Present Danger

Week Five:

The Malkis…omnipresent at the top of the standings, and never an easy outing for opposition. It was another win with an evil grin for Green in Week Five, as they have now cleaned out the neatly wrapped W’s from under each opponent’s tree. They sit glowering and gloating from their mountain retreat, bellowing ‘WHOS NEXT’ (see what I did there?) down the steep and slippery standings.

Captain Ryan Karns’ ‘Mötley Blüe’ slowed their roll, and fell in the loss hole against (still unbeaten) Green in Week Three, but looked to regain their scorching scoring touch coming off their bye to face Pink in Week Five. It was Pink who punched first (and laughed last), with Joe Nguyen scoring less than a minute in, and Jim LaGrossa following just over a minute later to put ‘Sean Bon Joshi’ up 2-0. A two goal lead is typically an auto-win for any team backstopped by ‘Da Kid’, but Kelly was touched for two in the first, as well. Raj Cheema recorded his first SDFHL goal to make it 2-1, and Gideon Schon brought Blue level late in the frame, with both goals helped along by usual suspects, Andrew Jacobsen, and Alan Razoky. The second slipped by with no scoring, and the third looked a lock to follow suit…until Greg Mallinger broke through with 0:34 to complete a stunning 3-2 coup, Pink over Blue. Patrick Walker assisted on the game-winner, as well as Nguyen’s opener, and Sean Kelly collected POTW honors for his 28/30 masterpiece. Chuck Bender (13/16) suffered the heartbreak loss, but Blue still find themselves smack in the middle of the pack at 2-2-0. At 2-1-1, Pink are nestled just behind the only zero loss teams (Purple and Green), and have a ‘game in hand’ on both, to boot.

‘Sweet Child O’ Malki’ find themselves in a warm, safe place, undefeated at the top of the standings at 5-0-0 through the first half of the season. The latest notch in the win belt came at the expense of fellow-GNR-themed team, ‘Goins ‘N’ Roses’. Sadie Hellstrom put Green out front in the first, and there would be no looking back with Nick Meglich between the pipes. Meglich made sure that one was enough, posting his first shutout of the season (11/11) to stay atop the goalie statistics charts in all categories (5-0-0/.947/0,80/1 SO). Harsh Wanigaratne doubled the lead for Green later in the first, and Jet Javelet tripled it in the second, with the sole assist to POTG, Hellstrom. The 3-0 win keeps Green perfect, and proves that the leaders of the pack have more than just two leaders in their pack, and can prevail without a direct scoring contribution from the Malkis themselves All of this has their remaining five opponents (Grey, Pink, Purple, Black, and Cream) plotting and planning for their crack at cracking the code. The loss drops Red down to the cut line, with the teams trailing them in the standings all holding a game (or two) in hand. They’ll need the remorseless scoring machine Jon Salt of Weeks Three and Four back if they hope to turn things around in the second half.

The White v Cream make-up game was…not close. A five goal first period (Ennsmann, Pinto, Wirt, Ennsmann, Finucane) included TWO short handed goals in the span of twenty-two seconds, making this battle of winless wonders a walk-off for White. Ennsmann would finish with 3 and 2, Finucane (subbing for the injured Shawna Hamon) 2 and 1, and Wirt 1 and 4 in the 7-0 season swinger for Captain Wirth & Company. Cream have now settled to the bottom with a 0-3-1 record, but there is plenty of time left to make up ground, and this team has plenty of talent. Tim Hamon has come on to replace the departed Derek Baxter, and if Captain Gattey can ever get the full team assembled, they should be competitive in the second half of their slate. For now, they remain the lone team without a win, and they are set to face powerhouse Purple this Sunday…yikes. White’s first win has them coming back to the pack at 1-3-1, and a seven goal scoring surge is never anything but a confidence builder, particularly going into a Week Seven matchup with Red, who also sit at 1-3-1…

Purple Reign remained unbeaten, and maintained their second seat in the standings with a convincing 4-0 cruise past basement-bound Brown. Matt Rogers started the scoring late in the first, and Luke Wollmer doubled the lead just over a minute later. It was Wollmer again in the second to make it 3-0, and Captain Zach Salt to round out the romp in the third. Alex Theis was in full beast mode, stopping 24/24 to earn the first star of the game. Theis has been incredible this season (even by Theis standards), and is clearly a pillar for Purple to this point. Nick Vacchio (17/21) absorbed his third loss in four tries, with his save percentage now on the wrong side of .850, and his GAA on the wrong side of 3.00. He will need to be better, and Brown will need to be better as a whole if they are going to survive to see the second season.

Captain Jordan Pynn’s ‘Rolling Gladstones’ limped into Week Five without much hope of a non-loss. With (new recruit) Kevin Wilkinson, Eugenio De Santis, Joe Gaudio, and Marc Lapointe out, it was going to be a one sub bench against a very deep and dangerous ‘Black Slappath’. As good fortune (and the goddess of parity) would have it, Black was also short, with key threats Jeff Anderson, Josh Tran, and Brian Phillips out of the lineup. Grey took full advantage of the lack of disadvantage, opening a 3-0 lead on Tomas Jankovic’s first of the season/first of his career in the first, then a rare pair from Mark DeGraffenreid in the second. Captain Pynn collected two assists, and Pat Gladstone, Craig Russell, and DeGraffenreid were all good for one. Captain Nick Vacchio provided the only answer for the losing side (with assists to Ezra Cohen and Kyra Forsyth), as his team fell back to .500 with the 3-1 loss. Grey moved up to the same record (2-2-1) with the win, which saw the triumphant return of Chris Tran (7/8) in nets. Wayne Wong (14/17) continued his statistical struggles, in spite of showing improvement in the first five fixtures of his foray into the position.

White Elephants

Week Four:

Captain Wirth’s White, and Captain Gattey’s Cream currently find themselves discarded in the corner, under shreds of wrapping paper and a freshly/hastily opened box of wins that some other team is enjoying. The winless sides face off in a holiday reach for redemption this Sunday…

Goins ‘N’ Roses scored their first hit on the charts, as ‘Sean Bon Joshi’ met the reborn to be wild Jon Bon Salty in Week Four. Salt picked up where he left off in Week Three, putting Red out front 1-0 with his fifth of the season. Patrick Walker popped back with a highlight reel coast to coast cash-in, but Salt responded…twice…to build the lead to 3-1. A late Carl Vankoughnett response kept the tension thick to the end, but Red would hold on to capture their first win of the season, 3-2 over Pink. Salt’s surge has yielded seven goals in two games, and it should be noted that the Week Four hat trick came against Sean Freaking Kelly. We’d have to spend a few hours with the record books to see if there are any other instances of Kelly having a hat hung on him…I doubt there are many/any others. Andrew Lockard picked up his first win of the season with a 21/23 showing, and both Pink and Red now find themselves in the gooey three point center of the standings going into the final games of 2021.

Grey v Purple…nothing to see here. Literally, there is nothing to report. Well, no goals to report…Grey did rack up three penalties….that do anything for you? I hope you had the under on this one, as heavy underdog, Grey, got a boost from London Peters’ replacement, Kevin Wilkinson. Wilkinson was the shot in the arm that Grey needed, but all of the whopping nine shots they mustered hit Sean Kelly’s arm, or leg, or glove, or some other body part. Kelly followed his rough ride against Red with a 9/9 shutout, while Andrew Lockard was much busier, and as good with a 20/20 no-no. Yes…different game, same goalie matchup…fewer goals. The 0-0 tie is certainly a moral victory for Grey, who earn their third point in the standings, in spite of having scraped and struggled to find a mere three goals in four games. For Purple, they are no longer ‘perfect’, but still unbeaten, and still sitting pretty just below Green at the top of table.

Goals and assists were back in fashion in the third game of the night…particularly goals and assists from dudes named Eric. Eric Herrmann broke the scoring seal for Orange in the early going, and had a pair of assists in the third….a period which saw Eric Willard score twice. Kevin Dinino continued his contract year contributions to cap the scoring for Captain Casey’s crew, but…White proved they also like to score. Julie Ott and Shawna Hamon had White out front 2-1 through two, and Mark Ennsmann and Glenn Pinto spoiled the Eric & Eric show with two strikes just forty-six ticks apart to bring the slugfest to a 4-4 stalemate. Nick Meglich (19/23) and Don Tran (21/25) absorbed all of the blows, and left with a ‘T’ and sympathy. The point propels Orange into the middle of the mediocre mélange at 1-2-1, while White are ‘making the paper’ for all the wrong reasons, sitting at 0-3-1 going into a crucial matchup with basement buddies, Cream.

Malki Malki Malki! The family remains a force through four weeks of play with another win on the backs of the namesakes. Chris Malki scored both goals for Green, with lil’ Joe assisting on game-winner in the second. Nick Meglich’s shutout bid was spoiled only by a last minute marker from Brian Sheptycki. It was not just another win for Meglich (13/14), who leads all goalies in all categories this season, but it was a win in the ‘Battle Of The Nicks’. Nick Vacchio’s 15/17 made him the second best Nick in nets in the 2-1 loss, which leaves Brown in cut line town at 1-2-0, and keeps Green the team to beat at 4-0-0. It gets no easier for Brown in Week Five, with a powerful Purple poised to avenge their only non-win, and keep pace with the Malki boys going into the holiday break.

According to the old adage, the cream rises to the top. Captain Gattey is still waiting for his Cream team to embrace that credo, as so far they have only succeeded in sinking. Now, when you come to a gun fight, and find you left the bullets at home (Dan Jurgens, Matt Gottfried, Kaity Gottfried, Derek Baxter, Jerry Gonzales), it’s hard to see your way to survival. Black took full advantage of Cream’s short bench/absence of top-half-of-the-draft talent, building to 3-1 lead in the first on goals by Captain Nick Vacchio, Jeff Anderson, and Josh Tran. Tran’s tally would prove the game-winner, as Ty Pereira accounted for both Cream responses in the 4-2 loss. Rob Gaudio had built the lead to 4-1 prior to Pereira’s second, but it was two little, two late for Cream. Wayne Wong earned his second win of the season with a 9/11 turn, while Steve Deppensmith (12/16) and Cream sagged to 0-2-1. Cream v White is certainly the feature Week Five matchup…it’s beginning to look a lot like ‘do or die’ for both teams.

Child’s Play

Week 4:

This cute little rocker is not just a nod to ‘Sweet Child O’ Malki’…for whom ‘It’s So Easy’ to knock off/nearly shut out powerhouse Blue, but also a reminder that this Sunday will be the second and final chance to donate new, and gently-used clothing for babies in need. Our Gently Hugged drive rolls on in Week Four…please help make a difference!

It really wasn’t ‘easy’ at all, but Green did outlast fellow unbeaten, Blue, in a beauty of a battle that came down to the final minute of play. Captain Karns’ ‘Mötley Blüe’ strode in with a scorching six-goals-per-game scoring pace, while Captain Joe Malki’s side had the same number of wins, but half the goals coming into the Week Three showdown. Alan Razoky kept his league-leading scoring tempo tuned in with his sixth of the season (as many as the combined team output for White and Grey) late in the first, with Vincent Santora providing the assist. Tyler Winstead accounted for the avenger for Green late in the second (from old man Malki), and Jet Javelet finished a Sadie Hellstrom helper to propel Green to an inspired 2-1 win with just 1:01 remaining. Both netminders faced their fair (and equal) share of shots, but Nick Meglich kept his perfect record intact with a 21/22 performance, while Chuck Bender (20/22) shouldered the late game stunner, smudging his previously perfect 2-0-0 mark. Green now sit with just Purple at their side atop the standings at 3-0-0.

Speak of the Purple, and the Purple appears…and they appeared to have no trouble at all handing White their third loss to start the season. Phirst year phenom, Cory Samuels, lit the lamp twice in the first, both on primary assists from Captain Zach, and a late period counter strike from Scott Wieland would be all that White could muster in response. Luke Wollmer padded the lead on the power play in the third, and Justin Stege added unnecessary insurance to produce the 4-1 winning formula for Purple over White. Purple are now a perfect 3-0-0, and Alex Theis was near perfect himself in the win (15/16). It’s a bit too early for undefeated v undefeated late season buzz, but…Purple v Green…Week Eight…get your tickets now.

Two teams who have struggled to score so far met in the middle game in Week Three. Grey was bested 2-1 in Week One, then sidled past Red 2-0 in Week Two. Pink hoped for more better than a 2-2 tie as they came off their bye, and they got just that against a woefully under-weaponized Grey. Patrick Walker tucked a ball between super sub Don Tran’s pads, and that ball managed to roll JUST over the goal line to give Pink the 1-0 lead at the halfway point. Jim LaGrossa scored a more conventional twine-tickling tally minutes later, but Walker’s one was already enough, as Pink prevailed 2-0. Sean Kelly once again earned his big paycheck for Pink, sprinkling a number of show-stoppers in with the standard saves in a 14/14 no-no notch. Grey have been without their first pick all season so far, and the lack of speed and scoring punch are very apparent. A Week Four meeting with Purple is not exactly what the doctored ordered…pray for this team! Or, do something that actually makes a difference in the world, like show up to play (*cough*London*cough*)…

Captain Joel Gattey’s ‘Creaming For Vengenace’ was…well…creaming (?) for vengeance in Week Three, after their Week Two debut was dampened by a 6-5 loss to Blue. Jerry Gonzales had Cream on the right track just over a minute in, but that was just the first teeter to an equal number of totters. The totters (ALL of them) were provided by a pent-up performance from last week’s front page punchline, Jon Salt. Salt accounted for all four Red responses, one for each of the pair of goals for Gonzales and Gottfried (Matt), securing POTW honors, and securing the first point in the standings for Red in the process. The 4-4 tie was a thriller for those looking on, but not so enjoyable for Cory Brin (19/23) and Steve Deppensmith (12/16)…although a non-loss is a non-loss, however crippling as it may be to your season stats. Speaking of season stats, Salt can finally show the player scoring slate to RJ with a twinkle of pride…just…you know…without scrolling up to see Uncle Zach’s numbers.

The nightcap was another back and forth affair, as Orange and Black traded blows (and a few choice words, as I understand it). Rob Gaudio got Black on the board first in the first, and Emily Bennington built the lead to two in the second. Kevin Dinino had himself a career night, starting with the first response from Orange in the second, then a pair to tie the game at three (after Josh Tran made it 3-1 Black early in the third). It is rare indeed that a hat trick is in vain, but Rob Gaudio made it so, notching the game-winning heartbreaker minutes later to cap a wild come-from-ahead 4-3 win for Black. Wayne Wong earned his first career SDFHL victory with a wobbly, but worthy 15/18, while Cory Brin absorbed his second loss in three outings with a 24/28 line. Orange will hope for the return of super stud, Eric Herrmann, in Week Four, as they face a winless White. Black take their sample platter start (1-1-1) out to face a dangerous, yet dragging Cream. This is the point in the season where you ‘have to win the games you expect to win’…we just don’t quite know yet who to ‘expect to win’ a given game at this stage…

crüe intentiöns

Week 3:

Captain Ryan Karns and ‘Mötley Blüe’ are smokin’ (both in, and out of the boys room) out of the gate, having torched their first two opponents for twelve goals on their way to a 2-0-0 start. Captain Joel Gattey’s ‘Creaming For Vengeance’ took the loss in their opener against the league’s clear and present powerhouse, but their five goal losing effort should serve notice that they can blaze with the big boys (and girls)…

Grey and Red met in Week Two as ‘no win twins’, with both having suffered a one goal loss in their opener. Newcomer, Eugene DeSantis, provided the only goal Grey would need in the second, then added another for good measure late in the period to stake his team to a 2-0 Week Two win. Fellow first year, Joe Gaudio, provided the lone leg-up on both strikes, and Don Tran locked up the shop in cousin Chris’ absence with a 22/22 clean sheet. Andrew Lockard (20/22) absorbed his second loss in as many games, in spite of a solid (and at times, sparking) performance. Grey can certainly draw encouragement from the contributions of their new arrivals, especially as they continue to await any word of a possible return for top striker, London Peters. Red will need to regroup, and find their scoring touch against a dangerous Cream team in Week Three.

Another pair of winless teams limped into the arena for the second game of the second week. Captain Steve Goncalo and his as-yet-unnamed Brown band were more than ready to put a Week One 6-2 beat down at the hands of our cover team behind them, while ‘Wirt(h) Snake’ was happy to put Mr. Malki and his ‘sweet child’ in their rearview and focus forward. Neither team was able to do damage through the first, and most of the second, but long lost veteran, Steve Scott, finally solved Don Tran (with the sole assist to even-longer-lost veteran, Geoff Downes), and Maureen Ruchhoeft doubled the lead for Brown just fourteen seconds later. Ruchhoeft’s tally would stand as the game-winner, thanks to White’s lone counterstrike from Josh Wirt less than a minute later. So…all of the game’s scoring crammed into 1:01 of playing time, with Brown holding on for the 2-1 win over White. Nick Vacchio’s 21/22 was just what he needed to secure his first win of the season, outdueling old man Don Tran (14/16) to bring his team’s record even through two weeks of play.

This season has so far separated the Salt man (Zach) from the Salt boy (Jon). I kid…Jon is actually older…but boy, he must be having some separation anxiety, thus far. Captain Zach led his team to another win in Week Two with a one and one outing, and he now has four points in two games (to big brother’s zero), and…oh yeah, he won the head-to-head battle in Week One. Oh, to be a fly on the wall at A Very Special Salt Thanksgiving! Justin Stege opened the scoring for Purple in the second, and rookie, Aaron Cooney, followed with the game-winner later in the frame. Rob Gaudio (speaking of younger brothers) responded for ‘Black Slappath’ at 4:32 in the third, but Captain Salt signed and sealed the 3-1 win with his second of the season to move his team to 2-0-0. Alex Theis was his typical beastly self (14/15) behind the ranks of ‘Purple Reign’, while Wayne Wong’s goaltending debut was a valiant, but vain 15/18 losing effort.

Captain Karns’ team has firepower…UMLAUT of fire power. Speaking of umlauts…I owe to this team the fact that I have now memorized the alt keyboard codes for ö and ü…but, I digress. Captain Gattey’s team managed to cool their competitors in the first, as a pair of Dan Jurgens goals bookended an Andrew Jacobsen jab. The Blue beast stirred and struck hard in the second, with Jacobsen evening the score with his second of the game, then assisting on Alan Razoky’s go-ahead notch. Gideon Schon followed with a power play marker, and Razoky ripped home another to give Blue a 5-2 lead going into the final ten. Cream rose to the challenge, with three unanswered answers from Wendy Enright, Jon Champine, and Jerry Gonzales to bring things back level at five apiece with less than five minutes to play. It was Razoky again…but this time Alaa Razoky with the game-winner to cap a completely crazy contest (and complete the carpel tunnel chaos for the poor scorer), 6-5, Blue over Cream. Mostafa Azab (Blue), and first year forward, Derek Baxter (White) each recorded two assists in the point parade. Chuck Bender (13/18) won the war of attrition over Steve Deppensmith (10/16), but neither netminder will be putting this scrap in their scrapbook for posterity.

Sadie Hellstrom wasted no time putting ‘Sweet Child O’ Malki’ on the board, converting a Tyler Winstead assist just 1:17 into play. It was more Malki magic from there, as Captain Joe netted the game-winner late in the first, then assisted on pop’s power play poke early in the second. Eric Willard finally found a response for ‘Twisted Citrus’, a short-handed conversion from Captain Casey, but Nicholas Meglich (12/13) and Green would hold on for the 3-1 win. Cory Brin (25/28) weathered the storm well, but ended without a win in Week Two. Green will put their 2-0-0 record on the line against one of only two other unbeatens (Blue) in Week Three…definitely our featured matchup this Sunday.

Level Check

Week 1:

Every band was an opener in Week One of the Fall Tour, but at least one act is already looking like a headliner. Mötley Blüe unleashed (Nikki) Six on Brown to account for the only smash hit, while the rest of the set list was tighter than a snare. The tune up continues this Sunday, as Cream come to the stage to jam out the jitters and look to make some noise.

What better way to kick off a music-themed season than with a brotherly rivalry to rival that of Noel and Liam Gallagher? This season, it is the younger Salt fronting his own band, ‘Purple Reign’, while old man Jon makes plans to survive the ‘Goins ‘N’ Roses’ tour with a strict regimen of yoga, coconut water, and vegan cuisine. Zach had the first and last laugh in Week One, providing the primary assist on rookie Cory Samuel’s first career goal in the first (with Aaron Cooney providing the second assist for his first career point). Nadia Saidi Connolly gave Purple a 2-0 advantage (the first of FIVE female goals on the evening), and Captain Zach Salt himself pumped the lead to three. Old man Salt would not make the score sheet, but Red did make a comeback, starting with REALLY old man Linke’s tally with 0:13 to play in the second. Kim Hernandez kept the girl power percolating to cut the lead to one on the power play with 1:52 remaining, but Alex Theis (18/20) held the lead to lead Purple to a 3-2 opening week win. Andrew Lockard (13/16) suffered the loss in his return to league play, and the once-mighty OG Salt was left with only the sense that he’s ‘still mom’s favorite’.

It was another mainstay captaining family in action for act two on the night, with Captain Joe Malki leading the charge for ‘Greensrÿche’. Joe broke a scoreless tie early in the second, and assisted his old man on an insurance notch in the third, as Green rocked and rolled past White, 3-1. Harsh Wanigaratne netted the game-winner less than a minute prior to Green’s third goal, and Josh Wirt produced the only response for White just over a minute later, but Nick Meglich (14/15) was sure and steady to the finish. Sure and steady is one thing, but absolutely working miracles is another. Enter Don Tran. The veteran stopped 29/32 in the loss, but earned second star honors for withstanding Green’s sizzling shot storm, and giving his team a fighting chance to the end.

Captain Ryan Karns ushered ‘Mötley Blüe’ to the stage with hopes of a strong set from a band featuring quite a few virtuosos. He might not have expected quite the level of pyrotechnics that transpired, as Alan Razoky absolutely shredded Brown, dropping a hat trick, a helper, and the mic in a smash and bash 6-2 romp. Keeping with both the family and femme fatale Week One theme, Alaa Razoky followed her brother’s early second period goal with one of her own (with Raj Cheema recording his first career assist). Captain Steve Goncalo and Brian Sheptycki traded assists on each other’s goals to even the score, but Alan ripped home the game-winner with his second late in the second. It was Kerri Sevenbergen for the fourth goal of the night (both for Blue, and for the SDFHL female contingent), then an Andrew Jacobsen sighting, and the feather in Alan’s hat trick to round out the scoring. Nick Vacchio took the loss with a 13/19 effort, while Chuck Bender enjoyed the show from his end, collecting the win with an 8/10 line.

The penultimate game brought the parity party back, as ‘The Rolling Gladstones’ and ‘Twisted Citrus’ engaged in an intimate duet. Mark DeGraffenreid got Grey off on the right foot in the first, tucking a rebound past nemesis netminder, Cory Brin. Orange countered, then conquered in the second, as rookie David Clark swatted home his first career goal to settle the score, and remorseless killing machine, Eric Herrmann, scorched a snapper over sub Sean Kelly’s shoulder to give Orange a 2-1 edge they would not relinquish. Brin earned the win with a sparkling 21/22 performance, just outdueling Da Kid (21/23) who was no less sparkly, but simply stung by a sweet story (Clark’s first) and the strength of the league’s new scoring sensation (The Herrmannator).

If you’ve ever been to a concert, you know they typically save the best for last. Holy hell…this game was not just the best of the night, but one of the best I’ve seen in a while. The final chapter of the ‘family and females’ tale was penned in the first period, as Jeremy Copp’s long range wrister found room over Cory Brin’s shoulder, and Hima Joshi’s body bounced home Jim LaGrossa’s second setup of the night to give ‘Sean Bon Joshi’ a two goal lead through the first. A scintillating, yet scoreless second was mostly the Sean Kelly show. Kelly finished with a line of 29/31, but any mortal would have been lucky to muster 21/31. The lopsided shots (Brin went 13/15, by contrast) finally showed up as stats for ‘Black Slappath’, as Rob Gaudio and Captain Nick Vacchio scored within the same minute to produce the 2-2 stalemate that would stand as the final score. Jeff Anderson matched Jim LaGrossa with primaries on both Black markers, and Emily Bennington put in one last punch for the ladies in Week One with a second assist on Black’s first.