Series One, Game One: 3/30/07: Bugs 1, Thunder 5

First off, let me send my deepest condolences to the family of Harold Woodruff. Whenever there was any kind of Mudbugs activity, Mr. Woodruff was there. He even came to the Hockey 101 for Women nights. His passing obviously will leave our Mudbugs with very heavy hearts. I hope his family will be comforted by the knowledge that he was truly loved and admired by many, many people.

I only had two worries about going into last night's game: an overall lack of playoff experience and overconfidence. I think I worried a little too loudly because somebody heard me: the Thunder.

There are so many young players on our Bugs' team who haven't been to "the dance" before, not really felt the difference in the pressure to perform well. And last night they got a Wicked Witch of a lesson from Wichita. The Thunder came to win; I'm not sure my Bugs even came to play. It was quite painful to look up at the scoreboard at the end of the first period and see 3-0 tally.

From missed passes to misread feeds to sloppy stickwork to poor defense to shaky goaltending, if it could go wrong, it did. Players losing their edges and sending themselves down to the ice basically summed up the night: Murphy's Law, laughing all night, seemed to have parked itself firmly on the home team. Not since late November, early December have we seen such an unconnected effort from this team.

The Thunder came out firing on all cylinders from the get-go, and the better team won. They used their powerplays wisely and made the Bugs pay early. Horrell is a HUGE find for Wichita. However, the way their defense played around their own net is to be commended as well. The Bugs were stifled from every angle and just couldn't solve the Thunder rookie. The Thunder were also tremendously physical in this game, whereas the Bugs were not. Coach French did a great job prepping his team for last night's game.

Disappointed in our Bugs' effort? Oh yea. Am I worried? No. Because I know what this Mudbug team can and will do. Do or do not, boys. There is no try. Time to throw a big bucket o' water on the Wicked Witch.

Governors' Cup Champs!

I held off writing until the end of the regular season because I was afraid that voicing my giddiness over the possibilities for this team would irritate the hockey gods. Now that the regular season is over, all I can do is yell, "HOOOORAAAAY!""

It would take a big thesaurus to describe the emotions rolling around in the CTC last night. The first five and a half minutes of yesterday's game sum up how I feel about this team's achievments so far this season: euphoric, ecstatic, excited, energized, elated....I could exhaust all the great "e" words found in the thesaurus and then some. Literally two SECONDS before Chris Brassard scored goal number one, my friend "B" said, "Brass is due for a goal." Ask and you shall receive. Jason Basile's redirected rebound for goal number two came just as we were catching our breath from goal number one. After Joe Ori scored that third goal, I used my friend "L's" camera to capture a shot of the jumbotron's scoreboard. 3 shots, 3 goals in the first 5:07. Unreal.

I was worried the guys would come out a little tired after their sojourns to Tulsa and Memphis, especially since both of those games got pretty physical. (Steve Makway, you've been warned.) But, our Bugs finally figured out that when another team hands you a gift like the Governors' Cup, you say "Thank you" in spades. How can a Mudbugs fan not be excited about this team? I don't think these young men really understand how happy we are with and for them and the effort they have put out there on the ice game after game after game. Coach Muscutt said, "Well, we've done everything else we didn't think we could do, so why not add this onto the ball and keep it rolling."

Call this season's team the "little team that could". That steam engine has roared to life in the likes of 18 players who have literally left parts of themselves in arenas across the CHL. They've fought, toiled, sweated, bled, eaten, slept,laughed, cried, and mastered Mudbugs hockey. They've more than earned the chance to go after that coveted President's Cup. The rest of the league laughed at us at the beginning of the season, with our immigration problems keeping things iffy. Several opposing fans insultingly suggested that the immigration snafu would be our "excuse" for not doing well this season. Hmm. Look who came to us because of those problems: Zirnis, Ori, the Abbotts, Musselman. Yea, I'd say those guys were good pickups. This team is cranking, this team is churning, this team is rolling, this team is on a mission. And woe be to any opponent who stands in their way. Wichita Thunder, I hope you're ready. Friday night starts it all. It's a GREAT time to be a Mudbug fan. Thanks, boys! We're behind you all the way.

THANKS A LOT! (in several languages)

Merci BeauCoup to Memphis for tanking to Tulsa 6-1 last night in Memphis (on the same day dear old Coach McClelland was chosen as CHL Coach of the Year. What a way for a team to show its gratitude...) Sterling and Schieve's performances last night have the 'Kings' fans very worried about the team's postseason chances. But congrats to them for making it TO the postseason. We've missed you guys.

Danke to Tulsa for channeling their anger into a can of you-know-what on Memphis last night. Bryan LaChappelle was on fire last night. Hope the Riverkings were paying attention: that was the performance of a team which WANTS to be in the playoffs.

CHEERS, Coach Muscutt and the entire Mudbugs team for the fantastic hard work you've done all season that took you from the bottom rung of the NE Division in early November to the NE Division Champions as of today. We love you guys, and we're proud to call ourselves your Fourth Liners, and we're all looking forward to supporting you FAR into the postseason.

Finally, Mahalo nui loa, Roy Lang, for your backwards way of motivating this Mudbugs team by picking Memphis in preseason to be the division champs (for the second year in a row, I might add). Enjoy that big helping of Turtle-stuffed crow. Let me know when you're ready for a pair of those teal-colored glasses....

Bugs/Oilers 3/19/07

Where do I begin? Last night's game was probably the most, er, bizarre hockey game I've ever attended. For two periods it was a game. The third period was something else--something that would have been front and center at a P.T. Barnum production.

The only things missing from the third period were the Hanson Brothers cracking the lion tamer's whip because the third period sure turned into a circus on ice. And Paul Depuydt became the Ring Master. Not sure where he was coming from with many of the minor penalty calls he made in the third. If he'd been doing his job in the first and second periods, then the things that occurred in the third maybe wouldn't have happened. The ten minute penalties on Brassard and Dumba for "inciting" at the end of the first were too much, I thought, for face washing and a few jabs. I'd hate to have seen what he'd have done if a fight had occurred. (And I wish the officials would figure out the difference between tripping and diving and not call both.)

Ken Carroll gets an A+ plus extra credit for his effort in goal. 57 of 60 saves. Unreal. Bless him, being put in that horrendous 4-plus minute 5-on-3 situation in the third would be enough to make Patrick Roy a nervous wreck. Heck, it was a nightmare to watch. He and the Bugs did the best they could with a really bad situation. I didn't see Gustafson's hit on Dumba, but I did see Dumba laughing as his teammates took him off the ice.Whether that was because he was in his happy place or his teammates told him Gus got a gamer, who knows? Pegoraro's check on Newson looked like a good check; we've seen similar situations in the past that were given four minute minor penalties, not game misconducts.

Speaking of Newson, now I know how other fans feel about Fonger. Newson is an annoying shrimp of a guy who was flappin' his yap at anyone who'd give him the time (and all the more so when Dumba was flat out on the ice), including Coach Muscutt. I thought he should have been given a two minute minor at the end of the first period, but his actions and mouthing were ignored, much to the Swamp's disgust. I'm guessing his new boo-boo above his left eye ain't too perty.

Ruggerio was quiet this game, but he was still a sieve. After the fifth goal, he was pulled and sat in the box with his mouth closed. (Togiai must be giving out haircuts on the side, because Mr. Bill was sportin' a mini-mohawk similar to Togiai's.)

The Abbott brothers continue to play like they are possessed. Cam Abbott took a flying elbow to his nose from Nahriniak at the beginning of the third period. I don't care what Tulsa's coach says, this was an intent to injure. Watching Cam try to crawl off the ice as he was in tremendous pain is something I hope I never see again, from any hockey player. Then viewing George stuff Cam's nostrils (his nose must be broken) with cotton, seeing Cam go back out on the ice three minutes later and THEN watching him score a goal to complete a hat trick was almost insane. Is there no one who isn't in awe of this young man today?

Not to be outdone by his brother, Chris Abbott had a three point night, too, and scored the empty netter from the far blue line WHILE LAID OUT ON THE ICE ON HIS STOMACH. That play has gotta end up on youtube.com soon.

The Bugs' get a huge 2 points for their super team effort, Depudyt gets a couple of black eyes for his scene-chewing performance, and Tulsa gets zip for not much of any sort of attempt to play hockey. Still playing with a short bench (Lightbody dressed but only took a few shifts), going up 5-0 (before Depudyt decided Cam Abbott had had enough attention), the Bugs sent just another message to the league: You can beat us up, but you aren't going to win that way. We ain't going away easily.

To err is human...

...to realize you did so 24 hours later stinks. Sorry about the error about the Bugs' total points in my last post. It's been corrected. My brain said 86, but my fingers typed 84. Blame it on sleep deprivation, thanks to a weekend of dogsitting a hyperactive miniature dachshund. I love the little stinker, but he's exhausting. I think I need a B12 shot.

Seems as if Memphis and Colorado heard my plea: they lost yesterday, thus setting up a very interesting scenario for this week. The 'Bugs trail Colorado by three points, Laredo by one point, and are ahead of Memphis by four points. The Mudbugs have games in hand over both Colorado and Laredo. Memphis has four games this week, ending their season against the Mudbugs on Sat. night in Memphis. Could be some major fireworks by the time Saturday and Sunday roll around.

But, back to tonight's game. Right now, it's the only one that counts. Like Coach Muscutt says, one game at a time. Wonder if the Oilers gave Ruggerio his distemper shot....

Bees, and Thunder, and Points! Oh My!

Friday night's game against the Killer Bees had a weird feel to it, at least it did to me. At one point in the first period the SOG were 13-3 in favor of the Bees, and play seemed choppy and haphazard. At times I thought I was watching a ping-pong game, so much of it was played between the blue lines. Ken Carroll did a great job in goal, stopping 29 of 30 shots; and the Bugs all got on the same page in the second period, winning the game 3-1, nice, since the Bees had been a bit of a problem earlier in the season. The team had to make some adjustments mid-frame as vets Forbes MacPherson and Quade Lightbody sat out quite a bit of the game, but they handled it well.

Last night's victory in Wichita was very nice, considering the Thunder front office put on a big "welcoming" party for our Mudbugs, even with t-shirts commenting on everything from Coach's hair to George Bullock, Jr.'s and Billy Welker's famously friendly demeanor that overflows when in the confines of the Kansas Coliseum. 9000+ of the fans booing the home team at the end of the game (not to mention when Andrew Martin was yanked after Bugs' goal number 4) shows that the fans aren't the most annoying, the Thunder are! Since I know Andy, I feel a bit badly that his stellar performance in the first period went by the wayside with his sloppy play that led to Jason Williamson's goal. But, anytime the Bugs put it to the Thunder, it's all good. Everyone's pretty sure that next year's Thunder team will be much different. Maybe they ought to consult the Great and Powerful OZ when they start recruiting for next season....

Speaking of OZ, the Wizards of POZ, the Pegs/Ori/Zirnis line, were fantastic in this game. They've been grinding away these last few games, and I told my friends all three of these guys were way overdue for some goals. Happy to see that came true last night. Great to see Milan Vodrazka back on the ice as well. He's got the reach of a pterodactyl; a couple more games under his skates, and he'll be good to go. At this point, every player on this team is a scoring threat. Not many teams in the CHL have the scoring capacity that the Bugs have. Even playing so short-handed last night, the team came away with a strong, convincing effort. And the Mudbugs moved past the Bucks (who lost at home against the Riverkings) to 86 points, just 3 behind league leader Colorado.

This week marks the last of the regular season. WOW! It's just flown by. It seems like yesterday that we were all biting our lips as immigration problems were biting the team, and Sprotter and Dave Brown were hanging out with the Bugs and Kurt Russell in Austin. Four games this week, Tulsa twice, Memphis, and Youngstown. 8 big points that could be the difference in first and second place in the league. 8 points that could be the difference in playoff seeds. 8 points and the Mudbugs finish with a huge 94 points. Now if Colorado would just cooperate and lose a couple, we'd all be really happy in the Swamp.

Mudbugs/Bucks 3/13/07

Something special happened last night in the CTC. And it had nothing to do with the final score (5-1 Mudbugs, which was special in itself). 4200+ witnessed a young team come into its own. 4200+ watched a magic show, the master magicians being the Mudbugs players on the ice.

The Bugs' dominating play featured sleight of hand, trickery, illusion, and surprise. Laredo's offense did the disappearing act as the Bucks (and Coach Ruskowski) were left speechless and totally confused. From the opening play, the Bugs used their youth and experience, speed and skill, and energy and drive to eviscerate the top team in the CHL's Southern Conference.

Every Bugs' player worked as a well-oiled machine to give us an almost perfect game. Abbott and Abbott, Inc., racked up four of the five goals., Eric Marvin may have nightmares about these two for quite a while, and backup goalie Reiter will well remember his first time in goal in the CTC...those pesky Abbotts! A rested Forbes McPherson showed off his vet skills as he easily scored the second goal of the game. The entire team became a defensive wall(aside from the offensive monster), time and again stymieing the Laredo offense. John Decaro has elevated his game to Ken Carroll proportions. (An aside: After robbing a Buck of a goal late in the game, Decs looked to be waving "bye" to that player and the rest of the Bucks' team. He was, in fact, asking George Bullock for another bottle of water. It was pretty funny to think he was bidding them adieu, though.)

Kyle "Rocky" Musselman deserves huge congrats for tangling with Kris Mallette (a noted league enforcer), not once, but twice. In the first bout, Kyle, while holding his own against a more experienced pugilist, went to the ice first and wobbled off into the dressing room after hitting his head on the ice (thanks to a late sucker punch by Mallette). The second bout late in the third period had Muscle-Man confronting Mallette, who seemed baffled that "the kid" wanted a rematch. Kyle,with a stubborn, determined, almost possessed look on his face, quickly redeemed himself as he gave Mallette a stellar pounding, and then grinned from ear to ear as he "pulled out his pistols and shot up" the Laredo bench on the way to the dressing room. And the fans shouted with joy as, in that instance, we watched this rookie literally grow up on the ice and become a true Mudbug to his very marrow. Those red-headed fellas are keepers!

This past November Mudbugs' fan Donnie Henry remarked about this team, "We have the tools to destroy." Last night his foresight came to full fruition. This team has something special going on...it's almost downright scary.

Jump and Grind

Friday's game against the surging Youngstown Steelhounds had to be about shutting down 100 point scorers Jeff Christian and Chris Richards. It had to be about the Mudbugs matching the Hounds in physicality. It had to be about who had the jump in their step. And the Mudbugs were defintely up to task. At the beginning puck drop, I said out loud, "We've got to score early." Little did I know, the Abbott brothers heard me. Nineteen seconds into the game, they took care of business. Friday's game was all about jump, and the Mudbugs had it in spades.

Of course, all the fans held their collective breath as Cam Abbott took a puck to the jaw at pointblank range. It happened in front of where I sit. At first we thought he was hit by the Y'town player's stick, too. Cam's going to have a nice "zipper" to tell his grandkids all about. Gotta give the young man props for his tenacity and grit as he played last night, no signs of an injury plaguing his energetic effort.

Oklahoma City came to town last night, probably steamed that they weren't able to win in Memphis. (Yeah, Larry Sterling will do that to ya.) This game was definitely a grinder. My friend "B" said at the end of a scoreless first period, "I got a feelin' this is gonna be a one goal game." When the third period started, with the score still 0-0, and the Bugs nearing 40 SOG, we all said, 'It's gonna happen, soon; Connors is gonna blink." And sure enough, the Abbott brothers came to the rescue again, along with their Cornell buddy Jeremy Downs. (GO BIG RED! Sorry, Fonger.) A crazy situation allowed the Blazers to score close to the end of the third to tie it up. There was a mess o' players in front of Ken Carroll, and all I saw was a player on top of him and Cruikshank (not again!) allowing the goal. After an explanation from my friend "G" that a Bugs' D-man had pushed the OKC player onto KC, therefore the play was still alive, I understood the call. It still rankled, though, especially when Cruikshank seemed to prematurely call the play dead in front OKC's goal on the next play. Fonger must have decided he was ready to go home,because he took a beauty of a pass from Chris Brassard, and scored the game winner about 90 seconds into OT.

A four-point weekend gives the Bugs 80 points, just 3 behind league leaders Colorado and Laredo. The Bucks are in town on Tuesday night. This is one we've all been looking forward too. Coach Roscoe has made some adjustments to his team since their wayward losing streak early last month. The teams' series is tied 1-1. This game could have more implications than just two points. It's sure to be a good one. (I just found out that the goal light in Laredo needs a new bulb. Where's Rufus when you need him???)

The past few games have seen the Mudbugs return to their tight, defensive style of play. Coach has them all working together. The interchanging line combinations are showing the form of a well-oiled machine, a great thing to see. Come playoffs, this Mudbugs team is going to be very, very hard to beat.

Congrats and more congrats 3/8/07

Gi-normous (as my students would say) congratulations go out to the Mudbugs for winning first place in three categories, second place in five categories, and third place in three categories of the CHL's Annual Best of the Best awards. Check out Roy Lang's story on today's Times' website for specifics. I'll blog more about this later on this weekend. (Psst, they should give out a Best CHL Media coverage award. We all know who'd win!)

Tomorrow the Mudbugs organization and The Times will release the Mudbugs Top Ten Anniversary Team, voted on by fans. Even though I've only followed the team since the '03-'04 season, I had some input from some friends who helped me out with my list.

Here are my selections, in no particular order:
1. Dale Henry
2. Kevin St. Pierre
3. Toby Burkitt
4. Tony Bergin
5. Jim Sprott
6. Trevor Buchanan
7. Dan Wildfong
8. Ken Carroll
9. Forbes MacPherson
10. Jason Campbell


Congrats to Ken Carroll and the Bugs for winning at Tulsa on Tuesday. I was unable to listen to the game as I was teaching class, so I followed it on pointstreak.com Several people who listened said that KC made some amazing saves and was definitely the difference in the game.

More congrats go out to former Mudbug goalie Andrew Martin, who is playing for Wichita. Stepping up since Sebastien LaPlante's ankle injury, Andy faced 51 Colorado shots, and stopped 49, plus three in the shoot-out round to lead the Thunder to a 3-2 win over the Eagles. The Thunder were only able to put a measly 22 shots on goal the whole game, yet three of their five players were able to put the biscuit past Paulo Coloiacovo in the shoot out. Andy's a great kid who spends his off-season teaching goalie lessons in Plano, TX, and working out with the Dallas Stars when the Stars need a goalie. He's had lots of fun stoning players like Mike Modano, Bill Guerin, and Brendon Morrow, as he told me once with a huge grin on his face.

Youngstown's in the CTC tomorrow night. It's a game that has huge playoff implications. The 'Dogs are just 5 points behind the Bugs in the NE. Overall, Colorado and Laredo are tied at 81 points, the Bugs have 76, and Memphis has 73. Following closely behind are Y'town, OKC (69) and Corpus Christi (69). There are plenty of games left in the season that the winner of the Governor's Cup could be decided the last weekend of March.

(Just a thought: Could someone step up and please build a permanent ice rink in the area? After ten years of ice hockey in our area, you'd think this would have already been done. It's a bit ridiculous for the Mudbugs to be without ice on a regular basis.)

Mudbugs/Oilers 3/3/07

It’s the little things that often get one in trouble...and we often have to eat our words. And that never tastes too good, does it?

One step too slow, one too fast. Turned away from the puck, turned away from the goal.
Left side of the net when you’re needed on the right side and vice versa. Turnovers at the blue line. It was the little things that got the Bugs in trouble Saturday night. And Tulsa was more than happy to capitalize on a young team’s mistakes.

It’s to be expected of a team of youngsters, I guess. As a fan, it was no fun to sit there and watch them lose another close one, especially when you know what the team is capable of. Gotta work on not running out of gas after such a big win the night before. It’s what got us in trouble during the Finals last year. So they dust themselves off and go at it again tomorrow. Just wish we were three points ahead of Memphis instead of one.

Tomorrow morning’s game in Tulsa is a kids’ game. As much as I love hockey, being surrounded by 5,000+ continually screaming kids is not something I think I’d do…especially since I am on a campus of 900+ adolescents for seven hours a day, five days a week. I go to hockey for fun, not for a headache!

Mudbugs/Oilers 3/2/2007

FedEx, UPS, Western Union, and the US Mail couldn't have done a better job of delivering a message.

Cam Abbott--hat trick, 5 points
Ryan Fairbarn--hat trick
Jeremy Downs--3 points
Konrad Brand--2 points; Mr. Togiai, you're no Mr. Brand
Dan Wilfong--a goal, gave Dulle a lesson or two
Chris Brassard--2 points; Ooooh Nooooo, who's your daddy, Mr. Bill?
Butch Kaebel--Rosco wants his towel and his schtick back
John Decaro--first pro shut out
6200+ ecstatic fans--Sonic, here we come!
Memphis--Could ya feel the breeze as the Bugs passed you?
Mudbugs---First place in the NE
Score--8-0; EIGHT to ZERO; Snowman-Goose Egg.

"Nuff said.

Them's Fightin' Woids

Sports are to men is what daytime soap operas are to women. Kinda like Home Depot is a man’s Victoria’s Secret: all you do is gaze and wish. And if you’re a hockey player (and fan) whose team has suddenly generated a hot rivalry, you’re in heaven, all lathered up and ready to go.

Tuesday night’s Bugs/Oilers game in Tulsa has given us a new buzz. An all-out line brawl with both teams, goalies included, going at it at the 19:00 mark of the third period and the ensuing retorts from both head coaches has created a stir not seen in Mudbugland since the post playoff game fisticuffs between Coach Muscutt and Coach Laxdal in Wichita two seasons ago. The stuff of legends in minor league hockey.

Boys will be boys. And since I’m a girl, I don’t quite get it. It’s a man’s thing. I watched my two younger brothers get intensely pumped and ready for football and baseball games when they played for our high school. I watch my friend “K”--and lots of the men around me--at the CTC drive opposing players nuts with his heckling, and it makes me laugh. And it can be infectious. We all like to give certain players a good razz, if we know it’s going to make ‘em crazy. But for men, it’s serious. It’s the ole “my hockey stick is bigger than yours” (can I write that? ) competition. Who says men don’t hold grudges?

I have no idea what actually happened at the end of Tuesday night’s game. I got a bit upset with my Bugs--the number one penalty killing unit in the league seemingly not doing its job very well--and turned off my radio. And the hockey gods punished me. I missed the whole gong show. Had to read about it the next day. My mouth fell open. I reread the box score a couple of times trying to figure out who squared off with whom and wondered if I should sit outside the CTC on Friday night with a can for donations to help pay the inevitable fines.

Will Bill Ruggerio go ballistic like he did back on November 3rd? Or will he just squirt the Bugs from the bench with his water bottle? Will Justin Togiai spend most of the game looking over his shoulder, praying that big new X on his back is invisible? Will Captain Dan lead his boys into battle, winning on the scoreboard and on the ice? Will Butch Kaebel be force-fed his own words by Scott Muscutt’s game strategy? For these and other answers tune in and find out. Better yet, buy a ticket to the game. One thing’s for sure: the CTC will be rockin’ and rollin’ and overflowin’ with fans and testosterone on Friday. Just call it As the Hockey Puck Turns.