Captain Gattey’s Cream certainly hasn’t risen to the top this season, In spite of an impressive roster full of seasoned snipers, this cream was settling very close to the bottom coming into Week Ten, with a woeful 1-4-1 mark. A loss to the only team below them, the 1-5-0 Brown, would leave them a very long shot for the postseason, at best. As fate would have it, Brown would stay down (and now, almost certainly out), as the Week Ten opener opened a door for Cream, and slammed another shut on Captain Goncalo’s crew. Matt Gottfried broke through for Cream late in the first, and added an encore to follow Dan Jurgens’ tally in the second. Ian Crooks and Jon Champine piled on in the third, bringing about the 5-0 final. Steve Deppensmith’s nightmare season in nets hit a second bright spot in the last three outings, as the oldest of old timers recorded his first shutout of the season with a 10/10 line. Dan Jurgens and super sub, Deborah Finucane, each collected two assists in the crucial win, which pushes Cream into a crowded pack of eight teams with between five and eight points in the standings. They face the toughest of challenges in Green this Sunday, while Brown look to avoid official, official, official elimination at the hands of a resurgent Red.
For the first time all season, Green arrived at the rink on Sunday looking to avenge a loss. Purple’s statement 3-0 win over the previously unbeaten side would surely stir them to action against Black, who entered Week Ten at 1-3-2. Captain Joe Malki opened the scoring for Green midway through the first, but Andy Strathman struck back for Black in the second half of the second. Brian McDonnell’s second of the season (and his SDFHL career) looked like a lock to hold up as the GWG, but Jeff Anderson tied the 2-2 knot with just half a minute remaining in the third. Wayne ‘Dub Dub’ Wong earned POTW honors for keeping a motivated Green monster at bay (28/30), while Nick Meglich (10/12) was denied a bump in his league-leading win total with the last minute Anderson heroics. A point is a point is a point, but this point may prove crucial for Captain Vacchio’s squad. At present, it keeps them JUST above the cut line with six points, but it may prove THE point that saves their second season, as we turn onto the final straightaway.
The middle game saw two teams in the (relative) middle of the standings meet in the middle, and walk away with one point apiece. Weston Nawrocki scored his first of the season to give Red a lead late in the first, and it looked likely that Jon Salt would double that lead as he stepped up to take a penalty shot early in the second. You’d have lost money had you bet against Chuck Bender in that showdown, as Salt was denied, and the game remained a one goal affair. Andrew Jacobsen made it a two goal affair, finally solving Andrew Lockard late in the third to produce the 1-1 final. Bender earned first star honors for the game, stopping 26/27, including the solo Salt salvo. Lockard absorbed the non-win with a solid 22/23 effort, helping his team edge ever closer to a playoff berth in the process. Red will look to (officially) punch their playoff ticket, and punch out Brown in the process this Sunday, while Blue take on standings neighbors, Black, in what looks to be a spicy meatball of a matchup.
Captain Zach Salt and ‘Purple Reign’ trotted into Orangetown in Week Ten riding high off a 3-0 ambush of the Green Gulch Boys in their last outing. A smile creased their faces, and chops were licked when they noted that the new sheriff in town, Eric Herrmann, was nowhere to be found. Salt put a bullet in Orange faster than a ferret fleeing a fox house (I’m working on my cowboy slang…bear with me), but then…the Deputy’s spurs were heard, as he strode through the swinging saloon doors, his badge glinting in the midday sun. ‘It’s D-d-d-deputy D-d-d-d-inino!’ stammered one of the greener members of the Purple mob…’RUN!’. The Deputy drew and fired faster than a man closing a Pornhub window when his lady walks in (I’m fresh out of cowboy slang). The scene got real quiet-like for one period…most folks hid behind barrels, and wagon wheels, and other stereotypical western shite. Then Old Eric Willard, the longtime owner of the Second Fiddle Saloon, braved himself up and fired a second shot in defense of Orangetown. Salt’s crew turned tail and headed out of town, but the captain got in one last shot to exact even damage, and he rode away from the 2-2 two step vowing to ‘come back…when the Sheriff’s here to hand me his badge, in person.’ To be continued….
In times of SDFHL desperation, you never want to look over to see the other team warming up Sean Freakin’ Kelly. Captain Wirth’s White limped into Week Ten at 1-4-1, below the cut line, and ready to resign themselves to alternate Sunday plans in late March/early April. Captain Joshi’s Pink, by contrast, winners of two of their last three, and looking to improve their already improved playoff outlook. Well, as it went, White followed Cream’s lead, and took a big step up the cellar stairs with a 4-0 stun and gun run past Pink. It was Don Tran (14/14) who stood tallest in nets, outdueling Da Kid (20/24) to earn his second shutout win of the season, and keep his team in contention for a post season bid. Glenn Pinto broke a scoreless tie in the second, and added a second in the third. Josh Wirt and Captain Wirth assisted on each other’s goals to round out the attack for White in the weighty win. Both teams have crossroads battles this Sunday, with White taking on middle-roaders, Grey, and Pink bracing for a showdown with The Herrmannator and Orange.