Sunday 31 January 2016

Team Talk

TEAM TALK
Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Now in his fifth season with the Stars, blue liner Ben Davison shares his season highs, lows and hopes ahead of that all-important Tyne-Tees derby.

What has been your personal highlight of the season so far?

Our last two games against Solihull stick out to me. They’re a strong team and we really stepped up to the plate to take the points both times which are massive in our battle to make the top four come the end of the season.

What has been your greatest disappointment?

Dropping points to Sutton the other weekend. We’d started 2016 brilliantly and that should have been another four point weekend and could come back to haunt us at the end of the season.

What has been the greatest surprise for you during your 2015-16 league campaign?

The biggest surprise to me is Solihull and Telford gaining promotion and being up there with the top teams in the league. There are no easy games this year. No matter who you’re turning up to play, you have to be ready to go for a full sixty minutes if you want to win. It’s the most competitive season I think this league has seen for a long time. Everyone wants to be in that top four and it’s going to be a tough couple of months to get there.

How have you found the NIHL North Cup this season?

I would have liked more teams to have got on board with the cup. I think last season, with the EPL teams, was a bit much for the teams from our league to compete with. I would have liked Whitley in it and maybe a few teams from the lower division to step up and compete in it. It adds more games to the season and, with the overtime and penalty shots introduced into it, it makes it a great game to watch if it’s all tied after sixty minutes. It was great for the lads beating Solway in penalty shots. We were pumped going back into league games and maybe next season it’ll be introduced into the league.

Billingham seems to have a very different look this season. Why do you think this has been the case?

Obviously sitting in fifth is not where we wanted to be come this part of the season. We’ve had a lot of injuries to key players which hasn’t helped, especially this month where we’ll have played nine games in five weekends; quite a tough schedule. We are a good team. We can compete with any team in this league and push for the win. We’ve fell short numerous occasions where short little spells of switching off has cost us. The competitiveness of this league is at the point where, if you take a shift off, your opponents will punish you. We need to be playing for a full sixty minutes, something we haven’t done in games we’ve been beaten. I think that’s the biggest factor this season. Trying to get motivated going into games after a couple of losses previously is hard. We have a good group of lads. We’ll bounce back and start getting the results in our favour and build from there.

You have Swedish import Dennis Boström playing for the Stars this season. What is he like to work alongside?

Dennis is great. On and off the ice, he’s a pleasure to have on the team. He’s a massive threat to teams on the ice; if he gets space to shoot and pick his spot, not many goalies can stop his shot. Teams pick up on this and try to close him down quickly but he manages to get space and has come up massive in games this season. It’s great to have a player of his skill level on the team and brings players on to play the game at a higher tempo.

As a blue liner, who has been the most challenging forward you have faced this season?

There are a lot of good forwards in our league who are tough to defend against. Blackburn are a great team. I’d say Richard Bentham and Adam Brittle are the two that stick out. On the puck they are very skilful and off the puck they’re always moving, looking to get into space for a pass. Lose track of them for a couple of seconds and they’ll probably be in a prime scoring area.

Who do you enjoy playing alongside most?

Tough one to say really. We have a great team of players and personalities. I get along with everyone on the team. I couldn’t pick out one player as it’s a pleasure taking to the ice and going into battle with everyone in our squad week in, week out.

The Stars have player-assistant coaches Michael Bowman and Richie Thornton as well as Head Coach Terry Ward. What difference does this make to Billingham’s dressing room?

All our coaches have a lot of experience and are on the same page as they have decided the systems and set plays we’ll be using this season. Meeting prior to training, games and in between periods, they can discuss what needs to be changed, improved etc. Their input is massive to the team. We have a lot of mid 20s players who still have a lot to learn to keep developing and the three coaching staff have ample experience to pass on. Everyone has equal respect for any of them when it comes down to being showed something on the board, ice or even just a quick word after a shift.

Where do you think Billingham will finish in the league table this season?

We’ve still got our eyes set on the playoffs. There are still two playoff spots up for grabs. I’m not sure if the Warriors and the Hawks have always secured their place at the playoff weekend but in my eyes, those last two spots could be anyone’s at the minute and we’re doing everything we can to make sure that we are the ones at that weekend. Everything changes in the playoffs and I’m hoping to finish third or fourth and cause an upset come April and bring home some silverware.

You have the Tyne-Tees derby next weekend. Is this a fixture you’re looking forward to and what do you make of your rivals this season?

When you look at the fixtures at the beginning of the season, you always look for the derby games first. Definitely one to look forward to, the atmosphere is electric during these games and you’re always pumped to get on the ice and hopefully get the two points off your rivals. Whitley have made a massive improvement this season from being in a relegation fight last year. Longstaff came in and made them into a well drilled team who will go hard for a full sixty minutes. It’s a tough rink to play in but I’m hoping to turn them over and grind out the win for a massive four point weekend.

What are your hopes for the future?

I’m just happy to be a part of the Stars. I’ve made some great friends and memories during my years at Billingham. I’m just aiming to keep playing as long as I can and keep enjoying it. Winning the playoff weekend would be great this season and then to regroup and hopefully regain the title next season.

Thank you to Ben Davison for taking the time to be interviewed by NIHL Northern Trio.

For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.

Thursday 28 January 2016

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND
PREVIEW
NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE

Saturday 30th January 2016
 Sheffield Spartans vs. Billingham Stars
Sheffield Senators vs. Solway Sharks
Sutton Sting vs. Whitley Warriors

Sunday 31st January 2016
Whitley Warriors vs. Billingham Stars

If ever there is a weekend to look forward to, this is it. With our NIHL Northern Trio in action under the same roof on Saturday against the Sheffield sister clubs and South Yorkshire outfit Sutton Sting, travelling to an away game never was so worthwhile with three back-to-back games to look forward to. If that wasn’t enough, Whitley Warriors and Billingham Stars are then to clash at Hillheads in what is, as ever, one of the most highly anticipated games of the season.

Taking to the ice first at Ice Sheffield, Martin White’s Spartans prepare to encounter Billingham Stars but, with the form of both teams unpredictable of late, it would seem that the points could end up with either side when the final buzzer sounds. Since resuming their league campaign after the Christmas period, Billingham have won as many league games as they have lost, with defeats to Sutton Sting, Blackburn Hawks and Solway Sharks following their positive start to their first few fixtures after the New Year. Meanwhile, the Spartans have played five games of which they have drawn once, won once and lost thrice. With the Stars and the Sheffield outfit tied on twenty one points at present, a win could mean all the difference for the Teesiders who look to push on from fifth place and into the playoff spots. However, as the Spartans’ race is not run yet, a win for the home team on Saturday could see Billingham slide into sixth position with Solway Sharks snapping at their heels.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Previous encounters between these sides have resulted in a 4-0 home win and a 6-4 road loss for the Stars which started out as a close contest but swung in the Spartans’ favour in the latter stages of the game. Dennis Boström, Michael Elder and Richie Thornton are among those who have scored against the Spartans this season whilst Chris Sykes has racked up a goal and four assists against the side. October was the last time these two teams faced each other but there was a great deal of fieriness between the line ups as Spartans’ forward Ollie Barron clashed with Michael Elder, having previously fought Billingham’s blue liner Jamie Pattison back in September. As Sheffield’s captain, Barron also poses a clear goal threat alongside forward Nicholas Manning and player-assistant coach Stuart Brittle. The visitors will have to deal with the danger that these players pose if they are to take anything from the game, particularly as the Stars have already endured surprise defeats this season, with their loss to Sutton Sting two weeks ago a prime example of their failure to put such teams under pressure in order to capitalise.

Looking ahead to this weekend, Chris Sykes told NIHL Northern Trio: “Another double header to finish our hectic January off so we are looking for a massive weekend and hopefully four points. Saturday, we go down to Sheffield again to play the Spartans which will be a good game. We know how they play and they are good in their own barn but, as always, we will go with our game plan and hopefully pick up two points on the road.”

Whilst this game is set to have a great impact on league standings with the winner possibly earning themselves a playoff spot should Telford Tigers lose to Blackburn Hawks, Solway’s game against the Senators could also bring the Dumfries outfit that bit closer to a top four finish which continues to be the sole aim of Head Coach Martin Grubb and his players.

The Sharks winning their three previous fixtures 9-1, 12-1 and, more recently, 14-0 against the Senators may fool fans into thinking that the foot-of-the-table side are far from contenders but whilst Andrew Chapman’s side continue to struggle in the league, they can cause problems for the more established sides of the Moralee Conference and, just two weeks ago, took a 2-0 lead against Billingham Stars. Though this lead did not last, the Senators recorded their best result to date in Division One which could easily have been closer if they had not ran into penalty trouble to gift the Stars a power play goal.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
However, as the Sharks appeared to be united by their central objective to earn a playoff place, Solway will attempt to take control of the game against Chapman’s line up as the side fight hard for every point now that their season is finally beginning to go their way. Although Grubb’s team sit in seventh, they are only three points away from both Sheffield Spartans and Billingham Stars with six games in hand on the former and four games in hand on the latter. Ultimately, Solway have the perfect opportunity this weekend to grab two points and they could edge within a point of either of these sides, depending on the outcome of Stars’ game with the Sheffield Spartans.

Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio ahead of this game, Martin Grubb stated: “This is the start of four straight road games for us and it will be important for us to start that sequence with a win in Sheffield on Saturday against the Senators. I have watched the game highlights from their visit to Billingham a few of weeks ago and they are improving with each game and battling hard for their first points so it is important we go into the game focused on the job we need to do. We come into the game on the back of a good character win on Sunday and we need to continue to do whatever it takes to keep alive our playoff hopes. We are playing with confidence right now and the players are desperate to give themselves the best possible chance of making the top four so, although we know it won’t be an easy game, we are going all out for two valuable points.”

To conclude Saturday’s outing at Ice Sheffield, Whitley Warriors will take on Sutton Sting for the third time this season, having already tallied two victories over the South Yorkshire outfit in October. Though the Warriors are still missing some players through injury, such as Alex Lawson and young forward Ben Richards who missed out again last Sunday despite having made his return against the Sharks, David Longstaff is likely to ice a strong team as his side look for yet another positive result against the Sting.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
With player-coach Longstaff, new signing Adam Reynolds, captain Jamie Tinsley and blue liner Joe Stamp grabbing the goals for Whitley last weekend, fans will be hoping for more of the same as the Warriors look to cover lost ground between themselves and the NIHL’s top spot. Currently in second, the Warriors are sixteen points better off than they were this time last season and are once again within five points of catching the Hawks but, as Daniel MacKriel’s Blackburn continues to have that edge over their rivals, this will be no mean feat. As a result, the Warriors will hunt down two points against Sutton on the bigger ice in order to make the gap at the top of the table as tight as possible.

Despite their ‘second bottom’ status, Sutton will make life difficult for their visitors on Saturday in the hope that they can build on their recent good run of form, the side having racked up four league wins in the last three weeks against Telford Tigers, Billingham Stars and Sheffield Senators. The momentum of these victories could potentially spur the Sting on to a fourth consecutive home win this weekend which makes the Warriors’ opposition more dangerous than ever before.

Player-coach David Longstaff echoed this sentiment when speaking with NIHL Northern Trio, saying: “We have two hard games again. We struggled the last time we played Sutton but we’re a different team now.” However, as the Hillheads outfit continue to progress, Sutton do too and it could be argued that the home side are not the same team that Whitley played back in October. Richard Oliver, John Ross, Mark Turner and James Spurr found themselves on the score sheet against Billingham Stars recently and, with the skill and strength of other team members, the Sting are still a force to be reckoned with which will make for interesting viewing on Saturday.

Subsequent to this fixture, the Warriors will travel back to Whitley Bay Ice Rink where they will anticipate the return of local rivals, Billingham Stars. As ever, the Tyne-Tees derby remains to be one which attracts a lot of attention, flaring up long-standing rivalries between the two teams.

Whilst this game is crucial in its own right, with the pride of a win and the devastation of a loss keenly felt by all those involved, it could also influence Billingham’s rate of progression, either hindering or helping the side into the playoff spots. With Billingham’s recent injury woes and inconsistent results, the Stars require a victory this weekend to get themselves back on track; a derby day win in Whitley would allow the side to well and truly put the past two weeks behind them. With import Dennis Boström and forward Michael Elder in good form, the Warriors’ resilience, fortitude and determination will surely be pushed to the limit on Sunday.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
When Whitley last played hosts to the Stars in October, a close contest emerged in what was a highly enthralling competition between two very strong sides. Cancelling each other out, the game ended 4-4, the visitors having grabbed an early lead in the twenty sixth second of the first period. With forward Callum Watson, blue liner Scott Cooper and captain Tinsley all on the score sheet for Whitley, the Warriors’ coaching staff will be hoping for the same again with the additional request that the home side snatch both points. With one draw between the two and a 2-1 road victory for Whitley at The Forum, it is the Stars who will be perhaps feeling the pressure to take something from this game but, as the bragging rights are valued far more than the two points, the Warriors will do all they can to ensure they triumph over their local rivals. Speaking about the importance of the Tyne-Tees derby, Longstaff went on to tell NIHL Northern Trio: “The last time we played Billingham at home, it was a draw and could have gone either way but it’s always a great game for the fans and a game they always look forward to.” Meanwhile, Billingham Stars’ Chris Sykes added: “Onto Sunday, this is massive. No matter how each team does in a season, the talk is all about who won the derby games! We’re off to Whitley on Sunday which is another away game for us; only a short trip up the road but we are going there for a battle. A war you might say, but we want those two points to take back to Teesside!”

For those travelling to Ice Sheffield, Billingham Stars are first to face off against the Spartans at 1:30pm, the Senators host Solway Sharks from 4;30pm and Whitley Warriors take to the ice for a 7:30pm face off against Sutton Sting. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Stars travel to Hillheads to take on the Warriors to complete the weekend with some derby day action.


For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.


Tuesday 26 January 2016

NIHL Weekend Action

Highflying Hawks soar to claim victory
over Stars

Blackburn Hawks 10
Billingham Stars     0

With aspirations of a playoff spot, Billingham Stars went into this game aware that they would have their work cut out against Daniel MacKriel’s Blackburn Hawks who have produced a great deal of quality to earn their position at the top of the league this season. Travelling without the injured Paul Windridge, Michael Bowman and Jamie Pattison, the Stars were also without blue liners Will Robson and Richie Thornton, forward Jack Emmerson and first choice netminder James Flavell.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Yet, taking to the ice for the first period, the Teesiders were able to match the Hawks’ speed and skill to make the game a very even contest in the opening minutes, the visitors quickly finding themselves on the power play courtesy of a Tom King charging penalty. The Stars, unable to find the first goal of the game with this advantage, and little separating the Lancashire hosts from their fifth placed opposition, MacKriel’s men eventually went on the attack and they soon reaped their rewards as Canadian import RJ Berra and forward Lee Pollitt made an effort to send Adam Brittle through on Mark Watson’s goal. Successfully slotting the puck past the netminder, Brittle gave the Hawks a narrow lead which was rapidly added to as Richard Bentham fired an unassisted shot home to make it 2-0 just twenty six seconds later. Hit hard by these successive goals, the Stars were unable to find a response, though they were handed an opportunity late in the first period when two man system Steve Wardell and Craig Davison sin binned Blackburn’s Finnish import Kim Miettinen for a cross check. Despite this second power play, Terry Ward’s side could not find a way past Hawks’ netminder Stuart Ashton, leaving the Stars with a two goal deficit to overturn going in at the break.

With play resumed for the second period, the Stars returned with a view to get on the score sheet but any chance of this was significantly reduced when Jack Davies was called to serve time for hooking. Unwilling to imitate the shortcomings of their opponents, the Hawks ensured that their additional skater was put to good use. With just one second of the power play remaining, Miettinen was able to hit the target for the home side to make it 3-0, defenceman Max Drakeley and player-coach MacKriel with the assists. Just over a minute later, Aaron Davies lit the lamp to punish the Stars further, this time alternate captain Matt Viney on hand to turn the puck towards his teammate. At the halfway point of the period, these roles were reversed, Davies linking up with King before a neat pass to Viney saw the centre snatch a fifth for his side.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The Stars failing to make a lasting impression on Ashton’s net, the Teesiders were given some reprieve when Drakeley was directed to the sin bin for a tripping offence. As before, Billingham could not put the puck past Ashton as the side struggled to create opportunities in front of goal and it was Blackburn who capitalised instead when a shorthanded attempt from Adam Brittle flew into Stars’ goal. A slashing penalty for Miettinen was delivered in the final minutes of the period before Hawks headed in at the interval with a six goal cushion shielding the two points from the Stars.

Returning for the final instalment, Billingham knew that a victory was increasingly beyond their reach and this was further confirmed on 42:25 when Ben Simister and Bentham offered support to Miettinen for his second goal of the game. A little over four minutes later, Watson was again picking the puck out of his net as James Riddoch achieved his fifth assist of the season with a tidy pass to Viney who launched a shot over the red line to make it 8-0. With no way back for the Stars, Blackburn continued to dominate, grabbing another before forty eight minutes had been played, Adam Brittle working in unison with Chris Butler to hand Berra an opportunity; the forward did not miss his mark to make it nine and to simultaneously punish the despondent Stars further. Subsequent to this goal, Billingham made the decision to switch Watson for young netminder Ben Gill, his predecessor having played on with an injury sustained during the game. This change could made little difference to the final result however, the Hawks taking the score line into double figures to end their onslaught on 57:26, courtesy of another from Davies.

Fifty five shots were fired at Billingham’s netminders over the course of the evening in comparison to the twenty encountered by Ashton throughout, suggesting that the Stars’ lack of creative gameplay contributed to their landslide defeat ahead of their fixture against Solway Sharks at the Forum.



Victory for Whitley as Warriors grapple with Sharks

Solway Sharks    1
Whitley Warriors 2

Going into this game with a great deal of confidence after last weekend’s successes, both teams took to the ice with a strong desire to win. Making the trip with twenty skaters and two netminders, Whitley started with Richie Lawson between the pipes whilst young forward Callum Queenan, who had been unavailable to ice for the side against Telford Tigers, made his return to David Longstaff’s line up. Likewise, Solway also began with a tough squad, though Club Captain Alan Crane missed out once again due to an injury sustained last month and shot stopper Kieran Hobbins took to the net in place of Andrew Jaszczyk.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Following the first faceoff, it was clear that both teams were very much up for the contest and were not about to lose the points without a fight. Yet, it was not long before the deadlock was broken, a neat pass from power forward Jordan Barnes finding David Longstaff who scored with a fantastic wrap around on 5:02. Just over five minutes later, the Warriors found themselves shorthanded as captain Jamie Tinsley was sin binned by two man system David Emmerson and Michael Evans for hooking. Unable to capitalise on the power play, Solway watched as the visitors returned to full strength, Whitley having produced some excellent defensive work on the penalty kill. Whilst the Sharks created some good offensive play to test Lawson, the Warriors notched five more shots on goal than the home side. Despite this, Longstaff’s line up were unable to add to their tally and, as the Dumfries outfit could not draw level, the score line remained 1-0 in Whitley’s favour as the teams headed in at the break.

Going into the second period, Martin Grubb’s Sharks returned to the ice with hopes of equalising but the task proved to be trickier than first imagined as the Warriors put on a sturdy defensive display. However, with much perseverance, the Sharks finally piled enough pressure onto Lawson to slot the puck past the netminder, Iain Bowie accomplishing his fourth goal of the season on 33:19 with support from forward Joe Coulter and blue liner Aidan Fulton. With the stalemate once again resuming, the opponents continued to struggle against each other, both finding it equally difficult to break the other down. The interval called time on play which saw the Dumfries outfit back on level terms with their visitors.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
With nothing to separate the sides as the final period began, the points were most definitely all to play for. Yet, with such a close contest unfolding, the arrival of the next goal was far quicker than expected and it was ironically scored by former Shark Adam Reynolds who was sent through on Hobbins’ net by hardworking forward Dean Holland. The score 2-1, the Sharks battled back to try their luck but to no avail, eventually finding themselves a man down on 54:31 when James Wallace was sent to the sin bin for a slashing offence. Warriors’ power play lasted all of twenty one seconds however, as an interference call on Harry Harley saw the defenceman serve two minutes. With both teams back to full strength, but unable to light the lamp in the time remaining, Grubb opted to pull Hobbins from his net with thirty seconds left to play. The additional skater made little impact for the home side as the Warriors continued to defend their lead exceptionally well to take two points from the Ice Bowl ahead of their game against the Spartans on Sunday.

Commenting on the game, Martin Grubb told NIHL Northern Trio: “I didn’t quite think we deserved to lose but we didn’t quite do enough to win the game. Whitley came and made the game tough as we knew they would. Both goalies played well and I can’t be unhappy at our work rate but we did need to be more clinical in front of the net. We were aggrieved with the way that the winner was scored but I asked the boys to show character and ensure we got the win on Sunday.”

Whitley take two in clash with Spartans

Whitley Warriors       3
Sheffield Spartans    1

Hoping to gain as many points as possible to reduce the distance between themselves and reigning champions Blackburn Hawks, Whitley Warriors took to the ice with lines that had been tinkered with by player-coach David Longstaff. Unable to ice for the home side were Alex Lawson, Phil Pritchard, Ben Richards, Stu Tomlinson and netminder Jordan Boyle whilst Spartans’ junior Cole Shudra, forward Tom Parkinson, up and coming star Liam Kirk and shot stopper Matthew Croyle were amongst those unavailable to travel with the visitors.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Ian Hanlon
Starting at a fast pace and switching from one line to the next at a rapid rate, the Warriors began well, finding a goal in the first two minutes when Dean Holland and Harry Harley created some good build up play to find Longstaff who buried the puck in Brandon Stones’ net. Six and a half minutes later, the puck was again slotted past netminder Stones as the Warriors continued their application of pressure on Sheffield’s defence, this time captain Jamie Tinsley on target for the home side with support from Jordan Barnes. Subsequent to this goal, the visitors immediately went on the offensive to successfully light the lamp, versatile Spartan Andrew Turner hitting home to make it 2-1, Chris Wilcox and Elliot Knell with the assists.

The score line now too close for comfort, Longstaff urged his men to go on the attack. Stones finally endured one challenge too many to concede on 11:19, forward Martin Crammond neatly setting up blue liner Joe Stamp for an unmistakeable long range shot which did not miss its mark.

Soon after, Longstaff took time to avenge a hard hit with one of his own and was made to pay a two minute penalty for roughing. A strong penalty kill for the Warriors kept the tricky visitors at bay but Whitley were soon under pressure again, Longstaff taking a second roughing penalty which ran over the break and into the second period.

With Sheffield unable to capitalise, the Warriors returned to full strength unscathed but some technically scrappy play ensued with neither side able to break down the other’s defence. Handed a power play around the thirty minute mark of the game, following unsportsmanlike conduct from defenceman Josh Maddock, the Spartans failed to reduce their two goal deficit to one and the second period concluded with the score line unchanged. However, as the teams filed from the ice after the buzzer, a clash between Knell and experienced Warrior Alan Yarrow broke out, resulting in penalties for both on their return.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Ian Hanlon
Whilst Yarrow was handed a 2+10 misconduct, of which the minor penalty was served by skilled junior Liam Smedley, Knell incurred two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. Four on four ice hockey ensued but, just twenty nine seconds into this punishment, the Warriors became shorthanded, inviting a bench penalty as a result of too many men on the ice. Again, the Spartans were unable to take full advantage of this time and, with both teams eventually restored to five men, Martin White’s line up soon suffered further penalty trouble, forward Will Barron receiving a minor hooking penalty. Try as they might, the home side could not extend their lead further and it was not long before they repeated their earlier misdemeanour, icing too many men in the fiftieth minute to be forced onto the penalty kill. Despite this last opportunity, and numerous shots fired at Lawson, Sheffield could not make their chances count in much the same way that Whitley’s offensive play was cancelled out by the Spartans’ strong blue liners.

Speaking after the game, player-coach Longstaff told NIHL Northern Trio: “I thought we were great on Saturday and average on Sunday. Sunday was the first game in ages we all tried to do our own thing. I tinkered with the lines because we are going to be missing some players in the coming weeks so I’m trying to get the team ready for that.” Whitley Warriors next face Sutton Sting on away ice before an all-important derby day clash with Billingham Stars on Sunday at Hillheads. Longstaff’s line up are now five points away from the NIHL’s top spot with a game in hand on the Hawks but, as Solihull Barons continue to prove challenging, Whitley will have to ensure that they continue to pick up points to avoid a slip into third position over the next few weeks.

Sharks snap up points on Teesside as Stars fall short

Billingham Stars   7
Solway Sharks      4

It was one of the most important games of the season and one which both teams wanted to start in the best possible way so needless to say that Head Coaches Martin Grubb and Terry Ward  began the game with strong line ups, with Michael Bowman making his return for Billingham, though there were players missing from both team sheets. Paul Windridge, Scott Ward, Jamie Pattison and netminder James Flavell were amongst the Stars’ absentees whilst Solway played without defencemen Craig Mitchell, Frazer Goldie and Jamie Scott, forward Michael Corbett and the injured Alan Crane.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
With a great deal at stake due to the current league positions occupied by either side, both teams threw themselves into the game but it was the Stars who got off to the better start, Jack Emmerson striking the puck low following some effective build up play from captain Andy Munroe and player-assistant coach Bowman who immediately involved himself in the game following his return from injury. The opening stanza was not without its share of fieriness however, and successive tripping offences from Star Andy Finn on 15:09 and Sharks’ captain Struan Tonnar saw four on four ice hockey ensue. With an attempt from Solway’s Duncan Speirs, it was clear that the visitors were creeping back into the game and it was little surprise when the side drew level courtesy of the youngster who was helped onto the score sheet by skilful Shark Iain Bowie.

Just over two minutes later, Solway were able to take the lead when the puck fell to blue liner Stuart Andrews from a successful faceoff, Slovakian import Martin Cingel and forward Marc Fowley with the assists. Just when Billingham felt their luck could not get any worse, the Teesiders conceded another fifty five seconds later, Tonnar setting up Cingel in the last minute of the game.

Losing their early lead late in the first period, the Stars returned to the ice with hopes of an overhaul and it began to look possible for the home side when,  almost three minutes into the middle section, goal scorer Emerson turned assist for Jack Davies who hit the puck past Hobbins to make it 3-2.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Soon after, Sharks’ Ross Murray was ordered to warm a seat in the sin bin by referee Steve Brown for a charging offence and, in the moments that followed, Jack Davies suffered an alleged slash across the back from Solway’s latest signing James Wallace which saw the Billingham forward head to hospital. With the Stars on the power play due to Murray’s previous offence, Ward’s side were sure to capitalise, Chris Sykes and Dennis Boström on hand to see Thomas Keeley light the lamp.

Three apiece, Billingham’s Luke Brown incurred a ten minute misconduct penalty having made his feelings clear to Wallace but, shortly afterwards, Bowie was able to tear the Stars’ defence apart to allow the Dumfries outfit to go ahead once again. Player-assistant coach Richie Thornton joined Brown in the sin bin after a call for a cross check went against him but, seconds later, Joe Coulter was made to serve time for interference which meant the sides were now even handed. One last penalty in the period saw Finn side lined for delaying the game and, as neither team could find the net, it was the Sharks who went in at the break with the upper hand.

Going into the final instalment with a single goal between them, both teams were aware that Solway’s 4-3 lead was a fragile one. It was perhaps this sentiment which prompted Solway to act in the early stages of the period, some clever play from Steven Moore allowing Cingel to hit home a superb effort on 41:18. Just over a minute later, Solway’s 5-3 lead was further added to, this time Bowie and Speirs linking up to send Coulter past the Stars’ defence to find the back of the net.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Slashing penalties for either side saw Brown and Tonnar sent to the box for two minutes but, it was only when both sides had returned to full strength that the Stars struck, Michael Elder slipping a pass to Thornton who went on to achieve his second goal of the season. With the score line 6-3, the Stars needed to embark on an almighty comeback if they were to take anything from the game but a minor slashing penalty from Cingel was not enough to deter the visitors. Remaining calm on the penalty kill, the Sharks were restored to five men only to hit the target again in the last two minutes of the game, Murray on hand to make the most of creative play from Moore and Slovakian defenceman Juraj Senko to bury the Teesiders hopes.

Star Chris Sykes took time to reflect on Billingham’s clash with Solway, saying: “This weekend didn’t go our way at all; nothing went how we wanted it to. We went to Blackburn with two lines and lots of guys carrying knocks. Watto [Mark Watson] was playing in goal and then he hurt his ankle and that put his mind on other things. We just couldn’t handle it with the amount of guys and knocks we took. But we brushed it under the cobbles as they say and, on Sunday, we knew we were ready for a battle. And it was just that. Unfortunately, again, it didn’t go our way which is gutting and the way Solway acted about a certain situation made it even worse of a feeling. I don’t mind losing, everyone goes through it but the cheap shots they took were out of hand. That’s not what hockey is about. We had a bad weekend. But anyway, back to training this week and hopefully we have a big weekend ahead of us again. Every game from here on in for us is massive!”

Also happy to share his views subsequent to his team’s victory, Martin Grubb reported: “It was a mixed weekend results wise for us and we were disappointed not to get something out of the Warriors game. Tonight, I thought we started a little slow after putting so much into last night’s game but then we started to do the little things well and finish our chances to allow us to play with a lead. We took a few silly penalties to allow Billingham back into the game but showed our character to edge back in front and lead after two. I asked the players to ensure we did whatever we needed to do to win the game in the third and we came out flying. Early goals gave us a comfortable margin and the insurance marker at the end sealed the win. Overall I am happy we bounced back and gained two huge points in the playoff battle but we need to take each game as it comes and keep winning. I would like to wish Jack Davies a speedy recovery after being taking to hospital tonight and all at Solway Sharks wish him well.”


Both teams are in action again next weekend with Solway Sharks set to take on Sheffield Senators on Saturday whilst Billingham Stars will play Sheffield Spartans on the same day followed by a much-anticipated Tyne-Tees derby at Hillheads. 

For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.

Thursday 21 January 2016

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND
PREVIEW
NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE

Saturday 23rd January 2016
Blackburn Hawks vs. Billingham Stars
Solway Sharks vs. Whitley Warriors

Sunday 24th January 2016
Whitley Warriors vs. Sheffield Spartans
Billingham Stars vs. Solway Sharks

With Solway Sharks set to face Whitley Warriors and Billingham Stars in back-to-back fixtures, this weekend promises to be highly enthralling on all levels with much at stake for all teams concerned.  

Terry Ward’s Billingham Stars will be the first to faceoff on Saturday as his team prepare to face league leaders Blackburn Hawks; the Teesiders last encountering Daniel MacKriel’s side in a 5-2 league defeat to the Lancashire outfit back in December. Though missing Paul Windridge and Jamie Pattison due to long term injury, player-assistant coach Michael Bowman could make his return this weekend, all being well in training, and it is likely that Jack Davies, who was rested last Sunday after taking a knock against Sutton Sting, will be available for the trip.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Continuing their climb of the NIHL table, Billingham have made great progress in recent weeks and, though the side suffered defeat to Sutton Sting last weekend, the Stars picked up two points against Sheffield Senators to take them into fifth position. Closing in on the playoff spots, Billingham have a great opportunity this weekend to put pressure on Solihull Barons and Telford Tigers who are both just one point ahead of the Stars. With a four point weekend up for grabs, Ward’s line up could make it into third position should they win both of their fixtures and Solihull lose to either the Spartans or the Hawks. In recent weeks, the link up of Michael Elder, Chris Sykes and Callum Davies has been particularly important for Billingham with these three creative players collectively involved in nine of Stars’ goals over their last four games. Likewise, Swedish import Dennis Boström has also been incredibly influential, scoring a hat trick against Solihull Barons at Hobs Moat Road before snatching two against Sheffield Senators last Sunday. As Billingham’s highest points scorer this season, the right winger accumulating twenty two goals and ten assists to date, Boström will definitely be one to watch when it comes to the Stars’ offensive play against Blackburn on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Hawks have the perfect opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table this weekend and, should they triumph over Billingham on Saturday, and Solihull on Sunday, Blackburn will hit forty points to ensure a significant gap remains between themselves and the Warriors. Having lost uncharacteristically to Solway Sharks last weekend, MacKriel’s men will be hunting for a win to bounce back from this disappointment and with Richard Bentham, RJ Berra and Adam Brittle the NIHL’s top three points scorers at present, Billingham’s defence will be severely tested on Saturday as the Hawks intend to exhibit their goal scoring capacity in front of a home crowd. 

Taking the time to speak to NIHL Northern Trio, Stars’ player Chris Sykes expressed his views ahead of this weekend: “This weekend couldn’t be any more important: two of the biggest games of the season. Solway beat Blackburn last weekend so they’ll be on a positive but, first things first, we have Blackburn away on Saturday which is massive for us, and a win would see us jump into the playoff spots. Equally, on Sunday we need to dig deep and beat Solway at home and that’s two points up on them to push them further away from those all-important playoff spots at the end of the season. This weekend, there isn’t much really to put into words. We know as a group how big this weekend can be for us and we are in training this week, working on a few certain things which will hopefully see us take some points from both games this weekend.”

Prior to their game against the Stars on Teesside, Solway Sharks are set to play host to Whitley Warriors on Saturday evening before making the trip to The Forum on Sunday. Following their momentous win over Blackburn Hawks, the Sharks will take to the ice against the Hillheads outfit with the knowledge that they have already defeated the side at the Ice Bowl this season, claiming a 4-2 victory over the Warriors back in October, courtesy of goals from Struan Tonnar, Marc Fowley, Juraj Senko and Duncan Speirs.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Solway currently sit in seventh, having earned sixteen points in sixteen games. With several games in hand on their NIHL opposition, the Sharks need to win back-to-back games against two of their closest rivals this weekend, and require Sheffield Spartans to suffer two successive defeats, to finish the weekend one point away from sixth place. Starting 2016 with a landslide victory over Sheffield Senators, and working cohesively to defeat league leaders Blackburn Hawks, Solway have shown their strengths in recent games but the team need to build up a good run of form, having missed out on NIHL action in December due to adverse weather conditions. Whilst Solway have not let this interruption hold them back, the Sharks are in need of points if they are to make it into the playoff places by the end of their campaign.

Already occupying a playoff place at present, Whitley Warriors bounced back from a 4-3 loss against the Hawks to take two points from a short benched Telford Tigers last Sunday. With the Warriors exhibiting some neat ice hockey against the Shropshire side, and the Sharks showing resilience to beat Blackburn, an intense battle is likely to arise from the first face off as the teams go head to head for the third time this season.

With Slovakian import Martin Cingel back in Sharks’ line up following a broken collarbone, and Struan Tonnar, Steven Moore and Ross Murray all in form of late, Whitley’s defence should be up for a challenging sixty minutes on Saturday. Equally, the Warriors also have several goal scorers in their midst this season, with Shaun Kippin achieving a hat trick last weekend, and Callum Watson, Callum Queenan and Jamie Tinsley collectively hitting home thirty goals so far this campaign. Though Solway will be hunting for another much needed win to climb the NIHL table, Whitley require a victory if they are to stand any chance of closing the seven point gap between themselves and the Hawks, meaning Longstaff’s line-up will hope to triumph over Martin Grubb’s side.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The Warriors will then head back to Whitley Bay Ice Rink on Sunday for the second fixture of their double header, this time playing host to Sheffield Spartans who have proved unpredictable opposition throughout the season, winning ten games, losing eleven and drawing once against third placed Telford Tigers. With a draw, a victory and a loss making up Sheffield’s first three games of 2016, it is difficult to know how they will approach their latest fixture at Hillheads. Taking on the David Longstaff’s line up at Ice Sheffield in November, the Spartans were able to claim a 2-1 victory over the Warriors, captain Ollie Barron and Scott Morris with the goals. Head Coach Martin White also has an excellent talent in player-assistant coach Stuart Brittle who continues to pose a threat in front of goal as he utilises his EPL experience to the Spartans’ advantage. Playing the Spartans on home ice prior to this fixture, the Warriors displayed pace, power and punches against the Yorkshire outfit, hammering home six unanswered goals past Brandon Stones before forward Alan Yarrow and Spartan Stephen Weeks exchanged blows in the middle of the third period. As a result, this fixture has the potential to be a fiery one, with Sheffield Spartans requiring a victory to leap frog Billingham Stars to regain fifth position, and the Warriors hoping to pick up every point available to remain as close to the Hawks as they possibly can in the coming weeks. Player-coach Longstaff told NIHL Northern Trio: “This weekend will be very difficult against Solway and the Spartans. The last game we played against both teams, we lost so we know we’ll have our work cut out to win.”

Last but not least, Billingham Stars host close league rivals Solway Sharks at The Forum. Having already lost two league fixtures to the Stars this season, as well as an NIHL North Cup fixture at the end of November, Grubb will be hoping that the score line favours his side on this occasion. Despite these losses, a narrow gap of no more than two goals has separated the teams in the past, with the North Cup game settled by penalties, suggesting that fans will be in for another close contest on Sunday.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Whilst Solway’s defence will have to prevent Swedish import Dennis Boström from lighting the lamp, the Stars must contend with skilful Slovakian Martin Cingel who remains just one of Sharks’ greatest assets. As captain Struan Tonnar and his teammates aim for the playoff spots, with Ross Murray already indicating his team’s desire to make it into the top four in a recent interview with NIHL Northern Trio, the Stars will look to snatch the points from their rivals in a bid to stall Solway’s progression. With as many wins as they have losses, Grubb will urge his side to triumph over their closest rivals this weekend as the Sharks look to increase their chances of a playoff spot in the coming weeks.

Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio, Martin Grubb had the following to say about Solway’s latest fixtures: “We look forward to the visit of Whitley as we look to take the confidence from last weekend’s win into this game. We know it is another tough game against a very good team and we need to show that last weekend was not a one off. David Longstaff has done a great job, has his team playing well and has lots of depth in his team so he will want the points but we will be ready to stick to our game plan and battle for the win. The players all did their job last weekend, we have a great mood in the dressing room now and we are focused on another two points this weekend. Billingham are a team we are chasing and that will be another good game but we need to play smart and take our chances, and we hope for four points.”

For those fans hoping to make it to any of these games, Billingham Stars face Blackburn Hawks on Saturday at Blackburn Ice Arena from 5:45pm whilst Solway Sharks take on Whitley Warriors from 7:00pm at the Dumfries Ice Bowl. On Sunday, Whitley will then play host to Sheffield Spartans from 5:00pm whilst the Stars clash with the Sharks at The Forum from 6:30pm.


For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.