NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE

Saturday 1st October 2016

Solway Sharks vs. Solihull Barons

Sunday 2nd October 2016

Whitley Warriors vs. Billingham Stars 

Following last weekend’s league and NIHL North Cup action, Solway Sharks will contend with Perry Doyle’s Solihull Barons on Saturday in a top of the table clash before Whitley Warriors and Billingham Stars prepare for their first Tyne-Tees derby of the season. This game is guaranteed to be a spectacular event and will certainly attract a large crowd as both teams aim to fill the rink for three-year old Frankie Sherwood who, suffering from Neuroblastoma, requires £500,000 to receive potentially lifesaving treatment in America. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Prior to this fixture however, Solway Sharks return to league action with an encounter against Solihull Barons who will embark on a quest for four points from this weekend’s double header to climb the NIHL table. As a result, the Sharks will require a win to stay one step ahead of Doyle’s men but will no doubt go into this game full of confidence on the back of their overtime victory against Billingham Stars on Sunday. Whilst Solway exhibited great fortitude and determination to make a fantastic comeback against the Teessiders, the side failed to impress initially and will hope to appear strong against the Barons from the outset. Finding the target three times last weekend, forward Richard Bentham was the Sharks’ top goal scorer and also managed to light the lamp against his former club, Blackburn Hawks. However, Bentham was certainly not the only player to make an impact in offence as power forward Ross Murray, new signing Jordan Buesa and left winger Steven Moore were amongst those on the score sheet. Also influential for the Sharks, young prospect Duncan Speirs tallied two assists before racing the length of the ice against Billingham to secure a game-winning goal for his team. If Solway are to stand any chance of defeating the Barons on Saturday, the Dumfries outfit will need to demonstrate this spirit and resolve once again, there being no room for mistakes against one of the toughest sides in the league. Defeating the Dumfries outfit twice in their previous campaign, Doyle’s men were able to dominate at Hobs Moat Road when the Sharks visited last season but equally, the Barons found it difficult to triumph over Solway at the Ice Bowl, first recording a 6-4 loss to Grubb’s outfit in November as well as a 3-1 defeat in February. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Offensively strong, the Barons will again show off their skill across all areas of the ice with current top points scorers Joe Henry, Niklas Ottosson and Matthew Maurice likely to make an impact. So far, Solihull have recorded some mixed results which include a win against Sutton Sting on home ice, a 5-5 draw with Telford Tigers in a thrilling encounter, a victory over Whitley Warriors at Hillheads and finally, a surprise defeat to The Dragons last Sunday. Despite this loss, Solihull are currently fighting for points at the top of the table and the side will travel to Dumfries with the desire required to triumph over their opponent prior to a difficult encounter against Blackburn Hawks on Sunday. Should the Barons accomplish a four point weekend, they will take the Sharks’ place at the top of the table. On the other hand, two points for the home side would provide Solway with their fourth consecutive league win, allowing the team continue their excellent start to their campaign whilst edging ahead of their competition.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Preparing for this league fixture, Head Coach Martin Grubb told NIHL Northern Trio: “We are looking forward to facing a very good Solihull team who like to play attacking hockey so we will need to be better defensively than we have been in recent games. I like the blend of youth, experience, skill and grit that Perry Doyle has in his team and we know that they will come here and be looking to play at a high tempo so we need to match that energy and play smart. We know we made too many mistakes last weekend but we showed huge character on Sunday and proved we can score goals so we will need to take that last period performance into this game and play for sixty minutes, and not just in spells like we have, or we will be punished. We will work hard in practice this week and be ready to compete and look to get two more league points.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Whitley Warriors are set to host their first Tyne-Tees derby of the season as Billingham Stars make the trip to Hillheads for an NIHL North Cup clash. Whilst this fixture always attracts a large crowd, efforts to fill the rink have been intensified this week as the local rivals unite to raise funds for three-year old Frankie Sherwood who requires £500,000 to receive treatment for Neuroblastoma in America. Though this will be the backdrop for the game, with Star Ben Davison pledging £5 for every goal scored and netminder Richie Lawson donating £2 for every save he makes, the contest will certainly not be lacking its usual fieriness, with cup points up for grabs. New to the NIHL North Cup this season, Whitley Warriors will certainly have their work cut out as they take on the defending champions, having failed to pick up a win from the two games they have played in the competition. Collecting their first point in the Moralee Conference last weekend, the Warriors have enhanced their performances in recent games but still have much work to do to reach their full potential. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As ever, Whitley will be tested by Billingham’s line-up which includes Swedish imports Dennis Boström, who grabbed a goal against the Hillheads outfit in all four league games last season, and fellow forward Daniel Palmebjörk who hit home a debut goal for the side against the Sharks on Sunday. Also harnessing the skill of forwards Chris Sykes, Michael Elder and Callum Davies, not to mention the sturdiness of netminder James Flavell, the Teessiders will be battling for victory to make amends for their nerve-racking overtime defeat to Solway. However, the Warriors will also exhibit their fair share of talented individuals, including captain Dean Holland who appears to be have been inspired by his role this season to achieve seven points in four games. Printing his name on the score sheet, alongside player-coach Longstaff and versatile defenceman Harry Harley, who impressed with an equalising slap shot from the blue line against Telford Tigers last Sunday, the captain will lead his team out to face the Stars this weekend ahead of a second encounter between the two sides on Saturday 8th October. Both teams hoping to claim their first win in the cup competition, this will be a fantastic contest made worthwhile by the unison of two clubs in the name of a good cause.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Sharing his views ahead of this game, Star Chris Sykes observed: “Sunday is a big fixture no matter what the league standings say. The Tyne-Tees derby is about bragging rights as well as points; it’s a massive game! We haven’t seen Whitley this year. We’ve only seen what the scores say but we are turning up prepared and we are ready for a good battle. It always will be a good, hard fought game in Whitley. The players they have bring that factor but we know we can score lots of goals and we are going with the mindset to outplay them in their own barn. Also, it would be nice to see the rink filled with people to watch the game as it will be a good spectacle and #FilltherinkforFrankie is a massive part of the night so let’s raise some money for the little man.” Meanwhile, Whitley Warriors’ player-coach Longstaff admitted that this fixture will be no easy one for his team: “In terms of the game, Sunday will be a struggle for us. After a great, battling performance on Sunday, where we were only missing one player and showed what we can do with a full team this season, we go back to missing six players with four of them being defenders.”

For those hoping to attend one of these games this weekend, Solway Sharks host Solihull  Barons from 7:00pm at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday whilst Whitley Warriors will then ice in the Tyne-Tees derby against local rivals Billingham Stars with the hope that the game will attract a large crowd to aid the club’s Fill the rink for Frankie campaign. To donate, please follow the link: https://www.gofundme.com/28mzxuk. For those fans unable to make it to a game this weekend, fear not! Below are the listening details for NIHL Radio.

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