NIHL North

NIHL Weekend Round-up

Billingham Stars suffered a 7-5 defeat to Hull Pirates in what was an action-packed encounter at The Forum, before losing 8-1 to Telford Tigers on the road on Sunday.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Placing the Pirates on a 5-on-3 power play following minor penalties for forwards Ethan Hehir and James Moss, Billingham could not prevent right winger Bobby Chamberlain from opening the scoring on 7:43 and it did not take Hull long to double their lead as their advantage continued; right winger James Archer beating netminder James Flavell just fifty two seconds later. A third goal for the Pirates delivered by defenceman Kevin Phillips on 16:07 caused Star Chris Sykes much frustration, leading to a ten-minute misconduct penalty for the Alternate Captain. Moments later, Chamberlain boarded Billingham’s blue liner Ben Davison who retaliated, prompting a reaction from both Flavell and Pirates’ forward Lee Bonner. Consequently, Chamberlain received 2+10 for his initial offence in addition to a penalty of 2+2 for fighting which was also handed to Davison and Bonner. Meanwhile, Flavell was ejected from the game for his actions to see netminder Thomas Brown take his place. This resulted in Canadian Kevin Boyd being sidelined for the remainder of the game, with only one import allowed on the ice during play.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading in with a 3-0 lead at the first break, Hull were disappointed to lose Alternate Captain Samuel Towner to the sin bin for interference on 24:18 but just thirteen seconds later, the Pirates achieved a shorthanded goal, this time Bonner on target courtesy of Player-Coach Jason Hewitt. Hitting back on this power play, the Teessiders made it 4-1 as young forward Cain Taylor netted against his former club following support from Hehir and experienced Alternate Captain Michael Bowman. Facing off again, the Stars sensed that they could battle back and did so, bagging a second goal just five seconds after their first as Taylor teamed up with Bowman to assist line mate Hehir. Shortly afterwards, Taylor picked out Bowman who successfully took Billingham within a goal of their opposition. Responding at the midpoint of the period, Bonner claimed his second of the game to re-establish Hull’s two-goal lead and the Pirates then successfully killed Captain Jordan Fisher’s interference penalty, scoring just twenty seconds later when Bonner completed his hat trick. Though Hull began to run into penalty trouble as the period drew to a close, Billingham failed to capitalise. A slashing offence from Sykes saw Alternate Captain Jonathan Kirk make the Star aware of his presence, causing both players to receive two minutes for roughing whilst Sykes received an additional minor for his first misdemeanour.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The score line 6-3 in Hull’s favour, matters were quickly made worse for Billingham in the third period when Hewitt added a seventh to the Pirates’ tally just twenty eight seconds after their return to the ice. Though both sides continued to pick up minor penalties along the way, the Stars could not punish Hull’s transgressions until a delayed crosschecking penalty against Chamberlain allowed Bowman to beat Smith for a second time at which point Fisher was sidelined for holding to allow Billingham the additional skater. Achieving a power play goal, Sykes printed his name on the scoresheet following assists from Captain Michael Elder and Moss on 56:44. Though just two goals away from equalising, the Stars were hindered by a clash between Elder and Archer who respectively received two minutes for crosschecking and slashing further to minor roughing penalties with just under three minutes remaining. Unable to add to their tally in consequence, Billingham’s 7-5 loss was confirmed as the game came to a close but the side could be pleased with their effort, having tried to make a comeback against the former EPL outfit.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Following this fixture, Billingham travelled to Telford Ice Rink on Sunday with just thirteen skaters and put up a fight in the early stages of the game, only conceding their first goal to the Tigers on 13:51 when Canadian Doug Clarkson set up forward Adam Taylor. Persisting in their offensive efforts, Telford achieved their second goal just over four minutes later when ‘D’ man Daniel Mitchell fired an unassisted shot beyond netminder Mark Watson to make it 2-0 going into the middle stanza.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Though gaining a power play early in the second period, Billingham were left to rue their missed opportunity when Telford netted fifty seven seconds after returning to full strength, this time right winger Andrew McKinney adding to the scoreboard. Gaining a second power play on 27:50 as Mitchell received 2+10 for boarding, Billingham found themselves with a 5-on-3 situation four seconds later when Tigers’ Alternate Captain Jonathan Weaver was then sinbinned for delaying the game. Trying to inspire a comeback, Star Chris Sykes beat netminder Thomas Hovell courtesy of Canadian forward Kevin Boyd on 28:03 but Billingham struggled to repeat this feat and instead found themselves caught up in conflict when a slash from defenceman Matthew Campbell resulted in McKinney dishing out his own justice. Both players sinbinned, Campbell received two minutes for his offence whilst McKinney earned himself 2+2 for fighting.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aiming to narrow the 3-1 score line further, the Stars attempted to break down the Tigers’ chances in the third period but Telford notched a fourth goal through Clarkson on 49:34 following neat play from defenceman Jordan Stokes. The Shropshire outfit then took complete control, scoring again thirty four seconds later as Mitchell snatched his second of the game with support from forward Scott McKenzie and defenceman Nick Oliver. Trailing 5-1, the Stars were hit hard just over two minutes after conceding their fifth when Clarkson bagged his second of the evening. A tripping penalty for blue liner Ben Davison then presented the Tigers with a power play, allowing Telford to fire the puck past Watson for a seventh time as McKinney teamed up with Weaver to assist McKenzie on 55:45. Though losing forward Jack Watkins to the sin bin soon after, Telford remained relentless in offence and completed their scoring with a shorthanded goal as young forward Brodie Jesson went unassisted to hammer home Billingham’s 8-1 defeat.  

Meanwhile, Solway Sharks endured a 7-3 loss to Steven Duncombe’s Blackburn Hawks at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Falling behind less than two minutes into the first period, Solway’s defence were outdone when forward James Riddoch beat netminder Kyle Johnston with support from Alternate Captain James Royds to give his side an early lead. Fifty four seconds later, Johnston was again retrieving the puck from his net when Czech forward Petr Valusiak hit home with support from youngster Kieran Brown and defenceman James Neil. Rallying to achieve a response, the Sharks halved their deficit on 7:27 when forward Iain Bowie claimed his sixth goal of Solway’s league campaign after quick work from Joe Coulter and blue liner Josh Grieveson. Their aim then to equalise, the Dumfries outfit levelled the scoring just under four minutes later through defenceman Lewis Baldwin but, disappointed with their failure to hold onto their two-goal lead, Blackburn edged ahead in the game again on 15:52 as ‘D’ man Ross Kennedy played the puck to experienced forward Aaron Davies who made it 3-2.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Holding onto their lead going into the second period, the Hawks made quick work of scoring on their return to the ice; seventeen-year-old Brown finding the net eleven seconds into the middle stanza after swift play from Valusiak and two-way player Adam Barnes. Moments later, the game became heated as Canadian Cale Tanaka clashed with Brown to see both receive 2+2 for roughing. However, this altercation did not slow the Hawks down as the side bagged themselves another goal to make it 5-2, Kennedy teaming up with defenceman Ollie Lomax to help Barnes onto the scoresheet on 22:02. Calling a timeout, Solway switched netminder Johnston for shot stopper Jordan McLaughlin and managed an immediate response as Coulter earned himself a goal courtesy of Baldwin and Bowie. Unfazed, the Hawks were comfortable with their two-goal lead and continued to trouble Solway’s defence before adding a sixth to their tally; Barnes with his second of the evening assisted by Neil and Riddoch. Following this goal, play was punctuated with penalties. Failing to capitalise when Blackburn’s young forward Jack Murray was sidelined for holding, Solway then saw Alternate Captain Ross Murray punished for delaying the game alongside Hawks’ defenceman Craig Lutkevitch just fifty two seconds before Sharks’ Captain Struan Tonnar was shown to the sin bin for slashing. Solway defended well on the penalty kill but the side had their work cut out when Murray and Lutkevitch clashed for a second time to each incur 2+2 for roughing whilst Blackburn headed in at the second interval with their 6-3 lead intact.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Struggling to challenge shot stopper Harrison Walker early in the third period, Solway were awarded a power play when Kennedy was made to warm a seat for holding on 46:55. Unable to beat Walker with the additional skater, the Sharks were offered a second chance with the advantage when Valusiak was shown to the sin bin for high sticks at the midpoint of the stanza. With time fast running out and Solway again unable to make the most of the chances that fell their way, the Dumfries outfit allowed their frustrations to show. Both guilty of roughing, Murray and Lomax picked up two-minute roughing penalties whilst Tonnar involved himself in the battle and consequently received five minutes plus game for roughing. Making the most of this lengthy power play, Blackburn completed their scoring sixty seconds later when Valusiak notched his second goal of the game after neat play from Barnes. The score line 7-3 and the Hawks continuing to dominate with the additional skater, the Sharks found it increasingly difficult to challenge Walker and resigned themselves to their crushing defeat which sees Grubb’s men slide into fourth place after this weekend’s fixtures.

Last but not least, Whitley Warriors claimed their second home victory of their 2018-19 campaign with a 6-1 win over Nottingham Lions.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Opening the scoring just thirty seconds after faceoff when forward DJ Good worked alongside defenceman Ross Connolly to assist left winger Ben Campbell, the Warriors almost doubled their lead on their second shift and perpetually barraged Lions’ netminder Miles Finney with shots to eventually make it 2-0; Campbell burying a slap shot on 15:40. Just under two minutes later, Player-Coach David Longstaff played the puck to Latvian defenceman Rolands Gritāns who bulleted a shot towards Nottingham’s goal which was tapped in by Captain Dean Holland.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Going into the second period with a 3-0 lead, the Warriors went shorthanded when Holland incurred a hooking penalty fifty four seconds into the middle stanza but, returning to full strength unscathed, the outfit then made the most of a delayed penalty for defenceman Lewis Jones which resulted in Longstaff progressing up the ice to play in forward Shaun Kippin who fired the puck into the bottom left corner of Finney’s net on 23:15. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

This concluding the scoring in the second period, despite Whitley’s many chances and Nottingham’s opportunities on the breakaway, the Warriors could not find the net again until 49:03 when Good helped fellow forward Callum Watson onto the scoresheet. This goal prompting a timeout from Nottingham, Whitley were instantly hit by the Lions’ attacking play on their return to the ice as forward Harry Hopkins and defenceman Joseph Gretton linked up to find Ruskin Hughes whose shot was deflected beyond netminder Jordan Boyle. Hitting back with a sixth goal as Gritāns rocketed the puck beyond the Lions’ defence thirty nine seconds later, Whitley saw out their 6-1 victory to earn another two points whilst Nottingham’s netminder Finney proved to be deserving of his Man of the Match award, having faced a total of ninety shots throughout the contest.

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