Leeds Knights, Hull Seahawks and Sheffield Steeldogs - NIHL National weekend review

It followed on from Friday night’s 6-3 win on home ice against Solway Sharks. The wins, combined with results elsewhere, see Matty Davies’s team keep up the pressure on the top three of leaders Milton Keynes Lightning, Leeds Knights and Peterborough Phantoms, who all won their respective games.

Emil Svec led the way for the Seahawks against a struggling Pitbulls, opening his account up with Hull’s second of the night after Lee Bonner had got the ball rolling at 3.08.

The hosts saw their lead halved by a Juha Lindgren strike at 11.45 but, thereaftwer, it was plain sailing.

Goals from Dec Balmer and Finlay Ulrick established a 4-1 lead by the first intermission and that is how it remained until just after the halfway point when the Seahawks plundered four more goal in just six minutes to ensure the points would indeed be theirs.

Nathan Salem made it 5-1 at 30.18 with Svec, Bonner and Ulrick all doubling their respective tallies before the second period break.

Brock Bartholomew got in on the act at 42.12, with Bobby Chamberlain - who also bagged four assists - adding his name to the scoresheet a minute later before Svec completed his hat-trick and the rout at 53.11.

Sheffield Steeldogs recovered from Saturday night’s 8-2 defeat at a rejuvenated Swindon Wildcats when their second road trip of the weekend resulted in a 4-2 win at struggling Raiders IHC.

Ben Morgan got them ahead just before the end of the first period, the lead being stretched to 3-0 by the 36th minute after Jonathan Kirk - on the power play - and player-coach Jason Hewitt got on the scoresheet.

Adam Laishram got the hosts on the board at 52.32 but Jonathan Phillips restored the three-goal lead just over three minutes later, Brandon Ayliffe grabbing a late consolation for the hosts.

Cam Brownley’s 15th-minute strike restored parity with Swindon on Saturday night after Gael Lubwele had put the hosts ahead on their return to The Link Centre for the first time since flooding wrecked the building back in September.

But that was as close as the Steeldogs got in Wiltshire, finding themselves 8-1 down before the got on the board again, with a 45th-minute strike from Aiden Dancer.

The following night, Swindon’s hopes of a perfect four-point return to home ice was scuppered when they had to settle for a single point when Leeds Knights won 3-2 in overtime.

Tomasz Malasinski put the Wildcats ahead early on only for Jordan Buesa to cancel that out with a 14th-minute power play strike.

It was Malasinski who got on the scoresheet for a second time just after the halfway point when he slotted past Sam Gospel after being awarded a penalty shot.

Just over five minutes later, however, the Knights - boosted by the addition of forward Innes Gallacher on a two-way deal from Widnes before face-off - were level once more, Mac Howlett once again proving a key figure when he blasted home at 35.49.

That was how it stayed for the remainder of regulation, leaving Buesa to provide a game-winning touch with an overtime winner with just 40 seconds remaining.