Ohio Mayhem, Gay Hockey Ohio’s first team, shut out the NetJets 4‑0 to win the Chiller Adult Hockey League’s winter-session Sunday D South division championship.

Mayhem is the only LGBT and allied team in the league. They left bruised and battered heterosexual egos in their wake during the playoffs at the Chiller ice rink in the Columbus suburb of Dublin.

The NetJets’ fans showed up in full force for the April 27 championship, but the Mayhem fans were not to be outdone. They showed up in bigger numbers and were able to drown out the NetJets fan base.

Forest “Houdini” Edwards started the scoring early. Edwards’ shot trickled across the goal line just 34 seconds into the first period. The goal was unassisted, and was the only goal in the period.

While there were no penalties in the first period, play got more physical in the second period.

At just under eight minutes in, Michael “Quiet Man” Davis received a tripping call when he slid to break up a scoring chance by Matt Larimore. Larimore went down, but received a penalty of his own when he chopped David’s stick out of his hands. Two minutes later, the NetJets were called for another penalty when Chris Counahan was sent to the sin bin for elbowing.

The Mayhem’s power play lasted only 12 second before Clay “Too Tall” Irwin was sent off for roughing with 5:35 remaining in the period.

With just 25 seconds on the clock in the second period, Jim Pun put the biscuit in the basket after receiving a pass from Eric “The Banker” Caridas.

The third period saw “Ruthless” Ryan Jones score his first goal of season just 38 seconds in, assisted by Matt “Leatherneck” Betts and Irwin.

Udo “Wingman” Schmidt-Sinns bypassed the NetJets defense, bringing the score to 4-0. The NetJets got a power play when Mayhem’s Doug “Cowtown Bound” Massey was sent off the ice for roughing, but they could not capitalize on their advantage. When Massey returned to the ice, the energy was sucked out of the NetJets and the Mayhem knew the title was theirs.

The championship caps off a season in which the team lost three players for the entire season due to injury. Mark “Pulitzer” Miller was lost early in the season due to heart surgery, although he returned to cheer his teammates on for the last few games. Uwe Scharfy went out with a back injury, and Mike Miller damaged his ankle.

More information about Gay Hockey Ohio is available at www.gayhockeyohio.com. The organization has fielded two teams in the past, the Mayhem and the Havoc, but the two were folded into one this season. Organizers hope to have both teams back by the fall session. The spring-summer session begins on May 11.

--Michael Davis
and Anthony Glassman