We left from manor a la Ruble at 2:30, a horrible start time, due to a holdup involving new Mike taking a test. The van was a Ford Econoline 350 15-person van, though the van really could only hold 11. The other 4 would've had to be piled into the trunk (insert Hartman-inspired racist joke here). Some items inside the van included a GPS, 2 laptops, Sirius satellite radio, TV, Xbox, a wooden leg and an Argentinian. Pringle had to be picked up at Hartsfield Airport once we got into Atlanta, which was at midnight (surprisingly). Attribute that to Ruble learning that he could drive the van like an NSX.
VS ELON
Everyone knew Elon was going to be the toughest opponent we'd face this weekend. They were the only team out of the 5 teams we played that went to Nationals the previous year. In the opening period, they jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, with assistance from a Chris Falce high sticking penalty. We answered back with two of our own in the 2nd period, one of which being Falce's redemption goal, which continued the 2 year history of our team opening a season with a shorthanded goal (Yours truly, last year). Longnecker had a good 4 goal output including a top left corner snipe job. We did come back after being behind again, but ended up tying Elon 5-5. We never led in the game. Some would say that the score doesn't properly depict the way the game went. I believe that we hit our stride in the 2nd period and just ran out of time towards the end. Apparently we hit both posts at the end of the game. The tie feels an awful lot like a loss, but fortunately for us, it isn't.
VS WESTERN CAROLINA
"Ownership". A word uttered by Falce after we were leading 2-0 in the first period. So much for class. This game was one of those Maxi Stat-Pad games, except for the fact that Western Carolina took themselves waaaay too seriously. Flader and Ruble had a huge problem with this. As far as the game goes, Miami won this one 13-2. If we go by the stats, which I believe are inexplicably wrong, Necker, Falce, Pringle: 3 goals. I got a goal in this one, a shot I tried to rip but ended up scoring on a fan. Switched sticks immediately. Mike got his first career SECRHL goal, and Alex had a goal and 4 helpers...sweet. According to the SECRHL site, I got unsportsmanlike conduct and roughing penalties. What a crock. Now I have to deal with degenerate referees who don't know Necker's #16 from my #18. There was so much trash being exchanged at the end of the game. Later, near the locker rooms, Western Carolina players were ganging up on Necker, who was passing by. Ruble started flying off the handle, trashing the Carolina players. Lance had to hold his old man back.
VS ECKERD
The sequence of games was Miami-W.Carolina, Elon-GA Tech, Miami-Eckerd. So we just stayed half dressed. Everyone's body was aching and drained of energy. People were slamming cans of Red Bull that Falce brought for the weekend. So with this being Eckerd, we sat back on our heels and let them skate around for a bit. They scored a QUICK goal :16 into the game, which woke us up a bit. Then, they got rolled on. Or as Alex would say, "we stuck it in". Falce & Necker: 4 goals. Flader, Levine, Ruble and Mike: 1 goal. Diego: 1st SECRHL goal. Alex: 3 assists, Ruble: 4 assists. Get this: Chili, George, and Sizzle were "Scratches". This website is getting more and more comprehensive. Miami wins 14-1.
For dinner, Lee, Necker, and Jake went on a gang date to Waffle House. The rest of us went out to Hooters, except for Mike and I, who hit up the best Mexican food ever, Frontera Mex Mex Grill. After our Mextacy trip, we went next door to rejoin everyone at Hooters. There was almost nobody at this Hooters and it was a Saturday night. When we asked, our waitress (Shelly, I think) told us that Sunday was the last day before that particular restaurant shut down. So Falce got a signed picture of her just for fun. The rest of the night was spent racing over speed bumps. Alex got a nut off getting Diego to say "fucking nigger" a handful of times. Then he literally got a nut off in the hotel room.
VS GEORGIA STATE
This is where I wonder how the stats can be right. I understand that Falce and Necker score a lot, but Falce getting 7 goals, 3 assists in this one? Hmmmm. Our perennial nemesis, Taylor Popp, had a goal and an assist, but that's all we had to worry about in this game. The end result? 15-4 Miami. A little closer, but still a blowout. Necker had 3 goals, 5 assists, Diego came through with 2 goals, 4 assists, and I had 2 goals. Alex, as usual, came out with a good output. This time with 1 goal, 2 assists. I should stop rattling off all these statistics when I recap these one-sided romps. Nobody will take offense from here on out.
VS DUKE
Duke has a girl on their team who got a silver medal at some Women's world cup in Canada. Basically the girl is the best player on their team, and frankly, the most agressive girl I've seen play the game since Hayley Wickenheiser back in the olympics. But of course that was ice, and I don't really watch women play hockey a whole lot. Necker and Falce: 4 goals, myself: 3 goals. Pringle: 3 goals. Most importantly, we helped Munter get his first shutout of the season. Munter played out of his mind at times in the game, when a bunch of Blue Devils swarmed the net. Speaking of out-of-mind experiences. Ruble: 6 assists. At least Duke took this one like gentlemen (and ladies), unlike W. Carolina. W. Carolina, Jake wants to fight you. All of you. Falce, too.
The van rides, both to Atlanta and back, were loud, but for other reasons than most presumed. Necker had bursts that were few and far between, while Hartman and Flader were the loudest ones of them all. This was due to NHL 2005 and NCAA 06. Of course, by the time we got home, Mike was ready to kill Necker and the two had a heated exchange in Ruble's driveway. Other than that, there were really no fights to report. People got along and as a result we rolled on people. The End.
