Late goal lifts Adrenaline over Bears

The Adelaide Adrenaline have stunned the Sydney Bears with a 3-2 shootout win at the Macquarie Ice Rink on Saturday night.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Adelaide tied the game late in the third period to force a shootout, and import goalie Matt Murphy was sensational in his AIHL debut, stopping 45 shots on the night.

“That was a thriller,” Adelaide Coach Sami Mantere said. “We’ve had quite a few one goals losses over the last year, (so it was) great to see the boys come back.”

The Bears jumped out of the gate and piled on the pressure early, as they peppered Murphy with 18 shots in the first period, but the Adrenaline goalie was up to the task and kept the game scoreless.

The Bears got the go-ahead goal at the start of the second period, when forward Tyler Noseworthy finished off a nice passing play.

However the Adrenaline fired right back thanks to a power play goal from Greg Oddy, who moved to 597 career AIHL Points, and the special teams play pleased Adelaide’s coaching staff.

“We’ve been working the power play quite a bit this year and we’ve had success,“ Mantere said.  “Greg is smart player in front of the net, he knows where to put his stick.”

It didn’t take long for the Bear to re-establish the lead, with Jackson Brewer finding the back of the net at 9:30 of the second period to make the score 2-1.

The third period was all Sydney Bears, but Murphy was stellar, piling up saves and giving the Adrenaline a chance to get back into the contest.

Cameron Critchlow scored the equaliser for the visitors with 1:55 left on the clock and the sides headed to a shootout, after scores were tied 2-2 at the end of regulation time.

Critchlow and Joey Rezek scored in the shootout for the visitors and Matt Murphy turned away two of three Bears shooters to seal the 3-2 for the Adrenaline.

Both teams will shift their attention to Sunday night, with Adelaide travelling south for a rematch against the Melbourne Mustangs, and coach Mantere is keen to even the ledger.

“Last week we let in nine goals, so that’s the first thing we’re looking to improve,” Mantere said. “We want to be smarter and stronger in defence and the offence will come.”

The Bears will be back in action at the Macquarie Ice Rink on Sunday night when they host the Perth Thunder. The Bears hold a 2-1 series lead over the Thunder, with all three games needing a shootout, and will be looking to finish the weekend on a high.