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This was the game that the team
had been eagerly anticipating for months. Forget game seven of the Stanley
Cup finals - this is the fixture all hockey players would want to get
involved in. Woody tried to claw his way back into the team, but he
creeping wasn't enough. We received calls from Shannon Hope looking
to lace up - but he got turned down. When Marty McSorley was in town,
he heard about the contest and was talking big numbers to get a Titans
uniform, but he headed back to LA a disappointed man. Titans even turned
Moggy away as unfortunately for the hockey community, entry was strictly
limited to members of the Cardiff Titans Ice Hockey Club. The teams were announced to the press, TV reporters and the players themselves in the Simmons Suite at the Titans Arena - otherwise known as the Cardiff Ice Rink bar. It was clear after the first few rounds of the draft that the Icemen were running with a defencive strategy,as Ibs selected d-men Hicks, Edwards and utility player Mooney. Malfatti went with an all out attacking approach, opting for forwards Clark and Viney to complement bruising d-man McKendrick. Both teams retired to their dressing rooms to begin their preparations. |
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FIRST PERIOD As soon as referee Riddell dropped the puck, it was evident that both sides meant business, as crunching, uncompromising body checks were the order of the day. The tough talk from the dressing room spilled over onto the ice. Mooney was leading by example for the Icemen with Ormond leading the Muskahound hit count who was throwing his body into any opponent and usually coming up trumps. It wasn't long before Mal's team threatened Kermeen in the nets and they found a way through at the 2.08 mark, when pressing d-man Jenkins poked home a pass from Elson. Less than a minute later, guesting Devil David 'Deace' Owen lit the lamp after latching onto passes from Viney and Clark at 2.53.The first penalty of the game arrived in the seventh minute when Southall sat a minor for tripping at 7.04. The Muskateers made the most of the extra man and added their third goal of the game through Ormond via team coach Malfatti at 7.50. The Icemen pressed but could not stuff the puck past Foreman who was standing on his head, enthralling all 8 spectators, three of whom were injured Titans supporting their teammates. A tripping penalty on Synan gave the Icemen a two minute powerplay at 11.06, but it was to no avail, as the attacking defencemen could not get through the defending forwards. Play continued at a frantic pace but neither side could add to their tallies. It seemed that Mal's decision to take his team to the bar for a pint before the game to ease their nerves worked wonders as the Icemen melted under pressure from their hot opponents. The period ended Mal's Muskateers 3 - 0 Ibs's Icemen. |
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SECOND PERIOD The second stanza started with a bang and bodies flew all over the ice. The biggest bang came at 25.10 when McCluskey was awarded his first ever penalty in a Titans sweater when he levelled Doctor Geraint and picked up a boarding penalty. The doc lay prone on the ice for 30 seconds whilst Doctor Kermeen at the opposite end of the ice stayed there and didn't rush to his aid. Fortunately, Jenkins was on his feet by the time McCluskey entererd the penalty box, but was rubbing his neck for the rest of the game and looking for revenge. To his credit, Jenkins carried on skating and took on all comers and was not affraid to put his body on the line for his coach. The Muskateers profited from McCluskey's minor and Elson scored unassisted at 26.14. Just over 60 seconds later, McKendrick passed to Clark who netted number five at 27.26. The white team were talking of a shut out at this stage and reverted to defensive hockey, despite their attacking lineup. Deace put the home team six goals to zero ahead at 31.32 before Crone popped Foreman's cherry and netted at 38.24 following a neat break from Hicks to leave the score standing at Mal's Muskateers 6 - 1 Ibs's Icemen with 20 minutes to go. |
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THIRD PERIOD The big hitting at the end of the second continued after the commercial break. Mal and Griffiths clashed in the corner and Mooney came to his teammates assistance by exchanging pleasantries with Mal. He turned up the heat further by playing the captain's role and added goal number 2 at 42.39 after Smith and Hicks passed the puck up the ice. Malfatti lit the lamp for his team a little later at 43.08 when he combined with Ormond and Elson. The Icemen threw everything they had at Foreman who started to crumble. Hicks added to his two assists when he potted the black at 44.39, with the assist going to Smith. Three minutes later, Ibrahim's penetrating run came to fruition after picking up a pass from Edwards to pull the score back to 7-4. Hicks wanted to ensure that his name was in all columns of the score sheet and his cross checking minor at 53.08 ensured his wish came true. Mal's team, however, could not capitalise on the one man advantage. As the clock ticked down, Ibrahim pulled his keeper from the net but the extra attacker became a liability and they conceded an empty net goal with 50 seconds on the clock. Kermeen went back to his cage for the restart but quickly left his line for another burst of 6 on 5 hockey. Despite winning the puck, the Muskateers couldn't find the net to extend the final scoreline of Mal's Muskateers 8 - 4 Ibs's Icemen. |
 Mal's Muskateers Man of the Match |
 Top point scorer with 2 + 2 |
 Ibs's Icemen Man of the Match |
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SUMMARY |
STATS - Mal's Muskateers
| Number | Name | Goals | Assists | Points | PIMS |
| 3 | Matt McKendrick | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Paul Malfatti | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | Geraint Jenkins | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | Les Viney (C) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | Paul Synan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | David Owen | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 57 | Nathan Ormond | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 88 | Andy Clark | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 96 | Nick Foreman (nm) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 97 | Jamie Elson | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Number | Name | Goals | Assists | Points | PIMS |
| 2 | Matt Griffiths | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Charlie Crone | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Jamie Southall | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Ben Smith | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | Dave Mooney (C) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Andy Edwards | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | Gareth Poulton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Keith McCluskey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | Mike Hicks | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 73 | Ron Kermeen (nm) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 89 | John Paul Ibrahim | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
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