Melbourne, Vic – After a close defeat yesterday, Perth Thunder hit the ice with a point to prove, and boy did they prove it!
At Thunder HQ, we’re going to have to start calling Sundays ‘Thundays’, as yet again, the Thunder bounced back from a loss on Saturday to win a dominant game against the Melbourne Mustangs.
Before the opening faceoff, the Thunder fans were already hoping for good things. The team ended strongly in the previous game, and you could sense the team wanted more. From the moment the puck dropped the ice was tilted heavily in Thunder’s favour. Thunder tested Mustangs goalie Michael James (36) early and would find the back of the net less than five minutes into the first period. A goal by Matt Strueby (20) would give the Thunder a lead they would extend as the game progressed.
Four minutes later, Thunder captain, Sam Wilson (4) would score the Thunder’s second of the night, with assists from regular line-mates Andrew Cox (24) and Jordan Kyros (23).
The period ended with the Thunder up 2-0 after a solid start on the road.
The second period opened and the game quickly became a defensive nightmare for the Mustangs. The Mustangs Blue Line could only contain the offensive pressure by the Thunder forwards for so long, and the dam bursts in the fifth minute of the period when Import Kenny Rolph (6) scored to extend the lead to 3-0.
A slash to Thunder’s Michael Forney’s (7) wrist put Thunder on the powerplay and Joe Tolles (27) was able to score from the Blue Line for his first of the night, extending the lead to 4-0 and netting the eventual game winning goal. Forney would score less than a minute later to increase the lead to 5-0.
With only 2:05 left in the period, all-New Zealand player, Andrew Cox (24), was able to get stick on puck while killing a penalty and found Jordy Kyros (23) breaking past the Mustang blue liners. Kyros didn’t waste any time, putting the puck firmly in the back of the net. For Kyros, it was his 2nd goal of the year and he continues to show his strength on the Thunder’s no.1 penalty killing unit.
The Thunder would convert again, only 29 seconds later, with Tolles showing his ability from the point. That goal would finish James’ night as Coach Vigon elected to send in Fraser Carson (1) to replace the struggling netminder.
Heading into the third period, the Thunder led the Mustangs 7-0 and the game was all but locked up for the visitors. To make matter worse for the Mustangs, Forney got free on a breakaway 20 seconds into the period and buried the puck past Carson.
With the scoreline now 8-0, it would be easy for the Mustangs to stop skating, but to the credit of the team, they kept playing and Pat O’Kane managed to get two goals against Michael Smart (1), who had been solid throughout the game. Home town favourite, Jamie Bourke, would score the only other goal for the Mustangs.
The game concluded with a final score of 9-3 to the Thunder.
‘Good game from the boys. We did what we needed to do and its good to pick up some more points’. Said Coach Stan Scott.
When asked about the first line of Forney-Strueby-Rolph, who combined for 12 points, ‘What do you say. It’s hard for teams to play against this line. It’s a difficult match-up when you see the speed and skill these guys have.
Unlike the first game of the weekend, Tolles and Kevin Darcy (28) were paired on the blue line. ‘They played a great game. Joe [Tolles] is a real acquisition for this team and brings a lot to a league like the AIHL.’
For the first time this season, we got to see 2012 line-mates Wilson-Cox-Kyros taking on second line duties and they seemed to relish being back together (combining for 6 points). When asked about their chemistry, Scott said ‘These boys play together at lot at home. They’re quick, they fore-check hard and they force turnovers. They all have a tremendous work ethic and its good to see them chipping in for a few goals’.
Michael Smart looked strong in net, ‘He played a really solid game in goal. He did exactly what we needed him to do and it was great to see him shut out a team for close to 40 minutes.’
And Scott’s ‘Player of the Game’ – ‘its hard not to say Michael Forney isn’t it. The guy is just at another level, although I really liked Joey’s game as well.’
GAME STATS
Shots on Goal: 31 (Thunder) – 33 (Mustangs)
Goal Scorers (Thunder): Michael Forney 2 (7), Joe Tolles 2 (27), Matt Strueby 2 (20), Sam Wilson (4), Ken Rolph (6), Jordy Kyros (23)
Goal Scorers (Mustangs): Pat O’Kane 2 (89), Jamie Bourke (18)
The Thunder return to Perth this weekend to take on the visiting Adelaide Adrenaline on the 8th and 9th of June.