Pitbulls celebrate homecoming in style with emphatic win against Raiders
IN front a noisy, sell-out crowd at Planet Ice Bristol, the Bristol Honda Pitbulls won their homecoming game, 6-1, against the Romford Junior Raiders.
The game marked the first time in 3,492 days the team had played a game in their home city, ending ten years of being forced to play home games in Oxford.
For those who have been part of that journey, it was an emotional night with player/general manager, Richie Hargreaves admitting that, as the team went on the ice, “when the place erupted I struggled”. His brother, Mike, captain of the first Pitbulls side in 2009, said: “We are home. It felt like a dream. I had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn’t a dream.”
Pitbulls played a controlled game that dominated Raiders. While Raiders had their fair share of puck possession, Pitbulls did a good job of making sure they were kept out of the dangerous areas on the ice. Up front, Bristol’s possession was used to such good effect that Romford netminder, Danny Milton, was pulled after two periods. A rare move on a netminder of his calibre and experience.
Jamie Elson, the Pitbulls’ head coach, said: “It was certainly a great way to celebrate finally being back in Bristol and on the ice at our new home. We just couldn’t be happier with the evening.
“I thought the team were great from start to finish. We had an excitement and jump about our game and that really showed in the way we played. Throughout the game we created lots of chances and offence. We were way more
clinical this weekend when we had chances to score.
“Defensively, we didn’t give up much which has been a solid part of our game the past two weeks. I’m really proud of the group and how they approached this week and the game. We really couldn’t have asked for more from them.
“Off ice it was great to see the rink sold out and the atmosphere was excellent. It made it a lot of fun to play in front of and has given us a taste for how our home matches are going to be. I know the group can’t wait to get our in front of home fans again.
“We can’t thank everyone
enough for coming down and supporting the team as we look to establish ourselves in the city once again.”
Just five minutes into the game, Jay Warren took the honour of being the first player to score in the new rink. With Tamas Elias sitting out a charging penalty, the forward finished off a turnover that started on the Bristol blue line by firing the pack past Danny Milton in the Romford net from the left wing.
Elias went from sinner to saint by scoring either side of the first break and captain Loris Taylor gave his team a four-goal lead before the half way point.
Romford tried to rally and were rewarded with their only goal of the game in the 38th minute. But, just forty seconds later, Mason Lipsey, who had been offensively strong all night with assists on all of Bristol’s first three goals, got a goal of his own.
It was Bristol’s second shorthanded goal of the night, again with Elias sitting out the penalty.
That goal forced the changed in the Romford net for the third period with Nikolajs Romahs replacing Milton. Romford played a more controlled game in front of Romahs, but it felt more like damage limitation rather than a concerted effort to try to turn the game around. Warren finished off the scoring in the final minute of play and a delighted team mobbed netminder John Dibble on the game’s final buzzer.
Bristol’s Division Two side beat the Basingstoke Buffalo 7-6 in a game which went through six rounds of a penalty shoot out before a winner could be found.
The Division 2 team return to Planet Ice Bristol on Saturday with a derby against Cardiff.
The Division One Pitbulls are away to Solent in the first of a run of three games against the league’s top three sides.