Monday, 3 March 2025

Match Report: Deeside Ducks 1 – Billingham Buccaneers 3 (NIHL Laidler Division)

Photo:  Henry Phillips was MVP for the Ducks against Billingham (photo by Chris Jones)


Saturday 1st March 2025 – NIHL Laidler Division: 
Deeside Ducks 1 – Billingham Buccaneers 3

The Deeside Ducks put in a spirited performance against top-3 side Billingham Buccaneers but eventually lost out 1-3 at Deeside Leisure Centre on Saturday.

The game was closely fought throughout and could easily have gone either way for much of its duration. 

Billingham took the lead on 13 minutes and, despite chances at both ends, the score remained 0-1 at the first period break.

Following an incident in the last minute of the period, a patch on the ice surface behind the Ducks’ goal was damaged and the referee decided to take the break early to allow this to be fixed.

This meant that the remaining 25 seconds of the first period were finished off when the players came out after the break.  The buzzer then sounded, the teams changed ends and then started the second period.

Deeside equalised just 2 minutes into the second period with a goal from Dalton Thompson but, unfortunately, they got into penalty trouble and Billingham retook the lead on 25 minutes, taking advantage of a 5-on-3 powerplay.

At 1-2 at the second interval, the game was still anyone’s for the taking but Billingham scored another powerplay goal on 45 minutes to double their lead.

The Ducks were unable to make the most of a 5-on-3 powerplay of their own late in the game and the match finished 1-3 to the visitors.

The Ducks play their last home game of the season this Saturday when they take on Telford Tigers 2 at Deeside Leisure Centre, 5pm face off.

They then finish off their debut league campaign with away trips to Sutton Sting and Nottingham Lions.