Dead Kings 10, Squirrels 5

If there was any consolation to Sunday’s 10-5 loss to the Dead Kings, it was the the Squirrels put up their highest goal total in almost two months, and they did it with only two substitutes on the bench.

Ben Sumner scored the first two goals for the Squirrels, and Greg Wenograd sailed in a shot with three seconds remaining in the second period. Sumner scored again in the third, and Matt Borlik got the Squirrels’ fifth goal between the goaltender’s legs.

No. 71 on the Dead Kings had eight points – five goals and three assists – and has several more points on the season than the Squirrels’ goal total.

Drew Thiemann made 26 saves for the Squirrels. The last goal was an empty-netter. Chris Long, Desi Richelson, Charles Wolstein and Adam Hughes also played. The next game is Sunday, July 17, at 10:30 against the unbeaten Volcanoes.

Van der Vossen, D. Marks Wed

Longtime Squirrels defenseman Don Marks married girlfriend Jen on June 25 and Phil Van der Vossen wed Karla on July 9.

No penalties were called at either wedding, and both couples are doing fine and are enjoying their honeymoons.

5 Holes 4, Squirrels 3

The Screaming Squirrels were again haunted by a lopsided number of penalties Tuesday, giving up four power plays – including a two-man advantage – and having none of their own. That made the difference as the 5-Holes won, 4-3.

The Squirrels scored first, as Jeff Ford put in a top-shelf rebound after a flurry around the net. Later in the first period, the Squirrels were called for interference and roughing, and the 5-Holes capitalized and took a 2-1 lead going into the second period. Ford scored again in the second period, and Ed Bager tied the game at 3-3 with several minutes remaining.

With 5:19 to go in the game, Ford appeared to be body-slammed. The referees called a 2-minute holding penalty against the 5-Holes, but the incident horribly frustrated the Squirrels, who ended up getting their second unsportsmanlike conduct call of the game. The first came after another series of questionable non-calls by the referees.

The last time the Squirrels and the 5-Holes met, the 5-Holes had no penalties called, compared to 16 total minutes for the Squirrels.

The Squirrels played without Rob Myers, Don Marks, Wade Marks and Tony Richelsen. Chris Long moved back to defense. The next game is July 14, at 7:30 p.m. against the Chupacabras.

Panic 12, Squirrels 2

The most noticeable thing about the Screaming Squirrels-Panic game Sunday night was the bench. There were only three players sitting on it at any given time, no where close to the recommended 10 subs per team. The Squirrels only had one sub, and the Panic had two. The Squirrels would like to think that made the difference in their 12-2 loss.

Matt Borlik scored the first goal of the game for the Squirrels, who held the lead up until two minutes remained in the first period. Then Panic started scoring. Three in the final minutes of the first period, four in the second, and five in the third. Goaltender Drew Thiemann faced 45 shots, saving 34 of them. Panic’s final goal was a short-handed empty netter as the Squirrels pulled the goaltender for one final flurry. The Squirrels only had eight shots in the first two periods, and 11 in the third. Ben Sumner scored the second goal for the Squirrels midway through the third period.

Besides Sumner, Borlik and Thiemann, Desi Richelson, Adam Hughes, Chris Long, and Greg Wenograd showed up for the Squirrels. The teams, both shorthanded, were supposed to play on the smaller Logsdon rink. Without warning, The Gardens Ice House moved the game to the much larger Resor rink, though Logsdon was not being used at the time.

The Squirrels now have a long layoff. They’ll return to the ice July 10, at 9 p.m. against the Dead Kings.

Hurricanes 5, Squirrels 0

It started off as another typical Squirrels-Hurricanes game Thursday, with a low shot count and little scoring, and much intensity. In the first 25 minutes
of the game, little happened. Then, midway through the second period, the Squirrels took a hooking penalty and that’s when the game fell apart for them. The Hurricanes scored on the power play, then four more times in the next couple of minutes, and ran away with a 5-0 victory.

The Squirrels were only playing with two full lines. Don and Wade Marks missed the game because Don is getting married this weekend in Philadelphia. Jeff Ford and Rob Myers also missed the game for the Squirrels.

The Hurricanes also defeated the once-undefeated 5-Holes, 8-5 on Tuesday, and now take over first place in the league. The Squirrels remain in third place.

The next roller game is Tuesday, June 28, at 7:30 against the 5-Holes.