A grade played a big finals night last night. There was a hum in the air, the crowd was about four times its normal size (that’s maybe, 40 people!), and absolutely no Channel 9 at all (some sort of wrong day confusion seemed to afflict the entire evening).

Stars played the Ducks for 3rd place. Ducks were well in it until about half time. Backup goalie Mark Dudley played a blinder in goal for the first period, stopping a bunch of really good shots, and kept his team in it. The Ducks even took the lead briefly early in the second period, before the Stars finally started to find holes in the Ducks goalie, and the floodgates started to open, leaving it as a final score of 6-1. The Stars had a devastating line of Peter Lamb, Simon Christos, and Aaron Benda, who were causing all sorts of havoc. The Ducks not having Stampede player Duncan Sykes on defense didn’t help either, and I’m not sure I saw Mike Sam there as well. Anyway, well done to the Stars for clocking up their first victory of the DIHL.

The big final was up next, but there was chaos in the changing room with half the SK8 team not there, including goalie Tony Pasco. Some sort of confusion about what day the final game was on. A flurry of text messages were sent, and gentle persuasion kept Stars goalie Aaron Bryant in gear to cover for goal, and both squads spent a good six or seven minutes off the rink waiting for the ice to freeze – and when we went on there were still puddles. A long warm-up – the referees and scorekeepers were clearly taking this game with utmost seriousness. Phantoms lineup had been strengthened not only by the addition of Larry Wheeler, but also a second Larry, who’s recently moved here from Queenstown and mysteriously appeared on the ice in a Phantoms top. SK8 picked up Rane Phipps-Black who changed over from his Ducks top to help out an SK8 team who were looking like being short.

The game was played at a really high tempo, and Phantoms let in an early goal when Dudley failed to cover up a stopped shot, and an SK8 forward skated through and knocked it between his pads. A second goal went in later in the first period, by more traditional means. Phantoms had plenty of shots in the period, but consistently found the centre of netminder Bryant’s chest pads.

Phantoms came out firing in the second period, with van Leeuwen netting while in the process of falling down on the breakaway, off an assist from Matthews. The floodgates really started to open when the Phantoms went on powerplay however, and Hodge netted.

Third period the Phantoms stacked up three more goals, all to Hodge, at least one again with the man advantage. There was some really good puck control and heaps of pressure in the SK8 zone, which eventually led to goals. SK8 had a couple of good attempts at getting one back, but were unable to, including a penalty shot taken by Hey, which was called off as he lost control of the puck. Some big saves by Dudley, who found true A grade form in net.

The game got pretty ugly in the final period, with Wheeler and Roth the younger set off for roughing in front of the SK8 net, and a second SK8 player put in for five minutes for being the third man in. Then Wick and van Leewen tussled at a faceoff, and it was all fists flying as they both really went at it. Both were deservedly sent from the rink with a match penalty, and missed the end of the game and the post-match celebrations.

After the handshake, the referees were thanked and given beer, the scorekeepers were thanked and given chocolates and wine (unfortunately a puck shortly afterwards reduced one of the bottles of wine to rubbish), and the Phantoms were awarded the DIHL trophy for winning the competition.

Well done to all the teams, and all the players who managed not to get sent off, and we’ll be back next year with more DIHL fun.

I can’t comment on the game as life prevents me from being at the rink on Wednesdays, but I understand that the referees didn’t hear this comment/s, but did make efforts to do what they could.

Player behaviour has become an increasing concern in both grades this DIHL – we’ve had more fights, penalties, abuse hurled at other players and referees this competition than in either of the last two DIHLs. This is a real concern and something we may have to look at in terms of expanding the short code of conduct that we get players to sign when they join up, and working with referees to enforce player behaviour across the board.

As Phil says, it’s not game 7 of the Stanley Cup, and while I’m 100% behind people taking the hockey very seriously, that’s no excuse for some of the stuff that’s been going on.