Ice hockey – Racers celebrate as silverware comes to Murrayfield

Congratulations to Murrayfield Racers who have been crowned Scottish National League champions at the first attempt.

Tony Hand’s men won 11-6 at North Ayrshire Wild while Kirkcaldy Kestrels, who were second, lost 5-0 at Aberdeen Lynx.

So, nobody can now catch the Murrayfield squad now.

In the Elite League, Rick Pinkston netted less than eight minutes from time to earn Fife Flyers a 4-3 win over arch rivals Dundee Stars.

It was Fife’s first win in three games and came in a see-saw match in which Flyers led 3-0 through a double from Evan Bloodoff and a single from Carlo Finucci after 24 minutes.

Stars replied with three goals from player/coach Omar Pacha, Lukas Lundvald Nielsen and Fabrizio Ricci between the 28th and 45th minutes.

Then Pinkston took centre stage with an unassisted game-winner after 52min 45sec to leave Dundee out of a play-off spot.

And Glasgow Clan skidded to their first defeat in three games when they went down 6-3 at Nottingham Panthers.

The Scots, who are third in the table, were 2-0 down after 25 minutes but three unanswered goals from Gerard Hanson, Brendan Connolly and Tyson Wilson saw them 3-2 ahead after 46 minutes.

But fourth-placed Panthers then claimed four straight goals without reply in ten nightmare minutes to take the points and move to within three points of Clan.