9:39pm Saturday 6th March 2010
By Ned Payne
SWINDON Wildcats kept their English Premier League play-off hopes alive with an 8-0 drubbing of rivals Bracknell Bees tonight.
A four-goal first period blitz sent the Link Centre outfit on their way to an emphatic victory, and their first shutout of the season, in front of a raucous home crowd.
Prior to the match, a win against the English Premier League’s eighth-placed team was seen by many as crucial to Swindon’s play-off bid, and Ryan Aldridge’s side responded to the pressure scenario in superb fashion.
Jozef Kohut rounded Carl Ambler for the opening goal at 8.24 and youngster Sam Bullas doubled the lead from close range 37 seconds later.
Kohut hit the post on the powerplay before Aaron Nell powered down the middle from deep to make it 3-0 at 13.42.
Bracknell’s Ambler was taken off in favour of Adam Marashi soon after, but the replacement gloveman was a mere spectator minutes in when Nell’s shot hit post and bar.
The Wildcats centre got his second at 16.44 when he was sent clear by Raimonds Danilics, and slammed past Marashi to make it 4-0.
Even being short-handed did nothing to stop the flow of Swindon goals at the start of the second period, as the hosts ran riot.
This time it was Lee Richardson who found the net on the break, with not a Bracknell shirt in sight.
Gareth Endicott’s pass allowed Jason Cassells to add a sixth at 24:37 and the Bees’ misery was compounded 12 minutes later as they had a seemingly legitimate goal ruled out.
Jan Krajicek then made a mug of Marashi as he ground to a halt when one-on-one, before beating him with the aid of some fast stick work.
Nell completed the scoring in the final period as he returned to the ice after serving penalty time, and having received a pass from Kohut barely a second later, skated unchallenged towards the Bracknell goal and rounded Marashi with ease.
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