March 31, 2014

  by: Gloria Andolina

The 2014 Crash Cadillac Men’s Ice Hockey Team traveled to Rochester, NY last weekend to play in the Lakeshore Hockey Arena Tournament of Beers. This year’s team had players from all over New York State, including Fredonia/Dunkirk, Rochester, Syracuse, Oswego and Evans, NY. Goaltender Gloria Andolina posted a shut-out Friday night in a big 8-0 win against the Dead Hawaiians in Game 1 of the Tournament, while power forward Mike “Goose” Catuzza scored a hat trick and was awarded the coveted Crash Cadillac MVP belt for the game. The team celebrated by running up an incredible bar tab and closing a local establishment.The many, many, (possibly too many) beers did not help the team in their Saturday morning Game 2 of the Tournament against a chippy Ice Holes team, that left them with a 6-5 loss. The MVP belt was presented to defenseman Tommy Coughlan for notching 2 goals for the losing Crash Cadillac team. The loss in Game 2 was quickly forgotten as the team spent the next several hours before Game 3 grilling and partying in the rink parking lot. Despite the cold weather, players huddled under the team tent (provided by Center Ken Stewart) with their beer of choice and put down burgers and hot dogs grilled up by Defenseman Tim Moynihan. Saturday evening’s Game 3 saw the Crash Cadillac team up against a tough and sober Team Fireman. Needless to say, the team ended up with their second loss of the weekend, a 6-2 romping. Goaltender Gloria Andolina, possibly the only sober player on the ice, took the MVP belt for standing on her head and keeping the score close. After the 3 game seeding round, team Crash Cadillac headed into the elimination semi-final game on Sunday morning against a very strong Blues Brothers team. Right wing Brian Wojcinski led the team offensively with 3 goals and an assist, including the empty netter that solidified a 7-5 Crash Cadillac victoryand warrantedhim the Game 4 MVP belt. Goalie Gloria Andolina made a game-saving breakaway stop against team Blues Brothers star forward in the final seconds of the third period to assure the team’s win and a spot in the Sunday afternoon Championship game. A good lunch and lack of alcohol consumption had the Crash Cadillac team ready to go for the Championship Game versus the Ice Holes. Already losing to the Ice Holes team on Saturday morning gave the team even more reason to want to kick some butt. It was a hard-hitting and fierce battle between the two teams – both penalties and goals were abundant –Catuzza having his 2nd hat trick of the weekend. With under 5 minutes left in the 3rd period, team Captain Lee Andolina took the puck that deflected off of the rear-end of line mate Susan Archacki and buried a backhand top corner over the Ice Holes’ goaltender. What was thought to be the clinching goal made the score 6-5 in favor of Crash Cadillac. However, 3 goals in the final 3 minutes of the game brought the teams to a 7-7 tie and a chance to win in sudden death overtime. The Ice Holes started overtime with an odd man rush but Andolina turned aside their scoring attempts. With 4 minutes gone in OT, former MCC star Joe Zaccaria found himself one-on-one with the opposing goalie. After several scoring opportunities in regulation time with no success, Zaccaria finally put the puck in the net over the goalie’s shoulder. It was an exhilarating moment as the Crash Cadillac team rushed the ice from the bench to celebrate the

Championship win!