Whitley Warriors face off against Aberdeen Lynx in their first SNL league game. Photo by Andy Keith.
Whitley Warriors got off to a winning start to their inaugural SNL campaign with a 6-3 away victory to Aberdeen Lynx on Saturday.
They travelled to the ‘Granite City’ with 18 skaters and 2 goalies and both Canadian imports, Phil Edgar and Cameron Ware, included in the line-up. Thomas Brown made his first competitive Warriors start in goal.
An emotional tribute was paid before the game to Gary Kelly, who had played for both teams on the ice. Both captains laid wreaths in remembrance of Gary, who tragically passed away aged 19.
Despite a positive start to the game, outshooting their hosts 20-10 in the opening period, Warriors found themselves a goal down after 5:40 when Mark Laing converted on the powerplay from Logan Gordon and Jaydn Baxter.
It was a lead the home side would hold for the majority of the first session. However, Whitley ensured they would be level going into the break when Ware scored from Adam Wood’s feed with just 4 seconds left on the clock.
Whitley would continue to create chances in the middle session, again outshooting the Lynx 28-13. But once more the home side went ahead just after the mid-point of the game. Jack Flynn restored Aberdeen’s lead from Rory Wood but Whitley were behind for just 17 seconds, Phil Edgar getting off the mark for the season from Callum Queenan.
Three minutes later the Warriors took their first lead of the game, Jay Lucas notching the go-ahead goal from Edgar and Liam Smedley. But five minutes into the final period, Aberdeen hit back.,Baxter scoring from import Brant Saretsky and Flynn.
Whitley had to dig deep if they were to earn the win against one of the league’s top sides, and in the final ten minutes of the game they did exactly that. Lucas Campion grabbed his first competitive Warriors goal from Harry Harley and Edgar, for what proved to be the game winner at 49:41.
Aberdeen actually edged the third period in shots but it was Whitley who were getting their rewards in goals. Soon after, Edgar grabbed his second of the game from another Queenan feed, before the Kitchener, Ontario native set up Jamie Ord inside the final three minutes for a powerplay goal which took his points haul for the day to five!
Welcome to the new era!
Shots
Lynx: 36
Warriors: 43
Penalty minutes
Lynx: 11
Warriors: 11
Scorers
Lynx: Baxter 1+1, Flynn 1+1, Laing 1+0, Saretsky 0+1, Gordon 0+1, Wood 0+1
Warriors: Edgar 2+3, Ware 1+0, Ord 1+0, Campion 1+0, Lucas 1+0, Queenan 0+2, Harley 0+2, Wood 0+1, Smedley 0+1
Man of the Match
Warriors: Cameron Ware
Lynx: Jack Flynn
