The Canadian National Fantasy Hockey League

CZECHMATES (18-8-4-1) 41PTS

The Czechmates begin to feel the pressure of sitting atop the CNFHL standings as teams close in. With 1 win, 3 losses and a tie in the last 5 games the club needed to do some soul searching. But before the team could muster another W, the BnW took it to the Mates, as three players would be sidelined with injuries during the game. It took only 46 seconds as D man Stan Marsh would race for the puck deep in the Mates zone and be hooked by Karl Ruud of the BnW causing him to crash hard into the boards legs first. A lower body injury the team calls it will have Marsh sidelined for atleast 3 weeks while the perp would only be handed a 5 game suspension. Three minutes later, Taylor Codner of the BnW would instigate a fight with RW'r Bill Dirk, whom would have none of it. Codner would land two hard blows before team mate Burhus Skinner would be third man in and conclude the fisticuffs with Codner. Dirk will sit day to day with a broken nose.

With the loss of Marsh and Dirk, the team would again lose a player before the end of the first period. RW'r Rick Vaive would take a shot off the ankle which will keep him off the ice for a week.

The game would conclude in a 2-2 tie, but there were some verbal exchanges after the game by several players before they were ushered off the ice by officials. We did get a chance to speak to the GM after the game to get his insight on the game and the injuries.....
GM Lada- "It's unfortunate... losing three players in a game like that... everyone has to step it up a notch. Being we lost all three players in the first period of the game, the guys pulled out a point. I've noticed that teams are playing us a little harder now that we stand atop the league, but getting dirty ain't going to intimidate our players. If I see a trend going on here, we've got some tough customers on the farm we could give a little freedom to in the pro's on given nights."

LW'r Kelly Lynch who was sent to the farm yesterday was recalled and should see some serious ice time on the right side. D man Maksym Buhaj
will be added to the d core to help leviate the loss of Marsh.

Today, Czechmates face there former backup goaltender Rod Thacker and the Clones team tonight in what should be a hard fought game. The Mountaineers are only 1 point back of the Mates which should give the Mates added incentive to win.

I'm Rusty Nailes reporting, now back to your regular scheduled programming..... ... ... aaaaaaaaand chartered desert isle........ with Gilligaaaaaaaaaan.... the Skipper too.......