One never knows which version of a team will show off in the playoffs. Varying players (including illegal unrostered players) and the playoff atmosphere can rev up a team’s spirits and help them win. The same goes for the Beer Bistro who has always played the Red Liners tough. The Bistro would get on the board first but the Liners would quickly take the momentum away and build a big enough lead that they would not give up. The Liners won 8-6 and move on to the semi-finals against the Pirates.
The first period began with an anemic offense by the Red Liners. They had trouble sustaining any offensive threats while the Bistro used their speedy skaters to throw puck after puck at Bigfield, the Liners goalie. Bistro would get on the board first with a goal after five minutes into the period. The desperation increased for the guys and gal in red as they tried to tie it up in the final minutes of the period. They would with four minutes left in the period after Senor Cabeza blocked a clearing pass with his skate. Baby picked up the loose puck and wristed it toward the net where Mixy deflected it past the Bistro netminder. A few minutes later, Sobo fired a wrist shot from the blue line that rebounded to Dirky who easily popped it into the empty Bistro net. Building off this momentum, Toe, during a penalty kill, would block a Bistro pass at the blue line and go on a breakaway, beating the Bistro goalie for a shorthanded goal. Even with the ominous start, the Liners ended the period up 3-1.
The second period began with a 5-3 power play for the Red Liners. They quickly took advantage with their fourth goal after twenty seconds. Judge Jimmie won the board battles on threw the puck up to Toe in the far corner who lasered it to awaiting Dr. Watson in the slot. He easily one timed the puck into the upper corner of the net. Baby continued the scoring by winning the puck battle by the far circle. He fired a strong wrist shot that was initially blocked but then bounced into the net. A few lucky breaks for the Bistro got them back into the game with two unanswered goals, decreasing the goal deficit back to two. Twank was able to get the momentum to swing back to the Red Liners with the final goal of the period. He scooped up a loose puck at the near circle and skated around to the far circle where he wristed it along the ice and just underneath the Bistro goalie. The lead for the Liners was back to three goals.
With the commanding lead and one period left to play, the Liners would typically go into defensive mode which sometimes disastrous results. The lack of offensive pressure on their opponents can allow them to counter with more offensive threats. The Bistro made one final push to get back into the game. They scored early in the third period to make it a 6-4 game. But Dirky would again slam in another rebound off Drucks blue line slapshot to put the goal difference back at three. But the Bistro kept on fighting. Tough clearing attempts and a lucky bounce (puck bounced off a Liners player and into the net) got the Bistro within one goal with half the period remaining. The Liners turned back on their scoring machine and went hard after the Beer men. Twank tried to thread a wrist shot through the legs of a Bistro player. It bounced off to Watson who wristed it at the Bistro net. This block shot ended at Toe’s skates who easily popped the puck into the empty net. With the two goal lead re-established, the Liners refortified themselves but also drew penalties which helped keep the Bistro offense dormant. In the final minutes, the Bistro did pull their goalie but to no avail as they puck back on penalty kill as the clock ran down to zero.
The game showed the resilience of the Red Liners as they matched with teams with very speedy skaters. They anticipate meeting playing again similar teams in the rest of the playoffs. They also realize they were little lucky to get the win as multiple goals in this game were off bad bounces and poor clearing attempts. But they can now count on their offense which showed periods to brilliance with good puck control, strong breakaways, and grabbing rebounds for goals. They will meet up in the finals for the C3 North section against the Pirates, the first seed. In their only matchup, the shorter benched Liners lost 3-1 to the larger benched Pirates. The Liners hope for a different outcome with a full bench. Game is on Tuesday, Sept 2 at 9:50pm.