The Canberra Knights were handed a reality check suffering a crushing 10-4 defeat to the Brisbane Blue Tongues in their Australian Ice Hockey League game earlier tonight at the Phillip Ice House.

Knights coach Laing Harrow attributed the loss to a lack of discipline, also adding that his team had given up the majority of their goals to poor positional play.

"You can’t win a game with your best men in the box," said Knights general manager John Raut, in reference to the 61 minutes in penalties amassed by the home team.

The first period was an evenly matched affair, with few chances to either team. Instead, it was referee Allan Wishewan who sent a message early, calling minor penalties on Canberra’s Trevor Ross and the Blue Tongue’s Bryan Randall just 18 seconds into the game. The rest of the period saw both teams unleash their heavy artillery at each others net but the period ended with both teams tied at 0-0.

Mark Barnsdale opened the scoring for Brisbane with four minutes into the second period, igniting a goal rush as the Blue Tongues surged to a 5-0 in a frenetic seven minute stretch which had the Canberrans firmly on the backfoot.

It took the Knights until the last minute of the period before Matt Lehoczky got them on the scoreboard, with a low slap shot from just inside the blue line, sending them to the break down 5-1.

The Blue Tongues began the third period where they left off. With Ross sitting two minutes for interference, Brisbane worked a patient perimeter play, allowing Mikko Skinnari to pick out Jeremy Stasiuk in the low slot for their sixth goal.

Shortly after, an centre ice altercation between Brisbane’s John Hawkins and Canberra’s Ross led to both players being sent to the dressing rooms.

The penalties did not however put an end to the free scoring contest. The Blue Tongues’ second goal of the period brought a change in the Knights goaltending as Dylan Smart made way for rookie Pete Hodges.

Soon after, the Knights began to exert some scoreboard pressure on the tiring Blue Tongues, and the teams went goal-for-goal to the end of the game.

The Knights intense opening season schedule continues tomorrow night at the Hunter Ice Sports Stadium against the Newcastle Northstars. The team returns to home ice next Saturday night against the Melbourne Ice.