Bracknell Queen Bees 8-5 Kingston Diamonds
BRACKNELL QUEEN BEES 8 –5 KINGSTON DIAMONDS
7TH NOVEMBER 2009
The second long away trip in as many weeks but at least all the players and the kit arrived on time for this match – on paper one of the toughest of the season against last season’s playoff champions who won the corresponding fixture 13-0 in May. The powerful looking Queen Bees set off as if they wanted to beat that score line and piled on the pressure right from the face off. The Diamonds defence kept its shape and they even managed an attack which ended with Leen De Decker having a shot saved. However, the Queen Bees were soon back on the attack and on 3.51 they opened their account through Leanne Ganney who fired a shot through Nicole Jackson from close range (0-1). Jackson was back in action immediately, saving from Chrissy Newman at the second attempt. Meagan Geypens went coast to coast but couldn’t get a clean pass away and at the other end the Kingston defence was guilty of standing off Newman who was given plenty of space to cut in off the left wing and beat Jackson on 6.18 (0-2). The Diamonds were unable to get any possession and were continually forced onto the defensive. The relentless Bracknell pressure told again on 9.12 as Ganney was first to a rebound and somehow managed to poke the puck through Jackson for a soft goal. Jackson’s nightmare continued on 9.46 as she let in a shot from Ganney that ordinarily she would expect to save comfortably (0-4). The Diamonds’ defence had gone to pieces and on 10.46 they allowed Canadian Joanne Couture enough time to pick her spot (0-5). At this point coach Healand took Jackson out of the firing line and introduced back up Kirsty Brown who was immediately in the action making two good saves. Despite looking to be on the end of a hiding Kingston had their best spell of the game as they mounted some promising attacks but they needed Brown to pull off an excellent save to stop the Queen Bees scoring again. The first penalty arrived on 16.27 as Kingston benefitted from a slashing call and this became a 5 on 3 exactly a minute later but apart from a Geypens shot that was saved they were unable to create a clear opening and the penalty was killed but at least as the clock ticked down the visitors had managed to limit any further damage.
Having been guilty of giving their opponents far too much space, time and respect the Diamonds were much more aggressive at the start of the second period and De Decker intercepted a defensive pass but shot over with just the keeper to beat. On 21.20 Natalie Davies escaped down the right wing and showed great strength to hold off the Bracknell defenceman and bury the puck (1-5). Seconds later Geypens fed Davies whose shot was saved before the Canadian fired a great shot over the netminder’s shoulder from wide out on the left (2-5). Confidence was visibly returning to the Diamonds as they exerted more pressure and were rewarded with another power play chance on 23.22. The Queen Bees’ had lost their earlier composure and Keeper Laura Saunders got a 10 minute misconduct penalty for losing her cool after making a comfortable catch as Katie Firth skated in looking for a rebound. A cross checking call on Holly Cornford gave Bracknell their first power play chance on 25.49 and it took only 10 seconds for Ganney to calm their nerves with a good finish (2-6). In spite of this setback the Diamonds continued to fore check effectively and on 30.04 they got back into the game as Sophie Lawton fed Hutchinson who finished well (3-6) and they nearly scored again but a last ditch block stopped a goal bound Lawton shot. Geypens forced a save and then Davies back checked, regained the puck and skated away but her shot was also saved. The Queen Bees were struggling to hold the energetic Diamonds forwards and on 35.19 Geypens scored the goal of the season so far as she ghosted through the entire Bracknell team, sat Saunders on the ice and knocked the puck into the net (4-6). The Queen Bees immediately changed keepers and son after caught the Diamonds with a swift counter attack but Brown was able to foil Newman. After a full length save from Brown on 38.33 there was a dust up close to the Kingston net which resulted in Hutchinson getting two minutes for roughing and Kelly Dreschler two for hooking. This proved to be a crucial moment in the game because on 38.46 the well drilled Queen Bees power play unit created a chance for Sam Phillips to scramble in a goal (4-7). Despite conceding this late goal the Diamonds had clearly had the better of the period.
Kingston would probably have preferred a quick turnaround rather than a long break for an ice cut but they managed to kill the remainder of the penalty without alarm. Brown made a good save and at the other end Cornford forced a double save. Davies was called for hooking on 42.46 but good work from Geypens drew a hooking penalty on Newman soon after to even things up. The Queen Bees were searching for another goal to give them a cushion and it arrived on 44.53 courtesy of some sloppy defence from the Diamonds who failed to clear the puck giving Couture a second chance to shoot and Phillips netted the rebound (4-8). However, the Diamonds refused to throw in the towel and Davies hit De Decker with a long diagonal pass but her shot was saved. Shortly afterwards she made another shooting chance but was again thwarted. Geypens set up a counter attack after winning the puck back deep in Kingston territory and the Diamonds were rewarded with a power play opportunity. Davies nearly deflected in a shot from Hutchinson but the Queen Bees solid penalty kill unit did its job. Debbie Palmer-Green snuffed out a 2 on 1 break in exemplary fashion before Geypens, who was coming in for some physical treatment, was cross checked by Louise Wells for another power play. A blue line shot from Palmer-Green caused problems but the Queen Bees killed the penalty again. The Diamonds were still working hard and on 56.33 scored another good goal as strong work behind the net by Davies led to Sophie Lawton receiving the puck in front and she finished well. Straight from the face off Davies found Geypens who was taken out by a Newman bodycheck but a hooking call on Hutchinson made it 4 on 4. Brown made a tremendous full length block and then smothered the rebound but the game was getting increasingly tetchy and Newman and Davies went eyeball to eyeball before the Bracknell forward received a minor penalty. She then proceeded to give the referee a serious ear bashing from the penalty box and received a 10 minute misconduct penalty which was upgraded to a game misconduct as she continued her rant at the official. The Queen Bees conceded another penalty on 59.11 giving Kingston a 5 on 3 opportunity which they couldn’t convert. The final act of the game came on 59.50 when Wells hit Geypens from behind with a cheap shot but fortunately she got up unscathed and the hooter ended an incident packed game.
After their appalling start the Diamonds had shown great spirit to take the game to a very good Bracknell side and can take plenty of positives from the game. Spirit of the Game Awards went to Kirsty Brown and Leanne Ganney.