Ice Dogs battle back against Brave

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The Sydney Ice Dogs came from 4-1 down to defeat the CBR Brave 5-4 in a fiercely contested match at the Liverpool Catholic Club rink on Saturday night.

Facing off for the final time in 2014, with the Ice Dogs leading the season series 2-1, it was bound to be a close and exciting affair.
 
Ice Dogs coach Andrew Petrie said that if the teams meet in the finals, regular season victories will “mean nothing”.
 
“We have won three in a row against the Brave, but that will mean nothing if, and when, these teams meet again in the Finals,” Petrie said. “They are two very passionate, highly skilled teams all about offence. It’s always going to be entertaining.”
 
The two of the best offensive teams in the competition were sure to have the goalies working overtime. The Brave were first to strike only 30 seconds in through league leading scorer, Stephen Blunden, sneaking a deflection past Ice Dogs goalie, Tim Noting.

Still inside the first minute, the Ice Dogs received the first of what would be three penalties within 60 seconds, meaning the home side was down to five-on-three for a full two minutes and on the penalty kill for 3:16. However, the Brave were unable to capitalise on the opportunities despite the extended advantage, going one from seven on the power play on the night.
 
With four minutes remaining in the first period, the Ice Dogs’ David Dunwoodie levelled the score with a neat passing play that Petri Pitakanen was unable to scramble back to save, ending the first 1-all.

Returning to the ice with a more even contest, the Ice Dogs looked to break the deadlock but were disallowed due to the net being off its moorings six minutes in. As regularly happens in sport, the Brave were keen to heap on the misfortune, scoring two quick goals through Matt Lehoczky and Mathieu Ouellette. Ice Dogs goalie Noting saved a promising breakaway with under 10 seconds remaining to ensure that the lead was 3-1 at the final break.
 
Blunden returned to the fold early in the third, adding his second and his side’s fourth with the Brave threatening to run away with the result at 4-1.
 
However, the Ice Dogs were quick to hit back and stage an impressive comeback with three power play goals; one each to David Dunwoodie, Simon Barg and Paul Baranzelli. With the game locked at 4-all, and over six minutes remaining, the game was well and truly for the taking.
 
It took Dunwoodie’s hat-trick goal to give the Ice Dogs the lead for the first time in the match. The twists were not over yet as the Ice Dogs, sitting on the edge of the top four, were down a six-on-three power play for much of the final minute of play after Pitkanen was pulled for the extra attacker.
 
However, the Ice Dogs held strong and sealed the victory in a memorable match.
 
Brave coach Matti Luoma was very impressed with his team, but also acknowledged the need to improve their ability to convert power play opportunities.

“I think we did really well for the first two periods,” Luoma said. “It was one of our best of the whole season but then we failed to kill the penalties [in the third period].”
 
With Dunwoodie scoring a hat-trick Ice Dogs coach Petrie had nothing but praise for the 250+ game AIHL veteran.
 
“Dave is a local player who I believe has only ever played in Australia and he finds himself the lone local among a number of very highly capable, highly credentialed imports in the top 10 scorers in the league,” Petrie said. “It’s been a phenomenal effort."

In an emotionally charge, aggressive contest, the game broke out in a scuffle after the final buzzer. As a result, a slew of penalties were issued. The Ice Dogs’ Mitch Bye missed the Ice Dogs game against the Newcastle North Stars on Sunday and the CBR Brave’s Stephen Blunden and Harry Byers will be absent from the Canberrans next start against the Adrenaline in Canberra.