Warriors exact revenge on Falcons
On Saturday 22nd April, our Warriors 1 team travelled to Blackburn to take on the Falcons in the return NRHC fixture.
In their away uniform of all black, the Warriors were able to ice a strong team for this away fixture.
Netminder Ben Briggs was given back-up duties with Lewis Pickering getting the nod.
In the corresponding home fixture, the teams played out a close contest resulting in a 2-4 win for the Falcons. This was also sure to be a tight affair with two evenly matched teams looking for their second win in the NRHC.
1st period
Both teams started positively with chances being made at both ends of the ice.
With less than 3 minutes on the clock, Dylan Noonan had to leave the ice before a face-off, and it was his replacement Will Gibbons who pounced on a loose puck to open the scoring. Assisted by Niku Ghaemi.
Will Gibbons
Scored the opening goal
A great start for the Warriors, but there were defensive concerns.
The Falcons were being given too much space inside the slot, exposing Warriors netminder, Pickering.
As a result, the Falcons scored twice, in the 4th and 7th minute.
Their lead didn’t last long as the Warriors were able to tie the game at 2-2 in the 8th minute when Mitch White scored from Wes Nixon and Ash Pryce assists.
Mitch White
Tied the game at 2-2
Unfortunately, the Warriors continued to give the home team easy scoring opportunities which resulted in the Falcons scoring 3 consecutive goals, in the 10th, 11th and 12th minutes.
The score was now 5-2 to the Falcons and the Warriors couldn’t afford to let the deficit increase anymore, if they had any chance of still winning the game.
Thankfully, the Warriors rallied and scored 2 goals in 2 minutes. Sam Forrester scored both goals in the 16th and 17th minutes, with assists from Dylan Noonan, Niku Ghaemi and Ash Pryce.
Sam Forrester
Scored 2 goals in 2 minutes.
At the end of the first period, the score was:
Falcons 5 Warriors 4
2nd period
During the interval, the Warriors discussed the defensive issue and fixing this problem was the priority for the 2nd period.
With only one goal separating the teams and two periods still to play - the Warriors felt they had the beating of the Falcons.
The next goal was crucial as it would mean the Warriors could tie the game or the Falcons could create some daylight between the teams.
With so much at stake, the second period was a lot more defensive. The Warriors had fixed the defensive problem from the 1st period, but now had to be mindful of the stretch passes which were coming through centre-ice.
On multiple occasions, the Falcons had breakaway opportunities and only the heroics of Warriors netminder, Pickering, kept the Falcons at bay. There’s no doubt this kept the Warriors in the game.
Lewis Pickering
Kept the Warriors in the game
The 2nd period was a one-goal period - but which way would it go?
Thankfully, it went the Warriors way, but we had to wait until the 34th minute to get it. Sam Cromack bagged the Warriors 5th (and equalising) goal, with assists from Ellen Gallimore and Andy Giles.
Sam Cromack
Scored the Warriors equalising goal
At the end of the second period, the score was:
Falcons 5 Warriors 5
3rd period
While the ice was being cut, the Warriors had the chance to regroup in the changing room.
The Warriors had shut out the Falcons in the second period and their belief was high.
However, the team remembered that during the home game against the Falcons, they were also tied after the 2nd period, but let the game slip away from them within the first 7 minutes of the restart. The team could not let this happen again and needed to focus from the start of the final period.
The team talk seemed to do the trick, as within a minute of the restart, Mitch White scored his 2nd of the night in spectacular fashion.
Picking the puck up just inside the Falcons zone, he skipped past 3 defenders, holding them off as he approached the right side of the net, before he scooped the puck into the roof of the net from a tight angle to make it 5-6 Warriors.
Mitch White
Scored a spectacular solo goal
The Warriors were back in front for the first time since the opening goal of the game.
The momentum was now with the away team and the Warriors were able to capitalise.
The lead was extended in the following minute (42nd) when Forrester picked up a pass from Ghaemi at the top of the Falcons zone and despite being under immense defensive pressure, he was able to release the shot, which rebounded off the netminder and into the path of Dylan Noonan who buried it. The Warriors now had daylight between them and the Falcons at 5-7.
Dylan Noonan
Scored Warriors 7th goal
Unfortunately, the Warriors weren’t able to enjoy this for long as the Falcons fought back to score their sixth goal on 45 minutes. The score was now 6-7 to the Warriors and with only 15 minutes to go, the next goal was crucial.
The game was now tense, with no quarter being given. The teams played out a stalemate for the following 12 minutes before the Warriors could take a huge sigh of relief, as Niks Kamaldins scored the Warriors 8th and final goal of the game (assisted by Tom Mallon).
With the score now at 6-8 to the Warriors and with only 3 minutes left to play, the team just needed to see the game out, which they duly did.
Niks Kamaldins
Killed the game with the Warriors 8th goal
FINAL SCORE:
Falcons 6 Warriors 8
Points scorers:
Sam Forrester 2+1
Mitch White 2+0
Dylan Noonan 1+1
Niku Ghaemi 0+2
Ash Pryce 0+2
Sam Cromack 1+0
Will Gibbons 1+0
Niks Kamaldins 1+0
Ellen Gallimore 0+1
Andy Giles 0+1
Tom Mallon 0+1
Wes Nixon 0+1
Wes Nixon
Warriors’ player of the game
Sam Forrester
Captain’s player of the game
Player of the game for the Warriors was Wes Nixon (awarded by the Falcons) and the Captain’s player of the game went to Sam Forrester, who had a 3 point game. Funnily enough, both guys are former Blackburn players, so this felt appropriate. Well done guys.
A great win for the Warriors. The guys showed great character to keep fighting when 3 goals down and were able to identify the areas of their game which needed rectifying quickly.
This was Warriors 1’s fifth game in the NRHC which leaves only three more games. Two of those games are against Whitley Bay Islanders, but before that, it’s the away fixture against Don Valley Vikings.
In the home game, the Vikings won convincingly with a 2-11 scoreline.
Game details below:
Vikings v Warriors
Saturday 13th May 2023
Face-off : 22:00
@ Ice Sheffield
Free entry
