It’s been an uphill battle all season for the (0-6) Islanders while the (3-3) Devils have stayed even keeled as they’ve navigated through their first six Jewish Community Center of Bayonne’s Sr. Division Floor Hockey bouts. The game started off as a defensive stalemate as the Devils’ Jared Radil and the Islanders’ Meghann Mock traded zone clearing blasts from their defensemen’s post. After ten minutes of tennis-esque volleying, the Devils’ Drew Radil put his team up 1-0 with a tap in goal off an assist from Josh Greenbaum. As the game resumed, the defensive tone took hold again as the Devils’ Colin Woods and the Islanders Elliott Santana patrolled the nets with dogged determination. While Woods was racking up the saves, his Devils’ teammates raced up court to notch another off angle score as team captain Mackenzie Woods made it 2-0 Devils while Josh Greenbaum picked up his second assist. Trailing 2-0, the Islanders’ Madison Neal Markowski joined the defensive ranks while Natallyah Teixeira ventured into the Devils’ zone in hopes of piercing the Devils’ hardnosed defense. After Teixeira put three shots on net, the momentum started to change until the Devils forced a turnover and cashed in as Mackenzie Woods sliced in her second goal to give the Devils a 3-0 advantage. With exactly 15 minutes remaining, the Islanders began to rise like a sleeping giant as Gabriella Bonilla drilled in the Isles’ first goal off an assist from James Bajor. At the 8 minute mark, the Islanders’ Meghann Mock fought the ball up court to James Bajor who made it 3-2 with a quick wrist shot. With the Islanders hot on their heels, the Devils’ Drew Radil and Melanie Bonilla kept the hounds at bay as best they could but the revved-up Islanders wouldn’t be denied as Bajor knotted the fray at 3-3 with his second goal. With 5:15 remaining in the game, the Islanders’ offense struck again as Bajor assisted Gabriella Bonilla on the go ahead goal. Up 4-3, the Islanders loaded up on defense and weathered through the final five minutes to capture their long awaited first victory as they prevailed 4-3.
Week 5 Sr. Division
Offensive Player of the week – James Bajor – Islanders
Defensive Player of the week – Matt Doyle – Penguins
Teamwork/ Leadership Player of the week – Elliott Santana – Islanders