SUNDAY OCTOBER 21ST
STREATHAM REDHAWKS VS SWINDON WILDCATS
STREATHAM HIGH ROAD
PRE GAME
Having beaten the Wildcats the night before in Swindon, the Redhawks came in to the game riding a wave of momentum looking to claim a second scalp from one of the leagues title contenders. With a near full bench with Rupert Quiney making his return from injury and with the home ice sure to favour the Hawks style of play over the Wildcats this looked to be another possible upset in the making
1st Period
The game would start out with the Redhawks asserting control of the Wildcats zone, as Carr Roberts and Ranson saw a few early entry attempts get deep however repeatedly the Hawks found the play in to the corner repulsed and fired out. It was only a line change that lead to the pressure going the other way. This would see Jan Kostal shrug of Siagris to fire off the shot but it would be deflected wide. Taylor would then get a follow up but the play would end up going the other way. Where in a pinching Farn would get a slap shot off from the half boards
Roberts and Webb would then force a turn over and improvise a series of cross crease attempts to try and break the deadlock but Marr still kept them at bay. The active stick work of the Wildcats keeping anyone from getting a firm grasp on the rebounds. Going the other way Ben Nethersell would force King to flash the leather.
Josh Condren would then get another one of the best chances in the period on a break away after a turn over. With Wood in support Condren would opt to shoot but it was easily saved by Marr. This would be the end of Redhawks offensive pressure for a while as it saw the beginning of sustained Wildcats pressure with Rutkis, Taylor, Whitfield and Jones all going close.
Soon this pressure would be converted as Aaron Nell would find space in the slot, after a miscue from Farn passing to Warman was turned over to Max Birbraer who would feed the waiting Nell who applied the finish to make it 1-0 Wildcats
Shortly after the Cats would make it 2-0. Sam Bullas gained possession of the puck as the Redhawks failed to clear their own zone, a pass from Birbraer once again found an open Nell on the door step who fired it home to make it 2-0 Wildcats. At this point in an effort to calm his team and get some semblance of order back to the teams play coach Cornish called a time out to go over tactics
Unfortunately despite this the Hawks couldn't make any offensive pressure stick, while they were winning face offs any attempts at taking the Wildcats zone were being repulsed at the blue line. When the Hawks did gain zone entry they couldn't get on target. When Andreas Siagris and Ryan Webb found a way through Tom Soar would fire wide.
After Chris Jones would be called for boarding Andreas Siagris the Redhawks would find a way to get on the board. Alex Roberts would take possession of the puck at the half boards and pass to Jamieson wide open at the point. Jamieson would wind up and fire through traffic, Ryan Webb would give it a tip on the way through to direct it straight in to the top corner of Marrs net to make it 2-1
Buoyed by getting on the board the Redhawks would begin to apply more pressure offensively. Tom Soar would win a battle at the half board and give it to Farn. He would go cross ice across the front of the crease to a waiting Andreas Siagris but he would fire high and wide.
The momentum would shift the way of the Wildcats again soon after, with Michael Farn taking a tripping call at 17:58 the Wildcats would go on the power play. But despite getting plenty of pucks in to the Hawks zone, the Cats would see these cleared repeatedly. The best chance would come when Birbraer and Nell would stretch the Hawks D out of position. Finding himself with an open net it was only a combination of Wood and King that denied Birbraer from making it 3-1
Andreas Siagris would force a turnover after the penalty was killed and streak away with puck, his first attempt would be saved, the Canadian would then force 2 more turnovers in the Cats zone to creates 2 more golden chances to tie the game only to be frustrated by Marr
2nd Period
The Second period would see the Wildcats get out of the gate early as they took zonal control away from the Redhawks, and Aaron Nell would immediately use this to fire in a snap shot that was saved by King. This was then followed up by Bebris, Harding and Kostal combining for an attempted house play. With the central area just outside the crease seemingly surrendered the Wildcats had found a tactic they would look to exploit during the rest of the game
At 21:22 King would make a save on a shot from Bebris, however the rebound would fall to a waiting Harding who would pot the puck to make it 3-1
Andreas Siagris would try to return fire almost immediately but again Marr stood strong in net. But soon after the Redhawks would in their attempts at zonal entry thwarted by the Wildcats D for a time. Eventually Andreas Siagris, would lead another charge with Condren and Webb. But their attempt at tic tac goal would sail wide.
The mountain for the Redhawks would grow taller after this. Once again a failure to clear the defensive zone after pressure caused by a missed interference call on Bailey would allow Edgars Bebris to fire off a shot that deflected off the iron. The rebound would again fall to Harding who just like before made no mistake potting puck to make it 4-1
Redhawks frustrations would boil over at 26 minutes. After a board battle in front of the Redhawks bench Adam Wood and Sam Jones would take exception to one another and the gloves would come off for what in the end amounted to a slight tussle and less of a fight. Each would end up with 2+2 for fighting.
This wouldn't change the flow of momentum, while getting plenty of entry in to the Wildcats zone, the Redhawks best puck carriers were being squeezed out of the game. The gap control being executed by the Cats meant that every carrier would be forced wide with closing pockets of active sticks around him. Totally neutralising any trailing players taking advantage of the space this created
Despite this the Redhawks would soon find a way through. Leigh Jamieson would take the zone, pinching up from defensive duties and go by every one. With Bailey in tow he would pass it off, Baileys initial shot would be saved only to be stuffed home in close by Ryan Webb picking up the garbage.
On the very next play the Redhawks looked to try and get straight back in to things as Farn would try to feed a tip shot to Carr. But with too much power on it Carr could only deflect it up and over. In quick succession Farm, Carr, Quiney and Roberts would all try to create chances and get shots on net but Marr continued to frustrate the offence
It would be turn over trouble again though that lead to the Cats getting another at 33:18. Farn and Warman could not clear the puck out. Aaron Nell would intercept, feeding it to Sam Bulas who would feed Jan Kostal in turn who applied the finishing touch to make it 5-2 Wildcats
The Redhawks would try to return fire, but long stretch pass attempts up the ice, and most action in the neutral zone was being turned over to the Wildcats. However eventually Soar, Webb and Siagris would find a way through. Soar would find a waiting Webb with the net at his mercy but he would whiff on the shot.
The Redhawks would close out the period on the powerplay, as Beesley sped away off a face off he was hauled down by Godfrey attempting to feed a puck to Condren. However unlike the previous powerplay the Redhawks couldn't get settled on the puck. Roberst, Jaimeson and Farn would all get chances but the Cats active sticks meant no Redhawk could settle long enough to fire through the screen
3rd Period
With the game under their control the Wildcats began the third seeking to choke off passing and shooting lanes.
However it seemed with this happening, Cornish had opted for the same tactic he used in the Raiders game as the first foray of the 3rd ended with Ranson firing straight in to Marrs glove. Jamieson would get a couple of good chances off the next face off. The saved and therefore frozen pucks forcing more face offs.
In a change of fortunes the Wildcats would cough up a turn over to Rupert Quiney who would pinch in to create an opportunity for Roberts on the back door but Marr would stop him dead. The momentum would all shift back the Cats way though, as Damien King would be called for tripping Birbraer on a break away.
The Cats would convert on the power play. With Nell and Harding working the outside cycle on the puck. They would find Bebris open at the goal line, and he would bank it in off of the back of Kings pads to make it 6-2
Trying to fire back, Alex Roberts would finally get the space he had been denied all evening and use all his speed to crash Marrs net. But would only find the goalies padding. But speed would be the key to getting a goal on Marr. Beesley would break out from the neutral zone with Bailey in support. While others had opted to shoot earlier on Beesley waited for the Wildcats trying to block him had gone prone, before skating around them to the back of the net. Once there he fed the puck to Bailey who fired home to make it 6-3
With momentum back on their side the Hawks would go looking for more garbage goals around the net. Roberts and Carr would work together to create a goal mouth melee, with the puck loose everyone in the arena thought it might be about to be 6-4 but referee Stephenson blew the play dead because he had lost sight of the puck. Drawing multiple comments from those around me about how the puck hadn't been the only thing he couldn't see
The pressure would continue with Soar, Quiney and Webb all going close. With the game in a more free flow phase, Bebris and Harding would get in 2 on 1 and only just see the puck saved by King. But it would squirm loose and cause a round of hand bags as everyone was digging for it
At 51:08 the Hawks looked to have a way back, with Alex Roberts getting tripped in a goal mouth scramble by Chris Jones the Redhawks had another chance to use their secret weapon of the powerplay. Farn and Jaimeson bombarded Marr from the point, while down low in front Carr, Webb and Roberts circled like sharks, taking pot shots. Eventually Marr caved under the bombardment as Adam Carr would stuff home a loose puck after attempts by Jamieson and Webb
Sadly the comeback would not be completed this time. Despite a period of sustained Redhakws pressure, at 58:08 a turn over of the puck would see Adam Harding complete his hat trick to make it 7-4 on the night to the Wildcats
POST GAME
Well the streak is over, but in a weekend where we played the league title favourites in my opinion. 2 points is better than none over the 2 games. The Wildcats came in and delivered a response to a lack luster performance the night before. They noted every strength and weakness the Redhawks had and capitalised on exploiting and shutting them down.
The Redhawks continued a trend over the last few home games of allowing the away team to come in and dictate the game with a perfect road game plan. Which needs to change with Bracknell the visitors this coming weekend, as when this Redhawks team plays aggressively and dictates the play they are unbeatable on home ice. The team was also fighting the puck luck again all night, as bounces where going to random places and miscued passes and turn overs were plentiful. The drop off in officiating from Mr Stephenson in the second period also was not a help.
It was good to see the fight back in the third, and once again the power play and penalty kill looking strong as ever. Ziggy Beeseley stood out to me as a star performer on the night, every time he had the puck on his stick he looked to be able to create something and his set up for Baileys goal was so well timed and patient.
Ultimately despite my moaning there, this was another entertaining game, the family of first timers in front of me had a real good time(and if they happen to be reading this I am so sorry I got a little loud at times) hopefully they will be back, as winning may be goal one on the night, getting fans to come back is job 2.So even though the result wasn't what we wanted it was still a good game. Unfortunately some times the luck just doesn't bounce your way and you come up against a team with a good road game plan. With Bracknell coming up next week as the only game on Saturday the team will need to bounce back with a trip to Basingstoke the week after with no home game.
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