Last season Main Place went 11-1 and lost to the Diablos in the championship game. The new season kicked off last night and Main Place got their loss early at the hands of the new & improved Gators.

The Gators welcomed 4 new players in the locker room prior to the game. Jim Davidson, Brian Mellor, Chris Conley and Jeremy Christiansen were all signed in the off season to fill in for players who either moved back to Boston, planned to move to California but changed their mind, or were ordered by their doctor to take a break from hockey.

Tom Savage sported the Douglas shoulderpads last night, warming up for a full check game next week and he opened the scoring for the Gators by rifling one just under the crossbar from just outside the slot. Not long after that Jim Davidson notched his first goal as a Gator with a seeing-eye slap shot from the point that just snuck over the left pad of Main Place's goalie.

The Gators took a 3-0 lead with a power play goal when Savage fed a perfect pass to Steve Rowe who was breaking towards the net and deflected it over the MP goalie's left pad. Rowe added another when Brian Mellor sent him on a partial breakaway. He lost the puck, but got it back just in time to tip it over the line on the backhand.

Savage got another assist when he fed a breakout pass to Brian Mellor who raced up the left side and found the twine, making it 5-0 Gators going in to the third period. Mellor returned the favor to Rowe late in the 3rd and Rowe banged it in for the 6th Gator goal and the hat trick.

Goaltender Jerry Suplicki had an outstanding game between the pipes highlited by a spectacular glove save on a MP forward who was all alone in the slot. He tried to tuck one under the crossbar, but Jerry flashed the leather and snared it leaving him staring in disbelief.

The Gators let up a bit in the third, allowing 3 MP goals but this one was never in doubt. Final score was a 6-3 Gators win.

Tonight's 3 Stars:

1. Jerry Suplicki - had an outstanding game in net.

2. Jeremy Christiansten - Normally a forward, took one for the team and played defense tonight and did a fantastic job. Thanks Jeremy!

3. Brian Mellor - Had a 4 point game with a goal and 3 assists!