The Sheffield Steelkings maintained their 100% record at the top of the British Para Ice Hockey League with a comprehensive 1-13 win over rink-mates Sheffield Steelkings B (the Stings) at iceSheffield on Friday night.
The Steelkings goals were nicely spread across the team with
strikes from Matt Clarkson (3), John Plummer (3) Rachel Oakley (2), Bill Hardy
(2) and one each for Gary Farmer, Daniel Clarke and Russ Clarke.
Jake Oakley scored the only Stings goal in the 28th
minute, thus depriving the impressive Kings netminding partnership of Jonathan
Gill and Damien Barker of another shut out.
The table-topping Steelkings now have 14 points from their 7
league games to date, 6 points ahead of Cardiff Huskies, who have also played 7
games and have accrued enough points to guarantee their place in the play offs.
The Sheffield A team haven’t lost a league game since June 2025
when they suffered an overtime loss away to Cardiff and they will be hoping to
finish off the regular season with a 100% record this time around as they take
on bottom team Peterborough Phantoms in their last league game this Saturday 8th
August.
While the title race may already be sewn up, there is still plenty
to play for in the remaining games of the regular season as three teams are
chasing the two final play off spots.
The top four teams in the final table will qualify for the end
of season play offs, which are to be played at the Lee Valley Ice Centre in
East London over the weekend of 12th and 13th September. The final league placings are important as
they decide the match-ups for the two semi finals and the higher finishing
teams get a - theoretically - easier draw by being paired against the lower sides,
with 1st playing 4th and 2nd playing 3rd.
The remaining league fixtures for the 2026 BPIHL season are as
follows:
- Saturday 8th August: Sheffield Steelkings A v Peterborough Phantoms
- Saturday 15th August: Sheffield Steelkings B v Cardiff Huskies
- Sunday 16th August: Peterborough Phantoms v Sheffield Steelkings B
- Sunday 30th August: Peterborough Phantoms v Manchester Mayhem
For more information about the British Para Ice
Hockey League, check out the official website at www.paraicehockey.co.uk
