Sydney, NSW – On a day where the Thunder could easily have continued their downward slide, the players responded, and took the fight to the Sydney Bears to achieve their first victory of the 2013 AIHL season.
When it comes to sports, a lot of people often say the second year is the hardest. Expectations are a lot higher, fans are far less forgiving, and you can no longer use the excuse ‘we’re new to all of this’.
Coach Stan Scott is all too aware of this, and after the first three games of the season resulted in losses, he could already feel the weight of those expectations bearing down on the team.
After yesterday’s game, injuries sustained by a number of key Thunder players, including defender Ric Del Basso, would leave Scott with some holes to fill. Making roster changes that some fans questioned as ‘crazy’, Scott moved import scorer, Ken Rolph, and captain, Sam Wilson, to the Blue Line. Scott’s trust in his team’s ability to play two-way hockey was a big factor in today’s win and shows that he has the full trust and support of his squad.
The Bears, hot off their first win of the season yesterday, started the game with confidence, with a couple of early shots testing Thunder goaltender, Smart, who would end the game with 28 saves from 30 shots. An early slashing call to Kyros had the Thunder on the backfoot, but they successfully killed the penalty and didn’t waste any time getting back into the game.
The Bears struck first, with Vlad Rubes scoring. Vlad scored a double in yesterday’s game and continued to show his offensive prowess for the Bears.
Halfway into the first period, Thunder found the twine for their first goal of the game. Import Sean Hamilton, a multi-goal scorer from last week’s game against Melbourne Ice, took a great pass from Forney to bury one behind Bears goaltender, Renars Kazanovs. Sam Wilson, playing defence, would start the play and earn a secondary assist on the goal.
Less than two minutes later, Bremner would score his first [of three] goals, for the Perth Thunder. Bremner, a recent ice hockey refugee after playing inline for years, has been touted as Thunder’s local breakout player for 2013, and he proved that today by netting his first AIHL hat-trick. Brad Young would assist on the play.
The Thunder gained momentum towards the end of the first period. The players confidence grew, as they tried to build on their first lead of the 2013 season. With only 2:22 left in the period, All-Australian player, Jordy Kyros, would net his first goal of the season, with Imports Rolph and Forney assisting.
Down 3-1 to start the 2nd Period, the Bears didn’t waste anytime and appeared to have reduced the gap with a quick goal early in the period, before the goal was disallowed. The referees stated that this was due to a ‘kicking motion’ on the play. It wouldn’t matter though, as moments later, Rubes (20) scored again for the Bears to reduce the gap to one goal.
For the remainder of the period, no team could tilt the ice and both goaltenders came up big for their teams. Smart, coming off the back of a disappointing performance against the North Stars in the previous game, was a revelation and looked composed and confident in net. He was supported throughout the entire game by his team mates, and the more discipline Thunder players only took three penalties for the game (compared with 10 against the North Stars in the previous game).
The third period opened with neither team generating any decent chances and a number of players shooting high and wide. It wasn’t until halfway into the extended period that Bremner would find some space and score a huge goal to give the Thunder some breathing room. Starting the play with a turnover in the neutral, Bremner managed to get free of the Bears defenders and score on a breakaway.
Bremner would score again five minutes later from Ruck and Wilson to seal the Thunders win and claim his first hat-trick in the AIHL.
When asked about the game and his first hat-trick Bremner responded:
‘Obviously it’s a great feeling to get a win and be able to chip in with a few goals. I didn’t think there was much difference in my game tonight, but I was able to capitalize on the opportunities and bury the puck’.
And his favourite goal of the night?
‘It has to be my breakaway. I got clear of the Bears defender and pushed the puck from forehand to backhand and then high over the goalie to roof it. I’ll be re-living that one the whole flight home’.
Bremner now leads the team in points, with five (5). In 2012, Bremner had a total of two goals and one assist. When quizzed about his improved stats, Bremner said:
‘Its really just about confidence and getting more ice time this year. I’ve been training hard and showing the coach [Stan Scott] that I want to be out there’.
After tonight’s performance, we have no doubt will be seeing more and more of the young star!
The players return to Perth tonight and face the Ice Dogs in Liverpool in two weeks.
Paul Kelly