Stags (B)  Promoted to Non-Checking Division 1 for Nationals 2025 Tournament

Nationals Non-Checking 1 Round up! 

The April long weekend saw this year’s Stags B-Team Nationals competition.  It’s a high point of the season for every team and eagerly anticipated by all players in the league. This year the Stags B squad did so well in the regular season that it was the only one of our clubs four teams to be promoted for the Nationals weekend tournament. After an undefeated regular season in Non-checking North Division 2 we were keen to try our hand at the division we were relegated from just last year.  Entering the tournament at number 9 of 14 in the power rankings in NC-1 (non-checking top division) for the weekend it was going to be a battle and we were up for the challenge.

With a classic Stags road trip from Glasgow down to Sheffield behind us the team met up with our Women’s team, who were also representing Glasgow for the weekend. Together we made our way from the ideally-located hotel right beside the rink to the weekend’s all-team weekend-opener social. The annual “white t-shirt” social was held at a local pub and although it was open to the public it was of course completely overrun by ice hockey players in white t-shirts armed with sharpies of all colours.  It is always a great way to meet players from other teams, and leave your mark (literally) before kicking off the tournament the following morning.

This year our most hardcore female players who played for both the women’s team and the B-team braved the early morning start and battled it out from 6am until noon before joining the B-team in the afternoon. I for one am very happy to have had a comfortable afternoon game schedule but of course we showed our semi-well rested faces before noon to support our club. 

Starting the weekend in Group 2 alongside 6 other teams, we were middle of the pack in our group’s rankings so we had our work cut out for us if we were going to climb anywhere near the top. Sleep deprived and exhausted from a late night and very early morning start with the women’s team, our very own Erin Reilly put her sanity on the line to keep pucks out of her net and make us all look good in these short but sweet rapid-fire games. Despite all our efforts the Newcastle Wildcats bested us with a very close 1-0 victory.

Following shortly after with only a few minutes rest in full kit, game two saw us evenly match the Harwick and Coventry Panthers in a fast-paced 0-0 tie. Our first goal of the day was skilfully put past the Southampton Spitfires B goaltender by our very own returning Ryan Fleming to secure our first win of the tournament. Game four was a brutal showdown with the much higher ranked Nottingham Mavericks C that put the Stags B behind by 5 goals with none of our own to show when the buzzer sounded.

Not optimally rested and struggling to comprehend reality after a great team-bonding night on the town, the squad opened up strong in the wee hours of Sunday afternoon. Josh Middleton who carried the title of top scorer during the season continued his magic against the Birmingham Lions B and scored the team’s first hat-trick of the weekend. Having already secured a 3-1 lead by the time he scored, our very own Captain, Adam Robbins is credited with the game-winning goal for our 4-1 victory and second win of the weekend. The sixth and final game of group play saw us facing up against the 6th ranked Manchester Metros B. Although our own Kyle Murray put in a spectacular first goal, the Metros finished the game with a 2-1 lead.

Delaying the long drive back up to Glasgow, the team started the playoffs reaching for a chance to play for silver later that night. But to get there we first had to defeat the Northumbria Kings. Adam Robbins started us off strong with a first goal but it was answered and the game was tense and difficult considering our now shorthanded status. Ultimately Kyle Murray struck again to claim the game-winning goal.

Having secured our place in the silver final, we waited late into the night for our 23:25 face-off time to take on the local Sheffield Bears C team. Tired, short handed and dreading the long drive back home the Stags B team put in a top effort and wildly cheered as Aisling Rafter summoned even more energy to put in her first goal of the weekend for the Stags B squad after successfully battling it out on the women’s team every morning.  It was a beautiful goal but it wasn’t quite enough to secure the silver final as the Bears walked away with a 3-1 win.

Thankful for another great season of hockey and yet another eventful Nationals weekend, the team began the long journey back to Glasgow. For some it was last time, for some it was the first time, and others were just looking forward to the next time they could wear a Stags jersey and show what Glasgow could bring to Nationals weekend.