The Cuppa Joe Grinders

The Kickers just don’t have what it takes to survive in Div 19. Perhaps they thought after being dropped a few divisions, the first game would be a gift. Well they did get introduced to Santa but it wasn’t quite what they expected.  Meester Hubman pulled a shithook early in the game and rushed the net a couple of times for the Grinders first two goals, giving Andy and Goats a couple of assists on the way. The period ended with those two tallies only and the Grinders forecheck seemed to stun the kickers who had no positional organization at all.   Santa almost achieved the Gordie Howe hat trick, all he needed was a fight!   He may have failed to provide that entertainment, but those of us at cuppajoegrinders.com will never let you down! (See Picture Below)

The clean first period and friendly atmosphere was soon marred as Santa couldn’t bear being kept off the score sheet, so he got there by way of an interference minor.  But have no fear Chacko is here and managed to save face by potting the Grinders 3rd of the game. In fact Andy got a point on 4 of the Grinders 5 goals. He then assisted on Guys and PSPs to end the game.

According to the official shot-o-meter we, the Grinders were outshot 22 to 21 that game.  Apparently dump-ins and icings count as shots on goal when you’re losing 5-0. Not to take anything away from the brobdingnagian performance of Peter who did keep the Kickers at bay during the third as they poured on the pressure trying to quash his shutout.

But alas there was no love for the Kickers as Guy and PSP buried two for the final tally of 5-0.

Those last few points of the game extended some significant streaks for some Grinders personalities, no, Bob did not get naked (this time) but he extended his point per game streak to 3 games, and Guy and Trainor (that dreaded Teigen-Trainor combination strikes again) extended theirs to 4 games. While Andy now tops the team with most assists in a game at 3.
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The Grinders lineup is decimated by injury with Mark Leng Gone for the season with two broken bones in his leg, Gord Schmidt, Gone for the season with a broken ring bone on his spine, Frank Williams,  Out indefinitely and visiting a head doctor due to a crosscheck to the back of the neck. And the late night game took its toll on others in the line-up as well; Bob was in Calgary (or so he says), Tidy had to wake up too early (or so he said), Triggsy was covering the early shift (or so he said), Trainor was ill (or so he said), and Troy just didn’t wanna (or so he said).

But 10 other skates and a goalie did honour thy commitment and came out as ornery as ever.  Chacko made his marks early into the game scoring the first goal with help from Tanchak and Newts at 10:11, and then sitting in the sin bin 22 seconds later with an interference minor.  Not to be outdone, Jay took a penalty as well at 13:53  for hooking, and then again at 10:53 in the second for roughing, and then again in the third for Body Checking…apparently Jay wanted to go home early.

Tanchak put the Grinders up by 2 in the second with an assist from Guy, but the Storm rallied back quickly in the third, first taking advantage of the Power Play and then tie-ing it up even strength at 8:09.

But no one is keep the Grinders out this late and then hand them a loss, no siree! Dave Tanchak put another point on the board an scored the game winner after being set up with a sweet pass from Ashworth. Then Goats and Nickason added the insurance to put up a convincing 5-2 win.

But there is a story left untold as we look at the details of the game with Mr Chacko getting a 10-minute misconduct for harassing the official and setting the Grinders up for a season of officiating misery. Please, do tell.

Fine….

But when all was looking rosy, it was Goats who it seemed was destined to be the goat, taking a 4-minute roughing penalty at the end of the 3rd period for being a bully in front of our net. But, thankfully it was PSP who, although at first looking for a line change, was told to hoof it, and hoof it he did; end to end, with handlebars flapping on his cheeks, PSP nets the short-handed OT winner sealing a sweet victory for the team.

With our goalie sitting in the change room at the start of the game, the opposition (can’t remember who and too damn lazy to go to the ASHL website to check) scores a gimme to advance 1-0.  So the Grinders decide to take control of the game and get a quick goal in return.

“No Goal! Net was off”  shouts the ref.   Well yeah, because the goalie made a concerted and obvious effort to dislodge the post as the puck was crossing the line. How about a delay of game penalty in return?  No such luck.

So the Grinders are determined to get that one back.

“No Goal!” shouts the ref, “uhhh… lemme think…. in the crease! Yeah, in the crease.”  The other team then presses and goes up 2-0.

It’s okay though because we have control of the game and are continually out-chancing them, so we have more goals coming for sure, don’t we?  Yep, there it is.
“No Goal!” shouts the ref, “Just Cuz!”

Then those guys score another and run Toller Crantson. But we don’t get discourage but keep on trying with one last press, jamming and crashing at the net with the puck going wide by the far post at the buzzer.

A good game and a great effort that was a fun one to play.Nothing to be ashamed of, but disappointing nonetheless.  And hey! A free jug o’ beer for a penalty free game on our part.

<Pics coming later >

And remember to go to the online locker room to vote for your 3 STARS

ou heard it here first ! The Winter 2009 / 2010 Season is underway and the Grinders take the first game in a 5-3 win over the Storm.

Paul Sheppard starts the season right with a 4-Pt night getting a natural hat trick and an assist. Two goals show as unassisted in the box score, but undoubtedly there was a great team effort happening; perhaps Troy coughing up a lung at the bench offering a distraction, or Gord hovering at the opposition blue-line occupying a defense-man while Paul skated coast to coast, or Bob shouting “The point, The Point! so loud as to startle the other team, maybe Frank was in conversation with the other team reminding them that we’re one step away from girls ringette, or Santa had a forward pinned by the neck under his KoHo in our crease, or Triggs was giggling on the bench at the way he was taunting their d-men last shift, while Geiber and Strodl compared notes on how many posts they hit last season and shaking their heads, as Leng was skaiting the right wing, head down,  thinking “just 20 more seconds, just last 20 more seconds” in an effort to have Gord complain at least once per game about a long shift,  while Andy was flailing up the left, his arms and legs going like egg beaters attracting the d-men like moths to light, while Tanchak sat on the bench thiking “Thank god I’m not full time any more,” and newcomer Newton thinking “I wonder why Tanchak left this team…” watched Paul skate up the ice and considered that his acceleration was dependent upon two variables – the force of his blades acting upon the ice and inversely upon his mass. And upon noticing how fast his legs were moving and how short he was started to think “No wonder that little bugger is so quick, ”

To answer you’re first question, Geoff,  we’re just a little dysfunctional, thats all, and having played summer hockey with you and judging by reports from the first game, no worries, you’ll get along just fine.

Grinders go three games deep but couldn’t contain the Albino Crackers in the first period. A well played, well fought battle ended the season. Hold your head high.

Turn out the lights the party’s over they say that all good things must end….

REGULAR SEASON STATS – TOP PERFORMERS

Longest Point Streak    5    Glen
Most Points in a Game    4    Paul
Most Goals in a Game    2    Gord / Paul / Andy / Jeff
Most PIMS in a Game    17    Jeff
Goals    9    Gord / Andy
Assists    17    Paul
Points    24    Paul
PIMS    29    Jeff
PPG    3    Glen
SHG    1    Jeff
GWG    3    Mike
PPGA    0.89    Paul
SO    2    Peter
GAA    2.2    Peter
SV%    0.903    Peter

PLAYOFF STATS – TOP PERFORMERS
Goals    2    Jay
Assists    2    Glen / Frank / Troy
Points    3    Glen / Frank
PIMS    4    Jay / Glen / Jeff / Paul / Andy
PPG    0
SHG    2    Jay
GWG    1    Jay / Jeff
PPGA    2    Troy
SO    1    Peter
GAA    1    Tim
SV%    0.970    Tim