Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Shockers Down 2 in 2 Games


Highlights of the Shockers vs. Grinders game

Shockers suffered two losses in just two games against two of the hottest teams in the league, FW and Grinders. Sunday night hosted the match-up against the infamous FW who the Shockers have not been able to figure out in club history and Sunday was no exception as FW handed the Shockers their second loss of the season, 9-2.

Shockers tried to keep the goals against low in the first period as they always seemed to have let the opposition get the best of them but FW poured it on netting five in the opening period. FW would roll on from there and not look back. Team captain and current team point leader, Alain Godard, potted a deuce to better his point record this season. Andrew Stevens, Ben Ducharme and Francois Hamelin each picked up an assist. Shockers did look rather dead-footed and lost out on the surface against the great passing plays of FW and it was clear that netminder, Giancarlo Capaz, was not enjoying the bombshelling; he commented on the matter: "It is hard to even try swallow a loss like that when your team looks like it is standing still half the time, we got to keep running and I don't think everyone gave 100%. Look, FW plays well together, and we weren't ready for them."

Despite the game being a rather one-sided affair and was mutually quite boring to spectate the action kicked in in the third period where the Shockers got on the board with Godards pair of goals but also with a five-man brawl to close out the game. Nunchucking dragon hunter, Nick Sullo, duked it out with an opposing player sparking a gathering in front of FW's bench with about 1:30 left to play. Evidently, the game was called soon after the dust and testosterone settled. Sullo would have to serve a game the following night when his team took on the league's team-to-beat, the Grinders.

FW bettered their season record to 2-1 getting both their wins against the Shockers.

Monday night was a whole different team as the Shockers had no choice but to suit up with the least amount of players they have ever played with in club history. Taking on league favorites, the Grinders, it was no easy task, Godard comments: "We played really hard. With such a short bench, guys backing out last minute and not able to fill in those gaps with spares, it was tough."

Shockers played their best first period by far this season playing excellent defense and even scoring one within the first minute of the game when Stevens picked off a lazy pass by the opposing goaltender and dishing it to Godard for the one-timer to the back of the net.

"Dude got caught, straight up!" exclaimed defensive dynamo, Jeff Jasmin.

However, the second period is when the fatigue started to kick in, the Grinders battled back to bang home three quick goals before the period's end.

The third opened up when the Grinders wedged in a rebound passed Capaz and made it 4-1. Shockers answered back after a handful of good opportunities when Godard scored his second of the game making it a 4-2 game but with time winding down the Grinders would put the nail in the coffin with a howitzer of the inside of the post and in the net.

Despite the Shockers valiant effort during this loss the team overall poured their hearts into the game and gave it their all. Jasmin explains, "we worked our asses off out there, we have to be first on the ball all the time, regardless of the situation and that's what we tried to do!"

The Shockers next game is Sunday against the new-comers to the league, the District 5 Knights who have turned some heads with their 3-1 start this season. The Knights handed the Expos two back-to-back losses and then beat FW 8-7 in a close-call game and their only loss was against the Grinders where they were downed 5-3. The Shockers will have Sullo, Sandhu, Ducharme and Pilon back in the line-up and look to have a full bench but only time will tell how the Shockers will bounce back.

No comments:

Post a Comment