This is it folks, the GRAND FINALE. Two fantastic match-ups for our medal games and lots of buzz around who would come out on top.

Bronze Game – Ireland vs Italy

It may be the Bronze game, but you’d never know it from the teams on the ice, and this year was no different. These two teams had their struggles through the year, but both had strong finishes to earn a spot in the medal round.

Both teams looking fast and furious in the first period which was, frankly, a shooting gallery. Absolutely fantastic back and forth action in this one. Mike Rukavina broke the ice early but Patty Sharp returned fire to even the score. Italy then stormed back with THREE unanswered goals by Kevin MacDougall, Fred Raidl (a filthy snipe over Nieminen’s shoulder), and Steve Davis to make it 4-1, but Paul Riopelle ripped one past Arty to make it 4-2 by the end of the first.

Patty Sharp picked up his second of the night early in the second to bring Ireland within a goal but Dave Wodar restored Italy’s two-goal lead minutes later. The action was far from over. Riopelle picked up his second goal with six minutes left in the period and then Patty Sharp picked up the HAT-TRICK with only seconds to go to make it a 5-5 TIE going into the third period. Fabulous hockey action for the spectators.

Steve Davis put Italy ahead early in the third with his second of the night but Riopelle scored less than a minute later to tie the game at 6-6.

The rest of the period was FIREWAGON HOCKEY with spectacular netminding on both sides. It looked like this one would go to a shoot-out until Paul Riopelle almost ripped the mesh behind Arty with a cannonading shot in the final minute, giving the IRISH the BRONZE MEDAL!!

Ireland’s POG goes to their spiritual leader and tax advisor, Mark Plewes while Fred Raidl gets props for leading Italy’s unsuccessful hunt for Bronze.

THE GOLD MEDAL GAME – SLOVENIA VS SCOTLAND

All hands on deck! This GOLD MEDAL GAME promised to be one of the greats! While the league had a good balance of talent this year, by season’s end there wasn’t much doubt that these two powerhouses were on top. Who would finish first was the only question left on Sunday afternoon.

Both goalies — Rispoli and Henderson — looked sharp early on, helped out by the tight checking of both squads as they felt each other out and probed for chances.

It wasn’t until eight minutes in that Steve Boyle got things going for Scotland, much to the thrill of the Scottish section at PCA.

Both goalies continued to turn away an increasing number of chances until Greg Platt evened the score at the five-minute mark, and then to the frenzied delight of the Slovenian fans, Platt slid the puck to David Woodside in the slot who made no mistake and put Team Slovenia up 2-1 after the first period!

Italy and Slovenia both come into this game at the top of the playoff scoring race, but WAY out ahead defensively, with half the goals against allowed by the other teams. As the second period progressed, it became clear that Rispoli and Henderson were a big part of the reason why. Both goalies faced an onslaught of opportunities and continued to make mind-numbing stops to the chagrin of their opponents. Chance after chance came and went but when the buzzer blew on period two, not a twine had been bulged. ZERO goals in the second period which ended the same way as the first: 2-1 for Slovenia.

The third period was even more intense. Both teams doubled down on offence, pinching, stretch-passing, and cycling for their lives. Pucks rained down on the two goalies but not one got through. That is, not until six minutes to go when Leo Brideau evened the score at 2 goals apiece.

Crazy action in the final six minutes with both sides getting chance after chance, but with 0:00 on the clock it was tied at 2-2. ON TO OVERTIME!

Both teams could taste gold as they iced their best 3 players for the 5 minute overtime. The first lines battled back and forth but solved nothing. The next lines came on determined to put this one to bed, but stop after stop by these two netminders stretched the game further on until overtime was over and nothing was solved. ON TO THE SHOOTOUT!!

Sudden death shootout. As soon as one team scored and the other didn’t, this one would be over. And that’s what happened on the first shot as Stuart Henderson held fast but Leo Brideau made a nifty move that froze Rispoli and that was it. BAGPIPES BLARED! HAGGIS WAS CONSUMED IN MASSIVE PROPORTIONS. SCOTTISH FANS CRIED!

TEAM SCOTLAND CROWNED ITSELF AS THE PCOHL GOLD MEDAL CHAMPIONS!!

Amazing goaltending on both sides, but this one had to end eventually. What a fantastic end to a fantastic season. Amazing competition, camaraderie and friendship.

Scotland’s Player of the Game with the tying and winning goals was Leo Brideau while Frank Rispoli gets the honours for ALMOST stealing this one from the kilts.