Thursday December 14

Black Knights secure first place in convincing fashion over the Altius

(2)Altius vs Black Knights(6)

The Black Knights left no room for doubt as they clinched an important first place finish to the regular season with a resounding 6-2 victory over the Altius. They asserted their authority on the court, applying relentless offensive pressure while maintaining a rock solid defence. The second period saw the Altius regrouping and attempting a comeback. P.Arkalis sparked his bench on a blistering slap shot to narrow the gap by one, and injecting some intensity into their game. However, the Black Knights unfazed regained complete control of the match on two quick goals by C.Gingras and T.Ferreira. The third period unfolded as a masterclass in the Black Knights skill and teamwork. C.Ekonomakis was stellar net while C.Gingras finished off another impactful game bagging a hat trick. Despite plenty of time left over in the final frame, the Black Knights simply controlled the game and played out the clock.

Generals outsmart Krazy Train in series opener ( E division semi final)

(9)Generals vs Krazy Train(5) Game 1

 Right-from the drop if the ball, the Generals displayed a calculated and proactive approach, consistently staying a step ahead of the Krazy Train. Three of their goals came in the last four minutes of the opening frame with M-A St-Germain finding the back of the net twice. The Krazy Train didn’t like the fact that they had to play catch up so early. To their credit, they kept battling back to narrow the gap by one on a couple of occasions, but could never level as the Generals pulled ahead by a pair. Then, a lengthy penalty put the Krazy Train in a serious bind. Although they managed to score with a man short on a beautiful finish by M.Richard, the Generals won the battle of the special teams with P-M Paradis and V.Lamarche each scoring with the man up. It was clear by then that this game was pretty much over and done with despite the Krazy Train attempting a late push with their goaltender pulled. The last two tallies came in an empty net. The Generals got the job done both offensively and defensively, underscoring the teams well rounded skill set. As for the Krazy Train, some little adjustments here and there will need to be made as they have a week to figure out how to defeat a difficult opponent.

Fatal Demons snake bitten, Armadillos pull away as of mid way point( E division semi final)

(0)Fatal Demons vs Armadillos(6) Game 1

The game started off competitively, with both teams playing to their identify on a sound defensive game. Finding space or making quick tight plays seemed to be the only way for the offense to get going. And for a large part, things stayed that way with neither side able to generate much. The Armadillos did however seize the opportunity to finally get on board when the Fatal Demons took a penalty. Now that the extra room was available, P.Arkalis was there to finish off an important play. That goal seemed to change the direction of this match as the flood gates started to open. Whether through the panic of falling behind or some individual brilliant plays, this contest had a different storyline with the Armadillos pulling away.  They finished off the second period up 3-0, and carried the same momentum into the final frame leaving the Fatal Demons out to dry. P.Arkalis went on to add his second while C.Stavriadis was brilliant to record a hard earned shutout. With the decisive 6-0 loss in game 1, the Fatal Demons now find themselves in a must win situation heading into game 2. The defeat has increased the pressure on P.Santullo and his troops, as they are now forced to secure a victory to keep their hopes alive in the series.

The SalumiVino player of the night goes to Costa Stavriadis of the Armadillos. Although the final score may suggest for a lopsided affair, the game between the Fatal Demons and the Armadillos was tightly contested for a very long stretch. And if it wasn’t for C.Stavriadis denying every shot his way, the Armadillos would have had their hands full till the final buzzer.

While the E division semi finals will resume next week to cap off their round, the Open division regular season came to an end on Thursday night. The Black Knights will have an automatic spot to the final for finishing first which sets the stage for the Chiefs to take on the Altius in their semi final matchup. The clash between these two sides promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams vying for the coveted spot in the finals. The outcome will be determined by the players skills, teamwork, solid goaltending and ability to adapt to the dynamic nature of the game.