It’s hard to believe but the year is coming to an end, with the men’s and women’s hockey leagues preparing for their last games of 2012 and possibly all eternity, if the Mayan prophecy is to be believed. I’m hedging my bets we see a great continuation of the season in 2013, though.
I know I’ve mentioned it three times now in previous articles, but it is getting really sad that the NHL is still not in service. The best way to describe how it feels: it reminds me of when I was a child walking by my best friend’s home after they moved — yup, still gone. It seems there is a big void on the television this winter without the NHL, anyone feel the same?
Enough lamenting though, it is what it is. I just hope the season isn’t a bust. Fingers crossed…
So, midway through the Men’s Rec League season, the new-and-improved Summitsport is holding onto first in a precarious balancing act atop the standings, one point ahead of ever-threatening Black’s Pub Marmots.
The Summit lads are looking very strong this season, having recruited key players along with a good mix of veteran players from both men’s leagues. Stalwart forward Andrew Bradley leads the team with 24 points thus far in the season, leading the way for fellow teammates Ryan Brown, Thomas Thacker and Simon Salmier. Look to see the Summit boys make a run in the second half of the season to the final.
The Marmots have a game in hand, however, and are looking as good as ever with nine consecutive wins. A great record — let’s hope they don’t peak too early and save something for the march to the cup.
Marmot goaltender Elliot Moses has finally said “no” to the endless amount of games he would normally agree to play in the past, often subbing in for A League teams, so his club surely will welcome the extra energy conserved. From all indications, Moses is the real deal, and will be the hardest goaltender ‘riddle’ to solve as the season progresses.
In third place, the Pemberton Chainsaws are tied with the Blackcomb Blackhawks at 22 points apiece. The Chainsaws revved up strong in the early season but then hit a flat spot in their midseason games, losing three of their last five.
The Chainsaws are a young bunch, however, and have a tendency to bounce back when given a challenge. Especially with team leaders Hunter Nelson and Aaron Oberson at the helm, the Chainsaws won’t skate away softly and, with youth on their side, are a definite threat to the established brass of the league.
Always a surprise, the Blackhawks may just be the epitome of what a grinder team is all about. That said, they find their wins when needed, a truly hard-nosed bunch. The Blackhawks have four wins in their last five outings, led by Kyle Hannay and backstopped by Mike Hashimoto.
Fifth in the standings, and unusually so, the Longhorn Mighty Moose are off to a lumbering start, but will look to improve as the season carries on. Behind the Moose in sixth are the Timberview Bruins, wearing powder blue jerseys and making a mid-pack surge with three wins in their last five games.
The Fairmont Flyers sit in seventh place, one point behind the Bruins. Sitting atop the basement dwellers, the Walsh Restoration Shooters continue to clean up on the teams below them but struggle against the upper teams — they currently have eight points in eighth place.
Below them, Dusty’s is looking to snap a five-game losing streak but they’re still ahead of Tapley’s Rooftop, who are at the bottom of the heap. The Rooftop have set a goal of making the playoffs, and with a top-eight finish needed to do that, captain Brian Dixon has called out the troops to shape up for the second half — it’s make or break every game. Good luck!
