Wild
ace playoff semi-final to send Altrincham home
Widnes Wild 2
Altrincham Aces 0
Lining up against
Altrincham Aces for the first Laidler Conference playoff semi-final on
Saturday, Widnes Wild took to the ice with a strong line-up which included player-coach
Ollie Barron, captain Shaun Dippnall, skilled forwards Stuart Brittle, Nick
Manning and Michael Mawer, two-way player Thomas Ratcliffe and Czech defenceman
Pavel Vales. By comparison, the Aces also boasted a strong roster of seventeen
skaters, though without suspended forward Joe Greaves, former Wild player Tom
Revesz and defenceman Phillip Proudlove going into this fixture.
Facing off, both teams
found it difficult to make their mark in the early stages of the game and it
was not long after that the Wild conceded their first penalty in their battle
for possession as sturdy defenceman Lee Kemp received a minor for hooking on
2:38 to hand the Aces an additional man. Though firing the puck at young
netminder Matthew Croyle when on the power play, mostly from distance,
Altrincham struggled to get ahead in the contest as Widnes remained resolute in
defence to see their opposition’s advantage frittered away. Shortly afterwards,
Robyn Crebbin’s side then found themselves on the receiving end of referee
Mitchell Kempster’s decision making when defenceman Luke Stretton made way for
holding with less than seven minutes played. However, just fifty three seconds
later, Brittle found himself sinbinned for the Wild after a high sticks offence
to see both teams proceed with four men for a short time. These disruptions to
the flow of play did not end there though as a further penalty for Widnes was
issued just fourteen seconds before Brittle was restored to the ice; Manning
joining his team mate to serve two minutes for slashing on 9:40. Though both
netminders were tested, neither side could make their efforts count and a
second penalty for the Aces on 11:42, just two seconds after the Wild returned
to full strength, handed Widnes the advantage as young forward Corey Lee was
sidelined for holding. Just over a minute layer, Altrincham’s second highest
points scorer John Murray was then shown to the sin bin for slashing. Again,
the Wild were unable to punish netminder Declan Ryan, though Barron brothers
Ollie and Will strove to find the back of the net alongside Brittle, Vales and
Ratcliffe who could not make their chances count. Their penalty served, the
Aces returned to five men and were all too happy to see the power play shift
hands once more as forward Karl Niamatali sat out for slashing on 15:29. Trying their
luck, captain Brian Worrall teamed up with prospect Jared Dickinson in a bid to find the
target whilst alternate captains Jake Nurse and Daniel Berry made several
attempts to catapult their team into the lead but to no avail. Continuing to
suffer as a result of poor discipline, the Aces then saw out the period
shorthanded as a crosscheck from defenceman Cade King saw Altrincham handed a
minor penalty on 17:48. Making no difference to the score line, the teams went
in level on shots and with much work to do to show an edge over their
opposition.
Returning for the
second period, both teams were eager to get on the scoresheet but the Aces were
somewhat hindered in their efforts when a tripping penalty for defenceman Andy
Dunn reduced the side to four men to see Widnes claim yet another power play. Despite
the Wild’s pressure on shot stopper Ryan, Barron’s men could not take the lead
but were handed a second advantage in quick succession when Dickinson made way
following a needless clipping offence. Building some momentum with the
additional man, the Wild were beginning to see their chances increase in front
of goal but were only able to break the deadlock a little less than five
minutes later when player-coach Barron fired home courtesy of some skilful play
from fellow former Spartans Manning and Brittle. Just over a minute after the
concession of this goal, Dunn was sidelined for a second time having committed
the same offence as before but the Wild were unable to double
their lead on the power play to head in at the break with a narrow advantage.
Heading into the final
period, Widnes were eager to hold onto their lead whilst the Aces realised that
their chances of making it to the playoff final were slipping away and resolved
to throw themselves into the remaining twenty minutes of the game. The Wild, meanwhile, approached this stanza with confidence but were subjected to
counterattacking play from Altrincham who set out to test netminder Croyle and came close
on several occasions. A third penalty for Dunn just before
the halfway point in the period then saw Widnes handed yet another power play. Threading
a pass to hardworking defenceman Simon Offord, Manning was successful in
helping his teammate assist his player-coach who achieved his second goal of
the game on 51:00 to finally make the most of the power play. Continuing the
game in much the same fashion as it began, Widnes’ versatile Berwyn Hughes was
handed 2+10 for a check to the head which prompted a timeout from the Aces as
they looked to capitalise on this situation. Just fifteen seconds later though,
Altrincham’s Michael Gilbert found himself sinbinned for roughing which was quickly
followed up by a penalty for the Wild as Brittle was also considered guilty of a check
to the head. With the Wild missing both Hughes and Brittle until the end of the game as a
result, the Aces proceeded only to pick up a bench minor for too many men on
the ice. Further penalties for Widnes’ Ollie Barron and Ace Michael Gilbert on 56:43, a
bench minor for abuse of an official by the Wild and a hooking penalty for
Altrincham forward Sheldon Cassidy only broke up the flow of play further to
leave the game at 2-0 when the final buzzer sounded.
Stars
strike Blackburn as Hawks fail to defend playoff title
Billingham Stars 7
Blackburn Hawks
3
Taking to the ice for
their highly anticipated playoff clash with Blackburn Hawks, Billingham Stars had
their regular squad at their disposal with top points scorers Chris Sykes,
Swedish import Dennis Boström and Callum Davies amongst those making the trip
to Ice Sheffield on Saturday. The Hawks, meanwhile, boasted an equally strong
outfit which included forwards Rick Bentham, Aaron Davies and Philip Mulcahy besides
player-coach Steven Duncombe and goal scoring import Jozef Istocy.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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The atmosphere
immensely hostile towards Blackburn Hawks as both teams filed onto the ice for
faceoff, the Stars found that they had acquired the support of Whitley Warriors’ fan base going into this fixture. An early delaying the game penalty for Duncombe on 1:06 handed Billingham a power play which they were unable to
take full advantage of despite initial chances from Sykes, Boström and import Daniel Palmebjörk. Proving a challenge for netminder Stuart Ashton
from the outset, the Stars claimed possession to appear dominant in the opening
stages of the game. Gradually, the Hawks began to make their presence felt on
the ice and were not without their fair share of opportunities in front of
goal, with Istocy amongst those striving to put Blackburn into the lead. As
such, it was not long after that the puck was placed beyond Flavell by none
other than the Slovakian forward who was helped onto the scoresheet by youngster James
Royds and defenceman Bobby Streetly. The score line 1-0 to the Hawks, the Stars
sought a rapid response with forwards Jack Watkins, Michael Elder and Sykes
working hard against Blackburn’s defence without reward. Though reduced to four men as Palmebjörk was made to serve two minutes for holding, the Stars were
effective on the penalty kill to prevent the Hawks from doubling their
lead and, despite not giving up the search for their first goal of
the game, the Teessiders found themselves unable to get off the mark ahead of
the break.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon
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Regretting their missed
opportunities and equally feeling that they were still in with a good chance of
winning this game, the Stars surprised the Hawks with a goal in the second
minute of the middle stanza when Watkins hit the target following skilled play from Sykes
who was supported in his efforts by blue liner Andy Finn. Taking the game back
into their control, Billingham were able to add another to their tally just
over two minutes later when Palmebjörk impressed to punish Ashton; Sykes again on hand to
assist with support from Watkins. Appearing dangerous as they
continued to set their sights on goal, it was not long before the Stars clashed
with the Hawks in front of Ashton’s net as Billingham’s forward Luke Brown and
Hawks’ captain Ollie Lomax came to blows to see both players receive 2+2 for
roughing whilst the Star incurred an additional penalty of five minutes plus
game to find himself ejected from the contest. Shorthanded as a result of these penalties, Billingham were determined
not to let this affect their game to successfully continue their offensive
efforts as Watkins teamed up with defenceman Ben Davison to pick out Palmebjörk
who was able to notch his second of the game with a superb effort just before
the halfway point in the period. Less than two minutes later, a charging call
against Elder saw the Stars hand Blackburn a power play only for the Hawks to
hit the back of the net eleven seconds into their advantage, with Aaron Davies elated to be on the
scoresheet to silence the critics as Bentham and Duncombe collected assists.
Soon after, Bentham found himself punished for a check to the head with a
penalty of 2+10 to see the power play switch hands. Building up
possession, Billingham were patient in their pursuit of a fourth goal which
arrived on 34:18; an unassisted effort from Sykes flying beyond Ashton to make
it 4-2. With the Hawks struggling to reduce their deficit in the second period,
the side headed in at the interval with eighteen shots to Billingham’s
fifteen but very little to show for their efforts as shot stopper Flavell
remained steadfast in net.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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The third period their
last chance to turn the outcome of this game around, the Hawks made their way onto the ice with
the intention of battling their way back into this encounter but were dealt an early
blow when forward James Moss linked up with Callum Davies to see Elder lift the
puck over Ashton less than five minutes in. Beginning to gain some ice time,
forward Corey Stones then picked up a penalty for slashing around a minute
later to award Billingham another power play but the Stars failed to place the
puck past Ashton despite their best efforts and were quick to regret their
inability to capitalise as Blackburn were restored to full strength only to
score less than two minutes later when Thomas Parkinson was rewarded for his
work rate with a goal, following a neat pass from fellow forward James Riddoch.
Now 5-3, the Stars were eager to ensure their lead against their close league
rivals and retaliated just fifty four seconds later when Elder grabbed a
second, Callum Davies again supplying the puck following link up play with blue
liner Tom Keeley. Trailing by three goals, the Hawks were disappointed to have concede a sixth and suffered a further setback soon after when Sykes made the
most of Palmebjörk’s pace and power to slot home whilst Keeley notched his
second assist of the afternoon. Dominating the final minutes of play, the Stars
were able to prevent the Hawks from adding to their tally to seal their place
in the playoff final whilst Blackburn were dismayed to lose out, having fought
so hard prior to this contest.
Senators
storm into playoff final as Eagles suffer crushing defeat
Blackburn Eagles 1
Sheffield Senators
3
Going
into this fixture with the knowledge that this could potentially be their last game as a unit in
light of recent events surrounding their club’s future, Laidler champions Blackburn Eagles were eager to achieve a victory to ensure their place in the playoff final, lining up with
player-coach Scott Barnett, captain Wayne Slater and strong defenceman Chris
Arnone as well as top points scorers Chris Jones, Jordan Ashington and Aaron
Jordan. With three more skaters than that of their opposition, the Senators
equally proved to be up for the challenge as skilled forwards
Nathan Parkes-Britton, Alexander Harding and Thomas Proctor prepared to set their
sights on goal from faceoff.
The
game underway, Sheffield Senators were able to surprise their
opposition in the early stages of the first period to take control of
possession and make the initial moments a challenge for the Eagles. Causing
problems across all areas of the ice, forward Paul Lofthouse made
creative play difficult for Blackburn, meaning early attempts were soon
quashed by the Senators. Continuing to show signs of dominating the first period of the game, it was not long before Sheffield capitalised on their
efforts, young forward George Crawshaw finding the target with support from blue liner Jack Brain. Stunned to concede, the Eagles were spurred into action against
shot stopper Mark Hartley who remained sturdy in net to ensure his team held
onto their narrow lead. Showing no signs of letting up, the Senators were then
able to add a second to their tally after much perseverance, this time Proctor
slipping the puck to Parkes-Britton who wasted no time in punishing netminder
Phil Crosby to double his team’s lead. Matters were made worse for the Eagles
when alternate captain Chris Arnone was sinbinned for a crosscheck on 17:29 but, just twelve seconds later, the defenceman was joined in the penalty
box by Senator Jonathan Bell. Both teams now reduced to four men, Sheffield
were undaunted by the task in hand to find the back of the net for a third time
when Harding zipped a pass to Proctor on 18:42 to see his team mate alter the
scoreboard. Having returned to full strength, the Eagles found themselves
shorthanded in the final minute of the period when forward Chris Jones was sidelined
for a check to the head, receiving a penalty of 2+10 in consequence.
Beginning
the second period on the penalty kill as a result, the Eagles recognised that
they had much work to do and it was clear from the start that Barnett’s side
intended to up their game to claw their way back into the fixture. Facing shot
after shot, Senators’ netminder Hartley was kept busy in the opening period
of the game but, much to the Eagles’ despair, he was not to be beaten. The game
taking a fiery turn as Senator Lofthouse continued to make a nuisance of
himself, it was little surprise when the forward was sinbinned alongside
Eagles’ Aaron Jordan, the former handed two minutes for interference whilst the
latter picked up a minor for tripping. Continuing to search for a foothold in
the game in spite of their penalty, Blackburn were relieved to finally hit home
on 31:17 when defenceman Craig Lutkevitch fired his team onto the scoresheet
with support from Slovakian import Tomas Mitrik. Though buoyed by this goal,
the Eagles’ offensive play was disrupted by a penalty kill as an interference call against blue liner Carl Slater on 35:20 made Blackburn’s attempts to add to their tally difficult as the Senators sought possession to try their luck on
the power play. Outshooting Sheffield by fourteen shots to eight, the Eagles
filed from the ice with some hope that they could make the playoff final but
were aware that they would have a fight on their hands to do so as the Senators
showed no signs of faltering in their quest for playoff success.
The
third period was not long underway before referee Juris Susters was called upon
to dish out a second interference penalty to Lofthouse which awarded the Eagles
a power play. Despite their best efforts and much hard work from forward Steven
Hetherington, Blackburn were unable to add to their tally and, less than two
minutes after their opposition had returned to five men, Blackburn found
themselves shorthanded when Slater headed to the sin bin to serve an
interference penalty for a second time in the contest. Twelve seconds before
this penalty terminated, the Senators were then reduced to four men
as Lofthouse was sidelined once more, hooking his offence on this occasion.
With both outfits coming close to scoring and the Eagles no further forward in
the game, Blackburn were handed yet another power play as Senators’ forward Joe
Cross made way for tripping a little before the halfway point in the period.
Again, failing to make the most of their advantage, the Eagles were fast
running out of time. A further penalty for the Senators arrived on 54:11 as
defenceman Stephen Weeks was considered guilty of slashing to provide Barnett’s
men with one last power play but the Eagles’ endeavours proved fruitless to
leave the game beyond doubt well before the final buzzer. At the end of the
period, Susters’ work was not yet over, the referee handing a ten minute misconduct
penalty to Blackburn’s netminder Crosby for removing his helmet at the end of
the game. Whilst the Senators were happy to progress to the playoff final
against Widnes Wild as a result of their victory, the Eagles were devastated to lose out on this clash which brought the curtain down on their hard work,
dedication, commitment and progress over the course of five seasons.
Taking
the time to look back on this difficult clash, Eagles’ player-coach Scott
Barnett shared his views on his team’s semi-final loss and the support his club
received over the course of the weekend: “The playoff weekend was always going
to be difficult given all the talk that had gone on around the Eagles. Sheffield had been a bit of a bogey team for us all season. We had better
results against Widnes and Altrincham so we knew it was going to be a tough
game. I really was not impressed with the way we played at all but what could I
say to a group of lads that had no idea what shirt they were putting on next
season? There was just way too much going on in the players’ heads and I could
see it from the moment I got to the rink. Sheffield played hard and with
passion and it was clear they wanted the win and, as I told my lads, they
deserved it. Having watched the other two games, I also think Widnes deserved
to win the trophy. They were the best team over the two days and it showed.
Although it was a very emotional exit for all around the team, it was quite
enjoyable to have so many people support us. Notably, the fans from Billingham
and from Whitley were right behind us and continued to shout for us during the
Sunday games which we really did enjoy so I thank them for that. Another quick
thank you from me to everyone that has helped us out; we really do not take it
for granted and have respect for anyone that supports us, whether that is financially,
helping out the team or cheering for us.”
Overtime
win for Solway as Sharks snap up victory against bold Barons
Solway Sharks 3
Solihull Barons
2
Going into this fixture
with hopes of making it to the playoff final and their hearts set on achieving
the treble, Solway Sharks iced with a convincing roster which was missing only
youngsters Jordan Buesa and Darren Stattersfield from their regular line-up. Ready
to take on the Moralee Conference champions, Solihull Barons travelled to Ice
Sheffield with an eighteen-man squad which included goal scoring youngster
Matthew Maurice, top points scorer Joe Henry, Swedish import Niklas Ottosson
and skilled forwards Thomas Soar and Josh Bruce.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Starting the game as
they meant to go on, Solihull proved to be difficult competition for the Sharks
as the first period unfolded, the Barons’ beginning with pace and power which
Solway initially found difficult to match as Soar, Henry and Bruce were amongst
those scrambling in front of Calum Hepburn’s net in an attempt to send their
team into the lead. Gradually settling into the game, the Sharks were then able
to counter the Barons’ attacking play with several shots of their own to test netminder
Josh Nicholls but failed to convert their many chances to leave the deadlock
intact. Continuing to work hard against Solway’s excellent defensive work, the Barons finally
reaped their rewards on 17:44 when Bruce introduced the puck to the net, following
a slick pass from Henry. Disappointed to go behind in the game, the Sharks hit
back with an equaliser just fifty eight seconds later when left winger Steven
Moore integrated forward Connor Henderson into play to set up defenceman Kim Miettinen who
rocketed a shot past Nicholls to draw level ahead of the break.
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| Photo Credit: Duncan Speirs |
Returning for the
second period, the Barons were eager to restore their lead and wasted no time
in making it 2-1 as forward Andrew Whitehouse nudged his team ahead in the
contest just thirty three seconds in, following decent build up play from captain
Tomas Janak and fellow goal scorer Bruce. Stunned by the rapid change in their
fortunes once more, the Sharks were pleased to be offered some reprieve in the
form of a power play when Barons’ defenceman Richard Crowe conceded
a minor penalty for roughing to present his opposition with the additional man
for the first time in the game. Though working hard to get back on track,
Solway had several chances to capitalise but again failed to make these
opportunities count. As Solihull returned to five men unscathed, the
Sharks proceeded to battle with the Barons deep in their offensive zone but to
no avail and, despite outshooting Solihull by seventeen shots to fourteen, had
nothing to show for their efforts at the end of this period.
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| Photo Credit: Duncan Speirs |
Though recognising their
need to battle their way back into this clash to keep their hopes of achieving
the treble alive, Solway started the period on the back foot as forward Joe
Coulter made way for holding on 41:09. Effective on the penalty kill however,
the Sharks were able to prevent the Barons from creeping further ahead in the contest. A roughing penalty for Bruce just thirteen seconds after the Dumfries outfit
were restored to five men allowed Solway to build sufficient momentum on the
power play and, though unable to score on the advantage, the side were able to
equalise soon after when some scrappy play in front of Nicholls’ net saw the puck
make its way to captain Struan Tonnar who fired home a fantastic unassisted
effort to draw the game at 2-2. Minutes later, a hooking penalty for forward Marc
Fowley saw Solway go shorthanded but, eight seconds before the Shark was restored
to the ice, both teams were then on the receiving end of referee David Farren’s
decision making as Miettinen and Barons’ defenceman Ryan Selwood were sinbinned
for roughing to level the playing field. Much to Solihull’s disappointment
however, it was not long after these penalties that Janak was made to join
Selwood following a tripping offence but this made no impact on the score line
to take the teams into three-on-three overtime.
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Photo
Credit: Duncan Speirs
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Opting for forwards Coulter
and Duncan Speirs alongside experienced defenceman James Hutchinson, the Sharks lined
up against Barons’ Bruce, Henry and Selwood. The Sharks’ quick play
almost resulted in a goal just seconds into the overtime period courtesy of
Speirs, the puck slipping just wide of Nicholls’ post. Despite this, Solway claimed possession
once more, only this time Coulter fed the puck to Hutchinson who found Speirs to
award his teammate a second chance of an overtime goal which he did not fail to
bury on this occasion. Breaking into raptures of joy whilst the Barons’
despaired at having come so close to making it to the playoff final, the Sharks were happy to move one step closer to completing
the treble. Speaking after the
Sharks’ playoff semi-final win, assistant coach Scott McMeeken shared: “Saturday
against Solihull was a really tough game for us. They changed their approach
and moved things around in their line-up and having Scott McKenzie and Perry
[Doyle] gave them plenty of experience on their bench. Having said that, we
were a little disappointed with our composure in front of the net and thought
we should have scored a few more goals early on but found their goalie in good
form. We had practised our approach to three-on-three overtime and that paid
off as we kept possession well and managed to score that sudden death goal.”
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| Photo Credit: Duncan Speirs |
Also
taking the time to share his thoughts on Solihull’s semi-final with the Sharks,
Barons’ Head Coach Perry Doyle stated: “It was good for the Solihull Barons to
attend playoff weekend once more and they showed that, as a team, we are
capable of performing in a good, strong league such as the Moralee. We went
into the game open-minded, knowing that the previous year we had beaten the
favourites Whitley Bay and had spent a lot of time working on plays and lines.
I took a gamble playing Niklas [Ottosson] in defence and it did give us more options on
and off the puck. The support from our fans and others around the rink was
excellent and it is always good in these events to catch up with people you
have known for years through hockey. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we
wanted and all credit to Solway for pushing us into overtime. I still felt we
were the stronger team and, if we’d converted the chances early in the
game, then I think we would have been playing in the final. Looking at the
teams and players at the playoffs gives me a better understanding of what the
Barons need for next season and I will be looking at re-building and moving
forwards.”
Widnes
go wild over playoff final success
Widnes Wild 2
Sheffield Senators 1
Heading out into this
game with playoff silverware on their mind, both teams took to their blue lines for the national anthem with incredibly strong rosters. With so many of
Widnes’ players former Spartans, the rivalry between these two teams was always
likely to be at forefront of this fixture, the Wild hoping to achieve success against
the Senators who took to their home ice in search of playoff victory.
Making a strong start
to the game, Widnes were able to create chances in the Senators’ offensive zone
from faceoff, player-coach Ollie Barron, forward Stuart Brittle and prospect
Thomas Ratcliffe amongst those setting their sights on goal. Adding to the
pressure on Mark Hartley’s net, Sheffield’s defenceman Lewis Jones conceded an interference penalty on 4:55 to hand the Wild a power play and, though continuing to
build momentum from their early chances, Widnes were unable to punish
Sheffield for their misdemeanour to allow their opposition to return to full strength
without any change to the score line. The deadlock did not remain intact for much
longer however, as Andrew Turner combined with fellow defenceman Berwyn Hughes
to allow captain Shaun Dippnall to send his team into the lead on 11:47, causing
the Senators to regret their missed chances against shot stopper Matthew
Croyle. Utilising their pace against the Sheffield outfit, Widnes were able to
outshoot their playoff contenders by eighteen shots to eleven but could only
head in which their narrow one goal lead in spite of their many efforts to leave
their hopes of silverware hanging in the balance at the first interval.
Aware that their missed
chances might come back to haunt them, the Wild were eager to double their lead
and were able to do so on 23:12, this time Manning working with Brittle to pick
out player-coach Barron who worked his way beyond the Senators’ defence to add
to Sheffield’s deficit. Just over two minutes later, Brittle was sidelined for
hooking to hand the Senators a power play but Andrew Chapman’s team were unable
to find the back of the net with the additional man before going shorthanded themselves soon after their opposition returned to full strength; Nathan Parkes-Britton warming
a seat in the sin bin following a call for delaying the game. Killing the
penalty with success to halt the Wild’s attempts to add a third to their lead,
the Senators’ found themselves restored to five men for all of twenty seconds
as alternate captain Elliot Knell made way for a crosscheck alongside Widnes’ captain
Dippnall and forward Ratcliffe who respectively received minors for
crosschecking and boarding as emotions boiled over in the clash. These
penalties made very little difference to proceedings however, and it was not
after these players had served their punishments that defenceman Lee Kemp found
himself serving two minutes for hooking on 35:30 to hand the Senators a power
play. Another opportunity wasted to get back in the game, Sheffield were disappointed
to go in at the break with a two goal deficit and much work to do in the third period as a result.
With the silverware all
to play for going into the final period, Widnes returned with far more intensity than
before as they looked to hold onto their lead; Manning, Brittle and Czech
import Pavel Vales setting out to cause problems for the Senators’ defence.
Despite this opening to the period, the Wild were left stunned when Knell netted
an unassisted shot close to six minutes in to bring his team within one of their
competition. Not long after establishing this foothold in the game, Senators’
defenceman Jamie Pyewell incurred a minor for hooking close to the halfway
point in the period to see his team fend off the Wild’s attacking play. Far
from out of the contest, Sheffield continued to persevere in their hunt for an
equaliser but chance after chance slipped by in the latter stages of the game,
leaving the side no choice but to call a timeout on 58:19 having achieved a
faceoff in Widnes’ defensive zone. Despite this, the Senators made the decision
not to pull shot stopper Hartley from his net in their efforts to gain a goal to take the game into overtime but, as the Wild regained control of the puck, Sheffield’s chances of equalising dwindled, causing the side great disappointment
when the final buzzer sounded to confirm Widnes as Laidler Conference playoff champions.
Speaking
after Sheffield’s defeat to Widnes Wild, Senators’ netminder and Man of the
Match Mark Hartley stated: “Thinking back over what was a very well run and
fun weekend, I couldn’t be prouder of what the boys have achieved. After last
season, getting beat every game and getting demoted, coming back strong was
always going to be difficult but the team have worked hard and all their
perseverance has really paid off. This season didn’t always go as smooth as we
would have hoped but, after each knock back, the team have continued to bounce
back and the resilience showed by these boys really is something to be admired.
Getting a playoff position was a must for us this season and clinching that
final spot was a big tick on our aims list. I feel the weekend itself gave the
team a real chance to showcase to the leagues exactly what I have always known
they were capable of. The boys dug deep, showed real character and
determination and got exactly what we deserved in that semi-final against a
strong Blackburn team. The final obviously didn’t go as we would have hoped but
I can honestly say the lads did themselves proud and stuck by each other
unbelievably. The character shown in that dressing room and on the ice is
something I will never forget. We didn’t get the result but I can honestly say
I would rather lose with these boys than win with anyone else! We were
obviously gutted but it’s back to work after the summer break to give it
another crack and try and improve on what has been a great year! Finally, I
would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who made the weekend possible
and a massive thank you to everyone at Sheffield Ice Hockey Club for continuing
to make this club the great club it is!”
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Meanwhile,
overjoyed to have won playoff silverware, Widnes Wild’s player-coach Ollie
Barron took time to reflect on his team’s success at Ice Sheffield: “What a weekend!
To win the playoffs was a great feeling. We had come close to success this
season, finishing second in the league and narrowly losing in overtime in the
promotion game. We wanted something to show for our hard work so
to end the season as playoff champions is superb. We knew the semi-final game
against the Aces would be tight as every time we have played Altrincham this
season the games have been close, hard fought games. The game itself wasn’t
great and the ice surface issues didn’t help. However, to win the game 2-0 was
a perfect setup for the final. The final was a good game. I felt we dominated
most of the first two periods and should have converted more of our chances but
credit to the Senators as they worked hard and got a goal back. Luckily, we managed
to hold out to finally win some silverware for the club. I’m delighted for
everyone associated with the Wild; all the staff, players, coaches, volunteers
and the fans. Widnes is a great club and I’m personally thankful to have had
the opportunity to coach and lead the Wild this season.”
Sharks
achieve playoff glory over Stars to seal treble in style
Solway Sharks 3
Billingham Stars 1
Having earned their
place in the Moralee Conference playoff final 2017, both Solway Sharks and
Billingham Stars went into this game feeling that the silverware was within their
reach as they took their positions ahead of faceoff. Whilst the Sharks were
content with their tight knit unit of three lines, the Stars had a slightly
larger squad than that of their opposition, as has been the case this season, so
both sides expected nothing less than a tough contest.
Approaching the final
with far more composure than their previous game against Solihull Barons on
Saturday, Solway Sharks were able to control possession well in the opening
stages of the game, their passing play clinical and their offensive play
troubling Billingham’s defence from the outset. Moving their way up the
ice to challenge sturdy netminder James Flavell, Solway pushed their way into
Billingham’s defensive zone as the team’s blue liners moved the puck forward, allowing
hardworking Shark Marc Fowley to come close to claiming an early lead for his
team whilst captain Struan Tonnar and left winger Steven Moore were amongst
those labouring in front of goal in the aftermath of this initial opportunity. Struggling
to counter Solway’s effective attacking play, the Stars eventually managed to
try their luck against shot stopper Calum Hepburn who was able to make the save
to ensure his side’s hard work was not undone. It was not long after that a slashing
penalty for Chris Sykes caused the Teessiders to go shorthanded on 11:07 but,
in spite of their advantage, the Sharks could not contend with Billingham’s penalty
kill to leave the score line at 0-0. Having shone in the Stars’ semi-final
against Blackburn Hawks, Swedish import Daniel Palmebjörk set his sights on
goal on more than one occasion but lacked the impact he had displayed against
Saturday’s opposition. A second penalty for the Stars arrived over three
minutes after Sykes was restored to the ice, this time forward Jack Watkins
considered guilty of tripping which further disrupted Billingham’s attempts to
get on the scoresheet whilst the Sharks failed once more to make the most of
their power play. As the period drew to a close in Solway’s defensive zone, the
game took a fiery turn as Swedish forward Dennis Boström clashed with Sharks’ defenceman
Stuart Andrews to respectively earn themselves minors for crosschecking and roughing
after the buzzer.
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| Photo Credit: Duncan Speirs |
Returning for the
second period, the Sharks were aware that they had yet to make the most of
their chances, having recorded twice as many shots than Billingham in the first
period. As such, it did not take the team long to respond to assistant coach
Scott McMeeken’s words, youngster Scott Henderson zipping the puck into Flavell’s
net following neat passing play between captain Tonnar and defenceman Kim
Miettinen on 21:34. Determined to win this fixture, the Sharks were
not without challenges from the Stars at this point in the period as the two
outfits battled for possession to make the game far more even than before.
Scrapping for the puck in Billingham’s defensive zone, alternate captain Ross Murray
fought with spirit to ensure his team remained in possession as the Sharks strove to add to their tally. The Stars, meanwhile, were not without
their own chances but creative play from forwards Callum Davies, Michael Elder
and Sykes fell short of the mark to allow the Sharks to hold onto their lead. A
second penalty for Solway’s Stuart Andrews was handed out by referee David Farren on
34:58 to see Solway go shorthanded but together, a strong penalty kill and
the Stars’ inability to execute their chances meant that Solway were able to
head in with a narrow 1-0 lead which Billingham hoped to undo in the final
period.
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| Photo Credit: Duncan Speirs |
The silverware now so
close and still there for the taking, Solway filed back onto the ice with the
aim to add to their lead to secure playoff success whereas Billingham were
eager to contend with the Moralee champions to alter the scoreboard. Building
momentum from some early chances as Boström and Elder teamed up to force
Hepburn into action, it was not long after that Sharks’ forward Joe Coulter was
shown to the sin bin for hooking to award the Stars a power play. This provided
the Teessiders with exactly the opportunity they were searching for on the back
of some excellent play and it took just thirty three seconds on the advantage
for Billingham to equalise as Elder picked out Davies following a pass from
forward James Moss to see his teammate print his name on the scoresheet. Dismayed
to find themselves level in the game having taken the lead early in the second
period, the Sharks showed character to battle back against the Stars and took a
little over two minutes to beat Flavell for a second time in the contest, this
time Moore working with tenacious forward Connor Henderson to set up youngster
Daniel Abercrombie who struck on 51:49 to fire his team back into the lead.
Eager to make certain their claim of playoff silverware, it took just sixty two
seconds for the Dumfries outfit to then establish a two-goal gap between
themselves and the Stars, this time experienced Slovakian defenceman reaping
the rewards of his assiduousness courtesy of Coulter and young forward Duncan
Speirs. Shocked at this sudden turn of events, the Stars began to lose
discipline, defenceman Andy Finn the first to head to the sin bin for a
slashing offence, only to be joined by teammate Sykes as his
penalty drew to a close. Dominating play
as a result of these penalties, the Sharks appeared comfortable for the most
part as they continued to set their sights on goal. Shortly after Sykes’
penalty was served, Moss also found himself taking a seat in the sin bin for a
high sticks offence whilst a further penalty was handed to Billingham for abuse
of an official, leaving the side shorthanded in the later stages of the game.
Running down the clock to the sound of a jubilant bench, Solway Sharks were
greeted by the sound of the final buzzer, breaking loose onto the ice to bask
in the glory of a record third treble made up of their NIHL North Cup triumph,
Moralee Conference title win and playoff success.
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| Photo Credit: Duncan Speirs |
Reflecting
on Billingham’s weekend and Solway’s success, Star Chris Sykes shared: “Another
season over and what a good one it was for the Stars. We came second in all
forms and we’ve had a good year all in all, coming up short against the Solway
Sharks who have been consistent all year round. We had the Hawks in the semi
and we knew we could beat them if we came out flying and finishing our chances.
We went 1-0 down but we had a good feeling and we knew we could
get ourselves back in the game so we kept plugging away and we came away with a
7-3 win. We set ourselves for the final and waited to see who we’d face. Solway
are a good team and it was a great game for a final, close-fought and hard-battled. They came away with the win and they are a good team, difficult to break down,
so credit to them. I would just like to say thanks to all the fans, especially
the Stars’ fans, who make weekends like this one a lot more fun when they are
loud in the stands.”
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| Photo Credit: Duncan Speirs |
For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.
Thanks also to Solway Sharks’photographer Duncan Speirs for providing photographs on this occaison.
