FHL Gazette

The rauds were playing for their playoff lives, and it showed.  We just had too many defensive mistakes and not enough bounces went our way in this one.  Sauve did score a really nice one-timer on a feed from Phil Rea's kid.  And Filar set the FHL record for the highest pass.  Need to dust ourselves off after this tough loss and come to play next week.  It's do or die for the Galaxies!

Tasis went the entire season without finding himself one point. Saved it all for playoff time with an enourmous assist for the first goal of the night in a game where oppurtunities did not come often. Big zone hold and pass from tasis to joe z for a touch pass to our D coliton naturally breaking toward the oppenents net and slips one by caldwell. Next we have the potato lugging the puck into the zone and getting a shot on net for a whistle. From the draw a shot from the potato again. Fans scream at him about his short comings. Next draw pucks comes to the point and coliton gets it through to the net where the potato does his damage popping in the rebound. 2-0 stangs, goalie pulled and coliton chips the puck out of our zone for joe z to finish the empty netter. Thank you very much to russ for sticking around even though he did not want to play two games in a row. I'm not sure if its a new record but Russ let in zero goals in back to back games tonight. probably a record. I know if i was his rep i wouldn't have left town during playoffs.....

Rep catches the mid-morning flight out of FLL to DTW, lands at 230pm, collects the bags, gets back to the house at ~345, just enough time to get my equipment and barrel toward Allen Park with time to spare. The team got a big W last week to set the tone for our 2025 playoff campaign, which makes me think I should have just stayed on vacation. 

Teams came out firing early on with goals coming from everywhere.  Thankfully, we came out on the better side of a scoring barrage after the first. 2nd period, we increased our lead to 2 after a Cobra penalty.  Unfortunately, we couldn't hold leads all night and let the tenacious Cobras to slither back into the game.  They end up taking the lead late in the game, and try as we might, we can't equalize with Marc pulled. 

This one feels like we gave it away, credit the cobras for their "never dies" attitude.  We finish out pool play against the Edsels, who are looking to play spoiler.  Hopefully, they'll throw the Aerostars a bone, I did sub for them a bunch after all.   

Game 2 of pool play starts a lot faster than you would expect a playoff game to be. 4 goals within the first 3 minutes of the game. Tied 2-2, veteran Dennis would give us the go ahead goal from where he's been a meanace all year, right on top of the crease. The Aerostars answer quickly and then add another before we close out the period down 4-3. 

The Cobras regroup and settle down after a wild 1st period. We end up short handed and give up a goal with only a few seconds left in the kill to go down by 2 halfway through the game. "Who's that defenseman" John Durst would pick up the puck at the blue line, walk through 2 defenders and go bar down to get us back to a 1 goal game.

5-4 Aerostars going into the third. I find Vinny in the slot and he dents the crossbar sending the puck 1 foot shy of the ceiling. Luckily next shift Matty ice finds top shelf from the blue line to tie the game at 5. A rallying Cobras squad had all the momentum leading up to the final minute of the game where Deroche, last man back, brings the puck out of our zone backwards.... somehow it worked out. We get control in their zone, Deroche collects a lose puck in the slot and finds Vinny at the point, beautfiul fake shot/ pass back to Deroche who beats DeGagne 5-hole to seal the comeback.

Great team effort from the Cobras in this one. Lots of production coming from the whole team as all 10 guys had at least 1 point!

Thanks to Albert and Ruben for subbing!

Big game that would decide the control of Pool A.  Another intense game right from the start and the heavily favored SuperChiefs strike  early in the 1st period after a shot block by coach Deke directs perfectly to Gorski for the open net on the backside.  Diesels collect themselves the rest of the period and exchange numerous opportunities with the teams top seed and finally break through late in the period with a scrambling goal from Jack!  Period ends tied 1-1 and a lot of momentum going the Diesels way.  2nd period is much like the first, but the Diesels get some PP time and get several grade A chances, but Sale is able to fend off the attack.  With just over 2 minutes remaining, Diesels have an offenzive zone faceoff that Jack wins clean back to sub Chet on the circle.  Chet draws early attention and finds Coach Deke sliding down the slot for a quick shot to beat Sale off the blocker and in for the lead!  Period ends with Diesels up 2-1 and ready to lock it down for 10 min.  Diesels start the 3rd with another PP opportunity, but give up a shorty after 2 bounces favor the SuperChiefs.  Again, both sides continue to get their chances to break the tie and it looks like this may be the first game headed to a shootout until just under a minute left in the game the SuperChiefs have some pressure down low in the Diesel zone.  A pass from the corner is blocked once again by coach Deke, but trickles out to Shane Bryans crashing in from the blue line to get another fortunate goal for the SuperChiefs.  Sale shuts down the Diesels the rest of the way.  What a game and talk about some bad breaks for the Diesels!  Thanks to Chet and Colarusso for subbing!  Next week is another battle for the Diesels as it is a chance to secure the 2nd seed in pool A against the Fiesta.

Playoff intensity from the puck drop.  We take the early lead on a shot from Tyson that rebounds out to Gorski who slams it in.  Then we got Chet-watching on the next 2 goals by the Diesels as he found the open man and they buried it and we fall behind 2-1 heading into the 3rd.  We are able to tie it back up on a shorthanded goal early in the 3rd. Both teams battle hard for the remainder of the period and then Chet gets a clear cut breakaway that Sale is able to stop and comes up with 2 more HUGE saves to keep the game tied.  The saves give us some life and Shane roofs one with under a minute to go!  Huge goal and we are able to hold on for the win.  The boys earned their pizza party after the game!