LONDON, UK – The NIHL South 1 returned with more drama, punch-ups and a bizarre story or two.
Miles and Barnes-Garner take tips from the stands (Lucy McGill)
The Autumn Cup Final dates were announced during the week with Sheffield Steeldogs and Peterborough Phantoms battling it out for the first silverware of the season on the 5th and 14th of December. Credit should go to all the teams and the league management for addressing this issue from last season and with none of the drama too.
In South London, Streatham were celebrating their new look branded Zamboni thanks to great graphics from Mel at Fusional who gave some RedHawks players the ultimate accolade; a place on the montage.
Honk honk, boni coming through
Celebrations were tempered slightly when RedHawks GM Graham D’Anger was ironed out by the Zamboni at training on Thursday in a freak accident and sustained some flesh wounds.
D’Anger, a former goalie with the Westminster Statesmen recreational team is no stranger to danger, after famously treading on a stray golf ball (don’t ask) a couple of seasons ago , wiping out a rack of spare sticks and pouring a cup of coffee all over his own back at the rink. Get well soon Graham.
A 22 man Great Britain under 20 squad was announced with a familiar face in Peterborough Phantoms coach Slava Koulikov at the helm. The team travel to Estonia in January to compete in IIHF World Championship Division II Group A.
NIHL South has only one representative named in the squad in the form of Phantoms defenseman Bradley Bowering. There are familiar faces on the ‘long list’ of reserves, in Tyler Perre (Swindon), Rio Grinell-Parke (MK) and Josh Kelly (Basingstoke).
Richardson back as a Pitbull (Flyfifer)
With no less than 18 reserves listed including 3 netminders, it’s fair to say that Koulikov is preparing for every eventuality and more. Let’s hope the IHUK haven’t blown the annual budget by buying 40 team tracksuits ‘just in case’.
In NIHL South 2, the Bristol Pitbulls announced that they would wear a special Hockey Fights Cancer jersey for one game each month, starting with the away game against Solent Devils.
Forward Grant Richardson was diagnosed with testicle cancer last summer, and got the all clear to re-join the team a couple weeks ago. They are fundraising for Cancer Research UK so if you can donate please do HERE
Saturday review
Peterborough began the weekend as the form team and extended their 13 game winning streak with a surprising 6-1 thumping of Streatham in South London. A devastating spell in the 2nd period saw the Phantoms score three time times in five minutes to kill the game and take two points.
Martin Susters scored a hat trick to add to goals from Corey McEwan, Petr Stepanek and Glenn Billing. Streatham Captain Adam Carr denied his old MK Lightning team mate Jordan Marr a 33 shot shut-out with a consolation goal in the final minute of the game.
Thunder strike (Lucy McGill)
In Milton Keynes the Thunder punished Invicta with a stunning 7-0 win where Jordan Lawday posted a 27 shot shut out. A brace each from Sam Talbot and Ross Green, plus lone goals for Ross Bowers, Tomas Rubes and Logan Prince bagged the points for the Thunder.
The game was lit up by a couple of toe to toe bouts captured on video HERE. Full marks to the fan shadow boxing in the stands during the Miles v Barnes-Garner scrap, fantastic stuff.
Invicta Coach Kev Parrish was left wondering if anything else could go wrong after star defenseman Matt Foord finished the game with a broken foot and will be out injured for a while. When your luck is out, it really is out.
NIHL media outlet 482 days returned online at the Thunderdome to report on the weekend action and it was good to see them back on the tweet deck*
Romford was rocking again, just days after the Christmas lights had been switched on in the town centre. The Raiders have had a mixed season so far, but they beat Bracknell in style 4-3, thanks to an overtime winner by Jake Sylvester.
Sylvester deals with the media after his winner
The Bees had looked in command even without suspended import Roman Malinik thanks to goals from Shaun Thompson, Ryan Sutton and Ivan Antonov. However the Raiders levelled it up in regulation before Sylvester’s winner thanks to efforts from in-form Ashley Jackson, Aaron Connolly and Blaho Novak.
Fists flew at the end of the third period as JJ Pitchley and Harvey Stead dropped the gloves getting the crowd on their feet.
In Swindon, the Wildcats shut out the Bison 4-1 with an Aaron Nell hat trick doing the bulk of the damage along with a lone goal from Toms Rutkis. For the Bison Hallam Wilson got the consolation.
Sunday review
MK Thunder gave the Bracknell Bees the shock of their lives by racing into an early 2-0 lead through goals from Logan Prince and Shaun Morris at the Hive. Sadly for Coach Lewis Clifford and the team, dreams of a four point weekend died as the Bees skated off with a 7-3 win.
Ryan Watt, Ivan Antonov and Zach Milton top scored for the Bees with two each, adding to an effort from David Millner. The Thunder’s third goal was scored by Trevor LeBlanc.
Fans at Streatham go nuclear with the signage
Invicta’s short bench was highlighted again as Streatham scored four late goals to take a 7-1 win in Kent. Tom Soar and Jacob Ranson both hit a brace for the RedHawks with Leigh Jamieson, Alex Roberts and Adam Wood also on target. The Mo’s consolation came courtesy of Andy Munroe.
Swindon finally ended the Phantoms winning streak with a 5-3 win in Bretton Way that highlighted perhaps that these two could end up going head to head for the title this year.
A double from Loris Taylor and efforts from Aaron Nell, Jan Kostal and Floyd Taylor sealed the points for the Cats, with Will Weldon, Petr Stepanek and Ales Padelek on target for the Phantoms.
Padelek later dropped the gloves with Sam Jones to add to the talking points.
The results mean that the top of the table has begun to take shape with the Bees counting the cost of recent defeats, and both Swindon and Peterborough showing their strength. At the bottom, Invicta will be disappointed that their games against MK and Streatham came before they could sign a new import, and they still search for their first win of the season.
Results
Saturday 17 November 2018
Streatham IHC 1 Peterborough Phantoms 6
MK Thunder 7 Invicta Dynamos 0
Raiders 4 Bracknell Bees 3 (after OT)
Swindon Wildcats 4 Basingstoke Bison 1
Sunday 18 November 2018
Invicta Dynamos 1 Streatham IHC 7
Peterborough Phantoms 3 Swindon Wildcats 5
Bracknell Bees 7 MK Thunder 3
*Back to the usual insults next week.
Contact the author: carrsy2@gmail.com
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