Before puck drop on Friday Evening, Ice Dog's head coach Mark Haupt told me that the match up with the Channel Island Tsunamis wasn't going to be close. I figured a five, maybe six goal lead headed into the third before a few garage time goals were added by both teams. What i expected was far from the final result.
The Ice Dogs defeated the Tsunamis by a score of 22-0. Yes, you read that right. Twenty two to nothing. Three touchdowns and a two point conversion. sheesh.
I couldn't have even accomplished this feat on NHL 20 rookie mode against the Red Wings. I actually tried, too. I was only able to get to 18.
No disrespect to the Tsunamis, as they're a young, baby-faced program looking to gauge the competition surrounding them. Their lack of speed and skill was made up for completely by their drive and determination on every shift. They put the work in from puck drop to the final horn. Plus their logo is pretty sick. But they were completely outmatched in this one and discovered quickly that they have a long way to go before they're handing out their own ass-kickings.
Of all the of the interesting story lines that come from a 22-0 romping, my favorite was Fresno starting goalie Zak Ross giving up the crease to put on skater pads and play forward. In two periods of work, the awkward skating Ross tallied an assist and two goals.
Taking Ross's place in net was Richard Hickman, a local adult league player who practiced with the Ice Dogs throughout the season. He finished off the game with a shutout, a win and a celebratory mob from his teammates as the final horn sounded.
All in all, it was a very interesting and rare type of hockey game. Now, time for attempt #2 to drop 22 on Detroit in NHL 20.
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