Near perfect Kimlin helps Bears beat Mustangs

A massive performance from Anthony Kimlin has helped the Sydney Bears defeat the Melbourne Mustangs 3-1 at O'Brien Group Arena on Saturday night.

It was the third time the teams met in the past three weeks and the teams' last meeting in Melbourne.

With the teams on the outside looking up towards the top four, the result was vital for both sides.

In the first period, shots at goal were hard to come by for the Bears with the Mustangs heading to the break with a 13-5 advantage in shots but goals proved elusive for both sides.

Chances came and went with no clear indication about who would score the first goal.

While both sides battled hard on the ice, it was hard for either side to get the ascendency with Kimlin and the Mustangs’ Chris Slauenwhite keeping the scoresheets clean.

Period two was a going a similar way to the first period until Bears import Nic Kawasaki broke the deadlock shortly after the end of a power play.

With the goal finally coming after 25 minutes of hockey, there was a real chance that the Kawasaki goal could be the only one.

In a reversal of the first period, Bears outshot the Mustangs 8-4 in the second.

The Bears scored again midway through the third period through Kawasaki on the power play.

With a 2-0 lead, the Bears gave the Mustangs a sniff with a power play, but Billy Cliff’s shorthanded goal put the game almost beyond doubt.

At 3-0 and with time running out, it looked as if Bears goalie Anthony Kimlin was headed for his second shutout of the season but after pulling Slauenwhite for the extra skater, the Mustangs finally got on the board through Sean Jones with just 12 seconds remaining in the game.  

Sean Jones was able to take advantage of the Bears being unable to clear the puck out of the zone in the dying seconds on behalf of the Mustangs with the extra attacker.

Next week, both sides are only in action on Saturday with the Bears hosting the Perth Thunder while the Mustangs take on the Melbourne Ice in the season’s third Melbourne Derby.