Huskies bite Squirt Panthers again

Dateline: April 25, 2010, Franklin Park.  The Panthers dropped their first match this season 6-1 to the Huskies, so fans could be excused for concern about the rematch.  Although the result perhaps did not satisfy, the Panthers' improvement certainly showed. 

Coach Schultz started BJ Carmicheal and Gio Gulino on defense, Mike Sliwinski and Anders Lempia up front.  The first period quickly devolved into a scrum, the only score coming at 9:26, when a Huskie took the puck in  traffic, split the Panther defense, and scored. 

Sarah Steadman had a nice one-on-one situation, which she easily broke up.  Although the Panthers had some quality chances, they could not find the net and the period ended with the Panthers down 0-1.

Early in the second period, the Huskies stole the Panthers' puck deep in their own zone.  Novice defenseman Aleks Gronkowski couldn't get back to defend the breakaway and the Huskies scored to go up by two at 10:28.

Then it was Panthers for a while.  Forward Adam Tzaska broke away late in the second, sending the puck through the 5-hole, and getting the Panthers back within one.

The Panthers evened the score at 10:46 in the third when Center Mike Sliwinski scored.  The Panthers managed at least five more quality chances in the rest of the third, but couldn't quite find the net.  Meanwhile, the Huskies broke away on defenseman Joe Sabatino, pushing their total to three goals.

The match ended with the Huskies up by one.

There was some comedy to lighten the mood for Panthers fans.  With two minutes to go, and the Panthers down by one, Coaches Sliwinski and Schultz were screaming at goalie Joseph Schmid to leave the goal, but he either couldn't hear them or refused to budge.  Meanwhile, this reporter's five year old asked for $5 "because he was hungry," then returned with a snow-cone and three dollars in change.

The improvement in the Panthers from game 1 was remarkable, and these two likely playoff foes look to brawl in the postseason.

Squirt Panthers Shut Out Chiefs -- Stout Defense Gets Cats Off The Schneid

Dateline: April 18, 2010, Bensenville.  The 0-2 Panthers’ practice together has finally started to tell, and the team to gel, as the defense came together for a stunning shut-out win over the Chiefs of Bensenville this morning. It was a good day for it, too, as the game turned physical.  Playing out of their accustomed forward positions, Carmichael and Aleks Gronkowski (11) slotted into tough defense handing out as good as they got.  Steadman kept the zone clear, hamming the puck across the blue line.  Overall, it was a stellar effort.

Playing his best skaters on defense, Coach Artie Schultz looked to solve the team’s defensive woes from its prior two games -- and it worked.  Starting a defensive line of Sarah Steadman (17) and B.J. Carmichael (12) with a frontline of center R.J. Jones (7) and forwards Mike Sliwinski (15) and Anders Lempia (2), the Panthers started strong.  Battling along the boards and earning several good shots, the Panthers controlled the ice and kept the puck in the offensive zone for the entire first period.  The bigger, stronger but slower Chiefs had no good scoring opportunities while the Panthers had several.  But the Panthers failed to convert and the game went into the second period knotted 0-0.

That would change early  in the second period.  About 90 seconds into the frame, Jones would score on a beautiful setup from Lempia, both of them celebrating the new lead.  Center Sammy Holy (10), playing up from defense, was everywhere, and earned several important chances keeping the pressure on the Chiefs’ goalie.  Then, with 50 seconds to play in the second, Adam Traska (16) also playing up from his normal spot on defense, made a beautiful unassisted shot over the Chiefs’ goalie’s left shoulder to break the game open.  The second period ended with the Panthers leading, 2-0.

In the third period, Coach Schultz changes his lines around and featured Sliwinski for much of the frame.  Jones had another quality chance, while goalie Joseph Schmid (14) made a spectacular but questionable on-his-back save to hold the Chiefs scoreless.  On that play, Schmid took three consecutive shots, but could not seem to find the puck after the third rebound.  The referee blew the whistle, believing Schmid was lying on the puck, and about a second later the Chiefs shoveled it in.  But the call was a no-goal, and the shut-out continued.  Finally, with only three minutes left to play, Holy’s persistence paid off as he slammed in a 10-footer from the right side, sealing the 3-0 win.

“I love a shut out,” defenseman Steadman was heard telling the press after the game.  “Offense is flashy, but defense wins championships.”

Hi Ho Silver, Squirt Panthers Fall to Rangers

Dateline: April 10, 2010, Niles. Coming off a disappointing 6-1 opening match loss to the Huskies, Coach Artie Schultz’s Squirt Panthers were looking to rebound today against the Niles Rangers. Although their game showed great improvement and signs that the team is coming together, the effort was ultimately not enough to notch the Panthers’ first win.

Schultz started Sarah Steadman (17) and Adam Tzaska (16) on defense, with a front line of Anders Lempia (2), Danny Schultz (9) and Ryan Macri (8). Things started off well enough when the Panthers drew a penalty and a powerplay opportunity at 8:45. Notwithstanding a 10 minute delay as the officials got the penalty on the scoreboard, the Rangers killed the penalty. Seconds later, however, forward Adam Ihmoud (6) scored and things looked promising for the Panthers. The Rangers ultimately retaliated twice, including a wraparound goal on goalie Joe Schmid in the waning seconds of the first period, and the score was 1-2 in favor of the Rangers. The score should have been 2-2 but for a goal waived off by the referee who appeared to be asleep.

Rangers scored again a few minutes into the second frame, giving them a two-goal lead. Then, midway through the second, Panthers rallied. Forward Gio Gulino (5) scored on some nice passing by the Panthers, and forward Sammy Holy scored seconds later on a nice centering pass from a teammate. That knotted the game at 3-3. Schmid held the score with a beautiful save with 4:50 left in the period, and things looked solid.

It was then momentum took a turn in Rangers’ favor as the period went wild. Aleks Gronkowski (11) was called for roughing, and the Rangers went on the powerplay. Despite Carmichael’s best short-handed attempts to score, Rangers earned the point with 2:52 in the frame, then scored another with only 1:12 to play. Ihmoud scored his second goal on a beautiful re-direct from line-mate Carmichael with 59 seconds to play, but 9 seconds later the Rangers scored right back on an odd-man rush with a shot that slotted the puck between Schmid’s pad and the pole. The period ended with the Panthers down 4-6.

Rangers scored twice more as the Panthers seemed to lose steam in the third, and the match ended with the second Panthers loss, 4-8.


“We played better today,” said Coach Schultz. “Good first period. Good second period. Some bad luck. But the team is coming together. It won’t be long before we notch a win.  We have one goal.”

Schultz's Panthers Squirts Sport New Roster For Second Season

Dateline: March 15, 2010. Hockey’s second season started today, following the draft in Franklin Park. Coach Artie Schultz’s Squirt Panthers feature mostly rookies at the squirt level but a few veterans too.

On Offense, Schultz has veterans B.J. Carmichael (12), Adam Ihmoud (6), Danny Schultz (9) and Aleks Gronkowski (11). Rookies include Gui Gulino (5), R.J. Jones (7), Anders Lempia (2), Nick Luedke (3), Ryan Macri (8), Joe Sabatino (13), Angie Schults (4), and Mike Sliwinski (15).

On Defense, the team is all rookies with Sarah Steadman (17), Adam Tzaska (16) and Sammy Holy (10) the only committed defensemen.

The team has two goalies, Sammy Schultz (23) and Joseph Schmid (14).

“What we lack in experience, we’ll make up in toughness,” said Steadman.

Bertuca's GM Panthers Claim Regular Season Yellow Division Crown

Dateline: February 28, 2010, Franklin Park.  The Panthers were named regular-season champions of their bracket.  With only one loss in the bracket, this was a foregone conclusion.  Congratulations to the Panthers on a fine season.

Panthers Skin Bruins Again

Dateline: January 16, 2010. The Panthers notched another win against the Bruins organization this afternoon.

The Panthers surrendered the first goal, again, at 6:53 in the first period, but then went on a tear scoring seven straight for an easy 7-1 win.

Center and Team Captain Mike Sliwinski scored first, followed by goals from Gio Gulino, CJ Kruger, Gulino again, Sliwinski again, Zander Babich, and Sammy Holy.

The story of the game was defender Sarah Steadman. Penalized at 2:47 in the second for roughing and 2:12 in the third for tripping, Steadman gave it up to protect the lead. "Don't worry about the penalties," Coach Bertuca told her after the game. "If I was upset, you'd know it."

"I'm not worried," Steadman told the press after the game. "It's nice in there. They have TV, a hot tub, massage, music, whatever you want," she joked. "And I'm thinking of renaming it the Steadman box."

Future NHL Hall of Fame Player Makes First Appearance on Ice

Dateline: 2010 01 10. Emma Steadman, future NHL hall of famer, made her first appearance on the ice today. "It was cold," said Emma. "And I need a nickname."

Admirals Sink Huskies -- but score first and score thrice

Dateline: January 10, 2010, Oak Park. The Oak Park Huskies showed remarkable improvement today. Forward Brendan scored his first goal of the season at 8:45 in the first period, giving the Huskies' their frist llead of season. Unfortunately, it lasted only about 30 seconds, as the Admirals retaliated at 8:17 scoring their first goal. The Huskies played a solid game, scoring twice more -- once late in the second period and once again at 7:03 in the Third. But they but could not hold off the stronger, bigger Admirals. The final score was 9-3.

"We have a lot of work to do, but we played solid hockey at some points today" said Number 12, William "Bakugon Pokemon Hot-Rod" Steadman.

Panthers Skin Bruins - Bertuca finally nets first goal

Dateline: January 09, 2010. The Panthers rebounded from their recent loss (which ended a 10 game streak) with a pounding of the Bruins today and 10 goals.

The Bruins drew first blood, scoring on a hard shot from the point at 8:01 in the first period.

But then it was all Panthers. Gio Gulino evened the score less than 30 seconds later. Goalie Hanulik came alive, trapping several shots. Gulino scored again in heavy traffic early in the second period, popping a rebound into the net at 10:48.

Then things really got exciting. Frankie Bertuca, who had been seeking his first goal all season, camped out at the top of the crease. Teammates Mike Sliwinski and Gio Gulino worked tirelessly to get him the puck, and he finally connected slapping the biscuit in the basket to make the score 3-1 at 9:34 in the second period.

Gulino finished his umpteenth hat trick of the season with the fourth goal 20 seconds later.

In the third period, CJ Kruger got in on the action, scoring at 10:45. "Stop scoring," ordered the coach. But the Panthers couldn't help themselves.

Guilino scored the 6th goal, and Zander Babich scored the seventh. Gulino scored again at 5:48.

Coach Bertuca began to mix his lines, and defenseman Sammy Holy moved to forward, scoring the 9th goal at 3:20 and the 10th at 1:13.

Defenseman Sarah Steadman saved the 10-1 tally with 35 seconds left, tripping a breakaway Bruin and taking a trip to the box for the team.

"We are back," said Steadman after the game. "Be afraid. Very afraid."

Huskies Fall to Redwings 9-1 But Show Improvement

Dateline: January 4, 2010, Oak Park.  The Oak Park Silver Mite Huskies took the ice today, one game after their debut loss to the Leafs but with renewed purpose. Playing at home for the first time, the Huskies were enthusiastic. “Let’s get ‘em!” cried defenseman William Steadman, #12.

The Huskies played tough hockey all day, but could not seem to crack the Redwings’ goalie. “He was huge,” said one player. “I think I saw him playing for the Redwings’ Gold Mite team a few weeks ago,” said another player’s father.” “Cheaters,” concluded another fan.

“I don’t know if he cheated or not,” said William Bakugan Hot-Rod Pokemon Steadman. “But he looked absolutely stupid in that Viking-horn helmet. I mean, their the Redwings, not the Vikings. Where did he get that crap?”

The Huskies ultimately lost the match, and were down 5-0 late in the second, but did find something to give their fans hope. With 3:00 left to play in the second, forward Jamie hammered one in for the Huskies’ first goal of the season, celebrating all the way down the ice.

“We now have something to build on,” said Steadman.