Men’s HIL: Russell’s hat-trick wins it for HIL GC

A dramatic hat-trick by New Zealand defender Kane Russell, capped by a last-gasp winner, helped HIL GC edge SG Pipers 3-2 in a pulsating Men’s Hockey India League encounter at the SDAT–Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Monday.

After a goalless and largely drab first half, the contest sprung to life after the break, with the third and fourth quarters delivering five goals.

While the teams lacked the cutting edge in the final third in the first half, both sides impressed with their defensive organisation and midfield structure. The goalkeepers were rarely tested early on, but the intensity and quality rose sharply after the break, producing an exciting finish.

The deadlock was broken early in the third quarter when Pipers’ Ky Willott found space in a crowded circle.

A sharp pass from Tomas Domene found the Australian, who neatly spooned the ball past goalkeeper James Mazarelo.

The lead, however, was short-lived. HIL GC responded swiftly through Russell, whose blistering drag-flick off a penalty corner raced past goalkeeper Tomas Santiago. Seconds later, Russell struck again, producing a near-identical effort that slipped through the ’keeper’s legs to give his team a 2-1 advantage.

Pipers fought back in the fourth quarter, drawing level through Dilraj Singh, who finished off a penalty-corner routine, after a rebound. Moments earlier, Mazarelo had kept HIL GC in the game with three outstanding saves from Domene’s powerful penalty-corner drives.

With the clock ticking, Russell — a veteran of over 150 internationals — underlined why he was regarded as one of the most feared drag-flickers in the game. A thunderous strike in the dying seconds proved too much for Santiago to handle, completing a memorable hat-trick for Russell and sealing a thrilling win for HIL GC.

The result: HIL GC 3 (Russell 35-pc, 37-pc, 60-pc) bt SG Pipers 2 (Willott 31, Dilraj 56-pc).