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Canberra Knights vs. Sydney Ice Dogs

 

The Canberra Knights were beaten 7-4 by the Western Sydney Ice Dogs in their final game of the 2008 AIHL season.

Juha Falin led the Knights with two goals and an assist although it was not enough to overcome a hat trick by Western Sydney’s Todd Stephenson.

With Canberra secure in fifth place, the game had only sentimental value for the Knights whose alternate captain David Lewis was dressing for the last time.

The visiting Ice Dogs, however, still have the play-offs to contend for and scored on the very first shot of the game through Tyler Sheddon although the lead was barely two minutes old when Canberra’s Jordan Gavin buried a slap shot from the right point.

The Ice Dogs controlled much of the play in the middle of the first period, and a pair of goals six minutes apart put them up 3-1 before Marko Raita and Falin tallied to put Canberra back in the game.

The momentum would, however, turn again when Western Sydney’s David Dunwoodie’s pass from the blue line was one-timed at the crease by Stephenson as the Ice Dogs took a lead they would never surrender.

Less than a minute later, Stephenson made it 5-3 from a rebound before a brilliant blast from the blue line by Falin got the crowd roaring once more.

But the Ice Dogs would go on to add two more to close out a vital win.

Despite the disappointment, Canberra will nevertheless look back on this season’s finish as a significant improvement over previous campaigns.

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Newcastle Northstars

 

The Canberra Knights were edged 7-5 in a spirited encounter away to the Newcastle Northstars earlier tonight.

The teams were locked at 2-2 and 5-5 after the first and second periods before Newcastle scored the game-winner and added an insurance empty-netter.

Canberra's final game is at home to the Western Sydney Ice Dogs on August 23.

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Gold Coast Blue Tongues

 

Marko Raita slammed home five goals and an assist as the Canberra Knights gunned down the Gold Coast Blue Tongues 9-6 at the Phillip Ice House.

The win was a season-high third straight for Canberra and strengthens its hold on fifth place as the AIHL season enters the home stretch.

The Knights scored first when Jordan Gavin picked off a careless play at the Gold Coast blue line before charging in and five-holing the goaltender.

The Blue Tongues tied the contest through Gaetan Royer two minutes later although the Knights would go ahead for good when Raita’s first pair of the night on power plays gave Canberra a 3-1 lead going into the second period.

The Knights would eventually score three more goals on special teams.

Gavin one-timed Ollie Rozdarz’s pass off the crossbar to extend the lead to 4-1 before James Lewis broke away at centre ice to pull one back for the visitors.

Another rapid exchange of goals followed as Canberra’s Mike Johnston and then the Gold Coast’s Brian Lachance scored before the period was over.

The Blue Tongues put in a rebound at the start of the third to pull within one.

But Raita blasted slap shots from near identical spots inside the left face off circle as the Knights surged to a 7-4 lead.

The Blue Tongues closed the gap to a single goal once more when Lachance and Royer got their second goals only for the Knights’ Rozdarz score by redirecting Juha Falin’s pass before Raita ended the show with 1:53 left in regulation.

Canberra faces the Northstars in Newcastle tomorrow before returning home for the season finale against Western Sydney on August 23.

 

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Central Coast Rhinos

The Canberra Knights made a triumphant return to the Phillip Ice House with a 4-2 win over the Central Coast Rhinos.

Steven Deans led the way with two goals while team captain Mark Rummukainen contributed two assists.

The Knights took an early lead through Deans but found themselves chasing the Rhinos after Simon Kummu and Brett Cole-Clark scored on each side of the first intermission.

The lead did not last long, however, as Marko Raita won the race to a loose puck behind the Rhinos net and fed the puck to Deans for his second.

Canberra then went ahead for good when Luoma deked his way down the left wing and feathered a pass across the crease to an oncoming Juha Falin to tap into the gaping net.

The third period produced a showcase of run-and-gun hockey as penalties on both teams opened to ice to more speculative passing.

But Knights goaltender Luke Fiveash produced seven of his 22 saves in the final term while Ollie Rozdarz bought the home side some insurance by swatting the rebound from Luke Philps’ angled shot out of midair.

Canberra visits the Penrith Bears next week but will be back to host the Gold Coast Blue Tongues on August 16.

 

Canberra Knights vs. Penrith Bears

The Canberra Knights dealt the Penrith Bears their first defeat of the season with a 6-5 come-from-behind win at the Phillip Ice House.

Juha Falin and Marko Raita scored two goals each for the Knights as they overcame a three-goal first period deficit.

The Bears had looked well on their way to extending their 11-game winning streak when Josh Gribben and Robert Franchini scored on a lengthy power play as the Knights got into early penalty trouble.

Vladan Stranky made it 3-0 from between the face-off circles before Falin’s rebound goal got Canberra on the scoreboard.

Gribben was then ejected for cross-checking Canberra’s Andrew Howard, giving the Knights the man advantage for the rest of the period.

Raita scored by backhanding the puck across the crease of John Daugulis, before Falin tied the game a minute left until the intermission.

Canberra went ahead on a shorthanded goal when Mark Rummukainen’s shot was spilt at the near post, allowing Ollie Rozdarz to put home the rebound.

But it took just two minutes before Franchini got his second goal to tie the game at 4-4.

Luke Philps put the Knights ahead for good midway through the third, although Knights netminder Tommi Kela was forced to make several crucial saves to preserve the lead.

Penrith pulled Daugulis with 1:59 remaining as all 12 on-ice players were jammed into the Canberra zone with the Bears hunting for the equalizer.

But when Kela dumped the puck to relive the pressure, it was picked up by Raita who skated his way through a maze of backchecking Bears to score with a wraparound.

Penrith would press on, however, and pulled another back with more than a minute still to play, as the desperate battle for puck possession continued all the way to the final horn.

The Knights will take this confidence boosting win into a three-game series with the Central Coast Rhinos that begins in Canberra on June 14.

 

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Penrith Bears

The Canberra Knights dropped the first game of a home-and-home series against the Penrith Bears 5-4.

Trying to overcome another slow first period showing, the Knights battled to the end, sending an extra

attacker on to chase a two goal deficit with a minute and a half remaining.

The move was only a marginal success, however, as Canberra pulled a goal back before time ran out.

The return leg will see the Bears visit Canberra on June 7.

 

Canberra Knights vs. Newcastle Northstars

There was little working for the Canberra Knights as they went down 7-1 at home to the Newcastle Northstars.

Despite winning 70% of the draw in the opening period, the Knights' only highlight was import Andrew Howard's goal with 1:02 remaining.

Newcastle import B J Pulkey produced a stellar six-point effort as the visitors out shot Canberra 34-18.

With the game decided by the middle of the third period, the Knights sent on rookie Chris McPhail, who made several steady plays under pressure.

Canberra travels to Penrith tomorrow to play the Bearsin the first of a home-and-home series.

 

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Melbourne Ice

The Canberra Knights snapped a four-game winless streak with a 3-2 shootout win Melbourne Ice at the Olympic Ice Skating Centre.

Canberra's imports shined once more as goals by Joel Kitchen and Juha Falin lifted the Knights to a tie at the end of regulation time for the third straightgame.

Goaltender Tommi Kela, who had already stopped 34shots for the Knights in open play, then saved all three Melbourne penalty shots as Ollie Rozdarz's lones uccessful attempt proved the difference.

Canberra hosts the Newcastle Northstars on May 31before a pair of home-and-home series against the Penrith Bears and the Central Coast Rhinos.

 

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Adelaide Avalanche

Goals from Juha Falin and Matti Luona were enough to secure a point for the Canberra Knights as they went down 3-2 in a shootout away to the Adelaide Avalanche.

With the scores tied at 2-2 at the end of regulation, both goaltenders put on a perfect display until the Avalanche finally broke the deadlock on their fifth attempt.

Canberra faces the Melbourne Ice tomorrow before hosting the Newcastle Northstars on May 31.

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Newcastle Northstars

The Canberra Knights came within 53 seconds of victory before going down 3-2 in a shootout against the Newcastle Northstars.

Juha Falin put the Knights in front with the very first shot of the game only for Gabriel Andre tie thescore with a close-range effort five minutes later.

The Knights went ahead again half way through the second when Aaron Clayworth’s shot from the high slotwas spilt by Newcastle’s Matt Ezzy, allowing Mark Rummukainen to clean up at the near post.

Canberra looked on track to snap its three-game winless streak until Colin Nicholson scored from the edge of the crease after the Knights were unable toclear their end zone.

With the shootout tied at 2-2 after three attempts each, Newcastle’s Mark Carberry fired his shot highover the goal of Luke Fiveash.

But Ezzy’s miracle sit down save on Falin’s five-hole attempt, and another save after Andre’s successfulshot, stole the game for the visitors.

The Knights take to the road again next week, before returning home for a rematch with Newcastle on May 31.

 

Canberra Knights vs. Melbourne Ice

A third-period collapse saw the Canberra Knights defeated 6-1 at home to the Melbourne Ice.

Canberra surrendered five goals in the final term as the Ice converted all three of their power plays for the period.

Melbourne went ahead on Lliam Webster’s rebound goal after Ryan Temblay’s partial-breakaway effort producedan out standing pad save from Luke Fiveash.

Tremblay’s assist was the first of five points for the Ice forward.

The Knights tied the game late in the second period when Jordan Gavin took an Ollie Rozdarz pass at th etop of left face-off circle and placed a postage stamp over glove of Stu Denman.

But Melbourne’s Tremblay scored the game-winner 38seconds into the third before adding an insurance goal three minutes later.

A time-out called by the Knights with just under four minutes remaining proved counter-productive as thevisitors stretched the score to 6-1, with the pick ofthe goals coming from Scott Corbett.

Collecting the biscuit well in the Melbourne half, Corbett charged his way through the Canberra slot to score a brilliant individual effort.

Canberra’s next game is at home to the NewcastleNorthstars on May 17.

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Newcastle North Stars

A goal with 37 seconds remaining by Canberra Knights captain Mark Rummukainen gave the team a 3-2 winagainst the Newcastle Northstars at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium.

The Knights had entered the final period 2-1 up on apair of Brendan Taylor goals before allowing Newcastleto tie the game on the power play.

The win takes Canberra's record back to 2-2 for theseason, with their next game coming at home againstthe Goodall Cup champion Penrith Bears on May 3.

 

 

 

Canberra Knights vs. Gold Coast Blue Tongues

The Canberra Knights opened their 2008 home season with a 4-3 win against the Gold Coast Blue Tongues.

Two goals from Marko Raita and one from Juha Falin gave the Knights a 3-1 lead before Jordan Gavin scored the eventual game-winner in the third period.

Canberra face the Newcastle Northstars tomorrow, before returning hosting the Penrith Bears in May 3.