Another short benched Liners faced off the Top Shelf for the first and last time of the season. The evidence of the out-of-sync ten players in the first period was obvious as the early two goals by the Shelf. But the guys and gal in red finally settled down and kept the Shelf off the scoreboard for the remaining first period. The Liners did draw a powerplay but could not capitalize on it. The Shelf did score their third goal of the game before Powers finally blocked a Shelf defensive clearing pass. He then lobbed the puck into the far upper corner of the Shelf net. Dr. Funk, the Liners’ netminder, stood on his head several times in the second period to keep the goal difference at 2. Unfortunately, the Shelf did break through and score toward the end of the period, taking a 4-1 lead into the third period.
Early in the third period, a tough on-ice check on Evan knocked him out for the rest of the game with a lower body injury. The remaining nine players regrouped and just enjoyed the game. They drew multiple power plays and did finally capitalize on a 5 on 3 as Twank needed repeated attempts to stuff a wraparound goal. The Shelf would again respond with their fifth goal of the game. It would be Lektrick Liz (geez, finding Minnesotan things is tough) to notch the last goal of the game. After breaking toward the Shelf net, her high wrist shot popped in and out of the goalie glove and into the back of the net. In the closing minutes, Powers capped his first goal with offsetting penalties. He just missed out on a fight. Evan’s status remains day-to-day.