The Maryland Knights and Pittsburgh Bandits battled against each other for the first time in Professional Inline Hockey Association (PIHA) history on Jan. 5. With most fans at home watching the Washington Redskins finish their season in the NFL playoffs, the PIHA games went on as scheduled with a small but energized crowd of 100+ fans enjoying the action.
The Bandits Minor team drew first blood as they showed the Waldorf Knights what it means to be an established part of PIHA. Winning both Minor games, the Bandits were high energy from start to finish.
The Knights’ Minor team played with heart and individual skill; but, a lack of teamwork severely hampered their efforts. Continually drawing penalties, they played short handed for nearly half of the first game. Through both games, Bandits forward, Sean Masem (85) scored five goals and assisted with two others. The Minor Bandits won both games 4-0 and 5-2.
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Even during warm-up, however, the Knights’ Pro team showed a stark difference to their Minor counterparts. They worked as a team, skating fast and furious, with an exciting display of skill.
In game 1, Knights forwards, Chris Simpson (17) and Bradley Pryor (14) scored back-to-back goals less than a minute apart at the beginning of period 2. Goalie Matt Beam (39) made a particularly exciting volley of saves a few minutes later. They defeated the Bandits 4-2.
In the beginning of the second half of game 2, Pryor also scored two of an exciting set of three goals in less than a minute with Augie Gardner (3). The Knights matched Pittsburg goal for goal in the second half, but were not able to make up for the three goals they’d allowed in the first half. Maryland eventually succumbed to the Bandits 5-8. Stars of the evening were Masem and Pryor.
Come check out our Maryland Knights at the Capital Clubhouse. Their next home game is 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, against the Scottdale Inferno. Individual tickets are $5, available at the door.
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Stat cards for Pro games are the last two pictures in the slide show below. Click on the picture to enlarge and read.
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