NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors unbeaten run over as Sharks snap win

Solway Sharks    4

Whitley Warriors 2

With Solway coach Martin Grubb urging his side to get back to their best, it was the Sharks who unsurprisingly started the stronger of the two teams, making the most of their home advantage to open the scoring just after the six minute mark when an effort from captain Struan Tonnar found its way past Warriors’ netminder Richie Lawson. Solway continued to be much the better team in the opening stanza and, unusually with no penalty minutes conceded by either side in the first twenty minutes, the Dumfries outfit managed to defend their early lead as David Longstaff and his men failed to respond.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice after the break, Warriors chances to scoop a quick equaliser after the face off were dashed when Shaun Kippin was directed to the sin bin to serve a two minute interference penalty only twenty five seconds in. Though on the power play, Solway were unable to find a way past Whitley’s defence and it was only when the visitors returned to full strength that the home side were able to capitalise as Tonnar turned assistant to Marc Fowley this time with support from Stephen Adams who attained his second assist of the evening.

The deficit now increased to two goals to nil, the tables soon began to turn on Solway as alternate captain and persistent trouble maker Ross Murray took a seat in the sin bin for holding. Desperately searching for a goal, Whitley, like Solway, did not make the most of their power play but, little under a minute after Murray returned to the ice, the Warriors continued to plough forwards, allowing defenceman Joe Stamp to achieve his second goal of the season after a pass from DJ Good presented him with the perfect opportunity.

With a new wind in their sails, Whitley were becoming increasingly dangerous in front of goal and again slipped the puck past Sharks netminder Andrew Jaszczyk, DJ Good working with player/coach Longstaff to send Callum Watson after an all-important equaliser. Despite efforts from both sides, the score line was not added to in the closing stages of the middle stanza. Instead referee Michael Evans found his work was not yet over in the dying minutes of the period as Sharks defenceman Stuart Andrews and Whitley power forward Jordan Barnes clashed, the former receiving two minutes for boarding, the latter guilty of charging. Both penalties, timed at 38:04, ran into the third period, along with another Sharks penalty conceded by Joe Coulter which put Whitley on the power play for thirty eight seconds.

Again unable to construct a goal from the advantage of an additional man, it was Solway who continued to dominate, the home side firing seventeen shots at Richie Lawson throughout the third period. Despite this, Solway were unable to restore their lead until a second before the forty eighth minute when Slovakian import Juraj Senko lit the lamp from an Iain Bowie assist. In response, Whitley pulled Lawson from his goal to reverse Sharks lead once more but it was not to be as the tactic saw Duncan Speirs ensure his name was written on the score sheet with an empty net goal on 48:57.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As the game slipped away from the Warriors, Longstaff and his team tried their upmost to find a way back but there was little hope for the side and a timeout called in the last two minutes of the game, almost ten minutes after Speirs’ empty net goal, it was all too little, too late and the Hillheads outfit went home, having suffered their first defeat of their 2015-2016 campaign. The Warriors battled through this game without the injured Alex Lawson, Craig Johnson and Dan Pye as well as key leader Andre Payette who missed out due to suspension. Despite this, Whitley’s line up was boosted with the addition of former Warriors player Alan Yarrow to their roster and the unexpected return of Dean Holland who is still recovering from injuries sustained in a preseason exhibition game against Kirkcaldy Kestrels. Whilst David Longstaff will be less than happy with the result, Martin Grubb will consider this a step in the right direction for his team who now hold onto seventh place with six points as they play host to Solihull Barons next weekend. Though Sutton Sting have a game in hand, this victory will provide Solway with a much needed confidence boost as before this win, their only other triumphs were against Sheffield Senators who remain bottom of the table with zero points from nine games.

Tyne Tees derby day duel ends in draw

Whitley Warriors 4

Billingham Stars 4

Though a bumper crowd is usually expected of a Tyne Tees derby, the attendance at Hillheads on Sunday was exceptional to say the least with over 1500 ice hockey fans turning up to spectate. As ever, a charged atmosphere enveloped game play and with the first face off cast aside, Stars were out to show that they were up for the tie, Dennis Boström delighting visiting fans with a goal after just twenty six seconds played.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Playing end to end ice hockey, both netminders were made to work hard, Warriors’ Richie Lawson hit with sixteen shots, Stars’ James Flavell confronted with fifteen. Over six minutes after their first goal, Stars were one man less as Matthew Campbell skated to the sin bin for holding penalty dished out by referee Andrew Miller. Despite their best efforts, Warriors were unable to find the back of Flavell’s net until the half way mark of the first period when in form forward Callum Watson linked up with DJ Good and Shaun Kippin to level the scoring and give Whitley fans something to cheer.

The Warriors were not strangers to the sin bin themselves though and, soon after his side equalised, Jamie Tinsley was sent to serve two minutes for interference. Although David Longstaff’s men ran down the clock on this occasion, it was not long before a power play came back to haunt Whitley, a Scott Cooper trip resulting in a Stars’ advantage and subsequently a goal from Thomas Keeley as the defenceman made the most of assists from James Moss and Richie Thornton with little over two minutes left before the interval.

In a game which bragging rights are valued almost as much, if not more, than two points, Whitley were eager to get back on level terms with their ultimate rivals and did so two minutes in, as Longstaff and youngster Callum Queenan, who has been named in Team GB’s under 20 squad for Tuesday’s match at the National Ice Centre, created some effective offensive play which saw Jamie Tinsley slot the puck past Flavell.

The home side, having battled back twice from a one goal gap, were spurred on by home fans to take the lead for the first time in the contest, Watson finding his second of the game to make the score 3-2. This lead barely lasted four minutes as Whitley lost Joe Stamp to the sin bin and were once again punished by Billingham who utilised the power play to get themselves back in the points, Keeley also achieving his second of the game.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Back to full strength, the Warriors successfully attempted to overturn their change of fortunes, Scott Cooper shooting from the blue line to bag his first Warriors’ goal this season on 38:48. With the clock ticking away, Billingham found just enough time to squeeze in a reply with only thirty two seconds remaining, Andy Finn’s unassisted speculative effort finding its way into Lawson’s net.

The Warriors returned to the ice with the hope of putting pressure on their visitors in the last period to return to their winning ways after a defeat to Solway the previous evening whilst Billingham were chasing victory after two zero point weekends. The desire to triumph over their opponents was reflected in the fact that the final period turned out to be a test for both netminders; Whitley pounded Flavell with shot after shot and Billingham’s Boström and Finn once again fired from long range in attempt to catch Lawson out. Despite these efforts the score line remained a fair 4-4 and both clubs had no choice but to content themselves with an equal share of the points.

With such end to end ice hockey being played throughout, a brilliant display from both netminders and fantastic performances all round, to have a winner from such a clash would have perhaps been an injustice and now both teams can look forward to their next meeting which will take place at The Forum at the end of November. Man of the match awards for this game were handed out to Callum Watson, who has benefitted from the support of creative players  such as Shaun Kippin to Whitley’s roster, and Stars’ shot stopper James Flavell who clearly impressed on Sunday and continues to be an asset to Ward’s line up.

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