Philop Sharky Scores 3 in Win Over Minnesota Manta Rays In Week 3 Classic

Palatine, Illinois. Nine months ago it was the Minnesota Manta Rays who eliminated Philop Sharky and the Wisconsin Wolverines from the National Hockey League playoffs. Alot can change in 9 months. Philop Sharky returned to the Palatine Sharks after a 1 year movement, the Manta Rays were no longer considered a wild card team but a championship contender. The game had all the hype for a classic it was a bitter cold day in Palatine with at times light snow and rain. The crowd had a playoff atompshere, the players were intense, and the game had all the previous weeks trash talk. The game had the setup of a classic, the game surpassed even a classic.

1st PERIOD: This instant classic started out as a pure defensive war. Philop Sharky won 18 out of 22 faceoffs throughout the game and really dominated the center ice. Very early on King Frog came sprinting in on a breakaway and seemingly hit a goal. The play was reviewed and overturned, King Frog came over to the refs and very animatedly screamed at them and was issued a warning. Two possesions later King Frog again had the puck and was skating down the ice when he was checked from behind over the boards. King Frog furiously jumped back over the boards and punched Manny The Manta in the back of the head causing things to get chippy and some pushing and shoving. King Frog was penalized to sit out the rest of the period. After some more gruling punishing defense on each side Sharky hit Mak with a perfect pass and Mak put up the 1st points of the game as the first period came to an end.

2nd PERIOD: The huge hits didn't die down this period. The very 1st possesion of the 2nd period involved a huge 5 way collision between Philop Sharky, King Frog, Manny the Manta, Mr Stingray, and Brownie. The puck went out of play and the benches cleared as the two teams pushed and shoved yet again. Mr Stingray would soon after hit a goal for the struggling Manta Rays offense making the score 1-1. Not to be outdone Philop Sharky called out a signal to his players and passed to King Frog, Sharky decleated Mr Stingray in center ice. He received a clean pass from King Frog and Sharky nailed a slapshot from nearly halfcourt. Heading into the 3rd period the calm before the storm was about to end.

3rd PERIOD: Heading into the 3rd period the Sharks lead was 2-1. The start of the period showed the Sharks looking fatigued. The Manta Ray's began to take advantage of the tired Sharks, an absoultly fericious check by Mr Stingray sent Finny over the boards and face first into the crowd and ground. The Manta Rays began to match the Sharks intensity and the momentum was turning. Manny the Manta hit a breakaway goal after a coast to coast past from Mr Stingray Jr making the score 2-2. After a very physical 8 minutes of play the Sharks began to fireback was great intensity. It all began after Sharky and King Frog knocked the puck into the corner of the Manta Rays zone, Manny the Manta and Mr Ray were all fighting for the puck when Mr Stingray from behind checked Philop Sharky in the back of the head facefirst into the boards. Finny and Mak flew into the zone crushing Manny the Manta into the boards. The two benches again cleared and the teams pushed and shoved as the crowd showered in boo's. Sharky and Mr Stingray exchanged a few punches but neither was penalized. Sharky called time out and on the sideline blew up saying "I'm sick of everyone saying this ****** team can't win the big game, that we are chokers, losers let's go out there and punch them right in the mouth! On the very next possesion Sharky lost one of his only few faceoffs but immediatly stole the puck and hit a goal to make it 3-2. With only one drive left the Sharks could sense a victory. Mr Stingray took the puck put a move on Mak and hit a goal to send the game into a shootout making the score 3-3.

SHOOTOUT: Both teams were fired up and yelling on the sidelines and motivating each other and the Sharks were pumping up the crowd. The shootout started with the Sharks taking the 1st possesion. King Frog hit a solid slapshot but missed. Mr Stingray hit a picture perfect goal making the score 4-3 Manta Rays and holding the lead for the 1st time of the game. Philop Sharky was up next in a very crucial number 2 slot, Sharky on the 1st shot hit a very close play. The refs would issue a redo due to interference. Philop Sharky given the second chance would hit the shot making the game 4-4. Manny the Manta on the next possesion made a shot for the Manta Rays making the score 5-4 Manta Rays. Mak responded by making a goal to keep the game tied at 5-5. Mr Ray missed the next goal giving Finny the chance to end the game, a great save by Mr Stingray Jr sent the game into sudden death overtime. Which there is never a break in the action and no line changes are allowed.

Sudden Death OVERTIME: As the players met at midice another scuffle broke out when King Frog went to shake Mr Stingray's hand but when Mr Stingray went to shake King Frog's hand he quickly moved his hand away and the two teams began pushing and shoving. Mr Stingray won the faceoff and very quickly sent a slapshot at the net but was violently checked by Philop Sharky. Great Bite the goalie for the Sharks ran out with no Manta Ray players on the Sharks side of the ice because of the quick shot. The Manta Rays players quickly raced to the puck and the goalie. Great Bite after being hit by all 4 Manta Rays players somehow managed to get the pass through traffic to a wide open Philop Sharky. Sharky raced up the ice as fast as he could and delivered a slapshot from far right in the corner of the net ending the game immediatly. The crowd began a huge welcome back chant to Philop Sharky and a "Sharky" chant. The Sharks bench cleared and basiclly tackled Sharky the electric crowd cheered far after the winning goal and a MVP chant began and a Hammy Cup chant. It may have been only week 3 but this could have been the greatest NHA game of all time.

Game Notes: The Sharks (3-0) stay atop 1st in the North with a 1.5 game lead over the Manta Rays and a 1 game lead over the Ann Arbor Andacondas.

Scoring (Palatine Sharks) Philop Sharky (3) Mak (2) King Frog (1)

Scoring (Minnesota Manta Rays) Mr Stingray (3) Manny the Manta (2)

Fights Won: Philop Sharky 1/1 Mr Stingray 0/1 King Frog 1/1 Manny the Manta 0/1 These teams will not meet again until the final week of the season.