NIHL Weekend Action

Warriors scorch Stars as Whitley triumph over Teessiders

Whitley Warriors  7

Billingham Stars  3

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

After suffering a short bench in recent weeks, Whitley Warriors were able to line up with close to a full roster as they prepared to play host to local rivals Billingham Stars, with ex-EPL player Adam Finlinson, injured forward Niall Simpson and stand-in defenceman Martin Crammond unavailable for this clash. Likewise, local rivals Billingham Stars were also able to ice a strong team, making the trip to Hillheads with nineteen skaters which included alternate captain Chris Sykes, captain Michael Elder and youngsters James Hellens and Ethan Hehir.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Approaching this fixture with caution to avoid conceding an early goal against their local rivals, the opening minutes saw both teams battling for the puck without much intensity, though the Stars initially edged possession to make life difficult for netminder Richie Lawson. As expected from a derby game, it was not long before referee Alex Stewart dished out his first penalty of the encounter; blue liner Ben Davison considered guilty of high sticks against long-serving Warrior DJ Good to see Whitley gain the power play on 4:46. This advantage was cut short however, when new signing Sam Zajac made his way to the sin bin for holding just forty six seconds later to level the playing field. Looking to bounce back from the disruption caused by these penalties, the Warriors were then able to open their account as Shaun Kippin picked out fellow alternate captain Jordan Barnes courtesy of Zajac to see the power forward net on 11:27. Whitley’s joy proved short-lived though, as moments later forward Ben Richards was sidelined for high sticks to allow Billingham to make the most of their additional man, the side scoring with nineteen seconds of Richards’ penalty remaining when skilled forward Sykes teamed up with Elder to play Latvian import Deniss Baškatovs through on goal with success. Though a little disappointed to have lost their lead, the Warriors were certainly not disheartened by this equaliser and instead rallied to achieve their second of the evening when Good threaded a pass to captain Dean Holland who then raced beyond the Stars’ blue line to reap the rewards of his determination, beating shot stopper James Flavell on 14:41. Once again though, it was not long before the Warriors were on the wrong end of another call from referee Stewart, this time Barnes made to warm a seat in the sin bin for crosschecking. Failing to capitalise on this power play, the Stars were then disappointed to concede a third as Kippin unleashed a rocket of a shot following build up play between player-coach David Longstaff and defenceman Kyle Ross to present Whitley with a two-goal lead in the final minute of the period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Hopeful that they could turn around their fortunes in the second stanza, Billingham returned to the ice and were dismayed to see Sykes sinbinned for a slashing offence just forty five seconds in. Soon joined by forward Jack Davies, who was made to serve two minutes for interference, the Stars found themselves defending a five-on-three situation but a misplaced pass from Holland in Billingham’s defensive zone saw the puck fall to Baškatovs who immediately linked up with Sykes as he broke out of the sin bin, the alternate captain dashing away from Whitley’s blue liners to slot a shorthanded goal past Lawson on 22:51 to make it 3-2. Ten seconds after Jack Davies was restored to the ice, Elder then found himself punished for delaying the game after officials scrutinised his approach to faceoffs but soon after, Kippin found himself sidelined for high sticks which was then followed by a hooking penalty for Barnes to see Billingham go on a power play. Killing these penalties effectively, the Warriors were placed under pressure once again when Longstaff’s line-up conceded a bench minor for too many men. To make matters worse, Zajac was then shown to the sin bin for a second time to hand the Stars another five-on-three situation but again, Whitley expertly ran down these penalties to maintain their lead and watched on as a power play then fell in their favour just beyond the halfway point of the period; this time player-coach Richie Thornton sitting out for holding. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

This advantage easing the pressure on the Warriors, the home team were able to build up some momentum of their own as Good played the puck to Longstaff whose shot was knocked goalwards by blue liner Harry Harley to make it 4-2 on 31:47. Fifty seven seconds later, the Stars suffered a further setback when Kippin buried the puck for a second time courtesy of Barnes and Longstaff to widen the gap between themselves and their local rivals. This goal was followed by a little confusion as blue liner Dan Pye was first called to the penalty box to serve two minutes for tripping after preventing Star Callum Davies from finding the target but he then returned to the ice on the premise that the Teessiders were awarded a penalty shot. Hoping to make this chance count, Davies found himself confronted by Lawson who came out of his net to ensure the forward put his shot wide. After finding some reprieve from this, Whitley then went shorthanded, this time Zajac deemed guilty of interference on 34:42 to incur his third penalty of the evening which Billingham were all too happy to capitalise on as Baškatovs grabbed his second of the evening with help from Elder and fellow forward James Moss. Once again going within two goals of their opposition, the Stars clung to the hope that they could claw back some lost ground but Whitley were just as eager to ensure this did not happen and hit home a sixth on 39:29 when Ross struck from the blue line after passing play between Kippin and Longstaff. With Stewart awaiting the opportunity to call for interference against Billingham’s young defenceman Hellens, Whitley finished the period in possession and with the knowledge that they would return on a power play, having established a three-goal lead.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Beginning on the power play, Billingham were faced with further pressure and, with just nine seconds of their penalty kill remaining, the side conceded a seventh as Richards accomplished the final touch on a long-range effort from Zajac on 41:51. Less than a minute later, the Stars incurred a minor for too many men and, though Whitley continued to trouble Flavell, the Warriors were unable to add another to their tally. A hooking penalty for Scott Ward was then dished out on 49:18 to give the Warriors the advantage once again, allowing the home team to enjoy their possession but, try as they might, Whitley couldn’t find a way beyond Flavell who remained sturdy for the remainder of the game to ensure the Stars did not concede further. Elated to have claimed maximum points on the final buzzer as a result of their 7-3 score line, the Warriors remain in seventh place with eighteen points from eighteen games whilst Billingham stay ninth with five points from fifteen league fixtures, but with four games in hand on their immediate competition.

Speaking after this derby day clash, Whitley Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff shared: “I thought we were very comfortable winners, even though we didn’t play well. We made far too many mistakes and some of our play was very sloppy. It was important to get the two points before the Christmas break as we are travelling to Hull with lots of players missing.”

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