St. Martin Calling...

The beautiful, sun-kissed beaches; the clear-blue waters lapping at your toes as you gaze at an amber sunset; the rich aromas of French cuisine and fresh seafood... It's easy to put all the stresses of the daily grind behind you and just let yourself go...

Just imagine the soothing sounds of the Carribean surf, and it's easy to understand how difficult it would be to take care of the little details before you head out on the vacation of a lifetime.

Little details like arranging for a replacement goalie for a game against the top-rated team in the B/C league while you're gone.

Nah - no biggie! Don't worry, Greg! Your co-captain can handle that around 6:55 when he shows up for the 7:30 game. You can count on a fistful of goalies, just sitting around, itching for a chance to play for the world-renowned Ringers. Particularly on the same night as Game 6 of the NHL Eastern Finals. Why, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting an eager and qualified goalie at the Factory under such conditions.

Well, it is my sad duty to report that this co-captain was unable to get either of the two goalies in the building to help us tonight. (One had finals to prepare for, and the other had to take his girlfriend home before his 9pm game). Richard made calls to around 5 or 6 names on the goalie list before it all began to feel like a desperate plea for company on a 2am bender whilst in college in 1987... 10 minutes had elapsed in the first period, and we had to face the fact that we were going to do this one with no goalie.

To the credit of the family, brother-in-law Rob Todd stepped up and played the 6th man covering the goal, and he did a fine job as long as the Eye Care Center team avoided slapshots. First period ended at a 2-2 tie, reflecting some fine work on D and some great teamwork moving the puck through the neutral zone.

But the Eye Care Center couldn't allow this to be an even game and began playing like we had a netminder, and the second period marked 6 more goals for them, and none for us. (But we did get 2 penalties!)

Third period was more evenly matched, with a hatrick-in-a-period by Marc Lavergne to give him a total of 5 points, counting two assists in period 1.

Final score 10 for Eye Care, 5 for us. Not bad, considering, and MVP went to #25 (Rob).

Thanks to Brian Wilson for the beer, and he thanks the bastard that fragged him with a slapper to his ass. Phil, keep those brats in the fridge for next week when we play O'Dwyers at 7:30pm.

IR Report: Center Craig Williamson took a poke and is dealing with 2 fractured ribs... doctors say he's day-to-day - we'll provide an update later in the week.

On another note, take a look at your calendards for Saturday, June 10 - Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, Rob Todd's 40th birthday, and a potential team golf-inebriation extravaganza. Clear your calendars of any unimportant conflicts, including kids birthdays, anniversaries, or back-waxing appointments, and be prepared for some Scottish hockeys.

Next game: June 6 at 7:30 against O'Dwyers
Beer: Patrick
Brats: Phil (carryover)

Ringers Roll Over Rolling Rocks

In the first official game of the FAHL Summer Shootout Series, a fresh, new Ringers team took the ice in what will undoubtedly be another historic season. With two practices under our belt and some excellent new players on board, the Summer 2006 Ringers look to be a far cry from the rumbling, stumbling crew that received weekly rodgerings from the Sherminators during Fall 2004.

Let's start with the first game: [Editor's note: the schedule refers to this game as Game 2, since we had an exhibition game last week.] The Rolling Rocks, wearing white, had a solid bench with only a handful of weaker spots and a guest appearance by Marty McSorely's kid. First period looked fairly ugly after Eric Peterson (#3-Goal) let 2 slip by in the first 7 minutes. Apparently, warming up during an XHL game prior to ours wasn't helpful. But Coach Universal (#2), who didn't look so great on his first shift either, stepped up and sunk our first off a pass from recent addition Brian Wilson (#93). There is a reason the Ringers' Front Office has won all those awards for recruiting, since within a minute, another newbie, Patrick Magee (#16) tied it up 2-2.

Late in the 1st, the Rocks managed a 2 on 1 breakaway, and despite Brian Chauder's (#71) efforts to block a pass, they tossed it back and forth and back, ... and in. Second period the Ringers found their resolve, and skated with newfound intensity, pressing the biscuit back in the zone. Some excellent work by wingers stopping passes out along the boards, and in one such skirmish, Richard Tooke (#11) found the puck and lobbed it into the stick-side low corner to tie it up at 3 a piece. The end of the period was marked with a great penalty kill after Craig Williamson (#66) got 2 minutes for "giving some guy a funny look."

But then early in the third period, two quick goals broke the Rolling Rocks back; Patrick from a great pass by Craig Pilkington (#15) and a quick one from Brian Wilson. Not to be left out of the stats sheet, some of the old guard stepped up to get the kind of recognition they're used to: Greg Weiss (#26) got two minutes for "indecent liberties with the goalie's shaft", and Brian Chauder (#71) got two for "something he did last period ." After some great penalty kills and some INCREDIBLE saves by The Wall from Faneuil Hall, the game concluded, Ringers 5, Rocks 3.

To make things a little more interesting over the summer, the Factory has set up a mandatory shootout after each game for an extra point. Three shooters are chosen right off the roster, for a best of 3. Leading off, the Rocks missed. Brian Chauder tries it through the 5 hole - miss. Rocks second shot is a miss as well. Bodie Dorrance (#99) takes the Ringers' second and slips it in! But the Rocks match it with a nice top-shelf backhand. Phil Snyder (#14) takes our 4th shot, which hits the goalie's stick, rolls over it and right into the net to earn a third point!

Thanks to Rob and Bodie for beer and brats and to Coach Universal for another parking lot cook-off extravaganza. Also let's give a big shout-out to Ken "Killer" Nuebler's (#24) parents who attended the game and made prodigious use of a pocket air horn. Well, maybe not prodigious, since I think they were trying to conserve the air for one or two long blasts to celebrate the goals their son promised them after nailing our first season goal in exhibition last week. Sorry guys! At least you won't be the only ones heading back to New Jersey disappointed...


Next Game: Eye Care Center, Tuesday, May 30 at 7:30pm
Beer: Brian Wilson
Brats & Buns: Phil