Warriors 1 in epic, feisty battle with the Islanders
On Saturday 27th May, our Warriors 1 team welcomed the Whitley Bay Islanders to Planet Ice for their first meeting in the Northern Recreational Hockey Cup (NRHC).
This was the first time the Warriors had met the Islanders, but they were aware of their strength, having noted their previous results in the NRHC.
Whilst the Warriors were missing Sam Forrester, this was the only major absence, as the team were close to full strength and able to dress 4 forward lines and 3 x D pairings.
1st period
The Warriors started strongly and enjoyed long periods of pressure inside the Islanders zone.
The away team took minor penalties for holding and roughing on 7 minutes and 15 minutes, giving the Warriors powerplay opportunities.
But despite some good plays, the Warriors couldn’t beat the Islanders goalie.
At the other end of the ice, our own Lewis Pickering was pulling off some vital stops to keep the team in the game.
Flash point
Ash Pryce squares up to the Islanders captain.
With 16:51 on the clock, Warriors’ forward Ash Pryce took a cross-check to the back from Islanders captain, Buckley. This resulted in a flare up and the Islanders player also cross-checked Pryce in the neck.
Despite committing three separate offences, the Islanders captain only received a 2 minute minor penalty. Warriors’ Ash Pryce received the same punishment.
This was the only penalty that the Warriors took in the first period and the team were able to play their best hockey - pushing hard for the opening goal.
If it wasn’t for the heroics of the Islanders netminder, the Warriors could have bagged 3-4 goals, but by the end of the period, the score remained goal-less:
Warriors 0 Islanders 0
2nd period
With the score line all square, confidence was high in the Warriors camp. It was felt that the team were on top and it was just a matter of time before the breakthrough would come.
But whilst the team were creating chances, there was also a lot of defending to be done. The longer the game remained 0-0 the more tense it became. No-one wanted to make a mistake that caused the team to concede.
Both teams were fully committed and tempers were beginning to fray, causing some occasional confrontations.
Unfortunately, the Warriors took a roughing penalty and high-stick penalty during this period, meaning they had to defend stoically.
The Islanders managed to keep out of the penalty box for the whole duration of the period.
With the Islanders netminder having such a good game, it seemed like a Warriors goal would only come from a moment of individual brilliance or from a very scrappy play.
Fortunately for the Warriors, Mitch White was on hand to provide that brilliance, opening the scoring on 27 minutes with a hard wrister into the top left corner of the net. 1-0 Warriors.
1-0 Warriors
Mitch White (unassisted)
The team now had a lead to protect, but in such a tight game, they really needed that insurance goal, as the Islanders were still very much in the game. The score at the end of the second period was:
Warriors 1 Islanders 0
3rd period
Going into the final period with such a slender lead, the mood became tense. The Warriors began to focus on protecting the lead, rather than adding to it.
Unfortunately, with only six minutes left on the clock, the Islanders equalised. A huge blow to the Warriors, who were so close to seeing the game out. The team had to pick themselves up and stay positive.
With the clock ticking closer to the end of regulation, both teams were still working hard to grab a late winner.
On 58 minutes and 35 seconds, an Islanders player cross-checked Warriors’ Wes Nixon from behind, causing a confrontation that subsequently lead to a fight between Islanders captain, Buckley and Warriors’ player-coach Jones.
Both Jones and Buckley were tossed from the game, with the initial offender getting a 5 minute penalty for the cross-checking incident.
Unfortunately, this means that Jones will be banned for the next three Warriors games.
The Warriors were now on a 5 v 4 powerplay with only 1 minute 25 seconds remaining. This was their final opportunity to throw everything at the Islanders to get the win.
But unfortunately, the Islanders stood strong and saw out the game.
The game ended a tie, meaning both teams picked up a point. It was now down to the lottery of penalty shots to decide who took the extra point.
FINAL SCORE:
Warriors 1 Islanders 1
Penalty shots
Both teams would take three penalty shots. The shooters for Warriors were Ollie Gannon, Mitch White and Ash Pryce.
Denied
The Islanders netminder continued his impressive display into the shoot-out.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, the opposing goalie was too tough to beat, meaning it came down to the Islanders third and final penalty shot to seal it. The Islanders player made no mistake and the Islanders took the extra point home with them.
Points scorers:
Mitch White 1+0
Lewis Pickering
Warriors’ player of the game
Lewis Pickering
Captain’s player of the game
Both the Player of the Game and the Captain’s Player of the Game awards went to Lewis Pickering. It’s not often the same player picks up both awards, but Lewis was outstanding all game, coming up with big saves and holding onto everything. Well done Lewis.
Thanks to Tim Lyndon-Belt and Heather McCarten for being the time keepers.
Thanks to Jacob King’s Mum for coming down and taking so many photos of our games. They’re great memories to have.
And also.. it was great to see Rich Guttridge and Stella Giswisser in the stands, supporting us as usual.
This was the Warriors penultimate game in the NRHC season, leaving only the away game against the Islanders to play.
Game details below:
Whitley Bay Islanders v Warriors 1
Sunday 2nd July 2023
Face-off : 12pm
@ Whitley Bay Ice Rink
Free entry
But before this game, Warriors 1 play in the Hull Tournament over the weekend of Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June.
Preview to follow.
