Both of the remaining unbeaten starts fell by the wayside over the weekend, but Leeds Knights still lead the way in the Planet Ice NIHL National Division.

The Knights, alongside Hull Seahawks, came into Gameweek 3 as the only two sides yet to taste defeat all season.

However, the Knights were beaten 6-3 by an impressive Swindon Wildcats side at the Link Centre on Saturday, before ending their weekend with a commanding 7-2 home win over Bristol Pitbulls.

Hull, meanwhile, lost their only game of the weekend on Sunday, falling to a 5-4 overtime loss to Romford Raiders.

The Seahawks are now joint-second and one point adrift of the Knights at the summit of the division, with Swindon joining them on nine points after enduring a mixed weekend of their own.

Despite running out victorious on Saturday, the Wildcats couldn’t make it a four-point weekend, losing 4-3 to another of latest season’s play-off contenders in Peterborough Phantoms.

Only two teams who featured twice over the weekend enjoyed perfect records in Gameweek 3 –  Romford and MK Lightning.

A day prior to their overtime triumph over Hull, the Raiders started their weekend with an 8-3 win at Bristol.

Lightning, meanwhile, won 6-3 away at Berkshire Bees on Saturday before returning home to defeat Solway Sharks 7-3 the following evening.

Elsewhere, Sheffield Steeldogs’ only game of the weekend ended in a 5-3 victory over Peterborough at iceSheffield.

A high-scoring Saturday affair saw Solway Sharks overcome Telford Tigers 9-3, and the Tigers’ winless start to the season continued as they fell to a 6-3 home defeat to Berskhire in the final game of the weekend.

Results – NIHL National Division

Sat 28th Sep Berkshire Bees 3-6 Milton Keynes Lightning L/C
Sat 28th Sep Swindon Wildcats 6-3 Leeds Knights L/C
Sat 28th Sep Bristol Pitbulls 3-8 Romford Raiders L/C
Sat 28th Sep Sheffield Steeldogs 5-3 Peterborough Phantoms L
Sat 28th Sep Solway Sharks 9-3 Telford Tigers L
Sun 29th Sep Leeds Knights 7-2 Bristol Pitbulls L
Sun 29th Sep Romford Raiders 5-4 (OT) Hull Seahawks L
Sun 29th Sep Milton Keynes Lightning 7-3 Solway Sharks L/C
Sun 29th Sep Peterborough Phantoms 4-3 Swindon Wildcats L/C
Sun 29th Sep Telford Tigers 3-6 Berkshire Bees L

Stay updated on all the latest fixtures and results from across the NIHL regional divisions, WNIHL and junior leagues.

Photo credit: Tony Sargent