Ice dominate Ice Dogs in Sydney

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A hat-trick to Lasse Lassen helped the Melbourne Ice take down the Sydney Ice Dogs in a high-scoring 8-1 win at Liverpool Catholic Club Sports Complex on Sunday night.
 
The win was the Ice’s sixth straight over the Ice Dogs at Liverpool and was set up by three shorthanded goals to start the game.
 
Greg Sturrock claimed the first goal shorthanded - the first shorthanded goal of his career in his 200^th game - before returning import Lasse Lassen added a shorthanded goal of his own to close out the first period 2-0.
 
While the Ice Dogs clawed one back early in the second through a Grant Toulmin power play goal, the third shorthanded goal of the game, this time to Chris Yule, before Lassen’s second on the power play to close out the second 4-1.
 
Tension started brewing towards the end of the second period with the physicality starting to rise and scuffles peppering the third period.
 
Ice sprung into the third period, with another three goals in the first seven minutes with Yule’s second and a double to Jason Baclig, while Lassen completed his hat-trick and the 8-1 result.
 
Melbourne Ice Head Coach Brent Laver was thrilled with his team’s performance and very happy with the outcome.
 
“Really off the drop, I think we wanted to play a certain way and I think we did that right from the start,” Laver said. “When you come to play the Dogs, they push our guys in a totally different way, they take you to deeper water. You got to be able to stand up and you got to be able to put the pucks in the net.”
 
Despite Lasse Lassen returning to the Melbourne Ice after being out with an injury, Coach Laver says their team still isn’t at full strength, missing players such as Mitch Humphries, Sam Hodic and Cassian Delsar for the weekend.
 
“At this time of the year I think that’s the most pleasing thing, we’re starting to play some good hockey and play with real continuity and we still haven’t got the full line up,” Laver said. “One thing that us coaches see is it’s going to be really tough to work out who gets to be in the line-up when all the boys do get back.”
 
Ice Dogs Head Coach Vlad Rubes said the Dogs just made too many mistakes.
 
“We expected a very tough game. The Melbourne Ice is the top team, they have two really strong lines and they are an experienced team,” Rubes said. “We knew it was going to be tough, but we helped them make it tougher for us.”
 
Although the Sydney Ice Dogs have now dropped to the bottom of the Ladder and with finals creeping closer each week, Coach Rubes says the focus needs to be at training.
 
“We need to have two trainings a week; good quality trainings and next week we need to start winning some games,” Rubes said. “We are getting another player, so it’s not over. We’ll just keep getting ready, trying hard and playing hard.”
 
Ice Dogs Captain Scott Stephenson said while it was a tough loss, he was happy that the Ice Dogs continued to work hard throughout the match.
 
“I prefer we be physical and show a bit of pride, especially with a score line like that, then let the game slide by,” Stephenson admitted. “I’m glad it actually stepped up a bit more on the physical side; just show a bit more heart. Obviously you don’t want to get penalties, but I’d prefer to be physical and show a bit of pride.”
 
The Ice Dogs are in action next week, visiting and then hosting the Newcastle North Stars on Saturday and Sunday respectively, while the Ice face the Sydney Bears in the Canada Day Classic on Saturday night.