The Dynamic property services Solway Sharks returned back to home ice on Saturday evening following a weekend with only a single road game against the Bristol Pitbulls for a rematch in the Sharktank, which saw the hosts claim the 2 points in a thrilling 5-4 OT victory.
The Sharks lined up with the same squad they travelled South with the previous weekend, giving #33 Jordan Marr the start between the pipes once again, backed up by #30 Calum Hepburn. Meanwhile, the Bristol Pitbulls travelled with 16+2 including injury cover through #15 Jospeh Caccavale and #14 Lee Duance, whilst opting for American import #33 Tommy Nappier in goal, with #42 Tyler De La Bertouche on the bench.
1st period –
The Sharks quickly put the Pitbulls under pressure, forcing them to ice the puck just 12 seconds after puck-drop. The offensive threat displayed was soon converted by the first line of Dunbar, Gardiner and Anderson after #22 John Dunbar fired the puck top-corner over Nappier’s shoulder at 1:03 to give Solway an early edge.
The Sharks were handed a chance to double the lead at 3:21 after #52 Nick Pryce received 2 minors for slashing and boarding. However, a strong PK unit for the Pitbulls denied the Solway forwards. The hosts maintained puck possession following the powerplay but failed to find a way past Nappier.
Sharks conceded their first penalty of the evening at 13:09 as #88 Kyle Carruth headed to the box for interference. A dominant defensive display by Solway prevented the Pitbulls equalising on the powerplay opportunity. The Sharks claimed a major chance at 17:01 as both #77 Bayley Harewood and #90 Bobby Ragan sat for misconduct and cross-checking respectively at 17:01. Despite multiple efforts, the score remained with a single goal splitting the 2 sides after 20 minutes.
2nd period –
The Sharks began the middle frame on the PK after #49 Liam Danskin received a 2 minute misconduct, but #33 Jordan Marr successfully denied the visitors an equalising goal. Just 11 seconds later, Solway Skipper #10 Liam Stenton slotted the puck into the Bristol net on a one-timer after the feed from #68 Callum Boyd.
Solway continued the pressure in the Bristol zone forcing them to ice the puck several times before #5 Olivier Arseneau capitalised from the slot with a low shot through traffic to extend the deficit to 3 for Bristol. However, the Sharks picked up another penalty at 27:31 as #43 Nolan Gardiner headed to the box for tripping. Moments after killing Gardiner’s infraction, the PK unit was utilised again after #21 Torran Anderson was called for interference with #68 Callum Boyd joining him 60 seconds later for tripping.
The Pitbulls converted their 5on3 opportunity, unlike the Sharks earlier in the game, through #52 Nick Pryce with a wrist shot at 31:40 to bring Bristol back into the game. Play was sent to 4on4 momentarily after #7 Cameron Hamill was called for high sticks at 32:15. Just 13 seconds later, Bristol’s top goal-scorer #52 Nick Pryce fired again on a breakaway with Marr, reducing the deficit to just a single goal.
As tensions began to rise between the sides, #91 Mason Lipsey was handed a tripping call at 34:35 which was cancelled out by Dunbar’s slashing call at 35:15. A further 2 co-incidental penalties were given to #21 Anderson and #7 Hamill for unsportsmanlike conduct at 38:12 to round off a penalty heavy period. Alderson wound up a final shot for Solway but Nappier made the catcher save on the buzzer finalising the middle frame at 3-2 in favour to the Sharks.
3rd period –
Bristol returned for the final period with fight and equalised through #59 Ewan Hill who fired top corner, assisted by #23 Jacob White-Sey at 41:40. The Sharks gave the Pitbulls almost 4 consecutive minutes on the powerplay after both #49 Danskin and #9 Alderson received slashing calls. However, after strong defensive play, the Sharks retained their lead.
The hosts continued to send shots into the Bristol crease but Nappier matched their efforts to maintain a tied game heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation play. However, after controlling the puck around the zone, #9 Mason Alderson threaded it into the net at 52:13, re-claiming the lead for Solway. Tension spilled within the same minute between Arseneau and Harewood resulting in both players sharing double-minors for holding and roughing at 52:43.
Sharks called their PP unit into action at 56:44 as #90 Bobby Ragan sat for cross-checking, whilst the Pitbulls called a timeout to re-discuss tactics. With just 58 seconds remaining in regulation, #6 Rhys Smetham fired home an equalising goal for the visitors via #52 Nick Pryce and #24 Tanner Butler, forcing the game into overtime.
The Sharks dominated the puck from the off-set in overtime but Nappier made the difference for the Pitbulls. However, Canadian import #43 Nolan Gardiner flicked the puck backhand into the roof of the netting at 64:07 to seal the victory for Solway.
MVPs were awarded to forward #43 Nolan Gardiner after scoring the overtime winner for the Solway Sharks. Meanwhile player-coach #9 Bari McKenzie claimed the title for the Bristol Pitbulls.
Hull Seahawks vs Solway Sharks 17.11.24
The Dynamic property services Solway Sharks completed their first 4 point weekend of the 24/25 season with a thrilling 5-6 victory over the Hull Seahawks in the Hull ice Arena following a 5-4 OT win in the Sharktank the previous evening.
Solway travelled with a healthy squad of 17+2 as Widnes Wild 2-way forward #16 Bailey Thomson was called up to strengthen numbers, whilst #33 Jordan Marr guarded the pipes for the Sharks, backed up by #30 Calum Hepburn. Meanwhile, Seahawks lined up with the same number and gave #34 Dmitri Zimozdra the start in goal with #72 Jordan McLaughlin on the bench.
1st period –
The Sharks began Sunday’s game in the same fashion as Saturday, opening the scoring in the first few minutes of play. Forward #9 Mason Alderson fired the puck over Zimozdra’s pads for Solway after the feed from #21 Torran Anderson at 03:10, giving the visitors the lead. The Seahawks gave Solway a chance to double their lead as #21 Bobby Chamberlain sat 2 minutes for boarding at 3:39 but Dmitri Zimozdra matched the Sharks efforts during the penalty kill.
After a shift in momentum, the Seahawks found an equalising goal at 6:56 after a blue line shot from former Shark #6 Calum McGill was tipped into the net by #96 Owen Sobchak. Solway’s #53 Kian Shevlin was handed the first penalty for the visitors at 10:43, but a solid shift from the PK unit prevented a go-ahead goal for Hull.
Tensions began to spill over between the Seahawks offence and Sharks defence, resulting in #5 Olivier Arseneau heading to the box for roughing at 15:21. Hull created a major chance in the final seconds of the opening period through Svec and Sobchak but a sliding block by Torran Anderson made the difference for Solway leaving the score tied 1-1 after 20 minutes.
2nd period –
Hull generated firepower through their top line of Sobchak, Svec and Corneil early but Marr stood tall for Solway. Canadian import #5 Olivier Arseneau returned to the penalty box at 24:49, this time for holding but Sharks successfully killed the infraction. Solway’s top goal scorer #43 Nolan Gardiner added another to his tally, sending #34 Zimozdra’s bottle flying to reclaim the lead for his side, assisted by #92 Robertson and #5 Arseneau.
Solway’s #63 Joe Coulter received a hit behind the play, which he later retaliated on causing him to sit for roughing at 30:08, giving Hull yet another chance to equalise. The man advantage was then returned as Seahawks captain #21 Bobby Chamberlain was called for a check to the head on #22 John Dunbar at 33:03.
Unlike the Seahawks, the Sharks clinically converted the advantage into another goal for #9 Mason Alderson at 33:17 via Canadian imports #43 Gardiner and #22 Dunbar to extend the lead to 1-3. However within the same minute, #71 Emil Svec answered back from the left wing for Hull, courtesy of #96 Sobchak and #56 Stubley.
A turnover in puck possession by the Seahawks allowed #71 Svec to grab his 2nd of the period and tie the score once more, assisted by linemates #9 Corneil and #96 Sobchak at 37:07. Hull’s #74 Lee Bonner gave away a late penalty for the home side in the 2nd period for hooking, creating another powerplay chance for Solway.
Sharks captain #10 Liam Stenton fired the 4th past Zimozdra from point after the feed from Alderson in the Seahawks zone at 39:32 to make it 2 consecutive powerplay goals for Solway. The late strike from the skipper saw the visitors take a slim lead into the final frame.
3rd period –
The Seahawks made multiple changes to their forward line combinations in an attempt to find a way past #33 Jordan Marr who had been the consistent backstop for Solway. Hull’s first line posed the biggest threat for the Sharks defence as the NIHL’s top-points scorer claimed his 2nd goal of the evening at 44:39, levelling the score once more assisted by his linemates.
Tensions between the 2 sides spilled over in Marr’s crease, resulting in #53 Kian Shevlin returning to the locker room early after receiving a 5+game penalty for a check to the head. After a strong defensive display, the Sharks prevented a powerplay goal for the Seahawks to retain a tied scoreline.
After returning to full strength, Solway’s skipper wasted no time in securing the lead for the visitors with a strike from point that landed top shelf into the net, assisted by #9 Alderson and #14 Young at 53:18. The Sharks controlled the puck in the closing minutes of the game, forcing Hull head coach Matty Davies to call a timeout at 58:05.
Play resumed as the Seahawks opted to keep #34 Dmitri Zimozdra on the bench in favour of an extra forward. However, just 26 seconds later, #92 Caly Robertson sealed an empty-netter for the Sharks after a play by #22 John Dunbar and #5 Olivier Arseneau, putting Solway 4-6 ahead.
Hull threw everything they had at Solway netminder #33 Jordan Marr which resulted in GB u20 #11 Owen Bruton firing a 5th goal for the Seahawks with just seconds to spare and left the net empty once more. Despite their efforts, Hull fell short to the Sharks as the final buzzer sounded with the scoreline sat at 5-6 to Solway, claiming a 4 point weekend.
MVPs were awarded to forward #43 Nolan Gardiner after a threatening offensive performance for the Solway Sharks. Meanwhile, #71 Emil Svec claimed the title for the Hull Seahawks after a 3 point performance.
Solway Sharks forward, Mason Alderson had this to say regarding the results over the weekend,
“This weekend was a real team effort, with everyone pitching in when it counted most. We won both games thanks to great goaltending, and important players performed well under pressure. Our team’s resilience and depth were shown in these back-to-back wins, which include a hard-fought battle in Hull and that incredible overtime success on Saturday. As far as, a four-point weekend, this is a huge boost, and we as a team intend to build on these performances.”
The Sharks return to the Shark Tank this Saturday, taking on the Telford Tigers. Doors open at 5:30pm for a 7:00pm face-off at the Dumfries Ice Bowl – tickets are available now from the official Solway Sharks IHC website, https://sharksihc.com/tickets/, or in person at the Dumfries Ice Bowl.
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