Rep catches the mid-morning flight out of FLL to DTW, lands at 230pm, collects the bags, gets back to the house at ~345, just enough time to get my equipment and barrel toward Allen Park with time to spare. The team got a big W last week to set the tone for our 2025 playoff campaign, which makes me think I should have just stayed on vacation. 

Teams came out firing early on with goals coming from everywhere.  Thankfully, we came out on the better side of a scoring barrage after the first. 2nd period, we increased our lead to 2 after a Cobra penalty.  Unfortunately, we couldn't hold leads all night and let the tenacious Cobras to slither back into the game.  They end up taking the lead late in the game, and try as we might, we can't equalize with Marc pulled. 

This one feels like we gave it away, credit the cobras for their "never dies" attitude.  We finish out pool play against the Edsels, who are looking to play spoiler.  Hopefully, they'll throw the Aerostars a bone, I did sub for them a bunch after all.   

Game 2 of pool play starts a lot faster than you would expect a playoff game to be. 4 goals within the first 3 minutes of the game. Tied 2-2, veteran Dennis would give us the go ahead goal from where he's been a meanace all year, right on top of the crease. The Aerostars answer quickly and then add another before we close out the period down 4-3. 

The Cobras regroup and settle down after a wild 1st period. We end up short handed and give up a goal with only a few seconds left in the kill to go down by 2 halfway through the game. "Who's that defenseman" John Durst would pick up the puck at the blue line, walk through 2 defenders and go bar down to get us back to a 1 goal game.

5-4 Aerostars going into the third. I find Vinny in the slot and he dents the crossbar sending the puck 1 foot shy of the ceiling. Luckily next shift Matty ice finds top shelf from the blue line to tie the game at 5. A rallying Cobras squad had all the momentum leading up to the final minute of the game where Deroche, last man back, brings the puck out of our zone backwards.... somehow it worked out. We get control in their zone, Deroche collects a lose puck in the slot and finds Vinny at the point, beautfiul fake shot/ pass back to Deroche who beats DeGagne 5-hole to seal the comeback.

Great team effort from the Cobras in this one. Lots of production coming from the whole team as all 10 guys had at least 1 point!

Thanks to Albert and Ruben for subbing!