I ponder over my keyboard once a week on how to start each article. It turns out, I am not as clever some days, as I am others. Mores the pity when you wander through a creative mind, only to find empty space. Cobwebs and blankets over furniture. What is this place you ask? It is a spooky old house, like the Munsters. Or, someplace Scooby Doo would have a Saturday morning adventure in. Zoinks! That is an onomatopoeia by the way. You are welcome. ON to the meat of the article.

Game one was very interesting. Final Touch and Quick Dam went at it in the early going. Final Touch was cruising in the first. Derek Anderson had a couple of goals. One in the middle of the first and one early in the second. Forgive me if I am not sure who subbed for them, but I think one was Mike Strayer getting a goal. Glen Marshall had an apple along with Shannon Caverly. Quick Dam, refused to go quietly into that good night with a late goal in the second. Neil Yee would put it in, Scott Costa on the assist. As the clock wound down on Cinderella, QD would put another in the net. Derek Franco with a break away goal. With under 3 minutes left, Larry Lefebvre would make the Touch sweat. Late in the game and only down by 1 now. Captain My Captain, Shaun Smith would tip it in on the back door. A beauty pass by Franco. And yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause. That would tie the game. And there it sat 4-4. 

Game 2. What happened here. Tommy Martins is making a case to be ranked an A goalie these days. That said, the first goal against Goddess was bs. I said it and I meant it. In the end it didn't matter, but it set a tone. Ray Iannucillo would be awarded the goal. Goddess would get on the board later in the period with a goal by Steve Owens, Mike Thomas with the set up. In the second, Just 12 seconds in. Ray Would get a second goal. This one was legit. Richie Dias from Somerset Massachusetts set that one up. Richie liked it so much he had to score himself. Then Kreg Labelle with a Natty Hatty. I would say that would break your back. He had one in the mid second and 2 to start the third. The will was gone at that point. Goddess would find the back of the twine with a goal by Jay Cawley from Thomas. But the damage was done. The Slim Big Sexy Ricky Votta contributed with a goal of his own to make it 7-2 final, Votta wins. 

Let's go to the rock fight that was the Final Game of the evening and the year. Kidding it was a great game, don't let the score fool you. Vescera Law Versus Manville Pizza. In the first, Andy Morrison got the ball rolling from Bill Vescera and Steve Lombardi. This was a devastating combination. Only a few goalies are up to the task, Shannon Murphy is absolutely one of them. In the early going of the second, Ryan Degnan put the puck in the net with help from Mark Kosinski and Frank Nardone. Steve Lombardi would get the lead back with a real nice inside out move and caught the inside post. Bill V on the helper. After that, Manville Tied it up again, this time Mark Kosinski would get the goal with help from Jay Cinq-Mars. Degnan would get the next one late in the second to finally go ahead. Cinq-Mars and Kosinski with the assists. Sound familiar, wait there's more. Early in the third Degnan from Kosinski and Cinq-Mars. And Again, this time just Kosinski on the assist. That makes 4 for Degnan if you are counting at home. A shift later, Lombardi would make it tough for the Pizza. He would score midway through, again with Bill V and Morrison helping. Here is the thing, and it is only cause I was playing. You are never safe with Lombardi or Morrison out there. Yet, somehow Murphy and the Defense shut em down. Btw, game was not over. A goal by Kosinski, then by Cinq-Mars and then by Adam Babikian, filling in for Dan Dussault, put the exclamation points on the game. 8-3. Manville Pizza rises. 

I got blisters on my fingers.

I hope all of you have a blessed new year in 2024. Some very difficult times come and go. Some very happy times also come and go. Try to focus on the good. The bad will eat you alive. Brush it off and move forward. 

See you all Next Year (Kreg Labelle's Dad Joke) !

Live, Breathe, Love.................................................HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!