Ice Hockey: Flyers eclipse Bombers

FIFE FLYERS and Cardiff Devils retained first and second place in the Premier Division with easy wins over lowly opposition at the weekend.

Ryan Kummu returned for Fife from injury and scored two goals in the 11-6 win over Teesside Bombers which rarely saw the host side stretched as they entered the final period 9-5 up. Indeed, so confident were Fife that they had allowed their goaltender, John McCrone, to celebrate his engagement and played Ricky Grubb in goal instead.

Cardiff played Basingstoke Beavers and an indication of what sort of game it was going to be came after just 25 seconds. Shannon Hope received a two-minute penalty for holding, whereupon Ian Cooper and Hilton Ruggles promptly each scored short-handed goals. The final result was 13-7 but, in fairness, Beavers have just lost their coach, Troy Walkington, had two players on international duty and were missing three others.

One club, at least, had a cause for celebration. Peterborough Pirates ended their six-game losing run with a 7-6 win at Bracknell Bees.

The game-winning goal came seconds before the end of the second period, Jamie Penner's only goal of the night proving conclusive. The Pirates netminder, Simon Wren, earned the dubious honour of becoming the first Premier goaltender this season to face over 1,000 shots.

In the Under-21 World Junior Championships Pool C in Denmark, Britain's 6-1 win over the Netherlands saw them go through to meet Denmark for the bronze medal.

BRITISH LEAGUE Premier Division: Fife 11 Teesside 6; Durham 4 Sheffield 8; Humberside 7 Nottingham 3; Bracknell 6 Peterborough 7; Cardiff 13 Basingstoke 7. First Division: Guildford 6 Blackburn 14; Trafford 10 Milton Keynes 9; Solihull 8 Telford 13; Oxford City 3 Chelmsford 8; Medway 4 Streatham 3; Romford 8 Lee Valley 4.