Oxford City Stars made their way down to Gosport, for the Solent Devils first home game of 2016 with the Devils having lost their last five games – including one to the Stars in Oxford.
The first period started quickly, with Mitch Murray beating Tom Annetts in the Stars goal, only to be stopped by the post, with the rebound being scooped up by Annetts.
Alex Murray getting in the way of Michael Whilock’s shot on the Devils goal.
From the face off in the Oxford end, there seemed to be some pushing and shoving, referee Blaine Evans choosing to have a word with both teams early, and settle any delusions that either team may have had about acceptable behaviour during the game.
The first goal of the game put Oxford in the lead, just past the two minute mark, and was credited to Josh Florey, although it appeared to be a home goal as Alex Cole went to take the puck across the front of the goal, and managed to knock it under Christian Cole’s pads and in to the net.
Ralfs Circenis was pushing hard, trying to make the goal back and picked up the puck deep in the Devils zone. Circenis pulled the puck away from one Star, and took it round two more as he headed at the Oxford goal at real speed, but while his run may have bested the Stars, his shot was stopped by the right boot of Annetts.
George Norcliffe was also attacking strongly, and when trying to recover the puck as the Stars were taking out of their area, Norcliffe was sent to the sin bin for two minutes for slashing, after his aggressive and arm’s length tackle took the stick from his opponent’s hands.
Devils manage to kill off this penalty, and were shortly granted a power play themselves, when Sam Arnold was given a penalty for holding Devils Canadian import, Richard Brown.
The puck was dropped, knocked out of the face out circle, picked up by Ben Ealey-Newman who took it down the ice at blistering speed, and fired it past Cole, doubling the Stars lead.
Before Arnold made it back on to the ice, the puck was once again deep in the Devils zone. Circenis went to clear it from the corner, but a mis-hit pass was picked up by Alan Green on the blue line, who fired it straight past Cole, hard enough to send the water bottle from the top of the net.
The puck was dropped back in centre ice, and was passed around the neutral zone by the Stars, who slowly started advancing, keeping the passing going until they were right in front of the goal. Nick Oliver this time getting a point, as he and Florey got the assists on Joe Edwards ninth goal of the season.
Despite being four down, the Devils knew they still had a lot of time left in the game, and continued battling. While defending, Shane Moore was sent out for delay of game, giving the Devils their second power play of the game.
Mitch Murray behind the goal celebrating, as Alex Murray is still entwined with the Oxford defence, following Ben Lock’s goal
Alex Murray and Dominik Hegyi went straight on the attack, but once again, Annetts was focused and froze the puck. Alex Murray stepped in to the faceoff circle, and managed to knock the puck out to his brother, Mitch, who fired through traffic and finally got a point for the Devils.
Heading in to the break on the wrong side of a 4-1 score, was not a comfortable place for the Devils, however you could see Stars were obviously happy with the scoreline.
Coming back in to the second, the game started to get quite physical, with the puck going from end to end.
Alex Trendall and Stars alternate captain, Dax Hedges, had a small altercation. Trendall was given a two minute penalty for slashing, Hedges however, managed to pick up twenty seven minutes of penalty time – two for roughing, and five plus twenty for a check from behind.
Alex Murray went to the sin bin, shortly after Trendall returned to the ice. Murray picking up a hooking penalty, and just prior to the second break Hedges received some company in the form of the Stars other alternate captain, Andrew Cox, for tripping.
As the teams left the ice, the score remained 4-1 to the visitors.
Still on the power play at the start of the third, the Devils were on the attack. Mitch Murray got his second goal of the game, this time, unassisted.
The game picked up intensity at this point, the Devils obviously realising that time was running out and sensing that it was possible to catch the Stars, Stars themselves realising their lead may not be as secure as they thought during the second period.
There was a small scuffle in the corner of the rink, as everyone fought to dig the puck out from where it was trapped against the boards. Ben Lock went down hard, and the game was stopped so he could receive attention, and was clapped as he was escorted off the ice, but did so under his own power.
The game restarted, while Lock was still off the ice, and with the puck flying around the visitor’s end, Paull Petts and Shaun Rudkin picked up assists as Brown managed to fire the puck past Annetts, meaning the Devils were now only one behind.
Lock returned to the ice, and from the face off the puck was taken straight back to the Oxford zone. Alex Murray was leading the charge, the Devils doing everything they could to level the score, when Murray slipped the puck back to Lock on the blue line. Lock’s shot had the crowd on their feet, it seemed like Annetts only knew what had happened from the noise from the Devils supporters.
Oxford tried to rally, and came out attacking hard, with Ondrej Pekarik making a charge on the Devils goal. Cole, managed to freeze the puck under his body, but Pekarik trying to dig it back out didn’t hear the whistle from the ref. Obviously, the Devils all went in to protect their net minder, which bought several of the Stars in too. Pekarik was sent out on a two minute slashing penalty, and the game restarted.
Mason Wild picked up the puck and went heading down the wing, when a good hit from Shane Moore floored Wild on the centre line.
Stars then lost Green too, following a hooking call.
Devils, having come in to this period at a three goal deficit, managed to pull in to the lead. The puck dropped, and Richard Facey nocked it out to Norcliffe, who sent it on to Circenis, who buried it deep in to the Stars net.
The Devils were pushing then, trying to extend their lead, and the Stars were struggling to get over the shock. The play ended up in the Stars crease, and during an exchange of words, Annetts picked up a ten minute penalty for un-sportsmanlike conduct.
Minutes later, Moore was given a ten minute penalty too, this for misconduct.
Ralfs Circenis taking the puck down the wing, avoiding Ben Ealey-Newman
Rudkin was then sent to the sin bin too, an interference call meaning the Devils were now a man down, with only two and a half minutes left of the game.
The Stars pulled the goalie, Annetts heading for the bench made it 6 on 4 in favour of the visitors, when with just one minute left the game was stopped when Cole stopped a shot.
The puck dropped, Green got it, sent it to Florey, who passed it off to Boris Ruzicka, who celebrated tying up the game, by doing a Superman slide, on his stomach, across the centre line.
Both teams, then tried to get on top of the other, but there was not enough time left on the clock for either team to do anything more than prevent the other from scoring, resulting in the game ending 5-5.
Somehow, just after the final buzzer had blown, Ruzika was awarded a ten minute un-sportsmanlike conduct penalty.
This game, ends a five game losing streak for the Devils, and extends Stars unbeaten run, to four in a row.
Both teams have double header weekends, with Devils traveling to Milton Keynes and Oxford at home to London Raiders, with all four teams taking up the middle of the table.
You must be logged in to post a comment.