Adrenaline split weekend points

In front of another sell out crowd at the Ice Arena, the Adelaide Adrenaline, proudly presented by Hards Transport, faced the Sydney Ice Dogs in their second game of the weekend.

It was another chippy affair from the get-go, Sydney’s Strat Allen was sent to the box early for roughing, while Adelaide’s Zach Boyle went late for slashing. 

In a relatively uneventful first period, the Adrenaline had a clear focus on defence, keeping the Ice Dogs to just 7 shots on goal.

The intensity stepped up a level in the second, with over 5 minutes of play without a stoppage. The whistle finally blew to give the players a minor reprieve, and after an extended break to rectify an equipment issue, Josef Rezek went short side on Sydney netminder Damien Ketlo to put the Adrenaline up 1-0.

The Ice Dogs went on the offensive, tying the game 1-1 after a Rory Rawlyk rush. The Sydney forward colliding with Peter King in the process of tucking the puck away. King claimed interference, but the goal stood.

Cameron Critchlow got the Adrenaline off to the best start possible, finding the back of the net just 45 seconds in to the third period.

Cole MacMillian headed to the box for boarding mid way through the period putting Adelaide on the penalty kill. It took a bit of luck to keep the Adrenaline in the lead, with the puck glancing off of Kings’ mask, followed shortly by a desperate David Huxley dive to clear the puck out of the crease,

Adelaide rode the wave off the successful penalty kill, some great passing from Steve Best and Morgan McNeill giving captain David Huxley time to rocket one past Ketlo. 

Some after the whistle action saw Andrew White and Graham Charbonneau making their way to the box, with Charbonneau receiving an extra two minutes for cross checking.

Sydney converted their power play, Stephen Johnston just seconds in.

Adelaide quickly wrestled back the ascendency with a Casey Babineau goal after David Dundwoodie was sent to the box.

The game turned nasty, with a flurry of major and minor penalties handed out after a pile up in front of the Adrenaline net. Critchlow was able to make the most of the man advantage, scoring his second for the game. 

Final score - 5-2.
 

The action didn’t stop with the final siren, with a ten-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty handed to Ice Dogs James Marin after firing a shot towards captain Huxley, setting up an exciting match up next Saturday when the Adrenaline head to Macquarie to take on Sydney Ice Dogs before heading to Melbourne to face the Mustangs on Sunday.