Game Report Saturday, 28 June Vs Sydney Ice Dogs

The Blue Tongues hit the road after an 8 game homestead to play the Sydney Ice Dogs.  Playing with a short bench of two lines to the Ice Dogs three.  The Ice Dogs came out flat to start the 1st period, yet the Blue Tongues were unable to take advantage.  The Tongues were able to draw Sydney’s Andrew White in to a  hooking penalty,  with 1:13 minutes remaining in the 1st period.  With the Blue Tongues on the power play, and cycling well in the Ice Dogs zone, another penalty was drawn on the Ice Dogs this time to Brock Backus for hooking with 34 seconds left in 1st period.  The penalty enabled a 5 on 3 allowing the Tongues to finish the period off with a good scoring chance from a slap shot from Henrik Ivarrson that was saved by Jim Herbert.

The Blue Tongues entered the 2nd period with a two-man advantage.  Cycling the puck well, including three shots on the net, yet were unable to capitalize.  With a back and forward game in the 2nd period, the Ice Dogs were able to get on the board first.  Jassi Sangha and Brock Backus were able to produce a 2 on 0 while the Blue Tongues were in the mist of a change, coming in with a swift pass from side to side from Backus to Sangha to beat Luke Fivash on his glove slide.

Blue Tongues were able to regroup and answer with a goal from Andre Selander at 7:21 with assist from Chris Martin.  Brad Smulders faceoff win started the defensive zone regroup, enabling Chris Martin to make a pass up to Andre.  Andre skated in hard, with a Sydney defensemen coming in from the inside.  Andre took a wrist shot from the top of the circle, trickling in between the Jim Herbert legs.

The action in the second period did not stop there with the Blue Tongues.  Jonny Bale had an opportunity to put the Tongues ahead but was denied after being slashed down on a breakaway by ice dogs defender Dave Dunwoodie, putting the Blue Tongues back on the power play.  The Tongues were able to get 2 shots on net but the power play lost momentum with the Blue Tongues showing signs of fatigue with the days travel and the short bench taking its toll, the Blue Tongues ending the second period being outshot 11-18.

Heading into the third period with the score tied 1-1, the Blue Tongues put up a fight, coming out strong. At 12:43 Ben Spillane went to the box for holding after throwing the Ice Dogs Andrew White into the side of the goal net as he tried to cut into the goal crease after a wide drive to the net. Blue Tongues allowed 2 shots on net on the power play. The momentum gained by killing off the penalty led to another Andre Selander breakaway, beating the Ice Dog defensemen, yet Jim Herbert came up with a big save to keep the game tied.

With 3:42 remaining in the third period Andrew White of the Ice Dogs was able to jam one pass Luke Fivash from the high slot.  The Blue Tongues were unable to rebound from that goal allowing another at 2:05 once again from Andrew White.  A giveaway from the Tongues up the center allowed for White to get a shot and score to make it 3-1.  In effort to even up the game, Blue Tongues pulled the goalie to put out an extra skater, yet a goal was scored by Anthony Wilson with 21 seconds left which made the final score 4 to 1 Ice Dogs.