Nathan Britton scored an important goal away at Sheffield (Photo by Ste Cunningham)
Sunday 12th November – Moralee Division: Sheffield Scimitars 3 - Widnes Wild 4 (PS)
The Widnes Wild NIHL team had a mixed weekend, losing 3-4 at home to Solihull Barons on Sunday and then dramatically winning in a penalty shootout away to Sheffield Scimitars on Sunday.
The away game at Sheffield on Sunday afternoon started badly for the Wild and they found themselves 2-0 down after only 8 minutes.
A shorthanded goal from Torran Anderson halved the deficit on 11 minutes but then penalty trouble saw Widnes battling on a 3 v 5 powerplay that eventually led to a third Sheffield goal on 16minutes.
The game tightened up in the second period and a string of niggly penalties for both sides prevented any sort of momentum being built up. The only goal of the period came from Nathan Britton on 30 minutes to drag the Wild back into the game and the score remained 3-2 at the second break.
The third period was just as closely fought with plenty of chances - and penalties - for both sides. Conner McNulty tied the score with 5 minutes left to play and Widnes finally looked in with a chance of getting something out of the game.
Will Harper picked up a penalty in the final minutes and the Wild had to defend against a late Sheffield onslaught. When Harper came out of the penalty box with just 45 seconds left on the clock, he was presented with a chance to win the game with a breakaway shot but was thwarted by the Scimitars netminder.
The score remained 3-3 at the end of the regulation 60 minutes playing time and the game went into an extra period of 5 minutes sudden death overtime. Widnes weathered a penalty call that saw them battle shorthanded for two minutes and the game then went to a penalty shoot out.
After one strike each from two penalty shots, Wild netminder Harrison Walker made a crucial save and Conner McNulty fired in to hand Widnes the win, securing two important league points for the Wild, with Sheffield getting one point for drawing at the end of normal time.
Sunday’s win means that Widnes have been able to avoid setting an unwanted record of 6 consecutive defeats - which would have been the worst run of results in their 10½ year history - and can now look to start on a winning run of their own.
The Wild NIHL team are next in action this Sunday 19th November when they take on Sheffield Scimitars at Planet Ice Widnes, 5.30pm face off.
