WEDNESDAYS #2 vs. BUCKSHOT:

(vol. 45W, no. 2; newsletter by b.b. & r.n.)
editor's note: We are pleased to present two perspectives on this game. The first is from our substitute netminder Bill Barnett, while the second is from our very-own Captain, Russ Nicolosi. Enjoy!

From Bill Barnett, “The Stunt-Goalie’s Perspective”: I am still exhausted, but ... very impressed with what I saw out of the Pirates. Though always a solid team, you all looked even better last night. Forwards were back-checking and covering the point ... Defensemen were cutting off the ever-present Buckshot one-timer pass. The Orangemen monopolized the shots in the game, but the Pirates got off the one that counted with approximately 10 minutes to go. The “stunt” in stunt-goalie was originally only intended to mean “fill-in,” but last night I threw myself all over the place. Hopefully, it looked pretty good. I know I’d pay a lot for a short video clip of the flipped over glove save in the 1st half. For a little while I felt like I was not the fat pig that ate everything in sight over the holidays. As you would imagine, in 1980 Olympic fashion, our style of play became very defensive to hang on to what would be a huge victory against a 7-1 gold division Buckshot team. The Pirates were playing so well, taking away the puck and clearing it, that Buckshot was forced to pull the last trick in any hockey team’s bag ... pulling the goalie with less than a minute to go. If it was a 43 and a half minute game, we’d have been cracking the caps off many a celebratory beer. At the end, everyone was covered well, but Rizzo snuck up to the blueline as the extra attacker and took a low, screened shot to the near post. Another Buckshot player cut across and kept my leg from being able to kick out for the save. Finally, their overtime goal came after a shot rang off the post (I should never have let it get that far) and took a very favorable bounce for an open orange jersey to tap in. Regardless of the outcome, this was a very exciting game to be a part of, and I think everyone on both sides truly meant it when we all shook hands and said “good game.

From Captain Russ Nicolosi: Pirates played awesome. Amazing defense, spectacular goalkeeping. Opportunistic goal off a face-off by Kenny. Buckshot pulls goalie, Russ is an idiot and gets tangled up with a player in high slot leaving his point open for the extra skater who scores. In OT, puck gets moved around well by the Buckshot, Russ gets tangled up again trying to help defend too deep in the zone, his point scores the game winner. Final result Pirates 1, Russ (-2) which nets to Buckshot 2, Pirates 1 in OT ... Apologies.

FOR THE RECORD
Attendance (players): Cassens, Genalo, Gesior, Gucci, LeMatty, Matthews, McLaughlin, Miller, Newcomb, Nicolosi. Net: Barnett.
Scratches: none.
Scoring: 1st period: 0-0 tie. 3rd period: 1-1 tie: Goal by Genalo (Miller). OT: 1-0 Buckshot.
date of game: 1.21.11