s e r i e s  s t a t s GHL Black GHL Silver Andrew Grotte: 3 goals   Nich Riveland: 1 goal 1 assist   Justin Willmott: 1 goal   Zack Brorby: 1 goal   John Ryan   Cameron Swenson   Jon Peterson   Stephen Fashant   Wayne Riveland   Collin Grotte   Travis Peach: 2 losses, 5.00 GAA Jason Grotte: 5 goals 1 assist 1 GW   Brent Larson: 3 goals 1 assist   Kelly Grotte: 1 goal 1 GW   Stephen Fashant: 1 goal   Tim Myron: 1 goal   Jamyn Riveland: 2 assists   Zach Riveland: 1 assist   Jake Martin   Tytus Myron   Ryan Hoff: 2 wins, 3.00 GAA

	Game Score Winner Winning Goalie Game Winner 1 5-2   R. Hoff J. Grotte 2 5-4   R. Hoff K. Grotte

A year ago today, Commissioner Kelly Grotte, due to a back injury, missed an important game...the season opener. Not today.  The two time MVP winner will start in this years season opener, which ironically lies on the same date as last year's season opener.  So a year has passed by, and so has Kelly's injury, which leaves the league only guessing at the magnitude of Kelly's impact on the league this year. The GHL expects to make a smooth transition to three on three hockey, to encourage more of an open, quick, transition, passing sort of hockey  rather than the traditional GHL congestion.  Rookie Cameron Swenson will be expected to make his GHL debut as will John Ryan which offers a possible rookie rivalry situation between the two gunslingers. The league has gone without a preseason game, but has had 7 GHL Farm Team Games, and a few open skates.  Today's game will mark the beginning of the 09 season and the first time the GHL has ever started on a Saturday.

	Grottefying Night of Hockey: 09 Opener See Other Game Summaries       For good reason, the league that began its 2009 season tonight is called the Grotte Hockey League, or GHL.  The Grotte's combined for 10 goals, including game winners by Jason and Kelly, and 2 assists for a total of 12 points.  All other points in the series: 12. Kelly and Andrew had 3 a piece.              Jason was a story in himself.   To put it conservatively, he had a perfect start.  Jason led the Grotte's accounting for 5 of those goals, including the first goal of the GHL 09 season, along with an assist for half of the overall Grotte point total.  The game winner in the first game of the year capped offf his 3 goal, 1 assist performance followed by 2 goals in the second game  helping to secure two wins and get the +2.   He is off to an early start in the GHL and already leads the league in multiple stat categories including star points: he received first star of the night.  Why was Jason this good to start this year?  Well, he's obviously improved.  In the words of Pat Weeney, he's bigger, faster stronger, and hungrier than ever.  Some say that it has been all the work he has done in the offseason to get him ready for this year that has made him an even bigger threat in the GHL.  Some say he is finally starting to let experience guide him.  After playing the most games in the league (93)  last year and staying at the top tier of the league in statistics, including goals and wins and points, he may be realizing that he knows how to handle himelf in a hockey game, what his strengths and weaknesses are, and how to use them to his advantage.  Winning a few awards last year couldn't have hurt his confidence either.  Jason has always been a gutsy player delivering gutsy performances and that doesn't disclude his physical play.   He did not let the league forget that tonight either, as he let andrew's entire body know where the ice was, and Nich's face know where his gloves could be.         Last year's MVP, Nich Riveland,  played to a mediocre level scoring a goal and dishing out an assist but going -2.  "It's frustrating hockey when there are so many bodies out there, but it's a ton of confusing fun.  I'm a bit disappointed that I lost the first two of the year, but we played hard, had good goaltending, just had a few defensive breakdowns, but i think  what most influenced our losses was the play and positioning of the Hoff in goal.  We tried everything but the avery screen on him and still couldn't get enough goals to count for a win, although we came close in the second game (5-4)."  Nich is hoping to improve his +/- this year as he was -3 in 08-09, "I'm gonna come right out and say that I think the +/- rating is more important than people probably give it credit for.  You take a guy that is continually part of a winning team and has a good +/- rating, and there's a guy that most likely knows how to work with a team, understands the importance of chemistry and the will to win, and I think that can speak an awful lot for a player.  Take Brent Larson for instance.  Last year he had an incredible +/- at +16 and I think that speaks tons for him as a player.  It's my goal to end the year at least positive...the more positive, the better."                 Considering it was an extremely tough night to score a point, the Grottes shined.  But the goalies shined as well.  Ryan Hoff took the net tonight and swept the series 2-0 against Travis Peach, but both goalies played brilliantly.  In fact, from the opening puck drop up until about 20 minutes into the first game, not a single goal snuck by either of the two goalies.  The games lasted unusually long for a GHL game and consequently, the league was only able to play two games, even in a two and a half hour span of time.            In total, twenty-one players showed in the cold weather, but weather is barely noticed after the puck drops.  Due to the large turnout, the league was unable to make the intended transformation to 3 on 3 hockey.  The night was complete, however, with three rookie appearances including John Ryan, Cameron Swenson, and John Peterson, and although not a single point was accumulated between them and they went -2, they did not look bad and even looked impressive at times.   What was extremely rare was a quiet night out of Zach Myron, who usually puts the puck away, but was unable to against Hoff. The league seems to be completely healthy with Wayne Riveland returning to the GHL lineup and veterans Kelly Grotte and Tim Myron both starting the year feeling well.  Zach Riveland looked great considering his recent arm injury that had many GHL fans worried about his return to hockey in the 09 series but he definitely put those worries to rest as he played out of goal and checked everyone he could, putting Nich to the ice a few times.             Brent Larson has invested in his hockey career by aquiring all the hockey pads.  "He's looking good out there, a bit more physical and in the action.  I think it will only help him in his ability to score and make plays happen in the future," expressed a linemate.  Larson started solid indeed with 3 goals and an assist to linemate Jason Grotte.  His efforts were also a part of a 2 win night leaving him with a +2 that no doubtedly left him with a good feeling and confidence to start the new season. The other key to Silver's two wins that did not show up on the stat sheet was the defensive play of Jake Martin.  Jake was awarded not in scoring goals and getting credit with an assist, but knowing that he had a large part to do with not letting the other team get too many chances on Hoff, and if you want to score on Hoff, that's exactly what you need: an infinitude of chances.  Said Jake of his performance, "You know, I didn't get in on  the offensive scheme as much as I may have liked, but I feel like I did my job on D."  He was certainly right.         It looks to be another fun GHL year with new and developed talent that will take kick the GHL up yet another notch.   Other notes:   Jamyn contributed greatly with 2 assists on the night.   Travis feels that if he is able to play as well as he did tonight, he will be able to get wins in due time.   The GHL only played 2 games tonight, which is very rare.   A large amount of the puck population was lost tonight from the pucks exiting the rink unintentionally.