• Howick and Pakuranga Times
A crowd of 150 filled Paradice Ice Arena to support home side the Botany Swarm as they took on the Dunedin Thunder recently in the NZ Ice Hockey League (NZIHL).
In the first game of the double-header on July 3, the Swarm took out a thrilling match 8-7 in an overtime shootout.
They weren’t so fortunate in the second leg on July 4, going down to a superior performance by the Thunder 4-1.
Thunder goaltender Rick Parry played superbly, keeping the Swarm puck out of the net until 60 seconds remained in the third 20-minute period.
Both teams had their chances but it was the Thunder who made the most of it, with a number of accurate slap shots and quick offensive moves proving the difference.
The Swarm, the 2007 and 2008 NZIHL champions, had it tough from the outset and with two players in the penalty box, the Thunder made the most of their power-play opportunities.
A pass from forward Kevin Davies found the stick of defenseman Martin Millerioux for a hard slap shot, beating Swarm goalie Kane Easterbrook to make it 1-0 midway through the second period.
The Swarm didn’t have a chance to strike back before the Thunder put another point on the scoreboard when forward Simon Christos fired in from an assist by Cameron Frear.
Things went downhill for the Swarm from there, with the Thunder scoring twice more before the final buzzer, through Damien Watson and Quentin Pepy.
The Swarm had a number of power-play chances but a myriad of shots from Estonian Alexandr Polozov and German Charlie Huber failed to beat the in-form Parry. Both forwards gave the Thunder goalie problems around the net and were unlucky not to get a breakthrough.
Swarm defenseman Leith Thompson finally got a well-earned goal in the last minute.
Meanwhile, last Tuesday at Avondale, the Swarm got back to winning ways with a hard fought 5-3 victory over the West Auckland Admirals, in what was a brutal match at times.
Players from both sides were ordered to the penalty box throughout the encounter, as well as having one from the Swarm and Admirals immediately ordered off for a five-minute penalty and automatic one-game suspension for serious misconduct.
Swarm forward Josh Hay was also accidentally struck in the head by a stray stick and was carried off with concussion.
After the Admirals pushed out to a 3-1 lead midway through the second period, with Botany’s first goal coming from Lyle Idoine, the Swarm clawed back into the game and it was 3-3 with the final 20 minutes left.
Idoine and Ian Wannamaker, who had scored in the second period for the Swarm, added one more each in the third, very physical period, to clam Botany’s 27th consecutive NZIHL win over the luckless Admirals.
The result of yesterday’s return clash between the Swarm and Admirals at Avondale will be in this Thursday’s Times.
The Swarm’s next home games at Paradice Ice Arena, Botany, are against the powerful Canterbury Red Devils, on Saturday and Sunday, July 24-25 at 4.45pm.
