San Antonio Roller Hockey League
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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
Week 6 Preview
“Tamales, Turmoil, and Two Very Different Games”
Italy gets the spotlight this week with back-to-back games against two teams that could not be more different:
- Russia: confused, inconsistent, and somehow still hanging around
- Czechia: structured, annoying, and allergic to losing close games
Let’s see how this unfolds.
Game 1: Italy vs Russia
“Chaos vs… Whatever Russia Is Doing”
Season Series So Far:
- Week 1: Russia 3 – Italy 2
- Week 3: Italy 4 – Russia 3
- Week 4: Russia 4 – Italy 10
Two one-goal games. One blowout. All forgettable in their own special way.
What Italy Brings
- Junior – oscillates between invisible and unstoppable
- Narvaiz – quietly the most reliable scorer on this team
- Ray Ortega – either cooking or bullying the new guys
- Ashton –is this an on week?
- Felipe…? – still holding out for tamales like it’s a labor dispute
What Russia Needs
- Jaiden to actually lead (not just talk to himself in mirrors à la Stuart Smalley)
- Collin to show up AND care (rare double event)
- Someone not named “Sub” to contribute
- Ryan Lewis to skate harder than Travis Laveault
Key Question
Can Russia survive the first 5 minutes?
Because Italy has made a habit of jumping teams early…
and Russia has made a habit of not being ready.
Prediction
This feels like an Italy game from the jump.
Too much offense. Too much momentum. Too many Rays.
Italy 6 – Russia 3
- Narvaiz continues his quiet dominance
- Ashton adds another (goal, not child)
- Ray Ortega does something questionable but productive
Game 2: Italy vs Czechia
“The Main Event (Again)”
Season Series So Far:
- Week 2: Czechia 4 – Italy 3 (SO)
- Week 3: Italy 9 – Czechia 10 (SO)
- Week 5: Czechia 7 – Italy 6 (OT)
Three games.
Three near-identical outcomes.
Three times Italy has walked away wondering what just happened.
What Italy Needs to Do
- Play defense for more than 30 seconds at a time
- Avoid late-game chaos (historically impossible)
- Not take a “Too Many Men” penalty at the worst possible time
What Czechia Does
- Stays calm
- Waits for mistakes
- Punishes those mistakes
- Wins by exactly one goal
It’s like watching someone slowly tighten a vice.
Key Question
Can Italy finally close one out?
They’ve been:
- Leading
- Tied
- Within seconds of winning
And still 0-3 against Czechia.
At some point, that has to break… right?
Prediction
This is the game.
Italy’s due.
Czechia’s luck runs out.
The hockey gods finally blink.
Italy 7 – Czechia 6
- Another ridiculous scoreline
- Another game with zero defense
- But this time… Italy holds on
🔥 Players to Watch
- Andrew Minerd (CZE) – Still the most reliable closer in the league
- David Narvaiz (ITA) – Mr. Consistent
- Ashton Baggett (ITA) – Due to look like he’s in control
- Collin Iacarella (RUS) – Russia’s entire identity if he shows up
🎭 Week 6 Themes
- Italy playing two completely different styles in one night
- Russia trying to stay relevant
- Czechia quietly lurking like a horror movie villain
- At least one controversial goal (mandatory)
🏁 Final Word
Italy has a real chance to:
- Beat Russia (expected)
- Finally beat Czechia (overdue)
Or…
- Split the night
- Or completely implode
Either way, this week is meaningless. All three teams have clinched a play-off berth. Czechia will walk away in the top seed regardless of these games, so watch for them to play a listless game. The best Russia can do is finish in third leaving Italy all alone in second.
Welcome to the SARHL… Where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter.
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 6 Recap
Game 1
Italy 9 – Russia 8
“A Game Neither Team Wanted to Win… Until Someone Accidentally Did.”
Week 6 may have been meaningless in the standings, but that didn’t stop Italy and Russia from delivering a wildly entertaining 9–8 thriller. In a game that resembled a roller coaster more than a hockey match, both teams took turns trying to hand the victory to the other before Italy finally accepted it with just 29 seconds remaining.
Scoring Summary
| Per | Time | Team | Goal Scorer | Assists | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3:56 | Russia | Vargas, Augie (PP) | Hernandez, Jaiden | 0 – 1 |
| 1 | 11:39 | Russia | Laveault, Travis | Hernandez, Jaiden | 0 – 2 |
| 2 | 0:15 | Italy | Baggett, Ashton | Unassisted | 1 – 2 |
| 2 | 1:23 | Italy | Narvaiz, David | Unassisted | 2 – 2 |
| 2 | 2:18 | Russia | Merullo, Zack (Sub) | Vargas, Augie | 2 – 3 |
| 2 | 8:13 | Italy | Gilbert, Matt | Motz, Nathan | 3 – 3 |
| 2 | 8:22 | Italy | Gilbert, Matt | Unassisted | 4 – 3 |
| 3 | 0:29 | Italy | Motz, Nathan | Gilbert, Matt | 5 – 3 |
| 3 | 2:01 | Russia | Hernandez, Jacob | Hernandez, Jaiden | 5 – 4 |
| 3 | 3:47 | Russia | Shanahan, Kevin | Unassisted | 5 – 5 |
| 3 | 4:47 | Italy | Motz, Nathan | Unassisted | 6 – 5 |
| 3 | 7:43 | Italy | Yupanqui, Junior | Unassisted | 7 – 5 |
| 3 | 8:50 | Russia | Merullo, Zack (Sub) | Lewis, Ryan | 7 – 6 |
| 3 | 9:20 | Russia | Hernandez, Jacob | Merullo, Zack (Sub) | 7 – 7 |
| 3 | 9:47 | Russia | Vargas, Augie | Hernandez, Jacob | 7 – 8 |
| 3 | 10:28 | Italy | Narvaiz, David | Motz, Nathan | 8 – 8 |
| 3 | 11:31 | Italy | Yupanqui, Junior | Motz, Nathan | 9 – 8 |
🚨 Penalty Summary
| Per | Time | Team | Player | Infraction | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2:19 | Italy | Narvaiz, David | Hooking | 2:00 |
| 3 | 5:49 | Italy | Gilbert, Matt | Roughing | 2:00 |
| 3 | 5:49 | Russia | Vargas, Augie | Roughing | 2:00 |
🎭 Notable (Or Not) Moments
- Zack Merullo’s Return: After a hiatus to recover from hurt feelings, Zack returned as a sub and immediately made an impact with two goals and an assist.
- Rick Odom in Net: Filling in for Greg Artzberger, Rick delivered a performance best described as “there.” While not solely responsible for the loss, he certainly didn’t prevent it.
- The Wrestling Match: Augie Vargas and Matt Gilbert engaged in a slow-motion grappling session that ended not with punches, but with laughter after a referee tripped over a crack in the rink surface.
- Italy’s Late Surge: Russia reclaimed the lead late in the third, only to surrender two quick goals, perfectly encapsulating their season-long inability to close out games.
⭐ Three Stars
★ Nathan Motz (Italy) – 2 goals, 2 assists, and involvement in the game-winning tally.
★★ Zack Merullo (Russia) – 2 goals and an assist in his impactful return.
★★★ Junior Yupanqui (Italy) – 2 goals, including the dramatic game-winner.
🧠 Final Thoughts
This game was a microcosm of both teams’ seasons: Italy’s resilience and Russia’s late-game collapses. While the standings remained unchanged, the entertainment value was undeniable. Italy skated away with a 9–8 victory and a temporary boost of confidence heading into the playoffs.
Game 2
Italy 10 – Czechia 7
“Meaningless in the Standings, Meaningful for the Ego.”
If Game 1 was a roller coaster, Game 2 was a victory lap for Italy. Facing a Czechia squad that appeared to be conserving energy for the playoffs, Italy capitalized with a convincing 10–7 win to complete the double-header sweep.
📊 Scoring Summary
| Per | Time | Team | Goal Scorer | Assists | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:00 | Italy | Yupanqui, Junior | Unassisted | 1 – 0 |
| 1 | 3:12 | Italy | Baggett, Ashton | Salvano, Ray | 2 – 0 |
| 1 | 9:13 | Czechia | Merullo, Zack (Sub) | Popham, Brandon | 2 – 1 |
| 2 | 2:19 | Italy | Baggett, Ashton | Narvaiz, David | 3 – 1 |
| 2 | 4:45 | Czechia | Popham, Brandon | Minerd, Andrew | 3 – 2 |
| 2 | 7:29 | Italy | Baggett, Ashton | Unassisted | 4 – 2 |
| 2 | 9:17 | Italy | Ortega, Ray | Motz, Nathan | 5 – 2 |
| 2 | 9:54 | Italy | Gilbert, Matt | Salvano, Ray | 6 – 2 |
| 3 | 0:40 | Italy | Yupanqui, Junior | Unassisted | 7 – 2 |
| 3 | 2:01 | Czechia | Minerd, Andrew | Unassisted | 7 – 3 |
| 3 | 3:10 | Italy | Ortega, Ray | Unassisted | 8 – 3 |
| 3 | 5:15 | Czechia | Minerd, Andrew | Unassisted | 8 – 4 |
| 3 | 7:53 | Italy | Baggett, Ashton | Yupanqui, Junior | 9 – 4 |
| 3 | 9:18 | Czechia | Lewis, Neil | Unassisted | 9 – 5 |
| 3 | 9:25 | Italy | Motz, Nathan | Unassisted | 10 – 5 |
| 3 | 10:11 | Czechia | Popham, Brandon | Minerd, Andrew | 10 – 6 |
| 3 | 10:18 | Czechia | Popham, Brandon | Unassisted | 10 – 7 |
🚨 Penalty Summary
| Per | Time | Team | Player | Infraction | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:50 | Italy | Motz, Nathan | Tripping | 2:00 |
🎭 Notable (Or Not) Moments
- Czechia’s Casual Approach: With playoff positioning already secured, Czechia appeared content to conserve energy, leading to defensive lapses and a lack of urgency.
- Ashton Baggett’s Commitment: Playing both games while allegedly “out getting milk,” Ashton delivered a standout performance, further cementing his reputation for dedication to the SARHL over all else.
- Zack Merullo’s Early Exit: After contributing in the first period, Zack departed, leaving Czechia scrambling to regain cohesion. They did not.
- Popham’s Scoring Title: With multiple garbage-time goals all season, Brandon Popham secured the league’s scoring crown in a season where many traditional stars were absent or played limited roles.
⭐ Three Stars
★ Ashton Baggett (Italy) – So many goals to think about while he’s sleeping on the couch.
★★ Junior Yupanqui (Italy) – Two goals and an assist, driving Italy’s offensive momentum. Is the real Jr back?
★★★ Brandon Popham (Czechia) – One goal and two “gimmes”, solidifying his claim to the scoring title.
🧠 Final Thoughts
While the results had no impact on the standings, Italy’s sweep provided a psychological boost heading into the playoffs. Czechia, meanwhile, will look to regroup and refocus as they prepare for the championship game.
🏁 Week 6 Summary
- Italy sweeps the double header, defeating Russia 9–8 and Czechia 10–7.
- Brandon Popham emerges as the league’s scoring champion. What planet are we living on?
- Momentum shifts toward Italy, though Czechia remains the top seed entering the playoffs.
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