NIHL Weekend Action

Tigers leapfrog Solway as short benched Sharks suffer first defeat

Telford Tigers   5

Solway Sharks  3

Travelling to Shropshire with hopes of maintaining their perfect form, Solway Sharks were aware that this task would not be an easy one with Telford also targeting an unblemished record to compete at the top of the table. Missing influential alternate captain James Hutchinson, young forward Scott Henderson and defencemen Scott Cooper and Luke Houston, Martin Grubb’s fourteen-man Solway found themselves up against Tom Watkins’ skilled line-up which included captain Jason Silverthorn, experienced EPL forward Rick Plant and three-time EIHL champion Jonathan Weaver.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson      

Throwing themselves into this contest, Telford were met with a defiant Sharks team who were able to counter their opposition’s offensive play to test netminder Denis Bell at the other end of the ice. Despite Solway’s efforts though, it was indeed the home team who were first off the mark, right winger Joe Miller teaming up with Silverthorn to see Plant grab his first goal of the season with 5:24 on the clock. Trying to regain their composure after falling behind, the Sharks were then disappointed to concede a second almost three minutes later, this time Silverthorn on the scoresheet as Plant turned assist alongside Miller to provide their team with a two-goal cushion. Battling back whilst also fending off the Tigers’ attacks meant that the visitors had their work cut out and, even with the efforts of forward Iain Bowie, alternate captain Ross Murray, captain Struan Tonnar and left winger Steven Moore, the Sharks found themselves unable to beat shot stopper Bell. With Telford continuing to work hard in front of a home crowd and challenging Solway’s defence at every opportunity, Grubb’s men were forced to fight for the puck across all areas of the ice and they were finally able to reap their rewards when Moore received a pass from Murray to successfully send Bowie through on goal with close to eighteen minutes played. This goal providing the Sharks with a new lease of life, it took only thirty two seconds for Solway to find their second, Bowie again on target to equalise with support from forward Joe Coulter and Murray once more. It was not long after this goal though that Solway found themselves shorthanded; a bench minor for too many men running fifty five seconds into the second period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning with four men as a result, Solway continued to be effective on the penalty kill and were restored to full strength with the 2-2 score line unaltered. With the two outfits fighting to control the game, both netminders Bell and Calum Hepburn found themselves tested but neither team were able to find a way through as the Tigers strove to recover their lost lead whilst Solway were eager to edge ahead in the encounter. Increasing their efforts in front of goal at the half way point in the period, the Tigers then hit home a third, defenceman Jordan Stokes unleashing an unassisted shot to award his side a 3-2 lead. However, it was not long after that the Tigers found themselves under pressure as Weaver made way for a slashing offence on 33:12 to see his team reduced to four men. Though Solway were unsuccessful in their search for a second equaliser, they were handed another power play just nine seconds after Weaver returned to the ice, this time defenceman Dale White considered guilty of interference. Their previous advantage already slipping by, Solway set their sights on goal again but it was only after the Tigers had returned to full strength that Bowie was able to seal his hat trick, the forward hitting home on 38:48 courtesy of defencemen Vaclav Kolarik and Kyle Horne. The score line once again tied as the teams filed from the ice with three goals apiece, both were aware of the challenge awaiting them in the third period with neither side backing down.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Keen to retrieve their lead for a second time, the Tigers were quick to try Hepburn but without success as Solway also rallied in their attempts to creep ahead. Telford remained resolute in their efforts though and it was not long before they had recovered their one-goal lead, Weaver slotting the puck beyond Hepburn following input from his player-coach whilst Miller picked up his third assist of the evening. Disappointed to fall behind again, the Sharks did not let this goal dampen their spirits and instead they worked hard to try their luck in front of Bell’s net, with Bowie, Murray and Moore amongst those continuing to look dangerous. A stalemate building as the two teams battled against each other for possession, it was not until the fifty third minute of play that the Tigers were able to find another, ending their scoring in much the same fashion as they started; Plant the man on target as Silverthorn and Miller notched assists. Their task now doubled with a two-goal deficit to overcome, Solway maintained their work rate, peppering Bell’s net with thirteen shots over the course of the period, though Telford were able to outshoot their visitors, the side hitting sixteen at Hepburn. In one last effort to achieve a goal, Grubb called a timeout on 59:19 and opted to pull Hepburn from his net to provide Solway with the additional skater. However, try as they might, Solway could not beat Bell in the last minute of the period, allowing the final buzzer to call time on Telford’s 5-3 home victory.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Commenting after his team’s first league defeat, Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew going into Telford would be tough and that we would have to make sure we didn’t make any mistakes but, unfortunately, we made a few too many and got punished. We showed we can score goals and stay with a team of their quality but that one line was too much for us to handle and that ultimately cost us. We pushed to get back in it after they went ahead but the two lines they played were strong and we fell short. We battled hard and we need to regroup to take the good parts forward to this weekend’s games.”

Steeldogs pound Billingham as Stars lose sparkle

Sheffield Steeldogs   7

Billingham Stars       3

Making the trip to Ice Sheffield with a squad strong in number, Billingham found themselves without outstanding netminder James Flavell and alternate captain Callum Davies, though defencemen Andy Finn and Richie Thornton were available to ice on this occasion, lining up alongside stalwarts Michael Elder, Chris Sykes, Michael Bowman and James Moss. Meanwhile, Sheffield Steeldogs boasted a bench of seventeen skaters which included captain Lewis Bell, experienced left winger Ashley Calvert and Slovakian imports Adrian Palak and Milan Kolena, whilst starting with netminder Dmitri Zimozdra between the pipes and Brandon Stones as backup.

Facing off against the Stars, the home team immediately demonstrated their firepower as forward Andrew Hirst hit the puck beyond Billingham’s netminder Mark Watson with just thirty four seconds played, following passing play between former Sutton Sting captain James Spurr and player-coach Ben Morgan. Stunned to go behind so quickly, the Stars then found themselves trailing by two goals on 3:43 when ‘D’ man Bell punished Billingham’s defence with support from Palak and Calvert. Aware that the game would get away from them should they not respond, Billingham attempted to get back on track only for their efforts to be repeatedly denied by Zimozdra before the Steeldogs resumed their onslaught. Though still setting their sights on a goal, the Stars soon ran into penalty trouble, defenceman Ross Hanlon conceding a hooking penalty on 13:03 before Latvian import Artūrs Ozols joined his team mate in the sinbin just forty five seconds later to provide Sheffield with a five-on-three situation. In spite of this, Billingham remained effective on the penalty kill to prevent their deficit from worsening and bounced back to full strength to score just thirteen seconds later as enforcer Callum Pattison linked up with blue liner Thomas Keeley to see forward Jack Emerson print his name on the scoresheet. The Stars’ celebrations proved to be short-lived though, as just fifty one seconds later Hirst bagged his second, Milan Kolena with the assist on this occasion. Less than two minutes later, the game took a turn for the worse when Billingham’s youngster Darren Stattersfield was stretchered from the ice after an elbowing offence from blue liner Thomas Relf which saw the Steeldog receive a penalty of five minutes plus game to reduce his side to four men. Whilst medical staff attended to Stattersfield, referee Andrew Miller brought an end to the period with 1:47 left to play.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the remainder of the first period, the Steeldogs’ disadvantage made little difference as just forty two seconds later Sheffield were able to make it 4-1 in their favour, this time defenceman Tim Smith working with Kolena to set up former Sting forward Lloyd Gibson for a shorthanded goal. Now trailing by three goals, Billingham were handed a further advantage when left winger Liam Charnock made way for tripping with just six seconds of the period remaining to see their power play continue into the second stanza. After the netminders switched ends for the change of period, Billingham found it difficult to make their chances count with the additional man and their frustrations soon began to show as Pattison headed to the sinbin for interference on 24:54 to see Sheffield awarded a power play. Just thirty four seconds before this penalty was terminated, the Stars then lost a second man to the sinbin as alternate captain Sykes made way for tripping. Managing to kill these penalties without further concession, the Stars were keen to battle back and were handed the perfect opportunity when Spurr was sidelined for illegal equipment just past the halfway point in the period. Failing to hit the back of the net on the power play, Billingham’s momentum enabled the Teessiders to snatch their second goal five seconds after Spurr was restored to the ice, Emerson turning assist alongside Sykes to setup Baškatovs who once again showed his class. Pleased to have chipped away at their deficit, the Stars found their offensive play inhibited when Ozols was made to serve two minutes for clipping. Billingham handing Sheffield a power play as a result, the Steeldogs continued to trouble netminder Watson and with just four seconds left of their advantage, Palak fired home following neat passing play from Calvert and Bell. Try as they might, Billingham could not add another to their tally before the interval, finding themselves outshot by twenty two to thirteen.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading into the third stanza with a great deal of work to do to stand any chance of leaving with two points, the Stars turned their attentions to wearing down Zimozdra and were finally able to reap the rewards of their persistence when Baškatovs threaded a pass to Finn who did not miss his mark to make it 5-3. The game turning fiery after this goal, Steeldog Calvert and Star Dave Thomas decided to drop the gloves to each earn a penalty of 2+2 for roughing. Just under three minutes later, a hooking penalty for blue liner Tom Barry resulted in a power play for Billingham but no sooner were Sheffield restored to five men than the puck was again in the back of the net for the side as forward Cameron Brownley hit home assisted by Palak and Calvert. Shortly afterwards, both teams were reduced to four men as Charnock made way for hooking whilst defenceman Ben Davison was sidelined for diving. With neither side able to add to the scoreboard in the meantime, Zimozdra proving too strong at one end of the ice whilst Billingham’s defence did their best to hold off the Steeldogs’ attacking play, it was only when both teams returned to full strength that Sheffield were able to get back on the scoresheet; Charnock making amends for his earlier misdemeanour with a goal on 58:00, forwards Charlie Thompson and Joe Cross arriving in support. The score line 7-3, Billingham resigned themselves to their defeat with the points well and truly beyond them, awaiting the final buzzer to call time on their latest road loss.

Warriors silence Lions’ roar to claim first home victory

Whitley Warriors        4

Nottingham Lions      1

Playing host to Nottingham Lions following last weekend’s 11-6 road win over The Dragons, Whitley Warriors found themselves with a short bench of fourteen skaters, their extensive absentee list including forwards DJ Good, Dean Holland, Martin Crammond and Ben Richards, defencemen Harry Harley and Craig Johnson and youngsters Jamie Ord and Anthony Wetherell, though forwards Callum Watson and Adam Finlinson were available for their first game of the 2017-18 campaign. As such, the Lions were far greater in number, travelling with two-time EIHL champion Marc Levers, defensive leaders Elliot Perrin and Adz Andrews, former Telford Tiger Warren Tait and Pniok brothers Ondrej and Jakub, though without young forwards Ruskin Hughes, Zachary Glossop, Connor Hardy, Harry Hopkins and netminder Alan Levers.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Beginning the game with intensity, player-coach David Longstaff chose to ice returnees Watson and Finlinson alongside Canadian import Philip Edgar whilst defenceman Dan Pye stepped seamlessly into the role of captain to lead his team from the blue line. Working hard to cause problems for Nottingham’s defence, the Warriors began to drive the puck towards goal but the Lions were quick to combat Whitley’s attacking play, Levers and forward Paul Stanley trying their luck without success. Striving to control possession, Whitley were determined to take the lead and it was not too long before their hard work paid off, Finlinson teaming up with young ‘D’ man Liam Smedley to surge into the Lions’ defensive zone where Edgar was able to collect the puck to fire home on 8:15. Looking to test netminder Mark Turnbull in response to this goal, Nottingham maintained their fast-paced play but Whitley’s defence dealt with each situation thrown at them, young defenceman Kyle Ross hurling himself at the puck to block an incoming shot whilst Pye remained composed to lessen Turnbull’s workload. With the score line still close, it was little surprise that tensions began to surface, prompting referee David Emmerson to sinbin both Warrior Josh Maddock and Lion Cameron Pywell for delaying the game. However, Whitley were not hindered by this penalty and instead found themselves on the scoresheet for a second time as hardworking player-coach Longstaff received the puck from Smedley to send Kippin through on goal, the alternate captain beating Hovell on 17:53 after hesitating over his initial shot. After establishing a two-goal cushion, the Warriors then found themselves on the penalty kill as Finlinson made way in the final minute of the period following an interference call. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning with four men with over a minute of their punishment remaining, Whitley were incredibly effective on the penalty kill, utilising rapid line changes to parry the puck into their offensive zone. Restored to full strength without conceding, the Warriors looked to add to their tally and the Lions strove to get off the mark but as play evened out for a time, it was only on 27:16 that the visitors were provided with their second power play of the evening as Ross was shown to the sinbin for holding. Demonstrating their resolve on the penalty kill once again, Whitley were able to alternate lines swiftly to ensure that they remained ahead by two goals but the side then ran into further penalty trouble when ‘D’ man Maddock reacted to an unpunished hit with an attempted spearing, leaving referee Emmerson no choice but to hand the Warrior a penalty of 2+2+10. Enjoying a four minute power play as a result, the Lions attempted to find the back of the net but it was Warrior Jordan Barnes who came closest, the power forward’s effort followed by a high hit which took him a moment to recover. This, with some excellent stops from Turnbull and organised defending, saw the home team restored to five men only for Nottingham to lose forward Joseph Aston following a high sticks offence which floored Kippin. As the Lions applied pressure to push the Warriors into their defensive zone, Whitley failed to capitalise on this power play but were handed a second chance to extend their lead when Nottingham’s alternate captain Andrews sat out for hooking with just under two minutes of the second stanza to play.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Hungry for a third goal, Whitley faced off in the final period with their attention fixed on the target. Playing out the remaining twenty three seconds of their advantage, the Warriors continued to build on their momentum and it was Edgar who converted his side’s pressure to rocket a measured shot beyond Hovell without any assistance to make it 3-0 on 43:56. Moments later, an interference penalty for Barnes saw the Lions enjoy the advantage as they increased their efforts on goal to force the Warriors into defence once again. Just over a minute passed by after killing this penalty before Edgar then found himself in the box, tripping the offence on this occasion. However, matters quickly worsened for the Warriors as an interference call against Pye saw the captain join his team mate to allow Nottingham a five-on-three situation. Playing with strength and fortitude to see off the Lions’ many attempts with Levers, Tait and Stanley amongst those carving their way through Whitley’s shorthanded lines, the Warriors were eventually restored to full strength and opted for a timeout to regroup after their successive penalty kills. With the Hillheads outfit striving for a fourth goal, Edgar took control of the puck to play in Watson who narrowly missed his mark, the home team building momentum to leave their visitors with little hope of a comeback. A boarding penalty for Pye proved to be a turning point in the contest however, as Nottingham pulled netminder Hovell to ice an additional skater ahead of a faceoff in their offensive zone, a ploy which worked perfectly as Andrews picked out Levers who hammered a consolation goal beyond Turnbull just five seconds later, the netminder unfortunate to lose his shutout. Searching for another in a bid to tighten the game, Nottingham’s Head Coach Matt Bradbury opted to once again leave the Lions’ net empty to provide his team with an extra skater but this tactic was not to pay off a second time as Finlinson picked up a pass from Watson to see Edgar achieve an empty net goal, the import completing his hat trick fifty five seconds before the end to simultaneously wrap up Whitley’s 4-1 win.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Speaking after his team’s victory, player-coach David Longstaff revealed his thoughts on Whitley’s encounter with the Lions: “I was pleased when it was over to be honest. I thought Mark Turnbull and Phil Edgar were outstanding, closely followed by Dan Pye and Kyle Ross. We were really short of players and everyone gave everything they had. I was a little disappointed with the amount of penalties we took but we killed them off pretty well. We were missing 50% of our top players, as well as Dave Holland who has a massive, positive influence on our team so to say I’m happy with the two points is a bit of an understatement.”

Hawks soar to second cup win against struggling Stars 

Billingham Stars      3

Blackburn Hawks    5

Filing onto the ice with much the same line-up as that which faced Sheffield Steeldogs on Saturday evening, Billingham were missing injured youngster Darren Stattersfield, besides netminder James Flavell and alternate captain Callum Davies, but certainly had far more players at their disposal than that of Steven Duncombe’s Blackburn Hawks who made the trip with just thirteen skaters in addition to shot stoppers Stuart Aston and Niks Trapans, the latter provided with valuable ice time on this occasion.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice for faceoff, Blackburn were eager to get the game underway and immediately began to cause problems for the home team, young prospect Kieran Brown appearing dangerous from the outset before Bobby Streetly opened his side’s account with help from forward Matt Viney and Slovakian import Jozef Ištocy with less than five minutes played. Spurred on by this goal, the Hawks then stunned Billingham further when Ištocy grabbed a goal of his own to double Blackburn’s tally, captain Ollie Lomax and player-coach Steven Duncombe with the assists on 7:20. It was not long after that the Stars’ frustrations began to show, forward Luke Brown considered guilty of slashing to hand his opposition the advantage. With tensions growing between the two contenders, it took just eighteen seconds for defenceman Andy Finn to join his team mate whilst forward Lee Pollitt took a seat for the Hawks, the duo earning themselves penalties of 2+2 for roughing. The penalty minutes accumulating rapidly, it was then the turn of enforcer Callum Pattison to head to the box for tripping but his subsequent abuse of an official led to him being ejected from the game with just 12:55 on the clock. Just under two minutes later, Billingham’s captain Michael Elder was then sidelined for delaying the game but the Hawks were once again unable to make the most of their power play to leave the score line unaltered. With poor discipline dominating this period subsequent to Blackburn’s two-goal lead, both teams incurred minors in the final minute of the stanza as Star Artūrs Ozols was made to sit out for crosschecking whilst Pollitt notched another two minutes for roughing.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Both teams heading into the second period with a player missing as a result of these misdemeanours, it was not long after Ozols and Pollitt were restored to the ice that Ištocy was able to grab his second goal with a fantastic unassisted shot to make it 3-0. The Stars struggling to find a foothold in this contest, blue liner Ben Davison then found himself handed a match penalty for a check to the head against Hawks’ forward Tom Parkinson. With Blackburn controlling the game for the most part to kill a hooking penalty incurred by Duncombe around the halfway point in the period, the Stars were aware that they needed to respond to their mounting deficit but it was only when alternate captain Chris Sykes was shown to the sinbin for a slashing offence that the Teessiders were spurred on to score; forward James Moss slipping the puck to Elder who achieved his first cup goal of the season just nine seconds after his side found themselves shorthanded. Two minutes after the termination of Sykes’ penalty, versatile Hawk Chris Gee was forced to sit out for holding. Whilst Billingham were handed the advantage of the additional man in the process, Blackburn did not let up in their efforts to kill the penalty to go in at the break with their 3-1 lead intact.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Ensuring that the Stars were not about to creep back into the game, Blackburn were able to find a way past Watson to make it 4-0 with only fifty five seconds of the period played as alternate captain Luke Boothroyd worked with Pollitt to send young forward Brown through on goal with success. Channelling their frustrations in offence, Billingham hit back one minute later as forward Jack Emerson picked out Moss who defeated Trapans to chip away at his side’s three-goal deficit. Shortly afterwards, the Hawks then found themselves on the back foot as Brown made way for crosschecking on 43:35. Though unable to grab another goal with the advantage, it was not long before Billingham again found the back of the net, scoring just over three minutes after Blackburn had returned to full strength, this time Elder turning assist for Emerson who was able to score his first cup goal of the season to take his side within a goal of levelling the game. Just sixty seconds later, the Teessiders were once again with the additional skater when Boothroyd was shown to the sinbin for a slashing offence but this proved to be another wasted opportunity for the home team as the Stars watched the Lancashire outfit return to full strength only for Ozols to incur a ten minute misconduct penalty, leaving the side reduced to just one import for the remainder of the game. Pushing for an equaliser to take the game into overtime, Billingham called a timeout in the final two minutes of the period and opted to pull shot stopper Watson from his net to allow for the extra man. However, Blackburn were keen to cement their result and immediately targeted an empty net goal which was delivered by forward Pollitt on 58:54, following a pass from player-coach Duncombe. Hugely disappointed to concede with the prospect of an equaliser so close, Billingham were left no choice but to settle for their sixth consecutive defeat this season.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Reflecting on the Stars’ disappointing weekend, alternate captain Chris Sykes told NIHL Northern Trio: “It was a tough weekend to take, that one. We have come up one goal short in so many games this season so far. We just need that clinical touch and finish to be on the right side of the results. On Saturday, we went to Sheffield to play the Steeldogs and they are a very well-drilled, fast team. We had a terrible start and found ourselves down almost instantly and it was an uphill battle after that and we didn’t quite make it. On Sunday, we came back home and we again had a bad start and had to claw our way back into the game. It was a tough weekend for the Stars in the league and the cup.”

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