Nov 13, 2017 | GeoffRead | 231 views
The West London Hawks and the Renegades' Curse
The Renegades' Curse continues.
At the beginning of last season, with long-time head coach Geoff Read and goalie Zach Read on a prolonged scouting mission in France, Hawks' veterans Jacob Bamford, Owen Verberne, and Cody Michiels signed free agent contracts with another West London outfit, taking beloved "Coach Gary", back-up trainer Tony Verberne, and the loquacious Steve Bamford with them to coach the breakaway team. As Coach Tony tore up his contract and dropped it at the feet of last year's head coach, Jason Knapp, he allegedly stomped on the Hawks' logo and invoked a pact with the devil while swearing that the Hawks would not win a game against his team until a chosen player should break the curse by scoring a shorthanded goal on keeper Miigizens Kicknosway.
As of last night, unfortunately, the Renegades' Curse, as is it known, remains in effect, and Verberne's prophesy rings true.
The Hawks fought gamely but the fates were against them as the bounces did not go their way. Whether it was Verberne banking one in off defenceman Jacob Grover's skate or Bamford crashing into Read in the crease to score the game winner, fortune definitely smiled on the rebels.
That said, the Hawks played well enough to win, had a bounce or two gone their way. Centreman Callum Knapp notched two goals, and, on his birthday, Nathan Senese got his fifth of the season on a laser beam of a backhand from the slot.
And Read certainly deserved a better fate, earning player of the game honours for stopping three breakaways and several other quality chances.
All of the excitement occurred in the third period. The Hawks entered the final frame down 2-0 but Senese scored after taking a pass up the boards from Noah Weber. Senese came off the wall, pulled the puck to his back-hand, and suddenly the Hawks were back in the game.
The Hawks had multiple chances to tie it up, with the best coming off the stick of DiCicco. A few minutes after Senese's marker, Matt DiCicco moved off his off wing into the high slot and ripped a high hard shot that was headed for the top right-hand corner. But with a flash of leather Kicknosway made the save of the game to keep his side ahead.
With about 6 minutes left and the Hawks putting pressure on, Owen Keenan profited from some sloppy defensive structure in the Hawks' end off a face-off and slid a seeing eye shot off the far post behind Read. At this point, the Hawks could have folded.
But they didn't. Instead, with 3:43 to go DiCicco threw a nice cross-ice pass to Knapp who was at the side of the net. With Kicknosway down, Knapp didn't panic and calmly pulled the puck back out front and stuffed it in.
The next couple of shifts the Hawks poured it on but Bamford got a back-breaker of a goal to put the renegades back up by two. With both Hawks defencemen pinching to try to get the equalizer Bamford broke free up the right side after John Warren (or "Watten" as he is mysteriously named on the game sheet) bounced the puck up the boards. With both Pyper Baker and Brendan Walsh in pursuit Bamford, in a move that was familiar to Hawks' fans, powered his way to the net and crashed into Read. The puck went in and the goal stood (which was probably the right call despite Read's feelings to the contrary).
But the Hawks weren't done.
Off the ensuing draw at centre ice the Hawks gained possession and called Read to the bench. Owen Worby went over the boards as the extra man and with just 14 seconds left he threw a shot on net. Knapp was once again Johnny on the spot and picked up the rebound on his forehand and lifted it over a prone Kicknosway.
Unfortunately, however, the Hawks lost the last draw at centre ice and their comeback fell short.
When asked for her assessment of the game, assistant coach Shannon Baker noted that the Hawks had a lot of difficulty breaking out of their zone. She promised that the Hawks would work on the break out at their two practices this week.
So the Hawks didn't give up, and served notice that they plan to break the Renegades' Curse at the earliest opportunity. Coach Knapp shall be avenged.
Go Hawks go!