. The first period was played all out by both teams with Topeka playing their version of smash mouth hockey. Dupel scored at the 1:09 mark with an assist from White and the Roadrunners grabbed the lead they would take into the first intermission. There were twelve penalties called during the first period and Chris Bond was ejected from the game. Neither team was able to convert on the power plays. Play was physical from the start tonight as the penalties attest, but no players were injured, fortunately. After the first period the score is 1 – 0 Topeka.
The second period was all Topeka as the scored three times to take command of the game. The penalties continued to be called one after another. Through two periods twenty-three penalties were assessed for a total of sixty-five minutes. There was little continuity in play because of all the whistles. At the second intermission it was all Roadrunners who led the Blues by a score of 4 – 0. Traber, the goalie for Topeka brought his “A” game tonight and rejected everything the Blue and Gold threw at him. The crowd enjoyed LeRoy’s chicken dance during the intermission as he moved the net for the Zamboni.
The third period was more of the same with whistle after whistle and penalty after penalty. The only bright spot was a break-away goal by Josef Pontasch at 16:33 of the third. The Blues didn’t play bad, but they just couldn’t get over the hump. Topeka won it 5 – 1.
Though the game didn’t turn out the way we hoped, the live jersey auction was super as some of the jerseys sold for $400. The remaining crowd had a lot of fun and people were extremely generous for the cause of overcoming cancer.
Next week is a two game series at Coulee Region and the Blues now need to win both games to get to .500. We’ll be with you on FASTHockey for the game.
