Blue Tongues win in Shootout vs. the Melbourne Ice

The Bartercard Gold Coast Blue Tongues gave strong opposition against the Melbourne Ice on Saturday evening and came up with their first shootout win of the season. Added to the Blue Tongues line up this week were Jack Conner and CJ Anderson, which would help compete against Melbourne Ice playing threeforward lines.

With the Ice taking control in the first 5 minutes of the game, it looked as if they were going to get on the board first. Yet, Jack Conner took a big hit in the neutural zone when receiving a pass, enabling for Andre Selander to pick up the puck and skate over the blue line to take a shot, that went wide but had huge bounce off the boards and in front of the net to allow Brad Smulders to bang one home.

It looked as the momentum was in the Blue Tongues favour, but the Ice were able to get traffic in front of the net, allowing Nathan Lacasse to get shot away and beat CJ Anderson on the top blocker side at 6:56 in the first period.

Brad Smulders connected once again from Andre Selander with 1:13 remaining in the first period. After 20 minutes of play, the Blue Tongues went back into the locker room with a one-goal lead over the Melbourne Ice.

The Blue Tongues had to start the second period shorthanded, as Ben Spillane took a cross checking penalty at the end of the first period. The Blue Tongues killed the remaining 51 seconds off the penalty, allowing only one shot on CJ Anderson.

The momentum was in the favour of the Blue Tongues after the penalty kill, keeping good pressure in the Ice end. However, the Ice got a rush on and with lots of traffic in front of Anderson andthe result was a goal again to Nathan Lacasse’s his second goal of the night.

The tempo of the game continued to stay high, with action happening at both ends of the ice. Andre Selander had a rippling shot at 7:14 in the second period yet it hit the crossbar. The Melbourne Ice was more fortunate by taking the lead with 4:14 remaining in the second period. Liam Webster banged the rebound home after CJ Anderson had a diving first save on a shot from Matt Watkins.

At 3:04 remaining in the second period, Melbourne Ice, Alan Moss was sent to the penalty box after the team had put to many players on the ice. This had led to the Blue Tongues scoring a power play goal at 2:57. Smulders had won the faceoff, (Smulders was 82% on winning faceoffs for the night) allowing Selander to get the puck and pass it to Chris Martin who took a slap shot from the point to beat Stuart Denman, top shelf.

The teams headed in to the third period with the score tied at 3 all. The Blue Tongues would play much of third period shorthanded, as they were assessed with 5 penalties. CJ Anderson kept the Blue Tongues in the game by saving all 16 shot faced in the third period. This means the game was going to a shootout.

Andre Selander was first up for the Blue Tongues and beat Stuart Denman on a deek to the blocker side. Now the pressure was on Tom Powell of the Melbourne Ice to answer back, yet he was denied by CJ Anderson. Brad Smulders would step up next, beating Denman on a quick shot to his glove side. Matt Watkins would answer back for the Ice and beat Anderson on a deek that made the score 2 to 1, Blue Tongues. The goal that would seal the deal for the Blue Tongues would be from Henrik Ivarsson. Ivarsson faked the shot as if he was going to shoot high to the side, to open up the goalie’s legs, and shot the puck five hole between the Denman's legs to seal the deal. Making the final score of the game 4 – 3 Blue Tongues.