NIHL North

NIHL Weekend Round-up

Solway Sharks achieved a fantastic 3-2 victory over Hull Pirates at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday evening to move into second place.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Falling behind when Pirates’ Player-Coach Jason Hewitt beat netminder Jordan McLaughlin on 1:29, the Sharks hit back just under five minutes later as Captain Struan Tonnar equalised following assists from Slovakian left winger Peter Gápa and fellow forward Joe Coulter. The score line remaining 1-1 as the teams headed into the second period, Solway found themselves unsuccessful on the power play when Hull’s Captain Jamie Chilcott made way for tripping. After the Pirates’ return to full strength, the Sharks found the tables turned when forward Rick Bentham was called to the sin bin for the same offence. Despite having the advantage of the additional skater, Hull could not take the lead and instead suffered a setback of their own as Haywood caught Bentham in the face with his stick, breaking the Shark’s tooth in the process. This offence resulted in a penalty of five minutes plus game for the Pirate to present Martin Grubb’s men with a lengthy power play. Just thirty five seconds later, forward Matty Davies was also sidelined for high sticks, though his penalty was only a minor one. Switching injured netminder Ashley Smith for shot stopper Joseph Gent two minutes after Davies was sinbinned, the Pirates prevented the Sharks from achieving a power play goal in the final stages of the second stanza and were offered some reprieve when the interval interrupted play. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson       

Determined to gain something from this encounter however, Solway hit their opposition hard in the opening minute of the final period when forward Iain Bowie made it 2-1 courtesy of Canadian left winger Cale Tanaka and defenceman Lewis Baldwin on 40:47. Unwilling to let this lead slide, the Sharks achieved a third goal when Coulter linked up with Baldwin to help Gápa onto the scoresheet with a little over fifty three minutes played. Realising that their progress was slow, the Pirates called a timeout and it was a decision which paid off as Swedish winger Sonny Karlsson buried his unassisted effort just eleven seconds after play resumed. Remaining composed in spite of this late goal, the Dumfries outfit protected their narrow 3-2 lead to claim a well-deserved victory in front of their home crowd.

Meanwhile, Whitley Warriors suffered a narrow 6-5 defeat to Solihull Barons as their close clash at Hobs Moat Road resulted in overtime and penalty shots.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

After a late arrival for the Warriors, David Longstaff’s men took the lead when left winger Ben Campbell stunned Barons’ netminding Player-Coach Daniel Brittle on 2:37, courtesy of Alternate Captain Jordan Barnes. Retaliating, Solihull equalised just under four minutes later when forward Luke Brittle surpassed Whitley’s defence alongside forward Ed Eaton and Alternate Captain Marcus Maynard to bury the puck beyond shot stopper Richie Lawson. Thirty five seconds after Solihull’s equaliser, Whitley reclaimed their lead as Campbell returned the favour for Barnes who bagged his fifth goal of the season as he made it 2-1. Returning to full strength after successfully killing Captain Dean Holland’s roughing penalty, the Hillheads outfit added a third goal to their tally as defenceman Ross Connolly linked up with experienced Warrior DJ Good to play in versatile forward Ryan Sample who did not miss his mark with almost three quarters of the first period played.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading in with their 3-1 lead intact at the first interval, the Warriors were keen to continue their hard work in the second stanza but a string of minor penalties for the visitors disrupted play in the first half of the period before the Barons took control, scoring three goals in the space of four minutes: forward Matthew Maurice hit the target after skilled play from Swedish import Niklas Ottosson, Captain Josh Bruce levelled the scoring with a shot from a tight angle and Ottosson made it 4-3 with just over a minute remaining in the middle stanza.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As Holland incurred a penalty of 2+10 for holding on 39:09, Solihull began the third stanza on the power play but it was only when more than half of the period had been played that the next goal arrived, the Warriors achieving an equaliser as Campbell bagged his second of the game before completing his hat trick less than two minutes later. Though Whitley strove to hold onto this lead, Solihull dealt the Warriors a blow when forward Macaulay Halford defeated Lawson on 58:35; this goal was swiftly followed by a clash between Halford and Barnes to see both receive penalties of 2+2 for fighting. The game spilled into overtime as a result of this goal but the score line remained 5-5 after five minutes of play, prompting penalty shots. First to step up was Solihull’s Captain Josh Bruce who buried his shot, his effort then equalled by Warrior Phil Edgar. Likewise, youngster Andrew Haywood did not disappoint the Barons but his successful shot was followed by Campbell’s attempt which flew beyond Brittle to level the playing field. A miss from Ottosson was then emulated by Holland before Luke Brittle netted to send his team into the lead. Stepping up again, Campbell found his second shot saved by netminder Brittle which confirmed the Barons’ 6-5 win over the Hillheads outfit.

Similarly, Billingham Stars lost out to Solihull Barons by just one goal on Sunday evening as the Teessiders suffered a 4-3 defeat on home ice.

After Solihull took the lead on 4:32 through forward Adam Brittle, the Teessiders equalised on their third power play as Swedish forward Niklas Ottosson made way for interference. This allowed Canadian forward Kevin Boyd the chance to capitalise after strong play from Alternate Captain Chris Sykes and defenceman James Hellens with just under three minutes of the first period remaining.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Responding with a goal forty one seconds into the second period as Adam Brittle snatched his second of the evening, Solihull remained strong against the Stars but saw their discipline slide in this stanza. As such, Billingham gained a power play when forward Andrew Whitehouse was sidelined for a late hit but, unable to capitalise, the Stars and the Barons respectively lost forwards Ethan Hehir and Elliot Farrell to the sin bin moments later. Spurred on, the Teessiders made it 2-2 just past the midpoint of the game when forward James Moss beat shot stopper Sam Hewitt with support from Sykes and blue liner Andy Finn.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading in on level terms as a result, Solihull were eager to get ahead in the fixture once again and did so, scoring on 42:41 when Bruce and forward Macaulay Halford linked up to allow Adam Brittle the chance to claim his hat trick. Just under six minutes later, defenceman Matthew Campbell got his side back on level terms courtesy of Lithuanian blue liner Edgar Protčenko and Alternate Captain Callum Davies. It was not long after this goal that Protčenko clashed with Halford to see both earn minor roughing penalties whilst Halford incurred an additional penalty for interference. Though shorthanded, the Barons’ desire to avoid overtime showed as Ottosson recovered his team’s lead on 54:36, assisted by Luke Brittle and Alternate Captain Marcus Maynard. Just over a minute later, Stars’ forward Craig Thurston earned himself 2+2 for hooking and interference but, as Solihull were also punished in the final stages of the period, Billingham opted for a timeout with forty seconds remaining in their efforts to achieve a fourth equaliser. However, time was not on the Stars’ side and Tom Brown’s team were forced to accept their narrow 4-3 defeat.

Last but not least, Whitley Warriors recorded a 6-4 home loss to Solway Sharks on Sunday evening as Martin Grubb’s men accomplished a fantastic four-point weekend.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking the lead on 3:12 through Alternate Captain Ross Murray, Solway then doubled their tally when Captain Struan Tonnar bundled the puck into the net to achieve a power play goal on 11:40 after Warrior Ryan Sample was punished for a high sticks offence. Hitting back forty five seconds after this goal, Whitley’s experienced Alternate Captain Sam Zajac netted from close range following assists from Player-Coach David Longstaff and versatile defenceman Phil Edgar to see the home team head in with a one-goal deficit at the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Maintaining control, the Sharks extended their lead on 24:43 when Murray fired the puck at the boards before burying the rebound beyond netminder Richie Lawson. Though trying to battle back from this, Whitley found themselves under increasing pressure so it was little surprise when the side went 4-1 down as Canadian Cale Tanaka stole possession from defenceman Ross Connolly to play in Murray who fired home to achieve a well-deserved hat trick. Responding to this goal, the Warriors retaliated just over three minutes later when quick work from Edgar and Captain Dean Holland resulted in Campbell calmly surpassing netminder Jordan McLaughlin to make it 4-2 ahead of the second interval. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice, Whitley were keen to alter their fortunes and events took a promising turn when an interference penalty for Sharks’ defenceman Kyle Horne allowed blue liner Harry Harley to punish Solway’s misdemeanour as he struck his rebounded shot past McLaughlin. Setting their sights on an equaliser, the Warriors began to work tirelessly and levelled the scoring on 51:53 when Holland slapped a backhanded shot into the net courtesy of Campbell and blue liner Liam Smedley. Whitley’s hopes of victory were soon dashed though as Slovakian Peter Gápa flashed a shot to Lawson’s left just fifty nine seconds later to restore his side’s lead before Shark Scott Henderson wrapped up the scoring with less than two minutes remaining in the game to confirm Solway’s 6-4 victory. As tempers flared after the final buzzer, a bench clearance broke out to result in a minor roughing penalty for Kippin whilst Warriors Connolly and Holland, and Sharks defencemen Lewis Baldwin and Josh Grieveson each received 2+2 for fighting on 60:00. Following this unexpected brawl, Solway left the ice to diffuse the situation, taking with them another two points to leave the Dumfries outfit just 4 points adrift of league leaders Sheffield Steeldogs.

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