After the 1st period the game was scoreless thanks largely to some brilliant goal tending on both teams. The Dublin Rams goalkeeper was especially brilliant between the pipes. The Bulls looked very sharp with crisp concise skating and passing. The Rams came to play and it wasn’t the David vs. Goliath match that everyone seemed to be expecting. Although the game was played largely in the Bulls scoring territory neither team was able to capitalise on power plays as there were no goals scored.
With just under a minute gone in the second period the Bulls caught a bit of luck when a Bulls shot bounced off the right upright. A flurry of brilliant saves followed for both teams until exactly 4 minutes into the second period the Bulls scored on a laser beam from the blue line. Thirteen seconds later another bullet found it’s way into the Rams net off the stick of number 7 with the assist going to number 15. A short time later the Bulls scored again, this time it was by number 9 and again assisting was number 15. Just over 11 minutes into the period number 14 of the Bulls added a fourth goal. With 16:49 off the clock another Bulls goal found it’s way home on a shot scored by number 16, assisted by number 14. One minute later a sixth unanswered goal sailed in, scored by #7 unassisted.
In the 3rd period the Rams came out with more concise passing and seemed to have a renewed focus. Then 1:40 into the final period #9 knocked in a seventh goal assisted by number 14. Two minutes later #11 scored a brilliant goal speeding around the back of the net and putting it in the left side of the goal. Despite the Rams coming out with renewed vigour initially, in the the first seven minutes the Rams failed to capitalise on loose pucks floating around in front of the Bulls goalkeeper. The final 10 minutes of the game were marked by a series of altercations resulting in a morass of penalties ranging anywhere from 2:00 for roughing to 12:00 for another instance. Normally it’s the team who is trailing that loses their composure and gives into frustration, but in this instance it appeared to be the Bulls who had a sizable lead who seemed to be instigating the altercations.
Credit has to be given to both goalkeepers who did a great job, although the Bulls goalkeeper seemed to have much more help in keeping the puck out of scoring range. So in closing it did indeed turn out to be a bit of a David vs. Goliath scenario, but I believe that David learned a few things that will prove valuable the next time these teams meet.