Sunday 21st April 2024 – Challenge Match: Halton Huskies 8 – Sheffield Ice Tigers 2
The Halton Huskies played their first home game of the 2024 summer season, beating the Sheffield Ice Tigers 8-2 in a challenge match at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.
The Ice Tigers took the lead in the 3rd minute but a goal from Jack Davies two minutes later pulled the Huskies level and they edged in front with a goal from Jonathan Lomax after 7 ½ minutes. Two more goals – from Jake Berry and David Hrubovsky – saw the Huskies with a healthy 4-1 lead at the first period break.
A second goal for Hrubrovsky five minutes into the second period and a strike from Matt Kohler ten minutes after that put the Huskies 6-1 ahead but a second Sheffield goal on 37 minutes served as a warning that the game was far from over.
However, the Huskies upped their game in the third period and had noticeably more of the play. They outshot the visitors by more than 3 to 1 in this final 20 minutes and the pressure was rewarded with goals for Nathan Hewitt and Valerica Florea.
After the game Huskies team manager Ste Hay said:
“It was a good all round performance, with the whole team putting in a shift. What the coach is drilling into us is finally starting to show on ice. The crowd was brilliant – a massive attendance for a rec game, which really gave all the lads a boost.”
“The Ice Tigers played a good game and battled all the way until the end of the 3rd, but they brought a short bench, which always makes the game harder. We know it'll be a different game at their place and are looking forward to the challenge.”
The man of the match (voted by opposition) was netminder Adam Darbyshire, who turned away 25 of the 27 shots that he faced, while the Huskies’ choice of player of the match was Conor Cooper.
The Huskies are next in action on Saturday 5th May when they travel to East Lancashire to take on the Blackburn Renegades, 4.45pm face off. They are next at home on Saturday 25th May when they entertain the same opposition at Planet Ice Widnes, 4.15pm face off.
