Heat Keeps Cool, Downs Dallas

Published on December 28, 2002 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Harrisburg Heat News Release


Harrisburg, PA - The Harrisburg Heat maintained its composure in a frenetic, penalty-filled contest and used a big third quarter to record a 10-8 win over the Dallas Sidekicks on Saturday night at the Farm Show Arena. Dallas accumulated 37 penalty minutes (the fifth-highest total in league history) and the Heat fought back from a 4-2 halftime deficit to snag the win despite going only 2-6 on the power play and allowing a pair of shorthanded goals. Harrisburg improves to 8-9 on the year, while Dallas falls to 6-12. Doug Petras, in his last weekend of action with the Heat, made 14 saves in improving to 6-6. Sagu (15 saves) takes the loss.

Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half. Dallas drew first blood at 5:57 of the first, when David Doyle finished a Tatu cross to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. The Heat's David Bascome tied the game with a deuce at 13:24, but Sidekick Leo Pernia had a quick answer just 14 seconds later, restoring the Dallas lead to 4-2 at 13:38. Neither team scored again in the first half.

The game was ultimately decided in a frantic third quarter, in which Dallas accrued 21 penalty minutes. At 1:54, Marco Lopez drove a 2pg over Sagu to tie the game at 4-4. The Sidekicks reclaimed a 6-4 advantage at 3:51 when Brad Flanagan finished a shorthanded 2-on-1 with Armando Valdivia, but Bascome bagged a two-point power play goal just nine seconds later to create a 6-6 deadlock.

The Heat effectively put the game away before the quarter was out. At 8:56, Martin Hernandez finished a Ze Roberto feed to make it 8-6, and with the Heat again on the power play at 11:48, Ato Leone calmly moved in on the right wing and rifled a 2pg over Sagu to make it 10-6 heading into the fourth..

Dallas was still kicking in the fourth despite Doyle's ejection at 5:26. The Sidekicks failed to capitalize on a power play at 7:56, but drew within two points at 11:19 when Sagu's long distribution was nodded home by a streaking Antonio Sutton for the team's second shorthanded goal of the night.

Jeff Betts entered the game as the Dallas sixth attacker with 3:05 to play, but the Sidekicks failed to muster much of a threat as the Heat captured its second straight win.

NOTES: Doug Petras, the Heat's all-time leader in every major goalkeeping statistical category, will play his final game at the Farm Show tomorrow night ‚¬Â¦The Sidekicks' total of 37 penalty minutes on Saturday is more than the entire Heat team has accumulated all season long. Dallas' David Doyle was hit for twelve penalty minutes in the contest, and Tatu for seven ‚¬Â¦The Heat completes a two-game weekend tomorrow night when the archrival Baltimore Blast comes to town. Game time at the Farm Show Arena is 7:35 p.m.

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Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from December 28, 2002


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