Match Report: Deeside D2 Dragons 6 – Nottingham Lions 7 (PS) (NIHL Laidler Division)

Gary Dixon (Photo by All Sports Photography)

Sunday 1^st November – NIHL Laidler Division: Deeside D2 Dragons 6 – Nottingham Lions 7 (PS)

The Deeside D2 Dragons narrowly lost out to Nottingham Lions in a highly dramatic penalty shoot-out after having drawn 6-6 in regulation time on Sunday at Deeside Leisure Centre.

The game started well for the Dragons with goals from Gary Dixon – making his first league appearance since playing for the Deeside Ducks back in 2024/25 - and Charlie Spridgeon giving them an early lead that they carried into the first period break.

Nottingham levelled with two quick goals of their own at the start of the second period but Cameron Kushnirenko edged Deeside back in front with a goal on 31 minutes.

The Lions equalised just 38 seconds later and the game remained on a knife edge at 3-3 at the second interval.

Two more Nottingham goals at the start of the third period put the visitors back in front but Deeside heads did not drop and an amazing spell of three goals within the space of 52 seconds – from Liam Yarwood, Spridgeon again and Lucas Betts – propelled them into a 6-5 lead. 

With just one minute left to play, Nottingham removed their netminder in favour of an extra attacker to try and force a late equaliser.  Deeside had a number of attempts  on the empty Lions goal – hitting the post twice – but were unable to score that elusive extra goal to secure the victory. 

Just as it looked as if the Dragons were going to hang on to claim their first win after 6 straight defeats, Nottingham made a last gasp attack and snatched the equalising goal with just 18 seconds left on the clock.

This sent the game into an extra 5 minutes of sudden death 3 on 3 overtime but the stalemate remained and the winner had to be decided on a penalty shoot-out.

The first set of penalties saw the tally level at 1 each after three attempts – with James Parsons converting for Deeside – but Nottingham took the win in the first round of sudden death shots.

The Lions receive two league points for the Penalty Shot win and Deeside get one point for having been level at the end of regulation time.

Mark Norman was named MVP for the Dragons and netminder Jake Lowndes – who put in a plucky performance and also saved a penalty shot at a crucial moment - was named hardest worker by his fellow players.

The weekend results leave the D2 Dragons in 7^th place in the Laidler Division table with one win and two overtime losses from their 7 games to date.

They are back in action this Saturday 7^th November when they take on Coventry Blaze at Deeside Leisure Centre, 6.30pm face off.  They travel away to face league leaders Sutton Sting the next day.