Swooping In:The most difficult lead in hockey.

Sunday 26/11/17

National Cup Group C

With qualification to the next round of the cup sewn up for the Redhawks, the term dead rubber could be given to this game. However as Coach Cornish has said in mid week "this is a team that doesn't take a night off" and with the opposition being The London Raiders, there was the pride of victory in a London derby at stake.

Games between these two teams had been close affairs this season. With the Raiders missing out via the shoot out during their last visit to SW16. Unlike last weeks weakened opposition, the Raiders arrived with a nearly full bench. Only missing Julian Smith and Michael Gray. Once again the Red Hawks would be minus the services of Ryan Watt, his spot being taken by 3rd Generation Redhawk Alec Goldstone.

1st Period

Both teams have been evenly matched this year, and the opening 5 minutes showed this as both sides probed and tested each other defenses. However nothing would give. Raiders net minder Zach Grandy-Smith would turn away repeated ranged Michael Farn efforts and snipes from Andreas Siagris. It was very much run and gun hockey as both sides attempted to match speed and skill with speed and skill. Zonal control was not a thing in this period as the pendulum swung one way then the other in the neutral zone. Olegs Lascenko and Marek Nahlik would combine to generate much of the Raiders offence. However despite gaining the zone, and being allowed to set up, no one could apply the final touch and Matt Colclough was barely tested in any threatening way.

It would be the Redhawk's though who broke the deadlock. Joe Allen working the puck behind the net was able to feed Aiden Doughty, who then found space to skate to the hash marks turn and shoot to fire it home under Smith and it was 1-0 Redhawk's at 7:25 in the 1st(G 19 A 11)

Minutes later the Raiders looked to have a window to get back in the game as James Warman sat for an interference call AT 8:59. But despite the man advantage the Hawks, would find the majority of the offensive pressure as they chose the ultra offensive PK plan. On 3 occasions forcing turn overs at the blue line leading to Ranson,Hayes and Miles all getting 1 on 1's with Smith. Luckilly for the Raiders none found the net.

The Redhawk's offence eventually found a way through though, after sustained pressure from Hayes and Sampford's line, Michael Farn was able to work the puck around to Jamie Hayes. Who found Alex Sampford skating in on support, Sampford potted the puck and it was 2-0 Redhawk's at 15:06(G 7 A 77 A 55) Earlier in the game on a break in Alan Lack and Brendan Miles had almost come to blows. Now possibly seeking to spark something from his team mates Lack challenged Miles off the following face off.

It looked like Lack had gotten the better of his bigger opponent. However when the linesmen jumped in to break things up a bit prematurely the balance of the tilt shifted. Leading to Miles getting the upper hand. Seemingly this did spark the Raiders offence in to life as they began buzzing and crashing the net, working the puck low behind the net. At one point Lascenko found enough space to work down low, and found Turner alone dead center but he could only fire it right at Colclough's chest. The first would end with the Redhaks holding the hardest lead in hockey up by 2.

2nd Period

The Hawks would go in to the second with a choice to make tactically. Go all out and risk conceding or sit back and try to soak up the pressure defending the 2 goals. They chose offence, the second period began with sustained pressure on the Raiders net, but despite the pressure Grandy Smith was equal to everything being thrown at him, and the D were doing a good job killing off the rebounds. While Huska and Nahlik lead the charge when the Raiders were on the offensive. The Redhakws would run in to penalty trouble early in the 2nd though as first Dan Rose was sent to the box for Delay of game, and then James Warman for boarding.

The Raiders would set up for ranged fire on this PP, looking for a rebound and chaos around the net to try and shovel it home. The best chance came when Huska was able to get the puck to Ollie Baldock, with a seemingly wide open back door. But amazingly Colclough manged to get across and close the door on him.

The Raiders would continue to utilize the crash the net approach for the rest of the period, with Alan Lack going close as he rushed down the boards cutting across in to the crease. The best chance the Redhawks would get came at 39 minutes when Joe Allen collected a turn over directly out of the box finding himself in 1 on 1 but unable to convert. And so the second wold end 0-0 with the score still 2-0 to the Hawks

3rd Period

The 3rd period would see Raiders break the shut out in unusual fashion. As Jake Sylvester broke down the win he would be forced wide. Allowing Sean Barry to collect the puck as it came lose, he would attempt a centering pass. Unfortunately for Adam Wood, trying to cover the far side of the net, left open by Colclough, it would bank in off his skate to make it 2-1. This energized the Raiders offence and they began peppering the Hawks net.

Eventually at 51 minutes the Raiders would get a chance to push the advantage and try to get an equalizer as Ben Paynter took a boarding penalty. However far from giving the raiders a chance to pull another one back the Powerplay would gift the Redhawks a return to that 2 goal lead.

Attempting to set up the puck at the blue line, Marek Nahlik would turn the puck over to Andreas Siagris. At first it would seem Siagris was just going to try running down the clock. But the 3 Raiders attempting to steal the puck from the Canadian left Alex Sampford free to skate in 1 on 1 with the puck. Beating Grandy-Smith to make the score 3-1 Redhawks (G 7 A88)

Minutes later it looked like Ryan Webb was going to put the game to bed, skating around everyone on his way to the net, only to lose an edge at the vital final moment. This failure to convert would lead to the Raiders once again clawing one back as Lascenko would intercept an attempted clearance. Crashing the net, with Marek Nahlik crashing in with him. Getting the puck across Colclough's crease to make it 3-2 with 4 minutes on the clock (G 83 A 23)

With minutes to go any hope the Raiders had of a complete come back were ended when John Conolly took a high sticking penalty at 58 minutes. The Redhawks would put the Raiders under sustained pressure trying to kill off the game. And the game would end with a last desperate bid by Nahlik to get the equalizer. First shooting the side netting and then trying to shove the puck home. But it was to no avail and the game ended 3-2 to the Redhwaks.

Post Game thoughts

This was a great hockey game, it had a bit of everything, and was not one sided at all. Man of the match for Raiders went to Callum Burnett. If I am honhest I felt this should have gone to Oleg Lascenko or Marek Nahlik as they were the driving force behind a lot the Raiders best offensive chances.

For the Redhawks, Matt Colclough was very deserving, as he had a solid game in net and realistically but for a freak bounce would have only been down 1 goal on the night. Others of note were Alex Sampford who ran rampant on the offensive for the Hawks. Special mention as well to Ryan Webb who had another strong night, and really deserved a goal.

Next up for the Redhawk's its a 3rd weekend of nothing to do on Saturday. The Hawks will be well rested for the Bracknell Bee's. Sitting 3rd in the table the Bee's will be no push overs, and a returning Frantisek Bakrlik will add more spice to the game. The Redhawk's having turned over Swindon a few weeks ago may fancy their chances in this game, especially with the bees looking to snap a now 6 game losing streak.

Swooping In:Out of Steam

As my main weekly dose of Hockey is going to be at Streatham from now on I have decoded to separate posts on the Redhawks in to a new category. Swooping In will from now on will be the section for posts on the Hawks. While Love Hockey Will Travel will cover games I attend in Basingstoke, Coventry and further afield.

Pre Game Thoughts

So my last trip to Streatham for a dose of hockey had been, against the Invicta Dynamos for a flash point filled bad tempered affair. In that game the Mo's had looked disorganized, and lacking in any strategy. So after seeing that the night before this Mo's side had pulled off the huge upset of beating Bracknell 5-1 I was looking forward to a better game. However the Mo's arrived in SW16 with only 1 and a half lines,mid week the team had lost import Adam Rehak, they would also be without Calum Fowler,Tom Long, Harrison Lillis and Mason Webster.

The short benched Dynamo's team were facing a fresh and rested Redhawks, who though missing Ryan Watt had called up Alec Goldstone from the Junior ranks to take his place in the line up. Invicta would need to dig deep and find something extra, as they had done the night before. 

1st Period

However in the first 12 seconds of the game, that something extra seemed to desert the Dynamo's. As the Redhawks broke in quickly cycling the puck to Michael Farn who would feed Ryan Webb who blasted it home for the opener. 1-0 Redhawks. One criticism that could be levelled at the Dynamo's last visit was the team never regrouped after conceding. Tonight that was different as the Dynamo's regrouped and soon would find themselves on the power play. Focussing on buzzing the net and getting in starting net minder Nate Gregory's space.  While Gregory seemed calm in the face of this, the Redhawks high energy offence, seemed to be throwing Dibble for a loop at the other end. As time after time he seemed to be struggling to see the puck and track his rebounds. Then the games tone took a bit of a shift as Ben Paynter blindsided Seb Downing. In the ensuing melee Paynter and Downing went 1 on 1 while Brendan Miles held Strawson at bay. 

The Dynamo's would convert the following power play, as a well organized unit quickly cycled the puck round. Finally Strawson fed Ryan Morgan who got the puck back to Ondrej Zosiak who would roof the puck over Gregory and tie the game 1-1. But shortly after the Redhawks would pull away again. A neutral zone turn over would lead to Ryan Webb collecting the puck, Andreas Siagris would break in and get a shot off, that was tipped in front by Adam Carr making it 2-1. 

2nd Period

The second period began with the Dynamo's on the back foot as they had 1:21 of PK to play. It looked like the Hawks had punished them within 55 seconds of the start of the period. As Jamie Hayes collected the puck off the cycle at the point and was given space to skate in from low. However it was just a couple of inches wide and wound up ruffling the outside of the net. However despite this the Dynamo's PK looked good and the team seemed to be more focussed and energetic than the Hawks. One bright spot of this was George Hoang who at one point found himself in 1 on 1 but he missed a step and fell. Yet still getting the shot away. 

But despite this new focus, Nate Gregory was withstanding everything the Dynamos could throw at him. Then just after the half way mark the Redhawks won a face off the puck escaped back to Joe Baird at the blue line, who skated in to space and fired towards the net, the puck would take a deflection of a Mo's player on the way in but it made it past Dibble and it was 3-1 Redhawks

In quick succession the Redhawks would look to kill off the game, as it was becoming apparent the short bench and the performance the night before had taken it out of the Dynamo's at this point. As Danny Rose and Alex Sampford combined in a game of tic tac toe, after a lapse in concentration lead to two Mo's defencemen colliding at the point. With only Dibble to defend the net the two passed back and forth drawing him out of place before Sampford fired home 4-1 Redhwaks. The period would end 4-1, with the Redhawks very much in control. 

3rd Period

The 3rd period would begin with a continuation of the Hawks dominance of the game, as Aidan Doughty found a way in from the boards after collecting the puck from Baird. Firing high it again found its way past Dibble and it was 5-1 Streatham. Shortly after this coach Parrish would use his time out,most likely just to get a breather for his exhausted players. Streatham would keep applying the pressure though, and the Dynamo's cause would not be helped by Brandon Webster taking a checking from behind penalty near the 46 minute mark. Though the penalty would be killed, the energy had been drained from the limited number of bodies on the bench as Webster would sit for 10. Eventually another defensive lapse would see Joe Allen fire the puck down low to Siagris who would find Adam Carr alone in the slot area who who put it away for 6-1.

It seemed that the Dynamo's were done at this point, however they still had some fight in them. With the Dynamo's attempting a break in Aiden Doughty would attempt a big hit, however despite knocking down Tom Ralph this was not enough to stop him giving the puck to Louis Colvin who would find Scott Bailey. Who would fire high in to the net beating Gregory to make it 6-2. 

It looked like the possibility of a late fight back would be on, as after successfully killing a penalty Ashley Jackson found himself with the puck upon exiting the penalty box in alone, with support from Bailey. Opting to pass cross ice than shoot Bailey couldn't beat Gregory to generate a 3rd goal. Combined with 2 Dynamo's delay of game penalties in the final minutes of the game meant that would be how it ended. 

Afterthoughts

Brendan Baird would collect man of the match for Streatham, one of many good choices from an overall good team performance. I felt Ryan Webb deserved a look in for this as well, as he not only scored one but generated plenty of offence, and was the one to step up and challenge Webster following the hit on Siagris. Siagris himself was another stand out to me, as whenever he got the puck he seemed to generate chances. But Baird had put in a solid performance at both ends of the ice all night and deserved it. 

John Dibble would get the beers for Invicta. Despite the 6-2 scoreline, John Dibble put in the best performance he could. He frustrated the Hawks offence as long as he could, and gave the Dynamo's a chance to try and claw things back. However in my opinion the whole Dynamo's team deserved the beers purely for putting on a performance that is not reflected in the scoreboard. As they were still doing all they could to generate offence and frustrating the Redhawks own forwards. However they just ran out of steam against the depth of Streatham

Streatham will look to keep the winning streak going next weekend, once again with no game on the Saturday the Redhawks will be well rested as they welcome the London Raiders to SW16. The Raiders should be a tougher opponent for the Redhawks as they have a fuller roster, and will be looking to bounce back from 2 defeats to ex epl sides. Though they did run Swindon very close they were shut out 6-0 by Bison on Sunday night. Having taken the last game in Streatham to a shootout and having taken the points the last time these two teams met the Raiders will be tough opposition.