Aduba slapshot
With the final spot in the post season still up for grabs, 5th place Gold Coast traveled to Melbourne to take on the Medibank Melbourne Ice, in what was an absolute thriller. The crowd rolled in and the Victorian Tange Team fresh from their Gold Medal victory in WA joined the 2 teams on the ice for the National anthem.
ICE applied early presure and looked to be the stronger team. With 4 minutes played Tommy Powell skated around his man, passing to Aduba on the left wing and the rush was on. Powell when straight to the net and Aduba looked like he was about to pass to Powell but dished off to a flying Jason Baclig instead, who scored from the high slot with a perfect wrist shot, 1-0 ICE. ICE continued to pressure for the remainder of the period but credit to the Blue Tongues they clogged up the shooting lanes and the keeper, Luke Fiveash was having a great game seeing every puck and keeping the scoreline 1-0 at the end of the first period.
The second period was a little closer however ICE were still dominating ringing the puck of the iron 4 times without lighting the goal lamp. The period was over in 18 minutes as there was no penalties and both teams giving the crowd a display of skill not yet seen this season. Shots at the end of the second were ICE 23 for 1 goal and Blue Tongues 7 for no goals.
With their season on the line the Blue Tongues lifted in the final period putting the ICE under some incredible pressure. They were rewarded at the 7 minute mark when Captain Ross Howell jumped on the end of a perfect pass from star import Matt Amado to even the game up, 1-1. Following the goal ICE were able to get their offence going firing puck after puck on net but Fiveash wasn’t going to be beaten. It took a great play from Armstrong to ring the puck around to Webster who fired a tight angled shot that rebounded to Joey Hughes. Hughes snapped home the go ahead goal and the ICE lead 2-1 with just 3:46 to play. The game wasn’t over and a brilliant individual effort from Amado opened up a lane for Mike McRae to score the equalizer and take us to another shoot out.
In the shoot out Deman was the difference, stopping Amado and Falk stone cold, whilst Baclig and Armstrong made light work of Fiveash. ICE claimed the victory in a shootout in what was describe by many people as the best game ever in the AIHL.
Medibank Melbourne Ice now travel to the Gold Coast for a double header this coming weekend and then return to the Medibank Icehouse for game 4 in this tightly contested series. GO ICE!!!
