NIHL Weekend Action

Skilful Sharks stun Hawks to seal victory in Dumfries

Solway Sharks       5

Blackburn Hawks  3

Armed with a clear game plan and a desire to win, Martin Grubb’s Solway Sharks took to the ice against Blackburn Hawks with the view that victory was very much within their grasp. Starting with Kieran Hobbins in net, the Sharks were without some key players including defencemen Frazer Goldie, Craig Mitchell, Jamie Scott and Alan Crane as well as netminder Andrew Jaszczyk. Meanwhile, there were also absentees for the Hawks as blue liners Andy Dunn and Ollie Lomax missed out on the fixture alongside forwards David Meikle and Tom King. Daniel MacKriel’s Hawks went into the game aware that a win would increase their lead at the top of table to eleven points whereas a victory for the Sharks would place the Dumfries outfit within touching distance of sixth.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The first period barely underway, Blackburn managed to make the better start as Solway conceded an early penalty to hand the visitors a power play with Stephen Adams guilty of a hooking offence almost three minutes into the game. Unable to capitalise, the Hawks were soon punished as Grubb’s line up began to pile on the pressure, forward Marc Fowley firing an unassisted effort into Daniel Brittle’s net to present the home side with a 1-0 lead. 

As ever, Blackburn were not trailing for long. A rapid response to this opener resulted in an equaliser for the visitors, captain Chris Arnone working alongside import RJ Berra to set up goal scorer Adam Brittle. Just over a minute later, the Hawks found themselves a man down as Max Drakeley was shown to the sin bin for interference, giving Solway the advantage of a power play. The home side failed to make the additional man count however, and Blackburn returned to full strength unpunished. Though the Hawks continued to create offensive opportunities to test Hobbins, the Sharks defended superbly to prevent the top-of-the-table side from grabbing a second whilst ensuring Daniel Brittle had much work to do at the other end of the ice, hitting a further sixteen shots at the experienced netminder. A disciplined conclusion to the period saw both teams head in one goal apiece with the Sharks performing at a high standard to compete with the league leaders.

Returning for the middle stanza, Blackburn were aware that they would need to improve their game in order to get ahead and MacKriel’s men did just that, Drakeley striking in the third minute of the period following a pass from the side’s top points scorer, Richard Bentham. Soon after, the home side were handed their second power play opportunity of the game when Arnone found himself sin binned for a hooking offence.  Ensuring that this chance did not pass them by, the Sharks hit back on the power play when experienced forward Iain Bowie linked up with alternate captain Juraj Senko to send Joe Coulter through on goal.

The score line level at 2-2, the Hawks had their work cut out once again as the margin between the two sides had been narrowed for a second time in the game. On this occasion, it was the Hawks who were next to strike, Adam Brittle turning assist for Berra alongside forward Lee Pollitt. Over three minutes later, Solway made the most of their possession when a delayed penalty call from referee Emmerson was made against Hawks’ Finnish import Kim Miettinen. Captain Struan Tonnar was the man on hand to light the lamp when decent build up play from his team mates Steven Moore and Ross Murray allowed the strong forward to fire the puck home.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

A second interference penalty for Drakeley called on 35:58 saw Grubb’s line up handed yet another power play and the Sharks did not disappoint their home crowd as Tonnar grabbed his seventh goal of the season courtesy of youngster Duncan Speirs and defenceman Senko to make it 4-3 exactly three minutes before the break. With a single goal separating the two sides, the resilient Sharks returned to the ice far from complacent and with the knowledge that Blackburn have the capacity to overturn deficits at a quick rate. However, just fifty nine seconds into the last instalment of the game, it was Solway who struck quickest, this time Stuart Kerr assisting Moore with an even handed effort following a ten minute misconduct penalty incurred by Hawks’ Jordan Bannon.

Blackburn continued to pursue offensive openings, having a total of thirteen shots on Hobbins goal, and the tables turned as MacKriel’s team were awarded a power play after a trip from Fowley. Unable to bury their chances, the Hawks looked on as Solway were restored to full strength. Referee Emmerson then picked up on a holding offence from Martin Cingel, presenting the visitors with yet another chance to equalise but Blackburn’s struggle was in vain, their opposition remaining composed to hold onto their 5-3 lead. With a two goal cushion, Solway soon found themselves under pressure in the last minute of the game as Fowley was sent to the penalty box on 59:04 for slashing. With the extra man, Blackburn ploughed forward but the Sharks’ defence of their lead was exceptional to earn the home side a deserved victory on the final buzzer.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio after the game, Head Coach Martin Grubb revealed: “I am delighted with the win against the league leaders and even more so with the performance. We played with energy and discipline from the first shift to the last and every player executed the system and got the reward they deserved. We had to show great character after going behind 3-2 and in previous games we would have went on to lose but the players did everything I asked of them and got the win in what was a great hockey game. We have hopefully proven to ourselves that we have the ability and, when we play the way we can, then we can beat anyone. We now need to go on a run of consistent performances to get the wins needed to help us in our playoff push.”

With several games in hand still to play, Solway remain in seventh but are only five points away from fifth placed Billingham Stars whom they face next Sunday. Prior to this fixture, the Sharks are also set to take on Whitley Warriors at the Dumfries Ice Bowl in what should be a fascinating contest between the two teams.

Sutton sting Stars to claim points on home ice

Sutton Sting          5

Billingham Stars   2

Missing defenceman Jamie Pattison, captain Paul Windridge and player-assistant coach Michael Bowman through injury whilst starting with Mark Watson in net, Billingham Stars travelled to Ice Sheffield with a view to extend their current good run of form against John Ross’ Sutton Sting.

With both teams starting strongly in the opening minutes, maintaining discipline and homing in on goal, the Teesiders found themselves cancelled out by Sutton’s fighting spirit, with their attempts on goal coolly turned away by Russian shot stopper Dmitri Zimozdra. Sutton’s line up gave Watson some work to do with several shots on Stars’ net, but the stalemate was soon broken as the home side took the lead on 14:07, alternate captain James Spurr delivering the puck past Billingham’s defence with support from Richard Oliver and blue liner James Goodman.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

It was a little over four minutes before Billingham could find a response, Chris Sykes working hard to set up forward Michael Elder with less than two minutes of the period remaining. Heading in at the break, the sides were level at 1-1 and Billingham returned for the second stanza, aware that further attacking play was necessary to challenge Zimozdra; their fifteen shots in the opening period not enough to get ahead in the game.

Despite this, Sutton took to the ice with the same style of play as that of the first period to snatch a second goal, this time Oliver on target with a single assist from versatile Latvian import Sergevs Jegorovs. The Stars were able to apply much offensive pressure of their own to challenge the Sting but it was to be to no avail as Sutton’s defence held out to prevent the visitors from grabbing an equaliser. Billingham were handed a chance to go level around the half way mark of the period when referee Andrew Miller was called into action for the first time in the game as Ryan Johnson was sent to serve two minutes for a tripping offence.

The Stars failed to light the lamp on this power play and they soon conceded a penalty of their own; their bench punished for icing too many men. Unable to make the additional man count, Sutton soon found themselves on the wrong end of an identical bench penalty. The power play shifting in Billingham’s favour, the Stars were handed further advantage still when Goodman was found guilty of a hooking offence on 36:42 which awarded the Stars five on three ice hockey for thirty two seconds.  However, Terry Ward and his team were left stunned as not one shot found the back of Zimozdra’s net. A final penalty in the period disrupted play further as Jegorovs was sin binned for delaying the game but again, the visitors could not find a way past Sutton’s sturdy shot stopper and the Sting headed in at the interval with a single goal giving them the edge over their opposition.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the final period, both teams took to the ice, aware that the margin between winning and losing the points was a very fine one. As with the previous stanzas, Sutton were the first to open the scoring to make it 3-1, player-coach Ross with a neat pass to Vjaceslavs Movko to set up Mark Turner. It was approximately nine minutes before the Stars could reduce this two goal deficit, Sykes again helping Elder out with an additional assist from captain Andy Munroe.

Just over a minute later though, the Sting regained their two goal cushion, this time Ross slotting the puck home from a neat Movko pass to make it 4-2. Prompting a time out and drastic action from Billingham, the visitors pulled Watson from his net to give themselves the additional skater. Fortune did not favour the brave on this occasion, Johnson and Shaun Aston passing the puck on to Oliver who rounded off Sting’s successful evening with an empty net goal twenty one seconds from the end of time.

Lucky Stars triumph over spirited Senators

Billingham Stars    5

Sheffield Senators 3

Requiring two points to reclaim fifth position, Billingham Stars returned to The Forum prepared for a very different game against foot-of-the-table-side Sheffield Senators. In addition to those unable to ice against Sutton Sting on Saturday, forward Jack Davies was not to be risked following injury concerns and defenceman Andy Finn was also unavailable for the clash.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Going into this game, the Senators had yet to pick up their first victory in the Moralee Conference but if the Stars felt that they were to be in for an uncomplicated evening, they were quickly corrected as Andrew Chapman’s team hurled themselves onto the ice with the view of causing problems for the Teesiders. With less than three minutes played, Stars’ youngster Billy Nicholson was shown to the sin bin by referee David Farren for clipping. Whilst the Senators were unable to produce a goal on this opening power play, they were soon handed a second opportunity to get ahead in the game and did so; Joseph Colton and Benjamin Jones working together to set up forward Thomas Humphries for a blue line shot which found its way into Mark Watson’s net.

One minute later, Matthew Pigott found himself in the sin bin for holding but Billingham could not make their chances count on this occasion as the Senators appeared strong on the penalty kill. Unable to take advantage of the additional man, the home side were soon to regret this as Sheffield’s young defenceman Lewis Otley fired the puck home, Ben Towler and Timothy Cross with the assists.

The score line 2-0 in Senators’ favour, Billingham were aware that they needed to react quickly and, just when a second penalty for Matthew Campbell appeared to have hampered the Teesiders’ chances, James Moss snatched the puck from the Senators’ defence to supply Chris Sykes with the puck whose shorthanded effort put the Stars back on track.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Going in at the break with a goal separating the two sides, Billingham returned in search of an equaliser and the side did not have to wait long as player-assistant coach Richie Thornton slotted a pass to Moss who did not miss his mark. Less than two minutes later, the Senators found themselves under pressure once again when Farren was left with no choice but to hand  Pigott a penalty of 2+10 for a check to the head which floored Scott Ward.

It was not long before Ward also found himself in the sin bin however, the experienced forward punished for slashing whilst Senator Alexander Harding served two minutes for a cross check. Despite the disruption that these penalties caused to the flow of the game, the Stars maintained a desire to take the lead and the pressure they applied to Mark Hartley’s net was soon rewarded with a second goal for Moss, import Dennis Boström and Stars’ Under 20 captain Luke Brown on hand to set up the in-form goal scorer. Another penalty for Harding saw the Stars’ offensive play increased, Moss turning assist for Boström on the power play with input once again from blue liner Thornton. Less than a minute later, Paul Lofthouse incurred a 2+10 for a check to the head and, as neither side could find a way through in the latter stages of the period, the Stars went in at the interval with a much needed two goal cushion.

Taking to the ice for the final stanza, the Stars were soon on the wrong end of a penalty call as a trip from Thornton put the Senators on the power play. The Sheffield outfit were not about to miss this opportunity to reduce the deficit, Jack Dransfield helping the puck past the Stars’ defence and into the back of Watson’s net subsequent to some earlier build up play from alternate captains Arran Bell and Nathan Parkes-Britton.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

An incredibly close contest unfolding, the Stars were given some reprieve when captain Andrew McEwan was made to serve two minutes for boarding. No goal arose from this five on four ice hockey however, though the Stars continued to pressure Senators’ shot stopper Hartley as the clock ran down. It was only with forty four seconds left of the game that Billingham could again find the back of the net, Boström once more on target with a single assist from Moss to make it 5-3 before the final whistle.

Reflecting on Stars’ weekend, Chris Sykes kindly shared his views with NIHL Northern Trio: “The weekend the team and I had planned out didn’t quite go the way we wanted but two points out of four is something to take from it. At least it wasn’t nothing which is a positive. We turned up in Sheffield on Saturday and it just didn’t seem to get going. We were a little flat if I’m honest and we had a good shift and then a bad shift and it was hard to get into the game as it was quite scrappy. Credit to the Sting, they put on a performance and finished their chances. We had a lot of the play but couldn’t get past that man Zimozdra. I mentioned him in my preview of the weekend and it’s fitting that he came up big for them but we should have made him work more and scored more as we know we have the fire power. Again we struggled on the big ice and the Sting punished us but we will learn and move on from it. Onto Sunday, we had a home game against the Senators who are bottom of the league and haven’t won a game all year but they won’t roll over and die. I’ll give them credit; they skate well and they try hard every shift. We struggled to get going again. I’m not sure what it was but we just didn’t get the jump to start. We went down 2-0 to them and we just looked like we hadn’t turned up. We got reward for our chance on a PK when Mossy [James Moss] skated his bag off and poked one off their defender which I latched onto and buried to get a goal back to make it a one goal lead. Losing the first period is not how we wanted to play the game. We wanted to dominate from the off. We knuckled down and we got the job done on the night. It wasn’t as high a score as expected but, like I say, credit to the Senators for putting in the effort. We managed to get the two points in front of our own fans which is always good. On to next weekend!”

Billingham will next encounter Blackburn Hawks on away ice before taking on Solway Sharks at home which should make for a highly entertaining contest between the close rivals.

Tigers fail to terrify as Warriors back to winning ways

Whitley Warriors 9

Telford Tigers     1

Following four consecutive league games against Blackburn Hawks, Whitley Warriors’ last victory was against the Lancashire side on home ice early in December. As a result, David Longstaff’s men were hunting for their first win of 2016 and, though the Hillheads outfit were without the injured Alex Lawson, defenceman Stu Tomlinson and youngster Callum Queenan, forward Ben Richards made his return following a lengthy injury. Jason Parry’s Telford, on the other hand, were extremely short benched, with import Karol Jets, captain Daniel Croft, youngster Ben Washburn, the injured Macaulay Heywood and forward Adam Taylor all missing from the Tigers’ line up alongside regular netminder Dennis Bell.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

In the initial phase of the game, the teams battled for possession; the Warriors ploughing forward on the puck and Telford aiming to have some control of game play in the early stages. This soon changed however, when referee Steve Brown interrupted play to hand a two minute hooking penalty to Tigers’ Corey Goodison. Taking full advantage of the power play, Whitley soon grabbed themselves a goal as hard working blue liner Harry Harley and player-coach Longstaff engaged in some neat passing play to launch Shaun Kippin onto the score sheet. Just over a minute later, the home side made it 2-0 as alternate captain Andre Payette looped the puck over netminder Sam Ellis in a spectacular effort.

The Tigers were given some reprieve as Warriors’ latest signing Adam Reynolds was shown to the sin bin for boarding but, with Whitley working hard on the penalty kill, the visitors could not find a way past Richie Lawson to reduce the deficit. Soon after, Tigers’ forward Simon Harrison was the next to be on the wrong side of a penalty call for his team and, though Whitley applied pressure to Telford’s defence, the Hillheads outfit could not find a way through. As Tigers’ returned to full strength, the power play soon shifted to the visitors, this time Payette the subject of an interference call. Despite this, the score line remained unaltered until Whitley returned to five men; Callum Watson playing a neat set up through to long-serving Warrior DJ Good who found the back of the net to make it 3-0 before the first interval.

With the Tigers’ falling behind, Whitley took to the ice for the middle section with a view to increase their lead and thus secure a victory. A second penalty from Payette on 23:49 saw Telford on the power play once again and, though James Smith and Callum Bowley pushed play into Whitley’s defensive zone, the Warriors maintained their strength on the penalty kill to prevent the visitors from scoring. A little over two minutes later saw Whitley again reduced to four men, Kippin the man in the penalty box on this occasion, but the home side remained composed to snatch a shorthanded goal, Good passing to Payette who neatly slotted the puck into Harley’s path, allowing the defenceman to achieve his sixth goal of the season.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Minutes later, a slashing offence from Richards placed the visitors at an advantage but this did not stop the shorthanded Warriors from scoring once again. Receiving the puck from Good, Crammond stormed into Tigers’ defensive zone to fire home a fantastic effort. The score line 5-0, Longstaff made the decision to place backup netminder Mark Turnbull between the pipes. Soon after, it was the turn of Telford forward Callum Griffin to warm a seat in the sin bin but, as neither team could make any further offensive opportunities count in this period, the Warriors went in at the break with a five goal gap separating themselves from the Tigers.

Short benched, Telford slowly began to fatigue and it was the Warriors who grabbed the next goal of the game, Kippin lighting the lamp on 44:56 following strong build up play from Dean Holland. As the home side dominated possession, matters were made worse for the Shropshire outfit when Goodison was made to serve two minutes for interference, allowing Whitley to secure a 7-0 lead on the power play; Harley and Holland offering support to Reynolds who went on to achieve his first goal since his return to the club. Soon after, Simon Harrison was sin binned for a trip when youngster Kyle Hindmarsh-Ross wove his way past several Tigers’ players in style to try his luck on goal. This call prompted Longstaff’s men to capitalise for a third time in the game as Watson found the target courtesy of reliable defenceman Dan Pye.

Five seconds later, Warrior Hindmarsh-Ross was punished for hooking, allowing the Tigers to seek a consolation goal which was delivered by Simon Harrison with double assists from James Smith and Philip Mulcahy to make it 8-1. Following this goal, Longstaff was left with no choice but to switch netminders once again as Turnbull (who reportedly does not wear the knee protectors that most other goaltenders do) took a puck to the knee prior to Telford’s successful offensive effort and returned to the bench, feeling the blow had affected his movement. Telford’s Matthew Lees then went on to sit out a tripping penalty and it was not long before Warrior Jordan Barnes joined the defenceman in the sin bin. With less than two minutes of game play left, the Warriors continued to push forward and, though the Tigers returned to full strength to make it five on four ice hockey in their favour, there was just enough time for Kippin to complete his hat trick.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The final score 9-1, Longstaff expressed his delight at the win, informing NIHL Northern Trio: “I thought it was a very professional performance. It was good to have a good first home game after the New Year. It was an excellent hat trick from Kippin and well deserved.” Sitting comfortably in second place, Whitley Warriors are both seven points clear from Telford Tigers and seven points from top spot with a game in hand on league leaders Blackburn Hawks. Next weekend, the Warriors face Solway Sharks on away ice before playing host to Sheffield Spartans in what should be two challenging fixtures for the club.

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