The Red Liners like other teams can have attendance problems at weekend games. This game was not any exception. While they Red Liners usually have 14-15 players per game, this game against the Devils only had 11 players. But Captain Toto was able to
guide the team to a well fought and scrappy win against the Devils during and after the game.
The first period had both teams firing offensive attacks at each other. The momentum would shift back and forth between the two teams. It would be the Red Liners who would score first during a power play. Find a loose puck in the slot, Doc picked it up and fired it back at the net. The shot was blocked by a Devil player but Toto found the puck and fired the puck past the Devil netminder. The Red Liners tried to elevated the pressure with dizzying skating by Nicky. B-hole spent less time in the slot and more time throwing pucks at the net from the boards.
The Red Liners carried their scoring momentum early into the second period. Baby wrenched control of the puck in the offensive near corner and dish it back to Doc who fired a wrist shot at the net. A waiting Davy picked up the rebound off Doc’s shot and easily fired it into the empty net. But the Devils came charging back with a powerplay goal half way into the period. They would tie it up with less than a minute left in the period.
Both teams battled in the third period as the winner of the period would win the game. The Red Liners would slip in a bouncing puck in the first few minutes of the period to take the goal lead for good. St. Paul was crashing the net with the puck but it would be Toto would popped in loose puck. The Devils had several chances to tie the game up but couldn’t finish when attacking Dr. Nick and his goal net. To help nullify more Devil’s offense, Justin, affectionately called “The Irish Man” by a Devil, took matching penalties with one of the Devils’ scorers for the game. Queen Stef and The Druck were able to shutdown much of the Devils’ last minute desperation
attacks. With a minute left to play, the Devils pulled their goalie. However, Davy took control of a loose puck and passed it to an open Mixy who easily fired it through a Devils’ defenseman trying to play goal.
The close score did reflect the tight game between the two teams. Sparks also flew during the traditional handshake after the game when Justin scuffled with a Devil. But the team took pride with the well fought win and good teamwork against this tough opponent. The results seemed to illustrate further maturing of the Red Liners this season.