As promised, here is part two of this season’s 210 Awards…
The “Shameless Plug Award”: You can find the first half of the 210 Awards post right here
The “Please Come Back Award”: To Drew and Anthony Callin, and Anthony Repaci, who are veterans and can essentially play wherever they want. Railers fans are hoping this is still the place they want to play, because if it’s not, this offensively-challenged franchise is likely in a heap of trouble next season.
The “I Got One, and They Got None Award”: Railers netminder Thomas Gale, who became the only Railers goaltender this season to record a point, doing so on the very last play in the very last regular season game.
The “History Repeats Itself Award”: The Hershey Bears, who were the playoff team the Worcester Sharks last faced before moving to San Jose, and are the last playoff team the Bridgeport Islanders played before their move to Hamilton.
The “JT Award”: To Railers Business Development Specialist Jake Poor. Dan Guertin almost stole the award, knew it for what it was, and ran away. If you know what “JT” stands for, you’re smiling now. If you ever get stuck with JT, you won’t be laughing as much. But everyone else is.
The “Above and Beyond Award”: To Adirondack Thunder Director of Group Sales Jeff Casey, who, not knowing me from Adam, was able to get a couple of tickets for a nearly sold-out game near where the Railers fans were sitting, so my wife’s late sister’s children, who we hadn’t seen in many years, could come to the game. Jeff helped make a good day an incredibly awesome one, and Trish and I will forever be grateful.
The “Lost Luggage Award”: To the Railers equipment staff for forgetting the team’s jerseys back in Worcester. I know they feel terrible about it, but honestly, with everything working out fine, it ended up being just one of many in an almost limitless list of stories that will be told and laughed about.
The “Jeff Gordon Award”: To Partnership Services Coordinator Collin Mesick, who raced north with said jerseys and arrived in time for the team to don the sweaters before the rescheduled start time.
The “Two-Fisted Award”: I was joking with last year’s winner, Keith Nichols, that I didn’t want to give him this award again this year and that we’d have to think of something else, when Angelica Teixeira came along to steal the award anyway. Problem solved.
The “I Didn’t Win the Two-Fisted Award Award”: Keith Nichols. Well, duh.
The “Golden BB Award”: To Cam Berg, for scoring a goal on his first Railers shot.
The “He Did it Again Award”: To Cam Berg, for scoring on his second Railers shot.
The “Now You’re Just Showing Off Award”: To Cam Berg, for, yeah, you guessed it, scoring on his third Railers shot on goal.
“The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and Massachusetts State GOP Convention Award”: To outgoing DCU General Manager Sandy Dunn, whose event scheduling guaranteed the Railers would have had absolutely terrible home playoff dates in the opening round had they made the ECHL’s second season. And looking at the event schedule, the second round would have been terrible too.
The “Steve Kando Award”: In what has become one of the most coveted awards for the front office, Railers Group Events Specialist Morgan Yacavone is the winner for all her hard work this season. For the fourth year in a row, Steve does not win the award named for him.
The “David Gwozdz Award”: To Dave Gwozdz, once again a winner for a decent mix of new merchandise this season to go along with some old favorites, plus some incredible specialty merchandise. Every year, I swear I’m not buying any more sweatshirts, and Dave just nods and smiles at me. Because he knows. (See how easy it is to win an award named for you, Steve? And Dave has done it four years in a row now.)
The “Concrete Blonde Award”: To incoming Railers Senior Director of Marketing Joey Goldstein, who returns to Worcester and manages to win an award just days after starting his new job. Nothing like a little pressure to start things off, eh, Joey?
The “Fredo Award”: To current, and hopefully soon outgoing, NY Islanders assistant general manager Chris Lamoriello, who only has a job because his daddy, Lou “Thank God I drafted Martin Brodeur so I could con two other teams into hiring me” Lamoriello gave him an expensive contract extension as Lou was being escorted out the door, for officially destroying another minor league hockey market. The younger Lamoriello conman will get far too much credit for Bridgeport making the playoffs than he deserves, which is essentially zero. One way or another, hopefully, the Railers will be done with the Lamoriellos forever after this season.
The “David Haas Award”: The award that goes to the player with the most talent that uses the least of it, and after a brief meeting of the committee it was determined that we’ll be putting this back on the shelf again this season.
The “Shoutout Award”: To all the Booster Club volunteers who took part in helping to support the team and the club’s charity efforts this season. From the 50/50 volunteers to those that do door handouts to the many that helped with player housing, and everything else in between, the club couldn’t do what it does without you. Thank you.
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