Men's HIL: Tamil Nadu Dragons edge Ranchi Royals in shootout

Tamil Nadu Dragons clinched the shootout bonus with a 4-2 win over Ranchi Royals after a high-scoring 3-3 draw in the Men’s Hockey India League on Tuesday.

While the Dragons walked away with the extra point, the Royals did enough to finish second on the points table, booking a Qualifier 1 clash against the Kalinga Lancers on Friday.

The result also confirmed a playoff berth for the Hyderabad Toofans. JSW Soorma Hockey Club, meanwhile, must register a seven-goal victory in their final league match against the SG Pipers to claim the remaining playoff spot ahead of HIL GC.

Ranchi Royals made a blistering start, taking the lead within the opening minute through Mandeep Singh, who reacted quickest to convert a rebound from close range. The momentum continued as Tom Boon doubled the advantage in the ninth minute, following up on his own penalty corner attempt to make it 2-0.

The Dragons gradually settled and pulled one back late in the second quarter when Blake Govers converted a penalty corner in the 24th minute. That goal shifted the balance, and the Dragons carried the momentum into the third quarter. Karthi Selvam finished from close range to restore parity before Boon struck again, this time from the penalty spot, to put the Royals back in front at 3-2.

Persistence paid off for Tamil Nadu Dragons in the final quarter as Govers scored his second penalty corner goal of the night in the 53rd minute, forcing the contest into a shootout.

In the decider, Nathan Ephraums, Govers, Uttam Singh and Tom Craig converted for the Dragons, while their goalkeeper held firm to seal the 4-2 shootout win and secure the bonus point from a thrilling league-stage encounter.