Coffman Rocks 10   Gahanna Lincoln Lions 3

Game Summary - BJ Cup - Dublin Coffman vs. Gahanna Lions, Saturday, February 10, 2008, Ice Haus

 

                                                                                                                                                            photo by Carol Anderson

1st Period
The Rocks came into the game looking for any chance to get a bid to the final of the Blue Jacket Cup. After game 1 in the Cup championships the Rocks were ready too play and would not be surprised by Gahanna's success over the Patriots. Two minutes in and Rogers unleashes a slapshot that goaltender, Wellmer, for the Lions just gets a piece of to keep the Rocks off the board, but Wellmer would see Rogers and the Rocks a lot more before the game was over. Jonathon Priests hard work deep in the Lions end pays off when he out battles a lions player for the puck turned and hit Jordan Edmonds who quickly deposits the puck top shelf, 1-0 Rocks. Rocks go on the power play and Matt Zacharias gets the puck in the right corner of the lions end, he feeds Chris Ridgway to the left corner, Ridgway sends the puck up to Jimmy Wall, Wall has a clear lane and there is plenty of traffic in front of lions net minder, Phil Wellmer, Wall's blast is too much and the Rocks lead, 2-0 just 3:21 into the 1st. The ensuing face-off at center ice has Anthony Rogers win the draw he goes straight ahead deke's a Lion defenseman and is in 2 on 1 with Tyler Anderson, Rogers fakes the shot freezing Wellmer and slides a perfect pass to Anderson and Anderson deposits the puck into an open side and just 11 seconds later the Rocks lead 3-0. One minute later the Rocks get sloppy with a clearing pass in their own zone that creates a turnover, Drew Laurent takes the gaff and sends a puck to Jeff White all alone in front of Alex Rogers, he beats Rogers with a low shot and the Lions are on the board, 3-1 Rocks. Halfway thru the period the Rocks go on the power play again, Ridgway controls the puck in the Lions end waits until Zacharias parks himself in front of Wellmer, Ridgway feeds Wall at the top of the circles and Wall unleashes a howitzer of a shot that Wellmer never sees and the Rocks lead, 4-1. Rogers is at it again, Stephen Panchyshyn sends an outlet pass to Rogers in the neutral zone, Rogers heads into the Lions end stops short and makes a perfect feed to Sam O'Brien who is all alone and O'Brien goes upstairs to put the Rocks up 5-1, this still all in the 1st period. Gahanna gets their 1st power play of the game with 2 minutes remaining in the period, they move the puck around well and Laurent and White play spoiler again, Laurent threads a pass thru two sets of Rocks d-men to the back door, White is at a tuff angle but manages to sneak the puck past an outstretched Rogers and the game is, 5-2 Rocks. The clock is finally running down on the period when Evan Bowdy makes a brilliant pass from behind the Rocks net that has Anthony Rogers on a breakaway from the Rocks blue line, Rogers bares down on Josh Nemec and beats him clean with a quick shot, 6-2 Rocks.  Rocks out shot the Lions 9-5 after 1.

2nd Period
The middle frame would be somewhat of a yawner, both teams seemed lethargic for the 1st  5 minutes of the 2nd. The Rocks are dumping the puck out of their own end almost in a clamp down on defense style of play, the move costs the Rocks as they take 4 consecutive penalties and are handing the Lions a chance to get back in the game, Rocks net minder Alex Rogers is left alone for a period of time and he is simply sensational making some acrobatic saves keeping the Lions of the board. Inevitably the shutdown would cost the Rocks as Nate Hays goes on an end to end rush, as he fly's outside wide on a Rocks dman he manages to get a quick shot on Rogers, the rebound is by Rogers left pad but no one takes Hays and he bangs away until he manages to jam the puck home 6-3 Rocks. The Rocks muster only a couple shots with 5 minutes too play, but another costly penalty allows the Rocks to blow the game wide open, once again Zacharias, Ridgway and Rogers are moving the puck around the lions, Ridgway makes another perfect pass that allows Rogers to wrap around the net and stuff his 2nd of the game, 7-3 Rocks. Rocks were out shot by the Lions 11-5.

3rd Period
Rocks start the 3rd on another power play but this time Jimmy Wall doesn't wait for his teammates to catch up, he skates end to end weaving thru the Lions with ease makes a sick move on the Lions defenseman walks in on Wellmer, and beats him 5-hole and Wall completes a beautiful play for his 1st hat trick of the season, 8-3 Rocks. The Rogers line is at it again, Anderson makes a nice pass in the neutral zone to Ridgway, Ridgway goes wide into the lions end pulls up and sends a pass across to Rogers, Rogers blasts the one timer 5-hole and completes his hat trick for the game, 9-3 Rocks. With 5 minutes to go the Rocks are o the power play again, this time Jordan Edmonds makes a heady play in to the right of Wellmer, draws the forward in towards him and feeds Gregory Strine at the point, Strine wires a slap shot to the far left corner of the net, 10-3 Rocks, the freshman scores his 1st of the season and it was simply, a beauty, and icing on the cake, as the Rocks skate to victory heading to the BJ Cup finale. Rocks out shot the Lions 6-5 in the 3rd but were out shot by the Lions 21-20 overall.

Rocks Highlights:
Coffman started the game with authority, they looked ready, their crisp passes were too much for the Lions which resulted into a goal explosion. The big lead early may have been taken for granted as the Rocks did not play strong in the middle frame, but the determination in the 3rd showed they are ready too play like the Rocks can, in the final game of the CHC for 2007-2008. The Rocks next play the Championship final of the Blue Jacket Cup against Jerome Celtics Sunday, February 10, 2008, 3:00 pm, Ice Haus.

 

                                                                                                                      by Randy Zacharias