It is with fondness and stack of great memories that the CuppaJoe Grinders have to announce the retirement of two very unique individuals: Reggie Gabriel and Jason Kuznak.

With a newborn at home and one helluva commute to and from the rink on game nights, Reggie just couldn’t keep up with the schedule. But with more nicknames than the entire team put together, Reggie will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation in the dressing room for seasons to come. “Hands,” “Vision,” “Shrek,” “Haaken Loob”; each nickname tells a story. It was often said that if Reggie could skate he would be a dangerous player, the ball hockey in the summer gave him some of the best puck-controlling hands on the team.

Meester Kuznak is setting his sights on career and financial stability for his family. A noble endeavour for the once “wild one” who used to come to games with Party stories that scared half our team. Many of the stories ended up including “Sane” after a while. For 7 years we tried telling the guy to stay in his net and leave the damn puck alone, just when we get him trained he gets domesticated.

Welcome to the spare board gentlemen; hope to see you come out and play a few times this year!

Glen

Mike “Keener” Geib is the first to notice that the schedule is posted for the upcoming season. Not only is he actively searching the PointStreak site for news of the upcoming season, he is currently taking a hockey/skating course out at UBC! Look out Gordie, he’s aiming for your spot on the first line.
Here is what Keener was able to find out for us:

http://www.pointstreak.com/players/players-team-schedule.html?teamid=87835

Our first game is Saturday Night at 10pm. That sounds about right for a Weekday league with limited late games.

The Divisions are set and we are not on the bottom! Damn close, but Div 16 is where we sit along with some familiar feces faces; The Mighty Atoms, The Burnaby Chiefs, Allblacks, Spoolmak….    Plus an imitator, a team called Grinders.

Have you registered yet?  Here is the link to register for this year’s league. Here is the number you may need to complete your Registration:

Here is the official post for the Saturday, August 11 at 7:00pm - 8:15pm, Green B ice time.

So far: 2 goalies and 15 skaters.

Confirmed players are:

Peter Hogan : Goalie
Goats: Goalie

1. Tidy
2. Santa
3. Lester
4. Gord
5. Glen
6. Troy
7. Shaun
8. Jason C
9. Triggsy
10. Tanchak
11. “Punk” Taddei
12. PSP
13. Stace
14. Allistair
15. Jason Ando

Saturday, August 11 at 7:00pm - 8:15pm, Green B. Ends at 8:15 so you partiers can still go out afterwards on the hot summer night, and the rest of us married folk can sit in the parking lot, avoid the families, and drink beer.

Thursday, August 30 at 7:45pm - 9:00pm, Green B. The Thursday before the long weekend. Many of you will have Friday off if you are heading out of town with the other 1.2million idots jamming the freeway that weekend so you can make this ice time as well as partake in your long weekend festivities.

So far I have invited the core Grinders only to both ice times in an effort to make these ice times almost practice-like. The ice time on the 30th is the critical one, it’s only about a week before the season starts and we’d like to try to get some semblance of team-work happening prior to opening night. We may ask Geiber to run the practice or who knows we may call in a professional if all of you show up.

If the Grinder turn out for the 11th is thin, I will call all my reserves out and set-up a game of shinny.

- - - UPDATE- - -

You guys Rock! That was the fastest response to email I think I have ever had. Here is the list so far as to who of the Grinders are making the August ice times.

August 11: Troy(?), Shaun, Glen, Gord, Jason, Triggs, Tanchak. Not a large grinder contingent but no worries, I shall be able to fill the roster to make two teams and have a game of shinny.

August 30: Troy, Frank, Mike, Mark, Shaun, Glen, Gord, Bob, Jason, Triggs, Tanchak and Guy. Perfect only 3 people haven’t responded so far. This is the perfect turnout to have a Grinders practice.

Grinders faced off against the Mighty Atoms Monday night in the season finale - a precursor to what we can see in the first game of the finals. The Grinders came out strong against a quick Atoms team and played the game as they must to keep the Atoms on their heels. The forchecking was strong and persistent to start the game, with quick shifts keeping the Grinders fresh at all times. Before you knew it the first period was over and the Grinders had a 2-1 lead. Their first goal came from Stace Schoffer extending his goal streak to two games. Unfortunately Stacey came one game shy of qualifying for the playoffs. More on that later.

Goats came up with the second goal setting a world record for having the game’s quickest shift. Over the boards, get a goal, get off. That ain’t working. Thats the way you do it. Money for nothing and you’re chicks for free. Goats gets his 2nd goal of the season. Could this be the night that the Turtles prevail and launch the Grinders into the post-season with a winning attitude?

Sure seems that way as Santa - with no goals this season - picks up a weak clearing attempt from the Atoms at his own blueline, carries the puck up the left boards through the neutral zone, into the offensive zone and puts the Grinders up 3-1.

The Grinders score three more in the second period before giving up a point. Gord Schmidt tallies his team-leading 10th goal of the season to give the team a comfortable lead before adding two assists to his totals to achieve a team-leading 20 points once the night is over.

His first assist came on the Grinders’ 5th goal after collecting a pass from Trainor over the blue line, putting the puck on the net for Trainor to follow-up and tip in the rebound after a couple of attempts.

The 6th goal was a blast from the point from Ashworth. He’s been letting them goal all season but none seemed to find their way to the back of the net until tonight. Shaun gets his first goal of the season on the last game of the season!

The unlikeliness of the game continues as Tidy takes a penalty, only his 3rd of the season. On the ensuing powerplay the Atoms cut the lead marginally and will enter into the third period down by four.

Sitting back on their laurels and content to play out the game in their end, the Grinders allow the Atoms to take control in the puck in the offensive zone too many times. The Atoms get a goal in the 4th minute, then again in the 9th minute as Tidy takes another peanlty, doubling his PIMS for the entire season!

The Grinders wake up and start to forecheck again, putting the pressure on the d-men and taking advantage of the Atoms forward pressure by managing several odd-man breakouts in the third. Trainor took a long pass from Tanchak out of the corner, cut to the front of the front and on his backhand hit the post. Tanchak took a leading pass from Goats for a breakaway but had nothing in the tank after a long shift for his breakaway. The Grinders allowed the Atoms to pot their 5th of the night, but it wasn’t enough as the CuppaJoe Grinders held on to a 6-5 victory.

THE PLAYOFFS:

(3) Mighty Atoms vs. (5) Cuppa Joe Grinders
Apr 16 8:45pm - Gold B

(5) Cuppa Joe Grinders vs. (2) Albino Crackers
Apr 20 9:30pm - Red A

1st Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
Apr 25 9:45pm - Green A

1st Pool B vs 2nd Pool A
Apr 26 9:45pm - Green A

Winner Game 7 vs Winner Game 8
Apr 27 8:15pm - Green A