Match Report: 28.9.2014 - Blaze v Steelers CC

Sunday 28^th September 2014 – Coventry Blaze (1-1-0) v Sheffield Steelers (1-1-1) @ SkyDome Arena. Face-off: 5:15pm, Challenge Cup

Coventry Blaze – 2
Kyle Bochek
Jereme Tendler

Sheffield Steelers – 3
Gord Baldwin
Michael Forney
Tyler Mosienko

The first period got underway with both teams coming into the game having lost the night before the blaze started with some early pressure as Rawlyk skates into the Sheffield zone but lost the puck as Roy pocked it away and he skated on goal and shot into the body of Stewart then of the resulting face-off some great stick handling by Colton Fretter ended up with Forney shooting into the body of Stewart. Both teams were having chances at either end but both Doyle and Stewart were gloving down the chances. A great scoring chance fell to Coventry’s Mark Smith but he had the puck stuck in his skates and Doyle came out of his crease to poke the puck out of danger and the same opportunity would happen again but this time would fall for Goertzen but the Steelers would be able to clear the puck. Coventry would have 5 on 3 power play opportunity with Baldwin and Eddy in the box the Blaze got to work trying to open the scoring. It would be a great penalty kill by the Sheffield taking away the shooting lanes and if Blaze got a shot away Doyle was able to save the best chance falling to Ashley Tait, Steelers were also throwing in the hits with Mark Thomas taking out Ryan O’Marra as the visitors returned to full strength. Sheffield best opportunity so far fell to the captain who shot into side netting after a great pass by Mosienko, Coventry would then nearly open the scoring as Doyle would give away a poor turnover Blaze fired one on goal that would bounce of the chest of Steven Goertzen and go wide of the goal, Colton Fretter was also firing shots on goal and his best shot bounced up off Stewart but the Steelers forward was blown down for high stick, Steelers then got a power play as Ryan O’Marra was called for tripping and Stewart was outstanding denying Eddy, Fretter and Hay all with very good scoring chances. On a different powerplay Forney played to Fretter who shot down low into the body of Stewart who had knocked the net off its mooring. With the blaze back to full strength Latulippe and the Steelers found themselves 4 on 1 and instead of passing it he shot into the body of Stewart and then at the other end Cale Tanaka found himself all alone and shot at Doyle and it came of the underside of the bar but Mike Hicks said no goal despite the Blaze fans thinking it was a goal but both teams would go into the break all square with end to end stuff for the 20 minutes of the game.

End of the 1st Period: Coventry Blaze 0–0 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Blaze 13–15 Steelers

Coventry started the second period fast as Doyle had to make two cracking saves of Ashley Tait and then of the resulting face-off Griffin went close but then at the other end Forney was played the puck and he didn’t get a full connection as if he did it would have probably been a goal. Cescon would then later see his shot come back of the post with a shot from the point. It was a very good start to the second session by the Blaze who were seeing a lot of the puck and causing plenty of problems for the Steelers to deal with but with Sheffield on the man advantage Fretter played to Roy who saw his back hand saved by Stewart before Hewitt saw his wrist shot padded by the Blaze netminder and now all of a sudden Sheffield had taken control as Blaze were camped in their zone but there wasn’t really many scoring chances until a few minutes later when Mosienko had re-directed a shot just inches wide of the post and at the other end of the Ice O’Marra shot high and wide of Doyle’s goal. Sheffield would have a 5 on 3 power play opportunity on 34:51 but wouldn’t be able to figure out Stewart as he saved three different one timers from Fretter as well as getting a touch of Mathieu Roy’s shot along the face of goal but as Rawlyk jumped out of the box the Blaze defenceman found himself on the breakaway but Doyle denied him fantastically with the leg pads but then the Steelers broke with Jonathan Phillips into the Coventry zone who played to Gord Baldwin who let rip a bullet of a slap shot past Brian Stewart to give Sheffield a 1-0 lead on 37:14. Sheffield almost made it 2-0 as Cullen Eddy passed to Mosienko to the right of goal but Stewart dived on the puck and covered it up.
End of the 2nd Period: Coventry Blaze 0–1 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Blaze 12–18 Steelers

Third period started expecting a lot of end to end stuff like the rest of the game so far and Blaze looked to get going fast as they fired a shot onto the back of Baldwin from in front but Doyle covered it up then at the other end Dowd passed to Phillips but Stewart saved comfortably but then Coventry would break 2 on 1 and Griffin would pass to Derek Lee at the back door and would force a fantastic glove save out of Frank Doyle but Coventry would come again and on 42:01 Tanaka showed some nice stick handling before Bochek picked up the puck and put it in off the post to level the scores, Mike Hicks wasn’t sure but after discussions with the linesman and the goal judge the goal was given. From the resulting face off Steelers had possession straight away and Mark Thomas played to Mathieu Roy who’s back handed pass was picked up by Forney who waited for Stewart to make the first move before shooting into the open goal at 42:14. Both teams would have power play time but neither team would be able to make it count with no clear cut chances on the man advantages at even strength Cullen Eddy skated coast to coast forcing a save out of Stewart before Latulippe saw his wrist shot gloved down by the Coventry netminder. Sheffield was having a lot of possession in the Blaze zone but Stewart who had been outstanding all night continued to deny the Steelers with Roy and Hewitt in particularly having two great scoring chances. On 55:52 Phil Hill was called two minutes for cross checking which put Coventry on the power play but then on 56:10 Ryan O’Marra had the puck on the blue line and shot through traffic and Tendler got the final touch and put the puck past Doyle for a 2-2 game. Both teams were looking for a winner as Mosienko forced a good save out of Stewart and O’Marra tipping a shot off the post which caused a goal line scramble before Sheffield eventually cleared but no one would score in regulation and the game would be going to overtime.
End of the 3^rd Period: Coventry Blaze 2-2 Sheffield Steelers
Shots on Goal: Blaze 12–20 Steelers

Overtime started and obviously everyone knows it’s next goal winner and it was Steven Goertzen who was first to try his luck but Doyle saved well and at the other end Baldwin shot went of the blocker of Stewart before getting the puck back and going five hole but his shot was covered up. Coventry would have a 3 on 1 opportunity with Goertzen in possession but before he could get the shot away the puck was poked away and Sheffield would counter through Dowd who’s shot went across the goal line as then Darrell Hay had to show great speed to deny Kyle Bochek and then on 64:55 with 5 second left in the game the game winner was scored as Mark Thomas passed to Fretter who skated down the right before throwing the puck in front of goal for Tyler Mosienko to lift the puck into the roof of the net to secure the win for Sheffield.
Shot on Goal: Blaze 2–5 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Coventry Blaze 2–3 Sheffield Steelers OT

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)

Coventry - 0-0-2-0-[18]-{1/3}-39

Sheffield - 0-1-1-1-[10]-{0/9}-58

Coventry Man of the Match: #16 Kyle Bochek
Sheffield Man of the Match: #14 Michael Forney

Coventry Points Round Up: - 6 Points
Cale Tanaka (0+1), Kyle Bochek (1+0), Ashley Tait (0+1), Ryan O’Marra (0+1), Jereme Tendler (1+0), Craig Cescon (0+1)

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 8 Points

Gord Baldwin (1+0), Michael Forney (1+0), Mathieu Roy (0+1), Jonathan Phillips (0+1), Tyler Mosienko (1+0), Mark Thomas (0+2), Colton Fretter (0+1)

Referee: #27 Mike Hicks

Referee:

Linesman: #28 Jonny Liptrott

Linesman: #38 Danny Beresford

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Tom
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