Ice Hockey League season 2: Padma Desal's six-goal masterclass helps Sham Eagles cruise past Chiktan Queens

Leh (Ladakh) [India], January 8 (ANI): Padma Desal delivered a stellar performance, scoring six goals to lead Sham Eagles to a commanding 8-3 victory over Chiktan Queens in the women's category of the Ice Hockey League Season 2. The Eagles kicked off their campaign impressively, setting a new season record for the highest-scoring match. In the men's category, Changthan Shans maintained their perfect start, defeating Zangskar Chadar Tamers 7-2 to remain unbeaten after three games. Purig Warriors ended Sham Wolves' unbeaten streak with an impressive 5-2 victory, while the match between Humas Warriors and Shakar Chiktan Royals ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw. The Ice Hockey League Season 2, is being organized in partnership with the UT Administration of Ladakh and the Ice Hockey Association of Ladakh at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium, Leh, according to a release from Ice Hockey League.
The Purig Warriors delivered an impressive performance to claim a 5-2 victory over the previously unbeaten Sham Wolves in the opening game of Day 4 at the Ice Hockey League Season 2. Goals came early for the Warriors, with Imran Ali and Nadeem Sarwar hitting the back of the goal within the first 12 minutes. However, Urgain Chosjor kept the Wolves in the game, hitting back with a 13th minute goal. The Warriors led the score sheet by 2-1 at the end of the first period. The second period saw the Warriors dominate further, with Sarfaraz Hussain and Bashar Ali adding goals, enabling the Warriors to take a commanding 4-1 lead. Despite a quick goal by Urgan Chosjor for the Wolves, who completed his double, early in Period 3, the Warriors sealed their win with a final strike by Mohammad Ali Baba in the 45th minute.
In an action-packed second game of Day 4, Humas Warriors and Shakar Chiktan Royals played out a dramatic 3-3 draw. Fresh from a dominating 6-1 victory in their previous match, Humas Warriors started confidently, with skipper Waseem Bilal opening the scoring in the 12th minute, giving his team a 1-0 lead at the end of Period 1. The game took a dramatic turn as Shakar Chiktan Royals stunned the Warriors with three quick goals in just 30 seconds, with Hamid Khan's strike in the 28th minute, followed by Vilayat Ali's rapid double, bringing the score to 3-1. The Warriors fought back valiantly in the final period, as Issa Mohd's goal narrowed the gap to 3-2. Just as it seemed the Royals would walk away with the win, Waseem Bilal netted a crucial equalizer in the final 20 seconds, ensuring the game ended in a thrilling 3-3 tie.
The Sham Eagles kicked off their season in style, defeating Shakar Chiktan Queens 8-3 in the highest goal scoring match of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 2 so far. The Eagles dominated from the start, with Padma Desal and Rigzen Angmo finding the net in the first 8 minutes, giving their team a lead of 2-0 at the end of Period 1. Padma Desal, the star of the match, extended the lead with second goal in Period 2. While Mepham Dolker briefly brought the Queens back into contention with a goal in the 32nd minute, Padma responded instantly with her third goal just 2 seconds later. Chhunzin Chamzo added another for the Eagles, making it 5-1 before Padma netted her fourth to close the period at 6-1. Despite two quick goals by Tsewang Yagdol for the Queens early in the final period, Padma Desal continued her scoring spree, striking twice more in the 47th and 51st minutes to cap off her six-goal masterpiece. The Eagles finished with a dominant 8-3 win, setting a high benchmark for the rest of the league.
Changthan Shans continued their winning streak on Day 4 of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League Season 2, defeating Zangskar Chadar Tamers 7-2 in the last game of the day. Dorjan Namgyal opened the scoring just two minutes into the game, giving the Shans an early advantage. With no further goals in the first period, the Shans maintained a slender 1-0 lead going into period 2. The second period saw the Shans take control of the game. Goals from Thinlay Dorjay, Tsewang Dorjay, Dorjan Namgyal (his second), and Padma Namgyal stretched the lead to 5-0 by the 33rd minute. Despite Lobzang Tharpa's goal for the Tamers late in the period, the Shans held a comfortable 5-1 lead. The final period featured more action, with Richen Wangyal scoring for the Tamers, reducing the deficit to 5-2. However, the Shans responded decisively, with goals from Tsewang Dorjay and Chamba Tsetam in the final minutes, securing a dominant 7-2 win and keeping their perfect record intact.
This year's Ice Hockey League features an impressive lineup of 30 matches--23 in the men's category and 7 in the women's--to be played over the course of 10 days. The men's tournament features two groups of five teams, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, the women's tournament will see five teams compete in two groups, culminating in semi-finals and a final on January 12, followed by the men's championship final on January 13. (ANI)