The UK Firefighters extinguished the Blais of the GB Police Lions in an intense, but exciting charity ice hockey match at Guildford Spectrum on Saturday afternoon. Despite the great efforts of Elite League netminder Greg Blais and Guildford Lightning defender Alex Von Haselberg for the GB Police Lions, the UK Firefighters came out 6-5 winners on the night.
The sides comprised of serving and retired personnel from both emergency forces and the match was hosted in aid of the British Heart Foundation and the Joe Ellis Trust. In front of a 500 strong crowd at the Spectrum, there was still time at the end of the game for Firefighters’ player Nicky Chinn (as nominated by the fans) to receive the Ice Bucket Challenge, as well as match referee Steve Tyson; all for a charitable cause.
Here’s a roundup of what happened from face-off to close in each period:
1st period:
11:03 – GB Police Lions start the scoring off thanks to AJ Kelham in the Powerplay.
16:54 – Police score again to go 2-0 up and this time the scorer is J Paxman.
17:45 – UK Firefighters score their first goal of the game which soon extinguished the shutout for Greg Blais. Goal scored by Paul Gurevitch in the powerplay.
2nd Period:
22:06 – Firefighters level at 2-2 with Perry Whitlock as the goal scorer.
28:23 – Lead for the UK Firefighters, Whitlock again with a Powerplay goal.
32:34 – And yet again, that man Whitlock scores to make it 4-2 Firefighters.
3rd Period:
41:18 – Goal. Police goal. Mark Hollam.
48:20 – Nicky Chinn of the Firefighters and of Basingstoke Bison gives his team a 2 point advantage again.
53:26 – Kelham scores for the Police again, his 2nd goal of the night and the 4th for the Lions.
53:40 – Goal 6 for the Firefighters scored by number 74.
55:59 – And the final goal of the game brings the Police within one and gives Kelham his hat-trick.
Daniella West
Images provided by Dave Steadman