Mayhem slump to a big defeat

THE Mayhem sledge hockey team fell to a disappointing 9-1 loss in the opening game of the 2018 British Para Ice Hockey League season against the Hull-based Kingston Kestrels at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.

The game saw last season’s playoff champions, the Mayhem, paired up against last season’s league title winners – the Kestrels – and was expected to be a cracking curtain-raiser for the 2018 season, which is played throughout the summer.

With the sport having received a lot of TV exposure at the Winter Paralympic Games in South Korea, there was a good-sized crowd in attendance but nothing seemed to go the way of the home team.

After a close start, the visitors scored the opening goal after five minutes of play and led 3-0 at the end of the first period.

It was 5-0 at the end of the second period but a goal from the Mayhem’s Anthony Booth at the start of the third stanza gave the home side some hope of a late revival.

Unfortunately, it was not to be and four unanswered goals for Kingston – all scored by Matt Clarkson to add to his earlier three – fired the visitors to a comprehensive victory.

The other two goals for the Kestrels were scored by Matt Woollias.

The Mayhem’s next game is away to the Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday, May 12. ● The Riverside Raiders’ Summer Classic Cup game away to the Wyre Seagulls in Blackburn on Saturday was cancelled at short notice due to non-availability of ice time. The game has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 12.

The next competitive ice hockey at Planet Ice Widnes is on Sunday, May 6 when the Riverside Raiders take on the Deeside-based Flintshire Phantoms in the Summer Classic Cup. Face-off is at 4.30pm and admission is free of charge.