Steelkings claim league title

Last Saturday, 12 July, Sheffield’s senior para ice hockey team, the Steelkings, made the journey down the A1 to face the Peterborough Phantoms.

At the start of the weekend the Steelkings sat top of the British League, but the Phantoms were just below them with one fewer game played. Both teams knew that this game could decide who would win the 2025 British Para Ice Hockey League; a win for the Kings would secure them the title, while a win for the Phantoms would make it theirs to lose with just two games left against the fourth placed Manchester Mayhem.

Despite missing several key players, the Steelkings were determined to leave everything on the ice and bring home the league trophy.

The game got off to a rocky start for the Kings, falling behind by two goals within 12 minutes. They didn’t let their heads drop though, and in the final minute of the period a goal from #5, Matt Clarkson, halved the deficit at the end of period one.

The Steelkings carried that momentum into the second period, and after four minutes a second goal for Clarkson brought the Steelkings level with the Phantoms. Another goal would follow when #15, Rebecca Moore, fired in a shot to put the Kings into the lead for the first time in the match with just over two minutes left in the period.

Going into the third period the Kings knew that all they needed to secure the league title was to not concede, but they aren’t a team that likes to sit back and defend. From the first whistle they pushed to extend their lead further, and a powerplay goal in the tenth minute for #18, Daniel Clarke, cemented the victory for the Kings.

Final Score: Phantoms 2-4 Steelkings

This win marks the second time in their history that the Steelkings have been crowned league champions, their first trophy being in 2019. They will now be looking ahead to their final game of the season against the Manchester Mayhem, and to the playoffs where they will look to defend their playoff trophy.