(Image permission: Pete Best)
LANCASHIRE, UK – The Moralee D1 title race will go down to the wire, with Sheffield Steeldogs and Hull Pirates set for a final weekend showdown to decide this season’s league winners.
Sheffield recorded two shut-out victories over Whitley Warriors and Blackburn Hawks to finish the penultimate weekend one point in front of Hull.
The Pirates defeated Blackburn and Nottingham Lions to stay second in the table, but they can head into their final two games on top of the pile if they pick up a point at Telford Tigers on Wednesday.
Filip Supa (4) and Jason Silverthorn (3) topped the scoring for third-placed Telford in their 17-1 win at Deeside Dragons.
Thomas Soar (2) led the way for Solihull Barons in their 5-3 home victory over Solway Sharks, while Whitley Warriors cruised to a 5-0 home win against Billingham Stars.
Sutton Sting are still four points clear at the top of Laidler D2 after winning twice on home ice. Sting beat Sheffield Senators 4-2 and Blackburn Hawks 2 11-0.
Second-placed Hull Jets won 14-4 at Blackburn and 9-8 after overtime at Altrincham Aces. Ollie Barron hit a hat-trick for Widnes Wild in their 3-2 win at Telford Tigers 2.
Coventry Blaze NIHL lost 4-3 after overtime at Bradford Bulldogs, but bounced back to win 16-2 at home to Deeside Dragons 2.
Nathan Britton’s second goal of the game sealed a 4-3 overtime win for Sheffield on home ice against Bradford.
PHN’s top two talking points
Stars’ derby display inexcusable
Billingham Stars’ season is limping towards the finish line. A campaign that started badly eventually sparked into life after Christmas, but as an eighth place finish became inevitable the fire has gone out and recent performances have lacked passion and heart.
Sunday’s failure to turn up in what used to be an intense derby game against Whitley is seen as inexcusable by many of the Forum faithful, who by and large have been willing to settle for a mediocre season providing the commitment to the cause has been there.
As the play-offs loom, it seems the Stars have accepted their fate without a puck being dropped – a summer shake-up must surely be on the cards.
Postponement whingers need a reality check
Last week’s snow caused a handful of games to be postponed, sparking the usual plethora of ill-informed conspiracy theorists to spout their nonsense on social media.
Police in many areas of the country were advising people not to travel unless absolutely necessary and some coach companies rightly decided to heed the warning, leaving clubs with no other option than to postpone their fixtures.
Quite why a select group of ‘experts’ subsequently questioned the validity of those postponements is hard to fathom.
Players, coaches and officials have jobs to go to on a Monday – the whingers would do well to remember that the next time they expect them to take unnecessary risks.
WEEKEND RESULTS
Moralee D1
Blackburn Hawks 0-2 Sheffield Steeldogs
Deeside Dragons 1-17 Telford Tigers
Hull Pirates 8-2 Blackburn Hawks
Nottingham Lions 1-7 Hull Pirates
Sheffield Steeldogs 7-0 Whitley Warriors
Solihull Barons 5-3 Solway Sharks
Whitley Warriors 5-0 Billingham Stars
Laidler D2
Altrincham Aces 8-9 Hull Jets (OT)
Blackburn Hawks 2 4-14 Hull Jets
Bradford Bulldogs 4-3 Coventry Blaze NIHL (OT)
Coventry Blaze NIHL 16-2 Deeside Dragons 2
Sheffield Senators 4-3 Bradford Bulldogs (OT)
Sutton Sting 11-0 Blackburn Hawks 2
Sutton Sting 4-2 Sheffield Senators
Telford Tigers 2 2-3 Widnes Wild
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