San Antonio Roller Hockey League
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Important Info
06/14/2026
Week 4
8:00 PM | Big Smasher (H) vs Titos Punch (A)
9:00 PM | Big Smasher (H) vs Sauced Mozz (A)
We are a little behind on stats and updates this week. They will be completed ASAP.
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Last site update: 06/13/26 01:28
Game Previews
Play-offs Schedule & Preview
Playoff Preview
The SARHL season has reached its climax, and it’s win-or-go-home time for the league’s three teams. The 8pm matchup sees the 2nd place Stray Cats hosting the 3rd place River Sharks, with the winner earning the right to face the 1st place Tarantulas for the championship at 9pm. With everything on the line, expect desperation, drama, and maybe a few questionable decisions as the teams leave it all on the rink.
Game 1: Stray Cats (2nd) vs. River Sharks (3rd)
The Stray Cats and River Sharks are no strangers to each other, and the season series has proven that anything can happen when these two teams collide. While the Cats enter the game as favorites, they’ve hit a late-season slump, dropping games they once would’ve controlled with ease. Questions remain about their consistency and leadership, especially with Brian Van Vlymen and Micah Deary’s attendance seemingly flipping a coin every week. Captain Andrew Minerd will need to rally his squad to avoid an early playoff exit.
For the River Sharks, this is their chance to complete a late-season turnaround. After starting the year winless, the Sharks have won two of their last three games and are brimming with confidence. Captain Jaiden Hernandez is back, and if his recent “winning streak” claims are to be believed, momentum is on their side. Junior, Will Newell, and Ray Ortega will need to bring their A-game offensively, while goalie Felipe Rodriguez will be tasked with keeping the Cats’ high-octane offense at bay.
Key to Watch:
Can the Stray Cats rediscover their early-season form, or will the Sharks pull off the upset with their newly-found swagger? If the Sharks keep this game close, look for Junior to strike late as the ultimate chaos agent.
Championship Game: Tarantulas (1st) vs. Winner of Game 1
The Tarantulas have been the class of the league this season, finishing in first place and earning the coveted spot in the championship game. Led by Captain Penn and their relentless offense, the Tarantulas have proven they can win close games and dominate when needed. Kaleb Morley and Collin Iacarella remain the team’s offensive heartbeat, and let’s not forget about Zack Merullo, who has quietly turned into a key playmaker. After claiming first place with a dramatic win over the Cats, the Tarantulas are rested, ready, and hungry to take home the league title.
The big question for the Tarantulas will be who they face. If it’s the Stray Cats, the spiders will be looking to continue their run of wins over the Cats as they’ve picked up 3 straight over the Cats. If it’s the River Sharks, the Tarantulas may need to brace themselves for a fast-paced game, especially with the Sharks carrying all the momentum of an underdog looking to shock the league.
Key to Watch:
Fatigue will be a factor for the Game 1 winner, as back-to-back games test even the freshest legs. Can the Tarantulas take advantage of their rest, or will an emotional semifinal winner ride the high all the way to the championship?
Final Thoughts:
The stage is set for an epic SARHL playoff showdown. The Stray Cats will look to fend off the Sharks’ late-season surge, while the Tarantulas await their opponent with the championship trophy in their sights. Whether it’s an underdog upset or a battle of the league’s best, one thing’s for certain: Tarantulas forward Rick Odom will fall at least once.
Quick Stats
Standings
| Team | W | L | OTL | Pts |
| Titos Punch | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Sauced Mozz | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Big Smasher | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
p = President’s Trophy
* = Clinched Playoff Berth
e = Eliminated from Playoffs
League Leaders
| Player | Team | G | A | Pts |
| Van Vlymen, B | TP | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| Hernandez, J | TP | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| Iacarella, C | SM | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| Goalie | Team | W | GAA | SV% |
| Rodriguez, F | GU | 3 | 5.00 | 0.804 |
| Newton, T | GU | 1 | 5.00 | 0.815 |
| Frizzell, B | GU | 1 | 7.00 | 0.754 |
Minimum 1 games played
League News
Week 8 Recap
Game 1 Recap
The stage was set for the most important game of the season as the Stray Cats hosted the Tarantulas with first place on the line. What started as a dominant performance by the Cats turned into heartbreak, as the Tarantulas clawed their way back to steal a 6-5 victory and claim the top spot in the standings.
Final Score: Tarantulas 6, Stray Cats 5
Goal Scorers:
For the Stray Cats, goals came from Ian Chase, Micah Deary, Jacob Hernandez, Augie, and Brian Van Vlymen. The Tarantulas were led by a hat trick from Kaleb Morley, with additional goals from Zack Merullo, Collin Iacarella, and SARHL legend Chuck Gawell, who secured the game-winner.
Game Notes:
- Minerd Straps on the Pads: The Cats were without goalie Taylor Newton, forcing Captain Andrew Minerd into the crease. Minerd’s performance in net was admirable—good but not great—as a couple of goals slipped through that he’d certainly want back. His absence from defense and, most importantly, the bench left a leadership void that proved costly.
- The Cats’ Hot Start: Under interim “captain” Mike Mallery, the Cats roared out of the gates. A 3-1 lead in the first period, capped by an early second-period goal from Augie, made it look like the Cats were cruising toward victory.
- Penn Outcoaches Mallery: Enter Tarantulas captain Penn. With his team on the ropes, Penn adjusted his line matchups, and the move paid immediate dividends. The Cats were thrown completely off their rhythm as their commanding lead slowly disappeared. After the game, Mallery brushed off the outcoaching claims, saying it was more “lethargy” on his part. Whatever the reasoning, the result spoke for itself.
- Chuck Gawell’s Heroics: In a moment that could only happen in the SARHL, SARHL Hall of Fame inductee (class of 1957) Chuck Gawell delivered the dagger. A wild bounce off the concrete barrier left the Cats scrambling, and the veteran Gawell tucked in a wraparound goal for the game-winner, proving that age is just a number when you’ve got instincts as sharp as his.
What It Means:
With this win, the Tarantulas officially cemented first place in the standings and a ticket to the championship game—because let’s be honest, there’s not much left to sort out in a 3-team league. For the Stray Cats, this loss will sting, especially after such a promising start. While they’re still championship contenders, they’ll need to regroup and reassess heading into the final stretch.
For now, the Tarantulas get the last laugh, but as we’ve seen all season, anything can happen in the SARHL. Stay tuned as the drama continues to unfold!
Game 2 Recap
With little on the line but pride, the Stray Cats and River Sharks faced off in the night’s second game, where the Sharks stormed out of the gates and held on for a 7-6 victory.
Final Score: River Sharks 7, Stray Cats 6
Goal Scorers:
For the Stray Cats, goals came from Brandon Popham, Brian Van Vlymen, Jacob Hernandez (2), Mike Mallery, and Ian Chase. The Sharks’ offensive surge was led by Junior with a hat trick, De Hoyos with two goals, and Ryan Lewis and Jaiden Hernandez each chipping in one.
Game Notes:
- Sharks Swing Early: The River Sharks came out swinging, jumping to a quick 3-0 lead while the Cats seemed content to float. Mike Mallery, embracing his now-infamous “lethargic captain” role, opted for a hands-off approach, letting his team figure things out on their own. Spoiler: this approach didn’t work out in the end… again.
- Ian and Popham’s Blame Game: The Ian-Popham pairing was equal parts productive and problematic. The duo contributed to three goals—two for the Cats and one for the Sharks. Each blamed the other for the defensive breakdown, and the rest of the Cats bench could only shrug as they were all busy ogling Chris DeGroff’s collection of 1995 Fleer hockey cards he inexplicably brought to the bench with him.
- Junior Comes Alive (Finally): Junior, long criticized for disappearing in big moments and late in the game, flipped the script by starting strong and finishing late. After scoring the game’s first two goals, Junior completed the hat trick in style, burying the game-winner late in the third period. Now the Sharks just need him to show up like this in meaningful games.
- Jaiden Calls It a Streak: Post-game, Sharks captain Jaiden Hernandez was seen channeling his inner Lou Brown reminding everyone that his team has now won two straight with him in the lineup. “One more,” he joked, “and it’s called a winning streak. It has happened before.”
Overall:
The River Sharks are heating up just as the season nears its conclusion, and Jaiden’s crew is suddenly playing with confidence and without Art (not saying Art is the problem, but his absence during their wins is conspicuous, for sure). Meanwhile, the Stray Cats will need to hit the reset button after back-to-back losses and start looking ahead to the play-offs. This game may not have mattered in the standings, but it gave the Sharks something to celebrate—and reminded the Cats they still have work to do.
These two teams will meet again in game 1 of the play-offs with the winner moving on to the championship game versus the Tarantulas.
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