In the first game, Team Lia hit the ground running, scoring 3 quick goals before Team Dirka knew what hit them. A blowout in the making?…or not. Team Dirka’s defense settled down and as time ran down in the period scored 1, then another and finally a 3rd goal was scored to tie the game. But…Team Lia quickly retaliated and the period ended with the Lias up by one – 4-3. In the 2nd Team Dirka scored to tie it up again but Team Lia again pulled ahead by 1. Again, Team Dirka clawed back and tied the score and quickly added another to pull ahead by one, exiting the 2nd period up 6-5. But the momentum changed again in the 3rd, Team Lia scored and then added 2 more while Shawn kept Team Dirka from adding any more markers. Final score Team Lia 8 – Team Dirka 6.

Second game had roster issues …again. As usual Team Blair was seriously undermanned – only 6 runners so they were able to convince the goalies to switch from their assigned teams and Big Matt V was convinced to play for them in the late game. Obviously none of these remedies were needed as Team Blair, with Matt V leading the way, scored early and often – up by 5 at the end of the first period. Team Jacquie scored a couple of goals to rattle Justin in the 2nd and added a couple more in the 3rd but, it was too little, too late as Team Blair cruised to an easy 11 – 4 victory.

A couple of roster changes, moved John Doxtator and added Sean Elmer to Team Jacquie as of next week’s game.

Upcoming is Week #5 Wednesday June 1, 2016 Kinsmen Arena

Team Blair  vs.  Team Dirka     8:00pm-9:00pm

Team Lia  vs  Team Jacquie     9:00pm – 10:00pm.

See you there.

G2

The dreaded last minute goalie text – ” I’m not feeling well, I’m going to stay on the couch tonight, is that OK, can you get someone else?”  …sigh… at 4:30, …double sigh….,  too late to get anyone else, too late to try to round up some spare equipment, too late to contact any guys driving in from out of town,…too late, too late, too late…wonderful! Might as well show up anyway, never know when a random goalie wander in unannounced? As players started to trickle in, one of Russ’ old Intermediate players volunteered to play net if we could find some equipment, some of the Minor executives and HL coaches were able to cobble together enough surplus equipment to provide some semblance of protection and Darien sauntered on the floor to face the rubber. GAME ON!

What with the goalie fiasco, the first game started a bit late. Team Blair, short handed for the second week in a row, probably suffering from the same London Knights flu affecting the goalie, but bolstered by a couple of random recruits, took to the floor against a full benched Team Dirka. The Dirkles (?) fought hard on both offense and defense but the Blairs(less) kept shooting at Darien. Though he stopped way more than expected, the number and quality of shots was just too many and too good – final score Team Blair(less)  10  – Team Dirka 8.

There was rumour that the JKOW had contacted a spare (super)goalie that was going to show up for the 9:00 game but rumour was all it was. No goalie savior floated through the Kinsmen doors and Darien was convinced to stand in for another game – at least we didn’t have to duct tape him to the net to keep him playing! Hmm… the LAX saviour narrative seems to keep replaying for all levels of London LAX – savior imminent, ….doesn’t show up, isn’t as good as the press releases promise, isn’t reliable….have to keep managing with what we have.

For the second game both benches were full – real lacrosse addicts here, the green tinge is Werewolf related, not Knight’s flu.  Game started fast with lots of shots and saves at both ends but the end result seemed inevitable – Team Lia overwhelmed Darien with shots and Team Jacquie just couldn’t keep up. Final score Team Lia  15  –  Team Jacquie 6.

Thanks to Darien for stepping up and putting himself in the line of fire – much appreciated. Next week you can take revenge on your Team Lia tormentors and get payback! To try to bolster Team Blair(less) turnout, Billy McKale and Darien Griffin have been added to their roster for next week. Other changes may be implemented if more players re-register over the next week. If the Blair(less) ever have everyone show up, they will be hard to beat. We will review turnout and rosters again after next Wednesday and make further modifications as needed. Full schedule is posted with a downloadable, printable version avaialble. Please review and let me know if there are any glaring issues.

Next is Week #3  May 18, 2016 Kinsmen Arena

Team Jacquie  vs.  Team Dirka     8:00pm – 9:00pm

Team Blair(less)  vs.  Team Lia     9:00pm – 10:00pm.

See you there.

G2

Good turnout for the 1st game of the evening – both new owners/managers were on the floor and cheering/prodding/whipping their minions to higher levels of performance. The game was more or less a rematch of last years championship final and the results were the same – Team Lia got some goals early and was able to keep ahead of Team Dirka till time ran out. Final score Team Lia 9 – Team Dirka 7.

2nd game of the evening was a bit of a concern. Lots of turnout for Team Jacquie but Team Blair’s players must have been protesting the lack of diversity in their ownership group and didn’t bother showing up. After some quick player loans, the game was on. Scoring was a bit more scarce and Team Jacquie fought to a narrow lead and ran out the clock on another 2 goal game – Team Jacquie 6 – Team Blair 4.

A few more last minute players have signed up and some additional player movement has been discussed for next week. Should be a few changes posted on Monday and we will re-evaluate rosters after the next couple of weeks to see who is showing up on a regular basis.

Next is Week #2, Wednesday May 11, 2016 Kinsmen Arena

Team Blair  vs.  Team Dirka     8:00pm – 9:00pm

Team Jacquie  vs.  Team Lia     9:00pm  –  10:00pm

See you there.

G2

London Werewolves Senior Masters Team headed up to Midland for the 1st real tournament of the 2016 season. There was rumour that something went on a couple of weeks ago in Erin on a Saturday afternoon but apparently no records were kept and no one submitted any sort of report. No report, no pics, no video …it didn’t happen….. though the background buzz that the spare goolies were getting upset/tired at the amount of work in the 1st 2 periods of both games was…disturbing – hopefully a temporary aberration…right?…RIGHT?

The road to Midland was a bit depressing – a bunch of last minute cancellations, work or injury related or “I have to play hockey instead!” or “BTW, I decided to play for another team instead at the very last minute! Is that OK?” changed a  workable 10 man running bench to 5 then an email saying someone was running 20 min late on the highway – RUH ROH! 1 goalie, 4 runners – this will not end well!  Looking back at last years report – similar issues, is there a pattern here? Some last minute on site recruiting with promises of appropriate beverages to both players and team managers, spares were obtained from Peterboro and Halton and the Werewolves were ready to snarl. After a surprisingly evenly matched game, Friday night ended with a 5-5 tie against Huntsville.  If this keeps up Huntsville will stop coming to Midland, a loss and a tie to London to open the season – how embarrassing! (9:00 Friday night games – both good and bad – hard to get to the game on time (right Bryan?) but that much more time to enjoy pizza and beer before last call!)

Saturday’s schedule was brutal – games at 2:00 and 4:00 – essentially back to back  with a short bench – are they trying to kill us …or just make us stronger? 2:00pm game vs Beaches was typical but had some promise. They got ahead early but Wolves kept fighting back and got to within 2  in the 3rd period before Beaches scored a couple of quick ones to put the game on ice. Still, any game that they start ragging the ball to kill time to prevent a possible London comeback is a moral victory for the Wolves. With the first game done, no point in getting changed, stay in the same dressing room and wait for more punishment at 4:00pm. The 2nd game was against perennially strong Halton Hills – the 2 players that helped us out on Friday probably shared our secret strategies with their regular teammates butto no avail – Werewolves scored a couple early but Halton kept coming back including a post buzzer penalty shot goal at the end of the 1st period and another buzzer beater at the end of the 2nd. London pulled ahead but Halton came back to tie it going into the last few minutes. The Goats pressed hard but the London defense  stood their ground and kept it away from the goalie – (good thing!) and time ran out just before the potential game winning goal crossed the line….whew! Final score London 8 – Halton 8. 2nd tie, 2nd point of the weekend – not that bad after all.

After more deliberations over beer and pizza and discussions (flirting!?) with Katrina the waitress that remembered us from 2015 and 2014, off to bed and Sunday’s final game of the weekend. With 75% of the Wolves scoring missing (JKOW and Mike) defense and goaltending would have to suffice – Oh well, hopefully we will survive!. Werewolves initiated the scoring and were ahead 2-0 but lack of depth, both in scoring and bench personnel made the end result predictable if not inevitable. Durham caught up and pulled ahead. London kept it close but the game ended with a Durham victory 9-6.

Overall a positive weekend even with the worrisome beginning. The start of another, ever increasing sequence for 2016, 1st Tournament – 2 pts, 2nd Tournament 4pts…? 3 tournaments plus provincials at that pace should put us in the A finals in Oakville in September – should be able to put that money in the bank! Thanks to Barrie, PBoro, HaltonHills and the referee pool for helping out with emergency recruits – that is what Masters LAX is all about – the fun of the game.

Now for a long hiatus – next tournament is July 15 in Fergus – hopefully people can figure out their schedules far enough ahead so that alternatives can be arranged if needed.

GO WEREWOLVES OF LONDON! ……AROOOOOOOOOH!

G2