Shark Attack Repelled

"These guys might be bigger than us, but no one plays BIGGER than we do."

Shark Hunting

Our energetic warriors showed no ill effects of their late night frollicking in the halls of the Sheraton as they hit the ice on Saturday for game two of this three day tournament. This could not be said of the parents of the lads who were paying the price for having 'hit the ice' in their beer chests and mixed drinks the previous evening. The Pirates were up against an unfamiliar opponent, the Atlantic City Sharks. The Sharks had fought the Bedford Bears to a four-all draw in their opener. As a fitting St. Patrick's Day tribute our lads were led on the ice by the bagpiping of Tom McEnroe to the raucous delight of the Pirate parents in various states of recovery. Our group of eleven was significantly out manned and out weighed by the Shark contingent but were never out played in what was a particularly well played game. The spunky Pirates perservered and opened up a four goal lead late in the third period that bewildered and annoyed the AC coaching staff. Strong play from Dolan Ocasal and CJ McGee up front and Luke Myers and Matt McGivney on the back line were the difference makers in this Pirates 5-2 victory. Owen McGee's net minding matched the brillance of his counterpart of a day earlier. "Here we go Pirates, here we go" resonated in the stands as Pirate fans refused to be out chanted.

Pizza Party Celebration

"Boys, a great season, a great opening win but there is more work to be done"

The Ice Breaker

The Pearl River Pirates opened their final weekend of play this date with a remarkable effort against the Hudson Valley Polar Bears at the Twin Ponds Mite A Tornament In Harrisburg Pa. Just one hour after a caravan of parents and eleven truant youngsters had made the 190 mile journey from Rockland County, NY. In what turned out to be an 8 inch snow and ice storm that covered the northeast, our feisty lads hit the ice with plenty of vigor in their legs. The boys opened up a 2-0 lead after one period on the strength of CJ Greco's strong play against the Hudson Valley Polar Bears who gamely (pun intended) fought back to equalize the score at two entering the third period of play. The PR Pirates were not to be denied as Ryan McLinskey and CJ McGee scored early in the third to assure a 5-2 victory. Liam McCollough was outstanding in the nets for the Pirates and came up big with his deft catching hand and his ability to smother the puck at his feet and not yield rebounds. Pirates and their parents celebrated their maiden victory with a pizza party in the hotel banquet room and an endless knee hockey game in the corridors of the Sheraton Hotel in Harrisburg that had management question the discounted rack rate given to the team.

THE CHAMPS: Pearl River Pirates

"KROK ROCKS" Ray and Dillon

It Was 'Bad News' for the Bears

I had a thrilling weekend watching Dillon attain another wonderful goal (pun intended) that he had set for himself. Saturday morning was the championship game of the Hudson Valley Youth Hockey League (Mite Division). The Pearl River Pirates who had come in first place in the league faced the second place Bedford Bears in a one-game, winner-take-all playoff for the title. Both teams had easily eliminated lesser opponents in their respective first rounds to set up this, their third meeting of the year. An in-season win and a tie did not give me a high level of confidence. Especially after the stirring performance that had come at Madison Square Garden two days earlier. Would this be anticlimatic to a bunch of 8 year olds? So I got myself out of bed early on Saturday morning to make my way over to Coach Krok's (my son, Dillon's dad) house so that I would not have to make the one hour drive to Newburgh by myself. Pop Tom couldn't make it, and I couldn't miss it! And how I would have hated myself if I had!! In a great game which saw the Pirates rally from a two goal deficit, my little #22, Dillon Raymond Krok, Mr Fiesty himself, managed to net the winner with one of his booming drives late in the third period to lift the Pirates to a 4-3 victory. Congratulations to the Pirates and their coaches on attaining their season's objective. Well done guys!

Speaking of anticlamatic, well let's describe the (tired group of) Pirates drubbing by the NJ Devils (2-6) as being a minor glitch in what was a wonderful day.