Author Archive: Ben Sumner

Squirrels 2, Piranhas 0

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It wasn’t easy or pretty, but the Screaming Squirrels tightened up defensively and notched a goal to defeat the Piranhas on Sunday.

Rob Myers’ second period rebound shot put the Squirrels on the board, and Tony Richelsen added an empty-netter as sub goaltender Earnest blocked 17 frantic shots for the shut out.

The Piranhas took seven minor penalties during regulation, giving the Squirrels two 5-on-3 advantages. But the power play and much of the game was routinely foiled by 26 saves from sub goaltender Shane Smith, who normally plays for the Bullets. But the one goal and gritty defensive play was enough to secure the victory for the Squirrels.

The Gardens IH – Logsdon      Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Piranhas 0 Screaming Squirrels 2
Game Details
Scoring Shots on Goal
1 2 3 Total
Piranhas 0 0 0 0
Screaming Squirrels 0 1 1 2
Piranhas 17
Squirrels 28
Scoring Summary
Period 1
(no scoring)
Period 2
Screaming Squirrels – Robert Myers (Anthony Richelsen) , 8:32
Period 3
Screaming Squirrels – Anthony Richelsen (empty net) (Chi Pham) , 0:12
Penalties
Period 1
Screaming Squirrels – Robert Myers – (Interference Minor), 2 min , 9:46
Piranhas – Scott Zabinsky – (High Sticking Minor), 2 min , 11:24
Piranhas – Dave Beaaulchap – (Hooking Minor), 2 min , 12:55
Period 2
Piranhas – Scott Zabinsky – (Interference Minor), 2 min , 2:08
Screaming Squirrels – Chi Pham – (Hooking Minor), 2 min , 3:08
Piranhas – Gary Gilbert – (Slashing Minor), 2 min , 12:22
Piranhas – Al Samples – (Interference Minor), 2 min , 13:18
Period 3
Piranhas – David Montgomery – (Boarding Minor), 2 min , 5:08
Piranhas – Brian Neall – (Body Checking Minor), 2 min , 9:19
Screaming Squirrels – Robert Myers – (Tripping Minor), 2 min , 9:58
Piranhas – Robert Llano – (Roughing Minor), 2 min , 15:00
Rosters
Piranhas Screaming Squirrels
Goalies
Name Min Shots Saves
35 Sub Shane Smith 45 27 26
Name Min Shots Saves
0 Sub Goallie 45 17 17
Players
# Name G A PTS PIM GWG
1 Alex Baddock 0 0 0 0 0
2 Mike Korba 0 0 0 0 0
4 Mark Pettis 0 0 0 0 0
5 Al Samples 0 0 0 2 0
11 Gary Gilbert 0 0 0 2 0
14 Dave Beaaulchap 0 0 0 2 0
16 Robert Hands 0 0 0 0 0
19 David Montgomery 0 0 0 2 0
25 Scott Zabinsky 0 0 0 4 0
51 Harry Mcintyre 0 0 0 0 0
68 Dave Quigley 0 0 0 0 0
73 Chris Neall 0 0 0 0 0
81 Brian Neall 0 0 0 2 0
88 Robert Llano 0 0 0 2 0
# Name G A PTS PIM GWG
2 Donald Marks 0 0 0 0 0
4 Chi Pham 0 1 1 2 0
5 Robert Valdes 0 0 0 0 0
7 Doug Winters 0 0 0 0 0
8 John Burke 0 0 0 0 0
9 Charles Wolstein 0 0 0 0 0
10 Brent Machado 0 0 0 0 0
12 Anthony Richelsen 1 1 2 0 0
18 Robert Myers 1 0 1 4 1
19 Benjamin Sumner 0 0 0 0 0
61 Tero Moberg 0 0 0 0 0
Other facts
Referee
Default Referee, Frederick Singletary, Mike HackworthScorekeeper
Thomas Haworth

It’s Tough Playing Beer League Hockey

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After watching HBO’s 24/7 with the Penguins and the Capitals, I realized that the referees in the NHL take a lot more crap from players than the beer league refs would tolerate. NHL refs get cursed at constantly without dishing out any further penalties. A beer league player might only question a call and get a misconduct. So, if it’s really true that NHL refs are more tolerant of being cursed at than beer league refs, then that should be number 11 on the list of Ten Ways Beer League Hockey Is Harder Than the NHL.

Looking Back on a Decade of Hockey

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It’s been more than ten years since the group of people now known as the Screaming Squirrels started skating together on a rag-tag roller hockey team at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel. In that time, the Squirrels have played roller hockey each summer, and started ice in late 2003. As you can imagine, players have several memories of their time with the Squirrels over the years.

“Feeding the puck to Rob for the championship-winning goal against Dog Star will always be my highlight,” says Matt Borlik, who started with the team in 2002 as a backup goaltender. His runner-up memory? “Runner-up is meeting Tom and Rob for the first time at a pickup rink and nearly getting in a fight with Tom (who apparently was a like an Army Ranger or something). Then somehow getting invited to the Squirrels as a backup goalie a week later (I forget how that happened), meeting the team, and finding out Tom was the captain.” Yes, that’s how Matt met us.

Mike Bronson, who played with the ice team for three seasons before darting off to Chicago, also has several favorite moments. “Dan Carter bringing a new girlfriend around to every season. That big win over Scurvy of course. The same season we played Scurvy we played the Cruisers. We hadn’t won all season (I think we tied Laughing Skulls). I got in a fight with some of those douchey twins on that team and we ended up pulling out the victory.”

Bronson, who also got into a fight and got suspended for three games in his first season with the Squirrels, was also fond of the game where he frustrated the Vikings, including one of their to players who was on the verge of tears.

Personally, my favorite Squirrels moment was winning our first non-shared roller championship in 2005, and winning our first underdog ice championship in 2006.

For those who need a reminder, the first roller championship in 2003 was technically shared. For some reason, the league thought it was a good idea to make the championship game best-of-three. The Squirrels easily won Game One, but the Hurricanes somehow won Game Two. Game Three was canceled because Hurricane Isabel tore through the region.

The Squirrels also won their first ice championship on 2004 in the beginner league, but they were undefeated that year and it was pretty much a cake walk, as was the 2010 ice championship.

The Squirrels also had many off-ice memorable moments, particularly Phil Van der Vossen’s wedding and the years team parties that ended in D.C.

Here’s to another decade of the Screaming Squirrels.

Squirrels Shut Out Again

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Offense continued to be the Squirrels’ major problem Sunday as a full bench couldn’t squeak a shot past Scurvy in a 3-0 loss. Scurvy, however, did bring up a mid-season ringer, who wasn’t even on the roster and had to be pulled aside during the game to be verified, while contributing two goals in his only game of the season.

The Gardens IH – Patrick      Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Squirrels 0 Scurvy II 3
Game Details
Scoring Shots on Goal
1 2 3 Total
Screaming Squirrels 0 0 0 0
Scurvy II 1 0 2 3
Squirrels 17
Scurvy II 21
Scoring Summary
Period 1
Scurvy II – Ari Eagle (unassisted) , 3:55
Period 2
(no scoring)
Period 3
Scurvy II – Scott Striegel (unassisted) , 2:24
Scurvy II – Ari Eagle (unassisted) , 10:38
Penalties
Period 1
Screaming Squirrels – Robert Valdes – (Tripping Minor), 2 min , 9:35
Screaming Squirrels – Robert Myers – (Slashing Minor), 2 min , 13:03
Period 2
Scurvy II – David Ditch – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Minor), 2 min , 6:04
Screaming Squirrels – Robert Myers – (Tripping Minor), 2 min , 8:38
Screaming Squirrels – Brent Machado – (Holding Minor), 2 min , 14:02
Period 3
Scurvy II – David Ditch – (Tripping Minor), 2 min , 7:12
Screaming Squirrels – Robert Myers – (Slashing Minor), 2 min , 10:38
Scurvy II – Jay Costenbader – (Roughing Minor), 2 min , 13:34
Screaming Squirrels – Michael Ricci – (Roughing Minor), 2 min , 13:34
Scurvy II – Jay Costenbader – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct Minor), 2 min , 13:34
Rosters
Screaming Squirrels Scurvy II
Goalies
Name Min Shots Saves
30 Eric Coulson 45 21 18
Name Min Shots Saves
0 Sub S Tougas 45 17 17
Players
# Name G A PTS PIM GWG
1 Mark Tessar 0 0 0 0 0
4 Chi Pham 0 0 0 0 0
5 Robert Valdes 0 0 0 2 0
7 Doug Winters 0 0 0 0 0
8 John Burke 0 0 0 0 0
9 Charles Wolstein 0 0 0 0 0
10 Brent Machado 0 0 0 2 0
12 Anthony Richelsen 0 0 0 0 0
16 Michael Ricci 0 0 0 2 0
18 Robert Myers 0 0 0 6 0
19 Benjamin Sumner 0 0 0 0 0
22 Jeffrey Bobeck 0 0 0 0 0
61 Tero Moberg 0 0 0 0 0
# Name G A PTS PIM GWG
8 Jay Costenbader 0 0 0 4 0
14 Dave Stephens 0 0 0 0 0
17 Thomas Robertson 0 0 0 0 0
22 Scott Striegel 1 0 1 0 0
26 Ari Eagle 2 0 2 0 1
30 Robert Borthwick 0 0 0 0 0
37 Gregory Lauer 0 0 0 0 0
55 Jeff Kagan 0 0 0 0 0
66 David Ditch 0 0 0 4 0
95 Spencer Berk 0 0 0 0 0
Other facts
Referee
Default Referee, Brian Antkowiak, Phil DakeScorekeeper
Amanda Kozay

Squirrels 7, Laughing Skulls 1

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With only three subs on the bench, the Screaming Squirrels were in desperate need of goals and a win after a recent slump. And they got it.

With only two true defensemen in the lineup, the Squirrels moved forward Jeff Bobeck back to skate with Tony Richelsen and Doug Winters. That worked fine as the Squirrels limited the Skulls to 18 shots with Eric Coulson turning away 17 of them.

Brent Machado got the scoring started in the first period, but the shifts were long and the Squirrels knew there was a lot more time left. The Skulls goaltender, Shane Smith, made many great saves and kept the Squirrels moving by playing the puck instead of allowing the face-off, which would’ve enabled the Squirrels to catch their breath.

The second period ended up being even better for the Squirrels as Mark Tessar (from the roller team) scored in the first game back on the ice in several years. Tony Richelsen added another late in the period and the Squirrels took a 3-1 lead into the third period.

But the Skulls struck back as Vincent Barracchini’s individual effort cut the lead to 3-1.

Then Smith made a mistake. Skating out of the crease to clear the puck, he hit it right to Machado, who wristed a shot into an empty net, deflating the Skulls. A few minutes later, Machado completed the hat trick, then Doug Winters did his Mike Green at-his-best impression with some sort of spinorama move. Richelsen scored again shortly after, and it appeared he had scored once more from behind the blue line but the play was called offsides. Regardless, the Skulls weren’t happy that Smith had let in the shot, though it ended up helping the Skulls because the faceoff went into the Squirrels’ zone.

With just a few seconds remaining, Bobeck got into a minor scuffle with someone, but Barracchini took exception and clobbered Bobeck from behind. Barracchini is about a foot taller and 100 pounds heavier than Bobeck and literally blindsided him. The refs ended the game on the play, giving Barracchini a five minute major and game misconduct.

The Gardens IH – Patrick      Sat, Dec 11, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Squirrels 7 Laughing Skulls 1
Game Details
Scoring Shots on Goal
1 2 3 Total
Screaming Squirrels 1 2 4 7
Laughing Skulls 0 0 1 1
Squirrels 27
Laughing Skulls 18
Scoring Summary
Period 1
Screaming Squirrels – Brent Machado (Doug Winters) , 12:20
Period 2
Screaming Squirrels – Mark Tessar (Brent Machado, Benjamin Sumner) , 5:30
Screaming Squirrels – Anthony Richelsen (unassisted) , 13:33
Period 3
Laughing Skulls – Vincent Barracchini (unassisted) , 3:13
Screaming Squirrels – Brent Machado (unassisted) , 6:29
Screaming Squirrels – Brent Machado (John Burke) , 9:06
Screaming Squirrels – Doug Winters (unassisted) , 10:26
Screaming Squirrels – Anthony Richelsen (Jeffrey Bobeck) , 11:59
Penalties
Period 1
(no penalties)
Period 2
Screaming Squirrels – Brent Machado – (Body Checking Minor), 2 min , 8:17
Laughing Skulls – Peter Gruhn – (Body Checking Minor), 2 min , 8:40
Laughing Skulls – Paul Keys – (High Sticking Minor), 2 min , 10:43
Laughing Skulls – James Ningen – (Body Checking Minor), 2 min , 12:18
Screaming Squirrels – Jeffrey Bobeck – (Elbowing Minor), 2 min , 12:18
Period 3
Laughing Skulls – Vincent Barracchini – (Charging Major), 5 min , 14:54
Laughing Skulls – Vincent Barracchini – (Charging Game Misconduct), 10 min , 14:54
Screaming Squirrels – Jeffrey Bobeck – (Interference Minor), 2 min , 14:54
Rosters
Screaming Squirrels Laughing Skulls
Goalies
Name Min Shots Saves
30 Eric Coulson 45 18 17
Name Min Shots Saves
35 Shane Smith 45 27 20
Players
# Name G A PTS PIM GWG
7 Doug Winters 1 1 2 0 0
8 John Burke 0 1 1 0 0
10 Brent Machado 3 1 4 2 0
12 Anthony Richelsen 2 0 2 0 0
16 Mark Tessar 1 0 1 0 1
19 Benjamin Sumner 0 1 1 0 0
22 Jeffrey Bobeck 0 1 1 4 0
61 Tero Moberg 0 0 0 0 0
# Name G A PTS PIM GWG
3 Mike Ohanian 0 0 0 0 0
4 Patrick Herwig 0 0 0 0 0
7 James Ningen 0 0 0 2 0
18 Douglas Church 0 0 0 0 0
19 Christopher Tucker 0 0 0 0 0
024 Nate Heard 0 0 0 0 0
24 Vincent Barracchini 1 0 1 15 0
39 Anthony Campanella 0 0 0 0 0
49 Peter Gruhn 0 0 0 2 0
54 Michael Davis 0 0 0 0 0
77 Paul Keys 0 0 0 2 0
Other facts
Referee
Default Referee, Larry Bertrand, Justin RalstonScorekeeper
Terri Ball