The Squirrels faced the first-place Jesters Wednesday for the second time this season, but this time exploding for six second-half goals in a what turned into a 7-1 route. This was despite a stellar game in net from former Squirrel Ed Owen, who made many spectacular saves for the Jesters before the Squirrels opened the floodgates. It took nearly 14 minutes for the Squirrels to score, as Brian Iciek found the net on a power play. The Jesters tied the game up on a power play early in the second half before Jeff Ford scored on a breakaway four minutes later. The Squirrels scored five more goals in the final eight minutes. Bob Sewell played in net for the Squirrels.

In their first game after last season’s finals, the Jesters got the better of the Squirrels, 5-4, on Wednesday.

The Screaming Squirrels won their third roller championship, and first in six years, with a come-from-behind victory against the top-seeded Jesters, 3-2, on Thursday.

Down 2-0 at the half, the Squirrels caught a break in the second when the Jesters – one of the least penalized teams in the league – went down two men on hooking and charging calls. That’s when yet another Don Marks slap shot (he’s had several lately) struck the net to cut the Jesters’ lead to 2-1.

After killing Ben Sumner’s hooking penalty, the Squirrels tied the game as Eric Smith connected with Brian Iciek to tie the game. Less than two minutes later, Iciek struck again – giving him a team-leading six goals in the playoffs – which gave the Squirrels a 3-2 lead down the stretch.

The game was hardly over. The Jesters drew a four-minute high-sticking penalty with about three minutes remaining in the game, meaning they’d have an opportunity to tie and then win the game on the power play. But stellar penalty killing, plus two drawn penalties by Juan Canchasto and Mark Tessar in the waning seconds, actually gave the Squirrels a 3-on-2 power play as time ticked down.

Stew Miller made 18 saves to keep the Squirrels in the game.

It was also a sweet moment for new Squirrels Steven Heger and Ed Owen, who was out on injured reserve. Their previous team, the Hurricanes, ended up sharing the 2003 championship with the Squirrels when the best-of-three series was cut short due to Hurricane Isabel. Two seasons later, the two teams were destined for a rematch but an awful upset against the top-seeded Hurricanes in the semifinals paved the way for a Squirrels victory in the finals against the Chupacabres. After that, the Hurricanes moved up a level, then disbanded this year as the Squirrels picked up their former foes.

Sumner, Marks, Rob Myers and Chi Pham were the only players to win all three championships with the roller Squirrels. It was the second for Canchasto and Jeff Ford.

The Squirrels are already looking forward to next season and looking to be just as good.

In the biggest test of the season so far, the Screaming Squirrels held onto first place in the division with a 6-5 victory against the Jesters.

The Jesters scored only 39 seconds into the game, but Jeff Ford tied it up a couple minutes later before the Squirrels started taking penalties. Despite taking four minors in the first half, Eric Smith and Mark Tessar each logged shorthanded goals to put the Squirrels up 3-1 at the half.

The Jesters struck twice to open the second period, but with about six minutes remaining, a single shift netted two goals in 20 seconds at Steve Heger roofed a shot and Jeff Ford’s centering pass to Rob Myers put the Squirrels up by two again.

The Jesters cut the lead to 5-4 before Myers scored on an empty net with 34 seconds remaining. The Jesters managed one more goal and had a chance for another but the Squirrels held on for the victory and a three-point lead in the standings. The Squirrels killed off all six minor penalties.

Despite the final score, the Screaming Squirrels, with five new players, look to be a solid team this season as they showed quite a bit of potential in Wednesday’s 7-3 loss. Ultimately, hockey hound Drake Deming made too many great saves for the Jesters as he was tested often. The Squirrels did manage to outscore the Jesters in the second period, including a goal in the final second.

Don Marks scored on the power play in the second period for the Squirrels, and Mark Tessar netted the final two.