More hockey talk :)
Don't worry, it will be the OFFSEASON soon (how am I going to cope????? thank goodness the rec teams play in the summer!!)
Anyway - I wasn't able to attend the last Wildcats game of the post-season yesterday, as I went up the country to see my bestest poorly pal in hospital..... but live updates courtesy of Tracey made me feel like I was there - thanks Tracey!
Some may say this game was meaningless for both teams involved, as Slough were already through to the cup weekend, and the 'cats were already out.
But Swindon certainly didn't play it like it was meaningless!
From the Adver:
The Wildcats finished their season on a high, winning a dramatic penalty shoot-out with netminder Nathan Craze the star of the show last night.
Craze became the match-winner saving all three of Slough's penalty shots.
First he stopped Steve Moria's effort after which Cats John Wheaton missed. Then Craze saved from Blaz Emersic with Cats' Joel Petkoff scoring his. Craze then clinched victory by stopping Paddy Ward's shot.
Cats had taken the lead two minutes into the first period after good work from John Wheaton and Robin Davison set up Tomas Janak before Emersic levelled matters at 13.39 and ex-Wildcat Steve Moria beat four players before feeding Jan Krajicek to score Jets' second goal 90 seconds later.
Wildcats drew level 46 seconds after the restart of the second period when Petkoff and Davison combined well to set up Leigh Richardson for a shot, cleared to Lee Brathwaite at the point on the left. And just when the chance looked to have gone, Brathwaite fired over Tom Annett's left shoulder to bring Cats level at 2-2.
With no further goals, Craze's shoot-out heroics saw the Cats finish their campaign in style.
At the end of the game, they didn't go for the joyful pile-up we saw after the Milton Keynes win last week, complete with Pete Russell's "COME OOOOONNNNNNN" :) :
Instead they were up into the stands for a bouncy with the fans who had travelled to watch them down in Sluff - great stuff!
This team has got better and better all year - they are really gelling now - and we got a very respectable post season performance from them. It's a pity they won't be at the Skydome this weekend - it was so close, and I genuinely believe we'll get there next year.
THANK YOU Cats for a season of great entertainment, some great hockey, some not so great hockey, a few more grey hairs on my head from stress, and a few more laughter lines on my face from grinning like a loon, especially when Tomas scores :) :) :)
Wake me up when the new season starts.....
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