RINK DAWGS!!!……You Knooow!!!

July 22, 2009 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs – 7   Toronto Phantoms – 3

I was glad to see that we atleast came out with a good effort despite our place in the standings.  In fairness to our opponents, they started the game with only 6 guys and no goalie.  We were able to pop in 3 before their goalie showed up and then another after they pulled the goalie in the second half.

We still managed to get outshot 19-15 for the game and many of those high quality chances.  Needless to say Stewart Tymchuk played another solid game in net, which he has done for most of the year.  It was a balanced scoring attack, with every player contributing atleast a point.

In the end it was a very disappointing season, with not much too show for it. We were pleased with the effort most nights and want to thank all the guys who continued to come out and battle every game, including you Stew.  There will be a season review done shortly, so continue to check the website for up to date information and news.

Game Stats:

Shots: Toronto Phantoms  19  -  Rink Dawgs  15
Powerplay: 1 for 1
Penaltykill: 0 for 1

Player(s) of the Game:

Bruce Tiam-Fook  1G  5A
Tommy Kolkas  2G  2A
Mike Zuccaro, David Silva & Anthony “Phil” Bruno each with 2 points.

July 20 – Game Recap

Gunners – 5   Rink Dawgs – 4

Our fate laid in the hands of the Dirt vs Chubby Chasers game, which was played right before ours.  It was looking good midway through the second with the score tied up at 5′s and the Dirt constantly getting odd-man opportunities.  But they failed to capitalize and the Chasers went on to win 8-5 and officially putting an end to our playoff chances.

As far as our game went, we gave the first place Gunners a run for their money.  It didn’t look that way a minute into the game, when once again we gave up the first goal of the game.  We managed to get good scoring chances and were rewarded midway through the half.  Emergency call up forward, Antonio Geraci made management staff look like geniuses when in a span of 1:09 he popped in 2 goals. It was one of the few opportunities Antonio got to play forward this season and he made the best of it.  He nearly got the hat-trick when he had the goalie down and out, but somehow the goalie made a brilliant save.

The Gunners came back to tie up the game 2-2, after a flurry of chances.  Stewart Tymchuk once again had to make difficult save after difficult save.  With just over a minute to go in the first Tommy Kolkas drew an interference penalty and on the ensuing face-off in their zone,  Andrew Lazaridis won the draw clean back to Hall of Famer Dan Smith who blasted a point shot through traffic.

It was a pretty even game by half-time, with the score 3-2 for us and the shots 11-9 for the Gunners.  It was a different story in the second, where it just seemed like we began to run out of gas.  The Gunners kept coming and coming and we continued to let them dart in on goal uncontested.  If it wasn’t for Stewart the game easily could have gotten out of reach early in the second.

By midway through the second the Gunners finally were able to break Stewart’s armor, with 2 goals in a 1:30 span.  We were pretty much down and out at that point, with not much energy left.  We did manage to score late, when Tommy put one in on some nice passing from Andrew Lazaridis & Mark Krupa.  We were not able to get control of the ball and ran around in our end for a good 30 seconds, leaving us little time to pull the goalie.  Needless to say, we ran out of time and saw another game decided by one goal.

Game Stats:

Shots: Gunners  20  -  Rink Dawgs 19
Powerplay: 1 for 1
Penaltykill: none

Player(s) of the Game:

Antonio Geraci   2G
Andrew Lazaridis  2A
Tommy Kolkas & Dan Smith each with a goal
Bruce Tiam-Fook, David Silva & Mark Krupa each chipping in an assist

July 15, 2009 – Game Recap

Winterhawks – 6  Rink Dawgs – 2

A totally disappointing effort, considering the importance of this game. To start the game, the Winterhawks had only 1 sub on the bench and we had 2 lines & 3 D.  Somehow that didn’t seem to slow them down, they got a couple lucky bounces and before we knew it, it was 3-0 after just 2 1/2 minutes.

We were able to get one back about a minute later when Andrew Lazaridis picked off a pass in their zone and ripped one over the glove of the goalie.  With the momentum swung back our way, we managed to put some pressure on them.  On a broken play we surrendered a breakaway to the leading scorer of the league, who conveniently slid one under Stewart for his 3rd goal of the game in just under 5 minutes.

That goal seem to take the wind out of our sails and just 25 seconds later on a shot from the point, Stewart had to make 3 saves after the rebound before one of their guys finally poked it in.  After that terrible display of defensive zone coverage, we had dug ourselves a a huge hole.  We were able to get one more that half, when Frank Zuccaro snapped one over the goalie’s shoulder making the score 5-2 at the half.

We were not able to muster up any more offense in the second half and I think we just mailed it in at that point.  They were able to get one more in the second ending the score 6-2.  It was a very poor effort and showed how we have not played a good defensive or transitional type game this season.

Game Stats:

Shots: Winterhawks  23  -  Rink Dawgs  17
Powerplay: 1 for 1
Penaltykill: 1 for 1

Player(s) of the Game:

Though the effort was there, the execution was not.

July 07, 2009 – Game Recap

Chubby Chasers – 4   Rink Dawgs – 3

Tough start to the game right from the first whistle, we only had 7 players and the goalie ready to go!!  With a couple guys running late we knew we had our hands full, not just because we only had the 2 subs but the prospect of going up against NHLer in Defenceman Theo Peckham seemed a daunting task.

Peckham, a Richmond Hill native played 15 games on the blueline last season with the Edmonton Oilers, he had no points, was a -1 and racked up 59 pims.  At 6’2″ 223lbs he is quite a load, but with the Chasers he plays Center and showed great pair of hands. Even though he managed 2 goals & 1 assist against us, I thought we did a pretty good job on him and an even better job against the rest of their team.

Theo opened the scoring in the game at the 6:21 mark of the first, with a hard wrist shot from the high slot.  Just over a minute later we were able to tie up the game, when on a great dump in by Ted Kolkas, his brother Tommy Kolkas chased the ball down and centered it to Andrew Lazaridis who popped it in.

Tony Rowe arrived late in the first and as he was getting ready, the Chasers potted 2 goals in the last 1:45 of the first.  They were very fortunate on both goals, one was a blocked shot in their zone that they turned into a 2 on 1 with Peckham scoring his second of the game.  The last goal of the period was a result of a turnover at our blueline, which turned into a 2 on none giving Stewart no chance in goal.

Going into the break the score was 3-1 and the shots were 14-9 in their favor.  No more players showed up for us, which gave us 2 lines & 3 D for the rest of the game.  The second started great for us when just 37 seconds into the half, Tommy Kolkas blasted a shot top shelf glove side on a great feed from Andrew Lazaridis & Donny Lagos.  Thinking we were now back in the game, the Chasers were able to bounce right back and score 27 seconds later.

For the next 7 or 8 minutes we continued to press them as they were busy trying to make cute passes, our defense would break up the play and lead the rush going the other way.  We were finally able to get another one, when Mark Krupa found Tommy Kolkas in the slot and on a one-timer buried it low glove side.  Tommy has been on hot the last 3 games, netting 2G  & 4A along with Andrew who has had 1G & 4A and also Mark who has chipped in with 3A in his last 2 games.

Even with the hot play of that line, we were not able to find enough gas in the tank to come up with the tying goal.  We had pulled the goalie with about 1 minute to play and with good control in their zone were able to get a few shots on goal.  The best chance being when Andrew found David Silva on the half boards with a cross rink pass and with some time to tee it us,  Silva pounded a shot high up near the neck of the goaltender, who somehow was able to control the rebound and then dropped to the floor clutching his collarbone.

We have played really consistent the last 3 games, going 1-1-1 with 8GF & 8GA.  Next week is a must game for us, we play the Winterhawks who are 2 points ahead of us with one game in hand as of last game.

Game Stats:

Shots: Chubby Chasers  25  -  Rink Dawgs  19
Powerplay: 0 for 1
Penaltykill: none

Player(s) of the Game:
Tommy Kolkas  2G  1A
Andrew Lazaridis  1G  2A
Stewart Tymchuk  21 saves

Mark Krupa, Ted Kolkas & Donny Lagos each with 1A.

July 06, 2009 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs – 3   Dirt – 2

Now that is the kind of effort we need to come up with every game from here on in, to make a push for the playoffs.  We played as a team, we played with confidence and most importantly we played with energy.  Any time we can do all three of those things consistently in a game, we give ourselves a chance to win.

I was very pleased with the way we came out in this game, lots of jump and energy.  The first few shifts were certainly in our favor, we had the Dirt scrambling in their own zone and made it very difficult for them to establish any kind of breakout.  All that effort paid off early for us when just 1:24 into the game, the new kid came through again.  In only his second game with the Rink Dawgs Mike Shilton scored his second goal of the season, when he pounced on a rebound and showed his quick hands to tuck it in behind the goalie.

This was the perfect start to a game for us, Mike’s goal energized the team and brought back some needed confidence.  Dirt was able to tie up the game about 3 minutes later on a bad defensive breakdown which saw us scrambling around in our zone with an odd man situation.  We still need to work on our D zone coverage, but I felt like we did a better job of it this game.

We didn’t let that goal deter us at all, we continued to take the game to them and once again we were rewarded for our efforts with 1:12 to go in the first.  With some great forechecking by Tommy Kolkas, he was able to steal the ball from one of their blueliners and created a 3 on 1 opportunity.  Showing great patience Tommy was able to draw the D man to him and flip a pass rink wide to David Silva who in turn waited for the goalie to go down and roofed his team leading 5th goal glove side.

We had outshot the Dirt 11-7 in the first and definitely were in control of the game.  In the second half the game went back and forth, with the Dirt outshooting us this time 11-8.  We were able to get a our 3rd goal and what porved to be the game winner, when Donny Lagos netted his first of the season with assists from Mark Krupa and Tommy Kolkas.

Stewart Tymchuk played another solid game in goal for the Dawgs, having to make difficult saves especially in the second.  The turning point maybe being when he stopped a breakaway chance midway through the second half.  Dirt was able to get one back to make it 3-2, but we managed to hang on for a change and preserve the victory.

Great overall effort by everyone, not much time to rest as we got another one tonight.

Games Stats:

Shots: Rink Dawgs  19  -   Dirt  18
Powerplay: 0 for 1
Penaltykill: 1 for 1

Player(s) of the Game:

Mike Shilton 1G and first star of the game
David Silva & Donny Lagos 1G each
Mark Krupa & Tommy Kolkas each with 2 assisits

Great defensive play by both forwards, Defense and goalie

Team Captain Bruce Tiam-Fook is overseas for two weeks scouting for potential future prospects.  His visits will take him from Athens, Greece to London, England and then off to Ethiopia.  He sends us his best wishes and hopes that when he rejoins us in a couple weeks that we will have moved our way up the standings.

Go Dawgs Go!!!

June 30, 2009 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs – 2   North Toronto Auctions – 2

This was a very well played game on our part up until the last 5 seconds.  It’s starting to get ridiculous, how many ways we are finding to give away points.  All in all I thought we played a very strong game, considering we were short about 8 guys.  Special thanks to Antonio Racioppo & Mike Shilton who were playing the game just before us and were good enough to stay on the floor and play back to back games.

With the addition of the new guys, it gave us two full lines and four defensemen for the game.  In fact, it was one of the new additions who put us on the board first.  After some great forechecking and cycling by Tommy Kolkas & Andrew Lazaridis, Tommy found Mike in front of the goal and with great patience he was able to roof one on his backhand up over the former Rink Dawg goalie Pat Lucas.  We controlled most of the first half with lots of pressure and the majority of the play in their end,  we took a 1-0 lead to start the second.

It was much of the same for the early part of the second half until the North Toronto Auctions were able to tie up the game on a bad scramble in our zone.  The game continued to go back and forth after that goal with both team trying to make pinpoint passes, but good backchecking by the forwards helped preserve the score.  Somewhere past the halway point of the period, we able to take the lead.  When on a good play on the boards by Ted Kolkas, he was able to shield off one of their guys and feed the ball up to Bruce Tiam-Fook who in turn gave it to David Silva and with a blast from the blueline he was bale to beat Pat low glove side.

The last minute of the game felt like it took 10 minutes to play out, in some ways I wish we had that much time.  They had pulled the goalie and on more than one opportunity I (Carm) managed to ice the ball instead of icing the game.  With just 4.6 secs to go there was a face-off to the left of Stewart and with a clean face-off win we would have taken the victory.  Instead they managed to scramble the draw and with poor defensive zone coverage on our part, they were able to get a shot off and bury a rebound with just over 2 seconds left.

Needless to say the game ended 2-2 and even though we felt like we controlled that game and managed our most shots against in awhile, it certainly felt like a loss.  It feels like we have been snakebitten this year, so we’ll take all the points we can get.  There are only 5 games left in the season and we are only a couple points away from the final playoff spot.  So lets build on the good effort we had and come out next week with the confidence that seems to be lacking this year.

Game Stats:

Shots: Rink Dawgs 25  -  North Toronto 22
Powerplay: none
Penaltykill: none

Player(s) of the Game:
David Silva & Mike Shilton each with 1 goal
Stewart Tymchuk   20 saves

Overall a very good effort by everyone and I was very pleased with the backchecking of our forwards.