ANN ARBOR–Ashley’s Ruination dismantled a patchwork Black Ops team Saturday night 9-3 despite being what Ops winger Brandon Camper called “a bunch of (bleepy) (bleeps).” The phrase rhymes with “mushy passes,” which more accurately categorizes their play, as the Ops offense was at best, ineffective.
“I just said that to pump up the guys,” said Camper, who wasn’t very happy after getting tossed in the third period.
Paul Sholtis opened the scoring mid-way through the first period, knocking home a pass from defenseman Jason Spence, who later scored in the first. Defenseman Anthony Ciatti added a third goal to build a 3-0 lead at the end of the first. Devin Collingridge– fighting the effects of a flu bug– and Joel Benton made it 5-0 before Black Ops took a time out.
The Ops team made a bid to comeback with two quick goals late in the second, but the door was essentially shut with two more goals from Collingridge, another from Ciatti, and one more from Brett Vogel, who also had three assists.
The game took an ugly turn in the third when one of the “mushy passers” threw a puck into the Ruination bench, striking Spence on the bridge of his nose, forcing him to leave the ice for doctors to attend to the bleeding. Ops fans hurled epithets at Spence from the stands.
“I wanted to throw that (bleep) over the balcony,” exclaimed an Ashley’s fan. “She was such a (bleep)!”
Despite the cursing, Ruination has led a charmed season, reaching the finals for the sixth straight season. At least three of those seasons include skating past Black Ops.
Following the loss, several Ops skaters had this to say: “Beat Goon Squad.”
That’s good advice.