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SUNDAYS #8 vs. MISFITS:

(vol. 9S, no. 8; newsletter by c.g.)
As the season's first real thunderstorms rolled through the area, the Coastal Pirates (3-3-1) took to the humidity-dampened GoodSports floors for a match with the struggling Misfits (0-4-0). The Misfits have been anything but stellar this season, allowing an average of over eight goals against per contest. For Sunday's game, two of GoodSports' local rink rats would be joining on to help the Misfits — namely Guglielmelli (a.k.a. “Gucci”) and Downey. With those two shoring-up the defense for awhile, and a goalie who looked pretty good (and really young), the Misfits were prepared to make it a game.

The 1st period got off to a good start as the line of LeMatty-Wildman-Goione got on the board at about the 10:00-minute mark with a feed from Wildman to LeMatty (who stuffed puck past the goalie who had done all he could do to stop LeMatty's initial shot). The Misfits would come right back, however, with a shot from just outside the left circle as both Russ and Harris were caught flat-footed, each waiting for the other to make a play. The 1-1 tie looked as though it might hold to the buzzer until — with :38 seconds remaining in the period — Dave Matthews hammered home a perfect one-timer on a feed from LeMatty, who had swooped-in behind the net with the puck. Although we took the 2-1 lead into the first break, the Pirates seemed kind of “off” (as we failed to capitalize on two powerplays, including :30 seconds of 5-on-3), and we continually sent shot after shot wide of the Misfits' net.

The 2nd period opened with Gucci weaving in on Harris and placing a backhander just past his outstretched pad, to even things up at 2-2. This was the wake-up call the Pirates needed as we reeled-off three straight unanswered goals; the first coming by way of Jimmy Ferraro's stick (as the Pirate points leader continued to assault the record books with his ninth goal of the season); Roger Weiss got into the act shortly thereafter with his own unassisted goal (our second defenseman to score on the evening); and Goione would finally put the puck in the net on a rebound in front from a Nicolosi-fired slapshot. Throughout the 2nd, the Pirates were looking better and better with several stand-out plays that just didn't convert. One such play was turned in by Scooby, who had a masterful rush up the rink on a feed from Harris deep in the defensive zone; he weaved through all the Misfit players, but his behind-the-back pass to Ferraro was just a little off the mark. Glenn Farkas was taking his usual target practice too, but just couldn't get any to go in. Still the Pirates closed-out the period with a comfortable 5-2 lead.

In the 3rd, the line of Ferraro-Farkas-DiPierro started to increase the pressure as Ferraro scored his second of the night on a feed from Farkas (Glenn originally had a breakaway, but he wasn't able to reel it in, so instead he made a beautiful pass to Jimmy in the slot for the goal). Late in the period Jimmy would complete the hattrick as Scooby feathered him a pass up ice and Jimmy easily drove home the ensuing breakaway. Russ would finish out the scoring on a breakaway (from a LeMatty pass), as Russ used his patented “over the goalies stick-side shoulder” placement for the final tally of the evening.

Some notables:
• Every Pirate defenseman had at least a point last night.
• Jimmy Ferraro continues to pile on the points (14 on the season so far) with his third career hattrick.
• Two players are in double digits in scoring (Scott LeMatty and Jimmy Ferraro), with two others (Tim Hand and Chris Goione) knocking at the door with nine points each.