It is down to the wire for the top of the league with after a heart racing Saturday night of hockey!
All eyes were on the top of the table as Aberdeen Lynx went into the weekend 5 points ahead of rivals Edinburgh Capitals.
Paisley Pirates headed to the Linx Ice Arena followed by their great travelling support. The battle on the ice was intensified with chants, horns and drums in the stands from passionate fans from both sides.
Both teams came out all guns blazing but it was Lynx player-coach Jordan Leyden that scored the opening goal halfway through the first period.
The Lynx were leading 1-0 after the break but Paisley number 8 Marty Simpson levelled the scoring with a Power Play goal.
Less than a minute later Jonathan Hogan from the Lynx netted the Aberdeen side’s 2nd goal of the evening, followed shortly by with another from Sean Dyer, finishing the period 3-1.
But the tables started to turn in the 3rd period with a short handed goal by Pirates Gary Simpson. The Pirates were piling on the pressure and Lynx net minder Dale Shear was kept busy between the pipes.
With just 3 minutes remaining on the clock Gary Simpson scored with an equaliser. Last time these two teams met in February, Aberdeen took the win in overtime, so it was looking that this could be a possibility again.
With only 1 second to go Pirates Marty Simpson bagged the winning goal on the Power Play giving the Pirates the 2 points they needed to make it into 3rd place in the league.
Lynx Coach Jordan Leyden said: “To lose the way we did is really disappointing. I felt we played well for 2 periods but hockey is 3 period game and we have to ensure we keep our standards across all 3 periods. We have another big weekend coming up and the guys are ready for it.”
In a highly anticipated match-up between the North Ayrshire Wild and the Edinburgh Capitals, the Capitals proved to be too much for their opponents, winning by a score of 5-1.
The game started off with both teams striving to create opportunities in the opening minutes. However, it was the Capitals who were able to strike first, scoring just 4 minutes into the game with a goal from Chad Smith.
They continued to dominate throughout the period, adding two more goals to their tally and putting North Ayrshire on the back foot.
The second period saw a more determined home team, and they were finally able to break through the Capitals’ defence and score, bringing the score to 3-1. However, the Capitals were not to be outdone, and they responded with a goal by Ross Borwick to extend their lead once again.
The third period saw the Capitals continue to dominate possession and create chances, eventually Chad Smith scoring another to seal the victory. North Ayrshire fought hard until the final whistle, but were unable to make any further inroads into the Capitals’ lead.
Overall, it was a disappointing result for North Ayrshire, who struggled to match the intensity of the well drilled Edinburgh side. The Capitals will take home the two league points as they continue their push for the top of the league table .
In an exciting match-up between the Kirkcaldy Kestrels and the Kilmarnock Thunder, the Kestrels emerged victorious with a 4-2 win in front of their home crowd.
Thunder started off the game strong, with Connor McNulty opening the scoring with a goal just 8 minutes into the game. However, the Kestrels responded almost immediately, with a goal of their own by Kyle Horne.
Thunder were undeterred and retook the lead less than a minute after that with a goal by Ross Andreucci. The Kestrels fought back once again and George Pitcaithly finding the back of the net to even the score at 2-2.
The second period saw both teams play very defensively, with neither team able to break through and score a goal. However, the Kirkcaldy side came out firing in the third period, scoring two quick goals at the 45 and 57 minute marks to take a commanding 4-2 lead.
Thunder dug deep to get back into the game, but were unable to break through the Kestrels’ defense. Kilmarnock were able to overcome an early deficit and take control of the game in the third period and take home the two league points bringing them equal in point at 28 with Dundee Tigers.
SATURDAY RESULTS
Aberdeen Lynx 3 Paisley Pirates 4
Kirkcaldy Kestrels 4 Kilmarnock Thunder 2
North Ayrshire Wild 1 Edinburgh Capitals 5
