Bear bounces back into the win column with a last minutes 3-2 thrilling victory over Serenity as BCS continues it’s awesome play with a 5-3 win over Fraser River.
After suffering the penultimate loss in FHL history (Red beat Green 14-5, Nov 22, 2006)
Bear thought for a while that they were headed to another defeat until a pair of last second goals to end the first and second halves had them grinning like cheshire cats.
Serenity had built a lead thanks to playing a rope-a-dope counter attack strategy to perfection as Wade “The Blade” Fenton used moves he perfected at TJ’s circa 1992 to score his fourth of the season as “Captain” Dan Lowndes made it two zip with a quick release that surprised the much maligned Bear tender.
That was when the all-important “Going gets Tough, Tough gets Going” chant started for the Communicators as even though their captain goalie had just let in 86 per cent of the oppositio’s last 18 shots, they knew they still had a chance.
Scoring his second in as many games was Bear’s Kieron “The Roadrunner” Langen who put on a stick handling clinic to cut the deficit in half with “BIG” Bob Merta on a deft deflection with seven seconds left in the half tying it up at deuces wild.
Inspired by the play of his Clan of the Cave Bear’s, Mike “Port” Moody burned his “Human Sieve” placard and put on a second half show stopping everything that was shot at him including a point blank chance with the clock winding down.
Then with Serenity focused on their second straight shoot-out adventure, Lee “Nitro” Naeth scored on a Howitzer that hand-cuffed the Builder tender to give Bear their first lead with 20 seconds remaining.
With stop time suddenly being invoked, the Builders had a couple of chances which were quickly gobbled up by the Bear defence to preserve the comeback victory and their spot alone in the FHL Penthouse suite.
The other contest saw Fraser River put up a good fight only to see BCS extend their winning string to three with a 5-3 victory.
The penalty-filled affair saw tempers flare on several occasions as not many Lady Byng or RBM candidates are on either teams rosters.
However, there are more than enough talented skaters to go around with Fraser River benefiting from exquisite unassisted tallies by Kris “Haymaker” Hayman and Kevin “Captain Crunch” Hesslegrave that sandwiched Wade Price “Is right” collecting his third marker of the year.
Leading the Blue Collar Silviculture crew who have outscored their opposition 23-7 the past three weeks was Justin “Time” Rasmussen and Ian “Heartbreaker” Hannah who both scored a pair of awe-inspiring goals.
Meanwhile, somewhere between the breakfast table and the rink, somebody must have made Colin “The Hulk” Keis angry as he dominated the score sheet with a Gordie Howe Hat trick FHL style as he scored a goal, earned two assists and was sent to the showers early after three minor penalties.
Steve Dodge is a defensive winger with Bear Communications and an Observer contributor.