EDINBURGH CAPITALS 3 – 5 DUNDEE STARS
(Dec 19th 2010)
Match Report: Andrew Reeves
Edinburgh Capitals ice hockey team faced their third league game in as many days. On the Friday they travelled with a small band of fans to Dundee Ice Arena to play the Dundee Stars and came away on the losing end of a 4 – 2 score. On Saturday the Capitals travelled to Belfast to face the Belfast Giants and were hammered 8 – 3 and then were back at Murrayfield Ice Rink on the 19th to host the Dundee Stars once again.
The punishing schedule along with a short roster is impacting on the current players. Following Alex Kim’s departure the lines have once again changed so you could excuse this weekend’s performaces because players are not used to playing alongside each other. However, over the previous two weekends the Edinburgh Capitals beat the league’s top two teams, showing they can compete with the squad they have.
The game against the Dundee Stars had match referee Neil Wilson officiating. He has made some controversial decisions against the Capitals in recent weeks. Would tonight be different?
The first period started with the Capitals firing off two shots within the first minute, but the game and atmosphere was somewhat flat this evening at Murrayfield.
Capitals’ Daniel McIntyre (41) received a two minute penalty for hooking within the first four minutes, and a minute later the Stars’ Gary Wishart scored a power play goal, assisted by Jay Latulippe and Peter Cartwright.
Match referee Neil Wilson missed a very obvious trip on Capitals’ Jacques Perreault (23), much to the annoyance of home fans.
The game continued with shots from both teams and the action going end to end but no goals or penalties until the 13th minute when we then had seven solid minutes of action.
Dundee Stars’ Brent Hughes scored their second goal (13.48), assisted by Mark Nebus and Dan Ceman. Just twenty seven seconds later the Capitals went on the power play but Stars’ Sam McCluskey received a two minute penalty for slashing.
Thirty seconds later we had a double penalty when Stars’ Matt Suderman took a two minute penalty for elbowing and Capitals’ Kyle Horne (5) received two minutes for roughing. This was a silly penalty for Horne. If he had not retaliated he would have still been on the ice.
Just over two minutes later things got worse for the Stars when Mark Nebus received a two plus two penalty for roughing, meaning he was out until the next period. The announcer read out that Capitals’ Jeff Hutchins had received a penalty, but it was a mistake, no penalty for the Capitals’.
We had another double penalty two minutes later. Capitals’ Kyle Horne (5) received a two minute minor for elbowing plus a five minute major penalty for fighting and the Stars’ Lauri Kinos received a five minute major penalty for fighting. It appeared that the Stars’ were determined to take out as many Capitals’ players as they could, knowing they have a short roster and this would have an impact.
Before the end of the first period, there was time for one more penalty, this time for the Stars’ Matt Suderman, who received two minutes for interference.
Then in the final seconds before the hooter, Dundee had a shot saved by Capitals’ Scott Reid (33), but Stars’ Steve Makway put the puck in the net after the hooter had sounded and then was pushing and shoving with Scott Reid.
The first period finished Edinburgh Capitals nil – two Dundee Stars.
Following the face off, Capitals’ Chris St. Jacques (14) made a mistake on the blue line that nearly proved very costly. Thankfully for St. Jacques and the Capitals, Scott Reid (33) was on good form and saved the shot.
Just after the first minute, Capitals’ Kyle Horne (5) pulled one back for the home team while still on the power play. Unfortunately exactly three minutes later, the Stars’ Steve Makway makes it three – one to Dundee.
The Stars launched another attack from the face off, however this time they were denied by the cross bar, followed a minute later by an awesome save by the Capitals’ netminder, Scott Reid (33).
Moments after the five minute mark the Stars’ number 15, A. J. McLean scored their fourth goal, assisted by John Dolan and Gary Wishart.
Then, as the clock hits 28.06, the Stars’ Matt Suderman is sent off for his third penalty of the game, two minutes for cross checking. The Capitals went on the power play and forty five seconds later, Kye Horne (5) scored assisted by Nick Fanto (18) and Chris St. Jacques (14).
The Capitals started to look more awake and lively and Chris St. Jacques (14) had two great shots, unfortunately both deflected off the cross bar.
Just before the period came to an end Stars’ Lauri Kinos received a two minute penalty for interference while moments later Capitals’ Chris St. Jacques (14) received two minutes for slashing.
The second period finished Edinburgh Capitals two – four Dundee Stars.
The third and final period got under way and even the Capitals’ mascot looks tired and quiet. The players have an excuse after three games in three days, but the fans and mascot needed to get behind their team during this difficult time.
Three minutes into the third period and the Stars score. The goal was by Mark Nebus assisted by Dan Ceman. That’s five – two.
Could the Capitals pull anything out of the bag once again ?
Halfway through the period the Capitals went on the offensive but the Stars’ defence remained solid and kept all the shots away from goal.
Unfortunately just over the halfway mark, Evan Schafer (25) received a two minute penalty for hooking. Twenty three seconds later the Stars’ Peter Cartwright took two minutes for high sticks.
90 seconds on and the Stars’ received their ninth penalty of the game when Jay Latulippe received two minutes for tripping.
The last seven minutes of the game were end to end but nothing spectacular from either team.
The game finished Edinburgh Capitals three – five Dundee Stars.
There were 38 minutes of penalties in this game. The Stars are obviously learning from teams such as the Nottingham Panthers.
Men of the match were Dundee Stars’ Mark Nebus and Edinburgh Capitals’ Nick Fanto (18).
Read more from this contributor at his Andrew Reeves Running Blog or following him on Twitter @andyreeves
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