Dodos Fight Back, Win in Shootouts!

For the second straight week, Dodos Hockey found themselves tied with their opponents at the end of regulation, forcing them into the much lauded shootouts. The game pitted the first place Dodos against the eighth place Lightning, who many felt were going to be a pushover since losing two players (Mike Miner and Mike Sinacori) to the Dodos this season. However, the Lightning had a much different plan in mind, jumping out to an early lead with the game's first goal. But former Lightning player and current Dodos' points leader Mike Miner scored a power-play goal six minutes later to tie the game and added another power-play goal with just 49 seconds remaining in the first period.

The Dodos' bench was lighter in personnel than usual, resulting in more minutes on the ice for the players and in the second period it showed. The Lightning dominated the period, taking eight shots on goal to just three by the Dodos. Neither team scored until a slashing penalty by A.J. Tarpley led to the game-tying power-play goal by the Lightning.

Sensing they had the Dodos on the ropes, the Lightning took the lead just under two minutes into the period and extended the lead to 4-2 when Drake Martin scored his second goal of the game. Following the faceoff, Jeff Hewitt scored a goal a mere twelve seconds after Martin, and the Dodos trailed by one goal.

With 4:52 remaining in the game, Bryan Silvey put the puck past the Lightning goaltender, tying the game at 4-4 and later sending the game into shootouts.

The home team Dodos elected to shoot second, sending the Lightning to the line first. Lightning defenseman Darrin Cuneo scored first, but Joe Madden countered with a goal. Drake Martin, who scored two goals in the game already, scored his shootout goal only to be countered by none other than two goal scorer, Mike Miner. With the third and final shot looming, Lightning forward Matt Field approached the puck, toggled it back and forth and made his move on Chris Barrera, but Barrera stoned the shot as the puck just narrowly avoided crossing the line. If Bryan Silvey scored, the Dodos would win, and score he did.

Check the video: http://youtu.be/1T-OtPbVkwg 

Check the box score: http://stats-live.com/iceoplexsimivalley/Game/BoxScore/1398

DODOS HOCKEY ATOP DIVISION 4!

Dodos Hockey gave their fathers something to remember on Father's Day, a shootout victory against the team they were tied for first place with in the division. At the start of the game Sunday, the Dodos (7-2) and Puck Monkeys (6-3) were in a first place tie. Sunday's game would prove that both teams are evenly matched and the victor would sit alone, atop the division at almost the halfway point of the season.

The Dodos jumped out to a first period 3-1 lead with goals from Mike Miner, Matt Girt and Jeff Hewitt, and saw the score stay the same until the third period.

Puck Monkeys scored two unanswered goals in the third to tie and force the game into shootouts. After a miss from Pat Heninger and two saves by goaltender Chris Barrera, Miner put the puck in the net to score the only goal of the shootouts, as Barrera saved the last shot by the Monkeys, solidifying the Dodos' victory and sole possession of first place.

The Dodos take a three-game winning streak to the Lightning (2-7) this Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 4:30PM.

Watch the highlights here: http://youtu.be/p0YQfsWlnpc

Check the Box Score (which is incorrect) here: http://stats-live.com/iceoplexsimivalley/Game/BoxScore/1497

DODOS HOCKEY TIED FOR FIRST PLACE!

Just eight weeks into the new season, Dodos Hockey (6-2) is in a two-way tie for first place, and will face the Puck Monkeys (6-2) this Sunday at 2:30 PM at Iceoplex for sole possession of the lead in Division 4.

Last week they faced the Pond Stars (5-3) and won the game, 6-5. It was a seesaw battle for the first period and a half, until the Dodos took the lead for good.

It was a tight game in the first period, with neither team scoring until the Pond Stars' Matt Diaz slipped one past Dodos' goaltender Chris Barrera (6-2) well into the second half of the period. Two penalties a minute apart left the Dodos short-handed for a minute when Bryan Silvey backhanded a shot by an out of position Stars' goalie, to tie the game at 1-1 headed into the second period.

In the second period, the Stars and Dodos were playing more aggressively, putting more shots on goal and making the goalies really work. The Stars scored first, but the Dodos answered back when Silvey scored his second goal with an assist by Jeff Hewitt. The Dodos would surrender the lead a little more than a minute later to trail the Stars 3-2.

Three-quarters of the way through the second period, the Dodos would tie the game at 3-3 with a goal by one of the newcomers, Mike Miner and with a minute remaining in the period, Joe Madden added an unassisted goal of his own to give the Dodos a 4-3 lead with one period left to play.

The Pond Stars would once again score first in the new period, tying the game with a goal by Steve Goldstein before the Dodos would once again take the lead when another Dodos' newcomer, Matt Girt wristed a shot past the Stars' goalie.

With a 5-4 lead, Miner scored his second goal of the game, giving the Dodos some insurance as the minutes began to wind down on the Stars' chances of a tie.

The Stars made a valiant effort, just missing a goal when the puck bounced past Barrera before he dove and swatted the puck seconds before it crossed the goal line. They would add a fifth goal, but could not muster a sixth goal to tie.

See the highlight video here: http://youtu.be/PX2zeYujfq0

Get the Box Score here: http://stats-live.com/iceoplexsimivalley/Game/BoxScore/1477