Ball Hockey League: ACT & BDA Spirits Win
The Bermuda Ball Hockey winter league play-off semi-finals commenced at the PCC Hockey Rink with two decisive first-leg results. ACT secured a 1-0 series lead following a high-scoring 7-5 victory over Spine & Sport, while BDA Spirits claimed a 1-0 advantage with a more controlled 5-1 win against Hamilton Princess.
ACT 7 Spine & Sport 5
The opening match proved to be a tightly contested affair, particularly in the first period which saw six goals scored. Spine & Sport opened the scoring at 1:00 with a goal from Jeremy Estey, assisted by Ross Rufiage. ACT responded quickly as Adam Mattatall equalized at 4:21, with assists from Chris Cairns and Mike Travis. Spine & Sport regained the lead at 5:50 through another Estey goal, this time assisted by Rufiage and Ryan Marshall. ACT leveled once more at 8:19 when Townie Jackson scored, assisted by Mattatall and Travis. Caiden Millet put Spine & Sport ahead again at 14:40, assisted by Randy Elgersma. ACT then scored twice in quick succession, with Theo Caimassidis finding the net at 15:55 [assisted by Bill McClure] and Jackson scoring again at 16:15 [assisted by Cairns and Travis], giving ACT a 4-3 lead at the end of the first period.
The second period saw a temporary halt in scoring. However, the final period saw ACT extend their lead at 1:48 through Mike Travis, assisted by Jackson. Jackson completed his hat-trick at 4:59, with Mattatall and Travis again providing the assists. Spine & Sport mounted a late comeback attempt with two quick goals from Ryan Marshall at 17:58 and 18:00, both assisted by Rufiage and Estey. Caimassidis then sealed the victory for ACT with a late goal.
Hamilton Princess 1 BDA Spirits 5
The second semi-final saw BDA Spirits record a more comfortable victory over Hamilton Princess, with goals spread across all three periods. Andrew Bonner opened the scoring for BDA Spirits at 11:20 in the first period, assisted by Robbie Bailey and Ryan Bates. Sean Mcnulty doubled their lead just before the end of the period at 18:00, with Brett Sherriffs and Bailey providing the assists.
BDA Spirits continued their momentum in the second period with a goal from Ben Wilshaw at 11:20, assisted by Stefan Chamberland. Hamilton Princess pulled a goal back at 15:50 through an unassisted effort from Moad Fahmi. However, BDA Spirits quickly restored their two-goal advantage with another Wilshaw goal at 19:10, assisted by Jean-Michael Tremblay. Robbie Bailey completed the scoring for BDA Spirits in the final period at 17:20, assisted by Bonner and Wilshaw, securing a 5-1 victory.
