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RODENTS DONE FOR THE YEAR
Alpine Ice Sports Centre, Christchurch
October 2nd, 2004 1500 NZT
In
a disappointing end to the season, the Rink Rats
were blown away in the third period by the emerging Dukes
11-2 in the second game of the best-of-three 2004 A&H
Finals.
Reaching
their fifth finals-series in six years of club existence,
the Rodents have only walked away A&H Champions once
(2001).
Missing
key players Dion Bunt (NZ IN-Line Championships)
and Louis Tremblay
(overseas) as well as their new coach, the Rats were holding
their own at the end of the second stanza, down only three
goals (0-3).
A
fired up captain Ernie
Hayes, as well as a dressing-shed visit by Rodents
legend Ian Bell, saw the Rink Rats come out with the
best of intentions, but without the firepower to compete
against the young legs of the Dukes. By having to press
hard and take offensive chances, the game opened up and
played right into the hands of the Dukes, who were clinical
in finishing off any chances that came their way.
A
number of Rodents missed open-net opportunities, and a
least four shots deflected off the pipework. A goal early
in the third may well have been the difference between
stemming the tide and what happened - which was the opening
the floodgates.
The
better team won both games, and the Rodents have a long
hot summer to ponder answers to the many questions they
were asked on the ice by a younger, fitter and hungrier
team.
CIHA
Awards night is Sunday
October 10th, and a report of the winners will be posted
on this web site.
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