NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 MORALEE CONFERENCE

Saturday 10th December 2016

Solway Sharks vs. The Dragons

Sunday 11th December 2016

Sutton Sting vs. Solway Sharks

The Dragons vs. Billingham Stars

After a rather eventful weekend for the Northern Trio, which saw Whitley Warriors deducted two points and Billingham Stars end Solway Sharks’ unbeaten run, the Hillheads outfit will take a scheduled break from Moralee Conference action whilst Martin Grubb’s men aim to bounce back from last Sunday’s disappointment with a four point weekend and the Teessiders journey to Deeside to take on the Dragons for the third time this season.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Icing on Saturday, Solway Sharks face Scott McKenzie’s Dragons as the Deeside-based team make the trip to Dumfries for the first time this season. Already recording a 5-2 victory against the side, Grubb will hope that his men can improve on their approach to this game, though the Sharks managed to secure a result last time. Solway’s previous encounter against the Welsh outfit saw The Dragons take the lead on 2:26 before the Sharks finally found the back of the net in the second period; young forward Duncan Speirs setting his team on course for victory with a hat trick in this game. Conceding their first league defeat in a close clash against Billingham Stars last weekend, Solway will be eager to prove that this was merely a small slip up, meaning a win is now essential for the title contenders. Meanwhile, as The Dragons boast the quality of player-coach McKenzie and Finnish import Markus Kankaanranta who currently occupy first and second place respectively in the player stats leader board for NIHL North’s Moralee Conference, Solway’s meeting with the side will certainly be no easy one as The Dragons continue to fight for points and only last Sunday achieved their biggest result of all; a 9-4 victory over defending champions Blackburn Hawks. With the Welsh club currently occupying fifth place, the side are just a draw away from equalling Whitley’s points tally at present due to the Warriors’ recent punishment. As a result, maximum points for McKenzie’s men could place The Dragons in fourth, whereas a loss would allow Sutton to displace the side from their present position should the Sting win against Telford on Saturday. Alternatively, a win for Solway would create an eight point gap at the top of the table to ensure that title rivals Billingham Stars remain comfortably adrift of top spot.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Following this game, the Sharks will then head to Ice Sheffield on Sunday to face Simon Butterworth’s sturdy Sutton Sting who continue to pose a threat as they climb the league standings. Having played the Sting at the Dumfries Ice Bowl twice already, the Sharks are aware that these encounters tend to be close contests, with just three goals separating the two outfits on both occasions. Making Solway work for the points, Sutton’s steely defence will no doubt make life difficult for their visitors this weekend but, as this game follows the Sting’s trip to Telford, Butterworth’s small squad may feel the effects of their previous outing which Solway will no doubt hope to capitalise on. However, having recorded alternate losses in their last five games, success against the league leaders would certainly provide Sutton with the confidence they require to build up some consistent form ahead of the New Year. With youngster Benjamin Jones the only player from Sutton’s line up to print his name on the score sheet against the Sharks this season, Butterworth will hope that this fact is altered on Sunday evening as his side seek two points to pile the pressure onto the fifth placed Dragons. With Whitley Warriors also just two points ahead, though sitting in fourth position, the Sting have the potential to move into the playoff places should results go their way this weekend. Victory for the Sharks, of course, would send the side even further into the lead but to what extent will depend largely on the result in Deeside as the Stars look to close the gap again this week.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio, captain Struan Tonnar took a look ahead to Solway’s double header: “We have a chance to bounce back after last Sunday’s loss in Billingham. It’s important that we learn from it and punish teams when we get opportunities. The Dragons will prove to be a challenge so it’s important that we turn up and play our game, fast and direct. Sunday will be much the same, both teams proving in recent weeks that anyone can beat anyone on any day so we have to eliminate their belief early, try and mark down some dominance on the game, maintain the puck well and outwork both teams. The longer the game goes on where we don’t take our chances gives teams the belief that they can snatch some points so if we can do that and shut the back door, we will obviously give ourselves a good shot at bouncing back and leaving for the Christmas break with a four point weekend. Obviously, this week sees spud [Martin Grubb] and some of our guys fly out on GB duty so we wish them all the best of luck. Hopefully, even with the guys away, it allows us to show how much depth and talent we still have in the squad.”

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Visiting Deeside for a second time, having defeated The Dragons by eight goals to one on the opening day of the season, Billingham Stars will be prepared to build on last weekend’s momentous win over current league leaders, Solway Sharks. So far this campaign, Billingham’s games against The Dragons have been high scoring ones. The Stars have scored eight goals per game against McKenzie’s men who could only retaliate with three goals across the two fixtures they have played against the Teessiders. Hosting the Deeside outfit in October, Billingham outshot The Dragons by more than double in their second fixture against the side, bombarding netminders Jonah Armstrong and Matt Compton with sixty six shots collectively to the visitors’ twenty seven. With Chris Sykes, Dennis Boström, Callum Davies, Michael Elder and Jack Watkins the Stars’ top five points scorers at present, the likelihood is that the Dragons’ defence will find themselves under pressure on Sunday. However, the home side will be more than capable of responding to the Sharks’ offensive play as well as looking to replicate their own goal scoring prowess in this fixture. Racking up fifty goals to date, the Welsh team find themselves the third highest goal scoring outfit in the league behind Solway Sharks who have sixty to their name and their Teesside opponents who have six more than the Dragons’current tally. With McKenzie’s line up eager to prove that they can compete with Billingham, the Stars will be ruthless in their search for victory which could potentially take them within four points of Solway, although this outcome would require a zero point weekend from the Sharks which is unlikely given the title contender’s recent form. Looking ahead to this game, Star Chris Sykes noted: “ It’s back to Deeside this weekend where we started the season. We’ve had the upper hand against them this year and we are hoping that continues this weekend. It’s another one game weekend for us and we’ve worked on a few new things in practice this week to counter The Dragons. It should be a good game. They’re in good form and some of their players are playing well. We know what we need to do and I’m confident we can go there Sunday night and collect two road points for the Stars.”

For those who wish to attend a game this weekend, Solway Sharks face off at the Dumfries Ice Bowl from 7:00pm against The Dragons on Saturday before travelling to Ice Sheffield to take on Simon Butterworth’s Sutton Sting from 4:15pm on Sunday. Meanwhile, Billingham Stars make the trip to Flintshire on Sunday for a 5:45pm encounter with The Dragons, this there only game of the weekend. Can’t make a game? Please find the listening details for NIHL Radio below.

NIHL Radio Listings

Saturday 10th December

5:30pm on NIHL Radio 1

Telford Tigers vs. Sutton Sting

Sunday 11th December

6:00pm on NIHL Radio 1

Solihull Barons vs. Blackburn Hawks

Click on the link to listen: http://tunein.com/.                  

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