Game 1 success against Vasby IK Hockeyklubb - Trojans win 6-3

After a long 6 hour bus ride north from Malmo, the group arrived in Stockholm just before 5pm and headed straight to the Vilundaparken Isstadion for our first game against the Vasby IK Hockeyklubb U18 team. The boys were eagerly awaiting their first opportunity to test out the large Olympic-sized ice surface and had ample opportunity during the 10 minute warmup. Back in the room during the pre-game flood, the coaches offered some advice and got the boy pumped up.  The National anthems of Canada and Sweden were followed by a quick gift exchange amongst the players and then the game was underway. The first period was closely contested and ended in a 0-0 tie with the Trojans leading the shot count 19-11.  Daniel Fulton made a few key saves to keep Vasby off the scoresheet. The second period was a very different story and HSC came out firing while the home team looked flat. Jeff Joynt opened the scoring on a nice feed from Will Kelly on the first powerplay opportunity of the game. Joynt followed that one up with a second goal shortly after on a pass from Lucas Fracassi. The Trojan powerplay converted again on a nice cycle by Kelly and Joynt who then fed the puck for a beauty slap shot from Griffin Dowd that went through untouched from the point. Eric Gordon wasn't going to let Joynt have all the fun and managed to blast one past the goalie on a beauty feed from Anthony Tolfa who slammed on the brakes coming down the right wing, protected the puck from a defenseman and turned to find Gordon open in front. Vasby finally countered to make the score 4-1 with a few minutes left in the second. Jeff Joynt wasn't happy about that though, so he finished off his hat trick just before the end of the period with the assist going to Dowd. Not content with a 5-1 lead, Joynt came out early in the third, streamed up the right wing and fired a rocket top shelf on the short side into a hole that couldn't have been bigger than the puck itself to net his fourth of the game. Vasby rallied in the middle of the third and scored 2 quick goals to make it 6-3, but that was all they could muster.  HSC came out on top with a convincing 6-3 victory.  Daniel Fulton made 26 saves, looking sharp all game.

Player of the game went to Jeff Joynt, with 4 goals and 1 assist.

Tomorrow morning the boys hit the ice again at 10:30am for a game against Malaro HC, a local Division 1 team. Come back tomorrow for the recap.

Coach Z