top of page

UK Ice Hockey roundup from around the leagues.

Streatham Redhawks v Invicta Dynamos
Streatham Redhawks v Invicta Dynamos

EIHL


The Elite Ice Hockey League Challenge Cup saw some high-scoring games and dramatic finishes across the country. On Friday night, the Cardiff Devils impressed with a dominant 7-1 victory over the Guildford Flames, while the Nottingham Panthers travelled to Manchester and secured a 3-1 win over the Storm.


Saturday’s fixtures continued the action, as Guildford Flames hosted Coventry Blaze but fell 3-5 in an entertaining contest. The Nottingham Panthers suffered a tough 1-4 defeat at home to the Sheffield Steelers, who laid down an early marker. In Glasgow, the Clan edged Dundee Stars 6-5 in overtime in a thrilling encounter, and the Belfast Giants were ruthless at home, cruising to an emphatic 8-0 win over the Fife Flyers.


Sunday brought more excitement, with the Sheffield Steelers needing overtime again to overcome Manchester Storm 4-3. The Glasgow Clan made it a perfect weekend with a 3-2 win on the road against the Fife Flyers, while Dundee Stars bounced back to claim a 5-2 victory against the Belfast Giants. Rounding out the weekend, Coventry Blaze edged past the Cardiff Devils 2-1 in a tight contest.


These Challenge Cup results set the tone for what promises to be a fiercely competitive season, with teams already showing attacking flair and plenty of resilience across the EIHL.


NIHL


The National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) delivered a weekend packed with goals and gripping encounters across the country. On Saturday, 20th September, the Leeds Knights hosted Telford Tigers in a high-octane fixture, with the Tigers coming out on top, 7-4. Swindon Wildcats made the most of home advantage, securing a 3-1 victory over the Solway Sharks, while Milton Keynes Lightning lit up the scoreboard with a commanding 7-2 win against Bristol Pitbulls. The Sheffield Steeldogs also impressed, defeating Hull Seahawks 5-3 in a closely fought contest.


Sunday, 21st September, saw the Bristol Pitbulls bounce back with a decisive 6-2 triumph over the Solway Sharks. The Romford Raiders and Sheffield Steeldogs played out a tense match, with the Steeldogs clinching a 4-3 overtime win. Hull Seahawks were unable to halt the Swindon Wildcats, falling 2-4 at home, and the Peterborough Phantoms edged the Leeds Knights 4-3 in a nail-biter. Telford Tigers rounded off the weekend with another strong performance, defeating Milton Keynes Lightning 6-3.


These results signal a fiercely competitive start to the NIHL campaign, with teams already demonstrating attacking prowess and fighting spirit. Fans across the country will be hoping for more of the same as the season unfolds.


NIHL1:


The NIHL 1 North and South divisions served up a feast of ice hockey action over the weekend of 20th and 21st September 2025, with big scores, surprise results, and plenty for fans to cheer about up and down the country.


NIHL 1 North: Hawks, Barons, and Stars Shine Bright


Saturday saw the Widnes Wild travel to the National Ice Centre and come away with an impressive 4-1 victory over Nottingham Lions 1. Over at Telford Ice Rink, the Blackburn Hawks edged a close contest against Telford Tigers 2, taking the points with a 4-3 win in front of a lively home crowd.


Sunday’s fixtures brought more drama. The Sheffield Scimitars faced a tough challenge against the Solihull Barons, who asserted their dominance with a convincing 6-1 win away at Ice Sheffield. Meanwhile, the Widnes Wild hosted the Blackburn Hawks, but the visitors proved too strong, running out 6-2 winners at Planet Ice Widnes.


Nottingham Lions 1 and Telford Tigers 2 squared off again, this time with the Tigers running rampant in an 8-4 away win, showing their attacking intent. Leeds Knights 2 had a tough evening at home, falling 8-3 to a ruthless Billingham Stars side who sent a strong message to the rest of the division.


NIHL 1 South: Wildcats and RedHawks Impress


Down south, the Swindon Wildcats 2 picked up a solid home win, defeating Chelmsford Chieftains 3-1 at the Link Leisure Centre on Sunday evening. The Streatham RedHawks also enjoyed a successful outing, shutting out the Invicta Dynamos 2-0 in front of their home support at the Streatham Ice & Leisure Centre.


With both divisions delivering thrilling contests and plenty of goals, it’s clear that teams across the NIHL 1 are eager to make their mark early in the season. As the league table begins to take shape, fans can expect even more excitement and unpredictability in the weeks ahead.


NIHL2


NIHL 2 Weekend Results: North and South Divisions


In the NIHL 2 North, Saturday's action saw the Deeside Dragons NIHL2 fall 1–4 at home to the Billingham Buccaneers at Deeside Leisure Centre, with the match starting at 5:15 PM. At Hull Arena, Kingston Sharks NIHL 2 put in a dominant performance, defeating the Bradford Bulldogs 7–3 in their 5:30 PM clash. Later that evening, Altrincham Aces struggled at home as they were beaten 1–5 by Coventry NIHL Blaze at Planet Ice Altrincham . On Sunday, the Bradford Bulldogs returned to the ice but were overpowered by the Sheffield Titans, who secured a commanding 13–5 victory at the Bradford Ice Arena .


Moving to the NIHL 2 South, Saturday featured a fixture between Lee Valley Lions NIHL S2 and MK Thunder at Lee Valley Ice Centre , and Bristol Pitbulls 2 hosted Chelmsford Warriors at Planet Ice Bristol .Sunday’s contests brought more excitement: the Solent Junior Devils NIHL 2 claimed a confident 5–2 win over Invicta Mustangs at Planet Ice Gosport Guildford Phoenix edged out MK Thunder 6–4 at Guildford Spectrum in a 5:30 PM face-off, while Cardiff Canucks triumphed 7–5 against Oxford Rising Stars NIHL 2 at Ice Arena Wales, with the puck dropping at 6:15 PM.


From high-scoring matches to hard-fought contests, the NIHL 2 North and South divisions delivered a weekend packed with drama and memorable moments. As the season progresses, fans can look forward to more thrilling encounters and shifting league dynamics.


WNIHL


The WNIHL divisions delivered plenty of talking points and drama this past weekend, with teams from Elite to Division 2 producing some truly memorable results.


WNIHL Elite Division


Saturday evening at Streatham Ice & Leisure Centre saw the Streatham Storm face off against the Whitley Bay Beacons. The visitors proved too strong, securing a 4–0 win in a clinical display that underlined their dominance on the night.


WNIHL 1 North


The Caledonia Steel Queens showed their strength on Saturday at Murrayfield Ice Rink, overwhelming Widnes Wild Women 16–1 in a one-sided fixture. Meanwhile, Nottingham Vipers edged past the Sheffield Shadows with a narrow 3–2 victory at Ice Sheffield, demonstrating resilience and determination.


WNIHL 1 South


There was no shortage of goals at Slough Ice Arena, where the Firebees powered past Milton Keynes Falcons with a commanding 10–1 triumph on Saturday. Sunday saw Chelmsford Cobras maintain momentum, defeating Streatham Storm WNIHL1S 5–1 at Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre, keeping the home crowd entertained.


WNIHL 2 North


Blackburn Hawks Women's team edged out Leeds Roses 4–3 in a closely contested match at Planet Ice Blackburn, while Sunday’s fixture at Ice Sheffield saw the Sheffield Shadows WNIHL 2 and Telford Wrekin Raiders play out a goalless draw, reflecting the competitive balance in this division.


WNIHL 2 South


The weekend kicked off at Planet Ice Coventry, with Coventry Phoenix taking on Bristol Huskies D2, although the scoreline was not reported. Sunday’s action saw Invicta Dynamics come from behind to defeat Lee Valley Vampires 4–3 at Lee Valley Ice Centre, while Haringey Greyhounds S2 and Solent Amazons shared the spoils in a 5–5 thriller at Alexandra Palace Ice Rink. The Chelmsford Pythons S2 were unable to contain Slough Sirens, who ran out 4–1 winners at Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre.


Overall, the WNIHL weekend showcased a vibrant mix of high-scoring encounters, defensive masterclasses, and spirited performances across all divisions. With such competitive fixtures, fans have plenty to look forward to as the season continues, and the league tables begin to take shape. The unpredictability and excitement are sure to keep supporters on the edge of their seats in the weeks ahead.


SNL


Scottish National League: Weekend Results Roundup


The Scottish National League (SNL) offered up plenty of action over the weekend, with several teams making strong early statements as the 2025–2026 season continues to gather pace.


The weekend began on Saturday, 20th September, with an early face-off at 13:00, where the Lynx edged out the Pirates in a tightly fought contest, taking a 4–3 victory. Later that evening, the Kestrels put on an impressive display, shutting out the Sharks with a commanding 5–0 win at 18:30. Meanwhile, the Warriors proved too strong for the Wild in their own 18:30 fixture, coming away with a clinical 3–0 result. The scheduled clash between Thunder and Caps at 17:30 was postponed, leaving fans waiting for another day to see these two sides battle it out.


Sunday’s fixtures continued the high-energy trend, with the Warriors and Kestrels meeting again at 17:00. This time, it was a much closer affair, but the Warriors managed to clinch a narrow 3–2 victory, further underlining their credentials as early contenders. The day was capped off by a goal-fest as the Wild outscored Lightning 8–6 at 17:30, in a match where attacking flair was on full display and defences were certainly given a thorough test.


The SNL’s latest round of results has only added to the intrigue and excitement of the new season. With both tight encounters and high-scoring affairs, there’s no shortage of drama for fans to enjoy. As the teams settle into their campaigns, supporters can look forward to more thrilling action, intense rivalries, and unpredictable outcomes in the weeks ahead.


Stay tuned for more match reports, weekly results roundups, here at www.overthebenchsportblog.com. Head to Spotify and check out our podcast and head to our Instagram and YouTube for post-match interviews and video content.

Comments


bottom of page