WEEKEND
PREVIEW
NIHL
NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE
Sunday 4th September 2016
The Dragons vs. Billingham Stars
Opening
their 2016-17 campaign one week earlier than close league rivals Whitley
Warriors and Solway Sharks, Terry Ward’s Billingham Stars will make the lengthy
journey to The Den as they prepare to take on the newly promoted Dragons in the
first of three consecutive away fixtures.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Following
the disappointment of last season’s fifth place finish in the Moralee
Conference, it is clear that Billingham Stars have strengthened their squad
over the summer months to ensure that the side can compete with the most
challenging outfits in the NIHL. Whilst strong leadership will be provided once
more in both offence and defence through the respective hard work of player-coaches
Michael Bowman and Richie Thornton, the Stars have acquired further firepower
through the signings of ex-EPL forward Jack Watkins, who makes the switch from
Milton Keynes Lightning, and Swedish import Daniel Palmebjörk who joins former
Tegs SK teammate Dennis Boström on Teesside. Alongside Boström, forwards Chris
Sykes, James Moss, Michael Elder and Callum Davies will once again ice for the Stars,
the quartet having contributed one hundred and thirty two points to Billingham’s
league efforts in their previous campaign. Also adding former Warriors Callum
Read and Scott Cooper to his defensive unit, Ward has reinforced the Stars’ blue
line which will be lacking the experience of former alternate captain Andy
Munroe following the defenceman’s move to Peterborough this summer.
Meanwhile,
Head Coach Scott McKenzie takes charge of The Dragons for the first time this
season as the club makes the step up from the Laidler Conference to play in
Division One. Whilst the Welsh outfit have lost Slovakian import Adrian Palak
to Sheffield Steeldogs in the EPL, McKenzie has ensured the club’s re-signing
of Filip Supa further to adding Finnish forward Markus Kankaanranta to his
roster. Making the switch from Widnes Wild with McKenzie are Geoff Wigglesworth
and Chris Gee. Whilst Wigglesworth contributed fifty seven points to the Wild’s
cause last season, sturdy defenceman Gee remains committed to developing his
game as he enters his sixth season in the sport. In addition to these signings,
McKenzie has harnessed the leadership and experience of forwards Marc Lovell and
James Parsons who will respectively fulfil the role of player-assistant coach
and captain when the side face off in the Moralee Conference on Sunday.
With
the first points of the season up for grabs, a win for Billingham on the road
would provide the Stars with the positive start they require ahead of
back-to-back away fixtures on the 10th and 11th September
against Solway Sharks and Blackburn Hawks. Two points for The Dragons, on the
other hand, would be a major boost for the newly promoted side as they look to
perform to the best of their ability in front of a home crowd, having worked
hard to earn their place in Division One last season.
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Photo
Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson
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Kindly taking the time to share his
views with NIHL Northern Trio, Star Chris Sykes had the following
to say regarding Billingham’s upcoming season: “On Sunday we head off on our
first of three tough games on the road for the Stars’ campaign. We know what we
need to work on and have prepared well for this season. We’ve had a pre-season weekend
against Hull Pirates which was a good skate for us and we worked on certain
things; tough against opposition of their calibre. Sunday is back in our own
league and we are ready to start as we mean to go on, taking one game at a time
this season, starting with a nice two points away in Deeside. They’ll put up a
test for us, and we will see how they fare against us, and how they look in the
league as they’ve just come up to NIHL One. We are ready and we are excited.”
For those interested in attending the game this weekend, Billingham Stars face off against The Dragons at Deeside Ice Rink from 5:30pm but for those fans who are unable to make it, fear not! Below are the listening details for NIHL Radio.
For those interested in attending the game this weekend, Billingham Stars face off against The Dragons at Deeside Ice Rink from 5:30pm but for those fans who are unable to make it, fear not! Below are the listening details for NIHL Radio.
NIHL Radio Weekend Listings
Friday
2nd September, 7:30pm on NIHL Radio 1
Sheffield Steeldogs vs. Blackburn
Hawks
Sunday
4th September, 5:30pm on NIHL Radio 1
The
Dragons vs. Billingham Stars
Sunday
4th September, 5:45pm on NIHL Radio 2
Blackburn Hawks vs. Sheffield Steeldogs
Click on the link to listen:
http://www.nihlradio.com/.
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