Parity continues to be the theme of this season with only 1 point separating first place from last place going into Week 8. There are absolutely no emerging favorites and at this point no way of telling who will be this year’s Champion.

Early Game – Scotland v Ireland

Ireland came into this one a point ahead of the Scots, but it was Scotland sniper Chris Deware who came out firing to start the game with a natural hat-trick. Two goals in the first period and a third halfway through period 2 put the Glaswegians up 3-0. Goals by Dave Vincelli and rookie Peter McKay made it 5-0 Scotland after two periods, the Irish offence struggling to solve Scottish goalie Stuart Henderson who was standing on his head.

It was more of the same in the final frame with Tony Thomas and Jeff Boulton pushing the score to 7-0 for the Scots until Ireland finally put one past Henderson with a minute left on the clock, spoiling his shutout bid but doing little to tarnish his stellar performance.

Ireland will lick its wounds as it prepares to meet Portugal next week while Scotland will carry its offensive momentum into a key match against Slovenia with its own high-powered offense. Should be a great game.

Scottish POG goes to — no surprise — Stuart Henderson with a stellar game between the pipes. Irish POG goes to Team Manager Mark Plewes for keeping the boys refreshed and ready for next game.

Late Game – Italy v Portugal

Another defensive dandy in the late show with goalies Frank Rispoli and Tomi Nieminen putting on a clinic for the fans at PCMA.

No goals for most of the opening frame until Dave Wodar managed to slide one past Rispoli to put the Romans up 1-0 after one.

Both goalies were unconscious in the second period, shutting down their opponents with acrobatic saves that had the crowd ooh-ing and ah-ing at their prowess. ZERO goals in the second period, both goalies high-fiving eachother at centre ice as they switched ends to start the final period.

Portugal poured it on in the third, led by league star Leo Brideau, but Nieminen turned away every chance, earning himself a rare PCOHL shutout. Paul Harty sealed it with a nifty backhander over Rispoli’s shoulder and that was how it ended: Italy 2, Portugal 0.

This one had a very playoff feel to it with both teams stingy on D and both goaltenders in Championship form. Italy takes sole possession of first place while Portugal slips into 5th with a game in hand.

No question who the Players of the Game were: Portugal goalie Frank Rispoli, whose 2 goals against would easily win the Vezina in any year of competition, bested only by the Finnish Fence, Tomi Nieminen cooking up a shutout for Team Italia.

First place Italy rests next week while Portugal and Ireland duke it out in the early game. The late show features the high-powered offences of Scotland and Slovenia. Henderson and Senkowski will be seeing their share of rubber, that’s for sure.

Congrats to all teams on a great season so far with good competition and camaraderie every week. Keep yer sticks on the ice!