Bees secured a playoff position after facing trouble in Romford on Saturday evening where they were unable to secure the 2 points against the Raiders. But on Sunday evening, against the Solway Sharks, the Bees were able to take the 2 points and the playoff position.

With Brython Preece in goals for the Bees and Callum Hepburn in for the Sharks the puck dropped and it was the start of an extremely competitive night with the Bees finding themselves having a man advantage only 4 minutes into the game. The first period was mostly full of penalties being called against both teams but at 19:23, with less than 1 minute left in the period, Dominik Gabaj found his way to get the puck to the back of the Sharks’ net and secure a 1 goal lead going into the second period with assists awarded to Marcel Balaz and Vanya Antonov. 

A 1 goal gap stood between the two sides after 20 minutes and Solway came out into the second period with power in their plays and at 23:43 Nolan Gardiner equalised the game to make it 1-1. Shortly after it did not take Liam Morris long to react to the Sharks’ success as he slotted the puck to the back of Solways net at 25:23 with an assist awarded to Brendan Baird and then just under 2 minutes later Marcel Balaz added to the Bees’ lead with a goal timed at 27:12 with assists awarded to Vanya Antonov and Dominik Gabaj. A penalty called against the Bees saw the Sharks go onto the power play and at 30:10, Nolan Gardiner secured his second goal of the night to leave only a 1 goal gap between the two teams after 40 minutes were played. 

Solway found themselves on a 5 on 3 chance after penalties for the Bees were called against Dominik Gabaj and Harvey Stead and yet again Nolan Gardiner was able to equalise the game yet again for the Sharks to leave the game stuck in limbo for a while as both teams were deciding what way their game would need to be played for the final 12 minutes left as in order for the Bees to secure playoffs they needed a regulation win. A penalty called against Solway’s netminder Callum Hepburn saw the Bees have an extra skater for 2 minutes and Gianni Vitali found the perfect chance and was able to score the game winning goal at 53:52, after an enormous effort from the Sharks, and secured a playoff position for the Bees with assistance from Ed Bradley and Dominik Gabaj with a power play goal.

See you in April Beearmy for some Playoffs hockey!