Extinguished Stars spiral into
sixth as Tigers pounce on points
Telford Tigers
3
Billingham Stars 1
The element of surprise
perhaps one of Telford’s greatest weapons of late, the Tigers immediately
sprang into action after the first face off, shocking Stars netminder James
Flavell with just 43 seconds played. In form import was on hand to get his team
off to the best possible start when Joseph Aston linked up with alternate
captain Callum Bowley to send the Slovakian in on goal. Billingham had no sooner
come to terms with the deficit when young forward Philip Mulcahy doubled
Tigers’ lead with almost five minutes played.
Stars’ desire to bounce
back from their defeat to Telford last weekend was demonstrated in Scott Ward’s
clash with captain Daniel Croft. Both players were directed to the sin bin by
referee Roy Hamilton, Ward receiving the harsher penalty of 2+2. Soon after
both teams returned to full strength, Joshua Hustwick was punished for a slash
which placed Stars at an advantage. Unwilling to let the opportunity slip away,
Michael Elder lit the lamp just ten seconds into Billingham’s power play and
suddenly the visitor’s hopes were raised again. The game still bearing some of
its earlier energy, Jets soon found himself sitting out a roughing penalty with
Stars’ right winger Michael Bowman, though this time the Tigers were on the
wrong side of a 2+2 which ran over into the second period.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
The score still at 2-1,
both sides tried their upmost to chase the points but a series of penalty calls
caused disruption to the game and neither team could find the back of the net
in the middle section. Stars’ woe was further added to when Chris Sykes clashed
with Telford trouble maker Bradley Betteridge who has accumulated forty four
penalty minutes in just seven games. This behaviour resulted in sixteen minutes
worth of penalties for Sykes who received 2 minutes for holding, 2+2 for
roughing and an additional ten minute misconduct penalty. Likewise, Betteridge
also received 2+2 for roughing and a ten minute misconduct penalty timed at
39:24 which meant both players did not re-emerge from the sin bin until the
third period.
The score line fragile
at just 2-1, both sides returned to the ice for the final stanza with the
points still very much in the balance. Try as they might, neither team could
find the back of the net. Over ten minutes were played before Hamilton dished
out further penalties, this time Billingham’s Ben Davison guilty of
interference and Luke Brown receiving Stars’ second ten minute misconduct
penalty of the match. Despite being on the power play, Telford could not fire
the puck past Flavell to extend their lead which spurred the visitors to take a
time out with just one minute six seconds left in the hope of finding an
equaliser. However, making the decision to pull Flavell from his goal, Ward’s
calculated risk did not pay off as Croft worked with Betteridge and Hustwick to
bag himself an empty net goal, dashing the prospect of a Stars’ comeback on
59:38. Billingham’s Swedish import failed to conceal his frustration, prompting
Hamilton to bestow yet another misconduct penalty on the Tessiders who managed
to rack up an incredible forty eight penalty minutes during the course of this
game.
This fixture leaves
Billingham in sixth place whilst the diligent Tigers climb the table to make it
into the playoff spots for the first time this season. Terry Ward’s side have
now lost four points to the Tigers and will look to battle back from defeat. At
present, the margins separating league positions are so fine that just one
victory could see the Stars return to fifth and, in turn, challenge the Barons
for fourth place.
Bold Barons dazzle Stars to claim fifth
Billingham
Stars 3
Solihull
Barons 5
With last weekend’s
woes and a second defeat to Telford Tigers hanging over the Stars, Billingham
went into their home encounter against Solihull Barons on Sunday with a strong
desire to claim two points and set critics right.
In the early minutes of
the first period, both teams were unfortunate not to score, Stars forward
Michael Elder forcing a save from netminder Josh Nicholls in the third minute
whilst Barons’ Swedish import Niklas Ottosson fired the puck into Flavell’s
gloves in a one-on-one attack shortly after. The visitors were the
first to make the most of their opportunities though, a defensive blunder on
Stars’ part leading to a shot from left winger Joe Henry. Pinging off the post,
the puck rebounded in Josh Bruce’s direction and the forward simply could not
miss to put his side in front. In response, Billingham
whirled into action to undo the deficit and it was not long before the
Teessiders created an equaliser. To achieve his second goal of the season James
Moss dashed from Stars’ own third to pull the trigger, striking his rebounded
shot into the back of Nicholls’ net.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
With little between
them, the two sides took to the ice after the break, aware that the next goal
could be crucial. Play had barely been resumed three minutes when referee David
Emmerson handed out the first penalty of the game to Dave Rogers for a minor
high sticks offence but, Billingham failing to capitalise on the power play,
soon found themselves trailing once again as Henry ensured he did not miss his
mark this time to take the puck past Flavell. It was not long before
the Stars lost a man of their own to the sin bin and the Barons, clearly the
better of the two teams at the start of the middle section, quickly grew in
confidence to extend their lead to 3-1 on the power play, Slovakian Tomas Janak
accomplishing his third assist of the evening to play Bruce in on goal. This two goal cushion did not last more than
forty six seconds however as Stars’ reliable captain Paul Windridge received the
puck from Matthew Campbell to slot the puck into Nicholls’ top corner, leaving
the score 3-2 to the Barons ahead of the second interval.
As the final third got
underway, the Barons bolted across the ice in a bid to secure their win but, despite
their efforts, the Stars were next to score, Matthew Campbell launching the
puck into the roof of the net to ensure a tense conclusion. As Barons continued
to put Flavell under pressure, Ottosson picked up Flavell’s clearance to light
the lamp with just over a minute and a half left. To round off a strong
performance from the Barons, forward Thomas Soar took advantage of a second
defensive error to make it 5-3 with a single assist from Edward Eaton.
This is now Billingham’s
second consecutive zero point weekend which leaves the team in sixth place, just
two points clear of Solway Sharks and within reach of the Barons who move into
fifth with a game in hand. Terry Ward will hope that his side can ready
themselves for their crucial derby day fixture next weekend against Whitley Warriors
in which bragging rights are held in such high regard that the points are
merely an added bonus for the victor.
Struggling Solway hurled aside by Hawks
Solway Sharks 2
Blackburn Hawks 7
After last weekend’s
5-1 defeat to Blackburn Hawks, it was always going to be difficult for Solway
Sharks to turn around such a score line but, with the short-benched visitors
travelling with only two lines, the Dumfries outfit may have thought they were
in with a chance. Grubb made the decision to start with young net minder Kieran
Hobbins in goal whilst Blackburn took to the first face off without ten of
their key players, including forwards David Meikle, Tom King, Jordan Bannon and
James Riddoch, defencemen Chris Butler, Max Drakeley Andy Dunn and Richard
Ravey, junior Kyle Haslam and player/coach Daniel MacKriel.
As the first period
commenced, a fast paced, high intensity battle for possession broke out between
the two teams, both stating their intentions from the first whistle; Solway
hoping to bounce back from last weekend’s loss to the Hawks and Blackburn out
to prove that their significantly reduced squad would not be vanquished. With
almost seven minutes played, Solway placed themselves under undue pressure once
again this season, Craig Mitchell sin binned by referee David Emmerson for a
trip which handed Hawks an early power play. Unable to find an avenue past
Hobbins, Hawks failed to take an early lead and soon after found one of their
own sitting out for two minutes, a slashing penalty on Matthew Viney and an
interference call on Steven Blamer reducing both sides to four men.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
It was not long however
before Blackburn began to show that they had the edge over Solway, former Shark
Richard Bentham opening the scoring on 16:32 courtesy of alternate captain
Viney and Finnish import Kim Miettinen. With no rapid reply from the Sharks,
the home side went in at the break with a respectable one goal deficit to claw
back.
As the teams returned
to the ice for the second period, the momentum was now with Blackburn and
Bentham waited just over one and a half minutes for his second, this time Viney
putting the puck in his path following support from defenceman Ollie Lomax on
21:31. With close to ten minutes of the period played, Mitchell found himself
in the sin bin once more, this time serving two minutes for slashing. Hawks,
unable to take anything from the power play, soon found another opportunity
fall their way when Lee Pollitt and top points scorer Adam Brittle worked the
puck through Solway’s defence to find impressive import RJ Berra who did not
miss his mark. The score 3-0, Hawks sensed that the points were there for the
taking and hit home over a minute later, Viney setting up Miettinen to achieve
his third assist of the game. With Solway well and truly on the back foot,
Hawks continued to extend their lead, lighting the lamp a fifth time through
Berra to score three goals in the space of two minutes, seventeen seconds.
Naturally unhappy with the situation, Grubb switched Hobbins for Andrew
Jaszczyk between the pipes to counteract the influx of shots from their
opposition as his side went in 5-0 down
at the end of the second.
With much work to do in
the third period, Solway readied themselves for the faceoff and hit back at
their opposition thirty three seconds in as Mitchell attempted to get his team
back on track with help from Duncan Speirs and Martin Cingel. Despite this,
Sharks’ joy did not last long as Slovakian import Juraj Senko was forced to sit
out a two minute misconduct penalty which gave Blackburn a man advantage. With
so many power plays squandered, the Hawks were not about to waste this
opportunity and this time Brittle was rewarded for his hard work with a goal,
captain Chris Arnone and Berra demolishing Solway’s defence.
Martin Grubb’s team had
barely returned to full strength when defenceman Aidan Fulton was ordered to the
sin bin for a cross check. Despite being shorthanded, long serving Shark Alan
Crane spurred into action, setting up Cingel who slotted the puck past
netminder Daniel Brittle to reduce the deficit. Emmerson’s work was far from
over though as a second slash from Viney saw Blackburn reduced to four men and
Solway were given the upper hand. Failing to take their chances, the home side
were offered a second opportunity soon after when Bentham penalised for a cross
check, yet it was the visitors who capitalised as Ben Simister’s unassisted
shot flew into Jaszczyk’s net to leave the game’s scoring at 7-2.
Rightly dissatisfied
with his team at the moment, Grubb can only hope that Sharks turn their season
around with a win against a side other than the newly promoted Senators who are
also struggling at the bottom of the table. A victory would give Solway a
much-needed boost and the confidence to get back to the best; one win would see
the side contending with Sutton Sting for seventh place and perhaps then the side
can gradually progress up the table in an attempt to recover their season.
Sharks strike nine as Senators’ slump
continues
Sheffield Senators 1
Solway Sharks 9
In
desperate need of a win, Solway Sharks would no doubt have been pleased to
travel to Ice Sheffield this weekend to face the Senators, the only opposition
they have yet to defeat in the NIHL this season. Feeling that a win was more
than possible, the Sharks attacked their opposition’s defence from the first puck
drop and it was a move that paid off. With just over one minute and a half
played, Martin Cingel fired the puck past Senators’ netminder Robert Browne to
give the visitors an early lead. Continuing to dominate, Solway peppered
Browne’s goal with shots and just minutes later Ross Murray was through on goal
with help from defenceman Stuart Andrews to make it two. Sharks’ momentum
decelerated soon after as Craig Mitchell was sin binned for a minor slashing
penalty which left his team shorthanded. This did not hinder Solway’s progress
however, and on 12:57 skilful left winger Steven Moore added another, this time
Cingel assisting his team mate alongside Mitchell.
Little
over a minute later the Sharks had made it 4-0, young forward Duncan Speirs
finding the target after a link up between Murray and Moore. Soon after, a
delayed penalty on Senators’ Paul Lofthouse for a cross check saw Cingel
increase Solway’s lead by five goals on 15:13, the home side’s defence now
under increasing pressure with any chance of a win diminishing by the second.
The clock counting down to the first interval, Sharks continued to control the
game and, with just one second to go, Murray and Moore were again on hand to
create an opportunity for Speirs who made it six to Senators’ dismay.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
As
play resumed after the break, the two sides had not been on the ice four
minutes when Ross Murray decided to drop the gloves with Thomas Robjohns. Both
players accordingly received 2+2 for fighting and made their way to the sin
bin. Despite Solway’s efforts in the middle stanza, Browne brushed off their
seventeen shots to ensure the gap did not get any worse for his team and,
instead, the Senators were the next to score as forward Charles Thompson
threaded a pass through to junior right winger Jack Dransfield who gave the
home fans something to cheer about.
The
score line 6-1 at the end of the second period, the game appeared to be beyond
the Senators and, after a series of penalties which disrupted the flow of play,
it was Mitchell who managed to find the back of the net next with forty eight
minutes played. Approximately four minutes later, Marc Fowley achieved his
second of the season with a single assist from Joe Coulter but shortly afterwards
found himself subject to a roughing call after a clash with junior Josh Pigott
who also took two minutes for the same offence and an additional minor penalty
for slashing. As Solway returned to full strength, Pigott looked on as his side
were made to pay on the power play, Slovakian Juraj Senko combining with Speirs
to deliver the puck to Murray who, in turn, slotted it past Browne, ensuring
Senators’ goal was little more than a consolation.
Coach
Martin Grubb may find some relief that his team are now lifted into seventh
place, though Sutton Sting also have four points and two games in hand over the
Dumfries outfit. With this season’s competition tougher than ever, Solway must
find a way back from their sudden decline to stand any chance of finishing in the
playoff spots but a lot of work must be done before the side can even
contemplate such an achievement with survival now top of Sharks’ priorities.
Warriors win in close contest with
Sting
Sutton Sting
2
Whitley Warriors
3
Even before the first
face off, both coaches might have guessed that this fixture would be a compact
replay of the game which took place a fortnight ago at Hillheads and they would
not have been wrong. Both teams feeling the points were there for the taking
began in an attacking manner which swiftly paid off for the home side as
Latvian Vjaceslavs Movko opened the scoring with a double assist from Ryan
Johnson and player/coach John Ross.
The game was almost at the
ten minute mark before Whitley could find a reply, Harry Harley and David
Longstaff linking up with experienced forward DJ Good to send the visitors
level. Soon after, a series of penalties on both sides broke up the natural
flow of play, Warrior Jordan Barnes serving a two minute hooking penalty on
14:22 and captain Jamie Tinsley soon following suit with a roughing penalty
that ran into the second period.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
The score still 1-1,
Warriors were given a power play opportunity in the opening minutes of the
second period when referee Jonathan Liptrott sent Scott Howells to the sin bin
for a hook. The punishment was not all one-sided however, and Warriors were
soon reduced to four men for having too many men on the ice. If this was not
bad enough, Whitley enforcer Andre Payette was then ejected from the game for a
high sticks to cause further problems for the side. However, it was not long before
the Sting ran into trouble once more and Whitley were able to capitalise with
just four seconds left of the power play, Good turning assistant to Callum
Watson with a little help from youngster Queenan.
The score a tentative
2-1 at the end of the second, the points were still in the balance as John Ross’
Sting cancelled out Longstaff’s Warriors. Early penalties inhibited play and it
was only when Sutton lost Movko to the sin bin in the fiftieth minute that defenceman
Josh Maddock was able to produce a third goal for the Warriors, Harley and
Longstaff the assists once again.
Feeling the game slip
away, Sutton gave a rapid response and it took only 36 seconds for Movko to hit
the puck past Richie Lawson for a second time to tally his sixth of the season.
This was to be little more than a consolation though and, as the clock ran
down, Sting were the first to call a time out in a bid to grab an equaliser. Unnerved
by the move, Longstaff emulated Ross’ tactics, calling for a timeout of his own
with just thirty four seconds left. In spite of this, the score line remained
3-2 to the Warriors, the Hillheads outfit leaving Ice Sheffield with two points
under their belt ahead of their derby day fixture against Billingham Stars next
week.
After yet another hard-fought
win, Whitley Warriors sit second in the NIHL league table with thirteen points
and a game in hand on the unstoppable Blackburn Hawks. Longstaff will now look
to prepare his squad who face a double header next weekend against Solway
Sharks and fierce derby rivals Billingham Stars with the hope that his Warriors
can take away the bragging rights as well as two points from the critical encounter.
