THE Solway Sharks were looking to claim a crucial two points in Dumfries on Saturday night to keep their play-off dreams alive.
However, Swindon clenched the 2-4 victory after a clinical performance on the power-play, leaving the Sharks seven points behind eighth placed Telford Tigers.
Sharks headed to the penalty kill in the opening seconds of the game as Connor Henderson headed to the box for hooking.
Solway denied the Wildcats briefly, before Vanya Antonov fired five-hole past Marr on two minutes.
Swindon continued their offensive pressure, forcing Kell Beattie to give up a slashing penalty.
Seconds later, Wildcats were clinical on the powerplay as Chris Jones fired a one-timer into an almost empty net.
It was an uphill start to the second period for the Sharks once more as Mason Alderson was called for interference at 22:46.
And Swindon capitalised through their powerplay unit as Jones slotted the puck past Jordan Marr on the backdoor at 23:44.
Seconds later, Solway’s discipline slipped again as Stuart Kerr sat for slashing at 23:51, but the Sharks PK unit denied a fourth straight powerplay goal for the Wildcats.
Frustrations started to spill for the Sharks as both Solway GB U20 forwards, Torran Anderson and Kyle Carruth, headed to the box for boarding and slashing respectively at 35:54 to put Sharks on a 3-on-5 penalty kill.
Sharks fired one final attempt on Renny Marr in the final seconds of the period as Nolan Gardiner fired five-hole from an almost impossible angle at 39:54.
Swindon returned for the final period with intent to restore their three-goal lead and did just so through Jake Bricknell with a top-corner finish.
Swindon’s opening goal scorer Vanya Antonov gave up a tripping penalty at 47:06. And the Sharks finally capitalised on their PP as John Dunbar roofed the puck over Marr at 48:20.
The Sharks travelled East to face the Hull Seahawks on Sunday, and they took a single point after losing 6-5 following a penalty shootout.
The Seahawks got off to the perfect start as James Spurr flicked the puck top shelf past Marr at 36 seconds.
Sharks utilised their PK unit early in the middle frame as captain Liam Stenton was called for hooking at 21:35.
Seconds before Stenton returned into play, Bobby Chamberlain fired the puck past Marr at 23:21 to double Hull’s lead.
After a line change, Gardiner fired a pinpoint shot past McLaughlin at 29:08 to halve the deficit.
The Sharks then punished Hull on the powerplay as Lewis Young fired the puck past McLaughlin on the backdoor.
Momentum swung and Young sent the puck across the line at 34:23, to give Solway a 2-3 lead.
The hosts were relentless in the dying moments of the period, seeing Emil Svec jam the puck past Marr on the back door at 39:55.
Seahawks were left a man short again in the third period as Lee Haywood sat for tripping at 47:21, allowing Gardiner to restore Solway’s lead at 48:06.
Svec soon fired a penalty shot top corner to tie the scores up once more at 49:26. However, within the same minute, Solway regained their lead through Caly Robertson.
The hosts ramped up the pressure which allowed James Spurr to claim his second of the night, posting the score at 5-5.
A major chance occurred for the Sharks late on, but McLaughlin made the save to deny Gardiner.
Neither side found a way past either Jordan in net during three-on-three play which forced penalty shots for the first time this season at the Hull Ice Arena.
A clinical shootout from the Seahawks forwards allowed the NIHL’s top points scorer Owen Sobchak to secure the extra point for the hosts.
Solway return to home ice this Saturday as they host the Sheffield Steeldogs in a crucial matchup.
Puck drop is at 7 pm and doors open at 5.30 pm. Tickets are available online at sharksihc.com/and in person at the ice bowl.
