Team Roster for the Midnight Stars 2007-2008 Season

Final Score : Invicta Dynamics 2 - 4 Oxford City Midnight Stars

January 5th 2008

Oxford made the long journey to Invicta hoping to extend their winning streak to six games on the trot.

The first period started abysmally for the Stars, with the first Invicta goal scored 54 seconds into the match. A bizarre goal by all accounts, with two pucks on the ice and the sole ref not seemingly sure whether both or any puck actually went into the net off an Invicta stick. After a brief conflab with the goal judge, he decided a goal had been scored - much to the dismay of the Oxford team. The spare puck taken from the ice, Oxford rallied round, and Lauren Summers scored an Oxford equaliser at 2.16, assisted by Anna Evans. This was the end of the scoring for the first period with Oxford finding the physical play by the Invicta team and lack of calls from the ref difficult to deal with.

Oxford picked up in the second period and started skating around the Invicta players and making some good team plays. A nice goal from an offensive face-off at 18.42 (scored by Louise Thompson, assisted by Karen Davenport) gave Oxford the lead and this was consolidated at 23.55 as Amy Hadden tapped in a Michelle James pass from behind the net. Invicta finally took a couple of well deserved penalties opening the period up and allowing Oxford to skate with more freedom. Sarah Poulter, playing her first game for Oxford this season, scored a fourth Oxford goal unassisted at 25.01. The period ended 4-1 to Oxford, with the Stars finally beginning to prove that they can actually play the game….

Another turn for the worse in the third period! Whether Oxford decided that 4 goals were enough or perhaps that Invicta needed to be let back into the game to give them a sporting chance, who knows, but Oxford struggled for a good 10 minutes and then sat back and allowed Invicta to score at 42.14. This left the score sitting at 4-2 with a few minutes to play. The ref (finally!) called a checking penalty on Invicta at 43.16 to give Oxford the much needed man advantage. However, unable to use this, Invicta started to launch a good attack, and at 43.20, Amy Hadden was penalised for interference for pulling down an Invicta player to prevent the shot on goal. This left the sides playing 4 on 4 for the last 1 minute 30.

The game ended 4-2 to Oxford. Not Oxford’s finest hour, but a 6th straight win nonetheless.

Scoring:

Oxford: Sarah Poulter 1+0(2), Amy Hadden 1+0(2), Michelle James 0+1, Anna Evans 0+1, Karen Davenport 0+1, Lauren Summers 1+0, Louise Thompson 1+0.

Invicta: Kate Hancock 2+0, Heidi Korff 0+1, Amanda Grout 0+1(2), Jenny Vik 0+0(2).

Shots on Goal:

Oxford (Bev Kellond): 17

Invicta (K Thompson) 32

Final Score - Milton Keynes 1 : 5 Oxford

15th December 2007

Oxford travelled to Milton Keynes lying second in the table and feeling confident after 4 straight wins.

The first period started well with Oxford having all the possession and MK not able to leave their defensive zone. Oxford made some good plays, excellent passes and intelligent moves, but were completely unable to find the net despite some good shots on goal. The MK defence played a good game, breaking up the play and pushing the Oxford forwards wide. MK goalie Alex Barrows made 13 good saves in the first period whilst Oxford netminder Bev Kellond faced no shots on goal. The period ended 0-0, leaving Oxford frustrated and wondering whether the puck would ever find the back of the net.

Oxford countered at the start of the second period and after another two minutes of solid pressure, Oxford finally found the back of the net at 17.00 through Lauren Summers, assisted by Lydia Howton and Amy Hadden. Less than two minutes later Lydia Howton scored a second Oxford goal, low glove side, after an impressive skate through the MK defence. This was the end of the scoring for the second period and despite relentless Oxford pressure, MK once again held firm and although achieving no shots on the Oxford net, frustrated Oxford with some liberal interpretation of the rules – aided by a ref who seemed more interested in levelling the scoreline than calling the game. The shots on goal for the second were 16 to Oxford and 0 to MK.

The third period started well for Oxford, with Amy Hadden scoring 32 seconds into the period, to give Oxford a 3-0 lead. Shortly after this, two minor penalties were called in short succession on Lydia Howton and Louise Thompson and left Oxford facing a 5 on 3. This gave MK the impetus to finally get a first shot on the Oxford goal, and although the initial shot was going wide an unfortunate deflection turned the first MK shot into a goal. Rather than spurring MK on, this served only to anger Oxford who scored two more third period goals (Hadden from Summers, Summers from Hadden), leaving the final score at 5-1 to Oxford.

MVP:

Oxford: Lydia Howton

MK: Lindsey Corrall

Scoring:

Oxford: Lauren Summers 2+1, Amy Hadden 2+2, Lydia Howton 1+1(2), Louise Thompson 0+0(4), Jenny Wheeler 0+0(2).

MK: Carla Todd 0+0(2), Kelly Lee Gilmore 1+0, Wendy London 0+1, Lindsey Corrall 0+0(6).

Shots on Goal:

41 on MK, 3 on Oxford.

Watch the Midnight Stars take on Basingstoke away.

Watch the University take on Basingstoke away.

Watch the Midnight Stars take on Streatham at home.

Watch the Midnight Stars take on Invicta at home.

Watch the Midnight Stars take on Chelmsford away.