By Tom Pink

Not everyone gets their fairy tale.

There simply aren’t enough of them to go around.

Some land plumb first time, some have to be worked at. Some of them are in direct conflict with others.

We knew that Basingstoke Buffalo and Haringey Huskies couldn’t both have it their way.

The third attempt in three years and a send-off for some team mainstays, against the potential final game of hockey for an entire club and a story of homecomings, rallying to support the team they love.

What a way to end it. Whatever comes next, if that is their last game or not, what a story. I sincerely hope it isn’t.

Having got to this stage in the two years before, having been here at Alexandra Palace last year, there was a sense (a hope?) that this might be the year Haringey got it over the line and lifted their first piece of silverware since hockey came back from the Pandemic.

We’d lost twice to Peterborough in the league and beaten Basingstoke twice, but playoff hockey does strange things. As we found out in the quarters against the Mustangs.

I thought Basingstoke were brilliant on Saturday against Guildford Phoenix, who didn’t have an answer for their slick, fast play and clinical finishing. Ominous memories of Invicta Mustangs against Bristol Pitbulls 2 in last years’ semi, and the devastating hockey they played that weekend came flooding back.

Saturday against Peterborough was a tight affair. There’s a couple of 1-on-1s in the first period that could have been converted, for both sides. There’s anxious energy. It’s a physical and open game. Lots of desire and passion but a lack of quality chances.

Haringey take the lead in the second, Conner Smith and Benet Beldecos combining into the o-zone. There looks like a couple of bounces off the goalie nearside before Conner taps it home. Great, great celly. What a year he’s had at the Palace.

But Peterborough strike back at the end of period to make it a tied game, a shot from Nathan Pollard on the right squeaks past Luke Clark nearside and in.

In the third, Haringey restore their lead through captain Stuart Appleby. The puck pops out into the slot after a deflection and Stu’s there to rip it top shelf for 2-1.

It’s desperate stuff at the end as Peterborough push for the equaliser. Some huge saves from Luke in net deny the Phantoms’ forwards and it’s amazing that we hold on. With seconds left Peterborough pull the netminder, and Joe Tearall has a couple of opportunities to kill it but they’re blocked.

Time runs out and Haringey head to Sunday.

It’s an even first period. Both sides feeling each other out. Haringey have the better first 10 minutes; Conner has a couple of chances from the goal line, Sam Roberts finds Pete Toth at the point who fluffs his shot, Matt Hepburn has a look from the blue line.

Basingstoke take the next five with a good spell of possession. Corey Taylor makes a great mid-air interception to stop a saucer across the slot. We finish strongly, with James Hepburn crafting a couple of good chances which we can’t convert.

End of first. Some good play but goals needed.

The start of the second period is one of complete disaster. It’s an odd-man rush for the Buffalo that allows the puck to be passed across the slot twice and tapped in at the back post by forward and player-coach Paul Petts. An awful start after only 30 seconds.

Haringey lose it a bit here and it’s suddenly an extremely, alarmingly open game. Joe Willingham almost responds but his deflected shot from the left trickles agonisingly wide.

Within two minutes Basingstoke have another. A pass across centre ice releases Cameron Buckle who flies at Luke in the Haringey net and sends a wrister top left from close. Wow. They have another 1-on-1 opportunity moments later, but this time it’s saved.

As the period goes on we regain an element of composure. Sam hits the post from the right, John Beldecos sends a slapper over the bar, Benet drives to the net but can’t poke home at the crease. There’s chances but nothing sticks. Dan Weller-Evans in the Buffalo net had a very good game, unfortunately for Haringey!

I think we’re fortunate that it’s only two, but unfortunate not to be on the scoreboard at the end of the second. It would now take something akin to the playoff quarter-final second leg to get us back into this.

The third starts and time ticks on and on. The more chances we have, the quicker it ticks. Luke makes more game-saving saves. After nine minutes John fires-in high, far side from the slot to bring us within one goal.

There’s more brilliant, aggressive skating from Doc and within three minutes there’s parity. Joe Tearall on the right sends one low on net, and it’s caught under the Buffalo netminder’s legs and finds its way over the line. 2-2. What a relief.

I genuinely believed we’d go on to win it from there. The momentum was with us. The crowd was with us. There were more chances to banish the hoodoo. To banish the four finals in three years. To banish the three league campaigns gone within a handful of points.

But it wasn’t to be.

It’s an absolute suckerpunch. Literally gut wrenching. With one minute forty-eight seconds remaining in regulation, Xander Robinson is sent through on the breakaway. He takes it to the net and slides it past the sprawling Clarky to make it 3-2 to the Buffalo. Oof.

Congratulations to Basingstoke though. It was a hugely entertaining game of hockey and their overall play was too good for everyone in the Wilkinson finals across the weekend. Here’s hoping that they’re back in some form or another next year.

But it feels like the end of an era at Haringey, like a cycle has finished. I don’t know. Is it just the mood I’m in? It feels like they’re breaking up the old band. Haringey stalwarts, the core of this team that we’ve adored for several years, might be letting go. Ryan Payne wasn’t re-signed at the start of the season. Sam Roberts has hung up his skates.

Of course we want it as fans, that’s a large part of why we keep coming back, to see the team we support be victorious. But I’d argue, with this one in particular, we wanted them to do it for themselves. To prove to themselves that they could finally do it. To have that success.

I looked over last years’ playoff finals weekend report. I said there that we don’t get Sunday’s game against Invicta in the final without Saturday’s performance against Guildford.

And I’m thinking now that we don’t get any of the moments and the memories that we’ve had over recent times, this season included, without this group of lads. Every single one of them.

I won’t allow this to define what this group has given us. If this is to be the end for some of these lads, I’ll always cherish what they gave.

Haringey will be back. The Huskies will be back. Hockey, warts and all will be back at Alexandra Palace.

I’ll be there, we’ll be there. Will you?

See you in September.

Let’s Go Huskies.