Last Sunday, Slapping Studs 1 wrote history by beating Groningen at their home rink with 1 - 5.
With 6 new rookies this season, the first team of the Studs improved a lot in quality. New forwards were Erik Ekevik, who skates faster than the wind and plays like a bulldog with a piece of meat in front of him. Ole Frederik, the goal-scorer and playmaker who gets the puck anywhere he wants. Johan ‘Holmström’ Sleman, who screens the goalie so well that the only thing the goalie sees, is his jersey number. And Tim Herbers, who climbed his way up from the second team within a few months.
New defense-player this season was Anna Faber. She plays with great vision and doesn’t mind using her body. Perhaps she can be described as the female version of Letang.
And of course our goalie: Martijn van Maanen. Used to be a goalie in floorball (we won’t talk about that anymore) but goaltending on ice suits him way better!
Despite our improvements in the squad, We weren’t unbeaten this season. Our first game was a tie against Utrecht at home. We lost against Eindhoven and Groningen. And we tied our home game a few weeks ago against Delft.
The Bulldogs are number one in the league, and will probably be the champion. The first meeting between the Bulldogs and Slapping Studs resulted in a win for Groningen: 2-4. On our own ice!
So for the last big game this season, everybody was extremely motivated and excited. We rented a big touring car, bought beer for the way back, and burned a CD with ‘Discokneiters’. All the ingredients for a big party on the way back. But first there was a game to be played.
Bjorn Borger wasn’t in the line-up because of his knee-injury. Coach Tony was snowboarding somewhere in the mountains far away, so Bjorn could be the coach for the day. After an inspiring peptalk of captain Niels de Boer, everybody was ready to kick some ass!!
From the beginning, it was a fast and equal game. Nevertheless we were able to open the score. After a shot from the side of the zone, the puck ended behind the goal. Jurjen got the puck and assisted Bauer, so he could score: 0-1. After 20 minutes of playing the score remained: 0-1.
In the second period, Ole Fredrik and a player of Groningen were sent to the penalty box for roughing. Groningen took advantage of the resulting 4 on 4 to make the draw. Fortunately, Vladi Woeboekin made the second goal for the Studs. After a pass from behind the net, he used his Russian Shooting Accuracy, and scored a goal: 1-2.
Groningen started the game with four lines. But when Groningen saw that they might lose today, their best lines got, which is understandable, the most ice time. Whenever our first offense line (Erik, Frederik and Jeroen) got on the ice, Groningen would put their best line on the ice too, giving our goal scorers a hard time. Therefore the goals had to be made in the 2nd or third line, because the first line had to do the dirty work today.
The 1-3 was made by Jurjen van den Hengel after a great pass (again from behind the net) from Johan Sleman. Two minutes later, Vladi made his second goal of the night, resulting in: 1-4. Again Johan aka Holmstrom was in front of the goalie, so the goalie didn’t see the puck coming. The 2nd period was over, score: 1-4!
The victory was close, but to seal it every single player needed to work their asses off, as Groningen was determined to make a comeback. But goalie Martijn van Maanen kept the Studs in the game with superb goaltending. Stopping a breakaway and making an incredible save with his catching glove while the ref already had counted the goal. To convince Groningen a comeback was impossible, Tim Herbers scored his first goal of the game, Sebastian Bauer had the assist.
Finally the third period was over and the Studs won, after losing for so many years from Groningen. Winning from the best team in the league, at their own ice... can it get any better?
And on the way back… PARTY!!!