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Oxford Makes Explosive Season Debut Against Cambridge on Guy Fawkes Day |
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The Blues kicked off the season on the road with a 10-4 win over century-old rivals Cambridge University in a Varsity Match preview at the Planet Ice Rink in Peterborough. If Saturday's match is any indication of the year ahead, fans can expect very physical and fast paced hockey from this year's squad, as Oxford set the tone from the first shift with crushing hits and aggressive battles in the corners. Although Oxford spent most of the opening period in the offensive zone, Cambridge was first on the scoreboard with an odd-man rush, which led to a wrist shot that snuck by Blues goaltender Henry Spelman (USA). Spelman was able to relax for the rest of the period, as the Blues answered quickly with two goals. An opportune power play goal from Blues center Adrian Haight (Canada) gave Oxford a 3-1 lead halfway through the period.While Oxford dominated the physical game, it was still anyone's match when Cambridge fought hard to make it a 4-2 game in the second.
Eventually Oxford out-skated their rivals and widened their lead by a significant margin. Spelman preserved this lead with some impressive saves, as the Cambridge forwards stepped up their offensive pressure in the beginning of the third period. For the remainder of the match the Oxford club played disciplined hockey and managed to find the back of the net a couple more times.
Haight set a high standard for scoring this season, dangling and sniping his way to a four goal game. David Damberger (Canada) also had an outstanding debut with a hat-trick of his own. Jon Morrison (aka Bobby Rouse, Canada) was close behind with two goals, and his physical presence and backchecking played a huge role in wearing down the opponent giving him the privilege to wear the Juggernaut jacket for the week. Undergrad Chris Newman (USA) deserves special mention for his determined play, which earned him a goal and man of the match recognition. Every player contributed to the win, and all signs point to a promising season for the Blues.
Next Game: HOME: Saturday November 12 vs. Southampton Spitfires 23:00 @ Oxford Ice Rink – FREE ADMISSION
-----Written by Justin McNamara
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