Swindon Cougars 5 Chelmsford Mohawks 6

Sunday 18 September 2011

The fixture list had thrown up a quick return match from Cougars first game 2 weeks previously, although their opponents had also played the day before. Cougars welcomed back Taylor, but were missing Kielczewski, Clinton, Abu-Ebid and R Young, whilst Porter had left the squad and Gingell may also have done the same. Starting team - Netminders - Bonello & Pullen; Defence - Shail, P Young, Pettitt, Thrower & McGiffin and Forwards - Thompson, J Dolphin, Z Dolphin, Taylor, Nell, Redmond, Bancroft, Smith & Da Cova. Match officials S. Davies, J. Tabel and C. Edwards.

Period 1

Scoring
Mohawks > 0 - 1 > Grant/Wilson @ 08:32 (PPG)
Mohawks > 0 - 2 > Woodford/Dervish @ 09:30 (PPG)
Mohawks > 0 - 3 > Dervish/Webster @ 14:51 (EHG)
Cougars > 1 - 3 > Smith/J Dolphin @ 15:05 (EHG)
Mohawks > 1 - 4 > Webster/Dervish @ 17:46 (EHG)

Penalties
Cougars > Smith > 2 Min, High Sticking @ 07:34
Cougars > Pettitt > 2 Min, Delay of Game @ 07:40
Mohawks > Webster > 2 Min, Roughing @ 10:17
Cougars > J Dolphin > 2 Min, Roughing @ 10:17
Mohawks > Wilson 2 Min, Cross Checking @ 11:27

Shots on Goal
Cougars > 6 on Bishop
Mohawks > 10 on Bonello

The game having being slightly delayed whilst a problem with the penalty boxes was sorted out began at a frenetic pace with play going end to end as the teams probed for that all important early score; but nothing much was to happen until the 8th minute when Cougars were assessed two quick penalties giving Mohawks a 5-on-3 opportunity of nearly 2 mins. Unfortunately for Cougars they paid dearly as Mohawks scored on both Powerplays.

Worse was to come six minutes later as Mohawks extended their lead after Cougars failed to clear their defensive lines. This time Cougars responded quickly getting on the scoreboard with a good finish from Smith after a brief scramble around the net. Good news was short-lived as Mohawks regained their three goal advantage with just over two minutes of the period remaining. Cougars still seemed to be struggling to put cohesive attacks together and too many passes were going astray.

Period 2

Scoring
Cougars > 2 - 4 > Redmond @ 24:52 (EHG)
Cougars > 3 - 4 > Taylor/Redmond/McGiffin @ 38:04 (EHG)

Penalties
Mohawks > Clark > 2 Min, Cross Checking @ 22:23
Cougars > Thrower > 2 Min, Tripping @ 39:06 (co-incidental)
Cougars > Thrower > 2 Min, Roughing @ 41:06
Mohawks > Webster > 2 Min, Roughing @ 39:06 (co-incidental)
Mohawks > Lowry > 2 Min, Elbows @ 39:41

Shots on Goal
Cougars > 11 on Bishop
Mohawks > 10 on Bonello

This was a strange period to watch, as it seemed from the sidelines that Mohawks were just toying with Cougars as their own passing was much crisper, and they seemed capable of upping a gear whenever they wanted, but only Cougars found the net firstly with a slightly controversial goal around 25 mins (Mohawks NM convinced the puck hadn’t gone fully across the line), and then somewhat against the run of play Cougars got back to within one goal as the period wound down. Four late penalties, two of them co-incidental following a minor altercation around the Cougars net, skewed the totals a bit.

Period 3

Scoring
Mohawks > 3 - 5 > Woodford/Grant @ 40:12 (EHG)
Mohawks > 3 - 6 > Swainsbury/Lowry @ 41:51 (EHG) (GWG)
Cougars > 4 - 6 > Da Cova/McGiffin/Smith @ 52:08 (PPG)
Cougars > 5 - 6 > J Dolphin/Taylor @ 57:45 (EHG)

Penalties
Mohawks > Clark > 2 Min, Cross Checking @ 43:12
Mohawks > Clark > 2 Min, Delay of Game @ 50:18
Mohawks > Webster > 2 Min, Interference @ 52:02

Shots on Goal
Cougars > 14 on Bishop (personal and team total 31)
Mohawks > 8 on Bonello (personal and team total 28)

Having scrambled their way back into contention, the last thing Cougars needed was the way the final period started as Mohawks scored twice more inside the first two minutes of the period, but from then on they seemed more intent on extending the score through individual attacks than their previous team efforts and slowly Cougars began to gain a foothold in the game, the powerplay goal from the again impressive Da Cova got things started as Cougars began to swarm all over the Mohawks defence.

Cougars called a time-out and from the re-start pulled a move more normally associated with Chelmsford teams by withdrawing Bonello for an extra out ice skater and they were duly rewarded just four seconds later following another goalmouth scramble. From then on they laid siege to the Mohawks goal and within 30 seconds they could have got the equaliser they probably just about deserved as the puck squirmed through a number of skates past Bishop’s gloves but just rolled to safety off the outside of the post, and in the end the Mohawks defence held firm to complete the double over Cougars to complete a miserable start to the season for the home team with a game at currently unbeaten Bracknell to follow next weekend. Player of the match awards were presented to Mohawks’ Grant and Cougars’ Bonello.

Notes
EHG = Even-Handed Goal
PPG = PowerPlay Goal
SHG = Short-Handed Goal
GWG = Game Winning Goal
ENG = Empty Net Goal



Report provided by Swindon Cougars IHC