Sunday evening saw only one game take place. The Dundalk Bulls were in action once more. Again in the IIHL Recreational Division as they hosted the Drogheda Ice Breakers 2. This turned out to be the most entertaining game of the weekend. Faceoff was scheduled for 7:30 pm and it attracted a fairly large crowd. The game got under way at a frantic speed as the action was end to end. Both keepers needed to be strong as they were tested early on. It was the Ice Breakers 2 who broke the deadlock. Ten minutes into the game and they had scored through Vitalijs Maksimovs. Arvis Makars and Ivo Kirsis picked up the assists. The Bulls, who had scored 14 goals the night before against the Wolves, were a little shocked to be down a goal. However, the Bulls responded by containing the Ice Breakers 2 in their own zone. They were rewarded just before the break with Mateuz Kulik scoring a goal off a feed from Roman Pecho. The score after the 1st Period was 1 apiece.
The 2nd Period got off to a quick start with the Bulls taking the lead after only 34 seconds through Maxim Bikhovsky off a pass from Robert Grochowicz. It was 10 minutes before the Ice Breakers 2 responded. They levelled the scoring with a goal from Klavs Ciprikis. Mihails Fedans got the assist. However, the Bulls responded with two quick goals. Both came from Grochowicz to give the Bulls a 4 – 2 lead with the end of the 2nd Period in sight. However, the Ice Breakers 2 pulled one back through Maksimovs with Makars getting the assist. The score after the 2nd Period was 4 – 3 to the Bulls and things were getting tight heading into the 3rd Period.
The 3rd Period got off to a fantastic pace as both teams searched for the next goal. The Bulls were looking for the goal which would kill off the game. While the Ice Breakers 2 were looking for the goal which would bring them level with the Bulls. The action was end to end as both teams applied to the others goalkeeper and tried to attack on the break. It was the Ice Breakers 2 who scored first. Vladimir Runov got the equaliser with eight minutes remaining in the game. The Bulls now went searching for the winner and they got the goal, which they thought was the winner, with only three minutes remaining. Grochowicz scored on the powerplay with assists going to Mark Goodall and Lucas Pniewski. They thought victory was in their sights but with less than two minutes remaining in the game, the Ice Breakers 2 equalised again. Again Runov got the equaliser, this time unassisted. The Bulls did their best to find the winner but they were unable to find a way past Patrick Halasz. The score after the 3rd Period was 5 goals each.
Sun 1st Mar @ 7:30 pm – Dundalk Bulls v Drogheda Ice Breakers 2
Final Score: 5 – 5 (1 – 1, 3 – 2, 1 – 2)
SOG: 29 – 31 (7 – 8, 11 – 11, 11 – 12)
PIM: 26 – 8 (2 – 0, 0 – 0, 24 – 6)
Saves: Pepper (26/31) – Halasz (24/29)
*Photograph courtesy of www.derektuitephotography.ie