Solway Sharks edged closer to the NIHL1 North title with a 6-1 win at Trafford Metros – Nathan Salem scored twice. Dave Manning (2) and Michael Elder (2) led the scoring for Billingham Stars as they beat Coventry Blaze 7-3.
Blackburn Hawks beat third placed Sutton 6-3, but Sting bounced back to win 3-2 at Telford Titans. Dan Taylor’s hat-trick helped Titans to a 6-4 win at home to Whitley. The Warriors recovered in style with a 7-2 success over Sheffield Spartans – Mark Good (left) scored four.
Nottingham Lions moved back to the top of NIHL2 North with an 8-0 home win against Hull Stingrays. Richard Slater hit a hat-trick as Solihull Barons kept their promotion hopes alive with a 7-5 win against Deeside Dragons.
NIHL1 South leaders Chelmsford Chieftains beat MK Thunder 8-2 – Michael Ranby scored four. Romford Raiders are up to second after a 3-1 win at Wightlink Raiders – Juraj Huska bagged a brace – while Matt Turner’s hat-trick helped them to an 8-4 at home to Cardiff Devils. Invicta Dynamos moved into the top four with a pair of wins – 4-1 at Solent & Gosport Devils & 5-4 at home to Bracknell Hornets. In the NIHL South Cup Wightlink won 6-0 at Streatham Redskins.
Guildford lead the EPL by eight points after a trio of wins. Curtis Huppe’s hat-trick helped Flames to a 7-1 success at home to Manchester Phoenix and they followed up with a 3-1 win at MK Lightning. Huppe scored another couple as Flames edged past Slough Jets 4-3. Basingstoke Bison slipped to a shock 3-0 home defeat to Sheffield Steeldogs. Phoenix recovered from their mauling in Guildford with a pair of wins – 6-2 at Slough and 6-3 at home to Swindon Wildcats.
MK Lightning enjoyed a couple of road wins – 2-1 at Swindon, while Adam Carr’s shoot-out winner sealed a 3-2 victory at Telford Tigers. Matias Perkkio scored twice in Swindon’s 5-4 win at home over Telford. Peterborough Phantoms beat Bracknell Bees 2-1 and secured a four-point weekend with a 6-5 win in the reverse fixture – Jeff Glowa hit the overtime winner. Frantisek Bakrlik’s shoot-out winner helped Slough to a 5-4 aggregate victory over Basingstoke in the EPL Cup semi-final.
Elite League leaders Nottingham Panthers beat Sheffield Steelers 4-2 and followed up with a 5-0 win at Braehead Clan – Bruce Graham scored a couple. Belfast kept their title hopes alive with a six-point week. Giants started with a 2-0 win at Dundee Stars, before a 3-1 win over Sheffield back on home ice. They completed their week with a 5-3 victory at Cardiff Devils – Chad Langlais (2) led Giants’ scoring.
Steelers recovered from the losses to their title rivals with a 3-1 win at Dundee – Jeff Legue scored two. James Griffin’s winner helped Coventry to a 5-4 overtime win at Braehead Clan, but Blaze couldn’t follow up as they slipped to a 6-2 defeat at Edinburgh Capitals – Marcis Zembergs scored three. Fife’s Kris Hogg scored twice in their 4-2 win at home to Hull Stingrays and Flyers’ followed up with a 3-2 success over Coventry. The weekend’s other game saw Braehead slip to a 3-2 loss at Hull.
(Image: John Knowles)
