IN THE NEWS...

Hockey Night in Road Town, October 3, 2007.

The BVI Fall Hockey Season sponsored in part by platinum sponsors Maples & Calder, Beacon Capital Mgmt, Baker Tilly, Bmobile, Tovel Mgmt, Caribbean Insurers, and Cannizaro kicked off at the Tortola Sports Club last Wednesday night where BVI Ball Hockey Association rookies Sashtina Tessier, Jamie, Dolores Oderigo and Tom Chapman suited up for the first time for their respective teams.  For first time players in the heat of the BVI it was quite an impressive showing especially for Tom playing with a Bobby Orr-era replica stick.

The first game of the evening went to the Shooting Stars with a 10-6 thriller which saw more lost orange ball hockey balls than there are roaming cows on the island.  Team Penalty Killers’ (PK) tentative start in a wildly entertaining game was understandable given the first half absence of their fearless captain (Mark Robinson) making the end result even more commendable. The ever impressive goaltending by Guyp Dubois kept the score a lot closer than it could have been in a Ken Dryden-like performance. Argentine Dolores Oderigo in a quasi field hockey stance delighted the crowd with her unique blend of South American moves which were matched only by opposing fellow country-woman Paola Heras. In the end, the dominant display of 10 year BVI Ball Hockey veteran Brian Jermyn, rising star Seb Tatonetti and the ever solid sharp shooting skills of Daniel Boisvert were too much to handle for the PK’s.

Play of the game had to be Nick Cunha’s deek around rookie Jamie before his laser beam into the top left hand corner of the net.  The search party last seen in East End still looking for Jamie’s jockstrap.

The second game went to the Road Town Roosters in a very tight checking affair. After two quick rapid fire goals by Tony “Bones” Jardine the PK’s (playing their second game of the night) settled their nerves to play a tight game the rest of the way that resulted in a close 8-6 score which could have ended on a different note if not for the stellar defensive work of Tatenda Gotosa for the Roosters.

Shastina Tessier’s first game in the BVI had her Western Canadian fingerprints all over it as she seemed to be everywhere on the court including the score sheet with an impressive assist across the face of the goalmouth. An impressive first showing despite being visibly unnerved by the speed of “The Game”, --- “is this what its always like”  she was heard faintly muttering as she tried to catch her breath between the quick shifts.  

Team PK was determined to impress and show their physical presence in the game----as winning Road Town Rooster team members Will Sinko, Walter Reich and Chris Watters could attest to after the game with various black and blue marks to prove it.

The play of the second game was unanimously awarded to Al Gauchi’s sliding save on Tony Jardine’s sure open net goal followed closely by a number of Grant Fuhr-like saves by both Phillippe Michaud and Ryan Geluk who kept the game securely in single figures for both sides.

The Wednesday night games commencing at 6pm at the Tortola Sports Club will continue until Christmas after which the Fall Season “Cup” will be played for in a playoff series.  Fans of “The Game” are welcome to watch where the Sports Club’s south facing balcony offers a perfect vantage point of the new multi-purpose sport court while still in close proximity to the bar and restaurant to avoid missing any of the action.  The BVI Ball Hockey Association welcomes all would be hockey enthusiasts to try the sport out on Sundays (weather permitting) starting at 6pm.