On Saturday Swindon hosted locals rivals the Bracknell Bees, in front of what turned out to be the biggest crowd of the season.  After losing out at the hive two weeks ago, Swindon’s chances of keeping their season alive really did depend on a good performance for this fixture and to take the two point win away from the game.
The game opened to a very tentative start and within the first five minutes, it was clear neither side wanted to give up on any unforced errors. Once both teams had settled into their game and began passing the puck across ice, Swindon then managed to get to break and get the game’s opener at 8:24. After captain Lee Richardson was able to recycle play, twenty year old Aaron Nell was able to pick up on a dumped puck and with it find fellow forward Jozef Kohut in front of net. His composed style and good stick handling helped the Slovakian find his to his way around the goaltender and score to give Swindon their first of the night.
Within twenty seven seconds and the ‘Cats then found the net again, this time through forward Sam Bullas. A simple pass across the crease from Canadian forward Jason Cassells found Bullas and with a huge gap loaming at the back post, the young forward then converted with an unchallenged shot to double his side’s lead.
The home side seemed to take real control from here and after several chances on goal, forward Aaron Nell then netted another with a superb wrist shot on goal. Having only the one defenseman standing in his way, Nell used a screen play to shot the puck between the defenseman’s legs and with it, find the net for the Wildcat’s third in five minutes.
This third successive goal saw Bracknell take action from here and after a call from the bench, netminder Carl Ambler was then replaced by Adam Marashi having only played 13 minutes in net. This change in net did not seem to change Swindon’s outlook on the game and three minutes on, previous scorer Nell then scored again after a breakaway goal. This clear cut opportunity left Nell in an unpressurised position from which his simple wrist shot found net and saw a fourth go up on the board for the home side.
The period was brought to a close shortly after and with smiles from the majority of the crowd, Swindon were applauded off after a very dominant and one sided twenty minutes.
The second period saw the Wildcats maintain the pressure on the Bees and within two minutes of play and only their first shot on goal, Swindon then scored once more; this time through captain Lee Richardson. Even though the team were shorthanded, another breakaway play saw the Richardson progress forward with the puck and with goaltender committed to staying up off the floor, his low shot passed the netminder with ease to give his side their fifth of the game.
After successfully defending off three penalties throughout the second, Canadian import Cassells then got in on the action when his low shot effort then beat netminder Marashi again to take Swindons’ lead to six.
With only five minutes left in the period, Czech defenseman Jan Krajicek then got himself a goal after picking up a loose puck at centre ice. The crowd watched as the 6’3ft defenseman deked the Bracknell netminder several times before using his long grasp to divert the puck around the spread out netminder to add one more to Swindon’s tally.
This was the last major play to end the period and once again the team came off, looking the more confident and pressing side after forty minutes.
The final period, although saw fewer goals scored, did see the ‘Cats successfully try to close down the game and keep Bracknell’s chances on net to a minimum.
Bracknell were able to create various chances going forward within the period however once leaving the penalty box after a minor call, Aaron Nell was then left on his own in centre ice behind a Bracknell attack pressed in the Swindon zone. A Kohut pass found the free man and after skating in on net, a simple wrist shot made it eight for the ‘Cats and gave Nell his hat trick for the night’s game.
This looked to be the final blow for the travelling side and the last ten minutes could only contain some top class saves from ‘Cats netminder Chris Douglas and see both sides kill off penalties to round off the game.  Although the game was won, an agonising wait came for the sound of the final buzzer giving Wildcats netminder Douglas his first shutout of the year.
Overall in a fixture that saw Swindon control the game from start to finish, a well earned two point win now see’s the gap close on these two teams to just the two points with seven games to go. Swindon tonight travel to The Hanger to face the on-form Slough Jets, eager to take this confidence booster with them in hope of another win to make it a four point weekend!

Man of the Match – Chris Douglas

Scott Gummerson – Swindon Wildcats Online
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