North Shore Red Liners Go Through Growing Pains in 8-4 Loss Against Rats

The CGHA returned to skate at the North Shore Ice Arena with their second team, also called the Red Liners, where they met up with a formidable opponent, the Rats. Players on both teams have likely met up before but at the Johnny’s Ice House. No o

ne was sure what this game would end up as. By the time it was over, there was definite room for improvement for the Red Liners mixed with good

team chemistry.

It would be the Red Liners who would get on the scoreboard first with Toto firing a puck past the splayed Rats netminder early in the first period. But the Rats would come charging back to tie up the score just a few minutes later. The Red Liners regrouped and took the lead back with a bouncing slapshot from Bleach from the far point. The pouncing puck fooled the Rats goalie and slipped past him. Uncanningly, Bleach’s goal was predicted by Queen Anne before the puck left his stick. Once again, the Rats would answer with back-to-back goals into the upper part of the Red Liners’ net.

The second period was almost all Rats as they scored 3 more unanswered goals, all during power plays. The boys in red took a time out after giving up this third powerplay goal to regroup the team and change a few line combinations. The Red Liners would get the closing goal for the period off a shot from Roger Dodger that bounced off the Rats’ goalie’s tick and arced into the net.

The third period was a closer affair. The Rats would notch 2 more goals in the period. The last goal of the period came from a long cross ice pass from The Winemaker to Toto who slammed it through the Rats’ goalie.

Overall, the team did admirably for a new mix of players. Some have returned to play from a year ago. Others are new to organized hockey and to the Red Liners. The remaining half currently play together at Johnny’s Ice House. The team will go through the typical growing pains as they try to find line combinations and strategies that work best for the team. The North Shore Red Liners also do not know the caliber of their other opponents. The boys in red await anxiously.