Buffalo Storm Inline Hockey

             The Buffalo Storm Jr. A Inline Hockey Team continued their tear on the Great Lakes Inline Hockey League by pounding the Bramalea Blue Devils last night at Ken Giles Area, 15-8.  With the win, the Storm improved their record to 6-0-1; the teams only loss was in an overtime period  to the Hamilton Power on the road just over 2 weeks ago.  
 
The Storm struck early and often in the games first quarter, finishing up the 1st quarter with the score heavily in the Storms favor, 7-1.  Captain Kevin Fischer opened up the scoring less than 2 minutes in on a goal from Jim Durham and rookie D-man Justin Banaszak.  The Blue Devils struck right back with a goal of their own less than 1 minute later to tie the contest at 1.  1st year man Joe Bodkin opened up the flood gates for the Storm, scoring the teams 2nd goal of the game, 40 seconds later Danny Wasielewski buried his 4th of the season, just 18 seconds after Wasielewski scored.  Jim Durham began to heat it up and continued the Storms rally by cashing in on 2 shots just 19 seconds apart.  Within a span of 1:23, the Storm broke the game open with a commanding 5-1 lead, the team would never look back.  2nd year defenseman Brandon Gasiewicz picked up his 3rd of the year from Bodkin and Fischer and Paul Hockwater rounded out the scoring in the games 1st quarter with a power play goal.
 
Jason Francabandiero continued the scoring to put the Storm up 9-1 in the games 2nd quarter, with his team leading 7th power play goal of the season.  Bramalea answered with 2 goals before the close of the games 1st half, but Hockwater came back with a short handed goal, his second goal of the game to put the score at 9-3 going into halftime; he would finish the game with a +6 rating.  The games 3rd quarter was much different than the first 2 as the Storm found themselves shutout during a quarter for the first time all season.  The Blue Devils captain Kyle Sobotka scored 3 goals in the quarter to bring the Devils within 3; 9-6.
 
The games 4th quarter seemed to play out a lot like the first 2 as the Storm regrouped and went on to dominate by scoring 6 goals to secure the win.  Goaltender Richie Latona buckled down and made a handful of key saves in the games closing quarter to propel his team to victory and earn his 4th win of the season.  Fischer and Bodkin each netted a goal a piece halfway through the quarter.  Defenseman Tommy Smith captured his 1st goal of the season and Durham cashed in 2 more times to finish the game with 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points and a +5 rating. Bodkin also picked up an assist on Dan Shanahans 1st goal of the game.    
 
The Storm's schedule does not get any easier as they look to try to continue their dominance and take possession of 1st place in the GLi this weekend as they face off against the London Fury at the Cheektowaga Recreation Center on Saturday, May 31 @ 5:00 PM.   Come out and weather the Storm!