SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2004 • HNA BEGINNER
LEAGUE
PHANTOMS vs. FIREBLADES
Phantoms 2 – Fireblades 6
WILMETTE, IL – After a two-week hiatus, the Chicago Phantoms
were back on the ice looking to get up to a .500 record against
another Tier 6 team. Sadly, this was not to be, but not for
a lack of effort.
Forgoing a ride on the team charter bus, alternate captain,
Greg “Illegal Curve” Rolnick, and goalie AJ “Groin
Be Damned” Brandt opted to show up early and watch the
preceding game between the Icemen and the Blackbears (last week’s
Tier 6 opponent). Although this reporter thought he witnessed
a tinge of sympathy for the beating that the Icemen took (9-0),
it was mixed with a certain sense of pride in having faired
better.
Moments before the game was to begin, the Fireblades’
goalie was nowhere to be seen, and Rolnick called his teammates
to the bench for a last minute piece of strategy. “Throw
everything that comes on your stick towards the net, boys, they
ain’t got no goalie.” Unfazed by the sudden appearance
of the Fireblade’s netminder between the pipes at the
drop of the puck, or his disappointing misuse of the English
language, Rolnick shouted, “Same strategy, boys!”
It’s inherently possible that the Fireblades heard Rolnick’s
ingenious game plan, as they launched a shot in the first minute
of play that slipped past Brandt and into the back of the net.
However, the Phantoms regained their composure and kept their
opponents scoreless for the rest of the period. Unfortunately,
the Fireblades did the same.
The second period was marred by several Phantoms defensive lapses
and miscues that led to four unanswered goals. Rolnick didn’t
help the cause by continually stutter-stepping on breakaway
attempts, and allowing defensemen to catch up to him. However,
he did try to make up for it with a few cleverly concealed hacks,
slashes, and bumps. These attempts at assault would probably
be made more effective if they were actually backed up by a
wee bit more size and skill.
The Phantoms righted their sinking ship in the third period
by restricting the Fireblades’ productivity to one goal.
An incensed Rolnick refused to allow a shutout and crammed all
he had into one extremely successful shift.
The Phantoms charged into the Fireblades’ zone and the
puck was played back to defenseman Mike Steinert at the point.
Steinert slid the puck across to Rolnick who attempted to put
a wrist shot top-shelf, while fighting off a Fireblades defenseman.
The shot was blocked, but as Rolnick careened feet first into
the boards behind the net, Steinert charged in and pushed the
rebound under the goalie for the point.
On the ensuing faceoff, the Phantoms again took control. Left
winger Paul Schultz fired a slap shot from the top of the circle
that was deflected out to Rolnick, who was moving in from the
opposite side. Rolnick, seeing his center Bo Coonce coming straight
at the net, slid a pass over and watched as Coonce buried it
for the goal. While the Phantoms’ fans in the stands went
wild with shouts of, “You’re my boy, Blue!”
Rolnick wondered why this kind of thing had to happen with less
than four minutes to go in the game.
At the final buzzer, the Phantoms had lost 6-2, but made it
past their two upper-level games with their egos intact. The
next six games are against the Icemen and Cobras (the other
two beginner teams), and expectations are high for a lot more
goals for and a lot less goals against.
Next Game: Friday, April 9 @ 9:45pm in Wilmette vs. the Icemen
GAME NOTES: Brandt made several highlight-worthy saves, including
a decisive denial of a Fireblades breakaway…Rolnick clawed
his way back into the scoring title race with his two assists,
tying him with two other Phantoms for the team lead…Brandt
almost missed the game when the Chicago Blackhawks inquired
as to his ability to start in net that afternoon against St.
Louis. |