News Report

Chieftains win the Britton Cup!

A superb weekend of Ice Hockey, resulting in silverware for the team.

• admin
• 25 February 2025

For the first leg of the Cup Final, the Chieftains were away to the Solent Devils, supported by a huge, noisy, travelling army of the black ‘n’ gold fans. The first leg finished 1-4, with the Chieftains doing a superb job at such a tricky ice rink. With the chance of lifting the Britton Cup on home ice, it really made for an interesting and exciting game, and it didn’t disappoint!

Even before the game had started, during the training period, there was a coming together of both teams. The home fans were already being loud and proud, but this rocketed the noise and energy to another level, everybody was pumped up and ready to go!

The puck dropped, and for the first few minutes the play was end to end. The energy level was high, and at times Solent were forced to defend heavily. As soon as the Chieftains got beyond the blue line, they were closed down, there didn’t seem much available room on the ice. The Devils were proving to be dangerous on the break amongst the Chieftains attacking plays, and midway into the period, at 12:01, Liam Coleman scored a delayed penalty goal for Solent, making it 0-1 (4-2 on agg). The Chieftains came straight back on the attack, but Solent were making the most of their counterattacks, and at 13:37, Cain Russel scored for the Devils to make it 0-2 (4-3 on agg). Suddenly the game felt like it was on a knife edge. The Devils were gaining momentum, but the Chieftains managed to suppress the advance and got themselves back into the period. Lawday was making some fantastic saves when called upon, and the Chieftains attacks were becoming more prominent. The period ended 0-2, Lawday faced 7 shots, Solent faced 9.

For the start of the second period, the Chieftains were really on it, they’d managed to continue their momentum gained towards the end of the first period. The Devils were finding it hard to get out of their own zone at times. At 27:24, assisted by Mikey Power and Ollie Baldock, Dan Hitchings scored a superb goal to make it 1-2 (5-3 on agg). The physicality had been increasing period by period, and at 27:35, Alex Murray was sent to the sin bin for roughing. This was much to the amusement of the home fans and gave the Chieftains prime opportunity to keep the momentum going. At 28:04, assisted by Cameron and Grant Bartlett, Hallden Barnes-Garner scored to make it 2-2 (6-3 on agg). The home fans felt they could breathe again, and the Riverside was definitely rocking! But the fans hadn’t long finished celebrating when yet another goal arrived, at 30:11, assisted by Dylan Dix,  Ollie Baldock scored to make it 3-2 (7-3 on agg), and the noise levels went up yet another notch. Almost instantly, the Devils called a time out, and the home fans continued to chant for the Chieftains. Cameron Bartlett took a penalty for charging at 32:36, which gave Solent the advantage. They scored a powerplay goal at 32:36 courtesy of Cameron Buckle. It was now 3-3 (7-4 on agg). It felt like both teams were trading blows against each other, as one scored, so did the other. The second period was coming to an end, when, at 38:02, Liam Coleman scored the second of his night to make it 3-4 (7-5 on agg) and this is how the second period ended. Lawday had faced 4 shots, Solent had faced 15. 

For the third and final period, it began with end-to-end action, but the Chieftains were starting to gain longer periods of control. At one point, Dan Fay was rushed off the ice due to being hit by the puck. Fans were concerned for him, but he was back on the bench after being treated, and we wish him a speedy recovery. Solent’s counterattacks were becoming fewer as their defence was being worked hard by the Chieftains many attacks. Their netminder was doing a great job at keeping the Chieftains at bay, but at 51:20, the Chieftains broke through once more. Assisted by Hallden Barnes-Garner and Ollie Baldock, Mikey Power scored to make it 4-4 (8-5 on agg).  An elated Power threw himself up against the Perspex in celebration, and the Riverside did not need an excuse to raise the roof once more. With just two minutes passed, Callum Wells and Ollie Baldock assisted Hallden Barnes-Garner at 53:27 to make it 5-4 (9-5 on agg). The Chieftains continued to have the better of the final period, and Solent were beginning to tire as the Cup Final was ebbing away from them. The home fans started to count down the last few seconds of the period, and as the buzzer sounded, the Chieftains helmets and gloves were thrown up in the air. The team had done it! They’d won the Britton Cup!

The team had worked so hard all weekend, not forgetting the all-important run-up too. It’s a thoroughly deserved win for the whole team, supported by a huge following of loyal black ‘n’ gold supporters behind them.

If you'd like to see the stats for the 1st leg of the Cup Final click here.

If you'd like to see the stats for the 2nd leg of the Cup Final click here.

#LetGoChieftains #MoreSilverwareForTheTeam #BrittonCupFinalWinners