With over 700 children ages, 5 to 17, the Mineola PAL Roller Hockey League celebrated the new millennium and their 16th season with solid action at both The Raymond H. Uhll Memorial Rink and the Wilson Park Community Skating Rink. Learning and competition keyed the 2000 season on all levels at both rinks. Now let's take a look at just how the season went in all seven divisions.

The PAL's oldest division, the Varsity, was also the most highly contested division with three teams, the Saints, the Sharks and The Panthers, finishing the regular season with identical records of 8-3-1.

If the regular season wasn't good enough, the playoffs were fantastic. Round one saw the first seeded Saints battle the fourth place Chiefs in game 1, which went into the final minute of the game with the scored tied at 1. This contest was decided at the 0:47 mark of the final period when Joe Cerulli put home the game winner. Second game action saw the Saints' Bobby Erhardt and the Chiefs' Lee Moriera exchange second period goals but from that point on the name of the game was "defense" as the contest remained deadlocked through regulation and into overtime. Finally, in the third overtime Erhardt scored to win the game for the Saints and sent them into the championship series.

Meanwhile in the other semi-final series the Sharks met the Panthers in a real classic matchup. The first game saw both teams show balance and teamwork as the contest went into overtime knotted at 3. Many spectators missed the ending to this game as the Sharks' Steve Zendian scored the winning goal only 9 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 victory.

Second game actions saw the Sharks get 2 goals from Kevin Philbin and a goal and an assist from Donald O'Connell to score a 4-1 victory behind superb goal tending by Jonathan Weaver.

Now it was on to the Varsity Championship series in which Weaver put on splendid display of net minding. Jason Gorry scored early in the second to counter Adam Tuthills early goal for the Saints and deadlock the game at 1. Donald O'Connell scored a third period powerplay goal to put the Sharks up 2-1. With Weaver play outstandingly in goal and defensemen Matt Antoniou, Sean Derry and Dominic Ciaccio putting out 110 percent the Sharks made the 1 goal lead stand up until Paul Gagliardi's open net goal at 36 seconds iced the win for the Sharks 3-1. In the final game the Varsity Sharks completed their playoff sweep to the championship. Jason Gorry had the hat trick and Kevin Philbin and Chris Semmelrath scored a goal each. Defensively the Sharks got a great game from Weaver, Antoniou, Derry, Eugene Dolan and Frank Amedeo to clinch the championship. Congratulations to the entire Varsity Sharks and coaches Tom Flynn and Jack Stanton on a job well done. Also out heartiest congratulations go to Varsity Division Vice President Fred Wachter for running a real fantastic season, and without whose help there would not have been a possibility for the past five years. Thanks Fred on a job well done.

Comeback Kids Win It.

After defeating the 5th place Blue Demons in the outer bracket 6-1, the 4th place Sharks gained the right to play the powerful undefeated first place Cyclones. Opening night of the semi-finals saw the Cyclones and Sharks deadlocked in overtime, when all-star forward and team captain Bobby Crema scored the game winner to put the Sharks one game up and hand the Cyclones their first loss of the year.

Meanwhile in the other quarter final series, the Kings got off to a big win by spanking the Saints 6-2 behind strong goaltending by Nicky Trevelyan and a power offense and by John Fox, Matt Stellacci and Andy Niokic.

Second game action saw the Saints behind all out top notch play of Dan Bisacco, Collin Twibell and Nicky Carbone tied up their series with the Kings at one game each by scoring a well earned 6-3 victory.

In the Cyclones-Sharks series it looked as though the Cyclones could come back to form as they led going into the third period but just when everybody was ready to mark up the series as a tie, they made a big comeback of their own with Scott Lopardo, Gabe Moiera and Jeff Carlos scoring third period goals to put the Sharks up by 1. With the Cyclones pressing the attack, Sharks goalie Brian Fletcher made numerous key stops, until team captain Bobby Crema ices the game and the comeback with a late goal. As strange as it seemed the unbeaten Cyclones were going home and the "Comeback Kids" were headed to the final.

The tie-breaking game in Kings-Saints series ended with the Kings taking home a well earned 5-3 victory behind strong play by the entire team.

With high scoring forwards Matt Stellacci, Andy Nickic and Steven Dvoran playing all-out hockey the Kings dumped the Sharks 6-3 in the first game of the finals to take a 1 game lead in the best of 3 series.

Second game action saw the Kings behind the outstanding play of John Fox and Ryan Cunningham put the Sharks back to the wall with an early two goal lead. Just when many were beginning to crown the Kings as JV Champs, here came the "Comeback Kids" right back to deadlock the series at 1-1 with a thrilling comeback victory led by Steve Cotroneo, Anthony Camoia, Dom Ciffelli, Bobby Crema, Gabe Moreira, Scott Lopardo and goalie Brian Fletcher.

So it came down to the big tie breaker for the JV Championship. The Kings moved out to a 2 goal lead but the comeback kids just wouldn't go away and came roaring back to tie it up after the first at 2 all. Second period play saw the Kings and Sharks exchange goals twice to up the score to 4-4 after 2. Behind some fantastic saves by Brian Fletcher, the Sharks managed to hold off the powerful Kings attack until Bobby Crema put them up for the first time. It stayed that way till under a minute was left, when with the Kings net empty Dom Ciffelli's 90 foot slapshot went in to ice the victory and the championship for the "Comeback Kids", the JV Sharks. Congratulations to the entire team on a great championship season. A special thanks to Divisional co-vp's Mark Stellacci and Jack Stanton on a job well done.

The big story in the 12 and 13 year old Midget Division was the undefeated Blackhawks, who not only became the 2000 Mineola PAL Midget Division Championship but they became the fourth team in the 15 year league history to record an undefeated season.

After defeating the Blue Demons in two tough games in the division semi-finals, the Blackhawks advanced to the finals and face their arch-rival the Saints. First game action saw the Hawks get early goals by Jimmy Campbell, Matt Powell, and Matt Boyd to roll out to a 3-0 lead, excellent goaltending by Mike Boyd insured the victory which was iced on a powerplay goal by John Elrod with only 2:26 left in the game. With the championship. an undefeated season, and team pride on the line, the Hawks two goals from Jimmy Campbell and one each from Powell, Elrod and Matt Williams to take home a well-earned 5-2 victory. Congratulations to head coach Kevin Boyd, assistants Kevin Clay and Glen Silva and to team members: Mike Boyd, Matt Boyd, John Elrod, Joey Silva, Garry Clay, John Durante, Joey Cantor, Jimmy Campbell, Matt Williams, Jimmy Clay, Matt Powell, Greg Burke, Brian Skelton and Kyle Lauth. Thanks to DV Gerry Schweyher on a job well done.

Not long after the Midget Blackhawks became the fourth team in 15 years to complete an undefeated season, the Bantam Chiefs became the fifth unbeaten team, coached by Joe Iadevaia and Frank Delucia the Chiefs were challenged in the finals by Coach Jim Rice's Panthers.

After a tough 5-3 opening game, the Chiefs, one game away, had to go right down to the wire with a solid Panther team that would go away easily, but the Chiefs got the big goal from Billy Campbell to ice their undefeated championship season. Chiefs players were David Carlos, Chris Diamond, Louis Gonzalez, Dean Grunert, Robbie Hugli, John Iavdeaia, Connor Kasny, Cody Lange, John Oliveria, Steve Ferraira, CJ Giblin, Matt Siracosa, Danny Vojvodic and Billy Campbell. This team's final standing was a total team effort for a team with a solid spirit and work effort. It also proves that nice guys don't always finish last. Sometimes they have undefeated seasons. In closing let's take a time out to thank Bantam DV Kurt Kosavich on another fantastic year of making things work.

The year 2000 Mite season had three big stories. First was the Mite Blackhawks squeaking past the Ravens 5-4 to become only the sixth team in 75 to complete an undefeated championship season. Team members of the undefeated championship Blackhawks team were William Weingart, Kyle Siebt, Alex Corsini, Andy Daniell, Chris Cammerata, Tom McKeever, Ricky Jarvis, Connnor Kerrane, Dan Romanoli, Sean Dowsett, Brandon Hoffman, Kieran Riegel and Chris Urilil. Their coaches were Scott Riegel and Rick Siebt.

The second big story belongs to the runner-up Ravens team ably coached by Billy Delventhal and John McCune. Their story is of the biggest team turnaround in one year from 0-16 in 1999 to 14-4 and second place in 2000. This is the biggest turnaround in league history and everyone connected with the Ravens can be justly proud of the team's effort. Raven team players were Matt Grieco, Mike Moore, TJ Gessner, Chris Shaw, Jimmy McCormack, Scott Pietras, Pat Delventhal, Kyle Levy, Chris McCune, John Ryan and captain Ray Potestio.

Third and final big story is about a league record which will be really hard to beat. That record quickest overtime goal sent the Ravens and Cougars to a third game in the Division semi-finals. Even through his team didn't make the finals the Cougars Sean Wachter deserves credit for being a top notch team player and the new record holder. By the way, Sean's quickest OT goal came at the third-second mark of overtime. Sincere thanks to DV's Gene Auer and John Boglioli for their outstanding job all season long.