NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors clash with Blackburn as Hawks claw cup points

Blackburn Hawks      3

Whitley Warriors     2

Making the trip to Blackburn Ice Arena for their final game against the Lancashire outfit this season, Whitley Warriors were able to ice sixteen skaters to match that of Blackburn Hawks’ strong roster which included skilled forwards Aaron Davies, Philip Mulcahy and Rick Bentham, not to mention import Jozef Istocy and backup netminder Niks Trapans who took his place between the pipes for the North Cup contest.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Ian Hanlon

Heading out onto the ice for the first period, the visitors found themselves up against Steven Duncombe’s Blackburn Hawks with whom they have formed a deep-seated rivalry in recent seasons. Hunting for possession from the initial faceoff, Whitley engaged in a battle with the Hawks who remained strong in defence to lock horns with the Warriors. With opportunities few and far between as a result, David Longstaff’s men laboured to finally take the lead as Whitley’s Under 20s alternate captain Ross Traill marked his debut for the Hillheads outfit with an assist, teaming up with forward Martin Crammond to pick out Niall Simpson who subsequently printed his name on the scoresheet. Disappointed to concede, the Hawks did not allow this goal to scupper their game plan and the side continued to progress in the same way as before. However, it was not until 17:08 that the side could draw level when tough guy Reece Cairney-Witter played the puck to Istocy who did not miss his mark to punish netminder Jordan Boyle. With this a disciplined period from both teams who were also level on shots as well as goals, the two sides headed in with nothing to separate them and much work to do if they were to improve their present situation.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making a far better start to the second period than they did in the first, Whitley Warriors appeared to be spurred on after their return to the ice and it took just over a minute for Callum Watson to make it 2-1 as his unassisted effort flew past Trapans to trouble the Hawks. The game beginning to heat up, it was shortly after this goal that Warrior Shaun Kippin clashed with Blackburn’s captain Ollie Lomax to see both players incur 2+2 for fighting. Despite this turn of events, both teams were able to create further opportunities with Istocy, Davies and Bentham setting their sights on goal on more than one occasion for the home side whilst Whitley’s captain Dean Holland, DJ Good and Watson did not ease off in front of goal in the hope that they could add to their tally. Following the return of Lomax and Kippin, player-coach Longstaff opted to switch netminder Boyle for third choice shot stopper Rory Dunn to ensure that both netminders were provided with their fair share of ice time in the cup contest. With both sides seeking possession, tempers rose once again and it was not long after that power forward Jordan Barnes dropped the gloves with Cairney-Witter who landed several punches before the Warrior fell to the ice; both players earning themselves 2+2 for fighting whilst Barnes required attention for a cut above his eye. Just over a minute after these penalties were served, Lomax was able to involve himself in play to set up Istocy for his fifth goal across all competitions. Conceding so close to the break, Whitley Warriors were dismayed to file from the ice with their lead lost for a second time.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The scoreboard reading 2-2 as they went into the final period, the competitive nature of the game got the better of the two teams and, less than three minutes in, goal scorer Simpson found himself battling with versatile Hawk Chris Gee which resulted in both players incurring penalties of 2+2 for fighting; this the third occasion that both outfits had conceded simultaneous penalties for this offence. Though neither side were able to take the lead in the meantime, the Warriors appeared to increase their application of pressure on Trapans’ net, outshooting their opposition by eighteen shots to ten over the course of the period. However, this statistic was irrelevant for the visitors as, soon after Simpson and Gee were restored to the ice, Duncombe’s men were able to scramble ahead in the contest, Lomax and Davies teaming up to present forward James Riddoch with the perfect chance to slot home. The score line 3-2, the Warriors were left to rue their missed chances and, though persevering, their repeated efforts were to no avail as Trapans put in an outstanding performance to prevent his side from conceding as the game drew to a close. Pulling Dunn from his net for an additional skater, the visitors made one final bid to snatch an equaliser in the last minute of the game but, try as they might, Longstaff’s line-up were unable to alter their fortune, suffering a defeat to their rivals as a consequence. Commenting after the game, player-coach David Longstaff noted: “Saturday was a great opportunity for us to give some ice time to the younger lads and players who don’t play much.”

Honours even as

Tigers sink teeth into league game against Sharks

Telford Tigers    2

Solway Sharks   2

Making the lengthy trip to Telford Ice Rink with thirteen players, Solway Sharks were undaunted by their depleted roster, which again lacked the presence of forwards Duncan Speirs and Connor Henderson, suspended alternate captain Ross Murray and two-way player Ben Edmonds, having picked up several wins whilst travelling light already this season. Faced with Daniel MacKriel’s eighth placed Tigers, who were able to ice Brittle brothers Adam, Luke and Daniel, not to mention long serving captain Daniel Croft, experienced Slovakian left winger Karol Jets and forward James Smith, the Dumfries outfit went out onto the ice with hopes that this game would provide them with another two points to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The game underway, both teams took to the encounter with great fervour in their bid for victory. The tone of the contest fast paced and fiery, it was not long before referee William Hewitt was called into action to send Telford’s Ben Simister to the sin bin for slashing on 4:15. Striving for an early lead, the Sharks took possession of the puck but were unable to make their chances count and they soon found themselves punished as young forward Daniel Abercrombie headed to the penalty box for a high sticks offence just eighty seconds later to cancel out his team’s advantage. Though the Sharks’ penalty presented the home team with a short power play, the Tigers were unable to grab a goal and were made to suffer as a result of their poor discipline when forward Matt Viney made way for tripping. Icing the additional man yet again, Solway sought to capitalise but it was only two minutes after this advantage that the visitors could finally make the most of their offensive play; Abercrombie placing the puck beyond netminder Daniel Brittle on 13:34 following hard work from blue liner Stuart Kerr and forward Marc Fowley. Continuing to challenge Telford’s defence with the knowledge that this has been the Tigers’ greatest weakness this season, the Sharks were able to persist in their attacking play and, though the Shropshire outfit also managed to have a few shots on Calum Hepburn’s goal for good measure, Martin Grubb’s men were able to go in at the break with their narrow lead intact.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning with the desire to get back in the game, the Tigers went into the middle section with their sights set on Hepburn’s goal and it showed as the puck was soon turned into the net by left winger Jets; the import assisted by forward Luke Brittle and defenceman Conor Gordon. Jubilant to find themselves on level terms, Telford were then hindered by a tripping penalty against Brittle whose assist was balanced with this misdemeanour. However, it was much to the Tigers’ relief that Solway were unable to find the back of the net on the advantage and events soon took a favourable turn for Telford when a hooking call against Fowley saw the side awarded a penalty shot, though Jets failed to send his team into the lead as Hepburn made a fine save to keep MacKriel’s men at bay. This did not alter the home team’s determination to grab the next goal as the Tigers challenged Hepburn far more frequently in this period than the last; Jets worked hard to link up with his team mates whilst Adam Brittle, Luke Brittle and Viney continued to prove a goal threat in their repeated attempts to infiltrate Solway’s blue line. Seeing chance after chance slip by, Telford were also made to work in their defensive zone but the Sharks, not without their own opportunities, were prevented from adding a second to their tally as Brittle remained strong between the pipes. Shortly afterwards, the Tigers were reduced to four men once more as Smith found himself side-lined for a high sticks offence on 36:39 but yet again the Sharks were unable to make the most of their power play and each side headed in at the interval with a goal apiece.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making a fine start in the third period, MacKriel’s men fired themselves into the lead when Jets made up for his missed penalty shot with an unassisted goal almost two minutes in to cause Solway some concern. Just seventeen seconds later, netminder Daniel Brittle conceded a two minute tripping penalty to reduce his team to four men and to thereby hand the Sharks a power play. Try as they might, Grubb’s men failed to put the puck into the net and the Tigers returned to full strength only to see Luke Brittle incur his second minor of the game less than two minutes later, this time a call for interference made against the forward, whilst Sharks’ defenceman Stuart Andrews was also made to sit out for crosschecking. These penalties timed at 45:08, only sixteen seconds had passed when ‘D’ man Gordon joined his team mate to present Solway with a five-on-three situation. Building momentum with the additional man, the Sharks were not able to capitalise on Telford’s error but were soon handed another opportunity to do so when hardworking alternate captain Daniel Harrison headed to the sin bin for slashing. Appearing dangerous, the Dumfries outfit were prevented from getting onto the scoresheet for a second time by sturdy shot stopper Brittle. However, the visitors made the most of their increased possession to find the back of the net thirty four seconds after the Tigers were restored to five men as snappy left winger Steven Moore linked up with two-way player Jordan Buesa to provide his team with a much needed equaliser. Racking up the penalty minutes, MacKriel’s men unsurprisingly found themselves shorthanded soon after as Smith warmed a seat in the sin bin for interference on 53:45. Striving for a third goal in the hope that they could take maximum points from the close clash, the Sharks found themselves up against tricky netminder Brittle who soaked up the pressure to allow his side to return to full strength unscathed. Failing to take their chances, Solway battled on against the Tigers who continued to endure the struggle. A final penalty for both sides saw Telford’s Simon Harrison and Sharks’ forward Fowley receive minors for holding and slashing respectively with less than two minutes remaining in the game. With neither team able to get on the scoresheet and time fast running out, the game drew to a close to present Solway with their first draw of the season, simultaneously awarding a hard-earned point to foot-of-the-table side Telford Tigers. Speaking to NIHL Northern Trio, Sharks Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew how tough a game this was going to be as I’ve always said Telford are better than their results. I think we were outworked for two periods which is disappointing but credit to Telford who played well. We showed good spirit to make sure we took something from the game.”

  

Derby day glory for Stars as battling Warriors hit brick wall

Whitley Warriors   1

Billingham Stars   3

Playing host to local rivals Billingham Stars, Whitley Warriors started out with a strengthened line-up compared to recent games with only youngster Anthony Wetherell, forward Liam Brown and netminder Rory Dunn unavailable for the clash. The Stars, on the other hand, were missing eight players, including goal scorer Chris Sykes, forward Jack Davies, who has since announced his decision to quit ice hockey, and defencemen Ben Davison, Callum Read and Scott Cooper but were able to begin with exceptional shot stopper James Flavell in net.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice for the first period, the Warriors appeared to be fired up for the contest, particularly enforcer Andre Payette who notably returned from his eight-game ban to immediately add some intensity to the clash, only to run into trouble with just nineteen seconds played. Slashing Stars’ netminder Flavell after an attempt on goal, the Warrior was swiftly shown to the sin bin to hand the opposition a power play. Striving to keep Billingham at bay when on the penalty kill, the Hillheads outfit saw off the Stars’ initial attempts on goal but were unable to maintain their efforts and, with just nine seconds of the Teessiders’ advantage remaining, the home team conceded when James Moss linked up with fellow forward Michael Elder to punish Longstaff’s defence. Buoyed by this goal, Billingham were eager to see their local rivals suffer further and were quick to double their lead as Elder played the puck to new signing Ross Hanlon to send forward Callum Davies through on goal with great success; a move which saw netminder Richie Lawson pulled from his net by his player-coach and replaced with backup shot stopper Jordan Boyle on 6:03. Building play in and around their offensive zone in the hope that they could retaliate with a goal of their own, the Warriors battled to no avail as captain Dean Holland sought to find blue liner Harry Harley whose best efforts at a slap shot could not beat eagle-eyed netminder Flavell. It was at this point in the period when emotions began to boil over in front of a crowded goal but referee David Emmerson ensured that any signs of conflict were quickly quashed and it was not long after that the Stars began to look dangerous at the other end of the ice to extend their lead to three; Davies collecting his second goal of the game whilst Swedish import Dennis Boström was on hand to assist. With the game spiralling out of their control, Longstaff called a timeout immediately after this goal to encourage his team to regroup but a minor incurred by defenceman Joe Stamp for holding shortly afterwards saw Whitley endure further pressure. Creating numerous opportunities throughout this period without reward, the Warriors were able to prevent their visitors from adding to their deficit as Longstaff opted to play his first two lines as much as he could to build momentum. With less than two minutes of the period left to play, Warrior DJ Good and Star Luke Brown headed to the sin bin for slashing and holding respectively as the contest became heated once again but this had no impact on the score line to allow Billingham to head in with a convincing 3-0 lead. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the sin bin to serve the remaining two seconds of their penalties, Good and Brown watched from the side-lines as Whitley took to the ice with far more fervour than before to dominate in Billingham’s defensive zone and trouble Flavell at every opportunity. An interference penalty against ‘D’ man Andy Finn enhanced the Warriors chances to get ahead in the game but the home team found it difficult to make the most of this power play, particularly as outstanding netminder Flavell never failed to impress whilst his defence remained strong. Unable to get off the mark, the Warriors were awarded a second power play in quick succession as Hanlon made way for holding to hand Longstaff’s line-up the advantage. Again, Whitley struggled to beat Flavell and soon lost possession to the Stars who tried their luck against Boyle but it was only when Billingham had returned to five men that the Warriors were finally able to light the lamp; Good playing an excellent pass to Longstaff to make it 3-1 and Callum Watson with the additional assist. Spurred on by this goal, the Warriors were confident that they could try for another, having beaten Flavell for the first time in the clash but it was not to be, though they left the ice feeling far more positive than they had earlier in the game.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With the points still very much to play for, Whitley were hoping to build on their second period performance whilst the Stars were eager to ensure that their rivals could not muscle their way into the game, having lead from the start. A hooking penalty for blue liner Tom Keeley saw the Teessiders suffer a setback as the Stars were immediately called upon to defend their lead but Whitley’s inability to capitalise meant the visitors were able to see some possession early in the period. Soon after Billingham were restored to full strength, the Warriors then found themselves shorthanded as defenceman Josh Maddock made way for tripping on 45:33. Seeing off the Stars’ attack which arose through Elder, Davies and Boström, Whitley fought hard to ensure they were not hindered in their efforts to get back in the game and the side returned to full strength, only to resume their pursuit of a second goal. A close call from Barnes saw the side narrowly miss out on this feat and forwards Holland, Kippin, Watson, Good and Longstaff increased the pace of their game to repeatedly challenge Terry Ward’s men. Dominating without success, the Warriors remained undeterred but as the end of the period drew near, Longstaff sought an additional player at the expense of netminder Boyle and the side certainly gave Billingham something to think about as the Warriors came close to scoring on more than one occasion. Flavell dealt with shots from all angles for one minute, forty two seconds whilst the Hillheads outfit were initially fearful of an empty net goal when the Stars claimed the puck and fired it wide of the vacant pipes. Despite Whitley’s best attempts though, it was clear that the points and the bragging rights would be Billingham’s as the meeting concluded.

Reflecting on this derby loss, player-coach David Longstaff shared: “On Sunday, we dominated for fifty five minutes. A selfish penalty inside twenty seconds resulted in a power play goal for Billingham and a couple of weak goals to start the game ultimately cost us. I was very pleased with the performance after that. We held them to six shots on goal for forty minutes which is unheard of in British ice hockey. I thought they defended as well as any team I’ve seen since I played in the super league.” Meanwhile, Star Jack Watkins also took time to consider the clash: “I thought it was a very close game. We got ahead early and Flav [James Flavell] kept us ahead all game. The Warriors are a tough, gritty team and to take points from them in Whitley is awesome for us moving closer to the top of the table. We were short benched but managed to get the job done.”

Sharks sail to victory in Solihull as Barons hang onto third place

Solihull Barons       2

Solway Sharks    4

Journeying to Hobs Moat Road from Telford Ice Rink, Solway Sharks were joined by dedicated power forward Ross Murray who was able to take to the ice for this encounter, his first game since incurring a two-game suspension against Billingham Stars. Lining up against Solihull’s seventeen skaters, which included skilled forwards Thomas Soar, Joe Henry, Josh Bruce and import Niklas Ottosson, the Sharks were aware of the task ahead, knowing that Perry Doyle’s Barons combine skill and grit to ensure each game is a great challenge for their opposition. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off against the home side, the Sharks were eager to make the best possible start to this game, having claimed only a draw against the eighth placed Telford Tigers on Saturday and fearing that this would be the only point that they would take away from their double header on the road. Building up possession in the early stages of the game to test netminder Josh Nicholls, the Sharks’ aim was clear from the outset and their pressure on the Barons’ defence saw Solway create some excellent chances as captain Struan Tonnar tried to lead his team mates onto the scoresheet. It was not until the midpoint of the period however that the deadlock was broken; an elbowing penalty against forward Andrew Whitehouse allowing Solway the additional man. Try as they might, the Dumfries outfit were unable to capitalise and, just when it appeared that this opportunity would be frittered away, Marc Fowley hit home with one second of the advantage remaining as Slovakian import Juraj Senko and hardworking forward Joe Coulter picked up assists. Outshooting their opposition by nineteen to two, the Sharks had more than enough chances but it was credit to Solihull that the score line remained at 1-0. Suffering a further setback, the Barons were shorthanded once more as Henry was shown to the sinbin for charging on 17:14. Again Doyle’s team remained effective on the penalty kill to prevent Solway from doubling their lead before the break with just one goal separating the two sides.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Unwilling to accept defeat without a response, the Barons bounced back after the interval as Henry lit the lamp to equalise for his side with help from fellow forwards Soar and Ottosson. Building momentum at an incredible speed, Solihull then stunned Solway Sharks further with a second goal to take the lead on 23:34 when youngster Matthew Maurice found himself in a position to setup captain Tomas Janak for his third goal of his 2016-17 campaign. Minutes later, tough guy David Rogers received a holding penalty to see his side go shorthanded. Whilst this minor did not directly cost Doyle’s team, it was just six seconds after the outfit had returned to full strength that the Sharks were able to draw level as Tonnar slotted home following linkup play from Miettinen and Buesa. The score line 2-2, it was clear that Solway were creeping back into the game, though it was not long after that Daniel Abercrombie headed to the sin bin for tripping. Increasing their efforts on Hepburn’s goal in a bid to reclaim their narrow lead, the Barons failed to snatch a goal on the power play but were soon handed a further opportunity when a call against Miettinen for interference on 38:11 saw Solway face a second consecutive penalty kill. However, the home team were unable to make this advantage count as Henry conceded a minor for hooking in the last minute of the period to cancel out any advantage.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As the two sides headed onto the ice for the third and final period, the Sharks had eleven seconds of Miettinen’s penalty to kill whilst Barons’ forward Henry had over a minute to serve, meaning the visitors were awarded a short power play on their return to full strength. Whilst Solway could not find the back of the net with an additional skater, it was clear that Grubb’s men were determined to claim more than a single point when Andrews beat Nicholls on 43:14 to send his team ahead; Buesa and Miettinen again with the assists. Not about to give up just yet, the Barons were able to trouble Hepburn at the other end of the ice, though their hard work, particularly at the beginning of the second period, was now undone. With chances arising for both teams in the moments that followed, the outfits were faced with sturdy netminding at either end of the ice to prevent the sides from adjusting the score line. Equally, the Sharks were not yet satisfied that the game was won and continued their hunt for a fourth goal which was eventually provided by Coulter with less than three minutes remaining in the game as Buesa racked up his third assist of the evening after a neat pass from youngster Scott Henderson.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Now nine points ahead of Billingham Stars at the top of the NIHL table, the Sharks were content with their performance across this weekend’s double header which was echoed by Head Coach Martin Grubb who told NIHL Northern Trio: “I asked the players to deliver a better performance and make sure we battled at both ends of the ice and we did that. We were solid and it was a good game of hockey against a skilled team. We are happy about three points on a difficult road trip and will keep working to improve.”

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