After a thrilling win against the Rusty Blades, the Red Liners charged into today’s game with new energy as they faced a well-known adversary, the FOP Stars C3 North. In the past several seasons, the Liners had always played well against the physi
cal playing FOP Stars C3. The guys and gal in red were expecting a physical game, and they were not disappointed. But the Red Liners did not play down to the skill level of the FOP Stars and thoroughly defeated them in a 7-0 shutout. It also allowed Dr. Nick to be the best goalie in the division.
The Liners suited up fourteen players and kept up the offensive pressure since the start of the first period. The puck spent most of the time in the Stars’ zone. It would be Teddy who broke the dam for the Red Liners with firing a loose puck past the Stars’ netminder early
in the period. For the remaining time in the period, bodies were constantly bouncing off each other. Sticks were flying into the air. But no penalties would be called. Scuba Joe, Ty, and Mixy each had break away chances but got bottled up in the crowd of FOP Stars hovering in front of their net.
Before the start of the second period, Sobo urged the team to build off their single goal but
netting 3 more in the period. And they did. Justin kept a clearing pass around the near board in the Stars’ zone. He fired it back around the boards where B-hole was waiting behind the net. Spying an open Teddy, he tipped in front of the net to Teddy who easily one-timed through the five-hole of the Stars’ goalie. Over the next ten minutes, the Liners would have to kill two powerplay after a roughing call on Toto and holding call on Scuba Joe. The strong play by the Liners defense along with two great saves by Dr. Nick kept the Stars scoreless. The Stars did keep Sobo and Bleach launching pucks out of their defensive zone. The Druck started the Liner’s third goal but blocking a clearing pass in the Stars’ zone. He tipped it along the far boards to Doc who tried a wrist shot at the net. The puck bounced off an opponent to Baby, waiting in top of the slot. He had a clean shot into the upper part of the net. In the waning seconds of this period, the puck was dancing around the Liners while in the Stars’ zone. B-hole did find a wide-open Toto by the near circle who grabbed the puck and hit a sharp-angled slapshot past the Stars’ goalie. The Liners got the three goals.
Not wanting to change strategies, the Liners continued their offensive threats early in the period. Baby had trid to skate his way toward the net but the puck was knocked out to a waiting Don Juan. He fired a backhand shot past the unprepared Stars’ netminder. The surprises continued off a faceoff a few minutes later. Teddy threw the puck back to the slot at the faceoff. A waiting B-hole spied the hole to the back of the net through the tunnel of legs and bodies. His slapshot didn’t miss. The final goal came off a pass to Toto from Baby. Toto tried scoring-play #3 as he cut across the slot and slip the puck just inside the near goal post. The final ten minutes would go by fast as league rules dictated a running clock. Neither team would get any more goals but the frustration continued as the FOP Stars could only muster 2 decent shots on the Liner’s net. Dr. Nick easily blocked and gloved these shots.
But the excited continued into the post-game session. First, controversy erupted as homophobic words were uttered by an FOP Stars player during the traditional end-of-game handshake. Second, Dr. Nick was spying on the season’s goals-against record. The Liners were 5 goals behind the Rusty Blades. In an exciting finish, the Rats would defeat the Blades 5-4 with just seconds left in the game. This moved the Liners into a tie for best goals-against record for the entire C3 division. It also moved Dr. Nick into the best goals-against average for goalies who’s played a majority of their team’s games (at least 7 of 12). His 2.5 GAA is just ahead of the 2.58 of the Blades’ goalie. Also, the Liners are became tied for the second most points (18) with 2 other teams. But tie breakers pushed the Liners into third seed. They now face their toughest challenge yet: three games with the 2nd-4th seeded teams in the C3 North division. If the Liners can make it through this swing of their schedule, they will be in prime position to go far in the playoffs.