Bracknell Bees vs Sheffield Steelers

Semi-Final 1st Leg

Written with the help of the Radio Sheffield commentary. 

                     FS   1   2   3   SOG   PIMS
Bracknell Bees        3   1   0   2    30     10
Sheffield Steelers    1   0   1   0    44     12
Bees Scoring: Shayne McCosh 1+1; Brian Pellerin, Davie Whistle 1+0; Dale Junkin 0+2; Colin Ward, Tom Gomes, Joe Ferraccioli 0+1.
Steelers Scoring: Jamie van der Horst 1+0; Frank Kovacs, Nicky Chinn 0+1.
Goalies: Bernard (Bra); Hibbert (She)
MOMs
Bees - Shayne McCosh
Steelers - Nicky Chinn
Ref: Smart Linos: ?/?

1st Period

Fairly even start. After 3 and a half minutes, the Chief was allowed the space to shoot, and ringed one off the post. Three minutes later, Bracknell broke down the wing, Beaulieu missed the hit, and Ward was able to play the puck. McCosh was totally unmarked on the post and he had no trouble tapping it home. Good chances fell to both sides, and Bernard was forced to make several good stops. Bracknell were mostly defending, but looked (or sounded :-D) very dangerous on the break. Towards the end of the period, Courtnay found Shudra and Bernie had to make a brilliant save. On the whole (according to Dave Simms :-D), most of the play and pressure went to Sheffield, but Bracknell were able to hold out and win the period.

Goals: 

06:39   BRA   McCosh (Junkin/Ward)            1-0
Penalties 

07:33   BRA   2 mins   Campbell - Unsportsmanlike Conduct
        SHE   2 mins   Shudra - Unsportsmanlike Conduct
15:52   BRA   2 mins   Campbell - Holding
18:04   BRA   2 mins   Cote - ?
18:53   SHE   2 mins   Wilson - Interference

2nd Period

Hibbert drops a save, but was able to glove the puck again before Pellerin can reach it. Bernard was also forced to make a good save, from David Longstaff. Bracknell had a good chance from a turnover, with Rob Stewart, but Hibbert came up with the save. Hibbert was called into action again soon after, having to make two very good saves in quick succession. Kovacs hit Mark Bernard and got 2 minutes from it. Several good chances on the resulting powerplay, but Sheffield also came very close on a short-handed effort. Just after the half-way mark, Sheffield were able to keep the puck in Bracknell's zone. Nicky Chinn drove to the net, looked to shoot but instead played it to Jamie van der Horst for the goal. Late in the period, Greg Burke and Tom Gomes found themselves on a 2-on-1, but Tommy sent the puck just wide of the near post. Once again, most of the pressure this period went to Sheffield, and Mark Bernard was playing superbly to keep them out.

Goals: 

30:39   SHE   Van Der Horst (Kovacs/Chinn)    1-1
Penalties 

26:43   SHE   2 mins   Kovacs - Interference

3rd Period

Some good chances at the start, but neither team were able to break the deadlock. Sheffield had a long period of sustained play in Bracknell's zone, but the Bees were able to just scrammble it away. Some end to end play followed - Reggie headmanned the puck into Sheffield's zone and Tommy Gomes forced an excellent save. Del Monte picked up the loose puck and charged down to the other end, his shot forcing Bernie to just get a skate to it and kick it away. A Sheffield attacker (Courtnay?) took a shot on Bernie, which hit his shoulder and flew upin to the air. Bracknell picked it up and broke out of the zone, with a 3-on-1. Junkin found Pellerin, who scored on the wrap-around. Sheffield complained that the puck had hit a concrete girder, and so play should have stopped, but the goal stands.

On a 4-on-3 penalty kill, Bracknell almost got a shorthander when Hibbert left his goal and Rob Stewart beat him too it, put the chance was wasted. Later in the powerplay, with Bracknell now only one man down, Bracknell had a 3-on-1 break but Hibbert and Ware managed to clear the zone. Shortly after Campbell returned to the ice, Sheffield won a face-off in Bracknell's zone. Plommer won the draw and immediately shot on Bernard who once again made a brilliant save. Bracknell went very close on the powerplay, but shoot wide of an open net. Just as Ware stepped back onto the ice, Whistle got the puck and ripped it into the back of the net. With 30 seconds left, Courtnay was unhappy with Smart, and received two minutes for something he had said, but Bracknell couldn't profit from it.

Goals: 

47:27   BRA   Pellerin (Junkin/McCosh)        2-1
56:00   BRA   Whistle (Gomes/Ferraccioli)     3-1
Penalties 

??:??   BRA   ? - ?
        SHE   ? - ?
50:28   BRA   Campbell - Holding
53:55   SHE   Ware - Tripping
59:30   SHE   Courtnay - Unsportsmanlike
So, overall, Bracknell were able to soak up all the pressure, and score on the break. Mark Bernard was solid in goal, saving the Bees on several occassions. Some minor controversies at the end - firstly when Courtnay skated straight off at the end in disgust and secondly when Bernie didn't get Man of the Match.

So, in their first ever semi appearance, Bracknell were victorious. Now they must travel to Sheffield on the 19th and finish the job.

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