Brave edge Bears in ANZAC Day clash

The CBR Brave left the Sydney Bears out in the cold with a 4-2 win at the Phillip Swimming & Ice Skating Centre on ANZAC Day.

Two unanswered third period goals thrilled the capacity crowd, as the Brave finished over the top of the Bears to claim the points in the 2015 season opener.

It was a physical first round match with both sides coming out of the blocks strongly and physically.

The Bears were able to capitalise on early possession when import Tomas Landa beat new Brave goalkeeper Josh Unice with a shot from within the face off circle to open the scoring.

However it didn't last long before Brave import Scott Pitt stepped his way through Bears defence before beating Mario Passarelli to send the teams to the break tied 1-all at the first break.

The Sydney Bears were the livelier outfit to start the second period as they managed to maintain possession and build opportunities.

It was in the eight minutes, but the Bears were able to reclaim the lead when Saxon Air slotted his second ever AIHL goal.

The Brave hit back just before the break when Brave alternate captain Peter Taylor.

With both sides displaying control and patience with the puck and trading shots on net throughout the first two periods, it was only fair that the teams went to the second intermission locked at 2-all.

Although Bears coach Vlad Rubes felt the Taylor goal was “a little bit lucky”, Rubes felt that that was the turning point.

“The [Brave] started being a little bit more desperate and out-muscling our guys and towards the end of the second period they were getting a bit more control,” Rubes said.

In the third, both goalies, peppered with chances but held strong to stop a barrage of half opportunities at each end, keeping their teams in the fight.

Unice, a former NHL draft, joined the rest of the Brave on Friday after a 25-hour flight with Brave coach Brad Hunt giving him until the eleventh hour to submit his name on the game sheet.

But it was hometown favourite James Byers who broke the deadlock early and gave the Brave in the lead for the first time in the game.

With an ample flow peaking out from under his helmet, Byers force a goal through a busy crease to the delight of the vocal home crowd.

Canadian import Kelly Geoffrey hammered the final nail in the coffin with a late goal to make it 4-2.

Bears coach Rubes acknowledged being out skated but was still appeared confident in what he saw from his players.

“We played pretty well in the first two periods,” Rubes said. “We had a bit more puck control and created a bit more chances.”

The Bears can only continue to improve and build on their new look squad as the imports –some who only arrived as late as last week – join a Bears squad consisting of only six players from last year.

Brave coach Hunt was pleased with the performance of his team but said there was still plenty of things to work on.

“We let in a lot of odd man rushes, we were playing too deep on our forecheck”, Hunt said. “But we got a goal from every single line so we’ve got a bit of depth which we didn’t have last year.”

Hunt also said that Unice was the difference and that the game could easily have been 8-4 in favour of the Bears had he not been playing. 

Both sides will be back in action on Sunday, with the Brave heading to Newcastle to take on the North Stars and the Bears heading back to Penrith to take on the Adelaide Adrenaline. Both games start at 5pm.