Image (C) Jo Loat
4th/5th March
By Anthony Russell
We’re ignoring last weekend to avoid upsetting ourselves so let’s look at what happened elsewhere in the NIHL National Division.
Saturday
In Swindon, the Wildcats were looking to keep up the chase for fourth against third placed Peterborough. Ales Padelek had the Phantoms ahead in the first bit Aaron Nell tied the scores late in the opening frame to make it 1-1. A tightly contested game yielded a scoreless second period but Colby Tower’s goal just 2.19 into the third period put the hosts ahead. The Phantoms would push and push for an equaliser but they wouldn’t find one and the Wildcats took the points by a score of 2-1.
With the Phantoms having lost and the Lightning winning in Basingstoke, what could Leeds do at home to the Bees. Kieran Brown put the Knights ahead and despite Brendan Walkom’s equaliser, a goal from Jacob Witkowski had the hosts ahead 2-1 through 20 minutes. The hosts would extend their lead in the second as Brown’s second of the night and a goal from Matt Haywood made it 4-1 before Dan Rose’s goal reduced the arrears. In the third, it seemed an almighty shock was on the cards as Josh Smith then a second from Walkom tied the score at 4-4 with 7.29 to play but another Haywood goal and an empty netter from Mac Howlett saw the game end 6-4 to the league leaders.
Closer in the table to the Herd, Telford hosted Hull. Vladimir Luka put Tom Watkin’s side ahead, Andrej Themar levelled things for Hull before Luka’s second of the game made it 2-1. Rory Herrman made it 3-1 but another Themar goal would peg the Tigers back as the score was 3-2 heading into the final period. Finley Howells made it 4-2 but Jordan Fisher and Emil Svec found the net to tie the game at 4-4 with 13 minutes to play. However it would be the home fans sent home happy as Howells’ found the net for the second time with 61 seconds to play and Luka fired his hattrick goal into the empty net to finish the game at 6-4.
Defensive purists best look away now as Bristol and the Raiders went goal crazy in BS10. Jake Sylvester, Mason Lipsey, Harry Gulliver and Jay Warren all scored to make it 2-2 with less than half the first frame hone. Aaron Connolly and a second from Gulliver made it 4-2 Raiders but a late goal from Morgan Clarke-Pizzo made it 4-3 to the visitors at the end of the opening stanza. Bayley Harewood tied the game at 4-4 in the second as two goals from Caly Robertson were answered by a goal from Jacob Ranson and Gulliver’s hattrick goal to make it 6-6 after 40 minutes. Robertson’s hattrick goal edged the hosts ahead and a second from Lipsey made it 8-6 with 10.48 to play. There would be no way back for the Raiders though as Robertson’s 4th of the night into the empty net ended a wild game at 9-6 to Bristol.
Sunday
Having come close against Leeds on Saturday, the Bees faced another Yorkshire foe at home in the form of Sheffield and they got off to a decent start. Dominik Gabaj and James Galazzi had them 2-0 up and whilst Alex Graham got the Steeldogs on the board, a second from Gabaj made it 3-1 at the end of the first. Harvey Stead extended the lead to 4-1 late in the second before the Dogs tried to stage a comeback in the third. Jack Brammer made it 4-2 but Gabaj’s hattrick goal made it 5-2 with less than 4 minutes to play. That seemed to be game over but a shorthanded goal from Lee Bonner made it 5-3 with 2.38 left on the clock. Greg Wood’s side threw all they had at the Bees but the points stayed in Berkshire this time.
Swindon found themselves 1-0 to the good at the end of the first at home to Hull thanks to Russ Cowley but in the second, an old friend would come back to haunt them as Emil Svec tied the game at 1-1. However the Wildcats were in no mood for messing about. Edgars Bebris made it 2-1 by the end of the second and the hosts downed the flight of the Seahawks in the third. Aaron Nell, Floyd Taylor, a second from Cowley and a goal from Tomasz Malasinski saw the Wiltshire side run out comfortable 6-1 winners.
The Raiders tried to rebound from their wild Saturday on Sunday at home to Telford. Matthieu Gomercic and Finley Howells traded goals before Callum Wells put the Raiders ahead in the 11th minute. Vladimir Luka tied the game in the second but the Raiders retook the lead thanks to Aaron Connolly. Alex Roberts extended the lead to 4-2 before Jake Price made it 4-4. In the third, Rory Herrman tied the score at 4-4 but the Tigers would leave empty handed. Tjay Anderson gave the hosts the lead back and they wouldn’t lose it as a goal from Jake Sylvester and a late empty netter from Marco Pascale saw the Raiders run out 7-4 winners.
After their win in Basingstoke, the MK Lighting had another playoff challenger to contend with in Bristol. It was a 6 goal first period and the teams battled to a 3-3 tie after 20 minutes. Mason Lipsey, Caly Robertson and Bayley Harewood having their goals answered by Tim Wallace, Deivids Sarkanis and Sam Talbot. The hosts got their first lead of the night in the second through Rio Grinell-Parke but Reece Kelly’s goal early In the third tied the score at 4-4 and as neither side had an answer, the game went to overtime. It didn’t take long however for the MK Barmy Army to be singing again as Wallace beat Will Kerlin to give the Lightning the all important extra point.
Meanwhile MK fans were keeping half an eye towards Cambridgeshire as Peterborough hosted Leeds. It was a good night for the Knights as they raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first period; two goals from Mac Howlett as well as goals from Jake Witkowski, Carter Hamill and Josh Hodgkinson had Ryan Alridge’s side firmly in control. Glenn Billing got the hosts on the board in the second but a goal from Dylan Hehir made it 7-1 and Howlett’s hattrick goal made it 7-1 just before the half hour mark. Martins Susters made it 7-2 before Adam Barnes found the net to make it 8-2. Tyler de la Bertouche replaced Jordan Marr in the Phantoms’ net fo r the third but he was beaten by Howlett’s 4th of the night. Ales Padelek got one back for the Phantoms but a 9-3 final score sent a message to the division that Leeds are not taking their foot off the gas and that Peterborough will need to rethink their strategy ahead of the NIHL Cup Final in the coming weeks.
Anthony Russell is the writer of Banners On The Wall (http://bannersonthewall.wordpress.com) which has covered the Bison and British hockey for the last 11 years. He hosts the BOTW What’s Current Stream, the NIHL’s live show for news and views, Wednesday night at 8pm at Twitter.com/BannersOTW
