Phil Edgar. Photo by IceHockeyMedia
Whitley Warriors faced the Hull Pirates twice over the course of the weekend with an away fixture on the Saturday evening before a clash at Hillheads in Whitley Bay on Sunday night.
Warriors travelled down to Humberside on Saturday with a strong looking squad and Whitley were able to match their high flying hosts over the first 2 periods of play as the scores were tied at 3-3 after 40 minutes of action. Warriors goal scorers were forward Ben Richards and blue liners Harry Harley and Sam Zajac.
Hull were able to grab a further strike in the 3rd period of play to take the contest by 4 goals to 3 against a resilient Warriors outfit who gave everything they had. Netminder Richie Lawson was named as Warriors Man of the Match for a superb display in which he saved 43 of the 47 shots he faced for a save percentage of well over 91%.
The following evening Warriors started the game impressively and held a 2-0 lead 14 minutes into the match thanks to a brace from import forward Phil Edgar. Hull grabbed 2 goals of their own early in the 2nd period though when Bobby Chamberlain and Lee Bonnar lit the lamp for the visitors.
Whitley went back into lead on 34 minutes when the man of the moment Phil Edgar fired home to seal a brilliant hatrick for the Canadian sharp shootinhforward. The 2nd period was then brought to an early close shortly afterwards to allow the rink staff to carry out repairs to the plexiglass around the ice.
Hull levelled the game up in the third period thanks to a strike from their player/coach Jason Hewitt with 48 minutes played with Pirates playmaker Matty Davies picking up an assist on the strike. With the scores at 3-3 after 60 minutes of play the game went into sudden death overtime and Hewitt once again found the crucial goal for his side with Davies picking up the assist when he slotted home 51 seconds into the extra session of play.
Phil Edgar picked up Warriors Man of the Match award with Matty Davies being chosen as Pirates best player on the night.
Warriors took 1 point from their weekend to consolidate their mid table position in NIHL North Division 1 but it has to be remembered that Whitley put in 2 superb displays against one of the strongest sides in all of NIHL hockey.
Whitley are in action twice next weekend with an away game at Blackburn on Saturday before a home game against the same opposition a day later.