February 17 Game Report

Has it really been only three weeks since the Greece Thunder Hockey team lost 2-1 in sudden death OT to Aquinas Little Irish at Lakeshore, cuz it seems like it was a lifetime ago? The olympics was fun to watch but something just seems like it has been missing without any Thunder games on the calendar. Had to let the final game report of the season marinate for a bit, as bowing out early in the pre-quarters was definitely not in our plans. Having tied AQ twice in regular season play, we figured the third time would be a charm, for us, not for them. It ended so abruptly, so suddenly, and it left us all verclempt. Perched in the stands to witness the last four Thunder seasons come to a close, I always sensed it was difficult for the senior parents who had just watched their son's high school hockey career come to a close, but it never really hit home for me until this year with the Vyper graduating. After 13 years, 3 minivans, and over 300k miles traveled on this hockey journey, could it all be over? Sure, the seniors will play again, be it juniors or college club, or men's league someday, and who knows, they might even walk onto a D1 or D3 team or go play in Europe. But it will be tough to recreate the atmosphere on the east rink at Lakeshore with their classmates and Thunder family cheering them on from the stands. The ups, the downs, and all the wonderful memories from their days of thunder will live on forever in their hearts and minds. Yeaaaahhhhhh Thun-Derrrrrrrrrrrr!

Who blinged the pants out, who, who-who. Who blinged pants-one out, was it the Miller girls and Ms. Gabby too? Soul Train Amanda laid down the final anthem track and it was nearly perfect, but to be honest, we could have used a little more cowbell. Thunder came out flying and dominated the play with AC and Ganti hammering away on the forecheck and Simmy chipping away at the paint on the crossbar. McNeilNuggetSkillet broke the seal by putting away the rebound from Vyper's point shot, fed by Simmy on the powerplay, just 6 minutes in, to make it 1-0 Thunder. Greece knocked on the Dohr a total of 9 times in the first frame and played solid man-on-man, stick-on-stick team defense, limiting the Irish to just 4 shots. Ian stacked-the-pads for a big save down the stretch on one of AQ's better chances.

Second period saw Thunder kill off the balance of the Irish PP that carried over from the first, as Vypes blocked a shot with his hairy neck, call it a neck-harry, don't try this at home. Cheese's wraparound bid prompted a Yeah Cheese from JR, but the Dohr was closed. Momentum shifted AQ's way forcing Mike Miller to step up and that he did, all over the ice, every shift. Then seemingly out of nowhere, with only 2.5 mins to the cut, Logan Gagnier came off the bench and directed an innocent slapper on net that one-hopped its way in from the point for the equalizer, assisted my Nick Montinarelli. Thunder only managed 7 shots in the second to AQ's 11, leaving Thunder with a 16-15 edge through two.

Back from the break, Grimmy slid into the Thunder goal with AQ's Vogl in his lap, providing a little comic relief to cut the tension at the outset of the third. Simmy went end-end walking everyone but Dohr made a nice pad save. Back in Thunder territory an attempted clear took a funny bounce off one of the stansions and ended up kicking out front, forcing Ian to square up for an emergency save. Keough kicked it into high gear and generated several scoring chances in the waning minutes of regulation but unfortunately none of them found the back of the net. Shots were 10-7 for a three period total of 26-22 in Thunder's favor. Then less than 2 minutes into the first 7.5 minute overtime, the unthinkable happened, as AQ's Jeff Hackshaw fired a shot, assisted by Logan Gagnier, that hit Cumming, bounced out and was ultimately picked out of the air and batted into the net by Nick Montinarelli for the goal that would advance the Irish to the next round while ending Thunder's season in an instant.

First star goes to Peter Dohr, the senior netminder for AQ with 25 saves for the win. Second star goes to Nick Montinarelli with a goal and assist including the winner. Third star goes to Ian Cumming with 21 saves for Thunder. Honorable mention: Logan Gagnier (AQ) with goal and assist for 2 points; Mike Miller for bringing the intensity all game long; Matt Keough for elevating his game and giving it all he had. And so, Thunder finishes their 10th season at 9-7-4-1, after a second place finish with an 8-3-3 record in the West Division. Nice work boys!

Congratulations are in order for the following Thunder players who received Section V Awards:
1st Team All League West Division Forward - Brandon Cheeseman
2nd Team All League West Division Defense - Dan Vyverberg
Top Scholar/Athlete Award - Dan Vyverberg

Congratulations are also in order for the following Thunder seniors who were chosen to represent the West in the Annual Section V Senior Select game:

Brandon Cheeseman
Dan Vyverberg
Steve Hebberecht

See everyone at the banquet. Be there or miss out on some good food and some seriously funny shtuff, lol.