Thanks to Bobblehat of the many exclamation marks for this report
What a difference a week makes!!!!!!!!!!!
After last weeks comprehensive drubbing of the Cobras, the Bees fans were looking forward to the annihilation of the Jets, but how wrong they were to be so confident.
The first period was just as predicted with about 90% of the play inside the Jets Blue line. On rare Jets breakouts the bees defence looked solid enough with Brian Greer in goal forming a safe and reliable stopper in goal. All the pressure on the Jets goal paid off when at 9min 18secs, Rob Stewart, from a pass by Joe Ferraccioli, fired in an unstoppable waist high shot from the point passed ex-Bee Dave Langford - who was to have a great say in the final result. More Bees pressure followed, but the Jets held out and at 12 mins Gary Stefan had a great 1 on 1 chance with only Brian Greer to beat, but the Bees goalie was up to it and smothered the shot. At 15mins another Bees attack looked to have fizzled out, as a mix up inside the Jets Blue line halted their momentum. However, Joe Ferraccioli picked up the loose puck and skated round one Jet, sold a dummy to another, and slotted the puck in. That was timed at 15mins 35secs with assists going to Brant and Stewart who were lucky to get credited as they were the two Bees involved in the mix up!!!! Still all down the Jets' end and as the period was coming to its close the Ref, Cloutman, (is it just when he refs at the Hive or is he really that incompetent) chose to stamp what little authority he has on the game at by giving Dale Junkin 2+2 for interference on the goalminder when he was legitimately going for the puck. In the resulting melee warren Ross unwisely tried to take on Todd Kelman and was well and truly scragged!!! The result was that they both ended up with 2+2 co-incidentals for roughing. The period ended with the Jets on a 5-4 powerplay, but losing by 2 goals to none.
The second period started as the first had left off with the Bees on the attack. The Chief nearly caught Dave Langford napping with an early snap shot, but as the puck was cleared Wayne Crawford was penalised for high sticks. This gave the Jets 2mins of 5 on 3. This was easily dealt with by the Bees but disaster struck 10 seconds after Reggie returned to the ice as the Bees defence was left in no-mans land, and there was another ex-Bee, Derek Higdon to force the puck home at 23mins 54 secs on the powerplay. This started an horrendous 4 minutes for the Bees as first Mike Wagstaff at 26mins 36 secs and then Derek Higdon again at 27mins 50 secs on the powerplay punished a Bees defence that seemed more concerned with attacking than obeying simple defensive rules like always leave one man to cover!!!! 3-2 to the Jets, and with Dave Langford performing heroics in their goal, including watching the puck bobble across the goal line 3 times in as many minutes, the Bees were frustrated in more ways than one. This showed in their play which was getting very ragged, and the movement off the puck, which was so effective the week before, now seeming to be resembling the headless chicken syndrome!!! The period ended with the Jets on a high and the Bees on a low at 3-2 down.
The third period saw a much tighter looking Bees, but the Jets were not to be overawed, and kept to their game plan, constantly frustrating the many attacks. Dave Langford was having the game of his life in the Jets goal and the Jets began to realise that they could be on for a 2 pointer. Their forwards were beginning to make more forays into the Bees end if the rink and Brian Greer had to make several important stops. Just when the Bees fans were beginning to think the unthinkable they saw their side draw level as, on the powerplay, Chris Brant shot in from the point through a mass of players and the puck went in off the post. This was at 52mins 15secs, with assists going to Joe Ferraccioli and Dale Junkin. Well inside the last minute of the game the Bees thought they had scored the winner from a Chris Brant special but the light didn't go on and the Jets were reprieved. (I must say that from my vantage point at the opposite end of the rink it was definitely a goal!!!!!)
A fair result at the end.
MOM for Bees Joe Ferraccioli, for Jets, Dave Langford
The Jets deserved their point for they rode their luck when it occurred, they frustrated the Bees in their many attacks, and scored the goals when it mattered. For the Bees there was not much comfort. After last week's high this was definitely a low and the Bees, having shown that they are capable, must bring about some consistency otherwise they will be in for some hard times ahead.