Brisbane Lightning News: July 22-23, Week 15

Now that was a weekend of hockey! The Brisbane Lightning played two big games over the past weekend against the Newcastle Northstars. Both games were hotly contested affairs in front of sold-out crowds at IceWorld Boondall that saw the Lightning regain form against one of the top teams in the AIHL.

Saturday was a great day. From the beautiful Queensland weather outside the rink to the fast-paced hockey on the inside it was a game not to be missed. One of main the reasons was the long-awaited return of a trio of key Lightning players - defender and Captain Damian Bright from a lower body injury, power forward Anthony Barnes (also from a lower body injury) and the much anticipated return to the ice of top Brisbane import Jordan McTaggart. 

There is no doubt Newcastle came to play and brought their usual physical style to the contest. However, bolstered by the veteran savvy of Bright on defense and the speed and skill of McTaggart and Barnes up front the Lightning were more than up for the challenge.

The first period was a cagey affair. Newcastle’s Smardon opened the scoring late in the period. The Lightning struck back almost immediately with a nifty goal from Aaron Wanat assisted by Eric Speedie and Max Roth. Wanat scored his seventh goal of the season by outwaiting Charlie Smart and lifting the puck into the top of the goal as Smart went down to the ice. This goal was enough to ensure that the period ended in a 1-1 score line.

While the scoring was quiet, the same could not be said of the traffic to and from the penalty box! While only one penalty was called in the first 19 minutes and 58 seconds of the period, the last 2 seconds proved lively. Fighting majors to goalscorer Wanat of the Lightning and Powell and Butler of the Northstars (who also garnered a couple extra minutes each for instigating the whole melee) left the benches a bit shortened and Newcastle’s already depleted defensive numbers a bit lighter.

The second period saw an uptick in both the penalties and the scoring. The Brisbane Lightning ended up on the wrong side of the penalty tally with six minor penalties to Newcastle’s four. However, on the scoresheet they came out even – a fairly big feat to overcome six different man advantage situations from the Northstar’s potent powerplay.

The Lightning defenders took game by the scruff of the neck with Max Roth scoring past Newcastle Goalie Charlie Smart on the powerplay, and Christian Fuschini and Alexis Girard tallying markers while even strength. Newcastle answered back point for point however to end the second period tied at 4-4.

The third period was even on penalties, but the Lightning took control on the scoreboard led by import defender Max Roth. Roth broke the game open by scoring two goals within three minutes at the start of the third frame. Roth played his best game of the season on Saturday, choosing the right moments to jump into the play and the right times to stay at home. His use of escape moves and ability to outmanoeuvre forecheckers in the neutral zone gave Newcastle fits all game and allowed the Lightning to move with pace and puck control into the attacking zone repeatedly.

In addition, Steve Harris stood tall in the Lightning net when it counted to hold off a determined Northstars team as they put the pressure on in the last few minutes of the period. With the net empty for an extra attacker Newcastle had a number of good chances that Harris battled through to make key saves. Empty net goals at the other end from Eric Speedie and Julian Fodor iced the game for the Lightning and sent the fans home happy on a Saturday night!

“It was good for us to get back in the win column after a few losses,” said defender Christian Fuschini.  “It was a real spark to have Damian (Bright), Tags (Jordan McTaggart) and Barnesy (Anthony Barnes) back on the ice.  They all provide a lot of leadership and hockey experience, and you can see the difference for us having them on the ice just by looking at the scoreboard at the end of the game!” 

Game 2 on Sunday was just as exciting – if not more so! As seems to be the case between these two teams, this was another very close, hard fought affair. The first period ended with the score even at 2-2. Kasey Kulczycki was flying in the first period, the Canadian winger flashing his speed to put the Newcastle defence under pressure both Saturday and Sunday.

In the first period of game 2, he went to the tough ice in front of the net to deflect home a Girard one-timer Girard between the legs of Charlie Smart. Just after the halfway mark in the 1st period Julian Fodor trailed in as the high man on a 3 on 2 zone entry led by Kulczycki and fired home the pass to score his 14th goal of the season. Newcastle was the equal of the Lightning in the first period however, and John Kennedy fired home a big slapshot at the end of the first to send the teams into the intermission with the score tied at two.

Despite giving up the two goals each, both Lightning goalie Nick Novysedlak and Newcastle goalie Charlie Smart battled hard through the first period and the whole game to give each of their teams a chance.

A penalty-filled second period saw the Lightning lose Kasey Kulczycki from the game after being called for a checking from behind infraction. Despite the number of penalties called – including six against the Lightning alone – there was only one goal scored as Berno from the Northstars scored a powerplay goal to put Newcastle one goal up at the end of the second.

As in the first period, Novysedlak starred in between the pipes for Brisbane, standing tall in the face of crease traffic provided by players such as Zane Jones and Liam Manwarring to make a number of key saves that kept the Lightning within striking distance with one period to go.

Period three was a hectic affair! Newcastle scored early to make the game 4-2, but this was quickly answered by defenseman Thomas Kiliwnik, with his first ever AIHL goal, to bring it back down to a one goal lead. Newcastle added another at the halfway point of the third to seemingly put the game out of reach, however that is when the Lightning really went to work.

Arum Rapchuk pounced on a rebound from a Girard shot while on the powerplay to poke it home behind Smart. Julian Fodor drilled home his second of the game and 15th of the season to tie it all up at 5.

Overtime was thrilling for the fans. Normally overtime is 3 on 3, however the Brisbane Lightning spent most of the overtime on the 4v3 powerplay but could not get the goal needed to break the deadlock. Alexis Girard, Max Roth and Jordan McTaggart featured heavily on the ice for the Lighting in overtime and were the 3 shooters in the shootout that followed.

It was not to be for the Lightning on Sunday, however, as the Northstars scored on two of their shoutouts while Girard and Roth couldn’t put the puck past Charlie Smart at the other end to let the Novocastrians take away 2 points for the shootout win.

Despite the loss the team was upbeat. “To get 4 points from a possible 6 this weekend against Newcastle was huge for us,” opined Assistant Coach Ivan Rapchuk. “We got back to winning ways. Our goalies – especially Novy (Nick Novysedlak) - had a strong weekend, Roth and G (Girard) were pillars on defense, Tags (Jordan McTaggart) was flying upfront and Julian Fodor had a bounce back weekend with great work at both ends of the ice. Lots to build on going forward!”

Brisbane travels to Newcastle to play the Northstars again on Sunday July 30th to makeup the game lost to travel issues about a month ago. Join us on aihl.tv.

- Words by Ivan Rapchuk 
- Image by Slippery Pixel Photography