2024/2025 Season Review: December

 



 2024/2025 Season

December

Still suffering with a depleted bench for much of the month didn't help the Bees cause. The players who were playing were giving their all and recording extended ice times and as expected most teams were taking advantage of this situation. Behind the scenes the management were sourcing extra players and half way through the month former Bee Josh Martin and Jacob Ranson (from Romford Raiders) were added to the roster. They both debuted against the Peterborough Phantoms at Slough and the Bees made easy work of the Phantoms that night. Buoyed by this result the team travelled to Peterborough the following day to find on arrival that the ice was not playable and the game was postponed. The Bees didn't pick up any further points during the remainder of the month. 

1.12.24: Seahawks 6 - 3 Bees

Hull raced away to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period but the second period belonged to the Bees who won the period 2-1 bringing themselves to within two goals at the end of the period. The second period goals scored by Dominik Gabaj and Stuart Mogg were both scored on the powerplay The Seahawks were to score first in the third period and then a Balaz goal brought the Bees back within two. However, a final second goal gave the Seahawks a 6-3 win.

7.12.24: Bees 1 - 6 Knights

Bees fans were delighted to see Josh Smith back on the ice after a lengthy stint on the injury balcony. The team was also boosted by having many of the two-way players available too. Sadly, this game was not going to go well as by 16.08 in the first period the Bees were already 5-0 down. The second period was a much more even period shared 1-1 with the Bees goal scored by Will Stead. A goalless third period saw the Knight leave Slough with a 6-1 win. The talking point of the night was the number of penalties with Bees amassing 83 minutes and the Knights 116 minutes. A number of the incidents were reviewed by DOPS, Bees Liam Morris received suspensions following two separate penalties during the game and as a result was unavailable to the Bees until the new year.

14.12.24: Sharks 9 - 3 Bees 

Bees could only muster 11 out skaters for a double header trip to Dumfries. The Bees had the better start taking a 2-0 lead by 6.48, the goals coming from Vanya Antonov and Will Stead. The Sharks then turned up and scored seven unanswered goals before Will Stead scored his second of the night. Sadly the game was already out of reach before the Sharks added another two goals to their tally.

15.12.24: Sharks 6 - 3 Bees 

The Sharks made the brighter start to this game taking a three goal lead by 15.28. Will Stead got the Bees on the board at 17.24 and the teams continued to trade goals although the Bees couldn't get the upper hand. Will Stead scored all the Bees goals but his hattrick wasn't enough as again the short bench cost the Bees dearly.

21.12.24: Bees 5 - 3 Phantoms

With a fuller bench than we had seen of late, the Bees were the better team and although Phantoms were the first to score this was to be the only time all game that the Bees were behind. The first period finished 2-1 as Dominik Gabaj and Will Stead were on target for the Bees. The 2-1 second period saw goals from Adam Rosbottom and Marcel Balaz give the Bees a two goal lead into the third. Dominik Gabaj increased the lead in the third and although the Phantoms did pull one goal back they were unable to be a match for the much improved Bees team. An incredible whole team performance earned the win with Max Wright recording a 93.88 save percentage and Dominik Gabaj registering 2+3 on the night as he was involved in every Bees goal.

28.12.24: Bees 3 - 6 Raiders

The first two periods were very even and at the end of the second period the teams were tied at 3-3. Bees goals coming from Dominik Gabaj, Marcel Balaz and Will Stead. The Raiders were to score three goals in the third, the last being on the empty net to put the game out of the Bees reach. You could see the Bees were disappointed as this was a closer game than the scoreline suggested.

29.12.24: Raiders 5 - 3 Bees

Bees started the better of the two teams as Adam Rosbottom scored the only goal of the first period. Roman Cathcart doubled the Bees score early in the second before the Raiders got a goal on the board. Marcel Balaz put the Bees two goals ahead but the Raiders had clawed back one goal before the end of the period. A three goal third period for the Raiders (one on the empty net) sealed the victory for the home team but the Bees were starting to show the signs that they were turning a corner. Max Wright had a 92.16 save percentage on the night as the Raiders outshot the Bees 52 to 25.

Coming Up - January 


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