Coffman Rocks 6   Scioto Irish 0

Game Summary - Dublin Coffman vs. Dublin Scioto Irish, Sunday, January 27, 2008, Dublin Chiller

 

                                                                                                                                                            photo by Carol Anderson

1st Period
The Rocks feature game of the season for family friends and the players each year is honored by the annual Seniors Night. Only this year would be a different picture as the Rocks graduate only one player, Senior, Captain and leader of the Dublin Coffman Rocks, Anthony Rogers. The Senior veteran centre man came out in this game determined to lead his team again and the first 3 shifts of the game for Rogers was simply a pleasure to watch as he pressures the Irish all over their zone creating scoring chances that Irish goaltender, Jake Reed, thwarted on every opportunity in the opening minutes. Reed, however, would find that the Rocks would continue to pressure at a high pace and at 10:12 of the 1st Rogers is at it again sending a short pass in his own zone to Tyler Anderson, Anderson feeds Chris Ridgway who busts thru to defenseman in the neutral zone and he is gone alone on Reed, Ridgway dekes Reed and buries the puck top shelf and the Rocks lead 1-0. The ensuing face-off at centre ice has Ridgway and Rogers moving again, just 27 seconds after the opening goal Ridgway and Rogers tic-tac-toe one of the prettiest goals of the season as Ridgway's last pass leaves Rogers nothing but net and the Rocks are up 2-0. Rocks are peppering Reed and he is outstanding in net for Scioto, and if not for a great play by defenseman Haydyn Beer, of the Irish, on Ridgway with an open net, blocking a sure goal, the Rocks may have scored again. The pressure was too much, with 2:12 left Rogers gets his 2nd of the game, Rogers wins a face-off to Ridgway in the Irish end, positions himself in between the hash marks and Ridgway lays a pass where Rogers one-times a low shot in the left corner of the net and the Rocks close the period up 3-0.  Rocks out shot the Irish in the first period 13-4.

2nd Period
Rocks make a goaltender change to start the 2nd period, honoring Anthony Rogers by having Alex Rogers start the game on the older Rogers Senior night, with 1st year net minder Colin Eberhart. The Rocks come out flying in the 2nd again and put shot after shot on Reed, halfway thru the period the Irish net minder has faced another 7 point blank shots and clearly is the Irish's player of the game. With 7:17 left in the middle frame, Andy O'Brien breaks loose in the neutral zone, Rogers is straddling the blue line and as O'Brien undresses the defenseman from the Irish, he sees Rogers bolting to the net, O'Brien saucers a pass right to Rogers, Rogers stuffs the puck in from the right side and completes the natural hat trick, 4-0 Rocks. Rocks go on the power play after a terrible hit was put on freshman Sam O'Brien, the Rocks send out the 1st unit and Zacharias is in front again, this time he is too much to handle and the Irish are forced to take another penalty in front of the net to go down 2 men. The ensuing face-off Rogers wins back to Evan Bowdy, Bowdy feeds Ridgway to the left side corner of the Irish zone, Ridgway is all alone and heads to the net, a back pass just as an Irish defenseman attacks him is sent right to Rogers and Rogers shot is wired top shelf past Reed who cant see anything with the traffic in front of him, Rogers 4th in a row has the Rocks up 5-0. Just 1:20 to go an Senior night is completed for the Rogers line, Anthony Rogers bolts into the Irish end on a 2 on 1 Rogers flips a backhand pass into the top left circle of the Irish end and Ridgway in full flight wrist a hard shot top shelf, beating Reed clean, 6-0 Rocks. As the period is winding down the Irish have a face-off deep in the Rocks end and a highlight save of the season is made as Colin Eberhart absolutely robs, AJ Levell from 6 feet in front, Levell standing all alone one times a slap shot from inside the hash marks and Eberhart flashes a lightning fast glove to keep the Rocks goose egg in tact. Rocks out shot the Irish 14-4.

3rd Period
With the game well in hand the Dublin Coffman team plays a straight forward dump and chase game, for the most part while the Rocks are still creating chances the shots are from well outside the scoring area of the Irish end. The defense clamp down on any chances for the Irish leaving Eberhart with a chance too maintain the shutout for the Rocks. Eberhart, has seen limited action but the calm, quiet net minder produces a nice finish to the game by stopping his last 45 straight shots. Going all the way back to the final preseason game against Perrysburg, Eberhart has stopped every shot he has faced since that game in the periods he has come into to help his counterpart starter, Alex Rogers. The game slows down and the seconds tock off the clock as the Rocks post their 20th win of the season. Rocks out shot the Irish 14-2 in the 3rd and 41-10 overall.

Rocks Highlights:
What a performance by the Rogers, Ridgway, Anderson line, on Anthony Rogers Senior night, the line contributed a two period effort of 6 goals and 8 assists for 14 points. Rogers 4 goal performance added to an already amazing season performance leaving him one shy of 50 at 49 goals in 32 games this season. Rocks continue league play next weekend with 3 final season games starting Friday, February 1, 2008 vs Gahanna Lincoln Lions, 7:40 pm, Easton Chiller.

 

                                                                                                                      by Randy Zacharias