The men’s Light Blue ice hockey team journeyed to Wales on Saturday night to beat the Cardiff Redhawks 24-6. This was the second game against the Redhawks within two weeks, Cambridge having won the first exchange 22-4.

Cambridge opened, as BUIHA leading scorer Eric Kroshus rounded the goaltender to score. However Cardiff fired right back with a hard shot from the high slot that found the back of the net. The Light Blues stepped up the offense, with Kroshus, Julien Gagnon, and Kyle Oskvig netting six unanswered goals between them to end the first period 7-1.

Redhawks, a solid side who have tied Warwick and held the mighty London Dragons to a narrow margin this season, did not deflate but came out for the second period firing. Their leading scorer was left alone up front, and beat the Cambridge goaltender in the first minute of the second period. However, Kroshus banked a cheeky goal from behind the net off the goalie before Cambridge and Cardiff exchanged goals, increasing the ledger to 9-3. Sloppy defence enabled the Redhawks to pot two more goals in a lively second period, but Cambridge maintained enough pressure to keep the margin out of reach. Winger David Brassard joined in on the scoring along with another from Gagnon whose stickhandling mesmerised the Cardiff defense. Period two wound to a close with Cambridge up 12 – 5.

In the third period, the men in Light Blue tightened up their defence despite penalty trouble, and simply wore down the valiant Redhawks. Excellent play by Cambridge goaltender Mike Kang kept Cardiff to just one goal in the period, while the Light Blues’ snipers added freely to the lead, with Kroshus (4), Gagnon (3), Brassard, Ben McDonald, Oscar Wilsby, and captain Jaason Geerts all getting on the scoresheet.

Despite the late landslide of goals that hit them, Cardiff played hard until the final whistle, especially their goaltenders who together faced over 75 shots. As always, they proved gentlemen on and off the ice. Excellent performances on the Cambridge side were had by Player of the Match Julien Gagnon with seven goals and five assists, Eric Kroshus with 12 goals and four assists, Dave Brassard with two goals, four assists, and one save, and goaltender Mike Kang.

Cambridge now face the London Dragons in Peterborough on Saturday, March 1. This will be the last match before the Varsity tussle on March 8.