Jerry Pytlewski Big 55 Stiga U.S. Open Playoffs
A Division Playoffs
Preliminary Round, Best of Five
(1) Kenny Dubois vs. (16) Calvin Rollins
Dubois 6, Rollins 1 Dubois 3, Rollins 2 Dubois 4, Rollins 0
Dubois wins series 3-0
(2) Bruce Turner vs. (15) Joe Salazar
Turner 9, Salazar 1 Turner 8, Salazar 3 Turner 7, Salazar 2
Turner wins series 3-0
(3) Graham Barber vs. (14) Eric Krol
Barber 3, Krol 1 Krol 4, Barber 3 Barber 4, Krol (OT) Barber 5, Krol 2
Barber wins series 3-1
(4) Bernie Kunzler vs. (13) Pierre Chastenais
Kunzler 5, Chastenais 1 Kunzler 5, Chastenais 3 Kunzler 5, Chastenais 2
Kunzler wins series 3-0
(5) Steve Bernstein vs. (12) Ron Chesick
Bernstein 5, Chesick 1 Bernstein 4, Chesick 2 Bernstein 3, Chesick 1
Bernstein wins series 3-0
(6) Ron Marsik vs. (11) Jim Rzonca
Marsik 6, Rzonca 1 Marsik 4, Rzonca 1 Marsik 8, Rzonca 1
Marsik wins series 3-0
(7) Bob Chargo vs. (10) Scott Pytlewski
Chargo 5, Pytlewski 3 Chargo 6, Pytlewski 2 Chargo 5, Pytlewski 1
Chargo wins series 3-0
(8) Al Cousineau vs. (9) Jeff Puopolo
Cousineau 4, Puopolo 2 Cousineau 5, Puopolo 4 Cousineau 2, Puopolo 1 (OT)
Cousineau wins series 3-0
Quarterfinals, Best of Seven
(1) Kenny Dubois vs. (8) Al Cousineau
Dubois 5, Cousineau 1 Dubois 3, Cousineau 2 Dubois 8, Cousineau 3 Dubois 7, Cousineau 3
Dubois wins series 4-0
(2) Bruce Turner vs. (7) Bob Chargo
Turner 2, Chargo 0 Turner 6, Chargo 4 Chargo 2, Turner 1 Turner 6, Chargo 2 Turner 8, Chargo 0
Turner wins series 4-1
(3) Graham Barber vs. (6) Ron Marsik
Marsik gets ready to take on Barber as Jim Rzonca refs.
Marsik 7, Barber 3 Barber 3, Marsik 2 Barber 7, Marsik 4 Barber 6, Marsik 3 Marsik 7, Barber 0 Marsik 3, Barber 1 Barber 3, Marsik 2
Barber wins series 4-3
(4) Bernie Kunzler vs. (5) Steve Bernstein
Bernstein towers over Kunzler in their quarterfinal matchup as Pierre Chastenais refs.
Kunzler 3, Bernstein 2 Kunzler 4, Bernstein 0 Bernstein 5, Kunzler 1 Kunzler 6, Bernstein 1 Bernstein 3, Kunzler 2 Kunzler 5, Bernstein 4
Kunzler wins series 4-2
Semifinals, Best of Seven
(1) Kenny Dubois vs. (4) Bernie Kunzler
Dubois 5, Kunzler 0 Dubois 5, Kunzler 1 Dubois 3, Kunzler 0 Dubois 4, Kunzler 1
Dubois wins series 4-0
(2) Bruce Turner vs. (3) Graham Barber
Turner 8, Barber 1 Turner 6, Barber 4 Turner 3, Barber 2 Turner 6, Barber 3
Turner wins series 4-0
Finals, Best of Seven
(1) Kenny Dubois vs. (2) Bruce Turner
Turner and Dubois played a hard-fought finals.
Game 1: Dubois 5, Turner 3 Synopsis: A large crowd of virtually everyone left gathered around to watch the finals of the A pool, as thus-far undefeated Kenny Dubois took on Canada's Bruce Turner in a best-of-seven series. Dubois set the tone for the game early, turning a center trick just 15 seconds into the five-minute contest for a 1-0 lead. At about 4 minutes, Dubois hit the first of what would be several hard shots with his RW, going up 2-0. He repeated the feat with 3:25 left for a 3-0 lead, getting some air under the shot. Dubois' ability to make the shot, in which he quickly moved his RW up the slot to shoot, would prove to be the difference in the series. The shot make it difficult to play the box or modified box defense in which the goalie is kept near the middle. Dubois talled another shot with 3:15 left, then made it 5-0 with a long reaction shot from his left defense. Turner didn't stay down, however, getting up to score his first goal of the series with a shot by his center with 1:42 on the clock. He followed it up with goal number 2 about 10 ticks later before getting another at the buzzer to make it 5-3.
Game 2: Dubois 5, Turner 4 Synopsis: Dubois started off Game 2 just like he did Game 1: a RW blast just 15 seconds in. Turner tied it at 1 off a turnover with 3:40 left. Dubois retook the lead 10 seconds later at 2-1. Sometimes it was tough for the naked eye to see just how these guys scored. They simply play that fast. A determined Turner made it 2-2 with his RW with 3:05 to play. Dubois countered with a RW-C play with 2:45 to go for a 3-2 lead. Turner tied it with 2:15 left and took a 4-3 lead with 1:40 to go. Turner clung fiercely to the lead, turning back shot after shot by Dubois while trying to get some breathing room. Dubois proved he's a seasoned pro, staying calm and tying it up with 20 seconds to go. Tie game, time winding down...and Dubois gets the puck to his center. He sets himself, fires, and hits a center trick with about 7 seconds left to win 5-4. Just a dogfight of a game. Dubois snatches victory from the proverbial jaws of defeat for a 2-0 series lead.
Game 3: Dubois 5, Turner 1 Synopsis: Dubois went up 1-0 thirty seconds in with a RW shot. Turner countered with a play that went in-and-out of the net at 4:18. Still 1-0 Dubois. He went up 2-0 with 3:45 left after some nice puck movement. Turner halved the lead at 3:00 when his C blasted one home. Dubois hit a LW-C combination for a two-goal cushion with 2:45 to go. The next goal would be crucial, as Turner wanted to keep the momentum going and get a pair to tie the game up. Dubois put on a goaltending clinic the next two minutes of the game, turning back shot after shot by Turner, including a bunch of LW-C plays that moved so quickly you needed slo-mo replay to catch them. Dubois sealed it with 40 seconds left on a long reaction shot from the defense, then got another one with less than 10 seconds left for a 5-1 win and 3-0 series lead.
Game 4: Dubois 4, Turner 3 (OT) Synopsis: It was do-or-die time for Bruce Turner in Game 4, and he turned it on early with 3:58 to play. Turner got a LW-C play to fall for a 1-0 lead. Dubois tied things up, and halfway through this one it was 1-1. Turner didn't let the score remain that way for long, hitting another LW-C play for a 2-1 lead with 2:10 to play in regulation, a phrase that would take on added meaning later in this close contest. With under a minute to go, Dubois tied it at 2 when his C put in a roller. Huge crowd reaction for that one. Dubois missed a center trick with 40 ticks left, but went up 3-2 with about half-a minute to go. Another huge reaction from the crowd. Turner was determined not to go down without a fight. Somehow, he reached down and found a way to get the equalizer with 10 seconds or so to go, making it 3-3. We headed to overtime as the crowd went absolutely nuts. Both players were somewhat cautious, as table hockey players usually are in OT, with neither wanting a defensive lapse that would end this one on a cheapie. A full 90 seconds passed with no score. But about 1:46 in, Dubois went back to a play that had been working all series, a simple RW thrust up the slot with a wicked shot. It went in, giving Dubois the game 4-3 in OT in a seesaw affair. Kenny Dubois swept Bruce Turner in the finals to capture first place in the Big 55 tournament's A Division. The crowd clapped for both guys, and since most everyone was already standing, you could call it a standing O. Dubois ran the table for a 45-0 tournament mark. Graham Barber called it an amazing display of table hockey where Dubois was in top form. Turner later would write on the Table Hockey Tavern that he felt he didn't have his RW low tip play working, and that forced him to try to score exclusively with LW and C, making it more difficult to find the net. If that was the case, Turner still acquitted himself very well, hanging tough in the series virtually every step of the way.
Dubois wins series 4-0, taking the Big 55 Stiga U.S. Open.
Jerry Pytlewski presents Kenny Dubois with his first-place plaque.
Bruce Turner finished a strong second.
Bernie Kunzler won a quick, one-game playoff over Graham Barber to take third place.
B Division Playoffs
Quarterfinals, Best of 5
(1) Dan Lord vs. (8) Steve Puopolo Sr.
Lord 2, Puopolo Sr. 1 Lord 5, Puopolo Sr. 0 Lord 7, Puopolo Sr. 3
Lord wins series 3-0
(2) Mike Caponetti vs. (7) Taras Zienchuk
Caponetti 7, Zienchuk 2 Caponetti 4, Zienchuk 1 Caponetti 2, Zienchuk 1
Caponetti wins series 3-0
(3) Steve Puopolo Jr. vs. (6) Dustin Sweeney
Sweeney 1, Puopolo Jr. 0 Sweeney 2, Puopolo Jr. 1 Sweeney 4, Puopolo Jr. 1
Sweeney wins series 3-0
(4) Garry Butler vs. (5) Jeff Farwell
Farwell 2, Butler 1 Farwell 3, Butler 2 Butler 5, Farwell 4 (OT) Farwell 7, Butler 1
Farwell wins series 3-1
Semifinals, Best of 7
(1) Dan Lord vs. (5) Jeff Farwell
Lord 8, Farwell 2 Farwell 4, Lord 2 Lord 3, Farwell 2 Lord 8, Farwell 4 Farwell 5, Lord 4 Lord 5, Farwell 3
Lord wins series 4-2
(2) Mike Caponetti vs. (6) Dustin Sweeney
Dustin Sweeney and Mike Caponetti do battle as Calvin Rollins looks on.
Caponetti 7, Sweeney 2 Caponetti 5, Sweeney 4 Caponetti 3, Sweeney 2 Sweeney 4, Caponetti 2 Sweeney 4, Caponetti 3 Caponetti 3, Sweeney 1
Caponetti wins series 4-2
Finals, Best of Seven
(1) Dan Lord vs. (2) Mike CaponettiLord 5, Caponetti 4 (OT) Lord 3, Caponetti 1 Lord 2, Caponetti 1 Caponetti 4, Lord 3 Caponetti 2, Lord 1 (OT) Lord 2, Caponetti 1
Dan Lord wins series 4-2, taking the B Division title.
Dan Lord, the favorite to win the B Division, did just that.
C Division Playoffs
Quarterfinals, Best of 5
(1) Will Sundwall vs. (8) Matt Soukup
Sundwall 2, Soukup 1 (OT) Sundwall 2, Soukup 1 (OT) Sundwall 2, Soukup 1
Sundwall wins series 3-0
(2) Dave Sweeney vs. (7) Dan Racki Sr.
Racki Sr. 2, Sweeney 1 Sweeney 4, Racki Sr. 1 Racki Sr. 4, Sweeney 3 Sweeney 3, Racki Sr. 2 Sweeney 3, Racki Sr. 1
Sweeney wins series 3-2
(3) Dan Racki Jr. vs. (6) Jerry Pytlewski
Racki Jr. 3, Pytlewski 1 Pytlewski 3, Racki Jr. 1 Racki Jr. 3, Pytlewski 2 (OT) Racki Jr. 2, Pytlewski 1
Racki Jr. wins series 3-1
(4) Joe Puopolo vs. Art Kraatz(5)
Kraatz 3, Puopolo 2 Puopolo 4, Kraatz 3 (OT) Puopolo 4, Kraatz 2 Puopolo 3, Kraatz 2 (OT)
Puopolo wins series 3-1
Semifinals, Best of Seven
(1) Will Sundwall vs. (4) Joe Puopolo
Joe Puopolo takes on Will Sundwall as Art Kraatz refs.
Puopolo 5, Sundwall 0 Puopolo 5, Sundwall 1 Sundwall 3, Puopolo 2 Puopolo 2, Sundwall 1 Puopolo 3, Sundwall 1
Puopolo wins series 4-1
(2) Dave Sweeney vs. (3) Dan Racki Jr.
Racki Jr. 2, Sweeney 1 Racki Jr. 2, Sweeney 0 Racki Jr. 3, Sweeney 1 Sweeney 3, Racki Jr. 2 Racki Jr. 4, Sweeney 0
Dan Racki Jr. wins series 4-1
Finals, Best of Seven
(3) Dan Racki Jr. vs. (4) Joe PuoploGame sheet not yet available.
Joe Puopolo wins series 4-x, taking the C Division title.
C Division winner Joe Puopolo and his father, Steve Puopolo Sr.
