NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors’ walkout causes controversy but Tigers take win

Telford Tigers     5

Whitley Warriors 0

Travelling to Telford Ice Rink with hopes of victory, David Longstaff’s almost full strength squad found themselves confronted with Daniel MacKriel’s equally strong and very determined Telford Tigers as they took to the ice for the first game of their double header.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With just fifty seconds played after faceoff, a clipping penalty for Telford’s Daniel Harrison saw the defenceman earn himself a 2+10 from referee Thomas Gillingham. Though on the power play, there was little Whitley could do to find a way past netminder Daniel Brittle and it was these opening moments that quickly began to set the tone of play. Shortly afterwards, enforcer Andre Payette made way for holding on 5:04 which was swiftly followed by a tripping call against player-coach Longstaff. The tables turning on the visitors, they were then offered some reprieve when Tiger Callum Bowley received a minor for hooking thirty nine seconds later to hand the Warriors a short advantage on Longstaff’s return to the ice. Again nothing was made of the additional man though and both sides returned to full strength with the deadlock intact. With both teams beginning to have their fair share of shots in the opening stanza, Whitley soon found themselves on the back foot once again as forward Shaun Kippin incurred a hooking penalty on 13:39 to award Telford a power play. Though unable to make their advantage count, the Tigers were able to hit home just twelve seconds after the Warriors had returned to full strength, defenceman Corey Goodison the man on target following assists from forwards Matt Viney and Adam Brittle. The Warriors had little time to recover from this sudden deficit as, just over three minutes later, netminder Richie Lawson picked the puck out his net for a second time when Adam Brittle, on his return from injury, converted play between Bowley and brother Luke Brittle into a goal. With this sudden deficit to overturn, Whitley headed in at the break with much work to do but not before Payette received a minor for interference on 20:00.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

This penalty commencing in the second period, the Warriors returned with four men but the side were forced to endure further pressure on the penalty kill when Longstaff was sinbinned for a slashing offence thirty six seconds later. With twenty five seconds of Payette’s penalty remaining, matters were made worse for the visitors when Kippin then joined his team mates on 21:35 subsequent to a tripping call. The Tigers were buoyed by their positive start to the game and required little persuasion to capitalise against Whitley; the side scoring just eight seconds later with Bowley on hand to achieve his third goal of the season courtesy of Slovakian right winger Karol Jets. The deficit now 3-0, Payette was restored to the ice, allowing the Warriors to successfully see out the remainder of their penalty kill but, just over a minute later, the Warrior swiftly incurred a ten minute incitement penalty followed by a twenty minute misconduct to find himself ejected from the game. Protesting his innocence, Payette then racked up a further twenty five minutes for resisting Gillingham’s decision whilst captain Dean Holland’s inquiries prompted a ten minute misconduct for abuse of an official which was followed by the forward’s ejection from the game. Dissatisfied with proceedings, Longstaff then opted to remove his team from the ice on 24:44, initially deciding to abandon the game.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

However, after much discussion and deliberating, Longstaff then opted to return to the ice to play the remainder of the game and it was agreed between referee Gillingham and league officials that this should be the case. On their return, Whitley were also made to serve a two minute bench penalty for refusing to play the remainder of the game but Telford were only able to extend their lead five seconds after this penalty had terminated, alternate captain Daniel Harrison adding a fourth to Whitley’s deficit with Jets and Bowley picking up assists. Just past the thirty minute mark, Longstaff switched netminders as Lawson made way for Jordan Boyle and soon after, the shot stopper found himself under pressure as Longstaff conceded a minor for tripping to supply the home team with the perfect opportunity to make it five and they did so, Goodison claiming another with support from Viney and Luke Brittle. As Telford’s possession in this period increased, few chances fell Whitley’s way and, though concluding this section with a power play following a call for high sticks against Luke Brittle, the Warriors were unable to grab a goal. This stanza coming to an end, it was then announced that there would be no third period due to ice time restrictions which initially caused great uncertainty as to the outcome of the game. An official statement has now confirmed that the result will stand in Telford's favour whereas Whitley Warriors will be deducted two points, Andre Payette will serve an eight match ban and, further to this punishment, player-coach David Longstaff and Bench Coach Dave Holland will also be suspended for two games.

Sharks success continues as Hawks suffer crushing defeat

Solway Sharks      9

Blackburn Hawks  1

Sitting just above Telford Tigers going into this game, Blackburn Hawks were aware that their road trip to Dumfries would be a difficult one, with league leaders Solway Sharks determined to defend their unbeaten run having lost out to the Lancashire outfit once already this season in an NIHL North Cup fixture. Travelling with two netminders and thirteen skaters, the Hawks were hopeful that they could contest the Sharks who started the game with shot stopper Calum Hepburn in net and a bench of fifteen skaters.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off against the Hawks, Solway were eager to get on the score sheet and it showed as the side set out to test netminder Stuart Ashton from the opening minutes of the game, claiming possession to work the puck well across all areas of the ice. Trying to counteract the Sharks’ offence with some attacking play of their own, the Hawks struggled to get off the mark, though player-coach Steven Duncombe, captain Rick Bentham and alternate captain Aaron Davies attempted to spur their team onto an early lead. Gaining the first power play of the game following an interference call against Scott Henderson, the Hawks looked to find a way past Martin Grubb’s team but Hepburn saw off the best of Blackburn’s shots to ensure his team returned to full strength unscathed. Duncombe’s men were quick to regret this wasted opportunity however, as young forward Duncan Speirs then drove through Blackburn’s defence to fire his unassisted effort past Ashton. Unable to respond to this goal, a slashing offence from forward Bobby Caunce then presented Solway with the advantage on 16:12 but the side failed to double their lead. Thirty one seconds later, both Sharks’ alternate captain Ross Murray and his former team mate Rick Bentham headed to the sin bin for the same misdemeanour as the two clashed ahead of the break. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

These penalties running into the second period by forty three seconds, the Hawks then incurred a further two minutes as alternate captain Bobby Streetly headed to the sin bin for a high sticks offence with just twenty six seconds played. Unable to make the most of their additional man, the Sharks were eager to establish a two-goal cushion and finally made their chances count through Scott Henderson on 23:25; two-way players Jordan Buesa and Ben Edmonds with the assists. A little over five minutes later, Duncombe’s line-up were punished again as effective blue liner Kim Miettinen and former EPL defenceman James Hutchinson united to send captain Struan Tonnar through on goal. The score line 3-0, Blackburn were rendered helpless by the increasing deficit and were hit hard exactly one minute later when youngster Stuart Kerr slipped a pass to Slovakian ‘D’ man Juraj Senko who troubled Ashton to claim a fourth goal for his side with less than half of the game played. Realising that they must retaliate, the Hawks were next to find the back of the net as Aaron Davies lit the lamp on 32:04 to become Blackburn’s all-time leading goal scorer, surpassing the record of former Hawks’ player-coach Bobby Haig, whilst Corey Stones and Philip Mulcahy were on hand to pick up assists. Any hopes that this goal would spur the visitors onto victory were soon dashed however as, close to five minutes later, Speirs beat Duncombe in spectacular style before moving round Ashton to make it 5-1 following swift passing play from Murray and Miettinen. Increasing the pressure on Ashton’s goal, the Sharks were quick to slot the puck past the netminder to earn themselves a sixth on 38:39, this time forward Joe Coulter achieving his second league goal courtesy of Speirs and Tonnar.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the third and final period with a five goal deficit, the Hawks were aware that it was a case of damage limitation, as much as they hoped to take something from the game. A slashing penalty against Daniel Abercrombie just over six minutes in led to another power play for Blackburn but the side’s inability to capitalise presented Solway with a chance to creep even further ahead as Connor Henderson played Miettinen through on goal forty five seconds later to alter the scoreboard. Soon after, a slashing call against Stones lined Solway up for a power play goal but Martin Grubb’s men failed to take their chances to leave the score line unchanged in this instance. It was not long before the Dumfries outfit were again causing problems in front of goal though and it was little surprise when Tonnar notched his second of the contest, Miettinen and Buesa with the assists. Their control clear and their desire to continue their unbeaten run undeniable, the Sharks ensured that they had their final say on 58:56 when Daniel Abercrombie’s superb effort, following build up play from Connor Henderson and Senko, flew beyond Ashton to secure a 9-1 win and two points to add to their tally at the top of the table. Meanwhile, the Hawks remain in seventh place following this loss with six points and two games in hand on Telford Tigers. Speaking after the Sharks’ success, Head Coach Martin Grubb commented on his team’s encounter with the Hawks: “We came into this game knowing that we needed to start better than last week and dominate the game and we did that for most of the game. We moved the puck well, created lots of chances and took the chances that came our way which was pleasing. Blackburn tried to play physical but we had too much for them and stuck to what we do best. It was a good win for our fans after being on the road for a few weeks.”

Willing Warriors lose fight to bold Barons

Whitley Warriors  2

Solihull Barons     5

Aiming to put Saturday’s trip to Telford Ice Rink behind them, Whitley Warriors took to the ice with hopes that they could hold onto third place to remain ahead of their challenging opposition in the NIHL league standings. Though missing dangerous blue liner Harry Harley, youngsters Anthony Wetherell and Ross Douglass, former recreational player Liam Brown and banned enforcer Andre Payette, the Warriors were still able to ice a strong roster against a Solihull side who were also missing several familiar faces, including alternate captain Ryan Selwood, goal threat Josh Bruce and tough guy Stephen Heape.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Quick to take hold of possession in the opening stages of the game, the Warriors’ energetic start left Solihull Barons in no doubt that they must work hard if they were to triumph over the Hillheads outfit on the road. Testing shot stopper Josh Nicholls on several occasions and at speed, David Longstaff’s men demonstrated their ability in offence whilst also countering the attacks of astute Swedish import Niklas Ottosson and top points scorer Joe Henry who frequently appeared menacing as they approached Whitley’s defensive zone. Having dominated in those early moments of the game, the home side were then disappointed to receive a bench minor for too many men. Facing off in Whitley’s defensive zone, the Barons were not about to let such a good opportunity slip by and it was to their credit that they took their chance, scoring just eight seconds into their power play through skilled forward Thomas Soar with assists arriving from Henry and Andrew Whitehouse. Soon after, it was the turn of Whitley’s Martin Crammond to head to the sin bin for a slashing offence but only six seconds had passed before the Warrior was joined by Baron Phil Knight. This levelled the playing field a little as the two outfits continued to battle but, try as they might, the home side struggled to beat Nicholls and Solihull were equally unable to double their lead. These penalties over, some hard hitting play from the Barons prompted action from power forward Jordan Barnes who successfully provided his team with the momentum they required to equalise. Passing play between Longstaff and forward Callum Watson proved to be as productive as it has been in recent weeks, the player-coach eventually picking out defenceman Joe Stamp on the blue line who fired home a superb shot to make it 1-1. The Warriors’ celebrations were short lived however as tricky forward Ottosson then received the puck from alternate captain Kieran Papps to punish Lawson with thirty five seconds of the period remaining; Henry with the second assist. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Stung by the concession of this second goal, Whitley returned with their sights set on another but again the side’s possession did not pay off as the Warriors encountered several two-on-one situations; Ottosson continuing to pose a threat when play switched between zones. A tripping penalty against Barnes seconds before the midpoint of the game led to a Barons’ power play but, met by Whitley’s sturdy penalty kill, Solihull were unable to add to the score line until 34:07 when Ed Eaton attained an even handed goal courtesy of young ‘D’ man Jacob Smith. The two goal deficit now threatening Whitley’s chances of success, the Warriors continued in their attempts to beat Nicholls; several blue line shots failing to make their mark and good play from Watson, Kippin, captain Dean Holland and Lawson Glasby unable to trouble their opposition. Consequently, the score line remained 3-1 at the end of the second period but a charging penalty against Solihull’s Dale White provided the Warriors with some hope as they returned for the final instalment.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Icing for the final twenty minutes of the game, Longstaff’s line up began on the power play but were again unable to light the lamp and a further opportunity to pull back a goal was also frittered away when Ottosson found himself sin binned for boarding on 46:57. Both teams continued to work hard, with the Warriors enjoying possession and the Barons appearing dangerous in front of goal, but it was in fact the home side who were next to get on the score sheet as Stamp turned assist alongside Watson to see Kippin grab his fifth league goal of the season. Feeling that they might now be able to take something from this game, the Warriors’ aspirations were dashed once more as White placed the puck beyond Lawson less than a minute later; captain Tomas Janak and youngster Matthew Maurice tallying assists along the way. Throwing everything at those last moments, the Warriors called a timeout and returned with an additional skater in place of netminder Lawson. Pursuing a goal was no easy task though and, despite several efforts, Nicholls was just too strong. Meanwhile, the visitors turned their attentions to an empty net goal and were soon rewarded when a pass from Henry sent Soar on his way to seal the Barons 5-2 victory on 59:02.

Reflecting on this weekend’s action for his side, player-coach David Longstaff shared: “Saturday has been erased from my memory. The only people who can be pleased are Telford who were pretty good and the two linesmen who I thought were excellent. As for tonight, I honestly thought we did everything except score. We’ve played a lot worse than that and won this season. We outshot them more than two to one but couldn’t find the back of the net. I think three or four players had their best game of the season tonight. So overall, we didn’t get the two points but I thought the performance was excellent.”

  

Stars dazzle Sharks to end Solway’s unbeaten run

Billingham Stars   3

Solway Sharks      2

Playing host to undefeated league leaders Solway Sharks was not going to be an easy task for the second placed Billingham Stars, particularly as the Dumfries outfit had not lost a game to the Teessiders in all competitions prior to this fixture. Whilst the Stars had close to their full roster at their disposal, the Sharks were few in number but strong in the conviction that they could continue their unbeaten run.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off in the first period, the two outfits entered into a careful stalemate due to the closely contested nature of the game, both showing patience and precision to ensure that few mistakes were made in those opening minutes. With 4:15 played, an interference penalty for blue liner Tom Keeley soon saw the visitors go on the power play but, even with this advantage, the Sharks struggled to gain a lead with shot stopper James Flavell remaining sturdy in net to allow Billingham a successful penalty kill. Both teams continued to create their fair share of chances going forwards; Star Callum Davies trying his luck alongside hardworking import Daniel Palmebjörk whilst captain Struan Tonnar sought out opportunities to test Flavell alongside teammates Kim Miettinen and skilled two-way player Jordan Buesa. Though play progressed, the deadlock remained and, just when the Sharks felt that they had taken the lead, referee David Farren rightly ruled out their goal due to Buesa kicking the puck into the net approximately four minutes prior to the interval. Having come so close to going ahead in the game, the Sharks were spurred on by their efforts but calls for slashing against Shark Ross Murray and Star Jack Watkins on 18:55 saw the alternate captains make way to serve their penalties which ran into the second period by fifty five seconds.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Resuming play, the Sharks were again eager to get off the mark but it was the home side who were able to take the lead following the termination of these penalties; ‘D’ man Andrew Finn playing the puck to Palmebjörk whose slap shot left young netminder Calum Hepburn with no chance. Battling back, Solway were able to draw level less than three minutes later as left winger Steven Moore and forward Connor Henderson integrated Daniel Abercrombie into play to allow the youngster to achieve his seventh league goal of the season, thereby bettering last season’s points total with just four months of his campaign played. Again, both teams were able to share possession and chances arose through some of Billingham’s finest, with Swedish import Dennis Boström, to name but one, denied by Hepburn. The tables were soon turned on the Stars however, as Solway continued to work hard to make their mark on the game and finally reaped their reward on 35:42 when Buesa converted Tonnar’s assist to send his team into the lead ahead of the interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With the points still to play for in the third period, Billingham set their sights on victory though trailing by a goal whilst the Sharks were eager to hold onto their lead. A hooking penalty for Stars' player-coach Richie Thornton on 42:56 provided Martin Grubb’s men with the perfect opportunity to extend their lead but Billingham’s effective penalty kill ensured that their opposition were unable to do so. This missed opportunity was to be one that Solway would regret as, just eighteen seconds after the Stars were restored to full strength, Billingham’s Chris Sykes took control of the puck to find Watkins whose pass assisted Boström with his twelfth league goal of the season. The score line now 2-2, it was not long before the Sharks were punished for a third time; the side clawing back their earlier lead as Boström snatched a second on 48:33 courtesy of forward Michael Elder. Now on the back foot, Solway sought to recover lost ground once more but this task was not without its difficulties as the Stars’ attacking play did not let up with Swedish duo Boström and Palmebjörk hunting in front of goal. Despite the efforts of both teams, neither could add to their tally which soon prompted a timeout from Billingham on 58:00, the side fearing that the visitors might grab a goal to draw in the dying moments. Initially pulling Hepburn from his net in the final minute of the period, the Sharks then opted to call a timeout of their own with thirty five seconds still to play, sticking with their decision to ice an additional forward in place of Hepburn. As play continued, youngster Duncan Speirs sensed the threat of an empty net goal from the Stars and made the perfect catch to prevent the side from claiming a goal in the dying seconds but, ultimately, there was little the Sharks could do to avoid their 3-2 defeat to close league rivals Billingham Stars which has brought an end to their unbeaten run in the Moralee Conference. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With just six points now separating the two sides at the top of the table, Star Chris Sykes told NIHL Northern Trio: “We played hard all game and we got what we deserve; two points clawed back against the Sharks! It was a class game, end to end hockey and both teams trying to shut each other down. We managed a third period turn around and got the win. We are happy with how we played and things we worked on in practice all came together. Overall, we finished the weekend how we wanted to!” Adding to his earlier comments, Grubb continued: “When we play the Stars, it always seems to be a tight game and tonight we didn’t win enough battles and work hard enough to win the game. It’s disappointing to lose but it’s only two points and we move onto the next game. You are always there to be shot at when you’re on a run like we were but we now need to find a way to get back on another streak and learn from tonight. We need to make sure we don’t get outworked again but we are still six points clear and we will get back to work this week and go again.”

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