2024/2025 Season Review: October

 



 2024/2025 Season

October

The Bees started the month with one of the shock results of the season as they beat the team who would eventually be the league winners 2-1 in Slough. They were also to pick up two further wins in the month. Sadly, we said goodbye to Brett Shepherd who had decided to make the move to Streatham to increase his ice time opportunities. Understandable as he was always going to come second to an import goalie but sad for many fans as he had become a firm favourite in the rink. Bees had a couple of minders on two-way deals with the Cardiff Canucks to fill the gap until a more permanent solution was found. A new signing in October saw Will Birch make the move from the Oxford City Stars, Will had impressed in the off season when he had attended the Bees open training sessions, he showed huge potential but sadly due to work commitments his stay was to be short lived. He definitely made a positive contribution to the team but will be remembered for breaking the plexi glass in Hull during the warm up and delaying the game!  

5.10.24: Bees 2 - 1 Knights

Given the Bees start to the season many would have thought the result from this game was a foregone conclusion. The Bees had not had a win over the Knights since Halloween 2021 but they wanted this win badly. A Howlett goal for Leeds in the first period put the Knights ahead but the Bees were not going down. It took until the fourth minute of the third period for Bees to draw level as Dominik Gabaj scored. With just under 5 minutes to go in regulation Stuart Mogg scored the Bees go ahead goal. Knights were unable to score a second goal past Max Wright and finally Bees had put the run of losses against the Knights to bed. Max Wright was outstanding, only conceding one goal all evening with 49 out of 50 shots saved. A .98 save percentage against a team like the Knights was unreal!

6.10.24: Steeldogs 7 - 2 Bees

The Steeldogs were tipped to be a surprise team this season with off season signings aimed at pushing the team up the table. Brett Shepherd made his first season start for the Bees and Will Stead did not ice. The Bees had a strong first period which ended 2-2. Bees goals coming from Marcel Balaz and Dominik Gabaj. This is when the wheels came off as the Steeldogs scored two goals in the second and three in the third finishing with a 7-2 win. It definitely looked like the Steeldogs were going to live up to the pre-season hype.

12.10.24: Bees 5 - 3 Sharks 

This was close all game, the first period was tied 1 - 1,  as the Sharks took the lead before Bees Will Stead drew the scores level. Bees were to take the lead in the second as Marcel Balaz scored the first of two powerplay goals for him in the period with Sharks scoring just one goal in reply to bring the teams within one. The third period saw both teams score, Will Stead being on target for the Bees. With the scoreline at 4-3 in favour of the Bees the Sharks opted to remove the netminder for the extra skater. It didn't pay for them as Dominik Gabaj found the empty net to seal the win for the Bees. 

13.10.24: Raiders 7 - 2 Bees 

The Raiders had been the surprise team so far in the season and within minutes of the game starting it was obvious why as they took a 4-0 lead before the Bees could reply. They were extremely quick which enabled them to get in good scoring positions ahead of the Bees defence. Bees actually outshot the Raiders but the combination of Raiders speed and finishing and Ethan James' performance in goal ensured that Raiders came away with a 7-2 win. The Bees goals came from Marcel Balaz and Vanya Antonov. 

19.10.24: Pitbulls 2 - 4 Bees

Similar to the Bees, the Pitbulls had encountered a difficult start to the season. The Bees were definitely the better side throughout this game despite being short benched and losing Balaz in the first period. The Bees took a 2-0 lead into the first period break with goals from Marcel Balaz and Adam Rosbottom. Will Stead was to increase the lead early in the second before Nick Pryce put the Pitbulls on the scoreboard. Vanya Antonov scored unassisted at 34.24 and the Bees took a 4-1 lead into the third period. The only goal in the third was scored by the Pitbull's Nick Pryce (his second of the evening) and any chance of the Pitbull's getting back in the game was thwarted as Bari McKenzie sat 2 for tripping shortly after a Pitbull's timeout. The game ended 4-2 in favour of the Bees as Dominik Gabaj assisted on three of the four goals and Max Wright won the battle of the import goalies with a .95 save percentage. 

20.10.24: Bees 2 - 3 Pitbulls

The team from Bristol were looking for revenge for the previous night's defeat and they took a 1-0 lead into the second period as Cameron Hamill scored the visitors goal. The Bees brought the scores level at 34.55 as Liam Morris scored a powerplay goal and the second period was to end 1-1. Bees' Will Stead scored at 43.52 to give the Bees the lead but two goals from the Pitbulls scored in quick succession gave them the lead back and the Bees were unable to find that elusive game tying goal. The Bees outshot their opponents but the teams were evenly matched and the Pitbulls made the most of their chances and left Slough with a slender 3-2 victory.

26.10.24: Bees 1 - 4 Seahawks

Whilst they didn't know it at the time, the Hull Seahawks were going to be the team that the Bees couldn't get close to all season. The Seahawks were another team tipped for a top four finish in the league and they certainly looked the part. Bees took the lead within the first five minutes of the game as Will Stead found the target but Hull replied just 40 seconds later and the period ended 1-1. The Seahawks took a 2-1 lead into the third after they scored at 38.34. They extended their lead at 48.22 and a further goal at 56.18 saw the visitors bank a 4-1 win.  Although Max Wright registered a .9111 save percentage, the Seahawks were just too good. The Seahawks goalie, Dmitri Zimozdra, ended the night on a .9667 save percentage and to be fair he was outstanding.


27.10.24: Seahawks 6 - 1 Bees 

The Bees travelled up to Hull with 15 skaters and they were no match for the Seahawks. The home side took a 2-0 lead into the first period break and although the Bees managed to score a powerplay goal at 21.48, Dan Rose assisted by Will Stead, two further goals for Hull in the period put the game beyond the Bees reach. The home team scored another two goals in the third and all things considered the Bees did well to come away with just a 6-1 loss. The Bees short bench really cost the team on the night.

Coming Up - November 


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