PENNECKE SLAMS THE DOOR ON THE REVOLUTION

SWAMP RATS SWEEP IN HOME OPENER

GAME 1: BOSTON MAKES THE MOST OF IT'S CHANCES, 5-1

(Holbrook, MA  12/1/07)  The Boston Swamp Rats opened their 2007-2008 campaign with a pair of convincing wins against a very scrappy NE Philadelphia Revolution team this past Saturday evening at the team's home rink, the Holbrook Sports Center in Holbrook, MA. Over 100 fans were in attendance to see the Rats sweep their opponents out of Holbrook as the good guys made the visitors pay for every mistake.

The Rats would draw first blood exactly 4 minutes into the contest when Ryan Grant (1g, 2a) put one past Revs netminder Ben Dahms to make it 1-0. Just :20 later, Grant set up Brian Blanchette (1g) to move the team out in front by a pair. The Rats would extend the lead to 3 after a slashing penalty to the Revs Tom Fladako put the home team on the power play. The Rats did not waste the man advantage as Tony King (2g) fired one home to make it a 3 goal game.

Picking up assists on "TK"'s tally would be Michael Hunt (1a) and Mike Enright (1a). The boys from the swamp continued to pour it on in the opening frame. Tom Halpin (1g) took a Derek Bissonnette (1a) pass and put the Rats up to the tune of 4-0. The Revs did finally solve Rats stone wall Pete Pennecke with just under a minute remaining in the opening hald when Erik Balthaser (1a) set up Lee Bowers (1g) for a pretty goal to bring the deficit back to three.

That would be all for the 1st half scoring and as the teams took the break, it was 4-1 Boston. Although they held a commanding lead on the scoreboard, the Revolution did manage to outshoot the Rats 14-13 in the 1st 12 minutes of play.

The 2nd half was basically a goaltending clinic, as both Pennecke and Dahms were putting on quite a show by stopping evertything that came their way. Tony King would be the only player on either team who would be able to light the lamp in the final 12 minutes on a nice play kept alive by Ryan Grant. Pennecke, one of the best puck handling goalies in the league, also picked up an assist on the goal.

Both teams made frequent trips to the sin bin in the final half, but the goalies kept the biscuit out of the basket and we finished up game 1 with Boston walking away with an impressive 5-1 victory. Once again, the Revs outshot the Rats by a wide margin in the half, 18-10, for a shots on goal total of 32-23 in favor of the visitors.

Both teams then retired to their locker rooms to prepare for game 2.

THREE  STARS OF THE GAME;

#1 Swamp Rats netminder Pete Pennecke. Pete showed exactly why Boston management was so excited about him choosing to play for the Swamp Rats this season. Pennecke turned away 31 of 32 Revolution shots, many of his saves being highlight reel material.

#2 Boston forward Tony King. "TK" found the back of the net twice in this game and was a threat to score every time he was on the floor.

#3 Rats forward Ryan Grant. Ryan scored once and assisted on two others. Boston's 1st line is going to be tough to stop this year.

GAME 2: IT'S DEJAVU ALL OVER AGAIN, RATS WIN 5-1

(Holbrook, MA  12/1/07)  After a hard fought victory in game 1, the Boston Swamp Rats and the NE Philadelphia Revolution took to the floor at Holbrook Sports Center for the back half of their season opening double header. The Rats, albeit getting the "W" in the 1st game, were looking to control more of the play in game 2 while the Revs were still scratching their heads, wondering exactly what more they had to do to beat Rats goaltender Pete Pennecke.

Boston Co-Captain Michael Hunt (2g, 1a) got the good guys on the board first when he bacame the benificiary of some fine passing by the team's other Co-Captain, Paul Rogers (1a) and his defensive partner Frank Morris (2a). After gaining control of the ensuing faceoff, Morris spotted Hunt screaming up the wing and hit him in stride with a beautiful tape to tape pass that Hunt snapped by Revs goalie Ben Dahms to put the home team up by a pair with less than 2 minutes elapsed in the game. Boston would then go up by 3 when Tony King (1g, 1a) set up Derek Bissonette (1g, 1a) as the team was enjoying a man advantage as a result of a holding call to the Revs Tom Conner.

The buzzer sounded to end the 1st period and after 12 minutes of PIHA hockey, things were looking good for the Rats as they were up 3-0. Shots on goal favored the visitors as the Revs outshot Boston by a pair, 12-10.

The puck was dropped for the final regulation period of play at HSC on this opening night of the 2007-2008 season and just :17 in, the Revs Brandon Tunstall (1g) hooked up with Tom Fadako (1a) for a nice goal that even Pennecke could not stop and NE Philly was right back in the game, down just 3-1 and basically half of the game remaining.

Unfortunately for the visitors, that would be the only time that they would be able to celebrate as Pennecke would go on to shut them down for the remainder of the game. At the other end of the floor, the Rats were looking to put a little distance between themselves and their guests and it would be Tom Halpin who would provide some of that distance on a play started by Pete Pennecke.

Pennecke fired the puck up the floor to an open Derek Bissonnette, who then hit a streaking Halpin with a pretty pass that found it's mark in the slot. Halpin easily converted the pass and the Rats were now back up by 3 at 4-1.

Tony King would then put the preverbial nail in the Revolution's coffin with a late insurance goal while the team was on the power play. Providing assists on the play were Hunt and Mike Enright (1a). The rest of the half played out with both goalies strutting their stuff and the Boston Swamp Rats would open the season with two 5-1 wins. Shots on goal in the 2nd half once again favored the visitors and they went on to nearly double the shot output of the Rats, 33-17.

The Swamp Rats are in action again next Saturday evening December 8, 2007 at 6:00 PM when they host the Marple Gladiatiors in their first matchup of the season against a Northeast Division opponent. Tickets for this game, as well as full and half season ticket packages, are available at the door or through the team's website www.bostonswamprats.com .

THREE STARS OF THE GAME; 

#1 Boston goaltender Pete Pennecke. Pete stopped a whopping 32 of 33 shots that the Revolution put on net in this one. His numbers on the night were unreal and opponents can expect to see a lo of #43 in 2007-2008.

#2 Swamp Rats Co-Captain Micheal Hunt. Hunt finished the night with a pair of goals and a helper in the win but nothing was more impressive than his snap shot goal from the wing early in the game.

#3 Rats forward Derek Bissonnette. Derek is already racking up points this season on what is a very potent 3rd line. The newest Rat finished the game with a goal and an assist.