The opening game of the night pitted division rivals: a streaking Haya team up against an Ikhlas team fighting for their playoff lives. Any bad blood lingering from the first game was washed away with the flurry of trades and new faces acquired by Ikhlas over the past few weeks. The team is nearly unrecognizable from the team that opened the season 2 months ago. If Ikhlas can manage to sneak into the playoffs, all the wheeling and dealing should put GMs Mehmet and Haris in the conversation for GM of the year.

The game started at a brisk pace, with both teams exchanging early chances. Very soon, a pattern started to develop: Haya would create an aggressive cycle in the Ikhlas zone, resulting in a shot directed towards goal. This was routinely followed by Ikhlas creating a turnover and instead of dumping it to relieve pressure, would instantly break out to create a 3-on-2 or 4-on-3 to create a quick shot on the Haya goal from the slot. Haya enjoyed more possession, but Ikhlas arguably had the better scoring chances in the first several minutes. Shortly after Emmad Khwaja had a clear chance in the slot, Haya center Waqar "boom boom" Khan capitalized on a mad scramble in front of Konain Saiyed to cash in the game's opening goal.

Not to be demoralized, Ikhlas kept up the energy with very effective forays into Haya territory that gave the Haya defense fits. With the clock winding down and 4 minutes left in the first half, Ikhlas winger Zahid Panchbhaya sped down the left wing and unleashed a knuckle ball wrist shot that fooled Haya keeper Yusuf Kapoor and tied the game at 1-1. As Haya has done all season long they were once again quick to answer. D-man Sadat Malik kept the ball in at the point and rushed in and not only got a shot on, but collected his own rebound ans tucked in behind Konain to restore a 1 goal Haya lead at halftime.

The second half was more of the same, with Haya swarming in the offensive zone one minute, and back on their heels in their zone the next. Ikhlas has several quality chances, with none better than a rebound that fell to GM Mehmet at the side of the net, which he deposited up into the netting with Yusuf Kapoor at his mercy. If you had to summarize Ikhlas' season so far, that would be the play. Tons of pressure, a great chance, and a negative result. 

Midway through the second half Yasin Admani went on a run after taking possession at center ice, rushed in unimpeded into the Ikhlas zone and unleashed a furious shot that Konain would have been heroic to stop, to effectively ice the game for Haya, which would finish 3-1.

Last week demonstrated a tremendous show of brotherhood by Maaz Haq, when he chose not to score into an empty net at the end of the game. This game ended with a similar display of good sportsmanship, as Yasin Admani had possession of the ball at the red line and had the boisterous Erfan Bhanapatel on his wing on a 2-on-1 facing an empty net. Instead of passing the ball to Erfan for the sure goal (and repaying Erfan for a similar pass a week earlier), Yasin fired a shot wide of the net to end the game. Yasin obviously knew that Erfan would score and decided to miss the net on purpose. You can't teach this kind of brotherhood! (raises sarcastic eyebrow).