Championship Game

Sunday's championship game at the Toyota Center didn't need any hype. It was as big as they come. The Ventura Mariners Bantam Killer Bees didn't need to be reminded of the enormity. They had been working hard all season to get to this point. They knew their opponent OCHC was a tough one and wanted to win as bad as them. This game would come down to effort, discipline, and heart. The question was, who wanted it the most?

The parents were nervous. The coaches were sweating bullets, but the kids seemed relatively calm. They knew what was expected of them and they knew it was their banner to win or lose. They were the best team, they just had to prove it. Obviously, OC felt the same way because they came out hard. Our boys found themselves in the unfamiliar position of defending their own zone. Shot after shot. Chance after chance. The Mariners were on their heels. Thankfully, goalie Brian Felt was a brick wall. With each puck on net you could see his power grow. He kept the team alive in the early going.

Having weathered the early storm and aided by confidence in the net-minder, the Mariners got their game on track. They started forcing the puck into the OC end. Line 2 got the bulk of the early chances. Killian Anderson and Tyler Serianne's punishing fore-check and Niko Utash's speed on the wing really started to open things up. The game was going back and forth through the first period with neither team willing to surrender a goal.

The middle frame was more of the same. Hey that rhymes. Both of these great teams tested each other, all the while trying not to make the first big mistake. The second line was starting to get in a rhythm and were able to set up the triangle. A shot from Killian set off a mad scramble in front of the net. The puck squirted behind the net to Tyler who spotted Niko crashing in. A quick little pass and an even quicker shot had the Mariners on the board. The first goal in a game this tight was huge and Niko showed top leadership by delivering.

This wasn't the hardest hitting affair, but it was physical enough. Killian led the early charge with some bone rattling checks, and you know Tyler was mixing it up. I was pleasantly surprised by the play of AJ Zavitz. I've been harping on him all year long to play the body to no avail. It only took all season, but Whitey was finally finishing his checks, and I couldn't have been more happy. Under normal circumstances, I would give the hit of the game to Zach Marshall. He tracked a kid all the way from the neutral zone to behind our net and unloaded like an atomic bomb. However, Blake Burlew did him one better. Blake got hammered from behind and drew a penalty. He was pissed and looking for revenge. Both Sergey and I were screaming at him to let it go, but he didn't hear us. He found the kid that hit him and lined him up for a reciprocating shot in the back. Then a miracle happened. Just as Blake was about to pounce, the puck came to the kid and he turned just enough. Instead of a retaliating penalty, Blake ended up with a clean and legal smack down.

It was lucky for the team, because the officiating was horrendous. There were badly missed offsides calls and non-calls, random icings and inconsistent interpretations of the rules. The linesman told us flat out that they were not going to call interference. OC was guilty on a few occasions of skating with too many men, but the basic arithmetic was too much of a challenge for the zebras to deal with. Tom Dobrokhot took a slash to the neck and yet he went to the box for high-sticking. Maybe he did high-stick somebody, I didn't see it, but the red mark on his throat, in which you could read the "Easton" logo tells me one of the OC players should have went to the box as well. I'm actually shocked that a championship game had officiating this bad. One of the parents told me the SCAHA representatives were cringing in the stands at our poorly called game.

Following the semi-final in Arizona, we had been talking to the kids about playing well enough to over come bad calls and that lesson was well learned. The boys never let it bother them. They remained focused on the their mission and played hard. Early in the third period that dedication paid off. The Mariners broke the puck out and started the rush. AJ hit Conrado Gesauldi with a perfect cross-ice pass through the neutral zone. Conrado, with a full head of steam, entered the offensive zone on the boards. As he streaked towards the net, he spotted a wide open Brian Zacchia. A nice pass put the puck on Brian's stick and he in turn put the puck in the net. There were too many bodies between me and the play, so I didn't really see it, but knowing Brian, it was a very Ovetchkin-like goal. In any case, the Mariner had a 2-0 lead.

Those two goals didn't seem like enough. The game was getting more desperate and OCHC was coming harder than ever. The Mariners defense faced their toughest assignment yet, and thankfully they were up to the challenge. Luke Tickle was fighting like a mad dog in the corners and Tom and Blake were cleaning out the crease with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball. OC knew when Zach was in the neighborhood. His mere presence caused turnovers. Brian F. had bailed these guys out early on, and they wanted to return the favor by keeping the puck away from him. Brad Kriegel should probably have been credited with a save. An OC player got the puck behind the net. Brian F. was on the wrong side and hampered by interfering bodies. He couldn't get over in time. Brad came out of nowhere, and just as the OC player was going to put it in the open net, he knocked the puck safely to the corner. It was this kind of effort that gave the Mariners the edge.

About mid-way through the third, Killian's smash-mouth style of play caused a turnover at center ice. Then, we got to see the amazing chemistry of the second line. Killian knew exactly were his winger was. He made an awesome no-look pass that sprung Tyler behind the defense. Unimpeded, Tyler streaked in and ripped a glorious shot that found the net over top of the OC goalie. It was 3-0 Mariners. Would that be enough?

OC came even harder and the boys responded with even more intensity. For some reason that darn clock wouldn't tick away fast enough. With nothing to lose OC pulled their goalie for a sixth attacker. They swarmed the Mariners zone. I was worried I was going to need an underwear change. After an eternity, the final horn blasted out the message that the Ventura Mariners were the SCAHA bantam B champions. They won the game 3-0. A perfect end to a perfect season. Goalie Brian F. had played the game of his life and earned the shutout. They gave him 20 saves but I think doubling that would be more accurate.

When the Redwings won it all in '97, after a long drought, I got a little misty-eyed as I watched Steve Yzerman lift Lord Stanley's Cup over his head. I knew how long it had been for Detroit. I knew how much the guys had sacrificed to get there. I had the same feeling as I watched our boys making a victory pile. Kids like Killian, Tom, Luke, and Brian have been playing since they were mites and had never tasted this kind of success. I knew how hard all of our kids worked to reach this point. I'd been with them through all the ups and downs. The feeling of pride I had was almost overwhelming. It was all I could do to keep it inside. These boys are champions. They are the best. They didn't luck into it. They earned it.

I can't finish writing this game report without mentioning something. There were some kids that didn't see a ton of ice over these last two games and I'm sure their parents aren't thrilled. Josh Donovan, EJ Frank, Patrick Gibson, and Shawn Wentzle saw limited ice in the do-or-die portion of the play-offs. It sucks the big one to go to a game only to watch your son sitting on the bench. Believe me, I know. I've been there before. Sergey had to make some coaching decisions. It's not always easy to make these choices and you'll never please everyone. In the Christmas tournament, when I was technically the head coach, I had to make a goaltending decision that wasn't popular with some folks. This team's success is more than just one or two games, it's the entire season. Every game, every practice, every dry-land. All 17 kids played an important part in getting the Killer Bees to the top. Each and every one of them made contributions and sacrifices that has allowed us to hang a Championship banner in our rink. This is a team, not a collection of individuals. It was a team that got to the Toyota Center on Sunday and it was a team that skated away with the victory.

Shout Out

Not that I think they're reading this, but I have to give props to OCHC. They played a heck of a game, that could have gone either way if the puck bounced in their favor. Not only are they the best team we faced, they are the classiest. I made a comment to one of our parents before the game that it was cool that the two cleanest teams in the league were playing for the championship. Usually, it's the two dirtiest cheap-shot artists that make the final. Congratulations on a great season and we look forward to representing SoCal hockey with you in two weeks.

Shout Out #2

I really want to thank all of our Mariners family for coming out and supporting us. The crowd was packed with our brothers and sisters and it really pumped our boys up. When they announced the Mariners were taking the ice the roar of the crowd was deafening. Goalie Timur Katsnelson looked at me with a smile and a "wow". He couldn't believe how loud the cheering was. So big thanks to The Pelones (Corey, Karen, Ray and Kaleb), the Golds (Danny, Molly, Kevin, and even Cody), El Presidente and Danny O, the bantam As, the Titans AAs, the peewwes, all the friends and families. You helped make this a really special day.