Jokers Get Miracle OT Win In Season Opener, 6-5

The Jokers of Doom season opener was a wild, roller coaster game against the Vipers. The first period ended with a 3-0 deficit with the Jokers playing poor defensively and getting outshot 10-7. There were numerous open players and shots and a 2-0 deficit turned to 3-0 with only 4.4 seconds left in the period on a rebound put back goal by Stan Capp. In the second period things would start to change starting with a blast from Kevin LaPrade just 1:01 into the period assisted by Kristi Rochette. Around 2 minutes later captain Jim Brunetti would cash in a quick wrist shot off of a high slot feed from Ken Herren to make it 3-2 and a large momentum shift towards the Jokers. The final goal of the period would come from Rochette as she squeezed a quick slap shot through the pads of goalie Fernando Gomez to tie the game at 3-3. The final period would see the Vipers score 2 goals and take a 5-3 lead with only 3:43 seconds left in the game. Again, the Jokers would show tremendous resolve with 3 straight unassisted goals starting with Rob Kurdy with only 22 seconds left and Greg Benoit pulled for the extra attacker. Then, only 4 seconds later after a faceoff win, Phil Elliott would send a bending wrist shot that deflected off the Vipers goalie into the net for a tie game. In the OT, Elliott would finish it off as he took a loose ball, flew across the slot and then wristed home the game winner to complete the improbable come back and a 6-5 win. Captain Jim Brunetti would say after the game, “This is a typical Jokers game, get down, come back, down again, and pull out a win. Amazing”.

Notes: Jokers were outshot in the game 31-26… Frank Melillo, and Jeremy Battye were scratches…

The team announced the signing of forward Frank Conaci, effective immediately