NIHL round-up | 16-18 February

A perfect weekend helped Planet Ice NIHL National Division leaders Leeds Knights extend their advantage at the top of the table to four points.

The table-topping Knights brushed aside Peterborough Phantoms home and away, backing up Saturday’s 7-2 home win with a 7-0 thrashing on the road.

They now sit four points clear at the summit, with nearest challengers MK Lightning only taking three points from a possible four.

There was plenty of late excitement for Lightning as they twice faced Solway Sharks in Dumfries. They won 3-2 in overtime on Saturday but slipped to a thrilling shoot-out defeat the next day as the Sharks avenged their earlier loss.

Third-placed Swindon Wildcats’ weekend started in disappointing fashion as they lost 2-0 at home to Sheffield Steeldogs. However, a narrow 2-1 win against fourth-placed Hull Seahawks on Saturday was enough to see them retain their healthy cushion in the race for a top-three spot.

The Seahawks endured an uncharacteristic weekend which yielded no wins from their two matches.

Having won 7-5 at Sheffield Steeldogs in midweek, they were unable to find the better of either Swindon or Bees IHC the following day. Their gap to fifth remains in tact, however, due to the Phantoms’ back-to-back defeats against the league leaders.

Elsewhere, Telford Tigers were beaten by Raiders IHC and Bristol Pitbulls – both of whom defied their lower position in the standings to clinch the two competition points.

Full results for the weekend can be found below. Thanks to our friends at NIHL Stats, you can also check out the latest fixtures from the WNIHL and junior leagues.

We’d also like to give a special shout-out to Streatham Redhawks, who were crowned champions of the NIHL South 1 on Sunday after an impressive 4-1 victory over Romford Buccaneers.

NIHL National Division –

Fri 16th Feb Swindon Wildcats 0-2 Sheffield Steeldogs L
Sat 17th Feb Bristol Pitbulls 3-2 (OT) Bees IHC L
Sat 17th Feb Leeds Knights 7-2 Peterborough Phantoms L
Sat 17th Feb Raiders IHC 4-2 Telford Tigers L
Sat 17th Feb Solway Sharks 2-3 (OT) Milton Keynes Lightning L
Sat 17th Feb Swindon Wildcats 2-1 Hull Seahawks L
Sun 18th Feb Bees IHC 5-4 Hull Seahawks L
Sun 18th Feb Peterborough Phantoms 0-7 Leeds Knights L
Sun 18th Feb Sheffield Steeldogs 1-9 Raiders IHC L
Sun 18th Feb Solway Sharks 8-7 (SO) Milton Keynes Lightning L
Sun 18th Feb Telford Tigers 2-3 Bristol Pitbulls L

NIHL North 1 (Moralee) –

Saturday 17th Feb Blackburn Hawks 9-0 Widnes Wild M56
Sat 17th Feb Hull Jets 4-1 Solihull Barons L
Sat 17th Feb Sheffield Scimitars 5-13 Deeside Dragons L
Sun 18th Feb Deeside Dragons 4-2 Hull Jets L
Sun 18th Feb Solihull Barons 7-3 Billingham Stars L
Sun 18th Feb Whitley Warriors 3-4 Blackburn Hawks L
Sun 18th Feb Widnes Wild 2-5 Nottingham Lions L

NIHL South 1 (Britton) –

Sat 17th Feb Milton Keynes Thunder 2-5 Chelmsford Chieftains L
Sat 17th Feb Slough Jets 0-3 Streatham Redhawks BC
Sat 17th Feb Solent Devils 4-2 Invicta Dynamos L
Sun 18th Feb Chelmsford Chieftains 2-4 Slough Jets BC
Sun 18th Feb Invicta Dynamos 4-1 Milton Keynes Thunder L
Sun 18th Feb Streatham Redhawks 4-1 Romford Buccaneers L

NIHL North 2 (Laidler) –

Sat 17th Feb Billingham Buccaneers 5-2 Bradford Bulldogs L
Sat 17th Feb Sheffield Titans 6-3 Altrincham Aces L
Sat 17th Feb Telford Tigers NIHL 2 10-0 Nottingham Lions NIHL 2 L
Sun 18th Feb Bradford Bulldogs 6-0 Kingston Sharks L
Sun 18th Feb Coventry NIHL Blaze 4-5 Sheffield Titans L
Sun 18th Feb Nottingham Lions NIHL 2 1-6 Billingham Buccaneers L
Sun 18th Feb Sutton Sting 3-4 Telford Tigers NIHL 2 L

NIHL South 2 (Wilkinson) –

Sat 17th Feb Cardiff Fire 11-0 Chelmsford Warriors L
Sat 17th Feb Oxford Rising Stars 10-2 Solent Junior Devils L/C
Sat 17th Feb Peterborough Phantoms NIHL 2 3-4 Guildford Phoenix L
Sun 18th Feb Oxford Rising Stars 3-7 Haringey Huskies L
Sun 18th Feb Solent Junior Devils 4-5 Invicta Mustangs L

Photo credit: David Yule

To send us your latest club news, please click here

About the Author: jdgmedia_user_oih3n4kr