Saturday Night Fights
October 31, 2010 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Springfield Jr. Blues News Release
What a game, what a come from behind victory last night at the Nelson Center in Springfield. If you didn't watch it on FASTHockey, or see the game in person, you missed a thriller. After leading most of the game the Jr. Blues got down a goal in the third period. I've said it time and again this year, this team is special and they have a lot of heart. They fight from the opening puck drop to the final buzzer. After they went down a goal last night, their efforts paid huge dividends as they scored twice to regain the lead and then watched as Gavin Tufte popped in and empty netter from the red line to ice the victory. It was sweet to watch, sweet to call and so much fun to watch.
Tonight is a rematch with Topeka and they won't go down easily. Last night Stewart Bell dropped the gloves again and pounded his Roadrunner counterpart. There is a strong possibility they may go again tonight. Time will tell.
The game started off against Topeka and they scored to go up 1 - 0 early in the first. That score was answered by the Jr. Blues just three minutes later when Kyle Cook scored his first Jr. Blues goal with a sweet pass from Zack "Attack" Turco. With the game tied the puck was taken up and down the ice until Ethan Nauman broke out of his scoring famine with a goal at 13:52 of the first. The Jr. Blues took a 2 - 1 lead to the locker room at the end of the first. A 10 minute misconduct penalty was handed out to Topeka for abuse of the officials. Two more periods to decide this game are on the way. Let's hope the good guys don't have a lull during the second period as they did last night when they lost the lead to the Roadrunners.
Period two was like an old time western movie with plenty of action of the wild and wooly kind. Some near free for alls along with a score on a penalty shot which we've never been given a reason for, and when it's all said and done, the good guys still lead by a score of 3 - 2. It has left me breathless and we still have the third period to go. I sure would like to see the Jr. Blues break out with about three more goals. Maybe I wouldn't get so many new gray hairs on this old head. I think I'm going to start calling them the cardiac kids!
Period three and the wheels fell off the cart! Topeka sucked the good guys into their style of smash mouth, cheap shot hockey, and the game went down hill at a high rate of speed. Topeka coach Scott Langer and his assistant showed their true colors of low class behavior and potty mouth conduct from the bench in a disgusting display of their usual conduct and behavior. Shame on both of them. Nevertheless, the antics worked as the play deteriorated from good hockey to the old saying; "went to a fight and a hockey game broke out".
The Jr. Blues ended the weekend series with a split against a good team, but the league should really consider taking a look at the conduct of Langer and company, and ask the question; "Is this the type of conduct the league wants to be represented by?"
Now it's on to St. Louis for the Wednesday morning game, then to winless Port Huron, who has improved themselves with several acquisitions of good players and won't be the pushover they were a few weeks ago. If the team goes to Michigan ready to play they can make a sweep a reality, but it won't be an easy thing to do. So, all that's left to say is let's put this game behind us and Let's Go Blues!
North American Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2010
- Saturday Night Fights - Springfield Jr. Blues
- Tornado storm back - Wenatchee Wild
- IceRays Acquire Defenseman Nikita Kardashev - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Perfect 10! Tornado sweep Wild with 3-2 win - Texas Tornado
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