Swindon Cougars 3 Guildford Phoenix 5

Saturday 10 December 2011

Cougars came into their final game of 2011 hoping to get one over traditionally tough opponents, esp. as a defeat would effectively make 5th position in the League the best the team could achieve. There were also 3 members (Pullen for Swindon and Durnell & Adams for Phoenix) of the GB U18 Ladies team who had successfully qualified for Division 1 of the World Championships to be held early in the New Year. With McGiffin still missing through illness and Clinton not available, Cougars lined up with Pullen & Bonello (NMs); Kielczewski, P Young, Thompson, R Young, Pettitt and Thrower (D) and J Dolphin, Ford, Taylor, Nell, Redmond, Bancroft, Smith, Da Cova and Abu-Ebid (F). Match officials I. Hayden, R. Webster and C. Edwards.

Period 1

Scoring
Phoenix > 0 - 1 > Denis/Durnell @ 09:45 (PPG)
Phoenix > 0 - 2 > Adams/Rudkin @ 15:30 (EHG)

Penalties
Phoenix > Tull > 2 Mins, Cross-checking @ 05:04
Cougars > Taylor > 2 Mins, Slashing @ 08:55

Shots on Goal
Cougars > 8 on Passmore
Phoenix > 12 on Bonello

Not unusually for games officiated by this referee, there was an early penalty, this time on Phoenix but Cougars were unable to capitalise on the opportunity. Cougars’ only penalty of the period followed just under 6 mins later but seemed a harsh call, esp. when Phoenix took their extra player chance with an opening PowerPlay goal, the shot coming from behind the net that appeared to go in off Bonello. Phoenix extended their lead around the 15 min mark with a well crafted goal; while shortly after Cougars were unlucky with a speculative effort that came off Passmore’s back but cannoned off the crossbar and away.

Period 2

Scoring
Cougars > 1 - 2 > R Young/Taylor @ 30:56 (EHG)
Phoenix > 1 - 3 > Denis @ 34:01 (PPG)
Cougars > 2 - 3 > Abu-Ebid/Taylor @ 34:19 (PPG)
Cougars > 3 - 3 > Bancroft @ 35:26 (DPG)

Penalties
Cougars > Pettitt > 2 Mins, Roughing @ 23:04
Phoenix > Cooke > 2 Mins, Interference @ 23:13
Cougars > Bancroft > 2 Mins, Tripping @ 33:12
Phoenix > Adams > 2 Mins, Tripping @ 34:15
Phoenix > Abbott > 0 Mins, Delay of Game @ 35:26

Shots on Goal
Cougars > 18 on Passmore
Phoenix > 12 on Bonello

The second period began with penalties to both teams on the 23 min mark, with neither team able to score in the brief Powerplay chances or the 4-on-4, although a quick pass out of defence from Thrower gave Taylor a chance which he very nearly took as his quick long shot had Passmore scrabbling around her left post, and overall where the puck was running for a team it wasn’t for Cougars who were benefitting. Cougars finally got rewards for their efforts at the half way mark, and just afterwards Bonello made a reaction save to keep the deficit at 1; as the 33rd min began Da Cova was unlucky not to score following a defensive slip by Phoenix, and then 2 quick Powerplay goals on 34 mins (1 to each) advanced the score to 2 – 3, before just over a minute later Cougars deservedly got back to parity as Bancroft slotted in his first goal of the season (and one he had worked hard for all season long), with Phoenix on a delayed penalty call.

Period 3

Scoring
Phoenix > 3 - 4 > Cheema/Martin @ 55:36 (PPG & GWG)
Phoenix > 3 - 5 > Martin @ 59:57 (EHG)

Penalties
Cougars > Abu-Ebid > 2 Mins, Tripping @ 53:47
Cougars > Bench (Served by Nell) > 2 Mins, Icing Infraction @ 57:18

Shots on Goal
Cougars > 4 on Passmore (personal and team total 30)
Phoenix > 10 on Bonello (personal and team total 34)

The final period began with everything to play for for both teams, and with very few interventions by the officials the first half of the period flew by in little time and without addition to the score mostly due to the lack of chances created. The first penalty of the period, on 54 mins resulted in Phoenix’s third PowerPlay goal of the game as the puck broke to unlikely scorer Cheema on the point and his shot which appeared to have been covered by Bonello must have changed direction in the air as it seemed to brush past the edge of the catcher and into the net; coming only 11 sec before the penalty expired it was tough on Cougars who had worked so hard on the penalty kill up to that point. Cougars then tried hard to get another equaliser but following an icing infraction penalty which they did kill off, they were hit with a sucker punch following a mistake in the defensive end which effectively gifted Phoenix the insurance marker with just 3 sec left in the game. Player of match awards were deservedly given to Phoenix’s Durnell and Cougars’ Bancroft.

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



Report provided by Swindon Cougars IHC