Saturday 11th May 2024 - Challenge Match: Connah's Quay Cobras 5 - Shropshire Huskies 6 (PS)
The Connah’s Quay Cobras put in a battling performance in their Challenge Match against the Shropshire Huskies at Deeside Leisure Centre on Saturday, drawing 5-5 in normal time before losing out on a Penalty Shootout for the second time in successive games.
The Cobras opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a goal from Martin Rybka but the visitors hit back with two goals of their own to lead 1-2 at the first period break.
Shropshire further extended their lead with the only goal in a tight second period, on 35 minutes and then went 1-4 ahead with another strike 3 minutes into the third period.
This seemed to gee up the Cobras a bit and two unanswered goals quickly followed from Rybka to complete his hat-trick for the game and drag the home side back to within one goal on the Huskies. The fightback was completed when a goal from Mike Filek drew the two sides level with 10 minutes left to play.
Connah’s Quay edged back into the lead when Brad Commins fired in with just 2 ½ minutes left on the clock but the Cobras were denied a hard-earned victory by a late goal from the Huskies, which tied the score at 5-5. A Penalty Shootout was then held to decide an overall winner and this went the way of the Huskies by 2 strikes to 1.
A group of visitors from the charity Conwy Connect were VIP guests at Saturday’s game. The Charity helps promote the rights of people with a learning disability living in North Wales and they have a special Sing and Sign Choir which incorporates Makaton signing language into their musical performances.
In the run up to the game, the Cobras players learned some basic Makaton signs and worked with the charity to produce a joint music video performing the Guns N Roses song “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, which was then played in public for the first time on the big screen at the ice rink during the match.
The Connah’s Quay Cobras are next in action on Sunday 26th May when they take on rink-rivals Flintshire Phantoms in the Summer Classic Cup at Deeside Leisure. The game faces off at 8.30pm and admission is free for all spectators.
