Major Storm Warning Today at the Fort Myers Skatium When the Eels Take on The Tampa Juniors for Battle of West Coast Supremacy
Storms of this magnitude typically emanate from turbulence in the tropics. But here today, they develop from fierce and intense competition between the Florida Eels Junior Hockey Club and the Tampa Juniors. These two organizations have been amongst the best in the Florida Division over the past decade. The Eels have enjoyed first place most of those years and have advanced to the USPHL Nationals repeatedly. The Elite Division both the Eels and the Juniors have traded first place back and forth and National bids. Last season both the Premier and the Eels Elite teams held on to First Place the entire season.
The thunder erupted Friday evening when the Eels Premier team came storming into the Advent Center Ice and jolted the Tampa Juniors with a resounding 8-2 win. Tampa was in first place and the Eels took back what they called rightfully theirs. The Eels took no shift off. The Eels spread darkness all over the Tampa area and brought hurricane force winds within the arena. The Elite team equally made their mark. Despite spotting the Juniors a 4-1 first period the Elite guys came back, like a lingering hurricane in the Gulf, they propelled hard in the 2nd period with 5 goals to tie things up and in the 3rd period they again brought things all even 6-6 to be tipped in OT. The game showed that the Eels Elite were a team with unwavering resolve and commitment to win. This is especially impressive when you consider the Eels have 18 rookies on that squad. They brought all the energies and determination to the ice and came within inches to upset their first-place foes.
Today we can expect both Tampa teams to come roaring in with force to shake and rattle to the Skatium ice rink. No doubt the Tampa Premier is looking to avenge their 8-2 loss at the hands of the Eels. They are a solid club. Well coached and they posse 18 veteran players. They have enjoyed first place all season and “want it back.” But you know the Eels won’t be laying back sitting on their laurels. The Eels will be ready to take on the Tampa Juniors. Instead of taking yesterday off and enjoying their win, the Eels were hard at work breaking down every aspect of their game and recent wins. Winning is not happenstance. These boys take each and every opponent very serious. With instat they can and do break down every shift of every player and see what can be done to improve on it. We prepare like NCAA Div. 1 men’s teams. The Eels intend to rekindle their octane and fuel their fires. The result: One hell of a fire and ice storm expected today at 1:15 pm at the Fort Myers Skatium.
The Elite games ought to be equally thundering. The Eels want to prove they are better than a tie and they won’t let this game elude a win. Tampa wants to forget that the Eels were seconds and inches from a win. They won’t take the Eels lightly. They feel they had the Eels on the ropes at the end of the 1st period and they allowed them to stay alive. The Eels counter punch this theory by saying no way. We were asleep in the 1st period and feeling the effects of a 2 ½ hour bus ride and the real Eels team was there in the 2nd and 3rd periods. We shall see at today’s game 11:00 am drop of puck. Please join us live and support our guys or if you can’t join us on HockeyTV
