Much to be Proud About

Griffin Welch scored to narrow deficit to 3-2 before the 'roof caved in.'

no Miracle on this Ice

"BS and T, BS and T, BS and T" was all Nana Lucy remembered Pop Tom mumbling to himself on their 260 mile trip home from the Lake Placid Tournament. Nana did her best to console a crestfallen Dillon Krok at the Crown Plaza before their 11 member Krok entourage dispersed in three different cars. But the old man would have none of Lucy's incessant chatter to ease his disappointment for the kids. The Bucs came out flat for their semi-final match up against the Braintree Ma. squad and paid dearly. Numerous defensive lapses were only eclipsed by the raw talent, size and speed of the lads from the Boston area. A (9-3) loss is tough to take in any sport but superior athleticism must be recognized. The gritty efforts by Griffin Welch (2 goals) Kyle Javier (1 goal), and the Pirade Pride displayed with their three period effort can never be minimized. But the long striding, smoother skating New England club was very impressive in their ability to go wide to the boards or turn on the jets and burn our helpless defenders on the inside. Sammy Coughlin had no chance. Indeed, we even had an "own goal in the first 90 seconds of play." As Nana made her ritualistic calls to sons Brian and Ray to make sure that they and their families had also arrived home safely, she calmly explained that she finally figured out what The Pirates Cove was always about. "It's BS and T, Ray... You know... BULLSHIT and Tom, they always went together! Pop Tom, was heard screaming over the flushing toilet water, "No, No, No, Lucy 'Bigger, Stronger, more Talented.' Thanks for a great effort boys.

Bethlehem Blitzed

Luke Myers completes the rout.

Marauding

"Hey, Pop Tom, my dad said that Bethlehem is in Israel. Do you think the Israeli army could have helped them today," quipped a happy Dillon Krok as he left the arena. The Pearl River Pirates had just captured first place in Division 1 with their (6-0) thrashing of the Bethlehem (NY) Bears at the USA arena. Krok and Ronan James again led the scoring attack, each chipping in two more goals to bring their individual totals to four a piece in this one-sided affair (fulfilling the hooter's request). So dominant were the Pirates that Sam Coughlin was not called upon to make the first of his five total saves until the five minute mark of the second period. Solid work was put in by all 13 Buc skaters as the rink seemed to funnel right into the legs of Bethlehem net minder Bub who was under siege for all 36 minutes of play. The 'hooter' had no printable comment later that day when at dinner the brash, young, Krok 'rocked' the family dinner table at the upscale, tony restaurant with his own request, "Hey, Pop Tom, Coach Kern's always telling me to pick up my check. Tonight's your turn!!!"

Entering Rough Waters

The Pearl River Pirates completed the second leg of their journey later that evening. In a game played at the Herb Brooks Arena that had hosted the 1980 Olympics, our stalwarts faced the West Seneca Wings. The Wings had tied the Bethlehem Bears earlier in the day so it was critically important for West Seneca to avoid a defeat by the lads from Rockland County. Trailing 1-0 after the first period as a result of a defensive zone clearing lapse, the birthday boy, Ronan James, drew the Bucs even with a beautiful snap shot at the seven minute mark of the second period. Four minutes into the third period Dillon Krok 'rocked' as he connected from 20 feet out off a beautiful feed from Dylan McCavitt and crisp passing from CJ Greco in the neutral zone against net minder Jurso. Relentless forechecking efforts by the Welch, James, Javier line and the trio of Myers, Taskolas and Ocasal turned the tide. Coughlin kept the Bucs in the game with fine net minding, minimizing rebound opportunities. The tandems of Liam McCormack and Brian Quinn along with Sean White and Ryan McLinskey were near impenetrable after the first period. Only an outstanding mid ice rush by West Seneca winger Uhteg at the nine minute mark of the third period enabled the lads from western New York to tie the game at 2-2. As the Pirate Fan base left the building the 'hooter' was heard to say, "Ronan, you blew that puck by both those goalies today easier than you blew out your birthday candles." Then Dillon Krok 'rocked' the old man with "Pop Tom, do you think my shot is faster than you were in eating that slice of birthday cake?" To wit the grumpy grandpa replied, "Hey, Pup, I had four slices of pizza, how about you getting yourself 4 goals in the tournament!"

Well Done Boys

Pirates congratulate Sammy in their opening game 2-0 victory over Schenectady

On the High Seas

The Pearl River Pirates have set sail on their season ending journey - a trek that has taken them to the hallowed ice of Lake Placid, NY. Our redoubtable group of 14 opened their tournament run with an impressive 2-0 victory over the Schenectady squad of squirts. After a scoreless first period that concluded with the referee declaring 'no goal' for the Pirates as the opening stanza ended, our Band of Bucs responded by re-doubling their efforts in the offensive zone during the second period. Superb rushes by Griff Welch and Ryan McLinskey were thwarted early on in the period. Sammy Coughlin was equally adept in denying Schenectady's Testa and Metcalf's breakaway's. At the 4:11 mark of the period a tenacious Dillon Krok followed up his own rebound in the high slot and beat Goalie Stocker with a waist-high wrister making this 'hooter' very happy! Less than two minutes later Ronan James (celebrating his 11th birthday) hit the back of the twine off a Griffin Welch rebound. Sammy Coughlin excelled in minimizing rebound opportunities and was a deciding factor in a total team victory. The Pirates kept the pressure on in the final period and successfully killed three man advantages. As an excited Dillon Krok left the rink he reminded the 'hooter,' 'Pop Tom, I told you I would drive the puck, and not the garbage truck! Our birthday boy opined, "Hooter, come to the pizza party this afternoon, there might even be a piece of birthday cake there for you!

Welch Breakaway Goal

Hmmm

"Maybe I could drive the truck... but first let me drive the puck!"

Sanitation is Necessary

"But Dillon, your father will still want you to go to college" chortled a flabbergasted Grandpa Ed Gritz. Dill had said that his was a garbage goal in front of the net that had given the Squirts one of the four one-goal leads that they failed to hold this date in their 4-4 tie with the Nassau Lions. Indeed the Bucs played for the third consecutive weekend with a short bench. Coach Kern was missing defenders McLinskey and McCormack from his back line along with winger Javier. The price was paid with some shoddy play in the defensive zone and a paucity of shots on goal. Not that there weren't numerous scoring chances generated by loose play in the neutral zone by both teams. Breakaways that ended with beauitful dekes for goals by Griffin Welch and CJ Greco went for naught. The 'hooter' saw the handwriting on the wall when the Pirates failed to test the Lion netminder with another shot on net in the opening period after Ronan James' 25 foot blast from a ridiculous angle exposed a catching hand weakness barely 15 seconds into the contest. Nana Lucy reminded her grandson that "garbage men do hard work and are necessary on any team. But school is your most important job." Linda Krok opined, "Let's hope that the Pirates finish up in Lake Placid like they did in Harrisburgh in last year's season-ending tournament." Pop Tom quipped, "Yeah, March has come in like a (Nassau) Lion, we better not go out like (Pearl River) Lambs in the Adirondacks. Shoot the puck boys!"