RINK DAWGS!!!……You Knooow!!!

Boys,

Please take a look under the schedule section for  information on the playoff schedule.

July 13, 2010 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs – 3   Baby Buds – 3

For the fourth consecutive game in a row, the Dawgs eek out a tie and extended their unbeaten streak to 6 (5-0-1).  With the season winding down, the Rink Dawgs continue to show that they will be a difficult match up in the playoffs.  Their opponent will be the Falcons, the only thing left to decide is who will finish 2nd or 3rd as both teams meet in the final regular season game of the year on Wednesday, July 21 @ 8:00pm (Cummer Park).

Last nights game was a penalty filled affair and maybe the worst refereed game in Rink Dawgs history.  Not because both teams combined for 28 penalties totaling 64 minutes, but because of a poorly managed game by one particular referee, Efti Bassias.  Who I am sure will hear from the Supervisor of officials, as the Rink Dawgs vowed to put in a complaint.

The Dawgs would get on the board first, 3:45 into the first on a bit of a controversial play.  With what looked liked too many men on the floor, Andrew Lazaridis would take a feed from Donny Lagos and break in all alone displaying those velvet hands beating the keeper with a beautiful deke.  The Buds would respond just 22 seconds later to tie the game.

The turning point of the game came early with 7:55 to play, Tommy Kolkas was called for a minor penalty.  That wasn’t too bad, but what ensued may have started the march to the penalty boxes.  While in the box, the timekeeper was playing around with his phone and forgot to put the penalty time on the board.  With Tommy already irritated with the call, he yelled at the time keeper to pay attention and put the time up.   In response the time keeper barked back at Tommy “what are you gonna do about it”, an infuriated Tommy smashed his stick against the glass.  The ref would call Tommy for a game ejecting for his action and insist he left the area outside the glass.

I had never seen such a drastic measure by a ref for an action that was justified, the timekeeper was lucky Tommy didn’t climb in their and beat the snot out of him.  To make matters worse the Buds would score a PP goal to take the lead 2-1. The rest of the first half would go on to see, 28 minutes more in penalties by the two teams, making what was already a long game even longer.

The Rink Dawgs would take 8 more PIMS in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the second and the Buds would convert on the PP to take a 3-1 lead.  Unfased, the Dawgs would find a way to fight back amongst all those penalties, when at the 11:43 mark, captain Bruce Tiam-Fook would convert a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play, that started when Donny made a smooth play at the line to beat the D-man to create a 3 on 1 down low and with a pass to David Silva on the right side, and passing all the way found a wide open Bruce who made no mistake tying the game back up.

Taking back some of the momentum, the Dawgs would strike on the very next shift.  In fact it only took 6 seconds for Bruce to score the back to back goals, when David would break down the right side again and feeding Bruce, this time with a little help, it took a weird deflection straight up over the goalie and into the net. With still a lot of hockey to play, over 11 minutes, the game would continue to be a terribly refereed one.

With 8:51 to go, Tony Rowe turned on the jets and beat his man to go in on  a breakaway of his one, to only get knocked down from behind and speared while he was on the floor.  This caused a pile up at the side of the goal, which even saw the Buds goalie jump into the ruckus and try to urge Gino Caputo to come from out his goal to join in the festivities.  The play would produce 16 more PIMS and earn the Rink Dawgs a penalty shot.  Cpatain Bruce and Assistant Carm DiLuciano had thoughts of letting Donny take his first career attempt, but not feeling it Donny passed and Carm looked to Bruce to go for the hat-trick. After some more discussion it was their all-time leading goal scorer (37) David Silva who would get the call.  Going in down slightly on the left side, David who over the last few years has been relying on his pinpoint shot as opposed to the deke, let one go but could not find an opening to beat the keeper and take back the lead.

Amazingly there were no more penalties called, I guess the ref’s were getting tired themselves.  The Buds would have a few more great chances to score, especially when one of there players broke right the down the middle unmarked. It was 40 year old Bruce out of nowhere tracking him down and diving to break up the play. What was most impressive was that he did it without taking a penalty, it surely was a game saver.  The game would go on to end uneventful with a another tie for the Rink Dawgs 3-3.

Game Stats:

Shots: Rink Dawgs  23  – Baby Buds  18
Powerplay: 0 for 2
Penaltykill: 3 for 5

Player(s) of the Game:

Bruce Tiam-Fook  2G
Donny Lagos  2A
Andrew Lazaridis  1G
David Silva 2A
Gino Caputo 15 Saves & 1A (first career point as a Rink Dawg)

July 07, 2010 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs – 3   The Tribe – 3

In the 2nd game of back to back nights, the Rink Dawgs found themselves in a similar situation, hot humid conditions and a must win hockey game.  This night they were up against the league leaders in the Tribe, who with a victory could have clinched first place in the division and earn themselves a chance to play for a ticket to the provincials in August.

Heading in to the game, the Tribe were leading the season series 2-1 with every game being close and highly contested affairs.  Last night was no exception as both teams traded chances back and forth all night long.  The Tribe would pounce on the Dawgs early, 1:14 into game as an unmarked player streaking towards the goal received a perfect cross crease pass to beat Gino Caputo low glove side.

The Dawgs would even the score with exactly 2:00 minutes to play in the first when Tommy Kolkas banged in his 2nd goal in 2 nights, with the assists going to Donny Lagos and Andrew Lazaridis.  The half would end 1-1 and the shots were 7-5 in favor of the Tribe.

Despite the heat & humidity, both teams revved it up in the second half.  The shot totals increased to 12-10 for the Dawgs and 2 goals were scored by each team.  First one would come 3 1/2 minutes in, when once again it was Tommy Kolkas netting his second of game from Jamie Farrow & Martin Vieira.  There would be no more scoring until the 3:22 mark of the half, when the Tribe would tie the game back up.

The turning point of the game, came on the next face-off just 16 seconds after the tying goal.  When a Tribe Defenceman would wind up from well outside the blueline and beat Gino blocker side.  It was the first bad goal Gino has allowed in over 5 games and gave the Tribe the 1 goal lead and all the momentum back.

The never say die Rink Dawgs, did not let the bad goal get to them as they pushed right back.  Next shift out, the Dawgs pressed and hemmed the Tribe deep in their own zone.  Andrew Lazaridis would find Carm DiLuciano on the right point, who let a shot go and standing on the door step Mark Krupa roof one home to tie it back up at 3-3.  There would be no more scoring in the game, the point did however secure the Tribe from allowing the Rink Dawgs to overtake them in the standings.

With only 2 regular season games left to play, the Rink Dawgs hope to carry there solid play into the playoffs. Not looking to far ahead, they have a date against the Baby Buds next Tuesday July 13 @ 9:00pm in Clatworthy Arena.

Game Stats:

Shots: Rink Dawgs  17  -  Tribe 17
Powerplay: 0 for 3
Penaltykill: 2 for 2

Player(s) of the Game:

Tommy Kolkas 2G
Andrew Lazaridis 2A
Mark Krupa 1G (GTG)

The Defencemen got involved lots in the play, Donny Lagos, Martin Vieira & Carm DiLuciano each contributing assists in the game, all made possible by the steady stay at home play of Navin Persaud.

July 06, 2010 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs – 1    Falcons – 1

The GTA has been experiencing some terribly hot & humid weather all around and Clatworthy Arena in Thornhill was no exception.  The majority of ball hockey arenas do not have air conditioning or any other form of cooling system, so in the summer time it can call for some awful playing conditions. The temperature around game time was 30 degrees, but with the humidity felt like 40 and on the arena floor more like 45!!

Despite the uncomfortable conditions, both teams fought threw it and played a very entertaining game.  It was a back and forth affair, with the teams trading chances at both ends.  The shots were even through the first half at 8-8 and behind great goaltending from Gino Caputo once again, the Dawgs were poised to come away with a victory.

It was the Falcons who opened the scoring with a very late goal in the first half.  With only :03 seconds to play in the period there was a mad scramble in Gino’s crease and he couldn’t quite locate the ball to cover it up, the Falcon’s Nick “No flash all Dash” Paras was able to bang it home, giving them the 1-0 lead heading into the break.

The Rink Dawgs would not let that late first half goal phase them, as they came out with a lot of energy and began to bring the play to the Falcons.  They would be rewarded 3:00 minutes into the second when after some aggressive forechecking by the Dawgs, Tommy Kolkas found a lose ball in front of the goal and  backhanded one passed the keeper.

The shot totals increased in the second with the Dawgs edging the Falcons 14-12, but once again the Falcons were able to take the lead with 6:25 to play.  The Dawgs turned the ball over in the neutral zone, leading to a 2 on 1 for the Falcons and making no mistake the player took a perfect shot beating Gino the only place he could, top corner blocker side.

The Dawgs found themselves having to battle back once again in order to salvage any points in the game.  That task became a whole lot harder when Bruce Tiam-Fook was called for an unfortunate 4-minute highsticking penalty with only 5:09 to go in the game.  Having to play a man down pretty much the rest of the way, the Dawgs would have to go for it on the penalykill.

An opportunity came, when Sted Stergiou won a ball behind his own goal and fired a pass up the middle to Carm DiLuciano standing at his own blue line.  Flashes of 10 years ago, an energized Carm banked a ball passed the left point man and streaked through the neutral zone with another player to beat.  Carm pulled off an unsuccessful dangle, but the ball ricocheted forward giving him a clear path to the goal.  Using his patented forward fake to backhand was able to beat the goalie for the short handed goal.  The entire play took about 15 seconds to develop, but gave the Dawgs the much needed game tying goal.

The game would finish 2-2, giving the Dawgs points in each of their last 4 games going (1-0-3) during that span.  They won’t have much time for rest as they play the second game of back to back nights, against the first place Tribe.

Game Stats:

Shots: Rink Dawgs  22 -  Falcons 18
Powerplay: 0 for 1
Penaltykill: 1 for 1 (1 SHG)

Player(s) of the Game:

Carm DiLuciano 1 G (GTG)
Tommy Kolkas 1 G
Gino Caputo 16 saves

Jamie Farrow, Ted Kolkas and Sted Stergiou chipping in assists.

Congratulations to Andrew Lazaridis on the announcement of his marriage proposal to long time partner Meghan.  The event took place in San Francisco, California on the golden gate bridge as the 2 of them were riding unicycles.

From all the Rink Dawgs we wish the both of you all the best!!

June 29, 2010 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs -1   Baby Buds – 1

The Dawgs were engaged in their 3rd consecutive close game, in which they have only scored 3 goals in total but have only given up 2.  Behind the stellar goaltending of Gino Caputo, the Dawgs were able to extend their unbeaten streak to 3 games.

The game was a back and forth affair, with both teams having trouble in their own zones.  They traded great scoring chances and played a fairly even game.  The Baby Buds opened the scoring late in the first, which proved to be the only goal the first.  They outshot the Rink Dawgs 11-9, with the goalies being the stars of the half.

The second half played out similar to the first, with the teams continuing to trade chances.  The Rink Dawgs would get on the board 1 minute into the period.  As the offense which has been struggling all year, averaging only 1.9 goals for a game, put them on the board. On a strong face-off win by Tommy Kolkas, captain Bruce Tiam-Fook would find Martin Vieira on the point who threw one on goal which found the back of the net to tie the game 1-1.

The Rink Dawgs were not able to earn any powerplay opportunities in the game, but were faced with having to kill 3 penalties themselves.  Behind the continued steady goaltending of Gino, they were able to kill all three penalties.  In fact Gino would do his part in stopping all 10 shots he faced that period, it was up to the offense to try and get it done.

Neither team would put another goal past either goalie the rest of the game, though each of them thought they had the go ahead goal.  The buds who played a lot of the game in the Dawgs defensive zone, had a chance when Gino was caught slightly out of position and Carm DiLuciano had to deflect one off the goal line to preserve the tie game.

On the other end, the Rink Dawgs found themselves turning the ball over often in the neutral zone creating odd man rushes the other way.  They thought they had the go ahead goal late with under a minute to play.  When on a breakout, Tommy Kolkas found Antonio Geraci at the side of the goal all alone, who knocked it in but it was waived off as Jamie Farrow was called for holding at the same time.  The Dawgs would go on to kill the penalty and earn themselves a point in the standings.

With only 4 games left to play, the Dawgs find themselves 6 points behind the Tribe.  If they are going to make a run first place they will need to win the rest of the way and get some help from other teams.  Either way they have to feel good about the way they have been playing the last 3 games, heading into the playoffs.

Game Stats:

Shots: Baby Buds  21  -  Rink Dawgs 19
Powerplay: none
Penaltykill: 3 for 3

Player(s) of the Game

Gino Caputo 18 Saves
Martin Vieira 1G
Bruce Tiam-Fook and Tommy Kolkas each with an assist.

Rink Dawg call up,  Ken Wu played a solid game on defense

Wishing you all the best and hoping baby Claire doesn’t steal all your thunder on this day.

From all the Dawgs

Hope you are having a blast in Vegas, remember always bet on black!!

From all the boys.

June 22, 2010 – Game Recap

Rink Dawgs – 1   The Tribe – 0

Coming off of last week’s solid performance (1-1 tie against the Outlaws), the Rink Dawgs wanted to carry that momentum into last night’s game against the first place Tribe (6-1-1).  Right from the first face-off of the game, the Rink Dawgs came out flying.  On their first shift, David Silva, Bruce Tiam-Fook and Antonio Geraci had a glorious opportunity to get the Dawgs on the board first.  When on a shot from Bruce that found Antonio all alone at the side of the goal staring at an open net and doing his best Roberto Baggio impression, Antonio fired it high above the goal.

Much of the first half went back and forth, with both teams trading chances.  The Dawgs would get into a little penalty trouble in the first, having to kill an early penalty and then a late 4-minute high sticking that carried over into the second.  They did a great job of penalty killing from the forwards right on back to the goalie, Gino Caputo playing great goal as of late for the Dawgs stopped everything he saw and ended the period with 10 saves.

With no score heading into the second, Rink Dawg Ted “13lbs+ baby” Kolkas would get called for a tripping penalty 26 seconds in.  This would give the Tribe a 5 on 3 powerplay for just over a minute but Gino and the rest of the penalty killers would do a great job giving the Tribe nothing, helping to still preserve the 0-0 score.  Taking the momentum from the great PK, the Dawgs would continue to play a sound defensive game and do their best to press the play to the Tribe the rest of the game.

The shots were even in the period at 6-6, when the Dawgs would finally convert on their 7th and final shot of the game.  With just under 30 seconds to play and the ball deep in the Dawgs zone, Carm DiLuciano would dig the ball out of the corner and find Silva in front of his own goal. Looking up, David would feed a streaking Jamie Farrow, who as soon as he crossed the blueline would fire a shot pass the goalie with only 22 seconds left giving the Dawgs a much needed 1-0 victory.

Game Stats:

Shots: Tribe 16  -  Rink Dawgs 14
Powerplay: 0 for 2
Penaltykill: 3 for 3

Player(s) of the Game:

Gino Caputo 16 saves for the SO
Jamie Farrow 1G (GWG)

Another solid effort, both offensively & defensively by all players.