Rick Makarowski snapped out of a mini goal scoring slump scoring with a laser shot.

Lobo's Squad Chop Down Ironmen
April 30, 2005

By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen faced a familiar face in their fourth and final game of the Team 1040 Dodge Cup tournament on Saturday afternoon. The Ironmen were up against goaltender Don Lobo and his Pallan Timber Stars. Lobo shared the back-up goaltending duties with Jamie Barnes this past season. The Ironmen were in for a tough game against the Timber Stars who finished in top spot in Division 2 of the 19 and over league this past season. The Ironmen had assembled a full bench while the Timber Stars had a skeleton crew.

The Ironmen had some good early pressure and just failed to bury at least two golden scoring opportunities. One has to wonder if the Ironmen had converted on those chances if this game may have not had a different outcome? The Timber Stars drew first blood twelve minutes and 47 seconds into the game and added another two goals within the next two minutes. The Stars took a healthy 3-0 lead into the second period and out shot the Ironmen 9-7 in the opening frame.

The Timber Stars continued to rack up the goals in the second period added another three unanswered goals in the second period to make it a 6-0 game. The last two goals came courtesy of the power play. The Ironmen ruined Don Lobo’s shutout when Rick Makarowski ended a mini goal-scoring slump firing a laser just under the crossbar that Lobo never saw. Neil McEachern picked up the only assist.

The Ironmen played a much better third period; perhaps it was more of a reflection that the Timber Stars were out of gas due to their short bench. They did manage enough energy to score their seventh goal of the game at 10:51 of the third period. The Ironmen did manage a small moral victory when they scored the games final goal 27 seconds later. Rick Makarowski sent a pass back to Robert Burrows on the point, where Brent Kelly was in front of the net to deflect the shot. Rob Nikkel mopped up the loose puck to score the second Ironmen goal.

In a tournament where the Ironmen were guaranteed only three games the Ironmen managed to squeeze out an additional game and finished the tournament with two wins and two losses. The Ironmen scored 17 goals in the four games and allowed 14 goals against and compiled a total of 22 penalty minutes.

Todd Fraser scored three goals and added an assist in the 10-1 win over the Sealers.

Ironmen Paste Sealers In Tournament Blowout
April 30, 2005

By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ I’m sure that many of the Ironmen players had not played an 8:45 am hockey game since their minor hockey days. Considering the turnout, not only in terms of players in the Ironmen line-up for this game against the Sealers, but the effort they put in they may want to request a few of these early games for next seasons schedule.

The theme for the Ironmen in this game was score early and score often and that is just what they did. Todd Fraser got the ball rolling with the game only 1:57 old. Neil McEachern assisted on the goal. The second Ironmen goal and what would prove to be the eventual game winner was scored just over four minutes later by Brent Kelly after some nice back and forth puck movement between Kelly and Craig Granter. Neil McEeachern was credited with the only assist on Kelly’s goal. The Ironmen made it a 3-0 game when Craig Granter converted a Robert Burrows point shot to give the Ironmen their first power play goal in ages. At the other end of the ice Jamie Barnes was on in relief for David Toyoda. Barnes looked sharp turning aside all five shots that he faced in the opening period. The Ironmen took a 3-0 lead into the second period.

Although they didn’t sit back the Ironmen looked very comfortable with a three-goal lead. It took another power play for the Ironmen to get their fourth goal of the game with 7:40 left in the middle frame. Todd Fraser picked up his second goal of the game with Craig Granter assisting. The Ironmen took a 5-0 lead with 1:25 left in the period after an inspired shift from Jim Defer and his line-mate Edward Kouwenhoven. Moments after narrowly missing the net on a great play Jim Defer tipped a Darrell Barr shot from the point to close the second period scoring. Edward Kouwenhoven picked up the second assist. The Ironmen out shot the Sealers 9-5 in the second period and took a commanding 5-0 lead into the final frame.

The Ironmen may have been content to just cruise the rest of they way, but when Jamie Barnes had his bid for a shut-out spoiled midway through the period the Ironmen decided to show no mercy. One minute and 48 seconds after the Sealers scored the Ironmen went on a terror scoring four goals in a span of two minutes and 21 seconds. The first of the four-goal outburst was scored by Craig Granter with Todd Fraser picking up the assist. Then Robert Burrows let a nice low point go that found it’s way to the back of the net. After that Todd Fraser scored his hat trick goal after being set-up by Norm Nikkel. Next was Neil McEachern scoring his first of the tournament from Craig Granter to make it a 9-1 game with 6:41 left on the clock. All that remained was the question could the Ironmen make it double digits? Well that question was answered when number #10 himself Brent Kelly scored the tenth Ironmen goal. The goal was Kelly’s second of the game and was unassisted.

Although the Ironmen were clearly the superior team in this game, the blowout should not diminish the type of game the Ironmen played. Jamie Barnes was excellent when called upon in the Ironmen nets and was not at fault for the only goal that beat him. The Ironmen defense was solid; they held the blue line and got plenty of shots from the points to the net. The Ironmen forwards made excellent line changes and made short passes with surgical precision.

Craig Granter's second goal of the tournament was the only Ironmen goal in the loss to the Dukes.

Ironmen Fail To Generate Offense With Short Bench
April 29, 2005

By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen went into their second game of the tournament against the Dukes shorthanded, losing a total of five players from the squad that defeated the Steelwheelers earlier in the day.

The Ironmen were in the penalty box early, as Robert Burrows was called on that ludicrous no slap shot rule on the second shift of the game. The Ironmen did manage some power play time of their own that included a two-man advantage that they could not convert on. The game was scoreless after the first period.

The Dukes wasted little time in the second period scoring the first goal of the game 1:53 into the middle frame. The teams exchanged penalties and the Dukes clearly held the edge in play throughout the period. The Ironmen failed to generate any offence or any significant scoring chances so it was up to David Toyoda to keep his team in the game. The Dukes led 1-0 after two periods of play.

The Dukes continued to pad the lead scoring their second of the game 1:58 into the third period. The Ironmen heard the alarm bells go off and hit the score sheet 4:57 into the final frame. Craig Granter scored his second of the tournament in as many games. Todd Fraser got the lone assist. The Dukes did not wait long to respond capitalizing on a failed clearing attempt just inside the Ironmen blue line, by an Ironmen forward. Needing two goals to pull even, the Ironmen pulled David Toyoda with just over three minutes left in the game to get the extra attacker. Unfortunately for the Ironmen Toyoda was sent back to the net with 2:52 left on the clock as the Dukes potted an empty net goal to close out the scoring and defeat the Ironmen by a score of 4-1.

Craig Granter had a goal and an assist in the win over the Steelwheelers.

Ironmen Metal Kings In Win Over Steelwheelers To Open Team 1040 Dodge Cup Tournament
April 29, 2005

By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ In the midst of their playoffs and fresh of a disappointing 4-1 loss in Game #2 of their best of three series with the Drillers, the Ironmen found themselves back on the ice less then 24 hours later to open the Team 1040 Dodge Cup tournament. The Ironmen faced the Steelwheelers in the tournament opener. Although the Ironmen had never faced the Steelwheelers they were familiar with several of their players having just defeated them in the first round, while many of those players were members of the Wild Sockeyes.

The Ironmen got the start they wanted when Steve Meadows stepped over the blue line and fired a shot from the high slot to give the Ironmen the early lead. Jim Defer picked up the only assist. The Ironmen took a 1-0 lead into the second period.

The Steelwheelers did all the scoring in the second period scoring two quick goals midway through the period to take a 2-1 lead. The Ironmen had two shots on the power play but as usually the power play produced nothing. The Ironmen got their only penalty of the game in the middle frame when Neil McEachern was called for a slap shot. What is with that rule? No slap shots in this tournament, that is not hockey…how candy ass. The Steelwheelers took a 2-1 lead into the third period.

The Ironmen were awarded two more power play opportunities, however I don’t think I need to tell you the outcome of those. The Ironmen did manage to secure the equalizer with 7:40 left on the clock when Craig Granter took a feed from Neil McEachern. Craig Ahlstrom picked up the second assist. The Ironmen were not satisfied with a tie as they have had more then their share of those this season. Todd Fraser gave the Ironmen a 3-2 lead with 3:13 left in the game. Craig Granter and Neil McEachern picked up the assists. The Steelwheelers pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker but Edward Kouwenhoven found the empty net to put the game out of reach with just 18 seconds left on the clock.

The Ironmen got the start they wanted in the tournament taking their first game with a 4-2 win over the Steelwheelers.

Rick Makarowski scored a big goal in the shoot-out.

Ironmen Cast Aside Wild Sockeyes In Shoot-Out To Take Series
April 24, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Men of Metal concluded their series with the Wild Sockeyes in thrilling fashion on Sunday night with a nail-biting 5-4 shoot-out victory. The source of that rotten fish stench you smell is likely the ripped out and discarded hearts of the Wild Sockeyes, courtesy of the Ironmen. The Ironmen must be relishing in their role of heart breakers for the first time since their last playoff series win in the spring of 2001. The game featured more emotional pendulum swings than the Ironclad crew had hoped for, but I give the team full credit for battling hard and coming up huge when it counted. Speaking of huge...no one stood taller for the Ironmen on this night than goaltender David Toyoda. I'm not taking anything away from the outstanding effort and clutch goal scoring of Todd Fraser. Clearly, he was a man on a mission tonight as were others in the red jerseys. Still, without the stellar goalkeeping of Toyoda, the Ironmen would have been lucky to get out of the second period down by two goals let alone be tied at two.

The Ironmen definitely had the first period they wanted jumping out to a 2-0 lead on the Sockeyes. Both goals came off the stick of Todd Fraser, who as mentioned had a superb offensive game along with his linemates Hugh Nash and Craig Granter. Fraser’s first goal came 11:19 into the first period after he re-directed a great point shot from Craig Ahlstrom. Hugh Nash picked up the second assist. Fraser was determined to score again before the end of his extended shift concluded, he did so just one minute and 33 seconds later to put his team up by two. Hugh Nash got the lone assist. The Ironmen were given three power play opportunities in the last four minutes of the period including a two-man advantage. The Ironmen were unable to capitalize on the man advantage and as the period concluded.

The tables were turned on the Ironmen in the second period as they gave the Wild Sockeyes a total of five power play opportunities in the middle frame. The Sockeyes got back into the game converting twice with the man advantage. There is no question that the best Ironmen penalty killer was David Toyoda who made a number of clutch saves while shorthanded. The Ironmen did have an excellent to regain the lead when Rick Makarowski was hauled down producing an Ironmen penalty shot. Makarowski unfortunately was not able to convert the chance. The teams were tied 2-2 after two periods of play.

The Ironmen had two power plays early in the third period, but again were unable to take advantage of the extra man. The Ironmen held the edge in shots on goal out shooting the Wild Sockeyes 11-5. The teams were deadlocked in a 2-2 tie at the end of regulation time.

The four-on-four overtime was much the same as the third period, the Ironmen again held the edge in shots on goal, out shooting the Sockeyes 4-2 in the extra frame. Makarowski was again hauled down which earlier in the game may have resulted in a penalty being called, however the officials had put their whistles away at that point. The overtime concluded with the teams still in a 2-2 tie forcing the dreaded shoot-out.

Each team selected three players for the shoot-out with the Ironmen shooting first.

• First Ironmen Shooter: Rob Scott #9 (save)
• First Wild Sockeyes Shooter: #22 (goal)
• Second Ironmen Shooter: Todd Fraser #6 (goal)
• Second Wild Sockeyes Shooter: (save Toyoda)
• Third Ironmen Shooter: Craig Granter #93 (save)
• Third Wild Sockeyes Shooter: (save Toyoda)
• Fourth Ironmen Shooter: Rick Makarowski #19 (goal)
• Fourth Wild Sockeyes Shooter: #14 (goal)
• Fifth Ironmen Shooter: Hugh Nash #22 (goal)
• Fifth Wild Sockeyes Shooter: (save Toyoda)

Toyoda’s save on the fifth Wild Sockeyes shooter gave the Ironmen a 5-4 shoot-out victory.

The Ironmen will have little time to savor this victory; they are back in action on Monday night to take on the Drillers in Game #1 of the second round. Game time is at 8:15 pm on the International rink.

La Première Etoile - David Toyoda

La Deuxième Etoile - Hugh Nash

La Troisième Etoile - Todd Fraser

Steve Meadows had a strong game at both ends of the ice.

Ironmen Get The Jump On Wild Sockeyes In Playoff Opener
April 18, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ Ahhhh.... playoff hockey! There's nothing like playoff hockey on the West Coast. It's like a fever. Everywhere you go people are talking hockey. Who are going to be Rick Makarowski's line-mates in the first round? Will Steve Meadows be playing defense or forward? Will David Toyoda have to steal a game for the Men of Metal? I tell you...it's endless! I can't even begin to count how many Ironmen car flags I saw on my way to the rink (by the way, if anyone spots one...let me know and I'll start counting). In fact, for a brief time on Monday night it looked like the only ones not stoked for the playoffs were the Ironmen themselves. They were back on their heels early in the game against the Wild Sockeyes but managed to overcome a panicky first frame and an intense last minute to pull out a 5-4 victory. The Ironmen lead the best of three series 1-0.

The Wild Sockeyes came out of the gate flying while the Ironmen looked flat and panicked in the early going. If not for some outstanding goaltending from David Toyoda the Ironmen could have been in trouble early. The Ironmen managed to weather the storm for the majority of the period before giving up the games first goal with 2:16 left in the period. The Ironmen struck back 1:02 later when Craig Granter evened the score. Brent Kelly and Jeff Meadows collected the assists.

The Ironmen took the lead three minutes and 31 seconds into the middle frame, when Steve Meadows fired what appeared to be a harmless shot while streaking down the left wing. Jeff Meadows picked up the lone assist. Less then three minutes later the Ironmen lead would evaporate when the Wild Sockeyes scored to make it a 2-2 game. The next eleven plus minutes saw a parade to the penalty box with the teams combining for a total of six penalties. Then with only 26 seconds left in the period Todd Fraser took a nice pass from Craig Granter and unleashed a hard shot on the ice that beat the Sockeye goaltender. Steve Meadows picked up the second assist. The Ironmen not only had the lead at this point but they had the momentum and just 25 seconds later with only one second left on the clock Craig Granter, muscled his way deep into the Sockeye zone and from the corner threaded a beautiful pass to Charlie Kaila who had bolted to the net in the dying seconds of the period. For Kaila it was his first goal in an Ironmen uniform and it could not have come at a better time. Craig Ahlstrom picked up the second assist. The Ironmen took a 4-2 lead into the final period.

The Wild Sockeyes had no intention of going away quietly potting their third goal of the game just 2:46 into the final frame. The Ironmen answered right back as they had done all game long scoring just 21 seconds later to re-store their two-goal lead. Rick Makarowski scored the fifth Ironmen goal with Todd Fraser and Steve Meadows picking up the assists. The Ironmen then settled into their lead and played some sound defensive hockey clogging up the neutral zone not taking any unnecessary risks. In the process they successfully killed of a Todd Fraser slashing penalty. The Ironmen had a two-goal lead in the final stages of the game and with just 53 seconds left on the clock Todd Fraser and number 66 for the Sockeyes exchanged slashes. That led to number 66 taking a wild slash to the head of Fraser who fortunately was not injured. Needless to say that led to an altercation with Todd Fraser and his personal body guard Hugh Nash being front and center. Fraser and Nash were both booted from the game. Number 66 was charged with a five-minute match penalty resulting in a game ejection and an automatic suspension. When the dust had settled the Ironmen had the power play, however it was the Wild Sockeyes that would score with 27 seconds left in the game to make it a 5-4 game. The last 27 seconds were frantic with a loose puck sitting on the door step of the Ironmen net, however the Ironmen defenders wisely took out their players and while tangling with an opponent Jeff Meadows kicked the puck out of danger to run out the clock.

There were plenty of strong performances in this game especially that of Steve Meadows, who not only played a very good positional and defensive game at centre ice but he also led the way scoring once and adding two assists. David Toyoda was also a standout in the Ironmen nets and Craig Granter had a great offensive game. I know that I am leaving out many others but it was a total team effort on this night.

These two teams square off again in Game #2 on Thursday, April 21st at 8:15 pm on the American rink in what promises to be a very entertaining game.

La Première Etoile - Steve Meadows

La Deuxième Etoile - Craig Granter

La Troisième Etoile - Todd Fraser

Rick Makarowski captured his first Art Ross Award as the 2004-2005 Ironmen regular season points champion.

Drillers Pound Ironmen
April 16, 2005

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By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen concluded their regular season schedule on Saturday evening against the first place Drillers. The two teams could potentially meet each other in the second round of the playoffs. The Drillers scored early and often in this game on the way to a 9-4 thrashing of the men of metal.

The Drillers opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game to take an early 1-0 lead. The Ironmen pulled even one minute and forty seconds later, Rob Nikkel scored in his first appearance in an Ironmen uniform this season making an immediate impact. Craig Granter and Steve Meadows picked up the assists. The Ironmen then got into some penalty trouble when Edward Kouwenhoven was called for roughing to set-up a Driller power play. The Drillers regained the lead scoring on the power play to make it a 2-1 game. The Ironmen continued to battle and once again tied up the game when Gary Floyd converted a beautiful pass from Rick Makarowski. Brent Kelly picked up the second assist. The Drillers regained the lead with 2:54 left in the period and would not relinquish it. They added another goal before the period ended leading 4-2 after one period of play.

The Drillers owned the Ironmen in the second period scoring four times. They also doubled the I-men out shooting them 12-6 in the second period. There were no penalties called in the middle frame. The Drillers took a commanding 8-2 lead into the final period.

The Drillers looked as if they were going to continue where they left off in the second period, they scored goal number nine two minutes and 17 seconds into the final period. The Ironmen could have very easily thrown in the towel and called it a night at this point, however these are the Ironmen not the tinmen and they showed a lot of heart to battle on playing a much better period of hockey. Rick Makarowski scored the third Ironmen goal at the eleven-minute mark while on a breakaway. For the second time in the game Makarowski had a breakaway and was hooked down to the ice. For some reason neither breakaway drew a call from the officials but this time Makarowski made sure the puck got to the back of the net as he followed it in. Gary Floyd and Robert Burrows picked up the assists. Rob Nikkel scored an unassisted marker 56 seconds later to close the scoring.

Although not the finish they had hoped for, overall it was a good season for the Ironmen who shaved six losses of their record of one season ago. The games from here on now have some real meaning, as the playoffs begin and the slate is wiped clean. The Ironmen play the Wild Sockeyes in the first round of the playoffs with game one on Monday, April 18th at 9:45 pm on the International rink.

La Première Etoile - Rick Makarowski

La Deuxième Etoile - Rob Nikkel

La Troisième Etoile - Gary Floyd

Robert Burrows was solid on defense and scored his first career Ironmen goal.

Ironmen Cool Hot Brewers
April 14, 2005

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By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ After getting back on track with a win in their last outing against the Warriors, the Ironmen returned to action against a red hot Brewers squad that has piled up four wins in a row.

The Brewers struck first scoring on a shot from the point, capitalizing on a clear shooting lane that was made available when the Ironmen winger collapsed in his zone. The Ironmen evened the score while shorthanded less then two minutes later, Jim Defer walked into the high slot to bury his sixth goal of the season. Craig Granter picked up the only assist. The Ironmen special teams continued to be a factor with some good puck control on the power play leading to Robert Burrows scoring his first career Ironmen goal. Rick Makarowski and Brent Kelly assisted on the play. The Ironmen took a 2-1 lead into the second period.

The middle frame saw the officials call a total of six penalties, which gave the Ironmen three power play opportunities. Unfortunately for the Ironmen the only scoring of the period was a Brewers shorthanded marker with 4:12 left on the clock. The teams were deadlocked in a 2-2 tie after two periods.

The Ironmen again took the lead just over four minutes into the period when Todd Fraser hooked up with Neil McEachern to score his team high 19th goal of the season. Fraser has scored in consecutive games and seems to be much more at home playing on the right wing. The Brewers managed to score the equalizer with 6:14 remaining in the game to close the scoring. This goal was a near carbon copy of the first goal the Ironmen surrendered, once again the Ironmen winger collapsed and failed to cover his point. This game marked a league high ninth tie of the season for the Ironmen, who continue to compete and are in the majority of their games right until the very end.

The Ironmen go right back to work on Saturday night, as they wrap up the regular season against the defending champion Drillers. Game time is 8:30 pm on the International rink.

La Première Etoile - Robert Burrows

La Deuxième Etoile - Steve Meadows

La Troisième Etoile - Todd Fraser

Rob Scott scored twice in the Ironmen 6-4 win over the Warriors.

Warriors Surrender To Ironmen
April 11, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ After having a few days to lick their wounds after some serious butt-kicking at the hands of their opponents, the Ironmen decided to get down to business and get their mojo back. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead and eventually extinguished the 4th place Warriors by a score of 6-4. Along the way though, this game was far from a lock for the Men of Metal as they allowed their comfortable lead to evaporate in a scene that has become far too familiar in Ironmen lore. Full credit though, to the Iron squad for not coming unglued and for getting the job done. Hell, I'm just thankful it wasn't yet another tie!

The Ironmen opened the scoring just under four minutes into the game when Todd Fraser scored for the first time in eleven games. Fraser must have felt as if he had a gigantic gorilla removed from his shoulders scoring for the first time since January 30th. The Ironmen went up two goals when the line of Kelly-Makarowski-Scott cycled the puck behind the Warrior net to produce Rob Scott’s 13th goal of the season. Brent Kelly and Rick Makarowski picked up the assists. Two thirds of that line hooked up on the third Ironmen goal when Brent Kelly hit Rick Makarowski with a pass that sent him in alone on the Warrior goaltender. Makarowski buried his 14th goal of the season and his team leading 37th point.

The Ironmen proceeded to settle into their three-goal lead, however instead of settling in they had fallen into a slumber. The Warriors scored three straight goals to make it a 3-3 game. The Ironmen snapped out of it when newcomer Neil McEachern scored his first of two goals in his Ironmen debut. Todd Fraser assisted McEachern’s first goal and his second goal (the fifth Ironmen goal) was set-up by Craig Ahlstrom. As effective as McEachern was on the scoreboard he was even more valuable with his strong defensive and positional play all game long.

The teams were in a giving mood in the late stages of the game, they exchanged gift-wrapped goals to close the scoring. The sixth Ironmen goal was scored when Rob Scott potted his second of the night well the Warrior goaltender was on a wild safari.

The Ironmen climbed out of the division basement with this victory and now sit in 8th place with two games remaining on the regular season schedule. The Ironmen face a red hot Brewers squad on Thursday, April 14th at 10:00 pm on the Canadian rink.

La Première Etoile - Neil McEachern

La Deuxième Etoile - Rick Makarowski

La Troisième Etoile - Rob Scott

Jeff Meadows played a smart game and had one of his best outings of the season on defense.

Cyclones Cause Ironmen Train Wreck
April 7, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ Train wreck, implosion, avalanche...pick a disaster. It was all over the ice at the Great Pacific Forum on Thursday night as the hapless Ironmen were seriously exposed by the Cyclones to the tune of an 8-3 score. I don't know what happened! When I last saw this team play three games ago I was watching a team that had been starting to really get their game together. I mean things were really looking up. However on this night, they looked like a team at rock bottom holding shovels instead of hockey sticks. The men of metal had a few early chances to get on the board first but Craig Granter couldn't grab a handle on the puck as he found himself alone in front of the Cyclone goalie. Minutes later, Granter narrowly missed the open side of the net with a backhander. His linemate fared no better as Todd Fraser was foiled by the goal post on an earlier shift. Those early missed chances opened the door for the Cyclones to gather themselves where they proceeded to pummel the Ironmen with three first period goals.

The Ironmen would finally get on the board in the second period courtesy of a power play goal from that noted goal scoring behemoth, Edward Kouwenhoven. Kouwenhoven took a pass at the blueline in the Cyclone zone and walked in before throwing the puck at the net managing to get through the traffic in front and finding it’s way to the back of the net. Craig Ahlstrom picked up the lone assist. Any life that goal may have given the boys in white was merely life support and would be short lived and was soon snuffed out. The Cyclones wasted little time capitalizing on several odd-man rushes and the missed defensive assignments the Ironmen were so generously giving out throughout the second frame. The Cyclones bagged two more goals less then five minutes after the Kouwenhoven goal to take a 5-1 lead. The Ironmen attempted to fight back with an inspired shift late in the period as Rick Makarowski did a nice job carrying the puck deep and from behind the Cyclones net finding Rob Scott with a pass in the slot. Scott was a little handcuffed on the play but made a nice spin move to deposit a backhanded shot that finished off the play and cut the lead to 6-2.

However that was about as close as the Ironmen could get to the Cyclones this night. The third period may as well not have been played, as the Ironmen just couldn't get a cohesive team effort happening. They did get a goal from the dynamic duo of Granter and Fraser as one of them actually passed the puck to the other one. The frustrated Craig Granter finally found the back of the net after some near misses earlier. After again being foiled on another breakaway this time the rebound bounced off Granter’s shin pad into the net. Todd Fraser assisted on the goal. The Cyclones responded to the third Ironmen goal by scoring two more goals of their own barley breaking a sweat in the process to take the game 8-3.

It has been a rare occurrence this season to see the Ironmen get truly trounced. Especially in back to back games. The I-men need to get back to playing a team game; that includes quick line changes, swift & short passes and much better puck support. The Ironmen defense needs to buckle down as well and make smart pinches, ensuring that they are not getting left up the ice as often. Lately, goaltender David Toyoda has had much too much work to do. In addition, the Ironmen forwards must get back to utilizing a third forward high in the offensive zone. The Ironmen have demonstrated in the past, when they do this they are much more effective at holding the blue line and the odd man rushes are reduced significantly.

Next up for the Ironmen is a date on Monday, April 11th versus the Warriors at 9:45 pm on the American rink. Leave the white towels at home!

La Première Etoile - Jeff Meadows

La Deuxième Etoile - Rick Makarowski

La Troisième Etoile - Craig Granter

Henry Fowlds was a force in front of his own net and in the corners for the Ironmen.

Ironmen Tie On Another One
March 27, 2005

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By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ It was a battle of first and last place teams on Easter Sunday as the Ironmen squared off against the division leading Franki G's Raiders for only the second time this season. The only other meeting between the two clubs was a 2-2 tie on February 3rd.

The Ironmen faced an uphill battle in this contest, not only were they taking on the division’s top team, but they were forced to do so dressing only eleven skaters. The Ironmen had five regulars out of the line-up, including Mr. Ironman himself, Steve Meadows who had not missed a regular season game since the 1998-99 season.

The Raiders went on the attack from the opening face-off and seldom let up on the Ironmen throughout the game. The Ironmen spent a good portion of the first period in panic mode, often running around and scrabbling just to get the puck out of their zone. Of all things, it took a Craig Ahlstrom interference penalty at the 6:56 mark of the first period to settle down the men of metal. The Ironmen did a good job of killing off the penalty and after some clutch saves from Don Lobo, the Ironmen started to compete with the Raiders. The Raiders out shot the Ironmen 14-5 in the opening period.

The Raiders were called for a tripping infraction early into the second period, giving the Ironmen their first power play of the game. The Ironmen were unable to exploit the man advantage as the Raiders penalty killers shut them down. Midway through the period the Ironmen penalty killers were put back to work. Craig Ahlstrom received his second penalty of the game. This time the call was a cross-check that looked more like an elbow. The Ironmen penalty killers once again were up to the challenge and snuffed out the Raiders power play. The Raiders were assessed a high-sticking call at the 5:26 mark sending the Ironmen back on the power play. A Raider player was nailed for the infraction while in a battle with Robert Burrows in front of the Ironmen net. The Ironmen were unable to capitalize with the extra man during this defense struggle.

The real story of the second period (and the majority of the game) was the two goaltenders, it was a goaltenders clinic; the Raider goaltender foiled the Ironmen on a couple of breakaway opportunities. However, sometimes you have to be lucky to be good. As good as the Raiders stopper was, he did have some luck on his side as well. The Ironmen hit two goal posts in the second period and fired another seven shots on the Raiders net. At the other end Don Lobo was nothing short of spectacular, stopping all nine of the shots that he faced.

The third period continued with both teams exchanging chances and playing good defensive hockey. This was a very physical game; both teams punished each other on the walls and in front of each other’s nets. This was a very welcome sight from an Ironmen perspective. Often this season the Ironmen have been criticized for being soft on their opponents, especially when it comes to dealing with the opposition in front of their own net. In this game the likes of Henry Fowlds, Robert Burrows and Edward Kouwenhoven did an outstanding job of taking the body both in front of the Ironmen net and along the boards. The Raiders were called for cross-checking at the 12:07 mark, but the Ironmen power play was cut short when Rick Makarowski was called a minute later for high-sticking. The Ironmen broke the scoreless tie just two minutes after the Makarowski penalty expired. Craig Ahlstrom made a nice clearing pass that sent Hugh Nash in alone on the Raiders net; Nash snapped a low wrist shot past the goaltender with 8:00 left on the clock. The Raiders wasted little time pulling even scoring exactly two-minutes later on a very controversial goal. Don Lobo made the first save and was then run over in his goal crease, a Raider player pounced on the loose puck and put it into the open net. This goal should have been disallowed and the Raiders should have been given a goaltender interference penalty. After arguing their point to no avail, the Ironmen wisely called a time-out allowing them an opportunity to re-group and slow any momentum the questionable goal may have given the Raiders. The game ended in a 1-1 tie with the Ironmen out shooting the Raiders 12-7 in the final period.

The Ironmen have a division leading eight ties on the season. The single point they earned in this game moved them out of the division basement ahead of the Wild Sockeyes.

The Ironmen now have some time off to mend their battered bodies, before they make the final push to the playoffs. They will need the break as they play five games in twelve nights, beginning with a match-up on April 5th against the Flying Pirates at 8:15 pm on the American rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Don Lobo

La Deuxième Etoile - Henry Fowlds

La Troisième Etoile - Robert Burrows

Gordon Jackson returned to the Ironmen line-up scoring two shorthanded goals.

Ironmen Brew Up Another Tie
March 8, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen returned to the ice Tuesday evening to face another one of the division cellar dwellers the Brewers. The Ironmen are fresh off a tie against the Warriors on Saturday night, while the Brewers have been idle since they loss 6-3 to the Flying Pirates on February 24th.

The Ironmen opened the game by applying some good pressure to the Brewers early with hard forechecking. That early momentum would be temporarily stalled as Craig Ahlstrom was called for a hooking infraction three minutes and 23 seconds into the game. The Ironmen penalty killers were dispatched and not only did they go to work to wipe out the penalty, but they scored a shorthanded goal to give the Ironmen a 1-0 lead. Gord Jackson made it happen with his great speed; he walked in on the Brewer goaltender and beat him upstairs. Gary ‘Viper’ Floyd and Jeff Meadows picked up the assists. The Brewers pulled even four minutes and 30 seconds later. The Ironmen penalty killers were again summoned to kill off a penalty late in the period when Todd Fraser was nailed for holding. Once again Gord ‘Action’ Jackson was a threat shorthanded as he and Brent Kelly forced the Brewers to cough up the puck in their own zone. Jackson picked up the loose puck on the right wing boards and walked into the slot, while Kelly went hard to the net to apply the screen. Jackson buried his second shorthanded goal of the game with a shot that beat the goalie top corner glove side, with only four seconds left on the clock. Brent Kelly and Jeff Meadows picked up the assists. The Ironmen took a 2-1 lead into the second period.

Once again the Ironmen were nailed for a penalty, this time Rick Makarowski was called after exchanging slashes with a Brewers player. Unfortunately for Makarowski and his team the Brewer slash went undetected and Makarowski was sent to the box alone. There was no Gord Jackson magic this time and the Brewers cashed in on their power play opportunity to tie up the game. The Ironmen were now sitting back and the Brewers took advantage of that, scoring 41 seconds later taking a 3-2 lead. The Ironmen pulled back even at the 7:06 mark on a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play. Jeff Meadows started things off rushing up ice to break through the zone and spot Rick Makarowski who then fed Brent Kelly with a beautiful pass, which Kelly one-timed past the Brewer goalie for his 6th of the season. The score was tied 3-3 after two periods.

The Ironmen started the final frame on the power play and wasted little time going to work. After some textbook passing in the Brewer zone, Jeff Meadows unleashed a canon from the point that his older bother Steve Meadows quickly pounced on to give the Ironmen a 4-3 lead. Rick Makarowski picked up the second assist. The Ironmen lead was short lived as the Brewers evened the score three minutes and 50 seconds later on a shorthanded goal. The Ironmen did have a couple more chances to get that lead courtesy of two late power plays, but they were unable to generate a significant scoring threat.

The Ironmen just can’t seem to buy a win as of late, but they have been in every single game since the calendar turned to ’05. The team has a record of 3-3-4 over the last ten games. They continue to get solid goaltending from David Toyoda and the return of Gord Jackson in this game was a huge offensive boost. Unfortunately, Jackson suffered a knee injury late in the game and his status is unclear. The Ironmen had a little different look to their line-up in this game, due to injuries and missing players. Steve Meadows who is nursing a nasty thumb injury played up on the wing, as did Robert Burrows. Jeff Meadows and Edward Kouwenhoven joined Craig Ahlstrom and Charlie Kalia on defense. Jeff Meadows had a career night on the back end he assisted on all four Ironmen goals.

The Ironmen return to the ice to play the Wild Sockeyes on Sunday, March 13th at 9:15 pm on the International rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Jeff Meadows

La Deuxième Etoile - Gordon Jackson

La Troisième Etoile - Brent Kelly

David Toyoda had another outstanding performance in goal for the Ironmen.

No Victor In Battle Of Ironmen And Warriors
March 5, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen returned to the ice on Saturday afternoon to kick off a busy month of March against the forth place Warriors. The Ironmen had dropped their last two games and took a slight step backward in February after an outstanding January.

The first period was a feeling out process for both teams; neither team had many offense opportunities despite a total of three power plays during the period. The Ironmen had the extra opportunity on the power play, however they played as if they were the team a man short.

The Ironmen once again surrendered a goal within the first minute of a period when the Warriors scored 44 seconds into the middle frame. The Ironmen’s inept power play was given another opportunity when Rick Makarowski got into a wrestling match with a Warrior player. The Warrior player received a double minor for roughing while Makarowski was issued a two minute minor. The Warriors took a two-goal lead with 3:31 left in the period. The Ironmen answered back just 39 seconds later when Craig Granter scored a nifty wrap around goal to get his team on the board and shift the momentum in favor of the Ironmen. Jeff Meadows and Charlie Kalia assisted on the goal. The Warriors lead 2-1 after two periods.

The Ironmen took the momentum they had captured late in the second period into the third period. Jeff Meadows tapped in a feed from Craig Granter one minute and 46 seconds into the final frame to even the score at two. For Meadows the goal was his forth of the season. The Ironmen took the lead for the first time in the game less then four minutes later. Rob Scott blocked a point shot after a face-off deep in the Ironmen zone, Scott then found himself with a breakaway that he buried for his 11th goal of the season. The Warriors responded less then a minute later to make it a 3-3 game. The remaining eight minutes saw the teams exchange chances with the edge in quality opportunities going to the Warriors. David Toyoda made a few clutch saves in the late going for the Ironmen to allow his team to escape with a point. There was a scary moment with 1:03 left on the clock when Steve Meadows was boarded from behind, the Ironmen’s all-time leader in consecutive games left the ice clutching his right hand. Meadows is listed as day-to-day, but I’m betting the reliable defensemen will be in the line-up on Tuesday night.

The Ironmen did not play a bad game for the most part, however the line of Nash-Fraser-Kouwenhoven struggled terribly as they were minus three on the night and were horrible in their own zone. Hugh Nash has to stop collapsing in his own zone and just cover his point man. The Ironmen defensive corps also had a tough night being victimized for many breakaways and odd man rushes. Robert Burrows who has proved he is very capable of making a good first pass out of his own zone or safely getting the puck out when his team is in trouble is now hurting the team when he gives up after being beaten on an attempted pinch. Over the last number of games Burrows has often been the last Ironmen player to return to his zone after someone gets by him. Note to anyone that gets beat…get on your horse and bust your ass to get back! You may not catch the guy that beat you but you can always pick up the late man.

David Toyoda continues to be unbelievable in goal for the Ironmen. Toyoda is playing the way he did a few years back when he took the team deep into the playoffs and to the division final. Craig Granter and his line mate Jeff Meadows had a strong game, if only we could get the younger Meadows to shoot the puck more and cut out the cutesy extra moves. Evan Johnston returned to the Ironmen line-up for the first time since last season. Johnston did not look out of place and despite the years worth of rust he had accumulated, I though he played very well.

The Ironmen have two days off before they are back in action on Tuesday evening when they take on the Brewers at 8:30 pm on the Canadian rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - David Toyoda

La Deuxième Etoile - Jeff Meadows

La Troisième Etoile - Craig Granter

Rick Makarowski led the way for the Ironmen scoring twice.

Cyclones Storm Early To Beat Ironmen
February 24, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen looked to rebound from a disappointing loss in their last outing as they faced the fifth place Cyclones on Thursday evening. This is the third time the two teams have faced each other with both teams earning a victory. This game also marked the return of Jamie Barnes to the Ironmen nets for the first time since November 29th.

I was barely in my seat when the scoring started in this one. After winning the opening face off the Ironmen failed to control the puck in their zone, eventually defensemen Craig Ahlstom gambled and dove for the loose puck at the Ironmen blueline. That resulted in Ahlstrom sliding by the puck on the fresh ice to center, leaving his defense partner Steve Meadows to contend with a three on one chance that the Cyclones capitalized on with the game only 37 seconds old. The second line did not fair much better as they too were victimized one minute and 5 seconds later. The Ironmen had dug a huge hole for themselves early down 2-0 with the game not even two minutes old. The Ironmen did settle down and had some good scoring chances courtesy of three powerplay opportunities in the first half of the period. Although the Ironmen were unable to connect on the powerplay they sent a message that this game was not going to be as lopsided as the two early goals may have indicated. The Ironmen held the edge in shots on goal 14-10 in the opening period.

The Ironmen hit the scoreboard at the 7:00 minute mark of the second period, after some frantic battling in and around the Cyclone net. The line of Fraser-Kouwenhoven-Nash refused to quit as they whacked away at the loose puck leading to a Hugh Nash goal. Although Nash’s goal was unassisted his line-mate’s hard work was a major factor in the goal. The Cyclones regained their two-goal lead less then four minutes later on a play that I still think should have been whistled down as an offside. It seems as all the Ironmen players on the ice had the same thought, as they just stood around and watched goaltender Jamie Barnes make four or five remarkable saves before finally being beat. Fueled by the missed call the Ironmen showed a lot of character as they clawed back scoring 1:05 later. Rob Scott threaded a beautiful pass to send Rick Makarowski in alone on the Cyclone goaltender. Makarowski showed great patience hitting the breaks on the doorstep of the Cyclone net; he then waited for the goalie to commit before depositing the puck top shelf. The Ironmen trailed the Cyclones 3-2 after two periods.

The Ironmen did not get the start they wanted in the final frame; again they surrendered another early goal to start a period. As Howie Meeker would say giving up a goal in the first or last minute of a period is a “cardinal sin”. Although trailing by two early in the third period there was plenty of time to get back into this one. The Cyclones had a short bench a started to look like they were out of gas. All the Ironmen needed to do was keep their shifts short, stay out of the penalty box and wear down their opponents by using the dump and chase. However unlike the Meat Loaf song two outta three ain’t good enough and the Ironmen failed to get the puck deep and force the Cyclones to skate. In fact more often then not the Ironmen carried the puck to the Cyclone blueline before being turned back time and time again. The Ironmen did manage to close the gap at the 6:33 mark Todd Fraser blasted his team leading 17th goal of the season with Hugh Nash picking up the lone assist. The Cyclones took back their two-goal lead 1:59 later with less then five minutes left in the game. The Ironmen once again showed character refusing to throw in the towel getting back within one with just 1:02 left on the clock. Rick Makarowski scored his second goal of the game after converting a nice offering from Brent Kelly. The Ironmen pulled goalie Jamie Barnes for the extra attacker and had their best chance with 30 seconds left when they appeared to get the tying goal, however play was allowed to continue leading to an empty net Cyclones goal 15 seconds later. With no video replay the Ironmen were out of luck.

The Ironmen have another long layoff before a very busy March that will see them playing six times. They open the new month on March 5th when they play the Warriors at 4:15 pm on the Canadian rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Rick Makarowski

La Deuxième Etoile - Jamie Barnes

La Troisième Etoile - Todd Fraser

Brent Kelly scored the second Ironmen goal in a 3-2 loss to the Flying Pirates.

Flying Pirates Edge Ironmen In Entertaining Contest
February 13, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen were in action on Sunday afternoon defending their three game unbeaten streak versus the second place Flying Pirates. The Ironmen have been playing their best hockey of the season led by David Toyoda who has been outstanding in the Ironmen nets since returning to the line-up on January 24th.

The opening frame was evenly played, both teams had a few quality scoring chances. Each team had an opportunity on the powerplay, but were unable to capitalize on the man advantage. The Flying Pirates out shot the Ironmen 7 to 5 in a scoreless opening frame.

The Flying Pirates wasted little time getting their offense going in the second period; they scored the first goal of the game only 16 seconds into the period. The airborne buccaneers took a two-goal lead just under nine minutes later. The Ironmen hit the scoreboard 1:20 later when Gordon Jackson pounced on Jim Defer point shot to make it a 2-1 game. The Flying Pirates regained their two-goal lead with 6:51 on the clock. All three Flying Pirates goals were scored by number #18 Tyler Amy, giving him a natural hat trick. The Ironmen would have been wise to shadow number #18 or at the very least do a Bobby Clarke (circa 1972 Summit Series) to him, as he did all the damage against the metal men. The Ironmen closed the gap two minutes and 14 seconds later when Brent Kelly made a great second effort, diving to knife the puck past the Pirate netminder. The initial shot was another shot from the point courtesy of Jim Defer. It’s great to see the Ironmen forwards starting to use their points to get shots to the net. The Flying Pirates again held the edge in shots on goal out shooting the Ironmen 9 to 5 in the middle frame.

The Ironmen started the first one minute and 50 seconds of third period shorthanded as Edward Kouwenhoven was called for crosschecking late in the second period. The Ironmen did an excellent job of killing of the penalty, although there were some tense moments in the defensive zone late in the kill as a result of fatigued penalty killers. The Ironmen failed to get many quality scoring chances for the majority of the final period, this despite having two powerplay opportunities of their own. The Ironmen attempted to get the equalizer late in the game with David Toyoda pulled for the extra attacker. Once again the Flying Pirates out shot the Ironmen 7-3 in the third period with two of those three shots coming very late in the game.

Although the final result is disappointing for the metal men it was a very entertaining game. The majority of the game was high tempo with good flow, both teams played gritty hockey and there were some good battles. The officials let the teams play hockey and as a result the chippy play was kept to a bare minimum. The Ironmen played a very sound team game for the most part and once again David Toyoda was stellar in goal for the Ironmen. The Ironmen were missing some offense from their line-up in this game, two of the team’s top three scorers were out of the line-up. One has to wonder if that would have made the difference for the ironclad crew?

The Ironmen return to action on Thursday, February 24th when they face off against the Cyclones at 6:45 pm on the Canadian rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - David Toyoda

La Deuxième Etoile - Brent Kelly

La Troisième Etoile - Rob Scott

Defensemen Jim Defer scored one goal and added an assist.

Raiders Pilfer Point From Ironmen
February 3, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen put their two game winning streak on the line Thursday night against Franki G’s Raiders. The Raiders are a new team to the division they have compiled a 2-1-0 record in their first three games in Division 3 after being bumped down from Division 2. The Ironmen looked to continue to build on their recent momentum having only lost once in their last five games.

Things didn’t start out well for the Ironmen, for the second straight game the Ironmen looked a little slow out of the gate on the opening shift. The second shift didn’t start out much better as Brent Kelly was issued a tripping penalty as soon as he stepped on the ice. The Ironmen penalty killers were up to the task and did an excellent job killing off the questionable call. The Raiders however managed hit the scoreboard first, opening the scoring five minutes and 45 seconds into the game. The Ironmen responded three minutes later when Jim Defer bulled his way into the Raider zone from the back end unleashing a blast to even the score. Steve Meadows and Edward Kouwenhoven picked up the assists. Period one ended with the score 1-1.

The Ironmen picked up their play in the second period, getting back to the high-energy short shifts that have propelled them in recent games. The Ironmen received an opportunity on the powerplay when a Raider player caught Jeff Meadows under his visor clipping his eyelid and drawing some blood. The Raider infraction gave the Ironmen a five-minute powerplay and Meadows was able to stay in the game. The Ironmen powerplay moved the puck around very well; they did an excellent job of cycling in the corners and using the points. It was the most organized and dominant I have seen the Ironmen powerplay this year. The Ironmen got the go-ahead goal five minutes into the period when Hugh Nash fought his way through the crowd to pounce on the puck for his 7th goal of the season. Jim Defer got the only assist on the play. The Ironmen took a 2-1 lead into the final period.

The third period was a penalty fest; the strange thing about the officiating in this game was they were letting the infractions that needed to be called go unpunished. I witnessed two 2-handed chops to Ironmen players in plain sight of the officials. I also saw at least four brutal cross checks to the backs of Ironmen players, two of them coming long after the whistle had blown the play dead. Perhaps the officials were imported from Burnaby 8-Rinks for this contest? The officials failed to make the first call all night long opting for candy ass calls such as questionable trips or a two-many men on the ice penalty that was right out to lunch. The two teams combined for a total of 26 penalty minutes during the final frame, 16 of which were assessed to the metal men. The hooliganism definitelyfavored the Raiders who had a short bench seemed to have a game plan to interrupt the flow the Ironmen had got going in the second period. The Raiders plan was to play meathead hockey and seeing if they could drag the Ironmen down to their level. The Ironmen did the best they could not to buy into the nonsense, but being shorthanded for the majority of the third period greatly affected the high-energy, high tempo, short shift game plan the Ironmen had. The Ironmen successfully killed off back-to-back penalties before shooting themselves in the foot with another foolish too many men on the ice penalty. Is that Brent Kelly or Don Cherry (circa 1979) running the Ironmen bench? Now I will admit that the first Ironmen too-many men on the ice penalty was very suspect, however the second call could not be argued. I counted six Ironmen skaters on the ice with none of them anywhere close to the Ironmen bench. The Raiders stuck it to the Ironmen scoring the tying goal fifty seconds into their man advantage. The way the Ironmen finished this game they were actually in danger of losing the single point. It got a little scarier for the Ironmen when Edward Kouwenhoven was nailed for another soft tripping call with 34 seconds left on the clock. The men of metal killed off the clock and although disappointed at losing a point late in the game they extended their undefeated streak to three games.

The Ironmen defensive game is continuing to get stronger and since his return to the Ironmen nets David Toyoda has been outstanding. Toyoda is not only stopping the pucks that he needs to stop, but also he is battling hard to reel in his rebounds and any loose pucks near his crease. He has also looked very sharp stopping a few breakaways over the last couple of games. Toyoda has put together a goals against average of 2.00 over his last three starts. When the Ironmen had their full lines on the ice they continued to do a very good job of keeping their shifts short with the exception of Henry Fowlds who was often the last member of his line off the ice. I will give Hank the benefit of the doubt this time, as he is used to playing on defense as opposed to up front. I’d also like to give a big thumbs up to back-up goaltender Jamie Barnes who was a good team guy and came out to cheer on his teammates knowing that he would not see any action.

The Ironmen are now off for the next ten days, as GPF does not schedule games during Super Bowl Sunday. The Ironmen return to action on Sunday, February 13th at 4:00 pm versus the Flying Pirates for a Pre-Valentines day match on the International rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Jim Defer

La Deuxième Etoile - David Toyoda

La Troisième Etoile - Hugh Nash

David Toyoda's return to the line-up was a triumphant one as he played his best game of the season.

Ironmen Sink Drillers
January 24, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen had a tough challenge ahead of them on Monday night if they looked to get back on track after a minor setback last week. The Men of Metal faced the defending champion Drillers who currently sit in second place in the division. The Drillers head into this game in the midst of a four game winning streak and are undefeated in five games. The Ironmen have played some of their best hockey of the season during the month of January. The Ironmen have become dedicated to playing a hardworking team game and have been rewarded with favorable results.

The Ironmen opened the scoring when Gordon Jackson found the back of the net two minutes and 20 seconds into the game. Craig Granter and Jeff Meadows picked up the assists. The Ironmen went up by two when Hugh Nash converted a Gary Floyd offering at the 7:05 mark. The Drillers wasted little time in responding pulling within one just 1:14 seconds later. The Drillers continued to battle for the equalizer and capitalized on a breakdown in the Ironmen defensive game with just 30 seconds left in the period. The score was tied after the first period but the Ironmen had a definite edge in play and outshot the Drillers 14-8.

The second period was scoreless thanks to some solid goaltending courtesy of David Toyoda who returned to the Ironmen nets for the first time since December 19th. The layoff must have helped the Ironmen netminder who was very sharp and battled hard all night long. The only other action in the period was the seven penalties both teams combined to get during the middle frame. The majority of the penalties were coincidental calls. The Drillers outshot the Ironmen 10-5 in the second period.

The Ironmen regained their lead when Brent Kelly found a speeding Todd Fraser breaking down the right wing; Fraser gained the blueline and cut to the middle unleashing a blast past the Driller’s goalie. Robert Burrows picked up the second assist. The Ironmen enjoyed that lead for less than five minutes as the Drillers again evened the score with 8:28 on the clock. However, the Ironmen wasted no time to take back the lead and countered just 21 seconds later, when Hugh Nash scored his second of the game with Gary Floyd picking up the lone assist. The Ironmen were satisfied in protecting the one goal lead until Gary Floyd was given a gift wrapped scoring opportunity while he was unchecked high in the Driller slot area with 4:24 left in the game. Todd Fraser was given credit for the assist, however from my vantage point the pass came courtesy of a Driller defender. (If I’m wrong on the call and it was in fact a Fraser pass, please accept my apologies Todd). The Ironmen grinders went to work the rest of the way to shut down the Drillers. The Ironmen victory snapped the Drillers four game-winning streak feeding them their first loss since December 7th.

This was another solid team effort for the Ironmen, who continue to improve as a team and once again had excellent high-energy shifts that were seldom over a minute long. David Toyoda’s return to the line-up was a triumphant one as he played his best game of the season. This is a contest where almost anyone on the Ironmen squad could be selected as a game star as everyone contributed in the win.

The Ironmen are back in action on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm as they host the Pirates on the International rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - David Toyoda

La Deuxième Etoile - Hugh Nash

La Troisième Etoile - Gary Floyd

Henry Fowlds had a strong game up front but his grit was missed on defense.

Ironmen Let Weak Sockeyes Off The Hook
January 16, 2005

By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen returned to the ice to take on the Wild Sockeyes for another Sunday Night Hockey game. In fact of the last five Ironmen games four have them have taken place on a Sunday. The Ironmen looked to extend their 2005 undefeated streak to three games with a win over the Poached Salmon. (Don’t get me started on their name; I think that I expressed my feelings in great detail in my November 29th game report). An Ironmen win in this game would have them leap over the Sockeyes for 7th place in the division standings.

The Ironmen hit the scoreboard on the second shift of the game just 1:55 into the action when Brent Kelly forced a turnover just inside the Sockeye blueline by pressuring the lone fish defensemen. The defender then rushed his pass and was promptly picked off by Rob Scott leading to Kelly and Scott walking in alone on the Sockeye goaltender. Scott elected to shoot, roofing a beautiful shot glove side over the netminder. The goal was Scott’s 10th of the season. The Sockeyes pulled even just over six minutes later and recorded the go-ahead goal on the powerplay with 4:32 left on the clock, with Rob Burrows was off for tripping. The Sockeyes had a 2-1 lead after the first period.

The Wild Sockeyes picked up where they left off to open the second period, scoring three minutes into the middle frame to take a two-goal lead. The Ironmen didn’t panic, they appeared confident they could dig themselves out of the hole they were in. Perhaps that was the problem for the Ironclad crew, they were not playing with any desperation. They had a few good shifts with some good chances, however were unwilling or unable to string together consecutive hardworking shifts. In addition, there was far too much separation between the forwards and the defense for the majority of the first two periods. The Ironmen also lacked the sandpaper needed on the back end that is normally provided by the likes of Ahlstrom, Defer and Fowlds. Ahlstrom and Fowlds were both playing up front in this game (a rare occurrence) and Defer did not look like his nasty self. It was a lack of grit from the defense in front of the Ironmen net that contributed to a controversial forth Sockeye goal with just five seconds on the clock.

The Ironmen played a better team game in the third period; they started to keep pucks in the opposition zone and forced many Sockeye turnovers by applying pressuring on the forecheck. The gap between the Ironmen forwards and defense was decreased considerably. The short Sockeye bench was also proving to be a factor as the Ironmen were beginning to skate them into the ground. The Ironmen got their second goal of the game at the 4:40 mark when Todd Fraser found twine as opposed to iron for the first time in the game. Charile Kaila and Steve Meadows picked up the assists. The Ironmen pulled within one when Rick Makarowski scored with one minute and 59 seconds left on the clock. Charile Kaila picked up the only assist. The Ironmen pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker and had many good chances to get the game tying goal, none better then the chance Rick Makarowski had. Makarowski seemed to have a wide open net but was robbed by a remarkable game saving stop by the Sockeye netminder.

The Wild Sockeyes in my opinion are one of the weakest teams the Ironmen have faced this season. I realize that there are some individuals that may point out that the Ironmen ran into a hot goaltender or they just didn’t get the bounces. That may be true on the surface considering the Ironmen clearly had the edge in scoring opportunities and hit at least four goal posts during the game. However, if you dig a little deeper it becomes crystal clear that a game against the Wild Sockeyes should be like shooting fish in a barrel. They had no stand out players and when pressured they often panicked and turned over the puck. This was very evident early on in the contest and is how Rob Scott’s game opening goal was scored. The bottom line is the Ironmen have to win games like this. It doesn’t matter if the Sockeyes stacked up a brick wall in front of their net or if Vladislav Tretiak in his prime was playing goal for the fish, this is a team the Ironmen have to beat.

The Ironmen once again had another strong third period. Another positive throughout this game was the length of the Ironmen shifts. The shifts were short and responsible in the length of time with no one player hurting the team by being selfish or foolish by staying out for extended periods. That intern increased the energy level for the Ironmen and decreased the floating. It was very noticeable and was a huge improvement over the last few games. I’m sure that has nothing to do with anyone that was missing from the Ironmen line-up…does it?

The next Ironmen game is on Monday, January 24th versus the Drillers at 8:15 pm on the American rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Rob Scott

La Deuxième Etoile - Henry Fowlds

La Troisième Etoile - Rick Makarowski

Gord Jackson scored the game tying goal for the Ironmen versus the Brewers.

Ironmen Rally Back To Earn Tie Against Brewers
January 10, 2005

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By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen were back in action on Monday night to face the Brewers for the third time this season. The Brewers won the previous two meetings between the clubs edging the Ironmen by a score of 3-2 both times.

The Ironmen entered this game fresh off an impressive 3-2 victory over the Cyclones and were looking to build on that momentum. The Ironmen had a full squad for this contest with three forward lines and six defensemen. The Ironmen came hard out of the gate but stumbled soon after when the Brewers scored on the third Ironmen shift just three minutes and 20 seconds into the game. The remainder of the period was fairly even with the Brewers holding an edge in shots on goal 11-6. Each team also had one powerplay opportunity during the opening frame.

The Ironmen got the equalizer early in the second period with some nice passing from Gord Jackson to Todd Fraser who scored his team leading 11th goal of the season. The celebration was short lived as the Brewers responded with two quick goals to jump out to a 3-1 lead. The score remained that way until Rob Scott let a shot go from just inside the Brewers blueline that the goaltender still hasn’t seen. In fact there was some question if Scott’s goal actually entered the net, but there is no doubt about it the puck was in. I have to give the referees credit for making the right call. That goal was huge for the metal men as it was scored with just nine seconds left in the period. Craig Ahlstrom picked up the lone assist. The Brewers took a 3-2 lead into the final period.

The Ironmen were pumped after the late second period goal and wasted little time tying up the game while shorthanded. Gordon Jackson scored his 5th of the season from Jim Defer just 48 seconds into the period. The Ironmen looked to have finally woken up for the third period after a rather lack luster first two periods. It was a good thing they did because the Brewers were given four powerplay opportunities in the third period. The Ironmen penalty killers were more then up to the task and shut down the Brewers powerplay each time. Don Lobo was solid in the third period and shut the door to the Ironmen net.

If the Ironmen had not gotten into penalty trouble in the third period they were a good bet to walk away from this game with two points. However considering the Ironmen never held the lead in this game after looking very lethargic throughout the first two periods and were killing off penalties for a great deal of the third period, rallying back to get the single point is a very positive outcome.

The Ironmen have a record of 2-1-1 over their last four games and goaltender Don Lobo is undefeated during that stretch.

The Ironmen are back on the ice on Sunday, January 16th versus the Wild Sockeyes at 8:30 pm on the International rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Gord Jackson

La Deuxième Etoile - Rob Scott

La Troisième Etoile - Don Lobo

Todd Fraser picked up two assists in the 3-2 win over the Cyclones.

Ironmen Ring In 2005 With Impressive Win
January 2, 2005

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen and the Cyclones started out slowly in their post-New Years tilt, no doubt the result of a painfully long break in the schedule. After all the gorging out on food and drink over the holidays, it looked as if the two teams were content to ease back into the swing of things and settle for a scoreless tie. When the rust did finally ware off, it was the Ironmen who took control and posted a 3-2 victory against the Cyclones on Sunday afternoon. The win improved the Ironmen record to an impressive 3-0 this season when leading after 3 periods (Hey, who says I can't put a positive spin on things?).

Both teams struggled in the aggressiveness department early in the game before the Cyclones opened the scoring with 6:48 remaining in period one. That goal was the wake-up call the Ironmen needed, they responded with a goal of their own at the 11:09 mark of the second period to even the score. Ironmen defenseman Charlie Kaila started a nice rush carrying the puck deep into the Cyclones end where he spotted Jeff Meadows, who was fresh off the bench and waiting in front to backhand the puck high into the net for his 2nd goal of the season. After 40 minutes the Ironmen held a wide edge in shots on goal but were unable to get their second tally and the go ahead goal.

During the third period the Cyclones started to get frustrated as some chippy play and nasty stick work entered their game plan, while the Ironmen kept their focus for the most part. The Ironmen opted to not buy into the nonsense and continued to play solid hockey. They were finally rewarded and took the lead with a powerplay goal when Gord 'Action' Jackson scored his 4th goal of the year on a feed from Todd Fraser with Craig Ahlstrom picking up the second assist with 8:20 left on the clock. The Ironmen looked to be in good shape but an undisciplined retaliation penalty by Gary Floyd led to the tying goal by the Cyclones with 5:51 left in the game. The game could have turned sour quickly for the Men of Metal after such a goal, but full credit goes to the team for sticking with it. The Ironmen regained their lead with 3:35 left in the game when Todd Fraser found defensemen Steve Meadows drifting into the slot unchecked. Meadows took Fraser's smart pass and wired a low shot into the net for the eventual game-winning goal. The boys did a good job shutting the door the rest of the way to seal the win. The Ironmen are now 2-0 on the season when both 'Henrik' and 'Daniel' Meadows score. Maybe they don't need a conditioning stint in Sweden after all.

There's not much in the way of bad news to report after a game like that. There was some nonsense that took place at the end of the game with both teams engaging in some prolonged questioning of each other's manhood. The Cyclones were a tad frustrated to say the least and were guilty of the same kind of hotheaded buffoonery made famous in past years by the Ironmen. The tables are turning and it's good to see the Ironmen giving other teams fits for a change.

The Ironmen were originally scheduled to have yet another 14-day break after this game but the schedule makers have thankfully rectified that situation. The next Ironmen game is now scheduled for Monday January 10th at 8:00 pm against the Brewers on the Canadian rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Steve Meadows

La Deuxième Etoile - Gord Jackson

La Troisième Etoile - Don Lobo

Rick Makarowski scored the second Ironmen goal which proved to be the game winner.

All Hands On Deck To Topple Flying Pirates
December 12, 2004

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By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ At some point during the impressive 6-1 Ironmen victory over the Flying Pirates, I scurried across the bar to have a look at the other rinks. Was I really watching the right team? They had the familiar white and red jerseys. They had the two bald guys with the jofa helmets. They had a #10 with an impossibly long stick but this couldn't be the Ironmen. It's been a long time coming but the men of metal indeed raised the bar with a near perfect game against the division leading Flying Pirates on Sunday night.

Both teams started at a high tempo and showed plenty of resolve throughout the first period and a half with the Pirates having the bulk of the good scoring chances. Ironmen goaltender Don Lobo was simply outstanding in turning aside glorious scoring chances and keeping the game scoreless. Defensemen Craig Ahlstrom and Jim Defer did an outstanding job of clearing the rebounds out of trouble and making sure there were few second or third chances. The wingers remained high in the zone in their coverage, making sure the point man was a non-factor. Coming out of their own zone wasn't the adventure it had been in past games. Kudos to Edward Kouwenhoven, he played a simple game on the wing. Chipping pucks out. Holding up his check. Ed has been carved up here in the past but he was a noticeable factor for the good in this game. When the puck did get out of their zone, the Ironmen came down the ice with speed and put pressure on the Pirate defensemen with a tenacious forecheck. Several times, the likes of Craig Granter, Steve Meadows, Gord Jackson, Brent Kelly and Rick Makarowski…hell, all of the wingers, were able to wreak havoc by jumping on the Pirate D-men in the corners and causing the Pirate goalie fits with sustained pressure. Although the Pirates held the edge in scoring chances the first half of the game, the Ironmen were unlucky not to have bagged a couple as well. Gord Jackson had a glorious chance on a first period breakaway but just missed the net. He would soon make up for that mistake. The opening frame ended with both team scoreless after one period.

The second period stayed scoreless until the 7:11 mark when Gord Jackson found himself on another breakaway, he went for the deke and the goalie stopped it, pushing the puck into the slot where a trailing Steve Meadows was waiting to whack in the rebound in spite of a nasty slash on the arm as he took the shot. That goal signaled the opening of the flood gates and the dawning of a renewed confidence in the Ironmen. Actually, the confidence had been taken care of earlier as goalie Don Lobo gave his squad a boost with his many great stops. The Ironmen let their goaltender make the first save and did an excellent job to support him by clearing pucks out of danger or taking out their man. Lobo’s play was stellar throughout the game. The Ironmen continued their solid play up front as well and were forechecking like mad when Pirate clearing attempt hit Rick Makarowski up high. He proceeded to stickhandle his way onto the highlight reel, showing great patience around the net as the goalie dove out of the crease. Makarowski jutted behind the net and then finessed the puck into the goal from the side to give the Iron clad crew a 2 goal lead with 3:10 left in the second period.

The third period in Ironmen hockey games usually involve some sort of unraveling, but in this case it was the Flying Pirates that came unraveled as the clearly frustrated squad resorted to some nasty stick work that began late in the 2nd period and continued well into the 3rd. The league really needs to seriously look at this unacceptable stick work. To their credit the Ironmen didn't buy into the garbage and continued playing the same game they'd been playing all night. The shifts got shorter and more efficient unless Gary Floyd was on the ice (sorry, "Pink", but it was wrecking the flow of the game for me watching you take up half of the next winger's shift). Gordon Jackson was finally rewarded with a goal after some close calls at 12:47 of the 3rd frame as he put it in from close range. Craig Ahlstorm picked up the lone assist but it was Edward Kouwenhoven’s chip off the boards and out of his own zone that made the goal happen. There was a brief moment of "oh no, not again" when the Pirates finally got on the board to make the score 3-1 a minute and 40 seconds after Jackson's goal. The Ironmen didn't flinch though and came out with even more resolve for the next shift. At 10:27, Craig Granter would circle behind the net with the puck and score a beauty of a wraparound goal to give his team their 3 goal lead back. The Meadows Brothers put an exclamation point on the game just 12 seconds later with my vote for goal of the night. It was a give-and-go goal that seemingly must have been drawn up by MODO. Jeff passed to Steve and raced to the slot to take Steve's backhand feed for the tap-in. What colour are your Volvos, boys? The goal was the first of the season for Jeff Meadows. Gary Floyd picked up the second assist. Then things took an ugly turn as Makarowski took a vicious two-handed slash to the helmet from an obviously seasick Pirate who was duly banished from the game. The league has to follow that up that incident with a suspension of some kind. Again the Ironmen didn't buy in and remained focused. It wasn't until Craig Ahlstrom dropped the gloves with just over five minutes left that any sign of coming unglued occurred. Before that though, the Ironmen scored a goal of the weird variety at 7:01 when Brent Kelly got a stick on a Gary Floyd shoot-in. Kelly was waiting at the blueline for Floyd to gain the red line and dump the puck in, as the puck passed by Kelly he put that extra long stick to use and to everyone’s surprise (including Kelly’s) the puck found it’s way to the back of the net. Robert Burrows picked up the second assist. It was nice to see the captain get a goal like that after a scary incident in the second period that saw his head smash hard to the ice. He got back to his feet with cut under the eye, however I’m not sure that he knew where he was afterward.

This was an outstanding effort by a team that I always knew was capable of performing at this level. When the Ironmen are all on the same page and everybody does they're own job, this is the kind of result they can continue to look forward to. From goaltender on out, it will be one to look back on as a reference point. Everybody played for the team. Jim Defer was impressive on his return to defense, making no-nonsense, safe clearing plays. That is huge! The so-called plumbers like Henry Fowlds and Edward Kouwenhoven played within their abilities. To see Eddie chip the puck efficiently up the boards that led to Jackson's 3rd period goal…well…it brought a tear to my eye. The Meadows ("MODOS") Brothers continue to develop as forwards and have helped to further balance the lines into three legitimate scoring units. The next test for the men of metal will be to try to continue doing all the good things they did tonight on a consistent basis so they can finally start climbing toward the top of the Division 3 standings.

The next Ironmen game is on Sunday December 19th at 6:15 versus the Pirates on the American rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Don Lobo

La Deuxième Etoile - Gord Jackson

La Troisième Etoile - Steve Meadows

Todd Fraser scored the lone Ironmen goal.

Warriors Grind Ironmen Into Submission
December 9, 2004

By Luc LaRouche & Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen opened the December portion of their schedule against the seventh place Warriors on Thursday evening. The men of metal were unable to match the hard-nosed grinding style of the Warriors, who played an intense game from whistle to whistle and handed the hapless metal men a 5-1 loss.

There is really not much to say that hasn't already been said about the Ironmen troubles this season. The losses have been piling up and if it's not shoddy defensive play or mental mistakes causing their grief, it's their lack of offensive finish and tentative forechecking that holds them back. In this game the Ironmen started out attempting to play a fast-paced game, however they found themselves down a goal before the ice had even dried. The Ironmen did settle down after that and period one came to a close with the Warriors up 1-0.

The Ironmen did the best they could to stick with their game plan but were unable to capitalize on any of their offensive opportunities. At the other end they did a good job of holding the Warrior offense at bay for the majority of two periods. Gary Floyd had the best of the Ironmen chances during that stretch in the second period but couldn't get a handle on the bouncing puck in the goal crease. The Warriors scored their second goal with 6:48 left on the clock; it was that goal that seemed to cause Ironmen to all but concede the game. All of a sudden you could see the panic in their play. The Ironmen began to make a horde of bad decisions with the puck in the defensive zone. In the offensive zone they failed to shoot the puck when the opportunity was there. Throw in an excessive amount of missed assignments in coverage and a handful of unsuccessful solo rushes that went nowhere and you get the idea why the Ironmen continue to take themselves out of games. Rick Makarowski tried valiantly several times to skate the puck through the entire Warrior team only to be held, hooked or just plain beaten by the defensemen. Makarowski was noticeable frustrated. In addition he had absolutely no puck support from his line-mates. Why is it that Makarowski has to carry three opponents on his back with his closet line-mate fifty feet away? It seems Makarowski has no problem attracting the opposition; it’s just unfortunate he was unable to attract one of his own teammates to assist him. It also didn't help that the officials choose to turn the other cheek all night as obvious infractions were being committed against the Makarowskian one. The Warriors scored goal number three with 19 seconds left in the period. Shots on goal were also big factor in the game as after two periods of play there were only seven Ironmen shots on the board. Not enough to get the job done, I'm afraid.

The Warriors added goal number four 2:28 into period three followed by their fifth and final goal three minutes and 15 seconds later. With the score 5-0 and nine minutes remaining in the game, all the shell-shocked Ironmen had left to play for was pride. They did manage to come up with a few inspired shifts very late in the game and with 2 minutes and 10 second left, Todd Fraser banged in the lone Ironmen goal with some gritty work around the net. Rob Burrows and Rick Makarowski picked up the assists. It was a nice goal but apart from breaking the shutout, it served little purpose in this game coming as late as it did. Making a rare appearance of late, David Toyoda played a solid game in the Ironmen nets and was up to the challenge as he was forced to face many more quality shots then he should have had to.

In an attempt to find some positive in this game the Ironmen wingers did a much better job covering the points in there own zone and seldom collapsed. Things also looked better in the Ironmen slot and in front of David Toyoda’s goal crease as Ironmen players were actually tying up players in front of the net. There is still work to be done in both of these areas, but it was nice to see Ironmen player’s actually making an effort to properly play their positions. On a sour note, there are still a handful of Ironmen players that continue to panic as soon as they touch the puck. It is almost as if there brain goes into sleep mode as soon as the touch vulcanized rubber. Many of these players play an excellent game without the puck, but with the puck all bets are off. On the flip side of that there are also some Ironmen players that are excellent with the puck, but when they don’t have it they are lost.

Thankfully, the Ironmen won't have to sit on this loss for long as they will hit the ice again on Sunday evening against the Flying Pirates at 8:30 pm on the International rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - David Toyoda

La Deuxième Etoile - Rick Makarowski

La Troisième Etoile - Gary Floyd

Rob Scott had an excellent game scoring three times.

Ironmen Fail To Reel In Wild Sockeyes
November 29, 2004

By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ I've always had a thing about hockey teams that take their nicknames from fish. I just don't like it. IRONMEN sounds like hockey to me. This Wild Sockeye thing.... I don't get it. What's next, The Poached Salmon? The Flying Endangered Sea Horses??? Whatever! The team of fish managed to outlast the Ironmen in an offensive showdown at the GPF, winning 8-6 on Monday night.

The Ironmen opened the game with several energetic shifts that unfortunately didn't result in the early goal they wanted, but did manage to keep the Sockeyes under pressure much of the time. The men of metal also made some interesting line-up changes, inserting D-men Steve and Jeff Meadows on the forward line and putting sniper Todd Fraser back on defense for a look-see.

It was the Flying Sea Turtles that struck first at 12:12 of the opening period, against the run of play. Undaunted, the Ironmen responded at 10:16 with a goal from Rob Scott (I love this guy. He plays like a flying Frenchman!). Scott would go on to have an outstanding game, potting three goals for the first Ironmen hat trick of the season. Brent Kelly and Ed 'alphabet' Kouwenhoven picked up assists on Scott's first tally. The Wild Starfish took back the lead to close out the first period.

Only 32 seconds into the 2nd frame the fish scored again to open up a 3-1 lead. The Ironmen got one goal back just over a minute later as Rob Scott followed the play into the slot and found a nice juicy rebound sitting there waiting to be slammed into the net, which he promptly did. Hugh Nash and Brent Kelly picked up the helpers. Every time the Ironmen got themselves back to within a goal in this game, the Wild Sturgeon would go on to pot two, or so it seemed. They scored two goals in less than 2 minutes to take a commanding 5-2 lead. However the Ironmen battled back with two quick goals. Gary 'Count' Floyd let go a wrist shot from in close after taking a nice feed from Gord Jackson. Rob Scott followed soon after the Floyd goal with his hat trick goal to make it a 5-4 game. Brent Kelly and Gary Floyd picked up the assists. The Wild Frying Halibut managed to put another goal past a weary looking Jamie Barnes before the end of the 2nd frame to carry a 6-4 lead into the 3rd.

The Meadows Brothers combined to score the next Ironmen goal as Jeff spotted a wide-open Steve in the slot. The elder Meadows Bro wristed it past the fishy netminder to make the score 6-5 with ten minutes still to play. Rick Makarowski picked up the second assist. Alas, there was still one more defensive miscue left in the Men of Mental.... er...Metal as the Fabulous Flying Sea Squids scored yet another insurance goal three minutes later to go up 7-5. The seesaw game was making me dizzy by this time so I had to run for the bathroom and missed the 6th Ironmen goal. I'm told it was real nice though, and that Todd Fraser unleashed a wrist shot from the high slot with 6:52 left to play. Rick Makarowski and Henry Fowlds were awarded the assists. The Wild Sea Bass fired an extra dart at the Ironmen with a last second empty net goal to put the capper on an 8-6 victory.

That brings us to the inevitable conclusion that the Ironmen play defensive hockey about as well as the NHL solves labour disputes. The Ironmen had lots of jump from the centre line in tonight, but when the play went past their own blue line, look out! It was fire drill central out there with people running all over the place... as usual the wingers were leaving the points uncovered. Just an awful mess! Then there is the shots on goal totals. The Ironmen outshot the Fish 17-14. The Ironmen gave up 8 goals on 14 shots???? They seemed to score on almost every decent chance they had while the Ironmen had to work and work to get their goals. It's too bad, because the Ironmen did enough things right offensively to win this or any hockey of the games I have seen this season. However it is their team defensive play and the mental mistakes that are giving the Men of Metal fits over and over again.

The Ironmen return to action on Thursday, December 9th at 10:00 pm on the American rink when they take on the Warriors.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Rob Scott

La Deuxième Etoile - Brent Kelly

La Troisième Etoile - Rick Makarowski

Todd Fraser played a solid two-way game and was often seen covering up in his own end.

Drillers Sink Ironmen
November 29, 2004

By Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen were back on the ice on Saturday evening for what I fear will be the closest thing to Hockey Night In Canada we will see for some time. The Ironmen looked to shake off a hard luck loss as they were up against the defending Division Champion Drillers.

The Ironmen did not get off to the start they wanted as they surrendered the games first goal on their first shift of the game. Things did not improve much on their second shift either as Brent Kelly was called for interference inside the Ironmen zone. Half way through killing off the penalty defensemen Jeff Meadows was nailed for tripping while stopping a Driller scoring opportunity. The Drillers went to work with the two-man advantage and cashed in with 17 seconds left in the Kelly penalty. The Ironmen settled down after that and had two cracks at their own powerplay but were unable to generate many quality chances let alone goals. The Ironmen gave up another goal before the period came to a close.

The Ironmen had a much better second period but continued to be unable to put anything together offensively. There was no puck luck for the Ironmen in this game as the puck was bouncing all over the place, however none of those bounces seemed to favor the metal men. The Ironmen shots were over the net, wide of the net or were fanned on. The Ironmen killed off two penalties during the second period. Rob Scott was called for high-sticking and Craig Ahlstrom was slapped with an interference call. The Ironmen were given a powerplay late in the period that carried over into the third period.

The Ironmen started the first minute and a half of the final period on the powerplay but again were unable to cash in. The Drillers scored their fourth goal of the game three minutes and 16 seconds into the period. The Ironmen were given a great chance to break the goose egg with just over five minutes remaining in the game when they were given another chance on the powerplay. This powerplay featured more bad bounces for ironclad crew combined with Ironmen shots that were well off the target. Defensemen Craig Ahlstrom had the best opportunity to score with a wide-open net. If Ahlstrom were playing football he would have given his team three points. In fact I witnessed at least three times during the game that if the puck were shot on the net as opposed to over the net they would have resulted in Ironmen goals. I guess the boys had Grey Cup on their minds. The Drillers rubbed a little salt in the wound scoring shorthanded during the middle of the Ironmen powerplay.

The Ironmen dug a huge hole early in this game and unlike other times they have done that this season tonight they were unable to recover from it. The Drillers were very physical in this game and seemed to get away with calls that the Ironmen were getting nailed for. Although that did play a part in the game, it by no means was the reason for the Ironmen loss.

In a game that produced no Ironmen offence picking three stars is no easy task. I was impressed with Craig Ahlstrom’s physical presence so I’m giving him the first star. Todd Fraser who gets most of his star selections for his offence was seen covering for the pinching and rushing Ironmen defense and is deserving of the second star. The Third Star goes to newcomer Robert Burrows. Burrows’ play on defense can easily be overlooked as he is not flashy, but he has been solid in his decision making abilities and seldom coughs up the puck in his own zone.

The Ironmen get a week off before they return to action on Monday, November 29th at 9:30 pm when they play the Wild Sockeyes on the Canadian rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Craig Ahlstrom

La Deuxième Etoile - Todd Fraser

La Troisième Etoile - Robert Burrows

Rob Scott scored both Ironmen goals in the 3-2 loss to the Brewers.

Last Minute Goal Spoils Decent Ironmen Effort
November 16, 2004

By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen returned to action on Tuesday evening to face the Brewers after another long layoff between games. This was the first time the teams squared off since the Brewers took the season opener 3-2 on September 25th.

The Men of Metal put together a much better overall effort in this contest, however it was once again a few simple mistakes that ended up costing the Ironmen the game. In fact all three Brewer goals were the result of mental mistakes on the part of the Ironmen. There were also a few lapses in intensity but far fewer than previous games and the increased effort almost paid dividends for the hard-luck crew.

The Ironmen got the jump on the Brewers, scoring the first goal of the game on an inspired shift by the Kelly-Floyd-Scott line. I can't say enough about this trio, as they were far and away the best combo on the night. They worked well with the defensemen all night, forming a decent 5-man unit. On the first goal Steve Meadows threw the puck up to Brent Kelly, who fed Rob Scott in the slot. Scott quickly fired the puck on goal but didn't peel off into the corner after the shot as many players would. Instead he stayed with the play, picking up his rebound and finding net with his second attempt.

The second period was probably the worst of the game for the Ironmen. At the ten-minute mark of the period a total of six penalties were called. The first saw Rick Makarowski being nailed for interference. Then a dust up followed with Jim Defer and a couple of Brewer players leading to Defer receiving a total of three penalties as he was sent off for roughing, tripping and kneeing. The two Brewer players each picked up roughing minors. The end result saw the Ironmen one man short for four minutes. The Ironmen did an excellent job killing off most of the four minute penalty but finally surrendered a powerplay goal to make it a 1-1 game, when a fatigued Henry Fowlds failed to make a critical line change and with nothing left in his tank he was easy prey for the Brewers. Once the Ironmen returned to full strength they started to slip back into the lazy comfort zone that had killed them in previous games. Fortunately they snapped out of it.

In the third period with the score tied at one and the Ironmen on a powerplay that they should have declined, Jim Defer committed the cardinal sin of not dumping the puck in with his line-mates waiting at the blueline. Defer had the puck stolen and the Brewers' talented # 77, with most of the Ironmen heading the other way, had little trouble walking around a stunned Craig Ahlstrom to score the go ahead goal.

I have to give the Ironmen credit for sucking it up as they responded by scoring two minutes and ten seconds later with another hardworking shift courtesy of the Kelly-Floyd-Scott line. Steve Meadows put the puck behind the net where Brent Kelly battled with a Brewer player for possession of the puck. Kelly would eventually find the puck and dish it nicely in front of the net to a waiting Rob Scott who would bang in his 2nd of the game to tie the score. The Ironmen battled hard for the winner the rest of the way but couldn't solve the Brewer goaltender. Craig Granter, who has improved his overall positional game noticeably the past couple of games, had his chances but was unsuccessful on two breakaway attempts.

Unfortunately, this story doesn't have a happy ending for the Metal men as a flatfooted Ironmen defender along with some shoddy coverage and missed assignments resulted in the Brewers scoring the game-winning goal with just 32 seconds left on the clock thus taking a point away from the Ironmen.

This was yet another game that saw the Ironmen play a team they could have and should have beaten if not for a few costly mental errors. A little more focus will carry this team a long way in their quest to better themselves in Division 3. There is lots of time left in the season and this game gave the Ironmen something to build on.

The Ironmen return to action on Saturday, November 20th at 6:45 pm when they face the Drillers on the Legends rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Rob Scott

La Deuxième Etoile - Brent Kelly

La Troisième Etoile - Steve Meadows

Jamie Barnes returned to the Ironmen nets for the first time since injuring his ankle earlier in the season.

Ironmen Stage Work Stoppage In Third Period
November 6, 2004

By Todd Fraser with Brent Kelly
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen started this game much like previous games, with hard work. The Ironmen were fore-checking hard, which caused many turnovers, the team also had people backchecking and that helped keep the Cyclones from getting many quality chances. On the few occasions early in the game where they did have a chance to score Jamie Barnes was there to make the stop for the Ironmen. The referees seemed to view the ice with specialty glasses on, these glasses only allowed them see Ironmen infractions, but the Ironmen penalty kill seemed to be up to the task in the early going. The Ironmen were playing a good team game, making quality passes that were quick and short with everybody skating for open ice. The hard work the team put in early helped mask some little problems and kept the Cyclones from exposing them. For example, while the Ironmen kept up the hard work, the Cyclones allowed the Ironmen to easily breakout of their own zone, even with the Ironmen forwards playing so high (that there was about thirty feet of ice between the defensemen and forwards), which is not ideal. This worked at the beginning as the Ironmen built up a lead, but it would be short lived.

The Ironmen hit the scoreboard first for the second straight game. Defensemen Henry Fowlds made a nice play at the blueline to keep the puck in and then he wisely fired a shot towards the net where Craig Granter pounced on the loose puck to open the scoring. Edward Kouwenhoven picked up the second assist on the play. The Cyclones were given a chance to even things up when they were awarded a powerplay. Brent Kelly was nailed with a weak-hooking call while back checking in the Ironmen slot. The Cyclones cashed in on the man advantage scoring with just second’s left in the Kelly penalty. The Ironmen who were clearly the dominant team throughout the first period recaptured the lead when Todd Fraser put the Ironmen up by one. The goal was credited to newcomer Gord Jackson with Jeff Meadows picking up the only assist. Perhaps my view was obstructed during the opening period? Not long after Fraser scored the go-ahead goal, which I was certain, the Ironmen potted another goal that was confusing. Edward Kouwenhoven picked up a loose puck on the edge of the goal crease and deposited it behind the Cyclones goalie. This time the zebras were not going to award the goal to the wrong Ironmen player, in fact for reasons beyond me the goal was disallowed. The referees did send off a Cyclones player for an interference infraction on the play, however the Ironmen were not able to score on the powerplay. The Ironmen then committed the cardinal sin of hockey before closing the period by surrendering a goal in the last minute of the period. The Cyclones tied things up with 19 seconds on the clock. The Cyclones had to be thrilled to escape the first period in a 2-2 tie.

The Ironmen recovered quickly in the second period retaking the lead 28 seconds into the middle frame. Rick Makarowski made a nice give and go pass to Jim Defer who fired a shot from just inside the blueline where Todd Fraser collected the rebound and put it past the Cyclones netminder. The score sheet left Jim Defer out on the play but it was his shot that made the goal happen. The Ironmen found themselves killing penalties throughout the balance of the period when Todd Fraser scored a shorthanded goal after being sent in alone by Rick Makarowski with .09 seconds left on the clock.

The start of the dreaded third period came in conjunction with the start of the mighty collapse for the Ironmen. It began with a couple of penalties, which was a little bit of foreshadowing for the entire period, and the remaining Ironmen penalty kills. While shorthanded the Ironmen seemed to adopt the notion that the more players they had chasing the puck while out of position the more effectively they could kill these penalties. Obviously this was not a wise choice. The Cyclones were able to walk through alone and untouched leading to two third period power play goals. The Ironmen players often abandoned smart positional defense play in favor of everyone chasing the puck carrier to leave an unchecked opponent alone in front of the Ironmen net.

The team then decided to try the vaunted up the middle through the slot breakout pass, the blind tip pass and the blind drop behind the back pass. Combine that with the Ironmen players chasing the puck all over the ice no matter what position they are actually playing and throw in no Ironmen back check, all leading to the worst period of hockey I have been witness to. The Ironmen gave up a total of six goals in the third period. It started with small mental mistakes that ended up turning into an enormous brain cramp.

We all know the Ironmen have the firepower and the skill to get a lead, or even come from behind, but they have to stop the continuous mental lapses that allow there opposition back into games. They have to finish off their opponents when they have the chance. If they don’t learn to do this and play a complete game for three periods of hockey, it’s going to be a long season.

The Ironmen get ten days to re-group before they return to action on Tuesday, November 16th at 8:15 pm when they face the Brewers on the American rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Todd Fraser

La Deuxième Etoile - Rick Makorowski

La Troisième Etoile - Craig Granter

Brent Kelly scored his 100th career goal while playing in his 100th consecutive game for the Ironmen.

Halloween Victory A Treat For Ironmen
October 31, 2004

By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen were back in action on Sunday evening as they were up against the Pirates for a Halloween contest. The Ironmen had seven players out of the line-up and were forced to call in reinforcements disguising themselves in Ironmen costumes.

The Ironmen drew first blood 14:54 into the opening period when Todd Fraser scored his first of two goals on a very productive shift. Hugh Nash and Charlie Kaila provided the assists. Fraser’s second goal came one minute and 29 seconds later with Henry Fowlds and Hugh Nash assisting. The Ironmen led 2-0 after the first period and played a very solid all round game throughout the first frame.

In the second period both teams had some very good offensive chances. Don Lobo was solid in the Ironmen nets meanwhile at the other end the Ironmen failed to convert a few golden opportunities. It was almost as if phantoms had prevented the Ironmen for scoring. That changed with 7:01 left on the clock when Brent Kelly took a pass from Gary Floyd and blasted a shot past the Pirate netminder. Kelly’s goal was his 100th career Ironmen goal while playing in his 100th consecutive game. Things were going well for the Ironmen until Henry Fowlds took an undisciplined penalty late in the period. The Pirates capitalized on the powerplay scoring with one minute left on the clock. The Ironmen led 3-1 after two periods.

The Pirates were resurrected by their late second period powerplay goal; they struck quickly scoring just 18 seconds into the third period. The Ironmen battled to reclaim control on the game and four minutes and three seconds after the Pirates goal they restored a two-goal lead. Edward Kouwenhoven scored his first of the season after some great puck movement from his linemates, Rick Makarowski and Craig Granter who both drew the assists. The Pirates kept things interesting pulling back within one three minutes and 26 seconds later. The Ironmen responded with a hardworking shift when Gary Floyd buried the 5th Ironmen goal of the game with 5:15 on the clock. Brent Kelly and Cecil Weir picked up the assists. The Pirates refused to go quietly into the night and 32 seconds later again carved into the Ironmen lead to make it a 5-4 game. The seesaw goal scoring was finally put to rest when Hugh Nash knocked in a timely rebound to make it 6-4 for the Ironmen. Cecil Weir and Todd Fraser picked up the assists. The Pirates pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker but that proved to be the death of them. Craig Granter gained possession of the puck and with Edward Kouwenhoven in tow and both of them bearing down on the empty net, Granter showed a lot of class and opted to be a good team player by electing to pass the puck to Kouwenhoven for a shot at the open net. The goal was a milestone for Kouwenhoven as it was his 100th career point with the hockey club. It seems as Granter was handing out the treats on this night.

The Ironmen were impressive all through the contest earning their first regular season win of the year. There were many strong performers throughout the Ironmen line-up. The Ironmen kept their mistakes to a minimum and when they did surrender a goal the wasted little time to get it back.

The Ironmen will attempt to make it two in a row when they face off against the Cyclones (no not those ones) on Saturday, November 6th at 6:30 pm on the International rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Edward Kouwenhoven

La Deuxième Etoile - Todd Fraser

La Troisième Etoile - Hugh Nash

Henry Fowlds came to work against the Flying Pirates and put in a solid effort.

Ironmen Fail To Handle Turbulence From Flying Pirates
October 22, 2004

By Luc LaRouche
DELTA, British Columbia (CP) ------ The Ironmen hopes for their first regular season win will have to wait another game as they were sent down the plank by the division leading Flying Pirates, losing 7-3 on Friday night.

The Flying Pirates looked like they were going to run away with the game as they built up an early 3-0 lead in the first period. The Ironmen were given life when Craig Granter fired a shot far side on a nice solo rush with less then a minute remaining in the opening period.

The Pirates regained their three-goal cushion just one minute and 14 seconds into the middle frame. The Ironmen countered that four minutes later scoring the only powerplay goal of the game. Jim Defer got the puck off the face off potting the second Ironmen goal with a nice wrap-a-round effort. Brent Kelly assisted on the goal. The Pirates took a two-goal lead into the final frame.

The Ironmen controlled the tempo early in the third period and were rewarded four minutes and 44 seconds into the final frame when Rick Makarowski got the puck back to Craig Ahlstrom on the point. Ahlstrom wasted no time unleashing a blast that just snuck in under the cross bar. The Ironmen now had the momentum and trailed by just one. The Flying Pirates then drove a sword through the hearts of the Ironmen scoring a backbreaking goal just 45 seconds later. The Pirates went on to pad their lead with two more goals before the final buzzer.

There were no real weak links in the line-up for the men of metal on this night; however there were no shinning stars either. The three goals the Ironmen did manage to get were impressive, though. Craig Granter’s solo rush effort was inspiring. Granter seemed to find an extra gear on the play. Hard-nosed winger Jim Defer potted a nice wrap-a rounder proving that the big man does have some hands. Craig Ahlstrom’s blast high shot post and in was also highlight material. All in all, it was a case of the Peg-leggers wanting it more. The third period featured some classic moments of panic in Ironmen zone. The puck was a bouncing hot potato out there and guys were tripping over each other. That is, when they were moving. The Flying Pirates forwards won most of the battles for loose pucks while the weary looking Ironmen made slower decisions, were slower to get involved in the play and slower on the back check. There were the odd forays into opposition territory that were promising for the Ironmen, but they were few and far between. The wing tandem of Henry Fowlds and Edward Kouwenhoven will never be mistaken for Granter and Fraser, but they both came to work tonight and put in a solid effort. The Ironmen did have some flashes of great speed and determination earlier in the game, but by the third period they began to wear down significantly. There were some great saves from Dave Toyoda early in the contest followed by a couple later he would like another crack at. You get my drift. There was either not enough fuel in the Ironmen tank or not enough effort to use it.

The Ironmen will try and scare up a win on Halloween night as the face the Pirates...the one's without their pilot's license. Game time on October 31st is at 7:45 pm on the American rink.

Luc Trois Etoiles

La Première Etoile - Craig Ahlstom

La Deuxième Etoile - Craig Granter

La Troisième Etoile - Jim Defer