The first place Labatt Blues team came into tonight's game with a little redemption in mind after losing a scrimmage to the Lumberjacks last week after the Gamblers forfeited. The Jacks put together a solid game last week, breaking a 3-3 tie with 1:21 remaining for the win.
Tonight the Blues played spoiler, pulling their goaltender, Jon "Supertrooper" Hall, and scoring with the extra-man with just 17 seconds left to tie the game. They followed that up with a shootout win behind a 3 for 3 save performance from Hall and shootout goal from Colin "Sparky" Clark.
Jon Hall had to be outstanding in this one to lead his team to a win, withstanding an onslaught early from the Lumberjack's "Potato Farmer" line of Jordy "McBreakaway" McGee, Neil "Big Mac" MacKenzie and Patrick "McFlurry" McDonough. Hall had to make 19 saves in the first period and ended up with 45 saves in regulation and 3 for 3 in the shootout.
Hall also made Jordy McGee his bitch, turning away 20 breakaways by McGee and keeping him without a goal for the first time in 7 games. "Hall scares me a little with those State Trooper eyes, he just sees right through you." Said McGee as he made excuses after the game.
MacKenzie opened the scoring, splitting the defense on a pass from McGee and beating Hall with a backhander 3 minutes into the game. The Blues tied it up with just under a minute to play in the first frame when TJ "NoPass" Moran made his first pass of the season, hitting Stephen Hamilton going to the net for a redirect past the Lumberjack's Ryan "The Libido" Libbey.
END OF THE FIRST: Tied at 1. SHOTS: Lumberjacks 20, Blues 6
McDonough got things started with a bad angle goal on Hall at 13:10 before "Mad" Max Major finally came out of his concussed state and buried a beautiful feed from Colin "Cool Whip" Clark in the slot to tie the game with 6:35 left in the second.
"Big" Bubba Lazarczyk gave the Blues their first lead off of Moran's second assist of the night. To be clear, Moran did not pass this puck but instead Lazarczyk knocked home a Moran rebound that Libbey gift-wrapped for him on top of the crease.
END OF THE SECOND: Blues 3, Jacks 2 - SHOTS: Blues 17, Jacks 36
McDonough opened the scoring in the 3rd period, breaking down the far side of the ice and firing a shot off Hall's glove that trickled in. Referee Zach "The Tinder Swindler" Aher was too busy swiping and didn't see the puck roll into the net and called it a "no goal", but Hall is a true gentlemen and admitted that it was a goal. Hall is a true hero in my books.
The other Hall, Nick "The Stick" Hall gave the Lumberjack's the lead with 6:32 left after turning on the jets down the near boards and rolling a tumbling muffin at Jon Hall, that rolled up his stick, off his chest and up and over his shoulder for the goal. "That's just how I drew it up." Recalled Hall as he gazed off into the distance reminiscing the lowlight reel goal.
The Blues pulled their goaltender with a minute to play, and put pressure on the Lumberjacks. With 20 seconds left, a failed clearing attept by a Lumberjack's forward was kept in at the blue line and a loose puck made it onto the stick of Lazarczyk at the top of the near circle. Bubba turned a fired using the Lumberjack's Jay "The Zamboni" Zanleoni's giant ass as a screen, beating LIbbey low to tie the game with 17 seconds remaining. "What the FUCK Zanleoni!!! It was like an eclipse out there with your big ass screening me." Was Libbey's response after the game...fuming. Clearly Zanleoni was trying to give the Blues the win, as he made a pass through the crease to a Blues player just moments before where Libbey came up big with a save. "Fucking Zanleoni" - Libbey.
END OF REGULATION: Game Tied at 4. SHOTS: Blues 31, Jacks 49
Colin Clark was the hero in the shootout, scoring the only goal.
SHOOTER: Lumberjacks - Braden McCarthy - missed high glove
SHOOTER: Labatt Blues - Max Major - Stickhandled himself into a corner - save
SHOOTER: Lumberjacks - Jordy McGee - Sucks at breakaways
SHOOTER: Labatt Blues - Colin Clark - Glove Save, but trickled in - goal
SHOOTER: Lumberjacks - Patrick McDonough - fell down - save
FINAL: Blues win 5-4 (SO)