The Screaming Squirrels won their fifth ice championship Thursday, defeating the top-seeded Bullets, 2-1, in the Bronze 2 finals. It was the second consecutive winter season the Squirrels won, though in two different divisions.

The Squirrels caught a huge break in the first period which ultimately decided the game. Only four minutes in, two Bullets took penalties at the same time to give the Squirrels an early 5-on-3. Then, the Bullets took another minor, and the Squirrels cashed in. Don Marks scored on what he called his prettiest one-timer in five years, as his slap shot from the point got through Bullets goalie and sometime-Squirrels sub Adam Hart. Rob Myers scored shortly after.

The Squirrels sat on the 2-goal lead for the rest of the game, as goalie Ryan Griffiths made 24 saves, many under high pressure, to ensure the victory. The Bullets scored on a frantic play with 16 seconds remaining, but it wasn’t enough for them.

During the regular season, the Squirrels had a record of 1-4-1 against the three teams they faced in the playoffs, while ending up a third seed.

The Screaming Squirrels express their gratitude to goalies Ryan Griffiths, who came in as the semi-full time goaltender, Shane Smith, who delivered two clutch playoff wins for the Squirrels, and Adam Hart, who despite losing to the Squirrels in the championship game this year and last year, still subbed for them in those very same seasons.

The Bullets dressed 15 skaters, several of whom regularly play in Silver level teams. The Squirrels had eight players show, only one of whom was a regular defenseman. With the odds stacked against them as they played the first place team, the Squirrels somehow managed a 5-1 victory, with the only Bullets goal coming with just 2 seconds remaining in the game.

The Squirrels went up 1-0 in the first period, skated to a stalemate in the second, and still had the odds stacked against them in the third period as a tired Squirrels team had to match the speed and cannon slapshots of several Bullet players. Then, early in the third, the Squirrels found themselves killing a penalty. Shortly after it expired, Bob Valdes made a power move to the net, kicking the puck to his stick and slamming in a goal to put the Squirrels up 2-0. Then the floodgates opened as the Squirrels scored three more goals after that for a 5-0 lead with three minutes remaining. Often, the goals came after significant zone time by the Bullets, only to see their efforts wasted as the Squirrels notched another goal.

Ryan Griffith made 33 saves in net, and the Squirrels put up 25 shots.

The Squirrels jumped out to a very quick 3-0 lead in the first period Sunday, and were leading 4-1 more than half-way through the game, when the Bullets stormed back and forced a shoot-out before winning it to remain undefeated.

Shortened bench? No problem. The Squirrels scored a few goals each period Saturday and played perfect defense in a 9-0 win against the Bullets.