Early Game – Italy vs Portugal

Italy comes into this game 0-2 on the season and hungry for their first DUBYA. Portugal, on the other hand, is 1-0 after a narrow 2-1 win over Slovenia, the ageless Portuguese tendy, Frank “The Goalie” Rispoli, taming the solid Slovenian offence. Frank told ESPN after the game, “If these stunads thing I’m going to have a 1.0 GAA all season, they need to bump up the CBD in their gummies.”

But on to the game. Portugal sophomore Don Hambly found twine halfway through period 1, but Italy’s Alan Robb tied it a few minutes later followed by teammate Tim Randa who made it 2-1 for the Romans.

Dandy Don Hambly was having NONE of it because less than a minute later he scored TWO goals in ELEVEN seconds to complete the hat-trick and send his team into the second with a 3-2 lead (that is to say, Hambly 3, Italy 2).

Would Hambly’s hat-trick hold? Short answer, no, as Jim Maguire lights the lamp halfway through the second period to tie the game at 3. Ticket-holders getting their money’s worth in this barnburner.

Hambly once again took control, scoring his F-O-U-R-T-H goal of the game to put Portugal up 4-3 (that is to say, Hambly 4, Italy 3) with only 7 minutes left in the second period.

But as Howie Meeker used to say, a lot can happen in seven minutes. And the Italians apparently rememebered this. WHAM, Rukavina ties it at 4. POW, Maguire gets his second to make it 5-4 Italy. KABLOOEY, Murray “Don’t Worry” Russell makes it 6-4 for Italy. THREE Italian goals in THREE Italian minutes and suddenly Hambly’s Heroes are on their back feet going into period three.

But these Portuguese are no quitters. Bruce Freeman closed the gap to 1 goal early on, and then halfway through the frame Kevin MacDougall TIED IT (on a feed from who else — Hambly).

What followed was FURIOUS end to end action, both keepers turning away every chance, determined to do no worse than a tie. But Brother Todd MacDougall didn’t like that Brother Kevin MacDougall tied the game and so did what brothers do. With 54 seconds left, he gave his Italian squad their first win of the campaign. The only one smiling on the Portuguese side was Hambly’s agent. Portugal goes home to cry in their Ginjinha while Italy’s star Hambly gets ready for his Saturday night spot on Kimmel.

Italian Player of the Game goes to Todd MacDougall who served up the game winner. And for Portugal, of course its Dandy Don Hambly, putting on a scoring clinic and guaranteeing a double team next week against Ireland.

Italy POG Todd MacDougall

Portugal POG Dandy Don Hambly

Late Game – Scotland vs Ireland

Both teams coming off big wins last week and looking to lock down an early season spot at the top of the standings.

Both goalies (Senkowski and Nieminen) looking hot in the first period, turning away ALL chances for most of the period. Then with 5 minutes to go, Ireland’s two Chris’s (Johnson and Deware) solve Senkowski for what looked like a commanding lead to end the period. But Scottish standout Greg Platt made no mistake with a pass from behind the net which he deposited past the Irish keeper to cut the Leprechauns lead in half to end the period.

Deware’s knee was looking just fine as he picked up number two early in period two, followed by Jumpin Joe Peacock who gave Ireland a very comfortable 4-1 cushion with six minutes to go. With 12 seconds left, Scotland’s Flumerfelt found the right side of the iron to ring neighbour Nieminen’s bell and cut the lead to two goals, but these bagpipers would have their work cut out for them in the final frame.

Furious action and great goaltending marked the third until with four minutes to go, Patty Sharp drifted one by Nieminen to make it 4-3, Senkowski eyeing the bench for a firewagon final. But Brad Stoll doused the flames a minute later and that’s how this one ended: Ireland 5, Scotland 3.

Ireland’s Player of the Game goes to their Swiss Army Knife, Chris Johnson, while Patty Sharp takes Scottish honours for riding the sheep hard at both ends.

Ireland POG Chris Johnson

Scotland POG Patty Sharp