Do You Believe In Miracles: USPHL Hockey Team Avoids Getting Shutout, Only Loses 37-1
The Columbus Mavericks are a member of the United States Premier Hockey League. I'll be honest, I don't know a ton about the USPHL. It's junior hockey but I have no idea what level it would be considered. Especially considering there are over 500 teams in the league across all the different divisions and tiers.
Either way, allow me to introduce the Columbus Mavericks. They've been having a little bit of a rough go at it so far this season with a record of 7-31-1. Their goal differential on the year so far is -210, and they're currently sitting in 54th place in their conference. Like I said, there are a fuck ton of teams.
Meanwhile you have the Metro Jets. They are 38-2-1 on the year and have a goal differential of +289. They're in 1st place in the conference. They already beat the Mavericks this year by scores of 12-0, 17-0, and 14-0. So we've got a real David vs Goliath matchup on our hands here.
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But great moments are born from great opportunity. If the Columbus Mavericks play the Metro Jets 10 times, they might get shutout 9. But not this night. Not even after the Metro Jets got out to an early 9-0 lead in the 1st period.
The shots were 25-1 in the 1st period, so it could have been worse. Honestly 16 saves in the 1st period is a pretty sick stat for the Columbus goalie. But the Mavericks weren't going to let a little thumping in the 1st period stop them from achieving their goals. This team has put in the work for too long to just simply give up.
Even in the 2nd period as the Metro Jets raced out to build their lead up to 20-0, that wasn't enough to throw the Columbus Mavericks off their game. Because with just under 3 minutes to play in the 2nd period, Thomas Eggleston lit the lamp to cut the lead to 20-1. Just a good ol' boy from Massena, NY. Home of Stanley Cup Champion Zach Bogosian. Eggleston got the Mavericks on the board and the shutout was no more.
Granted, the Metro Jets would go on to score 17 more times, including a 15-spot in the 3rd period.
But when the historians go back to look at this box score, the Columbus Mavericks will always have that one goal to hang their hat on. It might have been one of the most lopsided games of all time. The shots may have been 83-9. But at least it wasn't a shutout, and that's really all that matters.
Oh and by the way, the team went out and won their next game 5-1 against the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones. That's how you respond to adversity. You flush the game and move on. That's what great teams do. Although it helps when the Cincinnati Jr Cyclones are 3-38-1 on the year with a goal differential of -262. But that's besides the point.
The USPHL, baby. What a league.