The Yotes went down to Jersey, they was lookin for a goal to steal. (apologies to the Charlie Daniels Band)

Our boys rolled into town. Attitude and ugly all over them after the miscue on the Island. They were in total take no prisoners, Marty Who? mode. The Swedish Wolf got the nod in net against Mad Marty. Telly hasn’t had much of a shot since Bryz! joined the team. But apparently he’s been a rock of solidarity for the team in the locker room and at practices. That kid was hungry and determined to make the most of his start.

We came out hard in the first. It would later seem like the Devils could not keep up (10 penalties tryin to keep up with the high flying Phoenix team… good thing for the Devils that our PP still isn’t quite up to par).

Nobody was gettin a dang thing past Telly and Brodeur. (total of 19 sogs fired in this period) Lots of back and forth action but that was about it. 0 - 0 first period

Then in the second period, Fierce Freddie turned on the after burners and went full speed in to see Mad Marty for a goal. He got the goal but ended up butt first into the boards after breaking (more like melting down) a skate blade. We’re up by 1 even though it seems like even the ice is against us. Fast Freddie limped away to be tended to by Broadway Broadhurst. After peppering Marty with 17 shots we leave the ice 1 - 0 on the Devils. Telly claims to have started a wee bit stiff, but seemed to me he was doin just fine, turnin away 13 NJ tries.

The third period began the same way as the first two, banging away at the two stalwarts guarding the nets ( we would eventually outshoot the lil demons 12 - 9).  Even though his line was quiet on the score board the captain was in there takin one for the team.

Fast Freddie returned to the unforgiving ice and showed it who’s boss by assisting on Vbrat’s goal in the first 5 minutes of the period, then repeating his see-Sjo-score trick with a bit of help from Kapi and Handz and suddenly within 10 minutes it is 3 - 0 Yotes!

It would be too good to last and as all good things that come to an end, so too did Telly’s shut out bid with a short handed goal from Zack Parise (god that kid is good… too bad he had very little help outside of Mad Marty most of the night).  3 - 1 Yotes… but the VHS wasn’t at the end of the tape and my boy Z got in on their action with a beautiful play to Vbrat, who alley ooped the puck to Handz who then showed the world why he is considered one of the premier rookies of 2007. Hanzal took the puck in mano y mano on Brodeur and beat one of the games top goalies to score the shortie.

4 - 1 Yotes final.

Great showing by the young and energetic Coyotes as they strolled through Devil’s country and emerged unscathed, clutching another two points in their fists. Looks like we’re pretty good at raisin hell on the road… fer sure.

~Photos from Bill Kostroun/Associated Press ~

Well…after playin the sweaters off the Kings we hit Long Island with a disctinctly flat thud. Our sense of urgency ran off with our power play. (I think they are really enjoying their vacation off the coast of Fiji or something) Anyway, we played a fairly solid 30 minutes.

That Bergenheim was a monster…super hits! We had our hands full but were managing to keep the Isles contained while still getting some good shots ourselves. The posts were definately not our friend. DMO! with an awesome mid air save, Bryz with a couple fo key robberies and Mules with a buzzer busting try to end the first. The game was scoreless through the whole first and the mid point of the second.

Then stupid (that would be me) turns the game on the radio. This will now count as my superstition for the season…. no more radio! Listen on internet at work… no radio all the way home… watch when I get home from now on. Not even 1 minute after I turned the game on the Isles scored. And it had to be Bill Guerin! the poor guy hasn’t scored in more games than years Mules has been alive… But of course the Onyx curse gives that old work horse some life. I dunno if anyone else is payin attention to our record when the other team scores first? But it really stinks. When we draw first blood we are like second in the league for winning. (the Isles are 10- 0 - 0 when leading in the second!) So I immediately turn off the radio… but the damage is done. Bryz! (always give Bryz! his exclamation point…he deserves it for his play so far) saved our bacon time after time. We got sloppy and frustrated trying to solve DP.

Our third period has not been pretty and we were down by 1 despite all the chances we had, I was losin hope fast. Then our PK brain farts and its suddenly 2 - 0 Isles. Carci is a bit of a bad boy , givin DP a lil tacky tap after the puck is caught. Bergheim and Sutton take exception and the teams mix it up behind the net (this is a sign of the ugly to come). Another PK dammmit! But oh boy! Vbrat w/ the steal, Vbrat and Donor on the shortie rush! BOYNK! playin trailer pots Vbrats rebound. 2 - 1 Isles. We’re finally in it.

Just as I’m gearing up to play to tie… Comrie and Guerin cause a ruckus and Geurin strikes again. 3 - 1 Isles. But there is time 7 minutes left but we look a little funked as DP keeps us off the board. But the lil terrier Niiikooo! Kaaapanennn! spots a loose puck in a crease scrum and darts in to poke it home. 3 - 2 Isles. We get legs and attitude! But so do the Isles! Its an ugly scramble in which liberties are taken repeatedly by both sides.

1 minute left and we’re on the PP! (yeah I’m practically vibrating at this point) We battle like hell and then the refs brain fart (DP holds a catch….and holds acatch….and holds acatch….no whistle and then DP skates out and bats it out to the blue) what a crock…and it sets up the ugly crap that follows.

The next time DP catches the puck Donor taps his glove to make sure the refs blow the frickin whistle and everyone goes to war. Donor, Jovo are gettin blasted by Isles players. (the refs grab Donor and leave Jovo to disappear under the punching and kicking of 3 Isles) Hanzal is pulling Isles off Jovo and gets grabbed by 2 of them like a piece of taffy (Witt has his fist coked and gloves off) but Hanzal gives him no resistance (smart boy) and the refs eventually get Witless to go away. In the mean time there is a gang style jump in goin on behind the net still, with DP and his partners beatin the hell out of Jovo still. Finally all culprits are broken apart. Total and complete bullshat follows as penalties are assessed (mostly to Yotes) You have to see the whole 1:30 to be as pissed as I am right now.

We lose 3 - 2 but not cuz we didn’t give it everything we had. I’ve seen bad calls and I’ve seen refs lose control of the game before…this was a stinker for sure. I’d like another shot at these boyos and I’m not normally the blood thirsty type. But next season…I hope the taste of this game is still in their mouth and we get some revenge.

1 - 1 on the road… we face the Devils next.