Ice hockey: Streatham suffer shootout defeat vs Chelmsford Chieftains

Streatham came away on the losing end of a close encounter with the Chelmsford Chieftains on Saturday evening as the Chieftains took a 4-3 win via the shootout.

It was a close game with neither side ever getting a more than one-goal advantage throughout.

Luke Brittle and Ryan Watt set up Ziggy Beesley in the 10th minute for the Streatham opener. 

The Chieftains answered back quickly – just one minute and 45 seconds later – as Jay King set up Cameron Bartlett to tie the game.

Streatham went ahead again as Ziggy Beesley netted his second of the game, giving Streatham a 2-1 lead heading into the break.

It would take a little over half the second period before another goal would be scored 

On a powerplay in the 32nd minute, JJ Pitchley made it 3-1 to the RedHawks with help from Sam Waller.

It would be near the end of the period when the Chieftains would pull one back, making it 3-2 as Halden Barnes Garner netted with the assists going to Olaksander Maltsev and Grant Bartlett.

The Chieftain would then tie everything up in the 49th minute, as Barnes-Garner and Ollie Baldock would support Damon Porter as he tied the score at 3-3.

Streatham would take the lead back three minutes later as Luke Brittle applied the finish from JJ Pitchley and Harvey Briggs to make it 4-3 with eight minutes remaining.

But the Chieftains would only need three minutes to re-tie the score as Baldock finished off after help from Porter and Barnes-Garner.

Meaning, at the buzzer to end the of third half, the score was 4-4 and overtime needed to decide the game.

With Netminders Nate Gregory and Jordan Lawday both stopping everything that was thrown at them in overtime, the game would go to the penalty shootout.

Nate Gregory scored past Cameron Bartlett in the shootout, meaning everything rested on Ziggy Beesley to keep Streatham in the shootout – but Lawday stopped the shot to give the Chieftains the win on the High Road.

The following evening, Streatham were in action away to the Oxford City Stars and came away 10-0 winners as Danny Milton recorded another shutout for the RedHawks. 

In the first period, Josh Martin, Jared Lane and Beesley all scored on Stars netminder Petr Cech. 

Then, in the second, the RedHawks would build it further to 7-0 as Jared Lane would add his second, with Ryan Watt, Luke Brittle and Sam Waller joining him on the scoresheet. 

Streatham would add three more in the third period as Martin netted his second, and JJ Pitchley and Callum Burnett rounded out the scoring to make it 10-0 Streatham.

It is now a two-week break from home action for Streatham. They will next welcome the Solent Devils on Sunday 24 th March at 18:45 – the same night the league trophy will be officially presented by the EIH.