Warriors 2 clinch M62 title with epic comeback against Blackhawks
On Saturday 20th July our Warriors 2 squad hosted the RAF Blachawks at Planet Ice, Leeds for their final M62 Cup fixture of the season.
The Warriors went into the game level at the top of the cup league table with the Kingston Fat Dads, needing only a win (or even a draw), to secure the title.
Leeds were able to ice a strong lineup for the game.
Dressed players: Ben Briggs (NM), Chris Scampton, Corey Clough-Howard, David Gorog, Howie Barwick, James Way, Jamie Thurston, Lewis Astill, Ryan Marsh, Sean Clough, Tom Cokill, Tom Gabbitas, Jeff Hardy, Luke Newbiggin (C), Mo Lin, Stewart Nelson, Tim Lyndon-Belt, Matt Bolan, Liam Symington, Rich Guttridge and Stu Shepherd.
Unavailable were Luke Cadman, Louis Feather, Adam Tomlinson, James Ryan, Josh Edwards, Dale Sunderland, Dave Reid, Andrew Everson, and Andrew Hughes (NM).
1st period
The Warriors knew a solid performance would see them clinch the title, and that a good start to the game would be important against a Blackhawks team they’d beaten 4-2 in the reverse fixture.
The period began evenly, with both teams feeling each other out. Leeds had several good opportunities to take the lead, however the RAF goalie made some strong saves and it was clear that it wasn’t going to be easy to get the puck past him.
It was the Blackhawks who broke the deadlock after 12 minutes of play with a shorthanded goal, taking advantage of some sloppy defending from Leeds.
And just three minutes later the RAF were up 2-0, again capitalising on some suicidal defending by the Warriors, Things only got worse, as the Blackhawks scored again a minute later to extend their lead to three goals.
That was how the first period ended, a disastrous one for Leeds, who knew they now had a massive hole to climb out of.
Warriors 0 Blackhawks 3
On the offensive
Jamie Thurston goes on a rush over the blue line.
2nd period
Warriors coach Niks Kamaldins gave the team both barrels at the break. The title was slipping away and the Warriors needed to massively up their game — and find a way to beat an in-form netminder at the other end.
Leeds started the period strongly, and were getting plenty of shots through to the net, however none looked like beating this RAF goalie. Despite dominating much of the play, and outshooting their opponent 21-9 in the period, it was the Blackhawks who extended their lead to 4-0 after 34 minutes.
Leeds desperately needed a goal to install some belief and to show that they could beat this RAF goalie. With less than three minutes left in the period, they finally broke through. The Warrior’s first line, which had dominated almost every shift they’d been on the ice, at last got a little bit of luck as Howie Barkwick was able to bang home a loose puck following a goal-mouth scramble. Line-mates Chris Scampton and Tom Cokill picked up the assists.
Despite this lifeline, the Warriors were still in a desperate position as the period ended, needing a minor miracle in the third to turn things around.
Warriors 1 Blackhawks 4
Goal opportunity
Tom Gabbitas makes the netminder work
3rd period
Coach Kamaldins and the Warriors’ leadership group tried to keep things calm and positive going into a critical final twenty minutes — the team had to believe it was possible to claw back into this game.
Again Leeds were on the front foot at the start of the period, and their dominance paid off as Cokill cut the Blackhawks’ lead to two with a power play goal, assisted by Scampton and Barwick.
Belief was now starting to grow on the Leeds bench, and coach Kamaldins made the call to shorten the bench to three forward lines and three defensive pairs for the final ten minutes of the game.
Four minutes later, with less than six minutes remaining, this move paid off as Scampton scored to get the Warriors to within a single goal at 4-3. Barwick picked up the assist.
At this point the team knew that while a victory in the game might be out of reach, a draw would be enough for them to clinch the cup by one point over the Fat Dads. And just over a minute later, the critical equaliser came, and again it was Scampton with the heroics as he buried an unassisted goal to tie the game up at 4-4.
With just three minutes left to play, and their season on the line, the Warriors dug deep to hold the Blackhawks off the scoresheet. As the final buzzer went, the Warriors were able to celebrate an epic escape, and the first ever title for Leeds Warriors Ice Hockey Club.
Well done boys!
Final score:
Warriors 4 Blackhawks 4
In pictures : The moment the equalising goal was scored, securing the cup for Warriors 2.
Credit to : Richard Sells Photography
Points scorers:
Chris Sampton 2+2
Howie Barwick 1+1
Tom Cokill 1+1
Tom Gabbitas 0+1
Tom Cokill
Warriors’ player of the game
Chris Scampton
Captain’s player of the game
The Player of the Game for the Warriors, as selected by the Blackhawks, went to Tom Cokill and the Captain’s Helmet went to Chris Scampton for a fantastic four-point performance, including the cup clinching goal.. Well played lads!
Big thanks to the RAF Blackhawks for their part in a great game, and to all of the teams who competed in the M62 Cup.
That’s a wrap for our second team’s 2023-24 season. And what a season it has been!
The team played eight games in the M62 Cup season. They won six, lost one and drew one. In those eight games they amassed 50 goals and shut-out the Nottingham Cyclones. In March, they played a challenge game against Sheffield Blazers and drew 2-2.
They also competed in two tournaments, reaching the semi-final stage of the Leeds Lightning Invitational Tournament and were the runners-up in the Bone Idle Tournament in Bradford.
On the whole, it’s been a very successful season for Warriors 2. They have been contenders in every competition they entered - and on occasions, they have had to show a lot of character to turn games around.
2023-24 season points scorers (excluding tournaments)
Tom Cokill 9+9
Chris Scampton 13+4
Howie Barwick 4+7
Tom Gabbitas 3+5
David Gorog 5+2
Jamie Thurston 3+2
Lewis Astill 3+1
Sean Clough 2+1
Ryan Marsh 1+2
Louis Feather 2+0
Stu Nelson 2+0
Liam Symington 2+0
Corey Clough-Howard 0+2
Jeff Hardy 0+2
Luke Cadman 1+0
Mo Lin 1+0
Tim Lyndon-Belt 1+0
Adam Tomlinson 1+0
Josh Edwards 0+1
Rich Guttridge 0+1
Lewis Pickering 0+1
James Way 0+1
2023-24 season points scorers (including tournaments)
Chris Scampton 18+8
Tom Cokill 10+10
Howie Barwick 5+10
Tom Gabbitas 7+5
Jamie Thurston 7+4
David Gorog 6+2
Liam Symington 5+0
Ryan Marsh 2+3
Lewis Astill 3+1
Andrew Hughes 3+1
Stu Nelson 3+1
Adam Tomlinson 3+0
Sean Clough 2+1
Jamie Farrar 2+0
Louis Feather 2+0
Luke Cadman 2+0
Josh Edwards 1+1
Corey Clough-Howard 0+2
Jeff Hardy 0+2
Stu Shepherd 0+2
Adam Gibbons 1+0
Mo Lin 1+0
Tim Lyndon-Belt 1+0
Rich Guttridge 0+1
Lewis Pickering 0+1
James Way 0+1
