NAHL Springfield Jr. Blues

Eight Points Out

Published on January 23, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Springfield Jr. Blues News Release


I don't think I've been this cold in years. At least not since handling accidents in moving snowdrifts as a State Trooper! The Janesville rink is colder than an outdoor pond hockey game in subzero weather. I wish I would have brought my warmer insulated boots with me to Janesville. I'm rink side, down from the Janesville bench. If the broadcast sounded like I was shivering, I was COLD!

This is one of the most crucial series of the season for the Jr. Blues. Going into tonight's game the good guys find themselves five points out of the playoff picture behind two teams they have handled all season. We need some help from St. Louis and the Chicago Hitmen. The Blues have been digging out of a hole all season. Now it's time to see what this team is made of, huh!

It was a game pretty much reflective of the Jr. Blues season, the guys give it all they have and deserve to win, but something happens, a bad bounce, a ringing shot of the crossbar, bad luck and trouble happens. On the other hand, the opponent gets the good luck and score when they need to, and bang, another loss goes into the right column. Of course, a schedule that has us playing St. Louis, Topeka multiple times while the teams ahead of us play Port Huron, who have won two games this season, and Chicago. It certainly is a frustrating schedule, but as the saying goes; ‚¬Å“It is what it is ‚¬Â.

The game goes to overtime and it turns out to be a loss. We earn a point with the OTL, but the two teams ahead of us both win and we drop to six points out of the playoff hunt.

Saturday night's game was a demonstration of the character of this team. Janesville scores twice, on Power Plays, but the Blues fight back to tie the score. I've tried to stay positive throughout this season in the broadcasts and my articles to you, but at this point I have to deviate from that for a moment.

A Jr. Blues player gets whacked from behind in front of the goal and pushes back, penalty on Jr. Blues. A Jr. Blues player takes a fist to the back of the head and is grabbed ‚¬Â¦penalty Jr. Blues. The NAHL should be embarrassed to put the kind of officials on ice that we watched last night in Janesville. To say they were ‚¬Å“Homers ‚¬Â gives the crew credit for certain ability in doing their job, and they don't even deserve that much credit. A majority of the penalties called against the good guys were questionable at best, and the ‚¬Å“no calls ‚¬Â against Janesville were obvious, with the examples cited above only a few of the biased officiating.

You weren't able to watch the game because of ‚¬Å“band width ‚¬Â problems at the rink. I wasn't able to broadcast at a spot where I couldn't even see a fourth of the ice. I don't think you really would want to watch the travesty that occurred in Janesville anyway. Give credit to the Blues. They out played Janesville, but I truly believe the outcome was dictated by the on ice officials. It's tough for four penalty kill players to beat five, no, make that eight opponents, because Janesville definitely had three zebras on their side last night.

Now, it's on to Topeka next week before coming home after having one home game in January. There! I've vented! I promise to return to positive from here on out. Don't forget to tune into the ‚¬Å“Jr. Blues Coach's Show with Andy Maher ‚¬Â, live from the Shamrock Tavern Monday afternoon at 5:30. And if you have a question for Coach Maher, please email us at jbcoachesshow@hotmail.com.

The season is rapidly winding down. The only thing left to say is; ‚¬Å“Let's Go Blues ‚¬Â!

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2011


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