IN their first game of the new month, the Solway Sharks kicked off a double header at home to the Romford Raiders with a 6-3 victory on Saturday.
Fans were also spoilt with a Michigan goal from Kyle Carruth which sealed off a strong performance.
An interception in the neutral zone by Caly Robertson allowed the first line to connect perfectly as John Dunbar finished off the feed from Nolan Gardiner on 13 minutes to give Solway the edge.
However, Jake Sylvester soon fired bar-down to equalise at 13:31.
Momentum then swung in favour of the Raiders, resulting in a second goal from Tom Palmer at 14:55.
The hosts were eager to equalise in the closing minutes of the first period and did just so at 18:14 as Dunbar converted the tip through James’ five-hole.
Sharks’ top goal scorer Nolan Gardiner fired top-shelf past Ethan James at 22:59.
However, the Raiders quickly answered back to tie up the scores once more through Jake Sylvester with a strike at 23:44.
Late on in the period Lewis Young capitalised on the second rebound attempt after Gardiner’s initial strike at 38:06.
Both sides returned for the third period and struggled to find a run of form as they battled for possession.
Eventually Torran Anderson converted at 52:55 to send Solway two goals clear.
Fans then were spoiled with a beauty Michigan goal from Carruth at 58:56, assisted by fellow GB U20 teammate Anderson to secure a 6-3 victory for the Sharks on home ice.
On Sunday night a detrimental opening ten minutes left the Sharks facing an uphill battle and they ended up on the wrong end of a 6-4 scoreline.
Sylvester opened the scoring as he fired long-range into the top-corner, assisted by Reed Morison at 5:47, giving the visitors an edge.
Andrew Shewfelt doubled the lead for Romford with a one-timer strike from the slot on the powerplay at 6:27.
The Raiders offence ran riot in the Solway zone as Sylvester clenched his second goal of the evening.
Solway came out firing in the middle frame, and Anderson made it two from two with a finish on the back door.
Another powerplay resulted in another goal for the Sharks as Beattie fired from the left wing at 27:15.
Reed Morison slotted the puck bottom corner past Marr to post the score at 2-4.
But Solway were determined to prevent the game slipping out of grasp and Beattie claimed his second of the evening at 35:36, with a shot firing through James’ five-hole.
The hosts were eager to level the score in the third and did just so as Gardiner clenched his second of the weekend with a strike top-corner at 41:34.
Tjay Anderson then converted a rebound for Romford at 53:53 which gave the visitors a go-ahead goal.
Solway pulled Jordan Marr late on in favour of the extra forward. However, the risk failed to pay off for the hosts as Brandon Ayliffe sent a strong shot from the Raiders zone at 59:41.
Solway head coach Martin Grubb said: “We never started in the first period. We made some changes and the second period response was good.
“In the third period we wanted more of the same and we had to be a bit better, some of the chances I don’t know how we missed.”
Solway are back on home ice this Saturday as they take on the Swindon Wildcats at the Shark Tank.
The action kicks off at 7 pm, with doors opening at 5.30 pm PM.
Tickets can be bought online at sharksihc.com/tickets or in person at the Dumfries Ice Bowl.
