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Knights and Avs battle to a deadlock
Filed by Kevin Teo and Tony Lane on May 14, 2005 at 9:03 PM
A thunderous 1,100 strong crowd crammed into the Phillip Ice Rink to witness the Canberra Knights and the league-leading Adelaide Avalanche battle to a exhilarating 2-2 overtime tie in their Australian Ice Hockey League game earlier tonight.
The Knights recorded their highest attendance in 16 years as fans, many having barely enough room to stand, turned up to witness their home team take on the Avs whose line-up included new NHL import player Steve McKenna..
"Just coming down here and seeing the atmosphere in this rink… I wasn’t expecting it," said McKenna. "It was fun."
It was a tight game from the opening face-off, with both teams turning over possession in an even handed opening 14 minutes. But it was the Avalanche that scored first when Trevor Walsh scored with under a minute to go in the period.
With Canberra’s Adam "Fishboy" Symonds serving a minor penalty for high-sticking, the Adelaide power play was able to force the puck deep into the Knights zone, where it was pick up behind the net by Walsh who scored a wrap-around goal.
Adelaide then doubled their lead early in the second period through Josh Harding, who fired a stiff wrist shot from the left point that trickled in after being partially saved by Canberra netminder Dylan Smart.
It was a different game from then on however, as the Knights attack came to life on the back of a raucous crowd.
Avalanche goaltender Eric Lien was pounded for the rest of the period as the Knights made consistent raids into the Adelaide zone.
But Lien turned in a superb performance and McKenna chipped in with a good effort in defense as the Avalanche killed off consecutive penalties to go into the second intermission with a two-goal cushion.
Despite their 0-2 record this season when trailing after two periods, the Knights pressed on and made the breakthrough just over two minutes in, when Symonds slammed home a slap shot from the blue line.
Knights captain Mike Harrow then tied the game four minutes later sending the packed home fans into a frenzy.
Stalling play behind the net, after Clint Lorteau had stopped an Adelaide attempt to clear the puck at the blue line, Steven Deans offloaded the puck to Harrow who, like Walsh earlier in the night, also scored with a wrap-around.
The Knights would eventually outshoot the Avs 8-3 in the third period and 29-19 for the game, but were unable to net the winner.
A period of sudden death overtime followed but the deadlock could not be broken as the game played out into a thrilling 2-2 finish.
The Knights will next host the Newcastle Northstars on May 21 before travelling to the Snowdome in Adelaide for a rematch with the Avalanche. | 
