Sometimes, the fates just absolutely spit in your face. Captain Nick Meglich was definitely on the receiving end of said fates’ spit, contracting strep throat in the week leading up the the Final. Meglich had assembled a scrappy, giant killer of a team, and his own outstanding play had driven that team to the last stop on what would have been one of the most magical runs in league history. Alas, he was in no shape to suit up, and would have to remain recumbent and recovering at home, with only Netflix to comfort him, and with his team text thread as the only means of inspiring his crew. Double alas…Rob LaVigne was also out of the lineup. Triple alas…all of Captain Janet Goins’ soldiers were reporting for duty. Still, Green had made a living off of dashing the dreams of higher seeds, and with super sub Chris Tran in nets…perhaps Green had one last pair of stunners in store. Jackson Tomaszewski had the favorites on the board early in the first, tucking home his first of the night at 8:43 (Brennen Abel & Eric Enciso), and Chris Tran kept his surrogate squad close, in spite of a rather lopsided shot count (9 to 3 in Orange’s favor). The shot count got even more lopsided through two periods of play (23 to 6!), but the next goal belonged to Green in the form of a nifty backhand five hole equalizer from Maureen Ruchhoeft (Andrew Wong & Nick Vacchio). The 1-1 tie held through most of the middle stanza, with Tran standing on his head to keep Green poised for the upset, but the upset was Green’s instead, as goals at 1:07 (William Teglia from Alan Razoky and Steph Palomo Schmidt) and 0:05 (Abel from Tomaszewski and Gordon Schmidt) crumpled the crusading spirits of the underdogs. The wheels came off…and rolled far, far away for Green in the third, as three Orange goals rattled past in a 0:51 span to break open a 6-1 lead and leave no doubt that this Final would be a one and done. Chad Goins wristed home a nifty top corner solo snipe at 8:59, Tomaszewksi potted his second of the night at 8:21 (Abel & Steve Linke), then roofed his hat trick capper at 8:08 (Palomo Schmidt & Abel). Linke added a seventh goal for Orange at 6:30 before Green started a too-little-too-late rally, with Nick Vacchio powering coast to cost to make it 7-2, then Josh Wirt blasting home a Wong feed to make it 7-3. Chuck Bender (6/9) could have let nearly all of the shots he faced in and this game still would have been close, and the only reason this wasn’t a 13-3 final was the sublime play of Chris Tran (29/36), who certainly gave everything he had for Green and their ailing skipper. Congratulations once again to ‘Abelol Schmidt’ on the 7-3 win, the captured Cup, and a great story for the Goins’/Teglia holiday table for years to come. Congratulations, as well, to Captain Meglich and ‘Tanqueray & TwoNicks’ for a really impressive playoff run, in spite of the unfortunate ending.

Two shades of green…one goal…to eliminate their color cousin, and advance to the Losers’ Bracket Final with a ticket to the Fall League Final just waiting to be seized. Captain Zach Salt’s Lime (Green) got the better of Captain Nick Meglich’s (Forest) Green back in Week Seven, with Eric Willard going full hero mode in accounting for all three Lime lamplighters, including the last minute game-winner in a 3-2 coup. Bear that regular season result, twist ending and all, in mind as we recount the events of the playoff rematch. The first period ticked by without a goal, and with both teams testing the opposing goalie to near equal measure (8-7 shot totals, in Lime’s favor). Lime’s Week Seven hero was first to strike, with Willard finally snapping the scoreless standoff at 0:44 in the second (Justin Ker & Captain Salt). A goal that late in the period is typically a significant gut punch for the opponent, but Green gut punched back with 0:04 to go in the second, with Josh Wirt starting his own ‘hero’ campaign to bring his team even going into the third (Vinny Santora & Nick Vacchio). Willard was not ready to relinquish the cape and tights just yet, putting Lime back on top with 3:46 to play (Christopher Fiore & Captain Salt), but Nick Vacchio swooped in to save Green less than a minute later (Wirt), and Wirt ripped the ‘S’ off Willard’s chest a snatched out Lime’s collective heart in the same motion, slipping home a subLime stunner with just 0:22 to play (Trice Harvey & Vinny Santora). Wirt earned first star honors for his epic efforts, but Captain Meglich (32/34) was definitely the source of his team’s grit and give-it-your-all in Green’s rollercoaster 3-2 win. It’s never easy losing an elimination playoff game, but having the rug pulled out from under you with twenty-two ticks to go is just brutal. Jon Cima (12/15), as always, handled the emotional ambush with class and grace, and both teams should be proud of their efforts in this well-played, hard-fought playoff battle for the ages.

Week Four is always something of a whirlwind, with the winner of the first game having little time to savor victory before stepping back out to face a fresh opponent, and the sudden/stunning ending to the opener only amplified the emotional waves for all involved. Captain Jon Salt had little time to console his brother on the tough loss before shifting his focus to his own ship. That ship had sailed smoothly through regular season waters, but finally struck a rocky shoal in a Week Three loss to Orange. The plan was simple for Salt & Company…repeat the feat from two weeks prior, when they bested Green 3-1 to advance to the Winners’ Bracket final. A second win over the four seed would send Heather Blue on to the Final, and an opportunity to avenge their lone loss and capture the Cup. For Green, the plan was to keep the mojo and momentum rolling, parlaying the energy from their epic ousting of Lime into another upset win, and march on to the Final under a ‘WE CAN DO THIS’ banner. The hero of the early game definitely kept his mojo and momentum going strong, as Josh Wirt put Green on the board first at 5:30 in the first (Vinny Santora). Captain Salt equalized late in the first on the power play (Joe Nguyen), leaving the teams dead even in every measurable way (1-1 score, 6-6 shots) through ten minutes of play. The second period followed a similar pattern, with Erin Plone putting Green back in front at 8:54 (Wirt & Andrew Wong), and Alexis DaCosta pushing Heather Blue back to even at 5:12 (Julie Ott & Craig Russell). So…all the marbles were riding on the last period of play, with a tired, but clearly very determined Green hoping to pen ‘The Coup, Part Deux’, and Heather Blue looking to curb the underdogs and take their expected place in the big dance. It was Green’s white knight of the night to act first, converting on the power play at 8:53 (Wong) to give Green a one-goal lead that would hold for almost exactly six minutes. Unfortunately for Heather Blue, that one goal lead was not erased with 2:53 to play, but rather doubled by Nick Vacchio (Wirt). Desperation set in for the favorites, and after Captain Salt slapped home and unassisted goal with Eric Kroeker replaced with an extra attacker at 1:16, that aforementioned ‘whirlwind’ really started to swirl for both teams. The deepening drama was relieved in relatively short order when Wirt completed his hat trick with an empty net goal to seal the victory for Green, 5-3. Captain Meglich (21/24) was truly a rock for his team in the back-to-back Salt-shaking spree, but Josh Wirt was THE hero with FIVE goals and THREE assists on the night, including a 3 and 2 output that put Heather Blue out of the playoff picture. Eric Kroeker (13/17) and his mates had perhaps the worst case scenario of ‘timing is everything’ befall them, saving their only two losses of the season for the games that mattered most, but he and the Heather Blue crew should certainly be proud of their incredible season. Timing is everything for Green, as well, and their own incredible season will now stretch to the Final, where they hope to serve up an encore pair of upset wins and hoist the Cup on December 8th…

The first of two elimination matches kicked started Week Three playoff action, with Captain Ryan Karns’ Brown squaring off against Captain Nick Meglich’s Green. Brown had staved off a two-and-out elimination in rather surprising fashion with a 2-0 Week Two win over White, while Green’s path to this match was the reverse (narrow opening win over Atomic Blue, then 3-1 loss to Heather Blue). The regular season meeting between the two resulted in a rather convincing 4-1 Green win, but the ‘sense’ (at least, this writer’s sense) at game time was that the rematch would be very close…possibly bleeding into extra time or shootout. A scoreless first was very nearly a shotless first, with the teams combining for THREE shots on goal over the first ten minutes of play. The count remained the same (two) for Green in the second (and indeed the third, for that matter), but Brown found their form to the tune of nine salvos in the middle frame. Statistic are sometimes misleading and meaningless, though, as Brandon Olsen cashed in on one of those two Green shots, converting a bad break Brown bounce into the game’s first goal at 9:47. Mario Peia equalized with a seeing-eye point shot at 6:07 (Andy Strathman), leaving the score knotted at ones going into the third. The same number of shots produced the same number of goals for Green in the third, with Maureen Ruchhoeft tucking home a loose ball in the crease to lift Green back to a lead with 6:50 to play (Josh Wirt & Ramsey Ksar). Brown pressed, and ultimately pulled Mason Holcomb in a desperate flurry to survive, but Captain Meglich (14/15) would not yield, holding his team’s lean edge and securing the 2-1 win for Green. Holcomb (4/6) and Brown were ultimately undone by bad bounces and bad luck, bouncing out of the playoffs in spite of holding their opponent to half a dozen shots. Green will almost certainly need to generate more true offense this Sunday, as they attempt to knock off Lime and earn an instant date with Heather Blue with a ticket to the Final on the line.

The only non-elimination match of the night was an e-ticket encounter between Captain Janet Goins’ second-seeded Orange, and Captain Jon Salt’s top-seeded Heather Blue. All signs pointed to the latter as the favorites in the rematch, not the least of which indicators being the 3-1 win for Salt’s crew back in Week Five. The ‘unbeaten’ term/feat also carries some weight, at least in theory, and Heather Blue came in with the confidence and poise granted by that title. Still, the playoffs are a different dimension, and the prospect of (timely) revenge is also a potential motivator/difference maker. If you happened to scan the front page, you already know that Jackson Tomaszewski stole the show in this one, and his breakout night began with an opening strike at 4:59 in the first (Steve Linke & Brennen Abel). The same duo assisted on Orange’s second of the period, an Alan Razoky missile to boost the underdogs to a 2-0 lead through one. Tomaszewski fired home a second early in the second (Eric Enciso & Abel), leaving the Heather Blue bench stunned and searching for their trademark swagger. For context, this point in the game marked the first time all season that Heather Blue had trailed by more than two goals…and they only trailed by two goals on two occasions, having rallied to tie in both instances. The rally did come, with Alexis DaCosta finally fighting back for Heather Blue at 6:40 in the second (Captain Salt & Bryan Ossa), and Luke Wolmer closing the gap to one at 8:53 in the third (Captain Salt), but Tomaszewski had rally killing plans in store. Jackson completed his hat trick at 8:12 in the third (Enciso), then provided the primary helper on the Abel tally at 2:31 that would restore Orange’s three goal edge and deal a death blow to Heather Blue’s hopes (Old Man Linke with the pity second assist). This game was all but in the books when super sub, Erin Plone, issued one last response, making the final score look a bit less lopsided with nine seconds remaining (DaCosta & Ty Pereira). Chuck Bender (14/17) was steady and solid throughout, combining with JT’s 3 and 1 heroics to anchor Orange to a 5-3 win, hand Heather Blue their FIRST loss of the season, and send Captain Janet’s bunch on to the SDFHL Fall League 2024 Final. Captain Salt & Company will need to navigated the uncharted waters of the Losers’ Bracket, but need just one win over the (presumably-plum-tuckered-out) winner of Lime v Green to earn a shot at avenging this solitary loss on December 8th.

Week One of the regular season seems like a LONG time ago, and both Captain Jeremy Copp’s Grey and Captain Zach Salt’s Lime have undergone some personnel changes since, but the fans in attendance (reportedly approaching double digits) hoped for the same fútbol-esque thrills and chills provided by the 1-1 regular season encounter. Grey would need the rematch to be another low-scoring affair, as Copp & Company had managed more than two goals in a game only ONCE coming in, a 6-1 sneak attack shaming of Atomic Blue back in Week Five. Lime would be looking for more of a run and gun game flow, trusting that their top-ranked offense would account for the lion’s share of scoring if this one somehow turned into a slugfest. If there is one player’s stock that has risen the most this season, that player is Christopher Fiore. The man has been an absolute force at both ends all season, and his third of the playoffs opened the scoring for Lime at 4:05 in the first (Shelby Shattuck). In an eerie parallel to Green’s performance in the night’s opening match, Grey mustered just two shots in the opening ten minutes…then two in the second…then two in the third! Unlike Green, however, not a single one of those six shots would find a way past Jon Cima (6/6). Naturally, this meant that Fiore’s first period strike would hold as the game-winner, and the balance of Lime’s attack was mere gravy. Captain Salt made it 2-0 at 7:48 in the second (Brian Baker), Glenn Pinto tacked one on forty seconds later, and Eric Willard wrapped the scoring with an empty netter in the late going to propel Lime on to another Sunday of playoff play, 4-0 over Grey. On the subject of rising draft stock, Matt Henderson (19/22), was flat out fabulous this season, keeping his offensively-challenged side in every game…even the ones that ultimately looked a bit ‘lopsided’ in the ledger. Grey join the other five castoff teams on the curb outside the CrossBar™, while Lime look to slide past Green and into a Salt Boy Showdown™ with Heather Blue this Sunday.

A short bench, tournament-tired legs for those suited up, and Sean Kelly patrolling the pipes at the other end…not exactly a winning recipe for Captain Ryan Karns’ Brown as they warmed up for their first ‘do or die’ playoff match. Captain Geoff Downes’ White, by contrast…a full compliment of players, Da aforementioned Kid in nets, and a prime opportunity to avenge a 3-1 Week Four loss, eliminate Karns & Company, and generate some positive momentum going into the heart of the playoff push. Brown embraced the ‘nothing to lose’/’backs against the wall’ energy, outshooting White 7-3 in a scoreless first frame, and Karns’ crew maintained that pressure in the second, with shots still counting in their favor over the middle period, 8-5. One of those second period shots found a home behind Kelly…a screened snipe off the stick of Kalen Hunter giving Brown the first lead of the game at 3:29. That lead would hold, with Mason Holcomb reportedly ‘standing on his head’ to preserve Brown’s narrow edge deep into the third. Hunter’s empty-netter at 0:42 (Andy Strathman & Mario Peia) would allow Brown teeth to unclench and lungs to exhale, with the heroics of Hunter and Holcomb (12/12) proving just enough to push Brown past White in a stunning 2-0 coup. Kelly (18/19) absorbed the hard luck L, and White whimpered out of the playoff picture after a second straight shutout shortfall. Brown will look to continue their plucky playoff push in a Week Three rematch with Captain Nick Meglich’s Green, to whom they fell 4-1 back in Week Five.

Captain Jon Salt’s Heather Blue reaffirmed their ownership of Grey in their playoff opener, dispatching the bottom seed 5-2 as an echo of their 6-1 regular season ransacking. Outside of those two very convincing wins, Heather Blue’s campaign credo has been ‘Just Enough’. The proverbial ‘other shoe’ for Salt’s crew is that there are no ties in playoff hockey, and while their regular season loss column was spotless, the tie column was packed tighter than a Tokyo subway. Captain Nick Meglich’s Green accounted for one of the FIVE Heather Blue regular season ties, with the teams each taking a point away from a 3-3 Week Nine affair. The second season rematch would unknot things and (finally) produce a winner…and (of course) a loser. Captain Salt put his team on the board first late in the first, converting a helper from Alexis DaCosta at 0:46 to cap a period that saw Heather Blue outshoot Green 6-1. The shot totals balanced a bit in a scoreless second, and Josh Wirt finally put a shot past super sub, Mason Holcomb, to even the score at ones with 7:36 to play (Erin Plone & Trice Harvey). Ty Pereira wrested the lead back for Heather Blue at 3:17 (Bryan Ossa & Captain Salt), and Salt would seal Green’s fate with his second of the game just thirty seconds later. Holcomb (9/10) was solid in Eric Kroeker’s stead, locking down the 3-1 win to move Heather Blue on to the Winners’ Bracket Final, while Captain Meglich (12/15) shouldered the loss for Green, who now must navigate the Losers’ Bracket should they have any hope for redemption. A heavyweight bout is up next for Heather Blue, as the the top seed takes on second-seeded Orange with a ticket to the Final on the line. Shockingly, the regular season match between these two did not end in a draw…Heather Blue bested Orange 3-1 back in Week Five. Green’s first lower bracket opponent is the sixth seed, Captain Ryan Karns’ Brown…a team they handled with relative ease in a 4-1 Week Five win.

The regular season installment of ‘The Citrus Bowl’™ was a 6-4 run and gun win for Orange, but an attendance asterisk (Lime was without Dan Jurgens, Brian Baker, Shelby Shattuck, and Troy Ohlsson) could be appended to that result. To be fair, Orange were missing Jackson Tomaszewski in that first meeting, and JT would definitely be a factor in the Week Two playoff rematch which (spoiler alert) ran a nearly identical course to the first. Eric Enciso kicked off the scoring for Orange with an unassisted effort at 3:30 in the first, and Tomaszewski followed with his first of the game just ten ticks later (William Teglia). Maureen Ruchhoeft cut the lead in half exactly a minute later (Eric Willard), and the teams moved into the second period with the scoring seal broken. It was all Orange in the second, as Teglia made it 3-1 at 7:12 (Brennen Abel & Steve Linke), Tomaszewski’s second at 4:38 made it 4-1 (Abel & Linke), and Abel made it 5-1 at 2:54 (Steph Palomo Schmidt & Enciso). Chuck Bender (17/20) remained steady through the final period of play, but did allow two late Lime strikes…a Glenn Pinto solo effort at 1:11, and a Justin Ker tally at 0:20 (Captain Zach Salt) to make the final appear a bit less lopsided…5-3 Orange over Lime. Jon Cima (15/21) suffered the loss without the benefit of his customary safety net, Lime’s league leading offense, as the ‘too little, too late’ charge was…well…too little, and too late. Orange move on to face their standing attic mates and natural rivals, Heather Blue, while Lime will look to recover their swagger in a Losers’ Bracket liaison with Grey.

The Week Two nightcap was an elimination bout that had all of the makings of a big screen ‘feel good’ sports flick. Well, it was ‘feel good’ (or, rather, ‘feel great’) for one team, and ‘feel shellshocked’ for another, but…potato/tomato. Captain Jeremy Copp’s Grey came in still licking their wounds from another wound-ful defeat at the hands of Heather Blue in Week One, while Captain Rob Gaudio’s Atomic Blue was ready to reverse the ‘close, but no cigar’ trend after back-to-back low-scoring non-wins to Green. The Week Two meeting between these two was very much a non-win for Atomic Blue, with Grey breaking their meager offensive mold (six games with just one goal, and two with just two) to drop a half dozen on Gaudio’s Gang in a 6-1 romp. A scoreless first set the tone for a much closer match than last time, and Captain Gaudio’s first of the playoffs (his team’s first, from Vance Morra and Mostafa Azab) had Atomic Blue in control at 4:29 in the second. Silas ‘The Silencer’™ Perks continued to flex his rediscovered fine form, deflecting all twenty-two Grey shots through the first twenty minutes of play, including a fifteen spot in the second alone. Grey kept the shots cranking in the third, and FINALLY found a crack in Perks at 1:20, with Jon Zygelman converting a feed from (et tu) Owen Perks to save Grey’s season, and flip the final minute of this game into a frenzied fight for life. The stage was set for the aforementioned ‘feel good’/’feel shellshocked’ moment, and Dan Soar seized that moment, snapping home the game-winner for Grey with just 0:20 to play! The 2-1 Grey over Atomic Blue stunner was all of the thrill and all of the agony of playoff hockey on display, with Matt Henderson (15/16) continuing his spectacular play to keep his team in it to the bitter sweet end. The Silencer™ was otherworldly (33/35), but no manner of miracle could save a suddenly-unable-to-score Atomic Blue, as they became the fourth team cast to the curb at the CrossBar™. Grey have a tall task ahead in three-seeded Lime this Sunday. The two did battle to a 1-1 draw back in Week One, but personnel and playoff passion are considerations that must be, well, considered in this rematch (to the death).