Leh, Jan 4 (IANS) Powered by a brace of goals by Opadma M., ’s brace Changla Blasters cruised past United Nubra with a commanding 6-2 victory in an action-packed opening day of the Ice Hockey League Season 2 at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium here on Saturday. Sham Wolves followed up with a 4-1 win against Maryul Spawo, thanks to a stellar performance by Urgan, who also scored twice.
The second day of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League will feature a grand Opening Ceremony which includes a Trophy & Jersey Unveiling, Skate sharpening machine handover, Puck drop ceremony, and the much-anticipated game between Kang Sings, the defending champion, and Shakar Chiktan Royal.
Changla Blasters, entering the game as the visiting team, set the pace early with relentless offensive pressure, netting four goals in the first period while conceding just one. J. Motup broke the deadlock, and Tunatup quickly followed with two successive goals, establishing a commanding lead. Tsewang T added the fourth to put the Blasters in control by the end of the period. United Nubra’s lone response came from Opadam M., who found the net in the same period but could not shift the game’s momentum.
The second period witnessed intense competition, with United tightening their defense and preventing Changla Blasters from scoring. However, despite their efforts, United couldn’t break through the Blasters’ defense either. The period ended goalless, with the scorecard reading 4-1 in favour of Changla Blasters.
In the third and final period, Changla Blasters once again asserted their dominance, with Dorjey M. and Aangchuk W. finding the back of the net to extend their team’s lead. United Nubra’s Tamim R. managed to pull one back, but his effort wasn’t enough to spark a comeback. Ultimately, Changla Blasters wrapped up the game in style, clinching a convincing 6-2 win.
Game 2 of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League began slowly, with Sham Wolves taking an early lead in the first period through a goal by Naway G., while their defense ensured that Maryul Spawo couldn’t find the net. In the second period, the Wolves showed greater control, with Stanzin D. and Urgan C. scoring back-to-back goals, pushing the score to 3-0.
Their defense remained steadfast, denying Spawo any opportunities. The third period saw more action as both teams managed to score—Urgan C. for Sham Wolves and Dorjey G. for Maryul Spawo. Ultimately, Sham Wolves secured a solid 4-1 victory.
The Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League (REIHL) returns to Ladakh for its second season, scheduled to take place from January 4 to 13, 2025 at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium, Leh. This year’s league aims to build on the momentum of its inaugural edition, which saw a total of 6000 spectators, once again bringing together local talent from across the region.
The Ice Hockey League 2025 will feature a total of 30 matches – 23 in the men’s category and 7 in the women’s, over a span of 10 days. The men’s tournament is structured into two groups of five teams each, with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals.
The women’s tournament will also follow a two-group round-robin format, with three and two teams in each group, followed by semi-finals and then finals on January 12. The men’s championship final is set for January 13.
–IANS
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