Back-to-back wins for Bees over Steeldogs
The TSI World Bees claimed back-to-back victories over the Sheffield Steeldogs this weekend to put themselves in the driving seat of a play-off finish this season.
Dominik Gabaj’s team now look to be in pole position for one of the remaining play-off spots after seeing off a resurgent Steeldogs in the weekend’s doubleheader.
First up, at the Slough Ice Arena on Saturday, the Bees held their nerve in the closing stages to claim a 5-3 win, with Marcel Balaz scoring twice in the final period to complete a hat-trick.
Then, on the road in Sheffield the following evening (Sunday), they edged out their hosts 4-3 to move further clear of their rivals in the Planet Ice National Ice Hockey League.
Both teams made a fast and frenetic start to the game at the Slough Ice Arena on Saturday, but the Bees were more clinical in front of goal in the first period. Dimitri Zimozdra had already been tested a couple of times before the hosts finally made the breakthrough when Vanya Antonov slotted the puck beyond the keeper at 10.55. The assists went to Gabaj and Marcel Balaz.
Gianni Vitali was penalised for hooking, but the Bees managed to score a shorthanded goal to make it 2-0 at 15.06 thanks to Balaz with Liam Morris claiming the assist.
The hosts had a little breathing space heading into the second period, but that cushion went within 30 seconds of the puck drop as James Spurrn scored with
Matt Bissonnette and Jonathan Philips claiming the assists.
The Steeldogs were then straining at the leash for a second and they got it at 25.29 when Bissonnette equalised to make it 2-2.
Parity was short-lived for the visitors, however, as Bradley netted the Bees’ third just 11 seconds later with Will Stead and Liam Morris the providers.
Both teams were able to kill penalties against them without conceding, but it was the Steeldogs who got themselves back on level terms towards the end of the second period when Bissonnette scored his second of the game.
At 3-3, the Bees must have feared a repeat of their late home defeat to Telford Tigers the previous weekend, however, on this occasion they held their nerve despite Liam Morris sitting out five minutes of the final period for a major foul.
Before that, Balaz made it 4-3 when the sides were at full strength – Gabaj and Vanya Antonov claiming the assists, and he rounded off a fine day personally and collectively when he scored his hat-trick at 54.48, Morris and Antonov getting the assists. Brendan Baird and Cameron Brownley were also sinbinned for slashing in an actionpacked final period, but the Bees prevailed for an important win at home and then backed it up with an even more crucial victory in Sheffield 24 hours later.