The Sun Valley Suns senior men's hockey team has one more chance to put a couple of wins on the board this weekend, but it won't be easy against goalie Bobby Farrelly's East Coast Gutter Snipes.
Sun Valley's season-ending opponent for the third straight year, the Gutter Snipes have featured such ex-pros as NHL Hockey Hall of Famer Igor "The Professor" Larionov and well-traveled pro Jeff Norton.
And the Suns-Snipes games have been close as they can be.
Last year, Farrelly backstopped the Snipes to 10-9 (OT) and 9-7 wins over the Suns. Playing as the Boston Bulldogs two years ago, Farrelly's imports won a 7-6 overtime shootout that spoiled Sun Valley's unbeaten season, and the Suns won the Friday game 5-4 (OT).
So the Snipes have won three in a row over the Suns, and three of the last four games have been decided in overtime. The series between the two squads including Sun Valley's 7-2 and 4-3 sweep of Farrelly's Boston ReMax Rangers in 2006 stands at three wins apiece.
Losers of three straight this season, the Suns (8-10-0) will be hard pressed to skate with a well-stocked Gutter Snipes squad, but #1 goalie Ryan Thomson (5-5-0) is expected to return for the Suns Friday. Unfortunately, all-time Suns leading scorer Vilnis Nikolaisons isn't expected to skate because of an elbow infection in his non-painting arm.
John Stevens of the Suns said about the match-up, "Bobby (Farrelly) is excited about the games and said he has some surprises in store, though he wouldn't elaborate."
Friday's 7 p.m. game will benefit Wood River Youth Football. And Saturday's 7 p.m. season finale will raise money for the Wood River Baseball and Softball Association.
