Picture by Ian Coyle
With nine teams now competing in the Scottish National League, fixtures are coming thick and fast — and this weekend was no different, with five games on the schedule.
Solway Sharks began life in the SNL with a demanding double-header, travelling to face Edinburgh Capitals on Saturday before heading south to take on Whitley Warriors the following night.
With their home rink currently under refurbishment, Solway are starting the campaign entirely on the road, a difficult task for any side trying to build chemistry with limited ice time. Their opening night in Edinburgh was a tough one, with the Capitals striking three times in as many minutes late in the first period after captain Joel Gautschi broke the deadlock on the power play. The Sharks hit back through Tomas Výrostek in the final minute of the period, but Edinburgh extended their lead in the third via Sean Cochrane to secure a 4–1 victory. Netminder Harry Campbell stood tall for Solway, particularly as both teams tightened up defensively in the closing stages.
On Sunday the Sharks faced Whitley Warriors, an established club making their debut in the SNL this season. Fresh from their opening-day win over Aberdeen, the Warriors also had the added incentive of this fixture doubling as the first leg of their Scottish Cup qualifier with Solway, with the return leg to come in October. Whitley showed their strength with a 7–0 win, scoring once in the first period before adding three in each of the remaining periods. For Solway, it was always going to be a difficult back-to-back, but their development will be one to watch as the season goes on, particularly once they return to home ice. The result moved Whitley to the top of the early standings.
Elsewhere, Dundee Rockets made their season debut in emphatic style, sweeping past Kilmarnock Thunder 18–1. Seventeen-year-old Mack Harris struck Thunder’s lone goal, but against last season’s league winners it was always a daunting task. Both teams kept penalty minutes low, ensuring the focus stayed on the hockey. The Rockets slot into third place in the table with the win, while Thunder sit bottom after two defeats.
Saturday also brought another meeting between Paisley Pirates and Kirkcaldy Kestrels at Braehead. Pirates repeated their earlier success with a 6–1 win. Jamie Crawford opened the scoring and went on to complete a hat-trick, while Kestrels’ netminder Cameron Kenny faced heavy traffic as Paisley took control. Holding a 4–1 lead after two periods, the Pirates added two more goals in the third to secure the points and move into second place.
At the Linx Ice Arena, Aberdeen Lynx secured their first win of the season with a 9–2 result against North Ayrshire Wild. Seventeen-year-old Jaydn Baxter opened the scoring just ten seconds into the game, setting the tone for a 3–0 first-period lead. Wild hit back with two goals in the middle period, but Aberdeen stayed in control and finished strongly, firing 23 shots on goal in the third. The result moves Aberdeen into fourth place in the standings, level on points with both North Ayrshire and Edinburgh.
With teams still settling into rhythm, expect plenty more shifts in the table as the season unfolds.
