Pirates are our Champions

"This victory was sweet as candy!"

Brodeur Ponders Future

"Will I have enough left in me to face these Pirates ten years from now?

Pirates Congratulate Krok's ROCK

Pirate Power Prevails

"Well Pop Tom now you've got something to smile about on your upcoming trip to Florida," boomed Dillon Krok through a broad smile. The Pearl River Pirates had just completed a stunning 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Colonials to capture the championship of the Hackensack Ice House Tournament. Only three hours earlier the Pirates had dropped a 5-2 decision to those same Colonials to end their preliminary rounds with 2 wins - 1 loss record. Capturing second place over the Hudson Valley Polar bears based on goal differential in the tournament enabled Coach Kern's crew to have another crack at the squad from Morristown N.J. who swept through their opposition, 3 wins - o losses. The Pirates may have caught a break in the final game when the Colonials elected to go with Klehm in the nets rather than Sabella who looked sharp in their victory over the Pirates earlier in the day. Twelve seconds into the game CJ Greco rifled a 25 foot blast behind a startled Klehm to lead the charge. Within the next minute Dylan McCavitt added a second goal to bolster the lead to 2-0. The gritty Colonials were not to be outdone and scored two of their own before the period had entered its fifth minute. Dillon Krok answered in turn later in the period to reestablish a Pirate lead of 3-2 with a 20 foot wrister from the mid-slot area. An equally hard fought second period ended with the score tied at 3-3. Each team had received several 5 on 4 and 5 on 3 advantages as the referees called this game exceptionally close. Shortly after staving off a 5-3 disadvantage, and while on their own man advantage, 'Krok Rocked' again, netting his second power play goal of the day, blasting a shot high, and glove side through the net minder. As Nana Lucy offered her grandson Dillon a roll of Life Savers in the reception area the hooting fan reminded one and all who could here him, "Dillon, as a kid my favorite candy wasn't Life Savers but their competitor - 'Am I the team's LUCKY CHARMs or what?!"

Pirates On the Attack

Bucs Bounce Back

"We had our turkey yesterday, there was no need for another today," crowed Dillon Krok to his Nana Lucy as the Pearl River Pirates left the ice upon completion of a well earned 3-2 victory over the Montclair Blues in their opening game at the Hackensack Ice House Tournament. Our Squirts found a way to score that first goal, albeit it came in the final minute of the second period to gain the upper hand in this close contest. Mike Fodi in the Blues net was exceptional in holding the swarming bevy of attacking Pirates off the scoreboard until Kyle Javier gathered a loose puck at the top of the slot at the 11 minute mark and drilled a 25 footer past the beleaguered net minder's stick side. A scant eleven seconds later Kyle Welch converted a pass from Dylan McCavitt behind the net to widen the margin to 2-0 as the second period ended. The Pirates yielded a goal early in the third period breathing life back into the Blues who pressed the attack. However, Ronan James responded with a nifty move beating the goalie with a wrister from 12 feet out. We needed it as the Blues answered back with three and one-half minutes to go to make it 3-2. Superior Pirate skating and jump to the puck kept Montclair at bay preventing the Blues from getting on an extra skater as time expired.

Pirates Lost at Sea?

The Pearl River Pirates made a two game weekend road trip to their own private Bermuda Triangle where many ships have been lost. Our Squirts travelled to northern Westchester to the Harvey School in Katonah to meet league rival, the Bedford Bears on Saturday afternoon. The Pirates were out hustled to too many loose pucks, resulting in their 7-3 mauling by the Bears. Little offense was generated as Coach Kern tried unsuccessfully to shuffle lines and rotate his more mobile defenders into the attacking zone. The Pirate effort was better on Sunday when they travelled to Orange County to meet the Newburgh Ice Polar Bears. The Pirates were more competitive in their 4-2 loss. Our Band of Buccaneers were very disappointed in their performance, with some talking mutiny, or even worse, abandoning the ship. Fear not readers, our galley is not sinking - we are just off course. Here is the 'hooter's prescription' for righting our heading: The Pirates must come out each period with jump in their skating, capitalize on turnovers, and seize the lead. Scoring that first goal is the tonic these lads need!

Just Wasn't Our Day

Too Many Turnovers.... Too Few Goals

Pirate Boat Boarded

The Pearl River Pirates took the ice at Sport-O-Rama after a two week absence from competitive play to face league rival, the Rye Rangers. Our Squirts never appeared to get fully untracked against the Rangers who were more successful than most in curtailing the free skating ability of our wingers and mobile defensemen. After a scoreless first period CJ Greco opened (and unfortunately closed) the scoring for the Pirates with a deft deke on the Rye net minder to give the Pirates the lead mid-way in the second period. Greco capitalized on one of many neutral zone turn overs committed by both squads to display his speed and decision making with the puck. The hooting, rabid Pirate fan and this grandma were crest fallen as the period closed when Rye defender Hynson lugged the puck from his defensive zone with 8 seconds left on the clock to put his deke behind Sammy Coughlin. Damn, the dreaded last minute, no make that LAST SECOND backbreaker. More heart break was to come. Three minutes into the final stanza, with the Pirates pressing in the offensive zone, Pirate aggressivity came back to bite them. A skater was sent to the sin bin for slashing at the goalie in a controversial quick whistle by the referee. Shortly thereafter Rye converted the power play to make it 2-1. Less than two minutes later the deficit went to 3-1. With time winding down the Pirates became rattled trying to generate offense as their defenders joined the attack. The task became too much for our troupe of troopers when two Squirts took concurrent minors. The hooter opined to fellow Pirate PHANATICS as they left the rink, "No big deal, it was not in the cards...and I'm bringing a new deck to next weekends games!"