2024/2025 Season Review: February

 



 2024/2025 Season

February

The Bees found themselves having a relatively successful month which started with an away game in Swindon which was the first time the team had played against their former team mate, Vanya Antonov. Let's just say the Bees were not going to make his night easy, Vanya soon realised his new team mates didn't have his back and he didn't make the impact he should have against the Bees. With three games going to overtime in the month there were plenty of nail biting moments but Bees were unable to make headway in the fight for a playoff place. 

1.2.25: Swindon 3 - 4 Bees (after overtime)

The Bees have a knack of raising their game against the top teams and this is exactly what they did in this game. The Wildcats took the lead early in the first with a goal scored by Aaron Nell but Bees' Ralf Circenis brought the scores level before the end of the period with a powerplay goal. With no goals in the second period there was all to play for in the third. Bees took the lead for the first time thanks to a powerplay goal scored by Will Stead timed at exactly 43 minutes and just over 7 minutes later the Wildcats equalised, Ryan Wells the scorer. The goal announcement hadn't even finished as just 20 seconds later Dominik Gabaj gave the Bees the lead again. The Wildcats then gave all they had and a goal scored by Malasinski in the 57th minute drew the scores level again. With no further goals in regulation the game went to overtime and it was to be the Bees night as Liam Morris was to put away the puck to give the Bees the extra point.

2.2.25: Bees 3 - 4 Steeldogs (after shootout)

The first half of the game saw the Bees dominate and they were 3 goals up by 32.14. Marcel Balaz scoring two goals sandwiching an historic goal from Dominik Gabaj which was his 400th point for the Bees. The Bees took a 3 goal lead into the third but this is when the Steeldogs started to put pressure on the Bees and they scored three unanswered goals, two of which were on the powerplay. Their goals coming from Morgan, Sommer and Kirk. With the scores tied 3-3 at the end of regulation and overtime unable to separate the teams, the lottery of penalty shots followed. Both goalies were to play out of their skins and in the end it took a sudden death shot from Tremblay to give the Steeldogs the extra point. 

6.2.25: Phantoms 6 - 0 Bees 

The rearranged fixture from December gave the Bees a Thursday night away game that was never going to benefit the away team. A scoreless first period was then followed by a second period where the Phantoms scored four goals, two on the powerplay. The home team were to score two more in the third to bank a convincing win. 

8.2.25: Bees 3 - 5 Tigers 

It's fair to say that the Tigers came out fighting and the Bees were unable to play their style of play that had given them recent success against the Knights, Lightning and Wildcats and they found themselves 3-0 down by the 35 minute mark. The Bees did get on the scoreboard at 35.14 when Liam Morris put away a precise pass from Ollie Hemmings-Maher although the Tigers were to score again just 17 seconds later. A second goal for the Bees in the period scored by Dominik Gabaj saw the Tigers take a 4-2 lead into the third. They extended their lead again less than 5 minutes into the third and although Dominik Gabaj was to score his second goal of the night at 53.41 the Bees were unable to score again and the Tigers took the 2 points back to Telford.

9.2.25: Tigers 4 - 5 Bees (after overtime)

An away game in Telford was going to end happily for the Bees despite the Tigers making a better start to the game taking a 2-1 lead into the second period, Jacob Ranson scoring the Bees opening goal which was his first goal for the Bees. The second period saw the Bees apply more pressure and they were rewarded with two goals scored by Marcel Balaz. Tigers scored just 11 seconds before the end of the period though to tie the scores at 3-3 going into the third. Bees were to take the lead again as Ralfs Circenis made the most of being unmarked at the backdoor and made no mistake with his shot. As was a pattern in this game the Tigers were to bring the scores level again just after the 50 minute mark and with the scores tied at 4-4 at the end of regulation overtime was required. There were good opportunities for both teams to score in overtime but the Bees were the ones to get the puck in the net. The Tigers who were advancing on Max Wright decided to change a player exactly when the Bees took possession of the puck breaking away from the remaining Tigers on the ice. The two on one play saw Dominik Gabaj make a pass just in front of goal to Will Stead who made no mistake in getting the puck past Brad Day, securing the second point for the Bees.

15.2.25: Steeldogs 5 - 3 Bees

The Bees knew they had a chance as the Steeldogs were still reeling from losing Sam Tremblay to the Steelers however it was the Steeldogs who made the best start taking a one goal lead into the second period. They were to double that lead before Hallam Wilson got the Bees on the scoreboard although the Steeldogs soon restored their 2 goal lead on the powerplay. Hard work from the Bees was to see them draw level by the end of the second period with both Liam Morris and Dominik Gabaj beating Curtis Warburton. A Steeldogs goal at 54.22 gave them the lead yet again and the Bees were forced to pull Max Wright for the extra skater but sadly this did not pay as the Steeldogs scored on the empty net and the game finished 5-3. Max Wright had a save percentage of 90.48 on the night, considerably better than his counterpart and Liam Morris continued his recent points scoring streak.

16.2.25: Bees 6 - 5 Sharks

The Sharks still fighting for a play-off spot had a difficult night before travelling to Slough with a 6-5 loss to the Seahawks where their lack of discipline was to affect their squad for the Bees game. The Sharks made the better start and were 2-1 up at the end of the first, Ralfs Circenis with the Bees goal. The Sharks extended their lead to 3-1 shortly into the second period but Ralfs Circenis scored his second goal of the night to bring the Bees within one by the end of the period. A PPG from Marcel Balaz at 44.13 drew the teams level but just 26 seconds later the Sharks restored their lead. Two Bees goals in the 46th minute, just 29 seconds apart, from Marcel Balaz and Dominik Gabaj gave the Bees a 5-4 lead. The Sharks found their way past Max at 53.13 tying the game again. It was left to Marcel Balaz with his hattrick goal at 55.43 to give the Bees the lead again and despite a final push from the Sharks and a lot of altercations between the teams the Bees held on and banked the two points.  

22.2.25: Bees 1 - 4 Seahawks

The Bees were the first to score as Will Stead opened the scoring timed at 6.12 and the Bees took a 1-0 lead into the first period break. The Seahawks were to dominate the second period scoring three goals, two on the powerplay, and a further powerplay goal in the third sealed their victory. It seemed that the Seahawks really were the Bees bogey team this season.

23.2.25: Seahawks 6 - 2 Bees

Hull took the lead at 4.06 and just over three minutes later the Bees equalised, scored by Marcel Balaz, and the period ended 1-1. Then we were to see the Seahawks score two goals in the second period and a further two goals in the third before the Bees were able to get their second of the night scored by Stuart Mogg. Emil Svek then scored his hattrick goal to seal the win. Thankfully for the Bees this was the last game against the Seahawks in the season having been unable to pick up a single point against the team from Hull.

Coming Up - March 


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