Runaway leaders steamroller Phoenix U-16 B-Team

Thursday, 1st November 2007

Nottingham Lynx 9 - 0 Phoenix U-16B

The Phoenix cause was severely hampered last Sunday in the NIC as starting goalie Nicole Jackson was away on family holiday and with Sam Heyes having left the club to join Flintshire, the Phoenix had to negotiate with the EIHA to ice U-16A netminder Bob Browne for one game. EIHA red tape meant that Browne had to register for a month and transfer fees were levied... for an internal transfer (?). Then with the U-16A goalie Adam Grisdale sustaining a groin injury, Browne had to revert back, leaving the Bteam with no other alternative than to draft a skater to play between the pipes. Josh Sweet volunteered and played against the previously unbeaten Lynx side wearing Nicole's equipment.

As if that wasn't enough to contend with, traffic delays on the M1 meant no proper warm up and Josh only arriving at the NIC as the teams took to the ice. Nottingham were at full strength and Phoenix knew up front that the job ahead of them was a big one. The visitors though enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, but it wasn't long before the home side settled and had Josh Sweet picking the puck out of the twine. Less than a minute later, Lynx doubled their lead with a powerplay shot through traffic. The first period was quite feisty and that suited the Phoenix squad who battled bravely and were not disgraced trailing 2-0 at the first break with the shots even at five apiece.

But, the good display of the first session went awry in the second as Phoenix ran into penalty trouble almost from the restart. Ironically, it was on a Phoenix powerplay that Lynx increased their lead as an errant puck evaded the stick of Ryan Hulme and Pearce Gentry was able to race away shorthanded to easily beat a stranded Sweet. With decisions going against them Phoenix discipline began to evaporate and when Hulme, somewhat harshly adjudged a Slashing minor, questioned the referee's optical prowess he was immediately given an additional ten minutes. Lynx made the most of the man advantage to make it 4-0 and with Phoenix struggling to come to terms with the situation, Lynx took full advantage as Gentry added his second of the period inside seven seconds. Phoenix tempers were fuming moments later as Shannon Lingwood appeared to be tripped with no call from the referee. Lingwood queried the non-call and the striped official decided he too needed ten minutes in the 'cooler' to reflect upon the mysteries of life. Amazingly, the remaining Phoenix players dug deep into reserves that nobody thought they had and they restricted the home side to just one more marker before the second interval with Sweet making two outstanding glove saves in the process.

The third period saw most of the play in neutral ice with some wayward shooting by both teams and ref Thomas continuing to call penalties on both teams. Gentry added his fourth goal at 40:09 on another powerplay breakaway, surprisingly with both Hulme and Lingwood again in the penalty box. Lynx wrapped up the scoring with a fourth powerplay marker and condemn a brave Phoenix effort to a whitewash.

A Phoenix spokesperson noted, "not a game to remember for scoring opportunities, but one for a valiant effort by an outfield U-14 player donning the pads for a one-off game in goal. Well done to Josh Sweet who deserved his MVP award, not forgetting the rest of the team who played their part in keeping a far more experienced team down to only nine goals."

Period scores: 2-0, 4-0, 3-0

SOGs: 21 - 9

PIMs: 26-30

Runaway leaders steamroller Phoenix U-16 B-Team

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