Sledge Hockey Back At Widnes This Sunday

The Mayhem team after their recent away game in Cardiff (Photo by Haganova Photography)

British League sledge hockey returns to Widnes this Sunday 26th June after a long break as the Mayhem team take on the Cardiff Huskies at Planet Ice Widnes, 4.15pm face off.

The British Para Ice Hockey League – to give its full and correct title – had to miss the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the Covid  pandemic and various lockdowns but it is back this year with a 5 team competition playing home and away fixtures over the summer months.

The Mayhem team train at Widnes on a Thursday evening and split their home matches between the Merseyside venue and Altrincham.  In the two home games they have played to date this season  – both at Altrincham - they lost 0-8 to the Sheffield Steelkings and then beat Peterborough Phantoms 14-2. They have played two away games so far this season, losing 3-2 away to the Steelkings and 5-2 to Cardiff.

The Mayhem team includes a number of GB international players - as well as Canadian Peggy Assink  who is a GB coach, and head of the new GB Women’s Para Ice Hockey programme, while also playing for her native country.

Cardiff won the end of season play off trophy on their only previous visit to Widnes back in September 2018 and they have a very strong team again this year.  They are currently top of the league with 4 wins from 4 games and they beat the Sheffield 2nd team, the Steelstings, 17-0 at the weekend.

The game on Sunday at Widnes faces off at 4.15pm and admission is free for all spectators.

Women's Trophy Weekend At Widnes

The Guildford Lightning team celebrate winning the Women’s Elite League play off final (Photo by Flyfifer Photography)

Widnes staged another top level ice hockey event at the weekend with the Women’s Trophy Weekend being played at the Planet Ice rink.

An incredible 10 games played over the two days saw many of the country’s top women players meet in the semi finals of the Women’s Elite League (WEL), Women’s Premier League (WPL) and English Division 1 (D1) on Saturday, with 4 finals on Sunday.

In the Women’s Elite League semi finals, runaway league champions Solihull Vixen surprisingly lost 4-6 to Guildford Lightning - the only time they have lost to them in 5 meetings this season - while 4th place  finishers Streatham Storm beat league runners up Queen Bees 2-1. This meant, unusually, that neither of the WEL’s top teams of recent seasons would appear in the play off final this year. 

In the Women’s Premier League semi finals, league champions Bristol Huskies – who had gone through the regular season unbeaten in all 16 games - beat Kingston Diamonds 3-0 and Sheffield Shadows beat the Firebees 4-1. 

In the North v South Division 1 semi-finals, D1 North champions Whitley lost 3-5 to D1 South runners up Streatham and Solway Sharks Ladies lost 2-8 to S1 champions Swindon Topcats to set up an all-south final.

Sunday saw 4 back-to-back finals. In the Elite League decider, Guildford Lightning won their first ever WEL title with a 5-2 victory over Streatham Storm, while the WPL final saw Bristol Huskies make it a league and play-off  double with a 7-3 win over Sheffield Shadows.

In the all-south Division 1 final, the Swindon Topcats beat Streatham 7-0 to secure the play off crown to go with their league title.  They also win promotion to the Women’s Premier League for next season, depending on any league restructuring.

The Under 16 girls national play off saw southern champions Haringey-based London Capitals beat north winners Kingston Diamonds 2-1.

Women's Play Off Weekend At Widnes

GB women’s internationals Katie Henry and Sarah Hutchinson will be playing with Women’s Elite League champions Solihull Vixens in the Play Off weekend at Widnes (Photo by Rob Hutchinson)

The Planet Ice rink in Widnes stages another top level ice hockey event this weekend as the Women’sTrophy Weekend comes to town this Saturday and Sunday 4th and 5th June.

An incredible 10 games over the two days will see some of the country’s top women players meet in the semi finals of the Women’s Elite League (WEL), Women’s Premier League (WPL) and English Division 1 (D1) on the Saturday, with 4 finals – including the North v South Under 16 championship game – being played on the Sunday.

The full schedule for the Women’s Trophy Weekend 2022 is:

Saturday 4th June

D1 SF 1- Whitley v Streatham Storm (11.15am)

WPL SF1 - Bristol Huskies v Kingston Diamonds (1pm)

WEL SF 1 - Solihull Vixens v Guildford Lightning (2.45pm)

D1 SF 2- Solway Sharks v Swindon Topcats. (5pm)

WPL SF2 - Sheffield Shadows v Firebees (6.45pm)

WEL SF 2 - Queen Bees v Streatham Storm (8.30pm)

Sunday 5th June

Division One Final (1.15pm)

Premier League Final (3.30pm)

Under 16 National Final (5.45pm)

Elite League Final (7.30pm)

Admission is FREE for all spectators across the weekend to watch the best women’s club hockey in the country and see many of the Great Britain players who won their World Championship division earlier this season. The trophy from GB’s win in Jaca, Spain, will be on display and fans will be able to take their picture with the silverware.