Phantoms vs. Norfolk Admirals 12-20-08: Second Period

Right before the second period began, Mihalik (SP, number 44) got ito a shouting match with Jef Szwez who was on our bench. The ref immediately sent them both to the sin bin for unsportsmanlike conduct. I told my husband, "That's a fight waiting to happen." Sure enough, four seconds after they returned to the ice, the fight started. Mihalik got in several solid punches, and I thought he was about to win a lopsided decision over Szwez... But then Swez tagged him solidly with a one-punch TKO. I don't think he was fully unconscious, but he was definitely out-of-it and he dropped like a rag doll. The ref started waving for the Norfolk trainer to come out, which he did. Szwez went back to the penalty box. Both guys were assessed five minutes for fighting. Mihalik also bled on the ice, as the ice crew had to come out to scrape clean the area where he landed.

The Phantoms came tantalizingly close to tyng the game, but unfortunately the freaking ref's whistle blew the play dead a fraction of a second before the puck slowly trickled out from under the goalie and into the net Naturally, a boo-fest ensued, and the guy in charge of music took the opportunity to play an excerpt from "Mr. Grinch". LOLOLOL...!

So we have 10:04 left in the second period, and I'm less than pleased that we only have two second-period shots credited to us. I would like to see us get more rubber on goal in the second half of this frame.

Clackson just fought with Rosehill, at the Norfolk halfboards. It was a relatively even bout, though it drew an extra round of cheerign when Clackson managed to disengage Rosehill's helmet partway through the proceedings. By the time the bout was over, Rosehill was holding his hand over his eye (whch led me to thnk he was cut, but now I'm not sure) and he was hollering a whole lot of unprintabillities at Clackson as the linesman skated him far, far away from his adversary. Eventually, both gladiators took their seats in the respective penalty boxes, where they have spent a good three minutes jawing at one another. It should be interesting to see what happens when they exit the box in another couple of minutes.

SCOOOOOORE, Jared Ross from Guenin and Giroux! That was the line that got the goal disallowed, so it's poetic justice that they would be the ones to tie the score with a beauty.We had a nice shot on goal from the right, and Ross was in perfect position at the left post to cash in the resulting rebound. SWEET. Now the score is 1-1, and the SOG are Phantoms 14, Admirals 15. There are six minutes remaining in the second period... And I am not so sure that we have seen Mihalik since that fight. Hmmm.

Crumbs. We gave up another PP goal with about two and a half minutes left in the period. (But not before Guenin blocked another couple of shots during the PK.) So far, we have given up two PP goals. This game hasn't been a penalty-fest overall (other than the fights, lol), so that should be our clue to stay out of the box as much as possible. I'm not sure if it's our PK that's having a rough go, or if Norfolk's PP is on a tear, but we don't need to give up any more of these dratted goals. Downie got the primary assist on this goal. 2-1, Bad Guys.

I'm none too happy that we are stil stuck n our end now that we are at even strength again. Bleep. Oh, lol, just as I type that, the Ross line comes barreling up the ice to put a shot on goal. :D Hey, maybe I should try using reverse psychology more often. ;)

OK, there goes the horn to end the second period. The Admirals lead 2-1. The SOG are Phantoms 15, Admirals 25. And I noticed that Clackson has a little bit of blood on his sleeve. Maybe he did inflict some collateral damage to Rosehill after all.