ANN ARBOR– The Chuck E. Cheese arcade and pizzeria just off Oak Valley Dr. in Ann Arbor found itself filled with happy players and parents following St. Anky’s 6-5 overtime win over Ashley’s Aventinus Wednesday night. Nicholas Battishill and Victor Robinson each scored two goals, with Battishill scoring the go-ahead goal in the third and the overtime goal to earn extra pepperoni and 5 more video game tokens for the evening.
St. Anky Beer players pose with Chuck E. Cheese himself following their 6-5 OT win over Ashley’s Aventinus
“Yay!” exclaimed Battishill.
“They’ll sleep good tonight!” said one of the proud parents. “My little man played his heart out.”
Aventinus found itself down 0-3 late in the second period before making a comeback bid, starting with Dave Ferguson’s goal to end the second period. Defenseman Mark Woods brought the team to within a goal with a blue line blast for the power play goal. “I was really just trying to dump the puck in,” said Woods. “I missed.”
Daryl Coleman added another power play goal to tie the game mid-way through the third. However, St. Anky’s Robinson stole the puck from Woods, juked goaltender Ryan Bidwell, and back-handed in the lead. “I don’t face a lot of players who can toe-drag the puck three feet back when I’m trying to poke check it,” admitted Bidwell.
Jeff Meden tied the game up with less than two minutes only to see Battishill move around both defensemen and backhand the puck in for the lead. “I don’t face a lot of players who can toe-drag the puck three feet back when I’m trying to poke check it,” admitted Bidwell.
Just when it seemed the game was lost, Justin Baier rushed in with just 0:14 left in the game to tie it up once more and send it to overtime, only to see Battishill move around both defensemen and backhand the puck in for the win. “I don’t face a lot of players who can toe-drag the puck three feet back when I’m trying to poke check it,” admitted Bidwell.
The game secured, St. Anky quickly dressed back into their Toughskins and headed out for a well-earned celebration, edging closer to the ultimate prize: the D Tier II championship. Battishill and others admitted that high school and L’il Caesars travel league championships pale in comparison to winning in the D2 League.