Sunday 11th August – Summer Classic Cup Play Off Final: Don Valley Vikings 9 – Connah’s Quay Cobras 8
The Connah’s Quay Cobras put in a battling
performance in the Summer Classic Cup play off final at iceSheffield on Sunday
but narrowly lost out 9-8 to defending champions Don Valley Vikings.
Despite having had a tough game and a late
finish the evening before in their semi-final win over Leeds, the Cobras
actually got off to a very good start in the final
Stewart Cutting gave them an early lead just
25 seconds into the game and further goals from Sam Plant (2) and Martyn Rybka
had then 0-4 up after just 7 minutes.
A second goal from Rybka saw the Cobras go
0-5 up after 14 minutes before the Vikings steadied the ship and hit their
first goal of the game.
Another Don Valley goal quickly followed –
then a Rybka hat-trick strike but another goal conceded with just 30 seconds
left on the clock left the score standing at 3-6 at the end of a frenetic first
period.
The Vikings – playing on their home ice –
continued their fight back in the second period and were level at 6-6 by the
midway point of the game.
A goal from Sam Krempasky edged the Cobras
back into the lead on 31 minutes but they were unable to build any further on
this and the score remained 6-7 at the second interval.
An early goal 90 seconds into the third
period drew the Vikings level again and then two more strikes saw them take the
lead for the first time in the game and edge further ahead.
There were still 14 minutes left to play but
the Cobras found it difficult to respond to this set-back.
A second goal from Rybka on 53 minutes
narrowed the deficit to just one goal but that was as good as it got for the
Connor’s Quay team and the Vikings held on to secure the 9-8 victory and the
impressive replica of the world famous Stanley Cup.
While a defeat is always disappointing - and
a single goal margin all the more so – the Cobras can still be proud of their
record in this year’s Summer Classic Cup.
Having reached the final of the Elite
Division play offs in just their second year of existence and their first year
of competition is a superb achievement and one that certainly bodes well for
the future.
The Cobras are back in Sheffield again
this weekend 17th & 18th August when they will take
part in the annual RecFest tournament.
They finished as runners up in the tournament last year and will be
hoping to go one better this time around.
