Drew and his Riverview Ice Sharks teammates returned to the
Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar tonight, this time to take on
the Steinbrenner Warriors. Things were going the Ice Sharks way
early, as they would find themselves on a power play just forty five
seconds, thanks to a Warriors cross check. Unfortunately they
weren't able to take advantage of the extra attacker, despite
getting four good looks on net. The Riverview team did break through
with a spinning backhand, making it a 1-0 game with a little over
eight and half to play in the period. The Ice Sharks would go back
on the power play with six and a half to play thanks to another
cross checking penalty, but once again they couldn't take advantage.
A breakaway with just twenty seconds remaining would give Riverview
a 2-0 lead thanks to a shot that went up and over the Steinbrenner
goaltender. That would be the score when the period came to a close.
Riverview got on the board first in the second period, thanks to
another breakaway goal that went over the Warriors goalie's blocker,
making it a 3-0 Ice Sharks lead with just over eleven minutes to
play. Things took a turn for the worse shortly after that for the
Ice Sharks, as the Warriors would come storming back. They would
fire a pass through the crease that they were able to tap in for
their first goal of the game with seven and a half to play in the
period. A little over a minute later the Steinbrenner squad was find
themselves with a 2 on 0 breakaway, which they converted to make it
a 3-2 game. Almost ninety seconds later they would fire a wrist shot
home through the Riverview five-hole to tie the score at three goals
apiece. Despite giving up a three goal lead, the Ice Sharks stormed
right back with a goal of their just twenty seconds later to reclaim
the lead by a 4-3 margin. Their lead wouldn't last long, however, as
they would give up another 2 on 0 breakaway that would lead to
another goal with just eighty seconds to play in the period. Ten
seconds after scoring the tying goal, the Warriors would find
themselves shorthanded once again, thanks to yet another cross
check. Riverview didn't get a shot off before the period would end,
however.
Although Riverview would start the period on a power play, they
weren't able to take advantage of the extra attacker. They would get
another chance on the power play at the 12:23 mark, thanks to a
Steinbrenner boarding penalty, but once they once again failed to
score with the extra attacker. Steinbrenner would be called for yet
another penalty with a little over nine minutes to play, thanks to a
slashing call. This time the Ice Sharks would make the most of their
extra-man opportunity, tipping in a shot off of a faceoff win to
make it a 5-4 game with a little under eight minutes to play. Their
lead was short lived, however, as Steinbrenner would find the back
of the net on a wrist shot that found its way through the five hole,
knotting the score at five goals each. With a little over six
minutes to play Riverview would find themselves in a big hole, as
they would take two penalties at once, getting called for an elbow
as well as a high stick, putting two Ice Sharks players in the box
at the same time and handing the Warriors a full two-minute power
play. With the momentum seemingly on the Steinbrenner side, this was
a "hold your breath" moment for the Ice Sharks and their fans.
Thankfully they would manage to kill off both penalties, keeping the
score 5-5 with a little over four minutes to play. Riverview would
get the final three shots of the game, but they weren't able to
score on any of them, and the game would come to an end with the two
teams tied. |