Bluefins Prove to be the Big Fish

If Tuesday night’s game was any indication of how the new year will be in the Federal Hockey League, the Cape Cod Bluefins and the Danbury Whalers let us all know that this league is legit, exciting and very tough.

David Lun paced the Bluefins with a goal and three assists and the hometown Fins scored four goals on eight shots to begin the game and several fights broke out between the two FHL rivals in a very heated contest.

Brewster’s Andrew Hutton opened up the scoring at 3:31 of the first period. Hutton’s fifth goal of the season was followed by tallies from Derek Scanlon, Kevin McReady and new Bluefin, Brad Carlson and the Cape Cod boys held a 4-0 advantage after the first period. The period also featured a fight of gargantuan proportions as heavy weight tough guys Billy Tibbetts of the Fins and Corey Fulton of the Whalers squared off at the face off circle to the right of Bluefins goalie Chris Testa. In an evenly matched battle, both players showed why they are feared in this league.

The second period belonged to the Whalers as they pumped in two goals off the sticks of Matt Caranci and Lyn Beedle. The period also had action of the non scoring variety as two more fights broke out. Again, Tibbetts dropped the gloves but this time against Devin Guy who he quickly pummeled into submission.

The third period featured some clean, up and down action with both goalies making some great saves until, at the 12:44 mark when Sean O’malley picked up a rebound and beat Testa to the top right corner narrowing the Bluefin lead to one goal at 4-3. T

Then it got nasty as heavy hits and fighting again became the norm. Tibbetts was ejected for his third fighting major and the young Bluefins were forced to play without one of their top scorers for the remainder of the game.  However, at 17:49 Brad Surdam put the Bluefins up by two when he fired a wrist shot past Danbury goalie Peter Vetri to make it 5-3.

The goal was assisted by Hutton and Steve Brown. But just one minute later, the Whalers pulled their goalie and again cut the lead to one.  However, Lun sealed the victory for the Fins when he blocked a Whalers shot, raced down the ice and slid the puck into the empty net to seal the deal. 

The Bluefins next home game is on Friday night Jan. 6 vs the Delaware Federals at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center at 7:30. Youth Hockey Players who wear their game jerseys will receive free admission.

Contributed by Tim Lus.