While most of us had a week (or two, or three, or four) to begin putting the Summer League 2023 in the ‘better luck next time’ mental file by the time the ides of October rolled around, Captain Geoff Downes’ Red, and Captain Sev Brown’s Purple were pumped and primed for the Final. The questions: Would Red hold serve and finish their postseason run with one Cup and no losses? Would Purple push the play to a second game, and maybe even edge the favorites in a double upset Cup coup? Which of the Salt Bros™ would have bragging rights at the Thanksgiving table? The answers: Yes. No. Jon. Captain Geoff Downes gave Red a 1-0 lead at 3:59 in the first, hammering a Matt Rogers’ point pass past the outstretched pad of Syd Costello, but neither goalie would allow anything further until late in the third. Unfortunately for Captain Brown and Purple, the ‘anything further late in the third’ came courtesy of Jon Salt, who converted a lead-doubling dagger on the power play with 1:37 to play in regulation (from Captain Downes). If you have somehow missed the memo…a two goal hole (especially a late two goal hole) is not something you climb out of with Silas Perks patrolling the perimeter. ‘The Silencer’ was perfect, stopping 22/22 to seal Purple’s fate, while Costello (22/24) was very sharp, but ultimately undone at the other end. Matt Rogers added an empty netter at 0:37 to (super) seal the deal, and Red finished what they started, dismissing the upstart six seeds, and capturing the Cup with a really well-played and well-earned 3-0 win. Congratulations to our Summer League 2023 champions, and congratulations to Purple for an inspired postseason surge that just came up short.