Muscles Has His Own Way Of Expressing The Number Two

#2 What The Puck (18-5) vs. #11 Fresh Kills (11-10-1-1)
Location: Tompkins Square Park, Time TBD
All-Time Series: What The Puck leads 8-6-1
2009 Result: Week 4 – What The Puck 6, Fresh Kills 4
Game Notes: In what is becoming an annual rite of the postseason, What The Puck and Fresh Kills will face off once again this Sunday, their third playoff battle in the last four years.  As expected, What The Puck cruised through the first round, notching a playoff high six goals against the Mighty Squirrels.  Although the quarterfinals provided a much tougher challenge for them, they ultimately prevailed over the Rehabs 2-1.  Awaiting What The Puck in the semifinals will be Fresh Kills, the team that eliminated Larry’s Orange Juggernaut from last season’s playoffs.  Entering as the 11th seed this year, the defending champions picked up where they left off with an upset victory over the sixth seeded Dark Rainbows in the first round.  They continued the trend in the quarterfinals with a stunning 4-3 overtime victory over the regular season champion Denim Demons.  Can Fresh Kills extend this amazing playoff upset streak to seven or will What The Puck return to the championship game for the first time since 2006?
Keys To The Game For What The Puck:
1.  While Ollie Hartman leads What The Puck with three playoff goals, five other players are tied for second on the team with one goal each.  Thus, What The Puck will bring an extremely deep and balanced offense to this game, where anyone on the team is capable of scoring (except Ant “Father Time” Ventolieri, who claims to have assisted on all eight goals).
2. What The Puck’s “Italian Stallion” line has been its highest scoring unit throughout the season due to Adriano “Muscles Marinara” Bratta and Salvatore Malguarnera Jr.’s “shoot first, pass second” mentality.  However, Captain Larry continues to relegate them to third line duty, mainly because of their linemate, enforcer Hannah Stark.  She also claims to be Italian, and who are we to argue with her?
3. After Adriano “Muscles Marinara” Bratta’s dismal performance as goalie for the Happy Little Elves last week, one has to wonder if his confidence is permanently shattered…not because he gave up seven goals, but because he had to play for the Happy Little Elves.
Keys To The Game For Fresh Kills:
1. Fresh Kills boasts six players with at least one goal in this season’s playoffs.  With so many potential scoring options to cover, What The Puck will have to look in all directions on defense.
2. Two of the league’s top defenders man the blue line for Fresh Kills in captain Kevin “The Planet” Foster and Scott Townsend.  While Foster is notorious for his booming slap shot from the point that always seems to generate scoring opportunities, Townsend is known as more of a pure defenseman, capable of shutting down any attacker.
3. With several players growing cranky without their afternoon nap, Fresh Kills vacated the court immediately after last week’s win over the Denim Demons.  Should Fresh Kills defeat What The Puck, it is unclear whether the team will be rested enough to compete in the championship game.
Eli’s Pick: What The Puck.  In a matchup of old vs. older, old wins.
Derek’s Pick: What The Puck.  Nothing less than a championship will be acceptable for the Mad Dog.
Watchability: 4.5 Zimmers