On Sunday afternoon Jack and me went to watch the Adrenaline play the second game of their weekend double header against the Sydney Bears. We'd won the night before 2-0 so this game was our chance to sweep the series against them this season. They were winless.
Jack and I went to similar seats to where we'd based ourselves last time in the temporary stand above the small ice, down the scoreboard side. No go, we couldn't see the end zone because the organisers hadn't fully pulled aside the opaque plastic curtain which acts as a screen against flying pucks and it was screening the view. We migrated up the other end, but condensation on the glass around the scoring box had the same effect on the far corner, screening a large segment of ice from our view. So we upped and moved to the regular stands during the first period, where we just merged into the throng about half way up, above the Sydney bench / blue line.
The game itself was entertaining to watch. Adelaide seemed to ouplay the Bears in the first period, reflected in the scoreline of 1-0 at the first break. Highlights for me were a couple great saves by Peter King, and the fact that though we generally outplayed them, they got two clear breakaways against us, and a third that was only defused by a desperate diving stickcheck from behind by the scrambling defender.
About half way through the Second Jack observed that the Adrenaline appeared to be running out of legs. They just weren't generally getting that first step, and not accelerating smoothly. Sure enough, the scoreline started to reflect this with the shot clock evening up and the Bears running out winners. Adelaide seemed to be doing all the right things, just not getting it in. Plenty of 'almosts' so nothing to be ashamed of. Favourite moments were some of the skating/stick work by our long haired winger, and a ruck on the defensive blue line when two opposing skaters swept in and leapt up to compete over a lobbed puck (from memory, we won the contest).
It was getting a bit feisty by the end of the game, with a couple almost-fights and a fair bit of chest thumping. Which Jack enjoyed so much that he has again started talking again about working himself up to playing ice hockey competitively.
Which goes to show, the spectacle of the game will generate its own future if it gets out there enough.
I've added a link in the side bar to the newly revamped Adelaide Adrenaline home page. Much better than it was previously.
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