FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The First Quarter final saw the Mission
Snipers up against The Ausdoc Bruins.
The Bruins all season have looked strong
but seemed to struggle against the Snipers.
But not on this occasion with bruins
taking control in the first two periods and a commanding 5 - 1 lead. Snipers
only goal coming from a Clark Wilson break away.
The third quarter saw the Bruins
extend their lead to 7 - 1 before the Snipers mounted a come back in the
last quarter with three goals from Lee MacLauchlan, Half way thru the period
Bruins Star Nick Young was rewarded a penalty shot But Sniper goalie Chris
Leetham was equal to the task. Game ending in a 7 - 4 victory to the Bruins
who now go straight into their first Grand final,
The Snipers will meet the winner fo the
Easton Redbacks V Bauer Dogs
Back to Top
Round 10
Win against the Bruins to Finish the Season On Top
The last round of the PHL regular season
gave the fans a big game with the minor premiership up for grabs having the
Mission Snipers against the Ausdoc Bruins,
It was the Ladder leading Bruins that
struck first with 2 goals in the first period another in the early stages of
the second to give them a commanding 3 - 0 lead over the snipers,
Great for checking pressure saw Michael
Flaherty get the puck and thread a pass to Troy Butler cutting to the net,
moments Clark Wilson made one of his great passes to Flaherty who found
himself in front of the Bruins goalie Rob Carranza all alone as he put the
puck in the net. The Sniper pressure from here was incredible as the scored
another 3 goals from three shots Lee MacLauchlan set up by Scott Kelly,
Maclauchlan again by Stredder and Kelly and Antony Deboos with a shot from
the point that was well screened. With the surge in offense from the
Snipers, goalie Chris Leetham done his job closing the door at the
other end of the rink.
Third period slowed down on the scoring
front with the Snipers the only ones to score thru Adam Richards (who was
wearing a cage due to 4 stitches in his lip from an incedent at training.)
Mid way thru the last period an
altercation between Sniper Captain Scott Kelly and Bruins star Ross Howell
saw both players head for the dressing room, Sniper MacLauchlan completed a
hat trick with his third before the Bruins forward Nick Young scored final
score 7 - 4 win for the Mission Snipers to give them first place on the PHL
ladder at the end of the regular season and in good form to defend their
title from the the last 2 seasons
Round 9 game was going to be big with the 2 teams that have scored more goals
than any other in the PHL this season, With goalie Chris Leetham interstate
competing in another tournament Veteran goalie Cameron Moore took to the pipes
with borrowed gear as his had been stolen and new gear has not yet arrived.
The game was a shoot out from the start with both teams keeping up with each
other all night with 3 goals each in the first another 3 goals for both sides
in the second.
The third period saw 2 goals each to the 2 sides and like wise in the fourth
period.
an interesting game with neither goalkeeper able to put a stop to barge of
shots on net.
Game ending in a 10 all draw
Cameron Moore 31 shots for 10 goals
Scott Kelly 1 goal 5 assist
Troy Butler 2 goals
Lee Maclauchlan 3 goals 4 assist
Chris Stredder 2 goals
Clark Wilson 1goal 3 assist
Adam Richards 1 goal 3 assist
Antony DeBoos 1 assist
Leigh Davies 1 assist
With 2 close wins in the last couple of rounds the Mission
Snipers percentage had dropped off as too their first place on the ladder
dropping to 2nd behind the Ausdoc Bruins , So with this in mind they where
very keen to have a convincing win over the new team in the PHL the Hyper
Hyenas.
All started well for the Snipers with some great chances
and 2 goals by Leigh Davies & Scott Kelly in the first period.
Second period saw only a goal each for both sides Mark
Connolly for the Hyenas and Troy Butler for the Snipers.
Third period was all Snipers with goals by Scott Kelly,
Michael Flaherty on the end of some great passing play, And brilliant solo
effort by Troy Butler.
The Hyenas scored again in the last period before Adam
Richards put the game out of doubt setting up a 7 - 2 win for the Snipers.
Chris Leetham 22 shots for 2 goals
Troy Butler 2 goals, 2 assist
Scott Kelly 2 goals, 1 assist
Adam Richards 1 goals, 2 assist
Leigh Davies 1 goal, 2 assist
Michael Flaherty 1 goal, 2 assist
Antony Deboos 1 assist
Back to Top
Draft pick out for 2 years
The Mission Snipers Draft pick for the 2 / 2000 season
Daniel Blythe has received a 2 year suspension.
Blythe who played only one game for the Snipers got
reported for fighting & abusing an offical in an under 20 game for his
club team the Wolves was hand a heavy 2 year suspension.
Because it occured in a junior club game the Snipers are
not in a position to appeal the dicission but will keep Blythe on the roster.
Every year the Victorian Inline Hockey Association sends
junior and senior teams including women to Coolangatta, Queensland for the
Tropical challenge.
This year the senior team consisted of the following
players
John Tsakmakis (Kuzak Inferno)
Michael Flaherty (Mission Snipers)
Daniel Trewin (Ausdoc Bruins)
Joesph Nyamuka (Ausdoc Bruins)
Thomas James (Bauer Dogs)
Peter Cederlund (Easton Redbacks)
George Cheperov (Easton Redbacks)
Stuart Collins (Easton Redbacks)
Goaltenders used were under 16 players to give them some
experience
Stuart Woodall (Warriors, just recently drafted to the
Hyper Hyenas since tournament)
Sean Demos (Thunder)
Sniper Representive Michael Flaherty was voted captain of
the side in his fifth appearance at this tournament for Victoria.
The team faired well in the rounds with
only one loss but a technical error by management cost a forfeit.
The pressure of the finals game against the
home team Gold Coast Stars was to big for the young goaltenders who gave up
seven goals in the first period and the team bowing out in the first round of
the playoffs with a 7 -1 loss.
The Jersey's & pants worn by the
Mission Snipers have been stolen out of captain Scott Kellys car. Mission
sports have come up with replacement uniforms for the team at a small cost.
At the Midseason draft the Mission Snipers
made only the one change to there 14 man squad.
Premiership player Dean Glew was delisted
due to the reoccuring knee injury that has plaqued his PHL carreer both at the
Kuzak Inferno & Mission Snipers, The damaged ligament has kept Glew out of
all but one game this season.
To replace Glew the Snipers Drafted
Liam Webster a 13year old superstar from the Hornets club, Liam who has been a
standout at club and state level for sometime is the youngest player to be
drafted into the PHL and is still 3 years away from playing for the side. He
has started training with the team and is coming along nicely.
With players like Liam Webster, Daniel
Blythe in the system and young players Chris Stredder, Chris Beck
goaltender Chris Leetham already making an impact Snipers coaching staff are
confident of a stong team for the future.
A fire at the office of the Northland rink
has forced a reshuffle of the fixture and the Snipers round 8 game against the
Hyper Hyenas has been changed to 8pm Saturday night @ the Victorian Inline
Sports Centre.
Winner of last seasons best goaltender
award Mission Sniper Cameron "Doggy" Moore has had his Goaltending
gear stolen from a locker under his house this has resulted in him not being
able to dress for the round 8 game against the Hyper Hyenas.
In round 7 the Snipers opponents the Kuzak
Inferno who where missing their Captain John Tsakmakis and a couple of their
other players.
The Snipers taking quick advantage of this
jumping to a 2 nil lead in the first period with goals by Leigh Davies &
Scott Kelly.
The Snipers seeming to be in control of the
game eased right off taking only 2 shots for the period while Acting Captain
for the Inferno Jonathon Deboos scored and Inferno rookie Ben Batterham
scoring twice in 2 shots at the end of the period.
With the score 3 - 2 at the start of the
second half both teams exchanged goals Adam Richards scoring for the
Snipers and Deboos again for Inferno,
Deboos extended the Inferno lead
to 2 goals before Lee Maclachlan brought in back to one at the end of the
period.
In the last Period Sniper goaltender Chris
Leetham shut the door not allowing any of the Inferno's 8 shots to find
the net. While at the other end Inferno goalie Michael Fortune under
pressure allowed first Maclauchlan then Antony Deboos to find the net.
Game finishing in an 6 - 5 victory to the
Mission Snipers.
Chris Leetham 24 shots for 5 goals
Scott Kelly 1 goal ,2 assist
Lee Maclauchlan 2 goals, 1 assist
Leigh Davies 1 goal, 1 assist
Adam Richards 1 goal ,1 assist
Back to Top
In September the Victorian Inline hockey
Association sent several teams in age groups from 12,14,16, Womens & Mens
to the Tropical challenge in Coolangatta, Queensland
The Senior Mens team consisted of
John Tsakmakis (Kuzak Inferno)
Joesph Nyamuka (Ausdoc Bruins)
Daniel Trewin (Ausdoc Bruins)
Peter Cederlund (Easton Redbacks)
George Cheperov (Easton Redbacks)
Stuart Collins (Easton Redbacks)
Michael Flaherty (Mission Snipers)
Thomas James (Bauer Dogs)
And Goaltenders were taken from the 16 team
to give them experience
Stuart Woodall (Warriors)
Michael Flaherty was chosen as
Captain of the team which lost only one game during the rounds but a
management error cost them another, Going in to the finals the pressure of the
occasion proved to much for the young goaltenders who gave up 7 goals in the
first period resulting in the team bowing out in the first round of the
playoffs.
At the midseason draft the Snipers made one
the one change
Delisting Dean Glew who's recurring knee
injure just won't go away. The injury has resulted in Glew only playing the
one game in this season.
Replacing Glew on the Roster which can only
have a maximum of 12 skaters & 2 goalies will be young superstar Liam
Webster.
Liam a 13 year old from the Hornets club
has been a true standout in his age group at both club and state level, Liam
is still 3 years away from being able to play in a game for the Snipers but
has started training with the side.
The Snipers draft pick at the start of the
season Daniel Blythe who only played one game for the Snipers got into a
fight at his under 20 game and was reported for abusing any official
has received a 2 year ban. At this stage he has remained on the Sniper
Roster and is also training with the side.
Back to Top
All ways a great contest when the Mission
Snipers and Bauer Dogs meet, Both sides have meet in the last 3 PHL grand
finals and as a result a rivalry has grown,
The
Snipers took control early in the game out shooting the Dogs convincingly and
taking a 2 goal lead thru Alternative Captains Adam Richards & Clark
Wilson.
The dogs in the next period made a change
in net bringing in Australian goaltender Damian Holland to replace Andy
Kitchin. Which gave the team the spark it needed and out scoring the Snipers
2-1 in the period with Richards scoring his second in the game.
The third period was a low scoring period
with neither side giving up to many chances Antony Deboos the only player to
find the net early on.
Going into the last period with the score
4-2 in the Snipers favour both team let loose offensively giving up great
chances at both ends this resulted in 5 goals being scored first by the
Sniper's Lee Maclauchlan then the dogs answered 2 quick goals the first from
the stick of Dean "Snapper" Broten and then Canadien Dave Bzdel
Snipers settling the situation again thru Adam Richards before Dogs Captain
Karl Bryan scored late.
Snipers
holding on to a 6-5 win in a close game.
Chris
Leetham 28 shots for 5 goals
Adam
Richards 3 goals, 1 assist
Lee
Maclauchlan 1 goal, 1 assist
Back to Top
In what was built as the match of the round The
Snipers took on the Ladder leaders Ausdoc Bruins. Bruins missing injured
Captain Jon Moses.
Antony Deboos opened the scoring for the Snipers
as did Nigel Chandler for the Bruins but it was Lee MacLauchlan who scored
again for the Snipers.
Like last week when Chris Stredder scored 3 goals in a
period Lee Maclauchan was this week unstoppable with the next 3 Sniper goals
going into the second half.
Adam Richards producing 2 great goals and as always Captain
Scott Kelly got one this time on a break away. The Bruins scored two more
goals late in the game.
But to make sure
no one forgot who the star of this game was Lee Maclauchlan scored again for
his 5th.
Chris Leetham 30
shots for 3 goals
Scott Kelly 1
goal, 4 assist
Adam Richards 2
goals 1 assist
Michael Flaherty
1 assist
Back to Top
The Round 4 game at the Victorian
Inline Sports Centre was expected to be a high scoring encounter against the
team that has really fired up it's offense this season the Easton Redbacks.
And it was their new Captain David Knight who scored twice
in the first period despite the Snipers out shooting their opponets and being
unable to score on Redback goaltender Wylie hodder.
In the second period the Snipers luck changed in a big way
scoring 4 quick goals thru Chris Stredder, Lee MacLauchlan, Adam Richards
& Michael Flaherty, Before Wylie Hodder was replaced by Tim Grey in the
Redback net. But it made little difference as Stredder completed a hat trick
in the period with another 2 goals. Redbacks did pull one back with a goal by
former Sniper Jamie Sketchley.
Third period saw the RedBacks win the period with goals by
Sketchley ,Brian Vellacott & young sensation Stuart Collins as opposed to
the Snipers 2 goals by Flaherty & Adam Richards.
The final period saw the Snipers score another 3 goals from
9 shots, first Scott Kelly and Lee Maclauchlan before Stredder again but his
seal on the game with his fourth.
Snipers 11 - 7 winners over the Redbacks.
The Win has but the Mission Snipers into second place
on the ladder behind the Ausdoc Bruins, the Snipers round 5 opponents.
Cameron "Doggy" Moore 22 shots for 7 goals.
Chris Stredder 4 goals 2 assists
Lee MacLauchlan 2 goals 3 assists
Adam Richards 2 goals 1 assist
Michael Flaherty 2 goals
Scott Kelly 1 goal 1 assist
Chris Beck 1 assist
Leigh Davies 1 assist
Back to Top
Round 3
The Round Three clash saw the Snipers meeting the Hyper
Hyenas the New team in the competion.
It
was Michael Flaherty who got the Snipers off to a great start scoring an
unassisted goal after the opening face off, Captain Scott Kelly then produced
some of his magic which has made him one of the highest regarded players in
Australia scoring with a great slapshot before compinding with Flaherty to set
up Chris Stredder for another late in the first period.
Fortune swung the Hyper Hyenas way for the second period
with them out scoring the Snipers but as always Snipers goaltending, Which is
regarded as one of the best tandems in the league, stood up this time it was
Cameron "Doggy" Moore allowing only the one goal at the end of the
period By Hyenas Captain Mark "Chuck" Connolly.
In the second half Snipers players lifted their work load
and began to control the game in a way followers of the PHL have come to know
but was unable to make an impact on the scoreboard until once again Scott
Kelly feed Adam Richards in the third period. Then in a matter of moments Lee
MacLauchlan found the back of the Heyenas net twice to give the Mission
Snipers a comftable 6 - 2 win over the Hyper Heyenas.
Cameron Doggy Moore taking 23 shots for the 2 goals
Scott Kelly 1 goal, 3 assists
Lee Maclauchlan 2 goals
Chris Stredder 1 goal
Michael Flaherty 1 goal, 1 assist
Chris Beck 1 assist
Back to Top
The Snipers began their title defence in a strange way against last seasons
runner up Bauer Dogs.
Without Captain Scott Kelly who was overseas & star forward Lee
Mclauchlan who missed all of last season due to a wrist injury overseas also,
With a cloud over the head of Dean Glew whose injured knee kept him out of the
first two seasons with the Inferno, having the problem surface again.
On what was to be a more positive note Rookie Daniel Blythe made his debut in a
Sniper uniform and he did make an impact on the game with a goal & 2 assist
but not all his actions went the way the Snipers had hoped taking 14.5 mins in
penalties. But the team is confident he will become a major part of their
success this season.
The Stars of the game for the Snipers where A/Capt Clark Wilson with 3 goals ,1
assist, Leigh Davies was also strong with 3 points to his name.
The Dogs scored first and had the lead all game despite the Snipers scoring 4
consecutive goals at one stage the Dogs who drafted well held on to a 8-6 win
Stats
Clark Wilson 3 goals 1 assist
Leigh Davies 1 goal 2 assist 1.5 pim
Antony DeBoos 1 goal 2 assist
Daniel Blythe 1 goal 2 assist 14.5 pim
Adam Richards 3 assist
Goalie Chris Leetham took 16 shots for 8 goals
Back to Top!
