EDINBURGH CAPITALS 3 – 4 DUNDEE STARS
(Sunday 26th December 2010)
Match Report: Andrew Reeves
The Edinburgh Capitals ice hockey team are in a mini crisis at the current time with no dedicated coach, a short roster, lack of wins, small crowds – mainly down to the awful weather – and their top scorer Alex Kim left for Germany earlier this month.
On top of that there growing speculation around Murrayfield that Chris St. Jacques, Adam Taylor and Scott Reid are all looking around as well, something the fans hoped were only rumours.
Edinburgh Capitals hosted the Dundee Stars this Boxing Day evening and a healthy 670 plus fans made it to Murrayfield to support their respective teams.
The first period started slowly and the first nine minutes were certainly flat, although Capitals’ netminder Scott Reid (33) made a diving save across his goal that any premiership goalkeeper would have been proud of, preventing the Stars going one up in the fourth minute.
Stars missed an easy opportunity in the eighth minute when Capitals’ netminder Scott Reid (33) got caught on one side of the net but the puck missed the half empty net so the game remained nil – nil.
Immediately afterwards, Capitals’ Neil Hay (16) took the puck right into the Stars’ third and made an excellent shot but their netminder, Ladislav Kudrna, caught the puck in his glove.
The referee failed to award a penalty for the Stars’ having too many men on the ice despite the puck being caught amongst the players making the line change at the time but just seconds later Stars’ Lauri Kinos received a two minute penalty for interference as the game neared the halfway point of the first period.
Unfortunately the Capitals were unable to make the power play count on this occasion.
Then the Stars hammered in two goals in just thirty seconds, the first by Steve Makway assisted by Brent Hughes and Dan Ceman on 13 minutes dead. The second goal was scored by Jay Latulippe assisted by Peter Cartwright and Tristan Harper.
The remainder of the first period continued with end to end action and a further penalty for the Dundee Stars, this time a two minute penalty for boarding to Mark Nebus. Kyle Horne (5) was the recipient of the offence by Nebus, but he was unhurt.
The first period finished Edinburgh Capitals nil – two Dundee Stars.
The second period started with much more gusto from the Edinburgh Capitals and the Dundee Stars became more aggressive.
In the fourth minute the pressure from the Stars’ was rewarded with goal number three scored by Brent Hughes assisted by Dan Ceman and Euan Forsyth. Three- nil to the Stars.
Halfway through the second period the Capitals’ pulled one back, scored by Adam Taylor (7), assisted by Nick Fanto (18) and Jacques Perreault (23).
Game on.
Nebus and Horne squared up once again and then just into the 12 minute battle commenced with at least three mini fights going on and the fans baying for blood as the rocky theme tune blasts out of the speakers around the rink.
Three players received five lots of penalty minutes. Capitals’ Jeff Hutchins (71) received two minutes for roughing. For the Stars it is a little more serious, Jay Latulippe received a two minute penalty for roughing and 10 minutes for misconduct while team mate Peter Cartwright also received two minutes for roughing and ten minutes for misconduct.
As the officials cleared up the gloves and helmets off the ice the players prepared for the face off.
The Capitals made this power play count with an excellent goal by Iain Bowie (8) assisted by team Captain, Martin Cingel (29) and Neil Hay (16). It was three-two to the Stars but the Capitals had pulled themselves back into the game.
Another penalty as the game entered the 38 minute, this time for the Capitals’ Iain Bowie, who receives two minutes for interference.
Capitals’ Martin Cingel (29) then almost performed a spectacular solo. He picked the puck up from behind his own goal, skated the length of the rink, dodging three Stars’ players and his slapshot was saved by the Stars’ netminder, Ladislav Kudrna.
The second period finished Edinburgh Capitals two – three Dundee Stars.
The third and final period was fast and furious, with both teams skating their hearts out, taking the game directly from one end back down to the other.
Capitals’ Adam Taylor (7) made a great attempt at tapping the puck in and then tripped over the Stars’ netminder. Stars’ player Lauri Kinos took offence, grabbed his shirt and literally dragged him off, Taylor had the grace to just skate away and ignore the obvious abuse being thrown at him.
As the game entered the 51st minute, the Capitals’ third goal was scored by Nick Fanto (18) assisted by Chris St. Jacques (14).
The game was level with nine minutes remaining on the clock.
The Capitals turned up the heat and really looked like the team who beat the Belfast Giants and Nottingham Panthers just last month. The fans woke up as well.
In 57 minutes Capitals’ Neil Hay (16) and Stars’ Tristan Harper both receive two minutes for roughing.
More handbags as Lauri Kinos takes on Capitals’ Martin Cingel (29) but falls over, much to the amusement of the home fans.
Stars continued their aggressive attitude knowing full well it would affect the Capitals whose short roster means that their players are more tired.
However, the hooter sounds and the game finished three – three.
The extra time was played and resulted in no goals for either team so it was on to penalties.
Capitals’ Chris St. Jacques (14) and Nick Fanto (18) both missed their respective shots as did Stars’ Dan Ceman. However, both Brent Hughes and Peter Cartwright were on target so the game finished Dundee Stars four – three Edinburgh Capitals.
As the fans started to pour out of Murrayfield the news was spreading that in fact that game was the last one at Murrayfield for Chris St. Jacques, who has chosen a second league German team over staying at the Edinburgh Capitals who are in the EIHL, the top league in the UK.
The next home game for the Edinburgh Capitals is Sunday, January 2nd 2012 at the Murrayfield ice rink and face-off is 7pm.
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Read more from this contributor at his Andrew Reeves Running Blog or following him on Twitter @andyreeves
