By Anthony Blass

It’s not often that the game-winning goal comes off my stick, particularly in a Division 1 game for sole possession of first place (OK, never). But Monday night was different. Oh, was it different. I scored one goal (Yes), and it turned out to be the game winner (YES!) – the least consequential game-winning goal in the four-year history of the League (Phfftt).

That happens when your teammates score four times before you manage to get one and then light the lamp 16 times after you. It tends to diminish a fellow’s contribution. Were it not for Bruce Argue, who officiated the game with Rick Doiron, my role in Brewerkz’s 21-4 record-shattering victory over the L’Estaminet Beers may have been lost on everyone except the most vigilant scoresheet watcher

...Andrew’s record individual performance, our team set – or was instrumental in setting – several marks as well, including...

“Just remember, guys,” Argue said in the changing area afterwards, “if it weren’t for Anthony, this whole thing might have turned out differently.”

Bruce is a good friend. He’s got my back.

Award for First Star of the Game, Man of the Match, Most Valuable Player and All-Around Good Guy goes to Andrew Delios, who broke the all-time League single-game scoring record with 13 points, (six goals and seven assists), eclipsing the mark of 12 points registered earlier this season by Bull’s defenseman Greg Prodor.

Award for Comeback Effort of the Year goes to John Ward who, after missing six games with a torn knee ligament (MCL), scored seven points (two goals and five assists) and is now fourth in the League in points-per-game (2.86), behind Timo Rasanen (4.67), Jarko Salo (3.80) and Andrew Delios (3.75). Shane Cumming is fifth in scoring average (2.75), followed by Greg Blakney (2.46) and Darryl Eisler (2.39), giving Brewerkz five of the top seven League scorers. Darryl had two goals and five assists Monday night, while Greg had two goals and two assists.

Second-fiddle Award goes to Timo Rasanen, who logged 11 points in a spectacular effort (five goals and six assists) but has no chance of ever catching linemate Delios for the scoring lead because 1) it is impossible for Andrew to be near the ice and not get an assist when someone scores (sometimes he even gets an assist while playing referee); and 2) Timo must be on the ice to score.

In addition to Andrew’s record individual performance, our team set – or was instrumental in setting – several marks as well, including:

• Most goals in a game, one team (21). The previous mark was 16.
  
• Most goals in one night of Division 1 action, four teams, (39).
  
• Most goals in one period, one team (11), third period.
  
• Most goals in one game, two teams (25).
  

Brewerkz is now alone in first place in Division 1 and Division 2. John Ward gets a mid-season nod as Manager of the Year for his draft-day prowess. Not only did John select great talent (certain scribes notwithstanding), but he selected great committed talent. We had our core eight skaters on the ice last night, who have combined to play 86 of 104 possible man-games (82.7 percent), which is by far the best attendance record in the League. The difference is that we play well as a team. And it shows: we lead the League in shots, shots against, goals, goals against, points, fewest penalty minutes. In 13 games, Darryl and myself have played all 13. Andrew has played 12; Greg and Gerald Toh 11 each; Kenny Lam 10; Timo 9 (he didn’t join the League until the 4th game) and John 7. Gerald had a goal and two assists Monday night, while Kenny had two goals and one assist.

...Goalie Mohammad Yusof made great saves (he faced 49 shots) and, more admirably, maintained his humor and his competitiveness...

And the good news is we’re even better when Martin Lovse, Paul Nikkel and Kevin Haglof play. We’re hoping to see Paul Robson out in the second half as well, which should further distance us from the Bulls and Rob Speers’s resurgent Lions.

Although our ability to score is becoming legendary, many of our games have been settled by one or two goals and the difference in those contests has usually been Michael Tothe in net. We will miss him next month when he departs for the US.

Lots of credit Monday night, too, to the Beers for competing throughout. They were without team manager Shane Cumming and defenseman John Bellefeuille. Although the score was absurdly lopsided, the Beers gutted it out, skating hard until the final horn. (The scorekeepers wisely stopped updating the scoreboard after the second period.) Goalie Mohammad Yusof made great saves (he faced 49 shots) and, more admirably, maintained his humor and his competitiveness. He allowed very few cheap goals. Afterwards, he sent me a text saying he felt as though he “got hit by a tsunami.”

As many of you know, we had two photographers on hand for both games. Judhi Prasetyo and Anton Soemitro took 12 gigabytes of photos. And they had 39 chances to capture goal scoring in the two games. They are putting the images on disc for me during the next few days. Some will go to the web site, some to the tournament program guide and others I will make copies and distribute

In the early game Monday night, the Bulls got slaughtered 11-3 in a game that featured a Lions team that is expected to play a strong second half. Dave Griffiths led the Lions with four goals and two assists. Pat Bowers had two goals and four assists.