Hawks, Whalers part II

Whaler goaltender Brandon Manzione (8-2-1) has an impressive 2.4 GAA this session. He hopes it'll standup against the Hawks tonight.

COLUMBUS, OH -- Tonight's playoff matchup between the Arrowhawks and the Whalers should be a um, ... Whale of a game (sorry, couldn't resist). The two powerhouse teams met only one time this session, a 2-1 Whaler win on June 24, but the game was in doubt to the very end.

Arrowhawks dynamic duo Kevin Griffith and Bryan Wharton opened the scoring at the 6 minute mark in the first period, but the lead didn't last long. Within a minute Travis Mathis potted the equalizer past a stunned James 'Freakin' Santho. The Whalers scored again in third period (Hoye) and held on for the win.

There was plenty of controversy in the closing seconds when it appeared an Arrowhawk shot planted the puck past Whaler netminder Brandon Manzione, only to be waved off. The goal would have tied the game. The Arrowhawks outshot the Whalers in the game but couldn't finish.

Too Offensive?
Travis Mathis (10-4-14) is the top point man for the Whalers. For the Hawks to win, they'll need to neutralize his speed and disrupt his stellar puck-carrying ability. It probably wouldn't hurt to deliver a large pizza and a case of beer (Guinness) to the Whalers locker room before the game. Center Chistopher Hoye (5-7-12) is another top-line performer capable of burying the biscuit. Defensively the Whalers are led by #7 Ian Smith (5-6-11), a native of one of the coldest places in Canada, the Yukon peninsula.

"I learned to skate on the frozen lake my house was built on," said Smith. "The ice was slow and that's why I'm so fast here in Ohio. Plus, there aren't any polar bears to chase me, so I can focus on my stride."

The Hawks will need to make sure Smith isn't able to wind up from the blue line, as he's got a blast from the point.

"I used my heavy shot to kill penguins for dinner. Carryout took forever!" he added.

Keeping it clean
Outside of one player, #9 Brian Oricoli, not a single Whaler is in double digits in penalty minutes. Ironically, all 12 of Brian's penalty minutes came against the Arrowhawks in their only game of the session. Apparently there was a tripping call, followed by some extracurricular after the whistle. It may have had something to do with an awkward collision along the boards between one of the Whalers players and an Arrowhawk forward. The collision broke the Whaler's wrist, something the Hawk forward certainly didn't intend. He apologized after the game.