Stars back to winning form against Thunder

Final Score - Milton Keynes 2 : Oxford 7

Sunday 9th November 2008

Oxford City Stars travelled to Milton Keynes to face the team they had tied 2-2 with last weekend. Stars knew that they had to up their game to get the points in this one and get their league campaign back on track. The start couldn’t have been any worse though as within the first 10 seconds MK scored to take a 1-0 lead. This lead was to last only 3 minutes as most of the traffic was in the MK zone and trigger man Dean Francis converted from a good Krater pass. Milton Keynes were gifted a 3 on 1 at 6:14 as Stars defence stepped up on the play but didn’t commit to either the puck or the body. MK made no mistake on this rush and made the score 2-1.

That was the last goal Mk would score in this game as Stars seemingly decided enough was enough and 30 seconds later, led by Captain Elliott who it appeared could do nothing wrong, turned up the heat. Elliott first scored from an Edwards pass then turned provider as he sent Ace Bailey on a breakaway which he hammered five hole. The first period ended 3-2 Stars and they looked to be back to the team they had promised to be at the start of the season.

A shuffle of the lines before this game meant that there were new forward lines and that plan paid off again at the start of the period. Elliott finishing a long shift found himself in shooting range again after Shurmer and Hargreaves combined and he used his new found scoring touch to rifle home. Although he in the mix again for the next two goals all eyes were on young Joe Edwards who pulled a ridiculous move in close on Woolf. As he skated across the keeper he dragged the puck back between his legs and took a shot through his own legs which found the back of the net, much to the delight of his team mates and the many Oxford fans. Elliott completed his hat trick at 34:08 on the PP to round off a fantastic personal performance. The second period ended with Stars totally in control and leading 6-2.

The final period gave the travelling Oxford side a chance to rest two key players carrying niggly injuries and also enabled them to give ice time to youngsters Joe Oliver and Dax Hedges. These two young prospects grabbed the opportunity to show what they can do and Hedges found himself in shooting range a couple of times and also spent some time on the PK alongside the experience of Alan Armour. It was during that shorthanded play that Stars showed their domination as they kept the puck away from the MK powerplay with ease. Eden, Featherstone, Armour and Hedges passed the puck around at will for over a minute, much to the annoyance of the home fans and team but amusing the Oxford followers.

Nick Oliver took it one step further though as he picked up on a Wojciak clearance on another MK powerplay to score shorthanded from close range. This was the final goal of the game as Stars romped to much a needed 7-2 win. This puts the Oxford team back into second place and heading into a massive weekend as they face league leaders Bracknell at home on Sunday after heading to Wales on Saturday night to face the impressive young Cardiff Devils. A good weekend will put them firmly in the hunt for that league title and they know that if they play to their ability two wins from two games is well within their sights.