Fullerton Productions Swansea 2018-19 Champs

It was the Swansea Championship Finals.
Kieran's team the Fullerton Productions LightBulbs were playing the Roundhouse Rangers.

This was the 3rd time Kieran's team has made it to the Finals.
The first time it was an impossible goal from an nearly impossible angle which sealed it with time running out.
The second time.  I can't even remember.  I just know his team lost.

Kieran's goal in the elimination round sent their team to the finals.
Rangers beat their arch nemesis the Mad Mexicans to set up the final match against the Bulbs.

The Rangers coach is well known. He's the Tim Hortons please play again coach!
Tim's commercial #PleasePlayAgain

He has a history of getting the best out of his team and winning.
Although the Bulbs have a winning record against the Rangers.  The playoffs and finals are a different game altogether.


It didn't start off positive.  And it seemed like the Rangers Coach rolled up another PLEASE PLAY AGAIN cup!
Grant had injured his pinky in a freak accident at hockey practice that morning.  But glad Tresa was there to bandage him up.  He has been a critical cog in the LightBulbs engine room.
It was a game time decision.
But he suited up.  He didn't show up to be a spectator!  If he could make a difference, he was doing it on the ice!

Last minute pep talk on playing solid D in our end and few words of advice for players and the team was ready to play a game for the ages!

It was snowing earlier.  A few inches had come down.
I recall in one of their prior finals that it snowed and it played against them.
Neutralizing their speed.

The snow had stopped and the ice was clean and smooth.  I know cuz I slipped walking to the Home bench to drop off Kieran's water bottle.

The refs skated onto the carrying the Swansea Champions Trophy in hand. It was game ON!

An early goal by Grant just below the goal line as he was trying to pass it in front, bounced off a player and ended up in the back of the net.  It was 1-0.

Another goal in the 1st frame top shelf made it 2-0.  It was looking good.  But anything can happen.
Kieran fell awkwardly into the boards in the 2nd frame.  He didn't take another shift after that.  He'd hurt his left elbow and said his hand was shaking.  One of our teams best forecheckers creating turn overs in the offensive zone was now out.

Late in the game it started to snow. It was beautiful but it brought back memories of previous finals.  And to add to it the Rangers were storming back.  Two goals in the first half of the final frame tied it up.  2-2.  After that it was very tight.  Both goalies stopping everything coming their way.  Brett our goalie for the last 3-4 games since Devon left for Vietnam was outstanding!

It was 10mins of OT.  Here's the format. It starts at 5 on 5.  Then every two mins they reduce the number of players by 1.
So at 8:00 it's 4 on 4 and at 6:00 it's 3 on 3 and so on.  Until it's decided or else there's a shoot out.

We had a tripping penalty and Matthew and Owen were on for that shift.  So it was 3 on 2 for the remainder of their 2min shift. Then with the face off at our end.  The Rangers made the smart move and  pulled their goalie to make it 4 on 2!  At first we thought it was a mistake, but then the realization of a great coach making a great coaching move - my jaw dropped it was OMG moment!

But Brett was standing on his head, laser beam focused on stopping every puck coming his way.  I don't know how Matthew and Owen did it but they were in the right place all the time during that PK and played out of their skin to kill that penalty. It was definitely the TSN turning point of the game and momentum started to change, you could feel it, or it could've been something i was drinking.

After that it was now back to centre ice and 2 on 2.  Miller and Cole were on and took over.  Miller was skating like a kid full of rice crispy squares and coke.  However 2 posts sent the parents reaching for blood pressure meds.  The Coaches must've been biting their lips in agony. And then the sugar rush wore off and he was gassed.  He didn't have another rush on him.

But at 2:00 it was now 1 on 1.  Grant was on with his injured finger. I was hoping he was okay.  As they faced each other at centre ice to take the face off he was definitely smaller than the opposing player. But size doesn't matter when the puck drops it was game ON!
A short battle along the near boards and the puck squirted out to their half of centre and Grant was off.  He was definitely the quicker player and got to the puck first!

Grant now had an unobstructed path to the net.
Glove side shot and GOALLLLLLLL!
It was 1:44 in OT.  No shoot out.  Thank God!
Fullerton Productions are Swansea 2018-19 Champs!

Me and the other parents were going nuts!  Mostly cuz we were stressed.  Either way we needed this game to end, cuz our nerves were frazzled.  Sorry that there had to be a losing side, plus the Rangers jerseys are quite nice, but so happy it ended this way as we had been on the other side of the ice several times.

The LightBulbs piled on Grant and then on Brett. For an entire game plus OT, it was the best i've ever seen them play.   Kudos to the Roundhouse Rangers.  They played tremendously.  They never gave up and were playing for the win.  Great job on the league convener for making the teams so balanced.  It was an ending that only happens in movies.
There is nothing like winning as part of a team!  When teammates work well together, regardless of each players skill level, they are successful.  This is what the result is.  Great memories!

For all the hockey parents.
Thanks for an outstanding season - Coach Glenn, Campbell and James!
Also thanks to Owen's mom for the home made cupcakes.  They were delicious.

Photos