NIHL Weekend Action

Stars take five as bold Barons lose out

Billingham Stars  5

Solihull Barons    3

A crucial game for Billingham in their bid to edge ever nearer to those all-important playoff spots, the Stars took to the ice without captain Paul Windridge, import Dennis Boström, player-assistant coach Michael Bowman and defenceman Jamie Pattison, though forward James Moss made his return following injury. Meanwhile, Solihull Barons travelled with a short bench, making the trip with just fourteen skaters and one netminder, further enhancing their line-up with the pace of youngsters Jordan Stokes and Matthew Maurice.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With recent form standing Barons in good stead, and an impressive 4-3 comeback against Sutton Sting preceding this fixture, it was little surprise that Perry Doyle’s team got off to the better start, displaying some highly constructive build up play before opening the scoring on 8:38 with a superb goal from Edward Eaton who lit the lamp courtesy of Stokes and two-way player Thomas Soar.

Seemingly stunned by the skill of Solihull, with Swedish import Niklas Ottosson and forward Josh Bruce also challenging the Stars’ defence, the home side needed to find a way back into the game and, less than five minutes later, Billingham drew level with their visitors, Scott Ward and Ben Davison working in unison to see Matthew Campbell successfully slot the puck past Barons’ netminder Josh Nicholls. Despite this small setback, Solihull continued to break down Billingham’s defence, Bruce forcing Flavell to make a save with two minutes left of the first stanza. However, the Stars were also seeking an opportunity to take the lead and the moment emerged in the dying seconds of the period when, surging forward, Andy Munroe and Jack Davies linked up with Moss who buried the puck in Barons’ net on the buzzer. Though Solihull player-coach Doyle and his team mates questioned the timing of this goal, referee David Emmerson and his officials saw no reason to rule out the effort and Billingham headed in at the break with the slight reprieve of a 2-1 lead.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the middle stanza, the Stars took to the ice with the aim of adding to their tally, and it looked possible in the twenty fourth minute when Barons’ forward Soar was sin binned for a high sticks offence which reduced the visitors to four men. Unable to create an opportunity on the power play, the Stars watched as Solihull returned to full strength without any alteration of the score line. Soon after, Scott Ward found himself the subject of a tripping call and it was the Barons’ turn to make the most of the additional man, the side coming close to scoring when Soar struck the post.  

Emmerson’s work was far from over however, and approximately three minutes later, Edward Eaton was called to the sin bin for slashing. This gave Billingham the perfect opportunity to make amends for their earlier poor showing on the power play, this time Ward involving Tom Keeley who fired the puck home just three seconds into their advantage.

A little over a minute later, Billingham found the back of the net again to shock Solihull whom had seen so much of possession earlier in the game. On this occasion, Chris Sykes bagged himself an assist, threading the puck through to alternate captain Callum Davies who, in turn, played it into the path of goal scorer Michael Elder.

The score line 4-1, Solihull immediately called a timeout with just over thirty minutes played but Billingham, continuing to settle into the game, quickly snatched a fifth, this time Elder and Sykes setting up Callum Davies. Undeterred, the Barons battled on in the Stars’ defensive zone and were soon reaping the rewards of a delayed slashing penalty on Keeley; Ottosson and Bruce combining to allow Soar to get his name on the score sheet. In the aftermath of this goal, referee Emmerson dealt Jack Davies a ten minute misconduct penalty and the forward was swiftly joined by Luke Brown just over a minute later when the Under 20s captain made way for a tripping offence.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Try as they might, the Barons could not find a way back into the game on the power play. Despite this, the visitors began the third period with a renewed vigour as they aimed to reduce the deficit. After a fast paced start, Solihull’s Richard Crowe slid the puck to Ottosson whose trickery surpassed Billingham’s defence to make it 5-3 with just forty three seconds into the period played. The Stars continued to have their fair share of chances, Andy Finn finding the post and Sykes striking the puck into Nicholls’ mask. Emmerson was set to work again in the forty seventh minute, directing Stokes to the penalty box for boarding. Yet, as the Stars failed to capitalise on this, and as Ward conceded his second tripping penalty to hand the Barons the advantage, Solihull left the home side with no choice but to call a time out, though there was only forty eight seconds left of the game. Hoping to challenge Stars’ victory to the dying second, the Barons pulled their netminder whilst working the puck in their offensive zone before possession once again fell to the Stars. Moss tried his luck for an empty net goal but his effort zipped wide of the mark as the clock counted down to leave the score at 5-3.

Now on seventeen points and situated in sixth position, Billingham have commenced the New Year with a fantastic two points. The side will hope to add to this victory next weekend when they are set to make the trip to Hobs Moat Road to encounter Solihull Barons for a second consecutive week. However, before they approach this league fixture, the Teesiders will also play host to Widnes Wild in the NIHL North Cup at The Forum on Saturday at the earlier time of 5:00pm. As the Stars continue to edge closer to Sheffield Spartans in the NIHL league table, their upcoming double header could give the side the momentum they need as they prepare to challenge the Yorkshire outfit for fifth place over the next few weeks. 

For more photos from IceHockeyMedia, please visit: http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/.