Mona Shores 3 Rockford 1

From all accounts, this was one great game. Here's a report filed by my roving reporter from up there in Shores country. Caveat emptor: It includes humor, nicknames and a certain literary quality. If you want a "just the facts, ma'am" approach, the box score is here. (of course, if there's a Ram reporter who'd like to offer his spin...shoot me an email.) And now, for our story:

The MS Sailor’s hockey game against the Rockford Rams was scheduled to start at 8:00pm EST at Walker Ice. But the Sailors didn’t actually start skating until somewhere around 8:30pm during the second period.

Rockford controlled the puck, beat Shores to the puck, and generally wreaked havoc in the Sailors defensive end in the first period of the contest. And as shot after Rockford shot began to blot out the sun (mercury vapor lights), goalie Scottie “Tonight We Dine in Heck” Tiefenthal fought back in the shade, with an assortment of saves off his composite stick, boots, pads, and cranium. Tiefenthal’s mastery in the defensive end lead to serendipity for sophomore Kyle Hicks, who pounced on a loose puck from a rejected shot by Brett Grevel, and promptly deposited it into the upper net over Rockford goalie Andrus Forrest at 14:14 in the first.

Kind words and encouragement from the benevolent Sailors coaching staff at intermission resulted in an inspired effort in the 2nd period, where Shores outshot the hosts 8-6 and clamped down defensively. “Adam to the Scoresheet” Meloche, with support from linemate JC “Future Bobblehead” Boyd, put a dagger to the hopes and dreams of the Rams at 3:34 of the 2nd period with a second Sailor tally. Later in the period, an apparent goal by the Sailors on a nice pass across the net resulted in a yellow card foul, negated due to a kick in.

The third period had all of the excitement and drama of a Rocky Balboa fight, with plenty of back and forth action by Rockford and Shores. The Rams rammed one home on a goal by Senior forward and captain Adam Beeg, assisted by Tyler Hall, which brought the Rams to the front porch of the Sailors with what was now a 2-1 barn burner. Rockford, making like summers in Afghanistan, turned up the heat and pressured the Sailors mercilessly. But not one to shy away from his duties, the young Kyle “Squirrel Stew” Hicks treated the puck like a yo yo, shucking and jiving his way around two Rams before rifling the puck past a hypnotized Forrest Andrus for the death blow with 3:00 remaining in the third. Hicks was assisted again by his new best friend, Brett “McLovin” Grevel. Scottie Tiefenthal returned 26 shots to sender for the game, with Andrus turning back 19. The Sailors hit of the game came in the 2nd period from Drew “First Blood” Skocelas, who hit one of the Rams so hard he knocked him back to Bantams.

Next up for the Sailors is the 19th Annual Stan Konrad Memorial tournament at the Lakeshore Sports Centre in Muskegon, Michigan beginning Friday, January 11th, 6:00pm. Shores renews their storied rivalry with Kentwood at the 8:00pm Friday game. Spectators are cordially invited to attend.