Tuesday 31 May 2016

NIHL North News

NIHL North News Bulletin


The relocation of defencemen Andy Dunn and Max Drakeley to Australia has added to Blackburn’s lengthy exit list this week but Head Coach Matt Darlow continues to strengthen his squad for his first campaign with the Lancashire outfit, signing Swedish centre Patrik Nyman from Grästorps IK. 

Aged thirty four, Nyman has played most of his hockey in Sweden’s Division One and his skill is evidenced by his stats. In 2003-04, Nyman was Olofströms IK’s top points scorer that season, achieving thirty points in thirty five games and he also went on to become top points scorer for Lindlövens IF in their 2006-07 campaign, scoring twelve goals and tallying twenty three assists. An experienced player, it is clear that Nyman will be an excellent addition to Darlow’s team.

Meanwhile, Hawks’ forward Tom King has chosen to leave the club behind whilst blue liner Nick Oliver joins Blackburn’s ever-growing roster and Sheffield Spartan Brandon Stones has made the switch to EPL outfit Sheffield Steeldogs. 



Thursday 26 May 2016

Team GB

Team GB:
The Northern
Stars

When Team GB made the trip to the World Championships in Zagreb last month, it was clear that the Northern connection was at full strength. Travelling to Croatia with former Vipers Jonathan Weaver and Colin Shields, reserve netminder and one-time Warrior Thomas Murdy, ex-Jester David Clarke and Durham-born Assistant Coach Tom Watkins, former Billingham Bomber Robert Dowd completed Pete Russell’s squad following a return from injury which had previously prevented the forward from competing at the 2018 Winter Olympic pre-qualifying tournament in Cortina back in February. With so many of these individuals having an influence in games on the world stage, here’s what the Northern Stars have to offer GB…

Robert Dowd

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Breaking through the ranks of Billingham’s junior setup to feature at a senior level during the club’s 2003-04 campaign, Robert Dowd was able to tally twelve points for the Bombers in the space of fourteen games whilst simultaneously racking up goals for both the Under 16 and Under 19 sides in the same season. Before long, Dowd received his call-up to Great Britain’s Under 18 squad and, soon after, he found himself integrated in Sheffield Scimitars EPL outfit which provided the Teessider with a pathway into the line-up of Elite League franchise Sheffield Steelers. It was here that the skilled forward began to slowly but surely make his mark, achieving forty four points in his first full season with the club, having already gained some ice time across nine games between 2006 and 2008. It was a switch to Belfast Giants which saw Dowd have his most successful season to date, the forward lighting the lamp on thirty seven occasions and tallying thirty five assists to become the team’s leading goal scorer. Following a season in the Allsvenskan, Dowd returned to the Steelers where he continues to be one of the side’s most consistent players.

Though missing out on GB’s pre-qualifiers for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics through injury, Dowd more recently took to the ice as alternate captain at the World Championships, crucially snatching a superb overtime winner against Estonia to keep GB’s promotion hopes alive before missing out against Lithuania due to illness.

Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio, Robert Dowd took time to reflect on the World Championships: “They were good, fast-paced games where I think our team really looked good. Getting off to a good start is key in these tournaments. Winning that big first one was great for us. It was a great honour for me to be given the A, a responsibility I don’t take likely but, playing with a room of leaders, it’s a very easy job.” When asked about his overtime winner in GB’s second game of the tournament and whether or not Estonia’s comeback was a surprise to him, Dowd noted: “No, any team in this tournament is dangerous. They have a couple of really good players who came up big. It was a great feeling to grab such a big goal. It always feels good to score but scoring for your country is extra special.” However, missing out against Lithuania due to illness, Dowd was forced to watch the game from the stands and admitted: “It was very nerve-wracking to start with but once we got a couple and started playing better and better, I could actually sit back and enjoy the game.”

David Clarke

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Born in Peterborough, Nottingham Panthers’ captain and GB winger David Clarke is another who once graced the ice in the North East of England. Playing for Newcastle Jesters, in the final season that the club would be known as such, Clarke was one of the team’s most reliable players, contributing in forty one games at the start of his ice hockey career. Clarke then went on to play for Peterborough Pirates, Milton Keynes Kings and Guildford Flames before embarking on a lengthy career with the Panthers which so far spans twelve seasons. Taking on the role of both alternate captain and captain at the club, Clarke took a season away from England to play in Italy’s second Division with Alleghe before making his return to the EIHL.

Clarke’s invaluable leadership skills were noticeable once again at the tournament as he fulfilled the role of alternate captain in the absence of Robert Dowd and he certainly had an impact on his team’s success, grabbing two assists in GB’s 6-1 victory over Romania. Making one hundred and nine appearances in international fixtures for GB, including those in the Under 18 and Under 20 divisions, Clarke has accomplished thirty seven goals to become a key component of Great Britain’s roster.

Jonathan Weaver

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The Northern connection was further strengthened by the presence of Sunderland-born defenceman Jonathan Weaver whose experience was shown to be valued by Pete Russell, the Head Coach opting for the thirty nine year old to take to GB’s blue line yet again. Starting out with the Durham Wasps in the BHL from 1992 to 1996, Weaver then joined Newcastle Cobras and, though he left the club in 1998 for Manchester Storm, the winger eventually returned to the city to link up with the  BNL’s Newcastle Vipers, also making the transition into the Elite League with the club. GB’s recent trip to Zagreb presented an opportunity for Weaver to achieve his best points tally for Great Britain since the 2010-11 World Championships in which he grabbed a goal and seven assists as team captain to finish the tournament as GB’s highest points scorer. Once again demonstrating his strength in defence, Weaver continues to excel as one of GB’s greatest assets, again picking up a silver medal with the national team who continue in their battle for promotion to Division 1A.

Colin Shields

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Likewise, ex-Newcastle Viper Colin Shields also exhibited his excellence at the World Championships, scoring against hosts Croatia, third-placed Lithuania and István Geréb’s Romania. Before playing ice hockey in the North East for a single season, Glasgow-born Shields gained experience in the USA, icing for seven teams across the NAHL, NCAA and the ECHL from 1998 until 2005. Following a season with the Belfast Giants, Shields made his return to the East Coast Hockey League with Fresno Falcons before a switch to the Idaho Steelheads saw the forward rack up twenty nine points in thirty three games ahead of his move to the Vipers.

Taking into consideration the success of Team GB, Shields took time to share his perspective mid-tournament: “I think we have all come together with one goal in mind: winning the gold medal. We were so close last year and I think everyone came back hungry and focused this year on the task. We are playing as a team and for each other, you can see everyone playing their role and for each other, not as individuals. The whole tournament has been great, seeing some of the guys get milestone caps was great. We have so many characters on the team, friends who have played on this team for fifteen years or more. It’s special to share moments like that with them.”

Thomas Murdy

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Also travelling with the squad, reserve netminder Thomas Murdy is another with strong links to the North East, having played in Sunderland’s junior setup before making the switch to Whitley Bay. It was here that the superb shot stopper was recognised for his ability to consequently find himself selected for GB’s Under 18 team.  Swiftly making the transition to the Elite League with Coventry Blaze, Murdy has also enjoyed loan spells with EPL outfit Swindon Wildcats before signing for the team in 2012. First choice netminder at Telford Tigers for the last three seasons, Murdy was recently released by the Shropshire side though he continues to be one of Great Britain’s best between the pipes. This is evidenced in Murdy’s presence at the World Championships, the netminder only edged out of the starting line-up by the brilliant Ben Bowns and the more experienced Stevie Lyle.

Having observed GB’s action at the World Championships from the stands as a result, Murdy took time to present his take on the tournament: “I think the World Championships have been great; the team have performed very well and the game against Lithuania proved that. Each game we play has a great atmosphere due to the travelling fans which is a great boost for us. Bownsy [netminder Ben Bowns] has been great all tournament. He has been really solid at the back, making the big saves at key times, like the save against Estonia to keep the game tied at 3-3; that was a huge moment in the game for us. It’s an honour to be able to represent your country in any way you can so to be involved with the squad at this year’s World Championships is great. As for the future, I will just continue to work hard and try to improve, and hopefully make the final team for future championships.” Considering how far he has developed his game since his departure from NIHL club Whitley Warriors, Murdy revealed: “I am happy with how things have gone for me since moving away from Whitley Bay but I was lucky and I have been given lots of opportunities to progress so I am grateful for that. There are a lot of talented players who come through the Whitley Bay junior system. It’s just a shame that players have to move away from the North East now if they want to progress further in their hockey careers; even more so now there is no professional hockey in the North East.

Tom Watkins

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
The Northern link is further extended to GB’s bench where Durham-born assistant coach Tom Watkins oversees play alongside Head Coach Pete Russell. Having played for more than two decades, Watkins’ early playing career can be traced back to the North East. Starting out with Sunderland Tomahawks in the club’s Under 19 set up, Watkins then went on to feature for Newcastle Warriors, Billingham Bombers and Durham City Wasps in his first season as a senior in 1995; his greatest accomplishments were with the Teesside outfit however, having scored twenty one points in thirty two games for the Bombers. Since then, Watkins has split his career between Telford Tigers and Coventry Blaze, more recently becoming Head Coach of Telford’s EPL side and Director of Coaching of their NIHL feeder team.

Looking ahead to GB’s future, Watkins took the time to provide some insight into the team’s strengths and the areas that the side must improve on in order to accomplish promotion in the future: “I think looking back now, a month post-tournament, it’s still frustrating but we have to take the positives and keep building on them. I am pleased with the performance and commitment from players, and the team spirit that is created in a relatively small amount of time is excellent, but, and it’s a big but, it still hurts. To be in the same scenario as the previous year is painful. It’s important we give ourselves a chance to win and be in that position to give ourselves a chance of success. For the time the team has together to prepare, I think we have grown together over the last two seasons and we will hopefully improve from this experience. Of course, there are always areas we can be better but, when you look back at the key stats of the tournament, we were placed well in several departments. The one area I feel we can better is around the opposition net. One good opportunity and we have to bury that chance to change the game, meaning that we capitalise at key times after periods of good pressure and territory to carry the momentum further in our favour.”

Further to this, Watkins took time to consider the impact that Northerners Robert Dowd and Jonathan Weaver have had on GB, both players going from strength to strength since their departure from ice hockey clubs in the North East: “I grew up with Jonathan and have been close friends with him since we were young kids. I have played with him and against him for Durham and Sunderland respectively. Weaves was always a special talent, a very smooth skater, good poise and awareness, and was hungry; he still is. It’s great to see him playing and enjoying his hockey. It’s different when guys play for a living, different pressures and expectations, but the one thing with him that is always apparent is how much he loves to play the game. That shows at practice, always doing more, always trying to improve. He has had such a successful career because he puts in the hard work on and off the ice. I can say pretty much the same about Dowdy, he loves to play and compete. They are both very hungry to be the best and help their team have success. Both had excellent tournaments in Croatia and they are two of our most influential players for sure.”


Last but not least, the Northern connection is also bolstered by the presence of GB’s official photographer Colin Lawson, father of Whitley Warriors’ Richie and Alex who have also starred with Newcastle Vipers across all divisions over the years, from ENL2 to the Elite League. For more of Colin’s photos of Team GB, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.



Thank you to Robert Dowd, Colin Shields, Thomas Murdy and Tom Watkins for taking the time to share their views with NIHL Northern Trio. 


Tuesday 24 May 2016

NIHL North News

NIHL North News
Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
Though only a month has passed since playoff weekend, there has already been several adjustments made to teams in NIHL North Division One, with much discussion surrounding the departure of key players from Moralee champions Blackburn Hawks.

The news that player-coach Daniel MacKriel would part company with the Lancashire outfit following family commitments, created a vacancy which was soon snapped up by former Sutton Sting Head Coach Matt Darlow. With his coaching experience ranging from the ENL to the EPL, Darlow takes the reins of a club which has been at its best in recent seasons to become back-to-back NIHL North Moralee Conference and Playoff champions. However, just days after this appointment, it was announced that captain Chris Arnone would follow in MacKriel’s footsteps, having become a father himself, ultimately leaving the Hawks without one of their strongest defencemen and top points scorers.

Meanwhile, the club were dealt a further blow when confirmation was received that former Hawk Luke Brittle would not return after a spell with Spanish side S.A.D. Majadahonda, following the forward’s decision to move back to his hometown where he will line up with EPL outfit Telford Tigers in September. It would seem that this decision prompted the remaining Brittle brothers to rethink their future with the Hawks as long-serving netminder and player-assistant coach Daniel Brittle broke the news two days later that he would not play an eighth consecutive season with Blackburn and, as anticipated, NIHL North’s top points scorer and alternate captain Adam Brittle was next to make for the exit, also returning to his hometown after three fruitful campaigns at Blackburn Ice Arena. In addition to these departures, Salford-born forward Lee Pollitt announced that he would not sign on for another season with the Hawks as he prepares to switch to Canadian side Temiscaming Titans, an opportunity too good to miss out on in the early stages of his ice hockey career. Though Blackburn have undoubtedly lost several of their key players over the last two weeks, Darlow has also managed to secure gifted forward Richard Bentham for the 2016-17 campaign alongside sturdy shot stopper Stuart Ashton, who is likely to become Blackburn’s first choice between the pipes in the absence of Brittle, youngster Corey Stones and defencemen Bobby Streetly and Ollie Lomax.

Taking the time to discuss his recent appointment at the club, Head Coach Matt Darlow noted: “It’s a pleasure being at Blackburn and part of the Silver Blades group of teams. I moved to forward my coaching career and to take on the challenge of rebuilding the Hawks. I knew from day one that many of the team were moving on in hockey and in life so there have been no surprises to me since joining. My aims are to build a team around my coaching philosophy of combining creative offence with structured defence. My main aim for season one with the Hawks is to build a sustainable platform for the years ahead and to build a positive team environment where our players and staff enjoy coming to the rink each and every day. I am a process-focused coach with an emphasis on getting the details right in order to play good hockey and entertain our fans.”


In other news, Sutton Sting player-coach John Ross has replaced Martin White as Head Coach of Sheffield Spartans with a view to improve on the side’s league placement playoff place last season which saw the Yorkshire outfit defeat Widnes Wild to remain in the Moralee Conference. With unpredictable form proving to be detrimental in the early stages of the Spartans’ 2015-16 campaign, consistency further hampered the team’s efforts as the side racked up ten consecutive league defeats from mid-January onwards, a 6-1 loss against Solihull Barons marking the end of a dismal season for the Sheffield squad. 

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

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Acknowledgements

THANK YOU!

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With the ice hockey season now well and truly over, I would just like to take this time to thank all those who have supported NIHL Northern Trio since its creation back in September, without whom this blog would not have been possible.

Firstly, I would like to thank Colin Lawson of IceHockeyMedia for his continual supply of superb photographs throughout the season and for his unrelenting support. Thanks also go to Colin for his fantastic interview, ‘A View through the Lens’ which provided a great insight into his role as Team GB’s official photographer.

Next, I would like to recognise the hard work of Whitley Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff, Solway Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb and Billingham Stars’ Chris Sykes who have provided swift but detailed previews and reflections on a weekly basis without fail, often feeding back additional pieces of information to assist with the writing of my match reports.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

In addition to these contributions, there are many players across the Northern Trio who have taken part in ‘Team Talk’ interviews this season. These players are: Whitley Warriors’ netminder Richie Lawson, Canadian import Andre Payette, winger Dean Holland, forward Shaun Kippin and long-serving Warrior DJ Good; Solway Sharks’ captain Struan Tonnar, alternate captain Ross Murray, forwards Stevie Adams and Marc Fowley and Irish winger Stevie Balmer; Billingham Stars’ Chris Sykes, second choice shot stopper Mark Watson, defenceman Ben Davison and Swedish import Dennis Boström. A big thank you to all who took the time to be interviewed, and to Sheffield Senator Mark Hartley who also took part; your efforts are very much appreciated. Thanks also to Craig Simpson and Mark Paterson for supplying me with the photo of Stevie Balmer which was then used in his ‘Team Talk’ interview.

Further to this, I would like to thank Blackburn’s Reece Cairney-Witter, Warrior Josh Maddock, Solihull player-coach Perry Doyle, Shark Kieran Hobbins, Dragons’ captain Marc Lovell, Widnes player-coach Scott McKenzie, Lions’ alternate captain Adz Andrews and Eagles’ player-coach Scott Barnett for taking the time to share their views ahead of playoff weekend.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Thanks also go to Rob Eley for his input in a recent article which was centred on his highly successful ‘19for19’ campaign and for taking the time to provide an insight into his testimonial season with Solihull Barons.

In relation to work published on Ice Nation UK, I would like to express thanks to Anthony Lowe who provided me with the stats I needed to write ‘Life on the Blue Line: The NIHL Defenceman’ and to David Longstaff for his contribution to ‘Great Brits Abroad’.

Last, but not least, I would like to thank all those who have taken the time to read any of my blog posts over the course of the season, and to all those who have chosen to retweet or share the link to my blog with others. Thanks for everyone’s contribution this season and for all of the positive feedback which was most unexpected.

I look forward to posting again in September but don’t forget, you can catch up with the latest signing news from Whitley Warriors, Solway Sharks and Billingham Stars over the summer months here too!


NIHL Northern Trio

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

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Team Talk

TEAM TALK
Photo Credit: Mark Paterson/Skidpix.

Reflecting on his first season with Solway Sharks, left winger Stevie Balmer reveals his early inspirations, the reason behind his move to the Dumfries outfit and the differences between the NIHL’s North and South Divisions…

What has been your highlight this season?

The highlight of the season for me has been the push to clinch the final playoff spot. After a lot of doubts and injury trouble we managed to all pull together and turn around a slow start to the season.

What has been your greatest disappointment?

I couldn’t narrow down to a single thing on my biggest disappointment. Maybe a few games we lost points on towards that last stretch.

This season was your first with the Sharks. What do you make of your team mates and Head Coach Martin Grubb?

My first season for the Sharks has been awesome. I have played for a lot of teams and I have enjoyed my time this year as a Shark. I have made a lot of friends from the team, background staff and fans that I will stay in contact with over the summer. Martin has been a good coach this year. I have had my fair share of all types of coaches in the past, from guys who say next to nothing to guys who will scream at a team for little mistakes, but he generally keeps it cool until called upon which is good.

Having undertaken quite a journey this campaign, Solway secured a playoff place. Are you surprised by how much the Sharks have achieved?

To be fair, no I’m not surprised what we have achieved this season. We have a team that can contend with any other team in the league and we have before.

You played in both games on the penultimate weekend of the season and they were completely different in all respects. How did it feel to secure that playoff spot and then have to deal with a 7-0 defeat to Daniel MacKriel’s title winning Blackburn Hawks?

That weekend had a lot of mixed emotions. We beat Telford for double points and that secured our playoff spot and that was a good feeling. The Blackburn game was so they could take the league and we didn’t bring our ‘A’ game. Let’s not take it away from Blackburn; they are a good team and congrats to them on the league title.

What made you decide to sign for Solway this season?

I signed for Solway this season as I heard a lot of good things from other players about the club and the players at Solway. It was also a team I could commit to from Belfast while I worked and lived at home for the first time in a long time, so it was a big plus for me this season and the team were very understanding with my commitment as some weekends I could not make games.

Who do you feel has been the Sharks’ most influential player this season?

The most influential player is a tough one. It has been one of those seasons where everyone has had good and bad games but our most consistent is maybe [Marc] Fowley but it is hard to narrow down to a player.

What do you make of the opposition in the Moralee Conference and if you had to name one player who has impressed you this season, who would it be?

The Moralee Conference is a lot better than I remember when I played in Manchester. Teams are so strong; the standard has been that anyone can win on the night and there are a few standout players for me that I can put out there who are obvious but there are so many good players in the league. 

Like team mate Stevie Adams, you played in the IIHL at the start of your career. What was it like to ice with the Dundalk Bulls and the Latvian Hawks, and how did those two teams differ in terms of quality?

The IIHL was a good league when the Celtic League was around with Fife, Dundee, Solway and Paisley coming over and it was a great stepping stone for Stevie and I. We got an opportunity to play with some amazing players with the Latvian Hawks and picked up a lot of ice time as well to help out development. I would say the top players there would be much better than some of the top guys in the NIHL but the standard of teams were not as good as teams now in the league.

You made the switch to the English National League to play for Trafford Metros in their 2010-2011 campaign. What was the reason for this and how did it compare to ice hockey you’d played in the past?

Before Trafford, I had played in the IIHL in which only two teams came close to NIHL team skill. I wanted to get better myself and moving away from home was my only option. I went to America for try-outs for a few teams and signed for the Long Beach Bombers Junior A Team but I couldn’t go in the end due to my visa being declined. So I looked at a few teams in and outside of the UK and, as it was so close to the start of the season, very few teams would take a chance on a player they had never seen nor heard of but Trafford took me on that year. I wasn’t able to finish out the season with them and I only managed one goal in fifteen games so I didn’t have my most successful entry to the league but sure, it gave me something to work on.

The following season, you signed for Streatham Redskins in NIHL South Division One to achieve thirty five points, the most you have recorded in a season to date, although this appears to have been a particularly difficult season for the club. What was it like to endure twenty seven defeats despite giving your all?

My time at Streatham was amazing and I will never forget it. It was a team that didn’t deserve to lose that many games but that is hockey. It was a tough season for Streatham and they nearly got relegated but managed to pull it back in the last game of the season against Slough Jets ENL. I don’t think one player on that team didn’t give 100% each game. That’s all that matters at the end of the day and they managed to stay up in ENL One; that’s a plus.

You played for both Cardiff Devils NIHL and Slough Jets in the EPL during the 2013-14 season. What was it like to divide your season between these two teams and to play at a higher level of the sport?

When I went to Cardiff, it was to try and get a shot at the Elite team as well so I could get training on top of my ENL duties, but things took a turn for Slough that season and I got a chance to play EPL that I couldn’t turn away so I ended up going full time EPL for the remainder of the season. The EPL was a big step up in all aspects of the game but not over my head and I took away a lot from that spell, from on and off ice experience.

Having played in both NIHL North and NIHL South, which league do you prefer and why?

Having played both NIHL leagues, they both have teams that can play good hockey but I think North teams like to focus more on trying to hit than the South does. They are, as team play goes, ‘tougher’ but, especially this season with so many high class players, the skill has also gone up tremendously. South league has its spells of tough and chippy games but they are usually more open games which focus on executing systems a lot more. I’m not really sure what I prefer. It’s more just learning to keep my head up more and not getting steamrolled by the bigger guys. Ha, ha!

Which ice hockey player inspired you as a junior?

As a junior, I always used to watch the Belfast Giants and through the years, they had some outstanding players come and go but one guy that always stood out to me maybe was Curtis Huppe. He had one of the hardest shots I had seen and they looked effortless for him as well. The NHL is always a go-to for these sorts of questions and I was always a fan of Alex Kovalev. He had some of the best stick handling skills around and I always tried to be that sort of player in my own game.

Finally, what do you consider to have been your greatest achievement to date and is there anything you would like to achieve that you haven’t already?

One of my greatest achievements would be winning the gold medal with Team Ireland. It was with a team of guys I have been friends with for years growing up and, to this day, I wish Team Ireland was still going. I would like to have won the league title and NIHL so I could have the experience of winning both the league and the playoffs at that level.


Thank you to Stevie Balmer for taking the time to be interviewed by NIHL Northern Trio. 


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