Back-to-back win and loss on Wild weekend
TELFORD TIGERS ............................... 2 YKK WIDNES WILD ............................. 5
YKK WIDNES WILD .................................2 DEESIDE DRAGONS ................................4 on goal. Widnes drew level with another Hajek goal on 25 minutes and it felt as if it was just a matter of time until the Wild would take the lead and pull away.
The Dragons players picked up numerous penalties through the game but Widnes were unable to capitalise on any of their powerplay situations.
The score remained a tantalisingly close 2–2 at the second period break and there was no further scoring until the 53rd minute, when a clinically executed breakaway goal put Deeside back into the lead. Once again, the Wild attack peppered the Dragons net with shots but a superb performance by GB women’s netminder Samantha Bolwell kept them at bay.
Widnes took off their netminder with just over a minute left to play in favour of an extra attacking player in the hope of forcing a late equaliser but this tactic back-fired and the resulting “empty net goal” edged the
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Dragons further ahead. The resulting 4-2 home defeat at the hands of their local rivals means Widnes remain seventh in the table, albeit with games in hand over all their rivals.
The Wild club’s annual Teddy Toss took place at Sunday’s game and a flurry of soft toys were thrown onto the ice after the first Widnes goal. These were collected up and will be handed out to children who will be in hospital over the Christmas period. Over 120 soft toys were donated – including a sizeable number from visiting Deeside supporters.
The MVP awards for the evening were presented by long-standing match volunteer Richard Gillingham and went to Andrew Chappell for the Dragons and Daniel Fay for the Wild.
The YKK-sponsored Widnes Wild are next in action this Sunday 15th December, when they travel away to face the Solihull Barons in the NIHL Midland Cup – face-off 5.30pm.