Frustration Sets In As The IceHawks Melt The G-Men at Home

(Article Photo: Brandon Gentile, Team USA. BleacherReport.com does currently offer IHL related photos. I'm working on getting this changed.)

The 6-3-0-0 Port Huron IceHawks came to town Saturday night, for a weekend match-up with the 3-7-0-2 Flint Generals.

From any spectators point of view, it was plain to see that these two squads plain just don't like each other.

The first period was extremely physical, there were six 5 minute majors handed out for fighting, and three 10 minute game misconducts. The intense physical play was reminiscent of the good 'ol days between the Red Wings and Avalanche, a rivalry where bodies would be seen a-flyin', and the penalty box was occupied on a constant basis.

There was a comment that I found quite amusing, "This looks like it's going to be a two-sheeter", said Doug Bailey, an IHL Official Scorer. Doug saw the direction the game was headed into, one of a brutal and carnal nature.  

Former Spartan Brandon Gentile racked up 17 PIM, and Craig Cescon earned a whopping 20 PIM, needless to say these two made their early exits, as they were both hit with game misconducts as well.

The Generals' offense was quick to strike in the first period, Tony Tuzzolino snapped the puck past Larry Sterling (Port Huron, G) to put the G-men on the board.

The lack of power play production (6th in the IHL @ 12.8%) has been somewhat of a crippling nemesis for the Flint Generals early in the season, Tuzzolino's goal was a sigh of relief when it comes to special teams.

Jamie Schaafsma, Flint's leader in points, was credited with the assist.

Port Huron mustered three quick goals in the first five minutes of the second period, one of which came as Generals goaltender J.F. Labbe was on his stomach flailing for dear life trying to find the puck.  

The IceHawks struck yet again in the second frame when Mikael Bedard fooled Flint's J.F. Labbe, lifting the puck past him.

With a three goal lead over the home team, Port Huron was in cruise control going into the final period, sitting pretty with a three goal cushion.

Try as they might, the Generals entered the locker room in a state of disconcert.

The third stanza was opened with an IceHawks' goal, Mikael Bedard lit the lamp for the second time, propelling Port Huron to a four goal advantage, 5-1 IceHawks.

Rendering goals has been an issue for the Flint Generals this season.

Flint is averaging two and half goals per outing. This production has only been good enough to win three times out of 13 games played.

They have put 31 pucks in the net, while the opposition has netted 43.

Do the math, if you don't score more goals than you let in, it usually doesn't help the win column.

Port Huron's Mikael Bedard and Tab Lardner tallied two goals a piece, as the IceHawks throttled the Generals at home 5-1.

Bedard (PH), Lardner (PH), and Tuzzolino (FNT) were the media's three stars of the game, something that I had the pleasure of taking part in.