THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2006
HNA TIER 3 FALL/WINTER LEAGUE
PHANTASMOS vs. GRIM REAPERS
Phantasmos 5 – Grim Reapers 8
BENSENVILLE, IL – The final score makes it look worse
than it was, but the feelings of horror and dismay from Los
Phantasmos bench last night in the final minute of the game
were very real.
The Grim Reapers came into the match leading the tier with
a perfect 3-0 record, while Los Phantasmos looked to get back
to their winning ways after their previous game loss to the
Seals. With a number of players scratched from the evening’s
lineup, Sean “Apollo 13” Tang and Tido “Flu
Like Symptoms” Tongwarin were called up from the Tier
4 Phantoms squad.
After winning two games earlier in the night to secure their
floor hockey league championship, Keith “Sabre Rattler”
Hales and Craig “Crazylegs” Sonnenschein managed
to make it to the rink just in time for the game. Their arrival,
coupled with the addition of Tang and Tongwarin, gave Los
Phantasmos a full bench, with two lines of defense and three
forward lines. In the past, having three full forward lines
has always been a boon for the team, and hopes were high that
this game would be no different.
The Grim Reapers got on the board first, but it only took
Los Phantasmos about a minute to even things back up.
After winning the draw deep in their zone, center Ross “Shaggy”
Gerbasi slid the puck over to Greg “Home Wrecker”
Rolnick who quickly hit a streaking Josh “Hollywood”
Tallo with a tape to tape pass. Tallo raced into the Grim
Reapers zone and beat the goalie one on one.
The Grim Reapers took their only penalty of the game in the
first period, but instead of taking advantage of the power
play, Los Phantasmos managed to give up a short handed goal.
To his credit, the Grim Reaper displayed some crafty stick
work, as he split the two Phantasmos defenders and deposited
the puck behind an agitated AJ “Big Tuna” Brandt.
The second period belonged to Los Phantasmos. While they gave
up a goal to the Grim Reapers potent power play unit, they
posted three goals of their own.
Slick winger, Jeremy “Chunky Soup” Campbell maneuvered
his way along the boards, stubbornly refusing to surrender
the puck. As more Grim Reapers attempted to relieve him of
the biscuit, he hit Tang in the slot with a magnificent pass.
Tang wasted no time slamming the puck into the net and many
“felicitaciones” were heard along Los Phantasmos
bench.
Hales and Sonnenschein then connected twice for two big goals,
while Bo “Wrecking Ball” Coonce did the dirty
work, grinding away in the corners and in front of the net.
On both occasions, Sonnenschein hit Hales with the pass, the
best one being their second collaboration, where Hales hit
an UGLY one-timer that went top shelf. Of course, beauty is
in the eye of the beholder, and as the goal was beheld from
the bench, everyone gazed in awe and appreciation.
Hales then evened out the good vibes of his heroics by taking
a hooking penalty in the waning minutes of the period. Los
Phantasmos penalty kill units managed to kill it off, however,
the only time they would be so lucky during the game. Special
note goes to the defensive play of Scott “Fabreze”
Battle, Tedd “Who You Callin’ Feisty?” Vanadilok,
Dan “Thunderstick” Phillips and Jay “Anniversary
Be Damned (potentially along with my marriage)” Smith.
At the end of the period, Los Phantasmos had taken the lead
4-3.
Sadly for Los Phantasmos, whatever momentum they had built
in the second period unfortunately slipped away in the third.
The Grim Reapers power play unit tied the game, as Smith watched
from the penalty box after holding onto one of the ‘Reapers
like a crazed teenager grasping for a new Playstation 3. They
then converted another power play opportunity to move ahead
5-4, when Sonnenschein was sent to the box for crosschecking.
Los Phantasmos rallied back minutes later, when Tallo pulled
off a move that is currently all the buzz on ESPN and YouTube.
After Rolnick fought to keep the puck in the Grim Reapers
zone, he had it stripped away down low. The thieving Reaper
then tried to rocket the puck along the boards behind the
net. As the flying biscuit rose higher and higher, Tallo knocked
it out of the air, down to his feet, then hit Gerbasi, on
his way from the blue line to the crease, with a perfect pass.
Gerbasi converted the one-timer and Rolnick repeatedly (and
excitedly) asked annoyed ‘Reapers, “DID YOU SEE
THAT!”
With the game winding down to the final minutes, and the score
knotted at 5 a piece, Vanadilok got a bit too aggressive in
his defensive duties, and took a slashing call. Los Phantasmos
did a valiant job of stifling the attack and timeouts were
called on both sides, as everyone tried to strategize how
best to play the final 50 seconds of the game.
With the overtime period just around the corner, the ‘Reapers
won a crucial faceoff in Los Phantasmos zone and moved the
puck back to their slap shot expert at the point. The shot
came zipping in, and just when Brandt thought he had the angle,
it bounced off of a player and went in the back of the net.
A stunned Los Phantasmos squad desperately tried to get back
the goal by putting out their best scoring combo, and pulling
Brandt for an extra attacker. The miracle comeback was not
to be, as they couldn’t get an attack properly organized
and surrendered two empty net goals (including one with less
than one second left on the clock). At the final buzzer: Phantasmos
5, Grim Reapers 8 (and still undefeated).
GAME NOTES: Los Phantasmos were done in by their special teams,
as they went 0 for 1 on the PP and 1 for 4 on the PK; Los
Phantasmos were also out shot in the third period, 17-8; Phantasmos
Phans looking to raise their spirits are invited to register
for winter golf lessons from team pro, Dan Phillips. Phillips
will be putting on a clinic about the joys of golfing in sub-zero
weather and finding a white golf ball in the snow. He guarantees
it will be a real PAR-ty.