Celtic Cup
Saturday 22nd November
Hawks v Fife Flyers
The Hawks took on the Fife Flyers on Saturday night in what proved to be an excellent game of hockey. The Fife Flyers had a great set of fans with them, which helped the atmosphere a lot. The tension was building around the Ice Dome, as more and more fans came through the doors, for this much anticipated match. The last time these two teams met, was in Scotland when the Flyers had the advantage over the visiting team. The Hawks were looking for revenge today, and that’s just what they got.
The 1st period started off fast and physical, with both teams using the puck sensibly. The atmosphere was magnificent; with #97 Aigars Brencis leading his hawks’ team, the way a captain should, showing sportsmanship and determination to win. But it was the Flyers who had got the first opportunity with, #24 Andy Samuel having a great chance to go one up, with a one on one break away, but he failed to score against the Hawks goaltender Deniss Kurelass, who proved to be solid as a wall. But the Hawks bounced back in style with #13 Janis Kipars breaking down the flyers defence, and netting the puck with ease, assisted by #18 Rory Farrell.
Things went slightly astray for the Hawks, when they were called for having too many men on the ice, but luckily for them, the Flyers could not make anything count from the power play. But it didn’t stay like this for long, with the Scottish side putting severe pressure on the Hawks late on in the period, which lead to a goal from #13 Steven Lynch, assisted by #12 Steven King.
Score at the end of the 1st period Hawks 1 – 2 Flyers.
The 2nd period started like the 1st, very fast and physical hockey. The Flyers were putting pressure on the Hawks early on in the period, but the home side bounced back, with a clean shot on the Flyers goal tender #31 Blair Daly. Tempers got high midway through the period, with # 2 Viktoras Vaiclulionsis for the hawks and #7 Steven Mc Alpine both getting a 2+2 penalty for roughing. But things just got worse for the Flyers when #11 Todd Dutiaume got a 2 minute penalty for roughing. And the hawks took advantage of the powerplay with some great shots coming from key plays #97 and #44. There was some impressive play from the Flyers late on in the period with #23 Jamie Wilson and #21 Lewis Glasgow, showing they will be players to watch out for in the future. The Hawks tried to get a last minute goal, to tie it going into the 3rd period, but failed to do so.
The score at the end of the 2nd period, Hawks 1 – 2 Flyers.
The 3rd period started with great atmosphere, and both teams wanting to bag some goals. The Hawks got off on the right note, with #20 Peter Pucek netting the puck with force, assisted by #11 Jozef Hruska at 41:15 making the scoring 2-2. But the Hawks weren’t going to stop there, with #44 Patrick Buda netting it in style all by himself, which made the scoring 3-2 to the Hawks. The Flyers needed to get on their feet if they wanted to stay in the game. At 45:53, #83 Dimitrijs Fjodorovs scored again for the hawks making it 3-2, and the fans went from bottom low to high heaven. There was a bit of trouble midway through the period, with both teams taking a 2 minute penalty for roughing.
But the Flyers were fighting back with #11 and #24 showing great determination for their team, giving it their all, and the Flyers weren’t finished, they were still searching for that last minute goal, and taking a huge risk playing 6 men on the ice, and leaving an empty net, but they were right, it paid off with #11 Todd Dutiaume netting the puck in the top left corner, assisted by #13 Steven Lynch and #12 Steven King scoring with 1:01 left making the score 3-3. Flyers goaltender Daly was now darting back and forth to the bench as the pendulum of play swung first one way then the other. The Hawks thought the Flyers were done, however they were just regrouping for the final push. Fife elected to continue to play six forwards still searching for that last minute goal. Todd Dutiaume scoring into the top left corner, assisted by Steven Lynch and Steven King making the score 4-3. Agony for one side ecstasy for the other.
With just 0:49 remaining lighting stuck for the hawks, when they were called for a hooking penalty. But it didn’t stop # 97 and Captain Aigars Brencis scoring on an empty net in high class fashion gaining possession deep within his own half and shooting two thirds the length of the rink giving the puck just enough legs to cross the finishing line barely ahead of the onrushing defenders giving despairing chase , and how the Hawks fans showed their appreciation seconds later when the siren called an end to the game. ‘This game has proved that there is no time to relax while you out of that ice or it can severely hurt your team’ said Martin Grant. Words cannot do justice to what has happened in the final period at the Ice Dome, this here game has been one of the best seen at the Ice Dome in a very long
time.
The Final score was 5 – 3 to the Latvian Hawks