NIHL North

NIHL Weekend Round-up

Whitley Warriors conceded their fourth consecutive defeat with a 9-4 loss against Solway Sharks on Sunday.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

After a promising start which saw the Warriors test Solway’s netminder Kyle Johnston on several occasions, Whitley were placed on a lengthy penalty kill which began when Alternate Captain Jordan Barnes made way for high sticks on 3:11. Killing this penalty with success, the Warriors went shorthanded for a second time when Captain Dean Holland was sinbinned for tripping just over a minute before blue liner Josh Maddock joined his teammate to serve a penalty of 2+10 for boarding. Despite their enhanced advantage, the Dumfries outfit failed to capitalise with the additional man but fought back to beat netminder Richie Lawson, although this effort was ruled out after the suggestion that the puck had been kicked into the net. Relieved, the Warriors were glad to be given the chance to open the scoring and did so, forward Shaun Kippin teaming up with Player-Coach David Longstaff to successfully thread a pass to Barnes who netted on 16:22. Doubling their lead with just eleven seconds of the first period remaining, forward DJ Good made the most of clever play from left winger Ben Campbell to provide his team with a 2-0 lead, Alternate Captain Sam Zajac also bagging an assist.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

A high sticks offence against Sharks’ Alternate Captain Ross Murray in the early stages of the second period saw Holland sidelined again and Solway took just twenty seconds to capitalise on the power play through forward Rick Bentham. Immediately regaining composure, Kippin unleashed a fantastic shot which beat Johnston after receiving a pass from Zajac but, shortly after this goal, the power shifted to the Sharks when a hit from Solway’s Captain Struan Tonnar went unpunished, leading Whitley’s forward Callum Watson to instead incur an interference penalty just moments before Longstaff was made to serve a minor for charging. Scoring on the power play after Whitley returned to four men, the Sharks accomplished their second of the game on 26:50 as Bentham hit home another, though assist Lewis Baldwin was credited with the goal. Finding themselves with more possession and control than before, the Sharks equalised just after the halfway point of the game, Murray picking out young defenceman Liam Stenton who hit a long range shot from just inside the blue line to see the puck trickle beneath Lawson. Sensing that the points were there for the taking, forward Iain Bowie fired his team into the lead on 32:18 to make it 4-3 and, just over a minute later, Bentham went bar down to achieve his hat trick, youngster Lewis Houston with the assist. Conceding these goals in quick succession, the Warriors gained a 5-on-3 power play when Murray was joined by Gápa in the sin bin. Failing to make the most of this advantage, Whitley were greatly disappointed when Baldwin’s unassisted shot ended up in the back of Lawson’s net to see the visitors add to their tally whilst shorthanded. This goal brought about a change of netminder for the Warriors as Lawson was pulled from his post to allow backup Mark Turnbull some ice time. Five seconds later, Whitley’s winger Adam Perrie made an impact, bulleting the puck into the net to make it 6-4 heading into the third period. Despite this, the home side were dealt another blow before the break when Zajac was forced off the ice through injury following a spectacular defensive effort.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Though striving to close the gap between themselves and the Sharks, the Warriors struggled to maintain intensity as Watson headed to the sin bin for slashing on 42:11. Punishing their opposition with just four seconds of their advantage remaining, the Sharks achieved full control of the game, Bentham again the man on target before Gápa made it 8-4 courtesy of Bowie. Completing their scoring prior to the fifty minute mark, Solway fittingly ended with a goal from Bentham who was able to notch his fifth of the evening with support from defencemen Ben Coughtrie and Kyle Horne. Replacing Turnbull with Lawson in the process, Whitley went on to enjoy successive power plays but having lost pace in the third period, Longstaff’s line-up resigned themselves to another defeat, leaving Solway to celebrate on the final buzzer.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Speaking after this contest, Sharks’ Head Coach Martin Grubb kindly shared: “Games at Hillheads are always tough and we knew both teams wanted to get league points on the board. I thought we started okay but, as the first period wore on, we became wasteful in possession, failed to take our power play chances, made too many defensive errors and we were punished for it. We had to make a few adjustments to our system, made sure we didn’t panic and played our game. I thought we played well for forty minutes and dominated the game. I like the character we showed; we took our chances and created plenty more with our work rate. It was nice to show the depth we had. It was great for Liam Stenton to get his first senior goal and we are pleased with a good win. Everyone at the club would like to wish Sam Zajac a speedy recovery after what looked like a really sore one on Sunday night.”

Meanwhile, Billingham Stars can be pleased with their start to their NIHL North league campaign after finding themselves in fourth place following their 6-2 victory over Nottingham Lions on Sunday evening.

Taking an early lead through Captain Michael Elder who found himself on the scoresheet following neat work from Canadian Kevin Boyd and ‘D’ man Darren Stattersfield, Billingham enjoyed possession on the power play just eighteen seconds later when Lions’ left winger Ben Wood was sinbinned for interference. Unable to add to their goal count in spite of their additional skater, the Stars were handed a second chance when forward Ruskin Hughes made way for elbowing on 6:18 but the Teessiders could not beat netminder Alan Levers with the advantage. Continuing to persevere however, the Stars surpassed Nottingham’s defence once again as Alternate Captain Chris Sykes found the target, this time Boyd teaming up with experienced defenceman Richie Thornton to assist with almost three quarters of the period played. Shortly after this goal, the Lions’ discipline let them down again but, fortunately for the home team, Billingham’s power play fell short to see Nottingham head in just two goals down at the first interval.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The Stars returned to the ice for the middle stanza and stunned Nottingham with a third goal just thirty eight seconds in when Elder unleashed a spectacular shot courtesy of fellow forward James Moss, though this goal was mistakenly awarded to Jack Emerson. Soon after this goal, both teams ran into penalty trouble, forward Paul Stanley considered guilty of charging whilst Stars’ defenceman Andy Finn sat out for interference just over a minute later. Fifty five seconds after returning to the ice, Stanley earned himself 2+10 for boarding and the Stars were quick to punish the Lions, blue liner Ben Davison outwitting his opposition as Stattersfield and Boyd picked up their second and third assists respectively. This period more even than the first with Nottingham testing Stars’ shot stopper Mark Watson on a more regular basis, Billingham recognised that their opposition were unwilling to give up on the points and hit back with a fifth goal eight seconds before the break, Sykes snatching his second of the encounter with support arriving from Alternate Captain Callum Davies.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The score line 5-0, Nottingham were aware that they needed to respond quickly if they were to take anything from this clash and working hard to test Watson, the side reaped their rewards with a goal on 47:41, defenceman Callum Medcalf threading a pass to Hughes who hit home to chip away at his team’s deficit. Just after the halfway point in the period, Matt Bradbury’s men were given cause to hope for more out of the game when a late hit from Boyd allowed the Lions a power play. Forward Thomas Parkinson converting this advantage following creative play between Jacob Klima and Cameron Pywell, Nottingham were then awarded another power play when Stars’ defenceman Thomas Keeley was sinbinned for a late hit. This advantage increased to a 5-on-3 situation as Boyd was sidelined for high sticks, and the Lions called a timeout in an effort to go within a goal of their opposition. Despite this, Nottingham’s efforts fell short of their mark and instead, the Stars returned to full strength to add a final goal to their tally, Elder again on target as Callum Davies and Moss assisted on 56:48. Unable to come back from this, the Lions recorded a 6-2 defeat to Billingham who continue to go from strength to strength in their efforts to contend with the competition this season.

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

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 (MORALEE)

Sunday 16th September 2018

Whitley Warriors vs. Solway Sharks

Nottingham Lions vs. Billingham Stars

Fixture:    Whitley Warriors vs. Solway Sharks

Date:        16^th September 2018

Venue:     Whitley Bay Ice Rink

Faceoff:  5:00 pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Set to play host to Solway Sharks on Sunday evening, Whitley Warriors will hope to emulate last season’s success on home ice against the Dumfries outfit, having won both of their games against Martin Grubb’s men at Hillheads in their previous campaign. Last season, Whitley began with a 3-1 road loss in their opening fixture against the Sharks but the Warriors then put the outfit to the test with a 4-2 home win in October. With just two goals separating the contenders on both occasions, Solway went on to win by a wider margin at the Ice Bowl in January, scoring seven goals to Whitley’s three to triumph over David Longstaff’s line-up in their first game after New Year. Despite this result, the Warriors rallied again to take another victory against the Sharks at Hillheads almost one month later, this time managing a 3-1 win to claim both points in front of their home crowd. Often fast-paced and fiery, the two teams have a history of clashing in recent campaigns and, despite the increasing importance of discipline at this level, there were some heated exchanges between the teams last season. In particular, Solway’s Ross Murray strategically instigated a fight with Warrior Jordan Barnes in a bid to fire up his teammates after his side fell behind. 

Both teams have added to their usual cohort of players this summer, with Solway Sharks acquiring the services of eighteen-year-old netminder Jordan McLaughlin from Edinburgh Capitals as well as bringing in two new imports in the form of ex-EIHL left winger Cale Tanaka and Slovakian Peter Gápa. Meanwhile, more familiar to NIHL North are former Hawks’ defenceman Lewis Baldwin and forward Rick Bentham who have also joined Solway for their 2018-19 campaign. Enhancing what was already a very strong roster with speed and skill, the Sharks will certainly fight for the points on Sunday and, as such, the Warriors will be fully aware that they will have to be at their very best. Securing the signing of former Guildford Flames left winger Ben Campbell, Player-Coach David Longstaff will hope that his new signing can continue to build on his current run of form, after recording 4 goals and 3 assists in 7 games. Also influential for the Warriors in recent league fixtures, Alternate Captain Sam Zajac and Captain Dean Holland have both contributed considerably to Whitley’s creative play so far. With both sides boasting strong offensive line-ups and resilient defensive units, this fixture will hopefully prove to be another fantastic, closely contested clash between two highly competitive outfits who are prepared to go all out for the points.

Whilst a win for Whitley would see the outfit receive a much needed boost after suffering three consecutive defeats over the last two weeks, Solway Sharks are also looking for their first victory of the season after losing 4-2 to Sheffield Steeldogs last Saturday. With the points meaning a great deal to both teams, this meeting should be just as entertaining as past encounters between these two sides and is therefore not one to be missed.

Fixture:    Nottingham Lions vs. Billingham Stars

Date:        16^th September 2018

Venue:     National Ice Centre

Faceoff:  5:30 pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Visiting Nottingham Lions at the National Ice Centre for the first time this campaign, Billingham Stars will prepare for a difficult contest against the only side still in Division One that they did not concede defeat to last season. Accomplishing a 5-3 win over Matt Bradbury’s men back in January, the Stars then faced the Lions in consecutive games in February, first recording a 6-1 win on the road before travelling back to The Forum where they were able to scrape both points in overtime in a thrilling game which saw Billingham’s Alternate Captain Chris Sykes bag himself a hat trick whilst Nottingham’s Paul Stanley and Marc Levers each scored a brace to allow their side to snatch a point. Despite this excellent effort against the Teessiders, the Lions were then disappointed to concede six unanswered goals in front of their home crowd one week later in a game which was heavily punctuated with penalties; Nottingham’s defenceman Luke Thomas, Alternate Captain Levers and forward Paul Lofthouse each earning themselves 2+2 for fighting alongside Sykes, blue liner Ben Davison and defenceman Ross Hanlon who also earned an additional penalty of 2+10 for a check to the head. In consequence, with the Lions proving to be far more challenging competition than their final league position suggested, Nottingham will surely set out to test Billingham when they play host to the side this Sunday.

Aiming to convert their hard work into victories this season, Nottingham’s Head Coach Matt Bradbury has re-signed much of last season’s roster, including strong Captain Elliot Perrin, top points scorer Levers and forward Stanley, besides adding Czech import Jakub Klima, to provide his outfit with the best chance to improve on last season’s ninth place finish. Likewise, the Stars will also set out with the objective to build on the performances of their most recent outing after ending their 2017-18 campaign in eighth place, a huge underachievement for a team who have shown themselves to be capable of far more over the last few seasons. Losing to the defending champions by just one goal in their first league game of their campaign, the Stars bounced back to claim two points against Solihull Barons on the following evening with a 5-4 win. On hand to help their side to achieve this result were forwards Jack Davies, James Moss and Lithuanian Edgar Protčenko who each notched a goal and an assist whilst Sykes and youngster Ethan Hehir were also on the scoresheet, seemingly picking up from where they left off last season. With a great deal of ability in offence, Billingham will utilise their skill and resolve to break down Nottingham’s compact defence.

Setting their sights on maximum points on the road to build on their current points tally, the Stars will need to prepare for a very demanding game against the Lions, if last season is anything to go by, whereas Nottingham will seek out victory to gain confidence after three landslide defeats to Telford Tigers, Sheffield Steeldogs and Solihull Barons in their opening fixtures. With both teams looking to make their hard work count, the two sides will give this game their best when they face each other on Sunday evening.

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

NIHL North

NIHL Weekend Round-up

Following a productive pre-season, Solway Sharks took to the ice on Saturday against Sheffield Steeldogs for their first NIHL North league game of their 2018-19 campaign, recording a 4-2 loss to the defending champions.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Handing the Steeldogs an early power play when defenceman Lewis Baldwin headed to the sin bin for interference on 2:23, Solway were relieved when they found themselves on a level playing field just five seconds later as Slovakian forward Adrian Palak was sidelined for high sticks. Though incurring a second interference penalty over four minutes later, the Sharks’ misdemeanours were significantly less than Sheffield’s during the opening period as Ben Morgan’s men racked up a total of twelve penalty minutes in comparison to the Dumfries outfit’s four PIMs. Despite this, it took Solway some time to make the most of their power plays but the side eventually managed to open the scoring on 18:49 as defenceman Josh Grieveson netted with assistance from forward Joe Coulter and left winger Steven Moore.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Finding themselves shorthanded just before the first interval, the Steeldogs returned to the ice to kill the remainder of their penalty, only to lose a man to the sin bin twelve seconds after they were restored to five men. Failing to capitalise, Solway were then handed a second chance to double their lead when Slovakian forward Milan Kolena was made to sit out for tripping on 27:11. However, Sheffield were not about to let this small setback slow them down and instead found the target just eight seconds later as left winger Liam Charnock played the puck to forward Nathan Salem who beat Sharks’ netminder Kyle Johnston to level the scoring. Just past the halfway mark in the fixture, Solway regained their lead through forward Iain Bowie, this time Moore teaming up with blue liner Baldwin to assist. After serving another two penalties in quick succession, Sheffield recovered their composure to accomplish a second equaliser, this time Alternate Captain Ashley Calvert making the most of a pass from ‘D’ man Thomas Relf on 34:45 to see the outfits head in on level terms.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Picking up a penalty just forty four seconds into the final stanza, the Sharks worked hard to prevent their opposition from edging ahead on the power play but, despite maintaining discipline for most of the game, Solway ironically incurred successive penalties which ultimately saw the side fall behind; an interference penalty from left winger Cale Tanaka was followed by a hooking penalty from forward Scott Henderson just six seconds after the Sharks had been restored to full strength. In consequence, the Steeldogs built enough momentum to fire themselves into the lead with a power play on 54:39, Kolena and Salem linking up to allow Player-Coach Morgan to print his name on the scoresheet. Buoyed by this goal, the visitors rallied to extend their lead to 4-2, this time Kolena guiding the puck home courtesy of Calvert and former Shark Duncan Speirs with just over two minutes remaining in the contest. Defeated, the Sharks picked up one last penalty when Bowie was sent to the sin bin for charging on 59:27 to prompt a timeout from his team but there was nothing that could be said to change the final result in what was, for the most part, a close game with very little to separate the two sides.

Meanwhile, Whitley Warriors suffered a 12-6 road defeat to Telford Tigers on Saturday evening, though the Hillheads outfit worked hard in their attempt to take something from this game.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Opening the scoring just forty eight seconds in through Alternate Captain Sam Zajac, the Warriors stunned Telford’s netminder Denis Bell with a second on 6:05, this time left winger Ben Campbell the man on target as Captain Dean Holland threaded a pass to his line mate. Playing at a quick pace in the early stages of this contest, the Warriors then added a third to their tally when forward Joseph Aston was sinbinned for a late hit, Campbell claiming his second of the evening on the power play as Holland assisted alongside forward DJ Good. Though this goal prompted Telford to switch Bell for backup netminder Thomas Hovell, the game began to shift in favour of the home team as Whitley’s forward Callum Watson placed the Tigers on a power play just twenty four seconds later. Making the most of this opportunity, Telford claimed their first goal of the game through Captain Jason Silverthorn who was helped onto the scoresheet by Alternate Captain Jonathan Weaver and defenceman Corey Goodison. Just under five minutes later, Tom Watkins’ team went within a goal of their opposition, this time right winger Andrew McKinney netting to see his team head in on the wrong end of the 3-2 score line.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Getting off to the best possible start in the second period, the Tigers bagged themselves a goal one minute in to level the scoring as Scott McKenzie carved a path through Whitley’s defence to fire the puck glove side. A delayed slashing penalty for defenceman Josh Maddock then presented Telford with the chance to get ahead for the first time in the contest, McKenzie snatching his second of the evening when the puck fell sweetly in front of him. Fifty seconds after this goal, the Tigers extended their lead to make it 5-3, Silverthorn nabbing his second of the clash courtesy of forwards Rick Plant and Aston. Unwilling to resign themselves to their defeat, the Warriors fought back to claim a fourth when forward Shaun Kippin found a way past Hovell for the first time in the game; Campbell and blue liner Liam Smedley assisting. Moments later, young forward Brodie Jesson hit Warriors’ defenceman Kyle Ross from behind and chaos ensued to see both Jesson and Whitley’s stand-in defenceman Ryan Sample ejected from the game. Besides these penalties, Warriors Ross Douglass and Tigers Corey Goodison and Warren Tait earned themselves 2+2 for fighting, whilst Ross also incurred the same penalty despite being floored by Jesson. Spurred on by this incident, Whitley responded with an equaliser to tie the game at 5-5 as Zajac threaded a pass to Campbell who completed his hat trick just twelve seconds after Jesson’s hit on Ross. Despite this fantastic effort though, the Tigers had the final say in the period, scoring just twenty two seconds before the second break when McKenzie found himself two-on-one to guide the puck around Lawson and into the net.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

As Watson earned himself a holding penalty at the end of the middle section, the Warriors found themselves on the penalty kill at the start of the final stanza. Working hard to see off the Tigers’ creative play, David Longstaff’s line-up returned to full strength only to concede forty seconds later when ‘D’ man Nick Oliver notched a goal. This was soon followed up by an eighth as Silverthorn completed his hat trick but Whitley retaliated thirty six seconds later when Good battled his way onto the scoresheet with support arising from Campbell and Zajac. Any hope that the Warriors gained from the 8-6 score line was quickly extinguished when Zajac was shown to the sin bin for interference to provide the Tigers with a power play. Turning assist, Silverthorn linked up with Weaver to present Goodison with his first goal of the 2018-19 campaign. Changing netminders to see Jordan Boyle take the place of Lawson, the Warriors barely had time to compose themselves before the puck was again in the net, this time young forward Jed Moreland capitalising on 47:39. A 2+10 boarding penalty for Ross dealt Whitley a further blow at the halfway point of the period and the Tigers achieved their eleventh goal of the contest soon after when McKenzie fired a one-timer to put the game beyond doubt. The Warriors continued to try their luck but their efforts proved fruitless as the period drew to a close and it was Telford who were able to round off the scoring as Adam Taylor made it 12-6 when forward Jack Watkins and winger Tait made an impact in the final minute of the encounter.

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

NIHL Weekend Preview

WEEKEND

PREVIEW

NIHL NORTH DIVISION 1 (MORALEE)

Saturday 8th September 2018

Telford Tigers vs. Whitley Warriors

Solway Sharks vs. Sheffield Steeldogs

Fixture:    Telford Tigers vs. Whitley Warriors

Date:        8^th September 2018

Venue:     Telford Ice Rink

Faceoff:  7:00 pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

After a difficult opening weekend which saw Whitley Warriors collectively concede sixteen goals to Hull Pirates and Telford Tigers, David Longstaff and his men now prepare to make the lengthy trip to Shropshire on Saturday to take on Tom Watkins’ team for a second time this season. Losing 8-2 at home to the Tigers last Sunday, Whitley were challenged by Telford’s line-up which was missing both experienced defenceman Jonathan Weaver and Canadian-born left winger Doug Clarkson. Proving to be strong competition despite their absentees, the speed and skill of Watkins’ sixteen-man team was balanced by the side’s ability to contend with Whitley’s physical strength. In particular, right winger Andrew McKinney made his presence felt across all areas of the ice to cause problems for the home team before registering his industriousness with a goal in the final stanza. Also impressive last Sunday were Telford’s Captain Jason Silverthorn, who managed to complete a hat trick with less than thirty minutes played, and Alternate Captain Rick Plant who achieved a goal and four assists during this contest, assisting each of Silverthorn’s goals and helping young defenceman Joseph Hazeldine onto the scoresheet in the fifty sixth minute. By comparison, Warriors’ stand-in defenceman Ryan Sample showed himself to be incredibly effective on the blue line, breaking down Telford’s attacking play whilst seeking out offensive options. Likewise, Alternate Captain Sam Zajac was instrumental, picking up assists for both of Whitley’s goals. 

With the first home game of their 2018-19 campaign a hugely challenging one, the Warriors will also have to grapple for each and every goal on Saturday evening if they are to achieve an improved score line to build on last weekend’s performances. Having been short of defencemen, Whitley can only hope that they have more numbers this weekend after utilising third choice netminder Rory Dunn as a skater last Sunday. However, if past experiences are anything to go by, a bolstered line-up will be unlikely. The Tigers, on the other hand, have shown that they do not require a full roster to get results and already, there are eight teams sitting between the Shropshire outfit and the Warriors in the league table. Currently placed in ninth, Whitley will head out with the aim to improve on their most recent result against Telford whereas the Tigers will need a victory to ensure they are not displaced from top spot by the Steeldogs who could move ahead of Watkins’ outfit before they confront each other on Sunday at Ice Sheffield. 

With this the only encounter that the Warriors will play this weekend, Whitley will seek to make some progress whilst the Tigers will set out to carry last weekend’s momentum into this fixture to claim a third consecutive victory. These games always demanding, fans can expect the Warriors to attempt to exceed their opposition’s skill with their work rate which should make for an entertaining meeting, whatever the outcome.

Fixture:    Solway Sharks  vs. Sheffield Steeldogs

Date:        8^th September 2018

Venue:     Dumfries Ice Bowl

Faceoff:  7:00 pm

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Readying themselves for their first home clash against Sheffield Steeldogs on Saturday after a productive pre-season, Solway Sharks will head out in search of victory against Ben Morgan’s team, having picked up just one point from an overtime loss against the side in their last campaign. In this game, the Sharks hit the Steeldogs with a goal just forty six seconds after faceoff but their opposition were able to retaliate through Slovakian Adrian Palak and forward Cameron Brownley before Solway levelled the scoring to take the game into overtime; Sheffield’s import forward Milan Kolena quashing Solway’s hopes of victory with a winner on 60:43. Subsequent to this home loss, the Sharks endured a narrow 3-0 defeat at Ice Sheffield before missing out in consecutive double points games, first by 6-4 at the Dumfries Ice Bowl and then in a close 4-2 contest on the road. In these games, Kolena notched five goals against Martin Grubb’s men whilst Palak and Brownley each tallied three to prove highly influential for their side. Solway, meanwhile, found the net through skilled forward Duncan Speirs who has since switched allegiance to the Steeldogs for whom he has already tallied four goals and an assist. As such, the Sharks will hope that their former teammate cannot find the back of the net when he returns to the Ice Bowl on Saturday, knowing the danger he can pose in front of goal. 

Besides re-signing Kolena and Brownley, the Steeldogs have once again secured the services of Captain Lewis Bell, sturdy netminder Dmitri Zimozdra and forward James Spurr who finished as his side’s third highest points scorer last season. Further to these re-signings and the addition of Speirs to their roster, Sheffield have also added former Phantom Nathan Salem to their squad which can only enhance their offensive prowess, the experienced forward achieving fifty two points in thirty one games at Peterborough last season. Hoping to match the skill, pace and power of the Steeldogs in front of a home crowd, Solway will look to utilise the experience of defencemen James Hutchinson and Kyle Horne whilst harnessing the offensive ability of new additions Cale Tanaka, Peter Gápa and Rick Bentham to break down their difficult opposition.

Whilst a win for the Sharks would allow the team to get their season off to the best possible start, Sheffield require maximum points to keep pace with Telford Tigers with whom they are currently tied on points. With Solway seeking their first win over Sheffield since the outfit joined the NIHL last September, this game promises to be a highly competitive contest in which Martin Grubb’s men must contend to the best of their ability in order to improve on last season’s performances against the top three teams in NIHL North’s Division One.

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

NIHL North

NIHL Weekend Round-up

As the 2018-19 NIHL North campaign got underway this weekend, rivals Billingham Stars and Whitley Warriors experienced very different season openers.

Putting last season behind them in spectacular style, the Stars got off to a strong start on home ice, first losing out in a 4-3 contest against defending champions Sheffield Steeldogs, before fending off a comeback from Solihull Barons on Sunday evening to claim two points on the road.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Hosting the Steeldogs at The Forum on Saturday, Billingham were fired into the lead with just thirty four seconds on the clock when forward Jack Davies made the most of a neat pass from Captain Michael Elder. Though the Stars initially sought to cause problems for their opposition from the outset, the opening stages of the first period were peppered with penalties which ultimately led to Sheffield’s equaliser as new signing Nathan Salem drew level with a power play goal on 7:52 to mark his debut.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Hindered by poor discipline, the Steeldogs could not regain their lead until 25:58 when Player-Coach Morgan netted on the advantage following an interference call against Lithuanian defenceman Edgar Protčenko. Less than two minutes after this goal, Sheffield’s forward Cameron Brownley was sidelined for hooking and Billingham capitalised with thirteen seconds of their advantage remaining, Alternate Captain Chris Sykes assisting Elder. Although gaining the additional man just over a minute later, the Stars were left to rue their missed chances as the Steeldogs returned to full strength to edge ahead; left winger Ashley Calvert making it 3-2 on 32:44. Realising that they must make every chance count against the tricky Teessiders, forward Andrew Hirst achieved his team’s third power play goal of the evening to present his side with a two-goal lead.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

After the second interval, Billingham were assisted in their efforts on Dmitri Zimozdra’s net when Sheffield incurred two penalties in quick succession; blue liner Thomas Barry taking a seat for slashing just fifteen seconds before left winger Liam Charnock conceded 2+2 for tripping and crosschecking. Their five-on-three advantage extended when winger Adrian Palak made way for high sticks, the Stars seized their opportunity to claw back a goal as forward James Moss found the target on 48:47 to make it 4-3 following creative play from Sykes and goal scorer Davies. With such a narrow margin separating the two teams in the latter stages of the game, Billingham looked to convert one last power play to take the game into overtime as Salem warmed a seat in the sin bin for interference. However, despite the home team’s drive, Morgan’s men remained resolute to record a win in regular time.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

Travelling to Hobs Moat Road with much confidence on the back of a narrow defeat to last season’s title winners, the Stars were again first to score when Moss grabbed a power play goal on 8:23 as Barons’ Captain Josh Bruce served time for a late hit. Unable to retaliate with a goal of their own, Solihull’s frustration began to show and a slashing offence from young forward Cain Taylor prompted a fight between himself and forward Andrew Whitehouse to see both punished for fighting whilst Barons’ Alternate Captain Marcus Maynard received a penalty of 2+10 for a check from behind less than two minutes later.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The opening period a fiery one, the Stars were keen to build on their tentative 1-0 lead and did so with an unassisted effort from forward Jack Davies on 21:46. Fifty five seconds later, Billingham added a third to their tally through Protčenko but the Barons hit back against netminder James Flavell just eighteen seconds after this goal as Niklas Ottosson opted to go it alone to reduce his side’s deficit to two. Continuing to test Billingham’s defence, Solihull eventually grabbed a second as defenceman Daniel Harrison threaded a pass to Bruce who made it 3-2 to place his opposition on edge. Taking control of the game in response, the Teessiders regained their two-goal cushion thirty three seconds later, this time Sykes scoring with assists from line mates Callum Davies and Elder.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

The score line 4-2 going into the third period, Billingham did not want to let the points slip from their grasp against a team they failed to win against last season but Solihull were as equally eager to make a comeback and were handed the perfect opportunity when a slashing penalty was called against Taylor. Punishing the Stars for their misdemeanour on 42:51, Harrison printed his name onto the scoresheet as Bruce linked up with Whitehouse to assist. Running into trouble again after icing too many men, Billingham’s successful penalty kill was in vain as Solihull achieved an equaliser after their visitors’ return to full strength, forward Luke Brittle the man on target. Going all out to prevent overtime, Tom Brown’s team fired themselves into the lead courtesy of promising youngster Ethan Hehir on 51:19 which saw the upper hand shift back to the Stars. Time running out, the Barons became aware of their need to produce another equaliser so it was little surprise when tempers flared with just over three minutes of the period remaining. With several players involved in the fracas, referee Paul Brooks had his work cut out as he dealt punishments to both teams; Solihull’s Swedish forward Ottosson and Stars’ defenceman Tom Keeley incurred a penalty of 2+2 for fighting, Maynard and Jack Davies were each ejected for third man in and Moss received a match penalty for fighting. Seeing out the remainder of the game subsequent to these penalties, Billingham carried both points over the line to claim the first victory of their 2018-19 campaign.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

By comparison, Whitley Warriors suffered a double defeat over the weekend,  the Hillheads outfit beaten 8-1 by Hull Pirates on the road before recording an 8-2 loss to Telford Tigers at home on Sunday.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Making the trip to Hull Arena on Saturday evening, Whitley fell behind in the game following a goal from right winger James Archer but David Longstaff’s line-up withstood the Pirates’ early attacking play to head in at the first interval with just one goal separating the two teams. Determined to cancel out Hull’s lead, former Elite League left winger Ben Campbell snatched himself a goal courtesy of former Guildford teammate Dean Holland just under three minutes into the middle stanza. A second goal for the home team, delivered by Davies, bolstered the Pirates’ confidence and Player-Coach Jason Hewitt was able to bag himself two goals to widen Whitley’s deficit to three before the final stage of the contest. Applying pressure to the Warriors’ blue line a little after the halfway mark in the period, the Tigers then bombarded Richie Lawson’s net with three goals in less than three minutes when forward Lee Bonner successfully struck two unassisted efforts before right winger Chamberlain linked up with defenceman Chris Wilcox to allow Hewitt to secure his hat trick. As the Warriors switched netminders to hand backup shot stopper Mark Turnbull some ice time in the latter stages of the game, the puck found its way to Wilcox after a faceoff win, allowing the defenceman to make a pass to forward George Crawshaw who added one last goal to the Pirates’ tally much to Whitley’s disappointment. 

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Confronted with an equally challenging fixture against Telford Tigers at Hillheads on Sunday, the Warriors made use of third choice netminder Rory Dunn as a skater in an attempt to bolster their depleted line-up. Disappointing power plays in the first half of the opening stanza saw Whitley punished by Captain Jason Silverthorn who bagged his side a shorthanded goal to put the Warriors on the back foot in spite of some early attempts on Denis Bell’s net. Making amends, David Longstaff’s line-up finally capitalised with the additional man when Jack Watkins headed to the sin bin for high sticks, the home team equalising through forward Callum Watson who netted with support from Alternate Captain Sam Zajac on 15:49. Remaining composed, the Tigers reclaimed their lead through forward Scott McKenzie who scrambled the puck past shot stopper Richie Lawson after frantic play in front of the net.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Quick off the mark in the second period, Silverthorn made it 3-1 just forty four seconds in with a superb shot assisted by forward Rick Plant and defenceman Daniel Rose. Striving to battle back from this, the Warriors could not break down Telford’s creative play and conceded a fourth goal when Silverthorn rocketed a shot past Lawson to achieve his hat trick on 28:51. Replacing Lawson with backup Mark Turnbull in response to this goal, the Hillheads outfit were hit again just thirty two seconds later when Watkins fired his way onto the scoresheet to take his team’s tally to five. Struggling to get back into the game, Whitley chipped away at their deficit with a goal from Captain Dean Holland in the final minute of the period, left winger Ben Campbell carving out the opportunity to maintain possession before picking out Zajac who notched his second assist of the evening.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Despite setting out to close the gap early in the third period, Whitley found their deficit increased to four when Plant reaped the rewards of his hard work on 47:58 to put the contest well and truly out of the Warriors’ reach. Building on their 6-2 lead, Plant worked with winger Warren Tait to assist Joseph Hazeldine shortly after the side returned to full strength following a roughing call against Adam Taylor. In full control, Telford concluded their scoring just seventeen seconds later as right winger Andrew McKinney hit home to resign Whitley to another heavy defeat.

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