What a night at the Snake Pit! The annual teddy bear toss is such a great event. Not only is it for a worthy cause, but the fans really get into it. Before the game, my loyal assistant Kevin and I were talking to Jerome about making sure the team doesn't "pull a Knoxville".
In the early SPHL years, Knoxville had the teddy bear toss, as lots of teams do, and were shut out. Yikes. They tossed the stuffed animals at the end of the game, but something tells me it wasn't the same!
My young man came armed with his sack of teddy bears. Many of ya'all know Reese, my just-turned-30 autistic young man and rabid Snakes fan. Every year Reese anticipates this night and my husband anticipates a quick goal...five seconds in would be great. Until then, Reese is on the edge of his seat waiting to toss the teddies! haha. This turned out to be a banner night for Reese as he also won $25 for his chuck-a-puck. :) Go, Reese!
The teddy bear goal was pretty if you're a Snakes fan and a nightmare if you're a Gators fan. As the puck is sliding toward Dan Earles with Derek Pallardy trailing, I'm thinking Earles is going to realize how fast Derek is approaching and reverse his field, heading back into the net. Instead he went on the attack, meeting Derek and the puck halfway to the blue line. Derek read the play really well, got past Earles and put the puck into the empty net. A shorthanded empty net teddy bear goal...pretty rare!!
Greg Beller's first goal was a direct result of a big hit by linemate Orrin Hergott. Orrin checked a guy into the boards right behind the net. The puck popped out and Orrin directed it to Derek who fed a perfect pass to Greg out front.
The blue line of Beller-Hergott-Pallardy is absolutely on fire. Those three play so well together. Their styles of play are so compatible. They're really fun to watch.
Orrin, who left the game with one less tooth than he brought into it, never ceases to amaze me. As Jerome has told me several times, Orrin has learned to use his speed in the right way. Jerome also said that Greg and Derek are the first guys to know how to play with Orrin. I mentioned that to Derek and he seemed surprised.
"He's so easy to play with. He's able to use his speed to catch up to the puck. All you have to do is to push the puck toward his side."
Special teams were terrific tonight. In addition to Derek's shortie, the Snakes added a second one later as well as a power play goal. The PK rose to 91.19% and the PP rose to third at 18.35%.
The Gators had a couple of early PP chances that the SPHL's top PK unit stuffed. Finally, the Cottonmouths got one early in the second period. Bret Tyler and John Sullivan patiently worked the puck until they got Brett Hammond waiting in front of the net. Brett buried the puck into a wide open net for a PPG and a 3-0 Snakes lead.
The Snakes scored two goals only 47 seconds apart. Having a 4-0 lead is definitely a luxury. Greg took a long shot from just inside the blue line. I thought I heard a clicking sound like somebody in front deflected it, but it looks like the puck had eyes and made it all the way through for Greg's second goal. PA announcer Steve Thiele was still announcing Brett's goal when Greg scored...haha.
Ian Vigier, the SPHL's player of the week and its top active goaltender, lost the bid for his third shutout of the season on a shortie by the Gators. Ian stopped the initial shot, but when he went to stand up, it kind of glanced off his pad and into the net. At least that's what my correspondent Kevin, who had the luxury of viewing the video, said. That was at the other hand of the ice from me, so I had no clue!! haha
The only time Snakes fans had even a little cause for concern is when the Gators scored a second goal only 3:12 after their first, to cut the lead to the dreaded two goals. At this time, they turned up the heat and the Snakes lost a lot of the momentum that a four-goal lead brings you.
Poetic justice in the form of Dave Cianfrini gave the Snakes a three-goal lead with 20 minutes to play. Three times in the past two games, the Snakes have given up a goal in the last minute of the period. Big momentum killer. This time, Dave gave the Snakes a big cushion when he scored with only 8 seconds left in the second period.
Loved Ian going after Sean Murray. He's normally really laid back, that nice little whack he gave Swider last weekend notwithstanding, but don't push Ian or he'll push back. Also loved Andrew Krelove sticking up for his goalie. Not usually a fighter, Andrew K was answered the call in defense of his goaltender.
One of the funniest moments in my 8 years at the Snake pit. Jordan Braid was in the box for slashing. Coach Kevin Kaminsky pulled Earles and I didn't see it. Orrin is headed toward the empty net with the puck and I couldn't find the goalie. I looked in one corner, then the other before I realized he was on the bench...with nearly 6 minutes to play!! Earliest I've ever seen a goalie pulled, but you've got to give Kaminsky credit. Giving your team a six-on-four at that point was a smart move.
Poor Orrin had a rough night. He lost a tooth earlier and later he and Tom Maldonado collided to Ian's left seconds before LA's last goal. Orrin was bleeding when he came to the bench.
Several fights tonight, but none of them very good. The first one...Daniel Amesbury vs Morgan James...came only 8 seconds into the game. It was pretty much a draw. Pete MacDougall and Mitch Wall both fought, Pete against Jason Hill and Mitch with Murray. Look for an Amesbury-James rematch tonight.
I couldn't see what Daniel did with 4 seconds left. He got a roughing and inciting an opponent penalty. All I know is what happened after the game. Only Daniel and I were down there as the team was still on the ice celebrating. Daniel starts walking purposefully toward the LA locker room as they were leaving the ice. He's hollering and so are their players. No idea who as I don't know one from the other except Morgan James.
I'm having flashbacks from my Luke Phillips encounter of several years ago when I was trapped in the middle of a shouting match between Phillips and Daryl Moor. I'm thinking: somebody (not me) needs to stop Daniel before this gets ugly.
Enter Brad Prefontaine who saved the day and prevented the incident from escalating. Tonight should be interesting as some lovely insults (none of which will be repeated here) were exchanged. Ugh.
Family night tonight as Tom, John and Derek enjoyed visits from family members. They saw a great game, that's for sure!
Teddy bears, shorthanded goals, missing teeth, the blue line exploding, hollering in the hallway...
Just another routine night at the Snake Pit. What will the encore bring?
Stay tuned.
