BUSH laid forth a challenge to the sweltering heat of the Interior summer Saturday evening. Lee fills you up with what went down.

I'd almost forgotten why hockey dies off every summer. This session was an abrupt reminder. Playing our first evening session, we arrived in Burton @ 5:30 in an attempt to avoid the heat. To no avail. Game time was delayed considerable with several shrewd moves by Chris Jackins, letting his rival swelter in full gear on the burning asphalt of McCormack Park.
Series 1: Lee - Justin - Nathan vs. Oli - Graeme - Mitch - Chris Game 1: 5-3 - Team Oli. Lee and Justin came out skating hard, but despite the quick start, the man advantage and the heat proved too much. Puck control and turnovers were key.
Game 2: 5-4 - Team Justin. Combining their considerable intellects, team Justin developed the "High Low Man System" to stiffle and confuse their opponents, at the same time saving energy. Capitalism was also key; the vortex of their rage.
Game 3: 5-3 - Team Justin. The perfection of the high low man system and aggressive counteracts proved too much for team Oli, despite some stand out play from Graeme, taking it to the next level with his new gear.
Series 2: Lee - Oli - Nathan vs. Justin - Graeme - Mitch - Chris
Game 1: 5-4 - Team Justin. Graeme completed a standout session by potting the winner, beating Nathan on a breakaway and sealing the series.

Thanks, Lee, and congrats on just making through four games in the sweltering Kootenay heat. It's quickly becoming a very hot summer through British Columbia, and games for BUSH may be hard to play comfortably between now and the end of August, but they're sure trying. Shot totals were back at the levels seen at the beginning of the year, with Lee garnering 41 shots and Justin 40 shots in the four games. Justin led the way with 10G, 6A with Lee right behind at eight-and-six and Graeme notching third star with and even six-and-six. Nathan edged Chris by one save to take the day in goal .802-.800 and also posted a shot on goal, a rare feat in net.

Useless Stats: No Seamus in Burton and the VRH skipping a potential session to attend the NHL Draft in person means Lee puts a fifteen-point cushion between himself and Stefan/Seamus at the top of the scoring race, 147-132-132. He also moves into second in assists for the year behind Oliver. Lee does not catch Seamus in shots, however, as he narrows the gap there to 392-382. Justin now has enough shots to qualify for the shooting percentage race in fourth place, and is second in SPG at 8.57. Lee goes back over eight SPG. Chris' 728 saves is the fourth-highest single season total yet recorded, and Nathan is just out of the top five. BUSH has played two more games than VRH, and Lee, Oliver and Chris have played all of them. No goaltender has even come close to goaltending every game in a season; it would sure be something if Chris pulls this feat off. Lee also widens his three-star point lead over Seamus to 85-65.

On the all-time front: Oliver ended the session a merciful three points shy of 1,000, 25 ahead of Lorne, while Lee becomes the third player to pass 700 points. Justin is 25 points behind Bernie for fifth in all-time scoring. Lee ties Oliver for second in all-time goals. Oliver reaches 600 assists before anyone else reaches 400; he also passes 2,000 shots. Chris passes 200 games goaltended and is just five games behind Laird for most games goaltended in Burton history. Justin moves into second in all-time ten-goal sessions. Seamus' consecutive session streak ends at thirteen, but Lee is at nine and Chris, Oliver and Nathan are each at eight. Chris' record streak of 16 straight 80-save sessions ends. On the SDF, Jason's inactivity drops him to fourth and Lorne goes back to the top with Lee and Seamus right behind him. Justin shoots up to fifth. On the SDF, Nathan holds court for yet another week while Carlos falls off the ranking. Let's hope our crews perservere through the heat next weekend and keep it going.