Vedanta Kalinga Lancers continued their unbeaten run in the Men’s Hockey India League (HIL) 2026 by defeating Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons 4-1 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 tie in regular time at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium. Blake Govers scored first for the Dragons, with Alexander Hendrickx equalizing for the Lancers. Krishan Pathak’s stellar goalkeeping and Jed Snowden’s shootout performance secured the Lancers’ sixth consecutive victory.
The Tamil Nadu Dragons started strongly, applying pressure on the table-toppers with skillful play. Despite early threats, Alexander Hendrickx nearly scored first for the Lancers with a dragflick in the 9th minute. Both teams had chances, with the Dragons earning a penalty stroke expertly converted by Blake Govers (19’).
In the second quarter, the Dragons broke the deadlock with Govers’ penalty stroke goal. Although Dilpreet Singh seemed to equalize for the Lancers, his goal was disallowed. The Dragons defended well, maintaining their lead at halftime.
The third quarter saw the Dragons attempting to extend their lead, but Krishan Pathak’s outstanding saves kept the Lancers in contention. Hendrickx’s dragflick goal (44’) leveled the score by the end of the quarter. Both teams pushed for a winner in the final quarter, leading to a shootout.
Jed Snowden’s crucial saves in the shootout secured victory for the Lancers as the Dragons faltered. With Arthur van Doren sealing the win, the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers maintained their unbeaten streak in the tournament.
