PLAYER AWARDS GET AN ODDBALL SPONSOR

The National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) are delighted to welcome OddBalls as sponsor of the Player of the Month awards.

Each divisional winner will receive one of the iconic OddBalls 'Obble' hats which will soon be available in 37 amazing colourways.

OddBalls was founded in 2014 with two main objectives: raising awareness of Testicular Cancer; and providing customers with the best underwear in the world.

The Oddballs Foundation was set up in 2016 after the success of OddBalls. Profits from OddBalls are donated to the Foundation to raise awareness of Testicular Cancer. Every single penny that is raised or donated is used to raise awareness, the Foundation has no overheads or costs and it is something they are proud to promote.

OddBalls have expanded their ranges recently to include accessories and clothing for women, teens and kids - all in fantastic designs and all raising funds for and awareness of Testicular Cancer.

We can also confirm that the Player of the Month awards have been expanded to include the WNIHL (Women's National Ice Hockey League) which began at the start of October. Five divisional players will be awarded their own OddBalls Obble and recognised as the player of that particular month.

NIHL/WNIHL media officer Craig Simpson said: "I am delighted to welcome OddBalls as the first sponsor of our Player of the Month awards, and am grateful to Will and his team for their fantastic support.

"We are also pleased to be able to extend the awards to cover the WNIHL which matches OddBalls' recent move to provide clothing for women.

"I can't wait to see the first OddBalls Player of the Month winners with their iconic headwear."

OddBalls managing director Will Cooper said: "It’s fantastic to partner with the National Ice Hockey League, hopefully it is the first step into becoming a recognised brand in the ice hockey world."

To see the full range of OddBalls underwear, sportswear and accessories visit www.myoddballs.com.

For more about the NIHL and WNIHL visit www.eiha.co.uk

Dumfries To Host International Four Team U18 Women’s Tournament

Ice Hockey UK will link-up with Dumfries and Galloway Council to host a four-team international women’s tournament in Dumfries in November.


Great Britain Under-18 Women will be joined by Poland U18 Women, Spain U18 Women and Iceland Women for the tournament at the Dumfries Ice Bowl from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th November 2019.


GB Women head coach, Cheryl Smith, said: “Tournaments like this are fantastic preparation for a World Championship and they benefit the squad so much.
“I am sure there will be new faces on the under-18 roster this year, so getting them competitive games ahead of a World Championship is important.
“It is important for them and also for the coaches as we will get to see how they react in a game situation.”


It’s the fifth year of the tournament but this season Iceland Women will take the place of Hungary U18 Women.


Andy French, IHUK general secretary, said: “It is fantastic to be holding the four-team tournament once again.


“This year we welcome Iceland to the tournament and I would like to thank all the nations and Dumfries council for their co-operation.”


Councillor Adam Wilson, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Events Champion, said: “We are excited to hold another international tournament at the Ice Bowl in Dumfries.


“We have a great working relationship with Ice Hockey UK and we look forward to welcoming GB, Poland, Spain and Iceland to the Ice Bowl.”


Schedule and ticket prices will be confirmed in due course.

NIHL Player of the Month Awards - September 2019

The National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) are pleased to announce the winners of September’s Player of the Month in each of our five competition divisions. A panel of independent media experts have deliberated and the winners can be revealed.


The Players of the Month for September are:

NIHL National – Tomasz Malasinski (Swindon Wildcats)
Malasinski has been the go-to player for the Wildcats and although he has been scoring an average of 2.5ppg, this is against a background of very strong line and team mates which has made standing out far harder than it would have been were he on another team.


Also shortlisted – Matty Davies (Hull Pirates), Nathan Salem (Sheffield Steeldogs), Radek Meidl (Leeds Chiefs)


NIHL North 1 – David Longstaff (Whitley Warriors)
Six goals and six assists for the evergreen forward, scoring a goal in 30 consecutive seasons. Has spearheaded the Warriors’ offence in their early games including a hat-trick against Solway Sharks. Still possesses uncanny passing ability around the net.


Also shortlisted – Jaakko Heiskanen (Solway Sharks), Thomas Soar (Solihull Barons)


NIHL South 1 – Sean Norris (Slough Jets)
Highly rated Slough Jets forward Sean Norris has lived up to his billing, leading the scoring charts in the Britton Conference. The youngster’s eight goals and eight assists have helped his side top the table losing just once in their opening six games.


Also shortlisted – Vanya Antonov (Streatham), Adam Carr (Streatham), Sam Talbot (Slough Jets)


NIHL North 2 – Thomas Humphries (Sheffield Senators)
In the ultra-competitive Laidler divison, Humphries has led the Sens to third place in the league with 2-1-1 record. Humphries has potted eight goals and added four assists which included a hat-trick at Telford, scoring the OT winner for good measure.


Also shortlisted – Mark Florence (Hull Jets), Joshua Stockton (Bradford Bulldogs)


NIHL South 2 – Stephen Woodford (Haringey Huskies)
Huskies captain Stephen Woodford impressed in the month of September, leading from the front as he scored seven goals and assisted on a further five to help the North London club to an unbeaten start to the league campaign.


Also shortlisted – Kamil Kinkor (Streatham 2), James Pentecost (Haringey Huskies)




An NIHL spokesman said: “Congratulations to all of the winners, even early in this season the teams are playing some great hockey and it was not an easy decision for our panels to pick their shortlist let alone the eventual winner.
“The October contest begins today and we’re looking forward to another fantastic month of NIHL hockey right across all divisions and here’s to another closely fought Player of the Month award.”


Photo credits: Tomasz Malasinski by Steve Brodie. David Longstaff by IceHockeyMedia. Sean Norris by Slough Jets. Thomas Humphries by Steve Brodie. Stephen Woodford by Phil3 Productions

Widnes Wild Women's Team Preview - WNIHL Div 1 N Season 2019/20

Wild celebrations during the women's team's 6-10 pre-season win over Solway (Photo by Douglas McCallum / Copper Tree Photography)

The Widnes Wild Women’s Team play their first home game of the season this Sunday 22nd September when they take on the Solway Sharks Ladies Team in a pre-season challenge match at Planet Ice Widnes – 5.30 p.m. face off.

The Wild Women are playing in Division 1 North this Season, where the Sharks are likely to be one of their main challengers for the league title. The Wild Women beat the Solway team 6 – 10 in a friendly game back in August but both teams will have different players available for this encounter, so it should be a fascinating game.

The game will also see the launch of the Edith Smith Memorial Award for Most Valuable Player, which will be presented at each of the Wild Women’s home games this season. The award commemorates Edith Smith who was Britain’s first Warranted Woman Police Officer, who is buried in St. Mary’s churchyard, Halton.

The women’s game against Solway this Sunday faces off at 5.30 p.m., admission is just £1 per person and the café will be open.


The full list of fixtures for the Wild women’s team this season is:

Sunday 22nd September: Home v Solway Sharks (Challenge Match) Face off: 5.30pm
Edith Smith MVP Trophy Launch

Sunday 6th October: Home v Sheffield Shadows - Face off: 5.30pm
Match Sponsor: Unison Liverpool John Moores University & Andrew Shutt, Paul Boardman, Martin Naden and Sam Ellison.

Saturday, 16th November: away at Telford Wrekin Raiders

Sunday 15th December: Home v Solway Sharks - Face off: 5.30pm
Match Sponsor: Available

Saturday 21st December: away at Sheffield Shadows

Sunday 5th January 2020: Home v Nottingham Vipers - Face off: 5.30pm
Match Sponsor: Available

Saturday, 11th January 2020 away at Grimsby Wolves

Sunday 16th February 2020: Home v Grimsby Wolves - Face off: 5.30pm
Match Sponsor: Available

Sunday 1st March 2020: Home v Telford Wrekin Raiders - Face off: 5.30pm
Match Sponsor: Available

Saturday, 28th March 2020: away at Solway Sharks

Saturday 18th April 2020: away at Nottingham Vipers

30th/31st May 2020: Women’s Play Off Weekend at Sheffield


You can find out more about sponsorship opportunities for the Widnes Wild women’s team for the new season HERE

Widnes Wild Weekend Preview: 21st & 22nd September

Wild's Jakub Hajek (#12) fires in a shot in the 2-3 away win at Blackburn (Photo by Thomas Foy)

The YKK-sponsored Widnes Wild are away in cup action this Sunday 22nd September, when they take on Moralee Division Blackburn Hawks at the Planet Ice Arena in Blackburn – 5.30 p.m. face off.

This will be quite a test for the Wild as, while they have already played the Hawks twice in pre-season games – winning the away encounter 2 – 3 in Blackburn and then losing 5 – 10 at home – but form from warm-up games counts for very little when it comes to the competitive season.

The Wild have taken the bold step of entering the NIHL Midland Cup this year, which will put them up against four teams from the higher Moralee Division – Blackburn Hawks, Sutton Sting, Solihull Barons and Nottingham Lions. There is a wide gap in terms of team budgets and standard of play between the two Divisions but it will be a useful exercise for the Wild to judge where they currently stand competition-wise in relation to the higher tier.

It will be an even tougher test this weekend, as the Wild will be missing six players – M.J.Clancy, Mikey Gilbert, Dan Bracegirdle, Tom Ratcliffe and Chris Gee are all unable to play through injury, while Czech import Michal Novak, who had a good pre season, will be missing for personal reasons. This notwithstanding, a game against the Hawks is always very entertaining and it will be fascinating to see what happens on Sunday.

The Wild are then away to Sheffield Senators the following Saturday 28th September and are next at home the day after on Sunday 29th September, when they entertain Nottingham Lions in the Midland Cup at Planet Ice Widnes. Face Off is at 5.30 p.m. and doors open at 4.45 p.m.

The new Wild Academy Under 18 Team play their first ever home game this Saturday, 21st September 2019, when they take on the Solihull Under 18 Team at Planet Ice, Widnes. The game faces off at 7.45 p.m. and admission is free.

The Widnes Wild Women’s Team play their first home game of the season this Sunday 22nd September when they take on the Solway Sharks Ladies Team in a pre-season challenge match at Planet Ice Widnes. Face off is at 5.30 p.m., admission is just £1 per person and the café will be open.

Blind Ice Hockey - First Ever UK Event

Action from the UK's first ever blind ice hockey event - held at Planet Ice Widnes (Photo by Hannah Walker)

The Planet Ice Rink at Widnes played host to the first ever Blind Ice Hockey event to be held in the UK on Saturday 14th September. The aim was to introduce blind and visually impaired people to the sport and attracted participants from across the country.

Blind ice hockey uses a larger than normal sized puck, which has ball bearings inside so that players can hear where it is. Coaches and volunteers are also on the ice to guide players while they play and oversee safety. The organisers – Blind Ice Hockey UK – are organising similar taster events at other rinks across the country and are hoping to attract more participants with a view to setting up a team for future paralympic competitions.

The next taster course will take place at Oxford Ice Rink on Saturday 12th October at 4pm.

You can find out more from the organisers, Blind Ice Hockey UK HERE



Photo left:  A participant trying out blind ice hockey, with a helper. Photo right:  Nathan Tree (blind ice hockey player) with Widnes volunteers Andrew Wycherley and Colin Ellis.  (Both photos by Hannah Walker)  

Summer Classic Cup: Wyre Seagulls Win Play Off Trophy

The Wyre Seagulls won their second Summer Classic Cup Play Off title in a row, with a thrilling 0 – 4 win over the Flintshire Phantoms in the Play Off Final at iceSheffield on Sunday, 11th August 2019. 

It was an exciting finale to a Tournament that started back in December 2018 and included ten teams, split into Eastern and Western Conferences.  Both the Seagulls and the Phantoms qualified for the Play Offs weekend by finishing first and second in the Western Conference, respectively. 

The Phantoms snatched the top spot in dramatic fashion with a 1 – 4 away win over the Seagulls in a game that was played at the Planet Ice Rink in Widnes, due to the Blackburn rink being closed for refurbishment.   Because of the timing of that final group game, there was no time left before the Sheffield weekend to arrange and play the quarter finals that had originally been expected, so the top two went straight into the semi finals.

With less disruption to the Eastern Conference fixtures, table toppers Grimsby Stormers beat Sheffield Ice Tigers 12 – 4 in the first quarter final and third place Kingston City Knights beat runners up, second place Whitley Wild Cats, 3 – 4 away in the north east to secure the other semi final berth.

In Saturday’s Play Off semi final games, the Wyre Seagulls beat the Grimsby Stormers 9 – 5 and the Flintshire Phantoms beat Kingston City Knights 8 – 2 to set up a repeat of the Western Conference battle for Sunday’s Play Off final.

The third place game between the two Eastern Conference sides saw Grimsby Stormers beat Kingston City Knights.

The Play Off final saw the Wyre Seagulls beat the Phantoms 4 – 0, with goals from Christian Wareing (2), Adam Fleet and Matt Duncan the difference between the two teams.  

Somewhat fittingly, the Wyre Seagulls became the first team to lift the highly impressive Summer Classic Trophy, which is similar in size and design to the world-famous Stanley Cup and which has been named in memory of former Blackburn Rec. ice hockey player Rob Craig.  

The exceptionally well organised ice hockey Summer Classic Cup will return for 2020, possibly with different teams and different arrangements, or possibly not, and we are very much looking forward to it. 

Congratulations to the organisers, and all the teams, volunteers and officials involved and huge thanks to all the sponsors.

Summer Classic Cup: Wyre Seagulls 1 - Flintshire Phantoms 4

Summer Classic Cup Western Conference Winners Flintshire Phantoms (photo by Paul Breeze)

Saturday, 27th July 2019 - Howies UK Summer Classic Cup

Wyre Seagulls 1   -   Flintshire Phantoms 4 (played at Widnes, Planet Ice)

Period Scores:  0 – 2, 1 – 0, 0 – 2.

Penalties in Minutes:  Seagulls 14 – Phantoms 8

MVPs:  Seagulls – Michael Gallery/Phantoms – Michael Rogers

Match Officials:  Scott Anstey/Kiron Furlong

Scorer:  Sofi Jenkins

Time Keeper: Lucy London

Penalty Boxes: Sam Calderbank

Announcer: Paul Breeze

The Planet Ice Rink at Widnes hosted a thrilling finale to the Western Conference Group Stage of the Summer Classic Cup on Saturday with a highly entertaining game between the Wyre Seagulls and the Flintshire Phantoms. 

The Wyre Seagulls usually play their home games in Blackburn but, as their home rink is currently closed for major refurbishment work, they have been training and playing their home matches in Widnes.   This game was of particular importance as it featured the top two teams in the Western Conference with a winner-take-all scenario to secure the top spot.

The Wyre Seagulls entered the game with a one point advantage over the Phantoms in the Group Table, which meant that a draw or overtime win would hand them the title, whereas the Phantoms would need a win in regular time to leap frog them into first place.

The game was very closely fought throughout with little to choose between the teams.  The opening phase was very tight, with opportunities at both ends and the break-through did not come until the 16th minute, when the Phantoms scored two quick-fire goals - through Sterling Steeves and Ondrej Liebelt – within 10 seconds of each other, a crucial lead that they carried with them into the first break.  

The second period was even closer, with the only goal coming in the 27th minute from the Seagulls’ Conor Duthie to halve the deficit and set up a knife-edge final period.  However, any hopes that the Seagulls had of forcing an early equaliser were thwarted when the Phantoms extended their lead in the 44^th minute with a goal from George Perrett.  The visitors further extended their lead with a second goal from Steeves 5 minutes later, leaving the Seagulls with too much to do to try and catch up. 

The 1 – 4 win means that the Flintshire Phantoms finish top of the Summer Classic Cup Western Conference, one point ahead of the second place Seagulls.  Both teams have qualified for the Play Off stages of the competition, where they will come up against the top teams from the Eastern Conference and which culminates in a final in Sheffield on 11th August 2019.

MVPs for the Phantoms and Seagulls respectively were Michael Rogers and Michael Gallery, 
presented by Sam Calderbank. (Photos by Paul Breeze)

Full Line Ups & Player Statistics:

Wyre Seagulls – David May, Michael Gallery (NM 60 min. 2 PIM), John May, Dan Coxon (Captain), Chris Brumby (2 PIM), Ryan Homer (2 PIM), Daniel Skelton (2 PIM), Adam Fleet, Ben Cleary, Christian Wareing (0 + 1), Mark Jenkins (2 PIM), Conor Duthie (1 + 0), Scott Anthony-Jones (2 PIM)

Flintshire Phantoms – Jason James (0 + 1, 2 PIM), Steve Furber, Gareth Jones, Brian Chalmers, George Perrett (1 + 1), Jason McGee, Juan Aspero, Michael Rogers (NM, 60 min.), Oliver Meadows (2 PIM), David Meadows (2 PIM), Anthony Hughes, Stirling Steeves (2 + 0, 2 PIM), Kenneth Valyear, Ondrej Liebelt (1 + 0),

Widnes Wild Women Launch Sponsorship Initiative for 2019/20 WNIHL Season

The Widnes Wild womens’ ice hockey team have launched an ambitious new sponsorship initiative to help support their title challenge in Division 1 North of the Womens National Ice Hockey League for the 2019/20 season.

The team would ideally like to raise £7.000 overall to help with operating costs for the new season, which include league registrations, new away playing shirts, ice time costs, match official fees and other fees and equipment costs that arise.

The Wild women are keen to build relationships with local businesses and individuals and have different sponsorship packages to suit all pockets and budgets.

These packages include:

• £600 to pay for new away shirts for all playing members in 2019/2020 (1 available)
• £300 for Home Game Night Sponsor (10 available)
• £50 for Individual Player Sponsor (several available)

Depending on the level of sponsorship taken up, sponsors will receive company advertising opportunities at home games and on team social media, public address announcements during home games and photo opportunities before and after the game.

Wild women sponsorship co-ordinator Kat Garner with Poet In Residence Lucy London who is
sponsoring the MVP awards once again this season. (Photo by Paul Breeze) 

One happy sponsor from last season has already renewed their support for the 2019/20 campaign! Poet In Residence Lucy London sponsored the MVP awards for last season’s home games in memory of World War 1 heroine Sarah Macnaughtan and she has chosen to commemorate Edith Smith – the first warranted Woman Police Constable in the country, and who is buried in Runcorn – for this year’s awards.

For information about these sponsorships and the other packages that are available, interested parties are asked to contact sponsorship co-ordinator Kat Garner on 07522109220 or via email HERE

Earle Road Elks and Manchester Swarm Raise Over £1000 for Pulmonary Hypertension Charity

Earle Road Elks team photo by Mark Ferris (All Sports Photography)

The organisers of a recent fund raising ice hockey match played at Planet Ice Widnes in aid of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK have announced that the game has raised £1,025 for the charity.

The game was played between the Widnes-based Earle Road Elks team and the Manchester Swarm and was organised by Elks captain David Winstanley whose mother died from the condition.

The final score was 12-7 to the Elks with goals coming from Luke Williams (2+1), Joseph Barker, Liam Braines (both 2+0), Stephan Bark (1+1), Nathan Berry, Bobby Samari, Thomas Jenkins, Kurt Haggerty & Dave Winstanley (all 1+0).

You can still support David's fundraising effort by following the Just Giving link

HERE

Summer Classic Cup: Riverside Raiders 8 - Blackburn Buccaneers 3

Sunday 14th July 2019 - Howies UK Ice Hockey Summer Classic Cup
Riverside Raiders 8 - Blackburn Buccaneers 3
Period Scores;  1-0,
Penalties In Minutes:  Raiders - Buccaneers

Match Officials:  Josh Humphreys & Will Fielden,



The Riverside Raiders team rounded off their Summer Classic Cup campaign with an entertaining 8-3 win over the Blackburn Buccaneers at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.
The previous meeting between the two teams had ended in a 3-3 draw with a penalty shoot out

deciding the winner in Blackburn’s favour and this game looked likely to be just as close.

The Raiders took an early lead with a goal from Jack Walker just 84 seconds into the game and, with the rest of the period playing out goal-less, went into the first break holding on to that slight advantage.

Two more goals for Walker - on 25 and 28 minutes - edged the Raiders into a reasonable lead but the Buccaneers still looked dangerous going forward and they managed to pull a goal back through a Michael Walsh penalty shot in the 34^th minute.

A powerplay goal from the Raiders’ Matthew Lennox on 38 minutes re-instated the 3-goal lead and the home side took a 4-1 advantage into the second break.

It was the Buccaneers who scored first in the third period with another goal from Captain Michael Walsh but two quick-fire strikes within 30 seconds of each other – from Mike Filek and Lennox again – effective finished off the game as a contest.

Bobby Samari scored for the Raiders on 52 minutes and the Buccaneers Glenn Rattray (who normally plays in goal!) fired in the visitors’ last strike on 56 minutes.

The scoring for the evening was rounded off by Jordan Birtwistle a minute later and the Raiders were able to celebrate their first home win in this summer’s competition.

The MVP awards, presented by Howard Smith, went to Buccaneers captain Michael Walsh and Raiders netminder Rob Melvin who put in another outstanding performance in goal

Summer Classic Cup: Riverside Raiders 2 - Wyre Seagulls 10

Sunday 7^th July 2019 – Summer Classic Cup
Riverside Raiders 2 – Wyre Seagulls 10
Period Scores: 0-3, 1-3, 1-4
Penalties In Minutes: Raiders 37 – Seagulls 37

Match Officials: Neil Herring & Ray Ormes
Scorer: Lucy London
Timekeeper: Howard Smith & Shannon Holt

The Riverside Raiders were beaten 2-10 by the Wyre Seagulls in a bruising yet highly entertaining Summer Classic Cup game at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.

The Seagulls arrived with the only 100% record left in the competition and, with a liberal smattering of former league players on their bench, were always going to be a tough team to beat.

However, as it turned out, the opening phase of the game was very even - with chances for both teams - and it took until the 8th minute for the Seagulls to take lead through a Matthew Duncan strike.

Two more goals gave the visitors a 0-3 lead at the first period break and they edged further ahead with a hat trick goal for Duncan and a fourth overall with just 2 minutes gone of the second period.

The Raiders finally opened their account on 25 minutes with a powerplay goal from Matthew Lennox and this served to lift them as a team and they surged forward in an attempt to further close the gap.

Unfortunately, this left them vulnerable at the back and the Seagulls scored two more goals to finish the period with a 1-6 lead. A fourth goal from the Seagulls’ Duncan in the 46th minute effectively ended the game as a contest and the visitors went on to score three more goals to edge their tally into double figures.

The game ended on a slightly more "lively" note than might otherwise have been expected as there was a bit of a skirmish - involving several players from both sides - with just three minutes left to play and which took considerably longer than that for the match officials to work out the resulting penalties.

Two players were banished to the dressing rooms for fighting and 4 further Raiders players and two Wyre players packed into their respective penalty boxes.

The Seagulls then managed to pick up two more penalties in the last minute of the game and the home side had the last laugh in terms of goals after Dave Priestley scored a powerplay goal with 27 seconds left on the clock.

While they may have lost the game, the Raiders gained a song as Poet In Residence Lucy London – who helps out as scorer for the matches – has written a song to cheer the team out onto the ice. The song has been set to music and recorded by Liverpool based Canadian musician Jason Moon and Lucy presented a CD copy of the "Riverside Raiders" song to the team’s Game Co-ordinator Howard Hughes after the match.

The Most Valuable Player awards went to Matthew Duncan for the Wyre Seagulls and Ben Donkin for the Raiders and were presented by young player Caleb Eddleston - who will be playing for the Wild Academy Under 9 team next season - and match volunteer Shannon Holt.

*****

The Riverside Raiders play their last Western Conference game of this year’s Summer Classic Cup this Sunday 14th July when they entertain the Blackburn Buccaneers at Planet Ice Widnes.

The two teams drew 3-3 in their previous meeting with the Buccaneers taking the overtime win after a dramatic penalty shoot-out and Sunday’s game will be highly significant as it will help decide which of the two teams will qualify for the play offs. The game faces off at 4.30pm and admission is free.

The Most Valuable Player awards went to Matthew Duncan for the Wyre Seagulls and Ben Donkin for the Raiders and were presented by young player Caleb Eddleston - who will be playing for the Wild Academy Under 9 team next season - and match volunteer Shannon Holt  (Photos by Paul Breeze) . 

Full Team Line-Ups & Player Statistics:

RIVERSIDE RAIDERS: Alex Hannah, Michael Filek, Rob Melvin (NM, 58.45), James Kelly (0+1), Matthew Lennox (1+0), Howard Hughes (2PIM), Luke Williams (2PIM), Ben Donkin (4PIM) , Jeff Chapman-Watson, Jack Walker (0+1), Bobak Samari (2PIM), Daniel Trust (25PIM), Nicholas Jackson, David Priestley (1+0, 2PIM), Mike Teinert

WYRE SEAGULLS: Nicholas Hageman (2PIM), Mark Kay, Jonathan Brumby (1+0, 2PIM), Daniel Coxon, Chris Brumby (0+1), Matthew Duncan (4+3), Kieron Hardman (1+2), Matthew Milhench (NM 60mins), Matthew Hook (2+2, 2PIM), Daniel Skelton, Adam Fleet (2+1), Ben Cleary (0+1), Wesley Evans, Craig Pennington (0+1, 2PIM), Chris Wareing, Mark Jenkins, Conor Duthie (2PIM), Jordan Bradshaw (25PIM)

BOOK REVIEW: “Poems about Cambridge Eskimos & Ice Hockey in the UK” by Bill Harris

If you are an ice hockey fan with a sense of humour and you also like poetry, you will, like me, absolutely love this book.

I have enjoyed reading poems as long as I can remember, having been encouraged by my parents and at primary school. Encouraged to write at secondary school, by my teens I was writing verse myself and sending my efforts off to local newspaper and magazines.

Appreciation of ice hockey came later. I suspect that, little like the fox in Saint-Exupéry "Little Prince", ice hockey has been gradually taming me for the past 20 odd years.

My husband, Paul, is a sports writer who has written several books about ice hockey, writes up match reports for websites and local newspapers and does the announcements for home matches of the YKK sponsored Widnes Wild Ice Hockey Team. He also provides the music and annoucements for the Widnes Widnes Women’s Ice Hockey Team and the Riverside Raiders Recreational Ice Hockey Team home matches. I try to help out by taking notes of the incidents during matches and in 2016 I began to keep the score sheet for the Raiders home matches.

I began to write silly verse to encourage the teams and then Paul put forward the suggestion that I could perhaps become the Resident Poet at the rink. So I have a Facebook Page where I share my crazy verse.

When Paul gave me a copy of Bill’s book, I was pleased to note that I was not alone in writing crazy ice hockey verse. Bill has a very different approach to mine – apart from the obvious – he is not only originally from Canada (where ice hockey was born) but he also plays and is coach of a team. Because of that, his poems reflect the changing room banter and the Preface to this edition of the book, and to the previous edition "Smokey and The ‘Smos" (of which this is an updated and revised version), which is also included, contain timely warnings as to the content of the poems and the spirit in which they were written. "I should warn readers that the language in this volume reflects the language of the locker-room. Please be prepared for profanity".

And Bill does not disappoint – 114 pages of wonderful ice hockey-related poems follow - wall to wall fun. I hope Bill will not mind if I share one with you. (I have chosen this with great care as, in these PC days, alas, you never know who is watching…)

"Eskimo roots" (page 43)

When we were wee squirts in lumberjack shirts
In the cold Canadian snow,
We never thought about Cambridge a lot
Though we were future Eskimos.
Then we played our parts and we played with our hearts
For we came from the lands of snow,
From our tiny tot roots we grew into the boots
Of Oxford-bashing Eskimos.

And that is just one example of a host of fantastic poems.

As it happens, I am also a life-long Cambridge supporter, beginning with the Boat Race when I was four years old, so that added to my enjoyment of the book. The law of averages suggests that, as there are two or us, there will be more – the hunt is on!

Enjoy.

Lucy London, 1^st July 2019

　

Product details

Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Independently published (10 May 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 109382909
ISBN-13: 978-1093829075
Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 0.7 x 19.8 cm

Mail order from Amazon HERE

Summer Classic Cup: Riverside Raiders (Widnes) 5 - Shropshire Huskies (Telford) 9

Sunday 23rd June 2019: Howies UK Ice Hockey Summer Classic Cup
Riverside Raiders (Widnes) 5 – Shropshire Huskies (Telford) 9
Period Scores: 2-2, 0-3, 3-4
Penalties in Minutes: Raiders 8 – Huskies 10
Match Officials: Chris Wells – Referee, William Fielden and Ray Ormes Linesmen
MVPs: Raiders – Ben Donkin / Huskies – Jamie Moorhouse
Scorer: Lucy Breeze
Timekeeper: Howard Smith
Match Report & Photos by Paul Breeze

The Riverside Raiders lost out 5-9 to the Shropshire Huskies in their latest Summer Classic Cup game at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.
The Raiders took an early 2-goal lead with strikes from Mike Filek and Luke Williams but the visitors pulled the score back to 2-2 by the first break.
The Huskies edged ahead in the second period and three unanswered goals gave them a 2-5 lead with one period left to play.
The Raiders staged a brief comeback with goals from Jack Walker and James Kelly early in the third period to pull the score back to 4-5 with 14 minutes left to play but two quick-fire goals within 30 seconds of each other put the Huskies firmly back in control.
Two more Shropshire goals put the game beyond the reach of the Raiders but the home side kept battling to the final buzzer and they did have the last word with a second goal for Jack Walker with just 6 seconds remaining on the clock.
The Raiders have two more home games coming up in the Summer Classic Cup at Planet Ice Widnes – on Sunday 7^th July against the Wyre Seagulls and Sunday 14^th July against the Blackburn Buccaneers. Face off for both games is 4.30pm and admission is free.
The Earle Road Elks team have a charity game this Sunday 30^th June at Planet Ice Widnes. The opponents are the Manchester Swarm team and the match is being played in aid of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK. The game faces off at 4.30pm and admission is free, although donations are welcome.

Full team lineups and player stats:

Riverside Raiders: Alex Hannah, Michael Filek (1+0, 2PIM), Rob Melvin (NM 60 min), James Kelly (1+1), Matthew Lennox (2PIM), Howard Hughes, Luke Williams (1+1), Ben Donkin (0+1, 2PIM), Jeff Chapman-Watson (0+1), Jack Walker (2+1), Eemeli Vuorihovi (0+1), Bobak Samari, Stephen Harvey, David Priestley (0+1, 2PIM), Michael Parkin (0+1), Mike Teinert

Shropshire Huskies: Jodie Alderson (NM 60 min), George Garbett (2PIM), Dan Gadsden, Antony Stevens (2+1, 2PIM), Scott Williams (0+1, 2PIM), Benjamin Chamley (1+0, 2PIM), Alexander Phillips (1+2), Guntis Sjomkans (1+0), Craig Bannister (1+1), Carl Hindley (3+0), Laurence Le Vay (2PIM), Jamie Moorhouse

Summer Classic Cup: Blackburn Buccaneers 4 - Riverside Raiders 3 (After Penalty Shoot Out)

Saturday 15^th June 2019: Howies UK Ice Hockey Summer Classic Cup

Blackburn Buccaneers 4 - Riverside Raiders (Widnes) 3 (After Penalty Shoot Out)
Period Scores: 3-0, 0-1, 0-2, PS: 1-0
Penalties in Minutes: Buccaneers 16 – Raiders 18
Match Officials: Josh Humphreys and Neil Herring
MVPS: Buccaneers – Glen Rattray / Raiders – Rob Melvin
Scorer: Paul Breeze
Timekeeper: Mark Robertson
Match Report & Photos by Paul Breeze


The Blackburn Buccaneers and Widnes-based Riverside Raiders played out a highly entertaining and thrilling 3-3 draw in the Summer Classic Cup on Saturday in a game that had to be decided by a penalty shoot out.

Because of refurbishment works being done at the Blackburn rink, the game was actually played at the Deeside rink in Queensferry, which gave for an unusual atmosphere.

The Buccaneers scored after just 11 seconds of the game when Rob McNair broke forward from the face off to slot the puck into the Raiders’ net.

Team captain Michael Walsh made it 2-0 to Blackburn after 8 minutes and a strike from Callum Greenhalgh on 15 minutes gave Blackburn a commanding 3-0 lead at the first period break.

The second period played out goal-less until Jack Walker finally scored for the Raiders with just 76 seconds left. The third period saw the Raiders draw level with two strikes from Mike Filek in the 48^th and 54^th minutes and both sides had their chances in the last five minutes but neither could win the game outright.

In order to decide an overall winner, a nail-biting penalty shootout ensued that saw Buccaneers’ Michael Walsh fire in the first shot to edge Blackburn into the lead. The rest of the penalty shots were either saved or missed so that ended up being the deciding strike.

The Riverside Raiders are at home this coming Sunday 23rd June when they take on the Shropshire Huskies in the Summer Classic Cup at Planet Ice Widnes. The face off time is 4.30pm and admission is free.
　
Full Line Ups and Player Stats:
Blackburn Buccaneers: Alex Dunstan, Simon Pickering (0+1 14PIM), Jonathan Nuttall , Karl Milton, Robert McNair (1+1), Hudson Nuttall, Glen Rattray (NM 60 mins), Daniel Watson, Ciaran Chapman, Callum Greenhalgh (1+0), Patrick Thomson (2PIM), Paul Tierney, James Longworth, Adam Duxbury, Michael Walsh (1+0), Raivis Apfelbaums, Sam Calderbank

Riverside Raiders: Michael Filek (2+0), Rob Melvin (NM 60 mins), James Kelly (0+1), Howard Hughes, Ben Donkin (0+1, 4PIM), Jeff Chapman-Watson, Jack Walker (1+1), Eemeli Vuorihovi, Daniel Trust, Stephen Harvey (0+1), Jordan Birtwistle, David Priestley, Daniel Watts, Mike Teinert (12PIM)

Penalty Shoot Out:
Buccaneers – Walsh 1, Apfelbaums 0, McNair 0
Raiders – Priestley 0, Filek 0, Walker 0

Summer Classic Cup: Riverside Raiders 4 - Flintshire Phantoms 7

Sunday 9^th June 2019: Howies UK Ice Hockey Summer Classic Cup
Riverside Raiders (Widnes) 4 - Flintshire Phantoms (Deeside) 7
Period Scores: 1-2, 1-3, 2-2
Penalties in Minutes: Raiders 16 – Phantoms 20
Match Officials: Chris Wells & Simon Anders

MVPs:  Raiders - James Kelly / Phantoms - Anthony Hughes

Match Report by Paul Breeze
Photos by Andrew Shutt & Paul Breeze

The Widnes-based Riverside Raiders lost out 4-7 in a highly entertaining local derby clash with the Deeside-based Flintshire Phantoms in the Summer Classic Cup at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.

Because of the comparatively short distance (in ice hockey terms, at least ) and regular interchange of players between the two rinks, games between teams from Widnes and Deeside are always keenly contested affairs and this one was no exception.

The Raiders actually scored first with a Mike Parkin strike after just two minutes of the game and they held the lead until a short handed Phantoms equaliser from Ken Valyear some 6 minutes later.

The game was very even at this stage and looked as if the teams were going to end the first period on level terms but another shorthanded goal for the Phantoms – scored by Ondrej Liebelt in the 19^th minute – gave the visitors the lead heading into the first break.

The Phantoms scored again just 2 minutes after the restart through Valyear again to open up a two goal lead but the Raiders pulled a goal back with a Jack Walker strike and the game remained on a knife-edge at the half way point.

With the Raiders pushing forward in an attempt to equalise, they left space open at the back and the Phantoms scored two quick fire goals that edged them further ahead. Strikes from Chris Clarke on 31 minutes and former Raiders player Anthony Hughes on 35 minutes gave the visitors a 2-5 lead at the end of the second period and left the home side with a lot to do in the final 20 minutes.

Hopes of a Raiders recovery were lifted with a goal from Matthew Lennox just 60 seconds into the third period but the Phantoms hit back again with goals from Hughes and Liebelt to lead 3-7 with 15 minutes left to play.

The period played on goal-less until James Kelly pulled a goal back for the Raiders with just 5 minutes left on the clock - but that was the last strike of the game and the match finished 4-7 to the Flintshire Phantoms



The result keeps the Phantoms on top of the Western Conference table with a 100% record of 6 wins from their 6 games, with the Raiders in third place with 1 win from 4.

The Raiders have an away game this Saturday 15th June against the Blackburn Buccaneers - also in the Summer Classic Cup. However, because of refurbishment works being done at the Blackburn rink, the game is being played at the Deeside rink in Queensferry, north Wales, which is, in fact, a lot closer and easier for the Raiders team and supporters to get to. The game faces off at 5pm this Saturday and admission is free.

The Raiders are next at home the following Sunday 23rd June when they take on the Shropshire Huskies in the cup at Planet Ice Widnes. The face off time for that game is 4.30pm and admission is also free.

Full Line Ups and Player Stats:

Riverside Raiders: Alex Hannah, Michael Filek, Rob Melvin (NM 60 mins), James Kelly (1+0), Matthew Lennox (1+0), Howard Hughes, Luke Williams, Ben Donkin, Jeff Chapman-Watson, Jack Walker (1+0), Eemeli Vuorihovi (0+2 2PIM), Daniel Trust, Stephen Harvey, Nicholas Jackson, Jordan Birtwistle, David Priestley (12 PIM), Michael Parkin (1+0 2PIM)

Flintshire Phantoms: Jakob Forster (NM), Chris Gorden (2PIM), Steven Furber, Gareth Jones (2PIM), Brett Hobson, Brian Chalmers, Chris Dallavalle (0+3 10PIM), George Perrett (4PIM), Jason McGee, Andrew Cooke (2PIM), Robin Spencer, Chris Clarke (1+0), Michael Rogers (NM - 60 mins), Oliver Meadows (0+1), Anthony Hughes (2+0), Stirling Steeves, Kenneth Valyear (2+0), Ondrej Liebelt (2+0)

Women's Trophy Weekend At Widnes - Weekend Report

Bracknell Queen Bees celebrate the Women's Elite League play off win at Widnes

The Planet Ice rink in Widnes played host to the prestigious Women’s Trophy finals weekend, featuring 10 games over Saturday and Sunday.

Widnes has become a popular venue in recent years for these national events, having also staged the NIHL Laidler Division play offs for the past two seasons and the British Para Ice Hockey League play offs in September 2018. Its easy to reach location and convenient interior layout make it suitable for all levels of ice hockey and the cosy spectator capacity ensures a great atmosphere which might otherwise be lost with a similar number of people in some of the larger hockey arenas

The games on the Saturday saw the semi finals of the Women’s Elite League play offs, Women’s Premier League play offs and the National League Division 1 North & South, with teams coming from as far afield as Chelmsford, Cardiff and Swindon in the south to Whitley Bay and Dumfries in the North.

In the Women’s Elite League play off, Bracknell Queen Bees – who have won the WEL title for 8 years in a row – easily saw off Guildford Lightning 10-1 in the first semi final, while the Solihull Vixens beat Kingston Diamonds from Hull 4-1in the second. In the final on Sunday – played for the Bill Britton Trophy – the Queen Bees were victorious beating the Vixens 4-1, scoring three straight goals in the third period after the score was tied 1-1 after 40 minutes.

The Women’s Premier League play off final was a lot closer with the score between league champions Nottingham Vipers and Chelmsford Cobras locked at 1-1 after the regulation 60 minutes of play. The game was settled by a golden goal after just 31 seconds of overtime with Chelmsford winning their first WPL play off title.

While not taking part in the play offs themselves, the Widnes Wild women’s team will have been particularly interested in the outcome of the Division 1 play off games as they would have direct influence on who they might be playing against season.

The Women’s Division 1 play off is unique in the current set up of British ice hockey as it is the only game that brings with it the prize of promotion to the next division up and the two top finishers in Division 1 South – Cardiff Comets and Swindon Topcats – took on the two top teams from Division 1 North – Telford Wrekin Raiders and Solway Sharks Ladies – in the two semi finals.

As it turned out, the two teams from South 1 both won their respective semi finals and Cardiff went on to beat Swindon 4-2 in the D1 national final to secure promotion to the Women’s Premier League for next season.

In the Under 16 national final, Haringey beat Kingston 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out after the game finished overtime level at 2-2.

Riverside Raiders and Trafford Thunder in 10-Goal Thriller for Christie Hospital Charity

The Riverside Raiders and Trafford Thunder teams after the charity game in aid of the Christie Hospital Charitable Fund (Photo by Paul Breeze)

The Widnes-based Riverside Raiders team beat Trafford Thunder 7-3 in a charity game that raised over £450 for the Christie Hospital Charitable Fund at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.

As well as helping to raise money for a very worthy cause, the game also acted a warm up for the Raiders’ Summer Cup games which will be staged at the Widnes rink during June and July.

After very even and closely contested opening phase, James Kelly put the home side ahead in the 8th minute and Jordan Birtwistle doubled the advantage just 49 seconds later.

The Thunder pulled a goal back early in the second period but Jack Walker restored the two-goal cushion for the Raiders on 25 minutes. Another Trafford goal narrowed the gap again but three unanswered goals from Mike Parkin, Kelly again and Daniel Trust handed the home side a 6-2 lead at the second period break.

Trafford pulled the game back to 6-3 with a quick goal just 7 seconds into the third period and then the Raiders’ Mike Parkin added his second goal of the game while being pushed into the goal net on top of the Trafford netminder. This caused a bit of discussion on the ice but the match official adjudged that the puck had crossed the line before the net had come off its moorings.

That rounded off the scoring for the game and the Raiders were able to celebrate a 7-3 victory over their local rivals. With a raffle, cake sale and bucket collection, the sizeable crowd generously helped to raise over £450 for the Christie Hospital Charitable Fund.

The Riverside Raiders are next in action on Sunday 9th June when they take on the Deeside-based Flintshire Phantoms in the Summer Cup at Planet Ice Widnes. Face off is at 4.30pm and admission is free.


MATCH DETAILS:    to follow