The news that Blackburn's Canadian signing Jon Adams had been cleared to play ensured a real buzz around the Arena on Saturday evening. Coupled with the return to the ice of Ivo Dimitrijevs, this meant the Hawks were virtually at full strength for the Cup game - with only Tom King and Danny Mackriel not icing. Jared Owen further strengthened his bench by adding local youngster, James Riddock, and gave a start in goal to netminder, Stuart Ashton. Dressing for the opposition were ex-Hawks Bobby Streetly and Miles Dacres.
The game started with the home side straight onto the offensive, although the first 'shot in anger' came from Sutton - a rasping drive from the blue line, which Matt Viney bravely threw his body in front of, to block. Many of the opening chances fell to the visitors, particularly Dacres, and Ashton was called upon to make two sharp saves to deny him. Aaron Davies roughed up the forward by the Blackburn bench, which provoked a spirited reaction from the youngster, and had it not been for the rapid intervention of Reece Cairney-Witter to remove him away from the scene, may have received more of the same from the wily veteran. This resulted in a powerplay for the Sting, and this was compounded when Ollie Lomax took a roughing call, to leave the Blackburn defence facing a lengthy 5-on-3 situation. The penalty was killed-off without too much concern, and within seconds, the Hawks went ahead. Scott Robson received the puck from Adam Brittle, and headed up the ice, before unleashing a ferocious slapshot towards Bagshaw in the Sutton net. Adams had shrewdly positioned himself in line with the shot, and his presence was sufficient to distract the goalkeeper. Undaunted, however, Sutton came roaring back into the contest, as they continued to bring the best out of the Blackburn keeper, but he stood up to the test admirably - ensuring the home side went into the break with a slender lead.
The second period began with a 2+2 for Lomax, for 'hooking' and 'delay of game', respectively. This allowed the Sting players to encamp themselves in the offensive zone, putting shot after shot on the over-worked Ashton. With the penalty ticking down, the visitors finally beat the valiant efforts of the Hawks net-minder, when patient passing around the goal created an opening, and the deflected shot fell invitingly onto the stick of the waiting forward, who couldn't miss. Jon Adams was beginning to grow into the game, and fired a powerful wrist-shot into the chest of Bagshaw. Parity only lasted for 3 minutes, however, as Blackburn regained the lead - courtesy of a cool finish from Davies. Matt Viney went into the corner, to contest possession with the defenceman, and having taken control, passed into space for the waiting Davies, who slid a classy back-hand finish beneath Bagshaw. Stuart-Dant tried on several occasions to coax a reaction out of Robson, but the defenceman refused to be drawn by his under-hand tactics. The game was then delayed for 10 minutes, when Adams and Dant came together in a corner, and shattered the plexi-glass. Once the game resumed, the Hawks upped the intensity, and the visitor's goal lead a charmed life, as both Adams and then David Miekle struck the pipe-work within a minute of each other.
The final 20 minutes began with the home side looking rather lethargic - handing the initiative to Sutton. A 3-on-2 breakout looked certain to end in an equalising goal, but quick-thinking by Ashton saw him come sprinting from his crease, and poke the puck from the stick of the forward. However, the Hawks did not heed the warning, and only minutes later, another 3-man rush had their defence on it's heels. Robinson crossed from the right, and Colgate deflected home, to tie the game. Two extremely harsh calls against Blackburn incensed the crowd, and they voiced their opinions towards the officials in vocal fashion. The game was very stop-start, as penalty after penalty was called - disrupting the flow of the game. With 2 minutes remaining, Adams had the chance to become an instant hero, when he broke clear from his own blue-line. He bore down on Bagshaw, but interference by a chasing defenceman was sufficient to put the Canadian off, and he hit the post. With only just over a minute left in the match, he got another chance, and this time he 'delivered' - in style. Adam Brittle played the puck out to Adams on the right, and as he crossed the blue line, cut in front of the net, and powered an unstoppable shot beyond the prone goalkeeper. There was little time for a response from Sutton, and the clock ticked down with the Hawks keeping possession.
MVP went to Jon Adams.
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