Thunder end Ice’s streak

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The Perth Thunder have stretched their winning streak to seven, while at the same time ending Melbourne Ice’s winning streak at nine in a thrilling 5-4 shootout victory at Perth Ice Arena on Saturday.
 
The Thunder survived a third period surge from the Ice, with the ladder leaders posting a staggering 21-7 shot advantage in the period and 46-32 overall to put an exclamation point on a game full of drama.
 
The game was worthy of the top-of-the-table billing, with the match-up providing a tough physical contest and a dramatic finish, as Ice Captain Lliam Webster levelled the scores at 4-all with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation before Kieren Webster scored the winning goal in the fifth round of the shootout.
 
While disappointed not to come up with the extra point, Ice Head Coach Brent Laver was happy with his team’s effort in the third period to fight back from a two-goal deficit.
 
“Not one bit of disappointment at all with the boys,” Laver said. “The energy, the effort [were great]. Apart from a couple of little breakdowns, I thought we were fantastic to battle back and even the score and take some points out of Perth.”
 
The loss ended Melbourne Ice’s winning streak at nine, but Laver pointed out the loss would simply drive his players more to continue improving.
 
“I’ve been saying a little bit lately when people are saying the boys must be excited about 9-0 that they’re not satisfied that they’re playing to their best yet,” Laver said. “There were a lot of new faces in the line-up with different roles today and I couldn’t be prouder of all of them.”
 
Thunder head coach Dave Kenway praised the Ice’s effort during the third period, saying it forced his players in to making plays they didn’t want to make.
 
“Melbourne Ice stepped up and whacked a couple in and took the game to the wire,” Kenway said. “[The boys] dropped their heads a little bit, [but] they will learn from that.”
 
Michael Dorr opened the scoring in the game on the power play for the Thunder, pouncing on his own rebound after surprising net minder Jaden Pine-Murphy with his initial shot to take the lead five minutes in to the first period.
 
Chris Yule scored the first for the Ice in the final thirty seconds of play in the first period to tie the scores at 1-1, capitalising on a great play by Austin McKenzie behind the net and handing the momentum to the Ice at the first intermission.
 
Ben Breault put the Thunder back in front after Michael Dorr led a brilliant play on the rush through centre ice, and Jessyko Bernard doubled the advantage soon after on a breakaway to take the Thunder to a 3-1 lead after five minutes of the second period.
 
Jason Baclig then reduced the deficit to 3-2 after some great fore-checking pressure from the Ice saw him find some room in the slot after a great pass from Todd Graham.
 
Per Daniel Goransson scored his first AIHL goal on the power play with just 11 seconds remaining in the period to hand the Thunder the momentum and a two-goal advantage, leading 4-2 at the second intermission.
 
Brent Laver said the Ice wanted to approach the third period facing a two-goal deficit with a step-by-step mentality.
 
“We just wanted to play in five minute bursts and I thought we did exactly that,” Laver said. “Just a huge credit to the boys, that’s the spirit of the group.”
 
The Ice then dominated play throughout the third period, with Tommy Powell reducing the deficit to one goal after nine minutes of the third period before Lliam Webster provided the late drama, levelling the scores at 4-all with just 16 seconds remaining to force a shootout.
 
The shootout provided great drama on its own, with Lliam Webster scoring in the fourth round to continue the shootout after Tomek Sak had given Thunder the advantage, before Kieren Webster stumbled on his approach to the puck to take his fifth-round shot.
 
The referees deemed Webster didn’t touch the puck on his stumble and allowed him to re-take his shot, which would eventually be the shootout winner after Thomas Heemskerk stopped Chris Yule to give the Thunder a 5-4 victory.
 
Dave Kenway was pleased to come away with points in the game, even if it wasn’t all three.
 
“It was good. You always want three points but a top of the table clash that goes for five rounds in the shootout, what more can you want?” Kenway said.
 
Brent Laver felt that if his players played the same way on Sunday, lady luck could swing the Ice’s way.
 
“I think it’s more of the same, a bounce of the puck here or a play there and it could go either way again,” Laver said. “The two teams have been pretty evenly matched the last few years now, so if we can take some more points tomorrow we’ll be stoked.”
 
“We’re pretty happy with where we ended up.”
 
Next weekend, the Ice host the CBR Brave in a double header at the O’Brien Group Arena, while the Thunder are back on the road, visit the Sydney Ice Dogs on Saturday before the Newcastle North Stars on Sunday.