Coffman Rocks 0   Jerome Celtics 2

Game Summary - Dublin Coffman vs. Jerome Celtics, Friday, January 4,2008 - Dublin Chiller

 

                                                                                                                                                            photo by Carol Anderson

1st Period
The Dublin classic rivalry between the Coffman Rocks and Jerome Celtics was set for yet another classic battle. While the Rocks had gathered an 8-3 record over the Celtics the last 3 seasons, the Celtics had won two meetings last season and looked to continue to press the Rocks into another hard work-ethic, game. Jerome has shown a decided edge in, ready to play hockey the last few meetings, that would not change on this night. The line of Scott Wilke, Kyle Carney and Michael Lamping showed from the opening face-off they would be a force to reckon with, early on the Celtics captain, Wilke, brought power and speed creating three great scoring chances only to be denied by Sophomore net minder, Alex Rogers. The sluggish start to the game for the Rocks changed when Anthony Rogers just left of goaltender, Michael Sadler, drilled a hard shot but Sadler denied the goal with an outstanding pad save. The game tightened up into back and forth, no room to play period. Late in the 1st the Rocks looked to get the best chance of the frame when Chris Ridgway hit Rogers with a pass right in front of Sadler, the one time shot beat Sadler but not the post and the puck squirted across the net to the open side where Trent Iffland managed to clear the loose puck away. Both sides trying to get the games first goal, could not break through with a clean scoring chance for the remainder of the period, both goalies were unbeatable in the first, with period ending 0-0.  Rocks were out shot by the Celtics 9-7.

2nd Period
While the first had gone scoreless it had also not produced a penalty, in the tight affair. The Rocks would benefit first in the 2nd when d-man Clark Cogan was forced to pull Ridgway down at the Celtic blue line. The Rocks sent out the big line and got the pressure they were looking for, Rogers sets up Jimmy Wall at the point and he wires a slap shot to the right low corner of the net, but Sadler again makes another huge save to keep Coffman of the board. Halfway thru the frame Iffland sends a puck up to Wilke on the right side of the rink, the Celtics break out 3 on 1 as Wilke comes in on Alex Rogers he slides the puck to Kyle Carney, Carney drills a shot on the glove side and Rogers makes a spectacular save to keep the game knotted at 0-0. With 10:48 gone into the 2nd, the break everyone was looking for happened, only the Rocks found themselves on the short end, an errant pass along the boards from just inside the Rocks blue line gets stopped by Wilke, Wilke takes the puck low and heads to the net, the slick captain slides a perfect pass to Lamping who one times a backhand past Rogers and the Celtics take the lead 1-0. With time winding down in the period Sadler is called upon again and answers with yet another huge save, Matt Zacharias rushes the puck up ice for his own zone, as he weaves past the Celtic players, moving to the left sees Jordan Edmonds to the right side of Sadler. Zacharias hits Edmonds with a seeing eye pass and Edmonds drills the one-timer but Sadler, calm looks unbeatable and denies the Rocks again. Rocks - Celtics shots were even 7-7.

3rd Period
While there may have been a slight edge in play to the Celtics in the first two frames, the Rocks seemed hungry at the start of the third. The first few minutes produced again two point blank shots on Sadler, one by Andy O'Brien, who was sent in on the left side alone, his hard slap shot was labeled top shelf, but Sadler got his shoulder on the puck enough to deflect the shot wide. A minute later Sam O'Brien feeds Matt Zacharias at the point, Zacharias takes the slap shot high, the puck deflects off a Celtic player and completely changes directions, while Sadler is on the opposite side of the net the puck heads to the left post, missing the open side by a puck width. Than the Rocks felt the heart breaker, with 10:21 to play, a bad blue line pinch sends Carney up ice with Wilke on a 2 on 1, Carney slides a perfect pass under Stephen Panchyshyn's stick, and Wilke is in on a breakaway, the captain ends the night for the Rocks with another great move on Rogers, as he slides the puck under the outstretched pad of Rogers, 2-0 Celtics. The last 5 minutes of the game the Rocks are frustrated at every point of attack as the Celtics play a text book, dump the puck into the Rocks zone and wait game, the Rocks pull the goalie with a minute left but Sadler is too much in this one, posting the shutout and making the final, 2-0 Celtics. Rocks out shot the Celtics 9-7 in the 3rd and the teams were even 23-23 overall.

Rocks Highlights:
Classic battle, with both teams playing hard, outstanding goaltending on both ends, the teams big players played their "A" game, generating scoring chances for both sides. The Rocks next see action Saturday January 5th, against Worthington Kilbourne Wolves, at 5:30 pm, Chiller North. 

                                                                                                       by Randy Zacharias