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.
