Aeros check Checkers 4-1

in front of a measly crowd (but it IS a Thursday night) of  4000 - absent STH must have been counted as well, because it just did not look that full to these old eyes :-)!

But even though they won with the empty netter by McMillan and Fontaine by 4 to the sole goal by Checkers' by Terry, Welsh and Raymond in the 2nd period, IMO it was not as exciting a game to watch as others have, and this one could have been. it was a win at home and that makes up for a lot, right, chers reader-hockey-fans?
Right?

First in line is Phillips.. last is Kuemps ;-)!

Kuemper did extra well, stopping all but that one, which did come on a PP for the Checkers.
Yes, the team's passing has rather improved.
Yes, 2 of 4 PP resulted in goals, by Phillips, Kampfer and Petersen, and Fontaine, Connelly and Petersen in the First.
Scandella with Granlund (he does a good job lining up pucks for others to score with) and Kuemper, put Aeros on the board about half into the First!
Yes, there was some grappling, and one real fight, and yet, IMO, it was just an average game.

Muse Nr. 1 during 1.period

Fredheim on guard

Granlund keeps a sharp eye on puck after face off

Save by Kuemps- first of 3

Second of 3

Saved-Third of 3

All looking, open mouthed, at Kuemper's saves from earlier in the game ;-)

Checkers switched goalies after Muse let in 3 in the First.

Madore Nr. 30 stops one of the 16 SOGS

And Rob Madore (also a 'short' goalie at 5'10), was so good in the 2. and 3. periods that Aeros could not score with any of the 16 Shots on goal. BTW the 2 Shots on Goal they managed on Madore in the Third were - shall we say - less than stellar!:-(
But a win and 2 points that's what counts, right!

The Thirteenth strikes again.. Aeros loose in OT to Checkers

Even if it was not a Friday, the 13th seems an unlucky number for the Aeros.

 Alas, no Birthday Present of a win for Chilly who had invited friends to celebrate and entertain the  few 3,000 loyal fans who kept sneaking away to check on the Texans game ;-)!

Friends of Chilly's

To my big surprise the First Period saw heavy action, fast and furious skating and lots of slipping, sliding and pile ups in front and into nets :-D!
And some heavy crashing into boards ... a WILD game!

Foucault tried often

Despite that appearance, the Checkers were off to a slow start with just 8 sogs but 1 goal by Dalpe, Shugg and Beca, while Aeros managed to toss 10 on Muse all of which he stopped.

In the second period penalties multiplied  5 for Checkers who skated aggressively. They revved up their attack on Hackett to 14 but no goal. Aeros had progressively fewer sogs for the rest of the game.

 

Genoway on offense?

Genoway on defense

 

Glove Catch by Muse

.

Genoway takes on Sutter

Fredheim in action-no he did NOT trip Rutherford

Another pile up-save by Muse

Hackett lets puck go after save

One of the PP allowed Foucault, Phillips and Cuma the only goal for Aeros in the 2nd.
In the 3rd a visible slowing occurred; neither team scored. And so we went to OT.

What seemed to me happened at the very end of the period, or even just into the 2nd intermission was a huge fight. Mara and Sutter, which almost escalated - but did not - into confrontation between the two goalies, as well. 5 minutes to each Fighter plus a game misconduct-leaving the bench for Mara - and so HE was out for the rest of the game. I am sure Mills did not intend that when he hired Mara!

Somewhere in there is Muse, Fredheim hugs  Pistilli ;-)!

Mara and Sutter, Muse faces Hackett - lineman arm keeps them apart ?

Rau speeds by fallen Bellemore ;-)

Red Sweaters after Zucker !

Genoway seemed just about everywhere, on defense, on offense, taking on Sutter in a little "Hey you" broken up soonest by officials. McMillan skated like the devil was after him...and twisted and turned rapidly where needed.
Phillips, long locks flying, gave a lot. Larssen tried, as did others. Fredheim had long carry of the puck only to pass it to the wrong stick ;-)!
Cuma had a few good moments but overall was ineffective.

The Goal by Nash in OT-fuzzy pic due to shock ;-)! by photo taker :-)!

Zucker appeared to have become the whipping boy for the opponents, many times he was hemmed in by red sweaters.

From Sunny Florida and an icy cold Germain arena

A bit delayed because.. for whatever reason, this did not post the day I wrote it on a hotel computer!
sorry to say,

but the Everblades lost  to the Greenville Roadwarriors  5-4 in a SO

 
Who skated with fervor and passed with accuracy, most of the time.
Somehow, seated almost at the glass as we were, the game appeared to be much faster than from above, the rink much smaller and the guys much cuter (some of them):-)!

So that was that.

John Muse in goal for the Blades seemed a bit 'uninspired' maybe the hockey muse was on vacation in Key West, because she surely wasn't here in Estero.
On the other hand, we did run into a fellow blogger Lady Bing's  Love Child and chatted for a bit.
And tonight there will be a rematch and we shall be there as well.

At the second game vs Roadwarriors, Blades with Pat Nagle in goal, did better with 3-4 victory. Nagle played a  Barry Brust style goal tending :D!