ICE HOCKEY: Hoog goals not enough for Swindon (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Wildcats suffer back-to-back defeats at the weekend

8:16am Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Sport

IT WAS a disappointing weekend for the Swindon Wildcats as they managed to record just a point from their games against the Bracknell Bees and Slough Jets, writes George Royle.

Saturday evening saw the Cats welcome the Bees to the Link Centre in front of a decent-sized crowd. The two teams had contested a close encounter just a week earlier and that trend looked set to continue as the first period ended goalless.

Just over 30 seconds into the second period, Czech forward Michal Kapicka fired a slapshot low into the goal to give the Wildcats a lead. The advantage didn’t last long, however, as Marcel Petran responded a few minutes later in similar fashion for the Bees.

Swindon were forced to absorb some Bracknell pressure but finished the second period strongly with Jonas Hoog firing the Cats into a 2-1 lead.

With the game nicely poised, Swindon appeared to have scored the key goal with seven minutes remaining as Hoog burst free on a shorthanded breakaway and skilfully put the puck past Annetts to give the home side a 3-1 lead.

However, Bracknell rallied strongly and managed to score two more goals through Andy Munroe and Alan Lack to force the game into overtime.

A tense and goalless overtime led to penalty shots. Aaron Nell, Hoog and Matias Perkkio all missed for Swindon, while a goal from Shaun Thompson snatched two points for the Bees.

On Sunday, the Wildcats travelled down the M4 to take on a surging Slough Jets outfit. A close first period concluded with Slough leading 1-0 thanks to Alex Barker. Swindon created several decent chances but weren’t clinical enough in front of goal.

Things slipped away from the Cats in the second period as goals from Darius Pliskauskas and Slava Koulikov really got the Jets flying. Coach Aldridge called a timeout for the Cats, which led to them bagging a goal through Nicky Watt and the second period ended with Slough leading 3-1.

The Jets refused to let Swindon back into the game and they sealed an entertaining a 4-1 victory when Dan Davies scored shorthanded past Cats netminder Dean Skinns early in the third period. Swindon can take some positives from the weekend. Hoog currently leads the league in points with 22, goalie Skinns seems to be improving each week after a shaky start to the season and Lee Richardson covered for the injured Shane Moore in admirable fashion.

Ryan Aldridge’s team currently sit in seventh place and face a tough double-header against the Basingstoke Bison this weekend.