Two teams starting off the new year differently. Congratulations to new expansion team Bush Pilots who won their first game (3-2) as a team in the Pond, upsetting the first place Cavemen, who saw their new year kick off with their first regulation loss of the season. The middle of the pack is relatively tight with only 5 points separating 2nd and 4th, between Ernies, Whalers, and Griffs (who have lost 6 of their 8 games by just one goal!). Now that the holidaze are behind us, time to get rid of the turkey fat and get back to some action on the ice with a regular campaign here on out until playoffs. Only 4 of 5 teams make it, who will be on the outside looking in?

HPHL welcomes new team the BUSH PILOTS to the league. Not sure if they are pilots from up north or if they spend a lot of time navigating their way thru “the bush”. Either way, kool name, and glad to see you join the most clean fun league in the city, with some pretty good hockey to boot. Bush Pilots will be merged into the current campaign, already in full swing, with Cavemen leading the pack with an undefeated record 6-0. Middle of the pack sees Whalers and Ernie’s Pub tied, with Griffs pulling up the rear, playing some good hockey but finding themselves losing most games by that one elusive goal. Will be interesting to see how the Bush Pilots make up ground with 6 games in hand on the rest of the league. Keep the clean hockey and the cold post game beers going fellas, cause there Aint Nothin’ Like the Pond!

The new season schedule has been posted to the Schedule and Standings page. Please refer to that page for the most up-to-date schedule for the league. Good luck to all the teams.

Heck uva game last nite on the pond, with Whalers pulling off an 8-7 victory over Cavemen. The game was a seesaw battle with the Whalers taking an early 1-0 lead and continuing to take the lead throughout the game only for Cavemen to battle back each time. Unfortunately time ran out on Cavemen efforts falling short by a goal to tie it up late, but fortunate for Whalers who captured their first Woody Cup after several seasons in the Houston Pond Hockey League. First star of the game easily went to Graham Parsons who scored 5 of Whalers goals, great job dude! Congratulations to Josh Lenard and the rest of the Whalers hockey team (Champion Team foto below!)

Will take a week or two off and resume the best damn game on earth starting October 13th, all games will now be played on Thursday nites only!

2011 Fall Standings

Schedule as of 8/1/2011 

Been a shortend season that saw Ernie’s take a month off to go to Newfieland… think they are still there in spirit after losing 2 of last 3 games to finish out of playoffs and losing their opportunity to repeat as League Champs. But with one door closing another one opens, with a chance for Whalers to hoist the coveted Woody Cup for the first time in league history. But not if Cavemen have anything to do about it, as they look to return to glory after having not won the league championship since the inaugural season. Should be a good matchup, with Whalers finishing the season with only one loss, but thanks to the hands of the Cavemen. Good luck fellas! Have fun and remember to enjoy the best damn game on earth!

The new season schedule has been posted to the Schedule and Standings page. Please refer to that page for the most up-to-date schedule for the league. Good luck to all the teams. The schedule will be VERY light during month of August as many Canadian players head north for vacation, dang it the entire Ernie’s squad has headed to good ole newfieland for a wedding!

2011 Summer Standings – FINAL (6/24/2011)

* Made Playoffs

Schedule as of 4/12/2011 (Mondays at Sugar Land/Thursdays at Sharpstown)

PLAYOFFS – TEAMS SEEDED AND RE-SEEDED AFTER SEMIS BASED ON FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

Standings order will be decided based on following format:

1. Most number of points in least number of games played
2. Head to head wins
3. Head to head goal differential
4. Goals for overall
5. Goals against overall
6. Which team can drink the most beers in 10 minutes

WOW! Heckuva finals game last nite folks! First place Cavemen came out flying and took a 4-0 lead into the second, but 2nd place Ernie’s made a game of it to bring it to 4-2 in the 3rd. With only 1:13 left in the game, Shannon Halbot makes it 4-3. Ernies pull the goalie for an extra attacker, Cavemen take 2 shots in close at empty net, one goes wide and the other dings off the post with 10 seconds left. The puck careems down to the Cavemen end where a series of bounces and goal mouth scrambles send the puck wide open on the side where Shannon easily flips puck into the empty side, with only 3 seconds on the clock, BOOM, game tied 4-4! In OT, Ernies sends a flutter from the point only to be deflected 3 times before finding an open spot high to the top shelf, Ernies complete the UNBELIEVABLE comeback and send Cavemen home CHOKING once again (last season also blew a 4-0 lead and lost 5-4 to Whalers in semis. Time for a new coach!!)…..good fun tho fellas, congrats to Shannon Halbot, easily the MVP of the playoffs!! Well done matie! Congrats to Adam LaBaff and Ernies Pub (Team foto below).

Semis played last nite. In first game matchup, Ernies took a commnading 4-0 lead only to see Beavers come back and tie it 5-5 and send it to overtime. Beavers put on a heckuva run over last 6 weeks of season to move from last to 3rd in standings, but their luck ran out in OT, going down to Ernies 6-5. Meanwhile, expansion team Griffs ran out of luck and determination as well. After a huge upset over Whalers last week, Cavemen took it to them sending them to the golf course with a 9-3 win. Cavemen vs Ernies in Finals next week. Should be a good one as rivalry continues between these 2 evenly matched squads.