Red Liners Part Deux, AKA the Howard squad, had their first game with the full time roster. Upper management had to quickly get lines synchronized before facing the formidable sounding Top Shelf. Unfortunately having a slow offensive start and giving up a 3 goal cushion early on was too much to overcome. In the end, the drained Liners would fall 10-4 to Top Shelf.
Top Shelf would get on the board first after picking up a Red Liners turnover in the neutral zone. Their scorer deflect a cross slot shot on net. Less than a minute later, Top Shelf would score again off a mid slot one timer from an offensive face off. The Red Liners continued to have trouble clearing the puck from their zone and creating offensive pressure. The Shelf notched their third goal off a drop pass in front of the net from their star player. A minute later, the Liners finally got on the scoreboard after Toe had his own breakaway and found the empty net after dekeing the Shelf net minder. The guys and gal in red began to crank up the pressure on the Shelf but the Shelf notched a last second goal by sliding a loose rebound that bounced just behind Dr. Nick, the Liners goalie.
For the first several minutes, the Liners tried to take the momentum back. A clearing lob by Sobo found Toe who fed a perfect cross ice pass to B-hole in the mid-slot. His wrist shot was initially blocked by the Shelf goalie but the rebound bounced into the net. Half a period would wind down before the Shelf bounced back by scoring off a turnover from a pass back to the point. The Shelf continued to pepper The Liner goalie who made several great saves to keep them in the game. Like last period, the Shelf would add a last minute period goal from a top circle slapshot after a face off to go up
Early in the third period, the scoring continued on the Liners who gave up a seventh goal after a scramble in the slot. Minutes later Sobo would notch the Liners’ third goal from a top slot slapshot of the ice from B-hole’s behind the net pass. That seemed to spark the team. Big Daddy soon scored on the empty net from Don’s cross slot pass while on a two-on-one. Things almost looked like they were going the Liners way but a key save off B-hole’s point blank five hole shot by the Shelf goalie rejuvenated their opponents. They further squashed any Liners comeback by scoring three unanswered goals in the final four minutes of the third period.
Growing pains were on exhibition tonight for this revamped version of the Red Liners. Upper management will be looking into several adjustments in the future, possibly a stronger breakout and better clearing pucks out of the zone. They will be looking to regroup against the Blacksheep next Monday, April 14 at 10:50 pm.