QCRG 2019 Season Opener Recap

QCRG kicked off season 13 on Saturday, January 5 with a thunderous, sell-out crowd and a tight game between the newly shuffled Saucies and Alley Kats. Although the Saucies trailed the Kats through the first period and halfway into the second, they found extra gas in the tank to pull ahead and win the super close and exciting first game of the season.

During October all QCRG skaters were redrafted into new teams and those new teams were bedecked in new uniforms with new logos designed by Buffalo’s own Gelia. Familiar faces were in new colors but it was the same exciting action on the track at Buffalo Riverworks.

The Alley Kats pulled into the lead quickly in the first period with a steady jammer rotation of Ferga-vicious, Hebrew Hammer and Ashzilla. All three jammers are veterans who attacked the Saucie walls with power, agility and determination. It wasn’t easy though. They found tough walls anchored by Saucie Captain Fresh’slaughter Pearl, Jinx and Evil-Lyn Cognito among several rookies including (non-rookie) transfer Krraken.

The Saucie jammer bench housed Jiffy Pop, karsmashian, Ubebee and rookie Shevel Knievel. The Alley Kat blockers had a long list of veteran blockers including Knot Nice, skating coach Anne-gry She-Hulk, Onyx Overkill, SkarPinski, Mer Maiden and Tabrina Schreier who came out of retirement this season. They made up stalwart walls that stymied the Saucie blockers pass after pass.  

They didn’t stop them for long. The Alley Kats pulled into a slightly comfortable lead by the half (49-79). Derby fans know that a 30 point lead at the half barely qualifies as a lead.

Jiffy Pop hit the Alley Kats hard in the first jam of the second period. Jiffy sailed over nearly the entire apex in one pass and collected a total of 16 points and in that one jam cut the Kats’ lead in half. The Saucies continued to work the chinks in the Kats’ defense which was helped by an increase in penalties. Saucies had 12 total penalties in the game while the Alley Kats had 23 (14 of them in the second period).

Those penalties made a big difference and halfway through the second period the Saucies took the lead. The Kats seemed to struggle once the scoreboard tipped onto the Saucies favor and they were held scoreless 6 jams in a row until Ferga-vicious took the star and racked up 16 points. But it wasn’t enough and with 2 jams left in the game and Jiffy Pop’s fans chanting her name, the Saucies took the first win of the 2019 season.

The next home game on Friday, January 25th will be the first game of the season for the Devil Dollies who will meet the Saucies. Game starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased here https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/TICKETS/3910316

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