NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors wow in Billingham as Stars lose out on bragging rights

Billingham Stars 5

Whitley Warriors 6

Following last weekend’s 5-4 loss to Billingham Stars on home ice, David Longstaff’s Whitley Warriors set their sights firmly on their first cup victory of the season with every intention to avenge the defeat dealt by their local rivals less than seven days ago. Travelling without several key players, Whitley found themselves playing three line hockey against an almost full strength Stars’ squad from the outset.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Energetic, impassioned and raring to go from the very first faceoff, the Warriors tore onto the ice with such desire that it was no surprise when Longstaff’s men opened the scoring with a little over four minutes played; forward Ben Richards receiving a pass from defenceman Harry Harley before slipping the puck past Stars’ backup netminder Mark Watson. Just over a minute later however, blue liner Joe Stamp found himself sinbinned for a tripping offence in his own zone to hand Billingham the advantage. Trying to get back into the game, the Stars’ deployed their power play line but Whitley’s organisation on the penalty kill was second to none and the visitors were able to return to full strength unscathed. Continuing to play with intensity whilst remaining strong on their blue line, the Warriors were able to double their lead on eleven minutes as Richards grabbed his second goal of the game, this time Harley teaming up with player-coach Longstaff to destroy Billingham’s defence. Buoyed by this early lead and a two-goal cushion, Whitley were quick to punish their local rivals for a third time as Longstaff himself printed his name on the score sheet on 12:30, assisted by power forward Jordan Barnes. Stunned by this turn of events, the Stars suffered a further setback just seventeen seconds later when Warrior Lawson Glasby played the puck across Watson’s goal to Shaun Kippin who buried it into the back of the net. The score line 4-0 with less than thirteen minutes played, Stars’ Head Coach Terry Ward saw fit to call a timeout and, from here, Billingham sought a way back into the game. With the Stars moving the puck around Whitley’s defensive zone, netminder Richie Lawson found himself with a slightly increased work load but the impeccable defending of his team mates soon saw temperatures rise as Billingham forward Scott Ward hit Barnes into the boards. This incident failed to attract the attention of referee David Emmerson, causing Barnes to take matters into his own hands which led to roughing penalties of 2+2 for both players. With the game becoming increasingly heated, passionate enforcer Andre Payette also clashed with several of the Stars in the moments that followed. As Billingham slowly crept back into the game, the Warriors conceded an additional two minute penalty just seconds later as blue liner Josh Maddock made way for high sticks. Finding themselves on a power play, Billingham were able to light the lamp on 17:31 through Swedish import Dennis Boström to go in at the break with their deficit ever so slightly reduced.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the second period, the Warriors were no doubt aware that they could not maintain the same pace that they had exhibited in the first period against the Stars whilst there was a sense that the home side were not about to give up on the cup points. With less than two minutes of this stanza played, forward Jack Emerson found himself side-lined for high sticks to hand Whitley the power play. Try as they might, the visitors could not restore their four-goal cushion and were soon punished for their inability to capitalise as the Teessiders returned to full strength only for Jack Watkins to snatch Billingham’s second, following link up play between Daniel Palmebjörk and Chris Sykes. The score line now a tentative 4-2, the Warriors found themselves shorthanded as Richards headed to the penalty box for a trip in his attempts to prevent a sudden surge on goal from the Stars. Organised on the penalty kill and changing lines in quick succession, Whitley were able to see off Billingham’s attacking play but relentless pressure from Ward’s men saw the side sneak a third goal as Sykes punished Whitley’s blue liners with support from alternate captain Callum Davies.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With the prospect of overtime looming, both teams felt that there were more goals in the game but, as the Warriors opened the final instalment with as much power and ferocity shown in the first, Dean Holland was able to add another to Whitley’s tally on 43:05. End to end ice hockey ensuing, it was just over two minutes later that Billingham were able to tighten the score line further as James Moss received the puck from player-coach Michael Bowman to fire home. The scoreboard now reading 5-4, the Stars continued to work hard in Whitley’s defensive zone to provoke a slash from Holland which did not go unpunished. Demonstrating their fortitude, the Warriors were again methodical in defence under the guidance of Longstaff and Payette whose effective leadership saw the Warriors restored to five men without the concession of a goal. Soon after, it was the turn of Star Jack Emerson to face the sin bin, allowing the Warriors to increase their pressure on Billingham’s defence. This advantage paid off just twenty seven seconds into the power play as Holland scored his second of the game, following build up play from Longstaff and Payette. The game continuing to be both fast and furious, it was the Stars who were next to add to the scoreboard, edging closer to an equaliser when experienced player-coach Bowman found the net with assists from Boström and ‘D’ man Andy Finn. As the time ticked by, the Warriors found themselves dealing with Billingham’s offence on several occasions and the Stars believed that there was an opportunity to draw level when they pulled shot stopper Watson from his net with one minute left to play. Clinging to their narrow lead, the Warriors were forced to throw their efforts into defence, clearing the puck from their zone and trying their luck at an empty net goal in the dying seconds of the game. This was not to be however and, as Billingham claimed a faceoff in front of Whitley’s goal, Longstaff had the foresight to call a timeout with seven seconds left to play. As play resumed, the Warriors fought for the puck to prevent the Stars from grabbing a sixth goal, thereby claiming their first cup victory as well as the bragging rights from their close rivals at The Forum.

Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio after the final buzzer, Whitley Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff noted: “I thought it was a pretty even game but obviously we’re pleased with the win and it’s something we can try and build on.” Meanwhile, Star Chris Sykes kindly shared his thoughts on the encounter: “Saturday was a great derby for all the fans and a great spectacle for North East hockey but we came up short in the end. We had a terrible start and we had to claw back from going 4-0 down within, I think it was, around thirteen minutes. We were shocked by Whitley and we had to regroup and start again from being down. We managed to get back into the game and push Whitley for the equaliser but they hung on and they got the win. It was a cup game but we still want to win all of our games so we are disappointed in our start. As I say, we won the last forty minutes of the game 5-2.”

Setting out to raise money for Whitley Warriors’ ‘Fill The Rink For Frankie’ campaign, it has since been confirmed that Billingham Stars have managed to raise £866.72 for the cause, an excellent effort from all involved.

No Sting in the tale for Solway as Sharks seal fifth league win

Solway Sharks   3

Sutton Sting       0

Triumphing over Sutton Sting on home ice almost two weeks ago, Solway Sharks were aware that this fixture would be no easy task, though the Dumfries outfit had four more players in their squad than that of their opposition.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice for the opening period, Solway encountered a strong Sutton side who, as ever, were sturdy in defence and more than capable of absorbing the pressure. Working their way into the Sting’s defensive zone, the Sharks began to test shot stopper Dmitri Zimozdra from the start, building up some effective passing play which could easily have caused damage had the home side proved to be more clinical in their finishing. However, with so many chances skipping by, it was not long before Solway were able to finally make their mark on the game as defencemen James Wallace and Kim Miettinen worked together before playing the puck to forward Marc Fowley who hit home on 9:05. Now trailing by just one goal, Sutton were still very much in the game and sought to challenge netminder Kieran Hobbins in turn. Despite this, it was the Sharks who managed to dominate play for the most part of this period to outshoot Sutton by eleven shots to six.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice for the middle stanza, both sides were aware that one goal could drastically change the outcome of the game. With almost two minutes played, Sutton’s Lloyd Gibson conceded a tripping penalty which handed the Sharks a power play. Though passing the puck around effectively in front of goal, Solway were unable to capitalise and, with two seconds of the penalty remaining, the side looked on as forward Ross Murray clashed with blue liner Chris Wilcox. Whilst Solway earned 2+2 for roughing and interference, Wilcox sat out for just two minutes. It was during this time that the Sharks were able to double their lead through hardworking two-way player Jordan Buesa who was helped onto the score sheet by captain Struan Tonnar and forward Ben Edmonds on 36:42. Meanwhile, the Sting had several chances of their own in their attempts to break down Solway’s defence, yet the side could not score before the interval and subsequently headed in at the break with a two-goal deficit to overturn.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Not for the first time this season, Solway found themselves failing to make the most of the many chances they had against Sutton and therefore took to the ice with the aim to further widen the gap between themselves and their visitors. It did not take long for the side to add to their tally however, a goal arriving with less than one minute, thirty seconds of the third period played as Daniel Abercrombie achieved his fourth league goal of the season with assists from Fowley and Moore. Again outshooting the Sting by fifteen shots to four, Solway continued to have the upper hand in the game and it was very much a case of damage limitation for Simon Butterworth’s men who now sit at the foot of the NIHL, having failed to pick up a win in the five games they have played. By contrast, Solway remain in pole position with a one hundred percent win record, a great improvement on last season and an excellent start to their 2016-17 campaign.

Reflecting on this encounter, Sharks’ captain Struan Tonnar told NIHL Northern Trio: “I think we played well for the most part. We stuck to our system and outworked another decent team. I don’t think the score line did the game too much justice from our point. We outshot them but we were not clinical enough in our finishing. It’s something we really have to work on because, if we aren’t careful, it could be costly. Overall, we are happy with the result. We’ll continue to take each weekend as it comes and continue to improve and raise our levels every time we touch the ice.”

Dragons’ wings clipped as Stars blaze to 8-2 victory

Billingham Stars      8

The Dragons             2

Though picking up a convincing win against The Dragons in Deeside in the opening game of their campaign, Billingham Stars were under no illusion as to the threat posed by Scott McKenzie’s men, his team having collected seven points since their first defeat in the Moralee Conference.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Going into this game on the back of their NIHL North Cup defeat to Whitley Warriors, it seemed that Billingham Stars were eager to make amends for Saturday’s first period performance as Michael Elder opened the scoring soon after the initial faceoff, hitting the puck past netminder Matt Compton with just twenty three seconds played, following assists from alternate captain Callum Davies and forward Chris Sykes. Playing with great determination, the Stars rapidly doubled their lead, scoring just twelve seconds later when forward James Moss and player-coach Michael Bowman linked up to integrate Swedish import Dennis Boström who did not miss his mark. Stunned by the sudden deficit, The Dragons were spurred into action to challenge shot stopper James Flavell and it was not long before the side had a goal of their own as Finnish import Markus Kankaanranta fed a pass from player-coach McKenzie to two-way player Corey Stones who lit the lamp with just over five minutes played. Soon after this goal, the visitors were then handed an opportunity to go level when Boström conceded a two minute penalty for charging but, try as they might, The Dragons could not find an equaliser on the advantage and were still trailing to the Stars when Billingham returned to full strength. Following an eventful start to the game, the teams found themselves in a state of equilibrium with both having their fair share of possession, not to mention chances, though neither side could add to the score line before the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The second period commencing, both sides were aware that the score line was far closer than expected after the initial onslaught from the home team and returned with the knowledge that the next goal would be crucial. A penalty conceded by Dragons’ defenceman Gavin Austin on 25:31 saw Terry Ward’s men go on the power play but the Stars failed to place the puck beyond Compton with the additional man. Billingham took control of possession following this advantage however, which allowed Elder to snatch his second of the game as Davies teamed up with captain Richie Thornton. Just twenty seconds later, it was the turn of Moss to hit the target as Boström and blue liner Andy Finn helped the forward to increase Billingham’s lead to 4-1. It was after this goal that McKenzie made the decision to call a timeout, feeling that his team were in for a difficult night. The pressure was again on The Dragons when play resumed though as the relentless Teessiders refused to let up; Sykes grabbing his fifth league goal of the season whilst Thornton and Bowman both tallied their second assists of the game. Somewhat faltering under the strain of Billingham’s offence, McKenzie watched his team concede a sixth on 36:48 as Sykes and Davies linked up for a second time to successfully assist Elder in the accomplishment of his hat trick. With the game fast slipping away from The Dragons’ grasp, it was little surprise when tempers boiled over, a fight breaking out between ‘D’ man Scott Cooper and goal scorer Stones, the Dragon dealing Ben Davison a check to the head to incur the Stars’ wrath. Consequently, the last second of the period saw Cooper receive 2+2 for fighting whilst team mate Sykes picked up a minor for roughing. Stones, on the other hand, received two minutes for a check to the head, 2+2 for fighting and a ten minute misconduct penalty ahead of the second interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As both teams returned to the ice for the final stanza, it was clear that the visitors had much work to do to stand any chance of taking so much as a point from the game and this knowledge prompted a change of netminder as junior shot stopper Jonah Armstrong took Compton’s place between the pipes. Unwilling to give up on the game, Kankaanranta printed his name on the score sheet following play from Alex Parry and Steven Fellows. It took just over three minutes for the Stars to punish their opposition even further as Sykes helped Davies to claim his first goal of the season. Peppered with shots, Armstrong saw off numerous attempts from the Stars who were eager to extend their lead in the contest and the side eventually succeeded on 56:50 as Jack Emerson capitalised from the hard work of import Daniel Palmebjörk and blue liner Finn. With the Stars outshooting The Dragons by thirty shots to nine in this period, there was just enough time left in the game for forward Jack Watkins to pick up a minor penalty with twenty eight seconds remaining. Despite this, McKenzie’s team could not find a way past Billingham’s defence on this short power play, to finish the game with an 8-2 loss.

Taking the time to consider this league victory, Sykes added: “We just had a very bad start [on Saturday] which we rectified on Sunday when The Dragons came into Billingham. We played them on the first game of the season and the score line was very similar. They have a good team; they’ve been beating teams in the league and upsetting some sides. They’ve had a good run but I think maybe we just have their number at the moment. We were scoring goals quite freely and playing some good hockey. The Dragons’ goalie made some great saves and we could have had a few more goals if he hadn’t stopped them. The Dragons worked hard and they never gave up which is what it’s all about. McKenzie has them working well. Like I say, I guess we just have the remedy to stop them doing what they want to do and we play our hockey. All in all, a decent weekend: two more points in the league table and a good derby day for everyone. We’ll get those points back off the Warriors next time!”

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