And you know, this is pretty frustrating for the Dragons--down 0-3 in the series, and the Steelhawks are just fucking with them. So frustrating that former ROTY Randleman feels desperate, like he'll do anything to get that puck on his stick…

Code:

Randy Randleman (CAL) for Holding (Minor) at 8:07

But maybe you shouldn't have done that, Randy.

Once again, it takes Hamilton a minute and a half to get anything going--Calgary are very good at disrupting their passing plays to clear the puck. Particularly Jalopski. But they do get going--Grosberg has the first shot—

And it misses the net. Just like the next two by Hamilton and Colt, and that's the power play. Maybe if the Dragons survive tonight, the Steelhawks should send their players to target practice.

Hamilton misses twice more around the end of the tenth minute and that takes us to the halfway point in this period. And not long after that, Tanner actually gets tested, like really, for real!

Randleman ends up with possession after the Dragons win the faceoff in the Steelhawks' zone, and he and Hill put some pressure on, charging for the net--but then he drops it back for Mack who roofs it!

Save by Tanner, no rebound. The man is good.

Now Calgary are, understandably, frustrated by this turn of events. So frustrated, in fact, that hey, guess what…

Code:

Alex Mack (CAL) for Hooking (Minor) at 12:11

Third of the period for the home fans, with still no goals to either side. The fans no likey--but it turns out to be totally fine, because this is even worse than the last two Steelhawks powerplays. So bad, in fact, that they don't get one single shot on goal. NOT ONE.

Cool.

Uh, anyway, so, then we get a little role reversal:

Code:

Intars Ogle (HAM) for Hooking (Minor) at 15:03

And unlike the three Calgary penalties, this one doesn't go to waste. Colt wins the faceoff, but Randleman takes possession almost immediately, and he sets up the attack. The first shot belongs to Labsvārds...

...but he misses the net! That's okay, Boychuck is on it…

















...but Zarins sacrifices his body to block it! Labsvārds gets the rebound and tries one more time…


















What a stop by Tanner!

Tanner swallows two more easy ones and that's the powerplay, ladies and gentlemen. But like, at least Calgary looked like they were trying? Uh, kinda?

Well, anyway. As the penalty expires, we're at the top of the seventeenth minute. We've got third line versus second line out here on the ice, and the Dragons have possession, Martell carrying the puck over the blue line into Steelhawks territory. He passes to Spiak, who passes to McZehrl--and Grundmanis says thank you very much, I'll take that!

He turns right around and fires it up the ice to Grosberg, who dishes it back to Grundmanis as he flies down the ice. He carries it into the Dragons' zone, passes to Hamilton, who shoots…

AND SCORES!

Code:

1. Hamilton Steelhawks , Kian Hamilton 7 (Mikelis Grundmanis, Arthur Grosberg) at 17:38

Right over the top of Wong's glove!

That's about it for period number one. There's a late penalty:

Code:

Dean Colt (HAM) for Hooking (Minor) at 18:38

But, though it means the Dragons will start the second on the powerplay, they don't manage a shot in this period before the buzzer goes.

END OF FIRST PERIOD
SCORE
0
1

Code:

Goals for this period are 1 for Hamilton Steelhawks vs 0 for Calgary Dragons.
Shots for this period are 7 for Hamilton Steelhawks vs 4 for Calgary Dragons.

C'mon guys! It is not over!

C'mon guys! It is not over!

I'd like to take this intermission to remind everyone that the Challenge Cup is in the building at the Saddledome tonight.

Originally posted by lil@Mar 1 2016, 05:29 PM
I'd like to take this intermission to remind everyone that the Challenge Cup is in the building at the Saddledome tonight.

These real time intermissions are killing me! :lol:

 

SECOND PERIOD

The Dragons don't get a chance in their twenty-odd seconds of powerplay time, but it does change the momentum at the start of this period. Calgary stay on the offensive, passing the puck back and forth, playing keep-away with the Steelhawks, until finally Jalopski gets a shot…




















...and it misses the net. But that's okay, because we have another penalty to spice things up!

Code:

Bronsen Zerchai (CAL) for High sticking (Minor) at 1:29

But it's a Hamilton powerplay, so they're just going to cool their heels, especially with the one goal lead, right?

Apparently a stick to the face of Perron was what it took to get them fired up, because they stop passing and start shooting, finally! Colt charges heroically down the ice, through all three zones, before firing--which misses, but okay, he was probably a little tired from how far he just skated. But Grossberg tries…



















...and misses too. He tries again...PING!

That's all right, that's all right, it's gloved down by Clitsome, who SHOOTS…

Just end it now Steelhawks

Just end it now Steelhawks

...AND HE SCORES!

Code:

2. Hamilton Steelhawks , Rider Clitsome 6 (Arthur Grosberg, Dean Colt) at 3:01 (PP)

Wong had an ice rink's chance in hell at that one! Never saw it coming. Brutal.

Hamilton are up 2-0 now early in the second, and the Calgary fans are getting restless. Yeah, so there's more than half the game left, but if Calgary don't get going, then these several thousand people paid hundreds of dollars a person to watch their team get swept.

But Hamilton are getting cocky, and when they get cocky, they get sloppy. It's fine at first; Black takes a penalty:

Code:

Cody Black (HAM) for Holding (Minor) at 4:25

But it generates just three weak shots for Calgary and Tanner makes it look easy. But then there's another penalty to the Steelhawks not long afterwards…

Code:

Martins Ziepins (HAM) for Close Hand On Puck (Minor) at 7:03

And this one looks a little more dangerous. Mack wins the draw, and just seconds later Zoidberg takes a shot…












...swing and a miss. But now it's Hill's turn…

















...she misses too. Mack...















...also misses, and his second attempt is blocked by Colt. Labsvārds gets one more try…

But Tanner closes the door and that's the powerplay!

Oh, well. I mean. Uh. That's this powerplay.

Code:

Intars Ogle (HAM) for Hooking (Minor) at 10:48

Gotta love playoff series that get ugly, right?

The faceoff after the Ogle penalty is right over the left dot, just feet away from Tanner. Mack wins it, passes to Labsvārds, who passes to Zoidberg, who shoots…