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…

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.

Box is up…recaps to come…