Resilient Brave Outlast Adrenaline

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A tough Saturday loss and the suspension of their coach thanks to a bench melee were no object to the CBR Brave as the visitors rallied to score a defiant comeback win against the Adelaide Adrenaline.
 
In a see-sawing affair, which the Adrenaline led by as many as three goals in the second period, the visitors showed steel and determination, responding to everything the home side threw at them to secure a memorable 6-5 shootout win.
 
Down 5-4 late in the third period, the visitors found themselves with a two man advantage after consecutive penalties to the Adrenaline and capitalised, levelling the game with 0.2 seconds on the clock thanks to Matt Harvey’s second goal of the game.
 
Adrenaline Coach Ryan O’Handley was seething at his side’s performance but refusing to blame the loss on questionable refereeing.
 
“Not unlucky at all, we’re up three nothing, we take some stupid penalties in the second period, they get back in it on the powerplay… I mean you can say at the end there, questionable call in my opinion on the goaltender interference… but we put ourselves in that position,” O’Handley said.
 
Stand-in Brave Coach, Dave Rogina praised his side for the way they responded after yesterday’s tough loss but acknowledged it was a tough game for both teams.
 
“It was a tough fought game, very close, pretty well played by both teams but a real character win for out boys, we were short a couple guys… so they showed true character,” Rogina said.
 
Despite the tough loss yesterday, Rogina said his side took a lot of confidence into the game, having won the third period.
 
“We won the third period so we ended on somewhat of a positive note and we scored seven goals on [Charlie Smart]… in between the second and third period [yesterday] we told them go out and play the game like you want to play it and start tomorrow,” Rogina said.
 
In spite of the momentum gained by the Brave from their strong third period on Saturday it was the Adrenaline got out of the blocks faster.
 
The home side were rewarded for their early efforts, with an goal from Remy McGuiness after a classy play from Darren Corstens set up the young gun with an open net.
The Brave had their early chances too but were denied by Adrealine goalie Charlie Smart and found the momentum against them after a delay of game penalty gifted the Adrenaline a late powerplay.
 
The home side made no mistake with the extra man and converted on the powerplay thanks to a highlight reel solo effort from Captain Greg Oddy, giving the Adrenaline a two goal lead heading into the first intermission.
 
Despite extending their lead early to three goals early in the second period, the middle frame belonged to the Brave as the Adrenaline struggled to clear their zone against a Brave outfit determined to force their way back into the contest.
 
Reward finally came for the visitors as they notched two second period goals on the power play to bring the contest back to pin the Adrenaline’s lead back to one goal heading into the third period.
 
The third period was a back and forth affair with the Brave equalising early and never letting the home side too far out of sight, responding each time the Adrenaline scored, bringing the game to a dramatic conclusion.
 
After equalising with only 0.2 seconds remaining, the Brave were clinical in securing shootout win, requiring only two shooters to do so.
 
Brushing off a tough loss, Adrenaline Coach Ryan O’Handley is adamant his side is still poised to secure a finals berth, despite leaving the door ajar for the Brave.
 
“It tightens it up, it’s not where we want to be but I mean we have seven games left, so we just have to win some games, get on a bit of a streak and we will be fine,” O’Handley said.