Jake Witkowski scored 7 goals for Deeside over the weekend (Photo by Emilia Roberts Photography)
Saturday 4th
October – NIHL Moralee Division: Deeside Dragons D1 4 –
Widnes Wild 3 (OT)
Sunday 5th October – NIHL Moralee Division: Widnes Wild 2 - Deeside Dragons D1 6
The Deeside Dragons D1 team had a winning weekend with back to back victories
against local rivals Widnes Wild, winning 4-3 at home in overtime on Saturday and
2-6 in the away fixture on Sunday.
Because of the relative proximity between the
two teams, and a regular interchange of players over the years, these games are
always robustly competed and passionate affairs – and the two weekend fixtures were
no exception.
In the home game on Saturday, Deeside had the
upper hand for much of the game – outshooting the Wild by over 2 to 1 - but had
trouble getting past the Widnes netminder, who was in fine form.
The deadlock was eventually broken with a
goal from Jake Witkowski on 11 minutes and the Dragons took a narrow 1-0 lead into
the first period break.
The second period was just as tense and, as
time ticked by, both sides began to pick up niggly penalties. Widnes levelled
the score on 35 minutes with a powerplay goal on a Deeside cross-checking call
and then took the lead with just 37 seconds left to play.
Things swung the way of the Dragons early in
the third period when Charles Phillips fired in an equalising goal on 43 minutes
and then 5 minutes later Jake Witkowksi edged Deeside back into the lead with a
penalty shot after a Widnes slashing call.
Just as it looked as if the Dragons had done
enough to win the game, Widnes hit back and levelled the score again with 66 seconds
left on the clock. The score remained 3-3
at the end of regulation time and the game went into a 5 minute period of
sudden death overtime to decide a winner.
Widnes had the chance to win the game two
minutes into overtime when they were awarded a penalty shot, however Tyler de
la Bertouche was equal to the challenge in the Dragons’ goal and was able to stop
the shot.
Two minutes later with Deeside on a powerplay
for a Widnes tripping call, Jake Witkowski fired in the all-important “golden
goal” – his hat-trick for the night - to secure the 4-3 win for the Dragons.
The away game on Sunday was also played at a furious pace and there was little to choose between the two teams in the early stages.
The Dragons opened the scoring with a Jake Witkowski goal on 11 minutes but
Widnes fired in an equaliser late in the period to leave the score tied at 1-1
at the first period break
Widnes edged into the lead with a goal in the first minute of the second
period but parity was restored with Witkowski’s second goal of the game on 23 minutes.
Dragons captain Jared Dickinson fired Deeside back in front on 35
minutes to lead 2-3 at the second interval.
The Dragons pulled away in the third period with two more goals from
Jake Witkowksi – who also missed a penalty shot in between - and Ross Kennedy
rounded off the scoring with 3 minutes to play to secure an outstanding 2-6 win
for Deeside.
The D1 Dragons remain in second place in the NIHL Moralee Division table
but, following their 5-point haul at the weekend, there is now daylight between
them and the chasing pack.
They are 4 points behind league leaders Blackburn Hawks, who have a 100%
record with 6 wins from their 6 games to date and have 18 points. Deeside have a
game in hand over the Hawks and are yet to play them this season.
The Dragons have 14 points from their 5 games to date having technically
“dropped” a point with the OT win against Widnes – and Solihull Barons are in
third place with 13 points, also from 5 games.
Defending champions Billingham Stars also have a 100% start to the season
with 4 wins from 4 games and currently sit in 4th place in the table
with games in hand over all the teams above them.
The Dragons have back to back fixtures against Leeds Knights this coming
weekend, with the away game in Yorkshire on Saturday and the home game on
Sunday at Deeside Leisure Centre, 5.15pm face off.
