Playoffs: Squirrels 6, 5 Holes 3

The Squirrels-5 Holes rivalry continued through the 2007 season, as the 5 Holes won the first two games and the Squirrels took the third, but the third-seeded Squirrels won when it most mattered as they beat the sixth-seeded 5 Holes 6-3 Wednesday in the first round of the playoffs.

The 5 Holes struck fast as Andy Krol scored in the first 21 seconds of the game. But Jeff Ford — playing his first game since being suspended several weeks ago — tied it up two minutes later. The 5 Holes scored again eight minutes into the second period before a Rob Myers slap shot evened the game. The Squirrels got a power play and Desi Richelsen deflected in Kit Watson’s slap shot to give the Squirrels a 3-2 lead at the half.

Desi Richelsen scored his second goal of the game at 1:39 of the second period, then assisted on Phil Van der Vossen’s first goal of the season a couple of minutes later. Though the Squirrels gave up a power play goal soon after, they actually caught a break as the puck went in only a second after the first of two penalties expired, thus evening up the lines after the goal instead of allowing the 5 Holes more power play time. At 5-3, the Squirrels still had nearly half of the second period to hold on. Chris Long accepted a pass from Don Marks, shooting it past Brandon Miller to put the Squirrels up 6-3, and last year’s runner-ups exited the playoffs as good sportsmen.

The Squirrels will next play Enigma on Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 10 p.m. Meanwhile, the Swingers upset Washington Whale in the other C Division match.

The Squirrels played without Wade Marks and Matt Borlik.