Final Score
Les A's 5
Shockers 0
So you'd think they'd get used to it by now. The Shockers were eliminated once again in the first round of the playoffs last night at Howie-Morenz arena by the deadly hands of Les A's.
Les A's put on a strong performance and were the better team out there on the floor. They were much faster than the Shockers, first on the ball at all times and played positioning exceptionally well making it very hard for the Shockers to exit their own zone let alone winning the blue line in the attacking zone.
Despite the Shockers sticking to their game plan like shame glaze by staying out of the penalty box, the guns (not talking about Jeff or Chris Millar's biceps) were just not firing for the Shockers O-fence. Shockers had few shots on net and even fewer possible scoring chances. The frustration was rather evident on the Shockers' bench as some players were yelling at each other and some water bottles went airborn. No one dared to touch the bottle with Jeff's face on it for the fear of losing their life.
Giancarlo Capaz was again bomb shelled by the opposition and made a lot of big saves but in the end, he is only human, and the A's figured him out five times throughout the game. It is rumored that Capaz did take out his frustrations out by gambling his childrens trust fund on the Milwaukee Brewers.
Out of the line-up last night were veterans Francois Hamelin and Steve Diabo. Hamelin was a healthy scratch as he cameo'd for the return season of Hanging with Mr. Cooper on ABC but instead got lost and ended up drinking himself to sleep in a biker bar in the Montreal district of St. Henri. Diabo was out with a foot injury and ended being Vince Lombardi for the night behind the Shocker bench. Unfortunately for him, Howie-Morenz arena didn't turn into Lambo field and the Shockers didn't win the Superbowl. In the line-up was the jolly green giant himself, Gary McDermott and the flying frenchman, Guillaume "Guy! Guy! Guy!" Cote to fill in the voids of the line-up.
Being eliminated in the first round now marks the fourth time in a row that the Shockers have not seen the likes of the second round. Very sad.
"You know it's sad that this always happens. We have a decent season and pow, right in the kisser! We're out the door with ease," explains Andrew Stevens.
After the game, there were many questions about the future of the Shockers.
"There are guys who want to play, but it just depends on who is taking over the team now," commented Stevens after stating that he will not be leading the next wave of Shockers into a new season, "if whoever takes over needs players and they offer me a spot, I'll be there, but I don't feel like I led the team in the right direction this season."
If the Shockers do put together a team, they will have to shop the market as to where to situate the team since Howie-Morenz turns into an ice rink this coming month and many of the players do not feel that they do not want to return to the NABHL.
Since the end of the season is here for the Shockers, it is that joyous time to dish out the hardware and award some lucky participants some bragging rights. The Shockers awards are below!
NHL-inspired Trophies:
Mo-Lester B. Person Trophy (best player when on the ground): Jeff Jasmin was the champ from last season but this guy always to stay on the radar...even though he wasn't full-time, we gave it to Jon Sante.
Frank Salloppe Trophy (defense who plays almost every position in one shift): Chris Diabo won it last season but hey, it's gotta go back to Jeff Jasmin. No Doubt!
Bill Masturbate Trophy (player who loves us so much to show up every game): Marc is the usual winner of this award so we decide to take a chainsaw to it and give it to Jeff, Marc and Alain.
Balder Balls Trophy (player who wasn't on the team before and stuck it out all season): We had a lot of first-times on the team but we decided to give to a guy who has a lot of good ideas, good intentions and team spirit, Phil McHigh come on down!
Lady Bang Trophy (gentlemanly conduct): I think everyone will agree that Chris Diabo should take this one home.
Jack Ass Em' Award (coach of the year): Steve "Vince Lombardi" Diabo. Enough said.
Chuck Norris Trophy (defenceman who might kill someone with a shot): Marc Boucher usually takes this one home but we decided to give to a guy who has a heck of a deadly shot, Jonathan Bourget!
Vagina Trophy (best goaltender): He was there for us as usual, GC Capaz.
Fart Trophy (most valuable player): His points were up there but his penalty minutes were through the roof. Chris Diabo can have this one to put on his wall.
Blond Smith Trophy (most valuable player in the playoffs): He kept us in there until the end and made some huge saves, Mr. Capaz takes home the award.
Shockers Trophies:
Two In The Goo Trophy (awarded to the player who is likely to smash someone's head into the glass): Ben Ducharme
One in the Poo Trophy (awarded to the player with the most penalty minutes): Chris Diabo
Big Baller Trophy (awarded automatically to Steve Diabo): Steve Diabo
Shot Caller Trophy (awarded exclusively to Steve Diabo): Steve Diabo
Poltergeist Trophy (awarded to the player who missed the most games): Frankie Ortuso
Deep Throat Trophy (awarded to the player who is involved the most in team communications): Andrew Stevens
New Shocker Awards:
The Teaser Trophy (awarded to the player who got stuck playing a new position and didn't complain about it): Andrew "Tito" Thomas
The Pleaser Trophy (awarded to the best player to come out of retirement): Greg "Lids" Emmanuel
The Spocker Trophy (awarded to player who always gave his two cents after the game): Joey Rae
The Rocker Trophy (awarded to the player who flexs his muscles more than Jeff): Chris Millar
The Show Stopper Trophy (awarded to the player most likely to cry from his penis): Francois Hamelin
Good season boys! Thanks to all of the players who made this season possible!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Shawkers Tie it Up
Final Score
Shockers 5
Hawks 5
You couldn't have asked for a better regular season ending game. Shockers stayed out of the box and actually looked like they played as a team out on the floor.
Despite the game ending in a tie even after shootouts, the buzz in the Shockers' dressing room was more than a victory.
"Everyone was working out there and it paid off. Everyone felt pretty good about what they did out there tonight," commented Andrew Stevens
Shockers leading scorer and the league's most penalized player, Chris Diabo, was in nets filling in for Giancarlo Capaz who was taking a game off before the much anticipated playoffs. Diabo held tough throughout the game and made some huge saves to keep the team in the game. He did not receive any penalty minutes.
The Shockers enjoyed some scoring production from Steve Diabo whose cannon has been rather silent this season as he potted a deuce. Ben Ducharme chalked up a big goal and assist for his season total of 7 points while Chris Millar notched another nick in the bed post for the third game in a row.
The Shockers end their regular season mid-pack in 6th place, just being shifted last minute by La Rapace due to a big difference in the +/- department. The Shockers could have solidified 5th had they beaten the Hawks but a decent season by the Shocker squad nonetheless. The playoffs will start up Tuesday, June 28 @ 7:30pm where the Shockers will take on Les A's. Les A's beat the Shockers 5-1 last time these two teams faced but the Shockers remain optimistic about their chances.
"The team is beatable. It was us who let ourselves get beat last time. If we stay out of the penalty box and play hockey, we can beat any team, any day of the week," commented Stevens.
Shockers 5
Hawks 5
You couldn't have asked for a better regular season ending game. Shockers stayed out of the box and actually looked like they played as a team out on the floor.
Despite the game ending in a tie even after shootouts, the buzz in the Shockers' dressing room was more than a victory.
"Everyone was working out there and it paid off. Everyone felt pretty good about what they did out there tonight," commented Andrew Stevens
Shockers leading scorer and the league's most penalized player, Chris Diabo, was in nets filling in for Giancarlo Capaz who was taking a game off before the much anticipated playoffs. Diabo held tough throughout the game and made some huge saves to keep the team in the game. He did not receive any penalty minutes.
The Shockers enjoyed some scoring production from Steve Diabo whose cannon has been rather silent this season as he potted a deuce. Ben Ducharme chalked up a big goal and assist for his season total of 7 points while Chris Millar notched another nick in the bed post for the third game in a row.
The Shockers end their regular season mid-pack in 6th place, just being shifted last minute by La Rapace due to a big difference in the +/- department. The Shockers could have solidified 5th had they beaten the Hawks but a decent season by the Shocker squad nonetheless. The playoffs will start up Tuesday, June 28 @ 7:30pm where the Shockers will take on Les A's. Les A's beat the Shockers 5-1 last time these two teams faced but the Shockers remain optimistic about their chances.
"The team is beatable. It was us who let ourselves get beat last time. If we stay out of the penalty box and play hockey, we can beat any team, any day of the week," commented Stevens.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Frustration Got the Best of the Shockers
Final Score
La Rapace 6
Shockers 2
Let's face it, on paper the Shockers should have easily walked by La Rapace without even breaking a sweat...well maybe that is a bit much but it is for sure that the Shockers should have won. However, what you see on paper and what actually happens in real life don't always match up as expected.
At the beginning of the game, the Shockers knew they had to stay out of the box; a repeat of the game against Hellas and they would be laughing their way down the golden victory road. Unfortunately, the Shockers could not resist the devious temptations of the penalty box and instead picked up more shots in the box than an Asian-style bukake marathon.
Andrew Stevens, who was still out with an injury but was behind the bench throughout the game commented, "it is hard to win games and keep the team motivated when you have guys in and out of the penalty box."
Even in the second and third period you can see the frustration on the faces of the Shockers as another penalty racked up against them.
"You can blame the refs all you want, but when you slash someone or punch someone and start bitching at the ref for not seeing the play before, the ref isn't going to turn around and say 'You know what? You right! I'll take away your penalty and give it to the other guy,' instead he is going to remember you and your team and he's going to put a black mark on us all," added Stevens.
Aside from the penalties, the Shockers looked rather stagnant on the floor, understandably so considering being down two guys from the start and then playing 5-on-3 or 5-on-4 the whole game, it really takes a toll on the team.
On most of the goals against, the Shockers were seen standing around. During some plays, La Rapace's forwards had as many as three rebounds to choose from before scoring. Some forwards were setting up camp beyond the center red line while the rest of the team was still trapped in their own zone.
"It's a different game out there, it is not like at Le Rinque where a normal pass in half the length of the surface. Some of our guys are just way to far ahead of the play that it is hurting the team," said Stevens on the matter.
The Shockers have just one more game left in the regular season and would be a good thing to end the season on a winning note. They take on the Hawks next Tuesday at 6:30pm. The Hawks are just above the Shockers in the standings but where they pose the biggest threat is their speed. Shockers will have to deal with smaller guys that can fly and will have to find a method to slow them down while staying out of the penalty box. Positioning will be the Shockers best friend if they can hold a strong man-to-man coverage and as for the forwards, they should not be expecting the long breakout pass this game as the speedy Hawks' defense will surely breakdown those attempts. The Shockers will also see a different face in nets as Giancarlo Capaz will be taking a much needed break before the playoffs. It has been rumored that the ref's favorite, Chris Diabo, will be between the pipes.
If the Shockers plan on winning, they will need to follow this:
1) Take the hit, don't retaliate and no mouthing off to the ref will cut down a lot of the time on the penalty kill and will keep the team motivated.
2) Positioning, positioning, positioning. Play man-to-man and forwards come back in the zone to help the defense get the ball will decrease goals against and open up the game for an offensive attack.
3) Run. Even if the shifts are 20 seconds, give it 150% and get off. There is no point to loaf around for 5 minutes if you are not going to be effective.
La Rapace 6
Shockers 2
Let's face it, on paper the Shockers should have easily walked by La Rapace without even breaking a sweat...well maybe that is a bit much but it is for sure that the Shockers should have won. However, what you see on paper and what actually happens in real life don't always match up as expected.
At the beginning of the game, the Shockers knew they had to stay out of the box; a repeat of the game against Hellas and they would be laughing their way down the golden victory road. Unfortunately, the Shockers could not resist the devious temptations of the penalty box and instead picked up more shots in the box than an Asian-style bukake marathon.
Andrew Stevens, who was still out with an injury but was behind the bench throughout the game commented, "it is hard to win games and keep the team motivated when you have guys in and out of the penalty box."
Even in the second and third period you can see the frustration on the faces of the Shockers as another penalty racked up against them.
"You can blame the refs all you want, but when you slash someone or punch someone and start bitching at the ref for not seeing the play before, the ref isn't going to turn around and say 'You know what? You right! I'll take away your penalty and give it to the other guy,' instead he is going to remember you and your team and he's going to put a black mark on us all," added Stevens.
Aside from the penalties, the Shockers looked rather stagnant on the floor, understandably so considering being down two guys from the start and then playing 5-on-3 or 5-on-4 the whole game, it really takes a toll on the team.
On most of the goals against, the Shockers were seen standing around. During some plays, La Rapace's forwards had as many as three rebounds to choose from before scoring. Some forwards were setting up camp beyond the center red line while the rest of the team was still trapped in their own zone.
"It's a different game out there, it is not like at Le Rinque where a normal pass in half the length of the surface. Some of our guys are just way to far ahead of the play that it is hurting the team," said Stevens on the matter.
The Shockers have just one more game left in the regular season and would be a good thing to end the season on a winning note. They take on the Hawks next Tuesday at 6:30pm. The Hawks are just above the Shockers in the standings but where they pose the biggest threat is their speed. Shockers will have to deal with smaller guys that can fly and will have to find a method to slow them down while staying out of the penalty box. Positioning will be the Shockers best friend if they can hold a strong man-to-man coverage and as for the forwards, they should not be expecting the long breakout pass this game as the speedy Hawks' defense will surely breakdown those attempts. The Shockers will also see a different face in nets as Giancarlo Capaz will be taking a much needed break before the playoffs. It has been rumored that the ref's favorite, Chris Diabo, will be between the pipes.
If the Shockers plan on winning, they will need to follow this:
1) Take the hit, don't retaliate and no mouthing off to the ref will cut down a lot of the time on the penalty kill and will keep the team motivated.
2) Positioning, positioning, positioning. Play man-to-man and forwards come back in the zone to help the defense get the ball will decrease goals against and open up the game for an offensive attack.
3) Run. Even if the shifts are 20 seconds, give it 150% and get off. There is no point to loaf around for 5 minutes if you are not going to be effective.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Shockers Split in Double-Header Madness
Final Score
Rebels 2
Shockers 0
Rebels kept in the running for second place honors last night as they squeezed by the Shockers 2-0 in game one for the Shockers last night at Howie-Morenz. Shockers who kept neck-and-neck with the Rebels the whole game were only victims of their own demise in the end.
Chris Diabo got tossed late in the third for too many penalties and was kept off the scoresheet, a place where the Shockers needed him to be - in the scoring section, not the penalty section. Diabo was hounded by the Rebels and evidently the Rebels got what they wanted. It is no question that the refs have a target on him as well as they seem to be keeping a close check on his every move.
The major downfall for the Shockers was an internal shutdown. The team picked up way too many penalties, they had to play the PK pretty much the whole game which took a toll on some of the players' drive to play. Near the end, some players were so discouraged with what was going on that it looked like they gave up on the team early in the third until the rest of the game. Regardless of the situation, the Shockers need to pick up their socks, deal with the given situation, and learn to play a full 3 periods.
However, a positive thing occurred after the game, in the dressing room the team started to talk to each other and really discuss what needed to be done for game two of the night.
Final Score
Shockers 5
Hellas 1
Well if a team showed up at a hockey game just to be there and another team actually showed up to play hockey this was how the Shockers could be described last night. Game one, they were the team that showed up at a hockey game with little conviction to play hockey. Game two, on the other hand, the Shockers actually looked like a team that showed up to play hockey and be a contender.
Point one - the defense stood strong and held the blueline and covered each other fairly well. There was also more of a presence of urgency and aggressivity in front of their own net, a place where they have been pushed around for the most part of the season.
Point two - which is probably more important that point one but this is how I wrote it, less penalties. Chris Diabo was limited to just one penalty, imagine that!
Point three - If Chris Millar is scoring goals, the Shockers are on the right road to victory! Yes, despite being in a scoring drought, this new-comer to the Shockers found mesh for the first time this season. Unfortunately for him, if hitting the posts counted as goals then he'd be right up there with linemate Chris Diabo in the stats column.
All in all, the Shockers looked a lot more organized and comfortable out of the floor. The only goal against came by a lucky shot that rang of the two posts but never officially went to the back of the net so the goal is a little debatable.
On the bench during the game against the Hellas, there was no complaining and no talks about giving up but this should be a lesson to the Shockers that they have to learn to cope with the sticky situations if they plan on making an impression in the playoffs when the gameplay is going to heat up.
Next game is tonight @ 7:30pm against La Rapace, a team struggling to find their step and should be a good game for the Shockers to continue their new found touch at teamwork, less penalities and more Chris Millar goals. Out of the line-up once against will be Frankie Ortuso who is taking a few games off for some R&R and captain Andrew Stevens who is out with a contusion to the sternum. Stevens has not determined how long he'll be out but hopes to make a return for next week's game against the speedy Hawks, in the meantime he assumed the position as coach.
Rebels 2
Shockers 0
Rebels kept in the running for second place honors last night as they squeezed by the Shockers 2-0 in game one for the Shockers last night at Howie-Morenz. Shockers who kept neck-and-neck with the Rebels the whole game were only victims of their own demise in the end.
Chris Diabo got tossed late in the third for too many penalties and was kept off the scoresheet, a place where the Shockers needed him to be - in the scoring section, not the penalty section. Diabo was hounded by the Rebels and evidently the Rebels got what they wanted. It is no question that the refs have a target on him as well as they seem to be keeping a close check on his every move.
The major downfall for the Shockers was an internal shutdown. The team picked up way too many penalties, they had to play the PK pretty much the whole game which took a toll on some of the players' drive to play. Near the end, some players were so discouraged with what was going on that it looked like they gave up on the team early in the third until the rest of the game. Regardless of the situation, the Shockers need to pick up their socks, deal with the given situation, and learn to play a full 3 periods.
However, a positive thing occurred after the game, in the dressing room the team started to talk to each other and really discuss what needed to be done for game two of the night.
Final Score
Shockers 5
Hellas 1
Well if a team showed up at a hockey game just to be there and another team actually showed up to play hockey this was how the Shockers could be described last night. Game one, they were the team that showed up at a hockey game with little conviction to play hockey. Game two, on the other hand, the Shockers actually looked like a team that showed up to play hockey and be a contender.
Point one - the defense stood strong and held the blueline and covered each other fairly well. There was also more of a presence of urgency and aggressivity in front of their own net, a place where they have been pushed around for the most part of the season.
Point two - which is probably more important that point one but this is how I wrote it, less penalties. Chris Diabo was limited to just one penalty, imagine that!
Point three - If Chris Millar is scoring goals, the Shockers are on the right road to victory! Yes, despite being in a scoring drought, this new-comer to the Shockers found mesh for the first time this season. Unfortunately for him, if hitting the posts counted as goals then he'd be right up there with linemate Chris Diabo in the stats column.
All in all, the Shockers looked a lot more organized and comfortable out of the floor. The only goal against came by a lucky shot that rang of the two posts but never officially went to the back of the net so the goal is a little debatable.
On the bench during the game against the Hellas, there was no complaining and no talks about giving up but this should be a lesson to the Shockers that they have to learn to cope with the sticky situations if they plan on making an impression in the playoffs when the gameplay is going to heat up.
Next game is tonight @ 7:30pm against La Rapace, a team struggling to find their step and should be a good game for the Shockers to continue their new found touch at teamwork, less penalities and more Chris Millar goals. Out of the line-up once against will be Frankie Ortuso who is taking a few games off for some R&R and captain Andrew Stevens who is out with a contusion to the sternum. Stevens has not determined how long he'll be out but hopes to make a return for next week's game against the speedy Hawks, in the meantime he assumed the position as coach.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Shockers Shelled by A's
Final Score
Les A's 5
Shockers 1
Last Tuesday night proposed a new challenge for the Shockers as they had to take on another top team in the league. With a system similar to the Raging Bulls, Les A's have been climbing up the standings with ease and last night was no bump in the road for them.
Les A's kicked off their scoring within the first minute of gameplay, a crucial timeframe where the Shockers once again had gotten caught for the second game in a row. The Shockers' defense failed to clear a loose ball and instead went to an A's attacker to put it past Giancarlo Capaz.
"Made me lose wood, that's for true," commented Capaz.
Les A's rolled on to score three more of the until the Shockers captured their first of the game early in the third period. Chris Diabo received a long pass from Joey Rae and was home free against the opposing goalie. Diabo made no mistake about as he netted his 11th of the season. The Shockers would be rattled later on as the A's replied with their fifth and final goal to seal the deal.
Throughout the game, the Shockers had a 5-on-3 opportunity for at least 3:00 and failed to win the zone on mulitple occasions. Chris Diabo, however, did manage to hit 2 posts during the attack but nothing more than that.
The A's crushed the Shockers defensively, keeping most of the Shockers offensive aspirations to a mere whim, holding the Shockers outside the blueline. Offensively, the A's had most of the Shockers running around aimlessly and for the most part had them trapped in their own zone.
Shockers will be embarking on a busy week next week as they will play 3 games in just 2 days. Monday will host 9pm and 11pm starts as the Shockers will confront the tied-for-second Rebels and the struggling Hellas respectively. Tuesday, the Shockers will take on La Rapace, who have are battling the Hellas for 7th place in the league. Shockers will need to step up their game and find a strategy to keep up with the high-flying teams. Out of the 3 games, the Shockers should have the most trouble against the Rebels as they play a similar game like the Raging Bulls and Les A's. Shockers might also be without captain Andrew Stevens as he suffered a chest injury during the second period against Les A's. According to team doctors, Stevens received a helmet to the chest; originally they feared that there could been broken ribs but x-rays confirmed that he has a bruised sternum, a injury that could be painful for 6 to 8 weeks.
"I hope to recover as soon as possible and be back in game shape. Unfortunately, next week remains questionable until I have the doc's OK," commented Stevens on the matter.
Les A's 5
Shockers 1
Last Tuesday night proposed a new challenge for the Shockers as they had to take on another top team in the league. With a system similar to the Raging Bulls, Les A's have been climbing up the standings with ease and last night was no bump in the road for them.
Les A's kicked off their scoring within the first minute of gameplay, a crucial timeframe where the Shockers once again had gotten caught for the second game in a row. The Shockers' defense failed to clear a loose ball and instead went to an A's attacker to put it past Giancarlo Capaz.
"Made me lose wood, that's for true," commented Capaz.
Les A's rolled on to score three more of the until the Shockers captured their first of the game early in the third period. Chris Diabo received a long pass from Joey Rae and was home free against the opposing goalie. Diabo made no mistake about as he netted his 11th of the season. The Shockers would be rattled later on as the A's replied with their fifth and final goal to seal the deal.
Throughout the game, the Shockers had a 5-on-3 opportunity for at least 3:00 and failed to win the zone on mulitple occasions. Chris Diabo, however, did manage to hit 2 posts during the attack but nothing more than that.
The A's crushed the Shockers defensively, keeping most of the Shockers offensive aspirations to a mere whim, holding the Shockers outside the blueline. Offensively, the A's had most of the Shockers running around aimlessly and for the most part had them trapped in their own zone.
Shockers will be embarking on a busy week next week as they will play 3 games in just 2 days. Monday will host 9pm and 11pm starts as the Shockers will confront the tied-for-second Rebels and the struggling Hellas respectively. Tuesday, the Shockers will take on La Rapace, who have are battling the Hellas for 7th place in the league. Shockers will need to step up their game and find a strategy to keep up with the high-flying teams. Out of the 3 games, the Shockers should have the most trouble against the Rebels as they play a similar game like the Raging Bulls and Les A's. Shockers might also be without captain Andrew Stevens as he suffered a chest injury during the second period against Les A's. According to team doctors, Stevens received a helmet to the chest; originally they feared that there could been broken ribs but x-rays confirmed that he has a bruised sternum, a injury that could be painful for 6 to 8 weeks.
"I hope to recover as soon as possible and be back in game shape. Unfortunately, next week remains questionable until I have the doc's OK," commented Stevens on the matter.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Game Preview: Shockers VS. Les A's
Shockers will have the second toughest match-up this season ahead of them on Tuesday night as they will take on the high scoring A's.
The A's, better known as Les A's, will try to overtake the Rebels for second spot honors behind the flawless Raging Bulls. Les A's, currently tied with the Raging Bulls for best-goals-for in the league at 29 will continue rely on the consistent production of their entire team. There are currently just two players on the roster who remain pointless on the roster and have no stand-out leader in points as everyone has been stepping up to the plate. Jean-Francois Morneau and Julien Dubois share top honors for the most goals on the team at six but no one can deny that this team expects everyone to participate in the points department.
Depite Les A's starting off on a rocky road, they have managed to straighten out their wood and find a rather constant flow of victories including their last two wins where they totalled 18 goals for and just 3 against (11-1 win over Vendetta and 7-2 over East Side Squad).
The Shockers on the otherhand have been finding themselves on the road to victory on the shoulders of mostly one man, Chris Diabo (10G-4A). Diabo has been on a firey streak as of late and can account for much of the Shockers' scoring production in their debut season in PTM. Even though he is casting a broad shadow, it does not mean that the team behind him have been silent. Former captain, Alain Godard has been finding his knack at scoring and helpers keeping it even-Steven at 4 goals and 4 assists. The Shockers are also appreciating the hard work from the McHugh - Ortuso - Thomas line as they have been shedding light on a defensive-offensive type of gameplay which has been breaking down most of the opposing attacks.
The Shockers can also attribute their success on their backfield. Despite receiving a face-lift over the off-season the veterans have been really stepping up their game. Greg Emmanuel, who took a few seasons off, has been turning heads with his ability to control and settle the ball and plan the next attack while Jeff Jasmin has been showing such a huge heart for the game and has been a big motivator for a lot of his team mates as he has been demonstrating that second and third effort is key when it comes to winning games.
If the Shockers plan on winning tomorrow's game, they will need to make sure that they will be able to shutdown Les A's offense and find a way to penetrate their defense. If the Shockers can play run-of-the-mill hockey then there should be no excuse to not keep pace with the league's top teams.
The A's, better known as Les A's, will try to overtake the Rebels for second spot honors behind the flawless Raging Bulls. Les A's, currently tied with the Raging Bulls for best-goals-for in the league at 29 will continue rely on the consistent production of their entire team. There are currently just two players on the roster who remain pointless on the roster and have no stand-out leader in points as everyone has been stepping up to the plate. Jean-Francois Morneau and Julien Dubois share top honors for the most goals on the team at six but no one can deny that this team expects everyone to participate in the points department.
Depite Les A's starting off on a rocky road, they have managed to straighten out their wood and find a rather constant flow of victories including their last two wins where they totalled 18 goals for and just 3 against (11-1 win over Vendetta and 7-2 over East Side Squad).
The Shockers on the otherhand have been finding themselves on the road to victory on the shoulders of mostly one man, Chris Diabo (10G-4A). Diabo has been on a firey streak as of late and can account for much of the Shockers' scoring production in their debut season in PTM. Even though he is casting a broad shadow, it does not mean that the team behind him have been silent. Former captain, Alain Godard has been finding his knack at scoring and helpers keeping it even-Steven at 4 goals and 4 assists. The Shockers are also appreciating the hard work from the McHugh - Ortuso - Thomas line as they have been shedding light on a defensive-offensive type of gameplay which has been breaking down most of the opposing attacks.
The Shockers can also attribute their success on their backfield. Despite receiving a face-lift over the off-season the veterans have been really stepping up their game. Greg Emmanuel, who took a few seasons off, has been turning heads with his ability to control and settle the ball and plan the next attack while Jeff Jasmin has been showing such a huge heart for the game and has been a big motivator for a lot of his team mates as he has been demonstrating that second and third effort is key when it comes to winning games.
If the Shockers plan on winning tomorrow's game, they will need to make sure that they will be able to shutdown Les A's offense and find a way to penetrate their defense. If the Shockers can play run-of-the-mill hockey then there should be no excuse to not keep pace with the league's top teams.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Shockers Rekindle the Fire
Final Score
Shockers 5
Thundercats 3
Despite there being no update or story on the blog for the 6-0 shellacking the Shockers received against the Raging Bulls, it was no secret that the Shockers were in a hurting state. The team had caved in on itself during the game, the offense wasn't scoring, the defense was getting bombarded, the specials teams might have well be absent, and the team dynamics were thrown out the window. Looking back at that game, the reigning Raging Bulls cashed in on a win-win situation, where, not only did they roll over the Shockers to continue their perfect season but managed to crush the spirits of a lot of the Shockers' roster.
Last Tuesday's game, most of the dust had settled and in fact in the dressing room no one had mentioned a word about the week before, the Shockers suited up to take on the Thundercats who were just one point up on them in the standings. Out of the regular line-up was a total of six players: Andrew Thomas, Phil McHugh, Chris Millar, Ben Ducharme, Francois Hamelin and Joey Rae. The team would look to their farm team to fill in the gaps calling up, Mark Gamboz, Guillaume Cote, Mike Rossi and Gary "The Green Giant" McDermott.
The game kicked off and Shockers looked in bad shape as the Thundercats scored within the first minute of the game. The Shockers struck back with three straight goals, Chris Diabo mostly leading the charge with a handful of goals and a few assists throughout the game. The Shockers later on ran into penalty trouble but managed to kill most of it off. The fatigue from killing penalties started to kick in late in the second as they gave up two back-to-back goals. The Shockers led 4-3 going into the third period. The game was getting tighter and tighter as the Shockers picked up a penalty or two in the crucial last minutes but Jeff Jasmin would lead a final attack across his blue line and sent Alain Godard on a break away. Godard made no mistake about it as he made the opposing goalie pay for being out of position.
The Shockers really needed to cash in on a victory to get the team back on its feet again. Next Tuesday at 7:30pm, they will take on Les A's who are currently battling for second spot in the D division. The Shockers will have to tighten up their game and make sure they play the full 3 periods if they plan to stay abreast with the A's.
Shockers 5
Thundercats 3
Despite there being no update or story on the blog for the 6-0 shellacking the Shockers received against the Raging Bulls, it was no secret that the Shockers were in a hurting state. The team had caved in on itself during the game, the offense wasn't scoring, the defense was getting bombarded, the specials teams might have well be absent, and the team dynamics were thrown out the window. Looking back at that game, the reigning Raging Bulls cashed in on a win-win situation, where, not only did they roll over the Shockers to continue their perfect season but managed to crush the spirits of a lot of the Shockers' roster.
Last Tuesday's game, most of the dust had settled and in fact in the dressing room no one had mentioned a word about the week before, the Shockers suited up to take on the Thundercats who were just one point up on them in the standings. Out of the regular line-up was a total of six players: Andrew Thomas, Phil McHugh, Chris Millar, Ben Ducharme, Francois Hamelin and Joey Rae. The team would look to their farm team to fill in the gaps calling up, Mark Gamboz, Guillaume Cote, Mike Rossi and Gary "The Green Giant" McDermott.
The game kicked off and Shockers looked in bad shape as the Thundercats scored within the first minute of the game. The Shockers struck back with three straight goals, Chris Diabo mostly leading the charge with a handful of goals and a few assists throughout the game. The Shockers later on ran into penalty trouble but managed to kill most of it off. The fatigue from killing penalties started to kick in late in the second as they gave up two back-to-back goals. The Shockers led 4-3 going into the third period. The game was getting tighter and tighter as the Shockers picked up a penalty or two in the crucial last minutes but Jeff Jasmin would lead a final attack across his blue line and sent Alain Godard on a break away. Godard made no mistake about it as he made the opposing goalie pay for being out of position.
The Shockers really needed to cash in on a victory to get the team back on its feet again. Next Tuesday at 7:30pm, they will take on Les A's who are currently battling for second spot in the D division. The Shockers will have to tighten up their game and make sure they play the full 3 periods if they plan to stay abreast with the A's.
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