The race to the knockouts intensified on Day 13 of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League (REIHL) Season 3 at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium, as Changthang Shans and Purig Warriors officially punched their tickets to the semi-finals.
Organised in partnership with the UT Administration of Ladakh and the Ice Hockey Association of Ladakh, the league once again delivered high-scoring encounters, dramatic finishes, and commanding shutout performances.
The day began with one of the most entertaining matches of the season, as Kharu Falcons edged Zanskar Chadar Tamers 6-5 in a pulsating contest defined by Jigmat Choster’s extraordinary five-goal performance. The Tamers initially seized control, with Padma Tundup opening the scoring late in the first period before Rinchen Wangyal doubled the advantage in the second. Choster, however, began his masterclass with a powerful slapshot to keep the Falcons in contention.
The third period turned into a goal-fest. Rigzin Punchok levelled the score within the opening minute before Choster struck again to put Kharu ahead. Tsewang Chosfail responded for the Tamers, setting up a frantic final stretch. Choster and Nawang Dorjey kept the Falcons pushing forward, and just as the match appeared destined for a draw, Choster completed his five-goal haul in the final minute to seal a dramatic victory. The win lifted Kharu Falcons to eighth in the standings.
Kangs Sing followed with a statement performance, blanking United Nubra 6-0 in a comprehensive shutout. Gonbo Tashi set the tone inside the first minute with a tap-in, and the momentum never shifted. Stanzin Phuntsog and Gurmet Namgail extended the lead before Mushtaque Ahmad Giri added a fourth late in the second period. Kangs maintained intensity in the third, with Stanzin Samstan converting another tap-in and Namgail completing his brace with a crisp wrist flick. The clean sheet reinforced Kangs Sing’s defensive solidity as they remained level on points with table leaders Humas Warriors.
Purig Warriors then secured their semi-final berth with a disciplined 2-0 win over Sham Wolves. The contest remained tightly balanced through the opening period, with both teams generating pressure but failing to convert. The breakthrough came midway through the second period when Anwar Hussain finished a tap-in following sustained attacking pressure. Sham Wolves searched for an equaliser, but Villayat Ali sealed the outcome late in the third with a composed wrist flick. The victory confirmed Purig Warriors’ place in the final four alongside Humas Warriors and Kangs Sing.
Changthang Shans ensured their own qualification with an emphatic 8-2 win over Maryul Spawo. Tsewang Gyaltson opened the scoring before Captain Urgain Samstan’s slap shot and Chamba Tsetan’s tap-in stretched the advantage. Stanzin Jigmet added a fourth with a wrist shot, while Maryul captain Tsewang Nurboo briefly responded in the second period.
The Shans dominated the third period, with Tsetan scoring within 10 seconds of the restart. Rigzen Namgyal and Rigzen Chosphel also found the net, and although Asif Ali scored for Spawo, Tashi Sangdup capped off the performance with another quick tap-in. The victory cemented Changthang Shans’ place in the semi-finals as fourth on the table.
Humas Warriors concluded the day with a commanding 7-1 win over Shakar Chiktan Royals. The Royals struck first through Sobir Hussain, but the response from Humas was swift and decisive. Captain Moheb Ur Rehman Mir equalised with a drag shot before Waseem Bilal gave the Warriors the lead seconds before the first period ended. Humas built relentlessly in the second and third periods, with Moheb, Mohd Issa, Iftiqar Hussain and Shabas Hussain all contributing. Waseem Bilal added his second late on to complete a dominant display.
At the close of Day 13, Humas Warriors and Kangs Sing remained tied at the top with 27 points each, followed by Purig Warriors (24) and Changthang Shans (21). These four teams have now confirmed their semi-final berths. Shakar Chiktan Royals hold fifth place, with Sham Wolves sixth and Zanskar Chadar Tamers seventh. Kharu Falcons climbed to eighth, while Changla Blasters, United Nubra and Maryul Spawo round out the table.
The final day of the league stage promises further drama, with Shakar Chiktan Royals facing Changla Blasters in a crucial fixture. The women’s competition will also determine the remaining semi-finalists ahead of the knockout rounds.
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As REIHL Season 3 moves toward its semi-finals on February 12, followed by the women’s final on February 13 and the men’s championship final on February 14, the competition continues to underline the depth of talent across Ladakh’s regions.
From Leh and Nubra to Changthang and Zanskar, the league has reinforced its role as a premier winter sporting platform, blending grassroots development with high-intensity competition on one of India’s most distinctive ice hockey stages.
