The ice hockey players of GIJS HEPRO Groningen did it again and achieved the 20th victory in a row. In the first semi-final match of the Eredivisie playoffs, Tilburg Trappers was only defeated after 20 penalty shots.
For the umpteenth week in a row GIJS did customer loyalty, because once again it was very exciting in a fully packed Kardinge, where there were at least a thousand spectators and the latecomers stood on wooden chairs so as not to miss anything of the match.
Moderate start
GIJS, playing without the suspended Niels van der Vossen and the injured Bas Snijder, started the game moderately against the Tilburg team, who finished third in the regular season behind the Groningen team of coach Csaba Kercso. ,,We were a bit shaky”, Kercso said afterwards.
The first period was for Tilburg, which still had a few players from the Tilburg main force, which has been playing in the German Oberliga for years and is also preparing for the play-offs. For example, Jowin Ansems, goalie of the first of Trappers, played an important role.
Jason Versluis opened the score in Tilburg’s favor on a pass from his brother Jimmy: 0-1. After assists from Dylan Foks and Guy Kunst, Ricards Ozolins scored the 1-1 on behalf of GIJS, but a good minute later it was 1-2. Levi Houkes scored.
More control after the first break
GIJS got more control in the second period, but the Groningen team had bad luck in the finish. Roy Ansems made 1-3 and the way to the final (GIJS has to win two of a maximum of three duels against Tilburg) seemed to be blocked.
,,They were really good and actually forced us to reach a higher level”, GIJS coach Kercso analysed. ,,We did that, so I saw a good GIJS. Maybe not the best GIJS of the league, but we played really well.”
Resilience
GIJS therefore had to chase, and as often this season, the Groningen team showed resilience. In the second period, Vainius put Jankauskas 2-3 on the board, Danny Kerstholt tapped in the equalizer (3-3) from close range at the beginning of the third period and then Kardinge was upside down again.
Tim Bartels’ 4-3 was the best goal of regular time. He received a blocked bet from Joop Uchtman for his stick and shot hard into the intersection behind Ansems. The fun of the Groningen lead only lasted a good minute, as Tilburg equalized from close range via Derek Knetter.
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In overtime, Wesley Zoutman had the best chance at 5-4 after a cross from Kerstholt, but in the end GIJS was happy to have made it to the penalty shots in one piece. Because with one and a half of the five minutes to go, Uchtman had to go to the penalty box for 2 minutes due to tripping, so Tilburg played four against three. GIJS made it to the penalty shots with hanging and strangling.
That became a long, blood-curdling series in which no goals were scored for a long time. Pass the 20 e hit. Dylan Foks tapped the puck with a lightning-fast movement past Ansems and GIJS could celebrate. ,,I have never experienced such a long series”, reported the experienced Kercso. “This was really exciting.”
The second game in Tilburg is already on the roll on Sunday evening. With a win, GIJS is in the final of the play-offs, against Amsterdam Tigers or Eindhoven Kemphanen. If Tilburg wins the second game against GIJS, regardless of the score and whether it goes via overtime or penalty shots, the decisive game will be played in Kardinge on Saturday, March 18. ,,They have to win now”, Kercso looked ahead. “That can be to our advantage. We have two possibilities to reach the final, Tilburg only one more.”