Stars
shot down as Hawks snatch top spot
Blackburn Hawks 5
Billingham Stars 2
The stakes high, this
was never going to be an easy game for Billingham Stars as they looked to pick
up two points against Blackburn Hawks to move ever closer to the NIHL’s much-sought
playoff spots. Missing forwards Jack Davies and James Moss from the start, as
well as defencemen Jamie Pattison and Matthew Campbell, Billingham took to the
ice against a very strong Hawks team who made the decision to play second
netminder Stuart Ashton between the pipes in place of player-assistant coach,
Daniel Brittle. Out to reclaim poll position in the NIHL, the Lancashire outfit
had yet another victory on their agenda ahead of their fixture against title
rivals Whitley Warriors.
Early in the first
period, efforts from experienced Stars’ defenceman Richie Thornton, and Hawks’
forward Ben Simister, failed to cause any damage in front of goal and it was
only in the eighth minute that the puck found the back of the net, Billingham’s
Michael Elder the to stun last season’s NIHL champions. A quick response was
required of Daniel MacKriel’s side, and a quick response they provided; just
over three minutes later, a jostle in front of James Flavell saw the sharp and
skilful Aaron Davies flick the puck over the netminder to draw level. With
momentum on their side, Blackburn had a goal in their sights once again but Flavell
worked hard to keep Chris Arnone at bay. Likewise, Jack Emerson attempted to
set up Paul Windridge for the travelling Stars but the shot went wide of its
mark to send the teams in level at the first interval.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
The second period
underway, Billingham found themselves at an advantage as Canadian import RJ Berra served two minutes for a cross
check. Though the Stars came close to scoring through Callum Davies, they could
not light the lamp. Despite this, the visitors were presented with a second
opportunity as the Hawks, having returned to full strength, lost defenceman
Andy Dunn, and Berra once again, to the sin bin.
With a two man advantage,
the Stars were not about to let the chance pass them by as they looked to gain
the lead for a second time. As Ashton incidentally dropped the puck in the
process of saving Tom Keeley’s speculative blue line shot, Elder pounced in
front of the net and subsequently earned his second goal of the game with
approximately twenty two minutes played.
As ever, the resilient
Hawks bounced back with a goal of their own, Lee Pollitt hitting the puck high
into Flavell’s net on 25:55 to make it 2-2. Despite cries of offside from the
visitor’s bench, the officials allowed the goal to stand and Blackburn found
themselves back in the game once again.
End to end ice hockey
played out as both the Stars and the Hawks aimed to get the better of their
opposition. Jordan Bannon failed to capitalise in the twenty ninth minute
whilst Brown and Elder were kept out by Ashton just four minutes later.
Following this, Hawks’ top points scorer broke down Stars’ defence to pressure
Flavell but it was to no avail, the shot stopper remaining calm and collected
to make the save whilst player-assistant coach Michael Bowman struck the post
at the other end of the ice in the dying minutes of the second stanza.
With little separating
the teams as they returned to the ice, the third period brought with it injury
woes for Billingham, captain Paul Windridge and on-ice leader Bowman each
sustaining injuries which left them unable to see out the game. Placed on the
back foot as their lines became disordered, the Stars looked on as Brittle went
for a wrap around in the opening minute of the period, whilst Bannon also
forced a save from Flavell. Billingham attempted some counterattacking play but
the Hawks came back stronger, almost slipping past defenceman Ben Davison to
achieve a breakaway goal. Davison’s effort to prevent Blackburn from taking the
lead was in vain however, the Lancashire side hitting home from the face off
that followed through Berra.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
The score line 3-2, the
relentless Hawks hampered Stars’ comeback before it had even began, a superb
shot from Brittle ending up in the back of Flavell’s net. Calling a timeout,
Terry Ward’s side gathered their thoughts and took to the ice once again with a
view of reducing the two goal deficit. A chance to do so soon fell in
Billingham’s favour as a minor clipping call on forward Bannon handed the
visitors a power play. Despite this, Blackburn continued to dominate possession
and soon increased their lead to 5-2 as Berra worked hard to gain his team a
shorthanded goal around the fifty minute mark. With three goals in under three
minutes, the home side made it clear that they were not about to be defeated and
there was little the Stars could do, other than see out the game with their
lines very much in confusion due to the loss of some of their key players.
Speaking to NIHL
Northern Trio, influential Star Chris Sykes shared his thoughts: “We played
well first period and second. We were in the game the whole way and we had
chances to go in front and we defended well. A few injuries happened in the
second, beginning of the third, period and we started to run two lines and
three to four ‘D’ men. It was tough. We had a five minute lapse in
concentration and gave up three quick goals, and it got away from us. We
couldn’t get back into it after that. The big ice helps them more than us and
we prefer the smaller ice.” Sitting in sixth place, Billingham will now enjoy
their Christmas break before hosting the Solihull Barons at The Forum on the 3rd
January 2016.
Honours
even at Hillheads as Warriors take point
Whitley Warriors 4
Blackburn Hawks 4
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
With one of the most
highly anticipated clashes overshadowing Whitley Warriors’ encounter with
Blackburn Hawks, it was little surprise that on-ice leader Andre Payette
dropped the gloves with Reece Cairney-Witter just four seconds after the first
face off. A very even fight playing out, Payette eventually pulled Cairney-Witter
to the ice and normal game play resumed as the pair served 2+2 roughing
penalties.
In the opening stages of the game, the Hawks had the better share of possession and it showed as they
took the lead through Lee Pollitt with less than four minutes played, following
some strong offensive play from captain Chris Arnone and skilful import RJ
Berra. As Whitley struggled to
find a foothold in the game, with Callum Watson, Stu Tomlinson, Ben Richards,
Craig Johnson and Alex Lawson all missing from the side, Blackburn’s Cairney-Witter conceded a further penalty with less than ten minutes played and
the Warriors found themselves on the power play.
Though unable to find a
way past netminder Daniel Brittle with the one man advantage, Whitley gained
enough momentum to see them through on goal over two and a half minutes after
the power play had ended when Dean Holland ensured an outstanding unassisted
effort lit the lamp on 13:38. Just ten seconds later, Josh Maddock clashed with
Finnish import Kim Miettinen, both players earning themselves two minutes in
the sin bin for roughing and interference respectively.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
Both teams returned to
full strength but, try as they might, neither could find the back of the net
and, as the opportunities of the first period died away, Blackburn were soon
shorthanded again, this time Arnone receiving two minutes for slashing and
defenceman Andy Dunn incurring a ten minute misconduct penalty just five
seconds before the first intermission.
Returning for the
middle stanza, the Warriors were out to get a power play goal to take the lead
but, failing to make their efforts count, the side were punished over six
minutes later when Hawks, restored to five men, were able to slot the puck past
Richie Lawson, Aaron Davies with his second goal of the weekend, courtesy of a
Matt Viney assist. Hampered by penalty trouble soon after, Warrior Jamie
Tinsley made way for a slashing offence and, though Whitley successfully ran
down the clock, Martin Crammond conceded a minor for hooking just fourteen
seconds after the home side had returned to full strength. This allowed the
Hawks to trouble Whitley’s defence further, Arnone eventually setting up
Pollitt to give Blackburn a two goal cushion.
Cycling the puck, the
Warriors began to plough their efforts into offensive play and it was with
character that Holland achieved his second of the evening; a swift pass from
Payette in Whitley’s defensive zone caught out Hawks’ defence and the forward wasted
no time in reducing the deficit to a single goal.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
With the points all to
play for in the third period, player-coach David Longstaff was determined to
improve on some of the uneventful play in the second period, setting the
standard high with a goal of his own, Crammond and Callum Queenan working hard
on the same line to give the Warriors’ a fighting chance. Buoyed by this goal,
the Warriors began to pressure Daniel Brittle further and, though the Hawks
also had their fair share of chances, it was the Warriors who took the lead,
Holland linking up with Crammond to support Shaun Kippin who hit home to stun
the Hawks.
With less than five
minutes of the game left, the Warriors sought to defend their lead, Lawson
making some fantastic saves to keep the Hillheads outfit ahead of their title
rivals. The Hawks, however, were not about to settle for zero points and, with
just forty seconds left, Adam Brittle played the puck to Richard Bentham who
snatched an all-important equaliser for his side. The Warriors under
pressure, Longstaff called a timeout and, just thirty six seconds later, Hawks
made the same decision, both sides hoping to take at least one point away with
them in the late stages of the game. Little left of game play, the Warriors and
the Hawks battled until their time ran out, the final buzzer confirming a fair
4-4 draw.
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| Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson |
Speaking after the game, Longstaff told NIHL Northern Trio: “My players were
devastated at the end but every one of them should be so proud of what they’ve
achieved so far this season after being so close to relegation. They give
everything they’ve got every night and nobody can ask for more than that. I’m
not positive about (Warriors reclaiming top spot). Blackburn haven’t really
been troubled by the other team and, with their games in hand, they’ll get
ahead of us quite easily.”
Set to enjoy a Christmas break, the Warriors will not return to action until Sunday
10th January 2016, playing their fourth and final consecutive game against
Blackburn Hawks in the hope that they can seize the top spot once again.
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