Gabe Antoni started in goal tonight so the concussion like symptoms in Michigan must not have been a full-fledged noggin knock, and Tyler Parks is ready to back up Gabe if necessary, having recovered from the appendectomy that allowed Cameron Yang to really shine in goal last week against the Michigan Warriors in a storybook game for the young Goalie and the Blue and Gold. It was the “stuff of dreams” and the “stuff of movies”. In fact when the season is over I plan to write a book about the season, and especially the Michigan game.
The first period was all Jr. Blues as Pontasch (although I thought it was Cook) scored along with Tyler Rehm and Cookie in the first to make the score 3 – 0 at the first intermission. Sitler, Skibba and Sitler again assisted on the goals. As the horn sounded to end the first period, I looked up and there was my beautiful wife and our hockey playin’ grandson to surprise me, and surprise me they did. A few more years and I’ll have a “color guy” in the family, but not tonight he said.
The Blues came out a little careless to start the second period and paid the price with two goals by Chicago as they climbed back into the game and got within a goal. Josef Pontasch scored at the 9:06 mark to put the Blues back up by two and that’s the way the period ended. The score after two periods was 4 – 2 in favor of the Jr. Blues.
The Arena Staff worked on the net during the second intermission so the goal wouldn’t come off the pegs in a stiff breeze.
Gabe Antoni kept the Hitmen from scoring throughout the third period and Chris Sitler scored an empty net goal with just under a minute to play to make the final score 5 – 2 Jr. Blues. That win is the first time the Blue and Gold have been over the .500 mark all season and now sport a 24 – 23 -2 record.
The same two teams face off again tomorrow (Saturday) night and again Sunday afternoon at 2:30. You can watch all the action of FASTHockey.com to keep up with the Springfield Jr. Blues.
