The Screaming Squirrels advance to the semi-finals Sunday with a 5-1 victory against the Laughing Skulls. Tom Fischer got the scoring started for the Squirrels only 29 seconds into the game. The Skulls tied it up in the second period, the Squirrels took the lead on a Rob Myers goal, but it wasn’t until a 2-man advantage late in the second period when the Squirrels took a commanding lead. Brent Machado and Tony Richelsen both scored on the power play only 45 seconds apart to put them up 4-1. The Squirrels held the lead in the third before Fischer added an empty net.

That should’ve been the end of the game. But instead, with only 12 seconds remaining, in one of the biggest punk moves of the season, Skull Matt Stea  started throwing punches at Desi Richelsen. Then, as if one knucklehead idiot causing trouble wasn’t enough, Jesse Nicholson of the Skulls came charging in, earning himself a third man in misconduct. Richelsen didn’t fight back only to ensure that he wouldn’t be suspended for the rest of the playoffs. Shea will be suspended for at least three games, and Nicholson will have to serve a game next season as well. But we’re all sure that it was worth it for Stea, because clearly there is nothing more important for him in life than starting a fight at a beer league hockey game.