Lee Valley Lions

Peterborough Islanders

Goals

Penalties

Lee Valley Lions

Additional Comments:

Lee Valley had enjoyed a run of three unbeaten games, but the Peterborough Islanders provided more of a challenge, these opponents being five places higher in the league table than the Lions.

The pace in the first period was fast, the Lions being forced to contend with a Peterborough side whose level of attack was a force to be reckoned with. The situation was made all the more difficult by over-zealous refereeing that left one or both teams almost continuously penalised. Neither team was able to score, despite the Lions’ Stefan Nubert facing no fewer than 29 shots on goal. Patience was wearing thin by the time the first period buzzer sounded and the most minor of spats saw roughing penalties handed out to Mark Saunders and the Islanders’ Fraser Hendry.

The Lions were hit with another penalty before play had even begun in the second period, Stefan Nubert being called for delaying the game as he returned to the ice too late for the ref’s liking. Penalty minutes once again stacked up in rapid succession, the Lions bearing the brunt of them this period. Stefan Nubert was bombarded with a further 23 shots and Peterborough finally took advantage of a powerplay situation at 25:50 when Clint Herring scored his first of the night to put the visitors 1-0 up.

Not to be outdone the Lions soon bounced back with Paul O’Neill and Romanas Fedotovas combining to score short-handed at 27:30. Fedotovas went on to net a cracker just minutes later. The goal was another short-handed effort, this time assisted by Andy Watt.

The Lions then suffered several penalties in quick succession and paid the price with Clint Herring scoring once again on the powerplay at 34:56. Andrzej Maslak had received 2-mins for holding and a 10-mins misconduct and when Paul O’Neill attempted to remonstrate with the referee he received 10-mins despite barely uttering a word.

By this point there were no fewer than six members of the Lions jostling for space in the sin bin. This forced referee Kevin Westney to concede that Maslak and O’Neill should retire to the changing room until the next period began.

With both teams level on two apiece the final period was guaranteed to be full of tension and excitement and fans were not left disappointed. It was the Lions who crept into the lead at 47:07, Ben Williams thumping a powerful shot straight into the top corner from the blue line, the assist going to Michael Jacobs.

The Islanders were determined not to lose points to the Lions and soon equalised with a short-handed goal from Stu Coleman at 48:57. However, Lee Valley were not deterred and found the back of the net once more at 56:02, the goal scored by 17-year-old Michael Ranby and assisted by Ben Williams and Andy Watt.

Just when the Lions thought they had their third win in a row Peterborough struck for the final time at 56:30 with a short-handed equaliser that was Clint Herring’s hat-trick.

Said Ben Williams, “It was a really good game. Everyone worked really hard and all in all it was a great team effort. Bring on the next one!” Special mention must go to netminder Stefan Nubert who faced a colossal 63 shots on goal yet conceded only 4.

Referee was Westney, Linesmen were Harris and Lalonde.