WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2004 • HNA BEGINNER
LEAGUE
PHANTOMS vs. COBRAS
Cobras 4 – Phantoms 3
ADDISON, IL – Although Greg “Dayenu” Rolnick
came through on last week’s vow to register at least two
points against the Cobras, it wasn’t enough for the win.
Frustrating as it may have been, the night was still a milestone
in Rolnick’s budding ice hockey career.
Upon entering the locker room to get ready for the evening’s
game, Rolnick and Phantoms netminder, AJ “M, W, Goalie
seeks new nationality and chance for ice time in Turin 2006”
Brandt, made a startling discovery. Lying abandoned on a bench
was an autographed picture of Gino Cavallini of the Quebec Nordiques.
Such an oddity could only mean one thing: a new talisman of
good luck for the team/hockey superstition for Rolnick to embrace.
After dressing for the game, Rolnick made sure to touch the
photograph on his way out to the ice.
The game started off well, as the Phantoms played with an extra
jump in their step and kept the attack in the Cobras’
zone. But few teams are as opportunistic as the Cobras, and
a slapshot from the top of the slot ricocheted off of one of
the Phantoms’ sticks and past Brandt into the back of
the net. Minutes later, the Cobras broke free and caught Brandt
in No Man’s Land, as he tried to clear out the puck. The
Cobras’ winger wristed a shot that bounced off of the
inside of Brandt’s leg and put them up 2-0.
With three minutes to go in the period, Rolnick saw his opening.
Taking control of a misplayed pass, he rocketed past the red
line and towards the Cobras’ net. As he broke in, Rolnick
felt the puck start to slide off of his stick ahead of him and
almost began to panic. However, instead or reliving the horrors
of foiled breakaways gone by, Rolnick sucked in some air and
wondered: What would Gino Cavallini do? Reaching his stick out
with one hand, Rolnick corralled the puck back onto his blade,
and leaning to his left, lifted a wrist shot above the goalie’s
shoulder for a goal.
Early in the second period, Rolnick made the most of another
Cobras miscue. After a faceoff in the Phantoms’ zone,
the Cobras’ center drew the puck back to their left defenseman.
Rolnick, charging directly towards said defenseman, intercepted
the pass and went flying towards the Cobras’ zone. Managing
to shake off the Cobra who was trying to lodge his stick blade
in his ribs, Rolnick again lifted a wrist shot over the Cobras’
goalie for his second goal, thus tying the game at two.
The Phantoms’ joy was short lived, as the Cobras pulled
ahead again a few minutes later. The Cobras’ left wing
fired a hard shot on net that Brandt apparently glove-saved.
However, the puck regrettably managed to slip out of his glove
and trickle in.
Things proceeded to grow worse for the Phantoms following a
scrum in front of their net. After the whistle was blown to
stop the play, a Cobras forward took an extra smack at the puck,
which was trapped on the ice by a sprawled out Brandt. Phantoms
alternate captain, star defenseman, and possible member of the
Soprano family, Tedd Vanadilok took offense, and ignoring his
anger management training, crosschecked the offending Cobra
to the ice from behind. He was immediately sent to the penalty
box, where he was given two-minutes for the crosscheck and ten
minutes for misconduct. Needless to say, he felt much shame.
The Phantoms penalty kill units kept the Cobras scoreless, and
once the initial two minutes were up and they were back at full-strength,
went on the attack. Deep in the Cobras’ zone, Rolnick
took control of the puck and backhanded a shot on net. Thinking
he was setting up his winger who was in the crease, Rolnick
was shocked to see the referee’s arm go up, indicating
a goal. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the score was tied at three
and Rolnick had recorded the first official hat trick of his
ice hockey career! Unfortunately, due to the warm temperatures
outside, there was a decided lack of headgear thrown onto the
ice.
Rolnick was foiled in his attempt for a fourth goal late in
the period. As he hurtled in alone across the blue line, one
of the Cobras’ defensemen reached his arm around Rolnick’s
waist and hauled him down like a crazed parent trying to get
the last Malibu Stacey doll the night before Christmas at Toys
R Us. A penalty was called, but not the penalty shot Rolnick
so desperately wanted to take.
The third period was dominated by the Phantoms, who kept the
pressure on, but couldn’t get the puck to go in. Once
again making the most of a Phantoms’ defensive mistake,
the Cobras charged in on a two on none. Brandt valiantly tried
to poke check the puck away, but the winger slipped around him
and scored the go-ahead goal.
There were plenty of penalties called on the Cobras in the third
period, and the Phantoms had numerous near misses, but no goals.
With 1:18 to go in the game, and a faceoff coming in the Cobras’
zone, the Phantoms called a timeout and pulled Brandt for the
extra attacker. Although they again had a multitude of chances,
the Phantoms failed to score and came up empty at the final
buzzer.
Finishing the regular season with a 2-6 record, the Phantoms
go into the first round of the playoffs as the #3 seed, facing
the Icemen (#2 seed) this Sunday for a chance to play the Cobras
(you guessed it, #1 seed) on Wednesday, May 19 for the championship.
Next Game: Sunday, May 16 @ 5:00pm in Addison vs. the Icemen
GAME NOTES: The Phantoms have a mere four days to start growing
their playoff beards. Some of the Asian Phantoms have raised
doubts as to the quality of their facial hair growth in such
a short period of time…Rolnick finished the regular season
as the Phantoms’ leading scorer, with six goals and four
assists…The referee with a penchant for photography-minded
women who work at travel Web sites left all of the penalty calls
to his officiating partner, prompting Brandt’s pregnant
spouse to wonder if he would “call anything besides Rolnick’s
wife.” |