Lake City's March Madness

The Lake City version of March Madness ended this week, with 2 teams eliminated and 4 teams advancing to the Semi Finals.
Tuesday night had 2 games, with the early game being played by Realty Partners, needing a win to keep their hopes alive to advance to the Semi Finals, against the Realty Partner Rinkrats, who have a win and a tie in their fist 2 games.
The Rinkrats led by Chris MacNeil's 2 goals and an asssist propelled the Rats to the Semi Finals, defeating the Realty Partners 5 to 2. The Rinkrats ended the tournament with 2 wins and a tie for 5 points, one point ahead of the Moustache, who have 1 game left to play. Realty Partners ended the Round Robin Tournament with 2 regulation losses and 1 overtime loss for 1 point, unfortunately that brings an end to their season.

The nightcap had the 6th place Wild Turkey's upset the 3rd place Secunda Mariners 7 to 6 in a highly entertaining shootout. Wild's Scott Sheffer and Jordie Mann each scored 2 goals in the victory. In a back and forth 1st period, that ended at 5 to 5, the 2nd period with each team trading a goal each up to the 15 minute mark. It remained that way until Terry Tremblay scored into the open side on a rebound with just 49 seconds remaining in regulation time. The win moves the Wild Turkey's to the next round for the first time since 2006 playoffs, when they defeated the Bacardi Rangers 2 games to 1 in the first round.
The Secunda Mariners fell to 1 win and 1 loss with their remaining game against the winless Alpines on Thursday. Steve Widmeyer buried a hattrick and Graeme Power had 2 goals, including a hi-lite goal in the loss.

The first game on Thursday night had no meaning to advance to the Semi Final, but would help decide the placement of the teams in the tournament. Your Fathers Moustache crusied past the Wild Turkey's 9 to 0. Regular season's leading goal scorer Neal Pashkoski, continued that in the playoffs, scoring 5 goals in the lopsided win. The victory assured the Moustache of 1st place in the Round Robin Tournament and would play the yet to be determined 4th seed, currently held by Secunda Mariners. Cody Cuvelier earned the shutout, while Sean Fraser potted a pair and Aaron Akitt chipped in with 4 helpers.

The last and remaining game would decide the fourth team to advance to the Semi Finals and placement in the standings.
The Dartmouth Alpines not only needed to win but had to win by 7 goals. The Mariners would have none of it and by 6 different goal scorers doubled up on the Alpines 6 to 3. Mariner's Chris O'Donnell had the game winner, plus a couple of helpers in the victory and gives Secunda 3rd place in the tournament. The loss ends the Alpines season, as they went 0 and 3 in the Tournament, Chris Boutilier had goal and an assist in the loss.

The Best 2 out of 3 Semi Finals will start next Tuesday April 1st, with the Wild Turkey's taking on Your Fathers Moustache at 9:00pm followed by Secunda Mariners playing the Realty Partner Rinkrats at 10:15pm in Game 1 of their series.

Please note the times of games as we move along in the playoffs. With earlier times and shortage of available dates, we will be playing 2 games on Tuesday's as well as Thursday's. No games on Thursday, April 3rd due to the local SEDHMA Hockey Tournament. Game 2 othe the Semi Finals will be Tuesday, April 8th with the Mariners and Rinkrats playing at 8:00pm and the Moustache and Turkey's at 9:15pm. If a Game 3 is needed in either series it will be played Thursday, April 10th starting at 8:00pm and if both series go 2 games to none the Lake City Cup Final will start on Thursday, April 10th.