Post by Jim H. on Feb 4, 2024 21:32:13 GMT -5
Week 20 started early when we went to the Princeton-Army hockey game Tuesday night. We’ve never seen so much olive merch in one place before. Even a hat with a frilly pom-pom looks formidable if it reads USMA. And the Army crowd—they don’t just want a call; they order a call and then act shocked if the referee doesn’t click his heels, snap a salute and blow the whistle. The whole game we scanned the crowd looking for Aaron Kibbey, the former West Pointer, whom we knew would be there. But we never saw him. He must have been wearing camo. Army tied the game 4-4 with 6 seconds left in regulation. But it wasn’t enough to “declaw” the Tigers. Their slavered fangs chomped down on one more overtime goal to devour the 5-4 win.
One thing about Old Bucks hockey—it never gets old. Even Week 20 had a storyline as fresh as any we’ve ever penned. Or should we write storylines. Like no Ben David—out until he can get Paul Egan to rescind his restraining order. Or Vinnie back in goal to give his new knee another tentative try. In an actual game--not just warmups. We heard him talking up Motrin dosages with Paul in the locker room, but we couldn’t make out whether he takes them in milligrams or a million grams. Either way they seemed to work because he played for two fifteen minute stints and executed several tendon-stretching splits to deny Blue the goal; and then he only left when he was more emotionally exhausted than physically. Still he shared the win with Rich Cerbone who was also at the top of his game, tracking the puck well through traffic, making several pads stops, stoning Jason Fowler on the breakaway, and only giving up a couple softies to Joe McNamara and a sneaky Scott Shapiro wraparound. His instincts seemed to quicken even as his legs slowed down. Nor can we hold it against him that Connor Dougherty scored on a short-side roof job that was worthy of that other Connor—Connor McMoses and his million dollar check he got for winning the All-Stars skill competition. All in all, Vinnie and Rich acquitted themselves well.
There were plenty of accolades to go around for Red’s offense too. Ryan Crowell had a hat trick, including a goal that defied explanation when some scrum behind the net sent the puck arcing in a towering parabola out front, and Ryan batted it in off the bounce, and then lamented that his son wasn’t on hand to record it for posterity. Eddie Odoski also scored on a nice rip from just inside the blue line (indeed, give him some music and he would have been “Sweating to the Oldies”). And even the domesticated Hughie, reintroduced into the wild of Red, scored on a classic “shot between the dots” that was straight up amazing for someone whose helmet sits on his head like a urethane bowling ball. Mike Tennant had a couple goals of the sharp-angled variety, Joe Tona too, but it was Dave Boggs who scored the back-breaker just about the same time Mark Herr ejected himself from the game after being assessed a double major for gross fatigue. Dan Dougherty wasn’t too far behind him. It was like a walk-off home run, which is always a nice consolation in Old Bucks, considering that the walk is in the direction of a cold beer.
One thing about Old Bucks hockey—it never gets old. Even Week 20 had a storyline as fresh as any we’ve ever penned. Or should we write storylines. Like no Ben David—out until he can get Paul Egan to rescind his restraining order. Or Vinnie back in goal to give his new knee another tentative try. In an actual game--not just warmups. We heard him talking up Motrin dosages with Paul in the locker room, but we couldn’t make out whether he takes them in milligrams or a million grams. Either way they seemed to work because he played for two fifteen minute stints and executed several tendon-stretching splits to deny Blue the goal; and then he only left when he was more emotionally exhausted than physically. Still he shared the win with Rich Cerbone who was also at the top of his game, tracking the puck well through traffic, making several pads stops, stoning Jason Fowler on the breakaway, and only giving up a couple softies to Joe McNamara and a sneaky Scott Shapiro wraparound. His instincts seemed to quicken even as his legs slowed down. Nor can we hold it against him that Connor Dougherty scored on a short-side roof job that was worthy of that other Connor—Connor McMoses and his million dollar check he got for winning the All-Stars skill competition. All in all, Vinnie and Rich acquitted themselves well.
There were plenty of accolades to go around for Red’s offense too. Ryan Crowell had a hat trick, including a goal that defied explanation when some scrum behind the net sent the puck arcing in a towering parabola out front, and Ryan batted it in off the bounce, and then lamented that his son wasn’t on hand to record it for posterity. Eddie Odoski also scored on a nice rip from just inside the blue line (indeed, give him some music and he would have been “Sweating to the Oldies”). And even the domesticated Hughie, reintroduced into the wild of Red, scored on a classic “shot between the dots” that was straight up amazing for someone whose helmet sits on his head like a urethane bowling ball. Mike Tennant had a couple goals of the sharp-angled variety, Joe Tona too, but it was Dave Boggs who scored the back-breaker just about the same time Mark Herr ejected himself from the game after being assessed a double major for gross fatigue. Dan Dougherty wasn’t too far behind him. It was like a walk-off home run, which is always a nice consolation in Old Bucks, considering that the walk is in the direction of a cold beer.