Ice-hockey: Streatham Storm clinch play-off spot

Streatham Storm clinched a promotion play-off spot in Women’s Division One South with a 5-3 away win over Peterborough Penguins.

It ensures the South London club will finish in the top two.

A hat trick from top-scorer Parris Moore helped bag the points.

Streatham will contest the four-way play-offs later this month for promotion to the Premier League.

“It was a great performance against a very good team, with all our lines fighting hard,” said skipper Sorana Churchill. “We have one more league game before the play-offs. We’ll be ready to battle for promotion and win.”

Natasha Briggs showed no signs of rust as she returned from an injury layoff, opening the scoring in the 11th minute from an assist by Moore. A solo effort from Charlotte Jacquemin saw Storm go into the first break with a 2-1 lead.

Two scores from Moore stretched the lead in the second period, the second off an assist by Annette Kerr as their line – with Briggs hitting top form – accounting for all but one of Streatham’s goals.

In a hard-fought third period, Peterborough closed the gap to a single goal with a score with 11 minutes left on the clock, setting up a potentially nervous final stretch.

Moore was on hand to restore the margin to two goals two minutes later and the visitors were able to see out the game without further fuss.