Bears @ Brave [6-4 Loss]

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In a controversial game in Canberra, Sydney Bears went down 6-4 to CBR Brave but did not go down easily.  

For the second time that weekend, the Bears conceded the first goal very early in the match. On this occasion, the Brave took 29 seconds to open the scoring with a powerplay goal. As the first minute of the game concluded, the Bears had conceded a goal, an interference penalty and a 2 + 10 minute penalty for a check from behind.


By the end of the period, Brave had scored another goal however the Bears went to the break only a goal down thank to a wraparound goal in the last minute of play by Richard Tesarik.


Midway through the second period, the Brave scored their third goal of the game. Thankfully for the Bears, Cameron Todd replied with an unassisted goal of his own a minute later. 


As the Bears had done in the first period, Brave scored a goal of their own in the last minute of play to give the home team a 4-2 lead with 20 minutes to play.  

2 Bears goals within 90 seconds of each other early in period 3 (Brian Funes & captain Michael Schlamp on the powerplay) tied the score 4-4. With 17 minutes to play and both sides powering through the game, the result was open at that point. However, the Brave scored again to re-take the lead. 

With 5.18 to go and the Brave leading 5-4, an incident would occur that would totally change the mood and feel of the game, seemingly cementing the game for the Brave. A few moments of heat in front of goal lead to 3 ejections for this game and potential consequences for the next couple of games. It took some time to work out what had happened with many different opinions about the cause, effect and result. Bears goalie Anthony Kimlin & captain Schlamp and a Brave player (Harry Byers) found themselves with early showers and match penalties. 


Enter replacement backup goalie Gabriel Robeldo and a Brave 5 minute power play with 5.18 of play remaining. A cold backup goalie standing in for Australia's number 1 goal tender in front of a massive pro-Brave barn and a team in blue hungry for goals - a no win situation! If that wasn't enough, it was his first AIHL game since playing 17 games with the Ice Dogs in 2012 (also Bears 2006-2011). He allowed a goal to Geordie Wudrick in the final stage of the game but he is not alone in the AIHL in that regard - he made a great inital save but Wudrick banged home the goal and the win for the Brave.

Far from disgraced under difficult circumstances, the Bears left Canberra without any points and face Adelaide Adrenaline next in Adelaide, possibly missing 2 important players. Still looking for their first win in regulation against a team whose own coach says is not performing, the Adrenaline/Bears weekend will be very interesting for many reasons.


Story: Eric Brook.
Photo: Paul Furness.