Seahawks Take Flight for New Season

“Not the result we wanted, but a game that will stand us in good stead as we build our match fitness and the team gels ahead of the season starting,” those were the thoughts of Hull Reckitt Seahawks coach, Matty Davies, following a 6-4 defeat to Yorkshire rivals, Sheffield Steeldogs, at Hull Arena.

The match was the Seahawks’ opening fixture in the pre-season Yorkshire Cup competition and the first time the team took to home ice in 2024/2025.

The Seahawks were without the influence of the returning, Dave Phillips, who was away on international duty with Team GB, as well as new club captain, Bobby Chamberlain.

However, the match was everything you would expect from a derby. A friendly game that was anything but.

The first period was end-to-end action, with both sides looking for the decisive first goal.

In their enthusiasm to take the lead, the Steeldogs were handed a penalty for too many players on the ice – putting the Seahawks on the powerplay. An opportunity that wouldn’t be wasted, with the home fans celebrating first, after Canadian forward, Owen Sobchak, tucked the puck away from the tightest of angles with a clinical backhanded finish, assisted by Emil Svec, at 5:31.

Undeterred, the visitors pushed for the equaliser, and it came at 9:38 with Nathan Ripley slotting a shot home from in front of goal, assisted by Ivan Bjorkly-Nordstrom.

A slashing penalty, called on Aidan Dancer, presented the Seahawks with an opportunity to restore the lead, but it would be the Steeldogs who would capitalise as they turned the game around on 13:14, with a shorthanded goal from Morgan Clarke-Pizzo who put a low shot in the bottom corner of the net, past the outstretched skate of Seahawks new netminder, Dimitri Zimozdra, assisted by Tom Barry and Ben Norton.

The first period would end 2-1 to the Steeldogs, with lots still to play for.

The second period started with the same frantic pace that the game settled into, with the Seahawks chasing the equalising goal to tie the match. However, it would be the away team who would extend their lead on 26:57, with Nathan Ripley adding his second of night – assisted again by Bjorkly-Nordstrom.

Less than a minute later, the Steeldogs almost added a fourth with a breakaway effort from Ripley that was saved by Zimozdra.

Spurred on, the Seahawks pressed high, with Declan Jones picking the pocket of the Steeldogs defence and playing the puck across goal to Owen Bruton who exchanged with Kaden Hanas to set up young forward, Rhys Edwards, to tuck the puck away at the back door, finishing a lovely passage of play. The Seahawks had brought the game back to within a goal at 21:14.

It wasn’t long before the comeback was complete, with the Seahawks Czech talisman, Svec, finding the top corner after being fed the puck from behind the goal by Sobchak and Jason Hewitt.

All square at 32:57 and an absolute barnstormer of a second period would end 3-3 to set up an exciting final 20 minutes.

An eight-minute blitz at the start of the third period would prove decisive, as the Steeldogs scored three unanswered goals.

Ripley scored his hat-trick goal on 41:56, combining yet again with Bjorkly-Nordstrom, before Clarke-Pizzo found the top corner on 45:51, assisted by Tate Shudra and Elmeri Hallfors.

Walker Sommer would then sneak the puck under Zimozdra, assisted by Jonathan Kirk, at 48:44, to put the score at 6-3 to the visitors.

However, the scoring was not complete yet as a defiant Seahawks drew a string of saves from Norton as they searched for a way back into the match.

Svec would get his second of the night for the Seahawks with an unassisted slap shot at 57:28 to reduce the deficit and bring the game back to within two goals, but that is how the game would end, 6-4, with the Steeldogs enjoying initial bragging rights for the season.

“There were some positives to take away from the game, and of course some negatives,” said Davies.

“Nobody likes losing–even in pre-season–but we worked hard and skated well.

“The new players settled in with those who have returned from last season, and I must also give lots of credit to our younger players–who were outstanding tonight.

“The team will continue changing and improving, as we go through the next couple of weeks, and I can assure our supporters that we will be ready for the season opener.”