WEDNESDAYS #9 vs. THE HURT:

(vol. 39W, no. 9; newsletter b.n.)
Everyone kept telling me that the last time we played the Hurt it was an exciting game ... Marty scored the game winner in overtime diving through the air .... I said to myself ... “Man, I have no memory of that” ... Harris, who was obviously listening-in on the private conversations that I carry on inside my head said, “Come on, you gotta remember — it was like Bobby Orr flying through the air when he scored the Stanley Cup winning goal!” ... Nope ... didn't ring a bell (kind of like Russ and Wildman in the parking lot after the game when Harris tried to pin Wildman down on a comment that he made in 2002) ... Harris tried to jog my memory a few other ways, but nothing seemed to do the trick (it wasn't until I went back and checked the site afterwards that I realized that the last time the Pirates played the Hurt, I was out hurt ... which kind of explains why Marty was there) ...

But enough of that. It's playoff time. First Round: Pirates vs. Hurt. Based on the previous game, both sides were primed for another close-fought affair. Honestly, I though we were in trouble before the puck was even dropped when the Pirates elected to wear white against a team that was yellow. Sometimes there is an issue when this happens (and usually it revolves around LeMatty passing to the other team) ... but whatever ... someone told me that the reason we switched from the black jersey to the white jersey was because the Hurt's yellow jersey had black in it as well. When I pointed out to that person that the Pirates' white jersey had more black in it than the Hurt's jersey, I just got the blank stare (kind of like Russ and Wildman after the game). Anyway, using history as a guide is typically a great way to like your life ... but apparently it ain't worth a crap in trying to predict the outcome of a hockey game. Because ... (and I have to apologize to Russ again this week for the poor coverage of his breakout game in the newsletter last week ... Russ if you are reading this right now ... you may want to skip to the end ... and if you are driving ... you may want to slow down) like I was saying ... for those of you that thought you were going to see a tight-fought battle ... that thought evaporated in the opening moments ... With the unusual pairing of Marty-Kenny-#67 opening the game (as far as I know this line has never played together), Marty did some fancy moves down in the corner and hit #67 who was breaking to the net, for a one-timer to make it 1-0 Pirates. Then on the next shift for that line ... Marty took a feed from Kenny to make it 2-0 .... still on the same shift (and only 5:0 0minutes or so into the game) Marty took a shot that #67 couldn't bury, but Kenny swooped-in and scored to make it 3-0 (that gave every player on the line a goal). The Hurt would battle back when somebody hit the top corner from deep in the lower faceoff circle, but their comeback ended there .... Farrell would score on a pass from Marty (“The Farrell to Farrell goal” for those watching in the stands). And then Russ would hit Kenny with another pass to make it 5-1 after the 1st period.

The onslaught continued in the final period after Gucci scored unassisted to make it 6-1 ... then Lematty scored on a pass from Geisor ... and you know things are going your way when #67 redirects a waist-high shot from Mike that clangs of the bottom of the crossbar and rings around the inside of the net to make it 8-1 .... even Marty got into the act and buried a shorthanded chance to make it 9-1 (and christened the line “Deuces Wild”... because each of the players buried two in the net). Marty also ended the game via “mercy” with 2:45 remaining.

Hopefully Russ skipped all that and got to this point ... if not ... well I am done apologizing for last week ... It's in the past and doesn't matter. And in reality, this game doesn't matter either ... all that matters is next week and the Finals.

FOR THE RECORD
Attendance (players): Cassens, Farrell, Genalo, Gesior, Gucci, LeMatty, Newcomb, Nicolosi, Maccanico (sub). Net: Harris.
Scratches: Matthews, Miller.
Scoring: 1st period: 5-1 Pirates: Goals by Newcomb (Maccanico); Maccanico (Genalo); Genalo (Newcomb, Maccanico); Farrell (Maccanico); Genalo (Nicolosi). 3rd period: 9-1 Pirates: Goals by Gucci (none); LeMatty (Gesior); Newcomb (Farrell); Maccanico (Gesior), SHG, mercy 2:45.
date of game: 10.29.09