FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 2004 • HNA
BEGINNER LEAGUE
PHANTOMS vs. ICEMEN
Icemen 2 – Phantoms 3
WILMETTE, IL – The remaining games on the Phantoms’
schedule are against the other two beginner teams, the Icemen
and the Cobras. Boosted by the knowledge that they’ve
beaten both teams in the past, the Phantoms took the ice on
Friday feeling more like favorites than underdogs.
Once again the offensive lines were changed up a bit, as the
Flying Tongwarin brothers, V and Tido, requested to play on
a line with Greg “Punch & Pie” Rolnick. This
turned out to be a brilliant move, as the Flying Tongwarins
+ Rolnick ended up being +2 for the game. The three forwards
moved the puck around the ice with ease and used their speed
to break out against the lumbering Icemen defense time and time
again.
After going up 1-0, the Phantoms increased their lead when Rolnick
looped behind the Icemen’s net and completed a perfect
pass to V Tongwarin in the slot, who buried it for the goal.
AJ “Ovechkin, Baby” Brandt made some spectacular
saves, denying Icemen joy at every turn. The Icemen’s
first goal actually came from a lucky rebound, after Brandt
blocked the initial shot and his defenseman failed to clear
the bouncing puck.
Up 2-1 in the second period, the Phantoms took advantage of
their fledgling power play. Defenseman Dan Phillips, who possesses
the Phantoms’ best slap shot, let one rip from the point,
but it was blocked by the Icemen’s goalie. As the puck
ricocheted towards him at the right side of the crease, Rolnick
could only see images of his arms in the air celebrating his
first goal. However, as he extended his stick towards the puck,
it eluded him and bounced off of the post. Luckily, it bounced
back across the crease, where the Phantoms’ other alternate
captain, Tedd Vanadilok, was able to shoot it home. Rolnick
hoped that he might still be credited with a “phantom”
assist, but no such luck.
The game’s scariest moment came minutes later, when Vanadilok
was upended on a collision and came crashing down onto the ice.
After a few moments of little to no movement, Rolnick helped
Vanadilok off the ice; where he nursed a bruised hip and watched
his teammates turn up the energy on his behalf.
In between the second and third period, the score was 3-1 Phantoms
and Brandt rallied everyone on the bench with an important piece
of hockey wisdom: “Three to one is the hardest lead to
keep,” he advised, “so it’s important we score
early and extend the lead.” The Icemen must have been
thinking the same thing, as they opened the third period with
a well-controlled attack in the Phantoms’ zone that frustratingly
ended in a goal.
The Phantoms had several chances to increase their lead, including
a couple of beautiful passes off of Rolnick’s stick, but
couldn’t find the back of the net. However, they managed
to hold off the Icemen and post their first victory, thus tying
themselves with the Cobras for first place in the standings.
Next Game: Sunday, April 18 @ 8:10pm in Addison vs. the Cobras
GAME NOTES: With two cameramen filming from the stands, scouting
rumors were rampant before the start of the game…Rolnick
was given official “Honorary Thai Status” by the
Tongwarins in a special post-game ceremony…Brandt raised
his save percentage to 83.1%. |