Dynamo Down

Team Dynamo Bows Out in Championship

Mount Saint Charles, RI - Team Dynamo was voted "Most Improved" in a recent coach's poll, but unfortunately this honored achievement was not enough to propel The Big Blue to back to back Belisle Cups.

The RIMSEHL championship game started off as a defensive chess match, much to the chagrin of The Bulldogs, who took down Team Dynamo by scores of 7 - 1 and 12 - 7 in regular season play. Mid - way through the first, though, they were able to capitalize on a defensive breakdown to take a 1 - 0 lead. It's true that all horrible things come in bunches, and The Bulldogs scored their second on the following shift. No sooner did the ever - persistent Team Dynamo cut their deficit in half, on a beautiful spin - o - rama, no look pass by coach and spiritual leader Dave Farrell, for an easy net front tap in.

The second period started similarly to the first, and once again The Bulldogs netted a few quick ones nearly simultaneously, to take a 5 - 1 lead. The score held through the second buzzer.

Rhode Island Men's League Hockey be damned if Team Dynamo was going to fold their hand, and their gutsy play finally paid off during special teams play, with Maturi forcing his way to the net from the corner and bearing down to chip away at The Bulldogs' lead.  The very next shift saw the Dynamo resurgence strengthen, so with 8 minutes remaining in regulation, Team Dynamo trailed by a score of 5 - 3. As is typical in all high pressure situations, the egomaniac referees took over, making a questionable, at best, roughing call on rugged blue liner Ryan Baynes. A bonafide snipe by The Bulldogs was the final nail in the coffin for Team Dynamo, and with an empty netter to boot, The Blue Army saw their 2013 RIMSEHL season come to an end, by a final score of 7 - 3.

It wasn't that long ago that many speculated whether or not Team Dynamo was even going to qualify for the post season. Sluggish from the start of the season through the all-star break, Dynamo sat at 1 - 3 - 1, only to spin off 4 wins in their final 5 games. Then, in decisive fashion, the underdog #3 seed Team Dynamo took down #2 seed Baboons before falling in the championship game.

Aptly deemed "America's Team," Team Dynamo didn't just finish as runners up in the RIMSEHL. They finished this year's campaign as a cohesive unit with skill, grit and pride, who gave excitement and hope to young and old hockey players and fans alike, doing so with class in a day and age where its an ever difficult task to find role models who do it "the right way." A determined bunch, Team Dynamo will surely be back in 2014 to continue their unheralded legacy.

America's Team ... Your 2013 Team Dynamo

Back Row: Dan Maturi, Dave Farrell, John Curley, Ryan Baynes, John Halverson, George Sparrow

Front Row: Shane Farrell, Andrew Lisi, Eric Yuszczak, Joey Loiselle, Erik Noack, Craig Houle