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MK Thunder 1 – 3 Chelmsford
Chieftains
Period scores: 0-0, 0-2, 1-1
Penalty mins: MK Thunder 14
Chelmsford 14
Shots on Goal: On Thunder’s Mark
Woolf 37
On Chelmsford’s
Andrew Moffat 26
Man of the match: MK Thunder:
Mark Woolf
Thunder’s opening game of the new season
saw them take on one of the pre-season title favourites, Chelmsford Chieftains
at the Thunderdome last Saturday night. In front of a good opening day crowd,
the new look Thunder team were to be given a very tough test of character and
commitment by the visitors, and although the result didn’t go their way, the
performance showed a lot of promise for the season ahead.
Chelmsford
were definitely the better skilled team, but Thunder showed their trademark
teamwork and heart to combat their opponents advantage and kept the score at 0-0
for over half the game. The first period
started in the expected manner with some end to end hockey, with Chieftains
having the greater share of the possession. The game seemed to go back and forth
and neither side seemed able to break the other down, in particular the very
solid Mark Woolf in the Thunder net who was outstanding throughout the game.
The second period began in much the same way the
first ended with end to end hockey. The impressive Woolf saved a great effort
from a Hammond breakaway on 28:49. Just under 5mins later Wright had a rocket of
a shot well stopped by Woolf. Moffat then made a good save the other end of the
ice before the deadlock was broken on 36:19 when Chieftain’s import Dzurko hit a
shot which somehow found its way past Woolf from a tight angle to give the
Chieftains the lead with a shorthanded goal. A minute later and the Chelmsford
lead was doubled when a Novak pass/shot fell to Hammond and he was able to put
it into the net.
At 0-2 down going into the last period, Thunder
came out for the last period determined to get back into the game, and began to
take the attack to Chelmsford, however a powerplay opportunity for Chieftains at
43:41 made it 3-0 with a goal from their other import Pavlus. Thunder eventually
found a way past Moffat in the Chieftains net on 46:23 when a 5 on 3 power play
opportunity resulted in young Connor Hubbuck slotting home the puck, assisted by
Jack Robinson and could have made it 2-3 shortly afterwards but for another good
save from Moffat.
Overall, this performance from Thunder showed
that the mix of the team is right and the heart is well and truly there for all
to see. It was certainly a harder game for Chieftains than they were expecting
and showed glimpses of what’s ahead when the youngsters settle in and the lines
have played together more. |
