Skill vs. Will – The episode opens at Eddie’s Sports Bar and Restaurant with Laura Mohr (Camille Sullivan) trying to drag a quote out of Shoresy (Jared Keeso). He only wants to talk about how hot she is and refuses to look at her at one point, claiming her beauty is too distracting. She continually asks for a quote until it becomes clear she’s not getting one and leaves.
Later that day, Shoresy hurls insults at the team as they work out at the gym until Sanguinet (Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat) arrives with a summons from Nat (Tasya Teles).
Shorsey becomes incensed when he learns that Frankie (Max Bouffard) is being solely targeted for another calendar. He asks if people even still use calendars. Nat claims they are still a high commodity in the North because people still use sheds and shops. Miigwan (Keilani Elizabeth Rose) points out that it only makes sense to benefit from all the extra gym time the team has put in. Still outraged, Shoresy asks for a ride uptown so he can hurl himself in front of a bus. Ziigwan (Blair Lamora) offers to drive. Miigwan also mentions that the calendar will help them reach the 50K necessary to host the National Senior Tournament. Nat and Shoresy agree that Frankie’s focus needs to be on the Yanks and not some calendar. However, seconds later she claims to not be concerned with Frankie’s focus because the newfound popularity is coming from the richer gay community. Shoresy is unbelieving and becomes almost jealous when Nat reveals that it is only Frankie the community is interested in. Before the meeting wraps, Sanguinet voices his concerns about the competitive nature of hockey players and how Frankie being singled out might split the team.
At the Laughing Buddha, Shoresy teases the team about not being sexy enough to make it into the calendar. He tells Dolo he thought the gay men would be more interested in him. Sanguinet encourages the team to drop it and let Frankie have his day when Pam (Michala Brasseur) delivers a drink to Ted “Hitch” Hitchcock (Terry Ryan) and comments on his band shirt (Mother Earth). Hitch toasts to “Scenery and Fish” and claims it’s the best Canadian record of the genre. Pam disagrees and says it’s “Fluke.” Although they seem a match, she turns down his offer to hang out. Shoresy urges everyone to forget about the calendar and focus on the Yanks.
While officiating the Beer Leagues, Cory (Bourke Cazabon) teases Shoresy about the calendar following him around for the rest of his life. Shorsey says that’s exactly why he refs the Beer League because it’s a good reminder that life can always get much worse. Liam (Keegan Long) jokes about Shorsey’s mid-December spray tan before asking how it felt to be oiled up by his teammates for the shoot. Shoresy says that Cory told him it’s only weird if you get hard. After several warnings about the Yanks coming for their record, Shoresy encourages them to finish the game so he can get back to Liam’s mom. Shorsey skates off with claims that he isn’t worried about the Yanks.
Rejoining Nat, she shares her concerns about America’s growing hockey obsession. Sanguinet assures Canadians are bigger, faster, and more skillful. She doesn’t debate that but explains how it’s their will to be the best that worries her. She tries to explain by pointing out how the Americans started by sending their kids to Canadian hockey schools. Now they have their own that might even be better. Shoresy assures her that the team is focused and he wants that record far too much to let them blow it. Ziigwan interrupts and ends the discussion by asking why the Jims (Jon Mirasty, Brandon Nolan, and Jordan Nolan) are always late.
The question is answered in a jailhouse trivia competition skit where the Quiz Master (Matthew Ellis) hurls trivia questions at inmates and guards.
Shorsey is shocked to learn that his teammates are entraining a group of females when he asks them to Kinhao for seafood. When he notices two women coming out of Dolo’s room, he says it’s no wonder Dolo always fades in the third quarter. While reminding them of the need to focus on the Yanks, two more women emerge from Brant “Goody” Goodleaf’s (Andrew Antsanen) room. Hitch comes out of the third bedroom alone and is teased for eavesdropping. He claims to be in search of something much deeper as Shorsey reminds them again of the need to focus.
While overseeing Frankie’s photo shoot, Nat, Ziigwan, and Miigwan debate over whether or not he looks gay enough. The arrival of Reve (Frankie’s girlfriend) puts an end to the discussion.
Shorsey interrupts Laura and Fish’s (Jacob Smith) first date at Peppi Panini. Shorsey jealously berates him for having time to chit-chat but no time to learn to score goals. Fish points out that he’s the team’s third-highest scorer. Laura’s inquiries about Goody do little to distract Shoresy. From an unseen table, it is Michaels (Ryan McDonell) who draws everyone’s attention by asking if they want to be the best team in the league this year or if they want to be the best team in the league ever. After a moment of silence, Shoresy points out what a loser he is for sitting there alone eating Paninis. Before he can hurl any more insults, a gaggle of runners outside draws Shorsey’s attention.
Later at the rink, Shoresy, Nat, and Sanguinet those same runners stand at attention. Sanduinet introduces them as the Soo Hunt and explains they are participating in a practice known as peak performance imagery. When asked again, he breaks it down further by saying that while their team is thinking about getting laid, the Soo Hunt are here thinking about beating them. After several silent seconds and closer observations, Shoresy, Nat, and Sanguinet realize that the Soo has recruited some very serious talent in the form of Matt Delaney, Brady Schnurr, and Dale Palmer. Nat points out they are in town a day earlier and reminds them of what she was saying about America’s growing hockey obsession.
Shoresy Review
Not a terrible episode. I am fairly new to the series but the more I learn, the more intrigued I become. I can’t deny that some of the humor is out there and raunchy. However, it’s funnier than I would have thought and I do appreciate the use of real hockey players. In addition to that, the story and the character development are far superior to anything I would have imagined. That seemed the case with this episode and introducing a new American competitor the way the show did was genius. I am pleasantly surprised to say I’m looking forward to the next episode. This one easily deserves a 5.4 out of 10.
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