Whitley Warriors 4 Coventry Blaze 1

Mar 1 2010 by Darren Kelso, The Journal

IT’S all to play for next Sunday when Nottingham Lions come to Hillheads with the winner taking the English National Ice Hockey League North Division One title.

Warriors moved within two points of leaders Nottingham and with a game in hand after last night’s 4-1 home win over Coventry Blaze at Hillheads.

Karl Culley was the man of the match with a hat-trick, opening the scoring after four minutes despite the Warriors being short-handed, his slap-shot hit with such ferocity that it sailed across the Blaze netminder into the left-hand corner.

It was not until the 23rd minute that the Warriors doubled their lead, Culley sent clear by Adam Hendry and placing the puck between the legs of the Blaze netminder.

Blaze cut the deficit at 29.38 but just ten seconds later, Culley’s hat-trick marker restored the two-goal cushion.

The only goal in the final period came with just 66 seconds left after the Blaze pulled their netminder, Ryan Sample on target.

On Saturday, the Warriors were beaten 7-2 at Kirkcaldy by Fife Flyers in the Northern League. After a goalless first period Flyers struck four times without reply. Hendry scored Warriors’ first reply in the fifth minute of the second period but it was not until the final minute that DJ Good netted a second with Fife leading 7-1.

Whitley head to Solway on March 13 and 14 for the Northern League play-off finals.