Coffman Rocks 10   Fremont Little Giants 1

Game Summary - Dublin Coffman vs. Fremont Ross, Friday, December 21,2007 - Dublin Chiller

 

                                                                                                                                                            photo by Carol Anderson

1st Period
The Rocks were up against another Northwest conference team to finish games prior to the Christmas break, Fremont Little Giants. Rocks, fresh off their Allgeyer win, picked up where they left off as they attack early to get the game started on the right step. Sam O'Brien sends a seeing eye pass through a Fremont defender and Ridgway and Rogers are off to the races, just 10 seconds into the game the Rocks exploit a weakness for the Little Giants that would haunt them the rest of the game. While Fremont goaltender, C. Channing, makes huge saves it wouldn't be long before the Rocks would find where granny hides the cookie jar. At 11:19 of the first, Andy O'Brien and Jimmy Wall play catch on the power play, Wall wires a slapshot from the point and O'Brien is on the doorstep, stuffing the rebound, Rocks 1-0. A minute and a half later a hard work goal is rewarded for the line of Anderson, Cohagen and Priest as they come out and as usual out-hustle their opponents, Cohagen comes around the net jarring a Little Giant player, the loose puck is left for Anderson whose quick shot is stopped, but Jonathon Priest out battles everyone for the rebound in front and jams the puck home, 2-0 Rocks. Coffman seems to have a step on Fremont in the first, leading to another goal, Jeff Hoover carries the puck outside and to the low corner, he spots Andy O'Brien and sends a hard pass across the net, the puck deflects and ends up sitting in the slot where Jordan Edmonds is skating, Edmonds wires a wrist shot top shelf off the bar, Rocks 3-0. The goal seems to deflate the Little Giants, Matt Zacharias makes a lead pass up the right side of the rink to Ridgway, Ridgway is in with Rogers on a 2 on 1, Ridgway waits out the goaltender and slides a perfect pass to Rogers and the Rocks veteran deposits the biscuit into an empty net with :40 left on the clock, 4-0 Rocks. Rocks out shot the Little Giants in the first period 16-5.

2nd Period
Rocks change goaltenders to start the period, Colin Eberhart replaces Alex Rogers, and the rookie tender would shine later as the game goes on. Rocks go down a man early but this team tends too make teams pay for mistakes, pressuring the breakout on the power play for the Little Giants is Chris Ridgway, Ridgway strips a d-man at the blue line and walks in alone fakes left dekes right and roofs the puck over the goaltender, 5-0 Rocks shorthanded. 5 minutes into the 2nd the Rocks find themselves short two men, Fremont puts the pressure on, Eberhart makes two spectacular pad saves to keep the goose egg up on the board, Fremont looks to capitalize and try and regain some momentum, M. Smith and T. Hull are very skilled players for Fremont and they are rewarded as T. Hull shoots far side, Eberhart makes the save but the puck squirts free to M. Smith and he deposits the puck in the open side, 5-1 Rocks. Rocks get their chance on the power play, again Rogers and Wall move the puck back and forth from the top of the zone, Rogers walks in off the left face off circle all alone and drills a slap shot off the far pad, again Andy O'Brien is on the doorstep and jams the loose puck home, 6-1 Rocks. With the period winding down, Matt Zacharias grabs the puck from behind the net and goes end to end as he weaves into the Little Giants end, Zacharias cuts right into the slot and wires a snap shot just under the bar, over the Fremont tenders glove and the rocks take a 7-1 lead into the break. Rocks out shot the Little Giants 13-3.

3rd Period
A frustrated Fremont side were inspired in the break and came out playing very physical, finishing every check which creates a couple of opportunities, the first has a nice pass sent right in the slot and the Little Giant forward one times a slap shot, Eberhart makes a gigantic save with is right pad. The next minute the Little Giants come in again 2 on 1 and a laser like wrist shot is sent upstairs and Eberhart flashes the leather making another outstanding save to deny the Fremont team anything. The Rocks get going off the Eberhart saves and step it upon the power play O'Brien feeds Zacharias at the point Zacharias draws a Little Giant forward up high and returns the pass to O'Brien, O'Brien walks in from the right circle and roofs the puck over new goaltender, M. Hershey, 8-1 Rocks for Andy O'Brien his 3rd of the game. Rogers walks into the Fremont zone virtually untouched and bares down on the Little Giant tender, Rogers drills a hard slap shot but is left untouched again only to pick up his own rebound and Rogers makes no mistake on his 2nd batting home the rebound, 9-1 Rocks. While the Rocks are in complete control of this one they are not quite done, late in the period Jeff Hoover, flying up the wing, takes a puck wide on a little Giant defender and cuts to the net, Hoover lasers a shot short side low and beats the Little Giant goaltender clean, making the final 10-1, Rocks. Rocks out shoot the Little Giants 14-5 in the 3rd and 43-13 overall.

Rocks Highlights:
A real convincing win by the Rocks, they get scoring from all 3 lines and from the backend as well. The physical play of the Rocks defense again made it difficult for the opposition to get anything started in the Rocks end. Eberhart was strong when asked to answer and the Rocks head into the Christmas break on a strong note. The Rocks next see action from the Southwest conference leaders, against Moeller Crusaders, Sunday December 30th in Cincinnati at 3:40 pm, Cincy Gardens.

                                                                                                       by Randy Zacharias