Blue Tongues Teach Ice Dogs New Tricks

The Blue Tongues swept the Sydney Ice Dogs at home this weekend in Bundall. After losing 9-2 on Saturday, the Ice Dogs came out firing in the first period of game 2, taking charge early and controlling the puck. It was scrappy hockey (which is common in Ice Dogs games due to their physical style of play), with a multitude of turnovers in the neutral zone. Goaltender Luke Fiveash was between the pipes for the Blue Tongues and also took a little while to find his stride on the ice. The Blue Tongues floundered a little until Marco Bertossa scored a surprising goal just under 3 minutes into the first period. With a little over 2 and a half minutes left in the first period, Scott Stephenson sailed the puck past Fiveash, and the teams headed back to the locker room drawn 1-1 without either team gracing the penalty box.

In the second period the Blue Tongues still seemed a little lost, and only 2 and a half minutes in Matthew Monahan put the Ice Dogs ahead 2-1. They found their stride 4 minutes and 3 seconds later when Trevor Walsh evened up the score, and 2 and a half minutes later, Captain Ross Howell, playing forward instead of his usual defensive position, took the Blue Tongues into the lead 3-2. Matthew Monahan evened up the score once more with 4 minutes and 15 seconds left in the second, but a minute later, Ross Howell scored again and took the Blue Tongues to the break with a 4-3 lead.

In the third period, Sydney's Jassi Sangha was sent to the penalty box, leading to Gold Coast forward Trevor Walsh scoring on the powerplay. Sydney's Scott Herbert was penalised 40 seconds later, and import center Brad Smulders capitalised on the powerplay, sending the Blue Tongues to a 6-3 lead. Jon Bale extended the lead to 7-3 with just under 4 minutes left in the game. The Ice Dogs tried to rally with Brock Backus netting one with 2 minutes and 56 seconds left in the game, but it was too little too late. Brad Smulders put the final nail in the proverbial coffin, sliding the 8th goal of the night past Sydney goaltender, Alan Becken with only 45 seconds left in the game.

First star of the weekend, with 6 goals and 7 assists for 13 points was Brad Smulders. Second star of the weekend was Captain Ross Howell, who not only put on 2 goals and 2 assists for the weekend, but switched positions from defense to forward halfway through Saturday's game and continued in that position on Sunday as an effective defensive forward and was instrumental on the powerplay.

Tonight's win puts the Blue Tongues into second place on the AIHL ladder, behind leaders Newcastle North Stars. Gold Coast are on the road until August 1 and 2 when they face the Canberra Knights at Bundall Iceland.