Year of the Goose.....Egg by Jeff Labbe

Well, where does one begin on such a wonderful season… This was my first season with the Maine Sled hockey team and it was quite an interesting year for me. Not only was it my first year with the team, but it was my first year playing sled hockey, and my first year goaltending in sled hockey. It was a very different experience by far. The year started off with practices in Dover, NH and Boston, MA. This is where I got the hang of playing sled hockey and some of the concepts, but it wasn’t just a first for me. Joe Legere was introduced to this the same time I was. He was getting used to propelling himself with the sticks and learning to skate all over again. I personally think he was smitten with the fact he was sharing ice with Rick Middleton. But this first practice was an eye opener for both of us. We have now been baptized by sled hockey.

Our first game was around the corner and it was at home versus UNH. We were all psyched up for our opener. The Maine Veterans were cool, but concerned. They were fearing the goalie of UNH. I guess last season Maine had a hard time figuring him out even though NH has not yet beat Maine since the two teams began playing each other. NH has several very talented players and it was a new year after all. As this game begin we struck fast and held on to a 2-0 victory. This game set the tone for the season. We played NH two more times and won both of them by a combined score of 5-0. We also faced a CT team three times and beat them by a combined score of 23-0. As for Maine’s season, we wanted one victory…

At the War of the Whit we came out flatter than a “possum on a highway” against PA and they took advantage of it handing us our only defeat of the season 4-1. After that game our focus turned to our objective…NH. We played a squad of NH players that were swarming at every opportunity, but once again we beat them 3-0. Making this victory the sweetest because of two reasons: 1) Maine beating NH at the Whitmore Center 2) Our volunteer referee Robbie Barker, a UNH Defenseman being quoted in the Concord Monitor Online as saying "You just grow up knowing that you can't lose to Maine. You hate Maine. It's almost like if you grow up in New Hampshire or Boston, you have to hate the Yankees. It's almost that clear to you." In the article Barker admitted that it was a struggle for him to maintain his objectivity in the sled hockey game after seeing the Mainers wearing Black Bear jerseys, and his officiating reflected it. We may not have left with a trophy, but it was just as sweet for those 2 reasons alone.

Now as our season is closing Maine did get one last bit of revenge… Jeff Labbe, Craig Gray, Pete Grosso, and Brett Goodnow from the Maine team went to NY as part of the New England Bruins and took a trophy away from PA beating them 3-0 in the round robin and 2-1 for the championship. We Maine players dedicated that to teammate Mike Geary who couldn’t make the trip with us.

Well, that puts the count at 7 goose eggs on the season for an up and coming Maine team, and from the sound of it many, many more.
 

Post Season Awards

Most likely not to win the sportsmanship award – Brett “Marsha” Goodnow

Most likely to take that award away from Brett – Craig “What do you mean it is an exhibition” Gray

Most likely to have a deer rack on the front of his sled – Joe “Git R’ Done” Legere

Most likely to be a girl scout – Pete “Would you like to buy some cookies” Grosso and Joe “No, I don’t sell Brownies, just cookies” Legere

Most likely to be singing a duet with Sammy Hagar – Mike “I can’t drive 55, but 53 is Ok.” Geary

Most likely to be in a circus – Dave “I can fit 4 people, 3 equipment bags and 2 sleds in my Saturn” Dittmer

Most likely to fall asleep during a game – Jeff “Is that a flying sausage patty?” Labbe

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Maine Sled Hockey Program
255 Pine Point Road, Scarborough, ME 04074
207-883-0420    207-885-5593 Fax
www.mainesledhockey.org
MaineSledHockey@maine.rr.com
Copyright © 2005, Maine Sled Hockey Program

Fast Facts: Sled hockey is one of the fastest growing disabled sports in the world with new sled hockey programs and sled hockey teams showing up everywhere. There are about 50 adult sled hockey teams and junior sled hockey teams in the USA. Sled hockey is played in several countries. Sweden claims to have originated sled hockey. The US Sled Hockey Team won the gold medal in the 2002 Paralympics. The Prudential Northeast Sled Hockey League is the first organized adult sled hockey league in the USA. Sled hockey players are extremely committed to the sport of sled hockey and regularly teach sled hockey clinics and participate in sled hockey outreach events and sled hockey exhibitions. Anyone wishing to try sled hockey should have ample opportunities to play.