Friday the 13th.

Week 13.

But the only bad luck was the goalies’. A Friday night shooting gallery with a total of THIRTY-TWO GOALS on the night. Here’s how things played out…..

Early Game – Italy vs Portugal

Portugal looking desperately for their first win in two months against 3rd place Italy, and they had all their firepower out for this one. Italy also almost a full squad missing only Levac and Carlisle.

Portugal’s mid-season acquisition, the king of homemade jerky, Mike Russo, breaks the ice in this one halfway through the first period. Italy’s Robin Flumerfelt gets two in 18 seconds to put Italy ahead but Lisbon sniper Patty Sharp levels the game at 2 with a minute to go. 2-2 after one period.

The second period was a goalfest. Dave Wodar puts Italy up by a goal, but not for long as Leo Brideau ties it moments later. Patty Sharp puts Portugal up by a goal and then Johnny Annan makes it 5-3 with eight minutes to go, but the second period wasn’t over. Greg Platt put a quick pair past Rispoli the Goalie to tie the game at five, Italian fans going INSANE, and then Matt Goddard with an absolute SNIPE puts the Romans ahead 6-5 after two periods!

But Portugal wasn’t going to give up that easy. Brideau and Annan each grab their second goal to put Portugal up 7-6. Chris Johnson then netted one followed closely by Brideau again — a scoring FRENZY — to put Portugal ahead 9-6 with nine minutes to go.

Italy’s Greg Platt strikes back with a hat-trick maker followed by teammate Dwayne Tygesen to bring the Italians within a goal with only 7 minutes left. An absolute cliffhanger. The Italians pulled their goalie with a minute and change to go but Mike Russo ices this one with an empty netter — final score Portugal 10, Italy 8. Portugal grabs its first win since Thanksgiving while Italy settles into a 3-game losing streak.

But never mind all that, it was a great game with great action, and great PCOHL camaraderie throughout. Only one penalty — just a misunderstanding really — when Dave Skingley “hooked” a Portuguese player. It was more of a love tap according to the broadcast crew. Anyway, that’s how this one ended. Congrats to the Lisbonites for breaking out of their losing streak, while Italy takes next week off to lick their wounds, and maybe some gelato, before their December 27 contest with Slovenia.

Leo Brideau with the hat-trick and two apples is Portugal’s player of the game while hard-working D-man and team sponsor Dave Dupal takes the honours for Italy.

Late Game – Scotland vs Ireland

A battle of the British Isles for the late show, Scotland only a point ahead in the standings, both teams with a shot at first place with a win on this night.

Ireland snipester Neil Kelly bulges the twine 8 minutes in followed by stealthy D-man Robin Chantaj to put the leprechauns up 2-0. Neil Kelly grabs his SECOND goal of the period to put Ireland up 3-0 and it’s looking like an Irish rout in the making until Scottish veteran Jim Maguire pots one to make it 3-1 after one period.

The second period was an absolute shooting gallery. Seven goals, both goalies applying sunscreen to the backs of their necks at the end of this one. Scotland starts with a pair of goals from Brad Stoll and Dave Woodside. 3-3.

Then Tim Randa and Dave Vincelli trade goals — 4-4.

Then the Irish STORM ahead by two on goals from Paul Riopelle and Bruce Freeman, Irish fans cracking the Guinness and shouting weird stuff like, “Ní neart go cur le chéile.” But Scottish D-man throws cold water on the party with less than two minutes to go. 6-5 for Ireland after two.

Everything set up for an exciting third period. Both goalies were stellar for ten minutes before veteran Jim Maguire lights the lamp to tie things up at 6 with half a period to go. End to end action in the final 10 minutes of this game, both teams striving for the winning goal. And then with less than 2 minutes to play, Scotsman Stoll got the go-ahead goal. That plus an insurance goal made it an 8-6 final.

Scotland POG goes to Dave Vincelli while Neil Kelly with the snipes gets POG Honours for the Guinness Guzzlers.