After a long 9-month break since our last game, the Buccaneers were back in Summer Classic action on Saturday as we headed to Leeds to take on the Warriors in the first meeting of the two clubs. With the sting of losing by a late goal in last year’s play-off final still lingering, the team were keen to get off on the right foot this season.
Prior to face-off, the team had discussed the importance of starting the game positively and dictating play from the off. That plan couldn’t have gone any better as right from the first shift the visitors were applying pressure and that came in the form of a goal after just one minute from Fogarty. With 12 goals in 10 games last season, he picked up right where he left off to put the Buccs in the lead with Watson getting the assist.
The early momentum continued and on the next shift, a shot from Burns was saved by Briggs but only into the path of Walsh who converted the rebound to make it 2-0 with only two and a half minutes on the clock. After that goal, the Warriors settled down and managed to apply some pressure of their own in the offensive zone. That was until the Duxbury fired a shot towards goal and the puck fell to Longworth, who in his natural habitat of around 6 feet in front of the goal, buried it for 3-0.
More Buccs pressure resulted in two further goals within 40 seconds of each other. First Walsh carried the puck into the zone and fired a hard pass into the slot where Burns was crashing the net at speed and the puck ricocheted in off his skates. Then, Hudson Nuttall followed up with a nice carry around the zone, firing the puck past a screened Briggs for 5-0.
After a dominant first period, the focus from the Buccaneers was to remain defensively sound and take the opportunities as they came. Leeds enjoyed a better second period with more time in the Buccs zone but some solid defensive structure restricted the number of shots getting through to Harrison in goal. Some early sloppy penalties for too many men on the ice should have aided the Warriors cause but the Buccs defended them superbly and managed to spend the majority of the kills in the Leeds zone.
The only goal of the period came from Fogarty with a lovely finish over the shoulder of the Warriors netminder on 37.27.
The Buccs were intent on seeing the third period out in the same vein and were straight back on the attack at the whistle. Fogarty carrying the puck goal bound and after a scramble it fell to Thomson in the slot who lasered a shot straight into the top corner giving Briggs no chance.
Then on 42 minutes, Hudson Nuttall scored one of the greatest goals ever seen in a Buccaneers jersey. After battling off two Warriors players in his own zone to win back the puck, he circled around the back of his own goal and set off up the ice. Powering past and round opposition players one by one at lightning speed, he sniped over the shoulder of Briggs.
The scoring was completed by Walsh on the 48 minute mark. A stretch pass from Tommy Smith opened up the right wing and Walsh moved into the zone 2-1 with Burns in support. With Burns creating the distraction, Walsh squeeze a shot through Briggs to make it 9-0 Buccs.
A late scare in the last few seconds that threatened Harrison’s shut-out but the Buccs saw it out to get two valuable early points on the board.
Buccaneers MVP went to Paul Tierney for a very composed performance at the back. And that topped off a great evening for the Tierneys as Jimbo Tierney made his club debut. The Tierneys become the second Dad and Lad duo on the Buccs roster alongside Jonny and Hudson Nuttall.
The Buccaneers are next in action on 25th May as we welcome Leeds Lightning to Blackburn for our first home game of the season.
