Wild land first win over Stars
BILLINGHAM STARS ...... 3 YKK WIDNES WILD ........ 4
THE YKK sponsored Widnes Wild made it three wins in three games with a sensational 3-4 win away at Billingham Stars in the Moralee Division on Sunday.
This was the first time that Widnes had ever won a game against Billingham and puts them in a promising position in the league table at this early stage of the new season.
The Wild took the lead in the seventh minute with a goal from Tom Stubley and held that advantage - despite being outshot in the first period by 23 to 16 – until the 18th minute when Billingham equalised on a powerplay. However a superb goal from Kieran Beach in the last minute of the period handed Widnes a narrow 1-2 lead at the first break.
The Wild lead was further extended two minutes from the restart with a goal from player coach Richard Haggar and Widnes were leading 1-3 as the game approached its midway point.
The Widnes momentum was disrupted somewhat as Haggar took a stick to the face and had to leave the ice for treatment.
There was a brief stoppage for blood to be cleared off the playing surface and the Stars player involved received a 2+2 minute penalty for high sticks.
Unfortunately, the Wild were not able to make the most of their 5 on 4 advantage and Billingham pulled a goal back on 32 minutes. The score remained 2-3 to Widnes heading into the final period and the game was very much on a knifeedge.
With a patched-up Haggar returned to the fray, Widnes looked very strong in the third period as they looked to protect their lead but, unfortunately for them, Billingham fired in an equaliser on 50 minutes, setting up a dramatic finale.
In a very tense third period – during which Widnes outshot the hosts by 10 to 8 - the decisive moment came in the 54th minute when Mikey Gilbert scored for the Wild to secure their first ever win in the North East.
The win sees Widnes move up to third place in the Moralee Division table with two wins from their three league games to date.
They sit comfortably just two points behind leading pair Solway Sharks and Whitley Warriors – and can look forward to a visit to Dumfries to take on the league leaders this Saturday 9th October.
Following their trip north of the border, the Wild will play their first home fixture in almost a month when they take on the Sheffield
Scimitars in the Midlands Cup on Sunday 10th October at Planet Ice Widnes – 5.30 pm face off.