NIHL Weekend Action

Whitley’s fire too much as Warriors slay Dragons

Whitley Warriors  11

The Dragons          2

Readying themselves to take on The Dragons for the third time this season, Whitley Warriors found themselves with a strong line-up, though they were missing forward Ryan Sample, injured parties Philip Edgar and Josh Maddock, defenceman Dan Pye and youngster Anthony Wetherell. By comparison, the Dragons found themselves extremely short-benched as they took to the ice with just twelve skaters which included latest signing Paul Davies, fan favourite Owen Bennett and captain James Parsons whilst young netminder Oliver Johnson took his place between the pipes.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off against the fast-paced Dragons, Whitley Warriors immediately turned their attentions to opening their account with the knowledge that their opposition have found it challenging to compete in recent games. Consequently, it was not long before the home team got off the mark, power forward Jordan Barnes racing in on goal to fire past Johnson on 2:16, following build up play between fellow alternate captain Shaun Kippin and player-coach David Longstaff. Though continuing to place Johnson under pressure, Whitley found it difficult to extend their lead in spite of their trickery as the Dragons fought back to test shot stopper Richie Lawson at the other end of the ice but the Warrior remained composed to make some comfortable saves. A boarding penalty for Whitley’s defenceman Kyle Ross then provided the visitors with the advantage but the side failed to make their chances count, allowing Whitley to kill their penalty with ease. With both sides struggling to add to the scoreboard, the Warriors realised their need to grab another goal and were finally able to double their lead with thirty four seconds of the period remaining, this time blue liner Liam Smedley teaming up with skilled forward Adam Finlinson to see Ben Richards achieve the fifth goal of his campaign before the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Assuming their places on the ice for the second stanza, the Warriors were hopeful that they could add to their tally whilst the Dragons sought to recover some lost ground but a clipping penalty for Davies less than three minutes in saw David Longstaff’s men go on a power play which they were quick to capitalise on, the side scoring just twelve seconds later when blue liner Harry Harley shot from distance to make it 3-0 as Ross and Kippin assisted. Increasing their shots on goal in this period and dominating possession, Whitley continued to apply their skill to make life difficult for Johnson in net, though the side were only able to add a fourth to the scoreboard on 27:47, long-serving Warrior DJ Good linking up with captain Dean Holland on this occasion. Finally making the most of their possession, the Hillheads outfit were able to increase the Dragons’ deficit to five just over a minute later when Longstaff received the puck from Kippin to send Barnes through on goal with success, the forward snatching his second of the evening. Sensing their dominance, the Warriors persisted in their efforts whilst the Dragons looked to counter but their attempts were repeatedly cut short as Whitley’s defence remained strong. With just two minutes remaining in the period, Barnes claimed his hat trick courtesy of Richards and Longstaff to make it 6-0 but just nine seconds later, the Warriors went shorthanded as Kippin was sidelined for interference, thereby handing the Dragons a power play which ran into the third period. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Prepared to wrap up this game, the Warriors opted to switch shot stopper Lawson with netminder Mark Turnbull to allow their backup some valuable ice time whilst Longstaff also decided not to dress for this period as he looked to provide ‘D’ men Niall Simpson and Will Robson, youngsters Jamie Ord and Ross Douglass and versatile forward Stuart Tomlinson with some additional shifts. Killing the remainder of Kippin’s penalty with success, the Warriors then backed up their strong start with a goal just over four minutes in, captain Holland achieving his second of the evening with Good and Ross on hand to assist. Far from ready to give up, the Dragons were keen to see out the battle with spirit and fortitude and it showed as just over a minute later defenceman Ross Kennedy beat Turnbull with help from forward Chris Jones to make it 7-1. The Warriors were quick to hit back however, as Kippin found Barnes with some help from Robson to see the alternate captain net his fourth of the evening just fourteen seconds later. With the Dragons’ hopes dashed, Whitley then followed up their offensive efforts with another as Ord bagged himself his first senior goal of the season, capitalising on some excellent play from Simpson. Moments later, Ord found himself sinbinned as referee Andrew Miller sidelined the youngster for clipping and, whilst unable to score on the power play, it was not long after Whitley returned to full strength that the Dragons notched their second of the game, this time Parsons finding a way past Turnbull as alternate captain Andrew Chappell mounted an attack alongside Chris Jones to make it 9-2. Soon after this goal, Whitley looked to test Johnson further but a struggle along the boards eventually saw forward Richards shown to the sin bin for embellishment. Feeling the injustice of this punishment, the Warriors rallied on the penalty kill and just thirteen seconds later, Johnson was again defeated; this time Holland racing through on goal to allow Kippin to slot into the gaping net against his former club, Harley also collecting an assist in the process. Continuing to challenge Turnbull in spite of the score line, the Dragons did not give up in their quest for a third goal but as the game came to a close, it was the Warriors who were able to creep even further into the lead as Holland teamed up with Good to see Watson rewarded for his persistence, before the final buzzer called time on Whitley’s 11-2 victory to see both teams hold onto their league positions prior to Sunday’s fixtures.

Sharks dispatch Lions as Nottingham suffer on road

Solway Sharks        15

Nottingham Lions     0

With fifteen skaters at their disposal besides shot stoppers Calum Hepburn and Chris Rae, Solway Sharks were pleased to include two-way player Josh Grieveson in their line-up, though they were without skilled forward Joe Coulter due to illness, left winger Adam Robinson and youngsters Luke and Lewis Houston, Kieran Hair and Ben Coughtrie. Nottingham Lions, meanwhile, made the trip to Dumfries with just thirteen skaters and netminders Thomas Hovell and Myles Dallison, the latter starting in net for the visitors.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Both outfits hoping for maximum points in this game, the sides took to the ice seeking possession in the opening minutes of the period; Solway immediately setting their sights on goal whilst the Lions battled to make Hepburn work at the other end of the ice. Building momentum and looking to create opportunities, it was not long before the Sharks opened the scoring through forward Duncan Speirs on 7:46 following passing play between defencemen Vaclav Kolarik and Kyle Horne. Buoyed by this goal, Martin Grubb’s men were eager to double their lead and did so less than three minutes later when the defensive pairing of Kolarik and Horne once again teamed up to send young forward Scott Henderson in on Dallison’s net with success to add to Nottingham’s woes. Becoming increasingly dominant in this period, Solway then found the target for a third time moments later when hardworking alternate captain Ross Murray hit home on 11:57 courtesy of blue liner Stuart Kerr and Czech ‘D’ man Marek Charvát. Stunned by their growing deficit, the Lions sought possession of the puck but soon suffered a further setback when Scott Henderson claimed his second goal of the evening to make it 4-0 with support from fellow forwards Connor Henderson and Daniel Abercrombie. Though dominating for the remainder of the period to pepper Dallison with shot after shot, the Sharks were unable to beat the young netminder for a fifth time ahead of the break to head in with their four-goal lead much to Nottingham’s disappointment.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aiming to build on their excellent start to the game, the Sharks were quick off the mark on their return to the ice as Charvát netted just twenty two seconds into the middle section after some neat play from left winger Steven Moore and Speirs. Less than two minutes later, the Czech defenceman bagged his second of the game following a pass from forward Iain Bowie. As a result, it was not long before Nottingham found themselves confronted by a seven-goal deficit when defenceman Kerr received the puck from forward Connor Henderson to play in Abercrombie who accomplished his third league goal of the season on 22:34. Just over four minutes later, it was the turn of Kolarik to be added to the score sheet when he fired past Dallison to make it 8-0 with support from Connor Henderson and experienced ‘D’ man Horne, the Lions having called a timeout just seconds beforehand. Shortly afterwards, Speirs buried the puck to claim his second of the game as captain Struan Tonnar carved out an opportunity alongside Kolarik. Nine goals ahead, Grubb switched shot stopper Hepburn for Chris Rae to allow his backup some valuable ice time. Continuing to dominate however, the Sharks then made it into double figures as Murray linked up with Bowie to see his line mate notch his seventeenth goal of his campaign on 33:46. Enduring Solway’s onslaught throughout this period, Dallison strove to put in the best performance possible, the youngster letting in only six of the thirty shots he faced in this period; the Lions, on the other hand, dismayed to have managed just two shots in this stanza.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Maintaining their dominance in the third and final period, Solway were content to hold onto possession whilst the Lions were all but resigned to their fate, knowing that there was little to no chance of their side overturning a ten-goal deficit. Almost three minutes into this stanza, Charvát sealed his hat trick as Connor Henderson picked up his fourth assist of the evening, once again supplying a pass to assist his teammates’ creative play. Exactly seven minutes later, Charvát notched his fourth goal of the evening to make it 12-0 with Bowie arriving in support. Moments later, Grubb opted for a timeout of his own as he looked to experiment with his side’s tactics and less than two minutes later Tonnar printed his name on the scoresheet as Kolarik and Speirs assisted. With very little in the way of offence from the Lions who managed only four shots to Solway’s thirty two in this period, the Sharks found that there was time enough for Scott Henderson to wrap up his hat trick courtesy of Tonnar and Charvát on 58:13 before the defenceman played Murray through on goal with just fourteen seconds remaining to see the power forward slot past Dallison for a second time before the final buzzer confirmed Nottingham’s 15-0 defeat.

Reflecting on this victory, Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “The last home game against the Lions was tough so we came in prepared and it was always going to be a big ask for them with such a short bench and so many young players but we needed to ensure we didn’t underestimate them. It was about making sure we kept good habits and that we didn’t get sloppy, and we scored some nice goals. The Lions never gave up and credit to them for working hard and giving their young guys a chance to experience this level. I’m sure Matt [Bradbury] and Gloss [Paul Glossop] will ensure their players learn from this game.”

Sharks earn grade A cup place as Solway roast Hawks

Blackburn Hawks   6

Solway Sharks        8

Travelling to Lancashire with much the same line-up as that which faced Nottingham Lions, except for the addition of young forward Jordan Buesa and the absence of two-way defenceman Josh Grieveson, Solway Sharks were faced with a strong Blackburn Hawks’ squad, which included young prospect Kieran Brown, experienced forward Aaron Davies, Slovakian import Jozef Ištocy and netminder Niks Trapans.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aiming to secure top spot of the NIHL National Cup’s Group A, Solway Sharks looked to make an immediate impact from faceoff and found themselves up against Steven Duncombe’s equally fervent Blackburn Hawks. However, in spite of early efforts from both teams to test their opposition netminder, the Sharks were first to open their account as some creative play from Buesa allowed fellow forward Iain Bowie to print his name on the score sheet with only 1:32 played. Hitting back just over two minutes after this goal, Hawks’ left winger Ištocy excelled against netminder Calum Hepburn following build up play from blue liners Lewis Baldwin and Luke Boothroyd. Fifty two seconds later, following a pass from alternate captain Ross Murray, Bowie returned the favour for Buesa to see the youngster beat Trapans to make it 2-1. With neither team backing down, Solway were then pleased to achieve a two-goal cushion when a fantastic unassisted effort from forward Duncan Speirs surpassed the Hawks’ defence on 7:38. Blackburn were far from out of this fixture however, and battled back to make it 3-2 as Aaron Davies accomplished his fourth cup goal of the season just beyond the halfway point in the period. Striving for an equaliser, the Hawks then drew level just forty two seconds later through forward Rick Bentham as Davies turned assist on this occasion. Spurred on by their success in front of goal, Blackburn then took the lead for the first time in the game courtesy of two-way player Brown who capitalised on a pass from Ištocy to allow his team to edge ahead. Disappointed to have fallen behind, the Sharks then suffered a further setback moments later when Czech defenceman Marek Charvát was sidelined for holding to see his team go on the penalty kill. Working hard to prevent the Hawks from achieving a goal on their power play, Solway were able to see out the period with the additional man as Boothroyd sat out for interference on 18:29. Failing to make the most of this opportunity ahead of the break, the Sharks went in on the wrong end of the 4-3 score line whilst the Hawks were elated to have gained the lead going into the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Though Boothroyd’s penalty was terminated twenty nine seconds into this period, it took just seconds for Blackburn to go shorthanded for a second time as alternate captain James Neil made way for delaying the game to hand Solway another power play. However, the Sharks found it difficult to make their chances count as netminder Trapans worked hard to ensure his side held onto their fragile lead. Aware of the narrow margin between themselves and their opposition, the Hawks strove to add to their tally and did so as Brown utilised his pace and skill to outdo Solway’s defence on 28:12 to make it 5-3, again assisted by Ištocy. A hooking penalty just under two minutes later saw forward Thomas Parkinson head to the penalty box and the Sharks were able to make the most of their power play as Bowie notched his second of the evening following passing play between Czech import Vaclav Kolarik and power forward Murray. This goal seemingly providing the Dumfries outfit with much momentum, Solway were then able to draw level less than two minutes later as alternate captain James Hutchinson threaded a pass to captain Struan Tonnar, the duo teaming up to allow left winger Steven Moore to punish Trapans. Stunned by their change of fortunes, Blackburn were further astounded when just thirty four seconds later, Grubb’s men recovered their lead, this time Hutchinson assisting Tonnar to make it 6-5. Around three minutes later though, Tonnar was considered guilty of crosschecking to see his teammates go on the penalty kill. Blackburn were unable to equalise with the advantage and instead watched the Sharks return to full strength only to incur a minor of their own moments later when Duncombe warmed a seat in the sin bin for hooking in the final minute of the period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With much of this penalty running over into the third stanza, Blackburn were eager to prevent Solway from scoring on the power play to then go in search of an all-important equaliser which they did with success, the side scoring shortly after the termination of Duncombe’s penalty; Brown completing his hat trick following neat play from Baldwin and Neil. Undeterred, Solway continued to test Trapans and were eventually awarded a power play as Baldwin was shown to the sin bin for delaying the game on 48:29. Looking to make the most of this advantage, the Sharks’ power play was extended as forward Rick Bentham then picked up two minutes for slashing. However, taking exception to this call, the Hawk voiced his feelings on this matter only to incur an additional ten minute misconduct penalty and, further disgruntled by this punishment, Bentham was then ejected from the game for purportedly hurling a towel at referee Chris Wells. As such, it was not long after this incident that the Sharks were able to hit back, the side scoring with one second of Baldwin’s penalty remaining as Buesa grabbed his second goal of the game with support from Kolarik. The score line 7-6 in Solway’s favour, the Hawks aimed to battle back yet again but a hooking offence from Duncombe saw Blackburn go shorthanded on 53:24 to hand the visitors further advantage. Unable to make the most of this opportunity, and with the narrow margin of one goal still separating the two teams, Duncombe called a timeout with less than two minutes remaining in the game and it was not long after that Moore was shown to the sin bin for hooking to see the Hawks gain the advantage. Opting to pull Trapans from his net to allow for the additional skater to maximise their power play, the Hawks set their sights on goal to take the game into overtime but this tactic was not one that worked on this occasion as Speirs claimed possession to bury the puck into the empty net on 59:09 to see the game concluded at 8-6 on the final buzzer. The game over, there was time enough for Hepburn to pick up a ten minute penalty for illegal equipment, having removed his helmet during the handshakes but this did not diminish Solway’s win in anyway, the team delighted to finish top of their group in the NIHL National Cup competition. 

Adding to his earlier comments, Grubb took time to consider Solway’s latest cup triumph over the Hawks: “It’s always a tough game in Blackburn and we never seem to be able to play our usual game there but it was all about the result. Both teams were poor defensively and I’m sure it made it exciting for the fans but it wasn’t great viewing as a coach. We are happy to get the win and with how we played offensively but, as a group, our defensive game was unacceptable so we will work on that and move on, and it’s always nice to secure top spot in the cup group.”

Telford triumph over Whitley as Tigers kill Warriors’ fight 

Telford Tigers         7  

Whitley Warriors     0 

Travelling to Shropshire without eight key players as injured import Philip Edgar missed out alongside forwards Ryan Sample, Ben Richards and Adam Finlinson, defencemen Harry Harley and Dan Pye, and youngsters Anthony Wetherell and Ross Douglass, Whitley Warriors were well aware of the challenge awaiting them which was made even more difficult when the Hillheads outfit missed out on the warm-up after arriving in Telford later than expected. Meanwhile, the Tigers could head into this fixture with composure as their usual compact line-up took to the ice raring to go, with former Dragon Scott McKenzie, strong captain Jason Silverthorn and versatile defenceman Daniel Rose amongst those more than up for this clash.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Starting this period as they meant to go on, Tom Watkins’ outfit were quick off the mark when Warriors’ alternate captain Jordan Barnes made way for slashing on 2:23 to slot the puck past netminder Richie Lawson just twelve seconds later, Silverthorn the man on target as ‘D’ man Adam Jones integrated Rose into play to see their captain achieve his eighteenth league goal of his campaign. With Lawson continuing to be under fire from the Tigers following Barnes’ return to the ice, the netminder managed to stop several shots and was also offered some reprieve when an attempt from McKenzie hit the post before Whitley’s blue line dealt with Adam Taylor’s effort soon after. Just before the halfway point in the period, alternate captain Rick Plant handed the Warriors a power play when he incurred a minor for hooking but Whitley struggled to make shot stopper Denis Bell work at the other end of the ice and were eventually made to pay for their inability to capitalise when hardworking right winger Joe Miller netted on 15:55 assisted by Taylor and alternate captain Warren Tait to double his side’s lead. Struggling to contend with the Tigers’ firepower, the Warriors then conceded a third before heading in at the break, this time Rose adding to the scoreboard following a pass from junior defenceman Daniel Mitchell.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Gaining another power play soon after their return to the ice, Whitley again found it difficult to challenge netminder Bell and could not pull a goal back, the side finding themselves under pressure as Lawson continued to work hard between the pipes. Repeatedly throwing their efforts into defence, the Warriors then went shorthanded on 29:03 when blue liner Kyle Ross made way for holding to hand the Tigers an advantage which they were all too happy to convert, McKenzie smoothly punishing his opposition’s misdemeanour with support from Miller and Taylor. Just over a minute later, Lawson was again picking the puck from his net when forward Jack Watkins buried the puck to make it 5-0. The visitors then found themselves on the power play when young forward Jed Moreland was sidelined for boarding but defenceman Martin Crammond was shown to the sin bin for holding sticks shortly afterwards to see the advantage cancelled out. Building momentum as a consequence, the Tigers then achieved their sixth of the evening as McKenzie bagged himself another with an unassisted wrist shot on 37:09. Just twenty seven seconds after this goal though, Telford were reduced to four men once again as versatile defenceman Dale White was made to sit out for slashing which presented Whitley with a power play in the final two minutes of the period. However, these moments offered little in the way of comfort for the Warriors as the side lost power forward Jordan Barnes to a knee injury besides conceding a shorthanded goal as Rose and Silverthorn united to allow Plant to print his name onto the scoresheet with just forty seconds remaining in the period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Both teams opting to switch netminders for the third and final stanza, Telford Tigers introduced youngster Jonah Armstrong to the game whilst the Warriors switched Lawson for shot stopper Mark Turnbull; the side also unable to ice returnee Josh Maddock who was still feeling the effects on an injury sustained against Nottingham Lions three weeks ago. With the Tigers comfortable due to their seven-goal lead, there was little the Warriors could do to recover their lost ground and the side suffered a further setback when Niall Simpson was also forced to leave the ice, his leg becoming trapped as the two sides battled for the puck. A bench minor dished out to Whitley for icing too many men was quickly followed up by a second as Crammond sat out for interference to hand Telford a five-on-three situation. In spite of these penalties, the Warriors returned to full strength unscathed and it was soon the turn of Telford to go shorthanded as Moreland sat out for a second time, holding his offence on this occasion. Whilst on the power play however, the Warriors ran into further trouble as McKenzie was allowed a penalty shot on 55:03 but this was saved by Turnbull to leave the score line unchanged when the buzzer sounded; the netminder earning the Man of the Match award having saved the thirteen shots which came his way during the twenty minutes he featured.

Speaking after his team’s conclusive defeat, player-coach David Longstaff admitted: “The games turned out just as expected to be honest. We deservedly got the two points on Saturday and we were outplayed in Telford. Some of the lads who don’t play a lot got some good ice time and, if we’re being honest, our makeshift defence was found out a little bit as it’s mostly forwards playing defence.”

For one last chance to contribute to Ross Murray’s fundraising campaign, please follow the link: https://mobro.co/rossmurray90.

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

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 (MORALEE)

Saturday 25th November 2017

Whitley Warriors vs. The Dragons

Solway Sharks vs. Nottingham Lions

Sunday 26th November 2017

Telford Tigers vs. Whitley Warriors

Blackburn Hawks vs. Solway Sharks (National Cup)

Fixture:    Whitley Warriors vs. The Dragons

Date:        25^th November 2017  

Venue:     Whitley Bay Ice Rink   

Faceoff:  5:00pm   

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Preparing to take to the ice in front of a home crowd on Saturday evening for their third contest against The Dragons, Whitley Warriors will be aiming for no less than a victory, having lost their last four league games after suffering an overtime loss to Hull Pirates before conceding defeats to Nottingham Lions, Solihull Barons and Sheffield Steeldogs. So far, Whitley have already won both at home and on the road to the Welsh outfit this season, the Warriors first triumphing in an 11-6 victory at Deeside Leisure Centre in September before winning by six goals to three at Hillheads in October. As such, David Longstaff’s men will target another win over this weekend’s opposition as they look to recover from their recent form.

Often achieving in front of goal against his former club, Warriors’ alternate captain Shaun Kippin has so far tallied four goals and five assists across these two encounters and finds himself one of Whitley’s highest points scorers at present with a total of twenty points from eleven league games. Hoping to replicate his recent successes against the Deeside outfit, Kippin will join the Warriors in their quest for victory, although it will be important for the side to avoid complacency with each fixture proving difficult this season, evidenced just two weeks ago in their 3-2 loss to the Lions. Facing the Warriors after their short-benched side conceded twenty goals against Hull Pirates last weekend, The Dragons will aim to break their twelve-game losing streak on Saturday with a win over Longstaff’s line-up, meaning Whitley’s Welsh visitors will certainly pose a threat when they make the trip to Hillheads on Saturday, this game no doubt proving to be another entertaining clash between two hardworking teams.  

Considering this fixture, Dragon Geoff Wigglesworth looked ahead to his team’s latest challenge:

“The Dragons are facing another massive test this weekend against Whitley. They are great; they are tough, they work hard, play hard and are very physical. We have to try to match them in every department and just take it shift for shift. The previous game was close so let’s hope we can cope with their pressure early on and capitalise on the rush. We will try to win and not roll over and let all these teams collect points off us. We want to win as much as any team in the league.”

Fixture:    Solway Sharks vs. Nottingham Lions

Date:        25^th November 2017  

Venue:     Dumfries Ice Bowl 

Faceoff:   7:00pm   

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Playing host to Nottingham Lions on Saturday evening, Solway Sharks will take to the ice against Matt Bradbury’s team for one last time this season, after triumphing over the side thrice already. Confronted by the Lions’ determined defence on the road mid-September, the Sharks were made to work for the points as Nottingham forced Solway to battle back from a two-goal deficit, the Dumfries outfit eventually claiming a 5-3 win on the final buzzer. Just two weeks after this success, Martin Grubb’s men then accomplished a 6-2 home win against the Lions in which Czech forward Ondrej Pniok and young forward Cameron Pywell were both on the scoresheet for the visitors. These results were followed up by a more recent landslide road victory for Solway as the Sharks hit nine past netminder Thomas Hovell to dominate at the National Ice Centre, with left winger Steven Moore in fine form as he bagged himself a hat trick and an assist to prove problematic for the home team. Setting out to avoid a defeat of this nature, Nottingham will aim for a similar standard as that which they demonstrated in their first encounter against Solway, the Lions previously showing resilience and strength in defence to break down the Sharks’ attacking play. Having recorded victories against both Solihull Barons and Whitley Warriors this season, Nottingham know that their perseverance will pay off if they maintain their challenging style of play to sufficiently test their opposition. Showing that they are capable of competing with some of the best teams in the league and in need of at least two points to go ahead of Billingham Stars this weekend, the Lions will be aiming for no less than a win, though they are faced with a tricky double header on the road; the side set to face The Dragons following their trip to Dumfries. As a result, both teams will be more than up for this contest as they look to build on their current league positions at either end of the table to no doubt make for another interesting watch.

Looking forward to this fixture, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb revealed:

“The last home game against the Lions was a tough game and we only made it a little more comfortable in the third as they tired so we will need to be ready to battle. We played well in Nottingham a few weeks’ ago so we need to try and play in a similar way and make sure we can dominate the puck and play in all three zones. The Lions have a lot of travel this weekend so we need to jump on them and play at a high tempo as we look for the two points.”

Fixture:    Blackburn Hawks vs. Solway Sharks

Date:        26^th November 2017  

Venue:     Blackburn Ice Arena

Faceoff:   5:45pm   

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Following their home game against Nottingham Lions, Solway Sharks will then hit the road to face Blackburn Hawks in their latest cup fixture as the two now go head-to-head to fight for the top spot. With this game one of the two cup fixtures remaining between the sides, Sunday’s game will be hugely important for both outfits, particularly as Martin Grubb’s men sit in first place with ten points from six games whilst Steven Duncombe’s team peer over the Sharks’ shoulder with six points having played the same amount of fixtures. This means that Solway can clinch top spot should they defeat the Hawks on the road this weekend but failure to do so would instead cause the winner of Group A to be decided in one last cup game between these rivals next Saturday, though both have now qualified for the next stage of the competition. So far, both teams have one win over the other, the Sharks first claiming maximum points on home ice in the opening game of their season before losing out to Blackburn in a 4-2 road defeat early last month. Doing particularly well for the Dumfries outfit in their opening cup game against Blackburn were forward Iain Bowie, whose excellent form at the start of the season saw him achieve four goals and two assists, and alternate captain Ross Murray who accomplished a goal and four assists alongside his line mate whilst Hawks Aaron Davies and Jozef Ištocy scored in both fixtures. With the rivals hoping for more of the same having so far contended to a high standard in the cup contest to be in with a chance of top spot, neither will want to fall at the final hurdle to make this game another incredibly competitive one. 

Kindly adding to his earlier comments, Head Coach Martin Grubb observed:

“Blackburn is always a difficult place to play and they are playing really well this season. We lost the last time we played there and I wasn’t too happy with our performance so we need to improve on that and play for sixty minutes. Both teams have qualified for the next stage of the cup so it’s top spot up for grabs and I’m sure both teams will want to grab it so it will be a tight game.”

Speaking ahead of this clash, Blackburn’s experienced forward Aaron Davies shared his views ahead of the Hawks’ encounter with Solway:

“The game is going to be tough. Solway are a well-drilled team. You cannot underestimate a ‘Grubby’ team. They have a good core set of players which turn up to play week in, week out. Our form the last few games hasn’t been Hawks’ hockey but we can’t dwell on our past performances. We need to go into the game, play our game, and we know that we have the players. Duncs [player-coach Steven Duncombe] knows what it takes for us to get back to winning ways and this cup game is a good start for us. Traps [netminder Niks Trapans] and Stu [Ashton] have been playing amazing for us in goal. Lewis [Baldwin] and a few others are always consistent so we just need to go into this game, not worry about past performances and play how Duncs sets us up and be sure we can get the win needed. ”

Fixture:    Telford Tigers vs. Whitley Warriors

Date:        26^th November 2017  

Venue:     Telford Ice Rink

Faceoff:   6:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Having hosted Telford Tigers at Hillheads over a month ago, Whitley Warriors will make the lengthy trip to Shropshire on Sunday to take on Tom Watkins’ well-drilled outfit in what will be another extremely difficult game for David Longstaff’s men. Playing with a strong squad in front of a home crowd against the former EPL outfit last month, Whitley shocked Telford with their intensity to take a two-goal lead courtesy of returnee Ryan Sample before finding themselves punished on the penalty kill to eventually lose out by six goals to three. Consequently, maintaining discipline will be essential for the visitors this weekend as the Warriors know that any power play gained by the Tigers will certainly be converted at the earliest opportunity; Telford claimed three power play goals against Whitley through forward Adam Taylor and player-coach Tom Watkins. Striving for maximum points this weekend, Telford will continue to set their sights on top spot following their recent displacement to Sheffield Steeldogs who now sit three points ahead of Watkins’ men after last weekend’s 5-2 success against the Warriors. Whitley, meanwhile, will equally be hopeful that they can contend with their opposition as they look to better their league position to move away from seventh place besides improving on their recent form, having lost out in their last four league games. Whilst the Warriors will aim to give this game their all to avoid losing out on the points, the outfit are more than aware of the challenges this game poses and will therefore be realistic in their objective to put in a good performance on the night.

Speaking ahead of this fixture, player-coach David Longstaff shared:

“Our main game this weekend is Saturday against The Dragons, a must-win game for us because we’ll be travelling to Telford minus eight players so it’s going to be very difficult for us to get anything from the Sunday game.”

Looking forward to this encounter, Telford Tigers’ experienced forward Scott McKenzie took time to consider his recent move to the club:

“Being back in Telford is great. It’s been like coming home to an extent. I am so comfortable in the environment and know how professional the club is. From going from player-coach to just a player has certainly given me a bit of a boost. Instead of thinking about twenty guys, I can purely focus on myself so that has certainly taken a lot of pressure off me. Whitley will be tough on Sunday. They are a team that work very hard and have some dangerous players so we will need to work just as hard and make sure we are switched on from the start.”

For those fans who wish to contribute to Ross Murray’s fundraising campaign, please follow the link: https://mobro.co/rossmurray90.

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NIHL Weekend Action

Billingham shoot down Hawks as Stars edge win

Blackburn Hawks   5                        Billingham Stars               6

Taking to the ice for their latest NIHL National Cup fixture, Billingham Stars made the trip to Lancashire with an incredibly short bench of thirteen skaters, the side particularly depleted in defence as blue liners Andy Finn, Richie Thornton, Ben Davison, Dave Thomas, Ross Hanlon, Darren Stattersfield and Thomas Keeley all missed out alongside forwards Josh Nertney, Luke Brown and Jack Emerson. As such, this provided an opportunity for youngsters James Hellens and Ethan Hehir to gain some valuable ice time for the Stars. Likewise, Blackburn Hawks were also short benched as player-coach Steven Duncombe found himself with a squad of fourteen players at his disposal; forwards Aaron Davies, Chris Gee, Thomas Parkinson and two-way player Kieran Brown making up their absentee list.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Hunting down two points to strive for the top spot of Group A in the NIHL National Cup competition, Blackburn Hawks were determined to make a positive start in this contest and quickly got off the mark when forward James Riddoch slotted past netminder Mark Watson following rapid link-up play between defenceman Lewis Baldwin and forward Rick Bentham. Disappointed to fall behind with only thirty seconds played, Billingham Stars fought for possession in their attempts to get back on track but a holding penalty for stand-in defenceman Jack Davies on 6:38 saw Blackburn gain a power play and, although they were unable to double their lead on the advantage, the Hawks certainly put Watson to the test as they looked for their second goal. Less than two minutes after Davies’ return to the ice, Billingham were able to hit back with an equaliser as Latvian forward Deniss Baškatovs made the most of a pass from player-coach Michael Bowman to cancel out the Hawks’ lead; forward James Moss also picking up an assist. As a result of this goal, both teams continued to scrap for the puck, with Blackburn eager to recover lost ground and Billingham hoping to get ahead for the first time in the game. Shortly afterwards, a holding offence from Bobby Streetly caused Stars’ captain Michael Elder to retaliate, leading the duo to sit out for their respective teams. Though both netminders were tested in the aftermath, neither outfit could add to the scoreboard, meaning the sides went in with a goal apiece at the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

On their return to the ice, both teams sought their second goal of the game but it was the Stars who were first to hit the net as alternate captain Chris Sykes fired home courtesy of Elder and young forward Ethan Hehir. Billingham’s celebrations proved to be short-lived however, as just seventeen seconds later young Hawk James Royds accomplished his second cup goal of the season, Bentham once again assisting but this time, alongside forward Lee Pollitt. The score line 2-2, both teams recognised their need to add to their tallies, although it was shot stopper Watson who found himself slightly more tested than Blackburn’s netminder Stuart Ashton. As such, it was little surprise when the Hawks seized back their one-goal lead when Slovakian Jozef Ištocy hammered home a pass from fellow forward Matt Viney on 28:00. Although they continued to set their sights on goal, Billingham could not find another equaliser at this point in the period and instead found their deficit increased as Baldwin punished the Stars’ defence; Bentham helping the puck on its way following a pass from Ištocy just beyond the halfway point in the fixture. Try as they might, Billingham looked to chip away at the two-goal gap between themselves and the home team but the side’s hard work fell short of the mark, allowing Blackburn to carry their 4-2 lead in with them at the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With the Hawks looking to remain in front in the third period and Billingham seeking to be in with a chance of victory, both sides had their sights set on goal but neither could make their opportunities count in the early stages of this stanza and it was only with 47:04 on the clock that the Stars were finally able to reduce Blackburn’s lead to one, Sykes turning assist for Elder alongside Moss to make it 4-3. Looking to restore their previous lead, the Hawks set out to challenge Watson once more but without success as Elder threaded the puck to forward Callum Davies to allow Sykes to equalise on 53:56 with his second goal of the evening. Once again though, it was not long before the Hawks responded with another goal to creep closer to two points, Riddoch beating Watson as Bentham collected his fourth assist of the evening whilst Pollitt was also on hand to support his team’s offensive efforts. Seventy seconds later, the puck was again in the net but this time Ashton was the netminder on the receiving end as defenceman Matthew Campbell sent Baškatovs through on goal, the Latvian also earning his second of the evening. Back on level terms with the score line now 5-5, the Stars wasted little time in firing themselves into the lead after realising that a quick reaction was needed if they were to stand any chance of victory. This time it was Moss who printed his name on the scoresheet, the forward notching his second cup goal of his campaign to put Billingham ahead; Sykes and Elder assisting. Falling behind with less than three minutes remaining, the Hawks called a timeout with the knowledge that their chances of overtime were hanging in the balance but, in spite of their subsequent efforts, Duncombe’s men could not equalise in the latter stages to lose out on both points which narrowed the margin between Billingham and Blackburn in the cup standings ahead of their Sunday fixture against close rivals Solway Sharks.

Solway lose out as Pirates plunder points

Solway Sharks  3

Hull Pirates       6

Lining up on home ice with their side much strengthened by the return of alternate captain James Hutchinson and the availability of juniors Ben Coughtrie, Kieran Hair and Houston brothers Luke and Lewis, Solway Sharks found themselves up against tough opposition in the form of Hull Pirates’ sixteen-man squad which was only missing the presence of forward Jordan Fisher as player-coach Jason Hewitt slotted back into the side following his recent suspension whilst new signing Sam Gospel was able to take his place between the pipes, having played his first game for the Pirates against Peterborough Phantoms in the NIHL National Cup competition last Sunday.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Having lost out to the Pirates once already this season, the Sharks were eager to make the best possible start to the game in front of a home crowd. In the opening stages, both teams were able to create their fair share of chances, although Hull looked to dominate possession from faceoff. It did not take long before Solway’s visitors assumed control, alternate captain Samuel Towner scoring with just under five minutes on the clock as forward Lee Bonner and right winger James Archer helped their line mate onto the scoresheet. Though disappointed to fall behind in the game, Solway were unable to prevent the Pirates from grabbing another just under three minutes later when right winger Bobby Chamberlain linked up with his player-coach to see skilled forward Matty Davies capitalise to make it 2-0 on 7:40. With both netminders Gospel and Calum Hepburn seeing off chances from their opposition, the contest continued to be close, although the Pirates had made the most of the chances which had fallen their way. A high sticks offence from Solway’s forward Connor Henderson saw the Sharks’ reduced to four men on 15:17 to present Hull with the advantage but, working hard to kill this penalty, the Dumfries outfit returned to full strength unscathed. A boarding penalty for captain Struan Tonnar soon followed however, as the home team sought to compete with the physical strength of the Pirates. Unable to hit the target in the final minute, this punishment ran over into the second period to see the visitors head in with a two-goal lead and a minute remaining of their power play.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to full strength without further concession, the Sharks were spurred on to snatch a goal of their own as forward Connor Henderson fired past Gospel to halve his side’s deficit, whilst Czech defenceman Marek Charvát and captain Struan Tonnar picked up assists. Their spirits raised by this goal, it took Solway just forty four seconds to add another to their tally as Czech blue liner Vaclav Kolarik netted an equaliser to stun the Pirates courtesy of forwards Duncan Speirs and Iain Bowie. Just over six minutes later, Hull were able to hit back with a third, Davies grabbing his second goal of the evening following a neat pass from Archer but this lead was immediately scratched out as the Sharks gained possession from faceoff to see young forward Scott Henderson play the puck to Connor Henderson who unleashed a shot to beat Gospel just five seconds later. The score line 3-3 and the teams continuing to compete to a high standard, Martin Grubb’s side were then disappointed to go shorthanded as alternate captain Ross Murray made his way to the sin bin after a hooking call from referee David Emmerson on 35:32. Hull’s advantage was then enhanced as the side could enjoy thirty one seconds of a five-on-three situation when Charvát was sidelined for delaying the game. Although unable to capitalise with the additional man, the Pirates were able to build sufficient momentum to regain the lead with just twelve seconds of the period remaining, Chamberlain achieving his tenth league goal of the season following creative play from Bonner and Towner to see Solway go in at the interval with a one-goal deficit to overturn.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading onto the ice with the aim to equalise at the very least, Solway found themselves up against it as the Pirates looked to extend their lead and were not about to let the points slip away now that they were so close to securing their victory. Although working hard to challenge Gospel on several occasions, the Sharks were unable to make their mark in the opening stages of the period and soon found themselves punished as Davies bagged his hat trick with 47:53 played, Bonner teaming up with Archer in this instance. Shortly afterwards, forward Scott Henderson incurred a minor penalty for high sticks to place Hull on the power play and, not about to pass up the opportunity to make it 6-3, the Pirates found the target just over a minute into their advantage, alternate captain Jonathan Kirk integrating Davies into play to allow player-coach Hewitt to print his name on the scoresheet. Seven seconds after this goal, Solway were awarded a power play when forward Josh Gent was sinbinned for hooking but, try as they might, the Sharks could not make the most of this advantage to leave a three-goal margin between themselves and their visitors for the remainder of the period. Resigned to their fate as time ebbed away, the Dumfries outfit ended the game on the power play as Bonner made way for slashing with thirty seconds left but the Sharks could not grab a last minute consolation, leaving the Pirates to hit the road with a 6-3 victory which moves Hull into fourth position with just one less point than Solway and four games in hand. 

Speaking after this fixture, Head Coach Martin Grubb revealed: “We are disappointed with our slow start and you cannot give a team with Hull’s quality a two-goal lead. We showed good character in the second period and only a soft goal let us down but then Hull turned it up and we made a few too many mistakes in the third and you cannot do that and not expect to be punished by quality teams.”

Sheffield remain top Dogs as Warriors suffer road defeat

Sheffield Steeldogs   5

Whitley Warriors         2

Travelling to Sheffield without injured defenceman Josh Maddock and Canadian import Philip Edgar, forward Callum Watson, blue liner Dan Pye and youngster Anthony Wetherell, Whitley Warriors were hopeful that they could put the Steeldogs to the test with their squad of seventeen skaters and netminders Richie Lawson and Mark Turnbull. Meanwhile, Ben Morgan’s Steeldogs were able to match Whitley in number, the side missing only alternate captain and defenceman Tim Smith from their line-up. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Striving to make a positive start to this challenging contest, the Warriors found themselves confronted by some early attempts from Sheffield with shot stopper Lawson called into action to save a speculative shot from defenceman Jamie Scott in the early stages of first the period. Working hard in defence to prevent the Steeldogs from getting on the scoresheet and trying their luck at the other end of the ice, Whitley were able to grow into the game as both teams began with caution to ensure that they did not fall behind in the opening minutes. With a stalemate developing as a result, it was not until 15:02 that Sheffield edged ahead as Whitley’s player-coach David Longstaff was shown to the sin bin for crosschecking to see the Steeldogs go on the advantage, the side capitalising just over a minute later through Slovakian Adrian Palak who was sent through on goal after a pass from captain Lewis Bell; left winger Andrew Hirst with the additional assist. Shortly afterwards, the Steeldogs doubled their lead, this time Bell teaming up with defenceman Thomas Relf to allow Slovakian forward Milan Kolena to achieve his thirteenth league goal of the season. Unable to hit back in the final minute of the period, the Warriors filed from the ice, disappointed to be trailing by two goals after an even start to the contest.

Facing off for the second period, Whitley suffered a further setback when captain Dean Holland headed to the sinbin for tripping on 21:17 to hand the Steeldogs a power play but the Warriors were able to battle on the penalty kill to prevent Sheffield from converting their possession and thereby returned to full strength without an addition to their deficit. Both sides continued to see chances fall their way with Hirst first trying his luck for the Steeldogs only for the Warriors to clear their defensive zone and go on the attack, their effort dealt with by Sheffield’s defence. Regaining possession, Hirst was then able to follow-up his side’s creativity with a second shot which was stopped by the post. A penalty for Kolena soon followed close to the halfway point in the period and whilst Whitley were unable to make the most of their additional skater in this instance, it was not long after that the side were able to get on the scoresheet, power forward Jordan Barnes making the most of Whitley’s breakaway on 33:12 to accomplish his third league goal of the season following build up play from player-coach David Longstaff and blue liner Kyle Hindmarsh-Ross. The score line narrowed to 2-1, Whitley called a timeout around three minutes after this goal in the hope of an equaliser but the Steeldogs were eager to enhance their lead and after a couple of missed chances, James Spurr made it 3-1; defenceman Thomas Barry and left winger Hirst assisting on 37:32. Thirty five seconds later, the Steeldogs found themselves shorthanded when Liam Charnock made way for elbowing but it was not long after that the Warriors were also reduced to four men with Barnes considered guilty of interference. However, Whitley’s power play was then reinstated when Sheffield conceded a second penalty as forward Cameron Brownley was made to warm a seat in the sin bin for holding with just six seconds of the period remaining.  

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With these penalties served and Whitley failing to make the most of their short advantage, the Steeldogs were then able to extend their lead to 4-1 with just over five minutes of the period played as Kolena received the puck from Hirst to allow Spurr to tap in his second goal of the evening. Looking to dominate in front of goal, the home team began to pile the pressure onto shot stopper Lawson who managed to smother a shot from captain Bell to ensure his opposition did not widen the margin on this occasion. Shortly afterwards, the Warriors were able to reduce their deficit to two as player-coach Longstaff tapped the puck into the net following passing play between defenceman Martin Crammond and forward Shaun Kippin. Continuing to have their fair share of chances whilst equally defending against the Steeldogs’ creativity, the Warriors were then disappointed to incur a bench minor for delaying the game which awarded the Steeldogs a power play. The home team wasted little time in punishing this misdemeanour, Hirst netting fifty five seconds later as Spurr incorporated Barry into play to send his teammate through on goal. The score line 5-2 with less than four minutes remaining, Whitley were unable to recover from this fifth goal, allowing Sheffield to claim the points on the final buzzer. This result sees Whitley remain in seventh place with fourteen points from fourteen games whilst the Steeldogs sit top with twenty five points from thirteen games, remaining ahead of title rivals Telford Tigers at present. Reflecting on his team’s work ethic, player-coach David Longstaff admitted: “I was really pleased with the performance to be honest. We were missing Edgar, Watson, Sample, Pye and Maddock but the players that turned up really put a shift in.”

Sharks sink teeth into Stars to earn cup win

Billingham Stars       3

Solway Sharks       7

Lining up with a stronger side than that which iced against Blackburn Hawks on Saturday, Billingham Stars saw the return of defencemen Andy Finn, Richie Thornton, Ben Davison and Darren Stattersfield, though forwards Josh Nertney, Luke Brown and Jack Emerson and ‘D’ men Dave Thomas, Thomas Keeley and Ross Hanlon once again missed out for the Teessiders. Meanwhile, Solway Sharks made the trip to The Forum without Ben Coughtrie, Kieran Hair and Houston brothers Luke and Lewis, although the Dumfries outfit were bolstered by the presence of two-way player Josh Grieveson on this occasion.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With Billingham searching for two points to overtake Blackburn Hawks in the NIHL National Cup competition, the Stars were prepared to give their all against Solway Sharks but suffered an early setback when forward Jack Davies was shown to the sinbin for a boarding offence on 2:24. Taking only fifty three seconds to capitalise on this opportunity, Solway Sharks were pleased to edge ahead in the contest as hardworking left winger Steven Moore placed the puck beyond netminder Mark Watson courtesy of forward Duncan Speirs and alternate captain James Hutchinson. Spurred on by their positive start to this game, Solway were able to double their lead less than three minutes later, Moore picking out blue liner Stuart Kerr, following a pass from Speirs, to see the youngster claim his second cup goal of the season. Shortly afterwards, Speirs was then made to warm a seat in the sinbin for hooking but the Stars could not halve their deficit as Solway’s shot stopper Calum Hepburn dealt with the shots that came his way. Moments after the termination of Speirs’ penalty, Stars’ forward Jack Davies and defenceman Grieveson were sidelined for roughing and holding respectively as the duo clashed. Though both sides were reduced to four men as a result, the Sharks remained resolute in front of goal and added a third to their tally through Czech defenceman Vaclav Kolarik whose unassisted effort beat Watson eleven seconds later. Less than a minute later, Watson was made to pick the puck from his net once more as captain Struan Tonnar made his mark on the game following neat play between Czech blue liner Marek Charvát and alternate captain Ross Murray on 15:18. This goal prompting a timeout from the Stars, Billingham realised their need to change tack if they were to get themselves back into this game and opted to switch Watson with usual first choice shot stopper James Flavell. Resuming play only for forward Scott Ward to incur a ten minute misconduct penalty soon after, the Stars were undeterred by this setback and continued their quest for a goal, the outfit striking the net thirty eight seconds later as blue liner Stattersfield threaded a pass to captain Michael Elder who fired beyond Hepburn to make it 4-1. Disappointed to concede at this stage in the period, the Sharks then went shorthanded as captain Tonnar sat out for slashing on 19:27 to hand Billingham the advantage after the break, although Solway were pleased to skate off with a three-goal lead at the end of the first period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning with the additional man as a result of Tonnar’s penalty, Billingham immediately turned their attention towards Hepburn’s net as forward Callum Davies collected the puck from Stattersfield to see fellow alternate captain Chris Sykes maintain his excellent form in front of goal, the side scoring just twenty eight seconds into the middle stanza. The score line now narrowed to 4-2 as a result, the Sharks were eager to regain their three-goal lead but Martin Grubb’s men were dismayed to go shorthanded just over three minutes after conceding this goal as blue liner Hutchinson made way for roughing to give the home team another power play. Unable to convert their advantage on this occasion, the Stars found themselves reduced to four men with just nine seconds of Solway’s penalty remaining to see the side go shorthanded when Hutchinson was restored to the ice. Working hard to challenge Flavell having just defended on the penalty kill, Solway sought to find the net for a fifth time, fearing that Billingham were creeping back into the game. However, the Sharks were unable to extend their lead until the very last second of their advantage, the side scoring on the exact moment Stattersfield made his return to the ice through power forward Murray who broke away from the Stars’ defence to achieve a fantastic unassisted effort for his team. Buoyed by their goal scoring prowess, the visitors were then able to accomplish a lead of 6-2 when Moore incorporated Tonnar into play to see his captain provide a pass to Speirs who notched his first cup goal of his campaign on 30:02. It was shortly after Speirs’ successful offensive effort that the game then took a very different turn as forward Joe Coulter charged at Jack Davies, causing the duo to drop the gloves to see both earn penalties of 2+2+2; the former receiving this punishment for charging and roughing whilst the latter incurred the same penalty for roughing alone. With these players sinbinned, both teams continued in their pursuit of their next goal and it was not long after this fight that the Teessiders were able to notch a third as Latvian forward Deniss Baškatovs found Stattersfield who beat Hepburn to achieve his first goal for the Stars on 37:03. Pleased with this addition to the score line, Billingham were keen to further reduce the margin between themselves and their opposition but with the period in its latter stages and the sides only restored to full strength fifty seconds before the interval, neither team were able to get on the scoresheet to see Solway head in with a 6-3 lead.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Prepared to confront the Sharks for a third and final period, the Stars were hopeful that they could chip away at their three-goal deficit to challenge Solway for the points. Taking control of possession to test Flavell, the Dumfries outfit set their sights on goal but failed to make their mark before handing Billingham a power play on 45:32 as young forward Daniel Abercrombie was sidelined for roughing. Finding it difficult to break down Solway’s penalty kill, the Stars could not defeat shot stopper Hepburn to see their chances of a comeback fade. Four minutes after returning to full strength, the Sharks then went shorthanded for a second time in the stanza as Moore served two minutes for hooking to give his opposition another chance to get back in the game but once again, the Teessiders were wasteful of this opportunity and as time ran out, it became clear that there was no way back for the Stars; their fate hammered home when youngster Scott Henderson placed the puck high beyond Flavell on 59:05 courtesy of Charvát to confirm the Sharks’ 7-3 victory. This result now sees Solway four points ahead of close cup competitors Blackburn Hawks whilst Billingham Stars remain at the foot of Group A with five points from eight games.

Looking back on this fixture, Sharks’ Head Coach Grubb shared: “I asked for a response and we started really well and dominated the game and we got ourselves 4-0 up and were very good in the first period. The game got scrappy and a little too chippy in the second. We got sucked into it rather than sticking to our game but we were better again in the third and moved the puck well. It’s always tough to play Billingham but I thought we were in complete control so that pleased me after Saturday’s result.” Adding to this, Stars’ alternate captain Chris Sykes noted: “It was a double cup weekend to finish the cup fixtures. They went okay; we won away in Blackburn with twelve guys and we lost on Sunday to Solway. I think tired legs and bodies came into it. We’ve got two weeks off now for the Stars to recover and get back to it in the league and to start putting some wins together.”

For those fans who wish to contribute to Ross Murray’s fundraising campaign, please follow the link: https://mobro.co/rossmurray90.

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