Botany Swarm 5 v West Auckland Admirals 5
Saturday 21st June, Botany, Auckland
Final |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
 | Botany Swarm | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
 | West Auckland Admrials | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
The 2008 NZIHL season opened for both Auckland teams on Saturday night with an exciting game that went goal for goal as the Botany Swarm and the West Auckland Admirals skated to a 5-5 tie at Paradice Botany.
A 300 plus vocal and supportive crowd turned out to watch what some already say as the best game they have seen in years. The game ebbed and flowed with fast paced end to end action as both teams had turns with the lead but were unable to stay ahead and take control of the game.
In what started to be a carbon copy of last year’s games the Swarm took an early lead through a Lyle Idoine goal in a first period that saw both teams feeling each other out. Idoine added his second goal with 3.18 minutes remaining in the first period to make it 2-0. However the Admirals who were out shot 13-4 in the period pulled one back 49 seconds from the end through defenseman Corey Down.
The Admirals picked up the pace in the second, putting more shots on goal and scored two unanswered powerplay goals through Swedish import Freddie Gigmalm and Gareth McLeish to take the lead 3-2. The Swarm not to be outdone scored a late period goal of their own with Mitchell Oak tying things up with under a minute left.
The lead changed hands again when Adam Carlzon scored shorthanded goal with 13.13 left in the third, only for it to be cancelled out by Jeff Bonazzo a minute later. Ian Wannamaker then looked to have scored the game winner late in the game, but the Admirals piled on the shots and scored a well set up, tip in goal to Alexander Gafvert tying up the game again with 3 minutes left.
What followed was great end to end action with both teams having plenty of chances. The crowd found themselves on their feet with 20 seconds remaining as Jeff Bonzanno found himself skating in alone from the right wing blue line on Zak Nothling for a chance to win the game for his team, only to be stoned by the Swarm goalie.
In the end the score was a fair refelction of how even the game was and gave the Admirals their first NZIHL points since 2006.
Notes: Apart from the Swam out shooting the Admirals 13-4 in the first, the shots ended up very close. The Swarm having 35 and the Admirals 34. Admirals' defender Alex Luggen while not scoring himself picked up 4 assits.
For photos click here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzihf/sets/72157605733428261/
| Scoring Summary | ||||
1st Period Scoring | Team | Goal Scorer | Assits | |
17:30 | BSW | Lyle Idoine | Sebastian Dahlstrom | Richard Idoine |
3:18 | BSW | Lyle Idoine (PP) | Andrew Hay | |
0:49 | WAA | Corey Down | Freddie Gigmalm | Zane Brown |
2nd Period Scoring | ||||
14:53 | WAA | Freddie Gigmalm (PP) | Alex Luggen | Alexander Gafvert |
1:52 | WAA | Gareth McLeish (PP) | Alex Luggen | Alexander Gafvert |
0:51 | BSW | Mitchell Oak (PP) | Charlie Huber | |
3rd Period Scoring | ||||
13:13 | BSW | Adam Carlzon (SH) | ||
12:11 | WAA | Jeff Bonazzo | Alex Luggen | Gareth McLeish |
7:11 | BSW | Ian Wannamaker | KC Ball | |
3:04 | WAA | Alexander Gafvert | Alex Luggen |
Shots: Botany Swarm 35, West Auckland Admirals 34
BSW - Botany Swarm
WAA - West Auckland Admirals
