Aces Win the Hard Way

The details are a little fuzzy now since the game was played nigh on a week ago, but last wednesday's tilt against the Bloor Battlers (I know I say we play them every week, but this time we really did. I checked the schedule) was as close to an actual battle as the gentlemen of the Cedarvale Oldtimers Hockey League are likely to get.

Taking a 2-0 lead early on with goals by Rich and Ralph, the Aces could not hang on. The BBs used their natural orneriness to hack, slash and cheap-shot their way back to tie the game.

The third period saw lots of body contact and end-to-end action, as I recall, with at least a dozen highlight reel plays from either team. Aubrey was spectacular in the net for the Blackshirts, our D was sensational, and every forward executed at least one NHL-caliber deke on the Battlers' defense. Um, what else do I remember... yes, we all looked 20 years younger, faster and better-looking, there was a huge crowd (of mostly young nubile women in tight pants) in the stands cheering us on, and several players were being evaluated by pro team scouts.

The winning goal came on a superb spin-around play by Ralph. You can see it on YouTube where it now stands as the number 1 video in human history after just one week.

The Aces played smart hockey after taking the lead, holding off the charging Battlers even while a man down in the final minute of play. A well deserved win that showed the lads can win one the hard way, and that proved that all that high-altitude training in Nepal was worth it.

Disabled Athlete Spurs Aces to First Win of 2009

In one of the all-time most inspiring moments in sporting history, former Aces' sniper and now partially disabled athlete Brian McCabe showed his able-bodied teammates this past wednesday just how handi-capable he could still be. 

McCabe turned in a miraculous, some might say freakish, four-goal performance in his first game since the leaves were still on the trees. Assisted by the unselfish play of wingman Ralph R, and wearing only a generic tattered jersey from his former glory years on the Ferris & Quinn squad, the now lumbering centreman somehow managed to beat the Wyse Guys keeper four times. Hobbled by a tragic groin injury, McCabe showed you don't need speed or agility to still be a presence in the Cedarvale Oldtimers Hockey League.

Andrew bagged an additional pair to give the Aces a 6-4 win, even though the rest of the team tried hard to give the game away most of the night. Sloppy defensive play together with some baffling calls from the officials (including 2 disallowed goals for the Aces and an offside tally for the red squad) were not enough however, and the Aces hung on for the victory.

After the game McCabe was quickly submerged in an icebath and was unavailable for comment. Team cryogenics specialist Bruce Harbinson would not speculate on his chances of playing in next week's contest. He did say however that the club was engaged in negotiations to bring back former defenceman Mike Brown, now living out his days as a disembodied head in a jar of liquid nitrogen.