[11
DEC 00] COVENTRY BLAZE NEWS
Coventry Blaze 5
Hull Thunder 2
Relentless
Coventry Blaze used their confidence to continue their winning
streak at the Skydome by grinding Hull Thunder into submission.
From
the outset the Blaze looked like the team that were going to make
all the moves. They built pressure up on the Hull net, but could not
find a way through the tight defence.
Thunder
the last team to beat the Blaze in Coventry, then stunned the crown
by breaking away to score, and to lead in the first period.
Two
moments defined the second period, and with it the match. After
Blaze had equalised through Kurt Irvine, they then quickly rasped in
a fine goal to take the lead.
Mats
Samuelsson hit the puck from long range and it whistled through the
crowded centre to fly into the top of the net.
Blaze
showed excellent resolution in defence, no more so than when two
players were given penalty minutes for fouls.
Despite
having five players up against three, Hull could not break through,
and they seemed to lose the initiative.
Another
quickfire double-whammy in the third period sealed Blaze’s
victory. It is a feature of the team’s quick play that they can
add to the scoresheet while the details of the previous goal are
still being read out.
It
fires the crowd, this time just 1,546, and stuns the opposition into
submission. Mention must also be made of the defence – Henrik
Sjodin not only proving resolute in blocking the shots but also in
intercepting crosses well to start attacks.
Blaze
: Kelham 1+1; Ruggles 1+1; Samuelsson 1+1; Irvine 1+0; Tasker 1+0;
Chapman 0+2; Shewan 0+2; Johnson 0+1; Sjodin 0+1; Soderstrom 0+1.
Net - Sjodin 22/2
Thunder
: Lyons 1+0; S.Johnson 1+0; Cooper 0+1; Defty 0+1; Houghton 0+1;
A.Johnson 0+1. Net -
Noble 32/5
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