Next League Games
ACTHL September 10th
This is the sweetest, but yet the more bitter day of the Table Hockey season. April 16th, 2005 the last day of ACTHL and it family of close TH friends get together. Seven players gathered down at O' Donoghue's On First to crown a ACTHL Vintage champion.
Saturday marked the 150th anniversary of the city of Hoboken. Did I mention that it was the 150th anniversary of Hoboken. For this momentous occasion, the league was moved to the back bar area. The mass number of people excepted to fill OD's was going to be earth-shattering...Well, larger than usual.
After two & a half years playing at OD's, you figure we would be able to set up a folding table for the boyz to play on. We were told that we would have to play on the pool table. So, a WARPED piece of plywood was put on top of the billiards table. Needless to say, the playing surface was less then desirable.
The lamp over hanging the pool table was now blocking the view of the opponent across the table. Sometimes its a positive thing to read the faces of your combatant. So, I asked Annie (the Owner), could we raise the chains on the lamp above the billiards table? I was given an answer of "No, the weight of the lamp might cause it to fall". O.K.?
Now, it's close to game time. All the players are here. We will all have to play under the same rules of the weak playing conditions. Did I mention that it was the 150th Anniversary of the city of Hoboken?. I forgot one other issue regarding Annie & OD's. Some hour after Jerry & I arrived at OD's, I was asked if any children were coming today? I told Annie I didn't think so. She's telling me that you have to be 21 years old to be in the bar. ALL SEASON we have had Cat's son, Andrey's son in OD's, and now it's a problem? Thanks for letting me know earlier. I got Andrey, who flew in from Moscow to play in this championship. And, I have to tell him that he can't bring in his son? Hey! Thanks For Thinking Of Us!
The games were going to begin originally as a Best-Of-Three, to start the first round. But, a vote was taken to up it to a Best-Of-Five opening round. Roger Owens finished the 2004-2005 season in first place, received a first round bye. The three matches to began the Vintage playoffs were Shadow Cats (Jerry Randell) vs. The Express (Craig Sierak), Moscow Dynamos (Andrey Krukov) vs. NJ Scorpions (Adam Zawislak) and Golden Seals (George Vriones) vs. The Marauders (Steve Dowell).
The second place finisher Express were heavy favorites going into the early match. Game One was to prove the odds makers correct. The Shadow Cats fell prey on the Munro table losing 6-1. The Express now were on the road, next stop...Coleco table for Game Two. The Shadow Cats gave the Express a battle, but after a Game Two 2-1 lose, they were facing elimination. Back on the Munro table, things continued to get worse. The Express peppered the net too a 7-1 beating of the Shadow Cats. Craig advanced to the next round. The Express now were waiting the winner of the series between Seals and the Marauders.
The Marauders finished their first season with ACTHL with a very impressive third place showing. Another rookie in the league this year, was the Golden Seals (George Vriones) from Butler, New Jersey. George is classic Coleco style player, and a hell of a Singer & Bassist. The series started out on the Marauders Eagle table. I wish I had filmed of this game. After five minutes of killer saves and defensive masterpieces, this game was tied at 0-0 after five minutes. Off to OT we went. The clock stops in OT, no need of time. First to score...WINS! Oh My! what an overtime classic! If we were keeping track of time, the Marauders won 1-0 around 1:00 minute remaining in the second overtime period.
Somewhat in a state of shock from the overtime battle of Game One, the Seals defense were left staggered. The Marauders opened a early lead, and never looked back. The final score was 4-0 Marauders. Could the Seals fight back to force a Game Four? We moved back to the scene of the 2004-2005 ACTHL classic Game One...the Marauders home table . The Seals fired shot after shot, but could not brake the defensive wall the Marauders put up. The series ended with a three game sweep, with the Marauders stoning the Seals in all three games (1-0, 4-0, 1-0). But, what a series the crowd witnessed.
The final series of the opening round faced the NJ Scorpions (Adam Zawislak) against the defending two-time champion Moscow Dynamos (Andrey Krukov). The champion showed no signs of jet-lag as he dismantled the Scorpions in Game One 6-2 on the road on the Coleco table. Game Two was played on a Munro table, which seemed to suit the Scorpions just fine. As they sent a welcome back to America 4-2 rebound win to tie the series one game a piece.
Game Three was a defensive battle compared to the first two games which had a total of 14 goals. It was 0-0 until the Dynamos ripped a shot passed the Scorpion goalie with only 37 second remaining. OUCH!!! Game Five was almost a carbon copy (remember those?) of Game Three. The Scorpions gave the defending champion a run first his money but fell 1-0. With this win, the Dynamos will face Roger Owens & the Brooklyn Eckfords. A rematch of last years championship battle.
The second round matches were Marauders vs. Express and Eckfords vs. Moscow Dynamos. After the first three games, the Marauders have shutout their opponents 6-0. Game One was looking like this would be the rule when playing the Marauders. With about one minute remaining, and a 5-0 lead, the Express penetrated the Marauder defense. The final score was 5-1. The Marauders would shake up things once again, and shutout the Express in both Games Two & Three (1-0 & 1-0). Steve would now await the winner of the Dynamos/Eckford series.
The Brooklyn Eckfords would send a message early in the series to the Dynamos that last years lose in the championship games would not be repeated. Game One was a 6-3 victory for the 2004 & 2005 Stiga champ. Game Two will be a gem to watch on video tape. This game had everything. With time running out, and the Eckfords posed to win Game Two 3-2, the Dynamos netted the game tying goal with nothing showing on the clock. The referee (George Vriones) called the goal GOOD! After the Brooklyn Eckford bench cleared upon hearing the call, both referee and timekeeper (Adam Zawislak) took all of five seconds to confirm that the goal was good. Outraged, the Eckford team clearly was upset by the game tying goal, got behind the rods and was determined to win this game in overtime.
Overtime saw some furious action. Both team had a lot of chances. The Dynamos twice had the puck go pass the Eckford goalie, but league rules state "The Puck MUST Remain In The Net To Be A Goal". The Eckfords were get their revenge by netting the game winner late in the overtime period. Now, could the defending champion fight back and win Game Three, and keep his dreams alive for a DYNASTY?
Game Three the Eckfords showed their defensive muscle, shutting out the champion 2-0, to take the series 3-0. Roger won the right to face-off against Steve Dowell & the Marauders for the ACTHL Vintage Finals.
Games One, Two & Three saw the Eckfords reverse the tables of the playoff shutout king Marauders. The Eckfords took Game One 4-0, Game Two 1-0 and Game Three 1-0. The Marauders facing a sweep in the Finals, fought back to take Game Four 3-1. Game Five the crowd knew as each minute past, that they would looking at the new ACTHL Vintage Champion. The Eckfords controlled the game shortly after the first face-off. The final score was 5-1.
On behalf of the league, and it's players, I would like to congratulate Roger Owens for sportmenship & over-all skills winning both Stiga & Vintage championships this season. It's the first time in this leagues short history that we have crowned a champion of both titles. Salute!
Well, another season has ended. I wish to thank every player for making this league so much fun. Without you, their is no ACTHL. My deepest thanks to each & every player who make up this wonderful family. THANK YOU!!!!
ACTHL will be moving to a NEW location next season (September). My taste for OD's after Saturday's games have left a nasty after-taste in my mouth. I was never happy with the lighting or parking at OD's. It's time to move to a place that respects us. We have met some great people over the past 2 1/2 years, Mariano, Sarah, Debbie & who could forget Patrick..."This One's On The House!" The league will be moving closer to the middle of New Jersey. I'm thinking between Wayne and Denville. I want to make it transportation friendly for ALL table Hockey players. That goes for the players traveling Three hours from PA., the players in the middle of Long Island, and the players that travel via train/subway from the boroughs. Hoboken & OD's has turned sour & it's time too taste something sweet.
Here's to a Bright Future!!!!
Thanks,
Adam Z
Commish
|
Vintage Standings
|
