Norsemen Out-Duel Gladiators
Victoria - The Norsemen/Gladiator game lived up to its billing as a fierce battle between brutal rivals. In one of the most injury-filled games of the season, three players were forced to leave the game with various bumps, bruises and more serious injuries while two others were ejected from the contest.
On the scoreboard the Norsemen squeaked out a 4-3 win despite a late rally from the Gladiators. Jarrett Stoll’s goal at 16:24 of the third period, assisted on by Matt Bradley and Anton Babchuk, ended up being the game winner after Joffrey Lupul scored with 2:30 left in the game to reduce the lead to just one.
The Norsemen got out to a fast start, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period. Rickard Wallin scored his eighth on the year, tipping a Chris Chelios shot past Nik Khabibulin. Later the first frame, Alexander Korolyuk scored his first goal of the game and snapping a shot over the right shoulder of Khabibulin from the top of the left face-off circle. Korolyuk scored his second of the game in the second period, his 17 goal of the season, while killing a penalty.
The Gladiators also got goals from Jan Hlavac and Darren McCarty.
However, the real story was on the injury front. Just over three minutes into the game, Daniel Sedin received an elbowing penalty and a game misconduct for a vicious elbow he laid to the head of Stephane Veilleux. Veilleux remained on the ice for several minutes before being helped to the bench by team-mates and immediately disappearing down the tunnel to the dressing room. He was quickly taken to hospital for tests and it is estimated he will miss three weeks with concussion symptoms. Sedin has been hit with a four game suspension for his actions.
“It was a completely unnecessary and bull(beep) hit,” cried an outraged Adam Foote. “You expect that from a guy on their team like McCarty, not a freaking Swedish sister. Those prima donnas have had their hands held for so long by guys like (Hamburg GM) Skey that they don’t know what is right or wrong on the ice anymore.”
It was probably no coincidence that Claude Lapointe laid a similar elbow to the head of Daniel Brier at the seven minute mark of the second period. Lapointe was immediately tossed from the game but received no further disciplinary action from the league. Briere is listed as day-to-day, and should be back in a few games.
Zigmund Palffy also left the game in the first period after a clean hit from Adam Foote. Palffy limped off the ice, but is expected back very soon.
“It was a solid hit, I didn’t think anything of it,” remarked Foote on his hit that took the Gladiator superstar out of the game. “It was definitely a big moment for us though. Anytime you don’t have to contend with a superstar of that kind of offensive ability it’s a good thing.”
In the ever-present playoff race, the win moved the Norsemen just one point behind the Acadia Golden Bears for sixth place and eight points up on the ninth place Ottawa Slammers. The loss had little consequence to the Gladiators as most of the teams immediately surrounding them also lost their last game.
Korolyuk and the struggling Tomas Surovy have now combined for 37 of the team’s 102 goals, just under 40 per cent of the team’s goals. The win gave the Norsemen their third consecutive victory. Since joining the team, Byron Dafoe is 3-0 with a 1.98 goals against average and .917 save percentage.
On the scoreboard the Norsemen squeaked out a 4-3 win despite a late rally from the Gladiators. Jarrett Stoll’s goal at 16:24 of the third period, assisted on by Matt Bradley and Anton Babchuk, ended up being the game winner after Joffrey Lupul scored with 2:30 left in the game to reduce the lead to just one.
The Norsemen got out to a fast start, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period. Rickard Wallin scored his eighth on the year, tipping a Chris Chelios shot past Nik Khabibulin. Later the first frame, Alexander Korolyuk scored his first goal of the game and snapping a shot over the right shoulder of Khabibulin from the top of the left face-off circle. Korolyuk scored his second of the game in the second period, his 17 goal of the season, while killing a penalty.
The Gladiators also got goals from Jan Hlavac and Darren McCarty.
However, the real story was on the injury front. Just over three minutes into the game, Daniel Sedin received an elbowing penalty and a game misconduct for a vicious elbow he laid to the head of Stephane Veilleux. Veilleux remained on the ice for several minutes before being helped to the bench by team-mates and immediately disappearing down the tunnel to the dressing room. He was quickly taken to hospital for tests and it is estimated he will miss three weeks with concussion symptoms. Sedin has been hit with a four game suspension for his actions.
“It was a completely unnecessary and bull(beep) hit,” cried an outraged Adam Foote. “You expect that from a guy on their team like McCarty, not a freaking Swedish sister. Those prima donnas have had their hands held for so long by guys like (Hamburg GM) Skey that they don’t know what is right or wrong on the ice anymore.”
It was probably no coincidence that Claude Lapointe laid a similar elbow to the head of Daniel Brier at the seven minute mark of the second period. Lapointe was immediately tossed from the game but received no further disciplinary action from the league. Briere is listed as day-to-day, and should be back in a few games.
Zigmund Palffy also left the game in the first period after a clean hit from Adam Foote. Palffy limped off the ice, but is expected back very soon.
“It was a solid hit, I didn’t think anything of it,” remarked Foote on his hit that took the Gladiator superstar out of the game. “It was definitely a big moment for us though. Anytime you don’t have to contend with a superstar of that kind of offensive ability it’s a good thing.”
In the ever-present playoff race, the win moved the Norsemen just one point behind the Acadia Golden Bears for sixth place and eight points up on the ninth place Ottawa Slammers. The loss had little consequence to the Gladiators as most of the teams immediately surrounding them also lost their last game.
Korolyuk and the struggling Tomas Surovy have now combined for 37 of the team’s 102 goals, just under 40 per cent of the team’s goals. The win gave the Norsemen their third consecutive victory. Since joining the team, Byron Dafoe is 3-0 with a 1.98 goals against average and .917 save percentage.
Vancouver Island Norsemen