OXFORD, UK – The Oxford City Stars lifted the NIHL Wilkinson Conference title thanks to a 3-1 win over second placed Solent Devils in front of a packed rink at Oxpens Road.
The Stars had lost only two games all season ahead of the weekend but faced a Devils side riding high after an 8-2 demolition of fellow contenders Bracknell Hornets the night before on the South coast.
Scottish coaching duo Kenny Redmond and Scott Gough knew a win over Alex Murray’s team would guarantee them the title with one game to spare, but the pressure was on to perform in front of a big partisan crowd.
The build up to the game had been dominated by the news that the City Stars top scoring Czech Kamil Kinkor had been released from the club in a campaign he had scored 38 goals in just 23 games.
Once the puck dropped however the Stars took an early lead and never looked back thanks to goals from Dax Hedges, Matt Lawday and Joe Edwards. For Solent Alex Cole got the consolation in the third period but it wasn’t enough to stop wild scenes of celebration by the home players and fans on the final buzzer.
Stars Director James Schall said after the game:
“I’m overjoyed for the players, staff, coaching staff and club volunteers. It was a difficult situation that we found ourselves in at the start of the season, each and every person who got involved with the team deserves this championship.
“The rest of NIHL2 should take a massive amount of credit for putting up a competitive and exciting league, yes there’s been some big scores but the teams on the end of those kept playing and improving. The team deserve a shandy or two before we focus on the play-offs.”
Games that sealed the title:
Oxford City Stars 3 Guildford Phoenix 2
The new boys gave the title challengers the fright of their lives with only an overtime winner from Kamil Kinkor saving the Stars blushes in late November. The Phoenix were still largely an unknown quantity at this stage in the season but Josh Abbott and Bailey Wootton had given them a 2-0 lead before Jake Florey and Mike Whillock levelled, with the equaliser 30 seconds from the final buzzer of regulation time.
Chelmsford Chieftains 0 Oxford City Stars 4
A big test for the Stars in early December at a venue of the former NIHL South 1 champions that they passed with flying colours. A 25 shot shut out by Milan Ronai kept the Stars door firmly shut, with goals from Matt Lawday, Andy Cox, Dom Hopkins and Josh Oliver sealing two valuable points.
Oxford City Stars 8 Swindon Wildcats 6
The Stars nearly came unstuck in front of a sell-out crowd to their near neighbours in a 14 goal thriller. The Stars had to come back from behind three times in a game that was tied 6-6 with just 13 minutes to play. A shorthanded goal from Josh Oliver and a late effort from Dax Hedges sealed the win for the Stars to set up the downhill sprint for the title.
Oxford City Stars Moralee Conference Champions 2017/18
Milan Ronai (NM), Mark Duffy (NM), Andy Cox, Jake Florey, Paul Gore, Martyn Gray, Will Harrison, Dom Hopkins, Jason Ikin, Andy Shurmer, Alex Staples, Stewart Tait, Theo Bundock, Joe Edwards, Griff Eden-Parrish, Darren Elliott, Josh Florey, Dax Hedges, Matt Lawday, Josh Oliver, Conor Redmond, Mike Whillock.
Head Coach – Kenny Redmond, Assistant Coach – Scott Gough
Contact the author: david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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