The NYTHL’s third league date of its tenth anniversary season took place on Saturday December 14, 2024 at Rab’s on Staten Island. It featured sixteen competitors from four different states and two countries. The road warriors once again were Dave Reid from Ennismore Ontario, along with Brian Sullivan and Steve Bernstein from Massachusetts. The players on hand competed in a fifteen game single round robin then were ranked according to the day’s standings. The top eight players would qualify for the “A” playoffs with players nine thru sixteen competing in the “B” playoffs. At the conclusion of the round robin, Vinny “The Vinner” Catania finished in the top spot and for a second straight month posted a 14-0-1 record. The quick rising Dave Reid was hot on his heels with a 12-2-1 record of his own. The legendary Steve “The Stein” Bernstein continues to improve on the S-Slot as he gains more experience on it. The Stein finished third with an 11-2-2 mark. Speaking of players on the rise, not enough can be said about Robert Brancucci and all he has accomplished as of late. Rob’s dedication to practice and scrimmaging has really paid off and has him surging to the top of the standings. Robert was 11-4-0 on the day finishing fourth. Walter Zissler and Bob D’Addario each recorded twenty points, but Walter had one more with than Bob which gave Zissler fifth and the Bob O sixth. Len Mecca and Brian Sullivan finished with identical 8-4-3 records. They even tied their head to head battle, but Mecca’s better goal differential landed him seventh, with the drastically improved Sullivan finishing eighth. Those players comprised the “A” Playoffs. The Ageless Anthony Sciacca finished ninth on the day, but had the top seed in the “B” playoffs with an 8-6-1 mark. Larry Durham was 7-7-1 good for tenth (2nd spot in the “B”). Phil Brancucci, Hank Librandi and Mike DiGiulio were 11th, 12th and 13th respectively. Dennis Simone (14th), Larry Lassiter (15th), and Derek Nisbett (16th) rounded out the field. On to each of the “A” and “B” playoffs.
In the “A” QuarterFinals the one seed Vinny Catania ripped past eight seeded Brian Sullivan by scores of 7-0. 6-1, and 7-1. The two seed Dave Reid swept by #7 Len Mecca. These two usually have long playoff series, but Dave has really taken great strides in improving his game. Reid took game one 6-2, then won game two 3-2. The Reider was able to win a tight game three in overtime 3-2 to advance. The three versus six series proved to be the best of the day. The three seed Steve Bernstein took on six seed Bob D’Addario. The Stein jumped ahead by taking a commanding 2-0 series lead by winning game one 2-1 and game two by a 3-1 margin. The Stein had his chance to sweep the Bob O in overtime of game three, but D’Addario got off the canvass so to speak and broke through with a 5-4 victory. Bob showed some more resiliency as he tied the series with a 3-2 game four victory. As the deciding game five was underway it seemed as if The Stein righted the ship as he jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The Bob O displayed even more resolve as he battled back to tie the game at two, then scored with just four seconds left to win the game and series 3-2. In the last Quarter-Final series between two of the leagues up and coming players it was four seed Rob Brancucci sweeping past five seed Walter Zissler. Rob won games one and two by a goal (5-4 and 4-3) before pulling away in game three with a 5-2 victory to earn the last Semi-Final berth.
The “A” Semi-Finals then commenced. The Vinner would go on to end the Bob O’s day via a sweep. The Vinner defeated D’Addario by scores of 6-2, 3-0 and 4-2 to reach the finals. In the other Semi-Final two seed Dave Reid took on the quickly improving fourth seed Rob Brancucci. Reid proved to be just a little better than Rob B in games one and two. Reid opened the series with a 4-3 victory, and then followed it with a 3-2 win. Dave pulled away in game three blitzing Brancucci with eight goals enroute to an 8-3 victory and a three game sweep. Vinny Catania and Dave Reid were on another collision course. They both swept their way through these playoffs and will meet for a third League Date in a row. The Vinner took the previous two series winning at League date one in a sweep and 3-1 games at League date two. Even though Catania has won six of seven games played - three games were by a goal (two of those went to overtime), and two games were by two goals. It was now on to the Finals.
For a third straight month it was Vinny Catania versus Dave Reid in the Finals. The Vinner opened the series with a nail biting 4-3 triumph. Game two was much of the same with Catania edging Reid by a 3-2 margin. Game three was another close contest with The Vinner pulling away ever so slightly with a 4-2 victory to win League Date Three. As a result Reid placed second with Robert Brancucci placing 3rd by virtue of the standings.
In the “B” Playoffs Number Nine seed Anthony Sciacca swept sixteen seed Derek Nisbett in three. Ten seed Larry Durham swept past number fifteen seed “Double L” - Larry Lassiter. Number eleven Phil Brancucci went on to sweep fourteen seed Dennis Simone. Brancucci won games one and two in overtime before securing the series with 6-2 win for the sweep. Twelve seed Hank Librandi also swept his series when he defeated number thirteen Mike DiGiulio. Hank took game one in overtime 1-0, then took game two 5-2 and game three 3-2. The “B” Semis were now set. Anthony Sciacca then swept Hank Librandi by scores of 6-1, 2-1 and 5-2 respectively. In what turned out to be another great series the ten seed Larry Durham battled eleven seed Phil Brancucci. Phil opened with a 3-1 win. He followed that up with an exciting 7-6 win to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. Larry then battled back with a convincing 7-2 triumph. L.D. then tied the series with another big win by a 4-1 margin. These two were so evenly matched that regulation was not enough to decide the series. The upstart Phil Brancucci finally stopped Durham’s momentum with an overtime goal to secure the 3-2 game 5 victory to earn his spot in the “B” final against Anthony Sciacca. In the “B” Championship Final - the nine seed Anthony Sciacca had his hands full with the eleven seed Phil Brancucci. Anthony took game one rather easily 5-1. Then the series tightened up. Sciacca escaped game two with a 3-2 victory. Phil then won game three by a 4-3 score to cut Sciacca’s lead to 2-1 games. Game four was a defensive battle and unfortunately for Phil – when it comes to defense that’s where the ageless Sciacca makes his living. Sciacca clamped down for a close 2-1 victory to win the series three games to one thus clinching the League Date 3 “B” title.
Another exciting league date and calendar year is in the books. It was our greatest year yet. The league continues to grow as more and more are being made aware of and reintroduced to this great sport. Dare I ask? With great games to play and great people to compete on them – what are you waiting for? Get behind the rods and Join the NYTHL. Like so many others, you will be glad you did. See you at League Date IV on Saturday January 18, 2025.
See you next month - God Bless!
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