Solway Sharks vs Swindon Wildcats 08.03.25
The Dynamic property services Solway Sharks made it 3 home games in a row with a match up against Swindon Wildcats, looking to claim a crucial 2 points to keep their playoff dreams alive. However, Swindon clenched the 2-4 victory after a clinical performance on the powerplay, leaving Solway 7 points behind the 8th place Telford Tigers.
Solway lined up with 16+2 as #9 Mason Alderson returned into the squad after serving his 4-game suspension. Meanwhile, Sharks still missed all 2-way agreement players and injured forward #15 Kieran Hair from the squad. Meanwhile the Wildcats also travelled with 16+2, missing #4 Jacob Minter from their previous game. It was a battle of the brothers between the pipes once more as #33 Jordan Marr was given the start for Solway, whilst Swindon opted for #30 Renny Marr.
1st period – (0-2)
Sharks headed to the penalty kill in the opening seconds of the game as #25 Connor Henderson headed to the box for hooking, giving Swindon an opportunity from the offset. Solway denied the Wildcats briefly, before #41 Vanya Antonov fired 5-hole past Marr on 2 minutes to give the visitors an edge early.
Swindon continued their offensive pressure, forcing #12 Kell Beattie to give up a slashing penalty at 5:52, putting Sharks on the PK once again. Seconds later, Wildcats were clinical on the powerplay, making it 2 from 2, as #11 Chris Jones fired a one-timer into an almost empty net after the fake deke from #72 Glenn Billing at 6:14. Solway’s #43 Nolan Gardiner created a chance of his own for Solway, but Marr dived on the puck to retain his side’s 2-goal lead.
Solway were handed a huge chance to half the deficit as Swindon Captain, #13 Sam Bullas sat for tripping at 11:03. However, a strong PK unit for the visitors denied Solway on the man advantage. Both sides created chances for the remainder of the period yet failed to find a way past either of the
Marr brothers to see Swindon take a 2-goal advantage into the middle frame.
2nd period – (1-1)
It was an uphill start to the 2nd period for the Sharks once more as #9 Mason Alderson was called for interference at 22:46. Once more, Swindon capitalised through their powerplay unit as #11 Chris Jones slotted the puck past Marr on the backdoor, following the feed from #72 Glenn Billing at 23:44 to extend the lead early in the frame.
Seconds later, Solway’s discipline slipped again as #6 Stuart Kerr sat for slashing at 23:51, but the Sharks PK unit denied a 4th straight powerplay goal for the Wildcats. The hosts upped their offensive pressure; however, Marr matched their efforts to prevent the Sharks reducing the deficit.
Frustrations started to spill for the Sharks as Marr continued to cover the puck on numerous occasions. Shortly after, both Solway GB u20 forwards, #21 Torran Anderson and #88 Kyle Carruth headed to the box for boarding and slashing respectively at 35:54 to put Sharks on a 3on5 penalty kill. It was Jordan Marr who made the difference for Solway, responding to every shot fired by the Swindon forwards to keep his side in fighting contention.
Sharks fired one final attempt on Renny Marr in the final seconds of the period as #43 Nolan Gardiner fired 5-hole from an almost impossible angle, after the thread from #10 Liam Stenton at 39:54 allowing Solway to reduce the deficit to 1-3 after 40 minutes of play.
3rd period – (1-1)
Swindon returned for the final period with intent to restore their 3-goal lead and did just so through #26 Jake Bricknell with a top-corner finish, assisted by #11 Chris Jones and #61 Sam Godfrey at 41:22. However moments later, Wildcats handed Sharks an opportunity to answer back as #3 Balint Pakozdi sat for delay of game at 42:07, but Marr denied the Solway forwards once more.
Solway stepped up the pressure and tested Marr on numerous occasions, forcing Swindon’s opening goal scorer #41 Vanya Antonov to give up a tripping penalty at 47:06. The Sharks finally capitalised on their PP as #22
John Dunbar roofed the puck over Marr at 48:20, with assists from fellow Canadians, #43 Nolan Gardiner and #5 Olivier Arseneau.
Tensions bubbled over again between the 2 sides, seeing #68 Callum Boyd and #77 Josh Shaw head to the box at 48:56 for co-incidental roughing penalties. Swindon tested Jordan Marr once more, but he made the stops to give Solway a chance at halving the deficit. The final penalty of the evening was handed to #73 Ed Bradley who sat for tripping, but Solway failed to convert the powerplay opportunity.
Solway threw everything they had at Marr in the final moments and opted to pull #33 Jordan Marr in favour of the extra forward, but the hosts failed to narrow the scoreline, seeing Swindon secure a 2-4 win on the road.
MVPs were awarded to #10 Liam Stenton for the Sharks after his consistency across both ends of the ice and assist on the opening goal. Meanwhile, #11 Chris Jones picked up the title for Swindon following his 2 contributions to the score.
Hull Seahawks vs Solway Sharks 09.03.25
The Dynamic property services Solway Sharks travelled East to face the Hull Seahawks on Sunday, taking a single point from the clash, despite forcing the 4th place Seahawks to the first penalty shootout at the Hull Ice Arena following a 5-5 score after 60 minutes of regulation.
Solway travelled with 16+2, with the only change being back-up netminder, #37 Logan Reid for #30 Calum Hepburn. Therefore, all 2-way agreement players and injured forward #15 Kieran Hair remained out of lineup. Meanwhile, the Seahawks iced a squad of 17+2 as #56 Tom Stubley returned into the line-up, yet they still missed key players due to injury and unavailabilities. It was a battle of the Scots in net as #33 Jordan Marr made the start for Solway, whilst #72 Jordan McLaughlin guarded the pipes for Hull.
1st period – (1-0)
The Seahawks got off to the perfect start as #14 James Spurr flicked the puck top shelf past Marr at 36 seconds, assisted by #9 Johnny Corneil and #23 Lee Haywood. Hull continued their strong offensive pressure early, but Jordan Marr prevented them doubling the lead in quick succession. The hosts created a threatening chance after a blue line strike from #94 Dec Balmer, but Marr soaked up the shot to deny a rebound for Hull.
Solway were awarded the first powerplay opportunity of the evening as #74 Lee Bonner was called for tripping at 9:58, but Sharks failed to work a play past McLaughlin on the man advantage. It was an end-to-end battle in the latter half of the period as both sides fired shots on the netminders, but they stood tall for both teams.
Sharks created arguably their best chance late in the period after a thread from Gardiner to Dunbar left him with a solo break on McLaughlin, but he made the stop to retain Hull’s single goal lead after 20 minutes of play.
2nd period – (2-3)
Sharks utilised their PK unit early in the middle frame as Captain #10 Liam Stenton was called for hooking at 21:35. The visitors coped well under the pressure, but seconds before Stenton returned into play, #21 Bobby Chamberlain fired the puck past Marr at 23:21 on the left post to double Hull’s lead.
The Seahawks fired multiple shots on Marr, but he matched their efforts to give Sharks a chance of making their mark on the scoreboard. Solway’s #68 Callum Boyd came close on the break, but after a line change, #43 Nolan Gardiner fired a pinpoint shot past McLaughlin after the thread from #22 John Dunbar at 29:08 to halve the deficit. Moments later, Hull gave Solway a major opportunity to equalise as #6 Calum McGill sat for hooking at 30:30 after taking down #88 Kyle Carruth.
The Sharks punished Hull on the powerplay as #14 Lewis Young fired the puck past McLaughlin on the backdoor, following the link up play between #10 Liam Stenton and #6 Stuart Kerr at 31:36. Momentum swung in Solway’s favour after the equaliser as Hull’s defence struggled to shut down the visitors’ firepower. After #9 Mason Alderson claimed a 2on1 break, the connection to linemate #14 Lewis Young allowed him to once more send the puck across the line at 34:23, giving Solway a 2-3 lead.
Hull’s discipline slipped once again as #94 Dec Balmer was sent to the box for roughing, also at 34:23 but the Seahawks PK unit performed to prevent Solway extending their lead. The hosts were relentless in the dying moments of the period, seeing #71 Emil Svec jam the puck past Marr on the back door at 39:55, assisted by #23 Lee Haywood and #74 Lee Bonner to level the score at 3 a-piece heading into the final frame.
3rd period – (2-2)
Solway came out firing in the third period and created an early chance through Alderson and Boyd, yet McLaughlin stood tall for the Seahawks. Both sides failed to dominate possession, seeing end to end play for a sustained period of time.
Seahawks were left a man short again as #23 Lee Haywood sat for tripping at 47:21, allowing #43 Nolan Gardiner to let one rip to restore Solway’s lead and claim his 2nd goal of the evening at 48:06, assisted by #5 Olivier Arseneau and #92 Caly Robertson. Hull were determined to answer back
and claimed a breakaway through #74 Lee Bonner, but he was taken down by #12 Kell Beattie resulting in a penalty shot being awarded for the hosts.
Seahawks opted for #71 Emil Svec to take the penalty shot, which he fired top corner to tie the scores up once more at 49:26. However within the same minute, Solway regained their lead after #92 Caly Robertson flicked the puck top shelf at 49:53, assisted by #22 John Dunbar. The hosts ramped up the pressure which allowed #14 James Spurr to claim his 2nd of the night, after #9 Johnny Corneil won the offensive zone face-off at 52:30 to post the score at 5-5.
A major chance occurred for the Sharks after #73 Josh Hodgkinson lost an edge in a vulnerable position, but #72 Jordan McLaughlin made the huge save between the pipes for Hull to deny #43 Nolan Gardiner. Sharks claimed possession in the final moments but blocks in the lane from the Seahawks defence sent the game into overtime.
Despite multiple efforts, with Solway creating a handful more chances, neither side found a way past either Jordan in net during 3on3 play which forced penalty shots for the first time of the season in the Hull Ice Arena.
A clinical shootout from the Seahawks forwards #9 Johnny Corneil and #74 Lee Bonner, then allowed the NIHL’s top points scorer #96 Owen Sobchak to secure the extra point for the hosts. Meanwhile, #72 Jordan McLaughlin denied the Sharks efforts on each occasion.
The Solway Sharks return to home ice this Saturday, March 15th, as they host the Sheffield Steeldogs in a crucial matchup. After securing a vital point in a hard-fought shootout loss to the Hull Seahawks, the Sharks continue their push for the final playoff spot. With puck drop at 7:00 PM and doors opening at 5:30 PM, this marks the Sharks’ second-to-last home game of the season. The team will be looking to feed off the energy of their passionate home crowd—so come out, be loud, and show your support! Tickets are available now through the club’s official website: sharksihc.com/tickets or in person at the Dumfries Ice Bowl. Don’t miss out on the action!
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