Vedanta Kalinga Lancers maintain unbeaten run in Hockey India League

Bhubaneswar, Jan 18 (PTI) Vedanta Kalinga Lancers maintained their unbeaten run with a 4-1 penalty shootout win against Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons in the men's Hockey India League here on Sunday.

The two teams were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation time at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium here.

Blake Govers opened the scoring to put the Dragons in front before Alexander Hendrickx equalised for the Lancers.

Krishan Pathak was exceptional in goal for table-toppers in regulation time, while Jed Snowden came off the bench to dominate in the shootout, helping his side record their sixth successive win.

Earlier, the Dragons managed to break the deadlock in the second quarter, earning a penalty stroke that was converted by Govers (19th).

The Lancers thought they bagged an immediate response with Dilpreet Singh finding the back of the net. However, his goal was ruled out after a referral and the Dragons led at the half time.

Krishan Pathak’s saves were complemented by Alexander Hendrickx in the 44th minute, who converted his dragflick from their fourth penalty corner.

Towards the end, neither side could make it count though which forced a shootout to decide the winner.

After his shootout heroics earlier in the tournament, Snowden proved to be the difference once again for the Lancers.

As the Dragons missed their first two attempts to hand their opponents the advantage, Arthur van Doren put the game to bed to secure a 4-1 shootout win, maintaining Lancers' unbeaten run.

Earlier, Shrachi Bengal Tigers came from behind to defeat SG Pipers 3-2 and remain in fray for a top-four finish in their final pool stage match.

Jugraj Singh (45th), Abhishek (45th) and Affan Yousuf (48th) scored the goals for the Tigers after Dilraj Singh (4th) and Tomas Domene (31st) had put the Pipers ahead in the contest.

The Pipers struck first with a sweeping move built from the back. Aditya Lalage surged forward and slipped a pass to Dilraj, who converted it into a goal with a reverse-hit from close range.

The Pipers threatened to find their second goal in a penalty corner soon after, but they were denied by Sean Findlay at the post.

In the Tigers’ best chance of the quarter, Christopher Ruhr took a strike from just outside the circle in the 14th minute, but the effort went wide.

The Tigers came close to an equaliser in the second quarter when Findlay found Gursewak Singh wide open in the circle. However, the ensuing shot was swiftly dealt with by Pipers’ goalkeeper Pawan.

The Tigers failed to find an equaliser throughout the third quarter.

The Pipers extended the lead early in the third quarter from a penalty corner. Domene's shot from the top deflected off the first charger Abhishek and rolled into the back of the net.

In the 45th minute, Jugraj found the back of the net from yet another penalty corner and a few seconds later, the scores were levelled.

A long ball from Boccard Gauthier was controlled well by Abhishek, before his shot raced past the goalkeeper.

In another collective effort at the 48th minute mark, Sukhjeet passed it on to Yousuf who slotted the ball in the gap for the Tigers’ third and decisive goal. PTI DDV PDS PDS