Deeside Dragons Edge Hull Jets in Overtime Thriller

Grab Your Game Tickets, Join the Away Travel Crew, and Gear Up at Our Merch Store!

Deeside Dragons fought back from behind to claim a dramatic 5-4 overtime victory against Hull Jets in a fast-paced, end-to-end clash that kept the crowd on edge until the final whistle. In a game filled with big goals, controversial calls, and a touch of physicality, it was William Harper who delivered the decisive blow for the Dragons, netting the winner in overtime just moments after stepping back onto the ice from a penalty.

First Period: Jets Strike First

The Hull Jets wasted no time making their presence felt, opening the scoring at 8:40 through Kieran Beach on the power play, assisted by Scott Morris. Despite both teams generating chances, strong defensive play and key saves from the goaltenders kept the score at 1-0 in favour of Hull heading into the first intermission.

Second Period: Fireworks and Controversy

The middle frame saw a flurry of goals and penalties, including a scuffle involving multiple players from both teams. The Jets doubled their lead early in the period (23:44) when Ethan Daintith, set up by Morris, found the net with another man-advantage goal. The Dragons, however, responded just over a minute later (24:47) as Jakub Hajek capitalised on a power play, finishing off a setup from Ross Kennedy and Jared Dickinson to make it 2-1.

James Parsons levelled the game at 29:04 with another power-play goal, assisted by Brodie Jesson and Jared Dickinson. The Jets struck back swiftly at 30:29 as Beach netted his second of the night, this time at even strength, assisted by Devids Jurinenoks and Ethan Daintith.

The tension boiled over at 29:20 when Dragons’ Marc Lovell was handed a highly contentious five-minute major and game misconduct for spearing. The decision stunned the home crowd as Lovell’s stick appeared to be on the ice and not even in his hands at the time. Despite the setback, Deeside kept their composure, and late in the period, they tied the game again at 37:59. Garry Simpson produced a brilliant breakaway goal, showing quick hands to bury his own rebound past the Jets netminder.

Third Period: Back-and-Forth Battle

The Jets took the lead once more at 46:17 through Ian Kerman, who was assisted by Jurinenoks and Sam Rodgers. Deeside answered yet again, this time with a power-play goal from Alex Parry at 54:28, set up by William Harper and Brodie Jesson. With the game tied at 4-4 heading into the final minutes, both teams had chances, but strong defensive play and key saves forced overtime.

Overtime Magic for Deeside

With just under a minute left in overtime (63:54), it was Harper who played the hero, slotting home the game-winner off a feed from Jakub Hajek. In a twist of fate, Harper had just served a two-minute penalty for delay of game before returning to seal the win for the Dragons.

Goaltending & Defence

Both goaltenders faced significant pressure, with Deeside firing 40 shots on goal compared to Hull’s 28. Despite the high shot count, the game remained relatively low-scoring, thanks to solid defensive efforts and key shot blocks from both teams.

Key Takeaways

Star Performers: Kieran Beach (Jets) was a constant threat with two goals, while William Harper (Dragons) stood out with a goal and an assist, including the match-winner.
Turning Point: The Dragons’ first goal at 24:47 settled the team and sparked their comeback.
Physicality & Controversy: A second-period scuffle and Marc Lovell’s questionable ejection added drama to an already tense contest.
Injury Concern: Dragons’ Charles Phillips left the game in the second period due to illness, as the team continues to recover from a sickness that has impacted the squad.

What’s Next?

The Dragons will look to build on this hard-fought win when they return home to face the Leeds Knights on Sunday, 9th March. Hull Jets, despite the loss, showed they are a formidable opponent and will look to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.