Warriors 1 in nail-biter against the Ice Tigers
On Saturday 17th May 2025 our first team travelled to Ice Sheffield to take on the Ice Tigers in the return fixture of the IHSC Cup.
Having beaten tonight’s opponents 9–2 on home ice in their opening IHSC Cup game, you’d expect the Warriors to head into this contest brimming with confidence. However, the Ice Tigers had recently strengthened their roster with the return of several key players - reinforcements that had already made an impact, helping them to a victory over the Don Valley Vikings.
The Warriors, on the other hand, faced this return fixture with a depleted squad. Several significant players were unavailable, weakening the team considerably.
Absent players: Mitch White, Tom Mallon, Dzintars Jonuss, Jamie Farrar, Andrew Hughes, Chris Norman, Joe Quinn and Sam Cromack.
Despite this, the Warriors were able to ice three full lines, and they anticipated a much tougher battle than in the previous meeting.
Dressed players:
Lewis Pickering (NM), Chris Giles (C), Dylan Noonan, Andy Giles (A), Chris Scampton, Callum Greenhalgh, Ellen Gallimore, Jordan Batty, Niku Ghaemi, Niks Kamaldins, Matthew Gatenby, Tyler Heming, Adam Gibbons, Chris Blaschko, Will Gibbons, Simon Morrow, Harvey Galloway.
1st period
From the opening exchanges, it was clear this would be a closely fought contest, with both sides trading early chances on goal.
The Warriors took some time to settle into their rhythm, and the hosts took full advantage, opening the scoring at 9:17. As this was a short-handed goal for the Ice Tigers, it was a big wake-up call for the visitors!
With goals likely to be at a premium, the Warriors knew they couldn’t afford to let the Ice Tigers pull away. The next goal would be crucial.
As the Warriors grew into the game, they began to dominate the chances - and were eventually rewarded. At 14:37, Jordan Batty shifted the puck to Tyler Heming who laid it off for Niks Kamaldins to find the net and bring the game level. Game on!
With both teams recognising that a single goal could prove decisive, the tension ramped up. The rest of the period was a fiercely competitive battle, but neither side could find a breakthrough before the buzzer. The score remained locked at 1–1 after the first.
Ice Tigers 1 Warriors 1
2nd period
With the game finely balanced, the Warriors entered the second period determined to assert more control. Their goal was clear: build a lead and relieve some of the mounting pressure. But the Ice Tigers had other ideas.
Just minutes after the restart, the hosts struck again to regain the lead - 2–1. Once more, the Warriors faced an uphill battle.
As before, the next goal felt pivotal. Falling two behind could have been costly, but the Warriors responded with grit. At 28:31, Dylan Noonan charged into the offensive zone, dropping the puck to Andy Giles who unleashed a low, hard shot to the goalie’s right, squeezing it just inside the post. 2–2!
But the pattern of the game continued. Only a few minutes later, the Ice Tigers hit back again to reclaim the lead at 3–2. It was a gut punch for the Warriors, who had worked so hard to draw level.
As the period neared its end, the Warriors launched a late offensive. Will Gibbons found himself in the corner of the offensive zone and, with great instinct, sent a backhand pass into the slot. Simon Morrow was waiting - and he made no mistake, burying the chance to tie it up once more. 3–3!
This was turning into a real nail-biter.
The Warriors continued to lead in shots on goal but struggled to capitalise on their opportunities. The remainder of the period saw both teams tighten up defensively, content to head into the break on level terms.
Ice Tigers 3 Warriors 3
3rd period
The final period was a tense affair, with both teams knowing that the next goal could well decide the outcome. Caution crept into every move, as no one wanted to be the player responsible for a costly mistake.
As the intensity rose, so did the physicality. The shoulder bumps were harder, the battles along the boards more fierce.
The Warriors enjoyed spells of sustained pressure, hemming the Ice Tigers into their own zone, but struggled to convert their dominance into a breakthrough. Meanwhile, the hosts remained a constant threat on the counter, breaking quickly through the neutral zone and forcing Warriors’ netminder Lewis Pickering into several key saves.
With time ticking down, the prospect of a tie loomed large. But neither side was willing to settle. Both teams sensed that the win was still up for grabs.
At 52:43, the Warriors set up for a face-off in the Ice Tigers’ zone. Following the drop, the puck pinballed between players before popping loose. In a crucial 50-50 battle, Andy Giles edged out his opponent and managed to nudge the puck forward - straight into the path of his brother, Chris Giles, who fired a wrist shot into the top right corner! The Warriors led for the first time in the game - 4–3!
The big question now: could they hold on?
Given how quickly they had conceded after previous goals, there was genuine concern. But this time, they stood firm.
With a minute to go, the Ice Tigers called a timeout and pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. The Warriors held their nerve, killing off the final seconds and securing a hard-fought win.
The sound of the final buzzer was a welcome relief - and a well-earned reward for a gutsy performance.
Final score :
Ice Tigers 3 Warriors 4
Points scorers:
Andy Giles 1+1
Chris Giles 1+0
Niks Kamaldins 1+0
Simon Morrow 1+0
Dylan Noonan 0+1
Tyler Heming 0+1
Jordan Batty 0+1
Will Gibbons 0+1
Given the number of absent players, this was a huge win for the Warriors. The team dug deep and showed real character to come away with the points, as they head into next week’s fixture in Telford.
A big thank you to the Ice Tigers for a highly competitive and hard-fought game. It was a contest that could easily have gone either way. We wish them all the best for the remainder of their season.
Also, a big thank you to the 15 employees from our sponsors, LoadHog, who came down to support the team - especially their colleague and our teammate, Adam Gibbons.
Andy Giles
Player of the game
Dylan Noonan
Captain’s player of the game
When it came to the post-game awards, it was a clean sweep for our joint coaches. Player-coach Andy Giles was named Player of the Game by the Ice Tigers, having registered a goal and an assist in a standout performance. Meanwhile, player-coach Dylan Noonan was awarded the Captain’s Helmet for his tireless work across the ice and a thoroughly impressive all-round display.
Finally, a massive thank you to our Manager, Lisa Speed, for organising three games in one evening at Ice Sheffield for each of our Warriors teams! We truly appreciate all your hard work and dedication in making it all happen.
The IHSC Cup games have been coming thick and fast for our first team. Their next game is their final fixture in May and their third consecutive game on the road. Details below:
IHSC Cup
Saturday 24th May 2025
Shropshire Huskies v Warriors
@ Telford Ice Rink
Face-off : 4:30pm
Free entry
Watch this space for future Warriors 1 fixtures : Fixtures and Results.
