Blue Fin’s Bistro Hockey

The Blue Fins took the ice with high hopes Wednesday night as they had the Jackals outnumbered.

 But less than a minute into the game, the Jackals got lucky when a bouncing puck landed to the right of Joe ‘No Shoelaces’ Durant and the growling Jackal slapped it in the open net.

The Blue Fins skated hard in the first period, but as Captain Mike McGee noted - the Blue Fins didn’t do anything to help their cause.  Turnovers and mental lapses turned into another goal for the Jackals.  

Still early in the first period, the Jackals increased their lead to 3 goals when a back-hand clearing attempt luckily hit a Jackal in the chest and turned into an easy goal.

Down by 3 goals, defenseman Pat ‘Hanes’ Hudson brought the puck over the blue line and knifed a hard wrist shot into the net.  The Blue Fins were back in the game.

Early in the 2nd, Rusin skated in the Jackals zone.  The hardest working man in hockey - Captain Mike McGee, came blazing in on net.  He grabbed the pass from Rusin and went left.  The goalie made a desperate save, but McGee’s momentum got the goalie’s weight going to the left.  The puck stopped on the right side of the goal which Rusin easily stuffed in.  The Blue Fin’s cut the lead to 1 goal.  (3-2)

Wes ‘Game Face’ Gyure skated hard for his line, controlling the puck in the center and also drawing several penalties as the Jackals tried to stay with him.  Dan ‘The Man’ Fahey played tough on defense and made key poke checks and blocks, helping to protect his net-minder.

The Jackals scored the only goal in the 3rd period to go back up by 2 goals.  Even with two power play opportunities, the Fins could not capitalize.  The Blue Fins lose a disappointing game to one of their biggest rivals.

Next up are the basement sharing Badgers - November 4th, at 7:45 pm.

Last Sunday night, the Blue Fins skated in a parochial match-up against the ‘Competition Bulldogs’.  For those who like tight defensive battles, it was an early Halloween treat.

 The BullDogs lit the lamp in the first period when their one-man-band - Heinz Cat-Soup tricked Fin’s minder Joe ‘I didn’t know she was your daughter’ Durant. 

The Blue Fins skated hard and tried to pressure the BullDogs goalie, who appeared pretty weak - and was leaking rebounds faster than oil from an old Ford with an aluminum block. 

Finally, in the 2nd period - Dave ‘The Godfather’ Berent scored.  Despite the goalie’s pads jammed against the left post, Berent flap-jacked the puck over the left shoulder - landing it just inside the line from an impossible angle. 

This goal tied the game, but insensed the BullDogs:  they no longer saw the flashy blue jerseys they were skating against - they just saw Mailmen - dressed in their best USPS blues, and trying to stick an electric bill through the mail slot.  The BullDogs barked and growled and ended up populating the sin-bin throughout the 2nd period.

Even with man-advantages throughout the 2nd period, the Blue Fins could not score.  McGee manhandled the ‘Dogs, Pusateri pinched in, and Hoover hurried down the ice - but the only other scoring in the period was a BullDogs goal. 

The 3rd period was more of the same - the Fins had more shots on goal - but also more shots wide of the goal.  Although the final score favored the BullDogs - the Blue Fins skated and worked harder.  It was a disappointing 1 goal loss for the good-guys.

Next up, the Jackals and their often questionable tactics……

Wednesday, the Blue Fin’s matched up against the Renegades.  The defending champions nearly notched a perfect record last season - had it not been for their only loss against Comstock.  The Blue Fins are made up of mostly Comstock defectors…………

 The Blue Fin’s jumped out front when Bill Rusin slid the puck to Mike ‘Tutti-Frutti” Hofmeister.  Hofmeister blasted a shot that was too hot for the Renegade’s tender to handle and the Fin’s were up by 1.

 Soon after, the Blue Fin’s added to the tally when Dave “The Godfather” Berent streaked to the right side of the Renegade zone.  He grabbed the puck and sailed it across the net to left winger Hofmeister.  Mike ‘Fruit the Beer, Not the Looms’ Hofmeister stopped the hot potato and turned it back to center where Rusin snuck it through the 5-hole.

The Renegades cut the lead to 2-1 shortly after - but their hopes were soon dashed by ‘Chicago’ Chris Bily.  Bily skated with Adam Hoover and ‘Go’ Wes Gyure.  This line forechecked well, and was rewarded when Bily stole the puck at the blue-line.  With a quick poke check, he freed the puck and skated in on net.  A flip wrister put the Blue Fin’s up by two goals.

 Joe ‘Criminally Insane’ Durant played great again.  He directed his defense like the fat Nazi lady tester at the DMV, while he stopped shot after shot.  The Renegades, however, really poured it on.  With pin-point passing and fast skating, they were able to score 3 unaswered goals. 

Joining the Blue Fin’s for the first time this season - was Wayne ‘The Secret Weapon’ Roan.  Not only providing an emotional lift, Roan played well on defense like he hadn’t missed a game.

With his team down by 3 goals, Matt ‘B-logger’ Pusateri took matters into his own hands on a breakaway.  Untouched, Pusateri started right, then glided to the left.  He paused long enough for the goalie to commit, then shattered the top-shelf twines with a deadly backhander.

The Blue Fin’s fall 6-4 against one of the best teams in the league.  Captain McGee assessed the game and informed his team -

‘Guys, keep playing like that.  The wins are coming.’

It was a battle of cuisine’s Wednesday when the boys from Blue Fin’s Bistro skated against Vincents of Raleigh.  The Blue Fin’s Bistro is clearly superior, and if you are ever in Wake Forest stop by 3652 Rogers Rd - phone # 562-1118.  The food, like the ownership, is fantastic.

The Fin’s scored early in the first period, when Mike ‘Hassel’ Hofmeister blasted a point-range shot.  The rebound fluttered about, and Dave ‘GodFather’ Berent swiped at it, and then Bill Rusin finished it off. 

But after that, the Fin’s floundered a bit and soon found themselves down 4-1.  But the Blue Fin’s soon surfaced for air and came back with a vengeance.

Hofmeister escaped the Vincents defense on a breakaway.  He skated to the left and blasted a shot in the lower right corner to make it 4-2. 

Following that, Chris Bily skated in the offensive zone with the puck and sent a pin-point pass to Rusin - who easily tipped it in.  4-3.

Then, Mark ‘Stealth’ Ross embarrassed the Vincents net minder on what was intended to be a clearing pass - but as the keeper skated out to clear the puck, it slid by him and went in the net.  The score was now tied at 4.

 Back and forth the game went - at times the Fins forechecked well and played great defense, then at others they couldn’t clear the puck. 

Emerging as their face-off threat, Mike ‘School Teacher’ Englert won the drop many times.  Also on offense, Mike Line #2 was centered by Captain Mike McGee with Adam Hoover and Wes ‘Bully’ Gyure.  This line played tough - and carried the offense by double shifting almost the entire game.

Leading the team in Goals, Assists, Points, and Witty Retorts - Hofmeister did it again in the 3rd period.  He snared the faceoff and tipped it through the legs of a defender.  He skated around the defender, grabbed the puck and was on another breakaway.  He made a fantastic head fake, freezing the goalie, then moved to his left and scored.  For those scoring at home - Hofmeister was 2-for-2 on breakaways.  The latest goal tied the game at 5.

Leading the team in PIMS and tied for goals, Pat ‘Hanes’ Hudson scored the sixth goal of the night to give the Fin’s the lead.  (6-5)

But alas, the Fin’s ran out of steam at the end.  With two late goals (one an empty netter) Vincents prevailed in the end by a score of 8-6.  It was an evenly played contest, fair on both sides.

Other notable Fin’s players were goalie Joe ‘Mostly Sane’ Durant - who played a solid game between the pipes and Defensive starts Mike Meehan and Matt Pusateri.  Mike voiced his frustrations while Matt tried to put a Vincents player through the ice.

Next on the Blue Fin’s platter are the Renegades - Wed. October 11, at 8:15 pm.