Photo by Gordon Fowley
The Scottish National League (SNL) roared back to life this weekend with two gripping matchups, setting the tone for an exciting season ahead.
Kilmarnock Thunder 4 – 6 North Ayrshire Wild
Kilmarnock, Saturday Night
The SNL curtain-raiser between Kilmarnock Thunder and North Ayrshire. Wild delivered a thrilling contest from the first puck drop. It took just one minute for Kyle Howie of Wild to break the deadlock, sending an early message to the home side. The visitors doubled their lead not long after, but Kilmarnock’s Ronan McCready hit back with a determined effort to keep the game within reach.
The second period was a fierce back-and-forth affair, with Thunder levelling the score just 33 seconds into the period. Both teams traded goals, finishing the second tied at 3-3, setting up an intense final period.
North Ayrshire Wild seized control in the third period, scoring two more goals. Although Kilmarnock’s Struan Forbes narrowed the gap with a late power-play goal, there was little time left, and the visitors held on for a 6-4 victory as Dylan Murray capped off the win with a hat-trick goal in the final seconds.
After the game, Wild’s coach, Domenico DeSimone praised his squad, saying, “It was a strong performance from our young team against a good, well-coached Kilmarnock team in one of the toughest away fixtures in the league. Our team has grown in maturity and experience over the past couple of seasons, with some hard lessons learned in the process. Their desire to compete and to develop is a credit to them, which will stand them in good stead for the season ahead. There are no easy games in this league. Our next tough test is our first home game against Aberdeen, and we have the support of our fans who have stood by us season after season. Our young squad has shown determination and tenacity, so I’m sure the boys will earn the jersey they wear.”
Aberdeen Lynx 4 – 0 Kirkcaldy Kestrels
Aberdeen, Sunday Night
Up in Aberdeen, the reigning champions, Lynx, opened their season in commanding fashion, shutting out the Kirkcaldy Kestrels 4-0 in front of a sold-out Linx Ice Arena. It was only two weeks ago when these sides met in a pre-season challenge, but this time the stakes were higher.
Kyle Ferguson got the home side on the board just nine minutes into the game, quickly followed by a second from Captain Ben Edmonds less than a minute later. The Kestrels found themselves on the back foot, with Aberdeen peppering their goal with shots in the opening frame. Netminder Craig Holland stood tall, limiting the damage to just two goals.
The second period saw Aberdeen extend their lead with a goal from Jack Hutton, followed by a fourth from player/coach Jordan Leyden, putting the game firmly in the hands of the Lynx. A goaltending switch for the Kestrels saw Andrew Little step in, but the Kestrels couldn’t find a way past the Lynx defence.
Both teams kept the pace high in the third period, with shots raining down at both ends. Aberdeen’s Dominick Jaglar, making his debut for the Lynx, backstopped his team to a clean sheet, rounding off a successful night for the Lynx.
Post-game, coach Leyden expressed his satisfaction, noting, “Really pleased to get the season off with a win. It was a solid team effort, and it was great to see Dom come straight in with a shutout. We’ve still got areas to improve on, but I’m confident it’ll come as the season progresses.”
Edinburgh Capitals 2 – 0 Paisley Pirates
Challenge Match
Ahead of their SNL league opener, the Edinburgh Capitals faced off against the Paisley Pirates in a pre-season challenge match. The Capitals secured a 2-0 victory. Both teams used the fixture to sharpen their lines.
With a shutout performance in the bag, the Capitals look to carry this momentum into the league season, while the Pirates will regroup and refine ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
