Match Report: Mayhem 6 - Sheffield 3 (British Para Ice Hockey League)

Mayhem's Felicity Gregory and Mark Colquitt in action against the Sheffield Steelstings (Photo by @haganovaphoto)

Saturday 16th July – British Para Ice Hockey League

Mayhem 6 – Sheffield Steelstings 3

The Mayhem sledge team finished off their regular season schedule in the 2022 British Para Ice Hockey League with a highly entertaining 6-3 win over the Sheffield Steelstings at Planet Ice Widnes on Saturday.

Some of the matches in this first season of competition back after two years of inactivity due to the Covid lockdowns have been a bit one-sided but this game was very closely contested throughout and the final result remained in doubt until the very last seconds.

The first period was especially tight with plenty of chances for both teams and it took until the 14th minute for the deadlock to be broken. 

The opening goal came from the stick of the Mayhem’s team captain Karl Nicholson and the score remained 1-0 at the first period break.

Tom Kimm extended the lead for the Mayhem with a goal just 46 seconds from the restart and Nicholson added his second just 60 seconds after that.

Two minutes later Sheffield pulled a goal back but a hat-trick goal from Karl Nicholson on 21 minutes brought the score to 4-1 and meant that the Mayhem carried a 3-goal cushion into the final period. 

A fourth goal from Nicholson on 35 minutes looked to have put the Mayhem well in command of the game but the Sheffield team did not lose heart and hit back with a strike of their own just 20 seconds later. A further goal for the Steelstings with only 28 seconds left on the clock narrowed the score to 5-3 and set up a tense last few moments.

A dramatic goal from the Mayhem’s Anthony Booth with just 2 seconds left to play rounded off the scoring for the game and the home side were able to celebrate a hard fought 6—3 victory.

The Mayhem now have a few weeks’ break while the other teams in the league finish off their outstanding fixtures.  The top 4 teams in the final table will qualify for the end of season playoffs which will be held at the Planet Ice rink in Widnes over the weekend of 10th and 11th September.

Sledge Hockey: Mayhem V Steelstings At Widnes This Saturday

The Mayhem sledge hockey team play their last game of the regular season when they take on the Sheffield Steelstings this Saturday 16th July at Planet Ice Widnes – 4pm face off 

The Widnes-based team are on a roll at the moment having won their last two games – 0-10 away to the Steelstings and then 1-7 away to the Peterborough Phantoms last weekend so will be keen to sign off with a flourish .

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

The Mayhem are currently 3rd in the British Para Ice Hockey League table just ahead of the Steelstings who are in 4th place.  The pairings for the end of season play offs are decided by final league positions so every game is crucial at this stage of the season.

The game on Saturday at Widnes faces off at 4.00pm and admission is free for all spectators.

British Para Ice Hockey - Match Report: Mayhem 0 - Cardiff Huskies 13

Mayhem's Peggy Assinck (Photo by Blindside Trading Cards)

Sunday 26th June:  Mayhem 0 – Cardiff Huskies 13 

British League sledge hockey returned to Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday after a two year break caused by the Covid pandemic but it was a day to forget for the local Mayhem team as they lost out 0-13 to league leaders Cardiff Huskies. 

Cardiff took the lead in the 7th minute and then went 0-2 up with just 33 seconds left to play in the first period.   A massive 7 goals in the second period – including two within 16 seconds of each other – put the visitors well in front and, despite increased Mayhem possession as the game went on, they found it difficult to penetrate the well organised Huskies defence.

The Mayhem’s chief playmaker, GB international Karl Nicholson, had to miss the game through suspension and, with Canadian national team player Peggy Assinck leaving the ice injured mid-way through the game, it was always going to be an uphill struggle for the home side.

Darren Pomfrett was given a stern test in the Mayhem goal and, had it not been for some superb saves, the score would have been much higher.

Four more goals for Cardiff in the third period gave them a resounding victory and sees them pull further ahead at the top of the league table with 5 wins from 5 games.

The Mayhem have two away games coming up in a row  – away to Sheffield Steelstings on 2nd July and then at Peterborough Phantoms on 9th July – before their next home game against the Steelstings on Saturday 16th July at Planet Ice Widnes.