden death frame, the Predators had other ideas in mind. Its never easy trying to slow down a team that’s put a ton of pressure on you with everything seemingly falling apart. However, that didn’t stop V.Romero-from seizing the moment, and netting the next tally for the Predators. At least the burden of dwelling on a total meltdown was avoided for the Predators. As for the Islanders, they could look back at this as a positive for being able to overcome such a deficit at a crucial stage during the game. If maybe not for some bad luck, things could have gone there way. But that’s what is expected between two evenly matched teams. Sometimes its just a question of how that very last play ends up. In tonight’s case, it went the Predators way.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to V.Romero of the Predators. Not only did he snap the late tie, the forward was a force all game long collecting a total of four points.

Friday March 24

Dirty Scrubs use quick start in rout of Sonic

(5)Sonic vs Dirty Scrubs(8)

You always want to have that better start when flooring a short bench. The Dirty Scrubs did just that owning the first period on three unanswered goals. Sonic did manage to climb out of a hole with two early goals in the second period only to be kicked back in it by the end of the frame. With only a period left and down by three, the task proved to be to demanding for Sonic as they were unable to make any sort of ground. Instead, it was the Dirty Scrubs capitalising on two straight tallies that would put a definite strangle hold on the match. M.Chenier was feeling it scoring three nice goals along with two assists while A.Zarzour was very productive as well collecting five points.

Generals benefit on some early blunders by United Masters

(9)Generals vs United Masters(4)

Of coarse blunders, mistakes and sloppy giveaways happen all the time in hockey. And sometimes they may happen too many times like in the case for the United Masters. The problem was that they occurred to often in the opening frame against a team that doesn’t need any charity. The Generals went up 6-1 after fifteen minutes due to a few gaffes generated by the United Masters. O.Valiquette had already buried a hat trick while M.Pinheiro and J-R Turgeon collected three points each. Definitely not the start you want when going up against a team that end games earlier than usual. The United Masters were able to settle down after a sloppy period and reflected on how to approach the remainder of the game. There mind set was to erase some bad luck, and simply play better by making it difficult for the Generals to get there way. Even though it wasn’t reasonable to come back and win the game, the United Masters wanted to keep battling rather than giving up. And to their credit, things went much better for the last two periods. At the very least, they tied the two frames which kept the game respectable. D.Galloro riffled a pair of nice goals, D.Charbonneau and G.Missakian shared two points each, and the United Masters had some good looks for two periods.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Mathieu Chenier of the Dirty Scrubs. Unable to be contained, the forward was a thorn all game long bagging a hat trick as part of a five point performance.

Thursday March 23

Armadillos pull away with late goal after back and forth action with Van Doos Hc

(5)Armadillos vs Van Doos Hc(4)

It could be discouraging falling behind by a pair of goals in the third period when facing off against the Armadillos. However, that didn’t stop the Van Doos Hc-from building themselves back up with a more assertive sequence where they were able to score twice and tie things up. The equaliser came courtesy of N.Kokovidis’s power play marker after the defenseman set up G.Tsolis on back to back tallies. Each side had their turns controlling the match with the Van Doos Hc owning the first period. Then, it was the Armadillos turn to take over the on three consecutive goals that eventually put them up 4-2. Normally, the lead would stand with about eleven minutes left to play for how well the Armadillos defend. That being said, the Van Doos Hc isn’t just your ordinary team, after all, they are the defending champs and should never be counted out. Tonight, they came that close-from pulling the rug under the Armadillos feet. With the game winding down, both sides knew that the next tally would have decided the outcome. It was just a question of who would get there first. Already riding a goal and an assist, S.Simitsakos ended up playing the hero by scoring late for the Armadillos.

D.Verta salvages Brew Crew night after blowing 3-0 lead

(4)Brew Crew vs Horsemen(3) O.T

The Brew Crew seem like they cant figure out how to close out games anymore. For a team once known for their shut down capabilities, look more like a confused bunch at times. For over half the game, they looked like they could do no wrong. The offense was clicking, the defense was sound, and C.Muccino was feeling it in net making every save possible. Up until that point, it looked like it was going to be an easy night for the Brew Crew. The Horsemen, although didn’t have much to show for wanted nothing less than to get the first goal to kick start their night. Sometimes it just takes that one tally to turn the tides. M.Kardum was finally able to get his side on board which triggered a tsunami effect for the Horsemen. B.Rubino was next in line to narrow the gap by one, and finally J.Crivello was able to level early in the third period.  Now that both sides were dead even, players tend to play a little more cautious in order to avoid making mistakes. Its the reason why neither side scored for over an entire period. Since regulation time didn’t settle anything, an open 4vs4 overtime period was potentially left over to see who would come out on top. After playing just a minute into the sudden death frame, D.Verta was the one to end it with his second of the night. There was no question that this contest was an emotional roller coaster ride with the game twisting and turning. In the end, both sides will take positives-from it. For the Horsemen, they’ll look back at the fact that they overcame a deep hole while for the Brew Crew, they kept battling hard despite letting a nice lead slip away. 

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Danny Verta of the Brew Crew. Its never ideal letting a three goal lead slip away, but at least D.Verta was there to stop the bleeding by bagging his second in the sudden death frame.

The E Thursday division regular season just came to an end. The top three seeded teams will be placed automatically into the semi final round. The first round match up will feature the Horsemen taking on the Fatal Demons for the fourth place seed.

Even though the Horsemen took both encounters versus the Fatal Demons it wont really mean much when having to play in a do or die match up. This series will require deep benches, especially for the Horsemen as they always rely on  a three line format. The Fatal Demons are just as balanced, but have a perhaps more lethal first line compared to their opponent. This will come down to how the Horsemen will use their defensive game in order to slow down the Fatal Demons key pieces. If they can manage that, than they’ll have a chance.

Wednesday March 22

Altius use big first period to down Azzuri

(5)Altius vs Azzuri(2)

Playing in their last regular season game, the Altius came out swinging scoring two power play goals as part of a four goal outburst. It wasn’t the start that the Azzuri was expecting. When falling behind by such a margin, a teams character is tested on how they’ll respond with plenty of time left over. Rather than throwing in the towel, the Azzuri came to play winning the next frame on two unanswered goals by their captain R.Varr and M.DelGaudio. All of a sudden, the Altius started to feel some pressure not wanting to let a four goal lead just evaporate. They knew that the Azzuri wasn’t going to stop after a strong momentum swing. As much as they attempted to narrow the gap within one, the Altius was more cautious about their defensive game, and never let their opponent get a step closer. The only tally of the frame belonged to the Altius instead that came fairly late. K.Kuczmarski was the one to deliver the late blow to ensure the victory. The win came with scoring efforts-from five different players along with a strong outing in net courtesy of J.Vrettis.

Punishers close out another impressive regular season

(3)Legacy vs Punishers(7)

It may just be a regular season game, but the Punishers want to carry good habits heading into the more important season- the playoffs. While Legacy gave the Punishers their best shot throughout most of the game, the Punishers showed why they are the team to beat in this division. C.Kakivelis scored a big insurance marker with less than five minutes remaining, and C.Gingras along with M.Mavroudis fed empty cages to complete another successful regular season. Games like this  brings out the best of everyone as they want nothing more than to prove who can defeat a strong hockey team. For sure the players were motivated and knew to expect a close encounter. The Punishers came off winning another battle carrying already an impressive resume for how much success they have shown. Its gotten to the point that they are the measuring stick as the best club of this division. And while they are the front runners moving forward, it wont come without plenty of resistance no matter who they’ll face despite knowing their first round opponent.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to C.Genest of the Punishers. Four out of the first five goals stemmed-from C.Genest, who converted twice while setting up a pair of teammates.

With the D Wednesday regular season coming to a close, all four teams will be participating in a best of three semi final series. The match ups are as follows:

(1)Punishers vs Azzuri(4) There is no question that the Punishers are the clear cut favourites in this one. Now, that’s not to say that the Azzuri wont give them a run for their money. For sure many things need to align, but you never know when having a bunch of quality players buying into a system. The key element is to just try and keep the games close for as long as possible.

(2)Altius vs Legacy(3) If both teams come with their compete line up in which they should, this series will be one that’s worth watching. They resemble each other in many ways while knowing each others tendencies. Perhaps the key factor will be decided on who out duels the other between the pipes. Then again, both goaltenders are expected to perform anyway which gives no clear cut winner. Looks like it will come down to who makes that last brilliant play, and there will be many of them.

Wednesday March 22

 Pendulum swings in Senators favour

(10)Senators vs Golden Knights(7)

The game featuring the Senators and the Golden Knights was nothing but a see saw affair. S.Sauk barely wasted time to complain on the strength of the Golden Knights after jumping off to a 2-0 lead. The net minder did however miss judge the entire situation when it was said and done as his side was able to get the final word en route to a 10-7 decision. The Senators appeared at one point to be running away with it up 7-4. Then, in only two short minutes, the Golden Knights went on a rampage striking three times to level the score. There was no question that the two sides had their struggles at times. The approach was to simply go out there and make the best of your shifts hoping that you’re a plus rather than a minus. C.Arnoldo did respond for the Senators to regain the lead. As time was starting to be more of an issue, every goal would prove to have more of an impact. Again, it belonged to the Senators, and again C.Arnoldo was behind it setting up M.Lauzon while adding another to complete his hat trick. Sometimes teams just enjoy going for it by trading a ton of quality chances. In tonight’s case , it favoured the Senators as they were able to have a stronger finish. M.Lafleur had a productive four point night in the win while T.Nardelli did more than his share collecting four points in the loss.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Mathieu Lafleur of the Senators. His early two goals helped set the stage in what was a wild back and forth affair with the Golden Knights.

M.Scarpetta and K.Labelle combine for 11 points in rout of Oilers

(9)Hurricanes vs Oilers(4)

M.Scarpetta and K.Labelle were each the reason why the Hurricanes distant themselves-from the Oilers in a game that remained close for a while. It was more so by the twenty nine minute mark that the gap started to widen thanks to M.Scarpetta. By then, he already cashed in three times and wasn’t done yet adding his fourth as part of a six point output. Sometimes teams are overwhelmed by an individual or two making a big difference. That seemingly was the case with M.Scarpetta and K.Labelle doing most of the damage. The two players combined for seven goals and four assists. The Oilers also had a couple of players contributing as well with Dibello leading the charge with three points. Collectively however, the supporting cast of the Hurricanes helped insulate the offense and defense which caused the end result.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Mike Scarpetta of the Hurricanes. What more can you ask-from a player that scored fours times while setting up two goals.

Monday March 20

M.Calabrice, J.Cardinal prove to be a handful for the United Arms

Maybe if the United Arms were aware of the threats that M.Calabrice and J.Cardinal posed, things could have potentially turned out different. Instead, the two couldn’t be stopped, and in consequence, the United Arms dropped both encounters against ETNA. M.Calabrice stormed out of the gate kick-starting the night on two goals as part of a seven point display. He was able to assert his game immediately while surrounded by a strong supporting cast. J.Cardinal got credited the winner in the first encounter, but showed more of his good moments in the second game sparking two goals and an assist. Perhaps it was an expected end result with the two teams on the opposite end of the standings. The two results came without some big pieces missing. With both wins, ETNA will look to extend their so far perfect night as they’ll take on the Degenerates only an hour later.

(6)ETNA vs United Arms(2)

(4)ETNA vs United Arms(1)

RCGT Knights bounce back after embarrassing loss to Brodie Boys

That’s what happens when you fall behind and are stuck chasing the game. The RCGT Knights felt the challenge of going up against a side that was feeling their swagger. Every time they tried to go for it, the Brodie Boys went the other way and made them pay. Out of their eight goals, only three players had the pleasure of finding the back of the net. A.Abbandonato was definitely at top of his game bagging half of his teams goals. The other four tallies were split between M.Moshopoulos and M.Koutavas. After facing a mere eleven shots, A.Mancini denied everyone except for D.Galloro. There was no question that the RCGT Knights had nothing right going for them and were adamant about fixing it in the ensuing match. Whatever message was sent in between games was heard loud and clear. This time, they wasted no time getting back on track by focusing more on defense rather than trying to score . By being patient, the chances will come as it was the case primarily in the second period. A 1-0 lead ballooned into a three goal cushion early in the frame, and the RCGT Knights never looked back en route to a bounce back victory. Three different players had scored before they added two empty net markers.  Considering how bad things went in the first game, S.Sauk had the ability to put it behind him and respond with a brilliant 27 save shutout.

(8)Brodie Boys vs RCGT Knights(1)

(0)Brodie Boys vs RCGT Knights(5)

Degenerates content with the overall results after playing front runners ETNA

Not many teams will have success going up against ETNA this season. There is to much depth and fire power in order to take them out. And even though the Degenerates faired well collecting a win along with a tie, ETNA have good reason for why they couldn’t get the two wins. First off, they played an hour earlier, and secondly, two of their top players were absent-from the line up. Still, even through any circumstances, that wont change how the Degenerates will approach any game. For them, its all about boxing you out while waiting for the right moments. They did just that on the large part, and were rewarded in the opening game by building a 3-0 lead. Of coarse it goes without saying that your net minder has to be that good, especially trying to stop a lethal offense. R.Ranieri was perhaps the real reason why the Degenerates took four out of a possible six points. You almost have to beat him on a connecting play or by bouncing on the loose balls first. Regardless, he definitely came to play, and the Degenerates benefited. The one area of their game that worked well was limiting ETNA to only three goals in four periods. For how the Degenerates are built, they have no choice but to keep the games tight and low scoring.

(2)ETNA vs Degenerates(3)

(3)ETNA vs Degenerates(3) S.O

Branditscan find scoring touch in bounce back win over Diabetoz Angels

As long as the game remained tied, the Diabetoz Angels had no issues whatsoever. Knowing that A.Ekonomakis was there to make the saves, it was just a question of time before they needed all but one tally to take the opening game. The 4-0 score may suggest a lopsided affair, but that couldn’t be further than the truth. There was less than three minutes when J.Fisch beat G.Scrietta for a very rare time. Its always nice getting that first one under your belt. However, in an ideal situation, you want nothing less than to collect two wins. The problem is that you have to try and defeat a team that’s going to be much hungrier than you are. The Branditscan showed that they meant business in the second encounter. For them, it was all about getting that first goal to spark confidence throughout the line up. And who better than your captain to send the message early on. N.Francis finally got to Ekonomakis within a minute and change, and the Branditscan knew that this game wasn’t going to end like the earlier one. In fact, they did it in a convincing fashion winning the opening frame handily before edging out their opponent in the last frame. It was a result that  involved everyone along with your usual suspects. D.Seguin and N.Francie each scored twice, T.Faucher collected four points while G.Scrietta was solid in net to earn the win.

(4)Diabetoz Angels vs Branditscan(0)

(3)Diabetoz Angels vs Branditscan(7)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Rino Ranieri of the Degenerates. In order to have a chance at beating solid hockey teams, your goaltender has to be sharp. R.Ranieri delivered an incredible performance allowing only three goals in four periods that enabled his side to collect a win and a tie.

Sunday March 19

Islanders outmatched by Kings in blowout loss

(12)Kings vs Islanders(1)

The Kings toyed with the Islanders-from the drop of the ball, and never seemed to let them have it. The poor defenceless net minder never stood a chance. Having to face a wave of shots, T.Kotsiris was left alone feeling like an open target. Throughout the entire time, the Kings kept their foot on the gas ,and made the Islanders defend a lot more than they wanted to .It was one of those games that wasn’t really fun for the two sides. The Kings barely met resistance while the Islanders were stuck enduring a thumping that only the final buzzer could have stopped the madness. At least F.Tannous was able to take away T.Sauk’s shutout with less than five minutes remaining. Apart-from that, it was all Kings. F.Mastrocola wont seem like he will be taking a night off as the forward struck four times. C.Pirone faired well with three goals, and C.Decotis collected six points that included five assists.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Claudio Decotis of the Kings. Some players prefer giving the ball first rather than shooting it. In a landslide win over the Islanders, C.Decotis had a field day setting up five goals while netting one himself.

A.Zafiropoulos scores late to complete comeback for Sabres

(4)Sabres vs Canadians(3)

A stunning late comeback propelled the Sabres to battle back, and take a heartbreaker-from a team that should have had it .The Canadians came ready to play, scoring three goals in the first twenty minutes. L.Bucci helped set the tone scoring twice, and D.Geishecker-Cote was doing his part in net keeping the Sabres to only one goal after twenty eight minutes. No matter how good of a start you have, teams need to continue playing at full capacity if they plan on winning. Maybe  the Canadians did their best to keep pace or maybe it was the Sabres that just had a slow start, and eventually showed their colors by being the stronger of the two sides. Whatever the reasons, the game shifted heavily into one direction with the Sabres taking over the match. Already with his clubs first goal, C.Zafiropoulos scored his second to pull his side within one. About seven minutes later, A.Angelis was able to tie the game with still plenty of time left over. The two teams would play a little more cautious wanting to make sure nobody is responsible for making a crucial mistake. And in the large part, they kept it that way until a late play saw A.Zafiropoulos squeeze one behind the net minder. His tally came just a minute shy of reaching the overtime period.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to A.Zafiropoulos of the Sabres. After setting up two teammates, the young talent took matters into his own hands by snapping a very late tie.

Bruins explosive comeback attempt falls short in overtime

(5)Bruins vs Red Wings(6) O.T

The Bruins were able to erase a four goal deficit, scoring the game tying goal with a minute left in regulation to force overtime, but had to settle for the loss when Q.Joseph struck for the Red Wings. The comeback effort was largely led on the back of A.Zakarian, who tallied three straight times to force the sudden death frame. It looked as though the Red Wings played for the first twenty minutes only. They cashed in five times ,but looked disinterested as the Bruins started to finally pick up their game. You never want to go through a sequence when your team is up by a reasonable margin only to slowly see it slip away. Yes, the Red Wings did prevail in the end, but could have easily dropped this one which would have stung for quite some time. Luckily enough, Q.Joseph saved the night by scoring the Red Wings biggest goal of the game. M.St.Martin and Frank had strong starts as the two players shared three points each.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Quincy Joseph of the Red Wings. If not for his overtime tally, the Red Wings risked losing a game that they had right in their hands.

Wild blow massive lead in collapse to Flyers

(7)Wild vs Flyers(8) O.T

Sunday night appeared to be a cause for celebration if you were playing for the Wild. The offense was rolling, the defense was making plays, and the Flyers looked to be down and out. Its not like they trailed by a pair or three or four goals The margin was a five goal gap with only fourteen minutes left to kill. You almost had to figure it was in the bag if you were the two teams. By the time it was said and done however, the end result must have proven everyone wrong for how this thing got out of hand. Sometimes its even hard to figure out if its one team that played so dominant or if the other team took a heavy dose of Nyquil and fell asleep. In the end, this was one that the two teams will remember for a while for how it ended. The Flyers took their spinach as of the 34 minute mark and never looked back piling up a bunch of goals. Many contributed with D.Galloro being a part of the equation striking twice. His second tally came late which set the stage for more dramatics to come. With the two sides trading a bunch of chances, E.Allen took in the moment by making the games biggest play.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to E.Allen of the Flyers. No doubt this win involved everyone, but E.Allen was the lightning rod that made a lot of significant plays happen. Not only does he control the back end by breaking up plays, the veteran generated most of the offense, and tonight it showed again as he was able to score three goals that included the biggest of them all in overtime.

Friday March 17

Just another night at the office for the Generals

(11)Generals vs Sonic(1)

It didn’t seem to matter how many players the Generals show up with. Whether its two changes or fifteen players, the end result will usually look the same. Tonight, they floored a short bench which only means that their highly skilled players play a lot more. O.Valiquette is just one example as the captain was in full force accumulating seven points that included a hat trick. N.Tsataronis, in his first game dressed seemed to fit right in as the veteran had the most tallies with four goals. There weren’t many bright moments for Sonic unless you count J.Bouralakos’s lone tally that beat P.Blais. Apart -from that, the Generals were simply controlling the pace hanging on to the ball for  long stretches. With the game ending earlier than usual, the two sides decided to use their extra time and play some pick up hockey for fun.

United Masters comeback falls short in loss to Dirty Scrubs

(3)United Masters vs Dirty Scrubs(4)

Momentum can be a funny thing. Just when the United Masters thought they had seized control, surging back on two consecutive goals, one bad sequence had them chasing for good. A couple of third period penalties didn’t help them either having to waste precious minutes on the defensive end of the court. They did eventually find themselves on the power play when the Dirty Scrubs took a late penalty with just over a minute remaining. You almost have no choice but to pull your net minder since time isn’t a luxury that you have. Unfortunately for the United Masters, a clearing attempt by P.Paikopoulous pretty much summed up the match despite A.Mercan responding with little time left over. When teams are evenly matched like in this particular case, a good start will always go a long way. The Dirty Scrubs owned that area scoring three times in the first half of the game on goals by N.Faria, A.Zarzour and M.Chenier.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Olivier Valiquette of the Generals. Even though he may not have been an influencer for the end result, the sniper caused the most havoc setting up four goals while earning a hat trick.

Thursday March 16

Brew Crew overcome haunting thoughts as they hang on to tight win over Van Doos Hc

(4)Van Doos Hc vs Brew Crew(5)

The Brew Crew keep getting that start they want, but never quite the finish they hope for. M.Nardi was responsible for setting the tone right away feeding D.Verta and R.Mancini while netting one himself to kick start the period up 3-1. Again, the Brew Crew put themselves in the drivers seat. However, the Van Doos Hc were not giving up on the game after only the first period, and came out with more purpose scoring twice to even the score. The thought of letting another good lead slip away must have crossed the Brew Crew’s mind. Signs of good hockey teams are based how they react when put in a challenging situation. Even with those negative reminding thoughts, that didn’t stop them -from thinking ahead with an abundance of time left over. The mind set was simple, focus on your next shift, and try and get that next goal. Eventually, they got their first on a late second period goal by A.Belanger. Carrying a slight 4-3 lead heading into the final stanza, the Brew Crew couldn’t protect it long enough. It took only thirty seconds into the frame for G.Tsolis tie things up. At no point did the Brew Crew ever trail in this contest as they wanted to make sure to avoid repeating a total meltdown. By simply sticking to it, they were able once more to regain the lead thanks to M.Pace. Even if five minutes and change felt like an eternity, the Brew Crew were able to ride out the clock hanging on to a nail biter.

Armadillos pull off gritty win vs Fatal Demons

(4)Fatal Demons vs Armadillos(6)

It was an entertaining tilt between two very structured teams. You always want to get on board first when facing off against a side that plays a similar style. The Armadillos and the Fatal Demons can be stingy, but tonight they decided to open it up and have fun trading plenty of chances. Most of the action occurred in the second period with the Armadillos leading, than trailing 3-2, and regaining the tempo by getting the next two tallies. Up 4-3 heading into the final stretch, the Armadillos decided to get more serious by playing a smarter game without the ball. By making that a priority, the Fatal Demons took their chances, but were unable to convert. F.Moshonas was glad to see P.Musto and J.Chiropoulos bury his second for some breathing room between the pipes. On a night that the Fatal Demons could have used their top gun to gat some goals, M.Mavroudis decided to be in a giving mood setting up three different teammates. A.Argiroudis and M.Destounis complemented the line as all three players combined for nine points.

Snipers fall flat in must win game

(2)Snipers vs Horsemen(4)

Whatever thread the Snipers playoff hopes were hanging on by, the Horsemen took a pair of scissors to it on Thursday night. The Snipers looked ready by getting an early power play goal by Ali.Khanafer, but it was the Horsemen who looked like they were playing with a sense of urgency the rest of the way. The formula of rolling three complete lines is a formula that works for the Horsemen. The players played fast shifts, and because of that, they remained in full gear despite very few lapses. At worse case, M.Vincguerra was there making key saves. The Snipers fell behind when V.Pandza broke a 1-1 tie on the power play. From there, things kept getting better, especially in the second period where they added two more tallies. Both goals came-from the very same J.Crivello. The slick forward was on top of his game proving to be more than a handful for the Snipers defense. Now that the Horsemen built a comfortable 4-1 lead, the Snipers went into desperation mode knowing that their season was on the line. To their credit, they came out strong possessing plenty of zone time. As much as they tried to create chances, the Horsemen kept getting in the way making it very difficult for them to score. H.Awada did finally get one for the Snipers, but that was as close as it got.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Joseph Crivello of the Horsemen. Three out of the Horsemen’s four goals stemmed-from the crafty forward. J.Crivello set up a tally before taking over in the second period bagging two big tallies.

Wednesday March 15

Stars kept pace but unable to make ground versus the Senators

(9)Senators vs Stars(6)

Its what you come to expect when two teams are creating a ton of offense. Goals will go in, and the net minders are stuck with the burden of trying to keeping them out. Even though the defence did there part by playing a sound game, there was way to much back and forth action for this to remain low scoring. Add the fact that the Senators have C.Arnoldo to their line up. If teams don’t know his tendencies, they’ll end up paying the price in the end. The sharp shooter knows exactly where to go with his instinct to finding the right spots to bury his chances. In a 9-6 high scoring win versus the Stars, the veteran tallied four times that included three straight goals at  pivotal moments during the game. The one major advantage that the Senators had going for them was that they were able to always play in front. Often, the Stars would try to crawl back by narrowing the gap only to see the Senators respond almost immediately. B.Sorice could only do so much as the skilled forward rattled off a hat trick as part of a five point night. While C.Arnoldo is deserving of what he brought to his team, F.Decoster was just as influential bagging a hat trick.

The Allo Mon Coco Sth-Dorothee player of the game goes to Claudio Arnoldo of the Senators. The forward was in full force netting four of his clubs nine goals to help lead his team to a nice opening win to the season.

Ducks falter lead and lose in overtime to Hurricanes

(6)Hurricanes vs Ducks(5) O.T

After a pretty decent start to their season, the Ducks saw a two goal lead evaporate in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Hurricanes. Even when leading by a pair, you just cant give the other team a chance to respond and battle back. And while its easier said than done, the Hurricanes got there due to A.Angelis’s two big shots-from far that gave G.Karnaras no chance. This contest went back and forth with the pendulum swinging a few times. The Ducks looked to be in good shape carrying a 4-2 lead. Then, three goals in only five minutes flipped the script giving the Hurricanes their first lead of the night. Rather than riding out the momentum, it was the Ducks turn to score on a nice passing play to level the game. After a few twists and turns, extra time was required to see who would prevail. The two sides went at it for a few minutes with the action going back and forth until something finally gave. That’s when M.Musi sprung a hard pass-from his own zone to find a wide open B.Freitas-Pereira. With that kind of room, the forward made sure to bury his chance despite G.Karnaras getting a piece of it. That was his second goal of the game and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Allo Mon Coco Sth-Dorothee player of the game goes to Brandon Freitas-Pereira of the Hurricanes. His second goal was clutch, ultimately deciding a very close encounter that could have easily gone either way.

Wednesday March 15

Altius grind down Legacy

(2)Legacy vs Altius(4)

Legacy know that they can give anyone a run for their money. In hopes of proving that on Wednesday night, it was the Altius that found a way to win instead. Games between these two teams will always remain close when flooring a complete roster. So when two sides appear to be evenly matched, it often comes down to the little details that lead to the big moments in a hockey game. For the Altius, a late first period bounce back tally-from P.Arklais followed with a huge power play marker by M.Arkalis was  all the offense required in order to get the end result. For sure it isn’t easy limiting a team like Legacy to only a goal if you don’t count the late tally when they pulled out their net minder. In order to keep them off the score sheet, it takes a committed effort with the right elements like in the Altius case. On top of that, it helps when J.Vrettis is on top of his game as the goaltender was definitely dialled in making all the necessary saves. K.Kuczmarski provided some good offense setting up three goals while J.Adamou and D.Provost-Jarry collected two points each.

Punishers third period explosion sinks Azzuri

(2)Azzuri vs Punishers(9)

The Punishers entered the final period of Wednesdays contest against the Azzuri with the game hanging in the balance. The Azzuri have struggled to keeping the games close long enough, and tonight they hoped to have changed that against the Punishers. Unfortunately, the Punishers sent an emphatic message by exploding for seven goals. Of coarse your usual suspects got in on the action with P.Karvouriaris, C.Gingras and M.Mavroudis combining for five goals. The trend of allowing rush chances has been an issue for the Azzuri, who couldn’t address it in the final stretch. Unless they convert on there chances by taking risks, the Punishers wont miss on their counter attacks which is why this contest spiralled out of control. You almost have no margin of error going up against the Punishers. The Azzuri did an overall fine job for two periods, but its just not enough to get the right result.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to John Vrettis of the Altius. Yes, the Altius can beat you with there loaded line up, but goaltending is always a major reason for success, especially when facing Legacy. The net minder kept them to only one goal until the final minute when the game was already  unofficially decided for the Altius.

Monday March 13

RCGT Knights add depth in thumping of United Arms

There is no question that the RCGT Knights got that much stronger with the additions of D.Galloro, F.Dominianni and J.D’Amico. The three players will blend in just fine as it showed in both games versus the United Arms. Throughout the first half of the opening contest, the RCGT Knights were met with some resistance as the two sides traded a pair of goals. It took an eventual stretch of only two minutes for the RCGT Knights to run up the score on three quick tallies. J.Morina notched his second right before J.Prevost put his side in the drivers seat by striking twice in only twelve seconds. The strong finish didn’t stop there however with the RCGT Knights doing a bulk of their damage early on in the ensuing match. Five different players scored in the first period alone with S.Sauk turning aside the few shots he faced to keeping a clean sheet. B.Gabriel would finally score getting to the net minder early in the period with both sides trading a pair of goals. Despite the amount of time left over, the game remained idle with both sides knowing that the end result would favour the RCGT Knights.

(4)United Arms vs RCGT Knights(9)

(2)United Arms vs RCGT Knights(8)

Branditscan hit a wall they didn’t expect

Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. The Branditscan are one of the hottest teams entering tonight’s match up with ETNA. This was a perfect measuring stick for the two sides to see where they stand in a very competitive division. Everything pointed and suggested that both games would have been decided fairly late. Instead, it just ended being one of those nights that everything went wrong for one team. ETNA to their defence, did their part showing no signs of taking a shift off. They won a fairly close opening game that saw their special teams work with a shorthanded marker by M.Rosato and a power play goal by J.Alfieri. You almost had to expect that the next game would see the two teams battle till the very end. Amazingly enough, things really got bad for N.Francis and his group. From-the drop of the ball, ETNA took over right away riding four first period goals. M.Alfieri fabricated much of the offense netting two tallies while setting up M.Calabrice. In hopes of rebounding after a forgetful frame, the Brnaditscan didn’t have much to show for despite finally getting to P.Delli Colli. M.Alfieri would go on to complete his hat trick, and J.Pimentel added two goals to complete a statement that ETNA mean business this season.

(5)ETNA vs Branditscan(3)

(8)ETNA vs Branditscan(1)

Assadi Consulting inc bounce back to level with Dragons

The Assadi Consulting inc hope to build off a rare win on Monday night. Statistically, the season hasn’t been kind to them having barely anything good to show for. There start against the Dragons was just a reminder that something needs to give if they plan on doing anything right. After dropping the opener 5-2, the question became how does a team in shambles respond. The odd thing about it is that they have way to much quality along with chemistry to be a bottom dweller. Those attributes were finally in full display entering the second game. The Assadi Consulting inc showed a lot more conviction almost immediately winning the opening frame 4-3. Still, nothing was set in stone as it took another solid frame in order to defeat a team like the Dragons. This time, they made sure to eliminate the threats while waiting for their chances to come. M.Tvaronas broke out with a an incredible game scoring his hat trick to put the Assadi Consulting inc in front 5-3. Playing ahead is always nice, but closing out a game is also an essential part of it. Rather than enabling the Dragons to battle back, the Assadi Consulting inc knew what was needed in order to protect their lead. M.Melo being a big reason was sharp in net allowing only a very late goal by J.Scalia. The Dragons did have time for an equaliser with the extra attacker. The problem was that they let T.Bozinakis clear the ball-from his own net without anyone protecting the Dragons cage.

(5)Dragons vs Assadi Consulting inc(2)

(4)Dragons vs Assadi Consulting inc(6)

Close for one game, Degenerates grab two wins after lopsided affair in second match

It could have gone either way. With both sides trading chances, this contest came down to some key plays that made the difference in a close game. The Degenerates used a strong second period when D.Charbonneau riffled his second followed with O.Valiquette providing a two goal lead. Not to be outdone, the Diabetoz Angels decided to hang around when J.Zervakos narrowed the gap by one with still three minutes left over. You knew by then that the Diabetoz Angels were going to put on some serious pressure, especially after pulling out their net minder. As much as they searched for that much needed equaliser, R.Ranieri remained composed in net not giving out to many juicy rebounds. The house was well protected, and the Degenerates played out the clock to their advantage en route to a nail biter. Normally games tend to remain close between two teams that just came off a hard fought battle. And for a decent amount of time, that appeared to be the case even though the Degenerates led 5-3 after one. It was by the second period where this contest spiralled into one direction. O.Valiquette scored two quick goals to earn a hat trick, and S.Marricco was able to close it out bagging a pair in only thirty seconds. Apart-from that last period, the Diabetoz Angels played very well despite missing two major pieces. These results wont concern them at all knowing that they will bounce back on a full roster.

(3)Diabetoz Angels vs Degenerates(4)

(3)Diabetoz angels vs Degenerates(10)

Snipers edge out Country Club in high pace action

There are different ways to win hockey games. In the case for the Snipers, special teams was the determining factor in the first game while winning in the breakaway competition gave them a slight edge in the ensuing match decided in a shootout. Three out of their four goals came with the man advantage. H.Atoui scored two quick goals with the man up followed with H.Salman doing the same to help provide a 3-1 lead early in the second period. The Snipers went on to add another tally by A.Saleh which proved to be more than enough  to solidify the victory. The Country Club knew to try and avoid taking penalties in hopes of splitting their mini series with the Snipers. They still took one in which they were unable to kill off, but that wasn’t the real issue. At one point, things appeared to be grim as they found themselves trailing 4-1. But to their credit, they stuck with it, and were able to mount a nice comeback. C.Payette notched his second, J.Carriere pulled the Country Club within one, and finally J-S Lowe was there to bury his second which ended up forcing the shootout. Even though the end result didn’t quite go in favour of the Country Club, they still can take positives- from this game. There never quit attitude gave them a fighting chance which is all you can ask for as a team.

(4)Snipers vs Country Club(2)

(8)Snipers vs Country Club(6) S.O

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Matt Tvaronas of the Assadi Consulting inc. Sometimes it just takes a spark-from someone when your team is struggling to win games. In the second match versus the Dragons, M.Tvaronas gave his side a huge boost scoring three big goals that led to a well earned victory.

Sunday March 12

F.Mastrocola sets the path for Kings on two quick tallies

(3)Predators vs Kings(6)

The Predators looked to be hanging in there with the Kings for a good solid twenty minutes. They trailed only  2-1  up until F.Mastrocola got that freedom and space to bury two consecutive goals in only forty second seconds to put the Kings up 4-1.This is one team that you don’t want to dig yourself too much into a deep hole. Spotting the Kings a three goal lead despite plenty of tie left over will take nearly a miracle if you plan on coming back. There is to much years of experience-from a side that knows how to close out hockey games. The Predators saw it first hand unable to get much done. V.Romero did find a way to create his own chances by bagging two of his clubs goals, but it wasn’t nearly enough. They just weren’t able to gather enough momentum no matter how they tried to battle back. For a very long stretch, the Kings went scoreless as they focused more on keeping the ball away-from their own net. Eventually, they closed it out on two late tallies by A.Carelli and A.Amicone.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Francesco Mastrocola of the Kings. Up only 2-1, the Kings put themselves in a comfortable position thanks to F.Mastrocola’s two quick tallies.

Panthers beat Wild in crazy high scoring game

(8)Panthers vs Wild(7)

You can say that both sides were very good at scoring goals, but not so much at defending. The poor goaltenders were stuck enduring a long night unable to know where this wacky back and forth contest was headed. Goals were going in at a rapid rate while leads kept getting traded in what was a see saw effect. The Wild were hoping that there seventh goal of the game to making it 7-6 with ten minutes left would be something to build on the rest of the way. Unfortunately, that was the point where they just hit a wall . Not only did they stop scoring, but ended conceding two straight markers to flip the script once more. It was J.Melo’s tie breaking marker with just over three minutes remaining that ultimately decided the outcome. It was one of those games that had to many turning points or none at all depending on how you look at it. It seemed that the team who would shoot the ball last would end up winning. Although he may have preferred a tighter game in front of him, M.Freda had a stronger second half allowing only two goals to help his side squeak out a tight one. Neither team had many big influencers except for a couple of players with the offense widely spread out. M.Kabassakalian was productive accumulating three goals game in the win while C.Arnoldo led the Wild with four points.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to M.Kabassakalian of the Panthers. Even though many contributed, M.Kabassakalian still had a major hand in this one providing three out of his clubs eight goals.

Blackhawks allow seven straight goals in thumping loss to Sabres

(4)Blackhawks vs Sabres(8)

In the first twenty minutes, the Blackhawks and the Sabres looked like they were going to push the distance in order to figure out a winner. And while the Sabres continued to play to their liking, the same couldn’t be said for the opposition. The Blackhawks all of a sudden looked like a team playing sloppy defense while caught on their heels the rest of the way. They gave up seven straight goals before finally scoring twice at a stage of the game that didn’t matter anymore. In nearly every single goal, C.Zafiropoulos had his hand in on it. Teams have yet to figure him out as he once gain cashed in four times while setting up three teammates. For sure he will tell you that it takes a good supporting cast in order to be productive. The Sabres have a nice mobile defense that can distribute the ball to the forwards. And since C.Zafiropoulos knows exactly where to stand to receive a pass, the sniper is ready every time to finish off a play. Other notables includes his son A.Zafiropoulos, who scored twice, and M.Chenier as perhaps the play maker that helps create a ton of chances.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Costa Zafiropoulos of the Sabres. Scoring four goals and three assists will take your team far in a game. The Sabres won this contest for a few reasons, but there was no question that the veterans seven points had plenty to do with it.

Bruins overpower the Kraken

(5)Kraken vs Bruins(11)

It was a quick start, and an even better finish for the Bruins on Sunday night. Carrying such a team name carries a lot of weight and pressure to perform. Tonight, they played to their identity, and looked to have their way against a side that may have been a step behind. The Bruins won many of the loose ball battles which translated into a ton of chances. Many players took advantage with K.Labelle leading the way on six points followed with N.Macri, T.Scarpelli, A.Zakarian and M.Valmora combining for 17 points. Its not like the Kraken didn’t have their chances. The problem was that they were stuck playing-from behind trying to chase the game and couldn’t really catch up. Five different players scored in the loss. The stage was set early with T.Scarpelli posting two quick goals. Once the Bruins took off, the Kraken couldn’t catch them having to endure a difficult night.

The Allo Mon Coco Ste-Dorothee player of the game goes to Kevin Labelle of the Bruins. With many players chipping in, K.Labelle led the way up front producing six points that included a hat trick.

Friday March 10

Dirty Scrubs bad start dooms them early

(13)Generals vs Dirty Scrubs(0)

Before the ball even dropped, the Dirty Scrubs knew that they were in for a long night. The problem was that there night lasted only two periods. The Generals 13 goals in the first two frames put an immediate stop to the match because of the mercy rule. You almost have no chance rotating only two changes when going up against a power house. At best, you can try and keep it close for a decent amount of time, but that wasn’t the case in this particular game. The contest was already over by the seven minute mark with the Generals bagging four straight goals. O.Valiquette ended the frame with two tallies before adding his third early in the second period. Every player had his hand in this one with the amount of goals scored. J-R Turgeon was also able to bury three while V.Lamarche and M.Pinheiro each scored twice. For the Generals, winning is a habit. They ran through this entire contest piling up a bunch of tallies while not conceding one at all.

United Masters dictate the pace against Sonic

( 8 )United Masters vs Sonic(3)

They had some moments, but Sonic seemed to be a step behind at times against the United Masters. The pace was mostly dictated by one side and it showed with the United Masters winning every period. Some goals left B.Madonis with no chance to stop them. The net minder was well positioned, but couldn’t predict three shots going top corner while being screened. Those kinds of plays only fuels you to do better as the game goes on. They become contagious throughout your line up which only makes matters worse for the opposition. Sonic felt it, and needed to battle extremely hard in order to keep pace with the United Masters. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t make any ground having to try and battle through a committed side that was waiting and ready. The game would open up since Sonic didn’t have a choice to search for that next goal. While they attempted to go deep into the United Masters zone, some counter attacks would eventually create more of a gap. A.Minassian was the only player to score twice out of the eight goals which suggested that this win came on the backs of everyone pulling their weight.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Anto Minassian of the United Masters. Very engaged throughout the entire time, the lethal winger was productive opening and closing the scoring as part of a four point performance.

Thursday March 9

Snipers fail to take advantage of depleted Van Doos Hc

(5)Van Doos Hc vs Snipers(2)

So the Snipers learned a harsh lesson on Thursday night.  In an anticipated match up that could have served as a playoff game, the Snipers dropped the ball as their playoff aspirations are coming to a close. They were unable to take advantage of an undermanned Van Doos Hc team. Smart teams know how to manage their man power. The Van Doos Hc made playing without the ball a key tactic as part of their formula. As long as the game remained close, it just becomes a question of when to jump on your chances. O.Valiquette was able to snap a 1-1 second period tie because of a Snipers penalty. Now that they led heading into the final period, they knew that the Snipers had to go for it. The problem was that the Van Doos Hc will hurt you on the counter attack. O.Valiquette once again made the Snipers defense pay scoring early in the third period. Unable to get anything going, the Snipers fell in a deeper hole when G.DiZazzo widened the margin by three. It was just one of those nights that a desperate team couldn’t  catch any breaks. While their not officially eliminated-from participating in the playoffs ,the odds are stacked against them with only three games remaining.

Horsemen pull out gritty win on the back of M.Vinciguerra

(3)Horsemen vs Fatal Demons(2)

If you’re the Horsemen, you want nothing more than to try and play ahead. In hockey, your likely to control playing better without the ball than with it. They got that good start when T.Sourias picked a beautiful top corner. Although the Fatal Demons did respond with a power play goal by M.Chenier, that didn’t phase the Horsemen-from responding on two consecutive tallies. V.Pandza provided the lead after a nice feed-from T.Karasek, and M.Kardum used a blistering shot-from far for a two goal margin. However, that was as far as it got for the Horsemen, who were stuck playing on their heels the rest of the way. The Fatal Demons started to take over putting a lot of pressure while hanging on to the ball for long stretches.  The Horsemen made it a point to keep the Fatal Demons to the outside as much as possible. And while that idea seems obvious, its easier said than done. Many things need to go right starting with your goaltender. Luckily enough for the Horsemen , M.Vinciguerra was able to stay firm and deliver an outstanding performance between the pipes. Another essential moment was having to kill off two four minute penalties. And finally some luck where the Fatal Demons missed out on some golden opportunities with M.Destounis missing a wide open net.

Brew Crew cant seem to protect leads anymore

( 8 )Armadillos vs Brew Crew(6)

Not an ideal way to finish off your night if you are the Brew Crew. If the Brew Crew of the past built a 3-0 lead, the game was pretty much over and one with. Not this season however. Again they found themselves in a promising position getting back to back goals by D.Verta and the other marker-from C.Palermo for what looked like a commanding 3-0 lead. Then, the drama happened, and the Brew Crew started to lose grip of the situation. Yes, you can argue that the Armadillos have the team that can overcome such a hurdle. But even at that, it should never spiral out of control the way it did on Thursday night. Eight of the next eleven goals came-from only one team throughout two periods. Talk about a complete take over. G.Bouchrad struck twice in the second period, and P.Lapointe matched him netting the games last tally. Perhaps the orchestrator behind the madness is the play of S.Athanasopoulos. If teams have yet to realise what he brings to the Armadillos, then they’ll find themselves to be in deep trouble. Many plays stem- from him as he will either create chances for himself or make the players around him better. Tonight, the surgical centre man helped set up four teammates while taking away chances by being responsible defensively.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to M.Vinciguerra of the Horsemen. No doubt, the Horsemen walked away with three clean points thanks to their goaltender. After facing a wave of pressure, Vinciguerra was a moving wall denying a ton of shot attempts his way.

Wednesday March 8

Legacy use second period surge to top Azzuri

(2)Azzuri vs Legacy(5)

Right now, the Azzuri are struggling at both ends. They break down to often in their zone, and the forwards are not producing expect for C.Chirola, who notched both tallies in the loss. When your offense is limited, it only takes a couple of mistakes and your mind starts playing with you. The snow ball keeps on getting bigger, and that’s what happened in the second. It was fine after one frame with both sides dead evened at one goal a apiece. The problem was that the second period belonged only to Legacy. A.Athanasopoulos, J.Mandracchia and A.Stamiris  did the scoring to help provide a strong lead heading into the final period. To Azzuri’s credit however, that didn’t stop them-from putting up a good fight. C.Chirola scored early into the final stanza to pull his side within one. There was no question that all of a sudden there was a game that was far-from over. With so much time remaining, all it takes is one single shot on net to even the score. The Azzuri did all they could to try and get at least one more by P.Assadi. Sometimes your stuck trying to beat a net minder that’s dialled in which was the case for the Legacy. P.Assadi took over the show stopping everything in sight, and only had a sense of relief when A.Stamiris scored late feeding an empty cage.

Punishers settle for draw after giving up three leads to Altius

(7)Altius vs Punishers(7) S.O

Depending on how you want to look at this one, both sides had moments to feel good about. The Punishers were always able to play in front while the Altius showed plenty of character tying the game on three occasions. Maybe the onus was a little more on the Punishers to try and close out the contest since they led by two fairly late in the second period. And maybe you can also argue that they did a fine overall job containing most of the Altius. The problem was that they had no answers on how to slow down D.Provost-Jarry. Already with a first period goal, the feisty and gritty forward was just getting started. After closing out the second frame on a late tally to narrow the gap by one, D.Provost-Jarry made one more big play to even the score 5-5 with less than six minutes remaining. You almost had to figure somebody would have broken the barrier. Unable to score with enough time left over followed with an ensuing overtime, this contest went the extra mile where both sides settled for a draw.  The shootout had its share of excitement as well. J.Provost-Blais and K.Kuczmarski hit their targets for the Punishers as did P.Karvouriaris and J.Chiropoulos for the Altius.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Dominique Provost-Jarry of the Altius. In order for this contest to be able to go into a high scoring shootout, goals were required. The Altius got three big markers -from D.Provost-Jarry that included two timely ones that ended up tying the game.

Monday March 6

D.Seguin snipes top corner beauty to defeat Snipers on identical scores

The Branditscan nearly let a 4-1 lead slip away, but held on anyway with T.Faucher’s second period tally making the difference. You knew that the Snipers would come out ready in their second encounter after a strong finish. Seven minutes in, and A.Sayed along with A.Khanafer put their side in the drivers seat up 2-0. Not to be deterred however, the Branditscan took over collecting the games next three tallies on scoring efforts-from different players. There was way to much back and forth action until that point for the score to remain idle. After exchanging numerous chances, B.Cabral would eventually level with just over three minutes remaining. Then, barely a minute later, D.Seguin regained the lead for the Branditscan, who once again let the Snipers back in courtesy of A.Saleh. Since every second counted, neither side felt comfortable enough that this contest would reach a shootout. There were to many goals which suggested that anyone could have broken the barrier as the clock was ticking down. And with about 35 seconds left in regulation time, D.Seguin scored arguably the prettiest one of the night that beat C.Malkoun top corner clean. Its been a few games now that the Branitscan are starting to show their true colors. After a shaky start to their season, N.Fancis’s group are starting to climb the ranks looking more and more like serious contenders.

(4)Snipers vs Branditscan(5)

(4)Snipers vs Branditscan(5)

Some penalty trouble dooms Brodie Boys in losses to ETNA

Penalty trouble proved too much to overcome for the Brodie Boys on Monday night as they dropped both games to ETNA. It was less of a factor in the opening game, but they still gave up a power play goal to the hands of J.Alfieri, who evened the score in the second period. It took only two minutes after that for ETNA to take its first lead of the game. A.Alfieri provided it,  and P.Delli Colli stood firm in net stopping every shot he faced to earn a hard fought 3-1 decision. In hopes of rebounding for a better outcome, the Brodie Boys couldn’t have asked for a worse period so far this season. They kept compounding their problems by visiting the penalty box way to often. By the time the opening frame ended, ETNA had scored four with the man advantage building a 5-1 lead heading into the final stretch. J.DiTiello was the brains behind the operation collecting four points that included a hat trick. You always hope to come back strong when trailing by a large margin. Unfortunately for the Brodie Boys, they just didn’t have the right mind set going into both games. It was just one of those nights that nothing seemed to work. Sure, it doesn’t help when missing some key pieces, but the team is strong enough to have shown a better effort. On the other hand, ETNA did nearly everything right, and deserved the well earned points.

(1)Brodie Boys vs ETNA(3)

(2)Brodie Boys vs ETNA(7)

Country Club snake bitten by A.Ekonomakis in second match, settle for split with Diabetoz Angels

A.Ekonomakis challenged himself to simply be better following a close 4-2 loss to the country Club. In a game that could have easily gone either way favoured the Country Club on a late goal by N.Smith, who snapped a 2-2 tie. Apart-from his big moment, the Country Club got three tallies-from C.Gosselin, and a solid goaltending display by M.Dupuis. In the ensuing match, A.Ekonomakis looked like the player whose steady play helped propel the Diabetoz Angels to victory. Solid at the start, and stoic at the finish, Ekonomakis turned aside 20 shots to split the mini series with the Country Club. All they really needed was one goal by J.Zervakos to seal the deal. J.Fisch would rather make sure his side had some breathing room as the power forward scored an incredible goal only seconds later to widen the gap.  By that point, time was becoming too much of an issue for the Country Club who had no answers on how to penetrate a moving wall. J.Mcteigue would cap off the night on a late marker for his second point, and the Diabetoz Angels continue to impress as they slowly climb the ranks of the division.

(4)Country Club vs Diabetoz Angels(2)

(0)Country Club vs Diabetoz Angels(3)

Dragons impose their will on rival Classics

The Classics were good for extended stretches Monday, but good isn’t good enough against a Dragons team continues to showcase why they are a top contender. Ultimately, J.Mandracchia made most of the difference in the first game scoring three out of his clubs five goals. The Dragons immediately dictated the terms by grabbing the better start. Once they led, the Classics were forced to battle back only to fall short. The second encounter saw both sides playing an evenly matched game. Tied 3-3 heading into the second frame, something was to give. The Dragons were able to impose their will once again by being the more engaged team. D.Lombardi buried his second to snap the tie, and J.Mandracchia couldn’t have scored a better timely goal. The sequence forced the Classics once more to play-from behind. Its not like the Classics weren’t able to match the Dragons. C.Gingras was a thorn all night making plenty happen, but couldn’t perhaps get that extra support-from a valued missing line mate in P.Karvouriaris. When playing a solid stacked line up like the Dragons have at this level, all your elements are required in order to have better odds of winning. Even though they fell short in both games, this wont mean anything in the grand scheme of things. The odds are likely these two teams will meet for the big dance unless the Assadi Consulting inc have something to say about that. Time will only tell.

(5)Dragons vs Classics(3)

(7)Dragons vs Classics(4)

Degenerates strong finish carries over in second match with United Arms

If not for some late lapses, the United Arms would have walked away with three points giving them their first win of the season. Everything was going just fine as they found ways to score while making it hard for the Degenerates to get their licks in. R.Kenadjian arguably was a big reason why his club was able to play ahead. But as the opening game started to wind down into the latter stages, the Degenerates went into desperation mode where they upped the ante. First, P.Paikopoulos picked up a rebound to level, and D.Greco followed up only seconds later to put the Degenerates in front for the first time during the match. Now that everything started to gel for the veteran side, the ensuing match had a different story line with the script flipping. The Degenerates made sure to be more engaged -from the drop of the ball by taking it to the United Arms right away. Three different players had scored before C.Stamadianos capped off the frame with back to back tallies. With the way things transpired, many indicators suggested that this contest was written in the books. That was until the United Arms showed that they weren’t done yet. A.Melkounian was the catalyst behind the potential comeback as the forward strung two quick goals to cut the lead by three. A.Minassian would score three minutes later, and all of a sudden there was a hockey game with more than enough time left over. There was no doubt the momentum shifted for the United Arms. And while the Degenerates didn’t have their best outing, they still remained calm, cool and collective knowing that they were still in control of the game. The only difference was that they made sure to approach the remainder of the frame more serious. Everyone applied themselves harder which eliminated any more threats. Eventually, D.Greco added an insurance marker, and the Degenerates got the job done in the end.

(3)United Arms vs Degenerates(4)

(3)United Arms vs Degenerates(6)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Daniel Greco of the Degenerates. For someone that’s been missing-from action for a long period of time, it surely didn’t look that way on Monday night. Playing hockey is like riding a bicycle for many, and D.Greco hasn’t missed a beat collecting an impressive four goals and two assists.

Sunday March 5

Islanders looking to forget this one after receiving thumping-from Panthers

(11)Panthers vs Islanders(3)

The Islanders know they got taught a lesson, and want nothing more than to put this one in their rear view mirror. Sometimes these types of games happen when everything keeps going wrong for one side. The Panthers peppered away at T.Kotsiris overwhelming the goaltender with close to 40 shots. Goals kept coming in at a rapid rate for the Panthers, who kept getting the bounces along with a ton of chances. It was just one of those games where the bleeding didn’t stop. The Islanders couldn’t defend well enough while stuck chasing the game. At one point, the players may have  felt discouraged having to overcome an unreasonable deficit. This wasn’t a type of match that saw one or two super star players dictate the terms. Instead, many contributed offensively with M.Paciencia, M.Kabassakalian and J-C Mansour leading the way with four points each. Its not an ideal way to end your night, but the Islanders will learn-from it as they’ll try to get back on track.

The Allo Mon Coco St-Dorothee player of the night goes to Martino Freda of the Panthers. While many contributed due to the amount of goals scored, M.Freda took care of his own end allowing only three goals on 30 shots.

S.Fraga breaks late tie, Predators beat Red Wings

(4)Predators vs Red Wings(3)

Despite the Red Wings giving all they can handle in this one, It was the Predators that came out on top in the end. Throughout the entire time, this contest remained extremely close with the two sides trading leads. M.St-Martin scored first for the Red Wings, and in the span of only 25 seconds, the Predators played ahead on goals by A.Corbeil and M.Braun. Nearly fifteen minutes had gone by before the very same M.St-Martin scored to even the game for the Red Wings. Again, the Predators would pull ahead thanks to V.Romero only to see it get answered shortly after courtesy of Q.Joseph. But the tying goal would only set the stage for S.Fraga’s eventual winner that would put this contest away for good.  Its never a nice way to lose a game knowing that you only had a few more seconds to burn and force the extra time. That being said, a close loss is definitely better than a lopsided affair. The Red Wings dropped a game that they know could have gone either way. B.Verducci earned the win in net facing 35 shots over his counter part R.Testa as both goalies were sharp enabling their clubs to steal this contest.

The Allo Mon Coco St-Dorothee player of the night goes to Simon Fraga of the Predators. A key play leads to a clutch moment for the Predators d-man. S.Fraga scored a huge timely goal that ultimately decided the outcome  after a back and forth tightly knitted contest.

Flyers pummelled by Blackhawks in one sided affair

(13)Blackhawks vs Flyers(4)

It looked as though the Flyers were able to play neck in neck with the Blackhawks on Sunday night. After all, they went back and forth trading four goals each in the first twenty minutes, and everything pointed towards headed for a close hard fought battle till the end. Then suddenly, the Flyers were completely out of sync having to endure a forgetful second half of the game. Nothing went right for them in all areas of the court. Not only did they not score, but they gave up way to many goals that saw thing spiral out of control. The Blackhawks had many contribute with Giovanni DeStefano looking in fine form riffling a hat trick along with two assists. No doubt it ended up being a baffling affair. However, it is only an early regular season game, and the Flyers wont be overly concern with plenty of leadership throughout their line up. With some tweaks to help resolve the current issues, P.Petraccione, B.Panarello and C.Doulis just to name a few will eventually get their troops back on track.

The Allo Mon Coco St-Dorothee player of the game goes to Giovanni DeStefano of the Blackhawks. Known for  his defensive capabilities, G.DeStefano showed that he can help at both sides of the court. The veteran had a solid outing collecting five points that included a hat trick.

Canadiens finding their stride too late in high scoring duel with Kraken

(14)Kraken vs Canadiens(8)

It was one of those games that nobody was really interested in playing defense. And while the players had fun trading a tone of chances, the goaltenders were the ones that had to pay the price. The Kraken looked to blow the Canadiens out of the water for how strong they started. They stormed out of the gate running up the score 9-3 in their favour by the mid way point. Normally, that kind of a lead is sufficient on the larger part, but it didn’t quite turn out that way in the end. Although the Kraken did hang on to take the contest despite the Canadiens battling back rattling off five goals in only ten minutes. The problem was that they couldn’t contain one very key piece that ultimately did them in. T.Settino was fairly quiet for his standards in the first half of the game collecting only two points. However, once he saw the alarm bells ring, the forward decided to take initiative, and did he ever by going on a tear converting four straight times while adding a helper. If not for his incredible sequence toward the ladder stages of the game, the Canadiens would have potentially pulled the rug-from under the Krakens feet. Instead, they got there thanks to some key elements that produced in a big way.

The Allo Mon Coco St-Dorothee player of the game goes Georgie Papadakis of the Kraken. As a goal scorer, you just follow your instincts. G.Papdakis knows exactly where to go to cause havoc for the opposition. In a high scoring bout with the Canadiens, the sniper showed her finishing touch’s by striking four times while adding an assist.

Friday March 3

Big second period lifs Dirty Scrubs to win over Sonic

(5)Dirty Scrubs vs Sonic(2)

Perhaps, its no coincidence that when the intensity ramped up on Friday night, so too did the Dirty Scrubs play. The game was tied 1-1 before the Dirty Scrubs started to perk up and finish off a strong second frame on two late goals. A.Jalilvand looked to fit right in with his new line mates as the slick forward was a menace collecting his third point and second goal on the power play. With that late surge, the momentum continued throughout most of the third period with A.Zarzour scoring almost immediately followed with A.Jalivand’s eventual hat trick. All in all, the Dirty Scrubs compete level was up to par as they did a fine job limiting Sonic’s chances to get back into the game. Each side scored on their lone power play opportunity with A.Kalaydian credited the goal for Sonic. R.Ranieri was solid again facing close to 30 shots to earn the win in net.

Generals keep saving their best for last

(4)United Masters vs Generals(10)

The theme of it being close while it lasted is starting to be over used in this division when going up against the Generals. Every opponent till now has kept the games fairly close for at least half the game, but are no where to be seen by the time they enter the third period. The United Masters actually seemed like the better of the two sides in the opening frame due to their ball possession and solid defensive game. They came out of the frame 2-2, and things were appearing to be going just fine. Then, the mid way point hit, and the Generals once again put it into gear. F.Wilscam fired a pair of rockets collecting back to back goals right after O.Valiquette bagged a pair as well in the same period. That sequence put the Generals up 6-3 heading into the final stretch where they made sure to leave the Untied Masters in the dust by adding four more tallies. It goes without saying that you need everything to go right in order to stop a well oiled machine. The United Masters saw many of their play attempts keep getting cut off because of the Generals reading the play. Many passes kept getting intercepted, and in consequence, a counter attack would lead to a high end chances. J-R Turgeon and O.Valiquette each hat tricks while G.Djevahirdjian and D.Galloro did all of the scoring for the United Masters posting two goals a piece.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Austin Jalilvand of the Dirty Scrubs. In his first game this season, the forward was a huge asset collecting four points that included a hat trick.

Thursday March 2

J.Bolanakis beats the clock by 5 seconds to lift Fatal Demons past Van Doos Hc

(2)Van Doos Hc vs Fatal Demons(3)

Two solid teams battled it out with playoff-esque intensity. P.Santullo and M.Mavroudis echoed the biggest sentiment of not wanting to lose two games in a row. Although a difficult challenge going up against the Van Doos Hc, the Fatal Demons don’t care who their opponent is. Everyone on that roster is confident in their abilities and know that they are easily a top contender when push comes to shove. Tonight, they showed what they are capable of by playing a hard nosed game that involves a lot of the little details while winning the one on one battles. Twice they led, and twice the Van Doos responded to even the score. The Van Doos only got on board passed the mid way point of the third period. It was there that A.Meterissian finally got to R.Ranieri, who was lights out keeping a clean score sheet. O.Valiquette would get the Van Doos back on track with just under two minutes left in the game to even things up at two goals a piece. Then, what seemingly was headed for overtime was haltered when J.Bolanakis came up big beating the clock with only five second remaining. M.Mavroudis set up the late tally after collecting two earlier points, and the Fatal Demons put together three solid periods of hockey to edge out a strong opponent.

Armadillos score 5 first period goals, rout Horsemen

(7)Armadillos vs Horsemen(0)

Surely, it was a disappointing performance for the Horsemen, who hoped to continue-from last weeks good habits. They talked about doing the right things, playing a sound defensive game by keeping it simple. Instead, there actions were just the opposite. The Armadillos still managed to expose them and it showed in the first period as they hammered them with five unanswered goals. Most of the damage came-from C.Chirola and S.Athanasopoulos as the two players combined fro seven points. There was no question the moral was low on the Horsemen’s bench. But rather than throwing in the towel, the mind set was still to get back out there and battle hard. They may not have gained ground, but neither did the Armadillos as both sides went scoreless during the frame. The Armadillos would gain the better start in the final stanza when P.Lapointe buried his second followed with a quick tally by R.Cohen. Since the game was evidently going to favour the Armadillos, the only thing left over was to see if the Horsemen could have cracked the barrier. F.Moshonas had to be thinking shutout since he wasn’t overwhelmed with shots. He did at certain points have to remain focused in which he did. After facing the few shots he received, the veteran net minder was glad to turn aside everything he faced to record a clean sheet.

Brew Crew storm back, but P.Kawkab provides huge victory for Snipers

(4)Snipers vs Brew Crew(3) O.T

Finally, the Snipers have something good to write home about. Accumulating points at this stage into the season came as a must win for the Snipers playoff hopes to stay alive. With A.Saleh scoring twice, and J.Hassan netting the other tally, the Snipers looked in fine shape heading into the final frame up 3-1. The deficit forced the Brew Crew to take some gambles if they planned on climbing back into this contest. Sometimes, it takes luck or a few bounces going your way. And sometimes  it’s a question of a player having the hot hand. In the case for the Brew Crew, A.Belanger was the saving grace as the young talent carried most of the load bagging all three goals for his club. His two tallies came two minutes apart, and all of a sudden, the Brew Crew had a chance of stealing this game-from the Snipers. The Snipers must have felt that bad vibe after surrendering those two goals while enduring a difficult season so far. But with some key additions inserted into their line up, the mind set was a little different despite the slight let down. P.Kawkab was one of two new players that dressed for the first time, and made an immediate impression of how significant he will be to his club. The game was ultimately decided thanks to P.Kawkab storming through the neutral zone where he riffled a shot that would make the TSN highlights. As big as that tally was for the Snipers to end a winless streak, the loss of the extra point in regulation time has the potential to bite them in the end. It will really come down to if they can put together some more strong performances with only a few games left in order to have a chance at reaching the playoffs.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Paul Kawkab of the Snipers. At this stage into the season, the Snipers are starting to run out of time and something needed to give. And although they would have loved nothing more than to close it out in regulation, P.Kawkab salvaged two crucial points by netting a huge overtime goal.

Wednesday March 1

Stellar Goaltending duel ends in a draw

(3)Punishers vs Legacy(3) S.O

You couldn’t ask for much more in a hockey game as both sides showed offensive creativity and both goaltenders came up with big saves to keep their teams alive. The Punishers may have started well jumping off to a 2-0 lead with goals by M.Koutavas and A.Argiroudis, but weren’t able to maintain their pace by the time the second period ended. After evening the score 2-2, A.Athanasopoulos put Legacy in front for the first time during the contest bagging a shorthanded goal on the help of J.Mandracchia’s third point of the game. All of a sudden, the Punishers found themselves in some trouble, but weren’t overly concerned as they have been through this before. Good teams don’t panic and usually overcome mild challenges such as a slight one goal deficit. Eventually, they got their thanks to M-C Levasseur tying the game at three. Even with some time left over along with a looming overtime period, it was the goaltenders that took over-from there on. B.Makris of the Punishers and A.Ekonomakis were the real story by the time it was said and done. The two net minders were stellar in the final stretch that included an open four versus four overtime period along with a three man shootout where they were able to deny every shot they faced.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Jonathan Mandracchia of Legacy. All three goals stemmed from J.Mandracchia. The forward scored once while setting up two teammates that included a big assist on a short handed tally.

Monday February 27

Snipers and Diabetoz Angels powered by their top guns

As much as  hockey game is relied on an overall team effort, its always a bonus when you can depend on some of your main players to make a difference. In the Snipers 4-3 opening win versus the Diabebtoz Angels, its safe to say that J.Hassan was the catalyst behind the victory. The forward did most of the work participating in all four goals that included a hat trick. The Snipers needed a late push to grab the win after finding themselves trailing 3-2 with less than two minutes remaining. Ali Khanafer tied things up, and J.Hassan put his club over the top to close out a nail biter. Now, its safe to say that the Diabetoz Angels look to their net minder as a key component for success. A.Ekonomakis has that ability to be dominant when he is on top of his game. That’s what high end goaltenders do, they rebound despite having a decent outing. The Snipers may be used to scoring since that’s never an area of concern, but things didn’t quite turn out as expected in the second encounter. They came to realise that they needed to be lucky rather than trying to beat him clean. After attempting over 30 shots, the Snipers were unable to figure him out, and ultimately dropped a 1-0 decision. All it took was for J.Zervakos to score his clubs lone goal in order to capture the win.

(4)Snipers vs Diabetoz Angels vs Snipers(3)

(0)Snipers vs Diabetoz Angels(1) 

Assadi Consulting inc have no answers for the Classics

No matter how you want to analysis this, the Assadi Consulting inc cant match with the Classics right now. There is nothing that they can seem to do on how to avoid getting hammered every time they meet. The Classics scored a total of 15 goals in both games, and got contributions-from pretty much everyone despite having the two headed monsters in C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris. M.Mavroudis and M.Destounis are often overlooked, but can be just as deadly at times as both players combined for five goals seven assists. Its difficult to play against players that do damage game in and game out. The Assadi Consulting inc know this, but have yet to figure out a way on how to slow them down. They did have a way better outing in the second encounter. M.Tvaronas made the score 3-2 giving the Assadi Consulting inc a slight 3-2 lead heading into the final frame. Finally, they put together a solid period. The problem was that it only lasted for one frame as the Classics took over running up the score on five unanswered goals. P.Karvouriaris as expected was there to put things in motion by striking twice while M.Destounis did the same to help put the game out of reach.

(1)Assadi Consulting inc vs Classics( 8 )

(3)Assadi Consulting inc vs Classics(7)

Wild action has Branditscan and RCGT Knights trade wins

Without a doubt, the RCGT Knights best player of the first contest was J.Prevost. The young talent produced in a big way rattling off three out of his clubs five goals to help defeat the Branditscan. The two sides were neck in neck for most of the match until J.Prevost posted his hat trick for a two goal cushion which was more than enough to guarantee the win. After coming off what was a regular type of hockey game, the second encounter appeared more like two teams playing pond hockey on a hot summer night. The first period saw plenty of defensive breakdowns along with soft goals. The Branditscan led a couple of times by at least two tallies but kept getting answered by the RCGT Knights, who refused to go away. Perhaps the turning point occurred late in the frame when K.Hopkins and D.Dillinger each scored to provide a 7-4 lead. K.Hopkins would go on to collect a hat trick in the final frame trading a goal with J.Prevost, who was an absolute force for the RCGT Knights. It wasn’t your standard type of night, but both sides got something out of it by exchanging wins.

(3)Branditscan vs RCGT Knights(5)

( 8 )Branditscan vs RCGT Knights(5)

Degenerates salvage their night on a pair of late surges

Its just unacceptable to keep finding yourself behind the eight ball when you make it a point to play a sound defensive style. The Degenerates will not run you down or play a loaded ball possession game. There plan is simple, defend well and wait for your chances to come. The problem was that they failed to keep the Country Club in check for two straight games that saw them taken advantage of in the first periods. Twice they were stuck having to play from-behind. Normally, it’s the younger teams that play better in the final stretch since they have the endurance and legs to do so. In both games however, the Degenerates challenged that philosophy by being the better team on two strong finishes that forced shootouts. In the first encounter, A.Alfonso scored with forty seconds left while in the second match, C.Stamadianos did the exact thing with about the same amount of time left over to forcing a second breakaway competition. The only difference in the two end results was that the Degenerates took the first encounter due to a pair of goals by A.Alfonso and M.Pinheiro. The second match ended in a stalemate with the two teams trading a pair of goals each. M.Dupuis just played his eight period of hockey since he played earlier in the higher division. That being said, it didn’t look like fatigue was much of an issue as the net minder battled throughout the grind. F.Proulx had a solid first encounter netting two goals while C.Gosselin made a big difference in the second contest collecting a hat trick for the Country Club.

(5)Country Club vs Degenerates(6) S.O

( 8 )Country Club vs Degenerates( 8 ) S.O

Brodie Boys exposing the Dragons defense

The Dragons will even tell you that their defensive coverage was torn apart by the Brodie Boys. Giving up that many goals shouldn’t be happening if you plan to play a certain way. It appeared as though the Dragons attempted to play a run and gun style against a team that can take advantage of you. The Brodie Boys have plenty of speed, talent and the body count to overwhelm you. It showed right away -from the drop of the ball as they ran up the score on three quick goals. Although the Dragons did battle back early in the second frame thanks to a pair of quick tallies by D.Lombardi, the Brodie Boys just took over -from there on adding five more en route to a convincing win. There was no question that the Dragons tweaked their game in the second match as they wanted nothing less than to go empty handed. Still, they trailed 3-2 after one, but managed to level when G.DeMarinis scored early in the frame. The Brodie Boys would later take advantage of a power play opportunity courtesy of M.Moshopoulos only to get answered again by A.Ponzo levelling the game with just over two minutes to go. With things all evened up fairly late in the contest, both sides understood that the next tally would likely decide the outcome. And rather than tempting their fate in the shootout, P.Stroubakis avoided the extra time by bagging a huge marker that would ultimately decide the game. The Brodie Boys just defeated a team twice in regulation time-from the top division banking six gravy points to the standings.

( 8 )Brodie Boys vs Dragons(4)

(5)Brodie Boys vs Dragons(4)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to A.Ekonomakis of the Diabetoz Angels. The net minder left the Snipers scratching their heads in the second game as they were unable to solve him once after attempting a bunch of shots.

Sunday February 26

Canadiens pull away by mid way point versus Wild

(4)Wild vs Canadiens(7)

F.Descoster scored two timely goals to lead the Canadiens to a 7-4, season opening victory over the Wild on Sunday night. Throughout half the game, the Wild bounced back twice but weren’t able to hang around long enough to keeping it close. Things started to shift when F.Decoster snapped a 3-3 tie followed with goals by F.Tessier and another by the very same Decoster. Four minutes was all it took for that sequence to occur. Considering some of the weapons that the Wild have in their line up, it came somewhat of a surprise that they went dry for at least twenty minutes. By the time they tallied their fourth goal by M.Destounis, the Canadiens had more than enough breathing room to cap off the win. L.Bucci closed it out with his second, F.Tessier scored twice as well, M.Pietrantonio set up three tallies while F.Descoster was the most productive finishing with five points

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to F.Decoster of the Canadiens. After setting his clubs first three goals, F.Decoster turned the tides by striking twice in only four minutes to help pave the way for the Canadiens.

C.Pirone 4 goal game lifts Kings past Flyers in high scoring affair

(10)Kings vs Flyers( 8 )

Its usually hard to gauge where a game is headed when the defense and goaltenders are left out to dry . The Kings and the Flyers showed right away that they like to score goals at any cost. Each team had traded four goals each just prior to the thirty minute mark which suggested for a slugfest till the very end. However, that couldn’t be further-from the case as the Kings either adjusted their game or the Flyers simply fell apart. In the span of only seven minutes, the Kings erupted with five straight goals. C.Pirone began the offensive onslaught notching three straight for his side after scoring earlier in the match. Michael Musi fed off it by adding a pair, and the Kings appeared to be smooth sailing with about ten minutes left in the game. Not to be totally out done, the Flyers showed some character despite being in a massive hole with not much time left over. They scored the games next four of five goals to keeping the final score very respectable. M.Porato had a good season debut for the Flyers bagging a hat trick while E.Allen wont have issues putting up points capping off a two goals and two assists performance.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Carmine Pirone of the Kings. Sometimes its not only how many goals you score but when you score them. C.Pirone had a monster night striking four times that included three in a row at a  key stage during the match.

Sabres cruise past Red Wings behind C.Zafiropoulos 5 goal display

(12)Sabres vs Red Wings(2)

The Sabres turned in a full 48 minute effort against a side that will be in search for answers. A big reason for this onslaught was quite simple. The Sabres have chemistry since some players have been together for a long time while the Red Wings will need time to figure each others tendencies. Maybe just a small modification here and there along exposure to one another will come a long way. For now, the Sabres looked seasoned already despite it being week one. C.Zafiropoulos continued-from where he left off with his ability to find the back of the net. The strong leader showed the way by riffling five goals and a pair of assists. M.Chenier and T.Longhi contributed as well with a pair of tallies, and M.Tzouvadakis turned aside 16 of 18 shots allowing only J.Testa and Z.St-Martin to get the better of him. Up until the twenty minute mark, the Red Wings held their ground able to keep pace with the Sabres. Unfortunately, things started to spiral out of control-from that point on, and the Sabres simply overwhelmed the Red Wings the rest of the way.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Costa Zafiropoulos of the Sabres. What more can you ask -from a veteran presence. Not is he only vocal off the court, C.Zafiroupoulos makes just as much noise on the court by converting five times in his season debut.

Bruins battle back, but fall short to Islanders

(6)Bruins vs Islanders( 8 )

Twenty solid minutes by the Bruins bookmarked a disastrous stretch after that in which they fell behind to the Islanders- a hole they would climb out of, only to be kicked back in. Spotting teams significant leads isn’t the way to go. That being said, at least the Bruins were able to push back only to fall short by a slight margin. A.Zakarian made the Bruins name proud by scoring a hat trick and an assist. The problem was that the Islanders had the extra horses on this night, and particularly the goaltending. E.Allen powered the offense by also sparking a hat trick while E.Nardelli cashed in twice that included the winner. Giving up six goals doesn’t usually reflect well on your net minder, but that didn’t apply in tonight’s case between these two teams. T.Kotsiris made at least four jaw dropping saves to help keep the lead going for the Islanders.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Theo Kotsiris of the Islanders. As it often happens goaltending will influence the outcome of a game. In tonight’s case, T. Kotsiris made the difference by stopping many quality shots to hang on to a close 8-6 win.

Friday February 24

Generals third period dominance keep leaving the opposition in the dust

(3)Sonic vs Generals(8)

Everyone knows that the Generals are a force that seemingly cannot be stopped. Sonic are just the latest team to feel the wrath and sheer dominance-from the Generals. A trait of a real contender is to not allow any hope of victory to your opponent. Up until this point into the season, the Generals have never really blown away their opponent after two periods. Yes, they led, and yes they dictated the terms, but nothing was settled up until the final stretch. The same was to be said in this game versus Sonic as they made sure that they didn’t hang around long enough. Six out of their eight goals came in the third period alone with M.Laurin converting three times for the hat trick while K.Dauphane was right behind him striking twice. Sonic did also have their best offensive moments in the third cashing in three times, but were still overpowered dropping the frame 6-3. Even though it may not have changed the end result, Sonic missed out on a chance to even the score by the mid way point of the game when awarded a power play chance. And rather than capitalising, they gave up a shorthanded tally instead to find themselves down 2-0. The Generals made sure to get the better start simply because they had a shorter bench. By building their slight lead, it forced Sonic to open by the third which created more room for the Generals to counter attack and finish on their chances.

Dirty Scrubs give up four unanswered goals in loss to United Masters

(2)Dirty Scrubs vs United Masters(4)

Its not about how you start, but how you finish. On Friday night, the Dirty Scrubs gave up four unanswered goals to the hands of the United Masters. Once N.Katsifolis scored to finally put the United Masters on board, the team started to look different. They had a little more energy and jump with momentum on their side. As the second period was winding down, G.Djevahirdjian flipped this contest on its face by proving two goals. Both his tallies went in due to his wicked release that just got the better of R.Ranieri. That strong finish to the second period put the United Masters in front heading into the final stretch. Still, this match was far-from over for how close it was. The United Masters had the luxury on playing tighter while the Dirty Scrubs had no choice to search for their next goal. Despite getting enough chances to level, B.Machetta wasn’t having it as the net minder stood firm denying everything his way. Eventually, P.Karigiannis would add some insurance late in the game to help solidify a nice bounce back win for the United Masters.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Gary Djevahirdjian of the United Masters. Down 2-0, the United Arms needed something to give. And while N.Katsifolis got the ball rolling to finally get his side on board, G.Djevahirdjian followed up on two wicked shots to turn the slight deficit into a lead that was never answered.

Thursday February 23

Brew Crew able to protect lead in win versus Fatal Demons

(3)Fatal Demons vs Brew Crew(5)

The Brew Crew couldn’t have asked for a better second period on Thursday night. After being down 1-0, M.Pace set the barrage in motion followed with goals by M.Nardi and A.Belanger. There was no question that the Brew Crew carried the thought of letting this game slip away as they have been unable to protect their leads this season. M.Mavroudis responded for the Fatal Demons with his second to keeping this game close. Both sides knew that the next one was going to indicate where this contest was headed. It took only a minute and change into the third period for A.Belanger to widen the gap once more for the Brew Crew. Carrying a two goal lead with nearly an entire period left over, the Brew Crew made sure to protect their lead by playing to their identity. The Fatal Demons couldn’t generate enough dangerous chances in order to pull themselves within striking distance. M.Pace would eventually add his second late in the game while M.Mavroudis provided all of the scoring for the Fatal Demons posting a hat trick.

Struggling Snipers continue slide in loss to Armadillos

(6)Armadillos vs Snipers(2)

Starting your second half of the season with a loss isn’t great as the Snipers have yet to find success so far. If by chance they were to beat a team like the Armadillos, than everything before that could have been forgotten. Instead, they still have no points to show for, and time is starting to run out. A major problem is that they haven’t had the chance to try and play with a lead. The Snipers aren’t going to overwhelm you in the offensive side, but are able to close out games like anyone else in the division. Tonight, they fell behind the eight ball giving up two first period goals and only got on board late in the second period courtesy of H.Awada and B.Cabral. Despite striking twice, they still trailed by a pair with a whole period ahead of them. It looked like they were getting right on track after a strong finish to the frame. The problem was that the Armadillos weren’t going to let a four goal cushion just slip away. Eventually, S.Simitsakis widened the gap, and P.Musto would close it out with only a few seconds remaining. Overall, the Armadillos did what an experienced structured team does. They started strong and made sure to dictate the terms the rest of the way.

Van Doos Hc powered by G.Tsolis hat trick in overtime

(5)Horsemen vs Van Doos Hc(6) O.T

G.Tsolis’s third goal of the game was the golden goal, lifting the Van Doos Hc to a wild overtime win over the Horsemen. It started off as a back and forth game, and neither team really had the advantage after three full periods. The Horsemen did have a 4-2 lead at one point on the help of two consecutive power play goals by M.Kardum and B.Rubino. There was just to much time left over for the Van Doos Hc to go down without a fight. Slowly but surely, they managed to take over a shift at time until eventually finding themselves up in the third period thanks to N.Kokovidis’s second snapping the 4-4 tie. The Van Doos Hc must have felt at that point that the game was shifting in their direction. After all, they scored three straight goals and appeared to be in complete control of the situation. That being said, the Horsemen never threw in the towel and showed plenty of character . Rather then looking like the team a step behind, the Horsemen were the ones putting on the pressure as they eventually scored on a late tally by T.Zermalias. That goal set the stage for more hockey to come as both sides tempted their luck in overtime. From-there, it looked like nothing was going to get settled with time starting to wind down. Then, an innocent play out of nowhere turned into a high end chance where G.Tsolis was there to bury the winner leaving all but ten seconds on the clock. Entering tonight’s game, the Van Doos Hc had the expectations-from coming out on top for obvious reasons. But with the Horsemen buying into a plan while believing in their capabilities, it just went to prove that anything can happen, even though they dropped a heart breaker.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to George Tsolis of the Van Doos Hc. What’s better than finishing your night with a hat trick in overtime. G.Tsolis without a doubt had a major influence in this game by bagging three goals that included the clincher in the sudden death frame.

Wednesday February 22

Legacy battle, but Altius pull away in the third period

It was a close game through two periods, but an offensive explosion by the Altius saw them pull away in the third period, and deal Legacy an 8-5 loss. P.Arkalis led the charge with back to back third period goals, D.Primeau buried a pair, K.Kuczmarski collected four points and M.Melo was stout in net facing just over 30 shots to earn the win. Legacy hoped to have built off their momentum when they struck twice late in the second period to pull themselves within one. Rather than continuing their pace, the Altius regained control thanks to some connecting plays between P.Arkalis, K.Kuczmarski and J.Provost-Blais. The three players have the ability to contribute when the games are on the line. That’s what you get when players know where they are every time they are on the court. The Altius had their top guns deliver at a crucial point during the game  while Legacy couldn’t execute despite having the weapons to do so as well. Sometimes , it just goes better for one side which was the case for the Altius on this particular night.

Punishers ride strong first period to victory over Azzuri

(7)Punishers vs Azzuri(3)

The Azzuri understood that there isn’t much margin of error if they plan on taking down the Punishers. Yes, they had a poor start giving up a very early goal, but you cannot afford to be taken advantage of your own power play. They knew that their night was going to potentially be a long one when they gave up a shorthanded marker by only the five minute mark.  Then, just to add some more salt to the wound, A.Argiroudis scored late in the first period with only ten seconds remaining. There was no doubt that it became a tall order for the Azzuri to try and battle back for some sort of miracle comeback. Sometimes, the mind set needs to be to just try and take it a shift at a time and not pay to much attention at the score. And to their credit, the Azzuri kept pace with their opposition even though they couldn’t make much ground. The two sides traded a pair of second period goals before C.Genest provided more insurance rattling off a pair by the third to complete his hat trick.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Peter Arkalis of the Altius. In a close 5-4 game heading into the final stanza, P.Arkalis took over posting two big goals to help solidify the win for the Altius.

Monday February 20

Country Club use three quick goals before erupting in second match to down the United Arms

The game was tied after one, and the United Arms seemed to be playing a good game keeping up with the Country Club. Unable to keep it going long enough, the United Arms saw their down fall unwind in only a three minute gap. The Country Club stormed out of the gate early in the second period getting goals-from J-S.Lowe, F.Proulx and M.Dalpe to take command of the situation. There was almost no way that the United Arms were able to climb out of this one sending only a few shots toward M.Dupuis. The mind set was to put it behind them quickly, and focus on their second match using some good habits they had in the first period. Unfortunately, it was all a familiar sight with the Country Club continuing-from where they left off. By the time the four and a half minute mark hit, this contest was far fetched for the United Arms to try and overcome a 4-0 deficit. F.Proulx would add his second before the frame ended, and the Country Club cruised for an easy 7-1 decision.

(4)Country Club vs United Arms(2)

(7)Country Club vs United Arms(1)

ETNA bounce back after tight knitted affair with the Assadi Consulting inc

J.Rochon snapped a second period tie, and the Assadi Consulting inc held on for over ten minutes to edge out ETNA in the opening game. Despite having numerous chances to battle back, ETNA was faced trying to figure out P.Assadi, who stood firm in net to squeeze out a nail biter. Much of the second contest was expected to be just as close. And with both sides going scoreless after one, the next goal would prove to be perhaps the turning point. This time however, it belonged to ETNA’s captain M.Stoico as he was able to get to P.Assadi for a rare time. It took only a couple of minutes after that for ETNA to stretch its lead thanks to P.Devault. When good teams jump in front like ETNA did, it makes it harder for the opposition to find that room they need. The Assadi Consulting inc were stuck trying to go through some layers of defensive lanes that limited their scoring chances. Adding to all that, it helps when your net minder delivers between the pipes. M.Rosato had an incredible finish to his night shutting out a very strong team for a 23 save shutout.

(2)ETNA vs Assadi Consulting inc(3)

(3)ETNA vs Assadi Consulting inc(0)

Branditscan over power Brodie Boys in both games

If the Brodie Boys had a night in which nothing went right, then the Branditscan had a night in which nothing went wrong. In only three minutes, the opening contest shifted when N.Francis scored early in the second frame followed with two quick tallies by T.Faucher. Out of nowhere, the Branditscan found themselves playing in front for the first time during the game. You would have to figure momentum would carry you the rest of the way after an implosive start. However, that wasn’t the case with the Brodie Boys battling back where they eventually evened things up on a pair of goals by T.Ferreira and S.Bordonaro. With the tides seemingly favouring the Brodie Boys, this contest showed just how unpredictable hockey can be at times with the Branditscan getting the final word. Seventeen seconds was all that was left on the clock when D.Seguin snapped the late tie giving his club the slight edge. The Branditscan enjoyed their short celebration, but knew they had more work ahead of them having to go up against a side that wasn’t pleased on how things ended. To their credit, they showed urgency right away by winning a big opening frame on goals by J.Molloy and T.Faucher. D.Seguin would then widen the gap with a power play marker, and the Brodie Boys knew that their night may go empty handed despite plenty of time left over. They did eventually get on board, but couldn’t manage to make enough ground. Finally, the Branditscan took both games putting together a pair a strong second periods where the out scored the Brodie Boys 8-4.

(4)Brodie Boys vs Branditscan(6)

(2)Brodie Boys vs Branditscan(5)

Classics and Dragons split after putting on a show

This is one rivalry that’s worth the price of admission. If you want high end plays, goals and intensity, the Classics and the Dragons will provide everything your looking for in a hockey game or games. Both sides combined for 23 goals in regulation time with the Classics taking the opener by a slight 6-5 decision while the Dragons were able to return the favour in the shootout on a pair of nifty goals by J.Mandracchia and A.Mirolla. The Classics did grab the first game by winning the second frame 4-3. C.Gingras scored twice, but it was M.Destounis’s tally that just stood up for the winner. As it was to be expected, the two teams kept going at it demonstrating another display of incredible hockey in the ensuing match. Neither side ever led after the two periods which left only a three man shootout to potentially decide matters. You almost had no choice to put good money that J.Mandracchia and A.Mirolla would have found a way to bury their chance. The two players had each scored twice before finishing it off in style on a pair of brilliant finishes. The Classics benefited only once during the breakaways, and who other than C.Gingras to get the better of J.DeStefano. The highly skilled forward scored a goal that only few players have the hands to fake out a net minder. There was no question it was an emotional two games with a ton of quality. One can only wonder how the playoffs will look like if they were to meet. Time will only tell.

(6)Classics vs Dragons(5)

(6)Classics vs Dragons(7) S.O

RCGT Knights score two late goals to salvage a pair of points vs Diabetoz Angels

The RCGT Knights duck looked cooked, down 4-2 with just under two minutes remaining in the first encounter. But the RCGT Knights were able to show some character and even the score courtesy of J.Prevost and D.Guarnieri responding late. Those late tallies enabled them to take the match in a shootout where J.Prevost and J.Morina got the better of A.Ekonomakis. Losing in such a fashion is a good test of character when playing in back to back games. For the Diabetoz Angels, they were able to prove to themselves that a short memory was the best way to approach it knowing they had another battle with the RCGT Knights. This time, they made their leads count after jumping in front 2-0 with goals by C.Gamperis and J.Fisch. Although D.Guarnieri did cut the lead in half late in the first period for the RCGT Knights, there would be no magical ending as the Diabetoz Angels took over-from there on the back of J.Fisch. The power forward restored a two goal cushion before setting up M.Snachez’s for a late insurance marker. A.Ekonomakis faced his fair share of shots as the net minder delivered making a ton of key saves. If not for a late hic up, the Diabetoz Angels would have handed a very good RCGT Knights two regulation losses.

(6)RCGT Knights vs Diabetoz Angels(5) S.O

(1)RCGT Knights vs Diabetoz Angels(4)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Massimo Rosato of ETNA. At any moment in time during the second game vs the Assadi Consulting inc, ETNA could have easily found themselves playing-from behind. The only reason it didn’t happen was because M.Rosato was that good stopping everything in sight which enabled his side to finally take a lead and never look back.

Thursday February 16

Captain J.Kontitsis leads the way for Armadillos riffling OT winner

(4)Van Doos Hc vs Armadillos(5) O.T

As expected , it was a back and forth contest partially dominated by special teams. For how well both sides move the ball, your almost asking for trouble if you visit the penalty box. The Armadillos scored twice during the man advantage with goals by G.Bouchard and the captain J.Kontitsis while the Van Doos Hc got a big power play marker by O.Valiquette to even things up at four goals apiece. The game ended with a pulsating conclusion courtesy of J.Kontitsis scoring fairly late in the overtime frame. It was definitely a great game to watch-from the stands if you like speed, intensity, great saves and a bunch of goals. The teams approached this one like a playoff game as they used each other as measuring sticks knowing that they are legit front runners. Neither team ever led after the full three periods played which only suggested how evenly matched both teams are. Rather than deciding matters in a shootout, J.Kontitsis found a way to end it earlier on a quick release that gave J.Liopoulos not enough time to react.

Fatal Demons pull away in third to defeat struggling Snipers

(6)Fatal Demons vs Snipers(2)

A third period surge of goals for the Fatal Demons made the difference as a tight 2-1 game ballooned to a 6-2 difference and ultimately was the final score on Thursday night. Both goaltenders were engaged trading many saves to keeping the game very low scoring. There was only so much C.Malkoun could endure for the Snipers. Eventually, the Fatal Demons cracked the code in the final stanza riding four tallies to pull themselves away. M.Destounis scored back to back goals for some breathing room right after the Fatal Demons rode three straight power play goals to jump start their offense. It was evident that the Snipers didn’t play well enough in the third period. Perhaps too many blunders enabled the Fatal Demons to take advantage on a stronger finish that saw their depth outlast the Snipers. P.Delli Colli lived up to the task stopping 27 of 29 shots. Still without a win, the Snipers are looking for a spark so that they can try to get back on track. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to put together three strong periods in order to get some results. It may not be an ideal start dropping a game to each team in the division, but the Snipers do have the chance to turn things around as they’ll repeat the schedule heading into the final stretch.

Brew Crew breeze past Horsemen

(2)Horsemen vs Brew Crew(4)

Plain and simple, the Brew Crew beat the Horsemen in all areas of the game. On most loose balls, the Brew Crew were able to get their first and take possession which always translates into good scoring chances. B.Sansotta struck first, A.Belanger along with R.Mancini followed up with second period power play goals, and M.Maggiore scored early in the third period to put a serious strangle hold in the contest. The only thing missing-from that point was for C.Muccino to record a shutout. Unfortunately for the net minder, B.Rubino was able to snatch it away-from him with less then two minutes remaining. The Horsemen finally scored two late goals by pulling out their net minder for the extra attacker. Prior to that point, they didn’t have much offense to show for. C.Muccino faced many shots-from far which made his night fairly easy. There just wasn’t much going-from the get go for the Horsemen, who looked flat and out of sync for a good portion of the game.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to John Kontitsis of the Armadillos. Look for your captain to bail you out . Already with a goal, J.Kontitsis capped off a hard fought win by notching a huge overtime tally.

Wednesday February 15

D.Provost-Jarry swings pendulum in Altius favour notching two very late goals

(4)Punishers vs Altius(5)

It was the Altius getting the better overall start in this one scoring two power play goals by N.Kokovidis and A.Catino while M.Arkalis scored on even strength to provide his side a 3-1 lead. After that, though, the Punishers had the Altius on the ropes for a good portion of the third period taking a 4-3 lead thanks to some balanced scoring. With time running out, Altius needed some sort of miracle, and they got just that-from one particular player. D.Provost-Jarry showed his qualities why he can be a game changer. The gritty skilled forward pulled the carpet right under the Punishers feet on two late goals to swing the pendulum once more. His second tally came in the dying embers of the game leaving all but six tiny seconds left on the clock. From-the time the ball dropped, the tempo remained high between to solid teams with a lot of quality that saw this contest twist and turn a few times. Both sides are so evenly matched that it came to no surprise one single play would have made the difference. In tonight’s case, D.Provost-Jarry was there making a pair of big plays that gave the Altius the slight edge over a difficult opponent.

Legacy overcome slow start, down Azzuri in overtime

(5)Legacy vs Azzuri(4) O.T

Legacy turned around a weak start to defeat the Azzuri in an exhilarating come-from behind victory. Powered by D.Capogreco’s back to back goals followed by M.Delgaudio’s late first period tally, the Azzuri jumped off to the start they needed. When trailing, teams play with more urgency, and it tends to kick in unless your overpowered by a superior opponent. Even though they had a bad start, there is almost no way that the Azzuri would be able to hold off a team that has the skill and chemistry to battle back. It would have perhaps taken an extra goal or two to apply a serious strong hold. That being said, they nearly got there if it wasn’t for a late tally by J.Fisch to even the score at four goals apiece. Overtime opens the game up much more since its played four on four. And with both sides having the skill set to score at any point, its pretty much a coin toss situation on who would prevail. Unfortunately for the Azzuri, they fell once more on the short end when A.Stamiris bagged his second to provide Legacy the victory.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to D.Provost-Jarry of the Altius. Just when it looked like the Punishers were on their way to winning the game, D.Provost-Jarry had other plans, netting two very late goals to turn a slight deficit into a thrilling comeback win.

Monday February 13

Snipers and ETNA split after going the distance in both games

The Snipers were able to show off their skill set in the shootout as all three players found the back of the net. Up 4-1 heading into the final frame, the Snipers should have never been put in this situation, but they managed to recover anyway by taking the win in the breakaways. J.Hassan led the charge scoring twice while adding a helper along with one of the three shootout goals. You almost knew that there would have been a response-from a team that finished strong only to fall short. ETNA imposed their will early on with goals by B.Travisano and A.Pittarelli. They came out hard and got paid off right away. However, they couldn’t keep it going long enough without a serious push back by the Snipers. The second encounter was almost a carbon copy of the first one with ETNA getting the edge in the end. Unable to hold onto their lead, ETNA gave up a very late power play goal that forced a second straight shootout. This time, M.Alfieri patiently waited out C.Malkoun to feed an empty cage, and J.Cardinal used a perfect shot to secure the win. Even though both sides had dug themselves in a hole, they managed each time to battle back out of desperation. Those are traits you want to see throughout your line up no matter what the circumstances are during a game. Tonight, the Snipers and ETNA showed that they are top contenders due to their skill set and perhaps just as importantly their will to win.

(7)Snipers vs ETNA(5) S.O

(4)Snipers vs ETNA(5) S.O

Brodie Boys cruise past United Arms without resistance 

The Brodie Boys continued their dominant play at both ends of the court cruising past the United Arms on identical scores. It would be all Brodie Boys-from the time the ball dropped to the games final whistle. After jumping out to a 5-0 first period lead, the game was put to rest when A.Pietracuppa buried his hat trick for the seven goal mercy rule. You always hope to adjust after undergoing a lopsided defeat. The United Arms had the chance to start fresh and be much better, but they just couldn’t contain a superior opponent long enough. M.Moshopoulos and M.Koutouzis had each scored twice, and A.Mancini was feeling pretty good in net stopping the few shots he faced. There was no question that the United Arms felt discouraged by that point with nothing going their way. Rather than attempting to battle back, the United Arms just couldn’t keep pace dropping another similar result. M.Koutouzis overpowered his opponent riffling fours goals. T.Ferreira accumulated four points while A.Mancini went flawless collecting two shutouts in four periods of perfect hockey.

(0)United Arms vs Brodie Boys(7)

(0)United Arms vs Brodie Boys(7)

Guarnieri brothers each score twice, RCGT Knights edge out Country Club

It took some big plays at the right time for the RCGT Knights to separate themselves-from the Country Club. With both results so close, the two games could have gone either way. But when the games seem to be on the line, gamers often make that difference between wining and losing. In the first encounter, the Country Club looked to be in a good position up 4-3. Then, only a minute later, M.Guarnieri took over striking twice to put the RCGT Knights back in front. Following a tentative start between the two teams in the ensuing match, most of the action occurred in the second period thanks to M.Dupuis of the Country Club and S.Sauk of the RCGT Knights holding the fort in net. The two goaltenders gave their clubs every chance possible to steal the game. And while M.Dupuis was bailing his club out, there is only so much a net minder can do to preserve a clean sheet. The RCGT Knights scored what looked like two identical goals. Both plays stemmed-from the defensive side of the court where J.Morina fed a wide open but sneaky D.Guarnieri. The forward placed himself just at the right spot to receive the pass while using a pair of nifty fakes to beat out Dupuis. His second tally came with only two minutes left on the clock. The Country Club didn’t get any points out of a possible six, but could have easily picked some up if not for some late miss haps.

(4)Country Club vs RCGT Knights(5)

(1)Country Club vs RCGT Knights(2)

Assadi Consulting inc show more in second match after bad start to Dragons

Down 4-0 after the first period, everyone expected the Assadi Consulting inc to respond in an urgent manner. There is to much pride than to just throw away a game. To their credit, they responded on the back of J.Rochon, who tallied three times to make it a respectable final score. Usually a strong finish translates into a good start when playing in back to back games. The second encounter had a much different story line with the Assadi Consulting inc racing off to a better start. J.Courteau got the periods lone goal which may have suggested for a low scoring affair. That wasn’t the case however with both sides trading a ton of chances that resulted in a bunch of goals. It looked like the Assadi Consulting inc were on their way to a clean regulation win with the time winding down in its final minute. Then, with a clear sight-from centre court, P.Musto decided to wind up and deliver his patented slap shot that just got the better of P.Assadi. With that late tally, the game went on to be decided in the shootout where the Dragons owned the department thanks to a lone goal by A.Mirolla.

(4)Assadi Consulting inc vs Dragons(6)

(4)Assadi Consulting inc vs Dragons(5) S.O

Degenerates tighten the screws making the second encounter a close call

Unless everyone is on board to playing a sound and structured defensive game while relying on your net minder, you almost have no chance of defeating the Classics if your-from the second division. The Degenerates didn’t approach the first contest the right way, and in the end, they paid the price having to endure a difficult two periods. Luckily enough they had another shot at getting it right, even though they didn’t capture any points to the standings. This time, everyone bought into playing a more aware defensive game while patiently waiting for the opportunities to arise. At one point, the Degenerates found themselves ahead 2-1 entering the final frame courtesy of S.Marricco’s two tallies. Still, the task was a tall order when having to go up against a solid team that have the two headed monsters leading the charge up front. You almost need your goaltender to steal the show and play lights out. That being said, R.Ranieri was proving to everyone that the improbable was looking more and more like realty. If it wasn’t for a top tier player coming-from behind the net on a wrap  around sling shot goal, the Degenerates would have had a chance to force at least a shootout. Instead, P.Karvouriaris did what natural goal scores do, and that’s to find a way to put the ball behind the net. His tally came with a minute and a half left in the game. M.Mavroudis would score shortly after, and the Classics needed every inch of the second game in order to defeat a resilient opponent.

(3)Degenerates vs Classics(8)

(3)Degenerates vs Classics(4)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Albert Mancini of the Brodie Boys. He may not have had is busiest night, but A.Mancini went through nearly four periods of hockey to keep a clean score sheet earning two shutouts.

Friday February 10

Sonic buried by an avalanche of goals in loss to Dirty Scrubs

(3)Sonic vs Dirty Scrubs(10)

From-start to finish, Sonic were looking for answers on what went wrong on Friday night. Losing is one thing, but not in this fashion. The club wasn’t good in any aspect of the game and they hung goaltender B.Madonis to dry. The Dirty Scrubs on the other hand had a lot to feel good about. They had plenty of fire power throughout  the line up with T.Langiano leading the charge on a hat trick along with M.Chenier and R.Marshall notching a pair. Falling behind the way Sonic did made them unable to recover and bounce back into the game. It took the ten minute mark of the second period for M.Pace to finally get his side on board. Even though M.Cristiano cut the deficit in half with his first of two, R.Marshall replied shortly after to put the Dirty Scrubs ahead 5-2 heading into the final stanza. The Dirty Scrubs were playing fine hockey till that point, but managed to bring it up a notch as they rolled through the final frame with ease en route to a convincing win. For Sonic, they’ll need to have a short memory for this loss and focus on what’s ahead.

Third period short handed goals sinks Dirty Scrubs

(4)United Masters vs Dirty Scrubs(3)

When reflecting and looking back at the entire night, the Dirty Scrubs have to feel pretty good about their overall play. They just came off a lopsided win over Sonic, and found themselves playing ahead in their sixth straight period of hockey having to deal with no breaks between the two games. Adding to all that, they had a golden opportunity to put the United Masters away when awarded a four minute power play opportunity only to see it bite them in the end. You can argue fatigue to a certain point if your are the Dirty Scrubs, but not when you are playing with a man up. The Dirty Scrubs somehow gave up two short handed goals which turned a slight lead into a slight deficit. First, D.Charbonneau used a wicked slap shot to even things up, then A.Minassian was there to pick up a rebound and feed an empty cage for the lead. Despite still plenty of time left over, the Dirty Scrubs knew they were in a world of trouble having to battle as hard as they could into their sixth straight period. It showed that the United Masters made it a point to remove any threats by getting to the loose balls first while making sure they defended well without the ball. Slowly but surely, they killed off the clock to capture their first win of the season.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Rino Ranieri of the Dirty Scrubs. In back to back games with no breaks, the net minder delivered earning a win in the first encounter while giving his side a serious opportunity to take two in a row if it wasn’t by some slight miss haps.

Thursday February 8

Van Doos Hc score 6 unanswered goals in third period, rout Brew Crew

(4)Brew Crew vs Van Doos Hc(7)

The Brew Crew allowed six unanswered goals by the third period after seemingly being in control of this game. With D.Verta scoring a pair of goals while setting up a second power play marker for the Brew Crew, the three goal cushion looked sufficient for how well things were going. Once the third period hit however, the Van Doos Hc looked more like themselves. By simply outworking, outcompeting, and wanting it more, the tides shifted in a hurry. Both teams started to see it coming despite the deficit. The Van Doos Hc were getting to the loose balls quicker, the Brew Crew struggled defensively, and a huge statement was made that it takes an entire three periods in order to defeat a really good hockey team. The comeback effort was led by many with A.Papazian getting his clubs first two goals. Its uncharacteristic for the Brew Crew to be in such a position by letting it slip away the way they did. The commitment to play three full periods just wasn’t there, and in the end, it burnt the Brew Crew. That being said, plenty of credit for the Van Doos Hc in there ability to overcome such adversity by mounting an incredible third period comeback.

Fatal Demons snap skid with an emphatic response vs Armadillos

(4)Armadillos vs Fatal Demons(7)

Whatever frustration the Fatal Demons had so far this season, they took it out on the Armadillos on Thursday night. There was no question that the Fatal Demons looked like the team of old and played to their identity. They floored a complete roster, and did a fine job on all assets of their game. M.Mavroudis got the rest he needed as the power forward didn’t miss a beat rattling off three goals for a hat trick. J.Bolanakis was thorn as well, and for good reason going up against a very familiar opponent. The gritty centre man logged in four points while winning some key face off battles. Rather than dwelling on a poor start to the regular season, the Fatal Demons regained their respect on this one game alone by defeating a very good Armadillos side. Game in and game out, points will be very difficult to earn in this competitive division. With the games always a difficult challenge, it really comes down to preparation while flooring a deep bench. Tonight, the Fatal Demons had all their angles covered playing a strong full three periods of hockey.

Horsemen race out to early start making it two wins in a row

(6)Horsemen vs Snipers(3)

The Horsemen were in the drivers seat for most of the night, and came away with a well earned win over the Snipers. It was important for the Horsemen to start this one on time. Playing-from behind against the Snipers is asking for trouble. Instead, they came out hard, and benefited four times by the time the first period ended. M.Kardum had an early impact posting two goals, D.James added his second as well on the power play while T.Karasek  was behind setting up three tallies. When playing with a lead it enables you to dictate the terms. In the case for the Horsemen, playing a sound game without the ball paid dividends. The Snipers struggled to create enough room out there having to deal with an opposing player in front of them. They managed to score two of their three goals because they pulled their net minder for the extra attacker. By then, the game was still fairly out of reach as the time started to wind down. All told, it was a solid effort by the entire line up, especially with M.Vinciguerra making the key saves to keeping the game favourable for the Horsemen.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Manny Mavroudis of the Fatal Demons. If it wasn’t for C.Stavriadis coming up big in net for the Armadillos, M.Mavroudis would have had a field day. That being said, the forward was still very productive bagging a hat trick to put his team back on track.

Wednesday February 8

K.Kuczmarski racks up seven points as the Altius crush the Azzuri

(9)Altius vs Azzuri(3)

K.Kuczmarski erupted for a huge performance Wednesday against the Azzuri, logging fours goals and three assists in what was a convincing win for the Altius. He posted a silly stat scoring three goals in only two minutes. The Altius were already in command entering the second frame up 4-0 before Kuczmarski took over with an incredible stretch. It was a full display of dominance in the first period for the Altius. That kind of a lead only made matters worse for the Azzuri, who kept falling behind deeper unable to recover. It was clear that the Azzuri did not play well enough in their own zone. Giving up that many goals to start a game is simply unacceptable. They didn’t do a good enough job of sticking with their man and clearing some opportunities. Sure, the talent level is high on the Altius bench, but that doesn’t mean you cant pay a little more attention to detail. The Azzuri will need to go through the motions of trying to play well together as a group. They are slowly adding depth which will help. The only difference right now is that the chemistry will take time to develop when mixing and matching players that have not played together long enough. It may seem discouraging right now, but the Azzuri need to keep fighting through it and compete as hard as they could on a weekly basis.

Punishers storm back to crush Legacy

(4)Legacy vs Punishers(9)

The Punishers didn’t arrive on time for Wednesdays tilt against Legacy. In the end, it still didn’t matter. The Punishers are in a place where they can overcome any bout of in-game adversity. They encountered a few self inflicted moments through the first half of the game, and found themselves trailing 3-1 at one point. Then, the Punishers established their better habits as of the nine minute mark of the second frame. As soon as M.Levasseur scored to narrow the gap by one, the Punishers knew they were on their way to a better finish. They scored the games eight of nine goals-from that point on. D.Koutavas used two key tallies just prior to the second period ending providing the Punishers its first lead of the contest. Even though Legacy had another frame to get their act together , things only got worse-from there on. That’s when P.Karvouriaris decided to take over bagging back to back tallies along with an assist to put the game to rest. The Punishers are playing so well that they can afford to have some rocky moments here in there. Tonight proved  again that unless you play a full out 45 minute game, your likely to fall behind on the scoreboard if playing  the Punishers.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Kevin Kuczmarski of the Altius. Talk about making an immediate impact. Dressed in his first game this season for the Altius, K.Kuczmarski reminded everyone what he is capable of, collecting seven points that included four goals.

Sunday February 5 (Final)

Bad start dooms division leaders, Team Purple crowned champions of Sunday Night Draft League

(2)Team White vs Team Purple(8)

Team White’s defense was overmatched by Team Purples offense, Team Whites offense weren’t able to get going like in their previous games, leaving the division champs to cope with the heartbreak of coming up just one game short of their championship dreams. The game got off to a bad start for Team White having to deal with a very short bench. Playing with only one change is playing with fire when reaching this stage. Team White knew they had a couple of key pieces on their way, but by the time they arrived, Team Purple took advantage with three straight goals. There inability to weather the storm came to hurt Team White in the end. Its very difficult to try and play-from behind when the stakes are this high. Even though F.Tannous scored a big goal to reduce the gap by two, the game still got away-from the division leaders. Actually, it got worse with Team Purple showing a lot more determination in their play. Players tend to play with more confidence while taking nothing for granted in a game of this magnitude . As Team White attempted to narrow the gap, Team Purple would counter attack, and eventually get rewarded to distance themselves further away. Usually the offense in concentrated on a couple of players for Team Purple, but not in this particular match as many chipped in. M.Lang scored his first of two on penalty shot goal to make it 3-0,M.Porato also tallied twice, and B.Verducci was perhaps the key element for the end result. The goaltender was stellar all game long allowing only two goals, especially early on when Team Purple was able to build their lead and take control of the contest. You can look at a few turning points as to why games end the way they do. In tonight’s case, with Team White not ready to play, they ultimately caused their own misery and paid the price for it. You cannot afford to take a night off when going up against a very balanced team. Since Team Purple had their act together-from the get go, it only made sense that they were the ones to prevail in the end. Congratulations got out to Team Purple for capturing the Sunday Night Draft League title.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Ben Verducci of Team Purple. The goaltender had a solid playoff run, and was largely at his best when the game mattered the most allowing only two goals versus a team that’s been dominant all season.

Friday February 4

Generals keep hitting double digits despite depleted line up

(12)Generals vs Dirty Scrubs(2)

It may be only three games into the season, but it looks like the standard for the rest of the league is to avoid the Generals-from hitting double digits. At this point, its not even about trying to win the game, but rather to slow down a power house that scores at will. The Dirty Scrubs figured they should have done better going up against a team with only two changes. These days however, it doesn’t seem to matter much unless everything goes your way, and even at that, it would take an extraordinary set of events. The Generals seem to be following a familiar pattern. The games remain fairly close in the first half. Then, they simply overwhelm you once they find their rhythm. Eight of their goals came as of the ten minute mark of the second period. C.Dauphane and O.Valiquette collected hat tricks, S.Legare, J.Brunet and M.Pinheiro each scored twice, and R.Morne along with F.Wilscam made sure to stabilise the defense while creating the offense as well. The only player that wasn’t overly busy, but effective nevertheless was D.Massa, who allowed only N.Pacheco and K.Araujo getting better of him. In the end, just another day at the office for a well oiled machine.

United Masters left with nothing but lessons after third period collapse against Sonic

(4)United Masters vs Sonic(5)

You have a team on the ropes, and you have to put them down. The United Masters failed on what should have been a win or at the very least an overtime result. Instead, they endured a terrible collapse giving up three straight goals in the final six minutes. The insult to injury saw this contest headed for overtime with the ball on the complete opposite side of the court with the seconds ticking down. By that point, everyone had stopped playing except for J.Madonis, who decided to shoot the ball anyway which somehow found its way through a crowd of players that just snuck by the United Masters net minder. That tally came with less than a second remaining. Talk about a turn of events in a game that the United Masters felt they should have. In the grand scheme, this loss will provide a touch point for third period leads if you are the United Masters. In the short term, it was simply a case of a Sonic team that found itself reeling off a win in a dramatic fashion. Although he didn’t score, M.Pace was behind most of the action as the gritty centre man helped set up his clubs first three goals.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Marco Pace of Sonic. His ability to constantly make things happen helped provide just enough offense for Sonic to squeak out a crazy finish. The forward was stellar collecting three primary assists.

Thursday February 2

Third period explosion lifts Van Doos Hc past Snipers

(2)Snipers vs Van Doos Hc(6)

A two minute stretch early in the third period was what it took to separate the Van Doos Hc-from the Snipers. That little sequence saw a 3-1 lead morph into a 6-1 lead almost instantaneously. The outburst involved J.Liakakos, V.Singh and J.Tzanetakos taking turns finding the back of the net. It seems at times that anybody can make big plays for a team that doesn’t have many faults. That makes it hard for an opponent to find ways to slow you down. The Snipers hung in there for a very long time until that surge which left them to far behind for a miracle comeback. It’s a tough spot to play-from when a team builds that kind of momentum. Since its only a regular season game, there wont be much to dwell on if you are the Snipers. Sure, they would have loved nothing more than to defeat this very familiar particular opponent.

Horsemen turn the page after ugly start to regular season

(3)Fatal Demons vs Horsemen(6)

The Horsemen may not have much to show for so far this season. They played only twice, but the results are below average at best. However, that changed for the better on Thursday night when they took on the Fatal Demons. Surely, it helps when you finally floor a complete roster by three rolling lines. The Horsemen used their artillery to their advantage, and made sure to apply some good pressure as soon as the ball dropped. The game plan was simple. Be first on the ball, and make sure to cover your man. Those two fundamental principles come a long way during an entire game. The Fatal Demons fell behind early, and were stuck trying to gain control of the situation. No matter how hard they tried to battle back, the Horsemen kept getting in the way, trapping the lanes while making sure the coverage was applied. And adding to that, M.Vinciguerra was sharp in net keeping the game honest. There was no doubt that this was a nice feel good win for a side searching for some confidence. All six goals came-from different players with J.Crivello credited the winner. By rolling three lines, the Horsemen got balanced contributions.

Brew Crew disappear after strong start, Armadillos show dominance in final stretch again

(4)Brew Crew vs Armadillos(5)

On Thursday night, the Brew Crew ran into a solid Armadillos hockey team. Despite a strong start, the Brew Crew dried up, and ultimately dropped the contest giving up three unanswered goals in the third period. In order to defeat the Armadillos, a full three period effort is required. Eventually, the Armadillos had no choice but to put it into gear. First, P.Legaots ignited a spark by bagging an early third period power play marker. Six minutes later, D.Andrade evened the score, and while this things appeared to be headed for overtime, J.Chiropoulos spoiled the moment for the Brew Crew by beating the clock by 15 seconds. There was no question the Brew Crew came out flat in the third period. They normally protect a two goal lead after two periods, but not this time as the Armadillos stormed back once more to earn a thrilling finish. This win is similar to their earlier contest versus the Snipers. Playing-from behind isn’t ideal, but its worked so far for the Armadillos. J.Kontitsis will take the win regardless. However, the captain would rather prefer playing ahead instead of having to come-from behind. For now, they’ll just take the points and adjust in the next games to come.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to M.Vinciguerra of the Horsemen. After a very slow start to the season, the Horsemen put on a strong display on Thursday night to get in the win column. While many factors need to go your way, its safe to say that M.Vinciguerra had a major influence making enough key saves to earn the win.

Wednesday February 1

Legacy top Altius on the strength of 4 third period goals

(4)Legacy vs Altius(2)

Legacy scored four third period goals to battle back-from a slight 1-0 deficit, and beat the Altius 4-2 on Wednesday night. It was an uniquely back and forth affair between the two sides. The Altius carried the narrow edge for two straight periods thanks to a lone power play goal by J.Provost-Blais. Up until that point, J.Vrettis was unstoppable denying everything he faced. That being said, there is only so much your net minder can do to bail you out. The Altius did remain in control of the situation on a 2-1 lead for a good portion of the frame. Then, as the game was starting to wind down, Legacy flipped the script on its head bagging three straight goals to hand the Altius a devastating defeat. First, G.Pisanelli was there to even the score followed with a quick go ahead marker by J.Mandracchia and an insurance tally by Payam Assadi. It was just an unfortunate ending to a game that saw the Altius do nearly everything right. Credit to Legacy for keeping pushing the pace as they eventually got rewarded on an incredible late surge.

Punishers kept battling back to cap off a shootout win over Azzuri

(3)Azzuri vs Punishers(4) S.O

Having to overcome three one goal deficits, the Punishers had the final say when it was all said and done. The Azzuri had a much better outing after last weeks lopsided defeat. This time, they showed up-from the get go, and made sure to grab that first needed tally going up against the Punishers. Throughout the entire game, neither side really took it to one another. The only difference was that the Azzuri grabbed three leads, and the Punishers responded each and every time. C.Chirola put the Azzuri up 3-2 fairly late in the third period on a goal that they hoped would stick. Unless you kill off the clock to its final seconds, its never over when facing the Punishers. It took only a minute and change for T.Karvouriaris to return the favour and force the extra time. Since the sudden death frame didn’t solve anything, a shootout was left to see who would perhaps prevail. In tonight’s case, A.Argiroudis was the only player of the six total attempts to figure out the goaltenders giving the Punishers the narrow victory. T.Therrien, M.Gagnon and C.Genest provided much of the offense for the Punishers as all three players collected two points each. R.Varr knew he needed some reinforcements trying to compete in this division. By adding some nice key pieces such as A.Mirolla who made an immediate impact with three assists along with B.Daniele just to name  a couple of established players, the Azzuri  can now be part of the conversation as a team that can compete with the others.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to A.Argiroudis of the Punishers. It was a night of hockey that didn’t have many heroes or real game breakers. However, in a situation that found the Punishers and the Azzuri dead even, A.Argiroudis was able to decide the outcome as the only player to score in the shootout.

Monday January 30

 Gingras, Karvouriaris put on a show against Assadi Consulting Inc

 C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris combined for 23 points on Monday night, basically controlling both games for a pair of easy wins. What makes them scary is that they cant even be contained if you pay close attention to them. You almost have to be a mind reader in order to anticipate a play coming through in order to try and intercept it or just cut it off. If they come down on a 2 on 1 , the damage is done. If they play with a man right in front of them, they’ll create the avenues that will find each other almost every time that usually generates a high end scoring chance. The Assadi Consulting knew this going in, and didn’t have the answers, at least not on this night. No doubt the two players are great hockey minds. They are incredibly strong on the ball, and they are moving at full speed. There is almost nothing you can do when they are coming toward you expect to collapse down low, and hope they miss the net or have the net minder make a big save. Its just to say that it will take a near perfect defensive game in order to slow them down. Tonight, the Assadi Consulting inc were out of sync for a second straight week. Payam Assadi will need to take the bull by the horns if he expects his club to compete with the big boys.

 (8)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(1)

 (6)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(2)

 Branditscan hitting their stride on a pair of nice wins over the United Arms

 It looks like the Branditscan are starting to find their mojo. The club finally picked up a pair of wins after a slow start to their season. Many of them stepped into their roles and it showed-from the get go in the opener when D.Seguin and J.Molloy scored barely six minutes into the game. After grabbing a 2-1 lead heading into the final frame, the Branditscan took nothing for granted making sure to play a full out game in which they did adding four more tallies. D.Seguin added his second, and N.Francis quarterbacked the back end making a ton of plays that helped create the offense. The captain set up three goals along with D.Seguin, who had a very productive five point game. When coming off a strong win you want to keep  good habits going, especially knowing that your opponent will put a lot more into it. Although the United Arms looked more engaged, they still found themselves playing-from behind early in the second period. D.Seguin had scored a beautiful shorthanded goal to take the lead, and buried his second shortly after S.Balouzian got the United Arms on board. Up only 2-1, the Branditscan didn’t give the United Arms much race track as they kept playing a sound defensive game. They did get a golden opportunity on the power play as the game was winding down. With a chance to put it away, N.Francis made sure to seal the deal on a one timer that was fed-from D.Seguin, who accumulated three more points to solidify a second straight win for the Branditscan.

(6)Branditscan vs United Arms(3)

 (3)Branditscan vs United Arms(1)

 RCGT Knights respond with character win after being humiliated in opener to Snipers

 The RCGT Knights were keen on delivering a response. After suffering a humiliating defeat to the Snipers in the first encounter, the second game saw a completely different RCGT Knights hockey team. They showed their character right away, and gave it their best the whole way through by holding the rope. J.Morina was the mastermind behind a furious start as the quarterback helped set up three quick goals that saw M.Guarnieri benefit twice. It looked very clear that the RCGT Knights weren’t plan on giving an inch. Apart-from F.Nasser scoring fairly late, the rest was a near perfect display for a side that just came off a lopsided affair. The Snipers proved that they are a force to be reckoned with when playing at the top of their game. The evidence was in full display as they handed the RCGT Knights a 5-0 thumping that saw Ahmed Saleh notch a pair while M.St-Laurent was there to deny a lethal offense to record a shutout. Unable to carry their good habits, the Snipers felt the rude awakening when the second game was said and done. Sometimes that will happen to a club when coming off a easy win. Teams tend to get complacent, and end up paying the price.

 (5)Snipers vs RCGT Knights(0)

 (1)Snipers vs RCGT Knights(7)

 Degenerates somehow force shootout after a thumping loss to Brodie Boys

 It wasn’t even close. For the entire portion of the first game, it looked like a very good hockey team going up against a side that put on ball hockey gear for the first time. The Brodie Boys used speed to their advantage, and the Degenerates were stuck looking like spectators as the goals kept going in. Its not the easiest thing to adjust after a seven goal mercy with barely any time to wonder what went wrong. That being said, there is way to much experience to sit back on and dwell at what just took place. The Degenerates got some help with the addition of M.Pinheiro which stabilised two lines. Still, the task was a tall one, but some responsible defense along with timing your offensive bursts can come a long way. The Degenerates managed to hang in there in the second game which turned into a barn burner. With neither side getting it done in regulation, the Brodie Boys got the slight edge in the shootout thanks to a pair of beauties by L.Velenosi and A.Pietracupa. On a few occasions, the Brodie Boys missed out on closing the deal in regulation time. They always led, but couldn’t quite put it away. M.Pinheiro was a huge asset for the Degenerates as the forward collected his clubs last four points that included a big set up play for C.Stamadianos to even the score late.

(1)Degenerates vs Brodie Boys(8)

 (6)Degenerates vs Brodie Boys(7) S.O

 The SalumiVino player of the night goes to David Seguin of the Branditscan. There was no question that the Branditscan got back to their winning ways thanks to their skilled forward. Seguin had a monster night collecting a total of eight points.

Sunday January 29(Semi finals)

 Fast start fuels Team Purple rout of Team Pink

 (8)Team Purple vs Team Pink(5)

 Playing with emotion and energy can come a long way. Team Purple was able to taper that emotion making sure they were dialled in right away getting the games first three goals by the nineteen minute mark. When you play that way, teams are usually at their best. Now, that’s not to suggest Team Pink didn’t have some of that will as well. The problem was  that it started to show after a disastrous start which ended up making the entire difference between winning and losing. Even though they managed to pull themselves within one, it still wasn’t enough to carry their momentum. That’s when Team Purple’s sleeping giant woke up and got to work. It didn’t seem to matter that Team Pink had the memo on C.Zafiropoulos’s ability to score at will. With the game still very close and with plenty of time left over, the sharp shooter took it to another level, posting three consecutive tallies to put a clear direction of where this game was headed. The natural sniper had another four goal night and has yet to be figured out. R.Santosuosso chipped in as well with a pair while Q.Joseph had a really strong performance collecting four points as a defenseman.

 The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Costa Zafiropoulos of Team Purple. What more can you say when your leader delivers in a really important game. C.Zafiropoulos had four goals in which three came at a very crucial time ultimately making the difference in this series.

 Team White pull away after Team Red battled back to even the score

 (8)Team White vs Team Red(4)

 It looked like at one point Team Red may have had the formula on how to take done the regular season champions. Despite being down 3-1, M.Barone led the charge rattling off two straight goals to even the score for Team Red. That sequence occurred just passed the thirty minute mark, and the tides appeared to be shifting in the right direction for Team Red. This was a test to see how a good teams react under pressure knowing that the game could go either way. Not only did Team White pass the exam, but they did it with flying colours. The onslaught began as soon as R.Tannous notched his second on a penalty shot. From –there, Team White showed why they are on stop of the standings as they took over riding five of the games next six goals. What made the surge impressive was that it didn’t rely on any one player in particular. Apart -from R.Tannous scoring twice, Team White got contributions-from many different players. Again, G.Villeuenuve was vital for the win as the goaltender continues to impress having allowed only three goals on thirty five shots.

 The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Rodrigue Tannous of Team White. As Team Red looked to be peaking in a come back effort, R.Tannous was there to halt the momentum for Team White by scoring a huge penalty shot for his second of the contest.

 The Sunday Night Draft League is now down to its final two teams. If the regular season standings is any indication of who should be here, than this final makes sense that the top two seeded teams will face off against one another. Good teams will rely on their strengths to going all the way. And since there is no shortage of weaknesses-from the two sides, expect this to be a good final decided toward the end. G.Villeneuve and B.Berducci have the goaltending covered, offensively both teams scored about the same amount of goals during the season. The only indicative stat that favours Team White is there impressive 35 goals against vs Team Purple’s 57 . However, that wont really mean much when you have a C.Zafiropoulos scoring goals at will. Time will tell as this should be a dandy final between two deserving teams.

Friday January 27

 O.Valiquette strikes twice on the power play to send off  Generals to a landslide win

 (9)Generals vs Sonic(1)

 It was looking like this contest was going to be a close affair for how well Sonic played in the first period. Both sides traded a goal each, and things appeared to be rolling along just fine. That was up until an unfortunate penalty enabled the Generals to smell blood and feed off it. And who other than a power play specialist to get the job done. O.Valiquette parked himself in his office, and made sure to bury his two chances to help create a snow ball effect that couldn’t be stopped. The Generals went on to hit nine goals by the time it was said and done that saw O.Valiquette hit his eventual hat trick by the third period. P.Blais still had a fairly busy game stopping every shot his way expect for T.Ruvo’s first period marker.

Generals putting up double digits despite playing back to back games

 (14)Generals vs United Masters(4)

It would be safe to assume that playing in a back to back game with no breaks whatsoever would eventually catch up to you. Somehow, the Generals defied the odds, and actually looked like the fresher and  quicker team going up against the United Masters. Like in the earlier contest, the first period saw both teams trade a goal which suggested for a pretty close game considering that the Generals would need to conserve their energy. That couldn’t be further than the case with the Generals looking like the ones who were the rested side while the United Masters appeared to be a step behind on almost every play. At one point, the Generals were just burying their chances no matter how they generated them. They easily hit fourteen goals making one play seem easier than the other regardless how the United Masters tried to contain them. Natural goal scorers don’t tend to miss much when given the opportunity. Every single Generals player participated in the score sheet which is expected when you put fourteen behind the net.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Olivier Valiquette of the Generals. While many can share this acolyte, the sharp shooter did have an impact in the opener bagging two straight power play goals to set the momentum.

Thursday January 26

 Depleted line up catches up by the third for Fatal Demons

 (5)Van Doos Hc vs Fatal Demons(1)

 The Fatal Demons knew going in that a full 45 minute effort wasn’t going to be enough going up against the Van Doos Hc. The reason was simple. Rotating only two players versus a powerhouse  is wishful thinking if you plan on beating them. The best that you can do is to keep it close while relying on your net miner to steal the show. And even at that, how long can it last. The Fatal Demons, to their credit made the Van Doos Hc work for it as they needed the third period in order to sail past a resilient opponent. It was perhaps J.Tzanetakos’s marker to make it 3-1 that eased the tension for the Van Doos Hc, who knew by then the game was in their control. N.Zaharopoulos struck almost immediately after, and O.Valiquette added some insurance minutes later collecting his third point of the contest. The only slight miss hap that the Van Doos Hc endured was when P.Santullo scored on the power play to spoil the net minders shutout.

Armadillos over power Horsemen

 (7)Armadillos vs Horsemen(2)

For the Armadillos, it was all about taking control of the game-from the get go. Knowing that the Horsemen were undermanned, this made it easier for a side that needed to keep creating chances before eventually getting rewarded. For over half the game, the Horsemen did make it as hard as possible for the Armadillos to pull away, but that changed toward the end of the second frame where the flood gates finally opened.  The onslaught began with P.Lapointe’s second followed with D.Andrade and J.Chiropoulos chipping in as well providing a sufficient 5-1 lead. The Horsemen knew that they couldn’t win the game by then, but kept battling to try and keep the score respectable. M.Kardum benefited twice by going to net as the only player to solve F.Moshonas. The net minder wasn’t overly busy, but delivered making a few key saves.

Brew Crew surge early in second period and never looked back

 (9)Brew Crew vs RCGT Knights(2)

 Hanging in there for as long as they could, the RCGT Knights sunk by the early stages of the second period. That’s when the Brew Crew let loose, notching three consecutive goals in only three minutes. The 5-1 lead then morphed into a seven goal gap when M.Pace buried his second to cap off an easy night. Just like the previous two games of the night, this contest also ended in a landslide. Its difficult when you are chasing most of the game like in the case of the RCGT Knights. Playing without the ball means your likely to give up a few while limiting yourself on scoring chances. Z.Labelle and J.DeStefano got the RCGT Knights lone tallies. The Brew Crew has most of their offense spread out with C.Makris, M.Pace and B.Sansotta sharing two goals a piece. Known more so for his defensive and responsible capabilities, D.Catalano can easily produce as well as the forward had a solid night collecting five points.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Patrick Lapointe of the Armadillos. The forward scored two big consecutive goals to help create the gap needed for the Armadillos to pull away.

Wednesday January 25

 M.Mavroudis hat trick powers Punishers over Altius

 (3)Altius vs Punishers(7)

 Defending champion Punishers continued-from where they left of as M.Mavroudis showed his enduring scoring quality by leading his side to a 7-3 victory. Up until the early stages of the third period, the Altius kept pace with the Punishers before their defending proved costly allowing four tallies in that single frame alone. There consolation was perhaps that J.P Blais scored all three times in the loss. You always want to try and get that better start when going up against the Punishers. The Altius didn’t have that luxury, but kept it close for a very long duration until it finally caught up to them. M.Caron’s early third period goal stood up for the winner, and B.Makris was solid throughout most of the match denying everyone except for J.P Blais.

Late second period sinks Azzuri in blowout loss to Legacy

 (1)Azzuri vs Legacy(8)

Three minutes may not sound like a long time, but as the Azzuri found out the hard way on Wednesday night, it can make a world of difference in hockey. Legacy did have command of the situation carrying a 2-0 lead before exploding with three goals by the end of the second period to put this contest out of reach. P.Musto and J.Mandracchia had each scored twice before Payam Assadi got involved in the action as well netting his clubs fifth goal of the game. Its not the easiest thing going up against a team that been playing together for about two decades. Although the Azzuri have the experience as well, there is a difference if you don’t know each others tendencies. By adding some more key pieces as the season evolves with strong leadership by R.Varr, the Azzuri will only get better with time. Tonight’s end result didn’t come as a shock with Legacy flooring a nice looking line up with many game breakers. J.Mandracchia went on to complete his hat trick, Payam Assadi added his second while P.Musto finished with four points. The Azzuri got their lone tally by P.Karigiannis as the only player to solve A.Ekonomakis.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Manny Mavroudis of the Punishers. His first two of three goals helped set the tone for the defending champs as the power forward couldn’t have asked for a better start accumulating five points.

 Diabetoz Angels regroup to split with ETNA

 After looking a little unprepared in their first game going up against ETNA, the Diabetoz Angels rebounded jumping off to a strong start by netting four unanswered goals in the ensuing match. They came out with more urgency and ultimately got rewarded hanging on to a 4-2 decision. Things did get a little messy with the amount of trips visited to the penalty box. At least it was an area of the game that the Diabetoz Angels took advantage of riding two power play goals by XXXX and J.Fisch. Sometimes you just need a wake up call when things don’t go your way along with stellar goaltending. Having A.Ekonomakis can only bring you a long way. The net minder was the reason why his side was able to build a sufficient lead and protect it the rest of the way. ETNA did floor a nice line up, but could have used some keys piecing missing. As it often happens in a two game format between two competitive teams, neither side walk away empty handed.

(1)Diabetoz Angels vs ETNA(4)

 (4)Diabetoz Angels vs ETNA(2)

 Classics unable to match Snipers pace

 Given the fact that the Classics didn’t floor their usual lethal weapons, these results were expected to happen. Although they managed to pull off the opener in a shootout, the second game was a complete beat down handed by the Snipers. It barely took time for the goals to come with S.Ahmad posting two in a short span that helped provide a comfortable 5-0 lead. By then, the Classics knew they weren’t staffed to mount any sort of comeback. They did however finish stronger on two straight goals by M.Destounis and P.Karvouriaris, but it didn’t matter in the end. The Snipers should feel good about tonight’s overall results. Since they’ll only play a top division team once during the regular season, accumulating four out of a possible six points is only gravy if you plan on finishing high in the standings.

(3)Snipers vs Classics(4) S.O

 (5)Snipers vs Classics(2)

 A.Mirolla and D.Lombardi prove to be a handful for the Assadi Consulting inc

 A.Mirolla and D.Lombardi are goal scorers, plain and simple. Give them the ball, and most of the time they’ll take care of the rest. The Assadi Consulting inc didn’t quite have a good night which is an understatement for what they are capable of. Rather than focusing on playing a better defensive game, they focused more on trying to play a run and gun style. Sure it can work since they have the horses, but tonight they seemed to be a step behind-from what they are used to. Losing 6-2 is unacceptable for their standards. With that loss, they had another chance to bounce back and be better. And while they did put out a much better fight, it still wasn’t enough in the end. This time, A.Mirolla caused most of the damage bagging a hat trick while in the first encounter D.Lombardi was the forward causing fits for the defense also posting three goals. Both these teams are built well for a long run. The only difference was that tonight the Dragons looked much better and deserved the extra points.

 (6)Dragons vs Assadi Consulting inc(2)

 (6)Dragons vs Assadi Consulting inc(4)

 Country Club gets the better of Branditscan, M.Dupuis shines in net

 Not even a perfect start was enough for the Branditscan to maintain control of the game versus the Country Club. D.Seguin and J.Molloy got the ball rolling almost immediately providing a 2-0 lead. Then, by the time the first period ended, the Country Club flipped the script and found themselves ahead entering the final frame. They never really let go of the gas pedal by then as they added three more goals en route to a 6-3 decision. C.Payette notched his second as the only multi goal scorer for the Country Club, and M.Dupuis kept his opponents honest on a brilliant goaltending display. The bad start didn’t sit well for N.Francis and the Branditscan. And with a second game yet to be played, things were expected to turn around for a team that just come off a loss. To their credit they kept it much closer with the two sides playing to a 2-2 tie by the mid way point of the final frame. You almost felt that the next tally was going to likely decide where this contest was headed. Already with a pair of goals, C.Gosselin set up a play where N.Smith was able to snap the tie and put the Country Club in front. As much as the Branditscan attempted to even the score, M.Dupuis remained stubborn in net going flawless the rest of the way. Eventually, C.Gosselin was able to feed a yawning cage, and the Country Club capped off a perfect night earning six clean points to the standings.

 (6)Country Club vs Branditscan(3)

 (4)Country Club vs Branditscan(2)

 Degenerates manage to salvage a good ending after a serious thumping in first game to RCGT Knights

 A brittle but not a completely broken line up had the Degenerates go up against a difficult opponent on Monday night. The RCGT Knights went into the vault flooring a well established group of players that didn’t seem to miss a beat-from the last time they played together. It showed right away that they never lost their form handing the Degenerates a real beat down that ended 6-0. Even if the score suggested for a lopsided affair, S.Sauk had to be good at times to earn his shutout. Entering the contest, the Degenerates had no choice but to simply hang back and wait for their chances. Unlike the first encounter, they made it much more difficult for the RCGT Knights to generate high end chances despite them having a ton of ball possession. That game plan enabled the Degenerates to time their runs which led to enough decent opportunities where the two sides traded three goals each. Since neither side got it done in regulation time, T.Bergomi and C.Stamadianos showed off their patience in the shootout by waiting out S.Sauk to feed the empty net. D.Guarnieri got the RCGT Knights lone tally on a brilliant finish as well after collecting a total of six points in the two games. Overall, the Degenerates will take the end result considering the circumstances.

 (6)RCGT Knights vs Degenerates(0)

 (4)RCGT Knights vs Degenerates(5) S.O

 The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Mathieu Dupuis of the Country Club. The net minder was solid making timely saves that enabled his side to capture a pair of wins.

Sunday January 23(Quarter finals)

 Team Purple race out to incredible start, Zafiropoulos tandem cause fits for Team Blue’s defense

 (8)Team Purple vs Team Blue(5)

 It was a start to the game that Team Purple demonstrated how much more they wanted this compared to Team Blue. Despite getting the memo on trying to contain the Zafiropoulos tandem, Team Blue looked disinterested on trying to contain the two snipers. C.Zafiropoulos had already collected a hat trick by the nineteen minute mark, and went on to add his fourth later on while A.Zafiropoulos notched two consecutive goals in a very short span. It was an impressive start to the game no matter how you look at it. Building a 6-0 lead in a must win situation says a lot about a team that was primed and ready to play. However, it should never have gotten to a such a wide margin if you are Team Blue. Whatever the reasons, this was simply a poor start that lasted way to long despite plenty of time left over. Overcoming a 6-0 deficit crushes any hopes of crawling back into the game. Even though they did try to battle back by posting five goals, the damage had already been done.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Costa Zafiropoulos of Team Purple. Look to leadership for good results. C.Zafiropoulos led in many ways by inspiring a strong message before the game started, and backed it up by bagging four big goals.

Team Brown stubble early, Team Pink use strong start to advance

 (5)Team Pink vs Team Brown(3)

While its often how you finish that counts, the same couldn’t be said in this context. Team Brown saw their playoff run come to an end because of their poor start to the game. They gave up four goals in the first twelve minutes alone, and couldn’t quite catch up by the time it was said and done, despite playing much better afterwards. Team Pink built a cushion that they were able to fall back on when Team Brown rallied to try and catch up. Goals came by committee with efforts-from five different players. It was Peter Stroubakis’s tally by the twelve minute mark that held up in the end. After facing 25 shots, G.Kanaras was also influential in the win making a bunch of keys saves. Team Pink couldn’t have asked for a better outing on Sunday night. The way they managed it-from the beginning proved that they are a worthy playoff team that deserves to advance.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to G.Kanaras of Team Pink. Look for your goaltender to deliver in the big moments. There was no question G.Kanaras was a big reason why Team Pink are advancing. The net minder was focused, steady and ready to play allowing only three goals.

Team Red take back and forth thriller vs Team Black

 (6)Team Black vs Team Red(7)

 It was one of those games that both sides had no idea where it was headed. Goals kept pouring in, leads kept changing and penalties kept occurring. It almost came down to who would shoot last would prevail. With the contest deadlocked 7-7, J.Testa benefited-from a golden opportunity when awarded a penalty shot. The forward made sure to bury his chance, scoring his second of the game to put Team Red back in front. Still, five minutes was left over in a game that time didn’t really mean much. The problem was that Team Black started to feel the pressure as their season was winding down. And despite putting it all on the line by trying to even the score, S.Catalano stood tall denying every attempt his way. Not even C.Stamadianos could have figured him out by that point after accumulating four tallies prior. At the end of the day, it was one of those games that needed every single moment in order to decide a winner. For Team Red , they were just glad it was them on top after a very crazy finish.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Luca Porfido of Team Red. His three timely goals came a long way in what was a tightly knitted high scoring affair.

Front runners Team White yet to take a night off

 (9)Team White vs Team Green(3)

If there was any doubt as to who the team to beat in the division, Team White put that to bed on Sunday night. Fuelled by impressive performances by N.Macri, R.Tanous, S.Fraga in which all three scored two goals each, G.Villeneuve is perhaps the bigger story. The net minder is simply that good, and unless you beat him on a precise shot he will likely deny you. Team Green saw it first hand as they only solved him three times with M.Destounis collecting two of the three goals. If the goaltending was average, this contest was going to be much closer, but likely favouring Team White due to their overall balance. At no point was this game ever close with Team White making the score 4-1 after only twelve minutes. Not only did Team White win a hockey game, but they made it look easy. Confidence is definitely brimming for a team that will expect nothing less than to go all the way.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the games goes to N.Macri of Team White. The win came due to many reasons, but N.Macri did do his part right away scoring twice while setting up a teammate for an immediate 4-1 lead.

This concludes the quarter final round which leaves only four teams in the Sunday night Draft league. The semi final match ups are as follows:

(1)Team White vs Team Red(6) Team Red have to approach this challenge by keeping the game very low scoring. You almost cant get away by trying to beat G.Villeneuve many times. As much as it may take a boring game plan, its likely the only way that they’ll have a chance at causing an upset.

(2)Team Purple vs Team Pink(4) The threats seem to be coming-from the same places over and over if you are Team Purple. If Team Pink are able to contain some fire power than look out if your are Team Purple. This will be a classic match up between a side that relies on everyone to produce if your are Team Pink while Team Purple will keep looking for the Zafiropoulos tandem to continue scoring.

Thursday January 19

 Fatal Demons third period comeback falls short in loss to Brew Crew

 (3)Fatal Demons vs Brew Crew(4)

 M.Pace scored his second to restore the lead in the third period, C.Muccino made just over 30 saves, and the Brew Crew got the better of the Fatal Demons to kick off their season. The Fatal Demons fought back after a disastrous second period where they were completely out done by a better opponent. The Brew Crew did most of their damage during that session, rattling off three unanswered markers. Rather than throwing in the towel, the Fatal Demons wont go down without a fight. Good resiliency paid off as J.Bolonakis and M.Destounis notched consecutive goals to even the score. In hopes of carrying the momentum, M.Pace ruined the moment by responding shortly after and giving the Brew Crew a lead that was never answered. It came to no surprise that this game ended by a one goal margin. The two teams resemble each other in many ways which always suggests for a hard fought battle.

Defending champs win handily over Horsemen

 (6)Van Doos Hc vs Horsemen(2)

There was no rust or championship hangover for the Van Doos Hc who had a fairly easy time handing the Horsemen a defeat on Thursday night. Many things need to go right if you plan on defeating the Van Doos Hc. The Horsemen struggled in a few areas starting with their coverage, one on one battles, and some decision making plays with the ball. Unless you address those areas of your game, these types of results are to be expected. At least its only the first game of the regular season which is the right time to identify what needs to improve. The Horsemen have the players along with the experience but will need to gel and develop some chemistry as the season prolongs. On the flip side of the court, what can be said for a team that seems ready for a repeat season. Nearly everything went right as they cruised for a well earned win. Its always nice having a bunch of different players take turns scoring. It just goes to show that the threats come-from everywhere as six different players found the back of the net. A.Papazian’s late first period tally  was able to stick for the winner while J.Liopoulos continues to show why he is a top notch goalie by allowing only two goals on 23 shots.

Armadillos score two late goals to pick up stunning win over Snipers

 (2)Snipers vs Armadillos(3)

Its only the first week of the regular season, and this game ended in a shock. Talk about a painful collapse for the Snipers who clearly felt they deserved better. For nearly the entire match, they limited the Armadillos to only one goal. This wasn’t that type of game that saw nearly every shot go in. You needed a very big play in order to penetrate the defence, and more importantly the goaltending. The Snipers did everything right by playing in front while denying the Armadillos much room out there in order to bounce back. You have to figure that the end result was going to favour your side when needing all but 30 little seconds to kill off, especially after defending well for nearly the entire match. Now its one thing to occasionally give up a vey late goal like in this case when P.Lapointe tied the game with only 22 seconds left on the clock, and its another when giving up another tally barely seconds later to end the game in regulation time. No doubt it was a late moment of madness. The incredible turnaround saw J.Chiropoulos put the final nail in this contest with barley anytime left on the clock. Sometimes, you are stuck enduring a harsh finish like in tonight’s case. However, it couldn’t have happened at a better time for the Snipers with so many games ahead of them. If this was a playoff round, perhaps  some therapy may have been required. Luckily enough for the Snipers, its nothing more than just a regular season game.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Marco Pace of the Brew Crew. He’s just one of those players that will get you that big goal or two. The Brew Crew snuck out a close 4-3 win thanks to their hard grinding and skilled forward bagging two in a row.

Monday January 16

 Ali Fahra late winner sets tone for Snipers second encounter

 Its not the kind of start you would hope for after dropping a very close game that was decided in the last 30 seconds. The Brodie Boys got off to about the worst start possible, and could not recover as they fell 8-2. The meltdown took all but six minutes into the ensuing match with the Snipers powering five goals. It wasn’t like it was one player doing all the damage that couldn’t be contained. Falling behind by such a margin isn’t an easy task to overcome. Maybe the bad end to the first game got to the Brodie Boys, who know are way better than what they showed. Perhaps it was just a case of shaking off some rust since its only the first week of the regular season. While the Brodie Boys looked out of tune, the same couldn’t be said for the Snipers. The addition of A.Fahra will come a long way for an already existing good team. The new addition was the catalyst behind the first win scoring twice that included the late winner along with an assist. As for the second match, the Snipers had many contribute offensively with Hadi Khanafer and A.Sayed sharing two goals each.

 (4)Snipers vs Brodie Boys(3)

 (8)Snipers vs Brodie Boys(2)

 ETNA looking ready for new season as they down Country Club

Sometimes you just need a reminder that some teams are really good when they come out to play. The Country Club witnessed it first hand going up against an ETNA team that was on top of their game despite it being only the first week of the regular season. Re adapting to his natural role, M.Stoico will be a huge asset for his side, and it showed immediately as the d-man was a force collecting three points for a 4-1 victory. The Country Club didn’t show much in the opener, but had a chance to tweak their game in the second match. They did show more offensive upside, but ran into the same issues of giving up to many goals. That’s maybe because M.Alfieri was responsible for most of the ETNA’s offense. If its even possible to state, M.Alfieri looked better than ever in the second encounter. If this was a contract year, the skilled player would crush the ETNA budget leaving them bankrupt. All seven goals came-from the hands of M.Alfieri, who struck once while feeding off six nice passes for some easy completions. A.Alfieri and J.Alfieri each scored twice thanks to their valued line mate.

 (4)ETNA vs Country Club(1)

 (7)ETNA vs Country Club(4)

 Diabetoz Angels powered by a pair of strong starts

Two very strong starts made the difference as the Diabetoz Angels collected some nice early points to the standings. Four different players took turns finding the back of the net in the first period alone, and A.Ekonomakis was finally figured out between the pipes when S.Jankouzian and G.Missakian got the better of him. In hopes of adjusting to a better start in the ensuing match, the United Arms couldn’t put it together falling behind again. The gap was much closer trailing only by two, but the task was just as tall trying to battle-from behind. To their credit however, the United Arms battled back to even the score on two occasions only to fall behind once more when J.McTeigue snapped the late tie. J.Fisch would eventually put the game to rest by feeding an empty cage. What more can you ask for than putting up a pair of good wins together. The Diabetoz Angels got the start they wanted, and will look to build off it in what will be a competitive division. On the flip side of the court, the United Arms know that they need to stack up their line up as a short bench just wont hack it in this division. G.Missakian will take care of that area as the captain will make sure to be ready as the season goes on

(4)Diabetoz Angels vs United Arms(2)

 (5)Diabetoz Angels vs United Arms(3)

 S.Marricco providing the timely goals for Degenerates in second game vs Branditscan

 Both sides seemed to measure up pretty fairly as it took a shootout to try and decide matters. And since the first game was that close, not even a breakaway competition could have settled the score. The Degenerates and the Branditscan needed the second encounter in order to see who would prevail in the end. And as expected, it remained just as close except for maybe the final frame where the Degenerates found a way to pull away. Containing S.Marricco requires a certain method when trying to slow down a train that can hold on to the ball. The power forward did not disappoint, and was there to rattle off two big consecutive goals to put the Degenerates in the drivers seat. His second tally made the score 4-2 with about seven minutes remaining. No doubt there was more than enough time for the Branditscan to try and come back. The problem was that the Degenerates made it a point to close out the gaps and shut the lanes best they could. When you buy into a strong defensive game plan while relying on R.Ranieri to make you the big saves, its often difficult to battle back. The Degenerates did a fine job in that department and managed to hang on to a hard earned win.

(3)Degenerates vs Branditscan(3) S.O

(6)Degenerates vs Branditscan(2)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Massimo Alfieri of ETNA. Calm, collective and poised, M.Alfieri makes everyone around him a better player, and tonight was proof of it as he set up six goals while potting one himself.

Sunday January 15(Playoffs round 1)

S.Tomasetta cracks late tie in high scoring duel, Team Green advance to quarter final round

(9)Team Orange vs Team Green(11)

Up 4-1 by the seven minute mark of the game, Team Orange looked to be heading in the right direction only to see this contest spiral into a barn burner by the time it was said and done. Both sides realised quickly that any shot on net could turn into a goal. At no point did things ever settle down. The pendulum kept swinging back and forth, and Team Green looked to have the advantage up 9-6 with about fifteen minutes left in the game. With the way things kept shifting, it came to no surprise that Team Orange climbed back into it tying the encounter 9-9- by the forty minute mark. It was one of those games that any lead just wasn’t safe. That being said, you go with the odds by trying to get that next goal and playing in front rather than trying to bounce back. And since time wasn’t much of a luxury, the next tally would perhaps prove to pay heavy dividends. It was just a question of who, and not if their would be more goals to come. As soon as B.Monette scored for Team Orange to level , three minutes had gone by before S.Tomasetta used a wicked slap shot to beat P.Kassaris. By no means did that tally give any sigh of relief to Team Green despite  finding themselves ahead with little time left over. After attempting enough pressure and shots out of desperation, Team Orange couldn’t figure out M.Rodriguez anymore, who came up big a few times to preserve the slight lead. Eventually, this series was put to rest when C.Pirone bagged a hat trick late in the game to solidify a nail biter.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Sal Tomasetta of Team Green. Sometimes overlooked for his sound defensive game, the d-man was very influential in helping decide this series by scoring perhaps the biggest goal of the game to help send Team Green off to the next round.

Team Blue constant momentum leads to easy win over Team Yellow

(1)Team Yellow vs Team Blue(8)

Team Blue got started right away with an early marker-from E.Nardelli, and cruised the rest of the way on a flurry of goals to stamp an easy victory. There was no doubt Team Blue was ready and better prepared in a must win game between the two sides. C.Doulis did even the score for Team Yellow, but that was about all the limited scoring done for a team that just didn’t bring it on this particular night. Sometimes teams just aren’t sharp enough to go end to end against an opponent that didn’t take a shift off. Team Blue found themselves up comfortably 4-1 when P.Desforges scored by the fifteen minute mark. Regardless the amount of time left over, it didn’t matter in tonight’s contest between these two teams. M.Freda was well insulated and did a remarkable job limiting his opponent to only one goal. The offense was well spread out, but E.Nardelli did have a little more input by rattling off a hat trick. F.Decoster struck twice,J-C Mansour collected three primary assists, and N.Faria notched the winner as part of a three point performance.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Nelson Faria of Team Blue. The forward like many of his line mates showed up to play in a very important game. N.Faria was able to snap an early tie that held for the winner while making plenty happen out there to help create a snow ball effect en route to an easy win.

Team Green and Team Blue are now off to the quarter final round where eight teams now remain in the playoff season of the Sunday Night Draft league. The games will be played this up coming Sunday. The match ups are as follows:

(1)Team White vs Team Green(10) Coming off a nice 11-9 decision, Team Green will have a difficult challenge ahead of them. As its been their identity all season, goal scoring wont be the issue, but preventing them is still an area of concern. And since Team White know how to defend well with the leagues best goals against average , this contest may be one that will force Team Green to play a much tighter game.

(2)Team Purple vs Team Blue(9) While the standings may suggest a mismatch, Team Purple need to take this round seriously if they plan to advance. Team Blue have a bunch of players that can score, and create havoc up front. If M.Freda remains sharp in net like he did in his previous game, anything can happen unless the Zafiropoulos  father and son tandem decide otherwise.

(3)Team Black vs Team Red(6) It can be argued that Team Black may have a little more punch up front compared to Team Red. However, with goaltending and defense often the reason why teams go far, Team Red have the elements covered in that area. S.Catalano is as good as it gets for making the big saves, and P.Stroubakis is as lethal as it gets when it comes to providing offense. Team Black will have their hands full, but could pull through if they apply a smart game plan.

(4)Team Pink vs Team Brown(5) Well balanced, well structured along with ton of experience, Team Pink look like a seasoned team to be reckoned with. They will have a difficult test ahead of them as they take on Team Brown. There strength relies on a couple game breaking players. D.Galloro, T.Settino are the two main guns that Team Pink will need to focus on. If both players get there way, watch for Team Brown to advance, if not, Team Pink will likely go through due to their overall balance.

Sunday January 8

Team Green top guns boost them to strong end to regular season

(12)Team Green vs Team Yellow(4)

Often, its how you finish that matters than how you started .Team Green wont care so much about their below average regular season record as they’ll take tonight’s encounter versus Team Yellow as a sign of good things to come. As long as they can address their game without the ball, Team Green will be a team to watch for if not taken serious. Perhaps arguably the most lethal forward belongs to their line up with M.Destounis the catalyst for making plenty happen up front. The slick and clever forward has the ability to make everyone around him look like much better players. Out of his club twelve goals, M.Destounis was involved in eleven of them striking three times while setting up eight tallies. M.Saia and C.Arnoldo, as expected were the ones who took care of much of the scoring with four goals apiece. This type of win couldn’t have come at a better time for a side that doesn’t have an impressive regular season record with only two wins to show for.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Marino Destounis of Team Green. What more can be said for a player that was responsible for creating eleven out of a possible twelve goals.

Draft Leagues front runners yet to slow down

(6)Team White vs Team Blue(2)

Finishing top seed is always a good indicator of how well you performed as a team throughout the regular season. Team White dropped only two of ten games, and don’t plan to slow down anytime soon as their real season will begin shortly. Even though they had secured their top spot a week ago, that didn’t slow them down going up against Team Blue. However, things only got rolling as of the thirty six minute mark of the game. Up until that point, Team Blue found themselves ahead on a slight 2-1 lead. Once F.Tarounos evened the score, Team White found their stride bagging five straight goals in only nine minutes. What once looked like a tight knitted affair turned into a thumping. C.Khoury and S.Fraga shared a pair of goals, L.Lapenna collected three helpers, and G.Villenueve was sharp again in net allowing only two tallies.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the night goes to Guillaume Villeneuve of Team White. If there is one area of a hockey game that is vital for success,  its your goaltending. Team White have that element in an existing good team with G.Villenueve guarding the cage. The net minder was once again influential making the necessary saves to help provide another victory.

Team Red race out to big early lead in win over Team Brown

(10)Team Red vs Team Brown(5)

It really didn’t take long for Team Red to get going in what was a high scoring affair versus Team Brown. The strong start definitely dictated where this contest was headed despite the amount of chances traded-from the two sides. When playing with such a comfortable lead, you often call the shots. Whether you attribute it to being better prepared or merely wanting it more, Team Red raced off to a strong start and didn’t give Team Brown much hope of winning. Considering the amount of goals scored, no one needed to play the hero in this one. Team Red relied on balance although J.Testa, M.Elfara and L.Porfido were productive sharing four points each. Maybe it didn’t come as much of a surprise for Team Brown to give up so many goals. After completing their regular season, they have allowed a whopping 83 markers which makes them the second worse defensive team right after the basement dwelling Team Green. S.Sicuso has to address this area, and it will start with him making sure to tighten the screws on the defensive end of the court.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Santino Catalano of Team Red. While Team Brown may give up many, one things certain is that they can easily find the back of the net. However, they only got the ball rolling a little to late because S.Catalano stood in the way making plenty of key saves early on.

Team Purple able to storm back after ugly start

(9)Team Purple vs Team Orange(5)

Team Purple surrendered five goals in the first fourteen minutes alone, but somehow managed to put it in the rear view mirror as the game eventually shifted. Maybe you can forgive a bad start every so often if you have proved to be a solid team throughout the entire season. Team Purple needed only a momentum swing to build off. That moment perhaps happened when T.Longhi pulled his side within two. That goal was the first of seven consecutive scored by Team Purple. Team Orange may have gotten away-from their game by enabling Team Purple to take over. Unless you keep pressing hard, good teams will find ways to overcome a hurdle. This has to come as concern for Team Orange as they simply looked out gunned and overwhelmed for a very long duration. Playing fifteen minutes just wont cut it if you plan to succeed. The win secured second place of the division for Team Purple who continue to impress. C.Zafiropoulis may not have scored but was there to set up four tallies. A.Zafiropoulos on the other hand had another strong night sharing a hat trick with T.Longhi.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to T.Longhi of Team Purple. When his team was caught in a jam, T.Longhi was a big reason why Team Purple overcome a huge deficit by posting a hat trick.

Team Pink hammer Team Black to cap off regular season

(9)Team Pink vs Team Black(5)

It remained close while it lasted, but in the end, it was all Team Pink as they were the better of the two sides. Team Black got two early goals, and there last three came toward the end of the game when Team Pink had already put this match to rest. What unfolded was a dominant effort-from Team Pink as they met no resistance expect for maybe in the early stages. You almost had to figure T.Scarpelli was going to get some goals with his side striking nine times. The forward bagged his hat trick by the thirty minute mark. M.Kabassakalian was productive as well feeding four teammates while J.Teresi collected three points. At one point, Team Pink led 9-2, and perhaps let go of the gas pedal enabling Team Black to score three late goals. Considering that both these teams have similar records, this game should cause some concern for Team Black heading into the playoffs.  There is no question that they will need to be much better as they’ll have some time off to figure things out.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Tony Scarpelli of Team Pink. He has proven enough times that he can find the back of the net. By finding himself always at the right spot, T.Scarpelli had another big night rattling off a hat trick in what came as a convincing win for Team Pink.

The Draft league regular season came to a wrap on Sunday night. With all ten teams participating in the playoffs, the first round will only have the bottom four seeds play it out. The match ups are as follows:

(7)Team Orange vs Team Green(10) It will come down to offense vs defense. Team Green can score at will but give up many goals while Team Orange have the defense to slow down the pace, but lack offense. If Team Orange cant play a full out sound defensive game, look for Team Green to pass this round.

(8)Team Yellow vs Team Blue(9) They met only once, and Team Yellow got the better of Team Blue. That being said, it really doesn’t change the fact that anything can happen in this do or die game. Both sides have had more downs than ups which should suggest for an even playing field.

Tuesday January 3

Pendulum swing ends up going for Team Pink’s thrilling overtime win over Team Red

(5)Team Red vs Team Pink(6) O.T

On three straight occasions, Team Red was able to respond to tie the game before finally pulling ahead when M.Elara took advantage of a penalty shot followed with an insurance marker by M.Barone. Now that the score was 5-3 in favour for Team Red, the only thing left to do was to close out the deal. You almost had to figure it was headed that way for how resilient they were by bouncing back while pulling ahead. Unfortunately, that didn’t end being the case with Team Pink turning the tables on two quick goals -from J.Melo and a buzzer beater by Peter Stroubakis. Since momentum was swinging back and forth, overtime was going to be decided on who would get that one break. Neither side were able to get it done right away with the goaltenders keeping it that way. S.Catalano of Team Red and G.Platanitis of Team Pink were clearly the reasons why this contest dragged on due to their stellar jaw dropping saves. But eventually something was to give, and that’s when Peter Stroubakis picked up a rebound using his blistering shot to get the better of Catalano.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Peter Stroubakis of Team Pink. Hard work often pays off. The forward made his time count every time he got on, and was able to get rewarded by getting the final shot on net to decide the outcome.

Team Purple get final say on a stronger finish

(4)Team Black vs Team Purple(5) O.T

There was no doubt this was a real competitive and even game between Team Black and Team Purple that was only decided in the sudden death frame. That being said, Team Black may have thought they had all the momentum going for them. Down 3-1 , they took over the match on three straight tallies that included a penalty shot by A.Farina followed by M.Chenier and M.Danesi’s go ahead marker. There was just to much time left over for having the mind set of closing out the game. You almost knew you needed that next tally if you were Team Black in order to put a serious strangle hold in the match. Rather than going up by two, Team Purple responded instead courtesy of their veteran and leader C.Zafiropoulos. His tally came with only six minutes left in the game which eventually set the stage for an overtime period where he was able to play the role of a set up man by feeding M.Porato for the winner. Sometimes you don’t need to play a full out game in order to get the results. For a long stretch, Team Black were the ones in control and looked like were the ones headed for a favourable outcome. All you need is a play here and there in a one goal game that can go either way. Team Purple made a strong push when it counted, and were able to pull the rug-from under Team Black’s feet on a late surge. The father and son Zafiropoulos combo continue to impress as both players combined for seven points. B.Verducci contributed as well in the win making the necessary saves in a very close encounter. The win now puts team Purple only a point behind Team Black as they chase them down for that second spot.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Costa Zafiropoulos of Team Purple. He certainly is able to find ways to make plenty happen. In what was a back and forth close encounter, C.Zafiropoulos was the engine behind his teams offense collecting four points.

Team Brown come-from behind to stun Team Blue in overtime

(5)Team Blue vs Team Brown(6) O.T

Team Brown overcame a 4-0 deficit to land a dramatic 6-5 overtime victory Tuesday night over Team Blue. Things looked grim for a good chunk of the game for Team Brown, who kept falling in a deeper hole. As bad as it was, they needed only that one tally perhaps to change their luck. S.Sicuso was finally able to provide it  which clearly put his side on track for something remarkable to happen. It was evident that Team Brown found their extra gear as they relentlessly hammered their opponent in a short ten minute stretch. Although E.Nardelli ended the spell by putting Team Blue back in front 5-4, that didn’t stop S.Sicuso again-from responding on a big play to even the score. Both sides didn’t let go of the gas pedal for the remaining twelve minutes which for a third straight time during the night an overtime was looming to see who would come out on top. Unlike the two previous encounters, D.Galloro spared everyone’s time by ending it right away on a brilliant one timer giving M.Freda no time what so ever. That was the snipers second goal and third point of the game. S.Sicuso had a productive game as well collecting four points while N.Faria was Team Blue’s most dynamic player scoring twice along with an assist.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Danny Galloro of Team Brown. Gamers often find ways for the big moments. Its no surprise that D.Galloro was a good pick to ending it on a beautiful shot that came out of nowhere.

Team White maintain their status as the top dogs of the division

(2)Team Yellow vs Team White(7)

Its been just that kind of a season so far for a team that’s running on all cylinders. Only two losses to show for, Team White came to play again on Tuesday night defeating Team Yellow rather easily. The score was already 4-0 before S.Boulerice finally got Team Yellow on board. For sure it would have taken a miraculous comeback, but it wouldn’t be the first time a team overcomes such a deficit. The problem was that Team White wasn’t on planning to give much life after that with the two sides trading a goal before Team White drove away into the sunset. J.Lapenna and N.Boctor Awad shared two goals each, R.Tanous collected four points and G.Villenueve was sharp in net stopping all but two goals. Team Yellow’s limited offense came-from C.Doulis, who participated in both tallies, and S.Boulerice that notched the other goal.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to number R.Tanous. His three primary assists along with a goal provided a good portion of Team Whites offense in the convincing win.

High octane offense powers Team Orange past Team Green

(11)Team Orange vs Team Green(9)

While it may have been exciting for the players, the same couldn’t be said of the goaltenders. Both sides had only one assignment, and that was to try and score goals. This contest was hard to gauge for where it was headed due to the back and forth action that never really slowed down. At one point, Team Yellow found themselves up 11-9 with only six minutes left in the game. The memo was only sent by then for them to tighten up and close out the game. M.Tzouvadakis knew he needed to have a strong sequence in net since Team Green was going to put some pressure. To his credit, the net minder delivered after facing a wave of shots coming-from everywhere. Its something that P.Santullo will certainly address in the dressing room after the game .Team Green may not like where they are in the standings, but know that they are a way better team than what there record shows. They have the weapons up front that can score at will no matter the opponent. For them, it really comes down to playing a stronger defensive game. If they figure that part out, things can turn around. However, they haven’t shown it yet this season which may come as a concern if they don’t fix it. As for Team Orange, they also have the same issues. Scoring goals wont be a problem which leaves them that task of tightening up the screws.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to R.Marshall of Team Orange. The forward was buzzing throughout the entire game causing plenty of fits for his oppositions defence. By the time it was said and done, RYAN capped off a nice hat trick with goals coming at key moments.

Thursday December 22(Final)

Snipers storm out of gate catching Van Doos Hc off guard

(2)Van Doos vs HC vs Snipers(6) Game 1

It took up until this point into the entire season for somebody to ruin what was a perfect record so far. The Van Doos HC unbeaten streak came to an end to the hands of the Snipers, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. It was all Snipers-from the drop of the ball storming out of the gate on four quick goals by only the seven minute mark. They were able to build a 4-1 lead in which they never surrendered with help of two goals by H.Faour. Every single player turned in a fine performance knowing the importance of getting that first game under their belt. It showed that the Van Doos didn’t quite come out with the same urgency. And the last thing you want is to fall behind to a team like the Snipers. A.Papazian appeared to give some hope to the Van Doos Hc by bagging his second shorthanded, but that was immediately responded by H.Atoui. Despite the amount of time left over, there was almost no way that the Snipers were letting this one slip away. Finally, they capped off a convincing and well deserved game one victory to position themselves in a closer path to glory.

Snipers fall short after furious comeback in third period, series will go the distance

(6)Snipers vs Van Doos Hc(7) Game 2

A furious third period comeback was not enough as the Snipers woke up a little to late in order to reach their goal. This contest was a perfect example of how a desperate team reacts after a disappointing loss. The Van Doos Hc knew what was at stake, and made sure to rebound on a desperate effort returning the favour to the Snipers by getting the way better start. It looked like it was headed for a blow out win with the score 6-1 after two frames. However, that didn’t stop the Snipers for making it an exciting conclusion to a game that appeared complete when the final stanza began. The five goal rally saw five different players take turns finding the back of the net. If not for an untimely penalty, the Snipers may have potentially been crowned champions. Instead, N.Chiminian made sure to capitalise on the power on a goal that ultimately stood up for the winner. After playing two games, both teams have dictated the terms on where things were headed. Since nothing has been settled yet, only a fifteen minute game, and possibly more extra time will determine who comes out on top.

J.Liakakos heroic OT winner lifts Van Doos Hc past Snipers in thrilling final

(1)Snipers vs Van Doos Hc(2) O.T Game 3

J.Liakakos wasn’t going to let his chance slip away after receiving a pass-from N.Chiminian on a two on one play. Prior to that sequence, the Snipers were very close to converting on an odd man rush only to see a turn over spiral the other way where Liakakos made sure to seize the moment. His perfect wrist shot went right behind the Snipers goaltender, and the Van Doos Hc celebrated a big moment after an entertaining back and forth series. You almost need to score first when entering a game three mini match. Hadi Khanafer gave that luxury early on for the Snipers which now forced a much needed equaliser by the Van Doos Hc. Maybe it was wishful thinking trying to shut out your opponent during an entire period as the Snipers could have used one more to put a serious strangle hold in the game. Unable to provide some insurance, the Snipers gave one up instead when A.Papazian struck by the mid way point of the frame. Both sides knew by then that the next tally was the equivalent of a sudden death winner. Since nobody wanted to be the culprit of a bad mistake, this contest wasn’t going to be decided until an unfortunate set of circumstances. Hockey is played fast involving a lot of reactionary decisions which can sometimes turn into mishaps. On an innocent play that went bad for the Snipers, turned into a golden opportunity for the Van Doos Hc where J.Liakakos made sure to end it on a brilliant finish. Even though prior to this series the HC Van Doos entered as favourite due to their unbeaten perfect record , it was expected that the Snipers would have made a serious push after showing plenty in the regular season, and more importantly during their playoff run. The only difference came down to one single play in a game that has an unlimited amount of variables. Tonight, it was simply the Van Doos Hc’s night as they proved once more that they were always the real team to beat. On behalf of Hockeyballe.com, congratulations go out to Louis Bavellas and the Van Doos Hc for winning the E Thursday division.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to James Liakakos. While this championship run involved every single player to getting this far, the Van Doos Hc were glad to see J.Liakakos put an end to it on a beautiful play.

Wednesday December 19 (Finals)

P.Karvouriaris scores 2 power play goals, Punishers take series lead

(4)Punishers vs Armadillos(2) Game 1

It’s the playoffs, and P.Karvouriaris is at his best, scoring two power play goals en route to a big 4-2 win for the Punishers. Those two tallies came after the mid way point of the game with the Punishers holding on to a very close lead. The Armadillos struck first very early on a goal-from J.Chiropoulos in a lead that barely lasted when M.Koutavas responded only minutes later. While its easier said than done, the Armadillos knew they had to stay out of the penalty box. They went down 2-1 early in the second period which isn’t a big deal with so much time and hockey left over. The problem was that they took an unfortunate penalty later on in the frame giving the Punishers a golden opportunity to widen their lead. That’s when P.Karvouriaris made sure to bury his chance providing a two goal cushion. Still, time was not yet a factor, but the Armadillos knew they had their work ahead of them in order to bounce back. C.Ekonomakis had conceded only one tally by then, and wasn’t  planning to giving up much more despite it being the holiday season. K.Kuczmarski did eventually get to Ekonomakis by the third period to narrow the gap for the Armadillos. With the next goal so crucial for where this series was headed, the Armadillos again found themselves in the box where the inevitable happened. For a second time, P.Karvouriaris smelled blood ,and notched his second power play goal to help secure game one of this series.

Punishers blasts Armadillos, repeat as winners of D Wednesday division

(0)Armadillos vs Punihsers(9) Game 2

Down 1-0 in a series between two rivals, the Armadillos were expected to test the Punishers with their seasons backs to the wall, but it never transpired that way. You can argue it was close enough in the first half of the contest with the score favouring the Punishers 3-0. However, once they collected that fourth tally later in the frame, the Armadillos lost interest. The lack of motivation was apparent by the third period where the Armadillos hung around watching the game turn into a landslide-from a side that kept pressing making sure to close out the series with ease. While many did participate offensively with so many goals, credit has to go once again to C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris for creating the snow ball effect. The 3-0 lead was thanks to the two headed monster as both players complemented each other on all three tallies. Once you create that kind of a momentum, the rest tends to fall into play. There was no doubt that the rest of the Punishers fed off it as the game went on, especially knowing that it led to a successful championship run. On behalf of hockeyballe.com, congratulations go out to John Fidrilis and the rest of the Punishers for repeating as champs.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Peter Karvouriaris of the Punishers. Timing is everything, and P.Karvouriaris once again came through at the right moments in both games to help solidify two  nice wins for his club.

Monday December 19 (Finals, division 1)

C.Kakivelis hero in Classics repeat championship run

In a series that was expected to be unpredictable lived up to full expectations as the Classics once again found a way to reach the finish line first. Scoring the overtime winner in a game three is a big deal, but that was just a fraction of the story. This series had the making of a Hollywood story line with so many twits and turns that kept the players guessing the entire time where it was headed. The Classics had the better start to their night winning a nail biting game one that was closer than it should have been. Leading 4-0 clearly wasn’t a comfortable margin as the Dragons roared back to pull within one only to fall short. The strong finish did help the Dragons despite dropping the contest as the were able to bounce back in a crazy game two. At one point, they led 6-3 by the mid way mark of the final frame. You would have to figure it was enough of a sufficient lead to end the game in regulation time. Even with that kind of a margin, the Dragons were unable to stop the high powered Classics offense, especially P.Karvouriaris, who was just that good bagging five goals. With that late surge, only a shootout stood in between the Classics clinching their title or for an extended series. It only seemed fitting that the drama was going to continue longer. Then Dragons scored on all three shootout attempts while the Classics saw their top gun P.Karvouriaris miss for a rare time. It was now off to a nerve wrecking game three mini game. After trading a goal each, M.Dettorre completed a beautiful passing play to put the Dragons up 2-1 with only 45 seconds left in the game. In normal circumstances, it would tend to hold up, but not when playing a team that can score at will. Only five seconds had gone by for P.Karvouriaris to respond and force an eventual sudden death frame. The overtime period is a five minute duration before heading into a shootout. If you are a betting man watching the entire series, you knew not to put a black penny on it reaching a shootout . The two teams have way to much offensive talent for it to go scoreless. Eventually, the moment came when C.Kakivelis ripped a shot to beat P.Delli Colli. This came as the second time that the Classics needed a game three overtime tally to pull through. It just goes to show how tight the division is and that almost anything can happen. That being said, the Classics showed once more that they are the real deal as they claimed a second straight title. On behalf of Hockeyballe.com, congratulations go out to Pat Santullo and the Classics for winning an incredible final.

(4)Classics vs Dragons(3) Game 1

(10)Dragons vs Classics(9) S.O Game 2

(3)Classics vs Dragons(2) O.T Game 3

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Costa Kakivelis of the Classics. Throughout the entire series, C.Kakivelis was a dominant force accumulating a ton of points, and undoubtedly the biggest goal of the season to cap off an impressive run.

Monday December 19 (finals, division 2)

Battle of two deserving sides goes the distance, Degenerates prevail by a hair over ETNA

It came down to a game three series after ETNA responded with a big game two win. The Degenerates were glad to be ahead after squeezing out a very close 2-1 win to kick start the night. A.Desrosiers and P.Paikopoulos had each scored, and C.Stavriadis was calm and collective making the necessary saves. For a very good portion of the game, the Degenerates barely made mistakes expect for maybe one time as they got caught on a line change. That one play saw M.Calabrice all alone on a breakaway where he made no mistake to bury his chance. Still, the Degenerates were up, and made sure to tighten the bolts by keeping a desperate ETNA team to the outside. To their credit, they killed off the clock en route to a nail biting win. Its always nice to be ahead, but that’s only half the work done if you pan on reaching the finish line. Even though the Degenerates expressed between games that the first five minutes were vital, it still didn’t stop ETNA-from responding with two quick goals. All of a sudden, this series took a turn as ETNA were now the ones dictating the match. However, that didn’t stop the Degenerates-from battling back as they put everything on the line in hopes of avoiding a game three. P.Stroubakis used an early second period power play goal to tie the game at 3-3, and put the Degenerates in a strong position by riding their momentum. From-that point on, the two sides played it cautious not giving up room out there that can ultimately decide the outcome of this series. It really came down to seizing the moment  when it presented itself. As the game started to wind down into the final two minutes, M.Alfieri dug the ball out-from under C.Stavriadis, who thought he had it by feeding the open net. That goal proved to be just enough for ETNA to hold up and force a third an deciding game. Now that this series was knotted up at one game a piece , twelve minutes or possibly more stood in the way to see who would come out on top. Scoring first usually comes a long way in such a format. This time, O.Valiquette was able to provide it for the Degenerates on a brilliant one timer that gave M.Stoico no chance of reaching it. The good news fro ETNA was that it came early which gave them plenty of time to respond. They did manage the equaliser five minutes later courtesy of D.Petraccia. With the way the night had been going, it was only fitting that more drama would take place. Rather than dwelling on giving up their slight edge, A.Desrosiers wasted barely a minute to regain the lead for the Degenerates on a hard wrist shot that went top corner. Its one thing to give up a lead once, and another to let it slip away for a second time. The Degenerates knew what was at stake with just over four minutes left in the season. By playing it a shift at a time, every single player put their maximum effort in making sure to prevent anymore goals. ETNA was now forced to pull out their net minder for the extra attacker. Although they had ball possession to generate some shots toward the net, the Degenerates defence kept getting in front of the ball while at worse case C.Stavriadis would be there to make the saves. Eventually, S.Marricco got access to the ball, and kept winning some very strong battles along the boards before finding himself feeding an empty cage. All that was left over-from there on was to bleed out the few seconds remaining for the Degenerates. Prior to this series, both teams felt confident about their chances, but knew that it could have gone either way. Tonight, the Degenerates were able to make that one extra big play that led them to another very close win. On behalf of Hockeyballe.com, congratulations go out to Sebastian Sicuso for putting together a mix of good players that found a way to getting it done.

(2)Degenerates vs ETNA(1) Game 1

(4)ETNA vs Degenerates(3) Game 2

(3)Degenerates vs ETNA(1) Game 3

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Perry Stroubakis of the Degenerates. No question that P.Stroubakis provided the legs, energy and a bunch of points to help carry some aging legs to a championship run. 

Sunday December 18

Team White hold up after letting their guard down

(4)Team Purple vs Team White(6)

After a flying start in what looked like a total mismatch, Team White found themselves way ahead grabbing a 6-1 lead just shy of the thirty minute mark. Mathieu Chenier led the charge bagging a hat trick, M.Estrela cashed in on a penalty shot, and G.Villeuneuve didn’t have to pull much of a sweat allowing only one goal. Rather than the game spiralling out of control, the battle tested Team Purple had counterpunched before it was said and done. The next three goals came by C.Zafiropoulos striking twice and R.Santosuoso getting the other. At least a response was there, but it came a little to late. All four goals in the loss came with the help of A.Zafiropoulos as the young talent keeps improving adding three helpers and a goal. It showed that Team White were the ones that came ready to play. Anytime you build such a lead, it usually holds which was the case despite Team Purple showing a lot more bite in the final twenty minutes.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Mathieu. It took only 24 minutes into the contest for Mathieu Chenier to cause plenty damage with a hat trick.

Team Green unable able to protect three consecutive leads in loss to Team Red

(3)Team Green vs Team Red(6)

M.Saia had his hand in providing three leads for Team Green, who ended up on the short side of the stick before the game ended. Every time Team Green would pull ahead , Team Red respond each and every time until finally pulling away in the last ten minutes. That’s when E.Pouliot went into beast mode rattling off three straight markers to cap off an impressive finish. It was perhaps one of those cases that Team Green needed to be more aggressive and build on their slight lead. They had three chances to try and widen the margin, but couldn’t create enough of a gap. Since they haven’t shown much of a strong defensive game so far this season, they almost need to rely on playing an aggressive offensive style in hopes of playing ahead. They almost had it tonight if it wasn’t for E.Pouliot turning the tides in the final stretch.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Eric Pouliot of Team Red. Talk about a strong finish. With the game knotted at 3-3, E.Pouliot went on a tear converting three times in such a short span to help give his side a double up win over Team Green.

Team Orange slump continues, Team Black storm out of gate

(3)Team Orange vs Team Black(8)

Its what you’ll get when you allow at least an average of eight goals per game, a losing record. Team Orange have now given up 25 goals in their last three starts, and despite having some fire power to compensate, it wont be enough to collect wins. When things go this bad, there is always plenty to blame. The easiest position to pick on is the goaltending, but it goes deeper than that . You just cant win playing poorly in your own end. And there shouldn’t be any reason why you give up six straight goals in the first twenty four minutes before finally getting on board. Unless Team Orange figure out how to address their foes, games like this will continue to happen. On the flip side where the grass is much greener, Team Black did plenty right-from the drop of the ball. They made sure to jump out in front while pressing hard for a good portion of the game to putting it out of reach. Although he did not score, Ari Daghlian helped set up four tallies. A.Farina had a nice night collecting a hat trick, M.Papadakis was right there accumulating three points while A.Zardarian had a solid game in net allowing only three goals.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Mary Papadakis of Team Black. Always well positioned, the winger has a nose for the net striking twice while setting up a teammate.

T.Scarpelli powers Team Pink on four goals in back and forth action with Team Blue

(9)Team Pink vs Team Blue(5)

Team Pinks gritty forward scored three consecutive goals in only eight minutes to help power his team to a wild 9-5 victory. T.Scarpelli had scored early on before riding three straight markers at a crucial time during the match. The game remained always within reach for Team Blue, who kept battling keeping it very close. Sometimes there is just no stopping somebody with a hot hand. All it takes is one player that’s feeling it to make a huge difference. With the game fairly close, T.Scarpelli put it to another level in a short period of time. While he is deserving for the havoc he caused, D.Melo merits the credit as well by setting up the forward on all four occasions. Other notables include J.Choudhry and M.Kabassakalina as the two players collected a pair of goals each. As for Team Blue, N.Faria did his part scoring twice.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Tony Scarpelli of Team Pink. If you are Team Pink, you couldn’t have asked more-from your grinding forward. T.Scarpelli is a player that drives the net getting into the tough areas where he often cleans the mess by putting the ball behind the net.

Team Brown mount remarkable comeback overtime win

(11)Team Yellow vs Team Brown(12) O.T

Trailing 9-4 at one point, Team Brown displayed unbelievable resilience and grit, concluding the game on a massive run where S.Sicuso was there to cap it off in overtime. While it goes without saying that you need all your elements to overcome such a deep hole, it did help when your top guns provided the offense required . T.Settino and D,.Galloro were not going to go un noticed in these types of affairs. The two were dynamic which was why the combined for a ridiculous fifteen points complementing each other nearly every time. For a good portion during the early part of the match, Team Yellow showed good intensity to ride there way better start. By the thirty minute mark of this contest, they found themselves up 9-4 by getting balanced production throughout their line up. A.Zakarian, M.Scarpetta, E.Colella and J.Musi all collected two goals each, and things appeared to be going just fine. Then, and for whatever reason, Team Yellow dropped their guard and allowed Team Brown to bounce right back into it. If the focus could have been on trying to slow down your usual suspects in D.Galloro and T.Settino, than maybe they would have prevailed. Instead, the two forwards did pretty much what the wanted, and is a large reason why they overcome such a huge deficit en route to a thrilling overtime finish.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Tony Settino of Team Brown. Since this game saw both sides provide an abundant of goals, its only fitting that T.Settino deserves the acolytes as the forward was unstoppable scoring four times as part of  an eight point performance.

Friday December 16(Final)

Generals relentless in game 1 thumping vs United Masters

(8)Generals vs United Maters(0) Game 1

It was all about trying to keeping it close for the united Masters. For about a period things weren’t critical, but that changed when J.Brunet riffled the Generals fourth goal on the power play just shy of the mid way mark. The Generals continued to press-from that point on adding three more by the third period to cap off an easy win. M.Pinheiro found the back of the net three times, V.Lamarche was a force collecting five points, and M.Gagnon earned a shutout. When playing twice on the same night while suffering an ugly loss, you hope to grab something positive heading into game two. For the United Masters, they had nothing to show for , not even a goal to gain some confidence knowing that they can get to M.Gagnon. There only approach was to quickly put it behind them and worry on what’s ahead.

D.Lafleur sets the path for claiming championship on a hat trick

(4)United Masters vs Generals(9) Game2

You knew that the Generals were going to make strong statement by making sure to take this series in two games. Unless the United Masters had some magic formula riding only two change ups versus a powerhouse, there wasn’t much of a chance. They did however put a little more into their game by at least getting their offense going. A.Minassian owned that department getting goals in every frame to earn a hat trick. Maybe they addressed that area of their game, but weren’t able to fine tune a strong defensive effort. The Generals again were able to dissect the Untied Masters defence while able to get to a solid net minder in S.Pistone enough times. Its wasn’t a case of trying to neutralize a particular player or two for the United Masters. When a team has more than enough weapons, you have to make sure to play well as a collective unit without the ball. The United Masters actually excel in that department which is why they reached the final. The problem was that they had to try and contain a deadlier force which were simply overwhelming. In the end, the expected team prevailed which came to nobody’s surprise. On behalf of Hockeyballe.com, congratulations go out to David Lafleur and the Generals for winning the Masters 35+ division.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to David Lafleur of the Generals. The captain can proudly say his earned a hat trick by posting goals in each frame in game that secured the Masters 35+ championship.

Thursday December 15(Semi finals)

Van Doos Hc storm ahead of Brew Crew with game 1 victory

(4)Van Doos Hc vs Brew Crew(2) Game 1

The E Thursday semi finals didn’t start off on a good note for the Brew Crew as they were upended by the division leaders. The Brew Crew came out humming and got the first tally by B.Sansotta. Hoping to build off a good start, the Brew Crew found themselves trailing by the time the frame ended. J.Liakakos and N.Kokovidis each scored, and the Van Doos Hc turned the tides entering the second period. Ever since jumping up 2-1, the Van Doos Hc never squandered their lead . J.DeSua was there to reduce the margin by one for the Brew Crew, but that was close as it got. What become concerning for the Brew Crew was their inability to generate enough decent scoring chances. The Van Doos Hc controlled a good portion of the play while making sure to take away space-from their opponent. It always helps having a solid goaltender as you last line of defense. J.Liopoulos, although not overly busy, stood firm in net making sure to keep his side playing in front. With game one now under their belt, the Van Doos Hc remain perfect still without a loss all season as they’ll try and sweep the Brew Crew in the ensuing match.

Snipers pull ahead in series on furious comeback win over Fatal Demons

(3)Fatal Demons vs Snipers(4) Game 1

As good as the Fatal Demons were coming out of the gate riding three goals in only eight minutes, sadly, it just wasn’t good enough. It certainly wasn’t the way you wanted to start a semi final series if you are the Snipers. Luckily enough, it all happened fairly early which gave them the time they needed to improve. Erasing a 3-0 deficit takes a lot-from an entire hockey team, especially when its playoffs. The Snipers did something remarkable and it all began as of the second period where they completely took over the match. Once H.Salman scored on the power play to get the Snipers on board, the rest fell into play even though most of the comeback occurred in the final frame. H.Atoui and Hadi, Khanafer scored just a minute apart to level the game at three goals apiece. You almost sensed that the next tally would belong to the Snipers for how committed they were compared to a lest urgent Fatal Demons side. This contest looked to be headed for a shootout with the clock winding down. Perhaps a deal that the Fatal Demons would have taken since they couldn’t put it together on the court while knowing C.Kakivelis was there to deliver in the breakaways. Instead, F.Nasser was able to beat the clock with only 20 seconds remaining to give the Snipers its first lead of the game. Losing a game in such a manner can break a teams spirit. However, the Fatal Demons have way to much experience in their dna to take a negative approach heading into game two. If they are able to re focus and remain positive, the Snipers will need to put out another full out effort in order to defeat them.

Van Doos refuse to lose

(2)Brew Crew vs Van Doos Hc(3) S.O Game 2

This encounter between the Brew Crew and the Van Doos Hc ended in a spectacular fashion, with the Van Doos Hc mounting a stunning comeback to defeat the Brew Crew in a shootout. D.Verta and J.DeSua provided a 2-0 Brew Crew lead before a furious Van Doos charge left the score tied 2-2, forcing a dreaded shootout. Both tallies came late on efforts by G.Tsolis and N.Zaharopoulos. N.Kokovidis was the only of the combined six players to score using a patient backhand move to get the better of C.Muccino. To think that the Brew Crew were only four minutes away-from handing the Van Doos their first loss of the season, but more importantly to tie the series 1-1.Unfortuntely, they juts couldn’t hold off long enough. C.Muccino gave every ounce of energy to help his side go as far as possible. The net minder wasn’t at a 100%, but competed hard enough to cause an upset. Sometimes its just not your night. With the win, the Van Doos Hc will now aim to win one more series while hoping to ride a perfect record. At worse case, they would take the deal for winning it in three games. Time will only tell.

M.St-Laurent timely saves enables Snipers to reach big dance

(4)Snipers vs Fatal Demons(3) S.O Game 2

The Snipers just punched their ticket to the E Thursday final, and have M.St-Laurent to thank for it. The goaltender faced about 30 shots but was more known for a few key sensational saves he made in the third period to keep the game tied. After denying M.Mavroudis on a couple of occasions, St-Laurent may have made the series changing save on M.Chenier’s one timer-from in close with just under a second remaining. His brilliant performance didn’t stop there either as a shootout loomed in what came as a must win-from the defending champs. With B.Cabral out waiting C.Kakivelis on a wicked backhand, the Fatal Demons were forced to get at least one by the Snipers net minder. And despite sending three sharp shooters to out duel the goaltender, M.St-Laurent wasn’t having it denying all three players. The game could have gone either way, but there was no denying that the Snipers got there on some very big saves. The Snipers went about playing the type of game that they are used to. They do not complicate it by simply applying a strong collective work etiquette. When you combine a resilient style along with basic hockey, you will often get rewarded. In tonight’s series versus a very good Fatal Demons hockey team, the Snipers played to their identity, and were able to advance because of it.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Nick Kokovidis of the Van Doos Hc. From-breaking up plays to creating scoring chances, the offensive defenseman did it all on Thursday night collecting three big points along with the series shootout winner.

With two teams left to claim all the glory, the Van Doos Hc will look to continue its perfect path to success as they’ll take on a very resilient Snipers team. Both teams have relied on their depth as part of the equation why they got this far. M.St-Laurent along with J.Liopoulos have been instrumental for their side so far as the two net minders did not disappoint. Forwards will likely find it difficult to generate much going up against two structured defenses. It will come down to a battle of will and determination. The team who collectively gives it all will have the chances on their side. Since both teams got this far due to their never quit attitude, this series will be a close one and should easily go the distance without any favourite despite the Van Doos Hc perfect record so far.

Wednesday December 14(Semi finals)

M.Dettorre nets hat trick as Armadillos even series with Altius

(1)Altius vs Armadillos(6) Game 2

It was the Altius coming into the game a little stronger on an early goal by M.Arkalis while the Armadillos felt that sinking feeling of repeating a similar fate like last weeks defeat. However, a late first period spark changed their mindset when G.Bouchard and L.Panetta each scored to put their side up 2-1. The Armadillos weren’t on planning to squander this one as they proved to be the way better of the two sides-from that point on. M.Dettorre was an absolute thorn posting his clubs next three goals on the help of K.Kuczmarski’s pair of assists. When good teams have their backs to the wall, they’ll often bounce back on a desperate effort. There was no doubt the Armadillos showed more bite and purpose if they planned on extending the series. C.Stavriadis needed to be good in which he was stopping all but one of 26 shots. Now that thy evened up the series, only fifteen minutes and possibly more would determine who advance and punch a ticket to the final.

Altius storm back to push series to the limit, Armadillos get final say in big shootout win

(4)Armadillos vs Altius(2) S.O Game 2

Coming off a lopsided defeat with barely any time to clean out your system isn’t the ideal situation. Adding to that, giving up the games first two goals by the four minute mark in a fifteen minute format would usually suggest that it’s a recipe for disaster. The Armadillos wasted no time carrying their momentum when J.Bolanakis and G.Bouchard struck early. On normal circumstances, even though it’s only a slight 2-0 lead, many would have thought that this series was completely over by then. The game went scoreless-from that point on for nearly six minutes as the Altius’s season started to look like a distant memory. They looked almost out of gas, and the Armadillos had them on the ropes. It had looked like those two early goals would be enough to propel the Armadillos into the final. As the game was headed into its final stages of the frame, the Altius needed something to give. Eventually, they got some life thanks to a power play goal by P.Arkalis. And since sometimes you need that one little spark to shift the tides, the Altius fed off it and got rewarded once more with less than a minute remaining to knot up the score at two goals apiece. Out of nowhere, this series was up for grabs with so little time to decide its outcome. Both sides went through a scoreless five minute sudden death frame before reaching the shootout for a second time in this series.  This time however, the Armadillos were able to return the favour scoring twice on goals by K.Kuczmarski and B.Gabbour while C.Stavriadis went perfect denying both attempts by the Altius.

Punishers down Assadi Consulting inc to close out series

(1)Assadi Consulting inc vs Punishers(4) Game 2

The Assadi Consulting inc knew that they needed nothing less than a near perfect game if they decided to stick around long enough in the playoffs. Defeating the Punishers is quite a feat, and unless you did everything right, you’ll likely fall short in the end. Perhaps an area that didn’t help was taking a couple of penalties which enabled the Punishers to strike twice with the man advantage. C.Gingras and C.Stamadianos made sure to bury their chances with the man up. While trying to prevent goals is an important understatement, scoring them is something that is also required. The problem with that doesn’t help when trying to figure out C.Ekonomakis. As he’s’ shown throughout the entire season, the net minder wont give up many. You almost need to beat him on a perfect play which is difficult to do for how sound defensively the Punishers are. In the end, the Punishers showed that their regular season record isn’t a fluke as they now move a step closer to achieving their goal.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Costa Stavriadis of the Armadillos. Look for your goaltending to help bail you out. In a pair of must win games, Stavriadis delivered in a big way allowing only own goal in game two while stopping two shootout attempts to help decide the series.

Two opponents very familiar with one another will now meet for a third straight time in the final. The Punishers are the current reigning champs, and the Armadillos will look to dethrone them in what will be a thrilling final. This match up has the making of a hard nosed series that should go the distance. The Punishers have been the more consistent team throughout the season with barely any mishaps. They will be incredibly difficult to beat, and will require the Armadillos to play at the very top of their game. However, if there is one team that can take down the Punishers, the Armadillos is that team. Both sides have all areas of their game covered. They match well in net, the quality of their defensemen wont be the issue while the forwards have the ability to score . It will go without saying that the Armadillos must watch carefully the dangers that C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris pose every time they get on. They will need to limit the dynamic duo in order to keep the Punishers offense in check. If they manage that part of their game, the next challenge will be to get to C.Ekonomakis. The net minder is so hot right now that he may just be the reason why the Punishers take it in the end,. That being said, C.Stavriadis will have the weight on his shoulders to deliver an equally brilliant performance between the pipes in which he has the capability to do so. Look for a long thrilling series between two strong hockey teams.

Monday December 12( Semi finals, division 2)

Degenerates knock out Country Club with series ending shootout win

After taking a much needed game one, the Degenerates knew the second encounter would come with a lot more resistance. The Country Club went scoreless in their loss, but immediately found the back of the net in game two courtesy of J-S Lowe to gain some confidence. Goals weren’t going to come easy as both sides upped their level of play with so much on the line. Luckily enough for the Degenerates, S.Marricco  and A.Lamont were in top form controlling much of the play that resulted in Marricco tying the game on two occasions. With just over three minutes remaining, neither side could find a goal ,and the Degenerates won the battle of nerves in the shootout. C.Stavriadis saved three Country Club breakaways, and P.Stroubakis stroked home the decisive winner.

(2)Degenerates vs Country Club(0) Game 1

(2)Country Club vs Degenerates(3) S.O Game 2

(Semi finals, division 1)

A.Kakivelis unleashes a nasty seeing-eye shot to end an epic series

They needed a game three sudden death overtime, but the Classics were able to defeat the Assadi Consulting inc in a thriller. Its tough to be put in a spot when you play a ton of good hockey that can go either way decided on one play. When teams are evenly matched, its usually the last play that counts. In this case, a simple shot on net-from mid court decided the outcome thanks to A.Kakivelis sending the ball to the net in hopes of it going through. Despite what the regular season standings look like, there really wasn’t much separating these two teams when flooring a complete line up. The Assadi Consulting inc looked at times like the better of the two sides making plenty of nice plays that kept the Classics on its heels. Even though they dropped the opener it didn’t stop them form crawling back into this series. They used a strong first period to take a commanding 4-2 lead, and tightened the bolts knowing that the Classics were going to push back. Finally, the series needed another period to see who would come out on top. As expected, regulation time solved nothing with the score all tied up at one goal apiece. Once you reach this stage of a back and forth battle knowing that the next play will decide your fate, any shot toward the net can ultimately make the difference. It took only a few seconds into the sudden death frame for A.Kakivelis to throw the ball on net and catch the Assadi Consulting defense and goaltender off guard. It may not have been the prettiest goal considering the circumstances, but it counts nevertheless.

(6)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(3) Game 1

(5)Assadi Consulting inc vs Classics(3) Game 2

(2)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(1) O.T Game 3

(Semi finals, division 2)

M.Alfieri heroic shootout goal lifts ETNA past Snipers in thrilling series

It was a series that every ball hockey fan can appreciate. From-highlight reel goals to strong goaltending, it definitely lived up to the pre series hype. Both teams went toe to toe with neither backing down. After finding themselves trailing 1-0 in the series, the Snipers took a big game two thanks to a very late power play goal by Ali Sayed. Now that everything was all tied up, it was a given that both teams would give everything they’ve got. It was ETNA’s early power play goal by M.Calabrice that got the ball rolling. When playing in these types of games, players sometimes tend to give a little to much when battling for the ball. On two occasions, ETNA took a pair of unnecessary penalties. They did manage to kill one off, but couldn’t do it for a second straight time. Finding himself very comfortable in his office, F.Nasser used his patented wrist shot to get the better of M.Stoico to tie the game up 1-1. That tally left four minutes on the clock, and considering the way the series was going ,the two sides understood the importance of the next goal. Since regulation time solved nothing, an ensuing five minute sudden death period stood in the way to see who would come out on top. Still, neither side seized the moment with both M.St-Laurent and M.Stoico stealing the show. The two net minders were at their absolute best giving their side every chance possible to take the series. However, things couldn’t get decided in time which left a dreaded shootout. Out of the combined six players sent to try and be the hero, M.Alfieri was the only successful shooter. The skilled player came down very patiently while using a nifty move to get the better of ST.Laurent .While his tally proved to be huge, M.Stoico was just as significant for the result as the net minder stood firm denying all three shot attempts.

(2)ETNA vs Snipers(1) Game 1

(3)Snipers vs ETNA(2) Game 2

(2)ETNA vs Snipers(1) S.O Game 3

(Semi finals, division 1)

C.Ekonomakis puts on goaltending clinic for Brodie Boys, Dragons go the distance to punch ticket in final

No matter how good the Brodie Boys are, and they definitely are a strong, smart hockey team, it was almost irrelevant who was in front of C.Ekonomakis. The net minder turned aside 27 shots, many with highlight reel flair  to record a shutout and an important win to kick start the series. No matter what, the Brodie Boys will get their goals which was the case in game one’s 3-0 win. Entering the second encounter, everything appeared to be repeating itself with the Brodie Boys scoring twice on goals by M.Koutavas and A.Pietracuppa while C.Ekonomakis remained brilliant keeping the Dragons off the score sheet. It was now three straight periods of hockey that the Dragons have yet to figure out the goaltender. In many cases, teams will feel discouraged being snake bitten for that long , especially in a playoff series. That being said, the Dragons isn’t your ordinary team as they have the pedigree to overcome adversity due to their talent and years of experience. All they needed was for one to go in, and the rest would follow.  Eventually they finally got to C.Ekonomakis, and only because the scoring chances were nearly impossible to stop. Two out of the four goals came-from P.Musto’s precise bullets. The Dragons struck four times during that final period to overcome their deficit and force a third and deciding mini game. Since both teams were playing at the top of their game, the chances were good that this series was also going the distance. The two sides couldn’t get it done in regulation time along with the five minute overtime period where P.Delli Colli and C.Ekonomakis kept their clubs in it making spectacular saves. Unfortunately, another good series with two deserving teams needed to be resolved in a breakaway competition. This time, the Dragons got the edge thanks to A.Mirolla and J.Mandracchia getting the better of Ekonomakis while P.Delli Colli denied two very skilled players to capture a nail biting series.

(3)Brodie Boys vs Dragons(0) Game 1

(4)Dragons vs Brodie Boys(3) Game 2

(2)Brodie Boys vs Dragons(4) S.O Game 3

The SalumiVino player of the game for division 1 goes to Chris Ekonomakis of the Brodie Boys. What more can you ask-from your net minder, who kept the Dragons off the score sheet for three entire periods.

The SalumiVino player of the game for division 2 goes to Massimo Alfieri of ETNA. When a series goes this far, you look for your gamers to show up. M.Alfieri brought it on Monday night collecting a pair of important assists in a very low scoring affair while netting ETNA’s most important goal in the shootout to send his club through to the final.

The Classics and the Dragons are left to battle it out in the first division. It goes without saying that the Dragons will need to floor a complete line up. With all their elements in play, the Dragons will give the Classics a serious run. Nothing comes easy at this stage of the season as both sides are built to go all the way. There is just too much talent on both sides to predict any winner. Maybe the simple formula of limiting mistakes while avoiding penalties is what it will take.

As for the second division, the Degenerates will have to go up against a deep ETNA side. Expect a sort of chess match as the two teams wont be giving up much room. Players will need to work hard and be creative sometimes with the ball in order to generate some scoring chances. Goaltending is strong with M.Stoico and C.Stavriadis guarding the cage. This series should go far which is expected-from two teams that have shown plenty till this point.

Sunday December 11

P.Stroubakis and M.Barone power Team Red with hat tricks

(4)Team Yellow vs Team Red(9)

Team Red’s potent offense loomed large on Sunday night as they took on Team Yellow. Powered by a pair of hat tricks-from P.Stroubakis and M.Barone, Team Red proved to be a handful for the oppositions defence and goaltender. It helps having a strong supporting cast which enabled the two players to collect a hat trick. The play making abilities were in full display, especially in the first half of the game where Team Red ran up the score for a 6-1 lead at one point. Team Yellow did eventually calm the high tides by responding with three goals of their own. M.Scarpetta and A.Zarkarian led the charge for their side bagging two goals each. With this win, Team Red are starting in inch closer as a middle of the pack team.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Perry Stroubakis of Team Red. When you have that kind of speed, skill and vision, points are to be expected. P.Stroubakis collected five points including a hat trick to help lead his club to a convincing win.

Team Pink take this one by committee over Team Green

(10)Team Pink vs Team Green(5)

As a whole, Team Pink played great hockey. Many forwards were firing on all cylinders, the defence looked solid, and G.Platanitis stood his ground during an important stretch during the game. For well over twenty minutes into this contest, Team Green were neck in neck trailing only by one goal. It was only by the 27th mark of the game that this contest tilted in one direction. Team Pink found that extra gear and took off-from there striking four consecutive times to create a nice gap. The scoring came by many different players which sometimes makes it hard for a defending side to contain since there isn’t an apparent threat. Team Green couldn’t follow their assignments on how to slow things down. By the time things calmed down, the game was well out of reach for any sort of miracle comeback. J.Choudhry, A.Daghlian and M.Kardum all had a pair in the win while D.Fortier did the same, but in a losing cause.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to George Platanitis of Team Pink. At an important time during the contest, G.Platanitis was there to deliver a strong goaltending performance keeping Team Green off the score sheet for twenty straight minutes.

Team Brown allow four in a row after a decent start with Team Black

(3)Team Brown vs Team Black(8)

For a large part, it looked like this contest was going to go down to the wire or at the very least for it to remain close till the end. Both sides had traded a pair of goals each, the game remained levelled at two goals apiece, and nobody really knew where this was headed. That was until a very small sequence where Team Black came out of nowhere riffling three goals in just over two minutes. Talk about a turn of events. What once looked like an evenly matched game turned into a meltdown for Team Brown. Goals came fast and-from three different players that provided a 5-2 lead in favour of Team Black. From-starting off aggressive and precise, Team Brown went to playing sloppy and on their heels throughout the mid part of the contest. They just couldn’t find their game and keep it together for long enough. Apart-from P.Stroubakis cashing in twice, Team Black spread out their offense getting goals-from seven different players.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to A.Zardarian. The goaltender helped his team out by not allowing a single goal for twenty two straight minutes. With the game tied 2-2, Zardarian shut the door enabling his side to build off it en route to a well earned victory.

N.Macri strikes 4 times, G.Villenueve was sharp in net, and Team White ride a dominant start

(3)Team Orange vs Team White(8)

Simply put, Team White was to much to handle for Team Orange. For nearly forty straight minutes, Team Orange struggled to get on board, and only got there thanks to B.Monette. A good chunk of their scoring came by N.Macri, who rattled off four markers. Its one things to fail in one department by allowing a bunch of goals, but its another to not be able to generate anything either. Team Orange have the leadership and quality players to make something happen. However, they just couldn’t put anything together in this particular game. Sometimes, you just run into a hot net minder where nothing much can really be done. This couldn’t be the expectations for Team Orange, who have some figuring out to do. E.Colella will have a week to deal with fumes coming out of his ears.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to G.Villeneuve of Team White. He didn’t need to be perfect, but G.Villeneuve was close to it making a bunch of nice saves while allowing only his first goal fairly late in the game.

Team Blue battle back against Team Purple but fall short in the end

(4)Team Blue vs Team Purple(7)

Team Purple spent twenty minutes building a 4-1 lead, and the next fifteen minutes nearly giving it away. Some spotty decision making enabled Team Blue to battle back on two very fast goals by J-C Mansour and P.Desforges. All of a sudden, there was a game making that next goal very crucial. In hopes of carrying their momentum, Team Blue fell back a few steps allowing two very quick tallies by A.Zafiropoulos and A.Angelis. What once appeared like a closely knitted affair spiralled into one direction with Team Purple regaining control. Still, time wasn’t yet an issue, but the order was tall. A.DeSua would eventually respond for Team Blue to pull his side within a pair, but that was all they would get behind B.Verducci with eight minutes remaining. C.Zafiropoulos and A.Zafiropoulos ignited the offense netting two goals each while combining for a total of eight points.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Costa Zafiropoulos of Team Purple. In the seven goals scored by Team Purple, the veteran had his hand on five of those tallies, and was a major reason why his side prevailed.

Friday December 9(Semi finals)

O.Valiquette riffles 4 goals, Generals thump Brewers to kick start series

(7)Generals vs Brewers(1) Game 1

O.Valiquette had a stellar performance notching four markers, D.Massa held the Brewers to only one goal, and the Generals barely met resistance in their semi final opener. The Brewers hung in there for quite a while trailing only 2-1 just shy of the mid way point of the game. Keeping the game close for as long as possible sat well for the Brewers, but not as much for the Generals, who finally turned it up finishing off a strong second period. It was during that stretch that both sides knew where this game was headed. After carrying a comfortable 5-1 lead heading into the third period, V.Lamarche and O.Valiquette added insurance to cap off a fairly easy win. Slowing down the Generals is a tall task. You almost have to hope for fortunate bounces and lights out goaltending if you are the Brewers. With an hour to regroup, the Brewers wont have a choice but to respond with a near perfect game if they plan on extending the series.

S.Pistone holding the fort in net for the United Masters

(2)Chiefs vs United Masters(4) S.O Game 1

The Chiefs twice let leads slip away, and the United Masters came back to bite them en route to a shootout win. It was just about grinding it out for the United Masters. There was no need for any fancy hockey or highlight individual efforts. They played a blue collar style, and ultimately got rewarded in the end thanks to a pair of shootout goals by A.Minassian and D.Charbonneau. The Chiefs, although played well, understood the importance of getting that third goal when the game was 2-1 in their favour. The problem was that the United Masters kept getting in the way while covering their man within a very close proximity. Adding to that, it didn’t help either that S.Pistone was standing between the posts. The goaltender was a rock, and never flinched for well over two periods to give his club a legit chance to take the game. He managed to keep the Chiefs at bay until a shootout decided the outcome. Since the Chiefs couldn’t figure out Pistone, the United Masters capitalised on their shootout attempts to grab an important lead in the series.

First period outburst helps send Generals to final

(6)Generals vs Brewers(4) Game2

The last thing the Brewers needed was a bad start if they had any sort of hope on defeating the Generals. Giving up four first period goals wont cut it despite plenty of time left over. The Brewers looked miserably flat-footed-from the start allowing four different players to get their way for the Generals. Meanwhile, the Generals didn’t change anything about their game. Strong teams like the Generals move the ball extremely well which makes it hard for any opponent to follow. Another area of their game that makes them lethal is the ability to shoot the ball. Most of the Generals have heavy and precise shots on net which makes it hard for any team contain long enough. Even though you have long stretches of success, eventually they’ll find a way. In fairness to the Brewers, this series was always going to be an uphill battle. At least they never threw in the towel by responding heavy in the second period on three goals. Still, they kept trailing, and never made up much ground-from that point on. The Generals managed to protect their slight two goal margin the rest of the way solidifying a much more competitive game two vs. the Brewers.

A.Mercan blasts a pair for the United Masters, Chiefs fall short in early playoff exit

(2)Chiefs vs United Masters(3) Game 2

You never want to fall behind when you are trailing in a playoff series.The Chiefs gave up two first period goals, and had to be wonderibng how to fix things.The mind set wasn’t complicated, play it a shift at a time while trying to get the next tally. Surely enough, A.Zarzour provided it, and the Chiefs were back in the game with nearly two full periods to play. Since this series saw both sides limit the scoring due to their disciplined defensive style, the next goal came as a must for the Chiefs. After a rare mishap by A.Minassian, D.Galloro found himself alone in front of S.Pistone, and made sure to bury his chance to level the score. Now that the game was all tied up in the third period, both sides felt that they were already in sudden death overtime for how difficult it was to find the back of the net. By that point in time, it was all about just throwing the ball toward the net in hopes of it going in. That’s when A.Mercan came through again on a deceiving shot that gave P.Delli Colli no chance. The United Masters regained their lead, and had just under six minutes to kill off. As much as the Chiefs kept putting on the pressure with their season on the line, it just wasn’t meant to be in the end. Overall, the United Masters played it right, and got to the finish line first as the deserving team.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Ari Mercan of the United Masters. The d-man not only kept the Chiefs forwards honest, but was able to provide three big goals in a low scoring series.

The Masters 35+ division is now down to its final two teams. The heavy favourite Generals will take on the United Masters. While it may seem like it’s a given that the Generals will take it in the end, the United Masters could cause a surprise if they keep doing what’s been working for them. By keeping it very simple along with relying on S.Pistone to guard the cage, anything is possible. They just need to keep the games close for as long as possible.

Thursday December 8(Playoffs, round 1)

Fatal Demons advance in perfect game versus RCGT Knights

(10)Fatal Demons vs RCGT Knights(0)

The Fatal Demons walloped the RCGT Knights by a landslide as they easily move into the next round. It was a performance so good that the RCGT Knights had no answers on how to improve. Its no small feat to run up the score the way they did, especially in a playoff game. The RCGT Knights struggled particularly against M.Destounis, A.Argroudis and M.Mavroudis. Every time the three were on the court, something was going to happen. M.Mavroudis notched half of his teams goals which is quite something when your team scores ten. After building a 3-0 lead entering the second period, the Fatal Demons kept rolling like a snow ball in full momentum adding five more markers to their offensive output. Apart-from a few shots here and there, the RCGT Knights didn’t generate much which made R.Ranieri’s night easy between the pipes. Many expected the Fatal Demons to pull this one off. It was only a question of how they did it.

Snipers out work Sonic to capture easy win

(8)Snipers vs Sonic(1)

It goes without saying that you need to come ready to play at this stage during the season. For Sonic, the memo never came, and the Snipers handed them a thumping by the time it was said and done. Things started to look bleak for Sonic when A.Saleh posted his second by the ten minute mark of the second period. Then, two minutes later, Ahamed Khanafer widened the gap by four, and the Snipers knew that they were moving on despite having a period to play. The effort just wasn’t there at times for Sonic. It showed as the game went on that Sonic couldn’t keep up with a more resilient opponent. The Snipers play an annoying style that forces any opponent to remain alert at all times. They always play to their strengths, and benefit because of their hard work. Their only hic up came in the first period when M.Pace got to M.St-Laurent for a rare time. Other than that, the Snipers couldn’t have played a better playoff game.

Brew Crew respond with four in a row to edge out Horsemen

(5)Brew Crew vs Horsemen(4)

The Horsemen couldn’t have asked for a better deal than to get that kind of a start to the game, especially against a team like the Brew Crew. They managed to build a 3-1 lead by the mid way mark, and everything appeared to be going just fine, at least till that point. Sometimes the score does not indicate the way the game is going. The Brew Crew did not struggle when it came to their pace of play, providing plenty of pressure and shots only to not find the back of the net. That being said, it become only a question of time before the bounces would come their way. Even though they fed off a couple of fortunate bounces, strong teams generates their own luck and eventually get paid off. That was the case for the Brew Crew as they kept battling in order to bounce back into the game. After setting up two teammates ,C.Moutafis provided a huge go ahead marker just before the second period came to a close. For the first time during this contest, the Brew Crew found themselves in front. Still, the Horsemen knew they were in it needing only one good shot on net to even the score. With that next tally so crucial, D.James missed out on a great chance to even the score as the Horsemen were putting some good pressure. As it often happens in hockey, a missed opportunity will come back to haunt you as it was the case when M.Maggiore scored shortly after for a 5-3 lead. The Horsemen did attempt a late push and managed to pull themselves within one thanks to a blistering slap shot by B.Rubino. Unfortunately, the clock was bleeding out, and the Brew Crew were able to shut the door en route to a hard fought victory.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Chris Moutafis of the Brew Crew. When his team was trailing 3-1, C.Moutafis took the bull by the horn, and responded by setting up two goals while bagging the go ahead tally for the Brew Crew’s first lead of the night.

The three winners of tonight’s games along with the Van Doos Hc, who skipped out due to a first round bye, will advance to the semi final round. The match ups are as follows:

(1)Van Doos Hc vs Brew Crew(4) Despite what the regular season standings look like this series will go either way. The Van Doos Hc will realise that they wont have that time and space they are used seeing during the regular season. Patience will be an important factor for the division leaders if they plan on taking out a side that’s built to win when it counts.

(2)Fatal Demons vs Snipers(3) If playoff experience matters, than the Fatal Demons own that department and will use it to their advantage. That shouldn’t take away-from what the Snipers need to do. They will need to cautiously be aware when certain players are on the court. If they can slow down some of the Fatal Demons top guns, the Snipers will have a chance to move on.

Wednesday December 7( Semi finals)

Altius win shootout thriller to kick off series with Armadillos

(3)Armadillos vs Altius(4) S.O Game 1

On the road to a shootout, the Armadillos and the Altius put on an entertaining show in what was expected to be a very close game. The teams traded both their goals in the second period with the Altius grabbing the leads on two occasions on tallies by P.Arkalis and J.Provost-Blais. It didn’t take long for the Armadillos to respond and level thanks to a very late second period goal by J.Chiropoulos to set the stage for a crucial third period. Anytime to you enter a final stretch all tied up with so much on the line, teams tend to play extremely cautious wanting nothing less than to make a mistake. That was the case between the two sides as they patiently waited for their chance to come. From-there, it was a battle of who wanted it more, as the two clubs would hold each other scoreless for the remainder of the game. Unable to get it done in regulation time however, the two sides eventually ended up in a shootout to decide matters. P.Bonneau and J.Provost-Blais showed of their skill set as both players executed in the breakaways for the Altius. Getting two out of three attempts usually cuts it which was the case for the Altius, who in the end edged out an important game one victory over the Armadillos.

Punishers using depth in game one win over Assadi Consulting inc

(6)Punishers vs Assadi Consulting inc(1) Game 1

While the focus often remains on C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris as main concerns, the Punishers are more than just the two dynamic players. Tonight’s win exemplifies how deep they are, and that everyone is a threat. Yes, P.Karvouriaris did open the scoring, and yes C.Gingras had his hand in setting up the games first two goals, but the rest of the match was dictated by many other factors. Depth scoring came into play, a solid defensive structure was impenetrable, and finally the goaltending was stellar with C.Ekonomakis playing a near perfect game. The only time the Assadi Consulting inc got on the score sheet was by the third period with the game already put to rest. It may be only one game, but the Assadi Consulting inc are in deep trouble if they don’t adjust and figure things out. Defeating the Punishers will require a much better effort along with some luck perhaps. P.Assadi has a week to think about this loss and send a clear message that this series isn’t over despite how difficult it will be. If they can manage to win game two, the momentum heading into game three may play into their favour. Maybe a week off will help the Assadi Consulting inc put this loss behind them and focus on only what’s ahead.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Joel Provost-Blais. In the little amount of goals that went in between the Altius and the Armadillos, J.Provost Blais made them all happen for his side collecting a goal, an assist along with the shootout winner.

Monday December 5 (Division 2, round 1 playoffs)

Deserving Country Club eliminate RCGT Knights

While the Country Club came ready to play, the same couldn’t be said for the RCGT Knights, who looked flat throughout most of game one. After jump starting the series on three first period goals, the Country Club would lock down defensively, and close out their opener in preparation for another important game. F.Proulx had a great outing collecting three points including the first tally that held for the winner. Goaltending also played into it with M.Dupuis keeping a clean sheet to earn well deserved shutout. If the RCGT Knights planned on extending this series, going scoreless just isn’t going to cut it. Game two did have a different tale to it with A.Lacroix and F.Vitoratos finally getting to the Country Clubs goaltender. Still, they trailed 3-2 after one, and  needed a stronger push in order to force a third and deciding game. Unfortunately, things only went downhill -from there on for the RCGT Knights. The Country Club made some brilliant plays resulting in some pretty goals without any response. M-A Savaria scored twice during the final stretch, and M.Dupuis stood tall once more sending his club through to the semi final round.

(4)Country Club vs RCGT Knights(0) Game 1

(3)RCGT Knights vs Country Club(7) Game 2

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Mathieu Dupuis of the Country Club. Goaltending was at its finest with M.Dupuis making the key saves at the right time to help enable his club through to the next round.

With this win, the Country Club will now move on to the semi final round. The match ups are as follows:

(1)Degenerates vs Country Club(4) The Country Club will now face a different beast. The Degenerates wont give up room to do much which will force the Country Club to make the best of their chances. While scoring will be important, so is keeping the ball out of the net. That’s where M.Dupuis will need to be big for the Country Club if they plan on moving on. As for the Degenerates, C.Stavriadis will need to be his usual self and play a firm game between the pipes. This series  has the potential to go into a game three mini game.

(2)ETNA vs Snipers(3) ETNA may have enough hockey sense and skill to do damage, but can it be enough against a side that will run you down. The Snipers own that strength of applying a constant fore check while rolling a bunch of players. Unless ETNA is able to play with a lead, this series may go the Snipers way. Time will tell as this also has the making of a three game series.

Division 1 (Regular season)

Kings fall flat early twice in must win game or games

Whatever thread the Kings playoff hopes were hanging on by, the Dragons took a pair of scissors to it on Monday night. At worst case, they could have afforded to lose one of their two games. That being said, the Kings didn’t help their cause either in the ensuing match finding themselves in a deep hole with four minutes left in the game. Down 4-1, while needing a regulation win is beyond a tall order. However, and to their credit, the Kings never threw the towel responding on a desperate effort scoring three straight times to even the score. Still, a tie wasn’t going to cut it, and even a shootout win since it gave them only two points instead of three. Things could have perhaps played out differently if it weren’t for a pair of bad starts. The Dragons came ready in both games owning the first two periods. M.Dettorre was the catalyst behind the Dragons first win riding a hat trick while J.Mandracchia was a big part for winning the second encounter on three points. Urgency came into play a little to late for the Kings, who weren’t able to apply it early enough in order to give themselves a chance.

(2)Kings vs Dragons(6)

(5)Dragons vs Kings(4) S.O

Assadi Consulting inc and Brodie Boys cap off regular season in meaningless game

With the Kings falling short in the earlier contest for that last playoff spot, the Assadi Consulting inc took on the Brodie Boys in what was ultimately a meaningless game. The Brodie Boys didn’t change anything in their approach despite knowing that they’ll be taking on the Dragons in the semi finals. Loaded with plenty of depth, many players took turns scoring with T.Ferreira leading the way on two markers. The game ended due to the seven goal mercy rule just passed the mid way point of the second period. Even though it didn’t mean much, the Assadi Consulting inc wanted nothing less than to repeat another embarrassing loss. Entering their last regular season game after a thumping, the Assadi Consulting inc played with a lot more purpose. This time, they made it a point to tighten their game while remaining patient versus a side that doesn’t stop moving. On two occasions, they managed to even the score on goals by J.Courteau. Since regulation time solved nothing a shootout was left to see who would come out on top. After sending three of their skilled players, neither side was still able to get it done. T.Ferreira salvaged the tie by netting the Brodie Boys last shootout marker right after S.Athanasopoulos put the Assadi Consulting inc in front.

(7)Brodie Boys vs Assadi Consulting inc(0)

(3)Assadi Consulting inc vs Brodie Boys(3) S.O

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Angelo Ekonomakis of the Brodie Boys. In four straight periods, the goaltender was sharp and collective earning a shutout while allowing only a couple of goals.

Division 1 regular season ended tonight, and the top four teams will meet up in next weeks semi final round. The match ups are as follows:

(1)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(4) If the Assadi Consulting inc have some sort of magic potion to slow down C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris, than you never know what can happen. Chances are they don’t have that secret recipe like its been the case for all teams this season going up against the dynamic duo. P.Assadi will need to stand on his head while the offense needs to be opportunistic. Expect the Classics to move on.

(2)Brodie Boys vs Dragons(3) It all depends on if the Dragons have all of their main guns. With a complete line up, they’ll have a chance to defeat the Brodie Boys. However, its important that the Dragons try to take the opening game as much as possible since they are an older team and will struggle to keep up as the games go on. The Brodie Boys are relentless with full of talent. They have all the elements to go far, but will have a difficult challenge going up against some high end experienced talent. Look for this series to go far as long as both sides have their complete line up.

Sunday December 4

Team Blue battle, but fall to Team Yellow

(8)Team Yellow vs Team Blue(4)

For a very good portion of the game, Team Blue went toe-to-toe with Team Yellow, but were unable to overcome their slight deficit ultimately falling on the short end of the stick. Goals by R.Beaupre and A.Zarkarian set the tone right away for Team Yellow as they managed to keep their lead the rest of the way despite some push back . R.Beaupre was able to provide another big goal to create a reasonable four goal gap with only six minutes left in the game. Winning these types of game, you need to be successful in bottling up your opponents offense while creating your own. Team Yellow did a fine job on both ends of the court while getting solid goaltending as well. B.Mourad delivered a strong performance keeping Team Blue to limited amount of goals. The contest was already put to rest despite Team Blue striking twice in the final minute.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Brian Mourad of Team Yellow. Sometimes when a game remains fairly close, its because often enough your goaltender keeps it that way. B.Mourad was stellar and consistent the whole way through which helped Team Yellow get the better of Team Blue.

Team Green fall apart versus Team White, Martin Dagenais bags early hat trick

(3)Team Green vs Team White(9)

The word disastrous came as understatement for Team Green , who were absolutely man handled in only ten minutes of play. The lack of mental discipline saw Team Green give up seven goals in a fairly short period of time. That’s what happens when your defensive game is swiss cheese resulting in forcing plays that weren’t there while blindly throwing the ball up the middle. Team White got their strong start-from an unlikely hero when it comes to scoring goals. M.Dagenias does an excellent job preventing them-from going in, but tonight he showed another side of his game as the solid d-man ran up the score early on posting a hat trick by the twenty minute mark. It just seemed like there was nothing that Team Green could have done to stop the bleeding. Team White worked harder on the fore check, exploited some poor defensive coverage, and benefited nearly every time they had a chance. No doubt it was just a terrible ten minutes of hockey for a team that should have done better. Apart-from M.Dagenais making some serious noise early on, Team White got balanced production throughout their entire line up.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Martin Dagenais of Team White. You wouldn’t have expected it, and Martin Dagenais would agree as well that he would be the one to set the offensive tone on a very early hat trick.

Team Brown triumph in back and forth action with Team Purple

(7)Team Purple vs Team Brown(10)

Defense proved to be optional in Sunday nights match up between Team Purple and Team Brown. Both sides combined for a whopping seventeen goals, and Team Brown were able to get the last laugh on a very strong finish. It was one of those games that needed the entire time in order to know who would prevail. Goals kept coming at a rapid rate, and neither side was really in control of the situation. The only time that there was some separation was toward the end with Team Brown closing out the deal on three late tallies. C.Nguyen, T.Settino and M.Estrela all scored in the final five minutes to give their side that edge. Prior to the late surge, the game kept going back and forth. D.Galloro was able to break a crucial 6-6 tie that kept Team Purple scoreless until it was too late. There was no question that the goaltenders didn’t quite get that support they hoped for. However, since the two sides decided to open up, your goaltender still needs to be a factor since every shot on net will count. For Team Brown, G.Platanitis came through making a few extra key saves in order to squeeze out a barn burner.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Celia Nguyen of Team Brown. There was no denying that every time C.Nguyen touched the ball that something would happen. Team Brown went on to win a high scoring affair with the help of C.Nguyen’s six points that included a hat trick.

Team Orange needing a week to reflect on what went wrong

(9)Team Pink vs Team Orange(5)

It went without saying that Team Orange got rattled early on in what ended up being a very disappointing night. Giving up that many goals in such a short period of time is clearly unacceptable. Team Orange has prided themselves on their ability to defend, but tonight they looked like amateurs against a side that came to play. The score was 7-1 in favour of Team Pink before Team Orange started to show some interest. J.Melo and C.Kfoury had a strong start notching two goals each. For a side that may argue have the better defensive players in their line up, they certainly didn’t back up that claim on this particular night. Plenty of credit to Team Pink for breaking through a non existing defense. Things did eventually slow down once Team Pink built a significant lead. Eventually, Team Orange were a little more animated scoring three times in the final six minutes where D.Lipinski was able to complete his hat trick. Overall, just a solid game by Team Pink while the same cant be said for a side that took a night off.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Jason Melo of Team Pink. A good start always helps, and J.Melo helped provide it on two quick goals to set the tone the rest of the way.

Friday December 2

Strong transition game leads the United Masters past the Brewers

The United Masters knew that a win versus the Brewers would proper them into 2nd place and a better playoff match-up as they seemed to be the better prepared side.  The United Masters generated much of their offence with the help of their transition game, as well as excelling in all three zones tonight, by controlling the ball, limiting the high danger chances in the slot and clearing any rebounds for S.Pistone.  The Brewers had no answer for the duo of G. Djevahirdjian and D.Charbonneau, who took care of the offence, notching a hat trick each in the rout.  The United Masters finished the season on a positive note with their strong effort and solid overall play and will be a handful come playoff time.  The Brewers were missing a few key players on this night which would’ve surely helped them, but they’ll need to quickly forget this one and tighten things up defensively for the formidable opponent they’ll face in the playoffs.

(7) United Masters vs Brewers (0)

Shorthanded Warriors fall short of playoff quest with loss to Chiefs

It’s never a good idea to have no changes on the bench and especially when your season is on the line and you’re facing a veteran team like the Chiefs.  This game was crucial and detrimental for the Warriors as they headed into this contest needing a regulation win to secure a spot in the playoffs.  The teams traded scoring chances for the first 2 periods and the game was still within reach for the Warriors, as they were only down by 2, with C.Araujo making some key saves.  The third period was a different story as the Chiefs used their strong transition game and capitalized on a very tired bunch, who simply ran out of energy and couldn’t muster anything offensively.  D.Galloro & J.Choudhry took care of the offense combining for 9 points and P.DelliColli was solid between the pipes earning a shutout in the process. The Chiefs finished strong and will look to carry this momentum heading into the playoffs and continue their solid play.  Credit the Warriors for putting up a valiant effort, but captain J.Melo will have to reset and make the necessary adjustments and gear up for the new season.

(0) Warrior vs Chiefs (7)

SalumiVino Player of the week: G. Djevahirdjian, the crafty veteran was a thorn in the Brewers side all night, causing havoc and creating chances all while notching a hat trick in the process.

Thursday December 1

Strong third period propels Knights to victory

The Knights finally put an end to their 5-game losing streak and did so in convincing fashion.  After getting pummeled the week before, the Knights showed their character and grit and played a solid overall game from start to finish.  The game was deadlocked at 3 goals apiece after 2 periods and both teams were evenly matched and trading chances.  Then the third period started, and the Knights took over by notching 4 unanswered goals on their way to a much-deserved victory.  Despite their record and to their credit, the Flying Squirrels competed and made a game of it but just couldn’t solve S.Sauk in order to get their first points of the season.  The Knights got a much-needed boost with the win and will look to pursue their success come playoff time.

(4) Flying Squirrels vs RCGT Knights (7)

 Langiano & Mavroudis single handedly take care of Sonic in rout

The veteran Fatal Demons have an abundance of weapons in their arsenal and tonight 2 of them were on full display.  Sonic had no answer for the dynamic duo of T.Langiano & M.Mavroudis who took care of the offence by combining for an eye popping 16 points. The Demons didn’t allow Sonic any time or space and dictated the pace of the game with their ball control and movement.  Sonic did manage to score very early in the encounter, but the lead was short lived, and the Demons opened the flood gates with Sonic unable to stop the onslaught of shots and goals.  The victory gives the Demons the momentum needed just in time for the playoffs, where they’ll be in tough to defend their championship and as for Sonic, F.Pace will have to go back to the drawing board and rally his troops.

(3) Sonic vs Fatal Demons (12)

Van Doos HC finish season undefeated after another convincing win

The Van Doos extended their incredible winning streak to 10 games and managed to complete the season by remaining undefeated in a highly competitive division.  They have a well-balanced attack and veteran d-men who can easily join the rush with quick transition and crisp passing making it difficult to adequately game plan for them.   As they have done for most of the season, they jumped to a quick 4-0 lead after 2 periods and never trailed, with G.Di Zazzo leading the way with a hat trick.  For the Squirrels, maybe fatigue was a factor, having played the night before, but they did attempt a valiant comeback in the third, but it was too little too late, as the damage was already done.  This was a tough season for the newcomer Squirrels, who can surely make the necessary adjustments to get better outcomes.  Van Doos started and finished strong and will be a force in the upcoming playoffs as they now await their opponent.

(3) Flying Squirrels vs Van Doos HC (7)

Intense playoff like battle favors the Snipers over the Brew Crew

In what was the game of the night and a battle for positioning within the standings, this match-up didn’t disappoint. It featured 2 teams with similar playing styles, where both are known for their intensity and defense first mentality. As expected, it was a close physical game with both teams fighting for every inch and where chances were limited.   The Snipers got on the board first and never trailed in the game and just kept frustrating the Brew Crew at every opportunity. The Brew Crew had more than enough time to get back in the game, but kept getting stifled, with A.Sayed ultimately sealing their fate by scoring a shorthanded goal in the third period.  The regulation win gave the Snipers a better seeding in the standings and a potentially easier playoff match-up.  As for the Brew Crew, captain C.Palermo will certainly prepare, address and adjust before the playoffs begin.

(4) Snipers vs Brew Crew (2)

SalumiVino Player of the week: T.Langiano, the power forward was all over the place and had himself a career night producing an incredible 5 goals and 3 assists.

Wednesday November 30

Punisher’s firepower proves too much to handle for outmatched Altius

With all the weapons at the Punishers disposal, it means you need to play intense, mistake free hockey and capitalize on your chances.  The Punishers excelled in all 3 zones tonight playing their usual high-speed, up-tempo style, with a ferocious forecheck and never took their foot off the accelerator as the result was never in doubt, en route to routing their opponent.  Altius was forced to play catch-up all game long and couldn’t generate any offence as the Punishers imposed their will from the drop of the ball.  The offence was spread out amongst the entire team, but D.Koutavas & M.Mavroudis managed to each record a hat trick and C.Ekonomakis had a relatively easy night pushing aside 13 shots for the shutout.  Punishers are in fine form and running on all cylinders, as they look to defend their title, whereas, Altius will have to quickly forget this nightmare result and focus on the upcoming playoffs.

(0) Altius vs Punishers (10)

Armadillos strong overall game key to rout of Assadi

Assadi was heading into this match-up looking to generate some much-needed momentum before the playoffs and unfortunately for them, they ran into a stingy defense and red-hot goaltending.  The first period was deadlocked at a goal apiece, but then the Armadillos exploded for the next 4 goals and never trailed till the final buzzer, securing the win and the all-important 2nd place in the division.  Most Impressively in their victory is the fact that the Armadillos used a score by committee approach as 7 different players managed to find the back of the net, with K.Kuczmarski leading the way and their defense mostly limited Assadi’s high danger scoring chances and kept their snipers at bay.  Armadillos will surely look to use this win as a springboard in their quest for the title and as far as Assadi goes, they’ll need to formulate, assess & strategize their game plan accordingly and use this result as a motivator.

(2) Assadi Consulting Inc vs Armadillos (7)

SalumiVino Player of the week: K.Kuczmarski, the veteran playmaker stood out with his performance and was up to his usual tricks, feeding his teammates and controlling the tempo.

Monday November 28

Resilient Knights earn tough split with Snipers

Intensity and readiness are the key attributes which make up the DNA of the Snipers. Tonight, was no different as they stormed out of the gate as soon as the ball was dropped and easily routed the unprepared Knights in the opening contest by a score of 7-0. Game 2 however was a much different story as the Knights managed to flip the script.  After giving his team an earful and making some adjustments, captain S.Sauk was simply a beast between the pipes stopping 29 out of 30 shots.  F.Vitoratos provided the Knights with 2 goals and H.Jafar spoiled the shutout bid with only 35 seconds remaining.  The Knights rebounded nicely after their horrific start and perhaps the Snipers became complacent, but were left scratching their heads, and looking for solutions which they’ll undoubtedly address.

(0) RCGT Knights vs Snipers (7)

 (3) RCGT Knights vs Snipers (1)

 Heavyweight battle favors the Degenerates as they capture 1st place in the division

This match-up featured the top 2 teams in the division and it did not disappoint.  With plenty of back-and-forth action and fast pace and with a playoff like atmosphere and intensity, especially since first place was on the line, the Degenerates prevailed by earning a win and a tie.  Game 1 had ETNA leading 3-0 after 1 period only to see the Degenerates storm back to tie it late and force a shootout, where both goalies were brilliant allowing nothing to beat them.  Game 2 saw the Degenerates score very early and never trailed, with S.Marricco taking care of the offence by notching a hat trick.  The Degenerates will be a tough out, come playoff time and for ETNA, they’ll need to regroup and tighten things up defensively in their quest for the title.

(3) Degenerates vs ETNA (3) S.O.

 (4) Degenerates vs ETNA (2)

 Short bench catches up to Dragons as they split games with the Brodie Boys

The Dragons knew tonight’s games would be quite the challenge, since they only had 2 changeups on the bench and were playing a fast team that handed the Classics their only loss. But when you’re able to field a 3 headed monster like the Dragons, it’s a luxury.  Game 1 was dictated by the Dragons ball possession and high level passing resulting in a 7-3 rout and with A.Mirolla, M.Dettorre & J.Mandracchia combining for 13 points. Credit the Brodie Boys for showing their character and grit in game 2 by using a relentless forecheck and persistent speed by wearing down the shorthanded Dragons en route to earni ing an important split in the series. With an emphasis on team speed and execution, the Brodie Boys can make you pay and as for the Dragons, captain J.DeStefano knows full well that they can compete with anyone, but he’ll need to bring a full roster in this highly competitive division.

(7) Dragons vs Brodie Boys (3)

 (5) Dragons vs Brodie Boys (7)

Stellar goaltending leads Assadi to sweep of Kings

Crucial points were on the line in this contest and the veteran laden Assadi came to play.  Lead by their team defense, ball possession and rock-solid goaltending, they managed to grab valuable points in the standings by winning both games.  M.Melo was simply unbeatable on this night making an incredible 44 saves and allowing only 1 goal in both games.  Credit also goes to their overall defensive minded play which limited the Kings scoring chances in the high danger areas as they defended the perimeter well and stifled them time after time.  Assadi can beat you in many facets of the game as tonight they showed their defensive prowess and intensity. The Kings will need to quickly forget about this one and regroup, since they’re still competing for a playoff spot.

(2) Assadi Consulting Inc vs Kings (1)

 (3) Assadi Consulting Inc vs Kings (0)

Degenerates steal crucial points from Country Club in 2 game sweep

In order to avoid ending up in 4th place and having to play in a do or die playoff game, the Country Club needed to win both games in regulation.  They came with a stacked bench and ready to battle hard and it showed as they stormed out to a 4-1 lead after the opening frame.  The Degenerates then did what they do best as they chipped away at the lead and managed to tie it late to force a shootout where D.Charbonneau was the only player to solve the goaltender.  Game 2 was a different story, as the Degenerates were playing with a short bench and had the lead the whole game and played sound defensively keeping the Country Club on the outside and cleaning up the slot with minimal scoring chances.  Country Club use a score by committee approach, and they’ll need to adjust their defensive side of the ball and timely goaltending if they wish to pass the 1st round and into the semis.

(5) Degenerates vs Country Club (4) S.O.

 (4) Degenerates vs Country Club (2)

SalumiVino: Player of the week: Matthew Melo, who put on a clinic and stood on his head with his superb goaltending, allowing Assadi Consulting to get back on track and in the playoff picture

Wednesday November 23

Van Doos Hc win big third period to extend winning streak

(3)Horsemen vs Van Doos Hc(5)

With two teams headed in the opposite direction, you would have expected this contest to be a tilted affair. The Horsemen haven’t played well as of late, and tonight didn’t help either going up against a well oiled machine. But sometimes it just takes a little confidence and coordination to improve your game. Clearly, the Horsemen showed a lot more tonight compared to their last two ugly losses. They played a harder game by winning some battles which generated chances while applying a strong defensive game. Neither side out did the other for how close it was. It was only  by the thirteen minute mark of the third period that this contest was perhaps decided. The Van Doos Hc got a nice insurance marker by J.Tzanetakos to make the score 5-3. Prior to his goal, J.Liakakos broke the tie right before the mid way point of the final frame on a shot that M.Vinciguerra wished he had. That sequence didn’t stop the Horsemen-from pressing in search of that next tally. At least they worked hard to try and bounce back unlike their previous encounters. If not for a little bad luck, they could have handed the Van Doos Hc their first loss of the season. That being said, good teams find ways to win, and the Van Doos Hc got to the finish line first extending their perfect record to 8-0.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Armen Papazian of the Van Doos Hc. The sharp shooter struck twice, and added an assist for his clubs first three goals of the game.

Thursday November 24

Big second period lifts Snipers to win over Sonic

(7)Snipers vs Sonic(2)

Perhaps, its no coincidence that when the intensity ramped up on Thursday night, so too did the Snipers play. The Snipers, admittedly, did not get off to the grandest of starts against Sonic and found themselves trailing by a goal after one period. But when the urgency and feistiness started to elevate in the second period, the Snipers began to perk up, outshooting the Sonic by a large margin. The lopsided shots translated on the board to with the Snipers riding five unanswered goals. The surge didn’t involve any key player making the difference which is part of the identity of the Snipers. Five different players scored before Hadi Khanafer notched his second by the third to cap off a very productive night for his club. Sonic may have gotten the better start up 1-0, but where under siege by the second where they appeared unable to compete hard enough against a side that doesn’t take a night off.

RCGT Knights making it easy for the Van Doos Hc

(12)Van Doos Hc vs RCGT Knights(2)

This is what will happen when you don’t come prepared for a strong opponent. The RCGT Knights had to face off against a really hot Van Doos Hc club that has yet to drop a game this season. The one thing that you need to avoid is a bad start. Unfortunately, it was actually worse than that. Giving up six first period goals suggests that you aren’t  putting a good effort out there. The Van Doos Hc showed no mercy peppering a defenceless net minder that led to a ton of goals without much resistance. Rather than improving despite knowing that it’s a lost cause, the RCGT Knights looked equally disinterested in the second period giving up a bunch more tallies that finished off the game earlier than it should have. The only difference was they managed to put two behind the Van Doos Hc goaltender. The win came with a spread out offense that saw five players score at least two with N.Tsataronis leading the way on a hat trick. A.Papazian, J.Liakakos, N.Kokovidis and H.Patel were the ones who scored twice for the Van Doos Hc ninth straight win of the season.

Flying Squirrels battle back but fall after Horsemen take over

(3)Flying Squirrels vs Horsemen(7)

The Horsemen avoided the mistake of allowing the Flying Squirrels to battle back for a second time when they grabbed a 4-2 lead. This time, they got it right, but it still came with some risk. The Flying Squirrels had a golden opportunity to pull themselves within one on a power play chance. And rather than taking advantage, M.Kardum scored instead on a far slap shot stemming-from a play created by D.James. Now that the Horsemen regained their two goal lead, they made sure to be more aware on the court and not allow their opponent to crawl back into the game. Perhaps the calming moment occurred when M.Kardun notched his second mid way in the third period for a three goals cushion. From-there, the Horsemen felt confident that they would pull through since they did carry much of the play. D.James would score and collect his third point of the night while M.Kardum added one more to complete his hat trick.

Brew Crew win special teams battle against Fatal Demons

(4)Brew Crew vs Fatal Demons(1)

Powered by a perfect special teams night, the Brew Crew got the better of the Fatal Demons on Thursday night. The Brew Crew owned that department riding two power play goals along with a shorthanded marker. Adding to that, they did an incredible job killing off a pair of five on three’s giving the Fatal Demons barely enough scoring chances with so much room to move the ball. D.Verta capitalised twice with the man up for the Brew Crew while setting up M.Maggiore’s goal that held for the winner. The shorthanded tally came by the nine minute mark of the third period courtesy of C.Moutafis. Up until that point, the Fatal Demons had yet to figure out C.Muccino, who was strong keeping a very clean sheet versus a side that usually buries a few. However, Muccino missed out on his shutout when M.Chenier finally got to the net minder. Luckily for the Fatal Demons that this was just a regular season game for how they were taken by a better structured Brew Crew team. No doubt it will come as a lesson leaned moving forward. When two strong contenders face each other, you need to play at your best. That being said, its safe to say that the Brew Crew were clearly by far the better of the two sides on this night.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Danny Verta of the Brew Crew. When the opportunity is there, you have to take advantage of it. D.Verta did just that with a pair of power play goals that helped make the difference versus a rival opponent.

Wednesday November 23

Ekonomakis, Punishers shutout Assadi Consulting inc

(3)Punishers vs Assadi Consulting inc(0)

The Punishers scored all three goals in the second period, and C.Ekonomakis turned in another stellar performance, leading to a 3-0 shutout win over the Assadi Consulting inc on Wednesday night. C.Ekonomakis was the big difference maker stopping all 28 shots he faced. It was M.Mavroudis that got the Punishers on board first, while P.Karvouriaris extended the lead on a power play goal. The 2-0 margin widened almost immediately thanks to B.Makris. It was one of those games that the Assadi Consulting inc played well enough to win only to be snake bitten every time. If C.Ekonomakis played a little more normal, the end result could have been different. Even though they dropped the end result, the Assadi Consulting inc know that they are on the right track despite what the standings look like. These two teams will face each other in the first playoff round starting very soon. The Punishers may admire their regular season record, but it wont mean much if they don’t take the Assadi Consulting inc serious. Hockey can sometimes be a deceptive game with a lot of unpredictable factors. All it takes is a bad bounce here and there, and all of a sudden the alarm bells start to ring. Tonight, the Punishers needed stellar goaltending in order to win.

Armadillos explode in second period to blow past Altius

(3)Altius vs Armadillos(8)

Trading one goal after the first period was a deal that the Altius would sign any day. As long as the game remained close, the Altius were content since they had to manage a shorter bench. While things appeared to be going fine for a little while, that wasn’t completely the case as the second period started to wind down. The Armadillos  were able to put the Altius on their heels making them chase the game. And when you are stuck trying to follow your man, you have no choice but to do it properly as a collective unit. That type of game needs to be applied when trying to stop a bunch of talented players on the Armadillos roster. Eventually, they’ll find a way which was the case by the second period. The Armadillos kept pressing resulting in four unanswered goals that saw S.Athanasopoulos bury a pair while setting up J.Chiropoulos. Since the Armadillos found themselves in a comfortable position heading into the third period, it was up to the Altius to try and make changes in hopes of bouncing back. Unfortunately, they just didn’t have the man power and energy to match the pace of a ready opponent.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Chris Ekonomakis of the Punishers. The perception out there is that the Punishers are an offense machine that can score at will. And while that is very accurate, goaltending is sometimes overlooked in the case of the Punishers. If not for Ekonomakis doing his thing on Wednesday night, the end result could have been very different.

Monday November 21

Mighty Pooches outmatched in all areas of the game versus ETNA

You know you just aren’t in it when you give up three shorthanded goals in a row. The Mighty Pooches crashed head first heading into the tail end of the opening frame allowing three goals with a man short. Shorthanded goals are not easy to come, but D.Petreccia and M.Alfieri were able to combine for six points during that short stretch. It looked all to familiar for the Mighty Pooches, who unfortunately cant find ways to adjust and make it more difficult for their opponent. They simply cant measure up which only discourages you as the season winds down. A few factors are always required to remain competitive. Often, it starts by playing better in your own end which is an area that you can control. Even if you don’t have the finish to bury some goals, you can always find a way to play a good defensive game. Unfortunately for the Mighty Pooches, nothing worked at all on this night, not even to say that they got at least one by M.Stoico.

(7)ETNA vs Mighty Pooches(0)

(0)Mighty Pooches vs ETNA(7)

Degenerates take advantage of RCGT Knights feeble defense

By the time the first period ended, the game showed how the Degenerates were able to exploit an inadequate defense.  You cant afford to give up five goals in a single frame. The RCGT Knights have a nice pool of young and experienced players, but they didn’t approach this mini series with the Degenerates the right way. Its not like the Degenerates are a faster team. In hockey, players understand that the ball moves faster than the player. If this simple concept is understood fully, than the RCGT Knights would have done better with their coverage.  Instead, they left the lanes wide open which created plenty of odd man chances that resulted in goals. J.Melo used his patented wrist shot to bury a pair while S.Marricco wasn’t going to be denied as the power forward collected five goals in two games. A.Lamont also had a productive night collecting five points. Out of the twenty seven shots he received, C.Stavriadis allowed just a goal in each game to earn a pair of wins between the pipes.

(8)Degenerates vs RCGT Knights(1)

(1)RCGT Knights vs Degenerates(4)

Assadi Consulting inc slow starts dooms them in the end

To win hockey games, you need to play at your best throughout the entire time, especially going up against the Classics. The Assadi Consulting inc only turned on their engines when it was a little too late. The Classics used two very good starts that led to a pair of fairly close victories. It goes without saying that you need to be aware every time C.Gingras and P.Karvourirais are on the court. Despite knowing this, it still didn’t matter. The two were at it again complementing each other shift after shift making it very difficult for any defense to contain. While they were able to provide a strong start, the Classics have other players in their bag of tricks that can hurt you as well. C.Kakivelis was a prime example in the first game as the skilled forward notched his clubs last two goals that included the winner. As for the second encounter, A.Kakivelis did the same right after P.Karvouriaris riffled a hat trick. With the season winding down to its final games, every point will count for the Assadi Consulting in , who still have some games left over to try and get it right.

(4)Assadi Consulting inc vs Classics(5)

(6)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(4)

C.Moses shootout winner earns Kings spilt with Dragons

The second game looked like the Kings had it in regulation time. Up 2-1 with the clock bleeding out, the Kings had the chance to bury it in an empty net only to see the Dragons respond late to force a shootout. At least there was some saving grace when C.Moses notched their only shootout goal for the Kings. The previous encounter had a very similar outcome, but with the Dragons getting the slight edge. The contest was just as close with it deadlocked at three goals apiece. It almost was headed for a shootout as well until P.Rivera avoided it with just over two minutes remaining. The Dragons scored four goals in that game in large part due to A.Mirolla’s presence. The forward was again a main factor participating in all four goals while adding a pair of assists in the second match where they dropped it by a 3-2 margin. P.Musto was also heavily involved accumulating four points. The Kings got their points production-from their usual suspect D.Lombardi, who decided to be generous by setting up five goals. These came as good results for the two sides as they are fighting for a playoff spot in a very tight race.

(4)Dragons vs Kings(3)

(3)Kings vs Dragons(2) S.O

C-A Bessette late goal rescues Country Club for a split with Snipers

Twenty three second was all that was needed to kill off if the Snipers were to bank six clean point to the standings. They took the opening game by a slight 3-2 margin, and appeared to be headed for a second straight win only to see it end in a shootout loss by giving up a very late tally. The Country Club hadn’t scored up until that point. That’s when C-A Bessette tallied late to force a shootout. Still, the Snipers had a chance to win, but their three attempts failed to get through M.Dupuis. In their third and final attempt to try and break the tie, M-A Savaria was able to put the Country Club on top with a hard precise wrist shot that just beat M-St-Laurent. For implications involving the general standings, any result wouldn’t affect the Country Club to much as they’ll likely remain in fourth place. However, the Snipers would have preferred the extra two points that they dropped if their goal is to take top spot. Regardless where anyone finishes, the playoffs is where the real season begins, and the two sides wont be overly concerned on how the standings look like.

(2)Country Club vs Snipers(3)

(1)Snipers vs Country Club(2) S.O

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Anthony Mirolla of the Dragons. On every single play that resulted in a goal, A.Mirolla was behind it collecting a total of six points.

Sunday November 20

Team Black win back and forth game against Team Blue

(6)Team Black vs Team Blue(4)

Though tempted throughout a back and fort affair on Sunday evening, Team Black refused to let their head to head with the high energy Team Blue slip out of their grasp. A win that featured almost everything you can ask for in a mid season game. Six different players took turns finding the back of the net, the defense tightened up in the second portion of the match, and just as importantly, A.Zardarian was there to stop many balls in order to preserve the win. This contest was going back in forth with the two sides trading goals and chances that gave no indication as to where it was headed. The turning point only occurred when M.Musi made the score 6-3 by the thirty-nine minute mark. While many players scored for Team Black, its safe to say that plenty of the offense stemmed-from Claude Kfoury, who set up four teammates while getting the games first tally.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Claude Kfoury of Team Black. Nearly every goal came-from the touch of the ball by the skilled forward capping off a very productive five point night.

Team Purple thrive with balanced attack

(5)Team Green vs Team Purple(8)

You can either rely on your main guns or every single player to be involved in order to have success. Both scenarios do work ,but Team purple may have proven that balance was perhaps the determining factor in this particular game. Team Purple got contributions throughout their line up with scoring efforts-from seven different players while Team Green relied on S.Tomasetta and C.Arnoldo to do all of the scoring. Good balance equates to good chemistry, and Team Purple showed that they can play well as a group. At one point, they led 6-2 before enduring a hic up that enabled Team Green to bounce back on three consecutive markers in only three minutes. Out of nowhere, there was a game that was up for grabs. You almost knew that somebody would eventually score with plenty of time left over. Since that next tally was so important, both sides wanted nothing less than to get their first. Eventually, M.Lang provided it for Team Purple notching his second of the contest as the only player to strike twice out of the eight goals that went in. M.Chenier would then add an insurance marker, and Team Purple were relieved for avoiding a total meltdown.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Mike Lang of Team Purple. The power forward takes up a lot of space when he gets on making it very difficult for any defense to contain. Team Purple, although relied on everyone, did get that extra gear-from M.Lang.

Team Pink end losing streak with authority

(8)Team Pink vs Team Brown(3)

Four games worth of frustration were taken out on Team Brown Sunday night as Team Pink ended their four game losing streak with authority in a convincing fashion. Team Pink erased any doubt that this would be their night when T.Scarpelli took over the show riffling a hat trick by only the twenty seven minute mark. The forward was on fire and never let up adding an assist and a fourth tally by the time it was over. While getting a strong production by one player is an important part of the equation, there are other factors that need to happen if you plan on winning games. No one can deny that goaltending always comes into play. Team Pink were glad to see G.Kanaras outstanding between the pipes allowing only three goals-from a team that usually have no issues scoring. Team Brown faced a wall, and never quite figured out how to solve Kanaras unless it was a high end quality chance.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to George Kanaras of Team Pink. After going 0-4 this season, Kanaras delivered a stellar goaltending performance that helped his team get in the win column.

Team Yellow spanked by Team Orange, P.Kassaris a minute shy of recording a shutout

(8)Team Orange vs Team Yellow(1)

Defensive lapses led to turnovers, and Team Orange made sure to not waste their chances. Only five minutes in, and this game showed its identity with only one club determined to play. Team Orange scored three times in a short span which put themselves in a comfortable position to dictate the pace to their liking. When a team falls behind the way Team Yellow did, you almost have no choice but to open up in order to create goals. The problem is that if you don’t convert , a strong opponent will make you pay . That looked to be the case with Team Orange finishing off their chances as they slowly ran up the score. M.Pietrantonio strung two quick goals to capture a hat trick, and J.Wong followed up posting his second for an 8-0 lead. Sometimes a bad night will happen to any team. And since things weren’t going their way, Team Yellow looked for something that they could find to at least spoil the fun for Team Orange. With the game winding down, that moment did occur when P.Paikopoulos took away P.Kassaris’s shutout with only one minute left on the clock.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Paul Kassaris of Team Orange. Getting a shutout or allowing only one goal in this division is quite remarkable. P.Kassaris may have wanted a clean score sheet, but the net minder was just as happy knowing that he played a strong game in net allowing only a late tally.

S.Fraga first period hat trick propels Team White past Team Red

(3)Team Red vs Team White(8)

Team White stormed out of the gate strong scoring six times in the first seventeen minutes alone before things finally started to slow down. Unable to stop the bleeding, Team Red were under siege in what was a very discouraging start to the game. Its very difficult trying to overcome a huge deficit when things just kept getting worse. To their credit, they did stick with it even though they knew that this was a lost cause. They managed to get on board rattling off three consecutive goals in only seven minutes .M.Barone and A.Gold were the only two players to collect points with Barone leading the way on two markers and an assist. As for a good overall sequence, that was about it for Team Red, who never really recovered after a disastrous start. The game was about ten minutes old when S.Fraga overwhelmed Team Red on three goals. While he wasn’t the only one to dissect Team Reds defense, N.Macri and C.Arnoldo did damage as well netting two goals each.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Simon Fraga of Team White. His hat trick in the first ten minutes alone proved to be to much for Team Red to overcome.

Friday November 18

Brewers and Warriors set to play for their playoff lives

(3)Warriors vs Brewers(4)

They almost really had no choice but to pull this one off against the Warriors if they planned to stay in contention for a playoff spot. With only three games left in the regular season, the Brewers had to get that first one under their belt. As expected, the game wasn’t going to be decided until the very last play of the game. The Warriors threw everything they could in hopes of tying the match only to be denied . E.Bouchard was the unlikely hero in this one posting two goals that included the winner. The Brewers had their best moment in the second period where they rattled off three tallies in only six minutes. M.DelGaudio was also a main gun as the power forward scored once while setting up Bouchard’s winner. This result moves the Brewers up three points where they are presently deadlocked with the Warriors. Since they both play again on this same night, the Brewers will have a golden chance to find themselves in rather than looking-from the outside.

Generals forced to work hard in order to down a depleted United Maters side

(7)Generals vs United Masters(5)

You normally don’t find a good reason to justify a loss, but the United Masters will look back at this game versus the Generals as a moral victory. And why not when flooring a depleted line up versus an offensive juggernaut like the Generals. If not for same bad timing, the United Masters may have even pulled this one off. They led by a pair until V.Lamarche scored very late in the second period to lead 4-3.For two straight periods, the United Masters kept the Generals in check making it very difficult for them to find any room. Adding to that, S.Pistone was there to deliver a sound goaltending performance. But there is only so much a team can do, and the United Masters spent all their energy trying to compete with a superior opponent. Eventually, the flood gates started to open by the third period where the Generals took over on four tallies. R.Morne opened the scoring before adding two more by the final frame to earn a hat trick. He may not have reached his standards of how many goes he could score, but O.Valiquette took a different role setting up four teammates while netting his clubs second tally. On the flip side of the court, D.Charbonneau did turn some heads as the natural defenseman showed that he can play the forward position just as well if not better by bagging a hat trick. A.Minassian also chipped in with a pair while N.Katsifolis collected three assists.

M.DelGaudio powers the Brewers in key overtime win over the Warriors

(3)Warriors vs Brewers(4) O.T

Momentum may have played a factor in tonight’s mini series between the Brewers and the Warriors. Since the Brewers came off a must win in the earlier contest, the will and desire to win translated almost immediately in this particular game. The Brewers came out with purpose grabbing a strangle hold on the match thanks to a big opening period by M.DelGaudio. His two goals helped pave the way to a clear path for a potential victory. E.Bouchard increased the lead with a lone second period goal, and the Brewers appeared to be headed for an easy three points to the standings. Up until that point, the Warriors couldn’t get anything going with C.Stavriadis being in the way. The net minder understood what was at steak and delivered a flawless performance. That being said, sometimes it comes down to breaking the ice only once to turn the tides. The Warriors felt they needed just one for them to get back into the game. Finally that tally came early in the third period courtesy of R.Branchaud. Now that they got the monkey off their back, the Warriors fuelled off their momentum with J.Porco converting on two occasions that would ended tying the game. Out of nowhere, this contest flipped on its head with the Warriors saving their best for last. After riding three unanswered goals heading into overtime in what is coming down to crucial points, you would have to assume that the Warriors would have gotten the final word. Instead, it was M.DelGaudio again haunting his opponent as the power forward came through at a time of need notching his third to recover-from a third period disaster.

Fatigue catches up to the United Masters by the third in loss to Chiefs

(7)Chiefs vs United Masters(3)

It was maybe just a matter of time before the United Masters lost fuel in their tank. They just came off a hard nosed battle with the Generals, and hung in there for quite some time with the Chiefs until the final stretch. A slight 4-3 third period lead only widened passed the mid way point of the third period when J.Choudhry captured his hat trick followed with A.Zarzour and D.Galloro providing some insurance. Prior to the last frame, the United Masters applied a strong game plan keeping the Chiefs to the outside for as long as they can before falling a step behind. The Chiefs looked like the quicker side as they kept moving and opening up to create enough lanes that resulted into some decent scoring chances. D.Galloro carried a major part of the offense as the captain participated in six of the seven goals that included five assists. The win solidifies a second place finish in the standings for the Chiefs where they’ll need to wait and see who their eventual first round opponent will be.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Marco DelGaudio of the Brewers. In two very important games, M.DelGaudio was influential collecting a total of five points that included a hat trick.

Wednesday November 16

Sonic playing with fire on short bench

(4)Sonic vs Brew Crew(9)

You know that you are already in trouble before the ball drops. Sonic had one simple approach, and that’s to try and keep this game as close as possible by hanging back while relying on B.Madonis to steal the show. For sure it sounds easier said than done, but  there isn’t really any other way to go about it. The unfortunate part was that the Brew Crew didn’t mess around and took them seriously-from the get go despite falling behind 1-0. They responded on five unanswered goals in what appeared to be more than a sufficient lead. Since Sonic was rotating only two changes, it only made sense that they were headed for a lopsided defeat. However, that wasn’t entirely the case. M.Pace is the player he is because of his competitive nature. So matter what the situation is during a game, that wont slow him down even if he knows the task is a tall one. The fierce forward finished off the second period by collecting his second goal and third point to pull Sonic within a pair. Now that the game wasn’t yet decided, the Brew Crew made sure to use their deeper bench to out last Sonic by the time it was said and done. That’s when D.Verta took charge posting back to back goals as part of a seven point night.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Danny Verta of the Brew Crew. No question the crafty forward was on top of his game collecting a ton of points to lead all players.

Thursday November 17

M.Destounis, M.Mavroudis and T.Langiano connect for 19 points

(10)Fatal Demons vs Flying Squirrels(3)

It really didn’t take long for the Fatal Demons to find their rhythm. Only six minutes in, and the Flying Squirrels found themselves in a hurdle down 3-0. It was a game that M.Destounis, M.Mavroudis and T.Langiano drove plenty of the offense. The trio combined for 19 points clicking with barely any resistance. Its expected to happen when you are stuck chasing the same three players without a solution on how to slow them down. At one point, the Flying Squirrels focused on getting at least one by R.Ranieri, who stood firm for nearly two periods. M.Petros finally gave his side something to cheer about by getting to the Fatal Demons goaltender late in the second period. Even with the game out of reach, the Flying Squirrels kept battling and got rewarded two more times on goals by M.Leake and S.Saintil.

Snipers dismantle sluggish Horsemen

(6)Snipers vs Horsemen(2)

Any team can give it all early on since the energy levels aren’t spent. That being said, it becomes a question of time before it starts to show. In tonight’s case going up against a well rounded Snipers team, the Horsemen started to slowly fall a step behind, and because of it, they paid the price in the end. Winning loose balls along with keeping it on your stick long enough usually goes a long way. The Snipers kept a good part of their possession which eventually turned into some high end chances. The game started to shift away-from the Horsemen early in the third period when D.Mansour scored his second for a 5-1 lead. It wasn’t like the Horsemen had enough quality chances where they can look back at and wonder what could have been. Due to their lack of shots toward the net, this result was inevitable with the Snipers being the better of the two sides. D.Mansour went on to collect fours points, F.Nasser chipped in with a pair, and the Snipers got what they deserved.

Brew Crew getting full team effort in rout of RCGT Knights

(6)Brew Crew vs RCGT Knights(2)

That’s what happens when a team gets production up and down their line-up while playing hard for one another. The Brew Crew again played hard, smart and with plenty of determination on Thursday night. Six different players scored, the power play gelled with J.DeSua and A.DeSua capitalising, and C.Muccino did his part allowing only two goals on 17 shots.  There is no doubt that long time chemistry is a very big part of it. The RCGT Knights have a good blend of players with experience and youth, but don’t have the years experience that the Brew Crew have as a collective group. Unless you play a near perfect game, its very difficult to beat them on a full squad. The game was 4-0 favouring the Brew Crew before S.Tessier finally got the RCGT Knights on board by the ten minute mark of the second period. Sometimes a spark can lead to a momentum swing, but not in tonight’s case as the Brew Crew responded with two more tallies to put this one in the books.

Van Doos Hc keep looking unstoppable

(1)Sonic vs Van Doos Hc(6)

The Van Doos Hc went into the game rolling and looking to keep their unbeaten run alive. They picked up right where they left off emerging into another successful night. Every aspect of their game is working, and tonight was just another example of it. Starting with their aggressive pace offense that resulted into six goals. Playing without the ball is also vital for a good result. The Van Doos Hc allowed only a first period goal by M.Arcaro before J.Liopoulos went perfect the rest of the way in net. And sometimes you get a specific player elevating their game that also helps like in the case of N.Chiminian, who scored in every frame to complete a hat trick. N.Kokovidis complements the back end whistling off three nice primary passes while reading and breaking up plays. All in all, just another well earned win for a side that’s running on all cylinders. Sonic entered tonight’s contest with a much deeper bench compared to yesterdays game versus the Brew Crrew. In hopes of using it to their advantage, they weren’t able to compete hard enough against a strong opponent. Surely M.Pace would have helped enormously, but that still doesn’t excuse the fact that they should have done better.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Dominic Mansour of the Snipers. Heavily involved, the fierce forward was all over the court nothing two goals along with a pair of helpers.

Wednesday November 16

J.Rochon uses strong second period to rebound Assadi Consulting inc past Altius

(4)Altius vs Assadi Consulting inc(5)

The Assadi Consulting inc played in a battle of opposing philosophies on Wednesday , as they were able to recover-from a 0-2 deficit to defeat the Altius. The Altius made their presence shown-from the beginning of the game winning the opening frame on goals by A.Alfonso and B.Bentivegna. The Assadi Consulting inc wasn’t able to generate much offense in the opening stanza, but that eventually changed in the ensuing frame where they completely took over the match. J.Rochon led the charge setting up two teammates while scoring late in the period to put his side up 3-2. With that strong finish, it was now the Altius turn to play catch up. While they attempted on two occasions to pull themselves within one, the Altius couldn’t string that second goal in order to level. Maybe that’s because Pedram Assadi was determined not to enable it. The net minder understood he needed to be extremely sharp in order to pull this one off. And to his credit, he delivered in a big way to remind his team that no matter how difficult the season has been so far, that anything can happen.

Punishers able to keep Armadillos in check for close win

(3)Punishers vs Armadillos(2)

You always look to get on board first when going up against a rival opponent. That opening goal enables you to get a better grip on the match, and the Punishers used it to their advantage playing a sound and cautious game. M.Koutavas provided it in the first period, and P.Karvouriaris doubled the Punishers lead early in the second period. For sure a 2-0 lead inspires your side to grow in confidence as the game continues to roll along. Your players all buy into helping each other out, and your goaltender feeds off it knowing that he is a big reason why his club is in front. For just over two full periods, C.Ekonomakis kept a clean sheet against a very lethal offense. Eventually, the Armadillos finally got to the net minder when Q.Syrydiuk beat him early in the third period. The Armadillos felt they needed just one in order to get their side going with plenty of time left over. It was just a question of who would get there first. The Punishers don’t like to lay back even if they are in front, and will look to seize the opportunity once it presents itself. Already with a pair of assists, A.Argiroudis came up big for the Punishers by the ten minute mark where he bagged a tally that ultimately held for the winner.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Jason Rochon of the Assadi Consulting inc. When his team looked deflated down 2-0, the power forward inspired his side to bounce back riding a dominating second period on two helps and a go ahead marker.

Monday November 14

Classics stunned in first season loss to Brodie Boys

Finally, a good thing came to an end for the Classics dropping their first in fourteen games. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter as they’ll be finishing on top of the division. However, it does say something to the rest of the division that anything is possible. The Brodie Boys were the first to prove that they can defeat anyone on any given night. Although they dropped the first encounter in a relatively close game, the second match had a different meaning to it. You always want to try and keep the game close when challenging a lethal opponent like the Classics . As long as the game remained within a reasonable margin, the Brodie Boys felt confident about their chances. They made it a point to win as many one on one battles to gain ball possession wile making sure to come back and block as many lanes as possible. With the defense standing firm blocking shots, and B.Makris standing on his head , the Brodie Boys got the offense required in order to edge out the Classics. Two of their four goals came with the man advantage courtesy of H.Angelov and D.Koutavas. On normal circumstances, the Classics seem to have this knack of being the better threat during the special teams. Usually C.Gingras or P.Karvouriaris deflate their opposition on shorthanded goals, but not on this night as the Brodie Boys made sure to limit their mistakes in order to squeeze out a hard earned victory.

(5)Classics vs Brodie Boys(2)

(4)Brodie Boys vs Classics(3)

Country Club unable to hold its leads vs ETNA

The Country Club got off to a fast start during the first game, but ultimately allowed four unanswered goals as ETNA earned a 4-2 win. This isn’t the first time the Country Cub squandered their leads. At least when it happened earlier in the season, they can argue that they were undermanned. However, that wasn’t the case in tonight’s defeat due to their deeper bench compared to ETNA. The turning point can be argued when M.Alfieri capitalised with the man advantage to put ETNA in front for the first time during the match. It may have been a slight lead, but ETNA adapted their game plan making sure that they didn’t give much for the Country Club to respond. M.Stoico turned away enough scoring chances to earn the win in net. As expected, the second game was going to be close as well. With both teams visiting the penalty box on a few occasions, the special teams would come into play. This was one area that ETNA excelled in scoring two out of their thee goals on the power play. J.Alfieri and A.Franceschini buried their chance with a man up, and M.Alfieri was clutch again bagging the game winning goal. And for a second straight game, M.Stoico was solid allowing only two tallies on 22 shots.

(2)Country Club vs ETNA(4)

(3)ETNA vs Country Club(2)

M.St-Laurent backstops Snipers to shutout victory, Degenerates respond to split mini series

There was no question both teams really wanted to win knowing the impact it has on the standings . It wasn’t really about making the playoffs since that’s not an issue, but more so for pride of being the division leaders. The Degenerates would have liked a deeper roster going up against a younger and faster team. Since they didn’t quite have all their elements, a spilt would have been fine, at least for them anyway. The Snipers on the other hand wanted to grab both wins, and why not after taking a very close 1-0 victory to jump start their night. J.Hassan scored their lone goal on the power play, and M.St-Laurent shut the door allowing no one to beat him.  Now that the first encounter was decided, the Degenerates knew they had to add more mustard in their play if they planned on splitting the night. Much of the second game resembled nothing like the first one. This time, both teams opened it up a lot more which led to more chances as the goals kept piling on. The contest went back and forth until a big power play marker by S.Marricco put the Degenerates in front 4-3.That tally proved to be huge since it led to a pair of insurance markers by A.Desrosiers and Marricco’s hat trick. Defeating the Snipers is a very difficult task in this division. You almost need a near sound game in order to come out on top. Since they never let up, its nearly impossible to run up the score against them. The Degenerates knew this, and remained patient waiting for their chances to occur while playing a committed defensive game. C.Stavriadis was just as good as his counter part M.St-Laurent as both net minders enabled their side to come out on top.

(0)Degenerates vs Snipers(1)

(4)Snipers vs Degenerates(6)

Dragons make ground in standings after banking key points vs Assadi Consulting inc

The Assadi Consulting inc were twenty second away-from going empty handed against a team that they cant afford to give up points against. J.Rochon riffled his second late in the first game, and the Assadi Consulting inc were able to force a shootout. Unfortunately, they fell on the short end unable to solve P.Delli Colli on three attempts. Instead, J.Mandracchia didn’t miss after scoring the Dragons two out of three goals during the game. Losing one point is better than three, but the real issue was how the Assadi Consulting inc responded in the ensuing game. You would have to expect a hungry team ready to come out with the contest having enough meaning to it. Rather than it being close, the opposite took place with the Dragons trouncing their opponent. In the first eight minutes alone , the game was already decided with the Dragons riding a 5-0 lead. J.Mandracchia and M.Detorre went on to complete hat tricks, A.Mirolla collected four points and the Dragons gained some key points to the standings.

(4)Dragons vs Assadi Consulting inc(3) S.O

(4)Assadi Consulting inc vs Dragons(8)

RCGT Knights stroll to a pair of wins over the Mighty Pooches

The RCGT Knights were able to stay in first gear and collected a pair of convincing wins over the Mighty Pooches. They dominated possession as expected, and used two power play goals in the first game to help build a 3-0 lead. J.Prevost and J.Senay each scored with the man advantage as both players went on to add another sharing two goals apiece. In their few shot attempts, the Mighty Pooches couldn’t get to T.Sauk. At the very least, when things don’t quite go well, you look for something that can shed light to your club. In the case of the Mighty Pooches, it was about trying to get at least one before the night ended. That moment did finally occur late in the first period of the second game when they found themselves on the power play. O.Fortin was able to complete a play that stemmed-from J.Tata to beat T.Sauk for a rare time. Still, the RCGT Knights remained in control up 3-1 despite allowing that goal. J.DeSua went on to widen the margin right before M.Guarnieri posted his second to finish off the scoring. A.Lacroix also cashed in twice with the help of J.Prevost, who collected another three points.

(6)RCGT Knights vs Mighty Pooches(0)

(1)Mighty Pooches vs RCGT Knights(5)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Jeremy Prevost of the RCGT Knights. He never slowed down, and was a thorn throughout four entire periods. When both games were said and done, the fast skilled forward produced an impressive seven points.

Sunday November 13

Abysmal start sabotages Team White comeback attempt

(7)Team Blue vs Team White(4)

Team White looked miserably flat footed-from the start and wasted no time falling behind 3-0 by the twelve minute mark. Four different players scored for Team Blue before E.Nardelli showed his form posting two more tallies to complete his hat trick. A.DeSua supported his teammates by setting up three markers while netting his clubs second goal of the game. Team White eventually started to show some life when J.Melo and M.Dagenais tallied only a few minutes apart. That sequence pulled their club within a pair with still plenty of time left over. It was clear that the next goal was going to perhaps indicate where this game was going. Unfortunately for Team White, they dug themselves deeper when E.Nardelli capped off his hat trick with only seven  minutes remaining. It just went to show that a strong start usually paces a team to hold up in the end. Team Blue showed more purpose-from the get go riding a 4-1 lead by the fifteen minute mark which ultimately made the difference in this particular match.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Emerson Nardelli of Team Blue. Nardelli was Team Blue’s most dangerous player notching three big goals to help lead his club past Team White.

Team Pink fall short, Team Purple win tightly contested game

(5)Team Pink vs Team Purple(8)

A team that’s been stumbling so far this season were able to go toe to toe with Team Purple on Sunday night. In the end however, the result was still a loss, but this time it could have gone their way if not for some small details. Team Pink competed very hard as it showed in their resilient game by battling back every time only to keep falling short. G.Missakian had tied the game 3-3 for Team Pink, who hoped nothing less than to try and jump front. Instead, M.Lang spoiled the party only three minutes later, and Team Purple fed off it right after when A.Zafiropoulos widened the gap by two. It just seemed every time Team Pink kept battling back , Team Purple would almost answer immediately. This was going on for a very good portion of the game until the final couple of minutes where Team Purple got goals by C.Zafiropoulos, who buried his third to end the madness. It may not have been the right result for Team Pink, but this game could have gone their way if not for a few bad bounces. P.Stroubakis provided a pair of tallies in the loss while M.Lang and A.Angelis contributed in a massive way for Team Purple combining for nine points.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to A.Angelis of Team Purple. The calm and collective d-man was a force-from his office creating a ton of offense that led to a nice five point night.

Team Red hanging around as along as they could but couldn’t keep up in the end

(11)Team Orange vs Team Red(5)

For close to thirty minutes, Team Red looked to be interested in this contest, barely trailing Team Orange in what looked like an up for grabs game. Then, they started to look more sloppy and a step behind as Team Orange throttled them on a strong finish. The implosion led to a bunch of goals in the last twenty minutes. M.Pietrantonio was one out of many making noise for Team Orange on a hat trick. P-A Laurin and M.Kardum chipped in with a pair, and B.Monette was really feeling it on this night collecting six points. Sometimes breakdowns will happen, especially when going up against a team that can create chances. Team Orange continued to use their skill which made Team Red’s breakdowns more apparent as the game continued to roll along. Even though they did an overall good job containing them, they couldn’t put it together long enough. S.Catalano did what he could in net to keep the game close, but couldn’t out duel P.Kassaris on this night, who collected the win between the pipes.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Benoit Monette of Team Orange. With plenty of offense generated by Team Orange, there is no question that B.Monette had his hand in it scoring once while setting up five goals.

Team Yellow late goals earn comeback win over Team Black

(6)Team Yellow vs Team Black(4)

Team Yellow struck twice in the final minutes with A.Minassian and G.Charron to complete a comeback-from two goals down and snatch a 6-4 win. Its frustrating  being in a situation where you feel that you deserve better. Team Black had plenty going for them as soon as the game began. A.Daghlian kicked started the night on two quick goals followed with C.Stamadianos making the score 3-1 by the twelve minute mark. There are a couple of approaches you can use when building a slight lead early enough. Either play more aggressive at the right time to build off it, or play more cautious by not enabling your opponent to bounce back. Its possible that Team Black used both tactics and perhaps just didn’t get enough bounces to extend their lead. Regardless the reasons, Team Yellow understood what was at hand which was to continue working while hoping it would pay off. And to their credit, the simple formula of hard work paid off in the end. Prior to the late goals, A.Zakarian had a strong influence for the final result as the power forward collected four points that included two tallies. In order to win these types of games your goaltender needs to be focused. B.Mourad bounced back after a shaky start making every safe count until the finish line.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Brian Mourad of Team Yellow. Despite the slow start for Team Yellow, B.Mourad kept the confidence for his club by making a string of keys saves that eventually led to a comeback victory.

Team Brown and Team Green push it to the limit with the goaltenders blinded by the light

(11)Team Green vs Team Brown(12) O.T

Both teams had at least scored a touch down and a field goal, and it still needed overtime to see who would win. And after a goal scoring clinic, what better than to decide it on a penalty shot. That’s when S.Sicuso slithered his way so calmly to use a tricky and precise wrist shot to decide matters. That was Sicuso’s third goal and fifth point of the contest. It was one of those games that a quick trip to the bathroom would have missed you two or three goals. Surely something that the goaltenders wished they were watching-from the stands enjoying popcorn instead. But sometimes these games happen when everything seems to be going in. The two sides have some quality talent which made this  very entertaining to watch. Team Green saw C.Arnoldo and M.Destounis combine for 13 points. As for Team Brown, you had to figure that T.Settino and D.Galloro would get at least five points each in which they did. While they weren’t the only ones to do damage, Georgie Papadakis was easily in that conversation as well as the crafty forward collected five points. It was one of those games that whoever would shoot last  likely decided it. In tonight’s case, Team Brown got their first thanks to their captain.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Georgie Papadakis of Team Brown. With plenty of back and forth action, G.Papadakis showed off her ability as an offensive juggernaut accumulating an impressive one goal and four assists.

Friday November 11

Generals suffer first defeat to hands of Chiefs

(7)Chiefs vs Generals(2)

For the first time this season, the Generals looked tired from-winning. There passes were often cut, and their chances got denied by a goaltender that was sharper than a razor blade. P.Delli Colli had no choice but to be exceptional. And when a team knows that they can rely on goaltending, the offense will follow. The Chiefs did an excellent job overall on every area of their game. Its nice having a player like F.Dominianni reading plays and transition them into outlet passes that creates space for the forwards. All you need is to convert a few times to give yourself a chance. On their few occasions, the Chiefs made sure to bury as many goals as possible if they planned on handing the Generals a loss this season. You just cant afford to close out a tight game by only playing defense. The approach was to keep at it on a relentless effort. A.Zarzour used a big power play goal early in the third period to widen the gap by three. He later added an empty net marker making sure that this contest was over and done with. Maybe the Generals aren’t pleased with the end result, but sometimes these types of games need to happen in order to put things into perspective. This was their first of two games on the night, where they’ll try and rebound taking on the Warriors.

Brewers rally but fall in overtime to United Masters

(4)Brewers vs United Masters(5) O.T

A.Minassian scored his second goal late into overtime, and the United Masters recovered-from blowing a 4-0 lead after two periods. Buried into a 4-0 hole, the Brewers clawed and clawed until C.Stamadianos bagged his second late in the final frame to force overtime. There cant really be an explanation to how a team squanders such a lead. Maybe they take the foot off the pedal, or maybe the other team finally put their act together after a  sloppy start. Whatever the reasons, the United Masters sighed relief thanks to Minassian winning a board battle that saw him in front of C.Stavriadis, who just couldn’t read where the shot went. Certainly, the Brewers showed plenty of character by battling back the way they did. While that’s always a good attribute in any teams make up, its also very important to be ready at all times. If the Brewers could have showed up a little earlier, things could have turned out much different. Instead, it was the United Masters that came ready to play, build a sufficient lead, and ultimately take it in the end.

Generals wont make it two in a row against a depleted Warriors team

(0)Warriors vs Generals(9)

It was almost a given before the game started  that the Generals would have rattled the Warriors. There at least two main reasons why this contest wasn’t going to be close. First off, the Generals came off an earlier loss to the Chiefs, and second off, the Warriors had only two players to change with on the bench. Talk about a recipe for disaster. Even though the first period ended only 2-0, that was because C.Araujo kept it that way. The net minder was beyond lights out making a bunch of incredible saves to keep this game close. The problem is that you can only sustain so much pressure. And since the Generals were in full throttle it was inevitable that the goals would be coming in more frequent. Still, the Warriors and C.Araujo kept defending best they could allowing only two more goals to find themselves down 4-0 after two periods. However, once the third period hit, fatigue and the lack of focus became more evident for the Warriors, who simply couldn’t keep up anymore. The Generals would simply run up the score on five more consecutive goals to cap off the night. M.Laurin led the charge up front posting a hat trick, K.Duplin notched a pair, and Y.Dupere was there to turn aside every shot he faced to record a shutout.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Paolo Delli Colli of the Chiefs. No doubt he was influential in helping defeat a team that doesn’t lose much. As the game went on, Delli Colli kept a high powered offense to only a pair of goals which enabled his side to build off it en route to a well earned victory.

Wednesday November 9

Strong start propels Fatal Demons over Snipers

(2)Snipers vs Fatal Demons(5)

The Fatal Demons jumped right out of the gate on Wednesday night and never looked back. Netting a 5-2 win over the Snipers, the Fatal Demons showed a dominating style of play in the first period. They scored three goals in that frame alone on efforts by different players. The Snipers couldn’t be pleased for how poorly they started off their night. As bad as it was, they still had more than enough time to put out a way better effort. Surely, they weren’t going to repeat a  similar performance in the ensuing frame. The problem was that they couldn’t get on board and gave up another tally instead finding themselves in a much deeper hole. Up until that point, R.Ranieri was perhaps in their heads stopping every single shot he faced. Since the order may have been to tall for the Snipers to rebound, one thing that they wanted was nothing less than to get on board. That moment did eventually occur with the Fatal Demons taking a penalty. The Snipers took complete advantage of their power play, and finally got to R.Ranieri thanks to Ali Khanafer finally solving the net minder. Both sides would go on to trade a goal each which would solidify a well earned win for the Fatal Demons. M.Destounis and J.Bolanakis each scored twice while M.Mavroudis tallied the other as part of a three point night.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Rino Ranieri of the Fatal Demons. Look for your goaltender to deliver the goods. R.Ranieri did just that keeping the Snipers off the score sheet for as long as possible.

Thursday November 10

Horsemen out battled in blow out loss to Fatal Demons

(7)Fatal Demons vs Horsemen(1)

As it was the case throughout most of the night, the Horsemen lost the trench battles in front of both nets and simply didn’t have enough offense thrust in a blow out loss. When it was said and done, it was about the inability for the Horsemen to win in the tight spaces versus a side that uses their strength to their advantage. Things looked fine for at least a full period with the game scoreless. Once M.Chenier broke the barrier on a nifty back hand, A.Zarzour followed up on a quick release that caught M.Vinciguerra off guard giving the Fatal Demons the start they looked for. The game was still within reasonable margin despite giving up two goals, but the mind set for the Horsemen must have changed when A.Argrioudis scored late in the second period for a three goal cushion. It was only a week ago that the Horsemen overcame a 3-0 deficit, but how many times can you press your luck. Definitely not tonight with the Fatal Demons determined to close out the deal. Four different players went on to score with nobody getting at least two goals out of the seven that went in. R.Ranieri was also vital for the win as the net minder denied every single player expect for T.Zermalias that beat him with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

Sonic struggling to close out games without resistance

(5)Sonic vs RCGT Knights(3)

The only explanation for F.Pace and the Sonic for nearly blowing their leads has to do with being complacent. Again, they rode a strong start bagging four consecutive goals by the mid way point of the game, and again they made things extremely difficult by the time it was said and done. If not for M.Pace bouncing on a loose ball to bury a huge shorthanded goal, the chances were good for the RCGT Knights to even the score. J.Seney and J.Prevost had each scored with the man advantage for the RCGT Knights to pull their club within one. Since the power was working just fine, the RCGT Knights had another great opportunity with the man advantage only to see it go against them .That’s when M.Pace struck late to give the Sonic a sigh of relief with little time left over. You always want to avoid your blood pressure rising as the game goes on. In the case for Sonic, they barely contained a younger and hungrier side that nearly overcame a huge deficit. Luckily enough, they got that great start with enough insurance goals that were needed to hold up in the end. M.Arcaro had a good outing striking twice for the win while J.Prevost was the RCGT Knights most dynamic player participating in all three goals.

Flying Squirrels unable to keep up with Brew Crew

(8)Brew Crew vs Flying Squirrels(2)

The Brew Crew built their reputation on their heavy fore-checking, quality defending style that smothers opponents along with their ability to win many one on one battles. On the backs of that plan, the Brew Crew showed it on full display versus the Flying Squirrels. Although it wasn’t as apparent in the first half of the game, the pace was dictated in the second portion where the Brew Crew were to much to handle for the Flying Squirrels. Goals started to come at a rapid rate toward the end of the second period followed with a strong beginning by the third. C.Magri sucked up much of the attention riffling three goals while M.Maggiore was equally effective collecting four points. The Flying Squirrels have no choice but to rely on a full 45 minute effort if they plan on getting some nice results. For a decent portion, they hung in there with the Brew Crew, but as the game went on, the defensive gaffes became more common which led to a few goals that separated the two sides. Sometimes, its just about being aware while keeping it simple for a longer duration.

Snipers fall short after applying lots of late pressure

(3)Snipers vs Van Doos Hc(4)

A three goal lead with only four minutes left in the game is never enough when playing a resilient hockey team. The Snipers, although limited their offense to only one early goal, still had the fight in them to battle back. It all started with N.Atoui narrowing the gap by only two. Then, two minutes later, H.Faour struck again for the Snipers, and all of a sudden the Van Doos Hc felt panic despite only two minutes left in the game. You sensed that the Snipers weren’t letting up as they kept applying a ton of pressure in search of that much needed equaliser. The Snipers had a few grade A chances, but J.Liopoulos and the defense held firm. Even though the Snipers fell short and lost this game, there is no question that it’s a much better performance compared to yesterdays loss to the Fatal Demons. Its never easy playing the top two front runners of the division on a back to back night. That being said, the Snipers know that they can compete with them and can easily come out on top if they play to their potential. For now, they’ll just go through the motions of playing through a regular season as they look to improve and become a serious contender.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Charles Magri of the Brew Crew. No question C.Magri was a spark for the Brew Crew’s offense when the game was still very close. The forward ignited three goals to help his club pull away.

Wednesday November 9

P.Arkalis powers Altius in comeback win to end Punishers streak

(4)Punishers vs Altius(5)

Delivering an outstanding performance, the agile and crafty P.Arkalis powered the Altius to a come-from behind victory, and who better than to do it versus the Punishers. Again, it looked as though the Punishers were on their way to an easy night after being up 4-1 at one point. The Altius gave up two early goals, and struggled to get much going up front striking once in nearly two full periods. Then, P.Arkalis happened, and the Altius did something remarkable by stunning the division leaders. The skilled forward used a late second period goal to set the standard of what was expected to come in the final frame. After setting up A.Kobayati to pull within one, P.Arkalis wasn’t done yet, adding two more big tallies that finally put the Altius in front for the first time during the night. For nearly the entire game, the Punishers led until their was only 30 seconds left on the clock. While the Altius will take this as a feel good win, the Punishers will learn-from this lesson that its never over till its over. Usually, their killer instincts will finish off any opponent, but that didn’t happen in this particular game. Maybe they can look back at this as a blessing in disguise for the next time they are put in the same situation.

Assadi Consulting inc unable to hang on long enough, Armadillos pull away in the third

(8)Armadillos vs Assadi Consulting inc(4)

A third period surge of goals by the Armadillos made the difference as a slight 3-2 lead ballooned into a hug gap by the third period. Both teams played it close, and the goaltenders kept their clubs in it for two solid periods. But the Armadillos picked up the slack in the third striking five times to distant themselves by a reasonable margin. It was one of those onslaughts that saw many players contribute offensively. L.Panetta did have that extra tally, and G.Bouchard was his usual controlling a good chunk of the play-from the back end resulting in four points. The Armadillos did also a fine job on their power play converting on two out of a possible three occasions. After a very slow start to the regular season, the Armadillos are glad to get back to their winning ways.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Peter Arkalis of the Altius. Of coarse its takes an entire team effort in order to collect wins, especially against a team that doesn’t lose much. However, no one can deny that P.Arkalis was the catalyst behind the Altius impressive come-from behind victory on Wednesday night. Arkalis carried the load posting three goals and an assist to help defeat a very good hockey team.

Monday November 7

Degenerates cruise for a pair of wins over Mighty Pooches

The Degenerates found no resistance in the first of two games versus the Mighty Pooches. By the time the period ended, the game was nearly put to rest. O.Valiquette would notch his second early in the ensuing frame, and the both sides took an early break preparing for the next encounter due to the seven goal mercy rule. Although much was expected for the Degenerates to repeat a similar performance, the second game saw the Mighty Pooches put more bite into their game. They happened to be more involved into trying to slow down their opponent. The contest stayed and remained close for nearly the entire time until O.Valiquette bagged his second for a 4-0 lead to reassure the win. At times, the Mighty Pooches got in close enough to bury some decent chances. B.Mourad wasn’t overly busy, but made those few extra saves in order to preserve two shutouts.

(0)Mighty Pooches vs Degenerates(7)

(4)Degenerates vs Mighty Pooches(0)

Snipers make statement in double rout of ETNA

ETNA can argue they had an average game dropping their first one 4-2 versus the Snipers. However ,they have no excuses other than putting out a terrible effort in their second encounter where they were no where to be seen. The Snipers weren’t messing around on Monday night making a huge statement that they are the real deal of the Monday night division. You would have expected these two teams to battle till the finish line only to see a lopsided affair take place instead. Whatever went wrong, its clear that ETNA just didn’t have it going up against a side that took no time to settle in their stride. They were absolutely not there, and could have only hoped at one point for the game to come to an end. If there is one thing that you should expect-from the Snipers is that they’ll never take a night off. From-the drop of the ball, every single player will run down their opponent in order to gain ball possession. And when a team keeps the ball long enough, goals will eventually come. J.Hassan used two key markers to help capture a 4-2 win in the first game while their captain Ali Khanafer riffled a natural hat trick en route to a 7-0 thumping. He didn’t score, but F.Nasser collected five helpers, and M.St-Laurent limited a very good scoring team to only two goals in four periods.

(2)ETNA vs Snipers(4)

(7)Snipers vs ETNA(0)

Classics keep scoring at will in thumping of Kings

The last thing you want going up against the Classics is a bad start. Unfortunately for the Kings, they got hit hard in the first game down 5-0 before finally getting on board. You almost have no choice to play a run and gun style game if you plan on bouncing back. And considering how things went, the Kings actually faired well in the end trading four goals each by the second period. Still, its not good enough unless you are content for how the final score looks like. But the Kings have more pride than that, and want nothing more than to be the first team to hand the Classics a loss. Yes, perhaps a tall order, but anything is possible when two good teams go at it. The problem was that the Kings couldn’t slow down a side that continued to press despite keeping it close after one period. It was by the second frame where the gap opened up with the Classics overwhelming the Kings on six unanswered goals. Of coarse, C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris made a mess out there collecting a ton of points as did A.Kakivelis, M.Mavroudis , C.Kakivelis and M.Destounis.

(10)Classics vs Kings(6)

(2)Kings vs Classics(9)

RCGT Knights fall apart giving up early goals in second game to Country Club

Sometimes coming off a close loss in a two game format isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially knowing that its feels better getting that second win in a split series. The problem was that the RCGT Knights fell apart giving up four goals in the first six minutes alone of that second encounter. They were actually beat by one player who single handily took control of that stretch. C.Payette went on a tear bagging a fast hat trick in only four minutes right before R.Saleri collected his second point for a 4-0 lead. Now, rather than calling it quits, the RCGT Knights did respond in trying to keep the game within reasonable margin. At one point, A.Lacroix notched his second early in the final frame to cut the deficit to 5-3. That tally left nearly an entire period for the RCGT Knights to try and bounce back. Since time wasn’t an issue, other factors got in the way. The Country Club tightened the bolts a little harder, and M.Dupuis made sure to remain focused by not allowing that next one to go in. And in the end, the Country Club preserved their lead en route to claiming six key points to the standings.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Martin St-Laurent of the Snipers. Giving up only two goals that includes a shutout against a high powered offense like ETNA only suggests that your net minder had plenty to do with it. St-Laurent was solid on Monday night enabling his side to grab a pair of nice wins.

Sunday November 6

A.Zakarian hat trick sets the tone as Team Yellow rout Team Purple

(8)Team Yellow vs Team Purple(4)

A magnificent start by A.Zakarian helped set the tone for Team Yellow on Sunday night. His strong start drove his club to control the contest, one where every player bought into a near sound defensive game except for a late lapse where Team Purple strung three goals in only two minutes. Prior to the 40 minute mark, Team Yellow kept deflating their opponent preventing them-from getting back into the game. Its always nice building a sufficient lead. At one point, Team Yellow found themselves up 6-1 before M.Estrela, C.Zafiropoulos and M.Lang scored in a very short span. After posting his hat trick by the 24 minute mark, A.Zakarian still had fuel in the tank adding two more tallies to cap off an impressive five goal game. To his help, A.Mercan was just as influential  providing six out of a possible eight points for his team.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Alex Zakarian of Team Yellow. The power forward provided early momentum rattling off his teams first three goals before adding two more later in the game to cap off a very productive five goal night.

Stellar G.Villeneuve frustrates Team Black

(1)Team Black vs Team White(5)

 When a team can do well in front of their goaltender, expect good things to go your way. G.Villeneuve managed to stay sharp in net throughout the entire game, and nearly floored a perfect match if not for giving up one single tally. Giving up only one goal is quite remarkable, and Team White are great full for their net minder stealing the show. While insulated by a good supporting cast, Team White relied on three particular players to get their offense going. T.Nardelli and N.Macri shared three points each while R.Tannous was there to bury a pair. C.Stamadianos needed the 28 minute mark in order to end a dry scoring spell for Team Black. Maybe that was the spark his club needed in order to turn the tides. With the next goal so crucial, T.Nardelli was able to provide it instead for Team White, who never looked back-from that point on.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Guillaume Villeneuve of Team White. Not bad for your last line of defense. Villeneuve was absolutely lights out making a bunch of saves that led to a convincing 5-1 decision.

Team Brown outlast Team Orange in wild and high scoring affair

(8)Team Orange vs Team Brown(11)

When the dust settled, Team Brown prevailed on a wild, wacky what- the- heck- is happening- out- there  ? sort of a night. If you like goals, this was the game to watch. Unfortunately for the goaltenders, they  didn’t quite  have that same enthusiasm. For how often both teams were exchanging goals, this contest was only really decided toward the end where Team Brown had the better finish netting four goals in the last six minutes. Sometimes, L.Bucci will surprise his teammates, and more importantly himself. The sneaky forward seemed to have everything go right for him, striking five times that included two key ones toward the latter stages of the game. D.Galloro and S.Sicuso were also very productive collecting six points each. As for Team Orange, B.Monette and E.Allen did their part combining for eight points.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Larry Bucci of Team Brown. The forward was a big part of the chaos finding himself always at the right spot where he riffled five goals in what was a crazy finish.

Comeback falls short as Team Pink wake up to late

(3)Team Pink vs Team Red(5)

A flurry of quick goals made things interesting, but Team Pink did their homework a little to late versus Team Red. It looked as though that there wasn’t much going to happen after L.Porfido made the score 5-0 by the 34 minute mark of the game. Such a lead after playing a sound defensive game usually suggests for a nice and easy ride till the final buzzer. However, that wasn’t the case with Team Pink rising-from the dead on three quick goals by J.Melo, M.Carbone and M.Paciencia. Out of nowhere, the alarm bells started to sound for a team that thought were in complete control of the situation. If you can tally three times in only two minutes, than having only nine minutes to score twice is the equivalent of an eternity. That being said, Team Red remained composed keeping their cool knowing that S.Catalano wasn’t going to crack in the end.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Santino Catalano of Team Red. He may not have liked the way the game ended, but the net minder was a big reason why his club was able to build a nice lead.

Team Blue pull away after attempted comeback falls short for Team Green

(6)Team Green vs Team Blue(10)

Just when Team Green thought they had a chance of coming back, Team Blue took over once more riding three consecutive goals in only a minute and a half.  J-C Mansour scored on a penalty shot while completing his hat trick seconds later to restore some breathing room on a four goal cushion. The strong start proved to be a key factor for the end result since Team Green kept battling back only to fall behind after a pair of attempts. You have to expect your entire line up to contribute when scoring ten goals . Team Blue saw nearly everyone participate one way or another looking like a team that’s been playing with each other for a while. When referring to chemistry, Team Green have it as well with M.Destounis making everyone around him a better player setting up two teammates while notching one himself.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Jean Christophe Mansour of Team Blue. His two timely goals as part of his hat trick and four point night helped reassure Team Blue in the final stretch.

Friday November 4

Warriors ride big third period in close contested battle with Brewers

(1)Brewers vs Warriors(3)

Entering the third period tied only 1-1, the two sides understood the importance of that next tally. The question was who was going to get there first. T.Langiano not only evened the score late in the second frame but was able to break the tie by the mid way point of the third period. The Warriors didn’t sit back despite going ahead. It took only two minutes after for B.Pereira to provide a two goal margin. The Brewers still had six minutes to get themselves back in this game. The desperation showed by then as they put on the pressure peppering C.Araujo on a bunch of shots only to keep getting denied. It goes without saying that your goaltender often decides close encounters. Both teams got what they hoped for from-their last line of defense. C.Stavriadis gave the Brewers a shot, and would have perhaps gotten the win if his club could have scored to grab a lead. Instead, it was the Warriors that found a way to break the barrier as the game was starting to wind down. This came as a good result for a team that played its first of two in a double header night.

Generals use end of second period to break game wide open vs Chiefs

(8)Generals vs Chiefs(4)

What’s a team to do when they have only two changes going up against a powerhouse? In reality , not much, but you do your best to make it very difficult for the opposition to try and score. The Chiefs applied that simple game plan by organizing themselves in their own end. The formula was simple, keep a player in front of you, trap the lanes and cause turnovers for a counter attack. And to their credit, it was going fine for a large part. However, there is only so much containing you can do. At one point, the Generals dissected the Chiefs game plan late in the second period where they broke open the game on three very fast goals. A huge five goal deficit with only one period remaining will often be discouraging for any team. But the Chiefs decided to stick with it, and continued to try as they wanted nothing less than a very embarrassing final score. They actually got most of their offense going posting three goals. F.Dominianni helped bury a pair on two blistering shots. As for the Generals, J.Farrese riffled a hat trick, J.Brunet cashed in twice while J.Hovington and V.Lamarache shared four points each.

Warriors cap productive six point night

(2)United Masters vs Warriors(5)

Playing two games on the same night is often gruelling, but the Warriors lived up to their team name by capturing two consecutive wins. It looked like the Warriors were the eager ones between the two sides. They just went about playing their brand of hockey and eventually got rewarded by the second period where they did a job on the United Masters on three unanswered goals. Newly added M.Alfieri ignited the offense scoring twice during that short span. N.Pacheco also had a hand in it collecting three points. The United Masters aren’t doing themselves any favours lately by flooring a short bench. There is only so much you can handle when rotating three subs. Unless your playing in front, its very difficult to play-from behind as the game goes on. D.Charbonneau did manage to pull his side within two after notching his second, but that was all the offense the United Masters were able to generate. The Warriors would simply use the clock to their advantage in the third period by controlling a good portion of the play while able to add a late insurance marker to cap off a very productive night.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Christopher Araujo of the Warriors. Having to play two games in three hours as a goaltender is quite a mission. That being said, the impressive part is how you perform during that time. There is no doubt C.Araujo was stellar throughout six entire periods having given up only three goals.

Thursday November 3

Van Doos Hc officially top dogs of the E Thursday division

(4)Fatal Demons vs Van Doos Hc(7)

Up until prior to this game, the Van Doos Hc knew between themselves that they are the front runners of the division. The only test left over to claim that bragging right was to see how they faired against last seasons champs. And to their credit, they deserve all the acolytes, at least for the time being. The game was expected to be close as both sides appeared to be evenly matched limiting their chances while playing some sound defense. At one point passed the mid way mark, the Van Doos Hc created their own chances where they riffled two straight goals for a 4-2 lead after two periods. N.Chiminian tallied twice at crucial points to put his club in a good position to help dictate the rest of the match. P.Doulis added to the lead with his second, and the Van Doos Hc looked to be sailing home for an easy win. However, things weren’t decided just yet with M.Destounis and T.Karvouriaris responding to make a game of it. They managed to pull themselves within two with four minutes remaining. Rather than riding their momentum, the Fatal Demons took a costly four minute penalty that ultimately diminished any hope of a comeback.

Horsemen battle back in character win over Brew Crew

(4)Brew Crew vs Horsemen(5) S.O

Most teams odds of overcoming a 3-0 deficit with only nine players against the Brew Crew are near impossible. Especially when at one point the Brew Crew  were controlling the play with barely any resistance. Sometimes, when things aren’t going your way, all you need is one play to spark your bench and turn the tides. For the Horsemen, it was all about getting that first goal. M.Kardum provided it 20 seconds after M.Maggiore made the score 3-0 for the Brew Crew. Big plays can often be contagious as it was the case when the Horsemen broke the barrier. P.Carone and M.Mamoulides fed off it adding a tally each before the second period ended. What once seemed like a hopeless situation, turned into a beacon of hope for a side that looked like they had no business in this hockey game. The Brew Crew did jump in front almost immediately at the top of the third period courtesy of M.Pace, but that didn’t stop the Horsemen-from battling back  and eventually tying the game on a big finish by T.Zermalias. The two sides slowed down the action after that draining out the last six minutes of regulation time along with the overtime period. The only thing left over was the dreaded  shootout. In tonight’s case, the Horsemen came out on top thanks to a pair of nifty goals by D.Greco and M.Kardum along with a two nice saves-from M.Vinciguerra.

Depth nearly hands Snipers loss in hands of RCGT Knights

(5)Snipers vs RCGT Knights(2)

The RCGT Knights had the right idea on how to compete with the Snipers on Thursday night. By fortifying their line-up rolling three solid lines, your game changes completely, and the RCGT Knights witnessed it first hand nearly defeating a strong opponent.  Everything went according to plan, at least on the large part. They overcome a slight 1-0 deficit thanks to J.Seney rattling off two big second period goals while protecting their lead for a very long stretch. When put in these types of situations, you prefer to add some insurance or manage the clock in your favour by playing a very sound and disciplined defensive game.  The RCGT Knights couldn’t have asked for a better scenario being in charge of the game. As time kept winding down, the Snipers got more desperate giving that little extra in hopes of tying the contest. Eventually, their hard work paid off when H.Sodh evened the score by the nine minute mark. Still, the RCGT Knights were in a good position despite giving up that late marker. But hockey can sometimes be a cruel game. Both sides must have been thinking overtime considering the amount of time left over, that was up until F.Nasser changed the plans by snapping the 2-2 tie. Out of no where, the Snipers took the lead, and made no mistake by finishing it off on two late insurance goals. As frustrating as this loss was, the RCGT Knights should only grab the positives knowing that they were that close to defeating a very good hockey team. Since their formula worked, the real challenge will be to get the troops coming on a weekly basis.

Sonic catch Flying Squirrels off guard early

(6)Sonic vs Flying Squirrels(4)

While Sonic came ready to play, the same cant be said for the Flying Squirrels, who had a miserable first period giving up four unanswered goals. M.Pace widened the margin on back to back tallies mounting a comfortable 4-0 lead after only one period. G.Gammieri set up two teammates before finding M.Arcaro for a five goal cushion. It looked like this contest was too far fetched for the Flying Squirrels to overcome. Maybe they just needed a spark somewhere to build on which hadn’t come until P.Savard finally got to the Sonic net minder. Trailing by four is still a up hill battle, but the Flying Squirrels stayed on coarse working it a shift at a time while benefiting on two more occasions to find themselves trailing only 5-3.A two goal deficit with more than half a period remaining off a momentum swing is more than enough time for a team that’s riding a hot sequence.  All of a sudden, Sonic were out of their comfort zone, and needed to play with more urgency if they planned on closing out the deal. Luckily enough they have M.Pace to rely on when things get testy. The centre man came up with a big third goal that ultimately put a stamp in this contest.

The SalumiVino player of the game goes to Marco Pace of Sonic. Game in and game out, the fierce centre man never takes a night off, this time bagging three goals en route to a 6-4 win.

Wednesday November 2

It took a while but the Armadillos can finally turn up the victory music

(3)Armadillos vs Altius(1)

Losing is merely hard to take, and the Armadillos were fed up of not having at least one win under their belt. That finally changed on Wednesday night after taking on the Altius. For how the game went, it showed that it wasn’t going to come easy no matter how dominant the Armadillos were on their ball possession. They controlled most of the play only to be dead even heading into the final period. Finally, they caught a break when J.Chiropoulos broke a 1-1 tie.  Still, the  game was nowhere close-from being over, and the Altius knew that they were only one shot on net-from tying the game. Unable to get that equaliser with C.Stavriadis protecting his net, K.Kuczmarski scored instead for the Armadillos notching his second to give enough breathing room with little time left over. Finally, the Armadillos  ended a streak that they aren’t used to. That being said, they could have won some of their previous encounters. But they were tenacious on Wednesday night, and overdue whatever bounces went their way. And the only thing that really matters after dropping every game so far is getting a win.

Punishers pull away in second portion to remain hot

(7)Punishers vs Assadi Consulting inc(1)

The Assadi Consulting inc didn’t mind playing a close low scoring game versus the Punishers. And for a large part, they kept it that way as long as they could with the game tied 1-1 . Then, the Punishers decided to flip the switch posting three quick goals out of nowhere to end the second period on a high note. A.Sarigiannis tallied twice while T.Karvouriaris riffled a power play marker. You almost have no margin of error going up against a team that can score at will. No matter how cautious and hard the Assadi Consulting inc approached this contest, it still wasn’t nearly enough.   Its not like the effort wasn’t there. The problem is that unless you can bury your chances its almost inevitable that the Punishers wont miss their opportunities. C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris are proof of that as both players have shown that they will put up the points on a regular and consistent basis. Tonight, the two scored a pair of goals each looking like an average night for their standards. And that’s not to take away-from a strong supporting cast of players such as M.Mavroudis and C.Kakivelis as both players contributed collecting three points each. Right now, the Punishers own every area of the court starting with their goaltender C.Ekonomakis, who is very difficult to beat, a sound defense that doesn’t give much, and a lethal offense that seems to be uncontainable.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Kevin Kuczmarski of the Armadillos. With the help of his two big goals in a low scoring 3-1 decision, the Armadillos put an end to an ugly start by finally getting in the win column.

Tuesday November 1

Impressive duo have yet to take a night off

Its abundantly clear that C.Gingras and P.Karvouriaris will dissect any defense on any given night.  At no point did the dynamic duo take a night off. And its not like the rest of the team are not anchored by some good talent as well. The problem is that they are just uncontainable . The Assadi Consulting inc put of a decent fight in the first game, but couldn’t get enough scoring done in order to give themselves a chance. Scoring only once against the Classics is a guaranteed loss. They did well on their defensive  end, but it just wont cut. P.Karvouriaris collected another hat trick with the help of his most reliable line mate C.Gingras, who fed him on every instance while netting one himself. Since the game ended somewhat close, the Assadi Consulting inc had another shot at trying to hand the Classics a rare loss. Sadly, it went-from bad to worse, giving up three quick goals less than four minutes in. Falling behind that deep, and that early against the Classics makes most teams want to throw in the towel. Even in their attempt of trying to battle back, things only kept falling apart for the Assadi Consulting inc. P.Karvouriaris and C.Gingras had scored twice each in that opening frame before P.Karvouriaris capped off the night posting another hat trick. The two players combined for a ridiculous 16 points.

(4)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(1)

(1)Assadi Consulting inc vs Classics(8)

A.Franceschini  powers ETNA to second straight win over RCGT Knights

ETNA had a strong first period rattling off three goals, M.Stoico stopped 22 shots to record another shutout, and the RCGT Knights fell victims to superior team on Tuesday night. The game only stayed close because T.Sauk kept it that way. The goaltender was fierce, focused and ready to take on a difficult task ahead of him. Unfortunately some lack of offense stifled the RCGT Knights to get much going offensively. With the first game out of the way, ETNA made sure to complete their mission by stringing two wins together. As it often happens, their usual suspects take charge whether its M.Calabrice or M.Alfieri. However, that wasn’t the case in the early stages of the second match. A.Franceschini played with a purpose knowing that he also belongs in the conversation with his lethal line mates. The spark plug was buzzing-from the get go netting his clubs first two goals before completing his hat trick early in the second period. Content with his overall play, A.Franceschini made sure to leave a piece of the pie for M.Alfieri, who also struck three times. The RCGT Knights looked a step behind which forced them to chase the game and leave T.Sauk extremely busy between the pipes. To his credit however, the young goaltender had plenty of good looks despite what the score indicates.

(3)ETNA vs RCGT Knights(0)

(2)RCGT Knights vs ETNA(8)

Brodie Boys amp up their game in second encounter to split with Dragons

The Dragons had to suspect what was coming, but they were powerless to stop it. They reached step one in completing their mission by handing the Brodie Boys a 5-4 loss. While the score suggests for a close game, the Brodie Boys tallied twice extremely late to pull within one. The greater challenge stood in the second game for the Dragons, who knew they wouldn’t have the legs to keep up with a younger and deeper squad. The Brodie Boys had sent a message when T.Ferreira posted his clubs two late goals as an indicator of what’s to come. There was no doubt they came out hard in the second match as the Dragons looked like the ones under siege. M.Moshopoulos assisted M.Koutavas’s first goal before bagging a big power play marker. You sensed that the tides had turned almost immediately, and that the Brodie Boys weren’t going to let this one get by them. Going up 3-1 after one period isn’t a huge gap, but the Brodie Boys made sure to widen it as they hammered the Dragons with four more tallies. Six different players chipped in the goals department with M.Koutavas collecting the extra marker. The often used expression speed kills applied again in tonight’s case with the Brodie Boys using plenty of it to split their night with the Dragons.

(4)Brodie Boys vs Dragons(5)

(2)Dragons vs Brodie Boys(7)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Peter Karvouriaris of the Classics. Scoring a hat trick is a feat in itself, but to so it back to back against a strong defense says a lot. The sniper keeps scoring at will no matter who seems to be in front of him.

Monday October 31

D.Seguin hot stick snaps two late ties against Brodie Boys

There was no question that the Brodie Boys could have taken at least one or if not both games versus the Kings on Monday night. They were competitive, intense and played to their liking only to find themselves on the short end of the stick. Since both teams are similar in the way they play the game, the Kings were the ones that found a way to win. Strong teams will defend well, and hound their opponents when trying to recuperate the ball. The two results ended in a similar fashion with the Kings breaking a pair of 2-2 ties towards the ladder stages of the game. The first encounter saw D.Seguin complete a perfect passing play-from D.Lombardi and N.Francis while in the second encounter, the very same D.Seguin was credited the winner after snapping another 2-2 tie. If the Brodie Boys were to take a step back and address one area of their game plan, it would be perhaps a formula to try and slow down D.Lombardi. The Kings scored a total of seven goals in both matches that saw the power forward create most of the offense accumulating six points.  Another point worth mentioning is how solid the goaltending was. Any average net minder would not be able to keep it respectable. D.Delaronde did edge out his counter part C.Ekonomakis, who was equally brilliant in net giving his side a legit chance to win.

(3)Kings vs Brodie Boys (2)

(2)Brodie Boys vs Kings(4)

Snipers speed to much for the Mighty Pooches to handle

If a team owns every category of a game, than lopsided scores are to be expected. The Mighty Pooches couldn’t really match the speed of a very fast Snipers team which only makes you play on your heels throughout most of the night. And when a team controls the ball that long, its inevitable that the goals will start going in. Adding to that, players will get discouraged knowing that there isn’t much hope after trailing by a reasonable margin. The Snipers scored the same amount of goals in each period of both games. After riding a 4-0 lead heading into the second period, the Snipers capped off two 7-0 victories to claim some easing points to the standings. N.Atoui and H.Awada shared two goals each in the first game while the captain Ali Khanafer cashed in three times for a hat trick in the second match. He wasn’t overly busy , but M.St-Laurent did go flawless earning two shutouts.

(7)Snipers vs Mighty Pooches(0)

(0)Mighty Pooches vs Snipers(7)

Degenerates respond with purpose after dropping tight contest with Country Club

Just when the Degenerates thought things would turn around, the Country Club shut out the fire. D.Galloro couldn’t have picked a more precise top corner to put the Degenerates in front for the first time early in the second period. It looked like momentum was going to catch fire for a team that appeared to be doing almost everything right. Then, about two minutes later, M-A Savaria and N.Smith tallied twenty second apart, and the Degenerates found themselves chasing the game instead. Even with more than enough time to bounce back, the Country Club played it right by closing the lanes and shortening the gaps. With that limited space, M.Dupuis had to face limited shots, but still enough quality chances to close out a very close 3-2 decision. It was clear that the Degenerates weren’t pleased for how things ended. When teams play well enough to win and don’t get the result, they usually respond in a more urgent manner. That was clearly the case when P.Stroubakis used a very hard shot to beat M.Dupuis. Now that they got that important start, the Degenerates looked to double their lead in order to gain more control of the game. Eventually, the two goal margin came by the very same P.Stroubakis at the end of the period. Even though it was still a slight 2-0 lead ,the Degenerates weren’t letting this one slip away. They made sure to press and keep control of the ball for as long as possible which eventually translated into a pair of insurance markers by A.Lamont and P.Paikaopoulos.

(3)Country Club vs Degenerates(2)

(4)Degenerates vs Country Club(1)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to David Seguin of the Kings. With timing being everything, D.Seguin couldn’t have scored at a better point during both encounters snapping two late ties versus the Brodie Boys.

Sunday October 30

Team Black get off to strong start to roll past Team Brown

(9)Team Black vs Team Brown(3)

Team Black were able to get off to a better start  on Sunday night scoring six in a row before finally conceding one by the 39 minute mark. Adding Perry Stroubakis will immediately make any team that much better. The skilled forward scored two goals in the first twenty minutes to help kick start Team Black to a strong start. His speed with the ball control dictated much of the play making everyone else around him a better player. While he isn’t the only one causing fits for Team Browns defense, T.Acheson and C.Stamadianos can be a handful as well. T.Acheson knows exactly where to be on the court at all times which explained why he collected a hat trick while C.Stamadianos has the ability to create his own space bagging a hat trick as well along with three helpers. It almost looked like A.Zardarian was headed for a shutout until S.Sicuso spoiled it with his first of two on the night.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Perry Stroubakis of Team Black.  His speed and ability to control the play was too much to handle for Team Brown.

Team White rout defenceless Team Pink

(2)Team Pink vs Team White(10)

Team White caught Team Pink hibernating on Sunday night. It showed that they were a couple of steps slower against a side that had more jump to their game. By the time this contest hit its mid way point, Team Pink were ready to pack it in knowing that it was completely out of reach. Apart-from N.Macri leading the charge on a hat trick, the offense was widely spread. S.Fraga did had a solid game producing five points-from the back end. Giving up two tallies in the Draft League isn’t any easy task, but G.Villenueve made it happen stopping plenty of shots his way. What’s surprising about this result is that Team Pink have the tools to keeping the game a lot more  respectable. Sometimes, things just don’t go your way which appeared to be the case for Team Pink on this particular night.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Simon Fraga of Team White. Getting offense-from your defenseman will only bring you a long way. Team White benefited many times thanks to S.Fraga seeing the play by providing that right pass to generate high end chances.

Team Orange use their extra gear in run and gun action with Team Blue

(11)Team Orange vs Team Blue(6)

On the large part, it looked like two muscle cars competing for who would reach the finish line first. Both sides kept revving their engine trading chances that led to a combination of ten goals in the first 26 minutes of the encounter. The game was tied 5-5, and neither side must have had a clue where this was going, that was until Team Orange shifted gears. M.Pietrantonio was the one controlling the steering wheel for Team Orange by stringing together two quick tallies for his hat trick putting his club up 8-6.  Even if the score was extremely close, that sequence just fuelled Team Orange to keep the pedal to the medal where they added three late insurance markers to reach the finish line first. When a team scores that many goals, nearly everyone contributes in the scoring department. And while E.Allen may have cashed in only once, the veteran d-man was an offensive juggernaut collecting a total of seven points.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Errol Allen of Team Orange. Nearly identical to what S.Fraga provided for Team White, E.Allen did the same for Team Orange, generating a ton of offense coming-from the back end.

Slick set up man M.Destounis leads way for Team Green

(3)Team Yellow vs Team Green(6)

On a regular basis, M.Destounis will continue his trend, and that’s to find the open player, who has only to try and bury a very good scoring chance. Its actually simple playing with M.Destounis. If you know how to find the open space, expect a pass every time. Tonight, three different players benefited with D.Fortier scoring twice thanks to feeds by M.Destounis. But the crafty play maker can do more that just find his line mates, he can score if he decides to. Team Green went on to double up Team Yellow in a fairly close battle. They managed to keep a two goal cushion for a decent stretch  which forced Team Yellow to find solutions. Since Team Green tightened the bolts, it made it difficult for Team Yellow to respond enough times. C.Douils was able to score twice out of his clubs three goals which just wasn’t nearly enough. After facing over 30 shots, M.Rodriguez capped off a solid night allowing only three markers.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Miguel Rodriguez of Team Green. In order to sneak out these types of wins, your goaltender needs to be a factor in which M.Rodriguez was stifling his opponent to only three goals.

Team Red had no solutions to slow down M.Lang despite battling back

(8)Team Purple vs Team Red(6)

Team Purple kept making strong pushes to battle back in the game, but in the end, it just wasn’t enough. J.Prevost’s second tally by the 39 minute mark to tie the encounter for Team Red gave his side a great chance to turn the tides only to see M.Lang crush any signs of life by responding with his fourth of the night. At least Team Red gave themselves a solid chance by never giving up. If not for an unfortunate play that caused a turn over, this contest could have easily gone the other way. Instead, Team Purple stayed composed and managed the game as it progressed. M.Porato chipped in with a pair, B.Verducci got better as the game went on making it very difficult for Team Red to get much behind the goaltender. That being said, there is no doubt M.Lang had the biggest influence for this result notching four goals along with an assist.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Mike Lang of Team Purple. Just when Team Red thought they had a chance, M.Lang was there to remind everyone that he had it under control rattling off two big late tallies as part of a four goal night.

Friday October 28

Generals keep the good times rolling

(7)Generals vs Brewers(3)

To say that the Generals are rolling is an understatement. They didn’t quite get that fierce start leading only 1-0 in the first period, but that eventually changed in the second frame where they were at their best posting four markers. Goals came by committee with five different players finding the back of the net. For over half the game, M.Gagnon didn’t concede a tally until T.Michalidis finally got to him. The Brewers knew the task ahead was perhaps unattainable to try and overcome a deep hole. However, they didn’t throw in the towel, and kept battling to keep the game very respectable. Both sides traded two goals by the third period where M.Pinheiro struck twice to complete his hat trick for the Generals.

D.Galloro OT power play goal lifts Chiefs over Warriors

(3)Warriors vs Chiefs(4) O.T

D.Galloro is such a gifted passer, he looks to set up his teammates for goals. He can shoot, too, and he came through in a prime situation. Galloro scored a power play goal in overtime, and the Chiefs edged out the Warriors after a hard fought battle. Many Chiefs players felt good that it would come- from their captain to close out the deal with plenty of minutes to do so with the man advantage.  Before the overtime goal, the Chiefs had some late chances unable to beat C.Araujo, who like his counter part P.Delli Colli kept their clubs in it. The two goaltenders were the reason why both teams reached the sudden death frame. The Chiefs were always seeking to increase their lead by two after being ahead three times only to get a response by the Warriors. Resilience was a big part of it as the Warriors kept battling back while looking like the better of the two sides for some long stretches. Sometimes a team is forced to conserve some energy since they don’t have the man power to play with stamina. That was the case for the Chiefs, who had to time their runs and use their energy accordingly.

Brewers find their stride in double header night

(2)United Masters vs Brewers(5)

After dropping their earlier contest with the Generals, the Brewers appeared to have the answers going up against a fresher team despite being down 1-0. They showed a lot of character by just staying with it as it showed by the second period where they completely took over the match. J.Tzanetakos ,M.DelGaudio and P.Karigiannis all scored, and the Brewers made sure to preserve that lead against a depleted line up. The United Masters are trying to rely on a short bench which usually isn’t the way to go. Although they kept it close when D.Charbonneau pulled his club within one early in the third period, it just wasn’t enough trying to challenge a hungrier opponent. The Brewers wanted nothing less than to make sure and walk away with the win. J.Martuccio almost immediately regained a two goal lead for the Brewers right before J.Tzanetakos buried his second for insurance.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Danny Galloro of the Chiefs. In a very  close encounter with the Warriors, the Chiefs captain was able to decide it on his patented slap shot-from the point.

Thursday October 27

Horsemen battle back twice but lose in overtime to Sonic

(5)Sonic vs Horsemen(4) O.T

The Horsemen fell behind by a pair of goals on two occasions, but managed to claw their way back into the game only to lose out in overtime. Twice they hoped to build off their momentum swing, and twice Sonic managed to stop the pressure with the games next goal. A.Amicone used a deceptive back hand to beat M.Vinciguerra in the extra time. Most goaltenders cant really read where the ball is headed when players use their backhand, especially with a couple of bodies in front of you. Once teams reach the sudden frame, the formula isn’t complicated knowing that any shot could decide the outcome. The Horsemen missed out on a few plays to end it earlier. A.Michalidis needed to be good in net for Sonic as he delivered making the necessary stops at key moments during the game. Five different players chipped in with goals for the victory with M.Pace leading the charge on three points. As for the Horsemen, M.Mamoulides had a strong season debut recording two goals and a helper.

Snipers use big third period to pull away-from Flying Squirrels

(7)Snipers vs Flying Squirrels(3)

There was no doubt the Flying Squirrels played a heck of a game for at least two full periods. The contest remained extremely close up until the nine minute mark of the final frame when the Snipers felt comfortable about their three goal lead. Up only 3-2, the Snipers used a big power play goal by H.Sobh to make the score 4-2. Even though the Flying Squirrels were still in it with plenty of time left over, its very difficult to battle back against a team that has the ability to shut you down. The Snipers don’t give up much room out there, and are committed to picking up their man without the ball. You almost need to play in front in order to have a legit chance of beating them. Since the game remained within reach, the Flying Squirrels were glad to be in a close race knowing that anything can happen.  Unfortunately, they couldn’t get that next step to play in front when the game was locked up at two goals apiece. In the end, the Snipers just kept at it, and got rewarded by the third period where they pulled away. H.Salman , Ali Khanafer and A. Sayed shared three points each in the win.

Van Doos Hc post a pair of shorty’s in shutout win versus Brew Crew

(0)Brew Crew vs Van Doos Hc(6)

The Van Doos Hc kept drawing penalties and scoring goals. When they were in the penalty box , it was tough to tell which team actually had the advantage. A.Papazian and N.Chiminian each scored shorthanded, and the Van Doos Hc showed that they meant business. Its not often the Brew Crew will lay an egg. Tonight, everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Brew Crew, who will look at this game as one to forget as soon as possible. Falling behind 2-0 isn’t ideal, but the Brew Crew had their chances to bounce back after finding themselves on the power play. Unable to capitalise, they surrendered two straight goals with the man up. You know you aren’t have a good night when nothing is going right. While the Brew Crew kept breaking down, the Van Doos Hc couldn’t have asked for a better display of hockey. From-the drop of the ball, every thing went right for a team running on all cylinders. They scored two shorthanded goals, one with the man up while playing a flawless defense game that saw their net minder J.Liopoulos turn aside a 24 save shutout. N.Tsatsaronis and N.Chiminian were their best players up front combining for eight points that saw the two players convert on two occasions.

P.Paikopoulos magic wrap around goal breaks late tie for Fatal Demons

(5)Fatal Demons vs RCGT Knights(4)

In a game that could have gone either way got decided late on a brilliant effort by P.Paikopoulos, who used his long reach on a wrap around play to stuff the ball right behind the net minder. The game was perhaps predicted to be a close affair with the Fatal Demons missing a few of their players going up against a younger and deeper team. It was all about playing it smart for the older side. The Fatal Demons simply sat back, picked up their man, and made their few forwards take care of the scoring. M.Destounis took care of that department producing for primary assists that saw M.Chenier benefit twice. Since the Fatal Demons were undermanned, the RCGT Knights did take advantage at times staying neck and neck with a solid opponent. Two out of their four goals came with the man advantage courtesy of M.Dupuis and J.Azoulay while J.Prevost and J.Senay were explosive collecting three points each. Unfortunately for the RCGT Knights, one big play by P.Paikopoulos toward the end of the game made the difference.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Marino Destounis of the Fatal Demons. Behind most of the Fatal Demons goals, M.Destounis knows how to find the open guy, making strong and precise passes that led to four helpers.

Wednesday October 27

Altius get duel hat tricks in rout

(0)Assadi Consulting inc vs Altius(10)

You had to assume that the Assadi Consulting inc were starting to find their stride after a memorable comeback only a week ago. In trying to build off it a week later, this contest versus the Altius turned out to be a complete miss match. P.Arkalis used a fast start posting two goals right before the five minute mark, and later completed his hat trick sharing three goals each with D.Provost-Jarry. Even when a game goes bad like in the case for the Assadi Consulting inc, there are usually some positive moments that can be looked at. However, not in tonight’s contest as the letdown of the entire group was apparent in their lack of will to battle back. Its nights like this that you need a short memory and think of only what’s ahead. The Assadi Consulting inc cannot afford to keep falling behind in a hockey game, especially in this type of competition. On the other hand, the Altius must be feeling pretty good about their overall play. They look like a side that’s ready to de throne the recent winners for how well rounded they are this season. Teams have quickly realised that they are the real deal, and will need to put out their best game in order to challenge with them.

Armadillos cant hold a lead as Punishers strike in third period

(2)Armadillos vs Punishers(3)

Playing against a Punishers team this talented doesn’t leave much room for margin of error. J.Velenosi had the games lone goal for two periods, and C.Stavriadis was exceptional in net giving the Armadillos the edge they needed. While playing well and ahead for two straight periods is always a good trend to follow, its sometimes still not enough to reach your goal. The Armadillos gave up an early third period marker before falling behind for the first time during the game when M.Mavroudis snapped a 1-1 tie with just over five minutes remaining. By then , the script flipped and the Punishers would add insurance by M.Gikas which ended up being the winner since P.Musto responded only seconds later. Even though the Armadillos pulled within one, time wasn’t a luxury they had. The Armadillos are struggling to find wins after four games into their season, but with a slight -7 goals differential, it just goes to show that they are in every game that could have easily gone their way. J.Kontitsis won’t be too concerned knowing what his club is capable of. When all his players are present, their regular season record wont matter at all.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Billy Makris of the Punishers. In a tightly knitted contest, your goaltending is expected to play a major role. The Punishers had to overcome a slight 1-0 deficit after two periods thanks to B.Makris keeping it that way.

Monday October 24

Degenerates respond after blowout loss to ETNA

The Degenerates were keen on delivering a response. Not happy with the dud they put forth on Monday night in a lopsided setback to ETNA, the Degenerates were not interested in suffering a second straight loss. Its never easy coming off a beat down while having barely anytime to regroup and erase a terrible finish. However, the Degenerates showed good character and resilience as they made sure to play with more focus and determination. They got that early goal-from S.Marricco, and a quick response by P.Paikopoulos to put the Degenerates back in front heading into the final frame. Ultimately, the game got decided in a two minute span where they rattled off three straight goals. S.Marricco would cap off his hat trick in an empty net right after O.Valiquette fed the empty cage as well. ETNA couldn’t have asked for a better start to their night as they barely did anything wrong in the first game. M.Alfieri was a menace posting a hat trick while M.Stoico was stellar in net allowing only O.Valiquette to beat on two occasions.

(8)ETNA vs Degenerates(2)

(7)Degenerates vs ETNA(2)

Country Club face barely any resistance in easy wins over Mighty Pooches

The Country Club took both their wins without breaking much sweat versus the Mighty Pooches. Unlike their previous encounters, the Mighty Pooches didn’t show a whole lot in their two losses to the Country Club. Both games ended early in the second period on identical 7-0 scores. C.Payette had a field day striking five times in the first encounter, and followed up by adding two more in the second match. G.Dumont and F.Proulx also added a pair each while M.Dupuis turned aside the few shots he faced in order to record a pair of shutouts. It could be discouraging when you know you are out of the game. The Country Club used two strong starts to put the games out of reach which clearly affected the mind set of the Mighty Pooches.

(0)Mighty Pooches vs Country Club(7)

(7)Country Club vs Mighty Pooches(0)

Kings lay down the hammer after meltdown in earlier contest to Assadi Consulting inc

It wasn’t pretty, but the Assadi Consulting inc banked some points, at least in their first game. Trailing 3-1 after the Kings appeared to be in total control, the Assadi Consulting inc pulled off an incredible comeback bagging three straight goals in only four minutes. The comeback effort was led by N.Kokividis, P.Arkalis and J.Courteau, who buried his second for the winner. While they managed to pull off the win, the sense of urgency was dormant in the second encounter for the Assadi Consulting Inc. Although they had their moments, D.Delaronde wasn’t having it , stopping everything in sight which only inspired his club to feed off his brilliant goaltending performance. The Kings would slowly build their lead which ended up being a landslide win when it was said and done. D.Lombardi had his hand in four of the six goals while C.Daymond collected back to back tallies. It just took a little spark early on for the Kings to recuperate and play a solid second match. Surely, they would have preferred both after being in control with a 3-1 lead, but that can happen sometimes when things don’t go your way. In the end, its the way to finish that counts, and the Kings did an excellent job capping off their night.

(3)Kings vs Assadi Consulting inc(4)

(0)Assadi Consulting inc vs Kings(6)

Brodie Boys close out a crazy finish to their night with Dragons

The Dragons were plagued by some lapses versus the Brodie Boys on Monday night, especially in the first game where they were nowhere to be seen. It certainly wasn’t expected to finish the way it did. Losing is one thing, but to be annihilated the way the Brodie Boys thumped their opponent was just out embarrassing. Luckily enough their was a second game for the Dragons to try and bounce back and save some face. You almost had to expect it to be way closer for a side that has the quality and the pride to avoid repeating a second blunder. That being said, it looked as though the Brodie Boys were on their way to another an easy win after posting a 3-0 lead. Then, something changed, and the Dragons finally woke up and came to play. The first period was in its final minute where the Dragons went on a tear riffling three straight goals of their own to tie the game at three goals apiece.  All of a sudden, there was a hockey game. The action continued on a rapid and constant pace that saw both sides try and out do each other. At one point, the Dragons found themselves up 6-5 thanks to A.Mirolla’s hat trick by nearly the ten minute mark of the period. In order to close out a game, you need to play till its final seconds. The Dragons have way to much experience for how they laid an egg to the Brodie Boys. Not only did they give up the equaliser to M.Koutavas with 33 seconds left, A.Pietracupa put the final dagger only moments later to stun the Dragons. Despite how both games went, the Dragons cant use the approach of playing with a much shorter bench compared to what the Brodie Boys floored. Your only asking for trouble trying to compete with players that are generally younger with a lot more stamina.

(9)Brodie Boys vs Dragons(2)

(6)Dragons vs Brodie Boys(7)

RCGT Knights glad to earn a split after a lopsided finish to Snipers

The RCGT Knights managed to earn a split against a very difficult opponent. In a close, intense match up, the RCGT Knights were able to outlast the Snipers before enduring a blowout loss by the second game. F.Vitoratos scored by the mid way point of the second period to lift the RCGT Knights to a close 2-1 victory. The ensuing match did have a very different story line as it resembled nothing to the first game. The Snipers launched their offense on seven goals that saw N.Atoui have a strong first period posting back to back tallies. Unable to bounce back into the game, the RCGT Knights lost grip of the situation almost immediately entering the final frame. H.Awada notched his second right before the captain Ali Khanafer strung two very quick goals to put the game out of reach. It showed by the second encounter that the Snipers were able to use speed in order to over power the RCGT Knights. Unless you play ahead, the Snipers are very difficult to play catch up against.

(1)Snipers vs RCGT Knights(2)

(1)RCGT Knights vs Snipers(7)

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Tommy Ferreira of the Brodie Boys. In what was a wild and crazy game versus the Dragons, T.Ferreira was a thorn scoring once while setting up three goals that included a very big play at the end of the game that helped snap a 6-6 tie.

Sunday October 23

M.Scarpetta powers Team Yellow on 2 big goals

(2)Team Pink vs Team Yellow(5)

For nearly 40 minutes, nothing was yet figured out between Team Pink and Team Yellow on who would be prevail with the game locked up at two goals apiece. Both sides were hoping for something to give with the game starting to wind down into its final stretch. Then, in only four minutes, Team Yellow went on an offensive tear rattling off three consecutive goals. M.Scarpetta was a big reason for vaulting the win, posting back to back tallies only a minute apart. His two goals came with the help of X.Leclair, who helped set up his clubs last three markers. Since its only the first game of the regular season, players will eventually settle into their roles where they can be effective by developing some chemistry. In tonight’s case, the two sides seemed to gel pretty well overall leaving only a short span making the entire difference during the game. After facing 25 shots, G.Platanitis was sharp allowing only two orange balls behind him.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to George Platanitis of Team Yellow. Allowing only two goals in this type of format says a lot about your goaltending. G.Platanitis never flinched when the game remained close enabling his side to eventually jump ahead and preserve the lead.

Team Black open flood gates in second half to pull away-from Team Green

(13)Team Black vs Team Green(7)

It looked as though this game was going to remain tight for the entire duration for how close it was throughout the first thirty minutes or so. Goals were being exchanged at a rapid rate, and the goaltenders had their hands full facing plenty of action.  At one point, the game did shift in only one direction with Team Black taking over. The flood gates opened promptly passed the mid way point with Team Black overpowering Team Green. Unable to stop the bleeding, Team Green lost complete grip of the situation having to endure a total meltdown. Many took the opportunity to find the back of the net for Team Black. C.Stamadianos did lead the charge bagging fours goals, A.Daghlian was productive as well converting three times while B.Freitas Pereira buried a pair. Its not like Team Green doesn’t have the artillery up front to do damage with players such as M.Destounis and C.Arnoldo. Maybe the problem for the time being is their play without the ball. If they can tighten up that area, Team Green wont have many issues getting the job done this season.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Chris Stamadianos of Team Black. It didn’t take long for the sniper up front to get to work. In his first game already, Stamadianos sparked his offense with four goals.

Team Blue blow three straight leads in overtime loss to Team Red

(5)Team Blue vs Team Red(6) O.T

C.Fragkiudakis scored in overtime, and Team Red came-from behind a few times to defeat Tem Blue. Things looked grim on several moments for Team Red as they fell twice behind by two goals. To their credit however, they never packed as they kept battling back showing plenty of character. Sure it helps when you have a game changer in your line up. In this particular case, C.Fragkiudakis was that element required in order for something special to happen. The skilled forward had quite a performance , riffling four out of his clubs six goals that included the perfect ending with the overtime winner. You need to be relentless when battling back three times that included twice a two goal deficit. Team Blue know they deserved better since they had command of the game for nearly the entire time. While its easier said than done, if they could have kept a closer eye on C.Fragkiudais out there, things could have turned out very different. They perhaps only realised it a little too late.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Costa Fragkiudakis of Team Red. What more can you say about a player that cashed in four times that included the games biggest goal.

C.Zafiropoulos scores 4 goals, ignites Team Purple’s offense

(4)Team Orange vs Team Purple(5)

It’s a team game, but sometimes its nice to have an individual effort that can make that difference. Team Purple got both playing a sound game while getting a masterful production-from their veteran C.Zafiropoulos. Its all about knowing where to be on the court. Some of Team Purples players are familiar with Zafiropoulos, who has a nose for the net, and the coordination to put the ball behind most goaltenders. There was no doubt he got into the game feeling very comfortable out there getting some good support. The only time Team Purple trailed was when B.Monette scored two minutes into the contest. Once Team Purple took the lead, they never faltered it en route to a close 5-4 decision.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Costa Zafiropoulos of Team Purple. It took the forward only 18 minutes to collect a hat trick as part of an impressive four goal display.

Team Brown use strong start thanks to contributions-from everyone

(6)Team White vs Team Brown(8)

When you have two engines that fuel your offense, the rest will feed off it and only make them better as a group. Team Brown seem to have a nice tandem going with D.Galloro and T.Settino as their go to guys while surrounded by many who will fit in nicely. From-the get go, Team Brown were engaged in this game scoring five of their eight goals in the first eighteen minutes alone. During that span, D.Dalloro did his nights work collecting an early hat trick while setting up M.Russo. Sometimes, when a team takes off right away like Team Brown did, they’ll leave their opponent to dry. That didn’t quite turn out that way. Team White shook off some early dust and started to find their groove as the game went on. Most of the scoring came-from S.Fraga, who scored twice along with two helpers, and N.Macri that was able to collect a hat trick. Despite playing much better after a slow start, Team White couldn’t recuperate having to overcome a large deficit.

The Allo Mon Coco player of the game goes to Danny Galloro of Team Brown. Fours are wild. D.Galloro was the fourth player to score four goals in Sunday nights action making it only fitting that he merits the honour.

Friday October 21

Warriors give up four unanswered goals in loss to United Masters

(5)Warriors vs United Masters(6)

Its not about how you start, but how you finish. On Friday night, the Warriors fell victim to the United Masters giving up four straight after carrying 4-1 lead at one point. What made the comeback unexpected was the fact that the United Masters floored a limited roster rotating only three players on their bench. It clearly had no impact on their fatigue and stamina as they found the legs to finish quite strong. Led by their captain, G.Missakian created the snow ball effect by posting back to back tallies. A.Minassian would then tie the game right before D.Charbonneau used two big goals only a minute apart to put his club up by two. There was no question the Warriors were rattled for how things fell apart out of nowhere. In the span of only two minutes, they gave up three straight goals and were unable to recover despite N.Pacheco bagging his second late in the game.

Chiefs recover after slow start, A.Zarzour wrists a beauty to snap 3-3 tie

(4)Chiefs vs Brewers(3)

The Chiefs did what they needed, and clawed their way into the game. They rallied-from a two goal deficit before grabbing their first lead thanks to A.Zarzours perfect wrist shot. Its never ideal falling behind to a team that doesn’t give much. In order for the Chiefs to battle back, they had no choice but to win some one on one battles in order to gain some ball control. To their credit, they didn’t fold and kept at it until some eventual chances would occur. P.Delli Colli kept the game close on some brilliant saves which only encouraged the guys in front of him to do better. With the game all evened up at three goals a piece, A.Zarzour took the opportunity to send a hard precise wrist shot that A.Mancini likely didn’t see. That goal couldn’t have come at better time for a side that committed to drain out the clock.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Gabi Missakian of the United Masters. When his team looked down and out, the captain took charge in a big way, posting back to back goals while setting up two more to cap off a nice four point performance.

Thursday October 20

Fatal Demons blow late lead, lose to Snipers in overtime

(4)Fatal Demons vs Snipers(5) O.T

In a thrilling back and forth affair, it was the Snipers who pulled out the overtime win over the Fatal Demons. A missed opportunity saw this contest swing in favour of the Snipers. Unable to score on a four minute power play, the Fatal Demons have only themselves to blame. The Snipers managed to kill it off, and A.Sayed had just jumped out of the penalty box before finding himself sprawling down the wing to slip the ball right under R.Ranieri’s pad. That goal tied the game at four goals apiece late in the game. Then in overtime, it was Ahmad Khanafer using a very simple but effective play to end the game. Ahmad Khanafer simply shot the ball toward the net using a screen in front of him to beat the Fatal Demons net minder unexpectedly. The momentum went back and for the entire time, with several lead changes and multiple scoring chances. If both these teams play like this every time they meet, expect it to be close and go the distance. Tonight, the Snipers were the ones to prevail after a hard fought battle. Five different players took turns finding the back of the net with M.Monteschio collecting two helpers, who controlled a good portion of the play.

Brew Crew win in typical fashion over Sonic

(4)Brew Crew vs Sonic(2)

Its only their second game so for, and nothing has changed for the Brew Crew. C.Muccino starts the game late, they eventually grab their lead, and limit the opposition to only a pair of goals or less. The offense kicked in the second period on goals by the captain C.Palermo and B.Sansotta. Sonic would appear to be in trouble despite the small deficit having to kill a power play early in the third period, but its was G.Gammieri scoring instead to even the score. Unfortunately, they barely held on to a spike in their momentum when J.DeSua struck only seconds later to put the Brew Crew back in front. The game was still no where close to being decided. However, once D.Catalano doubled the lead, the Brew Crew felt confident about their chances despite plenty of time left over. Sonic couldn’t get into the lanes enough times in order to penetrate the defense, and more importantly C.Muccino , who was there to deny them every time. No one needed to be a hero as they always rely on each other to get the job done. While four different players scored, C.Magri did have his hand in it setting up three teammates.

Van Doos HC keep gelling in thumping of Horsemen

(5)Van Doos HC vs Horsemen(1)

The Van Doos HC did everything that a hockey team needs to do in order to get the right result in the end. They limited their mistakes, they caused turn overs and when the time was right, they made sure to bury their chances. Adding to all that, its always nice to have a solid goaltender as your last line of defense. He may not have been overly busy, but J.Liopoulos was exceptional when the chances occurred. By being focused and alert, the Horsemen never had the chance to bounce back into this game due to the goaltending. So while they got snake bitten a few times, the Van Doos HC would slowly build their lead despite M.Vinicguerra doing a solid job in net for the Horsemen. Sometimes, the little details just don’t go your way. The Horsemen struggled at times and were responsible for some costly blunders. There only bright moment came in the third period when the game was already out of reach. M.Kardum finally solved J.Liopoulos, who must have been thinking shutout by then. Prior to that goal, the Van Doos HC rattled off three straight tallies by N.Tsatsaronis, James Liopoulos and N.Zatharopoulos. In the end, the better team hands down won on this particular night.

L-T Dube provides late winner for RCGT Knights close win over the Flying Squirrels

(5)RCGT Knights vs Flying Squirrels(4)

A late minute goal by L-T Dube proved to be the difference as the RCGT Knights edged the Flying Squirrels 5-4. The goals came early and late, but it was the final tally with only a minute and change left over that gave the RCGT Knights the win in what was an entertaining see-saw battle that had several lead changes throughout the game. L-T Dube was clutch scoring twice while the legendary B.Panarello used two heat seekers finding its way behind the net. The Flying Squirrels led twice before having to play some catch up toward the end of the second period. Despite tying the game on two occasions, they couldn’t pull ahead. Playing with players that you aren’t familiar with takes time for chemistry to build. The RCGT Knights have a mix of young talent along with some veteran leadership. Even though its only one game, the potential is there for a strong development for the RCGT Knights. Time will tell as they’ll hope to build off this good moment.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Jonathan Liopoulos of the Van Doos HC. On a few key occasions, the goaltender delivered each and every time to help enable his team to build a nice sufficient lead.

Wednesday October 19

P.Karvouriaris shorthanded goal, the turning point for the Punishers win

(1)Altius vs Punishers(3)

The special teams department played perhaps the reason why this contest got decided in favour of the Punishers, but not in your typical fashion. With the game deadlocked 1-1 by the mid way point into the third period, the Altius couldn’t have asked for a better chance to climb in front. They had a very long four minute power play along with the fact that it was C.Gingras serving the penalty. Its always nice to avoid having a lethal shorthanded player on the court. That being said, the problem is that the Punishers have two of those types of players in their bag of tricks. After a hard fought play by M.Mavroudis to win the ball, P.Karvouriaris was there in his sweet spot to snap the tie and put the Punishers in front just past the mid way point of the frame. Since that tally came fairly early, the Altius had more than enough time to even the score. No matter how well they kept moving the ball to create lanes, C.Ekonomakis was there to deny the Altius. The net minder was stellar as expected facing some solid chances with his composed and aggressive style to stop the ball. Tonight was an example of how very good teams keep finding ways to win. While the Punishers look invincible right now ,the Altius do have plenty to feel good about. If not for an avoidable breakdown, things could have easily turned out different.

Armadillos endure painful third period collapse

(8)Assadi Consulting inc vs Armadillos(7) O.T

This will be one that will sting for a while for the Armadillos. In a collapse of epic proportions, the Assadi Consulting inc roared back-from a 7-2 deficit to stun the Armadillos in overtime. In order for this to happen, a few things had to go wrong for one side while extraordinary circumstances have to occur for the other side. It can be easily argued that the Armadillos had no business surrendering a five goal lead after two periods. Whether it’s the defence or goaltending, its just unacceptable. On the other hand however, the Assadi Consulting inc showed plenty of guts by never giving up. Of coarse its going to take every player to step up and make every inch of their game count. That being said, its always nice to have a gamer in your line up. J.Mandracchia was at his trademark best rolling off three straight goals while setting up J.Rochon for the equaliser before netting the sudden death winner on a brilliant play. Mandracchia looked uncontainable against a defence that should have done better. When a player steps up his game like he did, the team feels it. The Assadi Consulting inc didn’t have much to show for in their season record so far, but that may change after tonight’s performance. Wins will help you, but you always have to keep improving. For now, it’s a good turn of events for the Assadi Consulting inc, who look forward to challenging anyone.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Jonathan Mandracchia of the Assadi Consulting inc. The forward put out a master class performance showing off his skill set that led to four goals and two assists including a beautiful overtime winner.

Tuesday October 18 (Final)

Team Red edges out Team Blue behind J.Choudhry hat trick, winners of Tuesday Draft League

(4)Team Red vs Team Blue(3)

 In what was expected to be a toe to toe affair till the finish line, Team Red closed out the season in style by defeating Team Blue by a very close 4-3 margin. Team Red could not have hoped for a better start , taking the lead as early as the four minute mark. For a very good portion of the game, Team Red were in inspired form playing their best hockey which saw them up 3-1 by the 34 minute mark. Things did eventually start to settle down-from that point on which favoured Team Blue as they slowing inched back into this game. R.DiMarco narrowed the gap by one right before N.Faria buried his second to even the score at three goals apiece. With that turn of events, Team Blue hoped to carry their intensity and domineering attitude only to find themselves down again when J.Choudhry respond with his third goal of the game. There was no doubt that tally really lifted Team Red knowing that they had only two minutes to kill off. Team Blue couldn’t prevent J.Choudhry on this particular night. For sure it helps when you have the right supporting cast. Team Red is a difficult team to contain as they rely on a well balanced group that have different players step up on any given night, including their net minder C.Araujo, who was again brilliant between the pipes. While it did take everyone to pull their weight in order to pull this one off, J.Choudhry had that extra gear for his club, producing three straight goals that influenced the final score. On behalf of Hockeyballe.com, congratulations to Team Red for winning the Tuesday night Draft League.

The SalumiVino player of the game goes to Jamie Choudhry of Team Red. Scoring three out of your clubs fours goals in a 4-3 decision says a lot. The forward was a major moving part on this particular night, and it couldn’t have come at a better time during the season.

Monday October 17

C-A Bessette late power play goal evens mini series for Country Club

The Country Club and the Snipers expected a hard fought battle on Monday night, and its exactly what they got. In order to defeat the Snipers, you need to make every inch count out there. The Country Club saw it first hand as they just fell short in the opener despite giving their opponent a good challenge. N.Atoui took charge setting up two goals while netting the Snipers third tally of the game. Ali Khanafer added an insurance marker by the nine minute mark to help secure a close 4-2 decision. Unhappy with the way things turned out, the Country Club took the opportunity to tweak their game in hopes of splitting the mini series. As expected, much of the second encounter remained close. The Snipers appeared to be headed for a second straight win finding themselves up 4-3 at one point in the final period. However, good teams find ways to create looks, and lanes when facing a desperate situation. The Country Club eventually tied the game thanks to J-S Lowe before taking advantage of a late power play chance where C-S Bessette came through to snap the late tie.

(4)Snipers vs Country Club(2)

(5)Country Club vs Snipers(4)

M.Stoico showing he can do it all

The ETNA players got a taste of the promise that their captain M.Stoico brought, and they liked it quite a bit. Stoico played his first two games of the season in a very different role by stopping the ball rather than distributing it. And to his credit, he seemed pretty capable of delivering a brilliant goaltending performance. The Mighty Pooches never once beat the net minder in four straight periods. After falling 3-0 in the first encounter, the Mighty Pooches were searching for a better chance by at least trying to get on board. That opportunity eventually came when ETNA found themselves in the penalty box a few times to many. A 2-0 deficit when awarded a power play suggests that you are still pretty much in the game. Already shorthanded goals are rare enough.  The problem was that the Mighty Pooches gave up three straight with a man up, and at one point with a two man advantage. ETNA would come back on a counter attack without any resistance-from the Mighty Pooches. When given that kind of space on a counter attack, expect to be beat. M.Calabrice, J.Alfieri and M.Alfieri each scored shorthanded to solidify a second straight shutout win for ETNA. In both their wins, M.Calabrice was a force once more collecting a total of six points.

(0)Mighty Pooches vs ETNA(3)

(5)ETNA vs Mighty Pooches(0)

Good for one game, but not for two, Classics keep rolling along in double wins over Assadi Consulting inc

The Assadi Consulting inc put up a very good fight in their first encounter with the league leading Classics, but in the end, it just wasn’t enough. It seems whenever a team gets a momentum swing versus the Classics, it gets cut almost immediately. B.Bentivegna and S.Athanasopoulos scored within seconds to narrow the gap by one only to see C.Kakivelis restore a two goal cushion shortly after. The Classics felt comfortable enough to manage the clock in their favour despite enough time left over. The win saw five different players score, and S.Morante needing to be a factor earning the win in net. Unlike the first game , the Assadi Consulting inc looked like they had no business being there. At no point did they show any signs of promise for how lopsided it got. The Classics used five goals in only five and a half minutes to put the game completely out of reach. C.Kakivelis got the ball rolling bagging the first two tallies while five different players cashed in ending the game earlier than expected. S.Morante wasn’t overly busy but went flawless to capture a shutout. If there is one interesting thing to point out in the twelve goals that the Classics scored, was that P.Karvouriaris converted only once. The sniper decided to take it easy giving his other teammates some recognition as well.

(5)Classics vs Assadi Consulting inc(3)

(0)Assadi Consulting inc vs Classics(7)

Degenerates able to hold off RCGT Knights in both games

The Degenerates had to be happy with the two results on Monday night. Balanced scoring pitched in, players who were supposed to score did and C.Stavriadis remained calm as usual making the necessary saves. By no means did it come easy however . The RCGT Knights had their moments of ball control that led to some high end chances. They did take some time to get on board in the first game to take away C.Stavriadis’s shutout courtesy of J.Seney. It was more so by the second encounter that they made it extremely close. J.Senay was able to put the RCGT Knights in front 3-2 late in the first period. The Degenerates did respond by the time the frame ended before adding two more quick markers early into the next frame. What appeared to be a comfortable situation didn’t quite turn out that way. The RCGT Knights kept pressing and got rewarded on a slap shot by R.Montinaro to pull his club within one. That tally came with just over three minutes left in the game.  Despite the close margin, the Degenerates never panicked as experience kicked in when dealing with a delicate situation. All they had to do was keep control of the ball as long as possible coupled with knowing who to get when playing without it. Adding to that, C.Stavriadis was their anyway to protect the net.

(1)RCGT Knights vs Degenerates(3)

(5)Degenerates vs RCGT Knights(4)

Kings bounce back after slow start to Dragons

Fresh off a disappointing set back, the Kings looked like a different team in their second encounter with the Dragons. They didn’t need to lean on any excuses as they grinded out a gritty and gutsy performance that went the distance. The Dragons did get that edge in the shootout however on goals by J.Mandracchia and A.Mirolla. The Kings ended up getting that point which gave some satisfaction to their night after a lackluster start in the opening game that saw the Dragons take it to them. Sometimes its how you finish that counts. The Kings competed very well getting some balanced scoring that saw D.Seguin produce three big points. It started to show that as the night progressed, the Kings maintained their high energy tempo while the Dragons didn’t quite have that same flair in their game compared to the first encounter. Regardless, they got the job done in the end on a pair of wins with the help of some high end players. A.Mirolla made an immediate impact riding five goals and an assist, J.Mandracchia collected three goals and a pair of helpers while B.Daniele makes it look easy at times capping off a seven point night.

(3)Kings vs Dragons(7)

(7)Dragons vs Kings(6) S.O

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Costa Kakivelis of the Classics. After dominating the last period of the first game with two big goals, the forward set the tone right away in the second game striking twice to pave the way for another Classics victory.