Going into Sunday's game, the Ventura Mariners Bantam Killer Bees found themselves in a complicated tie with the Jr. Falcons
for a spot in the championship game. Had the officials in the first game been able to skate, they would have seen the goal
and this match would have meant nothing. Instead, the boys had to win, and they had to win big.
The
Mariners had beaten their opponent The Beach City Lightning on the previous four occasions, so maybe they hit the ice with
a little bit too much confidence. When Jason Hart scored the first goal of the game, it seemed like that confidence was well
placed. Things quickly went south for the boys. The Lightning struck back with a vengeance. It was like our team couldn't
do anything right. The boys couldn't get out of the zone. The couldn't get any pressure. Everything the Lightning shot went
in the net. The Mariners had a breakdown at every level.
Even when the team caught a break, it still
didn't matter. Josh Kuchinskit launched an outside jump shot that Brian Zacchia put in the net with a high stick. They counted
it for some reason. At that point the Mariners were down 5-2. The third period was even more disastrous. The boys surrendered
another four goals. Conor Gleason's beautiful end-to-end goal was countered by the ugliness of everything else. Late in the
third, Killian Anderson and Blake Burlew pulled off the impossible. They hooked up for the team's final goal despite the fact
that they were both on the bench. That right there should show the competency of the officiating in this game. The reality
was, Shane Heller scored off of a feed from Conor.
When this game was mercifully over, the Mariners
had themselves an old-fashioned 9-4 butt-whooping. We can play the "what-if" game all we want, but it comes down to the team
simply not showing up. All 17 players share responsibility for this loss. We win as a team and we lose as a team. How the
kids react to this loss will show their true character.
I was a little disappointed in the team after
this game. Everyone, parents and kids alike, were so ticked off they just wanted to get the heck out of Anaheim. It was like
just because we lost a tough one, we ceased to be a family. I thought the team had a respectable showing in the tournament
and I enjoyed both the games and our down time together. It's just a game people. Lighten up.
Because
it's hard to find 3 stars in a game like this, I will be doing things a little different and it requires some explanation.
Shane's getting a star because he got hosed out of two goals on the score-sheet. Blake and Killian are also getting stars
because they were the only two kids that came out for a meal after the game. BTW the brunch buffet at Acapulco was awesome.
