NIHL Weekend Action

Stars knocked for six by spirited Spartans

Sheffield Spartans 6

Billingham Stars    4

Going without a game last weekend, Billingham Stars arrived at Ice Sheffield on Saturday afternoon in search of a win, having already beaten the Spartans two weeks ago on home ice. However, the Spartans were clearly out to avenge their loss as the Stars returned to the Forum empty handed ahead of their home fixture against Telford Tigers.

From the first face off, it was the Stars who made the better start as Michael Bowman and Chris Sykes created an opening for Swedish import Dennis Boström with less than four minutes played. Always an uncompromising outfit, Martin White’s Spartans did not relent and it was not long before luck fell their way when Ben Davison committed a tripping offence to put the home side on the power play. Taking full advantage of the additional man, it was Czech import Martin Finkes who found the back of the net to level the scoring. The Spartans did not stop there though and, eleven seconds after serving a two minute penalty for interference, Elliot Knell hit a second to send Sheffield ahead going into the break.

In the early stages of the middle period, the game became increasingly heated and it was not long before both teams paid the price as Stars’ forward Michael Elder was sent to the sin bin for roughing whilst Spartans’ captain Oliver Barron received the more severe punishment of 2+2+10 for a check to the head. Billingham finding themselves at an advantage, Boström had soon achieved his second of the game on 23:16 with help from long-serving Star Paul Windridge.

With two goals each, the competition between the Stars and the Spartans grew to be even fierier than before and both sides were reduced to three on three as referee Roy Hamilton dished out roughing penalties to Stars’ Elder and Callum Davies and Spartans’ import Finkes whilst central player Michael Mawer also received two minutes for a cross check. Billingham then went on to concede an additional three minor penalties in less than three minutes. As Spartans returned to full strength, they saw a perfect opportunity to punish their opponents further on the power play, Scott Morris lighting the lamp to make it 3-2. As the second period came to a close, the game did not lose tempo and just minutes later minor roughing penalties were bestowed upon Spartans’ Finkes, and Stars’ players Jack Davies and Scott Ward. Having lost out to two Sheffield power plays already, Billingham were not about to lose out again and instead equalised to make it 3-3, Chris Sykes’ assist finding Michael Elder with less than half a minute left before the second interval.

Both teams returned to the ice hoping to edge a win but it appeared to be Martin White’s team talk which had the greater impact. Sheffield were quick off the mark from the first face off and swiftly restored their one goal lead on just 15 seconds into the third period with an even handed goal from Stuart Brittle. Soon after, penalties disrupted normal game play once again with Windrige and Ward at fault for the Stars whilst Spartans Morris and Brittle were also sent to serve two minutes each for roughing and hooking respectively. Nevertheless, Billingham, still chasing victory, were determined to get another and, when the chance arose, defenceman Richie Thornton ensured it did not go begging to make it 4-4 and to put his side back in the points.

The visitors were not level for long as Brittle’s unassisted effort slotted into the back of Mark Watson’s net, Billingham’s injured netminder having already pulled off some superb saves throughout the clash. Just over a minute later, Billingham defenceman Andy Finn was ejected from the game for high sticks. This proved to be costly for the Stars as, tempers boiling over, Sykes found himself on the wrong end of a 2+10 for a check to the head, giving Spartans an advantage which they were not about to waste. Assisted by Shaun Wild and Nicholas Manning, Chris Wilcox bagged his first goal of the season on the power play to establish a two goal lead over the Stars.

Terry Ward’s Billingham felt an injustice in their loss and in the last five seconds of the game Jamie Pattison was handed a ten minute misconduct penalty, taking the total number of minutes handed out to both teams over the course of the game up to ninety nine; sixty nine of which were Billingham’s alone. This result means the Spartans are now four points clear of the Stars who sit behind them in fourth, though the Billingham outfit still have two games in hand to utilise to their advantage. Going into their fixture against Telford, which will by no means be an easy feat, captain Paul Windrige will be aiming for a win but will not underestimate the determination of the Tigers who have so far shown themselves to be contenders in the Moralee Conference this season.

Terrific Tigers take down Stars to leap into fourth

Billingham Stars 2

Telford Tigers     3

With Telford’s courageous performances of late, Billingham were always going to have to match the ardour and desire of Jason Parry’s side at The Forum on Sunday in order to win. Aware of this, both teams made a strong start from the first face off and threw themselves into the action. Flavell returned to the Stars’ net and Ben Davison took Andy Finn’s place in defence, the latter missing out due to suspension, whilst Tigers’ Daniel Croft and import Karol Jets did not travel to the north east.

The Tigers immediately indicated their thirst for victory, putting Flavell under pressure early on before taking the lead in the fourth minute of play through youngster Joe Aston. This attack spurred Billingham into action and they began to build some offensive play into their game with players looking to break down Tigers’ defence. This approach soon paid off when skilful Swedish forward Dennis Boström weaved past several Telford players to hit the puck into the roof of Denis Bell’s net.

Both sides level at 1-1, Billingham returned to the ice after the break but this time it was the Tigers facing an onslaught as the Stars attempted to get in on goal again, Bell saving yet another shot from ambitious Boström. Billingham’s determination proved fruitless however, and instead it was the Tigers who regained their lead through in form forward Callum Bowley, the puck deflecting off Flavell’s glove and into the net around the 27 minute mark.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Winning by two goals to one, the Tigers then went on to shock their opponents into submission just forty nine seconds later to hinder a rapid reply from the home side, this time EPL experienced Adam Taylor going one on one with Flavell to make it 3-1 to the Tigers. Besides hitting the post in the last four minutes, Billingham failed to come close to getting a second in this period of play and went in at the interval with much work to do in the third.

Returning to the ice, the Tigers started the stronger of the two and came very close to scoring in the opening seconds but Flavell was quick to react and ensured the puck did not cross the line. This sparked a response from the Stars and, as they fought hard for goals, they were rewarded with a power play when Taylor received a minor penalty for holding. Stars’ alternate captain Callum Davies converted the advantage into a goal from a rebound. With such fine margins between a win and a loss, Stars made the decision to pull netminder Flavell from his goal in the hope of equalising in the last minute of the game but it was not to be and the Stars went away from the clash empty handed.

Currently, Terry Ward’s side slide to fifth place as Telford Tigers ascend the table, having achieved five points from five games, an excellent achievement for Parry’s newly promoted outfit. Billingham will now encounter Sheffield Senators on the road next week but there will be no home game at the Forum on Sunday. Billingham have yet to face the Senators so far this campaign but they will hope to benefit from their opposition’s poor form of late, the Sheffield outfit adrift at the bottom of the table with a total of four defeats from four games. It is a game the Senators will hope to win to show that they are still in with a chance but whether they will be able to compete with the former ENL champions remains to be seen.

Sutton’s sting not enough to ward off Warriors

Whitley Warriors 5

Sutton Sting        3

With Whitley needing a win to remain at the top of the NIHL league table, and Sutton gradually building pace after a delayed start to their season, both teams took to the ice knowing two points could make all the difference to their league placement. This desire was encapsulated in the quick-paced opening minutes of the first period and, after several shots on goal, Whitley seemed to undo their good work as forward Jordan Barnes was sent to the sin bin for a hooking offence. The home side remained undeterred by this setback and managed to get themselves ahead through some creative play from Callum Watson to Shaun Kippin which allowed the forward to slot the puck past Russian netminder Dmitri Zimozdra on 7:23.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Just over two minutes later, Sting’s James Goodman was punished for a trip but, as Whitley failed to take advantage of the power play, Sutton saw an opportunity to imitate their opposition’s earlier feat and it was Shaun Ashton who succeeded in putting his side level, the puck finding its way to him from Ryan Johnson and Jon Woolhouse. However, the Warriors were determined not to let the power play slip by without taking anything from it and Jamie Tinsley was able to find the net just 37 seconds later, goal scorer Kippin working with player/coach David Longstaff to assist. Although Whitley were in front, Sutton were by no means out of the game and a stalemate developed between the two teams to keep the score line the same after the first twenty minutes.

With little over two minutes played in the second period, Warrior Barnes and Sting defenceman Scott Glover dropped the gloves in a brief exchange of blows which saw both men receive four minutes each for fighting. Shortly afterwards, Sutton’s Latvian import Slavs Movko snatched a second equaliser for the Sting, assisted by player/coach John Ross and alternate captain Jamie Spurr.

The Warriors were quick to reply as Martin Crammond successfully picked out Ben Richards whose neat work saw his team take the lead for a third time. Neither side could add to this tally before the end of the middle section, instead conceding further penalty minutes as play became scrappy.

The game still very much in the balance, Whitley returned to the ice feeling that more goals were needed to secure a win. It was not until the 54^th minute that an opportunity arose however, and it was to fall in favour of the visitors as Warriors’ enforcer Andre Payette cleared the puck from the ice to earn himself a minor penalty for delaying the game. Consequently, Whitley were reduced to four men and Sutton’s Ryan Johnson was able to find that all-important equaliser to get the Sting back into the game.

Spiralling into despair, the Warriors showed a lack of urgency to seek a fourth but it was player/coach David Longstaff who was on hand to inspire his team to victory with an unassisted effort as he controlled the puck comfortably before burying it in Zimozdra’s net on 58:00.

Sutton, feeling that the game was not beyond them yet, called a timeout. In a tactical change, Zimozdra was pulled from his net to allow the Sting to enhance their lines with an additional man. However, it was Whitley who capitalised from the decision as Harry Harley shot from his own third to achieve an empty net goal with just thirty six seconds left to make the score 5-3.

This victory continues Whitley Warriors’ unbeaten run to allow David Longstaff’s team to remain top of the NIHL North Division One Moralee Conference with eleven points, though Blackburn Hawks are only one point behind the league leaders with a game in hand. Next weekend, the Warriors are not scheduled to be in action and can take the break that both Billingham and Solway have enjoyed in recent weeks.

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