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The Solway Sharks, sponsored by
Border Utilities, entertained the Dundee Texol Stars at Dumfries
Ice Bowl last Saturday night and came out victors by four goals
to three in a hugely entertaining game of end to end ice hockey.
The Sharks came out for the first
period determined to show their true mettle after two
consecutive disappointing performances and in the first minute
Mark Gallagher split the visitors defence with a superb pass up
centre-ice to John Churchill. Unfortunately the Sharks forward
found Craig Arthur in the Dundee net well placed to save his
effort,but this set the scene for what was to be a
roller-coaster match for the entire sixty minutes. Solway soon
found themselves with a man advantage when Heeles was penalised
for slashing and they set about exerting pressure on the Stars
defence. As the clock approached the four minute mark John
Downes brought the puck out of his own “D” but, as he looked for
his man, he lost control and in an instant John Haig had stolen possession and flashed a shot past
Dewar Anderson in the Sharks goal.
Solway went straight back on the
attack for the remainder of the powerplay and Arthur was forced
to make a fine save with the glove of his stick hand from Kevin
Conway before the Canadian forward was penalised himself to give
Dundee the man advantage. However, the Sharks were up for the
fight and a solid penalty kill ended with Gallagher again
finding Churchill with a fine pass. This time only a last ditch
effort from McCluskey saw the Dundee defenceman prod the puck
away from the Sharks forward as he prepared to shoot. The pace
from both teams at this point was frantic and either side looked
capable of scoring on each and every attack. Only some desperate
defending and excellent netminding from both sides, including a
fantastic point–blank save by Dewar Anderson from Doig, kept the
score at 1-0 to Dundee at the first interval.
 With
two penalties apiece, six shots on goal each, even possession
and only one goal scored it was obvious how close this match was
as the second period began. The feeling among many home
supporters was that, with recent results in mind, it was
important for the Sharks to score first if they were to come
back and take their first league points of the season. In the
opening seconds of the second period Robertson tested Anderson
with a long-range shot which was followed quickly by a second
effort from Petrie. Then the ever-dangerous Marshall cut in from
the left wing un-opposed and fired at goal but Anderson was
sharply down low to his right-hand pipe to snuff out the danger.
In the second minute the
Sharks were awarded a powerplay when Philips was penalised for
interference and it took the home side just fourteen seconds to
make it count. From the face-off Conway came around behind the
net and laid off a perfect pass for Neal Haworth to fire the
puck low to Arthur’s left and the Sharks were deservedly level.
The lead however, was only to last for one minute as John Haig,
on a Stars powerplay, took a pass from Robertson and finished
clinically giving Anderson no chance at all. However, as said
previously, this Solway side was determined to prove a point.
Conway picked up a loose puck deep in his own defensive zone and
slipped a short pass square to Corrie Telfer (pictured above
left) who then made a great break out of defence at speed.
Telfer turned the Stars Jeff Marshall inside out before he sent
Arthur the wrong way and lifted the puck into the top left of
the Dundee net to level the scores once again.
Seconds after the re-start
Anderson was called on once again to make a fine save with his
pads from Robertson as Dundee looked to quickly regain their
advantage. Within four minutes they were level. Dolan broke up
the Dundee left wing and passed inside to Robertson whose shot
was well saved by Anderson, unfortunately the puck found Haig
lurking at the back post and he lifted his shot over the keepers
leg into the net. The Stars could have doubled their advantage
seconds later as Nicholson fired a long-range shot that Anderson
saved well low to his left. This seemed to ignite the home side
once again and they produced a sustained spell of pressure which
tested the Taysiders goal on several occasions. In the
thirty-fifth minute Conway robbed a Dundee defender on the
left-hand boards and headed inside before passing to Tim McKay
on the right wing. He wheeled and passed in one movement and
found John Downes free at the back post. While Arthur did an
amazing job to save from Downes at point-blank range he stood no
chance as the Sharks defenceman
lifted his own rebound over the
keeper and into the net to level the match once more. With just
three seconds remaining in the period Philips gave the Sharks a
powerplay when he deliberately lifted the puck over the plexi-glass
while under pressure from the Solway forwards. From the face-off
the puck broke to Alan Crane who thundered in a low shot which
cannoned back off Dolan’s skate to Downes who lifted a shot
that deflected into the net off Bob Chalmers shoulder,
Unfortunately all this happened as the buzzer was sounding, a
split second too late Sharks and the scores remained tied as the
players went in for the second interval.
 With
all to play for as the match entered the final period it was
Dundee who gained the first advantage when Downes was penalised
for tripping, but it was the Sharks who almost scored
short-handed. The puck was fired up the ice to relieve the
pressure on the Sharks goal and Arthur seemed to dither which
allowed Churchill the chance to shoot, but his shot was just
wide. Then shortly afterwards both netminders excelled
themselves within the space of ten seconds. First Anderson did
well to save from Nicholson with his right-hand glove and the
puck fell to Gordon Horne who skated up centre ice and hit a low
shot across Arthur which the visiting keeper did well to save
with his left-hand glove. Throughout the middle section of the
final period both sides battled hard to find an opening, each
defence was tested time and time again and penalties were
conceded under the resultant pressure.
One such penalty was to prove the
decisive moment in this match. With four minutes remaining Stars
defenceman, Liam Greig, was penalised for hooking. He then said
something untoward to referee Allsopp (who had been inconsistent
all night) and was promptly given a further ten minute
misconduct penalty. Thirty seconds into the resultant powerplay
Tim McKay chased down a long pass to the left of the Dundee
goal. He then threaded a pass between two defenders to Kevin
Conway (pictured above right) who shot twice at Arthur before
his strength and momentum finally carried him past McCluskey and
the keeper allowing him to slide the puck home at the third
attempt. Dundee were now desperate and they surged forward at
every opportunity and in the midst of the mayhem Churchill was
penalised for tripping. With the extra man advantage the Stars
lay siege on the Sharks goal and only a combination of
determined defence and excellent netminding kept the visitors at
bay. The game entered the final minute with the Sharks back to
full strength but on the next Dundee attack Ian Defty was given
a two plus two minute penalty for high sticks and the Sharks had
their backs to the wall once more. The Stars tried everything
they knew to force an equalised but some
resolute defending and, at one point, the combination of Alan
Crane and an upside-down Dewar Anderson kept the visitors at
bay.
Overall this was a much improved
performance by the Sharks against a team who were many peoples
pre-season favourite to take honours this year. Throughout the
three lines the defence looked solid, determined and well
organised while the forwards all looked mobile and hungry.
Scoring statistics for the Sharks were; Kevin Conway two goals
and two assists, Corrie Telfer 1+0, Neal Haworth 1+0, John Downs
1+0, Tim McKay 0+2. Sharks netminder Dewar Anderson saved 34 of
the 37 shots that he faced for a save percentage of 91.89%.
Iain Steel, on
behalf of match sponsors PET processors, presented the Man of
the Match awards to three-goal John Haig for the visitors while
Dewar Anderson quite rightly gained that accolade for the home
side.
The views and statistics in
this report are individual and do not necessarily reflect
the opinions of the Solway Sharks.
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