NYTHL CROWNS NEW CHAMPION AS SLATER CAPTURES TITLE TO CAP LEAGUE”S TENTH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

     The NYTHL’s Tenth anniversary season concluded with its League Date Nine Championship Playoffs on Sunday June 22, 2025.  As always the action took place at Rab’s on Staten Island.  It featured nineteen competitors from five different states.  When all was said and done – George Slater stormed his way to the title as he became only the league’s third ever champion.  

     Now it’s time to review the action.  Of the nineteen that participated, sixteen players were eligible for the league’s top prize in the “A” tournament.  To prepare for the playoffs the top nine players formed group “A” and the next group of ten players formed Group “B” as both competed in separate round robin play.   The games would count toward the overall standings, but the top player of the “B” group could not pass the lowest player of the “A” group for the year.  Rob “Big Daddy” Brancucci was stellar as he finished atop the “A” group at 7-1-0.  The Ageless Anthony Sciacca was splendid as he finished second at 4-2-2.  Len Mecca, Steve “THE STEIN” Bernstein, Walter Zissler, Bob D’Addario and Brian Sullivan did little to help their overall record as they all hovered around .500 for the day.  Oddly enough the two players who brought up the rear in the group each finishing at 2-4-4 were George Slater and Chris D’Andrea.  By day’s end they would make the biggest impact.  Larry Durham co-led the “B” group with a 7-2-0 record.  Tied with him was the enthusiastic Dan Henner from Syracuse.  Phil Brancucci also had 14 points, but was 6-1-2.  In the fourth spot was young Christian Dubois at 5-3-0.  It was only his second ever appearance and first of the year.  Dubois played exceptionally well, especially considering how little experience he has.   Derek Nisbett and Dennis Simone each finished 3-4-2.  Hank Librandi finished 3-5-1.  Jesse Logan also from Syracuse managed two ties in his debut.  Mike Digiulio only managed one tie, thus bringing the regular season to a close.

     It was now time for the players to do battle to determine the league’s new champion.  All playoff series would be best of sevens.  Only Tom Kearns, Jesse Logan and Christian Dubois were ineligible to compete in the “A” Playoff tournament.  Those top 16 players comprising the “A” group would do battle in a preliminary round.  The eight winners would move on to the Quarter-Finals with the eight who lost moving into an eleven player “B” tournament.  There were no real surprises in round one.  The top seeds Rob Brancucci, Bob D’Addario, Steve Bernstein, Chris D’Andrea, Len Mecca and Anthony Sciacca all swept their lower seeded opponents.  The six seed George Slater needed six games to get past the rising eleven seed Phil Brancucci.  The only upset of the round was Number ten Larry Durham defeating the seven seed Walter Zissler in a spirited seven game series.

     The Quarter-Finals also saw the higher seeds prevail except in one series.  Third Seed Steve “THE STEIN” Bernstein was upset by six seed George Slater.  The Stein took game one in overtime 2-1.  Slater then clamped down and tied the series with a 1-0 shutout.  The Stein jumped ahead two games to one with another 2-1 victory, this time in regulation.  George then raised his game to another level as he tied the series with a 4-2 win.  Slater then really displayed solid defense as he shutout The Stein in game five 4-0.  George was then up three games to two when he put an exclamation point on the series defeating Bernstein 6-0 to upset The Stein four games to two and earn a berth into the Semi-Finals.   The One seed and most improved player Rob Brancucci made short work of ten seed Larry Durham.  Rob swept Larry by scores of 6-3, 5-4 (OT), 3-0 and 3-2.  The two seed Bob D’Addario took on eight seed the ageless Anthony Sciacca.  The Bob O stormed out to a three games to none lead by beating Sciacca by scores of 3-0, 3-1 and 4-3 in overtime.  The ageless one would not go down so easily, as he rebounded to avoid the sweep with a 4-1 triumph.  Unfortunately D’Addario proved to be a little too much as he closed out the series in five with a 2-1 victory.  The Final spot in the Semi-Finals was determined when four seed Chris D’Andrea took on five seed Len Mecca.  Len won game one in impressive fashion 5-0.  D’Andrea tied the series with a with a 5-2 victory.  Chris then went ahead when he won game three 4-1.  Mecca tied the series with another shutout 3-0.  D’Andrea retook the lead three games to two with a 3-1 win.  With the last spot in the Semis up for grabs, D’Andrea took out Mecca 8-5 to earn his way in via a 4-2 series win.

     The Semis were set and in the first series one seed Rob Brancucci took on the red hot six seed George Slater.  This time it was Slater’s offense on display as he started the series with three straight victories of 6-4, 6-2 and 8-2.  Brancucci battled his way to a 5-4 victory in game four, but it was too little – too late.  Slater closed out the series in dominant fashion with a 6-2 victory to score a second straight upset four games to one.  George earned his first ever trip to the NYTHL FINALS.   His opponent would be determined by the outcome of the other Semi-Final series between two seed Bob D’Addario and four seed Chris D’Andrea.  Chris started strong with a 5-2 victory in game one.    The Bob O tied the series with a 3-1 win of his own.  D’Andrea then turned up the heat as he took the lead in the series and never looked back.  Chris won a tight game three by shutout 1-0.  He then won another tight contest in game four 2-1.  Chris closed the series in dominant fashion as he whipped D’Addario 8-0 to earn his third trip to an NYTHL Final against Slater.

     Would four seed Chris D’Andrea finally break through and win his first NYTHL title or will Six seed George Slater cash in on his very first trip?  D’Andrea started strong by winning game one 3-1.  Slater bounced back to tie the Championship with an exciting 4-3 victory in overtime.  The tight series continued when D’Andrea took game three 2-1 and the series lead 2-1.  Slater then raised it up a notch again.  George tied the series at two games apiece with a 5-3 conquest.  George spun a defensive gem in game five winning 1-0.  The shutout put Slater on the doorstep to his first League Championship and D’Andrea  on the brink.  A back and forth contest in game six went to overtime. The game ended when Slater’s left defense cleared a shot on D’Andrea’s net that was then banged in by his George’s center.  The party was on as Slater had won his first ever title. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  D’Andrea played a great series, but had to settle for League Runner up. 

     The third place consolation series was played between the top two seeds.  One Seed Rob Brancucci and two seed Bob D’Addario.  The Bob O jumped on Brancucci early taking the first two contests by scores of 5-3 and 6-2.  “Big Daddy” Brancucci finally shook off the disappointment of his Semi-Final loss and displayed why he was the top seed and most improved.  Rob then beat D’Addario four straight by scores of 2-0, 5-3, 3-1 and 5-4 to claim the league’s third place trophy.

     In the “B” Tournament Tom Kearns, Christian Dubois and Jesse Logan were joined by the eight “A” players who lost their Preliminary round series.  In the “B’ Preliminary play-in round, Hank Librandi swept past Jesse Logan.  Christian Dubois continued his solid play defeating Dennis Simone in five games.  Mike Digiulio needed seven to get past Derek Nisbett.  In the Quarter-Finals - the now one seed Walter Zissler was upset by ten seed Christian Dubois who continued to make a great impression on all he played.  Christian won games one and two by scores of 4-3 and 4-2.  Walter took game three 8-4.  Christian then closed out the series with wins of 4-2 and 2-1 to win the series four games to one.  The two seed Brian “The President” Sullivan blew past nine seed Mike Digiulio.  Sullivan swept the series by scores of 6-2, 4-2, 5-1 and 3-2.  A second upset in the round occurred when six seed Hank Librandi defeated Phil Brancucci in five.  Hank won the first three games all in nail biting fashion by scores of 3-2, 2-1 (OT), 3-2 (OT).  Phil avoided the sweep winning game four 3-1.  Hank then closed out the series with his fourth one goal victory by a score of 3-2.  The two newest members of the league clashed when the four seed Syracuse’s Dan Henner took on Pittsburgh’s fifth seed Dan Henner.  Tom took the first three games of the series by scores of 1-0, 6-1, and 5-4 in overtime.  Dan then battled back, by winning games four and five by scores of 3-2 and 2-1.  Henner failed to tie the series in the sixth game as Kearns played stellar defense to win 2-0 to earn his way into the next round.  In the”B” Semi-Finals - the two seed Brian Sullivan proved to be too strong for the upstart Christian Dubois.  Brian swept Christian in impressive fashion by scores of 5-3, 4-0, 6-2 and 6-1.  Brian’s “B” Finals opponent was determined when five seed Tom Kearns defeated six seed Hank Librandi.  Tom took games one and two by scores of 4-0 and 6-1.  Hank won game three 3-2, but would fail to win another.  Kearns was victorious in games four and five by tallies of 3-1 and 2-0.  It was now Brian Sullivan versus Tom Kearns for the “B” title.  The Championship commenced and the fine play of Brian Sullivan continued.  The President swept past Kearns by scores of 5-1, 3-2, 5-2 and an 8-2 blowout.  Sullivan ended his year on a high note by winning the NYTHL “B” Championship.  He did not surrender a single game, sweeping his three playoff rounds enroute to the title. 

     That concludes the New York Table Hockey League’s tenth anniversary season. As we close another great campaign.  Both table hockey and the NYTHL continue to grow, thrive and prosper.  With great people, a super venue hosting the best games to play on and great competition - Dare I ask?  What are you waiting for?  Get behind the rods and Join the NYTHL.  Like so many others, you will be glad you did.  Join us this October for our eleventh season.  Until then God Bless and be well.