Recap

TC Cars Solihull Barons : 9
Solway Sharks : 6
EIHA Moralee Division

The TC Cars Solihull Barons and the Solway Sharks put on the entertainment on Sunday evening in an enthralling tie which had goals aplenty, momentum swings and more than a little controversial officiating.

The league-leading Sharks were the first to put rubber to net with a slotted home rebound by Peter Gapa off a Ben Coughtrie shot three minutes in. The Barons were however quick to strike back when Adie Brittle, on the penalty kill, seized the puck and raced up the ice harassed by the Solway D all the way before passing to Matt Maurice for the slot-in after five minutes. The Barons then almost immediately scored a second in similar fashion, Brittle once more tearing up the ice, this time with a bit more space before donating the puck to Niklas Ottosson who skated into the zone and back handed the puck in round the right hand post. A minute later and the Barons hit their third, this time quick play by Callum Bowley, Phil Mulcahy and Tom Soar created space and gave Soar the goal. Niklas Ottosson would then get their fourth courtesy of a powerplay opportunity and in the final seconds of the period Phil Mulcahy would poke the puck in round the Gary Russell’s pads for number 5.

The Sharks had obviously had had something of a rocketing during the first period intermission and immediately came back with a response, Struan Tonnar breaking away and while having an option to his left floated the puck beyond Sam Hewitt for the Sharks second. By 5 minutes the Sharks had cut their deficit to 2 goals as Peter Gapa on a short handed breakaway netted from a tight angle. By seven minutes the Sharks had edged things back further, Gapa carving through the Barons D to slot one more home for the visitors. Sam Hewitt saved a penallty shot after Rich Crowe brought down Peter Gapa from a run in on goal after nine but by 12 minutes into the second the sides were level as Scott Crane fed a shot through to traffic to tie things up.

With everything to play for in final period it took until nearly ten minutes to go for the breakthrough goal as after much debate and Sharks net full of players a Paul Stanley goal was awarded to the Barons. Two minutes later and Tom Soar slotted the puck home through Russell’s legs on the powerplay. The two goal cushion lasted only briefly before Ewan Anderson for the Sharks poked the puck between Sam Hewitts pads to bring Solway within touch. Solway then appeared to get an equaliser a minute later only for, after a bit of debate among the officials, for the goal to be washed off. The Barons finally made sure of the win with late goals by Matt Maurice and Paul Stanley before the Barons Stanley and Dave Rogers and the Sharks Peter Gapa all appeared to pick up game penalties in the dying minutes of the tie.

The Barons have important game coming up this weekend. On Sunday the Barons face the Nottingham Lions in the EIHA Midlands Cup Semi-Final. Originally scheduled to be played over two legs, ice availability issues in Nottingham means that Sunday tie at Solihull will be a winner takes all game with the victor progressing to the Cup Final to be held over two legs on the 15th and 16th of February. Please note that both Sunday’s semi-final and the final assuming we progress are non-season ticket games. Face off this Sunday – 5:30pm.

Barons Man of the Match, Niklas Ottosson

Sharks Man of the Match, Peter Gapa

 

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