Whitley Bay Beacons were the big winners last weekend at the WNIHL Finals, winning three-in-three to secure the WNIHL1 playoff title and promotion back to WNIHL Elite for 23/24.
The promotion playoff brought the curtain down on three days of WNIHL action at ice Sheffield, with 13 games across the senior and U16 divisions of the women’s leagues in the EIHA.
Saturday’s action was all about the semi finals in WNIHL Elite, 1 and 2.
Whitley Bay opened proceedings against Sheffield Shadows in the first WNIHL1 semi. The Tynesiders, who ran the table in league play with a 14-0 record, were comfortable 8-1 winners to book their place in the final 24 hours later. Abbie Culshaw bagged a brace with six other goal scorers for Beacons.
Their opponents would be either Swindon Topcats or Kingston Diamonds who played out a 1-1 tie through 60 minutes and overtime. Katie Edginton (Swindon) and Lizzie Saunders (Kingston) were the scorers in normal time. With nerves frayed on the ice and in stands, it was the Topcats who prevailed in a shootout – Mali Easton with the countless saves before Nora Egri potted the winning shot in sudden death.
Next up was the Elite semi finals, starting with league champion Solihull Vixens against Streatham Storm. Katie Henry and Grace Garbett had Solihull up 2-0 in the first period, before Angela Taylor reduced the arrears before the interval. Laura Horwood’s solo strike in the middle frame made it 3-1, before final period goals from Paige Dance (2) and Katie Henry made the final score 6-1 to the champions.
The second Elite semi final pitched Queen Bees against Guildford Lightning. Goalies Amelia McGinlay (QB) and Mali Easton (Gui) were on top in the first 40 minutes as the teams headed to second break tied at 0-0. Queen Bees finally broke the deadlock four minutes into the third frame through Chrissy Newman, adding two more in quick succession from Lily Endicott and Katherine Gale forcing a Guildford timeout before the midpoint of the period. It didn’t stop Rachel Cartwright adding a fourth (51.45) before Louise Adams finally got Guildford on the board with a shorthanded marker on 56 minutes. Nicola Lazarczuk potted a powerplay response for Queen Bees and a 5-1 final had the top two sides headed for the grand final on Sunday.
The final division on the schedule was WNIHL2 where the top two sides from each of the North and South sections played cross-over semi finals.
North champions Solway Sharks faced off with Peterborough Phantoms, and the Scottish side took a 2-0 lead to the first break through Michelle Croucher and Rosie Adey. Katie Trachtenberg and Adey’s second made it 4-0 before the half hour before Kodie Duguid responded for Phantoms. Katie Russell added a late fifth for the Sharks who comfortably won their place in the Final.
Saturday’s final action pitched South division champions Cardiff Comets against Widnes Wild. And the Comets wasted no time getting going with two goals in the first 65 seconds of the contest. Maddie Davies and Jordan Phipps scored early , with Liv Taylor adding a third before the first break. The middle frame was scoreless and the final period was heading the same way until Leen De Decker had Widnes on the board just 6 minutes from time to set up a grandstand finish, which included a Widnes Wild six-on-three, but the Comets held out to make it an all-Celtic affair in their final on Sunday.
And so to Sunday’s action, with three finals and the addition of semi-finals for the U16 division – previously the North and South league winners played a single Final game at the weekend.
First on the ice was the WNIHL1 Final Whitley v Swindon. The Beacons started the stronger and were on the board with a powerplay marker from Casey Traill at 5.47. Whitley hit two more before the break with Aisling Rafter and Steph Towns on target. A fourth goal early in P2 from Kate Ord brought about Swindon’s goalie change and an instant response through Abi Minter’s goal for Swindon (4-1). Service restored before the half hour as Towns bagged her second for 5-1 at the second break. Beacons had further chances but without adding to their score, and Whitley Bay were WNIHL1 Playoff Champions.
WNIHL Lead Faye Andrews announced the division’s All Stars – another new addition to the event this year. Best goalie was Libby Bird (Kingston), best defender was Casey Traill (Whitley) and best forward was Abbie Culshaw (Whitley).
The U16 semi finals had the top two teams from the North and South divisions playing crossover semi finals. North champions Kingston Diamonds faced Chelmsford Rattlesnakes, while the South champions Swindon Top Kittens pitched against Whitley Bay Beacons.
Both U16 semi finals were enthralling end to end games, with great fan support and no shortage of drama. Kingston lead 7-3 in the first game, boosted by Lydia Lutwyche’s hat-trick, but Chelmsford fought back to just 7-6 90 seconds from time, and even had the puck lying on the goal line as time expired on a Kingston win.
In the second semi it was Whitley Bay who jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead, only for Swindon to reel off five in a row to lead 5-3, which was pegged back to 5-4 at the second break. A late insurance marker made the final score 6-4 to Swindon.
Solway Sharks and Cardiff Comets were next on the ice for the WNIHL2 Final. Sharks found the net early through Katie Trachtenberg (4.43) before the sides traded goals around the midpoint – Liv Taylor for Cardiff, Mo Muir for Solway seven seconds later. Sharks ahead 2-1 almost to the break but Liv Taylor bagged her second to make it all square at the break. Trachtenberg (SH) restored Solway’s lead in the middle frame (28.14) and held that advantage to the second break. Liv Taylor made it a hat-trick for Cardiff on the first play of period three (40.33) and it was 3-3 with pretty much the whole period to play. Both sides spurned powerplay chances in the final period until the last minute when Cardiff took a tripping penalty and gave Sharks one last PP in regulation time. Gemma Watt fired a long range wrist shot from the blue line which the screened goalie didn’t see and it found the top corner with just 35 seconds left. Solway were WNIHL2 champions and promoted to WNIHL1 for 23/24.
The division all-stars were announced after the game. Best goalie – Mackenzie Macnamara (Cardiff), best defender – Naomi Warwick (Solway) and best forward -Katie Trachtenberg (Solway).
The final Sunday action was the showpiece Elite Final between Solihull Vixens and Queen Bees. A large number of GB players on show and GB staff in the stands watching on too.
A cagey first 20 was scoreless with each side having a powerplay chance without success. Late in the middle frame the deadlock was broken by QBs and their GB defender Abbie Sylvester. League champions Solihull responded early in the final period and Laura Horwood finished a smart move to level at 44.11. The Queen Bees upped their game once again, edging back in front with Sylvester’s second, a smart finish from bottom of the circle. The QBs killed a late penalty and took another in the final minute as Solihull pulled their goalie. Ellie Wakeling fired the length of the ice into the unguarded cage at 59.54 to ice the win for Queen Bees.
Natalie Aldridge, long time player and coach with the Slough-based club had announced before the weekend she was stepping down, and captain Chrissy Newman made sure the first trophy hand-off was to “Natz”.
The play-off champions also swept the All-Star votes. Best goalie – Amelia McGinley, best defender – Abbie Sylvester, best forward – Chrissy Newman.
The WNIHL Finals moved into the Bank Holiday Monday for the first time, with U16 Final and the Elite Promotion playoff game on the schedule.
First up the entertainers from Sunday, the U16s of Kingston and Swindon played out their National Final. Kingston started the stronger and took the lead on ten minutes through Lydia Lutwyche. This was quickly cancelled out by Amelia Williams’ marker for Swindon and the period ended all square. Meeyah Forbes, part of Kingston’s top line all weekend, put the Diamonds back in front at 19.34 and that held until the second break. Just over seven minutes into the final period Erin Roche ghosted in from the right wing and picked the corner of the net to level the game at 2-2. Just over two minutes from time Swindon were caught with six skaters on the ice, on the resulting powerplay patient puck movement from Kingston created the chance for Meeyah Forbes to net her second of the game and clinch the title for Kingston Diamonds.
The U16 All Stars were named before the trophy lift. Best goalie – Keira Waddington (Chelmsford), best defender – Miley Draisey (Swindon), best forward – Lydia Lutwyche (Kingston).
Finally on the ice the game to decide the final place in 23/24 Elite division. Bristol Huskies had finished sixth in their debut top-flight campaign, while Whitley Bay Beacons had a taste of Elite in 21/22 and wanted a swift return after winning WNIHL1 convincingly.
The Beacons were playing their third game in just over 48 hours while Bristol were totally fresh. Any doubts were erased as Whitley took an early 2-0 lead with Steph Towns netting both. It was a sign of things to come as Towns scored again, and again, and again to make it five personal and 5-0 for the Beacons. Huskies had no answer and when they did get anyway near Megan Craig in the Beacons net was on form.
So the Whitley Bay club return to the top division after winning 16/16 league games, two playoff games and a promotion decider.
The weekend was a great celebration of the WNIHL and women’s hockey with great games, fantastic crowds, amazing social media interaction and online support for the webcast too.
After the event the WNIHL Lead Faye Andrews said: “When I took the role two years ago I wanted to elevate the domestic women’s game to a level that reflected the heart and soul given every week by the players, coaches, parents, staff and fans.
“When it comes to this WNIHL Weekend I’ve always felt we deserved better, we all deserved better.
“The weekend sold hundreds of online tickets and live streams in advance with countless dozens more in walkups across the weekend. Every game mattered, every game was a barnstormer. People wanted to pay to watch the best women and girls teams in the country. A LOT of people!
“Thank you to everyone who gave their time to make the weekend possible and I hope that everyone in the women’s game feel like you’re starting to get what you deserve.”
Photos: Mike Lennon
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