Coffman Rocks 3   St. Francis DeSales Stallions 2

Game Summary - Dublin Coffman vs. St. Francis DeSales, Sunday, December 2,2007 - Chiller North

 

                                                                                                                                                            photo by Carol Anderson

1st Period
Coffman came into tonight's action leading the Jackets division looking to improve to first place over all in the Capital Hockey Conference. DeSales, last years new entry in the league, had already shown this season they are ready to compete, after back to back 3-2 losses. The much improved Stallions came out with a much more aggressive style than the previous season. For the first 10 minutes of the game the Rocks looked to control the play getting several opportunities however Stallions net minder, Joe Salerno, showed why the Stallions have improved so much.  Coffman barraged Salerno with shots from point blank several times but Salerno made every save. With 3:18 left in the first the Rocks final got there passing on target, Sam O'Brien gets a loose puck at his own blue line and feeds Anthony Rogers at center ice, Rogers spots Chris Ridgway on his right and hits him with a pass that sends Ridgway in alone on a breakaway, Ridgway fakes a shot and goes around Salerno and slides the puck into a wide open net, 1-0 Rocks. Both teams take penalties late in the period that gives the Rocks another power play chance, 4 on 3 the Rocks are regrouping in their own zone to break out, the Rocks carry to the blue line but DeSales forward, Dominic Locilento, strips the Rocks d-man of the puck walks in on Alex Rogers waits him out as he goes wide and slips the puck past Rogers to tie the game, shorthanded 1-1 after the first. The Rocks out shot the Stallions in the first period 14-4.

2nd Period
The late shorthanded tally fires up the Stallions and for the first time they are taking the game to the Rocks. Both teams are getting some chances until the halfway point of the game when another break goes in favor of the Stallions. The Rocks are struggling in their own zone and they lose a puck right in the hash marks where Stallions forward, Josh Stemen finds himself alone, he drills a shot to the blocker side and beats Rogers clean and the Stallions go up, 2-1. With 5 minutes to go the Rocks go on the power play again and this time the puck is controlled, Andy O'Brien plays the puck to the point to Evan Bowdy, Bowdy drills a shot and Salerno makes the save but the rebound comes right to Chris Ridgway and the battling forward gets a quick shot off and another rebound, this time Ridgway buries the puck on the short side to tie the game at 2-2. Rocks were out shot by the Stallions 10-9.

3rd Period
The break did the Rocks good, as they come out flying, shot after shot Salerno is making every stop. Rocks are dominating the final frame but are left shaking their heads shift after shift. DeSales gets a late flurry with three glorious chances in a 1 minute span but the Stallions forwards couldn't finish and the period ends still knotted 2-2. Rocks out shoot the Stallions 12-6 in the 3rd.

OT Period
Coffman still looked like the more confident team after the last period and the for the first 4 minutes the Stallions can't get out of their end, the Rocks are all over the Stallions and the pressure leaves Jordan Edmonds coming in alone on Salerno, DeSales d-man was forced to pull Edmonds down before a shot and the Rocks get a man advantage. Ridgway cycles in the corner with Anthony Rogers and Rogers decides to head across the net at the hash marks, he beats another Stallion player and drills a low shot to Salerno's glove side beating him clean and with 3:18 left the Rocks stave off an upset, winning in OT, 3-2. Rocks out shot the Stallions 6-0 in OT and 38-20 overall.

Rocks Highlights:
Next up, Rocks host to Northwest conference teams starting with Anthony Wayne Generals Friday at 8:00 pm, Dublin Chiller.

 

                                                                                                                      by Randy Zacharias