NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors take game to Solway but Sharks bite back

Solway Sharks     5

Whitley Warriors  3

Travelling to the Dumfries Ice Bowl for the second time this season, Whitley Warriors made the trip with a strong squad of nineteen skaters as player-coach David Longstaff returned to the side this week following a two-game suspension whilst forwards Ben Richards and Alan Yarrow were also available for the contest, the duo having played just eight league games between them this campaign. By comparison, Solway Sharks had only thirteen players available for the encounter, as well as netminder Chris Rae who made his second appearance between the pipes to play a full sixty minutes for the home side.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading onto the ice for the first period, both teams were eager to put in a strong performance in the opening stages of the game to ensure their best chances of success on their return from the Christmas period. With Solway hopeful of two points in front of a home crowd, the Dumfries outfit began to put pressure on Whitley’s blue line but the Warriors were not without their own efforts on goal to prove a match for their opposition. It was not long before Longstaff’s line-up suffered their first setback of the game though as forward Martin Crammond was forced to take a seat in the sin bin on 7:54 for a slashing offence which saw the Sharks handed a power play. Attempting to make the most of the additional man, Solway sought a way to punish the visitors for their misdemeanour but netminder Richie Lawson remained strong under pressure to see off the competition and to ensure that the deadlock remained intact. Having killed the penalty, the Warriors continued to progress with the same sense of defiance against Solway’s spells of possession in order that they did not gift the home side an early lead. With the two teams continuing to battle, it was little surprise when power forward Ross Murray headed to the penalty box for interference on 18:35 which provided Longstaff’s men with the advantage. Eager to get ahead in the game, the Warriors were able to take possession as passing play between defenceman Craig Johnson and captain Dean Holland soon made its way into the path of skilled blue liner Harry Harley who fired home with less than one minute remaining in the period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Spurred on by this goal, the Warriors returned to the ice for the second stanza and were quick to add another to their tally as former recreational player Lawson Glasby threaded the puck to Holland who was able to light the lamp with just over two minutes of the middle section played. Soon after though, it was the Sharks’ turn to alter the scoreboard as alternate captain James Hutchinson opened Solway’s account on 24:48, courtesy of captain Struan Tonnar and forward Joe Coulter. Just nineteen seconds after this goal, Warrior Johnson was side lined after a call for delaying the game.  Rapidly recognising the need to make their power play count, Solway drew level through ‘D’ man Kim Miettinen who instantly ruled out the Warriors’ narrow lead with help from forward Marc Fowley and fellow blue liner Hutchinson. With their hard work now undone, Whitley were forced to regroup in an attempt to reclaim their lead but the Sharks appeared unstoppable as they continued to drive forward, this time Slovakian import Juraj Senko linking up with young two-way prospect Jordan Buesa who was able to find the back of the net. Behind for the first time in the game, matters were only made worse for the Warriors as the side conceded a fourth on 32:01; the Sharks hitting home through skilful left winger Steven Moore as Miettinen picked up an assist. The score line now 4-2, Longstaff opted to call a timeout with the game gradually slipping beyond Whitley’s control but not completely unrecoverable. Taking on board new advice, the two teams took their places with refreshed game plans on their mind but it was not long after this timeout that there was a clash between Fowley and Warrior Callum Watson which saw the two drop the gloves to earn themselves two plus two for roughing as well as respective penalties for slashing and crosschecking. Whilst neither player was able to ice for the remainder of the period, the Sharks and the Warriors continued to battle on prior to the break but, with no further scoring from either team, Solway headed in with their two-goal cushion intact.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice for the final instalment of the game, Martin Grubb’s men were hopeful that they could hold onto their lead but were equally aware of the threat posed by their opposition as the Warriors returned with a renewed vigour in their attempts to claw back their previous advantage. Continuing to create chances, the Sharks were able to test Lawson on a number of occasions as Solway’s offensive unit strove to make their mark on the game but to no avail. Countering effectively, Whitley were then able to apply significant pressure to netminder Rae, the side unwilling to admit defeat with the points still to play for. It was this positive attitude which then saw the visitors pull one goal back to make it 4-3 with just over fifty minutes played as defenceman Josh Maddock played the puck to energetic youngster Anthony Wetherell who was able to achieve his first senior goal for the Warriors. Whitley’s joy proved to be short lived however, as Maddock then gave the puck away only to incur a minor penalty just sixteen seconds later in his attempts to repair the damage. The home team needed little persuasion to capitalise and, making the most of the additional man, watched on as Senko secured a fifth for the side with Hutchinson on hand to pick up his third point of the evening. With the score line 5-3 and Maddock restored to the ice, the two teams continued but the wind appeared to have been snatched from Whitley’s sails and, though they did not let up in their attempts to get back into the game, the side were unable to reduce their deficit to subsequently lose out on the two points up for grabs.   

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Commenting on this fixture, Head Coach Martin Grubb told NIHL Northern Trio: “Tonight was a tough game and I thought we took way too long to get into the game after our long break. We didn’t take our chances in the first period and Whitley took their first power play opportunity. We were sluggish at the start of the second going two goals down and I wasn’t happy but the boys responded and it took veteran leadership from Hutchy [James Hutchinson] to get us going and we started playing well. It was a tough game against a good Warriors team and we knew we needed to make sure we got the job done in the third and we did. We must now build on this result.”

Late winner seals victory for Sharks

Sutton Sting             0

Solway Sharks     1

Following their clash with Whitley Warriors on home ice, Solway Sharks made the trip to Ice Sheffield for their encounter with Simon Butterworth’s sturdy Sutton Sting who had a few more players at their disposal than that of the Dumfries outfit. Solway, by comparison, were able to ice the same line-up as that of Saturday evening with the addition of young forward Scott Henderson who joined the Sharks for this trip. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aiming for a four point weekend to continue this season’s outstanding run of form, the Sharks took to the ice against the Sting who appeared sharp from the off and were able to demonstrate their ability in the opening moments of the game when an early chance came their way. Unable to make this opportunity count, Sutton continued to put their visitors under pressure but the Sharks were not without possession and a stalemate, now typical of this fixture, ensued. With both teams seeing their fair share of the puck, a war of attrition broke out with neither side progressing due to their opposition’s effective defence. Realising that they must find a way past hardworking netminder Dmitri Zimozdra should they wish to stand a chance of success against the Sting, the Sharks increased their efforts on goal in the latter stages of the period but saw three of their attempts quashed by Sutton’s superb shot stopper to go in at the break with no damage to the 0-0 score line.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the second period, both teams were eager to be the first to take the lead, particularly as the opening twenty minutes of the game was such a close contest. It was Solway who made the better start of the two sides however, the Dumfries outfit building possession well to test Zimozdra who was unrelenting in his work to prevent Martin Grubb’s men from claiming a foothold in the game. Continuing to battle against Sutton’s defence which included alternate captains Ryan Johnson and James Goodman once again, Solway’s captain Struan Tonnar, two-way player Jordan Buesa, power forward Ross Murray and left winger Steven Moore were persistent in their efforts to create an opening for their side whilst defencemen Kim Miettinen and Juraj Senko also chipped in with some excellent passing play but to no avail. Despite outshooting the Sting by twenty shots to seven in this period, the Sharks simply could not get on the scoresheet, a mix of good saves and poor finishing preventing the side from getting ahead in the game before the break. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading into the third period with the deadlock unbroken, the atmosphere was naturally tense now that time was of the essence but Solway were able to pick up from where they left off in the second period to cause problems for Zimozdra who dealt with the threat in a calm and collected manner. This is not to say that Sutton were without their own chances however, as Solway’s netminder Chris Rae found himself under pressure at the other end of the ice but the Shark pulled off some exceptional saves to keep his team in the game. Yet, with so much progression in offence for both teams, neither could find the target as the clock began to count down, though Rae was called upon to make a wonder save as the Sting struck with just a few minutes remaining. Making use of their timeout, Butterworth was hopeful that his team could snatch a goal late in the game but Solway’s Daniel Abercrombie had other ideas as he tapped the puck in at the back post with just thirty two seconds of the game to play following great setup play from Buesa. The score line 1-0, the Sting then pulled Zimozdra from his net to play the additional skater but Rae was able to see off Sutton’s attack as Solway collected two points from their very narrow victory in which both shot stoppers picked up the Man of the Match awards.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Following this clash, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb shared his views on the game: “Tonight was a huge character performance and one where we kept preaching patience and we managed to get the win with thirty two seconds left. I am delighted with our defensive showing as a group and the way we battled to give ourselves a chance to win. Sutton were excellent and it was cruel on them but we are obviously happy. Chris Rae deserves a huge mention with a superhuman performance tonight, and one save in particular. I’m really happy that he got a shutout and was excellent all weekend considering he hadn’t started a game in nearly four years. We now need to improve and keep rolling.”

Derby day dismay for Stars as Warriors triumph over rivals

Whitley Warriors    4

Billingham Stars    1

With the local rivalry between these two clubs a deep-rooted one, Billingham Stars made the trip to Hillheads knowing that they would be in for a difficult game against David Longstaff’s Whitley Warriors who were able to ice a strong squad, their main absentee suspended enforcer Andre Payette. Equally, the Stars were certainly not short of players, having made the trip with nineteen skaters and two netminders in their bid to take something from the combined league and NIHL North Cup fixture.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As the players assembled for faceoff, tensions bubbled between Warrior Jordan Barnes and Star Dennis Boström from the start, the two teams entering the game at a high tempo in their search for possession. Opening chances for Longstaff and his men were quickly quashed by the Teessiders whilst Boström tried his luck early in the game only for netminder Richie Lawson to remain composed when under fire. This pressure was soon eased when defenceman Andy Finn headed to the penalty box following a holding call on 3:03. Placed on the power play, the Warriors sought a way past Billingham’s experienced shot stopper James Flavell when captain Dean Holland found ‘D’ man Harry Harley on the blue line but to no avail. Though this opportunity slipped by without any alteration to the scoreboard, Whitley were able to have several other chances which arose through Warrior Callum Watson, besides fellow forwards Longstaff and Holland. Whilst the pace of the game ebbed and flowed, it was the Warriors who had the better chances, often slipping past Billingham’s defence which appeared disorganised at times. As the period progressed with neither team finding the back of the net, though the home side appeared dangerous, and Boström continually posed a threat for Billingham at the other end of the ice, it was not long before the Warriors were handed another power play, this time Stars’ forward James Moss incurring two minutes for hooking on 18:35. Unable to make the most of their advantage in this period, Whitley headed in at the break with the knowledge that they would resume their power play after the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With fifty three seconds of Moss’ penalty running into the middle stanza, Holland raced into Billingham’s defensive zone, following a pass from skilled defenceman Harley, to place the puck beyond Flavell just eighteen seconds in. Shortly afterwards, Billingham then received their third penalty of the game when the side were caught with too many men on the ice. Finding themselves on yet another power play, Whitley tried to make the most of the opportunity as Harley came close again and, though the light glowed red, referee David Farren instantly ruled out the possibility of a goal. This incident stopped the home side in their tracks and the Stars rapidly gained possession to trouble Whitley though they were a man short. Gradually building up some effective passing play, the Stars were then able to punish Lawson and his defence on 30:16 when Swedish import Daniel Palmebjörk found Chris Sykes who levelled the score line to present Billingham with a chance to get back in the game. Immediately responding to Billingham’s jubilation, the Warriors were eager to quieten their rivals and, claiming possession through ‘D’ man Joe Stamp, the side dashed towards Flavell’s net where a scramble in front of the netminder saw Barnes find Watson who quickly restored Whitley’s lead. With this goal scored just ten seconds after Billingham’s, the Stars saw their fortunes take a turn for the worse and less than five minutes later, following a period of domination for the Warriors, Harley linked up with Watson to find Barnes who bagged a third for his side. With this two-goal cushion, Longstaff’s line-up exuded confidence, so much so that Holland danced past the Stars’ defence to slot home twenty one seconds later; defenceman Josh Maddock picking up an assist. Completing the period with control of the game, the Stars appeared unnerved and it was in these closing minutes that Boström opted to provoke a reaction from Harley in a bid to aggravate the Warriors and simultaneously provide his team with some momentum. The import’s actions did not have the desired effect however, as Longstaff kept his team in check to ensure his side went in at the break with their 4-1 lead intact.

 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Turning up to the third period a little later than their visitors, Whitley took to the ice for faceoff without Warriors DJ Good, Holland and Barnes who were made to wait for a stoppage in play by referee Farren having returned even later than their teammates. Assuming the same style of play, the Warriors were able to challenge Billingham’s defence in the early moments of the stanza as Longstaff remained on the ice for a lengthy shift to contribute to another spell of dominance before the first stoppage in play arrived approximately four minutes in. This allowed the trio to file onto the ice belatedly, only for Whitley to receive their first penalty of the game on 45:01 as defenceman Dan Pye received two minutes for holding. Attempting to get ahead on the power play, the Stars’ attack was met with Whitley’s effective defence who were able to parry the puck away time and again to run down the clock. Returning to full strength, Whitley again entered battle with the Stars who were able to test Lawson far more than they had in the first two periods as Sykes, Boström and Moss all sought a way past the Warriors’ blue line. Able to deal with each offensive opportunity taken by the Stars, Whitley continued to intercept the puck to quickly convert Billingham’s attacking play into offensive opportunities of their own. As the game progressed without further scoring from either side, Longstaff called a timeout in the last minute of the period to ensure his team remained composed under pressure as the Stars began to appear dangerous in front of goal. Taking on board the words of their player-coach, the Warriors were able to keep the Stars at bay before the final buzzer sounded on Whitley’s 4-1 victory; the side simultaneously claiming two league points and a regulation cup win. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Reflecting on Whitley Warriors’ weekend action, player-coach David Longstaff shared: “I thought last night we played well but had a ten minute spell where we were all over the shop and they scored four goals. Tonight, we were able to play the full sixty minutes and we deserved the win.” Meanwhile, Star Chris Sykes, who has managed to claim one point in each of the last twenty three games he has played, also took the time to speak about his team’s defeat: “The Christmas break got us. It’s unfortunate but well played to Whitley. They were better than us and probably got a jump start playing against Solway on Saturday but we move on, work on the things we have to and we keep plugging away. Derbies go either way every time. We were on the wrong end this time but that’s how hockey goes. Onto next weekend.”

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