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Metros nearly put out the Blaze's fire

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Coventry Blaze ENL 2 - 2 Trafford Metros

The Metros need to take points from teams like Coventry to climb away from the relegation zone. With the close result against Whitley Bay at Hillheads, Trafford were hoping a four point weekend. When, on Saturday morning, Kingston called to say that the weather meant they'd have to postpone Sunday's trip to the Ice Dome, that dream was lost. However, the game at Coventry almost made up for the disappointment: a draw in an exciting game ending with Tom King ringing a shot off the Blaze' crossbar with 15 seconds to go, left the Metros reflecting on what that a little bit of luck could have given them the extra point and sent them back up the M6 in party mood.

As they had at the Ice Dome in October, Coventry began the game with speed. This time they had no reward and the Metros weathered this storm and began to peg the Blaze back, ending the period outshooting their rivals 12 to 9. As the puck dropped at the start of period the game was immediately stopped for Kevin Cassidy to receive a 10-minute penalty for Illegal Equipment: a visor above the regulation level. Whilst this is undoubtedly a rule, most referees will warn a player before the calling a penalty, especially at a face-off, particularly so when the game hasn't started. A couple of minor penalties called on Coventry were the only other times the scorer was troubled.

Before the Metros had settled to the second period, the Blaze had gone one up: McWilliams from Parker and Ledgard after just 46 seconds. Trafford, knuckled down and outshot the Blaze, once again, 12 to 9, but failed to light the lamp. At 31.42, McWilliams took himself out of the play for ten minutes with a Misconduct penalty for spraying ice over Trafford goalie, Declan Ryan.

The game was set up for a tense final 20 minutes which were not to disappoint. After 3.22 of the period, Coventry went two up courtesy of Bruck from Ledgard. At such a late stage, this could have looked like a game winning lead. However, at 46.58 a check from behind on Metros captain, Robyn Crebbin by Scott Mulholland, behind the Trafford goal, provoked a reaction from Andy McKinney which earned McKinney 2+2 for Roughing and Mulholland enough penalty minutes (16) to remove him from the game. The incident appeared to galvanise the Metros who surged forward to score through their Man of the Match, Max Drakeley, on the resultant power-play at 48.47: assists to John Murray and Sean Day. At 2 -1 the game was set for a tense final ten minutes, Trafford pressed and got their equaliser with just 1.44 left to play through McKinney assisted by Jamie Rogerson and Drakeley. With 25 seconds left, Blaze were called for a Too Many Men Bench minor which appeared to part of a dubious play where they should have faced-off a man short with the missing man coming off the bench to break away behind the opposition. In the event the fifth man stayed on the ice for the puck-drop, the additional man causing the penalty. A Bench minor called in the final two minutes of a game should result in a Penalty Shot: that was not given, a power-play was: Trafford pressed forward and with just 15 seconds left Tom King, much to his disappointment, rifled a shot off the cross-bar. So close, but so far!

A Trafford spokesman said "Don Cherry said, on Hockey Night in Canada, that the Maple Leafs need to come out and play all their games as though they were two down from the start; it seems to loosen and inspire their play. Maybe the Metros need some of that mindset! Being two goals down, out-shooting the opposition and having to claw back to a draw; although very creditable against a capable and quick side like Coventry, is not where we want to be. We need to be the team with our nose in front with the opposition on the back-foot. However, results appear to be slowly coming our way and we can look forward to a successful end of the season. Next Sunday's trip to Blackburn will be critical to our push up the table."

Game Stats:

Metros Man of the Match: Max Drakeley

Shots on Goal (shots on Metros first): 25 - 39

Penalty minutes: Metros 18 Blaze 50.

Metros' stats: Max Drakeley 1+1, Andy McKinney 1+0, Sean Day 0+1, John Murray 0+1, Jamie Rogerson 0+1.

Nets: Declan Ryan (60 mins) 25/2 (92.00%)