Day Two at the State Tournament

It was day two at the state tournament here in Germain. We had two games on the west coast schedule today with our first one starting at 9:30. While the Mayor and his team also had two games on the docket starting at 9:00 on the east coast. Here on the west coast, I was hoping for a little later start to the day, but whatever.

Goalielocks’ team took on the Scorpions (Tampa area) this morning. The team is coached by Filip Kuba and Mathieu Garin. As an aside, I was a huge Kuba fan when he played for the Wild. It wasn’t our strongest hockey game, but they still found a way to win.

Meanwhile on the east coast, the mayor and his team were engaged in a dog fight with the Junior Bulls (one of the top seeded teams.). In the end, they found themselves on the wrong side of the score sheet losing 6-3.

Fortunately, the schedule allowed plenty of time between games for lunch and a little shopping. While Goalielocks stayed at the rink to support the U16 team and watch some hockey, I headed with hockey family to our favorite Italian restaurant. Lunch at Marsala Pizza was pitch perfect. The only way to improve upon our midday break from hockey was a sojourn to the outlets.

Both boys played again this afternoon with our game here kicking off at 3:45 and the Mayor’s game kicking off at 4:00. This afternoon our U14AA boys played the Tampa Crunch (worst name in the league we’ll maybe tied with the Crush.). To say this game was messy would be a gross understatement.

This game was a complete gong show from the time they dropped the puck. It was brutal. Obviously, hockey is a tough, physical skill, but these kids were head hunting. When one of their biggest players took out one of our smallest players, they celebrated the dirty play that injured our player. In the end, our player had to leave the ice. Like I said, it was a complete and total gong show.

Against the back drop of this gong show of a game, our boys were just off. As great as they had played last night, they were as bad as they could be this afternoon. For the first period, we only had one shot on net.

They went up on us and as we went into the third period, they were winning 4-0. Our boys started to play like we know they can and we started scoring. In short order, it went from a 4-0 game to a 4-4 game. Of course, as the game tightened up the game got choppier. It was one of those games you hoped that nobody on either team got hurt.

In the end, we ended up losing in a shoot out. (Deja vu from last night,) but still came away with the points needed to advance to the semis. On the other coast, the Mayor’s team was locked in a very tight contest with the Crush. Like our bantam boys, the peewee game ended up in a shootout. Unfortunately, the squad lost in the shootout. Fortunately, they walked away from the game with the point they needed to advance to the semis. Both boys are in action early tomorrow morning, so I’m headed to bed!

Lastly, special thanks to my wonderful peewee mom squad for all the updates and wonderful pictures!