WEDSTRIJDVERSLAG LIONS 1

WEDSTRIJDVERSLAG LIONS 1 Enschede Lions vs Gijs Groningen 2

After our victory against Amsterdam Tigers 4 last week, we were determined to pick up another win today against Groningen. We know this team well, having played against them several times before and getting good results. On top of that, we had a very strong lineup today.

First Period The first period gets underway, and things are running pretty smoothly for us. Our breakout from the back works well, moving the puck through the center to the wingers, and we regularly enter the offensive zone with control. We create plenty of chances and put a lot of pressure on our opponents.

This was also partly because Groningen only had nine players available. They tried to conserve some energy by playing more defensively, hoping to catch us off guard with a quick breakout and maybe create some danger at our end.

However after about 10-12 minutes we could already tell they were starting to get tired, making it even easier for us to create scoring opportunities. Unfortunately for us, their goalie was making save after save so we had to keep waiting for that opening goal. And there it was! Around the 16-minute mark our new addition, Nikolai Kolchanov fired a hard low shot from the blue line straight into the net. Not much else happened during the remainder of the first period, and we headed into the break with a narrow 1-0 lead.

Second Period We start the second period well and continue playing our game. But after just a few minutes, things go completely wrong for Groningen.

One of their players picks up the puck at the end of their offensive zone and believes he has kept it just inside the blue line. However, our referee blows the whistle for offside.

Naturally the entire Groningen team especially the player who was convinced he had kept the puck onside completely loses it. They start going off at our referee Nick. There is some back-and-forth between the referee and the player in question, but the player refuses to calm down and keeps arguing. Eventually, the referee tells him to stop talking, explaining that he is not the captain and that he has had enough.

But the player keeps going, prompting the referee to warn him 'Stop it now, or you'll get an abuse of an official penalty and you'll be heading to the showers.'

'Yeah, send me off then!' the player replies.

'Alright, off to the showers you go!' says the referee.

And then we are left standing around on the ice for quite a while, waiting to see what Groningen is going to do next. Their player refuses to leave the ice and keeps standing there, even though he has to go.

Eventually, he finally heads to the locker room, but not before throwing some big tantrums and knocking over some mats like a little kid in a fit of frustration.

Groningen are now down to just eight players, and things clearly aren't going their way. After discussing the situation among themselves, they decide to call it a night and head home, accepting a regulation 5-0 loss.

What should have been a great night of hockey for both teams unfortunately comes to an abrupt end because of something as ridiculous as losing your temper over an offside call that you disagree with.

But hey, it's another win for us!

See you all again in three weeks! 🦁🏒