11.09.05 Gators Game Report vs MDS

Thus far the Gators season has been a tale of two halves. They started out hot, going 3-1 against the competition in the Wednesday league at Lakeshore but then cooled off, going 1-3 in their last 4 games. Attempting to avoid a 3rd straight loss the Gator front office made a suprise decision to shake things up a bit for last night's game against 0-8 MDS.

Jim Davidson toted freshly purchased goalie skates, a catch glove, and a blocker into the Gator locker room and there was no turning back from what was discussed in the bar last week. Jerry Suplicki would loan Davidson the pads he didn't have time to buy at Locker Room and play forward and Davidson would man the pipes for the Gators.

MDS scored first which wasn't such a bad thing for the Gators, looking to change the pattern that had developed over the last 2 games when they got on the board first. It didn't take the Gators long to tie it up as Jerry Suplicki took a pass from his brother Jim and lit the lamp with a laserbeam snap shot that snuck just under the crossbar. Then Jim found a wide open John Davie camped near the right post and Davie banked it in to give the Gators the lead for good.

"Hands" Suplicki (that's Jim if you're scoring at home) got in on a 3rd straight goal when he fired one from the point that beat MDS' goaltender. Then, a rash of penalties plagued the Gators and allowed MDS to get back in the game as they sat most of the players that lacked any skill, which happened to be just about everyone on their team.

The score was 3-2 when John Scully added some insurance for the Gators as he knifed through the slot with a defender draped on his back and rifled a backhand shot that surprised MDS' goaltender and found the back of the net.

MDS was determined to make a game of this, and they pulled to within 1 again at 4-3 before Steve Rowe finally cashed in on an opportunity when Chris Ryan's slap shot from the point yielded a juicy rebound. Rowe deposited it top shelf and the Gators had their 2 goal lead back...briefly.

Late in the 3rd MDS came back again and made it 5-4. Then they called a timeout so most of their team could continue to watch the guys with a lick of skill skate around and not score. Jim Suplicki made them look silly as he calmly flipped the puck from the Gator side of the neutral zone all the way down the ice between the pipes of MDS' empty net. 6-4 Gators. Was MDS done? No. It ain't over 'till the fat lady sings and MDS was able to beat Davidson to pull within 1 again at 6-5 with 12 seconds left on the clock. Would Jim Suplicki's empty-netter prove to be the gamewinning goal? Yeah, it would.

Fortunately, the Gators were able to hang on for those last 12 seconds and get newborn goaltender Jim Davidson a well deserved 6-5 win.

Scoring

Jerry Suplicki from Jim Suplicki
Davie from Jim Suplicki and Ryan
Jim Suplicki, unassisted
Scully from Jim Suplicki
Rowe from Ryan
Jim Suplicki, unassisted

Tonight's 3 Stars

1. Jim Freaking Suplicki - a stellar 5 point night got the Gators off the schnyde

2. Jim Davidson - he's 1-0 as Gator goaltender!

3. Jerry Suplicki - scored a goal on his 1st shot!