Week #8 vs Salty Old Buzzards 4-6 L (3-5)

We've come to the end of the road of our season but, man what a finish! We ran with a 7-1, 3rd place, playoff-bound team who was a 2009 ONELL finalist and kept it close to the very end...Buzzards Bay Salty Old Buzzards (7-1) - 6, South Coast Silver Sachems (3-5) - 4.

If only we had another eight games...By far, August 3rd's game was the best total team effort of the season. The Buzzards came into the game looking ahead to next week's playoff game and scored the first two goals but, got a HUGE wake up in the 1st quarter on a much improved Sachem team from the last time they played us. We got on the board on an unassisted goal by Juice #23 to make the score 1-2. The Sachems out hustled them winning the GBs 11-9, made more shots 13-9 and matched them at the faceoff X 2-2. The defense kept their relentless play and back-up goal tender, John Tatusko #5, made 11 saves. The Buzzards goalie, Rob McMillan, came up HUGE himself by making numerous short range stops. The second quarter was much like the first with the Buzzards scoring three more goals but, the Sachems came back with two of their own with two goals from Attackman Tom O'Rourke, one on an assist from George Finn #9 and another unassisted goal on a heads up play by intercepting a pass and putting it into an empty net. The 2nd quarter ended at a very respectable 3-5.

In the 3rd the defense kept up their solid play allowing just one goal in the entire 2nd half with another waved off on a crease violation. The team effort continued throughout the second half but, the Buzzards picked it up a bit winning the GB war 22-15 and had more possessions getting 13 to our 8 shots. While the defense continued to play tight and tough, they got a bit sloppy on clears making an uncharacteristic 10 of 19 attempts. The offense kept up their pace and scored on an unassisted goal from Finn #9 to make it 4-6 going into the final quarter. The 4th quarter saw multiple opportunities by both teams with the pace and style of the game that were very evenly matched but, the Buzzards prevailed in the end.

It was a fitting way to end the regular season by finishing on a high note by keeping the Buzzards scoreless in the final frame. I dare say, we have become the best 3 win team in the league and believe we have set the foundation for a very promising 2011 season. The season saw the addition of many new faces and notched the first three victories in team history (ssshhhh, let's keep that one quiet). Despite an 0-3 start we finished with a very respectable 3-2 finish. And, we came just one goal (the OT loss) and just one win away (losses of 7-8, 3-13, 8-12, and 4-6) from making the playoffs. Next year, our goal should, and will, be nothing less than five wins and a berth into the playoffs.