The Warriors tame the Dragon in Sheffield
On Saturday 3rd January 2026 our Warriors 1 team travelled to Sheffield to take on the Blazers in the IHSC Cup.
This was the Warriors opening game in their 2025-26 IHSC Cup season and it was sure to be a tough one.
The Sheffield Blazers were semi-finalists last season and were not to be underestimated.
It had been 3.5 years since these teams last faced off. The last meeting was on 4th June 2022 at Ice Sheffield when the Warriors staged an epic comeback to win 10-13.
With so much time having passed, only 6 players from that game are on today’s Warriors roster. And no doubt the Blazers team will have evolved over time too. So this was a difficult game to predict.
Today’s game marked the debut of Jake Warner who joined the team a few months ago. Also, Sam Cadman got a late call up to play, just before he needed to go back to University the next day.
Our Canadian netminder Andrew Hughes got the nod for goalie duties - his first outing of the season (and with new pads) with Lewis Pickering on back-up duty.
Dressed players
Andrew Hughes (NM), Lewis Pickering (NM), Chris Giles (C), Andy Giles (A), Sam Cromack (A), Adam Gibbons, Ellen Gallimore, Mitch White, Niks Kamaldins, Tyler Heming, Dylan Noonan, Simon Morrow, Chris Scampton, Harvey Galloway, Chris Blaschko, Jake Warner and Sam Cadman.
1st period
Both teams seemed to start the game intent on dominating early and getting an unassailable lead.
It was like a couple of boxers trading jabs without landing any meaningful blows.
That said, the Warriors do have to give thanks to their netminder Andrew Hughes, for making some very important stops early on.
It was clear this was going to be a close game and potentially quite tense.
But with 3:45 on the clock, Harvey Galloway fed the puck to Niks Kamaldins who slotted the puck into the net. 0-1 to the Warriors.
But the game remained extremely close with both teams looking threatening when on the offensive. Fortunately for the Warriors, the Blazers took a couple of minor penalties at 07:04 and 11:48 to give them the man advantage.
Whilst they could not capitalise on this, it at least hindered the Blazers offensive ambitions temporarily.
The Warriors sure did need that ‘insurance’ goal though - and so the next goal was crucial. Could the Warriors get that daylight between them or would the hosts equalise and swing the momentum in their favour?
Well, at 17:34 Warriors’ Mitch White bagged that crucial goal, having taken the pass from debutant Jake Warner.
Despite the Blazers applying a lot of pressure on the Warriors defence and goalie, they stood firm to keep the score at 0-2 going into the first interval.
View from the bench
Blazers 0-2 Warriors
2nd period
Hockey’s old saying about the danger of a two-goal lead rang true for the Warriors in such a close contest. The last goal mattered, but the next felt pivotal — the swing between a 3–0 cushion and a 2–1 game is huge.
The second period was littered with minor penalties - the Blazers picked up a checking, roughing and boarding penalty in the 25th, 32nd and 36th minutes whilst the Warriors picked up a tripping and roughing penalty in the 27th and 32nd minute. But each of these penalties were killed off as neither team could make the advantage count.
Whilst the second period was a real end-to-end affair with both teams threatening to score, they were locked in a goalless stalemate.
Unbelievably, neither team scored and it was a 0-0 period,
Blazers 0-2 Warriors
3rd period
Mindful of recent third-period collapses, Warriors coaches Dylan Noonan and Andy Giles stressed the importance of maintaining focus for the final 20 minutes. At 2–0, the lead remained precarious, and a third goal was clearly needed.
Thankfully, we did not have long to wait, as at 45:23, Kamaldins bagged his second goal of the night to make it 0-3 to the Warriors. The assist coming from Sam Cadman.
A crucial goal, especially when considering how it felt inevitable that the Blazers would get on the board at some point. And so they did, at 50:37, when their number #10 unleashed a shot through a screen. 1-3.
This gave the hosts renewed hope and determination which was now being reflected in their battling play, This was a storm the Warriors needed to weather and with less than 10 minutes to go, time was on their side - just avoid a collapse. Or - score a goal.
Attack soon became the best form of defence for the Warriors and late in the game, at 57:35, Noonan fed the puck to Galloway in the slot where he instinctively lifted the puck from his backhand into the top corner of the net.
A great moment for Galloway and a big relief for the team. With just over two minutes remaining and a three goal lead, it was clear that the W was secure.
Final score:
Blazers 1-4 Warriors
Points scorers :
Niks Kamaldins 2+0
Harvey Galloway 1+1
Mitch White 1+0
Dylan Noonan 0+1
Jake Wagner 0+1
Luke Cadman 0+1
Dylan Noonan
Player of the game
Harvey Galloway
Captain’s POTG
The Player of the Game for the Warriors, as selected by the Blazers, went to our joint player-coach, Dylan Noonan, who was as reliable as ever, creating chances for that second line and picking up 0+1. And the Captain’s helmet went to Harvey Galloway who notched up 1+1. Well played lads!
Also, shout-out to Niks Kamaldins on his 2 goal tally and to Jake Warne for his debut assist.
This was a very tough game for the Warriors and it was a relief to have come through it with a W. Playing such a strong team away from home straight after the Christmas period could have been a banana skin.
It was also a game that could have gone either way. Had Hughes not made some great saves early in the game, the Warriors could have been chasing. Getting that third goal to make it 0-3 was the key buffer that the team needed. But when the Blazers brought it to 1-3 you could sense the increase in their determination to get back into it. Again, this could have been dangerous for the Warriors.
Thanks to the Blazers for hosting the game. We’ll see you in Leeds for the return leg. We’re sure it’ll be another close game between two evenly matched teams.
The next game for Warriors 1 is also in the IHSC Cup (Ice Hockey Summer Classic). See the details below:
Saturday 31st January 2025
Warriors 1 v Sheffield Ice Tigers A
@ Planet Ice, Leeds
Face-off : 9:30pm
All Warriors 1 fixtures can be found here : Fixtures and Results
