Ice Bats Lose Season Opener vs. Knight Cap

The Ice Bats season opener was a very forgettable 2 to zero shutout. So forgettable that long time Ice Bats - Brainerd Bud Baakkonen and Paul Wolfram - forgot to make it to the rink.

Arone's induced smiles turned into initial slow going for some Ice Bats who had obviously indulged in too many pre-game warm-ups at Arone's.

The game's first half was scoreless with the highlight a nifty breakaway by Tom Quirk whose slap-shot would just miss the open side of the net.

Goalie Ross Hedin was able to stifle the Knight Cap until a Knight Cap was able to pass from behind the net to a teammate sitting on the doorstep.

The Knight Caps second and final goal of the evening was heartbreaker that defeated a valiant effort by Hedin. Who initially made a diving glove save on a hard slap-shot and momentarily had the ball in his palm.

But the ball popped up briefly when Hedin hit the ice and before he could regain control, a unattended Knight Cap standing just outside the crease was able to reach in with his stick and knock the ball out of the air into the net.

Dave "Pumper" Antila provided the second half's offensive heartbreak. While kneeling at the side of the Knight Cap net the ball bounced onto to his stick with a half-empty net right in front of him. But the off-balance Antila was only able to slide the ball through the crease allowing the Knight Cap's goalie to clear the ball.

The game deteriorated after a Knight Cap shot dimpled the outside of the Ice Bat's net causing the referee to inadvertently blow the whistle. He immediately waved off the goal. But the Knight Caps continued to protest that the "pregnant net" should be counted as a goal.

The Knight Cap's publicity department continued to spam Ice Bat supporters the next day with email recounts trying to add goals to Knight Cap's official score.

As the game finished up the Knight Cap players realized that no penalties would be called and began to clutch, grab, and grope at every opportunity.

The Ice Bat's defense knocked the worse Knight Cap offender to the ice with hard check. Hoping that a double foul of a illegal check and interference would be rewarded with the first penalty of the season but the ref continued his no decapitation no foul policy.

Stats and more pictures in the Ice Bat's space.