NZIHL - 2010 Skate of Origin - Game Report

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The 2010 NZIHL Skate of Origin game needed the full 60 minutes of all out ice hockey action to determine a winner. In the end it was the Easton North Island Stars who prevailed once again this year in a 3-2 victory over the Bauer South Island Stars to gain the right to hoist the Glass Family Shield for 2010.

The game began at a great pace at the Queenstown Fun Centre, as the South Island team got the first scoring opportunity early on, with Canterbury Red Devil, Adam Soffer getting the first shot on fellow Ice Black Zak Nothling of the Swarm who started in goal for the North Island, making a good save.

 The play went down the other end where Jordan Challis capitalized on a South Island turnover in their own zone, denting the twine at the 2:56 mark of the opening stanza. Challis beat South starting goaltender Arron Bryant of the Dunedin Thunder in his first SOO appearance.

 A couple minutes later Robert Chamberlain of the West Auckland Admirals made the score 2-0 to the North off a great feed from the corner by East Auckland Swarm’s own Michael Attwell. Attwell followed in a smart dump into the left corner with an aggressive forecheck, turning over the puck and quickly made the pass to the tape of Chamberlain for the tally at 5:05 into the game.

 The South Island got themselves on the scoreboard before the end of the period off a beautiful team goal when Red Devil, Adam Soffer and Swarm, Ian Wannamaker cycled well out of the corner; Soffer making a open pass to NZIHL Rookie of the Year, Quinn Drake, at the left point for a blast that was deftly tipped past Nothling by the National League’s Leading Scorer for the past two seasons, Chris Eaden at 14:37.

 At the end of the period a scuffle ensued in which North Island’s KC Ball and South Island’s Chris Eaden got to know each other a little better. Both got 2-minutes for roughing with Eaden picking up and extra 10 for dropping his mitts. The penalty would mean that the South would be without Eaden for the first 12 minutes of the second period.

 A goaltending change at the start of the second frame saw Justin Findlay of the Red Devils take to the crease for the South while his counterpart, Admiral, Michael Hopkinson took over in goal for the North.

 The North Island took the momentum in the second outshooting the South by an 18-2 tally. North’s, Michael Attwell was the only goal scorer in the period, getting a quick shot through a stunned Findlay with just 1:07 left in the period to give the North a 3-1 lead going into the third. The North Island combination of Stampede Daniel Smith and Swarm Charlie Huber were able to find each other almost at will creating scoring chance after scoring chance but without reward.

 Between periods, South Island Coach James Van Leeuwen of the Thunder told his team they needed to go out and score a goal early and take back the momentum. The message got through, as Ian Wannamaker finished off a gritty goalmouth scramble assisted by both Soffer and Eaden at 1:07 into the third setting up a tense third period. The Queenstown crowd got behind their heroes even more chanting their way through the third frame willing the South to dig deep to try to find the equalizer.

 The game went back and forth in the third period with 17 year-old Stampede goaltender, Aston Brookes for the South and Dunedin Thunder’s, Rick Parry of the North putting on a show between the pipes making every save from there.

 Even with Brookes on the bench in favor of the extra attacker, the North Island was able to repel the South attack and maintain their one-goal victory at the close.

 NZIHF Past President Graeme Glass and has son, Simon, the former Ice Blacks Captain, presented the Easton North Stars with the Glass Shield for 2010 to Admirals Captain Steven Huish for the second year in a row for the North Island.

 Game MVP Honors went to Michael Attwell of the North Island.

 Easton North Stars 3- Bauer South Stars 2

North Goals- Jordan Challis, Robert Chamberlain, Michael Attwell

North Assists- Attwell, Corey Down

South Goals- Chris Eaden, Ian Wannamaker

South Assists- Adam Soffer (2), Quinn Drake, Eaden