Thanks to Bobblehat for this report....
Proud Panthers outplay Bewildered Bees.
Well that says it all. The Panthers came with a minute bench - no we're not talking midgets here - and the Bees iced at their current full strength.
A great opening for the Bees at 1min 20secs when Joe Ferraccioli did a Fridge and scored on the wrap-around via Leech and Robins. From then on the first period was all downhill for the Bees as the Panthers tightened their grip and played some great on the road hockey. Defending resolutely - no-one was going to beat them on a 50-50 chance, and breaking fast and dangerously. Yet again an error in the Bees defence led to the opening goal. Greg Burke played the puck out of defence straight to a Panther and took a last ditch slashing penalty from Norm Dezainde to stop that attack. However the Panthers made the most of the resulting power play to score an easy goal with the Bees defence at sixes and sevens allowing the easiest of chances to fall to Mr Coleslaw who made no mistake having been left totally alone in front of goal at 8min 7secs. The Bees showed no fire in this opening period and I had to remind myself that this was basically the same team I saw in the opening few games that had put the wind up visiting sides with aggressive checking and dominant forward play. So 1-1 at the end of the first and not too much excitement for Bees fans, but great heart shown by the visitors. It says a lot for the way the Bees were playing when the major talking point regarding the Bees performance in the first period was the dumping of Blaiser through the Zambonie doors by Paxo.
The second period did not contain much to lighten the Bees' fans either, as the forwards constantly lost their way and the defence decided to play let's pass the puck around to each other rather than get attacks going. Of course this could have been due to the Panthers putting the pressure on the Bees defence at every opportunity and not allowing them the space that the Bees forwards were affording the Panther's defence. No surprises therefore when on their second powerplay the Panthers scored their second goal following a melee around the Bees net. A delayed penalty was also in progress against - I think - Todd Kelman for doing something rather nasty to Brent (Bobyk) (Bobbyck) oh what the heck - Mr Blobby. Leech got the goal with an assist from Coleslaw. In between times, Brian Greer had pulled of a couple smart saves from a 3 on 1 Panthers attack, and the Panthers Mr Redbreast had made some equally excellent stops from at the other end. So 1-2 at the end of the second and the doom bells were beginning to sound.
1-2 became 1-3 at 43min 48sec when on their third powerplay the Panthers put a bulge in Brian's net again - ooer missus. It was becoming a bit obvious by now that the Bees were having difficulty sorting out their defensive strategy against powerplays. Meanwhile the Panthers continued to look like a team who were going to take the points with constant forechecking and resolute defending. Hang on - what's this - the Bees are looking a bit aggressive for the first time in the match and are actually putting in checks. At last a passing movement worth a goal, and it brought one, with the first line of Brant, Feracciolli and Chasse all getting in on the act. The Chief finally putting the puck away with assists going to the others. Short-lived excitement however as following a similar great piece of interpassing Graham Garden netted the Panther's 4th at 50min 19secs with Mr Blobby and Blaiser getting assists. Surprisingly the Bees continued to play this new brand of aggressive hockey and it eventually gave them their third goal and Joe's second at 52min 28sec. Denis Chasse getting his third assist of the evening and Big Mack being credited with the other assist. The game sort of petered out from here apart from a silly, and waste of time, illegal stick call on the Panthers - which only prolonged the agony. So final score 3-4 and a thoroughly deserved win for the Panthers.
Where do the Bees go from here? As I said before, I cannot understand how a team can lose its way so quickly. From looking like a team that would challenge for honours, we now have a team that, on current form, will be very lucky to hang on to the fourth spot. Has the coaching gone wrong? Why change the way we were playing when it was proving successful? Is it the players not playing to orders and doing their own thing? Whatever is happening the rumours are rife at the Hive, and the latest one is that we may be very soon saying goodbye to one of our top players who could be rejoining his old team for family reasons. Now where have I heard that one before? It never rains.......