Wheels Fall Off The Racers

Game number 13 for the London Racers proved to be just as unlucky as the previous 12 for the side from the Ally Pally. Still in search of that ever elusive first win, the Racers fought hard, but succumbed to a 6-3 loss at the hands of the Belfast Giants.

The Odyssey crowd arrived wondering how the Giants would react following their monumental win against the Sheffield Steelers two nights previous, and they didnâ??t have to wait very long for an answer. On 1.25 Giantsâ?? Brad Kenny shot from the right circle, the puck took a massive rebound off Racers netminder Anders Hogberg which was picked up by Paxton Schulte, who made no mistake placing the puck to the right of the stranded netminder.

Giants fans didnâ??t have long to wait for the second, 21 seconds later Paul Sample laid the puck off to Schulte who skated unchallenged to the left of the goal and slotted the puck past Hogberg for both his and the Giants second of the night.

The early part of the game seemed to be a training piece for the Belfast team, and on 3.37 Giants captain Jason Ruff put the home side 3-0, lifting the puck to the top right of Hogberg after some well worked passing from Sample and Sean Berens.

The home crowd must have thought they were going to see a cricket score when on 9.20 Schulte wrestled the puck from London Racers Brian McLaughlin in the right circle, passed the puck off to Sample on the left, he bided his time on the red line before laying off to Colin Ward on the edge of the crease who smacked the puck through 2 Racers defensemen and into the back of the net.

4-0 up and only 10 minutes gone. London were showing their inability to compete at this level and the fact that they only had 13 players on the bench did them no favors. They did, however, pull one goal back before the period break. The Giants failed to clear the puck following netminder Colin Ryderâ??s two saves on a 2 on 1 break away for the Racers, the puck was picked up by Nick Burton, passed on to Jani O Tuominen who made no mistake in teeing up Kalle Konsti for the goal. A well worked score that drew applause from the sympathetic Odyssey crowd.

The Giants started the second period knowing that it would take a major Racers comeback to overhaul their 3 goal lead. And there were a number of chances to make it 5-1, a one-timer from Shane Johnson and a breakaway shot from Kenny both being stopped by Hogberg, these along with Ruff striking the outside of the right post proved that the Giants were out to make sure the game was out of their opponents reach.

The 5th Giants goal came on 34.06. Colin Ward stole the puck on the offensive red line, drawing Hogberg out of his crease. The netminder got tangled with his own defenseman as Ward released the puck to Shane Johnson in front of goal who let it rip. Hogberg had turned and, with a theatrical dive, did get a stick to the puck, but not enough to stop the Giants d-man giving the home side a 4 goal advantage.

The Giants looked comfortable, but then a moment of madness. Paxton Schulte, who in many peoples opinion was playing a man of the match performance to this point and having just broken Rod Stevens record as all-time top goal scorer for the Belfast Giants, was whistled for a hooking call on Racers #20 Mike McKinnon. However the â??crowd favoriteâ?? followed this in with a cross-check and an elbow, leaving Referee Nigel Boniface no other option but to hand Schulte a 2+5+Game Misconduct for this needless penalty. The remaining minutes of the period were uneventful, with the Racers unable to capitalize on the resulting powerplay.

The visiting team came out of the tunnel for the final period knowing that they had a major job to do if they were to over turn the 5-1 score-line and 5 minutes in to the 3rd they pulled another goal back. Konsti with his second, a one timer from a Marc Long pass, in the right face off circle leaving Ryder with no chance as the puck hit the right post on its way into the back of the net.

The Giants looked like they had taken their foot off the gas in this final period, but it didnâ??t stop the goal chances. Midway through the 3rd period, Colin Ward shook off his defenseman causing Hogberg to come out of his crease and commit. Ward skipped round the outside and shot past the venturing netminder on the open goal only to see it bounce off the outside of the right post. The Giants added their sixth and final goal with 4.50 left in the period. Leigh Jameson getting his first goal on home ice. Sean Berens laid the puck off from the red line to Jameson, open on the edge of the crease, who easily slotted the puck under the netminder. It was a goal that begged the question â??Where exactly were the Racers Defense?â?? as both Berens and Jameson seemed to skate freely.

The game was done and dusted. The Racers, however, did pull back a consolation goal and Konsti got his hat-trick, the Giants defense leaving Ryder hung out to dry with 13 seconds left, as Konsti fired the puck home stick-side.

â??A win is a win is a winâ??, they say. Try telling that to Racers owner Roger Black. 13 games without a win and in need of some quality talent to pull them up by the boot-laces. The Giants on the otherhand, not only extended their lead at the top of the EIHL table but also booked their place in the Challenge Cup semi-finals. And with only 3 home games between now and December, they hope to pick up every point they can in the battle for the first Elite League championship.

Patrick Smyth

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