Telford Tigers secured a memorable 5-2 victory over Solway Sharks, giving themselves an ideal early Christmas gift. Head coach Tom Watkins celebrated the result as a significant win, especially after a tough 10-6 loss to Sheffield Steeldogs the previous day. This victory helped the Tigers close the gap on the Sharks, one of their rivals for an NIHL National League play-off position.
The game saw Telford’s Devon Skoleski score twice, with additional goals from Scott McKenzie, James Smith, and Adam Harding. Watkins was thrilled with the performance, saying, “That was a big win for us on home ice going into Christmas, and it was a great bounce-back after a very poor night in Sheffield. We started a little nervy, but we made a difference at the key moments, especially with the penalty shot goal and the subsequent power-play goal to make it 4-1.”
Watkins also praised the team’s defense and goaltender Brad Day, saying, “Brad looked like he was seeing the puck well with some timely stops, and in the third period, although we didn’t get the start we wanted, we played smart and were able to shut down the Sharks’ top line.”
The match began with a tight first period, where Telford took the lead when Skoleski deflected a shot from Ryan Leese. However, the Sharks quickly responded, with Liam Stenton scoring just a minute later from the blue line to equalize. Early in the second period, McKenzie put the Tigers ahead once more following a scramble in front of the net.
The game took a significant turn midway through the second period when Telford was awarded a penalty shot after Skoleski was fouled during a breakaway. He confidently skated in on the goalie and scored to extend the Tigers’ lead. Shortly after, Smith added another goal, firing from the slot during a power play to give Telford a 4-1 advantage.
Solway managed to pull one back early in the third period when Nolan Gardiner fired a powerful shot past Brad Day to reduce the Tigers’ lead to 4-2. However, Telford responded well, and with 10 minutes left, Harding sealed the win with a goal to restore the Tigers’ three-goal lead. The Tigers played out the remainder of the game with composure to claim a crucial two points.