Spielbericht Bracknell Bees - Belfast Giants
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18th February 2003
Bees v Belfast 16th February
This was Bracknell's last regular game of the season, one of the most
important games of the year, but not for the home side. The visiting team
needed to take 2 points away in hope that Sheffield slipped up, to be
crowned ISL champions once again. The home side was without Mark Matier,
Greg Owen and Christian Gosselin, but making his home ISL debut was new
signing Chad Nelson. The visiting side were without Curtis Bowen, since
their last visit the Belfast Giants have signed ex-London Knight Steve
Thornton. Between the pipes tonight was Joe Watkins and Ryan Bach.
The game started with Steve Thornton winning the opening face off, a big
shot early on from Kory Karlander found its way to Watkins blocker. The
first two minutes were end to end with the travelling Ausberg fans lending
their support to the home side. Belfast struck first when ex Bracknell Bee
Paxton Schulte skated past two Bracknell players and went one on one to
score at 2.39. This gave Belfast a boost and from there on in it was all
Belfast, Steve Thornton and Kevin Riehl both coming close a number of times.
Bracknell did get a chance to get a goal back early on with Belfast getting
penalised for too many men on the ice at 6.22. Sadly Bracknell were unable
to capitalise on the powerplay, which seemed more like a powerplay for
Belfast as shots rained down on Bracknell. Darren Hurley was guilty for
giving the puck away not once, but twice in the zone, which resulted in Joe
Watkins, having to make a quick reaction save, to stop Dave Matsos from
scoring.
Bracknell then went on the penalty kill as Joe Ciccerello got 2 minutes for
hooking at 8.58. Belfast worked the zone and Rob Stewart came the closest
hitting the post at 10.22. Belfast kept on with the pressure and it paid off
as Robbie Sandrock scored a weak goal against Joe Watkins at 11.06. Watkins
though did lift his stats for the period with two impressive saves with his
glove and then his pad at 13.40.
Bracknell went on the attack at 15.10 and Jonathan Delisle came close
hitting the post. But this didn't last long as Rob Stewart and Kevin Riehl
both had chances to put the game out of reach. The first period ended with
Bracknell trailing 2-0.
The second period started with Steve Thornton winning the opening face off,
he passed back to Lee Sorochan who was checked to the ice by Corey Spring.
The loose puck went to Kory Karlander who skated into the zone and his slap
shot found the corner of the post. Bracknell iced the puck, but Lee Sorochan
was able to touch it, to send it back to the Bracknell zone. A goal mouth
scramble straight from the face off saw numerous chances for the Belfast
side. Though Brad Peddle was able to get the puck and make a break up the
wing. His cross-ice pass to Jonathan Delisle went inches wide of the post.
The puck came out to Shane Johnson, as he turned round to skate into the
Bracknell zone, Darren Hurley went through him like a freight train sending
him crashing to the ice at 23.56. As this was happening Steve O'Rourke and
Ryan Kuwabara had an incident in the corner that saw O'Rourke getting 2
minutes for high sticks and Kuwabara 2 minutes for slashing.
Straight from the face off Rod Stevens went one on one with Joe Watkins,
Stevens went high but Watkins was able to send it high over the bar with his
glove. Bracknell went short-handed again when Jonathan Delisle went for
tripping at 26.43. Bracknell didn't have to defend that long as a tap in on
the right side of the net saw Kevin Riehl put the game out of reach at
27.27. Bracknell tried to get back into the game; some good stops by
Watkins, and a long shot from Corey Spring at 28.50 put some pressure on the
Belfast goalie. Bracknell did get a goal though at 31.02, Tero Arkiomaa
picked up the puck in front of the net and sent the puck to the top right
corner to make the game 3-1 at 31.02.
Belfast started firing everything so Bracknell couldn't get back into it.
Then a slap shot from Robbie Sandrock found the blocker of Joe Watkins, who
fell to the ice in agony holding his hand in pain. He was able to get up and
shortly after Steve Thornton got a 2-minute penalty for interference at
33.46. Bracknell came close a number of times on the powerplay, with Nelson,
Peddle, Ciccerello and Mcbain all coming close. But they couldn't find a way
past ex-NHL goalie Ryan Bach, the last 5 minutes were end to end, with
Belfast making it hard work for themselves.
Steve Thornton won the puck to start the third period, the opening minute
was Belfast attacking but that was stopped when Kory Karlander got 2 minutes
for Illegal equipment at 41.02. Despite Bracknell attacking and crashing the
net they were unable to score and Belfast killed the penalty. Joe Watkins
was lucky Belfast didn't score when a bad bounce off of the boards sent the
puck straight in front of his net. Brad Peddle iced the puck out, but it
didn't clear the zone and a slap shot from Lee Sorochan found its way in the
back of the net before Watkins could move to make it 4-1 at 43.47.
Dan Ceman came close for Bracknell but was unable to convert the puck into
the back of the net. The puck came out to Kory Karlander who out skated the
Bracknell defence and if it weren't for a good poke check by Joe Watkins it
would have been 5-1.
Belfast got another penalty at 48.49 for too many men on the ice; Paxton
Schulte served this. Some good defensive work by Mike Mcbain gave him enough
time to get past the Belfast forwards and carry the puck into the Belfast
zone. His mid ice pass to Tero Arkiomaa gave Arkiomaa enough time but Ryan
Bach anticipated it well and was in a perfect position to stop the puck at
50.30.
Scott Kirton came close with a back hand shot at 52.40 but Lee Sorochan was
able to get to the puck, he and Jonathan Delisle both went for the puck but
a quick elbow from Sorochan forced Delisle to retaliate by slashing Sorochan
on the skate. Both players squared up by Sorochan was quick to skate to the
bench. A casual glove save by Joe at 55.22 was passed to Nelson but his
long-range effort went no where near the net.
Ryan Bach took the puck to the mask at 58.33 which was whistled late much to
the annoyance of Bach. The game finished with Belfast coming out 4-1
winners.
Report by Stuart Fenton and sponsored by Aqua Pura
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