Monday January 15
DHK dominates opener, Sharpshooter seek payback with shootout win
The highly anticipated opening game of the winter 2024 season kicked off with the DHK facing off against the Sharpshooters. It didn’t take long for the DHK to establish themselves as a serious contender. Their offensive prowess was on full display getting balanced scoring while having the luxury of a solid goaltender in D.Delaronde to take care of the rest. The Sharpshooters didn’t have much going on up front, and for the little to few chances they generated, D.Delaronde was there to deny them. While the first game didn’t quite go their way, the Sharpshooters entered the second encounter with a renewed sense of purpose. This time, they were up against the wall, seeking redemption and a chance to prove their resilience. The game was intense, with both teams locked in a fierce battle. Eventually, A.Lepore finally got to D.Delaronde putting his side in the drivers seat for a rare moment. The DHK did respond early in the final frame courtesy of D.Seguin which kept the game deadlocked up until time ran out. With neither side able to get it done in regulation, the Sharpshooters found their comfort zone in the shootout where they excelled on two breakaway goals. D.Greco and D.Sarno scored two identical ways where they patiently waited out D.Delaronde and placed the ball high blocker side. Prior to those tallies, D.Seguin displayed incredible patience to finish off a nifty goal without any resistance. The Sharpshooters were able to celebrate their hard fought win after a loss they simply want to put behind them.
(0)Sharpshooters vs DHK(4)
(3)Sharpshooters vs DHK(2) S.O
Peters duplicate same effort in back to back wins over the Hustlers
In almost an identical fashion, the Peters were able to defeat the Hustlers twice by slight 3-2 margins. Both games resembled each so much that the order of goals occurred in the exact sequence. First, the Peters would get on board, and the Hustlers would then respond. Once tied, the Peters would add two consecutive tallies before the Hustlers attempted a late push on goals that perhaps came a little to late. The intensity of both games mirrored each other displaying a relentless pursuit of victory. It just went to show how crucial it was to score first and play with a lead. The Hustlers never had that luxury to play ahead which forces a different strategy. To their credit, the chances and brilliant plays were there, but so was the stellar goaltending put forth by S.Patel. Out of there six total goals scored, D.Greco and M.Detorre were the most productive as both players shared three points each. The Hustlers may not like the end result after a disappointing previous season, but will look to take their games more seriously in their quest for a playoff spot.
(2)Hustlers vs The Peters(3)
(2)Hustlers vs The Peters(3)
Beer Belly Boys suffer double defeat as Snipers dominate
The opening night for the Beer Belly Boys turned out to be a challenging ordeal as they faced off against the formidable Snipers. It became evident-from the go that the Snipers were in a league of their own. The Snipers ball possession and control of the play left the Beer Belly Boys chasing the game way to long. When playing without the ball, goals will eventually go in, and the Beer Belly Boys were stuck enduring a difficult two games. The Snipers took the opener 7-0 with P.Haber, Hadi Khanafer and A.Saleh each scoring twice while M.St-Laurent recorded an easy shutout. Much of the second game resembled the first one with the Snipers dictating the terms. If there was one bright spot all night for the Beer Belly Boys, its when A.Dicriscio scored on a nice shot that had M.St-Laurent caught off guard. Other than that, the Snipers went on to cruise for a second straight win. H.Awada and H.Salman potter a pair while A.Sayed felt generous setting up five tallies.
(7)Snipers vs Beer Belly Boys(0)
( 8 )Snipers vs Beer Belly Boys(1)
The SalumiVino player of the night goes to D.Delaronde of the DHK. His agility and ability to read the play made it very hard for the opposition to score. D.Delaronde allowed only one goal in four entire periods as the standout performer of the night.
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