Game 4. Janesville Jets (A) (L)

As Goes Janesville

It had rained all the way down to Janesville where the Lightning met fellow grey-division hockey team the Janesville Jets.  To celebrate the occasion, I wore my gaudy green New York Jets sweater. 

Both Jets would lose tonight, leaving me with simple yet mixed feelings:

Have the Lightning been too dominant?  Shots on goal tonight favored them 6 to 27.

Is Mark Sanchez really that bad?  The offense hasn't scored in a touchdown in years.

Should Vito and I go over to the Stone Barn afterwards?  Vito's still feeling under the weather and we haven't watched our requisite 10 hours of Friday Night Lights this weekend.

Should I expound on that one bit in my last post about "this nation's flawed two-party system"? 

Yup, but remember last year when we only managed six shots a game?
I guess, but it's all a part of god's (via Tebow's) plan for Jets dominance.
Will there be burgers?
And a resounding NOOOO!!  But wouldn't the Republican Party be so much better if the Tea Party actually became their own party? 

The Lightning won.  They scored six goals to the Jets' one to start the season 4-0. 

They once again put on the clamps and played suffocating hockey.  They played Original Six hockey!  (I don't know what that means but in all my years of listening to hockey on the radio, I've not heard that been used.)

I hadn't seen a defensive performance like this since, well, yesterday.  But no, really, I hadn't seen a game like this since that time in Ashwaubenon when The Bourbon Wall had to serve a suspension in the middle of a weekender against the Green Bay Goon Squad.  Timbers, our stalwart center, had to renew her Union card and do the Hungry Hippo in net.  Back then the Lightning also turned up the screws to achieve victory.  Tonight, with The Bourbon Wall moonlighting up in Fond du Lac - great Supper Clubs in those parts, I hear - the Lightning recruited the diminutive in stature, not of heart or stock, one-named goalie: Berlie.  An unknown quantity, the Lightning would take no chances.  But Berlie proved up to the task.  That one goal she let in was a two-post ringer.  Left post, right post and out, only to be stuffed back in by a swarming Janesville Jet.  Darren Pang, eat yer heart out!

Berlie

No Worries, the Slot's Covered

So I'm really enjoying the defensive play.  Tonight, without A1 or Snutch, I got to see plenty of Hlin, Michael Jordan, Bearcat, and Vapo Rub.  Great passing, great control during the power plays.  Me and the crew marveled at Vapo Rub's thieving abilities.  Was that her blowing up what last year would've been a two-on-none?  Was that her scoring a goal in a solo effort in yesterday's game?  I cannot WAIT to see her go up against her mom in a future contest.

The first period was great.  I did not know what to expect from Janesville.  Certainly they were going to be a bigger challenge than the Brew City Blades Blue.  So it was with relief that I witnessed Deren (nee Mama Jet) score the first goal of the game from the slot: a sweet one-timer that even put her to her knees.  Classic.

Deren's on the right.  The puck is still in the air, in the net.

In the second period, Vito netted her first goal of the season.  She lofted the puck chest-high towards the net and an opponent's stick tipped it over the goalie.  That's exactly how it's written it up in all the play books.  Way to go, Vito!  Who loves ya, baby?!

Amanita, after dishing out three assists in the Saturday game - on her birthday no less - put in two top-shelf-ers of her own tonight.  But she would pay the price: she was witnessed limping' n' grimacing' after the game.  Clearly the Lightning's best offensive player and mycologist, an injury to Amanita is an injury to all.  But wouldn't it be just the thing to rally around?!?

Timbers Enjoying the Moment

Notes:
Richard the Dastard Deltiologist, repping Madison in the Twin Cities in this weekend's Scrabble tourney, having led most of the way, lost in his last game to fall to third place.  Can't wait to see the bingo report, though!
Six fans, including the View From the Clouds, made the trip down to Janesville to support their Lightning.  The posse's only going to get bigger, folks.
Game puck #4 goes to Amanita, who came away with 3 points tonight, making 6 for the weekend.