BULLITZKY REPORT:

No better time to suffer some adversity than the beginning of the season says this weather beaten and broken down hockey reporter. After dropping their home opener to Carleton Place by a score of ahemmm to ahhh-chooo!, the Sens were forced to hit the road just three days later to face a strong Almonte Pakenham team that had only a week earlier made short work of that very same Carleton Place club.  Most teams would have simply thrown in the white towel...folded like a cheap tent...Carl Lewis'd ...arrghh, my hammy!  And could anyone blame these youngsters for doing just that?  On paper they were supposed to lose this game by a grossly lop-sided score of aheemmmmm!! to ahhhhhhhhh-chooooo!!! But not this courageous young squad. Not on this day. Not ever.  
 
But let's back up a bit, shall we...
 
Thirty-eight seconds into the game and the outcome already looked incredibly bleak to put it mildly. The scoreboard read 2-0 for the other guys and the Sens struggled mightily to win possession of the puck.  A minute and change later and disaster struck again. 3-0.  And then, loyal readers, something changed.
 
Mark the time. At 8:33 of the first period in Game 3 of the new season, the Osgoode Rideau Novice A Senators made the unspoken decision that they were finished getting proverbial sand kicked in their face. They were through playing the role of speed bag to the rest of the league. Indeed, Marty McFly himself would have been proud.  For the rest of the game, the Senators skated with them, they passed with them, they shot with them...and they SHUT THEM DOWN...Because they could! (Barney Bullitzky coined this phrase before it was ripped off by Kurt Russell in the movie Miracle but no hard feelings). For the remainder of the second period the two teams traded chances and battled hard to win puck races. Sens netminder, Grand Master DM, brought the crowd to their feet with some incredible saves, including a glove hander off of a bullet that seemed destined to find the top shelf. The Senators finally began playing as a team and showing the heart and effort they had lacked in their first two games. When they finally snapped out of their funk, you could hear the collective sigh of relief from the Osgoode coaching staff all the way back to Gander, Newfoundland.  "We've got some go'ers here by God, byz!, shouted Coach Gillingham, triumphantly.
 
All the effort and grind finally culminated into a goal a minute and 26 seconds prior to the close of the 2nd when first year winger, Jeremy, The Bulldog" Owen fended off three Almonte checkers to carry the puck the length of the ice to the opposing goal.  A scramble ensued in front of the net and a pinching Justice "Juicy"  Galt streaked in from his position on the point to pick up a loose puck and fire home his first goal of the season.
 
The final score of the game was 4-1 but this game will be remembered as the game the Novice A Senators showed their true character to their coaches, their parents, and most importantly, to themselves.
 
Team Captain: The Team Captaincy was awarded to Johnny "Mustang" Hardie for his outstanding effort during the game against Carleton Place, as well as in recent practices. John's competitive spirit has been rubbing off on his teammates and his coaches have remarked how important he is to the team's success.
 
Hard Hat: The revered Hard Hat was awarded to Jeremy Owen. Through his great efforts, he not only drew a penalty but set the stage for the Justice Galt goal by carrying the puck all the way down the ice to the Almonte net with Maurice Richard-like determination. Congrats Bulldog!
 
- Barney Bullitzky
  Sens Beat Reporter