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From Prohockeynews.com HOCKEY UK
SHEFFIELD, U.K.- The Sheffield Arena played host to this year’s 2010 Winter Varsity game. Sheffield Hallam University took on the University of Sheffield in a bitter grudge match on Saturday the 20th of February. A day that will be fondly remembered as the biggest game in some of the players’ lives, watched by over 4,000 fans.
The Winter Varsity is an annual contest between the two
universities, with four points awarded for skiing and snowboarding, and a final
point being awarded for ice hockey. The snow sports ended in a 2-2 draw 24
hours earlier, placing more emphasis on the game, and added pressure to the
players. The five points are carried forward to the Varsity finals in April -
which will play host to over 60 fixtures around the city.
For 364 days of the year these two teams play together on a
single Sheffield Universities team, known as the Sheffield Bears. The club has
teams in three divisions of the BUIHA league, making them one of the
biggest university teams in the country. They are also one of the most
successful, winning silverware each year since their formation. The Sheffield
Bears will divide and fight it out for their own universities, putting
friendships and camaraderie aside in the name of honour and university
representation. Sheffield Hallam University own bragging rights on the ice,
claiming victory over Sheffield University for the last 5 years despite
Sheffield University taking home the Winter Varsity Trophy as winners in the
overall standings each time.
The game started off at a fast and frantic pace and Hallam
soon found the back of the net thanks to a Simon Offord wristshot from the hash
marks. The ex-Sheffield Scimitar proved to be a valuable addition to the Hallam
blueline for the game. Offord soon turned from hero to villain as he picked up an
interference call a minute after. University of Sheffield soon took advantage of this by tying
the game up on the powerplay four seconds into the man advantage. Michael
Szollosy claimed the goal, but in somewhat fortunate circumstances as a shot
from the blueline deflected off his arm into the goal, past netminder Jonathan
Tindall. Next it was the turn of Sheffield Spartans Nick Manning to
add to the Hallam tally with a neat solo effort 11 minutes in. Some hard work
by the only female player in the game, Great Britain women’s international Kat
Wiggins paving the way for Manning’s goal.
Hallam pressed further on University of Sheffield netminder
James Zeller, and they got their reward after an Ian Clark slapshot from the
blueline beat the Montreal born shot stopper. Hallam could have piled on further misery after Ben Duffy
was hauled down on a breakaway resulting in a penalty shot. It was Duffy to
take the penalty shot but the Surrey-born 19-year-old couldn’t find a way past
James Zeller. Both team pressed and had chances but the first period drew
to a close with no further scoring. Hallam had the better of the chances in the
first period and the shot count reflected this, as Hallam managed sixteen shots
to University of Sheffield’s ten.
Hallam started where they left off and they were soon on the
scoreboard once again three minutes into the second stanza, after a great
end-to-end goal from captain Matt Jeffcock, going 5-hole on Zeller. With a 4-1 lead Hallam began to get complacent, and ran into
penalty trouble during the second period. They were assessed a total of 22
penalty minutes in the middle session, putting them on the back foot for the
majority of the period. University of Sheffield pressed, desperately looking for a
way back into the game. They found a much needed breakthrough on the powerplay
after a Jack Ware slapshot found its way past ex-Sheffield Steeler netminder
Jonathan Tindall. Netminders Zeller (Uni of Sheffield) and Tindall (Hallam) pulled off some great saves in between the pipes, seeing the
second period out in style.
It was University of Sheffield who scored first in the final
period thanks to another Michael Szollosy effort. Andrew Terentjev had the initial
shot with Toronto-born lecturer Szollosy slotting home the rebound to reduce
the deficit to two. University of Sheffield’s celebrations were short lived as
Ben Duffy made up for his earlier penalty shot miss with a great top shelf
finish past the helpless Zeller. University of Sheffield weren’t giving up without a fight,
and they soon grabbed another goal after a scramble in the crease allowed Tom
Ray to net University's fourth and make it 5-4 to Hallam and ensure a nail
biting final 10 minutes.
Hallam piled on the pressure once again and they were duly
rewarded after a goalmouth scramble, in which Kat Wiggins slotted the puck home
to make it 6-4. Hallam sealed the deal with 40 seconds remaining after Chris
Bryniarski tucked home a backhand effort, partly thanks to a defensive blunder
from the University of Sheffield. The seconds ticked down with Hallam University players and
fans alike cheering euphorically at the final buzzer. The result extended
Sheffield Hallam's tradition of winning the Varsity ice hockey game and
also gave them the overall honours for the Winter Varsity Challenge, their
first in the six-year history of the competition.
Man of the match honours went to veteran Michael Szollosy
for University of Sheffield, and Matthew Jeffcock for his 1+3 captains
performance.
Jeffcock, Hallam captain and Sheffield Bears
President, spoke of his delight after the game “The game was great for both
teams and both sets of fans. The game also lived up to the initial expectations
of playing at the Sheffield Arena”, Jeffcock said.
“It was a close game but obviously I’m happy with the result
and pleased for Hallam as it’s the first time we have managed to win the Winter
Varsity. We managed to beat a very hard working University team who will be
more determined than ever to get their first victory in the Varsity ice hockey
fixture next season.”
Huge thanks go to Sheffield Steelers official photographer
Rik Rayner, Chris Murray of epiGenesys who filmed the game, Sam Gill and Kate
Rickard (the Sports Officers from Sheffield Hallam, and University of Sheffield
respectively).
Extended thanks to Mike O’Connor General Manager of the Sheffield Steelers for helping allow a great event to happen in the first place. Proceeds from the event went to the Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
That’s it for another year, until the next Varsity game in which both Universities will battle it out again.
Contact the author Scott.Antcliffe@Prohockeynews.com
Thanks to www.friendsandfamilyphotography.co.uk for providing the pictures
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