NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 (MORALEE)

Saturday 20th January 2018

Billingham Stars vs. Solihull Barons

Blackburn Hawks vs. Whitley Warriors

Solway Sharks vs. Sheffield Steeldogs (League and National Cup)

Sunday 21st January 2018

Whitley Warriors vs. Blackburn Hawks

Sheffield Steeldogs vs. Solway Sharks (League and National Cup)

Solihull Barons vs. Billingham Stars

Fixture:    Billingham Stars vs. Solihull Barons

Date:        20^th January 2018    

Venue:     The Forum

Faceoff:  5:30pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Preparing for the first game of their double header against Solihull, Billingham Stars will head into this encounter hoping to achieve a better result than that of their last outing against the Barons. Though recording a 7-4 road defeat to the side just last month, the Teessiders will aim to build on their recent form which consists of three home victories punctuated by a single away loss to former EPL outfit Telford Tigers. After falling behind in their previous contest to the Barons by 2-0, the Stars were able to pull a goal back through Latvian forward Deniss Baškatovs, only for Solihull’s Adam Brittle to restore their deficit. A late power play goal for Billingham then narrowed the margin which separated the contenders at the end of the second period but it was the Barons who were able to secure the points in the third stanza with goals from Dave Rogers, Josh Bruce and Niklas Ottosson whilst Latvian defenceman Artūrs Ozols and forward James Moss strove to be the difference for Billingham but without success. As such, Billingham are aware of the offensive threat that Solihull pose in front of goal and the Barons’ 3-2 win over Telford Tigers last weekend serves as a significant reminder that any team can triumph over any other this season, meaning this game will be another unpredictable one if recent results are anything to go by. Still placed in eighth position heading into this contest, the Stars will look to add to their eleven points but, with competition incredibly close mid-table, sixth-placed Solihull will also give their all to achieve an away victory with the objective to edge further ahead of Whitley Warriors with whom they are currently tied on points. 

Fixture:    Blackburn Hawks vs. Whitley Warriors

Date:        20^th January 2018    

Venue:     Blackburn Ice Arena

Faceoff:  5:45pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Set to play Blackburn Hawks on the road in the first game of their double header against Steven Duncombe’s men, Whitley Warriors will head out onto the ice with the aim to achieve their first victory over the Lancashire outfit, having so far managed to gain a point from a 3-2 overtime loss in the opening home game of their season, besides losing out by six goals to two at Blackburn Ice Arena in October. The Warriors’ last away fixture to Blackburn saw Whitley gain a two-goal lead through alternate captain Shaun Kippin and Canadian import Philip Edgar, only for the Hawks to snatch it away; Slovakian import Jozef Ištocy and forwards Rick Bentham, Aaron Davies, Matt Viney and Lee Pollitt all on the scoresheet for Blackburn.

Neither team has shown good form of late, with Blackburn collecting just two points since the New Year, their first win of 2018 arriving last weekend in the form of a 7-2 victory over Nottingham Lions, the side having lost out in the home and away legs of their NIHL National Cup Quarter Final to Hull Pirates before recording a heavy 9-2 road loss to Solway Sharks last Saturday. The Warriors, by comparison, have achieved three points since the conclusion of the festive period, missing out on a win to Solway Sharks away from home before triumphing over Solihull Barons at Hillheads and then recording consecutive 4-3 defeats to Hull Pirates, though the side were able to pick up a point in last Sunday’s overtime loss. Knowing that they have what it takes to at least prove a challenge against their tough opposition in Division One, Whitley Warriors will seek to utilise the same level of intensity and fortitude they have shown in recent games in an attempt to achieve some points on the road whilst Blackburn will strive to overpower the Hillheads outfit for a third time this season, boosted by the knowledge that their previous results against David Longstaff’s line-up have fallen in their favour this season.

Fixture:    Solway Sharks vs. Sheffield Steeldogs

Date:        20^th January 2018    

Venue:     Dumfries Ice Bowl

Faceoff:  7:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Having suffered a 3-0 defeat to Sheffield Steeldogs following their return to the ice after the festive period, Solway Sharks will head into this first game of their double header against Ben Morgan’s outfit with a great deal at stake. Not only will this fixture provide the winner with valuable league points, but the game also has the dual purpose of being an NIHL National Cup Quarter Final, meaning both teams cannot afford to lose. Set to be an excellent contest as a result of this added dimension, Solway will take heart from the fact that they have so far been able to contend very closely with the Steeldogs, first managing to gain a point from a 3-2 overtime loss to the side in November, in which forwards Duncan Speirs and Iain Bowie found the target for the Sharks, before missing out on the points in Sheffield after conceding three unanswered goals.  

Besides this game determining the Sharks’ progression in the NIHL National Cup competition, it will also have a great impact on the league standings, with currently just four points separating Martin Grubb’s fourth-placed Solway from league leaders Sheffield Steeldogs. With the Dumfries outfit also tied on points with Telford Tigers and just one point behind Hull Pirates, the Sharks will require a four-point weekend to keep pace with their current competition whereas Sheffield will similarly go all out to claim maximum points to extend their lead at the top of the table as they continue their quest for NIHL silverware. Expected to be a highly competitive game as a result, Solway will look to make the most of this home fixture to provide themselves with the best possible start to the weekend ahead of Sunday’s road trip to Ice Sheffield.

Considering the importance of this fixture, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb revealed:

“We know how tough this game will be and it now has the added significance with it being a league and cup game. We will go into the game focused and looking to execute the game plan like we did on Saturday. If we can stay solid defensively and take our scoring chances then that will give us a chance to get the win we want.”

Fixture:    Whitley Warriors vs. Blackburn Hawks

Date:        21^st January 2018    

Venue:     Whitley Bay Ice Rink

Faceoff:  5:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to Hillheads to face Blackburn Hawks for one last time this season, Whitley Warriors will once again be prepared to give their all in front of their home crowd, regardless of Saturday’s road result against the Lancashire outfit. Their previous home clash against the Hawks resulting in a 3-2 overtime defeat for the Warriors on the opening weekend of their season, Whitley will be out to avenge their loss and have already proved themselves capable of resilience this season. Coming back from a power play goal to equalise through Canadian import Philip Edgar in their last home encounter against Blackburn, the Warriors were forced to draw level for a second time to see the score line tied on sixty minutes, only to finally be denied the points by young defenceman Lewis Baldwin. Hoping to have the points secured well in advance of the final buzzer on Sunday, Whitley will set out to make the most of their firepower which has so far manifested itself in the form of alternate captain Shaun Kippin, Canadian import Philip Edgar, captain Dean Holland and forward Ben Richards whilst player-coach David Longstaff continues to lead by example as the team’s strongest play-maker, so far racking up twenty nine assists to accompany his four league goals. Likewise, Blackburn will also have a great deal of skill at their disposal on Sunday should Slovakian import Jozef Ištocy and forwards Rick Bentham and Aaron Davies make the trip to Hillheads, the trio having collectively tallied seventy four points in the league so far this campaign. With these two sides showing themselves to be close rivals in recent seasons, this game is likely to be a greatly entertaining finale to the duo’s four-game series.

Fixture:    Sheffield Steeldogs vs. Solway Sharks

Date:        21^st January 2018    

Venue:     Ice Sheffield

Faceoff:  5:30pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making the trip to Ice Sheffield to complete their double header against the Steeldogs, not to mention the second leg of their NIHL North Cup Quarter Final, Solway Sharks will hope to go into this game with positive foundations on which to build following the outcome of Saturday’s game. However, regardless of their home performance, the Sharks will look for no less than maximum points on the road as they prepare to hunt down a victory to ensure they can continue to improve on their current league position which has fluctuated of late due to the closely competitive nature of NIHL North’s Division One. At present, Solway have a great deal of pace, power and proficiency in their midst, including top points scorer Iain Bowie, who has accomplished thirty eight points in twenty one games, left winger Steven Moore, forward Connor Henderson, Czech defenceman Vaclav Kolarik and alternate captain Ross Murray. Likewise former EPL outfit Sheffield Steeldogs are certainly not lacking in offence as Slovakian imports Milan Kolena and Adrian Palak continue to lead the way for their side, the duo having collectively accomplished thirty five goals and thirty five assists during league performances. With both teams eager to showcase their ability in front of goal in the hope that they can build on their recent good form, neither will be satisfied with anything less than two points from this clash and as such, it is likely to be another challenging one for both outfits.

Adding to his earlier comments, Sharks’ Head Coach Grubb reflected on his side’s previous encounter at Ice Sheffield:

“Our last visit to Sheffield was a close game but one we didn’t manage to score in so we know we need to solve that issue. We competed well enough without really hurting the Steeldogs so we need a cutting edge to our game and we also need to limit any mistakes as they are a very good team who will punish us. Hopefully, we can perform to our best over both games, take both league points and progress in the cup but we are under no illusions as to how tough it will be.”

Looking forward to Sheffield’s NIHL North Cup Quarter Final against the Sharks, Steeldogs’ captain Lewis Bell admitted:

“We know it’s another tough couple of games and, obviously with the added incentive of it being a cup quarter final as well, we know it’s going to add a little bit to it. As ever, I’m sure both games/legs will be tight and hopefully we come out on the right end of both the league and cup result.”

Fixture:    Solihull Barons vs. Billingham Stars

Date:        21^st January 2018    

Venue:     Hobs Moat Road

Faceoff:  6:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Following their home encounter with Solihull Barons, Billingham Stars will travel to Hobs Moat Road on Sunday as they aim to achieve two points away from home, having so far recorded just two victories on the road this season across all competitions. As such, to triumph over the Barons away from home will be a great accomplishment for the Stars and would certainly provide the team with much confidence going into next weekend’s home fixture against Solway Sharks. Solihull, meanwhile, will be eager to grab a win in front of a home crowd as the side continue to close the gap between themselves and Blackburn Hawks, besides aiming to get ahead of close competition Whitley Warriors. Setting out to grab as many points from the Stars who find themselves in a lower position than the Barons, Solihull will aim to hinder the goal-scoring prowess of Stars’ alternate captain and top points scorer Chris Sykes who has racked up forty four points from twenty games to become the league’s fourth highest points scorer at this stage of the season whilst Latvian forward Deniss Baškatovs and Stars’ captain Michael Elder also continue to contribute to Billingham’s offensive play. Looking to outdo the Teessiders on Sunday evening, the Barons will hope to make the most of skilled forwards Niklas Ottosson, Thomas Soar, Brittle brothers Adam and Luke and captain Josh Bruce who, together, have contributed one hundred and forty five points to maintain their side’s good form. With both teams strong contenders and as equally in need of a win to improve on their present situations, neither side will give up on the points without a fight which will make this contest an interesting one to say the least.

Speaking ahead of the Stars’ upcoming fixtures against the Barons, alternate captain Chris Sykes shared:

“This week is a double header against the Barons. We’ve played them once this season and it was a close fought game so another two games like this will be the same and a very demanding weekend for us. We are doing well at home at the moment and our only loss in the last four games was against the Tigers who Solihull beat on home ice last weekend so they are in good form also. It should be a very good weekend of hockey.”

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

NIHL Weekend Action

Close call for Pirates as Warriors wreak havoc on road

Hull Pirates              4

Whitley Warriors      3

Travelling to Hull with a strong line-up of eighteen skaters and netminders Richie Lawson and Mark Turnbull, Whitley Warriors went into this game with the objective to make amends for their recent road fixture against the Pirates which saw the outfit concede eleven unanswered goals. By comparision, Jason Hewitt’s team headed into this game looking to recover from Friday’s 8-3 cup defeat to close rivals Sheffield Steeldogs as the side took to the ice with top points scorer Matty Davies, skilled right winger Bobby Chamberlain and shot stopper Adam Long at their disposal.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Aiming to grab a goal in the opening moments of the first period to unnerve their opposition, the Pirates beat netminder Lawson with less than three minutes played as Jordan Fisher presented his team with the lead following a neat pass from fellow forward Aaron Lyon. Building on their offensive play after this goal, Hull were keen to double their tally but hard work from Whitley’s defence and neat netminding from Lawson prevented the Pirates from doing so. A penalty for Fisher on the ten-minute mark presented the visitors with the advantage but, despite the Warriors’ efforts to equalise, David Longstaff’s line-up found their play broken up by the Pirates who killed the penalty to stay ahead in the game. Having enjoyed possession though, Whitley turned their attentions to a goal of their own and it was not long before they were rewarded for their determination as captain Dean Holland teamed up with Canadian import Philip Edgar to see forward Ben Richards grab his ninth league goal of the season on 14:23. However, just two minutes after drawing level, the Warriors were forced into defence as Edgar headed to the sin bin for slashing to hand the Pirates a power play. Though Hull maintained their pressure on Lawson’s net, the side were unable to capitalise on the advantage and were dismayed to have outshot Whitley by nineteen shots to nine only to head in at the break on level terms.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Realising their need to once again get ahead in the game, Hewitt’s team were quick to find the target on their return to the ice, this time Lyon receiving the puck from defenceman Chris Wilcox to incorporate Josh Gent into play, the forward adjusting the scoreboard to 2-1 on 23:51. Refusing to be despondent following the concession of this goal, the Warriors rallied to trouble netminder Long at the other end of the ice and, just under five minutes later, the puck was again in the net but this time for the visitors as player-coach Longstaff played a pass to experienced defenceman Sam Zajac who was able to achieve his second league goal of the season on 28.34. Continuing to press for another goal in an effort to snatch the lead for the first time in the game, the Warriors battled against the Pirates who were equally as resolute which meant both netminders were called into action throughout the stanza. Striving for a third goal, Whitley were able to make their ambition a reality when Harry Harley fired home courtesy of Richards and Holland with close to four minutes remaining in the period. However, Whitley found that they were not ahead for long as Hewitt netted to tie the game at 3-3 following support from ‘D’ man Wilcox. The deadlock restored, Whitley looked to regain their lead whilst the Pirates sought another to recover lost ground but neither team were able to score before the second interval and filed from the ice ahead of an important third period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice with the aim to take both points from this game, the Pirates sought to control possession to test Whitley’s defence even further. As such, the Warriors’ were forced to dig in deep as the home team looked to snatch away their foothold in the game and were able to maintain their composure to still be in with a chance of victory. A hooking penalty on 48:24 for Warrior Josh Maddock saw Whitley reduced to four men and the side again called upon to defend against Hull’s onslaught. Though having few shots on the Pirates’ net, the Warriors strove to create some offensive opportunities of their own and, just as the game looked like it would be going into overtime, Hull were able to achieve a fourth goal as Davies printed his name on the scoresheet on 55:28 following an assist from Hewitt. Shortly afterwards, a slashing penalty called against alternate captain Jordan Barnes led to the Pirates going on the power play but, effective in their defence of Hull’s advantage, Whitley returned to full strength without further concession and called a timeout just seventeen seconds after Barnes’ return to the ice. Deciding to pull netminder Lawson to ice an additional skater in search of an equaliser, the Warriors set their sights on a fourth goal and overtime but, try as they might, the outfit could not tie the game, allowing the final buzzer to call time on their narrow 4-3 defeat.

Hawks’ wings clipped as Sharks seize points

Solway Sharks            9

Blackburn Hawks             2

Heading out in front of a home crowd, Solway Sharks took to the ice against Blackburn Hawks with a compact squad of sixteen players which included netminder Calum Hepburn, who was available to start in net after returning from injury, and left winger Steven Moore, who missed out last weekend due to work commitments. Likewise, Steven Duncombe’s Hawks were as equally shortbenched as the side made the trip to Dumfries with one less player than that of the Sharks, missing forwards Chris Gee, Thomas Parkinson and player-coach Duncombe who took part in Blackburn’s warm-up but did not ice due to injury.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing off against Blackburn, the Sharks immediately set out to test Hawks’ netminder Stuart Ashton and began to build up some strong offensive play to make life difficult for their visitors. Working hard in the first half of this period, Solway battled for success in front of the net whilst Blackburn strove to counter their attacking play to carve out a couple of chances in the Sharks’ defensive zone. As such, it was only with 12:24 on the clock that Martin Grubb’s men were able to open their account as forward Duncan Speirs teamed up with alternate captain Ross Murray to see Czech defenceman Vaclav Kolarik net to make it 1-0. Finding it difficult to execute their many chances, the Sharks continued to contest the Hawks’ defence but it took the side six minutes to double their lead, this time Speirs the man on target as Murray received the puck from left winger Moore to assist his line mate. Disappointed to have conceded another so close to the break, the Hawks were further stunned when, just thirty two seconds later, Shark Connor Henderson made it 3-0 as Kolarik turned assist alongside Scott Henderson to add to Blackburn’s woes ahead of the interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Looking to pick up from where they left off having sensed that the momentum was very much in their favour, Solway returned to the ice and were able to punish Ashton for a fourth time as Speirs surpassed the Hawks’ defence courtesy of Murray and Kolarik on 23:16 and just three minutes later, Speirs bagged his hat trick to dishearten Blackburn further as Murray racked up his fourth assist of the evening. With the Sharks now comfortable in their lead and the Hawks striving to get back into the game, Solway’s netminder Hepburn found himself called upon far more than in the first period, this time the visitors outshooting the home team as they looked to achieve a foothold in the game following the rapid growth of their deficit. Eventually though, the lack of success for the Hawks caused frustration for the visitors and it was not long before the sides clashed as captains Struan Tonnar and Ollie Lomax dropped the gloves to each earn themselves 2+2 for fighting on 35:07. With the atmosphere becoming rather fraught, conflict between Blackburn’s Finnish defenceman Kim Miettinen and Sharks’ two-way player Josh Grieveson soon followed to see power forward Murray and Hawks’ blue liner Bobby Streetly exchange blows, causing referee David Emmerson to dish out a penalty of 2+2 for fighting to both parties before the break brought an end to the period.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

It was only when both teams were restored to the ice that the puck was turned into the net for a sixth time as Kolarik linked up with Speirs to help Moore onto the scoresheet with forty three minutes played. Just over a minute later, Kolarik took possession of the puck to fire home an unassisted effort to accomplish the eleventh league goal of his campaign to make it 7-0. Utterly helpless, Blackburn opted to switch netminder Stuart Ashton for shot stopper Niks Trapans to provide the former some reprieve and the latter with some valuable ice time. Relentless in their offensive efforts though, Grubb’s men then added an eighth to Blackburn’s deficit as Moore notched his second of the evening following passing play between Speirs and Kolarik; Solway scoring three goals in the space of approximately two minutes. Battling back against their heavy concession, the Hawks were spurred into action and passing play between blue liner Lewis Baldwin and forward Lee Pollitt resulted in Aaron Davies burying the puck beyond Hepburn to make it 8-1 on 49:40. Despite this, the Sharks continued to dominate and Blackburn were unable to deny Solway a ninth goal as Czech defenceman Marek Charvát set up Tonnar to see his captain capitalise on this opportunity. Again though, the Hawks showed some fight to grab a second goal as Davies claimed another on 55:54, this time alternate captain Luke Boothroyd and Slovakian import Jozef Ištocy with the assists. However, with time fast running out, Duncombe’s men were resigned to their fate, though the side were handed a power play on 58:49 when two-way defenceman Josh Grieveson made way for crosschecking. Working hard to kill this penalty for the remainder of the game, the Sharks had little to worry about as the clock counted down to allow the final buzzer to call time on their 9-2 victory.

Reflecting on this clash, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb shared: “I was really pleased with our performance against a Blackburn team who are always a tough team to play against. Once we got ourselves in front we were in full control and scored some nice goals. It was also pleasing to see us play on both sides of the puck and to stick to our system all night, especially as the Hawks never stopped working. We can move forward with confidence after that game.”

   

Warriors pipped to post as Pirates pillage points

Whitley Warriors           3

Hull Pirates                  4  (OT)

Following Saturday’s narrow 4-3 regulation time defeat to Hull Pirates, Whitley Warriors were raring to go for the second game of their double header against Jason Hewitt’s team and had at their disposal a skilled and resilient line-up, though missing forwards Ryan Sample, Callum Watson and stand-in defenceman Martin Crammond. Meanwhile, Hull made the trip with fifteen skaters and netminders Adam Long and Joseph Gent; their only absentees shot stopper Ashley Smith and injured defenceman Lee Haywood.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Starting the period well, it was clear that Hull were prepared to make this game a difficult one for the Warriors as the Pirates immediately sought to get some shots on netminder Richie Lawson’s goal with Whitley’s defence called upon to gather possession quickly to mount an attack at the other end of the ice. A crosschecking penalty handed to Hull’s defenceman Thomas Stubley on 4:28 saw Whitley go on the power play and, though trying to make most of their advantage, the Warriors were unable to capitalise. Building on this possession however, David Longstaff’s line-up grew in confidence to pose a real threat to their visitors as the game continued to be end-to-end and as such, it was the home team who were able to break the deadlock on 8:10 as Canadian import Philip Edgar pounced on a loose puck which had fallen behind Long after a shot from captain Dean Holland. Both teams utilising their intensity with play continuing to be end-to-end, neither netminder Long or Lawson could rest as the puck was moved from one zone to another at a rapid pace. The Pirates always looking dangerous, Lawson was required to make save after save at one end of the ice whilst the Warriors were forced to defend with speed and accuracy to ensure that they did not let their lead slip from their grasp. Persisting in their own efforts to move the puck forwards, Whitley’s effective defensive work soon paid off as the outfit moved into their offensive zone to see Edgar capitalise on the rebounded shots of Holland and experienced defenceman Sam Zajac to present the Warriors with a two-goal cushion on 14:24. Try as they might to reduce their deficit, Hull were unable to beat Lawson who was outstanding between the pipes to ensure that his team headed in with their 2-0 lead intact at the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice with the understanding that they needed to get on the scoresheet, Hull were quick off the mark as defenceman Stubley set up hardworking forward Lee Bonner who executed his shot with skill to beat Lawson just over a minute and a half into the period. Buoyed by this goal, it was not long after that the Pirates drew level as player-coach Hewitt teamed up with top points scorer Matty Davies to support Bobby Chamberlain’s effort on goal, the right winger tying the game on 25:43. Shortly after this goal, Warriors’ alternate captain Jordan Barnes was then shown to the sin bin for holding to award the Pirates a power play and, digging in deep to defend on the penalty kill, Whitley were faced with some tricky play from their opposition to provide some nerve-wracking moments. In spite of Hull’s relentless efforts on goal, the Warriors returned to full strength unscathed and battled to create some opportunities of their own which culminated in Edgar completing his hat trick on 34:45 to make it 3-2 when forward Adam Finlinson weaved his way into the Pirates’ defensive zone following a pass from Holland. It was shortly after this goal that the period was brought to a close to allow maintenance to the plexi-glass to take place with 4:44 still to play.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice to play the remaining moments of the second stanza, Whitley were able to keep their opposition at bay to prevent an equaliser from the Pirates to head into the third period with their 3-2 lead unharmed. Striving to add to their tally with the score line still too close for comfort, the Warriors sought to find a way beyond Long but without success whilst Hull continued to prove a great threat at the other end of the ice to see Lawson pull off some fantastic saves. It was not long before Whitley found themselves challenged one too many times though, as player-coach Hewitt raced up the ice to equalise, Chamberlain turning assist alongside Davies on this occasion. Just over three minutes later, a hooking penalty for forward Jordan Fisher saw Hull reduced to four men to allow the Warriors a power play but, struggling to make the most of this opportunity, the home team could not alter the scoring with the additional skater and as play continued to move swiftly between zones with the period in its final stages, neither team could make their shots count to avoid overtime.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As such, three-on-three overtime ensued and Warriors Sam Zajac, Kyle Ross and Josh Maddock attempted to take control of play; Zajac first trying his luck on goal before the puck fell to Maddock but the blue liner’s shot was wide of the target. Changing lines, it was the turn of Hull to gain possession and this time alternate captain Samuel Towner linked up with captain Jamie Chilcott to pick out player-coach Hewitt who raced through on goal to beat Lawson on 60:51, thereby claiming both points for his side whilst Whitley could content themselves with a point from another strong performance against Hull on home ice. Speaking after this game, Whitley’s player-coach David Longstaff shared his thoughts: “We battled well tonight. We’ve struggled over the last couple of weeks with a sickness bug and I think you could tell tonight. We looked tired and made more mistakes than we normally do at home but it’s a credit to the players to get something out of the game.”

Stars dazzle Dragons as Billingham build form

Billingham Stars     14

The Dragons              0

Heading out onto the ice with sixteen skaters and netminders James Flavell and Mark Watson available to them, Billingham Stars found themselves without forwards Jack Davies and Josh Nertney, defencemen Ross Hanlon and Thomas Keeley and alternate captain Callum Davies. The Dragons, by comparison, travelled to The Forum with an incredibly short bench of twelve men which included captain James Parsons, alternate captains Matthew Wainwright and Gavin Austin and shot stopper Louis Edwards.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

With both teams aiming for the points, though the Dragons were aware of the challenge they faced, the opening moments of the period saw both outfits striving for possession but it did not take long for the Stars to begin their domination of the game, the side netting on 5:52 through Latvian forward Deniss Baškatovs who made the most of play from forward Jack Emerson and young defenceman James Hellens to open Billingham’s account. Less than two minutes later, the home team doubled their lead when Michael Bowman teamed up with captain Michael Elder to see fellow player-coach Richie Thornton grab his first league goal of the season. Moments later, Dragons’ defenceman Craig Lutkevitch handed the Stars a power play when he was called to the sin bin for crosschecking. Unable to pass up the opportunity to capitalise, Billingham added a third to their tally, this time blue liner Darren Stattersfield printing his name on the scoresheet courtesy of Baškatovs and Thornton. With the score line 3-0, the Dragons were spurred into action and sought to test Flavell at the other end of the ice which broke up Billingham’s offensive play for a short time, though Edwards was also kept busy between the pipes as the netminder saw off numerous chances from the Teessiders who were able to outshoot their opposition by twenty seven shots to eight in this period. Their work ethic never wavering, the Stars then hit home a fourth goal through Latvian defenceman Artūrs Ozols as Elder and alternate captain Chris Sykes picked up assists on 16:18. Just twelve seconds later, Edwards again collected the puck from his net when Billingham’s forward James Moss played the puck to Baškatovs who snatched his second of the evening to see the Dragons head in with a five-goal deficit at the break.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the ice, the Stars picked up from where they left off, taking just twenty three seconds to alter the scoreboard, this time Elder and Bowman working together to set up Sykes. Just forty four seconds later, Sykes then seized his second of the evening with support from Moss and Ozols and shortly afterwards, Baškatovs accomplished his hat trick with Moss again on hand to assist, though alongside blue liner Andy Finn on this occasion. Having conceded three goals in the space of less than two minutes as a result, the Dragons called a timeout to compose themselves whilst the Stars opted to switch Flavell for Watson to allow the backup netminder some valuable ice time. This team talk made little difference to the visitors however, as minutes later, Billingham made it 9-0 with just 25:47 on the clock, this time Emerson the man on target following an assist from forward Scott Ward. With frustrations soon beginning to show as the Dragons continued to fight a losing battle, referee David Emmerson was left little choice other than to sin bin both Ward and Lutkevitch for charging and high sticks respectively just beyond the halfway point in the period. Very much dominating in front of goal to make life difficult for netminder Edwards, the Stars grabbed another on 35:29 as Baškatovs claimed his fourth of the evening with help from Finn. Their efforts on Watson’s net few and far between, the Dragons found it increasingly difficult to grab a goal and as such, Billingham continued to place the side’s defence under pressure to file from the ice at the second interval with a 10-0 lead.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Their aim now damage limitation, the spirited Dragons returned to the ice and were unwilling to give up in their efforts to counter Billingham’s play but the Deeside outfit soon suffered another setback when the Stars notched an eleventh on 41:10, Sykes sealing his hat trick as Elder and Bowman again arrived in support of the alternate captain. Just fourteen seconds later though, the Dragons were dealing with a twelve-goal deficit as Moss beat Edwards to achieve his fifth league goal of the season. Struggling to counteract Billingham’s play, Gary Shaw’s team were stretched to the limits of their short bench and could not find the back of the net, try as they might. Just before the fifty-minute mark in the period, the Stars bagged themselves a thirteenth goal as young forward Alex Preston got in on the action when Ward received a pass from youngster Ethan Hehir to assist. Outshot by twenty seven to nine in this period, the Dragons continued to seek a consolatory goal but could not achieve one and, just as the clock began to count down the last five minutes of the game, Sykes completed his team’s scoring with his fourth goal of the evening to see the scoreboard read 14-0 when the final buzzer sounded to end the Dragons’ suffering.

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

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 (MORALEE)

Saturday 13th January 2018

Hull Pirates vs. Whitley Warriors

Solway Sharks vs. Blackburn Hawks

 Sunday 14th January 2018

Whitley Warriors vs. Hull Pirates

Billingham Stars vs. The Dragons

Fixture:    Hull Pirates vs. Whitley Warriors

Date:        13^th January 2018    

Venue:     Hull Arena

Faceoff:  6:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Heading into the first game of their double header against Hull Pirates on Saturday, Whitley Warriors prepare to hit the road for what is expected to be a hugely challenging game if their pre-Christmas encounter against Jason Hewitt’s men was anything to by. Playing the Pirates in front of a home crowd on the 5^th November, the Warriors were able to record a very respectable 4-3 overtime defeat after losing out on penalties; a game which was of great contrast to their most recent meeting with Hull which saw David Longstaff’s men concede eleven unanswered goals on the road in a fiery encounter between the two clubs. With both skilled forward Matty Davies and strong right winger Bobby Chamberlain achieving hat tricks in their previous clash with Whitley, and Warriors’ Callum Watson, Anthony Wetherell and Ryan Sample each dropping the gloves for their side, the Hillheads outfit will travel with the objective to compete with the former EPL club at the very least.

Currently placed in sixth position ahead of Solihull Barons with a total of twenty points from twenty one games, the Warriors will aim to maintain discipline to ensure that they do not present the Pirates with any opportunity to gain the upper hand. Hull, meanwhile, will look to claim two points after dropping to fourth position last weekend following Solway’s win over Whitley, the side having missed out on league action due to the NIHL National Cup schedule. At present, the Pirates are just one point behind Martin Grubb’s men but with five games in hand on the Sharks, meaning Hewitt will encourage his team to bag as many points from these games as they can to ensure Hull continue to compete within the top four. Playing Sheffield Steeldogs on Friday evening in a National Cup fixture besides their double header against the Warriors over the weekend, the Pirates will hope that their busy schedule will provide sufficient momentum as opposed to fatiguing players. With both teams heading out in search of two points and neither willing to give up a victory without a fight, this game will no doubt prove to be entertaining whatever the outcome.

Fixture:    Solway Sharks vs. Blackburn Hawks

Date:        13^th January 2018    

Venue:     Dumfries Ice Bowl

Faceoff:  7:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Preparing to host Blackburn Hawks for their second league encounter against the Lancashire outfit on home ice, Solway Sharks head into this game having recorded a narrow 7-6 league victory over Steven Duncombe’s men at the Dumfries Ice Bowl in October. Winning as many games as they lost against the Hawks in the NIHL National Cup competition this season, Solway are aware of the threat that Blackburn pose and will look to win by a far more comfortable margin than their previous league fixture against the side in which the extremely shortbenched Sharks took the lead with just thirty three seconds played only to head in at the break with the score tied at 3-3. With each team scoring another goal in the middle stanza, it was left to Solway to hit back in the third period through Moore and Bowie ahead of the fifty-minute mark but an equaliser for Blackburn’s Rick Bentham moments later prompted Bowie to claim his hat trick to secure the points for his team.

Looking back on the last five league fixtures of both teams, it is clear to see that Solway appear to have much momentum heading into this encounter as, though both outfits played over the festive period, the Sharks have won four of their last five games; their loss arising last weekend in the form of a respectable 3-0 defeat to Telford Tigers. The Hawks, by comparison, have won just one of their last five games, triumphing over Nottingham Lions by two goals to nil on the 23^rd of December. Since then, Duncombe’s team have suffered a 5-0 defeat to Sheffield Steeldogs, lost out to Billingham Stars by a single goal and endured consecutive cup defeats to Hull Pirates, first missing out on the points by a narrow 4-3 score line before recording a landslide 12-3 loss last Sunday. As such, the Hawks will prove dangerous as they aim to overcome their recent poor form with a win over the Sharks whilst Solway will go all out for the points to ensure they stay ahead of tough competition. 

Speaking ahead of his team’s upcoming encounter with Blackburn Hawks, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb admitted:

“We come into this game on the back of a mixed weekend and we are determined to get back to winning ways. Blackburn are a team who come to play, have a lot of experience in their line-up and are capable of beating anyone so we need to ensure we are prepared, organised and ready to compete for every puck. We know it won’t be easy but we hope to have a few players back from injury to add to our options and we will be looking for two points from the game. ”

Fixture:    Whitley Warriors vs. Hull Pirates

Date:        14^th January 2018    

Venue:     Whitley Bay Ice Rink

Faceoff:  5:00pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to Hillheads to face their second consecutive fixture against Hull Pirates, Whitley Warriors will be hopeful that they can achieve a victory on home ice after Saturday’s no doubt challenging trip to Hull Arena. Having fared extremely well in their previous home fixture against the Pirates, Whitley will be hoping to play with the same level of determination, intensity and diligence that they demonstrated in their 4-3 overtime loss to Jason Hewitt’s team in November. Lining up with a strong squad of twenty skaters for this clash, the Warriors were able to hold Hull to 0-0 at the first interval but watched on as their visitors opened the scoring through Bobby Chamberlain after the break. Responding quickly, defenceman Dan Pye beat netminder Ashley Smith to level the scoring only for skilled forward Matty Davies to undo his hard work moments later and recover his side’s lead. A goal for Warrior Martin Crammond in the latter stages of the second stanza was then added to by an unassisted effort from forward Callum Watson in the fifty fifth minute of play before Pirate Jonathan Kirk equalised with just nineteen seconds of the game remaining to take the encounter into overtime. With neither side able to break the deadlock, the game was settled with penalty shots; Davies hitting the winner to hand his team two points whilst Whitley could content themselves with a point despite their cruel loss. Knowing that they are more than capable of putting the Pirates to the test on their smaller ice pad as a result of this, the Warriors will aim for a repeat performance of this clash whereas Hull will return to ensure they grab a win with far more ease than they did when they last visited Hillheads, particularly as a four-point weekend could make all the difference to their league position on Sunday evening. Ready to give this game their best following their 5-3 win over Solihull Barons last weekend, the Warriors will look to challenge their visitors as much as possible which could make this game a particularly fierce one, with neither team afraid to fight for the win.

Considering Whitley’s double header against Hull Pirates, player-coach David Longstaff noted:

“We really struggled in Hull just before Christmas so we’ll just have to see what type of team we have over the weekend.”

Also looking forward to his team’s busy playing schedule, defenceman Chris Wilcox shared:

“This weekend we have a hectic schedule as we are in Sheffield to face the Steeldogs on Friday, then a double header against Whitley Bay. Having played them twice already, we have a pretty good idea of what we are up against and, if our last game is anything to go by, it will be a pair of fairly physical encounters. On Saturday, we are at home where we are pretty dominant at the moment but in Whitley on Sunday night, it will be a different game. We hope to stick to our systems and to play our hockey and if we do, I think we will come away with a good result which will be huge in our league campaign.”

Fixture:    Billingham Stars vs. The Dragons  

Date:        14^th January 2018    

Venue:     The Forum

Faceoff:  6:30pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Facing The Dragons for a third time this season, Billingham Stars will head out onto the ice looking to claim another two points to improve on the margin between themselves and seventh place, after recording a 5-3 victory over Nottingham Lions last weekend and losing out on the road to Telford Tigers by eight goals to two. So far claiming maximum points against the Deeside outfit this season, Billingham opened their campaign with an 11-3 home win in which player-coach Michael Bowman achieved a hat trick before the side triumphed more recently in a 9-4 road victory which saw both captain Michael Elder and alternate captain Chris Sykes score hat tricks to further their team’s progression. 

Whilst Billingham have struggled to compete this season, losing sixteen of the twenty games they have played to date, including their overtime loss to Sheffield Steeldogs, The Dragons find themselves in a far worse predicament as they continue to reside in the automatic relegation spot at the foot of the table after suffering nineteen defeats from twenty one fixtures; their only wins against Solihull Barons and Nottingham Lions. Having lost player-coach Scott McKenzie to Telford Tigers at the end of October, the outfit have this week appointed former Dragon Gary Shaw as assistant coach in the hope that the Deeside-based outfit can build on their recent poor form with further guidance from the bench. Meanwhile, the Stars will aim to scupper The Dragons’ game plan as they set out to notch their fifth win of the season to get more points on the board ahead of next weekend’s difficult double header against Solihull Barons. With Billingham Stars and The Dragons currently situated in eighth and tenth place in the league respectively, the outfits have been close competition in terms of league position this season and will therefore give as much as they can as they continue to fight for their Division One status.

Looking ahead to this fixture, Stars’ alternate captain Chris Sykes shared:

“It’s a one-game weekend for the Stars against The Dragons who we’ve beaten both times this far into the season. Hopefully it will be another win for us and three on the bounce at home in The Forum. It should be a tough game but we know we can win and we will do everything we can for another two points.”

  

Also taking time to share his thoughts ahead of this game, Dragons’ captain James Parsons acknowledged:

“We have had a tough year so far. With the loss of coaches, backroom staff and players, we have been spread very thin. The focus for the club going forward is to bring juniors through and continue to build a team for the rest of the season and the next. Looking ahead to Billingham, a good, tough team that we know well, we are aiming to take some points from Sunday and are looking forward to the test.”

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