A thrilling weekend of Scottish Ice Hockey unfolded with a combination of Scottish Cup quarter-finals and a Northern League matchup. Here’s a recap of the action:
Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals Return Leg:
Aberdeen Lynx 6 – North Ayrshire Wild 0
Aberdeen Lynx continued their dominant performance against North Ayrshire Wild, sealing their spot in the Scottish Cup semi-finals. The Lynx had previously won 4-0 against Wild in the first leg and repeated their success this weekend. James Demeo notched two goals on the power play. The Lynx showcased their prowess with goals in each period, finishing with a 6-0 victory. Goalies on both sides faced intense pressure, but it was the Lynx who emerged victorious. They will now face the Dundee Comets in the semi-finals.
Paisley Pirates 2 – Edinburgh Capitals 5
Edinburgh Capitals secured their semi-final spot in the Scottish Cup with a 5-2 victory over Paisley Pirates. While the previous weekend had seen Capitals win 8-1, this return match proved to be a closer contest. Garry Simpson opened the scoring for the Pirates, but Joel Gautschi levelled the scoreline for the Capitals with his first of his four goals of the evening. With another goal from each side the game was tied at 2-2 heading into the third period, but the Capitals surged ahead, ultimately winning 5-2. They will meet the Kirkcaldy Kestrels in the semi-finals.
Kirkcaldy Kestrels 6 – Kilmarnock Thunder 5
A nail-biting clash at Fife Ice Arena saw the Kirkcaldy Kestrels triumph over Kilmarnock Thunder by a score of 6-5. Thunder got off to a strong start, leading 3-0 after the first period. However, the Kestrels mounted a comeback, with Joe Somerville netting their first goal. The second period remained competitive and the Kestrels closed the gap to 5-2. In the final period, the Kestrels found their stride, scoring four goals and securing a thrilling 6-5 victory.
Dundee Comets 8 – Dundee Tigers 1
In a surprising turn of events, Dundee Comets won 8-1 against their Dundee Counterparts. This outcome was unexpected after such a close game between the two teams the previous weekend. Both sides created numerous scoring opportunities, but the Tigers struggled to find the back of the net against the Comets‘ goaltenders. The Comets capitalised on power plays and secured their place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, where they will face the Aberdeen Lynx.
Northern League:
Edinburgh Capitals 4 – Kirkcaldy Kestrels 1
In their first game in the Northern League, the Edinburgh Capitals secured a 4-1 victory over the Kirkcaldy Kestrels. Sean Cochrane scored the opening goal for the Capitals on a power play. Both teams scored in the second period, with the Capitals maintaining a 2-1 lead. The Capitals continued their strong performance in the third period, adding two more goals to secure the win. This victory marked an impressive debut in the Northern League for the Capitals. The league table will now be closely watched, with the next Northern League game scheduled for October 21st between Thunder and Hawks.
It was an action-packed weekend of Scottish ice hockey and teams are now gearing up for the semi-finals in the Scottish Cup and further competition in the Northern League.
