Cardiff Fire Extend Perfect Run To 17 National League Victories

Cardiff Fire have extended their perfect run of ice hockey form to 17 matches.

They continued their National League winning streak with a 6-1 road victory against Basingstoke.

Fire have won the Division Two title, while they are still chasing success in the cup and play-offs.

The home team came out hard looking to end Fire’s run and it was an end-to-end clash with chances at both ends of the ice.

The Hampshire club went ahead after 14 minutes through Paul Petts and that sparked a reaction from Fire.

Josh Haslam fired home to level the score (16 mins) and two minutes later Fire, now completely switched on, scored a go-ahead goal through Tamas Elias and the period ended 2-1 to the Fire

Sam Smith scored with a rocket of a shot after 27 minutes for a powerplay goal and that proved the only goal of the middle period.

Basingstoke looked tired going into the third and Cardiff kept rolling four lines of fresh players. Minor penalty trouble caused some disruption, but the penalty kill unit pressed hard knowing a goal for Basingstoke would bring them back into the game.

Jackson Price hounded the home D to cause a turn-over and he scored a shorthanded goal. More minor penalties were handed to Fire, but that didn’t stop the goal scoring.

Dave Christian finished a great chance from turning over the puck and scored Fire’s second shorthanded goal of the evening.

Smith scored Fire’s sixth goal to wrap things up with a 6-1 road victory for the Fire.

Fire have 17 wins out of 17 in all competitions and they now have a well deserved week off.

They head to Swindon for the final league game of the season before the business end of the season starts in April.

The Cup finals weekend is being held at Ice Arena Wales over the weekend of Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9. Fire have already qualified.

The play-offs start later in April and, again, Fire have already secured their place.

Fire scorers v Basingstoke: Sam Smith 2+0, Josh Haslam 1+0, Tamas Elias 1+0, Jackson Price 1+0, David Christian 1+2, David Sadler 0+1, Phil Manny 0+1, Tim Burrows 0+2, Dan Blakemore 0+1, Andrew Davies 0+1, Ross Wilkinson 0+1, Jordan Powell 0+1.

The previous evening Fire had defeated Wightlink Buccaneers 10-1 at Ice Arena Wales.

That was their 16th consecutive victory and Fire were awarded the Division Two West League championship trophy.

Slovakian Robert Sedlak led the charge with four goals.

Tim Burrows scored after 44 seconds and Sedlak made it 2-0 after four minutes.

Fire pounded the Wightlink goal with 20 shots during the first period, but there were no more goals.

The second period also started quickly with Fire finding the breakthrough on a powerplay and it was Sedlak in target.

He completed a hat-trick, while Burrows netted his second.

It was Sedlak who scored to make it 6-1, netting his fourth of the match.

There were also four goals in the third with Smith, Sammy Bryant, Ricky Deacon and Jackson Price all chipping in.

Fire scorers v Buccaneers: Robert Sedlak 4+0, Tim Burrows 2+0, Ricky Deacon 1+0, Sam Smith 1+1, Jackson Price 1+1, Sammy Bryant 1+3, Alan Armour 0+1, Jordan Powell 0+4, Christopher Hart 0+1, Tamas Elias 0+2, Andrew Davies 0+3, Phil Manny 0+1, Ross Wilkinson 0+3.