D8 Dogs Fight Climate Change, Lose 2-1 To Blizzard

Heartbreaking Loss Motivates Dogs

SKYRINK, July 22, 2006 – The Sled Dogs played their best all-around game of the season tonight once again taking the first place and undefeated Blizzard to the brink of their first loss before eventually succumbing in the last minute of regulation.

Playing in their second game in as many days, many suspected the Sled Dogs would turn in a lackluster performance against the class of D8 but the naysayers were quickly silenced as the Dogs exploded from the opening whistle and never looked back. It was the Blizzard who appeared to be skating against strong winds and heavy snow drifts as the Dogs carried the play all night.

Although the offense created many scoring chances and rattled the Blizzard cage, it was the Sled Dog defense that stole the show on this night. Darryl Taunt and Sharon Choi were particularly effective: the former at moving the puck into space to trigger the transition game and the latter at shoveling the Blizzard from in front of the net.

The hard fought game entered the third period with the score 0-0 and the Dogs generating so much heat that most of the Blizzard was neutralized. A fluke Blizzard goal early in the third, however, knocked the Dogs back on their heels and threatened to unleash the vaunted Blizzard attack. That’s when Defenseman Jeremy Bucovetsky took matters into his own hands. “I hate Blizzards,” said Bucovetsky. “It was time they got snowed in themselves.”

The steady Defenseman then seized an opportunity to take advantage of a retreating Blizzard defense and attacked their shivering goalie by ripping a wrister right through the five-hole to tie the score 1-1. The goal also served to reenergize the Dogs who were slightly worn down after absorbing the dirty play of the Blizzard all game. Forward Eric Cole slid to block a shot from the point, forward Julie Kim fought hard for the puck along the boards and the entire team showed determination.

With 30 seconds left in the game, however, a Blizzard forward found himself alone in front of the net as the Dogs scrambled to clear the puck. The rebound came right to his stick and he was able to tuck it over the line past a sprawling Dom Ardolino.

Notes – Choi blocked a hard, rising slap shot with an undisclosed upper body part and remained on the ice for several minutes. In true Dog spirit she didn’t miss a shift…The Sled Dogs return to the ice August 5 at 4:00pm vs. Storm after a bye week.