Team Talk

Team Talk

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Reflecting on his first campaign in British ice hockey, Billingham Stars’ Latvian forward Deniss Baškatovs took time to discuss his season highs and lows, life in the NIHL and the players who have impressed him most…

What has been the highlight of your season so far and which results have disappointed you most? 

The best feeling, I think, we had after our game against the Solway Sharks. It was a very big win for us against a strong team who are one of the best teams in our league. We are very happy and for our fans, of course, it is also important to finally get a good win. About disappointments, I think we have played two good games at Telford and Sheffield at home but we lost those games. I think against the strong teams, we show a good game and can take at least one win. I hope we can do this against them in the next home games.

How are you enjoying life on Teesside and what made you want to play ice hockey in Britain?

I enjoy living here. I had never been here before so for me this is a good and interesting experience. I can say I did make a good choice and all the people here try to help and are very friendly. This is most important for me. With hockey, I know that in England it is growing and taking big steps which is why I desired to come to England.

What were your first impressions of the NIHL and how does the standard of ice hockey in Britain compare to the sport in Latvia?

I can only say good words about the NIHL. I hope every year it will improve. The first difference when I compare it to Latvian hockey are ice rink sizes. Here, sizes of ice are North American size which means the ice is smaller and it’s harder to play in the corners. On European ice which is bigger, you have more time to look and see the situation on the ice. The second difference is I think players in Latvia practice more but from another side, we, here in the NIHL, have more games. I like to play more so for me it is a fine trade-off.

What have you enjoyed most about playing for Billingham Stars this season and which player has impressed you so far?

I just enjoy the place and the people around Billingham and I try to learn from those around me. It is a new country for me so I can pick up something new from my teammates here which is good! [Chris] Sykes is obviously a very good player in this league, that everyone knows, but I like my teammates and everyone is impressive in their own way.

Which game do you think is the toughest you’ve played so far this season and which opposition players do you feel have stood out most?

Teams from last year’s EPIHL are very good teams. It is hard to play everywhere but I will say, for me, Hull Pirates are the toughest. If we speak about players who stood out most, I will say it is Matthew Davies from Hull Pirates and Jason Silverthorn from Telford. It’s nice to see how these guys play.

You have experienced two derby games against Whitley Warriors this season. What did you think of those games?

To be honest, when we play in Billingham, I feel it is a derby. A lot of people are watching and into the game. Many fans are at the road game in Whitley also but, when we played in Whitley, I didn’t feel it was a derby game. For me, it felt like a regular game!

What was your experience of ice hockey in the MHL and BeNe Liga prior to signing for Billingham Stars and how do the teams you played for in these leagues compare?

I can say that I have a very big experience from all these teams and seasons, especially in the MHL. The experience that I have from the year when I played in the MHL helps me also now. The MHL is a very big and strong league; I am sure, the strongest junior league in Europe! It is like the KHL, only for juniors. A lot of Russian, talented players are playing there. I can say it is a great hockey school for young guys before they go to the pro level. In this league, you learn how you need to play and take care of your body. My favourite club, I will say it is Yunost Minsk. It is a very big club in Belarus and a great organisation. I am happy that I have experienced one season over there. I don’t really have a least favourite because all the teams I was on have been worthwhile experiences. In BeNe Liga it is all different and a different style of play. It is not as fast of pace but players are more experienced I think. It is hard to compare to the NIHL but both leagues don’t have a lot of imports.

You are currently Billingham’s second top points scorer this campaign. Are you happy with how many goals and assists you have in the league so far?

I can’t say the season is going great for me because I know what I can do and I want to do a little better than I am. I try my best and want to help the team win more than we have this season. I know the team need me to be very good every game. I always want to be progressing and I think that mentality is how I have been able to keep my career going.

What do you feel is the reason for the Stars’ form and what needs to change if Billingham are to improve for the remainder of the season?

I can’t say we are playing bad from the first game until this moment. Of course, we have had some bad games from our side but I think we lost some important points in the beginning when we could have easily won. We lost a lot of close games and that is tough mentally. Another problem was injuries in our team also put us back, so it has been a hard season. I hope our best games will come to the rest of the season and then we can show a good performance in the playoffs. We need to give everything we have for our fans who support us every game. I want to say thank you to our fans, despite our lack of wins so far this season.

Are there any other places in the world you would like to play if you had a chance to and where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

I enjoy playing in other countries outside of my home. I would eventually like to move up to the best league I can get to, wherever that is, but for now I am thinking about staying in one country for more years and building a career. England I think is a great place to do this. We will see where life takes me!

What are your team’s aims and your personal hopes for the remainder of the season?

Of course, I hope we will get into the playoffs and win. We are all focusing on this now. For myself, I just want to give all that I can to help the team win games and everything will take care of itself.

Thank you to Deniss Baškatovs for taking the time to be interviewed by NIHL Northern Trio.

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