NIHL Weekend Action

Sharks bite back as Stars lose spark

Solway Sharks          7

Billingham Stars       3

Heading out onto the ice with sixteen skaters, including captain Struan Tonnar, top points scorer Iain Bowie and young forward Scott Henderson, Solway Sharks were hopeful that they could achieve a victory over close rivals Billingham Stars, the side opting for Kyle Johnston in net over usual first choice Calum Hepburn. Meanwhile, the Stars made the trip to the Dumfries Ice Bowl with a short bench of sixteen players, their lengthy absentee list including Latvian defenceman Artūrs Ozols, blue liner Andy Finn and forwards Scott Ward, Jack Emerson and Josh Nertney, though the side were pleased to see shot stopper James Flavell make his return from injury.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making a fast start following faceoff, Billingham immediately sought their opening goal of the game which was delivered with less than three minutes played when forward Jack Davies teamed up with junior Ethan Hehir to assist player-coach Michael Bowman in his efforts to get onto the scoresheet. Shortly afterwards, a tripping penalty for Sharks’ forward Duncan Speirs then presented the Stars with a power play but, failing to contend with Solway’s penalty kill, the Teessiders could not double their lead with the additional skater. Though both teams continued to battle for the puck following the termination of this penalty, with the Sharks looking to draw level and Billingham hunting for their second goal, it was the Stars who were able to reap the rewards of their hard work as the outfit gained a second power play when Solway’s defenceman Scott Cooper was shown to the sin bin for interference. Careful not to waste this chance after failing to make their previous power play count, the Teessiders worked for more than a minute before Callum Davies was finally able to hit the target on 15:29, fellow alternate captain Chris Sykes and player-coach Bowman with the assists. Dismayed to find themselves behind by two goals, the Sharks were soon presented with a further setback when just over a minute later, Under 20s captain Alex Preston netted following creative play from Latvian forward Deniss Baškatovs and defenceman Ross Hanlon. Realising their need to hit back before the break in order to stay in the contest, Solway fired themselves onto the scoresheet with just fourteen seconds of the period remaining as Bowie unleashed an unassisted shot to see his team head in on the wrong end of the 3-1 score line.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice with a clear objective besides switching netminder Johnston for shot stopper Hepburn, Solway set out to chip away at their deficit and were successful in their efforts to get back on track, two-way player Jordan Buesa teaming up with Tonnar to set up forward Scott Henderson who did not miss his mark on 22:06. Shortly after this goal, the Stars ran into penalty trouble as forward James Moss incurred a minor for interference to hand Solway a power play. Failing to make the most of this, Martin Grubb’s men were then presented with the advantage just over two minutes after Billingham returned to full strength, this time Stars’ blue liner Thomas Keeley sidelined for a slashing offence. Though unable to make the most of their power play, the Sharks created momentum and maintained possession to place their visitors under a great deal of pressure which resulted in an equaliser fifty five seconds after Keeley’s return to the ice as captain Tonnar levelled the scoring following some neat play from Buesa. Just sixty seconds later, Keeley found himself back in the penalty box as the defenceman made way for a high sticks offence to allow Solway the additional skater once again. Continuing to dominate in front of Flavell’s net, the Sharks failed to score whilst on the power play for a second time and instead took the lead two minutes later as Bowie linked up with Czech defenceman Marek Charvát on 37:34. The score line 4-3 as a result, Billingham were frustrated to have lost their three-goal lead which showed as the side incurred a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct just nineteen seconds later and were consequently made to see out the remainder of the period with four men. Though failing to widen the gap between themselves and their opposition on the advantage, the Sharks were relieved to have turned their fortunes around in this period to file from the ice with a narrow lead after outshooting the Stars by twenty five to four.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Facing off for the third and final stanza, Solway were keen to add to their tally to ensure the points would be theirs at the end of the night. As such, the side looked to pick up from where they left off and were able to maintain their work ethic in front of Flavell’s net to hit home a fifth as forward Scott Henderson played the puck to Bowie who notched his second of the evening with 42:25 on the clock. Three minutes later, Flavell was again picking the puck from his net, this time forward Connor Henderson the man on target as Scott Henderson worked with Bowie to assist. Twenty seconds later, Sharks’ alternate captain Ross Murray was called to the sin bin for interference to hand the Stars a power play but the visitors could not add to their tally and just under two minutes after returning to full strength, Solway were able to make it 7-3, this time Cooper printing his name on the scoresheet on 49:35 courtesy of Speirs and skilled left winger Steven Moore. Despondent after conceding seven unanswered goals, Billingham found that they could not get back into the game against Grubb’s dominant Sharks who were eager to make amends for last month’s defeat to the Teessiders. Controlling play to outshoot the Stars once again, it was clear that Solway were not about to let the points slip from their grasp on this occasion. A tripping penalty for Sharks’ defenceman Josh Grieveson on 57:39 made no difference to the score line as the Teessiders failed to snatch a power play goal in the final stages of the game. As such, Solway were able to head in with two points from their victory, the Dumfries outfit pleased to have turned their evening around after a disappointing start to the contest.

Looking back on this win, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb admitted: “We started very slowly and didn’t play the way we wanted in the first period and found ourselves three goals behind until we got a late goal in the first period. We came out ready to play after the first break and dominated the rest of the game, scoring seven unanswered goals and were really comfortable winners, although we need to start better in future games or we will get punished.”

Agony for Warriors as Tigers go wild over narrow victory

Whitley Warriors      2

Telford Tigers          3

Heading out onto the ice with a strong line-up of twenty skaters and netminder Mark Turnbull, who took his place between the pipes in the absence of usual first choice shot stopper Richie Lawson, Whitley Warriors were more than up for this challenging encounter against Telford Tigers who made the trip with a short bench of fourteen skaters, the side missing defenceman Jordan Stokes, versatile blue liner Dale White and forwards Brodie Jesson and Jack Watkins.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off against Telford Tigers for the first period, Whitley Warriors were keen to contend with their opposition and the side did just that, rapidly battling for the puck between zones as the Shropshire outfit targeted Turnbull’s net whilst the home team countered to call shot stopper Denis Bell into action at the other end of the ice. Though Telford’s captain Jason Silverthorn, alternate captain Richard Plant, experienced defenceman Jonathan Weaver, forward Scott McKenzie and winger Warren Tait were amongst those working to beat Whitley’s defence, Warriors’ Canadian import Philip Edgar, captain Dean Holland and player-coach David Longstaff set their sights on Bell’s net on more than one occasion but failed to make their efforts count. A stalemate ensuing, the Warriors were pleased to be handed a power play on 8:17 when McKenzie made way for a high sticks offence but despite their pressure on the Tigers’ goal, the Warriors could not break the deadlock and were forced back into defence by their visitors. Evenly matched throughout the first period, there was nothing to separate the two sides as the stanza came to a close but a boarding penalty against Warrior Ben Richards presented Telford with their first power play of the game on 19:14 to see the outfit take their advantage into the second period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Working effectively to kill this penalty, Whitley sought to challenge Bell but Telford returned to the ice with a determination to open the scoring and as such, it was not long before the Tigers were presented with the perfect opportunity as Warriors’ alternate captain Shaun Kippin headed to the sin bin for interference on 26:10. Just four seconds later, the puck was in the back of the net, McKenzie playing a pass across to Weaver who picked out Tait to see the forward bag a 1-0 lead for his team. This goal brought with it a shift in power as the Tigers were spurred on to double their tally whilst the Warriors battled to make their offensive play count at the other end of the ice. As a result, Telford made it 2-0 on 29:56, this time Tom Watkins’ team capitalising on a defensive error as Silverthorn collected the puck from behind Turnbull’s net to play in Plant who netted to add to Whitley’s disappointment. Just over a minute later, the Warriors were able to pull back a goal as the puck was played down the ice and trickled beyond Bell, allowing Edgar to nip around the shot stopper to score an unassisted goal on 31:01. Just twenty three seconds later, a boarding penalty was called against Tigers’ young forward Jed Moreland to see Whitley claim a power play which they wasted no time in converting, the side hitting the back of the net eight seconds later when blue liner Kyle Ross threaded a pass to player-coach Longstaff who eased the puck beyond Bell to level the scoring. Having conceded two goals in the space of thirty one seconds, Telford’s frustrations soon began to show as Whitley increased their pressure on the Tigers’ net, young defenceman Daniel Mitchell earning himself 2+10 for a check to the head after flooring Whitley’s blue liner Josh Maddock on 35:29. Unable to capitalise on this power play, the Warriors then found themselves reduced to four men in the final minute of the stanza as the side incurred a bench minor for too many men to allow Telford to return with the additional skater in the opening stages of the third period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning on the penalty kill yet again, the Warriors battled to parry the puck out of their defensive zone and even strove to test Bell on one occasion whilst shorthanded but without success. With both teams continuing to challenge for a game-winning goal with play so close and the score still tied, the Warriors battled to make their efforts count, applying pressure with continuous rapid fire on Bell’s net whilst the Tigers scrapped for possession against Whitley’s defence in their struggle to beat Turnbull who remained sturdy between the pipes, the netminder pulling off some outstanding saves to ensure his team did not fall behind. A tripping penalty for blue liner Harry Harley on 50:48 placed Telford on a power play which saw the Warriors rallying to defend against the Tigers’ offensive play, the side successfully killing the penalty. Less than two minutes later, forward Ryan Sample was made to sit out for interference, allowing the Tigers’ to have another chance at achieving a power play goal. Despite this setback, Whitley remained composed to keep the score line at 2-2, though the Hillheads outfit were placed under growing pressure as the Tigers continued to hunt down a winning goal. It was only in the final two minutes of the game though that Tom Watkins’ team were able to recover their lead as Plant teamed up with defenceman Adam Jones to present Silverthorn with an opportunity to make it 3-2, the captain negotiating Whitley’s scrabbling defence to fire the puck over Turnbull on 58:52. Hugely disappointed to see this goal hamper their chances of heading into overtime, the Warriors called a timeout and opted to pull Turnbull from his net to allow for the additional skater but in spite of their many attempts, Whitley were unable to equalise before the final buzzer called time on their narrow defeat.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Reflecting on this loss, Whitley’s player-coach David Longstaff shared: “I thought we competed with them for the majority of the game. We did talk throughout the game about how we kept turning the puck over in dangerous areas and ultimately that’s what cost us in the last minute. We have a very honest bunch of players and we’ll hopefully learn from these mistakes but we were very happy with the performance overall.”

Pirates claim loot in race for title as Sharks swamped by goals

Hull Pirates          11

Solway Sharks       2

Travelling to Hull with a squad of sixteen skaters and netminders Calum Hepburn and Kyle Johnston, Solway Sharks were hopeful that they could take on the shortbenched Pirates whose side consisted of nine forwards, five defencemen, shot stopper Adam Long and backup netminder Joseph Gent; the home team heading out onto the ice in search of two points to continue in the race for the league title.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With silverware up for grabs and every point hugely important, the Pirates’ objective was clear from the outset as they headed out onto the ice against the Sharks with the aim to put the result of this meeting beyond doubt as quickly as possible. As such, Hull were able to notch their first goal of the evening on 2:24 when Aaron Lyon punished Sharks’ starting netminder Johnston following neat build up play from fellow forwards Joshua Gent and Jordan Fisher. Under pressure, Solway then conceded a second goal less than four minutes later when forward Lee Bonner printed his name on the scoresheet courtesy of right winger James Archer and captain Jamie Chilcott. Stunned to have fallen behind so quickly, Solway called a timeout immediately after this goal in a bid to turn their fortunes around but just over a minute later, Johnston was again picking the puck from his net as Bonner achieved his second of the evening on 7:48 with Archer and Chilcott again assisting. This goal prompted a change of netminder for the Sharks as Head Coach Martin Grubb switched Johnston for Hepburn but it appeared that the damage was already done as the Pirates altered the scoreboard just thirteen seconds later, this time Bonner turning assist for Chilcott. Regaining their composure after this goal, Solway began to withstand Hull’s offensive play to prevent further concession and attempted to test shot stopper Long at the other end of the ice but the home team remained dominant to ensure that their 4-0 lead remained intact going into the second period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Taking to the ice for the middle stanza, Solway were keen to turn their fortunes around but the Pirates had other ideas, the side beating Hepburn on 21:54 as defenceman Thomas Stubley received a pass from player-coach Jason Hewitt to incorporate Bobby Chamberlain into play, the right winger finding the net to add to the Sharks’ deficit. Moments later, Solway suffered a further setback when forward Joe Coulter made his way to the sin bin for tripping to hand the Pirates a power play. Though the Dumfries outfit worked hard to kill this penalty to ensure Hull could not capitalise with the additional man, the Pirates were able to make it 6-0 less than three minutes after Coulter’s return to the ice, this time Hewitt the man on target as left winger Matty Davies and captain Chilcott linked up to help their player-coach onto the scoresheet on 30:19. Just forty two seconds later, the Pirates bagged themselves another as Chamberlain notched his second of the evening courtesy of Davies and Stubley. Seven goals down, the Sharks were then frustrated to lose a man to the sin bin when blue liner Stuart Kerr was sidelined for holding on 35:28 to allow Hull another power play. Unable to make the most of this advantage as the Sharks worked hard on the penalty kill, the Pirates then found themselves shorthanded just over a minute after Solway returned to full strength, the side losing Lyon to the sin bin following a tripping call in the last two minutes of the period. Though ending this stanza on a power play, Grubb’s men failed to open their account and instead headed in on the wrong end of the 7-0 score line.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Filing back onto the ice with thirty three seconds of their power play remaining, Solway restored Johnston to his net and strove to make their additional skater count but it was the Pirates who were next to score after their return to full strength, the side achieving their eighth of the game when alternate captain Jonathan Kirk linked up with Hewitt to see Fisher net on 42:38. Twenty six seconds later, the puck was fired home by Davies as the Sharks began to accept that there was no way back; Hewitt assisting alongside Kirk on this occasion. Soon after, the Pirates headed into double figures as Bonner completed his hat trick with support from Chamberlain on 44:17, the outfit racking up three goals in under two minutes to make it 10-0. Increasing their offensive play as a result of this goal, the Sharks were able to claim a goal of their own less than two minutes later when Bowie hit home following creative play from forward Coulter and experienced alternate captain James Hutchinson. Moments later, a slashing penalty for Chamberlain placed Solway on the power play but unable to find the back of the net despite their many chances, the Sharks were quick to regret their inability to capitalise as Bonner accomplished his fourth goal of the evening to make it 11-1 on 52:18, following quick play from alternate captain Samuel Towner and right winger Archer. The Sharks were then able to defeat Long for a second time as alternate captain Ross Murray linked up with captain Struan Tonnar who doubled his side’s tally; a mere consolation for the visiting Dumfries team. Moments after scoring, Tonnar found himself sinbinned for holding to hand the Pirates a power play but the side’s advantage was cut short as just eighteen seconds later Hewitt made way for slashing. These penalties were then closely followed by minors for both Archer and Johnston, the duo punished for interference on 57:32. With these penalties breaking up the flow of play and the game well and truly won, the teams saw out the dying minutes before the final buzzer sounded to confirm Hull’s 11-2 victory.

Considering his team’s heavy defeat, Solway’s Head Coach Martin Grubb acknowledged: “We got off to a terrible start and were heavily punished by a quality hockey team and it was a harsh lesson to learn. We didn’t do ourselves any justice but they were simply much better than us in every department and that is the level we need to strive to achieve.”

Stars struck by Barons as Solihull battle to take win

Billingham Stars     5

Solihull Barons          8

Hoping to make amends for Saturday night’s defeat to Solway Sharks with a home win against Solihull Barons, Billingham Stars headed out onto the ice with a short bench once again, this time lining up with fifteen skaters as forward Jack Emerson made his return to the side alongside young defenceman James Hellens who was also available for this clash. Likewise, Solihull made the trip to Teesside with fifteen skaters and had netminders Josh Nicholls and Daniel Brittle at their disposal, the side opting for the former to make his start between the pipes on this occasion.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Hoping to achieve a victory over the Barons, Billingham Stars headed out in front of their home crowd with the aim to put up a fight against their visitors but were stunned when Solihull opened the scoring with just fifty nine seconds on the clock, forward Elliot Farrell grabbing a goal with help from captain Josh Bruce. Undeterred by this, the Stars opted to try their luck at the other end of the ice against Barons’ netminder Nicholls but Solihull were spurred on by their 1-0 lead and prevented Billingham’s attempts on goal as they looked to double their tally. Despite efforts from both teams, it was not until just beyond the halfway point of the period that the next goal arrived, the Barons again finding the net as Farrell snatched his second of the evening following a pass from alternate captain Tomas Janak. Frustrated to find themselves trailing by two goals, Stars’ forward Jack Emerson then clashed with Solihull’s defenceman Dave Rogers after the Baron was considered to be guilty of holding; the duo dropped their gloves to each earn 2+2 for fighting whilst Rogers picked up an additional minor for his original offence. These penalties disrupting play, the Barons strove for a third goal but found it difficult to beat netminder James Flavell, the side only managing to score with just forty seven seconds of Rogers’ penalty remaining; forward Thomas Soar causing problems for the Stars’ defence alongside young forward Matthew Maurice and alternate captain Marcus Maynard to make it 3-0 on 16:11. Just over a minute later, a tripping call against defenceman Richard Crowe placed Billingham on a power play but failing to make this count, the Teessiders were forced to head in with a three-goal deficit and much work to do to get back into the game in the second period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Resuming play for the middle stanza, Billingham were keen to recover some lost ground but the Barons were not about to let their hard work come undone in this period and instead added a fourth to their lead; Luke Brittle working with forward Ed Eaton to successfully set up Swedish import Niklas Ottosson on 24:37. Just under three minutes later, a second tripping penalty against Crowe allowed Billingham another power play and this time the outfit were not about to let this opportunity slip by, the side hitting home with just four seconds of their advantage remaining as captain Michael Elder threaded a pass to alternate captain Callum Davies who was able to accomplish his seventh goal of the season on 29:16. Just over a minute later, shot stopper Daniel Brittle found himself called into the action when netminder Nicholls was ejected from the game for an accidental high sticks offence against Stars’ alternate captain Chris Sykes. As a result of this, Solihull were placed on a five-minute penalty kill which they executed with success as Billingham found their offensive efforts quashed to see no changes to the 4-1 score line. After serving this penalty, the Barons were relieved to be offered a power play of their own when Stars’ defenceman Matthew Campbell incurred a minor for tripping on 36:09. Twenty one seconds later, Flavell found himself beaten for a fifth time as Adam Brittle slotted home following hard work from captain Bruce and brother Luke Brittle but matters were quickly made worse for Billingham as just thirty seven seconds later, Ottosson bagged his second of the evening, Eaton again assisting alongside Luke Brittle, to make it 6-1 ahead of the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Switching Flavell with backup netminder Mark Watson, the Stars realised that they must act quickly to respond to this score line and netted forty four seconds into the third stanza as player-coach Richie Thornton played a pass to Elder who fired home to chip away at his team’s deficit. Twenty seven seconds after this goal, the Barons then ran into further penalty trouble when forward Adam Brittle earned himself 2+10 for a check to the head against Latvian import Deniss Baškatovs, incurring the wrath of forward James Moss in the process who was made to warm a seat in the sin bin for roughing as a consequence. Shortly afterwards, a delayed tripping call against defenceman Rogers allowed Billingham to capitalise, the side making it 6-3 through Baškatovs who was able to claim his twentieth league goal of the season following assists from blue liners Ben Davison and Campbell. Moments later, alternate captain Davies clashed with young forward Maurice, the Star becoming involved in the game from the bench, to see both earn minors for roughing. This penalty did not hold the Barons back however, and the side were able to make it 7-3 as Soar received the puck from Rogers to beat Watson on 47:42. The game skipping away from Billingham, their visitors then accomplished an eighth goal at the halfway point in the period when Soar teamed up with Eaton to allow Luke Brittle to print his name on the scoresheet. Battling back, Stars’ captain Elder achieved a goal for his side on 54:36 as Sykes and defenceman Thomas Keeley arrived in support and, just twenty two seconds later, Elder hit the target again to achieve his hat trick, this time Sykes working with Davies to assist. The score line 8-5 as a result of this rapid offensive play, Billingham threw everything into making their way back into the game and the Barons soon began to feel this pressure, the side calling a timeout to discuss tactics with less than three minutes remaining in the game. Pulling Watson from his net to ice an additional skater, the Stars were faced with the Barons’ resolute defence. A hooking call against forward Adam Brittle on 58:07 allowed Billingham a power play and the side rallied in their efforts to reduce their deficit but it wasn’t to be, the Stars admitting defeat as time ran out to confirm their 8-5 defeat.

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

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 (MORALEE)

Saturday 24th February 2018

  Solway Sharks vs. Billingham Stars

Sunday 25th February 2018

 Whitley Warriors vs. Telford Tigers
Hull Pirates vs. Solway Sharks

Billingham Stars vs. Solihull Barons

Fixture:    Solway Sharks vs. Billingham Stars

Date:        24^th February 2018  

Venue:     Dumfries Ice Bowl

Faceoff:  7:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Set to confront Billingham Stars for one last time this season, Solway Sharks will certainly not underestimate the Teessiders when they head into this home clash against their close rivals after suffering a disappointing 7-5 defeat to the side when they made the trip to The Forum last month. Achieving a 4-3 lead in this contest by the end of the second period, the Sharks were frustrated to see their hard work dwindle in the final stages of the game as the Stars scored four goals in the third stanza before Solway managed a last-minute consolatory goal. Often fierce and fiery fixtures, this game is expected to be no exception, particularly as both teams look to make up for recent form in which the sides have both lost two of their last three games; the Sharks recording consecutive losses to Whitley Warriors and Hull Pirates before Sunday’s 6-3 win over The Dragons whilst Billingham recovered from a heavy 12-3 loss to Telford Tigers with a win over Nottingham Lions, only to lose out to Sheffield Steeldogs last weekend on home ice. With few games remaining now that the season is drawing to a close, every point makes a great difference to each team and as such, Solway will set their sights on securing fourth position to ensure they finish ahead of Solihull Barons who are just four points behind the Dumfries outfit whilst the Stars will target seventh place in their efforts to narrow the margin between themselves and Steven Duncombe’s Blackburn Hawks. As each team will be prepared to give their all to claim a victory on Saturday evening, this meeting will no doubt be another interesting encounter between two close rivals.

Speaking ahead of this fixture, Solway Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb acknowledged:

“Games against the Stars are always tight affairs and we need to solely focus on our own performance and limit the mistakes we’ve been making recently or we will get punished. We know we need to be consistent between now and the start of playoffs and we need to start now.”

Fixture:    Whitley Warriors vs. Telford Tigers

Date:        25^th February 2018  

Venue:     Whitley Bay Ice Rink

Faceoff:  5:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading into another single-game weekend, Whitley Warriors will ready themselves for a demanding home fixture against title contenders Telford Tigers who have so far accomplished three victories over the Hillheads outfit this season and will aim for another to complete the four-game series. Losing out to the Tigers by just six goals to three in what was a highly entertaining encounter at Whitley Bay Ice Rink in October, the Warriors will hope to contend with the Shropshire outfit for a second time, knowing that they have what it takes to challenge Telford for the points. However, having lost out to Tom Watkins’ team twice on the road by quite some margin, Whitley know that a repeat of their previous home encounter against the silverware hopefuls will be difficult, particularly as the Tigers are now aiming for the top spot and need to bounce back after last weekend’s consecutive defeats to Sheffield Steeldogs and Hull Pirates who are also in the running for the league title. By comparison, the Warriors will head out in search of two points to continue to compete with Solihull for fifth place; David Longstaff’s line-up currently find themselves three points behind the Barons and will look to eliminate this margin in the coming weeks to ensure that they finish the season in the best possible league position. Having recorded victories against Sheffield Steeldogs and Solway Sharks in two positive home games, it is clear that Whitley can make for difficult competition on their smaller ice pad. In consequence, the side will take encouragement from this when they head out in search of victory of Sunday.

Looking forward to this game, Whitley Warriors’ player-coach David Longstaff shared:

“We’ve had two good results at home so hopefully we can get a good result. Telford will be trying to prove a point after a below par couple of weeks for them.”

Also considering this encounter, Telford Tigers’ forward Scott McKenzie revealed:

“We need to approach this weekend’s games with a play-off mentality. Although results haven’t gone our way, we have played a lot of games in a short amount of time against good sides so we will need to brush ourselves down and get back to work this weekend. Two gritty victories really gives us a fighting chance to stay in the league title race. We are fully aware that Sunday’s trip to Whitley is going to be tough. They have been on a bit of a run at home and have really tightened up defensively. We are expecting a strong Whitley performance but are hopeful that we have enough to bring the two points back to Shropshire.”

Fixture:    Hull Pirates vs. Solway Sharks

Date:        25^th February 2018  

Venue:     Hull Arena

Faceoff:  5:30pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Travelling to Hull Arena to face the Pirates after only just confronting Jason Hewitt’s outfit last Saturday in an enthralling meeting which ended in an 8-5 defeat for the Sharks, Solway will prepare for another tough test against the title contenders who will not want to miss out on a single point in their quest for silverware success now that the final strait of the season lies ahead. Sat just behind top-of-the-table outfit Sheffield Steeldogs ahead of this weekend’s games, the Pirates will aim for a six-point weekend going into their busy schedule which consists of a Friday night clash against the Steeldogs, a battle with Telford Tigers on Saturday evening and Sunday’s home encounter with the Sharks. Hoping to make the most of these games in hand, Hull will ensure this contest is a hugely challenging one for Martin Grubb’s men who will set out to improve on last weekend’s performance after the side found themselves trailing by 4-1 in the early stages of the second period. Temporarily recovering from this, the Sharks managed to snatch four goals in less than five minutes to take the lead ahead of the third stanza but the Dumfries outfit failed to maintain this, conceding four goals in the final period to miss out on the points. Yet to win against Hull as a result, Solway will set out to triumph over the side for the first time this season besides heading out with the objective to make amends for last weekend’s defeat. This, combined with the Pirates’ title hopes, should make this game another highly entertaining one with the outcome set to contribute to the fight for top spot.

Adding to his earlier comments, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb admitted:

“Last weekend we competed in small spells against a very, very good Hull team and we need to concentrate for sixty minutes to give ourselves any chance. We know we have the ability to cause any team problems and we need to ensure we stick to our game plan and execute it perfectly to try to get any points.”

Also looking ahead to this game, Hull Pirates’ defenceman Chris Wilcox shared:

“This weekend is probably our biggest of the year as we play Sheffield on Friday, Telford on Saturday and finally, Solway on Sunday. With it so tight at the top, it will be a tough weekend against teams that surround us in the league. All three games will be tight encounters and hopefully we can come out on the right side of the results. Sunday sees Solway travel to us and we know they are an organised outfit that can punish our mistakes. If we play like we did for fifty minutes of our previous encounter, we are confident in getting a good result.”

Fixture:    Billingham Stars vs. Solihull Barons

Date:        25^th February 2018  

Venue:     The Forum

Faceoff:  6:30pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Following their road trip to face Solway Sharks at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday evening, Billingham Stars will return to The Forum on Sunday to take on the fifth-placed Solihull Barons. Having lost out on the road to the side in December, the Teessiders most recently faced the Barons in consecutive games mid-January, first suffering an agonising overtime defeat in front of a home crowd before losing out by five goals to one at Hobs Moat Road. As such, the Stars will aim to add to the single point they have claimed against the Barons this season with a view to progress in the league standings. Taking a great deal of momentum into this game following a narrow 3-2 loss to Sheffield Steeldogs, a win over Nottingham Lions and a hard-fought 6-5 victory over Blackburn Hawks, Solihull have shown that they have what it takes to contend with the tough opposition of Division One this season and will look to extend the margin between themselves and Whitley Warriors this weekend to secure fifth place in the coming weeks. As such, Billingham will face a fight for the points when the two battle it out for one last time this campaign, the side looking to challenge the Hawks for seventh position with a positive result from their penultimate home game.

Going into this weekend, Stars’ alternate captain Chris Sykes considered his team’s upcoming double header:

“It’s a tough weekend for the Stars again. It looks like our playoff position is either seventh or eighth so the last few games are all about getting ready for the playoffs. This weekend is a tough one against Solway and Solihull. I’m hoping for four points for us.”

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

NIHL Weekend Action

Hull sinks Sharks as Pirates plunder points

Solway Sharks     5

Hull Pirates          8

Lining up with sixteen skaters which included alternate captain James Hutchinson, the defenceman making his return from injury, and young blue liner Liam Stenton who was able to make his senior debut for Solway Sharks in this fixture, Martin Grubb’s men opted for shot stopper Kyle Johnston to take his place between the pipes over usual first choice Calum Hepburn. Hull Pirates, meanwhile, travelled to the Dumfries Ice Bowl with fifteen skaters, the side led by captain Jamie Chilcott whilst goaltender Adam Long was given the start in net over Joseph Gent.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Starting the game with a bench minor for too many men just fifty four seconds after faceoff, Solway Sharks found themselves working hard on the penalty kill from the outset to prevent the Pirates from taking an early lead. In spite of these efforts, Hull were able to open their account approximately three minutes after Solway returned to full strength, the side getting ahead in the fixture through forward Lee Bonner after a neat pass from right winger James Archer. Eager to draw level as soon as possible, the Sharks bagged an equaliser just over a minute later when Iain Bowie fired the puck home following some hard work from fellow forward Connor Henderson on 7:21. Keen to recover their lead, the Pirates sought a second goal, utilising their possession to pile the pressure onto netminder Johnston in the hope that they could surpass Solway’s defence, the young shot stopper working hard to keep his team in the game. Though the Sharks saw off consecutive attacks from Jason Hewitt’s relentless Pirates, Hull’s perseverance soon overpowered the Dumfries outfit once again, the side doubling their tally on 17:30, this time Archer the man on target as Bonner turned assist alongside alternate captain Samuel Towner to send his team in with a narrow 2-1 lead at the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading back onto the ice for the second stanza, Solway were keen to find another equaliser but it wasn’t to be as Archer beat Johnston to bag his second goal in the contest, making it 3-1 with 22:04 on the clock, Bonner assisting once again. Just over three minutes later, Hull further extended their lead as forward Jordan Fisher netted following passing play between Bonner and Towner. Frustrated to be so far behind in the contest at this stage in the game, the Sharks looked to get back on track and began to create some chances in their offensive zone to test Long and build momentum whilst equally working hard to halt their opposition’s attacking play at the other end of the ice. With the period progressing and Solway’s determination not diminishing any, the home side were pleased to chip away at their deficit on 34:44 when left winger Steven Moore teamed up with Duncan Speirs to see the forward achieve his twentieth league goal of the season. Just seventy four seconds later, the puck was again in the net for Solway as Connor Henderson assisted Bowie’s efforts for a second time to see Grubb’s men go within one goal of the Pirates. The momentum now increasingly with the Dumfries outfit, young forward Lewis Houston accomplished his first goal for the Sharks just thirty eight seconds later to see Solway notch three goals in less than two minutes to make it 4-4. Moments later, referee David Emmerson dished out the first penalties of the game as Czech defenceman Marek Charvát headed to the sin bin to serve 2+10 for a check to the head. Soon after this penalty, right winger Bobby Chamberlain was sidelined for a slashing offence to level the playing field. Eleven seconds later, and just four seconds before Charvát’s minor had been served, Archer incurred a penalty for interference to join Chamberlain in the sin bin and to present Solway with a five-on-three power play. Unwilling to waste this chance to get ahead in the game, the Sharks struck for a fifth time to stun the Pirates, Speirs working with defenceman Kyle Horne to set up skilled left winger Moore who made his shot count on 39:12 to allow his team to head in with an astonishing 5-4 lead at the second break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning for the third and final period, Hull recognised their need to get back into this contest as quickly as possible, having fallen behind in the middle stanza. Searching for a goal and building pressure around Johnston’s net as before whilst the Sharks strove to counter their play, the Pirates eventually levelled the scoring on 46:51 when defenceman Thomas Stubley hit home, player-coach Hewitt and captain Chilcott assisting on this occasion. Less than three minutes later and just before the halfway point in the period, the puck was again in the net as Bonner fired home an unassisted effort to restore his team’s lead with his second goal of the evening. Shortly afterwards, Solway’s deficit was increased further when Bonner linked up with Towner to see the alternate captain print his name on the scoresheet on 52:20; Bonner bagging his fourth assist of the encounter to accompany his two goals. This goal prompted a timeout from the Sharks who were aware that the game was suddenly slipping from their grasp but this team talk could not stay Hull’s attacking play, the side making it 8-5 just fifty six seconds later to place the points out of Solway’s reach. A high sticks offence against Bonner soon followed but, even with the additional skater, the Dumfries outfit found it difficult to add to their tally and watched the Pirates return to full strength only to go shorthanded themselves on 58:09 as ‘D’ man Scott Cooper was shown to the sin bin for high sticks. Finishing the game with the extra man, Hull were pleased to claim their 8-5 victory on the final buzzer, this result allowing the Pirates to continue their battle for the top spot.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Speaking after this game, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb reflected: “We started slowly, Hull had lots of possession and we had Kyle Johnston to thank for keeping us in the game in the first thirty minutes. We were then able to compete better, started to take the game to Hull, took the chances we created and showed great character to lead after two periods. We knew how tough the third would be but a mixture of running out of steam and too many mistakes meant that we were punished and you cannot do that against a quality hockey team. The disappointing thing was I felt we could have limited our turnovers and mistakes to give ourselves a chance but there were also plenty of positives which we will take forward into our remaining games.”

Solway triumph in Dragons’ den as Sharks snap up win

The Dragons       3

Solway Sharks     6

Making the trip to Deeside with the same side as that which faced Hull Pirates on Saturday evening with the addition of young defenceman Ben Coughtrie, Solway Sharks were more than prepared for the Dragons to put up a fight as they headed out onto the ice, opting for first choice netminder Calum Hepburn to resume his place between the pipes. By comparison, The Dragons lined up with sixteen skaters, including captain James Parsons, experienced forward Marc Lovell and alternate captain Chris Jones, besides starting shot stopper Dominic Jolly.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Building up possession in the early stages of this encounter, Solway Sharks immediately set out to test netminder Jolly with the objective to put their opposition under pressure from faceoff. Though the Dragons worked hard in defence to counter this play, it was not long before the Sharks capitalised on their initial efforts, the side scoring on 4:31 as young forward Scott Henderson struck the net following a pass from captain Struan Tonnar. Pursuing their next goal as a result of this success, Solway doubled their lead with another from Scott Henderson less than four minutes later, this time Connor Henderson and defenceman Scott Cooper teaming up to assist the goal scorer. Ensuring that the Dragons had no time to recover their equanimity after this goal, the Sharks unleashed a third as junior Lewis Houston added to the scoreboard courtesy of alternate captain James Hutchinson and fellow forward Joe Coulter. Disappointed to be three goals down, the Dragons continued to demonstrate their excellent work ethic to prevent Solway’s offensive play for a time but in the end, it was not enough to see off a fourth goal from the Dumfries outfit as Connor Henderson received the puck from Czech defenceman Marek Charvát to allow forward Iain Bowie to net on 12:22. The score line now 4-0, the Sharks were comfortable in their lead but the Dragons continued to apply their efforts to try their luck against Hepburn. Failing to pull a goal back against their visitors before the first interval, the Deeside outfit headed in with the aim to get back into the contest in the second period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice for the middle stanza, the Dragons were determined to notch a goal and it showed as alternate captain Jones fired home within the space of two minutes following creative play from defenceman Ross Kennedy. Just forty nine seconds later, the home team added a second to their tally to make it 4-2 on 22:44, forward Owen Bennett the man on target following passing play between defenceman Kenneth Williams and forward James Shaw. Less than two minutes later, the Dragons incurred a bench minor for too many men to see the Sharks handed a power play. Not about to let this opportunity pass by without making it count, Solway took just over a minute to find the net with the additional man as Houston achieved his second of the evening with a superb unassisted effort on 25:46 to punish the Dragons’ misdemeanour. Just thirty two seconds later, the Sharks beat Jolly for a sixth time as Houston turned assist alongside Bowie to allow Coulter to print his name onto the scoresheet. Their deficit increased to four goals once more, the Dragons continued to battle with their visitors in the hope that they could still take something from this game. Despite their attempts to defeat Hepburn for a third time in this period, the home team could not find a way past the Sharks’ defence to see their attacking play prove fruitless as Solway remained focused on grabbing another goal to ensure that the points stayed out of the Dragons’ reach. However, the Dumfries outfit could not add to the scoreboard subsequent to Coulter’s goal to go in at the second period with a 6-2 lead.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aiming to begin the third period in the same fashion as the second, the Dragons were pleased to be awarded the advantage when Sharks’ two-way player Josh Grieveson headed to the sin bin for holding sticks on 41:43 to see the home team gain a power play. Failing to capitalise on this chance to reduce their deficit though, the Dragons were forced to contend with Solway’s creativity as Martin Grubb’s men returned to full strength with their sights set on another goal. Close to the halfway point in the period, a slashing penalty for ‘D’ man Williams handed the Sharks a power play but this time, the visitors failed to net on the advantage to allow the home team to be restored to five men without further concession. With their efforts in vain as the Welsh outfit continued to work hard in defence to ensure that there was no way past Jolly for a seventh time, the Sharks were then stunned to see the Dragons bag themselves a third goal on 55:25, this time Chris Jones claiming his second of the game with an unassisted shot to make it 6-3. Moments later, both sides ran into penalty trouble as Jones undid his good work with a trip against Solway’s blue liner Stuart Kerr who also earned himself a minor for diving. These penalties served with little time remaining in the game, neither side were able to alter the score line before the final buzzer sounded to confirm the Sharks’ win.

Considering his team’s victory over The Dragons, Solway’s Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “We knew Deeside would come to play, would be aggressive and work hard, and that’s exactly what they did, and we didn’t. I thought the players had the wrong attitude and our performance was completely unacceptable but credit to Deeside for their performance. The only positives were the two points and that we played our young guys all night, including two Man of the Match performances from Lewis Houston and a very good debut weekend for sixteen-year-old Liam Stenton.”

Sheffield eclipses Stars to stay top dog in battle for silverware

Billingham Stars          1

Sheffield Steeldogs      5

Heading into this fixture with a squad of nineteen, including player-coach Michael Bowman, captain Michael Elder, junior defenceman James Hellens and young forward Ethan Hehir, Billingham Stars set out to contend with the Steeldogs who made the trip to The Forum with player-coach Ben Morgan, stand-in captain Tim Smith and Slovakian forwards Adrian Palak and Milan Kolena amongst their sixteen skaters whilst shot stopper Dmitri Zimozdra took his place between the pipes ahead of netminder Brandon Stones.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aware of the threat that Sheffield Steeldogs posed going into this fixture, Billingham Stars aimed for a sturdy start against the former EPL outfit as both sides battled for possession in the early stages of the game with a view to build some momentum in front of goal. A crosschecking call against blue liner Ben Davison on 7:17 placed the Steeldogs on a power play and, though unable to find the net with the additional skater, Sheffield scored just under a minute after the Stars returned to full strength, Slovakian winger Palak presenting his team with the lead just beyond the halfway point in the period following a pass from Smith. Shortly after this goal, the Steeldogs suffered a setback as defenceman Jamie Scott was sidelined for hooking to award Billingham a power play of their own. Failing to make the most of this opportunity, the Stars could not achieve an equaliser on the advantage and watched Sheffield return to full strength with their lead intact. Whilst netminder Mark Watson pulled off some excellent saves to ensure his team did not fall too far behind, the Teessiders were forced to contend with their visitors’ tricky defensive work which prevented them from making the most of any chances which fell their way. As such, neither team were able to add to the scoring, allowing Morgan’s men to head in with a narrow 1-0 lead at the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Looking to build on their positive start to the game, the Steeldogs were disappointed to find themselves shorthanded just fifty seven seconds into the middle stanza when Smith made way for tripping. Though striving to make the most of this power play, the Stars struggled to beat Zimozdra who proved sturdy in net and then found themselves reduced to four men less than a minute after Smith’s penalty had terminated; forward Jack Davies warming a seat in the sin bin for boarding. Punishing netminder Watson just fifteen seconds into this power play, the Steeldogs were pleased to double their lead on 24:06 as Morgan notched his ninth league goal of the season following quick play from Kolena and forward Ashley Calvert. Just over two minutes later, Watson was again picking the puck from his net as Palak received a pass from young forward Cameron Brownley to snatch his second goal of the game to make it 3-0. With the Stars frustrated to see their deficit growing, it was not long before the two teams clashed, alternate captain Chris Sykes and Slovakian import Kolena each incurring minors for slashing and crosschecking respectively. Though these penalties made no difference to the scoreboard, the Stars were able to get off the mark just fifty three seconds after returning to full strength as player-coach Bowman fired an unassisted shot beyond Zimozdra to make it 3-1 on 31:55. Battling for a second goal whilst Sheffield remained relentless in their pursuit of a fourth, the Teessiders found their efforts to get back into the game thwarted by Sheffield’s skilled defence and neat offensive play; Billingham managing to record just half as many shots as their visitors in this period. As such, it was no surprise that the Steeldogs reaped the rewards of their hard work in front of Watson’s net in the latter stages of this stanza as Calvert netted courtesy of forward James Spurr and alternate captain Smith to see Sheffield file from the ice with a 4-1 lead at the second break .

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice for the third and final period of the game, Billingham Stars sought to chip away at their three-goal deficit whilst the Steeldogs were comfortable in their lead as they headed out with the aim to secure two points. With the period well under way and neither side scoring, a hooking penalty for Spurr on 47:55 provided Billingham with another power play but the Stars could not carve a path through on goal to beat Zimozdra and found that they were no further forward in their attempts to get back into the game when the Steeldogs returned to five men. Just eighteen seconds after this chance had passed them by, Billingham went shorthanded as alternate captain Callum Davies made way for interference.Aiming for a goal with the additional man, Sheffield could not beat Watson whilst on the power play and instead found the net just over a minute later when Smith teamed up with left winger Liam Charnock to see Brownley bag himself a goal to take the score line up to 5-1 on 53:18. With little time remaining in the period for Billingham to turn the game around, the Stars were unable to battle back against the Steeldogs’ unrelenting offensive play which saw the outfit working hard against the Stars’ defence as they looked to get even further ahead in the contest. As the game came to an end with no further alterations to the scoreboard, the Steeldogs could content themselves with another win to go top of the table with forty nine points whilst the Stars remain in eighth position, still five points behind Blackburn Hawks.

Looking back on Billingham’s loss, alternate captain Chris Sykes admitted: “Sunday was a tough game. With no game on Saturday, it was hard to get going on Sunday. Even though you’d expect to be fresh-legged, it’s hard work. The Dogs are a great team and top of the table for a reason. We played some good hockey and some scrappy hockey. Flav is still injured but Watson is doing good. We just need to get back into our swing and we will be fine.”

Warriors tame Lions as Whitley shutout Nottingham on road

Nottingham Lions    0

Whitley Warriors      5

Travelling to Nottingham with a short bench of fifteen skaters and netminders Richie Lawson and Mark Turnbull, Whitley Warriors found themselves without forwards Ryan Sample, Callum Watson and Adam Finlinson, experienced defenceman Dan Pye, versatile blue liners Stuart Tomlinson and Will Robson and youngsters Anthony Wetherell and Ross Douglass as they headed out onto the ice against Nottingham Lions who had a strong squad at their disposal, the side lining up with nineteen skaters besides netminders Sam Gospel and Thomas Hovell.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Setting out to achieve two points from this fixture, Whitley Warriors were faced with Matt Bradbury’s hardworking Lions who headed out onto the ice knowing that they were capable of causing problems for the Hillheads outfit after pushing Solihull Barons into overtime to earn a point on Saturday evening. Gaining a power play on 7:36 when Whitley’s alternate captain Jordan Barnes headed to the sin bin for hooking, Nottingham set out to try their luck against shot stopper Turnbull but failed to contend with the Warriors’ penalty kill to see no alterations to the scoreboard. This was a chance that the Lions would rue however, as close to three minutes after returning to full strength, Whitley were able to open the scoring through captain Dean Holland who capitalised on play from forward Martin Crammond and Canadian import Philip Edgar on 12:22. Immediately setting their sights on another, the Warriors doubled their lead just under three minutes later when forward Ben Richards bagged himself a goal following neat work from blue liner Harry Harley and power forward Barnes. With the Lions working to get back into this fixture and the Warriors aiming to extend their lead, it was little surprise when the two sides clashed ahead of the first interval as Nottingham’s alternate captain Adam Andrews and Whitley’s captain Holland were both shown to the sin bin for roughing on 19:28. These penalties running over into the middle stanza, the Warriors headed in moments later with a two-goal cushion to keep their opposition at bay whilst the Lions trailed off the ice with the knowledge that they had much work to do in the second period to get back into the game.   

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With these penalties terminated early in the second period, both sides returned to full strength but it was not long after that the Warriors went shorthanded, this time the Hillheads outfit earning themselves a bench minor for too many men. Awarded their second power play of the evening, the Lions strove to get onto the scoresheet but were unable to surpass netminder Turnbull as David Longstaff’s men once again worked hard to break down Nottingham’s play on the penalty kill. Returning to full strength to pepper Gospel’s net, the Warriors were faced with the home team’s difficult defence and it was only on 34:26 that the visitors were able to make it 3-0, Richards accomplishing his second of the encounter as blue liners Josh Maddock and Sam Zajac bagged assists on this occasion. Just over three minutes after this goal, the Lions suffered a further setback when forward Cameron Pywell was sinbinned for tripping to allow the Warriors a power play. Unable to make the most of their additional man ahead of the break, Whitley went in with just one more goal than that of the previous period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Eager to make amends for their failure to capitalise on the power play, the Warriors scored their fourth of the contest with just over a minute of the third period played, Richards completing his hat trick on 41:21 with support from alternate captain Shaun Kippin and player-coach Longstaff. Realising their need to increase their attacking play in this stanza, the Lions called Turnbull into action on several occasions but it was not enough to beat the netminder and Whitley were quick to quash their opposition’s offensive play to create their own chances in front of Gospel’s net. Despite their many attempts to increase their lead, Longstaff’s line-up were not able to make it 5-0 until just beyond the halfway point in the period as youngster Jamie Ord linked up with fellow forward DJ Good to see the long-serving Warrior claim his third league goal of the season. Now trailing by five goals, the Lions were aware that any chance of a comeback would be slim but even grabbing a consolatory goal proved a struggle for the side and, as such, Whitley were able to leave the National Ice Centre with two points from their 5-0 victory. Commenting on his team’s success in Nottingham, player-coach David Longstaff noted: “We did enough to win the game, a lot of players got ice time on Sunday and looked good.”

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